Dead Letter Chorus are a Sydney five piece that have burst onto the Australian music scene with their sophomore album, Yearlings, a soft indie rock record incorporating great harmonies and some ridiculously catchy lyrics.

The album starts off very strongly with “Covered by Snow”. The acoustic guitar fingerpicking motif is lovely and acts as a great foundation for the other layers that gradually come in. The contrasting voices of lead singers Gabrielle Huber and Cameron Potts harmonise perfectly, reminiscent of Cloud Control's vocalists. It is certainly a strong point of the album, along with the most part of the first half in particular. There are impressive solos featuring Huber and Potts, but Dead Letter Chorus seem to work best when all their parts interlock, such as in "Run, Wild". The first single from Yearlings, has been critically acclaimed and featured in a nationwide car commercial and is an infectious summer anthem. 

As well as the highs, there are a few lows - Humer has an impressive voice but doesn't seem to use it very well in "I Belong With You", a Taylor Swift-esque ballad. "Edge of Town" was also not very impressive, as I don't think they did the self-reflective, sorrowful, lovesick sound very well. It is evident that Dead Letter Chorus are at their best when they are playing their happy, catchy pop. This is not to say that they can't do the more low-key songs well though - "Gently Weeping" was one of the most beautiful songs on the record, with male harmonies and a simple guitar accompaniment, showing a possible Mumford and Sons influence. 

Yearlings is such an impressive second release from Dead Letter Chorus. It encompasses the good times as well as the bad and covers a variety of different styles, tempos and sounds. Dead Letter Chorus are a ridiculously talented band with a lot of promise - possibly Sydney's best kept secret. I have a feeling that with this album out in the open, they won't be a secret for much longer. 

Review Score: 8/10

Yearlings will be released on Friday the 26th of August through ABC Music and Universal Music.