Little Murders deliver a powerpop masterwork

07 January 2025

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Under Northern Lights – Little Murders (Off the Hip)

Nine studio albums in and Little Murders might have this rock-pop caper nailed. Again.

“Under Northern Lights” showcases what songwriter, band leader and sole constant member Rob Griffiths and his current, and most enduring, line-up do so well.  So that’s a wrap for this review. 

No, you don’t get off that easy. At least not until you’ve been thoroughly sold the virtues of “Under Northern Lights”. It should be an easy task if you set the tracks running in the background on Bandcamp. Let’s get stuck in. 

“Under Northern Lights” is 11 pop songs powered by blues-flecked guitar licks and coloured by truckloads of melody. Griffiths’ laddish vocal swings from rafters built of solid harmony vocals, aided and abetted by a few choice guests, notably members of The Killjoys.

The band rocks regally. Two guitars, bass and drums. You don’t need much more – although good songs help.

Glad you asked. The songs owe much to the ‘60s - as should any pop rock record – but Griffiths isn’t beholden to any one precursor. It’s Beatles up the wazoo but Beach Boys and Ramones too. This is what you don’t hear on radio - unless it’s community in nature and impervious to major label mediocrity.

The album’s the work of a band whose members are totally at ease with each other. That can’t be faked. Ask The Stems, The On and Ons, Sunnyboys and others who have been playing in a similar space. There have been many line-ups of Little Murders but this oen is the equal of any. 

“Please Don’t Worry About The Government” has a faux “Ghost Riders In The Sky” intro before Shaun Lohoar rides his toms to lay down a pattern. If the edgy vocal doesn’t tell you then I will let you know that its’s another COVID song, ironically written in the Australian state that made an art form of lockdowns. Rod Hayward’s ringing guitar line caps a strong lead-off track.

“It Ain’t Easy” revels in a simple melody line (aren’t they always the best?) and a guy-girl harmony that hits just right. The harmonies are killer throughout. Anna Barclay, Barb Waters, Mick Barclay and (producer) Craig Pilkington should take a collective bow. 

The songs are the thing. “Don’t Call It Love” was destined for Wrong Turn. Boy, did they miss out. ”Tonight Tonight Tonight” is so good it was named three times, going one better than Woy Woy. Try not singing along. “Wait Til Summer Comes” was a vinyl single and is a little more muscular than the rest of the album. Its hook hits like unbottled pop lightning. 

The urgent “Kings Cross Dawning” is a leftover track by a different line-up from “Dig For Plenty” and is re-packaged, Stones style, with a brass coda to suit.

“Til Monday Comes Around” is a classic reflective Griffiths story about growing up on Bowie in early ‘70s Blackpool. The title track references the same place.  As if to underline that inspiiration is circular and what goes around comes around,  “Dagger In My Heart” is a track by Griffiths’ other band The Fiction given a Little Murders makeover. Rod Hayward’s guitar solo is a stand-out.

There are Little Murders fans and there are the oblivious. Belonging to the former means a new album is likely to sound good to your ears. This album is their strongest to date.

Buy it

This tribute will be different

24 March 2023

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Things Will Be Different: A Tribute To Little Murders – Various Artists (Twist Records)

Tribute records? They used to be all the rage but are they now just a bit naff? It depends on who they’re lauding.

Little Murders are Australian rock and roll’s – no! don’t say it! – Best Kept Secret. It’s a cliché, for sure, but don’t be afraid. It just means that cloth-eared and gormless cretins don’t know who they are. If you’re one of them, consider yourself admonished and start paying attention.

To quote Punk Journey website:

Formed in 1979, Rob Griffiths named his band Little Murders after a 1971 film directed by Alan Arkin and starring Elliot Gould. As an English expatriate, Griffiths embraced 1960's English pop culture (The Who, The Troggs, The Kinks, Union Jacks draped over amplifiers) and accordingly Little Murders became the premier Mod band on the late 1970's/early 1980's Melbourne independent scene.

Over eight studio albums, Little Murders have outgrown the mod tag and become a vehicle for Rob Griffiths’ considerable songwriting talents.

Accomplished powerpop exponent (and eventual Little Murders member) Danny McDonald nailed it when he put Griffiths in the same category as Dom Mariani, Jeremy Oxley and the like. The man’s knack of surrounding himself with seasoned and sympathetic players is self-evident.

So let’s get down to tin tacks and “Things Will Be Different…” is a 14-track collection of Little Murders songs, reprised by bands from all around the world. Six are Australian which, although in line with the Best Kept Secret narrative, is probably more of a reflection that the label, Twist, is English.

The label is well-named. Few of the featured acts jump right into the powerpop fire. Some of the re-workings are distinctly different from the originals – which is how tribute records should be. After all, a great song is a great song.

Of course there’s always a back-story: Ex-Sparks guitarist Earl Mankey was a driving force behind the collection and the bands are collaborators, Facebook friends or fans who made their contributions at various stages of lockdown. Mankey’s own band, The Eddies, take on “Baby It’s You”.