Operator Please – ‘Just A Song About Ping Pong’ (Brille) Released 19/02/07

To most, Australia’s Gold Coast conjures up images of blazing sun, deep blue waters and shark attacks - not five musicians who play everything from the guitar to the violin at such an intensity that you’ll need a blood transfusion afterwards. Operator Please are a new band, just out of school but intent on going places. Their debut EP, ‘Just A song About Ping Pong,’ shows you just how they plan on getting there. The EP’s title track is by far the best, sounding like the Arctic Monkeys being backed by an African tribe of drummers on ecstasy it’s relentless to say the least. There’s a lot of Sheffield’s finest in, ‘Get What You Want,’ as well – in fact there’s the entire guitar riff from ‘A Certain Romance,’ played firstly on guitar and then on a Casio keyboard. Thankfully, ‘Two For My Seconds,’ provides a welcome and exciting change of pace, where Amandah’s vocals and the band’s pianist work over time to create a perfect slice of piano-punk. The only thing that’s not clear with the band's debut EP is whether you’ll need the operator or an operation after you’ve listened to it.