LIVE REVIEW: Infinity Broke @ Goodgod Small Club, Sydney (12/12/14)
Sounds Like Sunset have been a staple on the Sydney scene since the late 90s and like all good things they seem to just get better and better with age. Tonight they had a new bass player on board who slotted in nicely with their indie rock wall of sound. Minor amp/pedal issues threatened to disrupt the set but thankfully they abated and the songs, … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Infinity Broke @ Goodgod Small Club, Sydney (12/12/14)
ALBUM REVIEW: Spain – Sargent Place
Spain’s music is generally slow, swirling, soulful and hypnotic with its core sound circling itself with only minor variation. After a decade-long break Josh Haden returned with The Soul Of Spain in 2012 and now Sargent Place continues the same vibe with some psych rock explorations on the opening track and warm currents of gospel music flowing through other songs. Spain have never faltered on … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Spain – Sargent Place
INTERVIEW: Father John Misty – Waking From The Intellectual Dream
The transformative effects of romance, intimacy and self-acceptance form the backbone of Josh Tillman’s second album under the moniker Father John Misty. From his home in New Orleans Tillman looks back with Chris Familton on the two years it took to write and record I Love You Honeybear. “I think I have some clarity in terms of what was going on that I didn’t have … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Father John Misty – Waking From The Intellectual Dream
NEW MUSIC: The Black Ryder – Let Me Be Your Light
The Black Ryder seemed to disappear into a hazy abyss of anonymity a few years ago. The reality was a relationship dissolution between Aimee Nash and Scott Von Ryper and a relocation to Los Angeles. Surprisingly and thankfully for fans of their debut LP Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride they realised and valued the musical chemistry that still existed and continued to write and plot … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Black Ryder – Let Me Be Your Light
LIVE REVIEW: Jamie Hutchings, Buddy Glass @ Camelot Lounge, Sydney (05/02/15)
Buddy Glass is the stage name for Bruno Brayovic (Peabody) in his solo guise. With a recently released debut under his belt he took the audience on a journey through those songs, stripped back to just his voice and acoustic guitar. There were flashes of the wit and venom often seen with Peabody but for the most part Glass focused on the songs – which … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Jamie Hutchings, Buddy Glass @ Camelot Lounge, Sydney (05/02/15)
ALBUM REVIEW: Moon Duo – Shadow Of The Sun
Making use of a limited palette of instruments and ideas is an approach that has tripped up many a musician as they’ve endeavoured to get to the core of their creativity and cut out any frills and fireworks. Both Moon Duo and singer/guitarist Ripley Johnson’s other band Wooden Shjips have always attempted to do just that and almost without fail they’ve succeeded. Moon Duo’s fourth … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Moon Duo – Shadow Of The Sun
VIDEO: Donny Benét feat. Kirin J. Callinan – The Edge
Carrying on the audio visual brilliance of videos and tracks from Donny Benét’s excellent 2014 LP Weekend At Donny’s is the new clip for the track ‘The Edge’, featuring the Dave Gahan meets Andrew Eldritch vocals of local legend Kirin J. Callinan. And to think this pair was passed over to represent Australia at Eurovision. The event needs and the audience surely craves the duo’s shadowy … Continue reading VIDEO: Donny Benét feat. Kirin J. Callinan – The Edge
ALBUM REVIEW: Father John Misty – I Love You Honeybear
After a handful of stark solo folk albums Josh Tillman quit his day job as drummer for Fleet Foxes and re-emerged as Father John Misty with a new sound that was bursting with dramatic pop songs and kaleidoscopic lyrical images. It now seems that on Fear Fun Tillman was only warming up as I Love You Honeybear dials up the musical saturation and dives deep … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Father John Misty – I Love You Honeybear
ALBUM REVIEW: Trust Punks – Discipline
Aucklanders Trust Punks have carved themselves a healthy reputation over the last couple of years and now they have a debut album under their belts. It’s a strong showing too with twists and turns aplenty as they deploy their melodic post-punk sound across seven songs in a brief 24 minutes. Their range and ability to blend dissonance and melody are the cornerstones of the band’s … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Trust Punks – Discipline
ALBUM REVIEW: Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love
Few bands know when to call it quits, the good ones calling time when they are still a potent musical entity, still at the top of their game. Sleater-Kinney never put a foot wrong in the first decade of their existence, churning out eight excellent albums that were immediately recognisable as the work of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss. In 2005 they stepped … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love
ALBUM REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins – Monuments To An Elegy
Twenty-six years into the long and winding career of the Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan has traveled far enough down the road from that magnificent and defining opening triumvirate of albums, subsequent lineup changes and mild controversies that he’s due, nay overdue, a return to form. Every new album has drawn claims of such from hopeful fans and media yet it was only 2012’s Oceania where … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins – Monuments To An Elegy
ALBUM REVIEW: Thee Rum Coves – Thee Rum Coves
This self-titled debut finds Auckland-based Thee Rum Coves continuing the strong lineage of garage rock from ‘60s originators like The Sonics, through the UK beat and punk scenes, the power pop of Sunnyboys and onto its modern manifestation in bands such as The Hives and The Datsuns. Two members (singer/guitarist English Jake and bassist Jimmy Christmas) were founding members of New Zealand’s The D4 and … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Thee Rum Coves – Thee Rum Coves
Doubtful Sounds 