The Beast

Angus and Julia Stone' The Beast EP was released just a few days ago, on the 30th of December to be exact. Or rather, it was re-released? I'm hazy on details, so please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe what's happening is they'll be doing a North American release for the EP, which was available in the UK beforehand. I think. If I'm correct, they'll also be releasing the corresponding full-length, A Book Like This, in early March. That's the one that was half produced by Fran Healy of Travis.

It's really a shame that music from Australia doesn't reach North America easily. I mean, when that album was released, it at #5 in its home country, but I've only just heard of it. This has happened with a few Australian acts I discovered this year. Guess I just gotta work a little harder at finding them earlier on.

Here, listen:

Angus and Julia Stone - The Beast (mp3) (buy) (iTunes)



Sounds good, doesn't it?

Be sure to listen to more of their tracks over at mySpace.

The brother-sister duo come to us from Sydney. Prior to collaboration, the both of them started out as solo acts and performed during open mike nights. Angus' voice is very soothing I must say. He reminds of of someone though I can't quite say who. Julia, well her voice brings to mind... Amy Milan, if she started spending too much time with Paolo Nutini. I know, strange description, but maybe you'll understand once you hear it.

I used to think the boy-girl duo as a band thing was quite novel. And then I started seeing them everywhere, and I grew accustomed to the set up. But the thing is, it still works. In the end and honestly speaking, I probably will end up lumping Angus and Julia in with others of their genre. But they're in there with some great artists who form a great medley.

But who knows? Maybe once I get my hands on A Book Like This and listen to it in full, the siblings will prove to be an unexpected stand-out. So that being said, I look forward to seeing their album on my local North American record store.