Fittingly it is a New Year, the start of a new season of song and music's equivalent of football's English Premier League has a new team. Promoted from the first division, Broome, Western Australia's the Waifs are vying for the big time, with a traditional style of play and a three pronged attack that even the Sir Alex Ferguson's of this world better take note of.

Their fourth album in seven years, Up All Night, is their shot at the title yet this album isn't any different from their past efforts. But that's not a bad thing, because delivering great acoustic folk/pop album after album isn't easy by any stretch, it's just that no one has taken a great interest in their work until recently, this reviewer included.

So what's all the fuss you mutter? Let's begin with main vocalists and sisters, Donna and Vikki Simpson. Their strikingly honest yet gorgeous vocals work either on a solo level or when in they're in harmony. On first single and chart buster, 'London Still', the way they sing the one line chorus you immediately feel for the girls as they pour their homesick hearts out to you.

The achingly beautiful 'Nothing New' looks for some glimmer of hope from an absolute mess. The line: 'This is nothing new, but it ain't nothing,' ranks up there with Springsteen's 'You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright,' from Thunder Road.

Rounding out the trio, Joshua Cunningham, pitches in with lead vocals on two tracks: the slightly disappointing title track and in stark contrast the superb 'Since I've Been Around.' I'm probably not the first person or the last to draw vocal comparisons to a certain Paul Kelly (maybe less nasally) but his lyrics are very Kellyesque and that is nothing to scoff at.

This is a strong album with many more highlights then the songs already mentioned (Try 'Highway One', 'Lighthouse' and 'Fourth floor' for more proof). With high sales in their home country and a new distribution deal in the U.S., the Waifs are ready to the world stage.

Don't expect early relegation from this outfit.