Smoking Martha - Universe (2021)

Rising Brisbane based alt-rock quartet Smoking Martha are well known for channelling big riffs with atmospheric musicalities. And they certainly deliver on this their new album, the twelve tracks offering a diverse range of moods from the foot-tapping, pounding drums of Good Girls, through the emotive Wonderful Happiness to Liquid Sunshine where the band bathe the listener in a golden warmth, before kicking up some dust with the heavy rock groove of It’s A Lie.

The band (Mick Broome – Guitar, Matty Mulheran – Bass, Jordy Poynter – Drums) are super tight and focused, producing some excellent alt-rock backdrops over which singer Natasha Doherty pours her vocals like honey on a crumpet. There’s no argument, she has a fantastic voice. More soulful than Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless, it occasionally brings to mind Gwen Steffani, but thankfully not as nasal and nowhere near as irritating.

Like movies in the olden days, there is an Intermission in the middle of Universe, this one being the type of stripped back bluesy number that would be playing in a downtown blues dive as the last remaining customer (knowing that there’s no one waiting for him at home) drains the last dregs from his glass and heads for the door. Next track, Neon Lights, is possibly the highlight of the album. Only two minutes long, it’s another acoustic number with an almost flamenco influence to the guitar and a soft, swooshy drum sound.

There is an old saying that there is no smoke without fire, so as Universe ends with the poignant and appropriately wide and expansive sounding title track, we’re being given notice, it’s only time before this Aussie foursome are burning bright.