by Chris Familton Smith Westerns still feel like newcomers pushing to assert themselves amongst a group of already established friends but they are now up to album number three, a fact that nullifies any flash in the pan claims for the band. On Soft Will they continue to mine the same vein of power pop and glam infused indie guitar pop but there is a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Smith Westerns | Soft Will
by Fiach Smyth Imagine: music (whose je ne sais quoi is viele Punkte (in the Stockhausen style) but laugh …) – it communicates not-clearly (blurred, obfuscated, misty, nebulous, opaque; camera obscura in depth and breadth and clarity). Imagine music. Now imagine I wrote this whole review the way that These New Puritans wrote Field of Reeds, their third album and without a shadow of a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: These New Puritans | Field of Reeds
On Saturday July 20th Carriageworks in Sydney will host At First Sight which is being billed as a ‘vinyl romance’ style festival with 11 bands and more than 10 DJs soundtracking the day while you peruse the record bins of record stores, labels and private sellers. This is a killer line-upof bands that you are unlikely to see all on the same festival stage. Great … Continue reading NEWS: The ‘At First Sight’ record fair and festival is fast approaching….
It’s a busy time for Sydney’s Kirin J Callinan as he prepares to release his debut album embark on an American tour supporting Ariel Pink. From the streets of New York he gives Chris Familton an insight into his emergence as a solo artist. Not long into our conversation Kirin J Callinan pauses before painting, with an element of concern in his voice, the picture … Continue reading INTERVIEW: The Antithesis of Escapism – Kirin J Callinan
by Chris Familton Showing both strength of character and musical relevance, Alice In Chains survived the death of their singer, regrouped and recaptured the essence of their sound without it sounding like a retrogressive exercise. Their comeback album Black Gives Way to Blue confirmed that and now The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here finds them sounding even stronger and more self-assured. Alice In Chains’ trademark churn and … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Alice in Chains | The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
by Chris Familton Now into their third decade Primal Scream have carved out a varied eclectic career that has taken in punk, pop, electronic, psychedelic, krautrock, rock n roll and americana influences, sometimes playing them straight and other times twisting and mutating combinations of them into new and exciting forms. More Light is their most cohesive attempt at bringing all the facets of their music … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Primal Scream | More Light
by Chris Familton The brilliantly titled Cruise Your Illusion is the most realised of Milk Music’s albums to date with its ramshackle and parched slacker rock vibes that finds just the right balance of buzzing drive and a laid back stoner aesthetic. The Olympia, Washington band show a strong allegiance to the kind of damaged punk and classic rock that the likes of Dinosaur Jr … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Milk Music | Cruise Your Illusion
Brisbane’s Loomer will shortly release their debut LP Ceiling which will be out on vinyl at the end of May via Lost Race Records. It is a limited release of 100 copies so if you favour records over digital and you like what you hear below then get in quick. The track Bolt staggers and swoons with fair dollops of noise, drone and shoegaze textures. It … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Loomer | Bolt
Out this week is the latest of R.E.M.’s reissues that have been released on a regular basis since the band officially called it a day in 2011. Green was released in 1988 and here at DS we rate this as our favourite R.E.M. LP with Automatic For The People pushing hard for the same honour. With a raft of singles that infiltrated international charts it … Continue reading NEWS: R.E.M. release 25th anniversary edition of ‘Green’.
by Chris Familton Kurt Vile’s last LP Smoke Ring For My Halo made good all the promise he had showed in flashes on his earlier albums and so, with expectation hanging heavy in the air he has gone and taken that template, tightened its sound and expanded its possibilities on the superb 69 minute Wakin On A Pretty Daze. Ten minute opener Wakin On A … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Kurt Vile | Wakin On A Pretty Daze
Sydney’s Kirin J Callinan has announced that his solo LP Embracism will be released on June 28th via Siberia Records / Terrible Records in partnership with XL Recordings. The album was produced by Kim Moyes of The Presets and mixed in the home studio of Christ Taylor (CANT, Grizzly Bear) who runs the Terrible Records label. It also features a rhythm section of Jack Ladder and … Continue reading NEWS: Kirin J Callinan announces solo LP
by Chris Familton Melbourne garage rock renaissance man Mikey Young has his hand in a plethora of projects both as a producer and as guitarist in Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Total Control. Here Ooga Boogas expand on the sound of the last Total Control album by taking a trip into new wave, 70s punk and the type of agitated funk that everyone from Talking … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Ooga Boogas | Ooga Boogas
Doubtful Sounds 