Early album of the year contender from a long-established Aussie five-piece.
A bold statement for a new year. The seventh studio album by Australian band The Paper Kites, ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’, is already, even as 2026 takes its first baby steps, an album-of-the-year contender. The majority of the album was written at a friend’s farm located within the Yarra Valley in Melbourne, and the wide-open spaces and mountain views have clearly served as an inspiration to the band. ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’ is a phrase co-founder Christina Lacy wrote on a fogged-up bus window one morning, which became a quiet mission statement — a reflection on distance, devotion and the quiet hope that the people you love will find what they’re looking for, even if you can’t follow them where they go. Musically, it’s the five band members recorded live in the room with minimal overdubs.
The whole album has, from start to finish, a gentle warmth to it. There is a calmness at play here. There are no real bursts of energy, no sudden urge to crank up the pace or the volume. Sam Bentley’s vocals, with sterling backing from Christina Lacy and chief songwriter David Powys, are a constant joy, and the musical accompaniment remains subtle and understated throughout.
Opening track ‘Morning Gum’ sets the tone beautifully with its low-key acoustic guitar gradually joined by Powys’ banjo, weaving its own restrained and delightful magic in the background. Lead single ‘When The Lavender Blooms’ features a memorable earworm of a guitar riff and is as up-tempo as the album gets. Bentley muses that the rural location hugely informed the feel of the record, “It really does feel like home. There is this thread of hope and healing through all the music.” The uplifting message of ‘Lavender’ exemplifies that hopefulness perfectly.
Other highlights? Too many to mention. There are no average tracks. No fillers. No wasted space or energy here. ‘Strongly In Your Arms’ is a gorgeous showcase for Powys’ banjo, and Bentley’s vocals are as emotive here as anywhere. On ‘Deep (In The Plans We Made)’, those aforementioned backing vocals get an upgrade and become gorgeous harmonies on a track as pared back as it gets.
The Paper Kites have been together for 15 years and, for those new to the band, ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’ is the type of album that has the uninitiated delving into the back catalogues in search of another fix. This is an outstanding album from start to finish and deserves a wide audience.
