The Prize In the Red LP
After a small string of killer singles and EPs, Melbourne’s the PRIZE reward (sorry…) the masses with their debut full-length and, as expected, it rules. The PRIZE’s sound is both distinct and timeless, immediately calling to mind the power punk sounds of the late ’70s while also carving out their own lane half a century after the roots of their sound flourished in the underground. What’s interesting here is that the band is able to take a sort of formulaic approach to their songs that, on paper, might sound like it could get repetitive, but this crew knows their way around a guitar lick and a chorus so well that every track feels fresh. The verses tend to be filled with staccato-delivered, almost sung-spoken lyrics, but that allows the more sing-songy choruses to land that much harder, and the guitar melodies travel up and down the fretboard providing so much dynamism that an amazing balance is actually created in partnership with the vocal delivery. To boot, they trade off lead vocal duties, which adds yet another layer to peel back as you go through all ten songs. Anywhere the needle lands on this record should satisfy, but the early single “First Sight” is indeed a modern-day classic.