- Melbourne based punk trio Cable Ties have been one of the more interesting prospects in Australia's forever morphing rock landscape since their inception two years ago. Despite only having a handful of tracks available for perusal for those of us unlucky enough to be a bit far north of their usual touring circles, the group have had their claws pawing my precious heart tubes since their debut 7" arrived early last year.

On their full-length, self-titled debut, Cable Ties spend absolutely no time getting directly to the point. Opening cut, The Producer, clocking in at over six minutes, is one of the most alluring, attention grabbing opening cuts I've heard on any rock record in what seems like forever. Setting the tone for the record as whole, Nick Brown on bass and Shauna Boyle behind the drums flex their post-punk prowess as they lay down the deceptively simple groove for frontwoman Jenny McKechnie to weave her absolute magic over. Short, sharp bursts of guitar give way to her traffic-stopping vocal wail; McKechnie's impassioned and ferocious voice soars to the heights throughout the opening track and never she misses a beat throughout the entire record. It's a musical combination that comes across like Sleater-Kinney meets Wire in some kind of ferocious, perfect storm that leaves me constantly begging for more.

While most of the cuts from Cables Ties 12" clock in at the four to six minute mark, some of their most interesting moments fall on the extremities of the spectrum. You Can't Hold My Hand, at a tickle past ninety seconds, is pure punk rock heaven; it's the kind of track that makes me want to listen on loop until I've reached my chosen destination and even then I'm likely taking the scenic route so I can have just one more blast in ma ass. On the other end, Paradise: nearly ten minutes that almost remind me of Eddy Current Suppression Ring in one of their more drawn out, reflective moments. The track is again anchored by Cable Ties' superb rhythm section, giving McKechnie the freedom to bounce from hypnotic groove to controlled chaos and back again. Paradise is a musical tour de force that makes the ten minute trip feel like a short journey trapped inside the Bermuda Triangle of my own ailing mind.

On record finale Wasted Time, McKechnie ponders "Have I learnt or have I lost my mind / Have I grown or have I wasted time", it's one of many mantra like choruses on Cables Ties' debut that really struck a chord with me: common questions and feelings that are almost universal for those of us that don't conform to the norm. These are questions I ponder on those days that my mind finds a way through the haze and my confidence wavers. Though the jury is certainly still out on the topic my own self-worth and personal growth, I can assuredly say that McKechnie and company have grown leaps and bounds in a short time. Cable Ties debut 12" runs with what made their early 7" cuts so good at the same time as sharpening their songcraft in every conceivable way. They transcend from interesting prospect to one of Australia's best young rock groups. Their self-titled record is a wonderful and unrelenting debut that will surely go down as one of the most powerful, interesting and well rounded rock records of this year. Cables Ties have me hands down smitten as a kitten with mittens.

- Jay Edwards.