RENO ltd.

REVIEW: Debut Single Vocation Writer: Joe Maranta

Slumping into his 2013 Holden Cruze he waits with bated breath as he turns his key. The sound of a dud spark plug reaches his ears and his stomach instantly drops. The day has come, the lemon is definitively ripe. Slamming his door shut he begins his march towards the GP, his assignment isn’t getting finished anytime soon and a doctor’s exemption is the only remedy for procrastination.

His cargo pants and heavy cotton t-shirt were a great idea in theory, Latrobe Terrace is more of a runway than a road after all. But this is under the pretext of having a working car, and 200 metres into the journey he realises the steep hills and concrete of Paddington ironically call for practicality over looks. 

He eventually arrives at the doctors covered in sweat with his tail between his legs, it becomes harder to feign illness after walking a kilometre and a half. Leaving his appointment $79 poorer and academically worse off, he contemplates the root of his apathy with mixed results. The labour of introspection is too much for him, at least for now. 

On their debut single Vocation Meanjin alt rock / post-hardcore quartet RENO ltd. did what Brisbanians do best, love Brisbane for being shit. Set to the backdrop of heavy percussion and an infatuating bassline, lead vocalist Charlie White emphatically details his need for motivation and love for the RiverCity, as back-up vocalist Jeremy Sankey chimes in for a quick monologue ironically detailing an average Brisbanite cosplaying as a blue-collar worker to fit an aesthetic. 

There’s something addictive about the quartet’s debut, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it does have an undeniably refreshing sound. They’ve teetered the line between experimentation and accessibility incredibly well and although they’ve shown us what they’re capable of to an extent, I can’t help but feel as if they’re keeping their strongest cards close to their chest. 

For those wanting to hear more of RENO ltd., they’ll be playing this Saturday at The Junk Bar, for the venue’s first concert in their new New Farm location. 

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