Olivia's World: Tuff 2B Tender | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- There's a primal joy to pop - simple, fun and catchy. Take away any other connotations, and think of the name: popular, meaning of the people.

Of course, pop music is also dominated by massive corporations, exploitative artist contracts, airburshed body image, aggressive marketing to gullible teens, depressing talent shows that mock everything we love about music. It's pretty nice then when someone reclaims pop music for the masses by making something rough around the edges, not too serious, but still with all the joy of classic pop.

Brisbane's Olivia's World are that kind of band. Tuff 2B Tender is their second release, and it is five songs full of bouncy rhythms, catchy melodies, whimsical observations of everyday life. It's unashamedly pop, bit not aiming for the pop charts.

In its scuffy, amateurish charm it recalls a few different kinds of music - the late '70's post punk of bands like The Raincoats, the c86 scene of twee mid-'80s British pop bands like Shop Assistants, or the post-Nirvana, post-Bikini Kill mid-'90's indie-guitar-pop of Heavenly or Brisbane's own Clag. It's interesting that all these eras of music emphasised the virtues of a diy attitude, and were all eras when women played a prominent role. Not to essentialise anyone, but it's like when women are given the chance to play music in small communities, they are unafraid to take the good side of pop without holding onto the ambition or commercial aspects.

Olivia's World are following a great tradition of women mixing the musical thrills of loud fuzzy guitars with catchy melodies. Tuff 2B Tender is indie pop music at its best.

- Andy Paine.
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1065912688/size=large/bgcol=f…; seamless><a href="https://oliviasworld.bandcamp.com/album/tuff-2b-tender">Tuff 2B Tender by Olivia's World</a></iframe>