The single is not dead. It’s just shifted sideways. These days it’s a taster or a teaser to a new LP, rather than a serious stab at the big-time.
Long gone are the days when The Temptations, Slade, or REM could issue a song and watch the dollars roll in.
Never heard of Lonely Stretch? It’s their first release, I don’t think they’ve played any gigs yet (spare me that tedious bullshit about how "ya gotta’ play a bazillion gigs and go into thousands of dollars worth of debt before you’re considered to have paid yer dues") and they’re all Adelaide, kinda, with a knowing series of drives to and from Melbourne under their belt.
This is who they are (on this track at least):
Matt Reiner: vocals, guitars
Matt Hills: bass guitar, some guitar, backing vocals
Max Tulysewski: drums
Adelaide folk will recognise these names. They’ve been around for awhile. Sydneyspiders who know their powerpop and sweet '60s influences will dig this; Melbournites who hide their love for tangy songs behind grunt and fat chordy guitars will also snaffle it…
What a laid-back, groovy lil’ song "Not Very Much" is. Jangly guitar? Check. Reflective, bittersweet lyrics born of bittersweet experience? Check. Simplicity without getting all thinky-clever on us? Check.
"Not Very Much" sticks in the head - that chorus is another damned earworm:
It’s not very much
But it seems like a lot
When I’m standing next to you
And see what we’ve got
On this showing, Lonely Stretch look like being the next most-anticipated band to reach out of Adelaide in years.
