The Smith Street Band : Why Can't I Draw

The Melbourne five-piece, fronted by singer-songwriter Wil Wagner, is set to release their second album in September. The first single is a stompy, ferocious bit of uber-Okker folk pop, a yearning, energetic piece that reminds me of The Lucksmiths and The Whitlams. The similarity goes beyond Wagner’s accent, which is holy-smokes-local, and into the songwriting; like Tim Freedman and Tali White, Wagner’s lyrics are lithe and smart, full of heart-on-his-sleeve sincerity, tumbling out in one very long and very graceful stream of thought.