In their fifth studio album, Dappled Cities offers their most polished work to date. Dripping in reverb and cloaked in subtle grandeur, IIIII quickly rose to the top 25 of the NACC college radio charts. Why the title IIIII? Well, there are five members of the band, this happens to be their fifth album, it’s been five years since their last album, and a simple “5” just wouldn’t cut it with this hip Australian quintet.
While the band didn’t spend the entire five year period developing IIIII, they certainly took their time honing every technical piece of the record, making sure it was flawless in the eyes of co-frontmen and neighborhood mates Dave Rennick and Tim Derricourt. Through their incessant work they created an album that carries a sense of smoothness that can only be produced by trimming off the rough edges and ironing out every wrinkle in the editing process.
IIIII is a fun and lighthearted yacht-rock album, peppered with nineties electronic influences. It’s easy listening, and thoroughly enjoyable by nearly anyone. It’s Dappled Cities, pure and simple. The record is a refined version of themselves. Sure, it’s unambitious, maybe even safe, but I dare you not to tap your foot or bob your head when “Driving Home at Night Alone” comes on. We are constantly pushing our favorite artists to evolve into something more, and are often disappointed when they actually do. It’s refreshing to see an artist strive to perfect what they are already good at, which is exactly what you get from Dappled Cities.
— johnr.wheeler@yahoo.com
