Perth, Australia, where the surf is good and World Cup football competes for the eyes and ears, from the bars to the beaches, with musicians such as Crooked Colours. Their pulsating songs are attractive, right off the, er, cricket bat. Yet, it’s after listening to songs such as “Come Down” or “In Your Bones,” do you get a sense of what makes Crooked Colours so captivating. It’s the surprise, the progression of one melody into the next, which among other things, gives the listener an indelible impression of good sound.

C’mon, the drop is passé, no?