PRETTYMESS - GREYSCALE BROADCAST
Recommended. (Rating: 5++)

Prettymess are the Icecream Hands meets Motorace. Yep, it’s superior pop rock, catchy and classic. Main man John Baxter was a latter day member of Melbourne’s great pop contenders of the mid-90’s, Holocene. He knows how to write and deliver a nifty pop tune. The opening act, Leaving Look, which Baxter wrote with Danny McDonald (look out for his second solo album soon), grabs your attention from the git-go – documenting a rocky relationship (“She had faith and she believed in him/Now she’s got that leaving look in her eye“) with punchy guitars and backing vocals that have you singing along. And it’s all done in 2:42 minutes. If you can recall the pop glory of Buffalo Tom, this is an album you should own.

JB/HI – Music Australian Guide

PRETTYMESS – GREYSCALE BROADCAST

There’s nothing greyscale about this melodic release, as the Aussie rockers launch into a biting debut. Mixed bt Shane O’Mara (Paul Kelly/Christine Anu), it’s the luscious harmonies against hardened guitars and drums that underpin its attractiveness.
Having stamped itself with highlt evolved poetic lyrics, the bands biggest challenge will come not slipping with its diverse and memorable offerings, with tracks like All I Care About and Falling Pins soon forgotten.
With Rescue Me proving its first success, is such a standard is maintained then there’s a bright future for these Melbourne boys who aren’t afriad to celebrate their Melbourne roots lyrically.
Regulars to Tassie, it appears the band is easily ready to step beyond such markets and embrace the capital cities.

Kellie White – The Advocate (Hobart)

ANOTHER PRETTYMESS

Howzat! recently wrote that Tiltmeter could be this city's most underrated rock band. Following the same theme, Prettymess could be our most underrated pop band. Fingers-crossed, all that should change with the release of the band's debut album in February. The first single, All I Care About, is out now through Shock. Howzat! first came across singer John Baxter when he was in the final version of Great Pop Contenders Holocene, and he's been at the top of the game ever since. Mixed by the omnipresent Shane O'Mara, All I Care About is a melancholic pop gem. Investigate.

Indie news with Jeff Jenkins – Inpress

PRETTYMESS – GREYSCALE BROADCAST
3.5 stars

Guitar-driven pop from a Melbourne band whose sound harks back to those glory days of the early 1990’s when bands like You Am I and Big Heavy Stuff were treading the floorboards of inner-city pubs across the country. It’s all very well executed – good songs, big hooks, nice voice – short and sweet like all guitar pop should be. The standout track is the one Nova and MMM have beeen flogging – Tripping – which is a ripping slice of music that stamps these guys as ones to watch. Shane O’Mara has done a wonderful job mixing this album, allowing the natural energy of the four piece to cut through the clean production. At times Prettymess come across as a slightly grittier Matchbox Twenty, particularly on the radio favorite Rescue Me. But elsewhere they strip it back to reveal a deft sense of compositional dynamics and a real understanding of how good pop music should be structured. This is an impressive debut. It’ll be interesting to seee where thay go from here.

Zolton Zavos – The Brag.

PRETTYMESS - GREYSCALE BROADCAST
3/5

There's something reassuring about listening to the stories of Australian musicians. For the second time this week I have been wowed by local artists turning out works of impeccable quality. Ben Lee may be an international star, but Melbourne's Prettymess have an undeniable x-factor that makes them instantly lovable. It is probably the assured, husky delivery of singer John Baxter, wooing the listener with his tales of life in Victoria. Musically the band swing between pop and rock with glorious melodies and crunchy riffs poured into the mix in equal measure. This is quality Oz rock in the vein of The Fauves, Custard and all the others that have come before them, but with their own unique twist.

The Mercury(Hobart)

PRETTYMESS - GREYSCALE BROADCAST

Fans of Australian rock will probably already be familiar with Melbourne band Prettymess.
They first received recognition in February 2004 with the release of their single Rescue Me, soon followed by All I Care About. Their debut album, Greyscale Broadcast, confirms the hype surrounding the band with 11 polished, original rock/pop melodies which will ensure that they attract even more listeners. Greyscale Broadcast contains the two earlier singles, along with the latest, Tripping. It‘s far from being spaced out or psychedelic and is rather a simple, honest rock number with an infectious chorus. One of the things which makes this album so enjoyable to listen to is that even when the band sings about loneliness, pain or confusion, John Baxter‘s husky vocals are complimented with gentle guitar rhythms and drums, creating a comforting sense of optimism. As their name would suggest, Prettymess have a way of reminding us that the darker moments of life can be turned inwards to reveal something which is indeed quite pretty. This quality makes the band radio friendly. Melbourne‘s Nova 100 have been dedicated to giving the band considerable air time, and listening to Greyscale Broadcast, demonstrates why, like Eskimo Joe or Motor Ace, at least half the tracks on this album have the potential to be released as singles.
Though the songs are often simple, the band aren‘t afraid to get heavy or push their music. Numbers such as The One or the closing track Consciousness are sensitive, lingering songs which hint at the bands diversity. For now, listeners should sit back and enjoy the fresh new sounds of Prettymess.

By Mitchell Jordan – The Program

PRETTYMESS – GREYSCALE BROADCAST
3 stars

Prettymess may not be the saviours of Aussie pop-rock, but they’re certainly doing their best to keep the ball in the air. Leaving Look takes up where Motorace left off with rakish, swelling guitar lines playing under a charmingly strained vocal melody. With an orchestra in their pocket, The One is Prettymess living out their stadium-filling daydreams, while ‘Consciousness‘ is a fittingly sleepish conclusion to an album that covers a great deal of ground.

Robert Lukins – Time Off Magazine

PRETTYMESS, EPICURE AND SILVER NIGHT DRIVE LIVE AT REVOLVER, PRAHRAN.

Nothing sums up Revolting on Chapel more than Prettymess. The ex-band of new Living End drummer Andy Strachan, their driving guitars and anthemic vocals rang through the stained walls of this, the most beautiful shithole in town. Playing tunes from their new EP "Surface Glow", the band played right up to it, and although most people in Revolver don't know who they are, what the hell's going on or ever remember anything about being there, the crowd were left wanting heaps, heaps more.
They were then followed by Silver Night Drive, and with sounds similar to that of Rolling Stones cover band Jet, their short set at least kept the crowd amused before the main act came out. Raging pessimists Epicure got their abled bodies out on stage and negged the place right up. No sooner were they launching into their radio hit "Armies Against Me" (which on radio sounds good but live sounds like the soundtrack to a grim death march), before they had the crowd beaming huge frowns and bobbing their heads up & down like crazy. Even though they create a wall of sound with brilliant vocals and awesome guitars, Epicure don't believe in setting their metronome on more than 10 beats a minute when trying to make a good song.
With a number of Revolver's not-at-all weird patrons by now standing on the edges of its windows looking down onto Chapel saying "goodbye world", Epicure finally brought some light into the room, finishing off a great triple-bill night with the excellent new single "Life Sentence". Someone obviously screwed up the playing order of the night though because it was opening act Prettymess who rocked the stinking joint right out.
If you love your dancey Rock'n'Roll; Prettymess, just check 'em out. If you enjoy life, and have an Epicure CD, just chuck it out.

Joey Jo-Jo Jnr. Shabadoo – SEED magazine 4th edition

PRETTYMESS – ALL I CARE ABOUT (SINGLE)

All I Care About is a gentle rock-pop ballad, a well crafted and prettily harmonsied number that swings along nicely. John Baxter (vocals, lead guitar) tells his rather sombre story with geuine feeling and finesse, while the remainder of the band provides the instrumentation for a pefect balance between riffing and gentle strum.

Q–News

PRETTYMESS - ALL I CARE ABOUT (SINGLE)

 Melbourne’s Prettymess must be getting fairly excited by now. The success of their debut EP Surface Glow has earned them regular rotation on Nova100, support from Triple J and airtime on Rage. Their songs have been featured on compilations beside other Aussie favourites Even and Ice Cream Hands, and their debut album is due out in February next year. Having gigged it around Melbourne’s live circuit for two years, Prettymess took their tunes further afield to South Australia, Tasmania and the remainder of Victoria. Jammed live with a few little acts like the Fauves, Epicure and Love Outside Andromeda. And somewhere amongst all the tour bus hopping the band assumedly put together their debut album. You’ve got to hand it to them – for their time management alone.
Luckily, the first single from the new album, All I Care About, is also worthy of acclaim. All I Care About is a gentle rock-pop ballad, a well-crafted and prettily harmonised number that swings along nicely. Think the Panics with a bit more chorus grunt. And guitar solos. John Baxter (vocals, lead guitar) tells his rather sombre story with genuine feeling and finesse, while the remainder of the band provides the instrumentation for a perfect balance between riffing and gentle strum.
Prettymess have already conquered the task of injecting variation and interest into the standard rock ballad formula. All I Care About is undoubtedly perfect radio fodder. Included in the single are b-sides from the upcoming album Astronaut and Inspiration. The former is a twinkling, subtly composed track reminiscent of Even’s work circa 1998’s Come Again. The latter is unapologetically rock, fast paced and jammed with radio-friendly hooks. With the new album due shortly and a national tour planned, I’m sure we’ll be hearing from Prettymess again soon.

Faster Louder - riiotgrrl

PRETTYMESS - SURFACE GLOW
7.5 STARS:

Impressive EP by the rising Melbourne band. It's a velvet glove - large dollops of melody wrapped in hard hitting guitars and a big, fulsome sound. The quartet has every department nicely covered, from vocals to instrumentation, and the production polish of this mini album puts this capable band in the best light. The deal is sealed with the quality of the singing - lead co-writer John Baxter has the voice to front a first-division rock band.

Australian Financial Review

PRETTYMESS – SURFACE GLOW

This Melbourne 4 piece band rocks. Its guitar-based pop/rock with some great harmonies and a well rehearsed tight sound. The production lacks a bit of grunt, which has given this EP a slightly lightweight/radio friendly vibe. Of the five tracks here, 'Leaving Look' and 'Inspiration' are the standouts. With no shortage of great Aussie guitar bands out there at the moment as competition, they've got their work cut out for them. This release is a good start, look out for them.

www.Tsunamimagi.com