Dave Larkin sings on “Curiosity”, the single that appears midway through Dallas Crane’s fourth album Factory Girls, “Don’t need pills to blow my mind”. But in many ways, this album is very much a party record, made for the good times and the forthcoming southern summer.

It’s announced immediately on the opener “Tonight (There’s a Party Goin’ Down)” with girls who like getting high. It’s the most up-tempo and direct the Melbourne four-piece have ever sounded, and works particularly well on numbers like this, “Lovers & Sinners” and the excellent mid-album rockers “Kiss it all Goodbye” and “Curiosity”.

With Larkin taking more of a traditional frontman role – the contribution of lead guitarist Pete Satchell on vocals has certainly been pushed to being an aside, rather than a key component of the band’s sound – Factory Girls marks Dallas Crane as a band with ambition in their mind.

Carefully crafted with noted songsmith Jonathan Burnside over a long course of time, Factory Girls doesn’t really slow down, save for closer “Keep Your Head High Bella Mae”. Instead, it delivers a direct and punchy collection of tunes that are strong and immediate, yet lacking the sheer effervescence of those found on the previous self-titled album or Twenty Four Seven.