Australian alt-rock band The Buoys have released their long-awaited debut album, Lustre, after years of hovering on the edge of a proper breakthrough. The band, who have been steady since 2019, finally delivers their debut album, which follows through on the fiery promise of its previous EPs.
The album centres the queer female experience more and more, balancing well-earned ire with accessible songwriting. Lustre’s best track, ‘Subject A’, hits back at the male gaze and celebrates the empowerment of not internalizing external judgement. The Alex Lahey co-write, ‘Check Mate’, grafts a simple message about checking in with your friends to meaty, Pixies-worthy peals of guitar.
The album’s range showcases softer edges that make the band feel nicely rounded. Though some tracks have a radio-friendly ballad, others have a punky shout-along refrain on ‘It’s Over’, and the post-punk brooding of ‘BDSM’. Lustre paints a bright picture of where the band might go next.
The band may not be alone in marrying of-the-moment anxieties with 90s-style alt-rock, but their dynamic range here proves that perfectly chosen words can hit harder than a riotous guitar hook. Well worth the wait, Lustre is a record stocked with multi-tiered triumphs. The Buoys have finally delivered the debut album they’ve been hinting at for so long.
Lustre was released on July 12 under Sony record label. The album art showcases an intriguing design that compliments the album’s vibe. Catterall’s punchy lyrics and the band’s dynamic range in Lustre prove that the band is set to go places
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