While her brother Luke receives critical acclaim as the resident mad scientist for The Sleepy Jackson, Katy Steele's focus seems to zero in on vocal delivery and the power of fine lyrics. Little Birdy, the latest Perth act to attract the attention of the media, is a band in the true sense of the word and while her sibling takes the reins of his combo, Katy is well-supported by a creative group who record so cohesively that it actually sounds like the determined effort of one mind. Relapse, the first single, still bares that element of flawed innocence that struck me the first time I heard its minimal instrumentation and demanding melody. The true test of any developing artist is the quality of b-sides and Little Birdy pass with flying colours, obviously having some type of collective consciousness when it comes to penning tunes together. It's a rare gift that can't be taught or bought and this Perth 4-piece has something special together that promises to grow. We may be privy to the beginning of a legendary act, withstanding the usual political, personal and artistic rigours of being in a band. With Katy on vocals the picture is complete. Her mixture of Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks and Bjork qualifies her for mainstream attention. Hopefully punters will be magnetically attracted to her so the less obvious strength of the song writing and musicianship can be unveiled.

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Tracklisting

Full listing of LITTLE BIRDY releases