GNOMES ARE NOW!

Confession time. I had no idea that Frankston had a thriving garage rock scene. Yet if The Gnomes are anything to go by then Melbourne’s downbeat seaside suburb is the hottest place in the whole of the sprawling metropolis.

With their debut LP—Introducing The Gnomes—attracting plenty of positive attention the time seems ripe for a revival of 60s beat… as re-created in a sweaty suburban garage. This energetic and enthusiastic record showcases a band who seem to have arrived fully formed. They have not only listened deeply and appreciatively to classic lo-fi Sixties pop-rock, but found a way to refresh that timeless sound.

The Gnomes began as the solo outlet of songwriter Jay Millar, then transitioned to a four-piece band—completed with fellow Frankston-area musicians—reshaping the arrangements and the overall sound in the process. Much of the album was recorded live, a choice that prioritises feel over polish, placing immediacy at the centre of the soundstage. Guitars jangle and slash, drums push relentlessly forward, and vocals favour ensemble blend over studio sheen. This approach lends the album an unmistakable “live performance energy” that keeps the record moving at a cracking pace.

Stylistically, The Gnomes wear their influences proudly. Mirror-bright guitars and tight vocal harmonies evoke Merseybeat and early British Invasion pop, while the rhythm section leans toward Nuggets-era garage rock rather than revivalist pastiche. Those of a certain vintage will be reminded of The Easybeats, The Kinks and early Beatles, but not in a slavish way. The band rarely sounds trapped by the great songs that have influenced them. "I’ll be there," for instance, has more than a strand of "She loves you" DNA—including a gorgeous Beatlesque closing chord—but young Mr Millar has his own voice and regularly manages to insert something different and new, often in a bridge or middle eight. Not bad for a form over sixty years old and for a songwriter still in his teens when Introducing was released in November '25. If he can maintain this quality, I predict a bright future for Jay Millar.

"Flippin’ stomp" kicks off side two with a surf meets freak-beat surge, it’s great fun and the kind of song you can imagine a young Matthew Sweet knocking off one hot afternoon. Such fleeting moments of connection are frequent on the LP and, as the reference to power pop prince Matthew Sweet demonstrates, they’re not all Sixties. When listening to "Stung" I heard Oasis echoes, a reference that many will appreciate. Elsewhere there are moments that evoke The Kinks ("You won’t feel me"), the Easybeats ("I like it") and other Nuggets-era gems. One of my favourites is the guitar part in "Won’t quit you" which pays homage to the Johnny Kidd and the Pirates classic "Shakin’ all over." Sublime garage.

Lyrically, the album stays grounded and real. Themes of attraction, persistence and everyday tension are delivered plainly, without irony or excess, matching the straightforward nature of the music itself. This directness is an asset rather than a limitation, aligning the band’s songwriting with the immediacy of their performances. The record plays like a modern garage band filtering familiar forms through contemporary indie sensibilities—short songs, direct hooks, and an emphasis on physical energy rather than nostalgia.

Introducing The Gnomes is a delight. Honest, upbeat, and entertaining, this debut succeeds not by reinventing its influences, but by deploying them with conviction, economy and speed. It’s a blast.

© Bruce Jenkins—January 2026