Good music should transcend fads, fashions and genres. A good song is a good song, no matter what. One should keep this in mind when listening to Many Machines on Nine (MM9 for short). It’s true that their brand of industrial metal meets electro dance isn’t so hot right now… but goth trends are infiltrating mainstream fashion, so maybe there’s something there…

Many Machines On Nine

MM9 have been around for a couple of years now, and they’ve got some fairly notable members. Vocalist Dan Sutherland was involved in a solo project under the moniker Switchkicker, and drummer Ben Ellingworth is arguably the best rock drummer in Australia (sounds like a big call until you see this guy play!)

They’re an excellent band, and the cruel irony is if they were playing in America, they’d be signed by now. However, they’re still pulling roughly the same size crowd they have for the past few years. That signals to me that it’s the non-music side that the band is struggling with. They’ve got the songs, they now have to work on marketing themselves better, be it more radio play, better planned gigs, more media advertising, whatever… but for now, enjoy a sample of their song ‘Smile’

Many Machines on Nine – ‘Smile’ (mp3)

http://www.manymachinesonnine.com/
http://www.myspace.com/manymachinesonnine

Read Post →

I officially hate the streets of the Sydney CBD. Why have so many “No Right Turn”, especially when it’s down the street that I want to go! Anyway… Triple Treat was on at the Civic Hotel, and all the indie scenester kids were there. Aside from that fact, I was able to catch, for the first time, two excellent Sydney bands by the name of Young and Restless and Pinky Tuscadero

Young and Restless – photo by band

Young and Restless have been getting a heap of hype generated about them lately, thanks to everyone’s favourite friend, MySpace. They’ve been touted as Australia’s answer to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs… which I guess comes from their frenetic energy and vocalist Karina Utomo’s sweet-to-screaming vocals. It’s a mish-mash of indie and punk… funky, danceable rock with a kind of hardcore edge. They’re good. Not great, but give them time… and while you’re waiting, have a listen to ‘Satan’.

Young and Restless – ‘Satan’ (mp3)

http://www.youngandrestless.org

Pinky Tuscadero – photo by boudist.com

So if the B-52s dropped more acid in the late Seventies than they did, they probably would have come up with something like Pinky Tuscadero. It’s got the experimental pop feel of bands like the aforementioned B-52s, as well as Split Enz, and has a underlying punk anarchistic feel. Their live performance is energetic and if I was drunk I would of be dancing like a crazy fucker. An interesting band if you like interesting things. Check out the track ‘Frank Sinatra’.

Pinky Tuscadero – ‘Frank Sinatra’

Read Post →

1QA 

OK, so the name 1QA does suck. It’s a terrible band name… but then again, so is Red Hot Chili Peppers, but when you make good music, it doesn’t matter what you’re called. Emigrants from New Zealand to Melbourne, I’ve never seen these guys live. But when they list awesome cool bands like Mogwai, Swervedriver, Cornelius and Godspeed You! Black Emperor as influences, they get my vote… despite the fact that they sound nothing like those aforementioned groups. They have a release out entitled All The Colours, go check it out… we have a song called ‘The Jackal’ below for your listening pleasure!

1QA – ‘The Jackal’

http://www.1qaband.com/
http://www.myspace.com/1qa

Read Post →