notes by Polly Coufos

Sometimes you know an album is going to be great as soon as you hear the beginning of the first song. Think back to favourite albums and how they stood bold and proud from the first note, inviting you to fall in love with and daring you to not recognise its brilliance.

Get Us Home, the lead track from The Panics' first album on Dew Process is one such song. It kicks off with a big drum roll and a soaring string section, invoking the spirit of The Beatles and classic Motown. Deliriously catchy, not quite dance, not quite pop, and totally infectious. Get Us Home is followed by nine other songs, including first single Don't Fight It, that keep up the quality to the last note.

At the heart of the beauty of Cruel Guards is its unmistakable Australianness. There is a sense of space and scale that speaks of only one country. Musically the link may not be obvious but there is the same sense of our wide brown land that runs through the best work of The Triffids, The Go Betweens and Nick Cave.

"They were onto a good thing and were never pop stars because of it but it showed the importance of embracing where you're from and who you are," Laffer says. "There aren't obvious lyrical references to Australia in the lyrics, but we are proud to fly our flag and we'd like to carry on in the tradition of our favourite groups who went away but continued to identify with this country."

"I'm really proud of everything we've done but I'd like this album to be instantly appealing. We want to be able to continue what we are doing but expand the audience," Laffer explains.

The Panics are unique. They have been allowed to grow and blossom. And blossom they have. This bunch of songs has immediate appeal and lasting beauty.

"Hopefully it will make people raise an eyebrow. We didn't want to just give Panics fans something they are used to. I'd rather people were surprised and hopefully see that there aren't any other guitar groups in this country making records like this "

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Get Us Home
2. Ruins
3. Creaks
4. Don't Fight It
5. Feeling Is Gone
6. Cruel Guards
7. Live Without
8. Something In The Garden
9. I Confess
10. Sundowner