This, the debut album by Melbourne’s Car Stereo Wars originally came out in 2008, but has been reissued and is receiving a resurgence in popularity, courtesy of several tracks having been featured on television programmes. ‘For Your Comfort and Safety’ gathers together eleven tracks that probably fall within the folk/rock genre. The lyrical themes are interesting and at times downright depressing, however, this works and several of the tracks leave a lasting impression.
The album kicks off with ‘Smooth’ which was released as a download single. The first thing I notice about this is how loud the mix is. I’ve actually got to turn the volume control right down, and this after I’ve been listening to Motorhead! ‘Smooth’ starts off with acoustic guitars and some light keyboards, but builds into the sort of song that is known as a ‘Stadium Anthem’, With Alyssa Doe’s excellent vocals. “I know I can find you. Smooth. And it feels like floating. So, so smooth” with a lush arrangement that sets the scene perfectly, this track was used in the TV programme ‘Smallville’ and is an excellent starter.
‘Radio Edit’ starts with a bass and guitar line that is reminiscent of The Pixies, before softening and becoming something else altogether. Alyssa’s vocals are confident and soaring: - “You of all people should try to behave. You could smash everything to pieces, run away.”
‘Come to Nothing’ is another great song, with a keyboard line similar to The Faces, back in their prime. The lyrics are slightly breathy, and its only on closer examination that you realise the song is celebrating the joys, or rather lack of them, associated with casual sex and one night stands. The lyrics are penetrating (no pun intended) and barbed: - “Take you home soon coz there’s nothing else to do.” and “Take turns staring at the table” which seems to underpin the awkwardness and lack of anything to say afterwards.
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‘Alone’ is a slow, atmospheric love song that smoulders along nicely, and seems to sum up perfectly the problem of getting quality time together: - “So I know that we’ve got trouble, it’s too late but I know, baby I could make it better if we could be alone.”
‘Low Rise’ is a wonderfully understated song with a keyboard and bass combo that reminded me of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. The lyrical theme on this one is going out, potentially getting wasted, and all the things that go hand in hand with this, as well as looking for someone to take away the loneliness: - “Stick to the corner of your town, and you know you can have somebody’s hand to hold.”
‘Down’ starts off in a very atmospheric manner, before finishing with some fine jazzy keyboard and brass work, but the thing that is most striking here is the subject matter, which seems to be dealing with a person who has a terminal illness: - “Honey’s been sick a long time, she’s coming home today,nobody could go to meet her, everybody had to stay away.” and: - “Once she had a button to take the pain away.”
Whilst the subject matter may be more than a little depressing, the song deals with this in a sensitive way, and this song stays with you, long after the disc has stopped spinning.
With songs this strong, and with Alyssa’s confident delivery, this was really special to listen to, and I hope that we hear more from them soon.
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