written by Chris Familton Piers Twomey is a Sydney musician who until now has spent time playing with bands like Grun, Quiet Titans and The Fragments. Stepping out on his own he has turned the spotlight onto a dozen indie folk songs with varying degrees of success. There are austere and whimsical sounds at work on Strange Advice that frame Twomey’s intimate songs primarily concern … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Piers Twomey | Strange Advice
written by Chris Familton Jack Ladder was in solo mode in the early opening slot and he showed that the songs from last year’s excellent Hurtsville LP can work just as well when stripped back to that rich, melodramatic voice and a fantastic effect laden guitar sound. He only managed to play a handful of songs before he was ushered stage right yet he impressed … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: The Horrors @ Metro Theatre, Sydney (03/02/12)
So many people are starting to base their listening on songs these days, such is the reduction in attention spans, the proliferation of YouTube browsing and the ease of compiling ones own playlists featuring the best stuff you want to hear. Separate to my Top 50 LPs of 2011 I’ve also put together a list of songs that caught my ears and became hard to … Continue reading Favourite Songs of 2011
2011 has been another massive year for music, at least it feels that way. Invariably the availability and access to recorded music is easier and greater than ever with streaming and file sharing available at the click of a button. Each year I seem to increase the size of my list, purely as a result of the volume of stuff I get to hear. The … Continue reading DS Top 50 LPs of 2011
STEPPING UP “We get talked about as a lo-fi band but it isn’t what we are trying to do,” says Step-Panther’s Stevesie as he takes Chris Familton through the recording of their debut album. For any new band the biggest step after writing a batch of songs and establishing your live show must be the recording of the debut album. Many have built a career … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Step-Panther
written by Chris Familton It is somewhat unavoidable when it comes to making comparisons between the new Dick Diver and Twerps albums as both have been released at the same time on Melbourne’s Chapter Music and both share a style that strongly echoes the music being made in New Zealand and particularly Dunedin in the 1980s. Variously the ghost of The Bats, The Clean, The … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Dick Diver | New Start Again
written by Chris Familton This has been a bumper year for wistful guitar music brimming with melodies and laidback vibes – perfectly suited to soundtracking either a dreary autumn day or the warming expectation of summer. Real Estate, Girls and Oh Mercy are at the more immediate end of the spectrum but not far behind are a gang of Melbourne musicians in bands like Twerps … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Twerps | Twerps
written by Chris Familton The Drones were winding up a national tour to promote the release of their first DVD A Thousand Mistakes. That document is an exhaustive look at the live evolution of the band from raw, unbridled punk rock through to their current position as one of the country’s best live acts and in Gareth Liddiard, one of our finest contemporary songwriters. Adalita … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: The Drones @ Metro Theatre, Sydney (29/10/11)
written by Chris Familton Noisy guitar pop seems to be everywhere at the moment, whether it is stained with garage rock, shoegaze or 90s indie there is a strong melodic vein running through it – more pop and less rock in the traditional posturing sense. Locals Step-Panther have been impressing on the live circuit and now they’ve successfully translated their songs to the recorded form … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Step-Panther | Step-Panther
Yep we are now also publishing stuff on our new page over at the slowly growing Google+ now that they have Pages. doubtfulsounds.net will continue to be the hub of everything DS and you’ll get re-directed back here for content… Continue reading NEWS: Follow us over at Google+…
written by Chris Familton Teeth & Tongue have evolved their sound over the last couple of years to the point where it now sounds effortlessly natural, devoid of pretense or hopeful indie aspirations. Singer/guitarist Jess Cornelius is the heart and soul of the band – aided and abetted by a guitarist, bassist and pre-recorded drums when she plays live and she left an impressive mark … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Jack Ladder @ The Dreamlanders @ Manning Bar, Sydney (01/10/11)
written by Chris Familton Melodie Nelson was in solo mode for her support slot which was a shame as her band are really starting to find their legs. Playing to backing tracks courtesy of her iPod and filling in the gaps with keyboard and guitar she did however draw the audience further into her simple yet warmly enveloping songs. There is a real melodic richness … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Pinback @ Manning Bar, Sydney 22/08/11
Doubtful Sounds 