Sydney band playing music since 1994. Current members : Tim Kevin, Mal McKernan, Matt Steffan, Kym-Louise Barton. Previous: Johnno Lattin, Tom Bookallil.

Review by Richard Vogt of La Huva album Midnight Black & White on fasterlouder, 13th May 2005:

“La Huva have so far, managed to avoid the radar of hype; quite possibly by sounding about five years out of time. Then again, consider the bands they list casually on their bio as somewhat significant gigs – The Bats, Louis Tillett, The Cannanes. La Huva fit nicely in with such company, so don’t go looking for them at the high end of any Triple J hit list anytime soon.

“Mind you, they’re not staring down the audience with a copy of The Shaggs or Steve Reich in their hands, let’s not misrepresent their obscurity. You can imagine them ruling ol’ Sydney town back in the days of the Wet Taxis, Yard Goes On Forever et al. These are type of guys who start bands because of their record collections; not because they and a few mates think it’d be a good idea. Something more than a few Who albums and some lyrics about girls, then.

“Midnight Black and White is La Huva’s second album. Having never heard their debut, Pretty Mile, I’ve no idea if this is a dramatic step forward. Having never heard it, therefore, you can assume I am not friend or family of the band and therefore when I tell you that this will be one of a handful of brilliant Australian albums released in 2005, you’ll have to take it as gospel. Fact is, I couldn’t give a shit how cool the band think they are, or how op-shopped their cardigans are: when the music is this good, the band come second.

“Midnight Black and White stands apart as the type of album no one will buy but everyone will like. It already sounds to these ears like a long lost Australian classic – something recorded twenty or so years ago and never released on CD, until now. Think Chads Tree Kerosene, think Plug Uglies and Craven Fops, the Laughing Clowns’ first few eps and think also armfuls of legendary seven inches which are begging for the Harry Smith Anthology treatment.

“In mood it is not dissimilar to these bands, nor is it unlike the gentle discoveries to be found within recent releases by Arcade Fire and The Decemberists. And like the latter, the band create their own little world with their lyrics (though nowhere near as preposterous nor arch-Joyce). La Huva’s is more a world in which you’d come across the “state champion of jack high”.

“The two standout tracks for this amateur punter are A Lost Invitation and Pentridge Apartments, appearing back to back halfway through the disc. The former is all Go-Betweens strum, though dour (has any wanker penned the term noir pop yet? Or will it have to be me?) like seminal Flying Nun bands The Verlaines and Sneaky Feelings. It’s an instant classic.

“And then to Pentridge Apartments, my personal favourite of the eleven tracks herein. With the brilliant yobbo posie of the opening verse:

““Listen to the morning birds,

They’re taking the piss again.

Starlings at the magpie’s nest,

There’s trouble in the yard again.”

“Graeme Downes (one time Verlaine) is probably the closest reference at this point, unless you were wont to imagine John Cale singing in an Aussie accent rather than his trademark drunk Welsh professor timbre. This is certainly adult pop of the best kind – though that term has been besmirch of recent years by the mass marketing of artists like Norah Jones. By the term adult pop I guess I am implying that very few fourteen year olds are gonna be graffiting the band name on their school duffle bags.

“From the first song, Dirty Yellow Cab (chiming guitars and driving bass than hearken back to Dunedin’s glory days) through the Irish-flavored accordion of One Day’s Luck, to the kitchen sink instrumentation of the title track, Midnight Black and White refuses to sit still.

“Toward the end, Ambassador of Love checks in with a heavy dose of ironic self-congratulation. If you can take this trio seriously as they sing for you to “bow down to the ambassador of love” then you’ve probably been listening to too much nu-something-emo music.

“La Huva prove that music can be serious, intensely emotional, clever and yet still fun. Really, circa 2005, I dunno how I can convince you strongly enough of an album like this. Lest you still be listening – this fucking album could be reason enough to not give up hope.”