Melbourne’s Quality Used Cars return with One Hundred Million, their third long-player, building on the foundations laid by Good Days/Bad Days (2021) and year-end list-worthy Quality of Life (2023), but more expansive, both lyrically and sonically.
Frontman Francis Tait—his distinctive vocals continue to intrigue—has always had a knack for turning everyday setbacks into sharp, funny, and oddly moving songs (the album is named after his experience with an unknown woman who pointed him toward a $100 million Powerball jackpot while he was lugging bags of rice to support his adventures as a musician), but these ten new ones feel like the band’s most complete statement yet.
The stories about helplessness and finding solidarity in the absurdity of life are as fascinating and relatable as ever, but the underlying orchestration is more lush than earlier work. The addition of horns and pipes, and the greater role for harmonies, add color and warmth to Quality Used Cars’ blend of wobbly alt-country and gritty garage pop, of humor and hardship, of weariness and wonder. Very captivating, truly unique.
One Hundred Million is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Spoilsport Records. Featuring Francis Tait (vocals, guitar, harmonica, pedal steel, banjo, piano, percussion), Hannah McKittrick (vocals, keyboards, piano), Isobel Caldwell (Vocals, bass), Ben Leahy (guitar, pedal steel, vocals), and Ryan Leahy (drums, vocals, percussion).