Track of the Day: 'Coming Around'

Dear Track of the Day,

Having a wonderful time in Australia, wish you were here. Well, I suppose you are here because you're on the Internet, which is everywhere, but you'd love being here physically, if only for the existence of national FM broadcaster Triple J Radio, which plays a multi-genre polyglot of intriguing new music around the clock, with a minimum of idle chatter and no ads (and definitely no morning "zoo crew" nonsense).

OK, there was one glitch where I had to turn a deaf ear to a Bon Jovi song, probably foisted upon the playlist by the promotions department, but otherwise there's been little need to plug in an mp3 player or shove a CD into the dash while cruising along the country's West Coast.

Brisbane band Hungry Kids of Hungary is one act I've heard on Triple J a few times since arriving in Perth, perhaps you've heard them in the background of an episode of Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, or Cougar Town. Since I only seem to watch serial TV involving serial killers, vampires and meth labs, I have not been so lucky, but something about the band's chirpy melodies and love of "whoo-hoo" vocal hooks seems to go with the relentless sunshine like Vegemite on buttered toast.

All right, maybe Hungry Kids of Hungary are less of an acquired taste, sounding like a hopped up version of Crowded House with one foot in Britpop and another in its American cousin, but they handle the mix well and fit in cheek by jowl with a vibrant Down Under music scene that includes a long shopping list of current Aussie acts like Tame Impala, Boy & Bear, ARIA Award winners Angus & Julia Stone, pop nutbar Sia, Cloud Control and on and on.

Must run, these meat pies and Tim Tams aren't going to eat themselves, send my love to the family. XOXO

On iTunes: Hungry Kids of Hungary / "Coming Around"