Aspiring bands out there, take notice of the way that Wellyn have done things. This Melbourne band has been doing the rounds for a few years now, slowly but surely building up their fan base, and waiting for just the right moment to record and release their debut. There's no hurry, no sense of urgency to get something down on CD to sell out of the back of their station wagon after every gig, simply a determination to do everything right.

And on "An Intimate Universe", it seems that Wellyn actually have done everything right.

If you don't believe me, go to their home page and download The Tear That Escaped From Our Eyes from the band's website. It's not particularly long, epic, or even all that original, but pretty much every element of the music is put together absolutely flawlessly, from the gentle strings that introduce the song, to the vaguely daggy yet emotional and genuine lyrics, to the inevitable crescendo of the song, which comes in the form of a blast of power chords from an electric guitar. It's been done before, many many times, but the execution here is just perfect.

Of course, this isn't the only thing worth listening to on this album, even if it is a highlight. The faux-gospel that opens up The White House sounds a little like an Australian version of TV on the Radio, before a lush guitar melody comes in under the vocals, far more melodic than anything that that band could do. On the other hand, if you prefer quiet and understated to grandiose, you'll find what you're looking for on Giant Hearts Amongst Thieves, an understated yet beautiful song of the type that Coldplay wish they could write.

Aside from featuring some seriously good songwriting, "An Intimate Universe" also features a veritable who's-who of the Melbourne indie scene, including people from Gersey, Black Cab, and Art of Fighting, among others. These contributions add a little colour and flesh to proceedings, but ultimately it's the songs, not the guest stars, that are the stars here. A truly stellar debut from a band that has a real future if they can keep this level of quality up.