Album Review: Gracetown- San Cisco

Ahreo Liebenberg
May 11, 2015
2 min read

San Cisco are back and are lighting it up with their stellar new album Gracetown. Stunningly produced, Gracetown is jam packed with energy and colour. The four-piece from Fremantle, WA, have taken their time- it’s been over two years since their debut self-titled album put them firmly on the map as one of Australia’s most popular music exports. This time around, San Cisco are a little older and a little wiser and it shows. The group have explored with sound and really worked on deepening the music, but at the heart of the album is the loveable, quirky indie pop we’ve come to know and love.

If nostalgia had a sound, Gracetown would be it. The album is all about young love.

Lead track "Run" is breathy and intoxicatingly catchy, and will no doubt be a staple on Australian indie charts. "Too Much Time Together" is about two people in love, who experience monotony and the hassles of regular life together, which in the end dissolves the relationship before it is able to flourish. Standout tracks include "Bitter Winter" and "Wash It All Away".

Scarlett Stevens is featured more heavily in Gracetown than on the previous album. Her soothing vocals are a welcome addition to the band’s more refined sound, which is still driven by indie pop, disco, funk, soul and hip hop.

San Cisco have continued to tell stories about relationships, but haven’t failed to provide upbeat melodies and charming vocals. Crisp, energetic and summery, the tracks all have a heightened emphasis on the sound and depth of the music itself. The songs themselves are a short sprint- blink and you might miss them- with some reaching only two and a half minutes in length.

The album moves between anguish and joy; it is more introspective than before. San Cisco have managed to mature and grow, without abandoning the infectious, lively and buoyant sound that made them so distinctive to begin with. This album is a testament to the band’s talent and ability to know what made them special in the first place. This is where San Cisco grows up, without forgetting who they are.