Recent Posts

LISTEN: TV Colours – ‘The Neighbourhood’

, , No Comment

tvcolours_cover

TV Colours is Bobby Kill – or Robin Mukerjee, to his mum. A key player in the tight-knit Canberra scene, he’s worked with Danger Beach and the sorely-missed Assassins 88.  Members of both those bands now play with him, along with the enigmatically named ‘Catfish’ from The Fighting League. Bobby’s debut album was 6 years in the making, with two versions ditched along the way, but it was well worth the wait – there’s not a dud on it. Packing 15 songs into 45 minutes, Purple Skies, Toxic River blasts you with its serrated guitars and petulant vocals, which sound like someone shouting at you from inside a padded cell.

Purple Skies is back-to-back impeccable garage jams in the style of Hüsker Dü. In fact, Bobby’s got a penchant for all kinds of late-70s Americana: mullets, muscle shirts and Mustangs – just check out his Tumblr. When the album isn’t gouging your ears with overdrive, it drifts into moody instrumental sections that sound like the score to a John Carpenter film.

While TV Colours’ sound is meticulously crafted, his major asset is an ability to write hooks that are tight as fuck. The guy’s devotion to melody is so complete there’s even a Beach Boys reference on the album, with a track entitled ‘I Soon Found Out My Lonely Life Wasn’t So Pretty’.

The first single off Purple Skies was the punchy ‘Beverly’. It caused immediate excitement, even copping a Pitchfork review within a few days of its release. Album opener ‘the Neighbourhood’ is now streaming on Soundcloud. It’s a furious number that reeks of alienation and teenage angst. A thoroughgoing introduction, the song walks through pretty much all the album’s aesthetic devices without losing any of Kill’s trademark concision. The lead-in riff sounds like early Sonic Youth, with its clear tones and pretty but slightly off-kilter chords, and there’s a frenetic verse that’s gradually slowed down and torn apart by a gut-wrenching guitar solo. The track closes with a dark synth passage that has the same mixture of parody and dread as a David Lynch creation – a fitting coda for a song raging against the deadening drag of suburbia.

_____

 

Purple Skies, Toxic River is out now through Dream Damage and Aussie-loving French label XVIII Records, with tour dates soon to follow.

Facebook / Bandcamp

WATCH: Fraser A. Gorman – ‘Dark Eyes’

, , 1 Comment

Fraser A Gorman

Running through a field singing a love song as starched up as a wool cravat; Fraser A Gorman certainly isn’t the first guy to put it on video. That being said, for the good-guy niceties of everybody’s favourite Dylan doppleganger, Fraser’s always been modest than he deserves to be.

Fraser’s better known around these parts for bringing his alt-country jams around town. If haircut, likeability and ability to cut a slick tune are the first factors of charisma to win over the masses, then the dude wins at all three.

‘Dark Eyes’ is a shift away from Fraser’s usual pastoral tones; the chords are looser, the country jaunts traded in for sunnier strums and a giant hug of a horn section past the bridge. His band Big Harvest usually takes a front seat in the live side of things, but here it sounds like they’re satisfied just to saunter along for the ride. It could be the way those strings fill out against Fraser’s honest tone, or perhaps the cross-point that stands some place between melancholia and optimism – but there’s something that is unequivocally very Lucksmiths about this track.

I should also mention the duo from Arthur & Angus have done a brilliant job on this video. The clip was filmed in one take, on a property of an 1820’s mansion near Ballarat in Victoria. Also during filming, four prized race horses managed to escape from the paddock. (The video should probably go viral, but is available for your viewing here.)

There’s a real endearing thing about getting a guy to run 3km in a suit, singing then have him plunging into a cold dam without breaking out the ventolin. Another great one from Fraser that’ll keep me grinning like an idiot for a while.

_____

YouTube Preview Image
Catch Fraser A. Gorman on Wednesdays in July at The Spotted Mallard in Brunswick.
3rd July – with Stu Mackenzie (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard)
10th July – with Bob Harrow (Immigrant Union)
17th July – with Mike Skinner (Mallee Songs)
24th July – with Tim Neilson (The Death Rattles)
31st July – with Forever Son

Facebook / Soundcloud

 

INTRODUCING: Just A Touch

, , No Comment

just-a-touch

Melbourne production duo Just A Touch (Denis Arbatov and Nick Fankhauser) have whipped up this funkalicious gem. You’ll also hear a familiar voice throughout – the one-man wolfpack, Alan Garner. Naturally titled ‘Wolfpack’, this is the first single from the duo. There’s a lot to feast on in three minutes; the Nile Rodgers flavoured guitar chords, the jolty bass line, the smirk of that cowbell – which all makes for a highly addictive disco jam.

‘Wolfpack’ is the only song available so far on their Soundcloud page, but I’m excited to see what else these guys come up with. For novelty’s sake, you know.

_____

Facebook / Soundcloud

EXPAT: Rat & Co Europe Tour

, , No Comment


hoteljams

Since the swirling, electronic cacophany of One (壱) Uno (壹) hit our earwaves last year, Rat & Co have been on the up. Over the last two months, the Melbourne based band have been travelling across Europe supporting WTH poster boy, Chet Faker.

Between shows – Josh, John, Nick and Kaia took some time out to document some jams, beach hangs and sidewalk burgers through the UK, Italy, Madrid and Switzerland for us.

_____

 

IMG_1561

Merman. Sexy Benny…

292588_10200908391648527_2122013019_n - Version 2

Lux Fragil, Lisbon, Portugal. One of the most amazing clubs any of us had ever been to. Owned by John Malkovich, sporting an impressive Funktion One setup.

Kaia got to play a song before they open up the club and Daniel Avery took over.

 

IMG_1642

Synthesiser studio, Hamburg. The lovely guys offered us to borrow a midi keyboard as we had left ours in the hotel, they then brought us into their studio that was full of all our favourite synths. Josh cried…

IMG_1577

On the beach with the largest seagulls in the world (according to Nick Cave) Brighton, UK.

IMG_1601

Josh playing the first Rat & Co show in Brighton, UK, alone.

Kaia could not get a working visa in time. He doesn’t play guitar very often anymore so it was a special treat for everyone there. Groovy.

23

Chet Faker soundcheck Munich… In a converted factory. Cool vibes.

IMG_1684

Struggle day. The day after Ben’s birthday in Berlin, one hour of sleep, on the road to Cologne, Burger King to the rescue…

IMG_1624

45

Lake Como, Italy. A beautiful Italian lunch next to the water and the sea planes. We didn’t get to go to the Moto Guzzi factory though.

 

98

Lucerne, Swizterland. The view out of our apartment window, some cards tournaments and well needed rest.

 

_____

YouTube Preview Image

Rat & Co are returning to Australia in July for an East Coast tour next month. Get to it.

5th July – Northcote Social Club, VIC

11th July – Alhambra Lounge, QLD

12th July – Goodgod Small Club, NSW

 

 

Facebook / Web / Soundcloud

 

LISTEN: The Shiny Brights – ‘Deep Blue Sea’

, , 1 Comment

936954_10151362432896507_696461476_n

When you Google ‘the Shiny Brights’, you get an odd assortment of links to both music and laundry websites. Turns out that’s because this Adelaide five piece named themselves after their local laundromat, in honour of the fact that their rehearsal space is stuffed full of white goods.

The Shiny Brights first made an appearance in 2008 with debut EP, Let’s Not and Say We Did. They got a whole lot of Triple J love and went on to play the Big Day Out, Parklife and Fuse festivals amongst others, and were handpicked to perform at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton. They also toured with talent like You Am I, The Vines and The Grates. The band put out their Too Many Chiefs EP in 2010, but then went mysteriously quiet – apart from a handful of singles released over the course of 2011-12.

Late last year drummer Miles ‘Buns’ Wilson took to the band’s blog to clarify (in a rambling post that covered his parking fines, his grandma’s cat and what he had for lunch) that, contrary to rumour, the Shiny Brights were not breaking up. They had in fact been busy in the studio with Gerling‘s Darren Cross, coming up with new offering ‘Deep Blue Sea’.

The hiatus seems to have worked wonders – ‘Deep Blue Sea’ is a refreshing new direction for the band. Their earlier stuff was fine, but it just didn’t cut it for me. Their new single, however, is ridiculously catchy – with a breezy riff and a bass line that’s up there with the work of The Lucksmiths‘ brilliant Mark Monnone. All five Shiny Brights join together to bawl out the lyrics, which have an ambivalent slant that belies the song’s cheerful vibe. “I was out in the cold watching the rain / I was out of my mind, out of control / deep blue sea, devil and me,” they shout, invoking a saying that’s haunted pop music since at least 1931.

The Shiny Brights have some more stuff coming out this year, so keep your wits about you.

_____

 

Facebook / Website

MAP June 2013

, , No Comment

map

We can all admit to getting too attached to the music scene where we live. It’s way too easy to forget what the rest of the world is doing – especially the hundreds of artists and lesser-knowns producing incredible music within their small towns and beyond. Your monthly wake-the-heck-up call/ roundup of the best tunes from around the globe is back for June.

Representing Aus this month are brilliant Sydney band Gang of Youths. We also farewell German blog Coltran, who are sadly leaving MAP for other commitments. The team at Coltran have been sharing a new music submission every month since MAP began in 2008, so big kudos to these guys. On a good note though, there are plenty of tracks here to keep you in the loop with what’s happening around the traps. SALUD.

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a zip file of the full 34-track compilation through Ge.tt here.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Excursiones Polares – La Guerra Psicológica

Listen to

Concepto Cero, one of La Plata’s finest record labels, just turned four, and they decided to celebrate by releasing a free compilation with songs from all of their artists. La Guerra Psicológica is an original track by El Perrodiablo, but in this case played in a blues fashion by Excursiones Polares. Both bands are from the Concepto Cero family, so we recommend you to download the whole album and check for their latest releases.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Gang Of Youths – A Sudden Light

Listen to

Harmonies and punch-the-air victory songs are generally always in high demand. Sydney’s Gang Of Youths are next. This sounds like Win Butler singing at your birthday and Julian Casablancas singing at your funeral at the same time. A Sudden Light is a loose, belter of an anthem with a modulating chorus, overbearing references to children, drugs and enough harmonic “WHOAHS” to easily make them your new favourite band.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
The Unused Word – Heaven (Testa Remix)

Listen to

Much like the recent 4AD signing SOHN, Anna aka The Unused Word is not only working and living in Vienna, but also has her finger on the pulse with her soulful mixture of hip hop and new school electronica. Heaven is taken from her debut EP ∞ (Infinity). The version here is a remix by her labelmate DJ Testa.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Rua – Às Bolas De Gude

Listen to

Rua, also known as Rua Do Absurdo, is an experimental quintet. Às Bolas De Gude shows their minimalism with beautiful vocal melodies and a marimba guiding us through the song.

CANADA: Quick Before It Melts
Ketch Harbour Wolves – The Good Blood

Listen to

Weaving together history, mythology and their own personal experiences, Ketch Harbour Wolves’ new album, Queen City: Volume One, is their first of what is expected to be a multiple disc project that aims to create a sonic map of their home, Toronto. The Good Blood is an excellent gateway into this sprawling, ambitious project, and to Ketch Harbour Wolves’ majestic, cinematic back catalogue.

CHILE: Super 45
Alex y Daniel – Cada Vez Que Invento Algo Sobre Ti

Listen to

After reaching recognition and fame through their solo projects, Alex Andwandter and Daniel Riveros (Gepe) – two of the most iconic faces of Chilean pop – got together in a joint project that, under the suggestive name Alex y Daniel, combines their musical curiosity. Their new single Cada Vez Que Invento Algo Sobre Ti (“Every time I make up a story about you”) mixes Andwandter’s penchant for dance music and Riveros’ melodic instinct perfectly, leaving no room to doubt that, together, they’re dynamite.

COLOMBIA: El Parlante Amarillo
La Etnnia feat. Doctor Krápula – La Gran Epidemia

Listen to

It is our pleasure to introduce you to perhaps Colombia’s biggest hip hop project, La Etnnia, who formed more than 25 years ago in the Las Cruces neighborhood of Bogotá. La Gran Epidemia, a preview of their eighth album Universal, features the stellar appearance of Doctor Krápula, a rock band with long renown in Colombia. You can watch the video for the song here.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Scarlet Chives – In A Ground Floor Apartment

Listen to

Scarlet Chives is something as rare as a Danish band signed to a Norwegian label and, in a not so distant future, that label, Riot Factory, will release the alternative rock quintet’s second full-length album. In A Ground Floor Apartment, a MAP exclusive download, is the B-side to first single The Timber Will Fall.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Casetera
Hache ST – Sebastian Lemba

Listen to

Culture and rebellion are at the center of this experimental piece, which revolves around the figure of the black anti-slavery advocate Sebastian Lemba Calembo. This track is a portal to that struggle and it’s an essential component of the journey outlined by Hache ST in his new album, Zafra, which portrays the main ideas of life in a shared Caribbean island, and its intricate, passionate toils for freedom.

ECUADOR: Plan Arteria
El Extraño Comportamiento De Un Torso Animado – ¿Dónde Están Tus Amigos?

Listen to

El Extraño Comportamiento De Un Torso Animado is an indie band with a lot of attitude. Formed by Ernesto Torres and twins Nicolás and Felipe Meneses, the trio have a punk-rock spirit with a guitar sound that invites you to dance. From their first EP, Mujer Pulpo, we present the single ¿Dónde Están Tus Amigos?

ENGLAND: Drowned In Sound
BODYWORK – Tame

Listen to

English avant-pop or alt-rock or whatever the kids on the cobbled streets are calling it these days hasn’t had the respect it deserves for quite some time. Percolating beneath the Mumford mirth and Adele success, there’s a throbbing underbelly of eccentricity and experimentation that flirts with radio-friendly melody. Leeds’ BODYWORK are one such act, muddling Roxy Music’s odd shuffle with Wild Beasts and Heaven 17’s falsetto into a sublime cocktail of alien grooves. Download their LP for free from their website.

ESTONIA: Rada7.ee
Forgotten Sunrise – Sisters, Brothers & Other Hellborn Creatures

Listen to

Forgotten Sunrise is a cult band who are pleasing the ears of the world with negative music for positive results. They have just released their seventh album, Cretinism.

FINLAND: Glue
Constables – Ludovico

Listen to

With all its members born in the early 90s, Constables is a very young band and is simply inspired by the three most important things when you are 20: sex, girls and alcohol. Musically, Constables offers melodic guitars and fast rhythms with a post-punk approach. The band has just released its debut Bedroom Culture EP, which is available on SoundCloud.

GERMANY: Coltran
Poétique Électronique – Irregular Heartbeat (Video Edit)

Listen to

Poétique Électronique is a clever group: they have a good band name, they know what they want to do and they know how to do it. Their musical approach stands out from the crowd as they realise when to pause and when to push. Irregular Heartbeat is a fine example of the current penchant in electronic music for soft vocals and punchy bass. As this is my final MAP submission due to time contraints, I want to say goodbye to you folks and many thanks for the great time!

(more…)