Reviews for When the Flood Comes (2008)

Rhythms Magazine, Australia
May, 2008

The phenomenal reception to The Audreys’ debut album Between Last Night And Us was a surprise to everybody – including its authors. It could have been a fluke – Coates will admit to such thoughts herself. An inexperienced band from Adelaide, they mixed up their love of country and traditional instruments with a shiny pop sensibility and stumbled into Shane O’Mara’s welcoming arms.
The resulting debut won them a 2006 ARIA Award for Best Blues & Roots Album and propelled them on a seemingly never-ending schedule of touring and press encounters in which unimaginative interviewers persisted in asking them if they were worried about how to follow up the debut’s success.
“People want me to worried about the second album,” singer Coates sighed at my own inane inquiry back then. “Every single interview I’ve done in the last few months, someone’s asked me a question like that. But I’m trying to KNOCK YOU ALL OUT so there.”
Prophetic. Yes, Taash, you’ve KNOCKED ME OUT. The new album, When The Flood Comes, is a triumph. Though there’s no doubt that the extensive road seasoning hardened The Audreys into the band capable of making a record of the quality of When The Flood Comes, their decision to draw breath, drink some whiskey and stare down their expectations and pressures has produced an album of inspired songwriting; an exhalation of stock-taking that is powerfully black in the corners. (read more here)
Martin Jones

CitySearch - Sydney
May, 2008

Could this be the one perfect release of 2008?

The Audreys are as original in the flesh as they are on CD - from Taasha Coates's brooding, ethereal vocals to Lyndon Gray's five-stringed double bass, from the sparsely plucked banjo and mandolins to the soaring, classically inspired string arrangements. Opening with Chelsea Blues, the brooding vocals and banjo lead in until the bass and drums kick in like a punch to the kidneys. The effectiveness of this arrangement is to be a permanent theme throughout the whole album. This LP should be the standard that all 'roots' music adheres to; this is the real deal kids. It's folk, it's rock, it's grunge, it's classical and it's blues, but above all, it's indescribably beautiful and stunningly original.
To give a brief overview of the vibe of the entire album, let's look at the first single Paradise City, which saunters into the room in third place. A perfect single to encapsulate everything that makes When the Flood Comes such a fantastic release. The mournfully upbeat guitar leads in on top of some sludging drum work, paving the way for Coates to come along and, with complete disregard for the tone being set by her band-mates, jive a sorrowful tune of regret and disgust. The irony grabs at you and drags you into the sleaze - this is desolation city; this ain't no Paradise City.
Man, this is good stuff. But it just gets better! After the first major crescendo, we're pulled back to reality with just drums and hoarsely whispered vocals, then it builds up again and launches us, with a quick detour through classically inspired string arrangements, into track four. It gets no better than this. Go get it. Words are not the medium for describing aesthetics. The Audreys are where it's at.
Vincent Giles

Tsunami Magazine, Brisbane
May, 2008

Where The Audreys' debut Between Last Night And Us succeeded was in its ability to capture roots fans and the wider audience alike. The release was littered with pop chemistry, gaining a widespread appreciation that eventually resulted in a deserved ARIA award. With that weight behind them, the writing partnership of Taasha Coates and Tristan Goodall admit to feeling pressure when it came to their sophomore release. It is perhaps this breeding ground where When the Flood Comes surfaces, coming across darker than its predecessor. There is an encompassing morbidity through tales of death, alcoholism, loss and despair, creating a record that is not as easily digestible. However, this is not a blemish, as When The Flood Comes is a distinctly engaging release, and one that draws you into its seedy nature from the outset. Their pop sensibility isn't as instantly recognisable, however 'Paradise City', 'Head So Heavy' and 'Lay Me Down' provide enough chemistry for the shallow radio listener, and 'Chelsea Blues' and 'Songbird' provide gold for those willing to invest. Taasha's voice remains pivotal to the strength of The Audreys, as she delivers a performance that affirms her as Australia's best female talent. The fact that this album isn't as instantly appealing as their debut is quickly trumped by a supreme depth of emotion and musicality on this simply magical release.
9/10, Nate Shea

Rolling Stone Magazine, Australia
June, 2008

From the opening strains of "Chelsea Blues" (presumably named after the Chelsea Hotel, where songwriters Taasha Coates and Tristan Goodall resided for a stretch while writing this album), it's clear that The Audreys' second is all about going deeper. There's humour in the emotion (such as the brokenhearted lyrical paradoy "Paradise City"), and a few unlikely hooks in the gorgeous, earthy arrangements ("Lay me Down") but When the Flood Comes defintely needs - and rewards - repeated listening. There's no "Steve McQueen" here, but there are richer pleasures, from the Welch-Rawlings harmony of "Here he Lies" to the bittersweet melody of "Small Things".
Dan Lander

Drum Media, Sydney
May, 2008

ARIA winners The Audreys were no doubt plagued by the idea of second album syndrome, but there was never a need to worry. New album When the Flood Comes is a more than worthy follow up to debut Between Last Night And Us, picking up on the folky, rootsy, country-but-in-a-good-way niche they left themselves in. From the first bars and sounds of opener Chelsea Blues, Taasha Coates cements herself as a less pop Sarah Blasko; sassy but with substance. Along with partner Tristan Goodall the pair has written a great collection of songs with texture and some spice, with Lay Me Down a great example of how you can do something different with the expected romance acoustica. Let's just say it's the nicest 'let's just get to it' I've heard in a while.
However, despite the cheekiness, the Adelaide band also falls back into some lovely old territory, as with Closing Time the same idea is expressed with more sentimentality. The title track also showcases violinist Mikey Green on vocals; an awesome duet that stops you in your tracks. Although he pops up from time to time, here the two mingle easily with a melody/harmony mix that The Finn Brothers would be proud of. The only disappointment is Paradise City, not because it's a bad song, but because its title teased me into thinking they'd given Guns 'N' Roses a going over (The Audreys' cover of INXS' Don't Change was a stunning addition to their debut and live sets). Although we'll have to search elsewhere for acoustic Gunners tributes, there's little else this disc will leave you wanting.
Liz Giuffre

Rip it Up, Adelaide
21st May, 2008

What do you do when your debut album, which you call Between Last Night And Us, suddenly catapults you from being a little alternative country band from Adelaide into a national success and then the album goes on to win a coveted ARIA award?
Simple! You try not to get a dose of the panics and head to New York's infamous Chelsea Hotel armed with a bottle of whiskey and some rough ideas for some songs. And, with the songs written, you head home to the Adelaide Hills where you work them up and then venture over the border to Yikesville Studio to record under the guidance of Shane O'Mara once again. And, hey presto, you have a second album which is even better than your quite stunning debut.
The banjo and fiddle-driven opening offering, Chelsea Blues, hints at some kind of redemption as it notes that there's a big change a comin'. The album's title track, a road song of sorts, features Taasha Coates' vocals neatly combined with those of fiddle player Mikey G to great effect, which is also the case with the plaintive Here He Lies. Melbourne musician Howard Cairns also features on sousaphone and euphonium, thus giving it a lovely New Orleans-styled funeral feel.
Sally And The Preacher exhibits a decided Tex-Mex kind of cantina feel and marks somewhat of a musical departure. Small Things is one of the loveliest things on the dozen-song album and one of the highlights, while Songbird employs the kind of world weary charm of an old Triffids classic and More To A Sinner completes the album in fine style with Melbourne musician Ed Bate (of Sports) coming to the fore on pedal steel and Coates' multi-tracked vocals being a complete delight.
When The Flood Comes is a far better realised affair that The Audreys' award winning debut and any initial fears of not making a good follow-up should by now be completely washed away.
Bob Dunstan

The Advertiser, Adelaide
8th May, 2008

If The Audreys' debut album Between Last Night and Us is anything to go by, they should start thinking about packing for the ARIAs. It's a strong return for the local blues and roots act with songs such as Paradise City dripping with whisky and oozing with front woman Taasha Coates' sexy swagger. By the time you reach Closing Time you sense a feeling of optimism that hides behind the fragility of Coates' voice, but there are plenty of darker moments too. Confident and powerful, When The Flood Comes is everything we expected and a little more.
Sam Kelton

Sunday Mail, Adelaide
4th May, 2008

Adelaide's The Audreys commanded immediate attention and earnerd themselves and ARIA wth their 2006 debut, Between Last Night and Us, a confident and radiant album of sass and sensousness.
Teaming again with producer Shane O'Mara, whose sense of balance and control helped shape that album, the band has produced a follow-up that is every bit as good. When the Flood Comes develops a theme that revolves around a watery global fate, but seems to hint at retribution of a gothic, biblical vareity. Lurking among its songs are whispers of temptation and sin.
Taasha Coates's voice is as pure and alluring as before and the arrangements of guitars, banjo and violin are equally sublime.
Graeme Hammond

The Weekend Australian
26-27th April, 2008

The great strength of The Audreys' debut album Between Last Night and Us two years ago was that it merged, seamlessly, strains of alt-country, folk and delicate pop melodies. That formula is to the fore once again on the South Australian quintet's follow up, although When the Flood Comes swims in darker waters than its predecessor. "There's a big change coming down the highway" is the first line of the opening song, Chelsea Blues, and it signals the theme that permeates the remaining 11 tracks. Whisky, apparently, was the fuel that fired up some of these songs. What singer Taasha Coates found at the bottom of her glass appears to be, lyrically speaking, a mixture of apocalypse, redemption and lust; and, no, she's not singing about Saturday nights in Adelaide. There's great chemistry at work here in the melding of banjo, violin and an assortment of rootsy accoutrements with Coates' fragile, breathy vocals. It works particularly well on the sombre, understated Closing Time, the funereal Here He Lies and on the equally beautiful and laid-back Small Things. Fill up the glass and enjoy.
Iain Sheddon

Courier Mail, Brisbane / Daily Telegraph, Sydney
17th April, 2008

If Adelaide five-piece The Audreys impressed pundits and punters alike with their debut album Between Last Night and Us, they're set to floor all comers with the passion-soaked minimalism of When the Flood Comes. Opener Chelsea Blues - written at New York's legendary Hotel Chelsea - sets the tone for an album of brooding folk and alt-country infused pop.
Yes, pop. The Audreys defy categorisation, but at the heart of each cut here - such as first single Paradise City - is a pop melody warm enough to melt ears. The instrumentation is razor sharp, but sounds far from clinical. Rather than over embellish the likes of Head So Heavy, The Audreys make every athletic note work up a lather.
The aching portent that hangs across the album doesn't sound contrived because it wasn't planned. It wasn't until they'd recorded the likes of Closing Time, the ominous title track, Anchor and funereal cut Here He Lies that they noticed an apocalyptic undercurrent, as if it knocked on the door and said "look at me". And if such an album needs an apex, it's Songbird, a Nick Cave inspired hymn that ends with a crunching crescendo, followed by redemption in More to a Sinner.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Matt Connors

Reviews for Between Last Night and Us (2006)

Penguin Eggs Magazine, Canada
Autumn Edition, 2006

Let’s cut right to the chase: this is as fine a debut album as I’ve ever heard. From Australia, The Audreys deliver a sublime collection of alt-countryish, bluegrassy, folky songs that are fresh and new, yet manage to sound timeless.
The sparse, melancholy arrangements of the Audreys feature a wonderful marriage of banjo, ukulele, guitar and violin, but it is all cemented wonderfully in place by the gorgeous, amazingly smoky and intense voice of Taasha Coates. It cuts straight to your heart. Banjo and Violin is a hauntingly performed standout, as is a beautiful cover of INXS’s Don’t Change.
The Audrey’s are reminiscent of Po Girl, Nathan, the Wailin’ Jennys yet sound unique and fresh. If their live show is anywhere near the performances on this record look out, they’ve got it all. A gorgeous CD, run out and buy it.
Les Siemieniuk

Exclaim, Toronto, Canada
July, 2006

Bewitching. Beguiling. And that’s just their vocalist! Rumour has it this band is pegged as a variance on our own Cowboy Junkies – but hardly an appropriate comparison. Sure, the band’s sound is built around the voice of the female lead singer but Taasha Coates has more than a functional voice. She has a superb voice that instantly penetrates and enthralls the listener. Beyond Coates’ key contribution, the band’s sound is built around the ragtag guitar and banjo techniques of Tristan Goodall and the significant violin, mandolin and harmonizing skills of Mikey G. Categorized as ‘alt-country pop’, this is truly more of a hybrid born of spirited gypsys – as swing plays a role as does country twang and hillbilly bluegrass, making this much more of a daring musical adventure than the ‘Junkies’ tag could ever lend. The original tracks are dark and other-worldly and Coates’ range envelops everyone from Nick Cave to Julie Andrews – digest that for a minute! Tracks such as the delicious “Oh Honey” namecheck a Zeppelin drum sample while “Nothing Wrong With Me” is more bent spaghetti western than anything as limited as ‘alt-country’. But for a clear, crisp sample of Coates’ voice, their cover of INXS’ “Don’t Change” will have you scrambling for a copy. And that’s before you see them live, where Mikey G. and Goodall control the electricity, ramping up the exuberance of their well-crafted originals. This is a revelation worth revealing.
*** Mark of Distinction***
Eric Thom

Tsunami Magazine, Brisbane
April, 2006

Just Between Last Night and Us, this is delicious. Country twang delivered with the smokiest of vocals, rolling roots and authentic banjo and violin picking. Songstress Taasha Coates channels the she-ghosts of times gone by with her silky smooth, torch-song delivery. Remember Cowboy Junkies? This is them, multiplied by ten. Some tracks draw from the vein of Nick Cave; ballads of menacing melancholy, accompanied by haunting string soliloquies. Some are lyrically simple, cute and endearing; Queen of Kitsch meets hillbilly hip. The constancy of beautiful vocals and easy listening instrumentals make every track a winner. This Adelaide ensemble has already embarked on an international tour de force, wowing audiences in North America. Their first limited edition release drew admiring glances from Fringe Festival goers and they've eclipsed Tamworth. They may just mainline it to Nashville, via an inspired tour of the more intelligent galaxies. Between Last Night and Us is out of this world.
9/10, The Shy Librarian

XPress Mag, Perth
29th March, 2006

There's no music on earth a banjo won't improve. None at all. Especially if it's picked in that Furey's kinda way. The Audreys mix this subtle twang in with warmer acoustic sounds, some haunting fiddle, and a simply gorgeous female voice to create something that's not quite country, not quite folk, and not quite pop, but an exciting mutt of all of the above and more. Lush and dreamy, Between Last Night And Us is a harmonious balance of several instrumental features that - by rights - could very well be the feature on their own. That's not an easy thing to pull off, but The Audreys make it seem so. If country music stepped outside of the Americana clichés of hats, belt buckles and southern accents, then it would sound like this. And this, friends, is so much better than hearing an Australian playing pretend cowboy. Beautiful stuff.
Mike Wafer

The Herald Sun, Melbourne
12th March, 2006

The sound has all the hallmarks of Nashville and Kentucky, but The Audreys are in fact proudly Adelaide, with a strong Melbourne connection as well, thanks to solid gigging in clubs and cafes. The three years between the bands formation and this classy, confident and radiant debut album have been well-spent.
Brothers Tristan and Cam Goodall (guitars, banjo) and Mikey G (violin, mandolin) have created an empathetic, almost telepathic relationship in which the individual instruments slip and slide in and out of focus to create a multi-layered sound that sounds deceptively simple.
Much of the credit for this must go to producer Shane O'Mara, whose previous work has been with Lisa Miller, Tim Rogers and Stephen Cummings. In his hands, singer Taasha Coates' exquisite, robust voice and clear enunciation sit richly in the mix, allowing her to sound rather like Neko Case or Michelle Shocked.
The fact that Coates has contributed to the album's clever lyrics does no harm, either. There's a certain sassiness as she tartly observes "there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with you" in one song, while she hints she may well know the answers to the questions raised in Where Are You Now?: "Are you in some bar, drinking for two, I'm sorry baby if it was all too much for you."
There's enough variety here to keep this album fresh and steaming. On Long Ride, Cam Goodall steps in to provide a sombre, breathy duet with Coates. On Oh Honey, the mounting sexual frustration implied by Taasha's repeated plea "don't you do that thing to me" is matched, notch by notch, by a slow building of visceral drums and grinding guitars.
If the bouyant mood slips towards the end on the sombre Susanne and Come on In, it's saved by a conversation-stopping violin and banjo version of INXS' Don't Change. For this band, it's good advice indeed.
Graeme Hammond

The Weekend Australian
February 25-26th, 2006

It's a relief to hear an album of Australian folk-country-bluegrass and not once hear an over-Strined vowel. Made famous by Tiddas, it is a habit that has spiralled out of control thanks to the likes of Missy Higgins and The Waifs. You won't hear The Audreys do any of that here - maybe that's because they're from Adelaide. Their debut, Between Last Night and Us, features supporting roles for just about everything that has ever been strung or fretted - banjo, violin, mandolin, dobro, lap steel and producer Shane O'Mara plays something called a spaghetti western guitar. The album is an enjoyable and intoxicating blend of bluegrass and folk, with just the occasional flash of brilliance. Taasha Coates' voice borders on the divine, yet when she is joined by Cam Goodall on vocal duties for Long Ride and Come On In, the results are nothing short of suberb. This album suggests big things are in the offing for The Audreys.
Tom Jellet

Sydney Morning Herald
February 12th, 2006

The Audreys come to you in sepia tones. I suspect, if they could, they would release their debut album on a chunky 78, packaged in a plain brown paper sleeve. Instead, they must make do with dapper suits and songs that have a patina suggesting they've been tucked away for 50 years and have just been dusted off.
Their songs dip into the feed bag of prairie laments, unsettlingly upbeat murder ballads and speakeasy torch tunes with an undercurrent of gyspy music in the violin lines.
Of course it's contrived - the Adelaide quartet are children of the '80s (as shown by their quite lovely banjo-and-lonesome-dove cover of INXS's Dont Change). The roots here are touched by a modern edge much in the way that Neko Case, Oh Susannah and Shivaree have done in recent years.
But being in such good company is hardly a mark against them, not when the songs and particularly the I-could-cry-or-hurt-you-any-minute vocals of Taasha Coates work this well. Credit, too, to the natural ambience created by producer Shane O'Mara. It's smart work all around.
Bernard Zuel

Once just a charming Aussie colloquialism for sexual intercourse (i.e. “That Kiwi guy roots sheep”), recent years have seen “roots” take on a whole new dimension. Thanks to the likes of John Butler and The Waifs, it’s now one of the biggest-selling music genres, motivating the music branch of our national broadcaster to establish the dedicated label ABC Roots.
Adelaide four-piece The Audreys fit nicely into the label’s ethos, an amalgam of subtle, alt-country-tinged instrumentation and the smoky, melodic pop vocals of Taasha Coates. Brothers Tristan and Cam Goodall inject the band’s spirit with judicious use of National guitar, banjo and acoustics, Mikey G (violin, mandolin) marks out his territory with plenty of colour, while support players on double bass and drums remain suitably subdued.
A sweet-as-honey western waltz reminiscent of a Tex-Mex Shivaree, ‘Banjo & Violin’ makes most of their-less-is more approach. The back porch strum of ‘You & Steve McQueen’, portentous creep of ‘Oh Honey’ and ‘Nothing Wrong With Me’ and the Finn-esque harmonised pop of ‘Come On In’ cast aside assertions of roots being a narrow genre favoured by the great unwashed - this is hook-laden, diverse, rootsy alt-country pop (see their sweet reading of INXS’s ‘Don’t Change’).
A gorgeously restrained exercise, Between Last Night And Us should take The Audreys out of Adelaide, onto the stages of Nashville and beyond.
Matt Connors

back to music page