The Chutes

From the opening riff, Brisbane based The Chutes provide listeners with a taste of their blend of classic Australian rock with subtle hints of their blues and funk influences.

The latest EP from these four young lads shows a quality release that presents a snapshot of their capabilities. Lyrically, The Chutes delve into issues including: relationship breakdowns and personal tribulations through a rock infused Bernard Fanning-esque vocal flavour.

The six track release comprises of lengthy guitar solos and emphasis on strong, clean vocals. Opening track, Red Hill introduces their sound perfectly with their signature guitar tones and a delicate drum beat that compliments the fore-grounded guitar, in preparation for their hammering chorus. Receiving recent radio play it defines what The Chutes experience is comprised of. The second tune Will I Wait? combines the elements that the rock people of this country do best: powerful, raw lyrics with a pounding catchy chorus. This appears the standout track on the EP and is followed by Dods House that explores the funk in them, impressively reaching over five and a half minutes. Things are cranked up notch with Sonny, and Bolt On adds an additional vocal dimension. The EP is wrapped up with Crossroads, demonstrating a mellow ambience to emphasise the ordeal of the lyrics that builds to the concluding crescendo.

This near half hour of musical occurrence balances pounding rock with subtle guitar tones. The Chutes independent status has done little to hasten their advancement in the music scene. For a band that only collaborated in 2008, they have built a solid local crowd, selling out The Zoo recently for their EP launch, proving their dedication to the continual evolution of their stage presence and musicianship. Even the artwork is an experience in itself, complete with parachuting cartoon women outfitted in masks and armed with guitars.

Whilst they may not be creating an original musical concept, they clearly place themselves on the local musical radar with a signature resonance. Their song crafting can only be progressed with future releases, and their live performance will surely accentuate the underlying layers of their rock and blues elements. - FasterLouder

After a year of perfecting their live show The Chutes show us what they can do in the studio with this self-titled EP. Opening tracks Red Hill and Will I Wait quickly introduce us to their twin guitar approach where funk and blues riffs duel with each other over the top of some solid bass lines and stomping drum beats. They slow things down a bit on Dods House before an explosion of wicked guitar solos in the bridge. Andrew Russo’s catchy vocals add the right amount of soul to each song and really come to the fore on the down tempo closer Crossroads. This song provides the biggest surprise of the EP with an awesome groove, spacey guitars and heartfelt vocals that show these local lads are capable of more than just balls-out rock. - Rave Magazine