STACK #251 September 2025

MUSIC FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

END OF FASHION END OF FASHION 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION BLACK AND YELLOW VINYL Words: Paul Jones V I N Y L V I T A L I n 2005, the world’s indie slipping effortlessly between bright melodies and darker undercurrents. End of Fashion captures a band on the brink, all restless

dancefloors were awash with skinny-tie post-punk revivalists. Ignited by The Strokes’ visionary 2001 album Is This It , by the mid noughties bands like The Killers, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, and Arctic Monkeys were reshaping the music landscape. However, over in Western Australia, Perth’s End of Fashion had a different idea and arrived with a debut that was neither a throwback nor an imitation. Instead, their self titled record was a shot of power pop adrenaline - tight, melodic, and ready to rule the Triple J airwaves. It all starts with frontman Justin Burford’s voice. It shifts between raspy growl to sweeping falsettos with seeming ease, guiding the music from raw, emotional release

energy armed with a fleet of melodies. There’s a raw,

rehearsal-room tension baked into the record – you can almost hear the hum of overworked amps over late-night sessions. Herring’s production smooths the coarse edges, adding polish where needed; never losing the grit. The album is tight, and it’s urgent. Two decades later, the record still fizzes and sparks with the same unforgiving tension. A confluence of Britpop, alt country, shoegaze, and even a little new wave, End of Fashion wasn’t a reinvention of the wheel in 2005, and it didn’t need to be. Beneath the layers, strands of British DNA are evident, but, on the surface, the album

to lush stadium-like splendour. Behind him, guitarist Rodney Aravena, bassist Tom King, and drummer Nick Jonsson lock into a lean yet tight rhythm section. Helmed by American producer Dennis Herring – known for his work with Modest Mouse and Counting Crows – End of Fashion strikes the delicate balance between radio accessibility and garage grit. The lead single – and album opener - O Yeah – proved to be a cultural magnet with its audacious, familiar guitar riff. The track became a national hit, cracking Australia’s ARIA Top 30, lodging in Triple J’s Hottest 100, and scooping two ARIA Awards. In its three short minutes, O Yeah was a dream introduction for the band. From there, the album unspools to a mix of brash, high-energy anthems and unexpectedly tender turns. The Game layers crisp, modern production over pounding drums and jagged guitars, keeping you hooked right to its abrupt close. She’s Love and Rough Diamonds are re-worked from earlier EPs, emerging here sharper and more confident; the latter a stone cold anthem that could’ve drifted through the soundproof doors of Studio 2 at Abbey Road. There are collaborations, too. Oh Strain , with

unashamedly leers with Aussie swagger. The eponymous debut is packed full of scorching riffs, jaw-dropping vocals, intelligent songwriting and outrageous fun. If you missed End of Fashion on its first run back in 2005, jump on board for its 20th anniversary. It’s worth the ride.

Katy Steele of Little Birdy, softens the edges with her warm, airy vocal – showcasing that the band can ease off the sonic accelerator without losing momentum. Elsewhere, tracks like Too Careful and Love Comes In show End of Fashion’s knack for marrying hook-driven choruses with good lyrics,

END OF FASHION 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION? YOU BET! SO, WHAT’S IN IT? For coloured vinyl enthusiasts, this double album is a thing of beauty. Pressed on heavyweight 180gm vinyl, the yellow and black splatter effect looks incredible. Alongside the standard track listing featured on disc one, the second LP is a veritable treasure chest for End of Fashion enthusiasts. First up is a side of demos of songs that were never included on the album. And on the last side are six of the original demos of Oh Strain, Too Careful, The Game, Oh Yeah, Rough Diamonds, and Seize the Day . The inside sleeves contain album lyrics, a first-time look at the test shot Polaroid of the album cover, and a two-sided collage of photos supplied to the band by fans between 2005 and 2006.

16 SEPTEMBER 2025

jbhifi.com.au