Wellyn – ‘The White House’

This band isn’t exactly new though I just found out about them, Wellyn has been around for six years. In that time they’ve recorded a debut album full of collaborations of Melbourne indie identities such as Dan Kelly, Ollie Brown (Art of Fighting), Andrew Coates (Black Cab), Danny Griffith (SubAudible Hum), Ned Collette, and Chris Altmann (The Vandas). This choir-like singalong starts of slowly and builds into a big jam of multiple guitar harmonies and rhythms that eventually overlap the singing to a climatic end, a good way to be introduced to their music.

www.myspace.com/wellynwellyn

Philadelphia Grand Jury – ‘Wet Winter Holiday’

With an impending EP release on the cards, this might be a good time to get acquainted, if you haven’t already had the pleasure, with Philadelphia Grand Jury. The band, that is. Not the investigation about abusive priests that shares the same name.

Although the group itself has just recently appeared on the radar, the band members are no strangers to the music industry. You might have known them in previous lives as one part Berkfinger, two parts The Sweats. Combined, they channel an updated retro rock style that somehow manages to both pay homage to Elvis and sound incredibly cool. Not an easy feat, so respect where it is due.

www.myspace.com/philadelphiagrandjury

Lauren Horton – ‘Silence In a Can’

One of those rare direct submissions which I thoroughly enjoy. Lauren Horton posses a beautiful classic voice that would please fans of Holly Throsby and Jack Ladder. Her songs are perfect for those rainy solitary nights when you’re just happy with the company of yourself. She’s recorded an album over the last 18 months and is trying to get it released by end of year. Go check out her gig at the Hopetoun on the 20th of June.

www.myspace.com/laurenmhorton

Gin Wigmore – ‘These Roses’

One of my random discoveries while trawling through the internet, 22 year old Gin Wigmore has the very enviable combination of a unique voice and songwriting experience that so many singer-songwriters crucially lack. This New Zealand born young artist is signed to a rather big major label, so I hope that she is marketed the way that she is personally comfortable with, and not another nu-soul angle. Not that anything is wrong with that, I am a fan of Amy Winehouse and Adele, but if Gin were to take the same positioning she could be in danger of missing the whole soul revival and be dismissed unfairly by the listening public. But I’m sure the powers that be know this already.

www.myspace.com/ginwigmore

photo by Boudist

Pnau – ‘With You Forever’

Yes yet another post of Pnau. Why? Cos they’re GOOD. This time Nick Littlemore collaborated with Sleepy Jackson’s Luke Steele. As weird as Luke’s singing style is, I’m quite the fan. And the good news here is that turns out this collaboration went further than just one song: Steele and Littlemore, along with Pete Mayes have started their own project entited Empire of the Sun, and I am privileged enough to have listen to snippets of the new album even though it was over the long distance phone line. Can’t wait to hear more.

www.myspace.com/pnaupnau

Tame Impala – ‘Remember Me’

Streaming removed on request of label.

Since we’re on the topic of psych bands I thought I should mention that I heard some certain people in the industry are trying to pick on the next trend and they’ve decided that psychedelic bands could-just-be the next big retro revival. And that this Tame Impala band is the one they’ve picked on to capitalise on that could-just-be true trend return. When I got to their MySpace, the first song that came on was a cover of Blue Boy’s 1999 ‘Remember Me’, which uses a sample of an obscure 1970s song called Woman of the Ghetto sung by Marlena Shaw. In all it’s fuzzy demo glory, this cover is pretty enjoyable.

www.myspace.com/tameimpala