From the packaging to the tunes, this slab of swampy blues from Brissie duo The Blackwater Fever is old-school garage rock the way it should be. When they plug in and pump the gas, no-one does full throttle, pedal-to-the-metal rock better then these dudes. But when they ease off and veer into moody, whiskey-soaked tales of despair like Sophia’s Waltz and No Harm, they give heartfelt storytellers like Nick Cave and Tom Waits a run for their money. Shane Hicks’ gnarled vocal cords and grunty guitar tones, plus Andrew Walter’s beefy drumming, crank out a sound that would be huge for a four piece, let alone a duo. If you only buy one Aussie album this year, make sure it’s In Stereo – 5stars
