If you live anywhere in the world outside of Australia and you've never heard Gersey, you're not alone. The band's last album Storms Dressed As Stars came oh-so close to being released in North America on the Kindercore label, except Kindercore went belly-up mere weeks before the event. That was three years ago.

Last October, Gersey returned somewhat unexpectedly with a new EP Eyes Are Wide Tonight and a new record deal through Inertia. With it, they brought more friction and intensity than anything they'd produced in the past. While the delicate touches aren't altogether forgotten, Gersey has moved on from earlier influences like Luna and The Chills to become quite a competent rock band. This track from the new EP should be all the convincing you'll need: "Small Change" (MP3).

Gersey's promising their third LP will appear at some point in 2006. If it's even half as good as either of their first two, most of the albums you buy this year will begin collecting dust as soon as it's released.