THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS – ODE TO NOTHING

Tight black jeans, winkle pickers, Trade Union Club, Valhalla posters…sound familiar? You were there then. Courtesy of the Sydney Fringe Festival a number of bands that trod the Sydney boards in the 80’s are back for an encore, some on stage, some on CD, some on both. Of these bands The Lighthouse Keepers are perhaps the most interesting. Formed out of Canberra, eschewing the electric guitar for the jangle of a 12-string acoustic, and fronted by the enigmatic Juliet Ward, the bands primary mix of indie pop and folk stands up surprisingly well to the test of time. Gargoyle, A Time of Evil, Seven Years, Lip Snipe, Groin…like all well written pop songs, none of these sound dated, and all benefit from the re-mastering process to add some new millennium sparkle. With songwriter Greg Appel now entrenched at the ABC, Juliet Ward a scientific researcher and bass player Stephen “Hairy” O’Neil a librarian  Ode to Nothing is a fitting tribute to three short years when a great little band shone brightly without ever breaking through.

*** 1/2