Waking Ugly is the long-running covert operation of musical secret agents Lydia Gardner and Darren Pace. The Melbourne, Australia-based duo are set to blow their cover this fall with a five-song self-titled EP full of some of the tastiest pop music to emerge from down under in a generation. The seeds of Waking Ugly were germinated back in 2004, with Gardner and Pace tiring of the same old pop formula offered up through popular media and resolving to change the world. With an unspecified November release date for the EP, Waking Ugly appear set to go from unknown to full-blown practically overnight.
Waking Ugly opens with what will be the EP’s first single, “You Know You Wanna”, a super-charged pop/rock hybrid that’s pure gold. Waking Ugly reminds listeners it’s never too late to chase your dreams in a sugar-coated electro-pop/rock arrangement that could find a home on pop, dance, and rock charts. Lydia Gardner is an amped front woman with a voice you could listen to for days on end. The instrumental bed that Gardner and Pace establish here offers a full sound that imparts melody without the aural clutter that often accompanies modern pop music. “Must Be Love” is an altruistic love song full of the romance of young love over a mild dance beat. The mix is interesting, as Waking Ugly show a knack for crafting viable pop songs that don’t give in to cliché and are as catchy as the flu in an elevator.
Waking Ugly call out the modern consumer culture on “Zombies”, noting how society blinds itself to experience in a storm of consumption and greed. This serious subject is given an ironic touch and delivered in a pure pop/rock arrangement that will stick in your head for days. “Girlfriend” blends Europop and rock in a song about attraction for all the wrong reasons. “Girlfriend” is the edgiest track on the disc, with a heavier sound than Waking Ugly has shown to this point, and may be the sleeper hit of the bunch. Don’t be surprised if a licensing agreement lands this song on a movie or television soundtracks on multiple continents. Waking Ugly says goodbye (for now) with “Guess It’s Over”, a breakup song of epic proportions. It’s a mature and measured look at the aftermath wrapped up in a monster melody and delivered in a reserved and poignant arrangement that should light up program director’s imaginations at adult rock and pop stations across the globe.
Waking Ugly is the real deal, a throwback to the days when pop music was fun to listen to. Even when they injects social conscience into their songs, the arrangements are so infectious and enjoyable that you can overlook the severity if you’re so inclined. Waking Ugly offers something for everyone here, and shows a depth and maturity that’s unusual in such a pop-oriented debut. Waking Ugly has been toiling in their laboratory for six years now, and it seems likely that there’s a lot more where this came from. We’ll be waiting with bated breath.
Review by Wildy Haskell
