Unearthed High seems to have the ability to pluck bands from the doldrums of secondary school and then take a backseat and watch with wonder as they climb up the musical ladder to super stardom. First, it was the lovely, irrepressible Findlay sister’s supergroup Stonefield. Now, it is time for another of these sparkling gems to be flung into the faces and radios of the nation. Standing to attention, are a bunch of blokes from Ballarat who will be capturing your attention. They go by the name of Hunting Grounds, and they bring with them an eclectic mix of dream pop and something slightly heavier.

The title of their debut album In Hindsight would give off the impression that this was a band looking back on their past, and entering the twilight of their career. If there is a definition that rings less true in the case of Hunting Grounds, I’d like to see it. Here is a band that could be said to be entering the height of their musical career, with a debut LP that attempts to delivers a fresh and exciting sound that Australia has only recently come accustomed to, through bands such as Tame Impala.

However, if you go into this album expecting a classic record of rich psychedelic dream-rock anthems, you’ll be slightly disappointed. This album only shows flickers of the sparkle that won the band unearthed high. Flaws, the album’s debut single, was a brilliant cohesion of synthesisers and droning vocals. It shows how flawlessly impeccable this band can be. However, what this album lacks is consistency. Its fluency is way out of wack. It leaves the listener confused, and gives the perception that the band is just as perplexed as to what music they plan on making.

If this were your ‘run of the mill’ indie act, the album would be regarded as a relatively successful debut EP. However this is not your standard bunch of guys. Their potential perhaps does not shine through as brightly as they would have hoped. However, for an album to be deemed a total success, it must have that pull on the listener to continually return to it. In Hindsight doesn’t have this effect on the listener. While it’s not a failure of an album, expect brighter things in the future from these boys, as they are certainly capable of greater things.

Rating: 5.5/10