It’s only been two years since the release of Blackbird, making this a quick follow-up in the world of Fat Freddy’s Drop. The reassuring thing about the Wellington band is that as their stock has risen they haven’t compromised their musical approach by shortening songs or devolving them to standard structures in the pursuit of hit singles. They continue as they left off on the … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Fat Freddy’s Drop – Bays
Callinan has finally released some new material to follow up his 2013 LP Embracism of which we said “he has been overwhelmingly successful at marrying violent dissonance and the traditional art of songwriting”. ‘The Teacher’ sees him hitting new romantic power ballad mode with an emotional tale of teen lust, role models and positions of power and influence. The tongue in cheek angle has been … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Kirin J. Callinan – The Teacher (feat. Connan Mockasin)
Flying Nun Records in partnership with Captured Tracks have announced they’re reissuing two seminal New Zealand albums. On November 13th Chris Knox’s Seizure (with the 1st pressing artwork) and Tall Dwarfs‘ first full length album Weeville will be available on vinyl and CD. Artist: Chris Knox Title: Seizure Label: Flying Nun Records Year: 1990. Re-Issued 2015 Cat #: FN125 Formats: 12″ LP, CD + Digital PRE-ORDER Track List: … Continue reading REISSUE NEWS: Flying Nun & Captured Tracks To Reissue Chris Knox & Tall Dwarfs LPs
White Dog were up first and represented the punk end of the musical spectrum on offer. They started off with a straight hardcore delivery and then took detours into post-punk dissonance and angular shapes. From Black Flag to Big Black with a direct attack and socially acute lyrics they certainly primed the energy of the room. HITS from Brisbane are a defiantly rock ’n’ roll … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, HITS, White Dog @ Manning Bar, Sydney (08/08/15)
Flyying Colours proved to be an excellent choice of support. Energy, texture and dynamics rule their dense shoegaze sound and it sounded satisfyingly full and propulsive as the venue slowly filled. The quartet’s physicality on stage matched that of their songs and though the sound mix wasn’t great they set the scene nicely for the main act. Amid clouds of dry ice and beneath a … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Johnny Marr, Flyying Colours @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney (21/07/15)
Bathed in red light, Roadhouses created a similarly late-night, intoxicated vibe with a set that was equal parts slowcore and codeine country like like Lucinda Williams fronting Spain. Yvonne Moxham’s guitar shimmered via drawn out chords that hung in the air while she sang songs on the sadder side of romance. Less is more in Roadhouses and the rhythm section featuring Cec Condon (Mess Hall) … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Infinity Broke, Day Ravies, Roadhouses @ Brighton Up Bar, Sydney (02/10/15)
FROM THEIR REHEARSAL STUDIO AND AN AUTUMN HEATWAVE MERCURY REV FOUNDING MEMBER GRASSHOPPER CALLS IN TO DISCUSS THEIR NEW ALBUM, THE LEGACY OF DESERTER’S SONGS AND MORE WITH CHRIS FAMILTON. Grasshopper and singer Jonathan Donahue have been at the core of Mercury Rev from the very beginning, enduring multiple line-up changes and a constant refinement of their expansive sound. Their new album The Light in … Continue reading MERCURY REV: The Director & The Cinematographer
It’s been a slow-build for the Adelaide quartet since they first emerged with the near perfect jangle pop of single Chills in 2012. After the Badlands EP of the following year it was assumed a debut album was imminent yet what followed was a two year wait punctuated by a slow drip feed of sublime singles. Now the highly anticipated full length has finally arrived … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Bad Dreems – Dogs At Bay
It’s hard to imagine why Protomartyr aren’t more popular than they are. They’ve already captured their visceral and dystopian post punk sound across two excellent albums. The Agent Intellect continues that fine form and pushes the dynamic even further into primal rhythms with wire-brush screes of guitar and the distinctive disaffected howl and Mark E Smith-styled rant of frontman Joe Casey. The way they sonically … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Protomartyr – The Agent Intellect
Dan Kelly has hit his finest streak of songwriting on his latest solo album. There’s a sense of pop wonderment about these songs as they diversify into all kinds of colourful shapes. Sometimes it’s dripping with sweet soul ‘(Haters’), drifting on a cloud of dream-pop (‘National Park‘) or hitting interstellar overdrive on the epic pulsing krautrock of the opening track. The psychedelic flavour of Kelly’s … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Dan Kelly – Leisure Panic
The Mis-Made warmed the arriving crowd with their take on back to basics hard rock in the vein of L7, Babes in Toyland and even The Runaways when they hit some melodic vocal hooks. Things opened up when they stepped back from the mics and dug deeper into their playing, carving out some dense and pummelling rock n roll. Cosmic Psychos and Dune Rats are … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Cosmic Psychos, Dune Rats, The Mis-Made @ Manning Bar, Sydney (19/06/15)
Alex Cameron’s (Seekae) saxophonist and off-sider Roy Molloy arrived first, setting up his instrument, pacing the stage with Corona in hand and chatting to the front rows. Cameron’s strikingly skeletal frame joined him, his designer suit a couple of sizes too small, hanging from his lanky bones. He has a commanding stage presence, throwing Nick Cave-styled poses and dance moves that alternate between mid-period Bowie … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders, Alex Cameron @ OAF, Sydney (16/05/15)
Doubtful Sounds 