It’s not often you come across an album that’s original and intelligent enough for the indie crowd yet accessable enough for the mainstream, but that’s exactly what Sydney band Yae!Tiger have accomplished on their debut album Casualty of the Avalanche.

Album opener Lichtenstein Zoo is a fun slice of sunny indie-pop. While the lyrics aren’t deep by any means, the combination of male and female vocals and interesting percussion make it the perfect summer soundtrack. The Beatles-esque The Gordon Schumway Experiment and the hip-shaking I’ve Got The Perfect Plan To Infiltrate Your Band could easily stand up against any Australian band being played on Triple J.

However things get even better when the band try something a bit different. Vocal-heavy Free Fact Cut Up and heavily layered Lop the Loop show a darker side to the band that proves they are capable of more than just sunny pop.

Whether it’s the pop-up cover art or the segues between some of the tracks, Casualty of the Avalanche is a complete package of catchy tunes that will impress even the harshest critic. In fact the biggest problem with this album is that not enough people will get to hear it.

9.5/10

yaetiger.bandcamp.com/