Princess One Point Five - What Doesn't Kill You

2010 is turning out to be an inspired year for Australian music, and Princess One Point Five’s latest release, What Doesn’t Kill You, is up there with the best so far. The fourth release from this Melbourne trio is equally eclectic and ambitious, taking the listener to places far away from normality. Yet the raw emotion that comes through in the lyrics of lead vocalist Sarah-Jane Wentzki makes the record what it is; at its core, What Doesn’t Kill You is a journey through themes of love, inclusion, and self-actualisation. Simple as these premises may appear, the complexion with which the band deliver this record is truly otherworldly.

Straight from the first track, aptly titled Start, an array of atmospheric synths immediately warrant the listener’s attention in a fairly peaceful and almost hypnotizing manner. This leads into I’m Not Ready, which builds up progressively into a bombastic climax that really emphasizes the lyrics succinctly. The distorted guitar and atmospheric synth sounds continue throughout the record, yet are implemented differently on Suit Yourself. The song opens with an almost AIR-like feel, with reverb-soaked guitar and simple piano carrying the song through to another climactic ending that could quite easily be the soundtrack to any independent Australian film, as the combination of electronic and acoustic drumming adequately complements the song’s peaks and troughs.

P1.5 show their pop sensibilities through the mid-section of the album, with tracks like Today and Quote Me adding to the eclectic nature of the record. Today is one of the album’s stand-out tracks and deservingly acquired some substantial airplay on the national broadcaster already. The simplistic finger-picked riff coupled with Wentzki’s demanding vocal performance make the song incredibly easy to listen and relate to, and really helps to emphasise the somewhat down-to-earth traits that the band possesses. Quote Me is perhaps one of the lower points of the album, mainly due to the fact that it doesn’t really fit with the direction of the other tracks. It is a great rock song in its own right; however this is most certainly not a typical rock album on the whole.

The stand out track on What Doesn’t Kill You lies in I Dare You. The track is preceded by an atmospheric interlude, and begins with a rather haunting and deep piano line. Wentzki once again proves how diverse her voice can be, this time taking a more soulful and raw approach, and carrying lines like “Shut up and kiss me/I dare you” which show the lyricists sense of want and fulfillment. The song is another slow-burner, and rapidly grows into another ravaging exhibition of the band’s ability to create post-rock style music in its own original and unique way.

The album is toned down during tracks like Fly My Pretties and All That You’d Thought, with some elements of each track almost reminiscent of fellow Australians Decoder Ring, in keeping with the sparse and open sound that tends to influence local musicians these days. Closing track All You Are concludes the record with one final flourish of ambitious and optimistic sounding music that leaves much to the imagination. The track then slowly fades out into the synth sounds that were evident on the album opener, and it is now clear how the band wants you to feel on this record. The notion of creating a world within a world, a sort of escape from day-to-day life, is the whole aim of What Doesn’t Kill You, and Princess One Point Five have provided this special element of music in spades.

Many will be hard-pressed to find a more diverse and eclectic Australian record than What Doesn’t Kill You for the remainder of 2010. Princess One Point Five will surely receive the acclaim they sincerely deserve for this record and have set the standard for many other contenders of similar ilk. Listen to this album and escape into the world of Princess One Point Five; it is a good place to be.