Clue to Kalo – ‘To Guyana/Greenest Grass’ (mp3)

In 2008, with the relevance of the album format continuing to dwindle, Clue to Kalo put out a narrative-driven concept album revolving around the titular character, full of quirky character studies told through complex art-pop songs. Its ambitiousness was both its anchor and wings, but even those songs that forgot where they were going at least made the meandering sonic journey interesting.

‘To Guyana/Greenest Grass’ is similarly eclectic to their previous output and is actually quite a tight pop song. It’s equal parts orchestral and tropical; sparse passages swelling with string sections before dropping into a bossa nova-esque groove, while the playful arrangement rubs against Bianchi’s earnest delivery.

‘To Guyana/Greenest Grass’ is from The Lifted Brow No. 6, which comes with two discs of new material from the likes of Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The E.L.F., Guy Blackman, Francis Plagne, Yeo + the Fresh Goods plus other local and international artists.’To Guyana/Greenest Grass’ is a standout track amongst a fairly solid set.

www.myspace.com/cluetokalo

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Friends of Mine – ‘Can’t See Straight’ (mp3)

‘Can’t See Straight’ is big, bold, and catchy as fuck. Comprising of electronic musician Jono Fernandez and guitar rocker Tim Watson, Friends of Mine pull the loudest parts from each of their musical pedigrees and filter them into an electro-stomp fit for a massive summer dance floor. The track echoes of The Presets 2008 album Apocolypso (especially in the vocal delivery), but with added disco-style guitar work winding throughout the aural maze of synths and beeps.

This is the kind of track that’s great to blog about when you’re busy, and so is also a great track to check out if you’re similarly strapped for time. You don’t have to think about it and you don’t have to let it grow on you. This one will hit you pretty quick and pretty hard, less likely to wash over than grab your ears and scream into them. Maybe I just have my headphones up too loud – but this type of music is meant to be heard loud, and preferably also in a room full of attractive, dancing bodies. Hopefully some wise DJs will provide this track a suitable context.

www.myspace.com/friendsofmineonline

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We’ve done a fair few giveaways lately so I was going to let this slide, but I have too much of a soft spot for Ernest Ellis since he was my first post ever on whothehell.net. Plus his album sounds like it will be pretty exciting.

Above is the video for his latest single, ‘Heading for the Cold.’ Here is an mp3 of the track. And lastly, the first three Sydney-dwelling Ernest Ellis fans to email rsvp@whothehell.net with the subject ‘GIMME ERNEST ELLIS’ will win double passes to his single launch tomorrow night, Tuesday the 24th, at Spectrum.

www.myspace.com/ernestellis

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Modular are releasing Boulet’s debut album on December 4, from which this single is taken. Check the audio only here, from Tom’s post back in April.

(via POA)

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The UV Race – ‘Gore Orphanage’ (mp3)

I’ll get it out of the way in the first sentence – these guys sound a lot like Eddy Current Suppression Ring. If you don’t like that band then you won’t like The UV Race. If, like me, you love Eddy Current Suppression Ring, then this will “rock your boat” (pun intended). They’re even signed to Aarght! Records, the label run by ECSR/Brain Children mastermind Mikey Young. But that’s not meant to be reductive- both bands work within a similarly restrained aesthetic framework and  sing with a strong Australian accent. The world could use a few more ECSR’s anyway.

Even when singing about a ruined and supposedly haunted orphanage in Ohio (thanks Wikipedia), this  kind of music can’t help but sound like summer. It’s energetic, extroverted, and has that messy abandon that the summer heat just brings out. The warm tones of the guitar seem to match the vibrant warm tones of the beating sun. The lack of visible effort is especially what makes the mere 100 seconds of ‘Gore Orphanage’ so comfortable and fun. This is music for the outdoors, not for headphones.

www.myspace.com/the_uv_race

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Songs – ‘Something to Believe In’ (mp3)

Songs – ‘Clouds’

Apart from having the hardest name to google all year, Sydney band Songs also have one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2009. From start to finish, this is a cohesive collection of songs that demands attention as it seamlessly weaves together atmospheric tracks with cleaner pop numbers.

‘Something to Believe In’ and ‘Clouds’ are my two favourites at the moment. ‘Clouds’ isn’t the most accessible thing on there and certainly won’t be the radio single, but it was the track that I immediately went back to after my first listen. Get through the mostly ambient first minute and you’ll find a meditative, well-produced pop song. ‘Something to Believe In’ is more immediate thanks largely to its simple, killer chorus. Opening with layers of chiming, interwoven guitars, it’s an inventive but straightforward composition that’ll get your head thinking and nodding at the same.

www.myspace.com/ssongsssongs

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