Are
Moonbabies at the head of an underground
Midnight Oil appreciation league? On
War on Sound -- their post-
Orange Billboard mini-album --
Ola Frick and
Carina Johansson perfect the grace of
Blue Sky Mining's "Stars of Warburton." They linger tenderly on its urgent chorus lyric, and tune down considerably the
Peter Garrett self-righteousness. "Don't wanna talk about
Elvis Presley/Don't wanna see his white shoes walking around" -- the punchy drum loop and tumbling acoustic guitars are pretty
Sparklehorse'ing great, too. "Warburton" isn't the only cover version here --
Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne" drifts between a stoned
Blur and the haze of some faraway galaxy. Elsewhere,
War on Sound offers an alternate version of
Orange Billboard's title track, as well as five songs unique to this set. "Perfect Passenger" and "Don't Shoot the Ranger" are instrumentals; they seem a little like sketches, but that's okay for a tide-you-over record. Meanwhile, the intimate "Minor Earthquake" is a standout -- just
Johansson musing plaintively over the piano -- and the opening title track is
War on Sound's most fully realized moment. It's another strong effort from this underappreciated Swedish duo, who keep clearing pathways between indie pop and places without a postcard.