If you love Australian independent rock music, South Coast group Wasp Island has a summer gift for you.
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The independently recorded and self-produced debut album is on sale on CD and available on streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music etc.).
Experienced coast musicians Trevor Daly (South Durras), Tom Dexter (Broulee), Carla West (Milton), Syd Green (Sanctuary Point) and Owen Crittenden (Moruya) have produced nine songs reflecting life on the coast in regional Australia and "inspired by the music we love".
Daly said the tracks feature a variety of styles ranging from hard riff rock, politically-themed songs, spacey Floydesque music, and splashes of funk and reggae/ska.
"Songs that we think would particularly appeal to local readers are Summer Terrorists (a ska-style sly dig at the annual summer tourist invasion of the coast), Dancing on the Beach (a funky groove for your next beach party), Made My Escape (a fast-riff rocker about making the sea change to the coast), and First Star of the Evening (a slow-building power balled that builds into a lighters-in-the-air singalong anthem)," Daly said.
And after years of playing in various local covers bands, Daly, the main songwriter, "decided it was time to put some original rock music out into the world".
"The album has been several years in the making due to band members needing to juggle music-making with day jobs, family and other commitments."
He said recent family bereavements, fighting the Black Summer bushfires and COVID lockdowns also caused delays and it "seemed like we would never finish the album".
"Now its done we are very pleased to finally reveal our new music to everyone."
waspislandaustralia@gmail.com