Big Thief + Gabriella Cohen + Body Type @ Newtown Social Club, 1st March 2017 Three shades of emotive indie guitar music were on display this evening with Body Type the most conventional of them. The quartet boast three lead vocalists and a fine line in songs that ranged from swerving slacker rock in the vein of Courtney Barnett, to the dreamier climes of bands like … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Big Thief
BALANCING INSTINCT AND REASON Margaret Glaspy has had a career-high last 12 months that has seen her go from working long hours to pay New York rent to touring large venues with The Lumineers. She takes Chris Familton through the creation of her debut album and the changes it has brought her. With so much work going into the writing, recording and producing of Emotions … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Margaret Glaspy
Bad//Dreems have released the second single from their forthcoming new LP Gutful (out April 21st). Feeling Remains is reliably and solidly straight from the BD songbook. It has those tension-filled verses they do so well, full of tumbling toms and rolling bass, with Alex Cameron’s guitar clipped and urgent downstrokes carving out a stacatto rhythm that contrasts with a Saints/Sex Pistols descending chord progression. It defines their … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Bad//Dreems – Feeling Remains
Dylan Carlson (Earth) has once again teamed up with The Bug’s Kevin Martin (Techno Animal, Ice, God, Razor X, King Midas Sound), this time for a full-length LP called Concrete Desert. The album also features guest vocals from Justin Broadrick from Jesu/Godflesh etc on two tracks. Below you can hear the first taste of the album – ‘Snakes Vs Rats’. Martin says that the album is in some ways … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Bug Vs Earth – Snakes Vs Rats from their new LP Concrete Desert
Ride have been hard at work in the studio since they reunited for live shows back in 2014. The as yet untitled new album is due out soon and already this week they’ve released two new songs. The first, ‘Charm Assault’ finds them in full throttle glammed-up rock mode while the second, ‘Home Is A Feeling’ is authentic early Ride in its sound and a … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Ride Release Two New Songs
Spoon (Britt Daniel, drummer Jim Eno, bassist Rob Pope and Alex Fischel on keyboards and guitar) are releasing their new LP Hot Thoughts on March 17th via Matador Records/Remote Control Records. They’ve already released the first single and now they’ve posted the warped and spooky clip for the keyboard-heavy clip for ‘Can I Sit Next To You’, reminiscent to our ears of The Cure and Prince in the clipped rhythm. Spoon – Sydney & Melbourne … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Spoon – Can I Sit Next To You
My Disco, Marcus Whale, Hviske @ Newtown Social Club, 11 February 2017 Minimalism shaping grand emotion was the order of the night at NSC for My Disco’s last stop on their summer tour. From the headliners down through Marcus Whale and opening duo Hviske, there was a common thread of space, intensity and the blurring of technology and organic instrumentation to create dramatic musical pieces. Hviske are … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: My Disco @ Newtown Social Club
Car Seat Headrest + Jarrow @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney 26.01.17 There was a real ‘will they or won’t they?’ atmosphere rippling through the arriving throng of punters as Jarrow took the stage. The nervousness was due to Car Seat Headrest main guy Will Toledo posting on Facebook earlier in the day that he was was here and ready to play but the band were … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Car Seat Headrest
Mac DeMarco recently upped and relocated to LA from Queens, NY and the transition to a new city had a slowing effect on his writing and recording process this time around. He sat with the songs a while and then stripped them back to acoustic guitar, drum machine and synth, giving the new album much more of a laidback (is that possible) and skeletal sound. … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Mac DeMarco Announces New LP ‘This Old Dog’
Father John Misty (Josh Tillman) is back with the follow-up to his acclaimed album I Love You, Honeybear. Titled Pure Comedy, the album is due out on April 7th via Sub Pop and Inertia Music and features co-production with Jonathan Wilson, string arrangements by Gavin Bryars and other contributions from Nico Muhly and Thomas Bartlett. The mastering was done by the legendary Bob Ludwig. Tracklisting: … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Father John Misty Announces New LP ‘Pure Comedy’.
Dinosaur Jr, Luluc @ Metro Theatre, Sydney 12.01.17 There had been some worrying moments leading up to the start of Dinosaur Jr’s Australian tour, with news that visa issues for Lou Barlow had meant a delayed flight. It all got sorted but there was more drama to come. Luluc had opening honours, as they have for a number of J Mascis solo shows in the … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Dinosaur Jr
LONG HAUL FLIGHT Still with their original lineup, The Bats are the longest running band in New Zealand and after more than three decades they’re still finding fascinating new variations on their iconic sound. Frontman and songwriter Robert Scott talks to Chris Familton about how their new record came together and how they’ve maintained their longevity. Down the line from his home on the coast … Continue reading INTERVIEW: The Bats
Doubtful Sounds 