NEW MUSIC: Bearhug | Fireworks
Sydney band Bearhug have a new EP Over Easy on the horizon and they’ve set free the first song from it – Fireworks. It jangles, shimmies, chops and swings with a sweet haze and towards the end they drop a late night groove to bring it all home. I’ve only caught the band live once when they supported Lawrence Arabia but they impressed. Keep a … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Bearhug | Fireworks
LIVE REVIEW: St Jerome’s Laneway Festival @ Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney (02/02/13)
by Chris Familton The biggest thought on most punters minds as they awoke was how the weather was going to affect the Sydney leg of this years Laneway Festival. Showers and wind were forecast, a contrast to previous years of hot sunny days encased in the sandstone walls of Rozelle’s SCA. The anticipated weather did intermittently sweep through the grounds but as is usually the … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: St Jerome’s Laneway Festival @ Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney (02/02/13)
LIVE REVIEW: The Men, Royal Headache @ Goodgod Small Club, Sydney (30/01/13)
by Chris Familton Things kicked off with the fantastically named Raw Prawn. A band that sounded as uncooked and naive as their moniker suggests. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the band played a set that balanced precariously between authentic 70s UK punk and lo-fi primitive glam rock. It all sounded like it could fall apart at any point. Songs like None Left hit … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: The Men, Royal Headache @ Goodgod Small Club, Sydney (30/01/13)
ALBUM REVIEW: Matthew E. White | Big Inner
by Chris Familton Seemingly emerging out of nowhere, Matthew E. White’s Big Inner is quickly spreading via word-of-mouth as one of the first great albums of 2013. Those accolades are well and truly deserved for a record that balances intimacy and grand gestures so well. The ideas are simple (love and religion) yet the prolific melodies and strength of composition make it sound like a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Matthew E. White | Big Inner
ALBUM REVIEW: Civil Civic | Rules
by Chris Familton Rules is the debut album from two Australian expats who met in Barcelona and spent the next two years constructing its songs. As the title suggest they set themselves some strict guidelines with which to write the instrumental music that would comprise their debut album, a record that thrives on energy, ebullient yet melancholic melodies and some brutal and primitive rhythms. Instrumental … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Civil Civic | Rules
LIVE REVIEW: Nuggets: Antipodean Interpolations @ Paradiso at Town Hall (25/01/13)
by Chris Familton In a rare use of the Sydney Town Hall for rock n roll, Sydney Festival honoured both the original and seminal 1972 Nuggets 60s garage rock compilation and its recent Australian tribute Antipodean Interpolations of the First Psychedelic Era. The night was a chance for six of those bands to play short sets that gave a snapshot of their own Nuggets-spirited sound. … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Nuggets: Antipodean Interpolations @ Paradiso at Town Hall (25/01/13)
DS 500 MIXTAPE
It has been a while but we’ve finally put a new mixtape together, this time to celebrate hitting 500 Likes on our Facebook Page. This one takes in everything from post punk, 70s country, psych rock and deep groove indie guitar tracks. MP3: DS 500 Mixtape (click to listen, right click to save) Tracklisting: Toy Love – Rebel (live @ The Gluepot, Auckland 1980) Talking … Continue reading DS 500 MIXTAPE
ALBUM REVIEW: Christopher Owens | Lysandre
by Chris Familton Christopher Owens surprised many when he announced the end of Girls and the start of his solo career. Though he was the central figure of that group, his synergistic musical partnership with producer/bassist JR White was integral to their success. On the other hand Owens’ intriguing back story and prolific songwriting has always suggested ambition and restlessness. Lysandre is a brief song … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Christopher Owens | Lysandre
ALBUM REVIEW: Spencer P. Jones & The Nothing Butts
Spencer P. Jones has a knack of surrounding himself with superb collaborators whether it be in The Beasts of Bourbon, The Johnnys, or with the likes of Paul Kelly, Chris Bailey and Kim Salmon. Now he has teamed up with James Baker (The Scientists/Hoodoo Gurus) and Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin from The Drones and recorded a fantastic collection of visceral rock songs as The … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Spencer P. Jones & The Nothing Butts
LIVE REVIEW: David Byrne & St. Vincent @ State Theatre, Sydney (18/01/13)
by Chris Familton Take a musical icon who has made a career out of balancing art and popular music, combine him with a quirky indie songstress and you have a fascinating meeting of age, gender and artistic creativity. David Byrne & St Vincent released their album Love This Giant last year and received much praise for their translation of the songs from record to stage, … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: David Byrne & St. Vincent @ State Theatre, Sydney (18/01/13)
NEW MUSIC: Suzie Stapleton | Obladi Diablo
Melbourne musician Suzie Stapleton has only just come onto our radar but it only took 30 seconds of the first song we heard to get drawn into her dark and moody sound that equally draws on gothic blues and swamp rock, mixing it all up in a contemporary rock miasma. The thing that anchors it all is her jaw dropping voice with its rich and … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Suzie Stapleton | Obladi Diablo
NEWS: Depeche Mode reveal details of new album Delta Machine
Those stalwarts of electronica, Depeche Mode, are set to release their 13th album and celebrate their 33rd year together. Delta Machine (Columbia) will be out on March 26th, preceeded by the single Heaven which will be premiered on Vevo next February 1st. Heaven will also include remixes by Matthew Dear, Owlle, Steps to Heaven and Blawan. Tracklisting Standard Edition: 1. Welcome To My World 2. Angel 3. Heaven … Continue reading NEWS: Depeche Mode reveal details of new album Delta Machine
Doubtful Sounds 