Taken from their new LP I Hear You, out on Sub Pop, here’s Arbor Labor Union‘s clip for the single Volume Peaks. Tough, gritty, rolling guitar dirges that dig in and stretch out. They’re a mangled mess of post punk, post rock, indie rock and freewheeling’ jam band psych grooves. Dig it. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Arbor Labor Union – Volume Peaks
The Maladies are back! Well, they’ve been back gigging for the last year or so but this is the first new release since the Sydney group’s fine debut album With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down came out in 2009. With a new album on the horizon, Something About Your Girlfriend previews their new sound – updating and expanding their swampy gothic blues … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Maladies – Something About Your Girlfriend
This is the last in a trilogy of albums that Jurado has released with producer/collaborator Richard Swift and it’s as immersive, wide ranging and often fantastical as its predecessors. Swift again brings a lushness of production to Jurado’s folk songs. He adds the drama, the texture and the light psychedelia that washes over the 17 songs. The album completes the tale of an individual who … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Damien Jurado – Visions Of Us On The Land
Undo is the first single to be taken from Dan Michaelson and The Coastguards‘ 6th Album Memory, to be released on 6th May 2016. We loved Michelson’s last album Distance, his voice in particular hitting the fathomless depths of melancholic ache and yearning. He inhabits a similar musical world to Tindersticks and Bill Callahan – that blend of folky jazz and soulful late night indie … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards – Undo
Ex-Woods guy Kevin Morby has a new album Singing Saws coming out on Dead Oceans on April 15th. Here’s the first gently propulsive single from it – ‘Dorothy’. Shades of Dylan and The War On Drugs. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Kevin Morby – Dorothy
Here’s a new slice of White Denim wigged-out greatness. Yet again they dive into crazy psych boogie, glam pop glitter rock of the highest order. Their new album Stiff came out last week via Downtown Records/Create Control. Recommended as an antidote to the bloodless beige rock and no-soul electronic pop music poisoning the airwaves. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: White Denim – Holda You (I’m Psycho)
This was a night for the guitars. Loud, textural and visceral six-string magic. Opener Ben Salter had a keyboardist in his live band who added some fine organ and synth sounds but the Gin Club head honcho showed that his solo material leans more towards rhythm-heavy, guitar-led rock songs. Not in a primitive sense though, Salter’s fine way with words and his voice, which only … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Built To Spill @ Manning Bar, Sydney (10/03/16)
Their second album since reforming in 2010, Night Thoughts possesses the same trademark swagger and lush drama the band has been creating over the last 26 years yet it feels more considered, atmospheric and thematically pure. Brett Anderson explores his relationship with his parents and his own fears and neuroses as a father over an expansive musical backdrop. The epic art-rock guitar soundscapes and Anderson’s … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Suede – Night Thoughts
Rough Church is the moniker of Los Angeles-based musician Greg Franco and he’s releasing his new album Shhhh this month on the Auckland, NZ label Powertool Records. The other strong NZ connection is that Franco recorded the album with Tom Bell at Chick’s Hotel in Port Chalmers. He was also able to use the talents of two of the country’s most influential musicians in David Kilgour (The Clean) … Continue reading NEWS: Rough Church Announce New Album and NZ/AU Tour
Primal Scream are set to release their album Chaosmosis on March 18th. Here’s the clip for the single ‘Where The Light Gets In’ featuring Bobby Gillespie duetting with Sky Ferreira. It suggests the new album may have a more polished electronic sound, indeed here they’re showing acts like New Order and Depeche Mode how to keep making fresh sounding music with one’s trademark qualities intact. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Primal Scream – Where The Light Gets In
The Drones are about to unleash their new album Feelin Kinda Free on March 18th and ahead of that they’ve just released the video clip for their new 6 minute single ‘To Think That I Once Loved You’, an epic woozy ballad with dissonance emotionally scattered across it. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Drones – To Think That I Once Loved You
Damien Jurado has a new LP called Visions Of Us On The Land coming out on March 18h via Secretly Canadian/Inertia. It once again features producer Richard Swift and carries on the themes established on the excellent preceding albums Maraqopa and Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son. ‘Maraqopa’ the album introduced a character – deliberately unnamed, intended to represent anyone feeling that way – who stumbles … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Damien Jurado – Exit 353
Doubtful Sounds 