ALBUM REVIEW: Mark Lanegan Band | Blues Funeral
written by Chris Familton It has been one hell of a long break between drinks for Mark Lanegan and the follow-up to 2004’s Bubblegum, though one could never accuse the man of resting on his laurels in the intervening years. As prolific a collaborator as they come, Lanegan has worked with Queens of the … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Piers Twomey | Strange Advice
written by Chris Familton Piers Twomey is a Sydney musician who until now has spent time playing with bands like Grun, Quiet Titans and The Fragments. Stepping out on his own he has turned the spotlight onto a dozen indie folk songs with varying degrees of success. There are austere and whimsical sounds at work … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Suzy Connolly | Night Larks
written by Chris Familton Sometimes an album has its way with you, works its way inside your head and your heart, takes up residence and begs you relentlessly to keep coming back for more. The debut album from Sydney songwriter Suzy Connolly does just that and though for her the words mean something else, the … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Lawrence English | The Peregrine
written by Chris Familton Lawrence English’s music is never merely a collection of musical pieces or songs in the traditional sense. The sound artist sculpts his audio work based on concepts, themes and source material that while it is isn’t essential to be familiar with, greatly enhances the listening experience. The Peregrine is English’s homage … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: The Bats | Free All The Monsters
written by Chris Familton The Bats are about to celebrate 30 years as a band in 2012 and one that can still boast the original line-up. Not many groups can lay claim to that milestone yet the New Zealand quartet have quietly gone about crafting a considerable body of work that has never taken drastic … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Jane’s Addiction | The Great Escape Artist
written by Chris Familton Jane’s Addiction cemented their place in music history with their seminal albums Nothing’s Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual, both over 20 years ago. Since then they’ve made a few attempts to reignite the band and re-capture some of that magic with only limited success. 2003’s Strays had moments of brilliance … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Atlas Sound | Parallax
written by Chris Familton Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound has unfairly garnered a reputation as an eccentric, quirky individual and musician. Sure he jumps around stylistically, likes obtuse forms and shapes in his music and he can be a prickly interview subject but when you get into the music he is hardly charting … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Dick Diver | New Start Again
written by Chris Familton It is somewhat unavoidable when it comes to making comparisons between the new Dick Diver and Twerps albums as both have been released at the same time on Melbourne’s Chapter Music and both share a style that strongly echoes the music being made in New Zealand and particularly Dunedin in the … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Twerps | Twerps
written by Chris Familton This has been a bumper year for wistful guitar music brimming with melodies and laidback vibes – perfectly suited to soundtracking either a dreary autumn day or the warming expectation of summer. Real Estate, Girls and Oh Mercy are at the more immediate end of the spectrum but not far behind … Read more
ALBUM REVIEW: Step-Panther | Step-Panther
written by Chris Familton Noisy guitar pop seems to be everywhere at the moment, whether it is stained with garage rock, shoegaze or 90s indie there is a strong melodic vein running through it – more pop and less rock in the traditional posturing sense. Locals Step-Panther have been impressing on the live circuit and … Read more
