Deaf Wish Mercy LP (Radio)Gotta say, for all the great Australian bands I’ve enjoyed in the past few years, I can’t think of any I’d particularly describe as “mature”. I mean, Eddy Current can get pretty introspective, but they still seem to be coming from the mind of a child, and Fabulous Diamonds are too funky, and Circle Pit too sleazy… Deaf Wish are probably the first recent Aussie group I’ve encountered that sound like they have advanced arts degrees to go along with their home mortgages. Stoic, serious indie rock that reminds me of anything from Cat Power to The Scientists; very moody and precise rock music, peppered with dramatic outbursts and cool come-downs. The clear-and-present recording, talented playing and eclectic song variety all make Mercy a satisfying, deep listen, one that has taken me a number of weeks to finally get a handle on. I always knew it was cool from the first time my eyes met the cover art, it just took a while to really settle into what Deaf Wish had in store. If there was an Australian Drag City Records, I’d imagine they’d be all over something like this.

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