ALBUM REVIEW: Terry – Terry HQ
Terry – It’s not the kind of name that screams rockstar or great commercial ambition and as such it’s a fitting moniker for this Melbourne quartet comprised of members of skewed rock ’n’ roll, underground royalty bands such as Total Control, UV Race and Dick Diver. They operate firmly in the realm of woolly and wonky, lo-fi indie rock with a healthy strain of blank-faced … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Terry – Terry HQ
ALBUM REVIEW: Trust Punks – Double Bind
Auckland band Trust Punks return with their sophomore album and in the process they’ve tightened their sound, ratcheted up the tension and broadened their interpretation of post-punk. On 2014’s Discipline they mixed jangling guitars and sparkling, ramshackle melodies and, though those are still a key part of the mix, they’ve now emboldened their sound with a brasher rhythmic attack while bringing in seemingly contradictory sounds … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Trust Punks – Double Bind
ALBUM REVIEW: Sophie Hutchings – Wide Asleep
In recent years there has been a wealth of composers that fall into the loosely-aligned world of modern-classical, post-ambient, avant-electronic and instrumental post-rock. They draw from all of those styles and explore their compositional meeting points. Locally, our leading light is Sophie Hutchings and on her third album she again finds new and fascinating ways to create cerebral and emotionally rich and ornate arrangements – led … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Sophie Hutchings – Wide Asleep
LIVE REVIEW: Shihad @ The Factory Theatre, Sydney (15/07/16)
Shihad have been investing a lot of time in revisiting their back catalogue in recent years with reissues, tours of their best albums and greatest hits shows. That threatened to cement their place as a band built on past glories until the brutal and re-energised FVEY album came out in 2014. This night, though focused on celebrating their self-titled yet commonly known as The Fish … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Shihad @ The Factory Theatre, Sydney (15/07/16)
ALBUM REVIEW: Community Radio – Look Now You’re Cursed
Boasting two members of Sydney band Youth Group, the debut album from Community Radio finds them capturing the essence of their elegant and skewed indie guitar pop. The melodies are endlessly autumnal, melancholic and often heavy hearted while the guitars chime and weave hypnotic, riffing patterns. The rhythm section show plenty of inventiveness making this an album on which all instruments sound like they’re simultaneously … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Community Radio – Look Now You’re Cursed
ALBUM REVIEW: Bryan Estepa & The Tempe Two – Every Little Thing
Bryan Estepa returns with album number five and it continues the rich vein of effortless 70s singer/songwriter vibes, a dose of soulful yacht rock and the sweet and lonesome side of country music. Every Little Thing finds Estepa reconfiguring his band (The Tempe Two) to a trio of bass, drums and guitars and it was a good call, it suits his songs perfectly. It allows … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Bryan Estepa & The Tempe Two – Every Little Thing
ALBUM REVIEW: Witch Hats – Deliverance
Their third album and first in five years, Deliverance is a consistently impressive encapsulation of the evolution Melbourne’s Witch Hats have shown across their records. There’s plenty of dark, lurching rock ‘n’ roll with howling dirges and claustrophobic angst. The bass is deep and heavy, anchoring the songs as they stagger off into Stooges proto-punk, and nihilistic post-punk. The key is the melodies that still burn … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Witch Hats – Deliverance
NEW MUSIC: GOAT – Try My Robe
Swedish psych folk rock band GOAT have announced their new album Requiem will be out on October 7th. Here’s the first taste – the droning, hypnotic Try My Robe, which digs a Tinariwen-like hole in your synapses. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: GOAT – Try My Robe
NEW MUSIC: The Laurels – Reentry
Sydney band The Laurels are back with a brand new single, the first off their forthcoming new LP Sonicology, due out October 14th via Rice Is Nice Records. Reentry finds the band exploring more groove and more psychedelia with shades of Primal Scream and a baggy Manchester vibe in its loping rhythm. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Laurels – Reentry
Favourite LPs of 2016 So Far
Here we are again, the mid-point of another year. It’s always a good time to take stock of the albums that have been released in the last six months, review the long list of records we’ve heard and dissed or praised. We’re always listening to a wide range of styles here at DS but from looking at this particular list it seems we’ve been embracing … Continue reading Favourite LPs of 2016 So Far
LIVE REVIEW: Swervedriver @ Factory Theatre, Sydney 25/06/16
Guitars, amps, effects pedals and volume were the order of the night for Swervedriver’s return to Australian shores. Local rock ’n’ roll fringe dwellers The Holy Soul were the best of the support acts with a raw, brittle and at times brilliantly inventive set. They showed once more why they are the city’s best kept secret with their fusion of Pere Ubu, Television, The Gun … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Swervedriver @ Factory Theatre, Sydney 25/06/16
INTERVIEW: Ben Folds
ROCKIN’ THE RECITAL HALL Ben Folds talks with Chris Familton about the current collaborative project he has termed ‘chamber rock’ and his personal and professional connection to Australia. In composition and performance the piano is one of the few instruments that works effectively and consistently across the spectrum of musical genres, from blues to jazz, rock to classical. In the indie-rock world one of the … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Ben Folds
Doubtful Sounds 