I’m not the biggest fan of Charlie Mayfair. It’s mainly the vocal parts that rub me the wrong way – they go way too heavy on the harmonies and the female vocalists bust into American Idol-influenced yodeling whenever they get half a chance.

That said, this cover of Ladyhawke’s ‘My Delirium’ is pretty good. Performing someone else’s material helps them keep their bad points in check, although they still manage to chuck in a bar’s rest after the “Stop!”‘s in the last chorus (Stop. No music. Get it? We’re like, totally clever and musical!) and a time and tempo change for no real reason.

This video is the first in a series, which will see the band perform acoustic covers of songs by previous Sunset Sounds artists in an attempt to raise their profile and get people to vote them into a slot for the 2011 festival.

It should be good, but it’d be even better if the band tried out the ‘less is more’ trick.

A video just as sparse as the album.

Sunset Sounds, the Brisbane spinoff of Falls festiva, is entering its third year and they’ve just announced their new fostering initiative. Basically, they team up a local media publication with a local band, with that publication giving their band editorial love during the month of November. But it’s not all lovely. These bands are actually involved in deadly competition Battle Royal style – or, rather, a spot on the Sunset Sounds line-up. Two spots, in fact. And you get to decide who gets it.

You can cast your vote via the Sunset Sounds website, with voting open between November 1st and Devember 1st. The winning artists will be announced on December 6th. You have the power to make/crush dreams right here. Make sure you check out the bands below and get voting. Why? Because there are some that definitely deserve the spot and others that definitely do not. I won’t say which as I’m not here to bias the competition like some pre-historic bird of prey or anything.

Anyway, meet the bands and their partnered media outlets:

Rave Magazine fostering Inland Sea

Courier Mail fostering My Fiction

Scene Magazine fostering Velociraptor

Sunday Mail fostering Blame Ringo

Four Thousand fostering Slug Guts

Groove Magazine fostering The Liars Chair

Bats Magazine fostering Ball Park Music

Biscuit Magazine fostering Lion Island

Brisbane Times fostering The Belligerents

Life Music Media fostering Charlie Mayfair

Sunset Sounds details

Dates: Wed 5th & Thu 6th January 2011
Venue: Sunset Sounds combining the Garden Stage in the Botanic Gardens and the Riverstage in the City Gardens, Brisbane QLD
Tickets: 18+ event. On sale now from Ticketmaster and Moshtix

View our previous post on Sunset Sounds and Falls Fest for info about the rest of the line-up.

www.myspace.com/lanielanemusic

Dan Kelly “Dan Kelly’s Dream” from SPOD on Vimeo.