LIVE REVIEW: Midnight Oil @ Sydney Domain
The Great Circle Tour came full circle, back to the city where it all began seven months ago with a warm-up show at Marrickville Bowling Club. Since then, Midnight Oil have conquered the world once more, returning sounding better than ever and with an enviable and overflowing back catalogue of generation-defining songs. AB Original went down a treat as the opening act, standing tall and delivering their … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Midnight Oil @ Sydney Domain
ALBUM REVIEW: The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
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
LIVE REVIEW: Lambchop @ Factory Theatre, Sydney
Lambchop, Antonia & The Lazy Susans, Jack R Reilly @ Factory Theatre, Marrickville, Oct 19th, 2017 Early arrivals were privy to opening sets from local acts Jack R Reilly and Antonia & The Lazy Susans. The former showed a fine line in intimate, emotionally open and vocally impressive singer/songwriter fare over sparse and haunting electric guitar. In contrast, Antonia & The Lazy Susans were a confusing choice … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Lambchop @ Factory Theatre, Sydney
ALBUM REVIEW: Jep And Dep – They’veBeenCalled
This is album number two for Darren Cross (Gerling) and Jessica Cassar and it finds them expanding their monochromatic and ethereal world into darker corners where mystery slowly reveals itself and both hope and despair are around every slow bend. Their debut was clearly a interpretation of folk music but here they use even more swooning strings, piano and billowing reverb to add a ghostly … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Jep And Dep – They’veBeenCalled
ALBUM REVIEW: Beck – Colors
Beck’s much anticipated 13th album follows the lush and melancholic Morning Phase and though Colors is equally lush, it’s an album built on widescreen technicolor, bold sonic brushstrokes and a saturated pop aesthetic. On first listen it feels like the quirks and eccentricities that made Beck so iconic are absent on this album but dig below the pop-laminated surface and you’ll find an equally audacious … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Beck – Colors
ALBUM REVIEW: Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent
Protomartyr immediately stood out from the rest of the anguished post-punk pack when they first emerged four years ago with their debut album All Passion No Technique. They went from strength to strength over their next two albums, twisting Joe Casey’s mantra rants over caustic punk, dark indie guitars and tumbling drums before arriving at their most realised set of recordings to date. Relatives In … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent
LIVE REVIEW: Peter Hook & The Light @ Metro Theatre
Peter Hook & The Light @ Metro Theatre, Sydney, October 2nd 2017 Ten days after announcing a settlement with the rest of New Order concerning his use of various New Order and Joy Division assets on merchandising and in the promotion of shows by his new band, Peter Hook returned to Australia for a tour that honours the legacy of both acts, but for this particular show, … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Peter Hook & The Light @ Metro Theatre
INTERVIEW: Protomartyr
LOUD NOISE AND FLOWING ALCOHOL Protomartyr’s frontman Joe Casey calls in from Detroit, MI to tell Chris Familton about the band’s new album, new record label and where that voice of his came from. Protomartyr are already four albums deep into their recording career, all in the space of five years. It’s the sign of a band riding a wave of creativity and a relentless … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Protomartyr
ALBUM REVIEW: Gold Class – Drum
Gold Class seemed to hit the ground running when they released their debut album It’s You in 2015 and backed it up with urgent and emotional shows centred around the controlled drama and tension of singer Adam Curley. On their new album Drum they’ve cemented and built on their already impressive post-punk sound. Control is the order of the day on Drum. The songs feel … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Gold Class – Drum
ALBUM REVIEW: Queens Of The Stone Age – Villains
The fascinating evolution of Joshua Homme continues on this, the band’s seventh album. He’s spoken of not wanting them to become a parody of their own original sound and if you rewind back to Regular John, the opening track on their self-titled debut it sounds positively primitive and a million miles away from how they sound now. Back then he was peddling Kyuss mark II … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Queens Of The Stone Age – Villains
ALBUM REVIEW: Neil Finn – Out Of Silence
Out Of Silence is unique for the fact that it was rehearsed and then recorded live at Finn’s Auckland studio, whilst being streamed live to the world via Facebook and You Tube. It was a fascinating insight into a logistical and creatively adventurous undertaking. Even for those who didn’t see or know about the process, the spirit and communality of the session is imbued in … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Neil Finn – Out Of Silence
Neil Finn – Out Of Silence album recording/webcast
Out Of Silence was recorded live in-studio via webcast on Facebook and YouTube and will be mixed, mastered and digitally released one week after the recording, on 1 September 2017. “It’s pretty damned exciting. It’s the way I always dreamed of making music.” Each Friday for the last month, Neil Finn has been convening in his Roundhead Studios in Auckland, New Zealand with a collection … Continue reading Neil Finn – Out Of Silence album recording/webcast
Doubtful Sounds 