Karl Blau experienced a taste of wider critical acclaim on the back of his last album Introducing Karl Blau. The title and the fact that it was a collection of country covers was somewhat misleading, given that he’s has already released something more than 20 albums. With Out Her Space, Blau has shape-shifted into the world of avant rock, funk and soul, eschewing his lo-fi … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Karl Blau – Out Her Space
Eight years since the release of the last Jet album Shaka Rock, frontman Nic Cester has finally stepped out under his own name with his debut solo album. Sugar Rush isn’t a great stylistic departure from the band’s last record, but it does dial back the rock elements, instead taking a trip into a tantalising stew of soulful psych-pop and Black Keys-flavoured boogie rock grooves. … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Nic Cester – Sugar Rush
Adam Granduciel has called this album A Deeper Understanding but it could’ve quite easily been called A Clearer Understanding given the clarity he’s applied to his songs this time around. He approaches them with direct and confessional lyrics that sound unquestionably autobiographical but he’s also pared back some of the hazy, gauze-like qualities of the dreamy approach he’s taken to the music in the … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
The larrikin troubadour returns with his first new release since his 2014 debut Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician. ‘Medicine’ rolls and tumbles along with his trademark stagger and loose swagger. Super catchy, twitchy and jangly as he rattles off all kinds of medicinal relief. Top stuff. The track is available September 8 via Spinning Top / Caroline and Bibby plays Big Sound next week: Tue, Sep 5th | 11:30pm @ Ric’s Big … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Peter Bibby – Medicine
Still one of the leading lights of the Australian strand of guitar strummed, literate indie pop/rock songs, Underground Lovers have influenced the sound of many a local band over the years from The Sleepy Jackson to Blank Realm and on to Shining Bird. They’ll no doubt continue to hold that sphere of influence with their latest and one of their best albums. Staring At You … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Underground Lovers – Staring at You Staring At Me
New Zealanders Die! Die! Die! are back with a new album and a new clip for the single ‘How Soon Is Too Soon (It’s Not Vintage It’s Used)’. It’s definitely not as punk driven and intense as some of their earlier material but it’s equally as commanding, drawing on distorted and looped effects and a kind of warmly-detached Bailter Space feel as the song circles … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Die! Die! Die! – How Soon Is Too Soon (It’s Not Vintage It’s Used)
Boris are now 25 years into a career that has stretched from the barren expanse of doom to hazy dream pop renderings and onto avant garde soundscapes and blistering, psychedelic punk rock. They hone in on a style and explore it to its logical extreme. On Dear they again hit the heavy button but this time they go deep into the detail, exploring both heaviosity … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Boris – Dear
Artistically speaking, pop art is an apt description of the style and approach that Hollow Everdaze have near-perfected on Cartoons. A decade into their career they’re still uncovering lush, sun-kissed pop nuggets that swoon, sway and deftly swagger through 60s eccentricity, 80s/90s British indie and right up to the modernism of a band such as Spoon. There’s a wistful quality to the songs yet they … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Hollow Everdaze – Cartoons
New Zealand rock unit The Terminals have been operating under various iterations for 30 years and at the band’s core, Stephen Cogle and Peter Stapleton (with Mick El Borado) have kept the ship on course and sailing a straight line into dark and swirling post punk and psych-laden garage rock. Antiseptic finds the band on top of their game once more. If anything their music … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: The Terminals – Antiseptic
Lee Ranaldo has announced he has a brand new album called Electric Trim coming out on September 15th via Mute Records. His prime collaborator on the album was producer Raül “Refree” Fernandez and as well as his usual band The Dust (Steve Shelley, Alan Licht, Tim Luntzel), he also invited in guests Nels Cline and Sharon Van Etten. Here’s the first taste of the new album – ‘Circular … Continue reading NEWS: Lee Ranaldo announces new 2017 album
BEHIND THE BRAVADO Down the line from LA, where he’s between tours with Pond and Mac DeMarco, Kirin J. Callinan gives Chris Familton an insight into the creative process behind his new album Bravado and why it took four years to complete. Kirin J. Callinan is something of a modern day renaissance man, a polymorphic pop provocateur who revels in stretching creative boundaries and treading … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Kirin J Callinan
The Sonic Youth guitar slinger and solo artist returns with a new album, his second with his current group which includes My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and guitarist James Sedwards. Familiarity with those players on-stage and in-studio pays off in spades with this confident, relaxed and expansive new record. Moore has always vacillated between skewed punk/art-pop and experimental soundscapes and … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Thurston Moore – Rock N Roll Consciousness
Doubtful Sounds 