High Fangs – “A Lot to Think About” (mp3)

Erupting in a flammable barrage of abrasive garage punk, High Fangs raucous debut is almost on par with their throttling live stints. Produced by Mikey Young of Eddy Current Suppression Ring fame, there were definitely high expectations surrounding the Melbourne trio’s debut release. And boy do High Fangs deliver.

Swamped out in a killer plague of fuzz with an unpretentious base coat of boisterous melody, Tear Their Hearts Out is what you would get if The Nerves and The Cants made sweet, sweet love. Swag a copy, turn it loud and throw yourself down the backstairs.

Tear Their Hearts Out EP is out now.

www.myspace.com/highfangs

The Gifthorse – ‘North In Exposure’

I’ve been a little bit slow with this one, but better late than never, right?

If you’re the kind of person who craves honesty and intensity in the music you listen to and the idea of a music marketing plan makes you feel ill,  give The Gifthorse a go. They’ve been cranking out heartfelt melodic punk for a few years now, playing alongside luminaries of the genre such as Blueline Medic and Hot Water Music and feeling feelings.

Their newest EP From The Floor Up is out now on Poison City records.

www.myspace.com/thegifthorseband

‘Blood’ The Middle East

Oh Mercy – Get You Back from Milefire on Vimeo.

Mink Mussel Creek – ‘Cat Love Power’ (mp3)

Picture yourself at a party in the woods. You’re doing a wingardium leviosa with individuals clad in enough feathers to wipe out the vulture population. Your mate is sculling goon with Jethro Tull and there’s a naked guy with ADHD running around making horse noises and playing the pan flute. Welcome to Mink Mussel Creek.

Drown yourselves in the sounds of the WA five piece and it will be difficult to draw the line between rowdy forest orgy and psychedelic folk rock.

You might recognize a few faces at the Mink Mussel Creek shindig. Drummer Kevin Parker shares his vocal chords with the compatriots at Tame Impala, and Mink Mussel Creek’s lead singer Nick is  Tame’s honourary fourth member on lead guitar.

Mink Mussel Creek’s Cat Love Power is an impressive six minute, seven second, dynamic mélange. Credence Clearwater reminiscent chords swing about in the opening, suspended in momentary breaths of chord changes. Nick quavers like an Osborne against sturdy riffs, before clamouring out to the cacophonic release of the chorus.

Like most bridges in the genre, Cat Love Power features the usual token drastic tempo change, a bit of Morrison key tinkling here and there and a slightly disturbing voodoo chant. Placed here, perhaps it’s a tad too much of a filler.

However before the intensity causes a brain implosion, the song suddenly detonates a crazy Bohemian Rhapsody harmony. Dissonance and raw tension builds up into a game of intoxicating catch and release, and I’m hooked once more. The kaleidoscopic festivities of Cat Love Power draw to a close, and I think I need a good corner to pass out in.

With a lack of psychadelic folk bands in the spotlight, it’s about time Mink Mussel Creek jumped on the wagon.

 www.myspace.com/minkmusselcreek

Yolanda Be Cool – Afro Nuts (mp3)

Yolanda Be Cool – Afro Nuts (D-Cup remix) (mp3)

Mysterious new duo from Sydney Yolanda Be Cool drops us the very catchy Afro Nuts, right in time for a summer afro beats revival on dancefloors, spearheaded by UK’s The Very Best.

www.myspace.com/yolandabecool