Sticky Fingers: Westway (The Glitter and The Slums)
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Sticky Fingers: Westway (The Glitter and The Slums)

It’s been two years since the release of Land of Pleasure, the second LP by Australia’s favourite indie-reggae-pop- fusion-party band Sticky Fingers. Pigeonholing StiFi’s sound is pretty hard, and this melting pot of genres and pop sensibilities is possibly why everyone just can’t get enough of them.

Pigeonholed or not, the release of Westway (The Glitter and The Slums) comes exactly as promised; “lyrically darker”, more mature, heavier-hitting, yet somehow retaining the distinct feel of a Sticky Fingers album. Opener ‘One by One’ wields sharp, guitar-driven riffs that would sound at home on a Kooks album. ‘Sad Songs’, ‘Angel’ and the title track ‘Westway’ are each in their own way melancholic, reflective and capturing a brooding sentiment that StiFi want us to try to understand.

Singles ‘Outcast at Last’ and ‘Our Town’ provide welcome summertime feels, with ‘Flight 101’ a throwback to the more chilled vibes of the band’s first album. Personal standout is ‘Something Strange’, with a strong roots-reggae drive in which Remi’s verses sound right at home. Westway (The Glitter and The Slums) is a worthwhile journey that will please you whether you’re singing along front of stage, or at home with headphones on.

Warner/Sureshaker
Reviewed by Alex Suwitra
4 stars