On the back of one our favourite songs of 2012, History Eraser, Melbourne’s Courtney Barnett has issued the new track Avant Gardener that relates the onset of an allergic reaction amid the mundane chores of day to day life. Lyrically Barnett does amazing things here and on her other releases with her mix of observation and wit and it sets the bar high for … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Courtney Barnett | Avant Gardener
by Chris Familton Melbourne garage rock renaissance man Mikey Young has his hand in a plethora of projects both as a producer and as guitarist in Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Total Control. Here Ooga Boogas expand on the sound of the last Total Control album by taking a trip into new wave, 70s punk and the type of agitated funk that everyone from Talking … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Ooga Boogas | Ooga Boogas
Melbourne is throwing up some great soul and funk bands of late, particularly the ones with a subtle strain of garage rock running through their grooves. Saskwatch have released a new single this month which was recorded by go-to-guy Mikey Young. It is out now digitally and will be followed by a 7″ vinyl release on Northside Records. Keep an eye on their Bandcamp page … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Saskwatch | I Get Lonely
Forces are a Melbourne duo who have been refining their 80s influenced industrial synth sound, playing a bunch of shows and some sweet international supports such as Zola Jesus in the last year or two. Overland (In My Mind) comes from their debut 12″ EP on Siberia Records and it caused a cavalcade of flashbacks to my 80s youth listening to the likes of Depeche Mode, … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Forces | Overland (In My Mind)
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
Melbourne duo I Dream In Transit have recently released the wonderful new single Absolute Peace backed with the equally great Night Dog. They’ve pressed it as a 7″ too so for those of you who covet the black circle you can grab a limited edition pressing if you are quick. Head over to their Bandcamp page to order now and/or stream and buy a digital … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: I Dream In Transit | Absolute Peace 7″
Melbourne’s Total Control are releasing their first 7″ single on Sub Pop next week and both Scene From A Marriage and the b-side Contract are exclusive to the release. The release comes on the back of their Henge Beat LP from 2011 that garnered great reviews. After a deceptive acoustic guitar intro the song kicks into gear with the band’s choppy swagger making providing a … Continue reading LISTEN: New single from Total Control on Sub Pop
Last night All Tomorrow’s Parties announced its return to Australia for a Melbourne only event curated by ATP and The Drones. Taking place on February 16th and 17th at Westgate Entertainment Centre and Grand Star Reception in Altona. Line-up Saturday February 16th curated by ATP my bloody valentine Godspeed You! Black Emperor Swans The Dead C HTRK Thee Oh Sees Sleepy Sun Standish/Carlyon Sunday February … Continue reading NEWS: ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror Melbourne’ curated by ATP and The Drones
by Chris Familton The boom in popularity of psych rock from Tame Impala to Wooden Shjips has well and truly filtered down to the emergence of new local acts like The Laurels and Melbourne’s Iowa. For a genre so firmly rooted in guitars and hypnotic rhythm sections there are surprisingly few bands who can take that simplistic template and create something unique and impressive from … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Iowa | Never Saw It Coming
written by Chris Familton On the eve of the cinematic release of Autoluminescent, the new feature length documentary film about the life and music of Rowland S. Howard, I chatted to directors Richard Lowenstein and Lynn-Maree Milburn about the global process of creating the visual document, their memories of Howard and the emotional journey in light of Howard’s passing in December 2009. Autoluminescent rose from … Continue reading INTERVIEW: The directors of Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard interviewed
Real Estate came through with the jangly and sparkly, indie guitar pop goods on their second album Days that they released a few months back. They are already on the line-up for Golden Plains 2012 and now they’ve announced additional AU dates and a couple of shows in NZ as well… Friday 9th March – The Standard, Sydney Monday 12th March – Corner Hotel, Melbourne … Continue reading NEWS: Real Estate announce Australian and New Zealand shows…
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
Doubtful Sounds 