Philadelphia Grand Jury – ‘Ready To Roll’

It’s becoming apparent that the Philly Jay‘s might just be our new favourite band here at Who The Hell. Their last single, Going To The Casino, was only just recently featured in our last MAP post but this new offering is too good to delay.

The song is incredibly similar to Casino in both style and, most importantly, quality. It’s length is as short and punchy as it’s general aesthetic and the garage/lo-fi sound they’ve cultivated thus far is once again a great compliment to their quirky take on old-school rock and R&B. The simple, barking vocal arrangements and simple, pounding drums drive the song forward at a rollicking pace atop a guitar part that has an incredibly cool raw tone (for those geeks out there).

I really look forward to entire album of these songs. The best thing about it being under two minutes long is that I’ve been able to listen to it ten times in the last twenty minutes. And no, I’m still not sick of it.

www.myspace.com/philadelphiagrandjury

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Paper Planes – ‘Do It For The Kids’

Paper Planes – ‘Uh Huh’

January is when everyone likes to reflect on the previous year, so it seems timely that I put up something on these guys. Paper Planes‘ self-titled debut was one of my favourite Australian albums of 2008 and is a great example of modern guitar rock with spunk and a whole lot of moodiness.

‘Do It For The Kids’ is an incredible slow-burner. The song isn’t purely reliant on shifting dynamics to create tension though it does effectively employ this device throughout, with the slinking lead guitar line of the intro turning into a mammoth, striking barb when the chorus finally hits. This song has attitude and style plus the substance to back them up. It continues along at walking pace, confident enough in its stride that it need not speed up to create intensity. This is the stuff that can give you shivers.

‘Uh Huh’ is one of those songs that kinda has two choruses, and you already think the first one is pretty good so you get a pleasant surprise when the still-better second one eventually enters in behind it. This is power-chord rock in its purest form and singer Claire Birchall’s husky growl is vampy and surly enough to make her anger both palpable and entertaining.

It’s been a out for a while but seems to have flown under the radar. Check these guys out – they’re worth your time. (more…)

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Grand Atlantic – ‘Tripwires’

Grand Atlantic’s last album was an exploration of classic rock sounds and structures with a contemporary pop inflection. I’ve seen this Brisbane four piece several times and they never fail to impress during a live show.

Their latest song is a thick slice of power pop/rock and sees them inject their sound with a surprising but welcome lead synthesiser. Backed by some solid power chords and chorus full of classic staccato ‘ooo-ing’, Tripwires will surely make those indie kids get their hands out of their skinny-legged pockets their fists pumping.

Their new album is out in March and the new ideas they’ve injected into their palette here are cause for excitement in my books. Keep an ear out for these guys in a few months.

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Ouch My Face – Firehead

Wow, this is such an aggressive song. Even without the lyrics – which threaten to beat you – this stuff could probably make your nose bleed.

Fittingly, the band responsible for this punk/funk gem is called Ouch My Face. Hailing from Melbourne, the three-piece distill rhythm and hostility into an energetic cocktail with the same reckless abandon that typified early Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Blood Brothers music. With the untamed shrill of vocalist Celeste Porter augmenting the fierce conviction of the bass groove and drums, Firehead is ferocious but accessible – a perfect slice of contemporary post-punk.

What’s most exciting is that they’ve managed to capture the near incomparable energy of their live shows on record. It’s definitely worth getting along to see these guys if you get the chance – they make it more than worth your while.

Firehead is lifted from their forthcoming EP, which should be a highlight of the new year if this song is any indication.

(As a side note, Porter also provided the impressive cover art for An Horse‘s equally impressive debut album. What a talented girl).

www.myspace.com/ouchmyfaceband

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Micky Green – Shoulda (Bloody Beetroots Remix)

Remember Micky Green? That Australian singer/model who relocated to Paris and randomly had a top ten hit or two in her adopted country?

Perhaps you never heard of her in the first place. Fair enough, since her coverage back home has been marginal at best.

Apparently she’s recently been getting mileage across Europe with the remix of her track ‘Shoulda’ by Italian electro duo Bloody Beetroots. It’s not hard to see why, since this couldn’t sound more ‘2008’ if it tried (which I mean in a good way). Combining the best parts of Italo-Disco (a la Italians Do It Better) and French House (a la Justice), this remix takes Ms Green’s pop song and makes it a chopped up and pumping dancefloor stomp.

Micky Green is gearing up for a local release soon and the previously covered ‘Oh!’ is also undergoing some high profile remixing. Keep an ear out for those soon. Until then, just jump around to this one and pretend you’re in Europe – where they apparently recognise some good Australian music before Australians even get around to it.

www.myspace.com/mickygreenmusic

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Rekindle – ‘Cold Life’

Despite looking like a glam-rock vampire and having possibly the worst album cover of 2008, it turns out Rekindle churns out some fairly rad music.

Far from being the manufactured pop star his image might suggest, Rekindle is an independent artist who began making drum’n’bass and abstract intrumental hip hop in his Sydney bedroom during the mid 90s under the name ‘Raised By Wolves.’ His latest offering is ‘The Chandelier,’ which sees him relegate his art-rock aspirations to the margins in favour of the shameless glossy production of new wave, electro, and funk.

‘Cold Life’ is an epic, two-part new wave track from that album. Sounding like New Order covering Prince, the song is combines a funky guitar line with synth pads over an incessant rhythmic pulse and repetitive vocal turns. The falsetto-laden coda is more indicative of the rest of Rekindle’s output, which often strays too far into Justin Timberlake territory for my liking (see: ‘Ice Skating Girl,’ which appeared on a BBC Radio 2 compilation alongside LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture et al).

The album as a whole is likely to be more divisive than this one song, however, ‘Cold Life’ is a place where the lovers and haters can meet and dance together.

www.myspace.com/rekindlepurehearts

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