Tassie heartthrobs Heart Beach are sharing the love around. They are handing out this 7", Counting/Relief, through Rough Skies Records on Tuesday (pre-order it here). It is quintessential HB - an ebullient amble underscored ('Counting') by a shadow of restraint (Relief'). The clarity of this production though - there is so much echo on the drums on the latter track, the vocals feel like they are ensconced in a velvet cavern, the bass is succulent, the guitar tremors seductively - seriously, everything is in its right place. The second release to have the Neil Thomason touch (he also recorded the half/cut record Ecco Locale coming out soon), and with Mikey Young's Midas touch (possibly more in tune with his Lace Curtain productions), this two-track wonder is one of the best-sounding releases to hit my ears for some time. The trio may say they "don't want to be here anymore" in 'Relief' (sung with a wonderful round-vowel Aussie accent - how I miss thee) - but I want to stay on Heart Beach forever.
