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Sydney’s Wifey at first glance fit neatly into a hybrid of indie and americana with their strumming guitars and violin. On the evidence of their new EP Salt Sugar Fat they are much more than that.

Homing is a gloriously catchy opening track that does fit the Okkervil River tag that some have attached to them. It rolls along, comfortable in its skin and features some lovely melodic touches with the voice of Andy Calvert containing a subtle touch of grit to set them aside from the fey indie pop sounds that are everywhere at the moment.

Medicine continues the theme with Kathryn Brownhill’s great violin melody, handclaps and another chorus that harks back to 80’s UK indie pop, tough with a streak of soul. Charlie On The Beaches is reminiscent of New Zealand band Bressa Creeting Cake with the calypso drums and its bubbling pop sensibility though it seems half formed when it abruptly stops after two minutes.

Phoenix Falling is a strange ditty that ups the quirk factor with its theme of a malfunctioning penis, a Smoke On The Water riff and references to Wolfmother and fellatio. It kind of works and it doesn’t. On first listen you might dismiss it as a juvenile song but behind the throwaway lyrics is some great infectious music.

Diamonds in The Mine finishes the EP and it sounds like M Ward duetting with Roxy Music. There is a glam vamp that hints at Warren Zevon’s Werewolves Of London that bounces and chugs along. Is indie glam boogie a genre? Calvert borrows some great lines from Leonard Cohen like ‘there are no letters in your mailbox’ and ‘there are no diamonds in your mine’.

So disregarding the stunted Charlie On The Beaches and the ‘doesn’t quite work’ Phoenix Falling, Salt Sugar Fat is a great EP that shows a band visiting some quirky places and bringing a bit of humour and wit to the local scene. Trim the fat and Wifey could be heading towards a great debut album.