Hailer have been tramping around the Sydney pubs for years. Be it reckless indifference or blind faith, they keep making music whether you like it or not because they clearly love it, or perhaps the idea of it.
The band describe their second album, Another Way, as a psychedelic record, but adding noodly outros on the back of a radio friendly rock anthem doesn’t make it experimental.
It comes across as more of a collection of left leaning commercial rock songs instead, coming across as more Temper Trap than Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The LP is a well crafted album: the musicianship, the songwriting, the production are are all there, but there’s a magic spark missing, that elusive element which makes an album worth listening to.
It’s all very nice, there are even moments of head nodding fun, but nothing that’s going to set the world on fire or even send anyone reaching to hit the repeat button with any urgency.
Full credit to them, Hailer clearly believe in what they create and will shortly be relocating to America to try and tap into the college radio scene where they are getting some traction at the moment. Perhaps their excitement will rub off on a new audience.
Here is al album that has clearly been made with sincerity and passion, which is something a lot of music lacks, but let’s just say this record is safer than a Volvo.
