It's a great idea to release a compilation that combines underground heroes with the up-and-coming talents on the indie scene. Hopefully names like Intercooler, Skulker, Rumanastone, Rollerball and Bluebottle Kiss will attract the punters, giving the several rising stars on this disc some well-deserved exposure. The truth is, regardless of profile, the quality of the light rock and indie pop on Independence: Volume One is consistently impressive. Bands like Frost, Eyes Adrift and Tone Orange offer new flavours to a scene that appears to be thriving as the major labels start panicking. If the multi-national 'fat cats' are wondering where their sales have gone they should listen to this high-quality collection to get an idea of the talent that has passed them by; maybe then they'll stop blaming free downloads and get to work on the real problem: an inability to recognise obvious talent. Independence: Volume One has loads of gifted acts, all wrapped up and presented on one disc and is the perfect sampler for the many fans of Australia's rich independent scene.

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Tracklisting

Full listing of VARIOUS ARTISTS releases