How quickly things can happen when the right people hear your song. What started as a joke for Brisbane’s Joe Agius and Jarrod Mahon resulted in legendary UK label Rough Trade picking up their ‘I Won’t Wait’ single and the rest might just go down in history. Several abandoned uni courses and letters of resignation later, and The Creases are now a quartet and a serious concern, with a debut EP in the bag and an album in the works. But has all the hype and “buzz band” statuses on the blogosphere been worth it? The answer is an unwavering yes. Opener and single ‘Static Lines’ is pure pop bliss, as Agius throws out classic lines about sitting by the phone and seeing things “in the way you smile”. Despite having a title that recalls something that mopey old muppet Morrissey might write, second track ‘How Long ‘Til I Know’ is a pleasingly squalling shoegaze number that was probably nicked from Agius and bassist Aimon Clark’s side-project RINSE; a band which, like Mahon’s Emerson Snowe, looks to have become somewhat of a casualty of The Creases’ sudden success. Third track ‘Fall Guy’ is the unexpected highlight; its chiming guitars and wistful lyrics stand head and shoulders above the rest, while ‘Do You Know Why’ is more of a scratchy number and the closer and title track packs a late punch, courtesy of some powerhouse drumming by Gabe Webster. The Creases might have started out as a joke, but this debut release is as promising as they come. (Liberation Records)

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