Spice World - There is no I in Spice World

Debut record from an Australian (mostly) four-piece who from what i can tell barely even exist, split between coasts as they are, and having played just a handful of shows since their formation in 2021. Tellingly and presumably born of circumstance, this collection of songs was recorded in a single five hour session at the tail end of their first year. Isn't that just the way with all the best bands? Well, sometimes and there's certainly evidence across these ten tracks to suggest significant enduring substance beyond the initial frivolity. Spice World dig into that rich southern hemisphere heritage of off-kilter, ramshackle odd-pop that's at once both comic and melancholic. Shall we call it melancomic and be happy with our day's work? We could, but i'll go on...  A title like There's No I In Spice World might trigger the gag (pun intended) reflexes of a few of you out there, but get past the witticisms and you'll find a collection of effortlessly conceived janglers that land somewhere between The Cannanes and Dick Diver, with a little of The Stroppies' sideways melodicism colouring the corners. Crucially there's a feel-good, off-the-cuff sensibility to tracks like Decorated Boy Scout ("there's no match for good intentions" - amen, brothers and sisters) and Time Time Turn Around (which could be a long lost Kilgour classic, sincerely) that glow with the joy of friends in a room together just working out the limits of their understanding. And in Friend of Mine they've a kind of anthem for their dislocation, exploring friendship at a distance, finding some kind of hope in uncertainty. The result is another testament to the spirit of DIY collaboration that seems to underscore so much of the great Australian music. A more than worthy addition to the lineage.