New Music

Joysticks – ‘Leave Her Alone’

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joysticks

Joysticks – ‘Leave Her Alone’ (mp3)

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This is an odd track – if not for the distorted synth that dominates the mix during the verses, this could could have been pulled from the ’60s. It has that same Zombies-esque sound to it that’s creeping back into popular music consciousness… but just, you know, with a loud synthesizer. It’s a tad jarring – in a good way. In fact it’s the largely synth-less middle 8/outro, with its jump in pace, that doesn’t really for work for me. Still, a decent effort from a promising band.

Joysticks’ previous tracks have traded on repetitive instrumentation and simple refrains. This track seems a bit more complex but has that same intuitive-feeling groove to it. And the chorus, when it does land, is pretty repetitive as well and sounds almost like a lo-fi Franz Ferdinand.

Not as good as ‘Purple Berries‘ but I’ll still be keeping my eye on these guys.

www.myspace.com/joysticksmusic

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Clue to Kalo/The Lifted Brow

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cluetokalo

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

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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’

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friedns of mine

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

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‘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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Ernest Ellis video, mp3, tickets

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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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Howl – 'I Hear It's Love'

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 howl

 

Howl – ‘ I Hear It’s Love’ (mp3)

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Howl, you animated bunch of little twerps, you smug teenage dirtbags with your corresponding assymetrical haircuts and your sharp monochromatic attire; thank you for compelling the bulk of the population of twenty-something musos to shirk back to their factory day jobs screwing lids on toothpaste tubes. What is wrong with you? Kids your age should be spitting in burgers. Not winning national radio band competitions or sharing stages and stealing riders from the Scare, British India and Grafton Primary. Or getting a ‘Goon Machine’ tattoo on your foot. Or breaking egos, girls hearts and gym floors for that matter. You may have put your rural hometown in the spotlight lately for reasons other than Sovereign Hill, bogans and boiled lollies, but what makes you think you have the right to slapdash your promising musical finesse up the arses of other pimply compatriots your age who are still fiddling with Chilli Peppers covers?

And the new single ‘I Hear It’s Love?’ Fuck. Off.
I can’t stand the way that you roll up gritty, abrasive garage punk, sexually frustrated lyrics and fleeting bursts of blissful harmonies into a colossal joint at your live shows leaving each audience member convulsing around the floor in a feverish fit. I hate that I squealed like a twelve year old when you whipped out a Justin Timberlake cover at your last gig. I hate the way Daniel doesn’t miss a beat in the quake of his volatile drumming. Screw you Tim and Jonathan for thrusting those catchy persistent riffs and danceable basslines in our faces. Why did you even bother roping two charming lead singers, merging gritty shrieks and subtle melodic charms into thwarts of clever dynamo? And for that boy for Galen Strachan? Have some sympathy for the thousands of listeners who’ve had that bloody contagious, unremittent  ‘Blackout’  keyboard jam of yours lodged in their head for months.

Screw your ridiculously infectious new radio friendly single. While the most school leavers will be manning drive ins, knocking up thirteen year olds or watching Skins re-runs this summer, you’ll be having fun basking in the glory of your new found success at the Queenscliff, Stereosonic, Field day, Sandcastle and Apollo Bay Festivals, breathing into the same sweaty mic as the Bloody Beetroots and LCD Soundsystem and being asked by itinerant teenage girls to sign their tits.

Howl boys, I hope you’re happy.

 
www.myspace.com/thehowlmusic

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