There have been a bunch of new local bands that have appeared on my radar this year, many of them hailing from Melbourne. Dick Diver, The Twerps and Iowa in particular stand out and the latter now have a video to go with their recently released single Complete Control. Continue reading WATCH: Iowa | Complete Control
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 are a gang of Melbourne musicians in bands like Twerps … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Twerps | Twerps
Hallelujah Picassos were one of the most original, visceral and genre mashing bands to come out of Auckland, New Zealand in the early 90s. They combined reggae, lovers rock, punk, dub, hip hop and garage rock with the end result being an overwhelming live experience. Frontman Roland Rorschach, bassist Johnnie Pain, guitarist Peter McLennan and drummer/singer Bobbylon were something of a musical history lesson for young kids growing up … Continue reading NEWS: Hallelujah Picassos release compilation…
written by Chris Familton Zola Jesus is one of a number of female singers with strong rich voices that have emerged in recent years. She shares similar vocal tonalities with the likes of Florence Welch, The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson and Austra’s Katie Stelmanis yet she stands out above those and others as the strongest individual of the bunch. Following on from last year’s Stridulum … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Zola Jesus | Conatus
written by Chris Familton Street Chant finally see the Australian release of their debut album which came out in the homeland of New Zealand a year ago. Not that time dates this kind of music – jangling, propulsive slacker guitar pop – and this trio have talent in spades, captured perfectly on Means by producer/engineer Bob Frisbee. This kind of post punk grunge bears a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Street Chant | Means
written by Chris Familton After the success of their 2009 debut The Sunspot Letters, Leader Cheetah ran the risk of ‘going big’ by building up their recordings with excess guitars and grand themes. Similarly they could have gone down the Powderfinger avenue chasing mass appeal and in the process losing some of the subtle and special musical traits that they displayed on that first LP. … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Leader Cheetah | Lotus Skies
written by Chris Familton London’s Male Bonding generated a fair amount of buzz with their 2010 debut Nothing Hurts and it sat well alongside the similar noise pop of other bands like Wavves. The second album dilemma that faced them was whether to bash out another set of short, sharp songs or go for something different. It turns out that familiarity was too much of … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Male Bonding | Endless Now
Wild Flag are Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney), Janet Weiss (Sleater Kinney/Quasi), Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole and they are about to drop their self-titled debut album on September 9th. Check out this fantastic version of first single Romance performed live for KEXP. Continue reading NEWS: Wild Flag to release debut album…
Great news that Eleanor Friedberger from Fiery Furnaces is due to release her debut solo album Last Summer this July. I spoke to her a couple of years ago around the time of their last full length I’m Going Away and she told me: I think before I die I will make a solo record it is safe to say. The album is out July … Continue reading NEWS: Fiery Furnace Eleanor to release solo album…
Hits the stores March 11th 2011 via Sony… Continue reading ARTWORK: The Strokes | Angles
Doubtful Sounds 