Friendship is rarely treated with the same emotional intensity as romance, but ‘Second in Line’ makes a convincing case that it should be.
Across six tracks, Boorloo/Perth six-piece Calico City dig into the jealousy, betrayal, confusion and strange intimacy that can make platonic relationships every bit as messy as love affairs. It gives their debut EP a strong emotional identity, while their blend of alt-rock, reggae and psychedelia keeps the release constantly shifting beneath it.
‘Gotta Go’ opens with that unpredictability already in full swing. Reggae-inflected verses give way to rougher guitars and harder drums, mirroring the tension of a relationship that never seems to settle into one shape. Before ‘Marigold & Cosmos’ stretches further into psychedelic territory, letting synths and bass carry the disorientation of a separation before frustration begins to creep through.
Then ‘Back in the Before’ sounds lighter on its feet, with Brianne Reyes and Sienna Law trading lines through fast-moving verses before the choruses burst open. While ‘Anomaly’ heads in the opposite direction, sharpening the guitars and keys around a much more confrontational mood as old resentment finally rises to the surface.
Then there’s ‘Ghost’, where the band’s various influences collide most dramatically. Reggae rhythm, hazier guitar work and a heavier bridge all feed into one another before the track breaks loose in a cavernous solo.
But the closing ‘How Could You Say It’ strips away much of that force. Acoustic instrumentation, cello and wounded harmonies leave the emotional fallout exposed, ending the EP with a sadness rather than spectacle.
In all, ‘Second in Line’ feels like the work of a young band already willing to complicate its own sound and subject matter. Throughout, Calico City are writing about what happens when friendship becomes difficult to define at all
For a debut EP, that makes ‘Second in Line’ feel impressively assured, emotionally restless and full of places worth returning to.