The Boat People

Acts The Boat People have supported give an inkling of their sound including The Shins (US), David Byrne (US), Midlake (US), Dogs Die in Hot Cars (UK) and Idlewild (UK).

"They resemble an amped up Elliott Smith or an angrier Brendan Benson; either way they're an intriguing proposition." Barfly Group/The Great Eacape program 2008

"Not since The Shins has a band come along that makes jangly pop with such elan. Matching The Decemberists for lyrical drollness, and with a subtly spiky edge to elegant vocals, you'd call it mature pop if it wasn't as lively as anything modernistic. "
(Planet Sound - Chandeliers top 50 albums of 2008)

In 2008 THe Boat People played the CMJ music marathon, a live set on Morning Become Eclectin on KCRW, shows at The Viper Room and Spacaland, and are being played on 20 radio stations across the US. THey return in 2009 to pay SXSW.

In the UK they played The Great Escape in May, toured then returned in October for 7 shows and great reviews for new album Chandeliers including 4 stars in Uncut, 7/10 in NME and chosen in top 50 albums of the year in Planet Sound (see below)

Chandeliers was released in Australia in July to a hailstorm of critical acclaim (see below) and massive radio airplay.

MESS AND NOISE
“A genuinely great Australian pop album that can comfortably stand alongside acknowledged classics like Woodface, Granddance or 16 Lover’s Lane….superb mature pop music, as good as anything you will hear in this genre this year. International recognition beckons”.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD – 4 STARS
“This is a second album carefully balanced between the sheer pleasure of pop music and the wit of smart song writing. Chandeliers songs have a casual elegance and a droll eye but they are subordinate to what feels like real emotion, meaty playing and tunes that constantly entertain. The Boat People are the real deal”. (Bernard Zuel)

COURIER MAIL – 4 STARS

TIME OFF – 4.5 STARS (ALBUM OF THE WEEK)
“Eleven blindly brilliant pop songs… flawless, jangly, guitar pop for the thinking man… the album is a triumph.”

RAVE – 4.5 STARS (ALBUM OF THE WEEK)
“Is this a great album from The Boaties? Yesyesyesyesyes!“

THE BRAG – INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK

WHO WEEKLY – 4 STARS

4ZZZ – FEATURE ALBUM OF THE WEEK

3PBS – ALBUM OF THE WEEK

POLAROIDS OF ANDROIDS - 8.1/10
“Chandeliers is an undeniably brilliant, rich and honest pop record. Every inch of catchiness is matched and even occasionally exceeded by a clever lyric or a fitting guitar riff. Every cute and bright coloured flash is contrasted by a bittersweet poetic sentence or sharp tempo change. The Boat People are not only cleverer than the average 'indie pop' group but are also a lot more consistent. Each song carries it's own weight, yet at the same time this album feels like a single body of work. To be so pop-focused and still give off such a strong feeling of artistic freedom is extremely rare.”
BEAT – AWKWARD ORCHID ORCHARD SINGLE REVIEW
A new single from Brisbane’s bliss pop maestros, Awkward Orchid Orchard continues a fine tradition of faultless hooks from this gentle crew, who have surprising depth in their sweetness and light.

UK REVIEWS
NME 7/10 “there’s some really nice art-pop echos of the Cars and The Shins going on, and the more time you spend on it the more interesting it gets.”

Uncut 4 stars “It gets stronger and more addictive the more you play it, and charmingly insists that you discover that fact.”

Planet Sound top 50 albums of the year 8/10
Hurrah! A new band to follow Crowded House and The Go-Betweens for sumptuous Australian melancholia. Not since The Shins - who they've supported - has a band come along to make jangly pop with such elan. Matching The Decemberists for lyrical drollness, and with a subtly spiky edge to James O'Brien's elegant vocals, you'd call it mature pop if it wasn't as lively as anything modernistic.
Pennyblackmusic.co.uk With beautiful melodies and uplifting tunes the Boat People have a real knack for writing tunes and lyrics. They strike that perfect balance of creating both joyous tunes and perfectly crafted songs. The Boat People are a band for fans of current indie favourites such as Death Cab For Cutie, the Shins and Los Campesinos. They are the sort of band that embrace the poppier elements of music with fantastic credibility.
Subba-culture.com
How to raise a country's musical reputation in one easy step. The list of Australia's most famous musical exports doesn't exactly make the most pleasant of viewing: Kylie, Men at Work, er... Holly Valance? It's not great. So when a band comes along that rights a nation's worth of wrongs then they should be praised wholeheartedly not just for their own brilliance, but their brilliance in the face of terrible odds. With second album, 'Chandeliers', Aussie four-piece The Boat People have conjured up something pretty gorgeous. 'Unsettle My Heart' recalls Stephen Malkmus at his finest, managing to be both sp