WE might be in the midst of a bleak winter, made all the more depressing due to the constant hovering of an COVID-19 outbreak, but you wouldn't know it listening to 14 Steps To A Better You.
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Lime Cordiale's second album is a summery dose of indie-pop festival sunshine, coloured with celebratory drips of reggae, soul, '70s soft-rock, roots and Beach Boys harmonies.
Brothers Oliver and Louis Leimbach from Sydney's northern beaches and their supporting bandmates James Jennings (drums), Felix Bornholdt (keyboards) and Nick Polovineo (trombone and guitar) have shown rapid growth since the release of their debut Permanent Vacation.
On 14 Steps To A Better You the hooks are catchier and the melodies are lusher.
Unfortunately the tastiest cuts such as Robbery (No.7), Inappropriate Behaviour (No.13) and Money (No.32) have already become indie hits in triple j's Hottest 100, while others like Dirt Cheap and Following Fools were released in 2018.
Those looking for fresh meat will be mostly disappointed.
On 14 Steps To A Better You the hooks are catchier and the melodies are lusher.
However, the highlight of the new material would be the piano-driven pop ditty No Plans To Make Plans which points out the hypocrisy of those who pretend to hold altruistic views, but only when it serves their interests.
"You fight for what you think's right/ But only make a difference in your head," the Leimbach brothers sing.
The battle between economic and environment concerns is a common thread that flows through Money and the sugary Addicted To The Sunshine.
The "chilled bro" scene in red hot in 2020. Spacey Jane and Ocean Alley have delivered quality albums in the past month, but Lime Cordiale could have produced the sweetest.
STARS 3.5