A regional supergroup of sorts, Melbourne's Lower Plenty were formed from several of the area's more prominent indie bands like Dick Diver, Deaf Wish, Total Control, UV Race, and the Focus. Interested in doing something decidedly more laid-back than their other projects, members Daniel Twomey, Jensen Tjhung, Sarah Heyward, and Al Montfort employed mostly acoustic guitars and unorthodox percussion to play their unique brand of loose suburban indie folk. Their cassette-only debut, Mean, appeared in 2010 and the band's reputation quietly grew throughout Melbourne indie circles and beyond. Furthering their spontaneous lo-fi aesthetic, Lower Plenty recorded their second album on a reel-to-reel tape machine at Tjhung's house in just one take. Released in 2012 by Melbourne indie Special Award Records, Hard Rubbish was well received, topping many year-end critics' polls. Lower Plenty's third album, Life/Thrills, appeared in 2014, receiving a more widespread release and expanding the band's fan base internationally. The quartet stayed busy with other projects, but managed to get together to record their fourth album in a suburban kitchen. Released by a team of Bedroom Suck and the Omnian Music Group, the typically restrained and intimate Sister Sister was issued in late 2016. ~ Timothy Monger