Sweet & Toothsome

posted in: Artist Features

Katie Cole was raised on a musical diet of Rolling Stones and Maria Callas”watching the former on TV with her mother and singing the latter at the piano with her father. But all those rangy guitar riffs and soaring arias didn’t seep into Cole’s musicality. The Melbourne songstress pens pure pop rock, buffed to a shine in the studio. Always gets the blood flowing with a syncopated beat and a wash of distortion. It’s candy-coated rock (think Liz Phair circa now) and rightfully catchy. Bleeping, bubbling keys, the low chug of guitar and mock epic strings make Sunrise a radio-ready anthem. Then there’s Get Me Outta Here, “ a driving song, albeit with lyrics that veer towards pedestrian. Stylistically, Cole is similar to Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles, or fellow Aussie Natalie Imbruglia. She likes the crunch of a guitar, but a sweet melody, too. If you prefer your rock with a spoonful of sugar, Cole’s your musical treacle.