No Through Road – ‘You Better Run’

‘Girls Are The Devil’ is the latest single off one of my fav albums of 2009, No Through Road’s Winner. Truth be told, it’s not my personal highlight on the record but I can see where they’re coming from in putting this one out. It’s a pretty smooth number that makes a decent case for radio coverage while retaining bits of their chugging slacker charm. Still a good tune, but it ain’t no ‘Party To Survive.’

I’m actually a big fan of b-side ‘You Better Run,’ a more restrained number that mixes the caution of the title with Matt Banham’s lackadaisical vocals.

www.myspace.com/nothroughroad

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Emma and Alec – ‘Civilisations’ (mp3)

Emma Russack has been seeing a bit of love on this site lately, with whothehell enthusiastically jumping on her post-Lola Flash solo EP. As if to further boost her swelling profile, she’s joined forces with fellow former Lola Flash member Alec Marshall to release a self-titles EP under the inventive moniker of Emma and Alec.

‘Civilisations’ is a slow, minimal track, focusing mainly on Russack’s beautiful floating vocals that aren’t unlike a lot of the chillwave stuff coming out of the US at the moment. This shit can only be purchases on CD-Rs available at Emma and Alec shows (possibly at Emma solo shows, not sure though). So get along to one of those if you like what you hear.

www.myspace.com/emmaandalec

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CRUMBS – ‘Fantasy in Public’ (mp3)

CRUMBS – ‘Dribbles’ (mp3)

CRUMBS is the moniker under which Melbourne drummer Max Kohane (Agents of Abhorrence, Cut Sick, Pivixki) releases his dabbles in electronic beats. His pedigree as a drummer shines through, with a strong emphasis on rhythm and syncopation permeating the samples and kicks featured on his recently released Pieces and Portions, Vol. 1 EP – which you can download for free here.

Apparently he has lent his beat-making skills to the likes of Brain Children and Macromantics, and Mikey Young (of Eddy Currant and Brain Children) is credited with having a hand in the aforementioned CRUMBS release. The tracks featured thereon aren’t traditionally-structured songs; they’re grooves and loops that subtely evolve and shift over two or three minutes before bleeding into the next track. Some might call them transitional songs or ‘unfinished,’ but there’s enough going on as if to entertain a half-attentive listener. For a guy who claims to just “dabble” in this stuff (as his email said), Kohane sure has enough skill to suggest that maybe devoting more time to production would be a good move.

www.myspace.com/crumbsproduction

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Update: Here are the winning entries for our Sony promotion.

We wanted you to tell us what your LEAST favourite Australian album of the year was and why – it could be anything from Seekae (not likely) to Jessica Mauboy. Our three winners chose Stan Walker, The Getaway Plan, and Quiet Child (though this dude’s review seems to indicate that he actually liked it after all). After the jump we’ve included the re-reviews of their least favourite albums as heard, this time, through the aforementioned Sony headphones. Some entertaining stuff there.

(Note: No one at whothehell.net has tried or used these products nor received any payment for this promo. We were approached by Sony and thought it would be nice to get some giveaways for our loyal readers. The reviews below are presented as sent to us, unedited, and without direction.)

(more…)

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Cassian – ‘Fuck Song’ (mp3)

Cassian’s ‘Fuck Song’ is the third track on his Bang Gang 12″ and it’s probably my favourite. An aptly names tune, this is the jam to put on if you’re planning a seedy night in this weekend. It’s a jazzy, funky little number with a smooth bass line, bouncing piano and brass blasts – perfect for ‘getting your groove on.’

Alternatively, you can also listen to this song outside the bedroom and it still sounds pretty cool.

www.myspace.com/cassian

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The Ruby Suns – ‘Cranberry’ (mp3)

Another fine New Zealand band here penetrating our loose definition of ‘local’ music (especially loose on my behalf it must be said). But hey, for an island with a population only %20 the size of Australia, they sure have an insanely large output of rad music. (See: The Mint Chicks, Bachelorette, Batrider, The Clean albums from ’09).

It won’t take more than a cursory listen to notice the similarities between the latest Ruby Suns track and the mega-in vogue likes of Animal Collective (ie. Beach Boys meets electronica meets tribalism). That said, this doesn’t just sound like a pastiche of indie music c. 2009. ‘Cranberry’ is a track that’s inventive and catchy in it’s own right, with the hooks suitably buried beneath a wash of reverb.

A good sign for the upcoming album, which is reported to feature a lot of guitar trickery and lots of bass. The latter element isn’t exactly on show here, but that description + ‘Cranberry’ + Ruby Suns’ last album Sea Lion = a good reason to get excited.

www.myspace.com/therubysuns

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