BEST LOCAL MUSO: THE HOLY SOUL

Led by the enigmatic snarl of its front man Trent Marden, and powered by the thunderbolt rhythm section of Sam Worrad, Jon Hunter and Kate Wilson, The Holy Soul are the thinking man’s garage band – Newtown’s best kept secret. Their debut album Sign of the Triangle was recorded to cassette in a beekeeper’s barn; a rusty, garage-blues masterpiece that drew comparisons to Richard Hell, The Birthday Party and Jon Spencer. What sets these guys apart from other local rock bands is their consistency; a long-running saga of line-up changes, international tours, a unique musical bond with improv maestro Damo Suzuki and a relentless pedaling of their singular and seductive brand of urban gospel. Second offering, 2009’s Damn You, Ra was a tapey, grandiose distillation of what they do best, play music straight from the er, soul. (Aidan Roberts)

myspace.com/theholysoul