ALBUM REVIEW: Zola Jesus | Conatus
written by Chris Familton Zola Jesus is one of a number of female singers with strong rich voices that have emerged in recent years. She shares similar vocal tonalities with the likes of Florence Welch, The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson and Austra’s Katie Stelmanis yet she stands out above those and others as the strongest individual of the bunch. Following on from last year’s Stridulum … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Zola Jesus | Conatus
WATCH: Beastwars | Lake of Fire
New Zealand’s monolithic metal creatures Beastwars have had a massive year with a ton of packed out shows and the release of their debut album which is up there with the best heavy/metal records of 2011. Here is their first official video for the song Lake of Fire directed by Hamish Waterhouse. You can catch the band touring NZ through October and November, dates on their … Continue reading WATCH: Beastwars | Lake of Fire
PHOTOS: Step-Panther/Brous/Oh Mercy @ OAF, Sydney 14/10/11
Step-Panther, Brous, Oh Mercy @ OAF 14/10/11 , a set on Flickr. Continue reading PHOTOS: Step-Panther/Brous/Oh Mercy @ OAF, Sydney 14/10/11
WATCH: Those Darlins | Screws Get Loose
Check out the new video for the title track from Those Darlins’ stellar album released earlier this year… Continue reading WATCH: Those Darlins | Screws Get Loose
2011 ARIA Awards nominees announced…
This morning the full list of nominees for this year’s ARIA Awards (Australian Recording Industry) were announced. For what it is worth our picks (if we have to choose) are in red… Album Of The Year Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia) Cut Copy – Zonoscope (Modular Recordings) Eskimo Joe – Ghosts of the Past (Warner Music Australia) Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – … Continue reading 2011 ARIA Awards nominees announced…
ALBUM REVIEW: Pure X | Pleasure
written by Chris Familton Psychedelic guitar rock has been going through yet another goldrush of late with albums by Kurt Vile, Wooden Shjips and the tripped-out sounds of Sun Araw all getting a lot of attention. You can add to that list Pure X (previously Pure Ecstasy) and their debut album Pleasure. Their approach is to take heavy lidded narcotic guitars and marry them with … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Pure X | Pleasure
ALBUM REVIEW: Street Chant | Means
written by Chris Familton Street Chant finally see the Australian release of their debut album which came out in the homeland of New Zealand a year ago. Not that time dates this kind of music – jangling, propulsive slacker guitar pop – and this trio have talent in spades, captured perfectly on Means by producer/engineer Bob Frisbee. This kind of post punk grunge bears a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Street Chant | Means
ALBUM REVIEW: Wooden Shjips | West
written by Chris Familton San Francisco psych lords Wooden Shjips have had a great run of releases so far with no misfires among the albums, EPs and compilations they have issued since forming back in 2006. West is the band’s fifth album and finds them shifting into a cleaner, more concise musical space. Sure all their trademark signifiers like the droning organ, krautrock drumming, ambivalent … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Wooden Shjips | West
LIVE REVIEW: Moon Duo @ OAF, Sydney 30/09/11
written by Chris Familton Melbourne’s Fabulous Diamonds set the mood of the evening with a set composed around drone and hypnotic repetition. Featuring just drums and keyboards the duo were in no rush to get anywhere in particular with songs that slowly evolved from metronomic drum patterns into gently pulsing waves of analog synths, grinding organ, sparsely decorated with vocals from drummer Nisa Venerosa. When … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Moon Duo @ OAF, Sydney 30/09/11
LIVE REVIEW: Legends of New Orleans @ Sydney Opera House, 28/09/11
written by Chris Familton The Sydney Opera House is always a venue that delivers on quality sound and a comfortable environment for experiencing live music but sometimes the music that it hosts doesn’t quite connect with the surroundings. That was one of the concerns ahead of this triple headline show featuring New Orleans legends Jon Cleary, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the great Allen Toussaint. … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Legends of New Orleans @ Sydney Opera House, 28/09/11
NEWS: Laneway Festival 2012 line-up announced…
Laneway today announced its line-up for the 2012 event and it’s a damn impressive one. Sure there are the buzz bands of the moment like Washed Out and Active Child who don’t don’t really measure up to the hype tossed their way but the list of bands promises to be one of the best that Laneway has hosted to date. Note to organisers – make … Continue reading NEWS: Laneway Festival 2012 line-up announced…
NEWS: U2 release 20th anniversary editions of Achtung Baby…
Recorded over 6 months in 1991 in Berlin and Dublin, Achtung Baby was U2’s seventh studio album. It was produced by Daniel Lanois , Brian Eno and Steve Lillywhite and mixed and engineered by Flood. Led by “The Fly”, Achtung Baby spawned four more huge hit singles, “Mysterious Ways”, “One”, “Even Better Than The Real Thing” and “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses”. Heralded by … Continue reading NEWS: U2 release 20th anniversary editions of Achtung Baby…
Doubtful Sounds 