ALBUM REVIEW: Danzig – Skeletons

Covers albums can be hit or miss affairs, sometimes insightful and revelatory, often indulgent and derivative. Glenn Danzig’s selections and interpretations sit somewhere in the middle. He has certainly applied the demonic, grandiose metal Danzig sound to these songs, though often they sound like poorly recorded demos. In particular Elvis’ Let Yourself Go works well, as does his Ramones ramalama take on The Troggs’ With … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Danzig – Skeletons

ALBUM REVIEW: Bad Dreems – Dogs At Bay

It’s been a slow-build for the Adelaide quartet since they first emerged with the near perfect jangle pop of single Chills in 2012. After the Badlands EP of the following year it was assumed a debut album was imminent yet what followed was a two year wait punctuated by a slow drip feed of sublime singles. Now the highly anticipated full length has finally arrived … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Bad Dreems – Dogs At Bay

NEW MUSIC: Bad//Dreems announce Album, Single and Tour

Finally those Adelaide reprobates Bad//Dreems have gone and announced their album Dogs At Bay is complete and ready to do the business from August 21st. Produced by Mark Opitz (AC/DC, The Angels, INXS, Cold Chisel) it’s been a long time coming but it will no doubt be worth the wait given the superb singles ‘Dumb Ideas’/’My Only Friend’ and ‘Cuffed and Collared’ that have already been released from … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Bad//Dreems announce Album, Single and Tour

ALBUM REVIEW: Infinity Broke – Before Before

Though mostly born from the same sessions as last year’s River Mirrors album, these nine songs operate on a different plane. More concise and song-based, yet with a broad range of moods and levels of intensity, the quartet conjure up caustic distorted storms of guitar over measured rhythms. The spirit and intensity of Bluebottle Kiss is strongly present on both Before Before and its predecessor … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Infinity Broke – Before Before

NEW MUSIC: The Black Ryder – Let Me Be Your Light

The Black Ryder seemed to disappear into a hazy abyss of anonymity a few years ago. The reality was a relationship dissolution between Aimee Nash and Scott Von Ryper and a relocation to Los Angeles. Surprisingly and thankfully for fans of their debut LP Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride they realised and valued the musical chemistry that still existed and continued to write and plot … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Black Ryder – Let Me Be Your Light

ALBUM REVIEW: Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love

Few bands know when to call it quits, the good ones calling time when they are still a potent musical entity, still at the top of their game. Sleater-Kinney never put a foot wrong in the first decade of their existence, churning out eight excellent albums that were immediately recognisable as the work of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss. In 2005 they stepped … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love

ALBUM REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins – Monuments To An Elegy

Twenty-six years into the long and winding career of the Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan has traveled far enough down the road from that magnificent and defining opening triumvirate of albums, subsequent lineup changes and mild controversies that he’s due, nay overdue, a return to form. Every new album has drawn claims of such from hopeful fans and media yet it was only 2012’s Oceania where … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins – Monuments To An Elegy

ALBUM REVIEW: Thee Rum Coves – Thee Rum Coves

This self-titled debut finds Auckland-based Thee Rum Coves continuing the strong lineage of garage rock from ‘60s originators like The Sonics, through the UK beat and punk scenes, the power pop of Sunnyboys and onto its modern manifestation in bands such as The Hives and The Datsuns. Two members (singer/guitarist English Jake and bassist Jimmy Christmas) were founding members of New Zealand’s The D4 and … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Thee Rum Coves – Thee Rum Coves

NEW MUSIC: Infinity Broke – Only The Desert Grows

On the heels of last years superb debut LP River Mirrors Infinity Broke are gearing up to release the follow-up Before Before which was recorded during the same sessions as their debut. Here’s the first taste of the new record with the excellent first single ‘Only The Desert Grows’ which sounds like Neil Young and a psychobilly band playing a last stand at some sinister … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Infinity Broke – Only The Desert Grows

NEW MUSIC: METZ – Acetate

We were big fans of the debut METZ album and from the sound of this first single ‘Acetate’ the new album (II) promises to be equally brutal and infectious. These guys play physical music that hits like a sledgehammer and hypnotises like a deviant snake charmer on speed. As their press release says:  The guitars are titanic, the drums ill-tempered, the vocals chilling, and the volume … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: METZ – Acetate

LIVE REVIEW: The Clean @ Sydney Festival (19/01/15)

The Clean are one of those bands that possesses a mythical aura about them. Across multiple decades they’ve remained an underground act yet they’re constantly being touted as an influence on a multitude of bands as each indie rock generation emerges. Their own influences – Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Byrds, Can, 70s punk and post-punk – formed their sound and in the … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: The Clean @ Sydney Festival (19/01/15)

NEW MUSIC: Torche – Minions

  Torche return in 2015 with a new album Restarter and from the sound of this first taste ‘Minions’ they haven’t lost any of their unique blend of metal and melody with its grinding sludge that builds and holds tension for 3 minutes before opening up into a soaring psychedelic sprawl. Out February 24th on Relapse Records Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Torche – Minions