Noise Addict – ‘Big Ups’

Noise Addict – ‘Let’s Do Our Thing’

I’ve heard barely anything about this album since it was released for free a few weeks ago. For those that need reminding, Noise Addict was Ben Lee’s punk band that put out music in the early 90s on Thurston’s Moore’s Ecstatic Peace and Mike D’s (of Beastie Boys) Grand Royal labels. Fairly impressive. The band eventually also included Romy Hoffman aka Romy aka Macromantics. A blast from the past!

Well Lee apparently recorded a new album with a new line-up that included Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr and Sebadoh fame called ‘It Was Never About The Audience.’ The reasoning for the Noise Addict moniker is that it was apparently recorded in the same spirit as that band’s output, despite Lee being the only original member after some fifteen years.

These songs are pretty fun and worth listening to. They sound fairly off-the-cuff and all that, which adds a certain charm. If you like them then head to the website below to download the whole thing for free.

noiseaddict.net

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Pivot – ‘Colorado’ (Grizzly Bear cover)

Pivot, Australia’s only band on the extensive and illustrious Warp roster to my mind, have contributed this song to the Warp20 compilation – an album whereon Warp artists cover fellow Warp artists in an indulgent celebration of the label’s 20th birthday. Or is it indulgent? For most labels this would be a fairly routine and unexciting project, but given the influence of Warp on the electronic scene and the artists involved this is probably something to pay attention to. It is if this song is any indication anyway.

‘Colorado’ is one of the highlights off Grizzly Bear’s still-best 2007 album Yellow House (yeah, the one with ‘Knife’ on it). Pivot don’t often sound a lot like the Grizzly’s, but they sure put in their best effort here. The similarities are mainly in the vocals, with the Pike bros + Dave Miller still hitting those skins and synths like almost no one else in this fair land.

www.myspace.com/pivotpivot

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Single Twin – ‘My Silken Tooth’ (mp3)

I was only just turned on to Melbourne singer-songwriter Single Twin this week, so I’m not sure how long I should wait before declaring myself a fan. His debut album is reportedly finished and awaiting release, but in the mean time he’s offered a non-album track, ‘My Silken Tooth,’ for download. Apparently it was written and recorded in a single night last Tuesday, so the guitar work quite bare and the vocals aren’t doubletracked like other songs, which adds to the frailty of the piece. Check his MySpace for details regarding impending releases and other songs.

www.myspace.com/singletwin

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teenagersintokyo – ‘Isabella’

Ex-pats teenagersintokyo have a new 7″ out October 5 and the above song will feature on it. I’ve not seen these guys for over a year (obviously) but they sound much tighter and promising on this track – and I quite liked them back then. Still, this song is dark and driving in a way that’s many try but few pull off. It doesn’t help that Samantha Lim sounds a bit like a reigned-in Bjork at times and that the band seem to have a great intuition about how much effects should applied to guitars and beats.

I hope these guys return for a string of shows soon.

www.myspace.com/teenagersintokyo

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Parallel Lions – ‘Separated’ (Radio Edit)

It’s fair to say that Art Of Fighting aren’t entirely my cup of tea, but they sure have their fans and I can’t argue with the fact that the dude can sing. Apparently he (Ollie Brown) has got a new band and they seem to be a bit more ‘singer-songwriter’ meets downbeat electronica. Some texture is always a good way to spice up the ol’ acoustic guitar run-through, but the jazz drumming in this song is especially notable. Parallel Lions are a bit closer to being my thang, but it’s interesting enough to warrant coverage regardless. ‘Separated ‘should generate some buzz for them on the local scene/Triple J – AOF fans eat your heart out!

Apparently their debut, ‘Holding Patterns,’ is out Oct 23.

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Dot.AY – ‘Default to Paranoia’

It took me a while to come around to chiptune music. While I appreciated the process and ingenuity behind it, it was hard voluntarily want to listen to music that sounding like my Nintendo was epileptic. But that was sooo twelve months ago. This stuff is everywhere – there’s even a full-length documentary floating around on the internet somewhere about the craze (can’t for the life of me remember it, but I’m sure Google can help you if you’re keen).

Anyway, one of Brisbane’s more prominent exponents of gameboy-tweaking muzak is Dot.AY aka Alex Yabsley, who finished his full-length a couple of months back. If you’re a fan of the above (and yes, I believe that’s a ‘Guitar Hero’ controller he’s wielding there), then head here to download it for free. He’s playing at both Valley Fiesta and 2High Festival for any Brisbanites keen on indulging in some of his stuff at free local festivals.

www.myspace.com/dotaymusic

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