Vanden – ‘This Time’

Don’t be fooled – there’s a lot more work behind Vanden that one might suspect on first glance.  Originally, this Melbourne 5-piece started life as down.to.size but after member and direction changes, a new moniker surfaced.

They released their debut EP towards the end of last year entitled Victims which was produced by the super-cool Forrester Savell, who seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to working with rock bands lately (Karnivool? Dead Letter Circus? Yeah…) There’s definitely a bit of Glassjaw influence in Vanden (if the dude in the red shirt didn’t give it away already), and Victims an EP which is hook-laden from start to finish.  Having never seen these guys live, I can only guess that their live show would be one ferocious rock onslaught.  They’re doing a run of shows in May, so if you’re in Victoria, get along and tell me what they’re like.  I hear there’s guitar acrobatics too, and probably amps turned up to 11.

Anyway, ‘This Time’ is a pretty killer track, my fave off their EP, so enjoy rock-nerds.

http://www.vandenrock.com
http://www.myspace.com/vandenrock

Read Post →

http://www.myspace.com/ninamaymusic

Read Post →

The Cops – ‘Cop Pop’

Straight outta Sydney, the resurrected The Cops return with their second single, and the most difficult song title to say on radio without sounding like you’re saying “cock” – ‘Cop Pop’.  It’s from their brand new album Drop It In Their Laps which follows on from the popularity of their last EP 80 In The Shade. 

It’s a really catchy, infectious ditty and you’ll be singing the damn “do do do” hook for days.  There is an 80s pop/new wave feel to a fair few of the songs on the new album, which moves away from the more garage rock-based music of their debut record Stomp On Tripwires – which I reckon is a good move, mainly because I didn’t like their first album at all.

http://www.thecops.com.au
http://www.myspace.com/copsaustralia

Read Post →

Where’s Jerome? – ‘Rescue’
*MP3 removed from record label request – we don’t want no Perez vs Britney shit going on here*

No photo and a cryptic name like Where’s Jerome?. So who the hell is this guy? Well, it’s actually Jeremy Smith, better known for his vocal and guitar work in Sydney outfit Altona. With the help of a computer, an acoustic guitar and the must-have Casio keyboard, Jeremy’s crafted himself a number of rather endearing tunes that marry acoustic guitar and clear vocals with smooth, funky electronic backings.

He’s compiled them altogether into an EP entitled Dreamboat (hence the illustrations I guess). The first single ‘Ashtray’ floated onto my lap the other day and I was so taken by it, mainly because I had never heard of the outfit before. Judging by the bio, Jeremy’s other passion is food: the bio is filled with refernces to cooking and the kitchen and writing songs in his kitchen.

There’s a couple of tracks on the MySpace page, and ‘Rescue’ was the only one I could download, so here it is! Expect to hear a lot more courtesy of Where’s Jerome? very soon.

http://www.myspace.com/wheresjerome

Read Post →

Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! – ‘I’m Here, Where Are You?’

The awesomely awesome Adelaide five-piece Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! have gratiously given us their brand new track ‘I’m Here, Where Are You?’ which is the first taste off their forthcoming EP Boy, Hush Your Mouth… Girl, Bare Your Teeth. OK, so it wasn’t actually the band themselves who gave us the track: kudos must go to band manager Matt for the tip.

It’s such a infectious indie rock track, but still with a lot of balls. Kind of like what would happen if Sonic Youth tried to make music for hipster kids wearing tight jeans and Threadless t-shirts. If you’re after a copy of their earlier EP, You Seize The City, I’ll Seize The Sky, then head to their website and you can download the whole thing for FREE! The new EP is due for release June/July and there should even be a tour to follow (once they stop playing with Bit By Bats, and Midnight Juggernauts, and Children Collide…).

Fore more Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! click here.

http://www.firesantarosafire.com
http://www.myspace.com/firesantarosafire

Read Post →

Emma Davis – ‘Happy Song’ (mp3)

Sometimes you find a song, or an artist, and you just immediately fall in love with them… well, not personally, but with their music. It was kind of how I felt the first time I heard the dulcet tones of ex-Melbournite, now Sydney-based chanteuse Emma Davis. There’s no denying the beauitful tones, sweet melodies and comforting aura that her joyously-titled track ‘Happy Song’ houses.

Born and raised in London, she’s a bit of a wandering minstrel, moving from London to Boston to Melbourne and now to Sydney, which she has called “home” for the past year and a half. She’s been getting a bit of love on radio stations FBi and Triple J lately, and with the strength of this song, as well as the others on her self-titled EP, you’ll probably hear a lot more of her soon.

http://www.myspace.com/emmadavismusic

Read Post →

Missy Higgins – ‘Steer’

We’ve got here the first single of Missy Higgins’ eagerly awaited sophomore release On A Clear Night.  I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the album because I interviewed the Melbourne chanteuse, who really is a beautiful person and just lovely to chat to.

Missy (Melissa to her mum) came to national attention after winning the Victorian leg of Triple J Unearthed with the mesmerising piano-based ballad ‘All For Believing’.  Her debut record The Sound of White moved away from the late teen darkness that pervaded her eponymous EP and found a brighter pop sensibility, especially in the single ‘Scar, which has been her most successful to date.  That album also garnered her a ludicrous six ARIA Awards, 2 APRA awards and and MTV AVMA.

On her new recford, On A Clear Night, she enlisted the production genius Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello) who gives the record a lush, warm feel.  This album is bolstered by drummer extraordinaire Matt Chamberlain, best known for his work with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.  He has an immaculate feel and lifts the songs to a level that I don’t think any other drummer could have. I found The Sound of White to waver in parts, but On A Clear Night really feels like a more mature, solid album which sees Missy branching out in instrumentation and song styles and structures. 

Most of the songs are acoustic guitar based, rather than piano based like many of her earlier efforts.  Missy started playing piano at an early age, but only picked up guitar in her teens.  It’s obvious that her guitar skills have improved over the years too.  Says Missy of the increased role of acoustic guitar on On A Clear Night, “Probably eight of the songs were written on guitar and the rest on piano because the guitar’s a lot more portable instrument to have on tour. It’s so much easier just to bring your guitar into your hotel room and write songs that way rather than lug your keyboard in, plug it in, set it all up and get headphones… it’s just so much easier”.

No doubt Virgin and EMI would castrate me if I uploaded any other songs off the album, which is a shame because I feel there’s many stronger songs than ‘Steer’ on On A Clear Night, such as the soulful ‘Secret’, ‘The Wrong Girl’ and the haunting ‘Forgive Me’.  But you’re just going to have to wait until April 28 when it hits shelves.

http://www.missyhiggins.com/
http://www.myspace.com/missyhiggins

Read Post →