written by Chris Familton The story of Joy Division’s journey from post punk pioneers through the tragic suicide of frontman Ian Curtis and the subsequent and unexpected reincarnation as New Order is one that has been told many times over the decades. As far as legends go theirs is a classic tale of innocence, disaster and resurrection and though it has been romanticised to some … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Joy Division/New Order | TOTAL
written by Chris Familton Sydney seems to be in somewhat of a golden age of pop music of the indie kind at the moment. Every week new bands are constantly emerging blinking from the practice rooms clutching their hook laden bags of songs, cleverly crafted and full of inventive ideas. Wim are certainly part of that gang yet their approach is one grounded in a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Wim | Wim
written by Chris Familton Fans of Sydney’s The Paper Scissors have had to endure a four year wait for their second album to see the light of day. Thankfully their patience has been rewarded with a highly accomplished and wide ranging collection of songs that embrace both artful leanings and instantly gratifying pop music. In Loving Memory finds the band expanding their sound with electronic … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: The Paper Scissors | In Loving Memory
written by Chris Familton Melodie Nelson is the pseudonym of Sydney’s Lia Tsamoglou and her latest project after spending time with Moonmilk and Rand and Holland. The name is presumably taken from the Serge Gainsbourg album History de Melody Nelson and the mood of Meditations on the Sun is definitely an album rooted in past styles. Tsamoglou has concocted a shimmering sway of a record … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Melodie Nelson | Meditations on the Sun
written by Chris Familton It wasn’t long after Jack Ladder began touring his last album Love Is Gone that he began a transition to the sound that pervades his latest full length Hurtsville. That sound is one that embraces big open spaces with soaring effects-laden guitars and a sparse and more textural rhythmic approach. Ladder (Tim Rogers) has shorn his music of the bluesy soul … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Jack Ladder | Hurtsville
written by Chris Familton Fink inhabit a musical netherworld where straightforward categorisation of their sound is a hard thing to nail down. Fin Greenall draws equally on folk, blues, electronic and dub forms and can blend them into a singular sound seemingly effortlessly. Perfect Darkness digs a little deeper into Greenall’s repertoire but the recipe stays much the same as its predecessor Sort Of Revolution. … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Fink | Perfect Darkness
written by Chris Familton Album number four finds Chad VanGaalen concocting his most complete full length set of songs and eschewing much of the willful disorientation and quirkiness that characterised some of his earlier releases. VanGaalen also moved into a professional studio to record these songs which has resulted in a lush aural embrace of sound to get lost in. Diaper Island still manages to … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Chad VanGaalen | Diaper Island
written by Chris Familton Texans White Denim are onto their fifth album if you include the free LP they released last year and here they continue the endless cascading deluge of ideas, riffs and melodies that have become the hallmark of their eclectic sound. This album is significant in that it is their most cohesive album to date. Previously they would swing from dub to … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: White Denim | D
written by Chris Familton It seems this quartet are being pushed blinking into the spotlight by both their major label and the music ‘tastemakers’ in the UK, such is the feeling of organised marketing that surrounds Mona’s debut release. Their story tells of three of the band having strict church upbringings in America’s southern states before their souls were rescued by rock n roll. To … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Mona | Mona
written by Chris Familton We’ve seen a steady influx of strong, theatrical voiced female singers emerging in electronic pop music over the last few years with the likes of Florence & The Machine, The Knife and Zola Jesus rising to prominence. Now you can add the rather plainly named Austra to that list. Austra is primarily the vehicle for the songs of Katie Stelmanis, a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Austra | Feel It Break
written by Chris Familton Wistful reminisces abound on the new Destroyer album Kaputt. It is Dan Bejar’s ninth album under the Destroyer moniker it feels like a wave over the shoulder or a long lazy sunday spent poring over old VHS cassettes. Bejar went about creating a holistic 80s sound for the record, complete with dreamy washes of chorus guitar, horn solos one degree removed … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Destroyer | Kaputt
Doubtful Sounds 