Spring a Leak

Album Review

The Lucksmiths' third collection of stray tracks (following 1999's Happy Secret and 2002's Where Were We?) is an epic-length treasure trove of indie pop greatness. Stretching across two discs and spanning 11 years, the Australian trio's back pages show a band unparalleled at delivering emotionally powerful, melodically pleasing pop tunes. The collection gathers up single B-sides, compilation tracks, rarities (like a version of "Hiccup in Your Happiness" cut for a TV appearance and Hydroplane's remix of "I Prefer the Twentieth Century"), and a bunch of interesting covers. They tackle songs by influences like the Smiths ("There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"), the Bee Gees ("I Started a Joke"), and the Modern Lovers ("Dignified and Old") along with friends and contemporaries like the Magnetic Fields ("Deep Sea Diving Suit"), the Cat's Miaow ("Make a Wish"), and the Sugargliders ("Dolly"). This collection is absolutely essential for fans of the band; there's no way even the most dedicated follower could have all these tracks. Indie pop fans should also seriously consider adding Spring a Leak to their collections as well, as you'd have to go pretty far to find two discs packed with so many stunning songs and brilliant performances, indie pop or otherwise.