Hold on to your ears and prepare to listen to the tunes from Melbourne two-piece, Leone Western. This is a band that breaks the mould, which makes their EP Hearts Still Beating a thrilling but challenging listen.

There’s a real lack of polish to these guys, which is both a blessing and a curse. There’s a certain appeal to that emotional rawness, but sometimes I wished the edges were a bit smoother. The guitars are fuzzy and dirty like some grungy garage band. Wailing chords are surprisingly paired with tinny 80s style synthesisers. The combination isn’t always a harmonious one, but I have to give the band credit for trying something new.

Clearly this is an outfit still trying to figure out their sound, but it seems like they’re enjoying doing it. “Les Vagrant” is a delightfully quirky piece of retro pop, and the darker “White Pony” features some amazing vocals. With such an eclectic collection of tunes I’m not sure anyone will like every number, but there’s bound to be something here you’ll latch on to.

That makes Hearts Still Beating a great introduction to Leone Western.  It might be a bit rough around the edges, but it shows a band with a unique sound and a lot of potential.

Image source: Leone Western MySpace