Apr
30
The Emergency - ‘Spending Time’ (mp3)
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Melbourne’s The Emergency is back with the same bass heavy groove but lighter sounding single than their previous single ‘We Got the Horror’. This time they have released the single on New York based Metal Postcards label
Silverchair held a competition to re-edit this video, the winner’s video is displayed on their myspace: www.myspace.com/silverchair Just saw them performed this song at the MTV awards tonight, fantastic vocal work by Daniel Johns. I was never that big of a Silverchair fan but now I’m keen to see a show.
Apr
27
The Cops - ‘Cop Pop’
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Straight outta Sydney, the resurrected The Cops return with their second single, and the most difficult song title to say on radio without sounding like you’re saying “cock” - ‘Cop Pop’. It’s from their brand new album Drop It In Their Laps which follows on from the popularity of their last EP 80 In The Shade.
It’s a really catchy, infectious ditty and you’ll be singing the damn “do do do” hook for days. There is an 80s pop/new wave feel to a fair few of the songs on the new album, which moves away from the more garage rock-based music of their debut record Stomp On Tripwires - which I reckon is a good move, mainly because I didn’t like their first album at all.
http://www.thecops.com.au
http://www.myspace.com/copsaustralia
Apr
26
Where’s Jerome? - ‘Rescue’
*MP3 removed from record label request - we don’t want no Perez vs Britney shit going on here*
No photo and a cryptic name like Where’s Jerome?. So who the hell is this guy? Well, it’s actually Jeremy Smith, better known for his vocal and guitar work in Sydney outfit Altona. With the help of a computer, an acoustic guitar and the must-have Casio keyboard, Jeremy’s crafted himself a number of rather endearing tunes that marry acoustic guitar and clear vocals with smooth, funky electronic backings.
He’s compiled them altogether into an EP entitled Dreamboat (hence the illustrations I guess). The first single ‘Ashtray’ floated onto my lap the other day and I was so taken by it, mainly because I had never heard of the outfit before. Judging by the bio, Jeremy’s other passion is food: the bio is filled with refernces to cooking and the kitchen and writing songs in his kitchen.
There’s a couple of tracks on the MySpace page, and ‘Rescue’ was the only one I could download, so here it is! Expect to hear a lot more courtesy of Where’s Jerome? very soon.
Expatriate - ‘Are You Awake’
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Finally, two years after releasing that much loved 2005 Lovers le Strange EP, Expatriate have released their debut long player In The Midst of This. After spending a whole week with this record, I’ve come to like a number of the songs. It’s a stellar recording with plenty of atmospheric synths, effected guitar and dreamy vocals. The themes are rather sorrowfully romantic, and watching them at an intimate album launch party in Sydney, I noted how much the band has changed since that first EP and when I saw them over a year ago supporting The Presets at the Gaelic Club.
Not only is Expatriate looking like a major label band (Note: Ben Kings transformation into an Australian equivalent to The Killers Brandon Flowers) but they are sounding like one too, the album being incredibly polished and professional. They collaborated with producer John Goodmanson of Wu-Tang Clan and Blonde Redhead fame in Seattle and the results are evident, and honestly- quite good. There are some cheesy moments too (The intro to ‘Are You Awake?’) but the “I truly love you I do…” lyric in ‘The Spaces Between’ gets me every time. *Sigh*
Apr
24
Soft Tigers - ‘M.A.R.I.A’ (Bumblebeez remix) (mp3)
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A bit of Canberran loving here, both Soft Tigers and Bumblebeez both went to the same school. Here they are doing some remixing. Can’t really decide if I like this one or not, it might be a bit too chopped up.
Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! - ‘I’m Here, Where Are You?’
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The awesomely awesome Adelaide five-piece Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! have gratiously given us their brand new track ‘I’m Here, Where Are You?’ which is the first taste off their forthcoming EP Boy, Hush Your Mouth… Girl, Bare Your Teeth. OK, so it wasn’t actually the band themselves who gave us the track: kudos must go to band manager Matt for the tip.
It’s such a infectious indie rock track, but still with a lot of balls. Kind of like what would happen if Sonic Youth tried to make music for hipster kids wearing tight jeans and Threadless t-shirts. If you’re after a copy of their earlier EP, You Seize The City, I’ll Seize The Sky, then head to their website and you can download the whole thing for FREE! The new EP is due for release June/July and there should even be a tour to follow (once they stop playing with Bit By Bats, and Midnight Juggernauts, and Children Collide…).
Fore more Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! click here.
http://www.firesantarosafire.com
http://www.myspace.com/firesantarosafire
Midnight Juggernauts - ‘Road To Recovery’ (Miami Horror remix) (mp3)
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I didn’t get to blog their new song cos I couldn’t get a copy but this remix I have just received from Miami Horror is even better. You can hear the original track on theirspace, I didn’t like very much i thought it was a bit anticlimatic and the vocals are even more subtle than their previous songs. This mix has made the song punchier. Less trance, more party.I should also mention that the Juggies have got themselves a new drummer with Dan Stricker, formerly of the Valentinos.
Apr
20
Emma Davis - ‘Happy Song’ (mp3)
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Sometimes you find a song, or an artist, and you just immediately fall in love with them… well, not personally, but with their music. It was kind of how I felt the first time I heard the dulcet tones of ex-Melbournite, now Sydney-based chanteuse Emma Davis. There’s no denying the beauitful tones, sweet melodies and comforting aura that her joyously-titled track ‘Happy Song’ houses.
Born and raised in London, she’s a bit of a wandering minstrel, moving from London to Boston to Melbourne and now to Sydney, which she has called “home” for the past year and a half. She’s been getting a bit of love on radio stations FBi and Triple J lately, and with the strength of this song, as well as the others on her self-titled EP, you’ll probably hear a lot more of her soon.
Apr
19
Aleks and The Ramps - ‘Pisces vs Aquarius’
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Got this one in the mail last week and had a good listen to it this morning. Even after reading the accompanying press release it’s hard to pick a single out of the album Pisces vs Aquarius, which is not really a good thing. While I can appreciate the ambition of this recording it falls short of its goals and it is not helped by the limited vocal style and range of the singer, who I’m guessing is Aleks (was not very clearly stated in the presser) and makes it a bit of a challenge to pay attention to the lyrics. With violins, banjo and glockenspiel in its list of instrumentation, this record is often imaginative in parts but ultimately undercooked, it seems that this record suffered from under production, which could be blamed on inexperience on the studio or just lack of production expertise on the desk. Their myspace section states ” daytime television + suburbia + nintendo ” as influences, not particularly inviting reason to be listening closely. From this recording alone I’m not sure if I want to see them live.
Apr
18
Missy Higgins - ‘Steer’
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We’ve got here the first single of Missy Higgins’ eagerly awaited sophomore release On A Clear Night. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the album because I interviewed the Melbourne chanteuse, who really is a beautiful person and just lovely to chat to.
Missy (Melissa to her mum) came to national attention after winning the Victorian leg of Triple J Unearthed with the mesmerising piano-based ballad ‘All For Believing’. Her debut record The Sound of White moved away from the late teen darkness that pervaded her eponymous EP and found a brighter pop sensibility, especially in the single ‘Scar, which has been her most successful to date. That album also garnered her a ludicrous six ARIA Awards, 2 APRA awards and and MTV AVMA.
On her new recford, On A Clear Night, she enlisted the production genius Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello) who gives the record a lush, warm feel. This album is bolstered by drummer extraordinaire Matt Chamberlain, best known for his work with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. He has an immaculate feel and lifts the songs to a level that I don’t think any other drummer could have. I found The Sound of White to waver in parts, but On A Clear Night really feels like a more mature, solid album which sees Missy branching out in instrumentation and song styles and structures.
Most of the songs are acoustic guitar based, rather than piano based like many of her earlier efforts. Missy started playing piano at an early age, but only picked up guitar in her teens. It’s obvious that her guitar skills have improved over the years too. Says Missy of the increased role of acoustic guitar on On A Clear Night, “Probably eight of the songs were written on guitar and the rest on piano because the guitar’s a lot more portable instrument to have on tour. It’s so much easier just to bring your guitar into your hotel room and write songs that way rather than lug your keyboard in, plug it in, set it all up and get headphones… it’s just so much easier”.
No doubt Virgin and EMI would castrate me if I uploaded any other songs off the album, which is a shame because I feel there’s many stronger songs than ‘Steer’ on On A Clear Night, such as the soulful ‘Secret’, ‘The Wrong Girl’ and the haunting ‘Forgive Me’. But you’re just going to have to wait until April 28 when it hits shelves.
http://www.missyhiggins.com/
http://www.myspace.com/missyhiggins
Apr
17
Silverchair - ‘Straight Lines’
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If you don’t know who Silverchair are, I don’t care if you are Australian or not, then there really is no help for you. This post isn’t aimed at informing you about the band itself but more just recognition of album number five, Young Modern, and a tribute to an Australian band whose credentials might far out live most current Australian bands. I guess I am totally biased since Silverchair’s 1997 Freak Show tour was the first rock concert I saved my penny’s for to actually buy a ticket too, with my Dad waiting outside to pick me up at the end.
But I think the progression of Silverchair as a band is really interesting. With a career spanning twelve years and all original members remaining, they have transformed with every new album, with the most recent installment still baring the signs of Daniel Johns friendship with Paul Mac and work as part of The Dissociatives. ‘Straight Lines’ is an incredibly good and catchy song, and even though I’m less partial to The Chair these days, they still make me rock out a little when I hear them on the car radio.
Apr
15
KIM - ‘BTTTTRY’
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Continuing our weekend of exclusive material here on Who the Bloody Hell Are They, this is the brand new track from KIM, better known as Kimberley Isaac Moyes from The Presets. It’s called ‘BTTTTRY’ which is short for “By the time that they reach you”, which is yelled out through the song. It’s the next single to be released on Bang Gang’s new Twelve Inches record label. It’s a hyphy, jungle inspired track - steel drums galore! There’s also a Bag Raiders remix of the track too, though it doesn’t really drastically change the song much.
Thanks to mnky for pointing out that this track is actually from KIM’s Japanese-only mini album System Breakdown. Expect to hear it on dancefloors everywhere in a couple of weeks.
The Basics - ‘Hey There!’
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Kris Schroeder of The Basics has given this blog the all new exclusive to their new album Stand Out / Fit In. It contains 13 tracks, only two of which are covers. All the originals sound like they could have been written in the 60s or 70s, with delivery and play so confident they put a lot of newer bands to shame when it comes to skill and musicianship. I have to say I was half expecting to hear a few covers that I have heard them play live like The Police’s ‘Roxanne’ or New Kids On The Block’s ‘The Right Stuff’. I suppose it would have been difficult/expensive to clear, I’m sure plus the originals could earn them some nice syncing dollars somewhere. So what to feature here? We’ve already blogged the singles ‘Just Hold On’, ‘Rattle My Chain’ and ‘Lookin’ Over My Shoulder’. So I’ve picked this little number that I’m pretty sure not very many people have heard called ‘Hey There!’, featuring horns!
The Basics are right now in the middle of their crazily ambitious Tri-state residency playing Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane each week for a month! This must be some record breaking feat.
Apr
13
Ground Components - ‘Hands In The Air’
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A post on these favourite Melbourne sons of ska / punk / rockers Ground Components is long overdue. I’ve thought about them for a long time and didn’t want write a half arsed entry just because their album came out last year and people were talking about them. Prior to the release of Eye For A Brow, Tooth for A Pick album release, I haven’t really been keeping track with their developments. I know they had a fair bit of buzz around 2 years ago, but failed to keep this going in momentum, resulting in people dismissing them as another one of those bands that missed the boat. But after moving to Melbourne (six months ago now) I’ve started hanging around the scene people who eventually led to meeting the guys in the band, and found out how the band developed, the scene they came from and how that shaped the sound they have perfected in the album.
The Groundies represent a sound that is not only distinctively Australian, but uniquely Melbourne. The basic shout/singing style of Joe is a result of a community that had its roots in the ska/punk scene still thriving today in parts of Melbourne. Coming from Sydney where this scene is nonexistent it’s all quite new to me, and I’m not sure if it exists in anywhere else in the country. A typical ska-punker would wear black band t-shirt, 3/4 black dickies shorts, more than plenty facial hair and has an ever present whiff of bong water smell hanging around.
There are many songs on this album that is quality tunes that will be posted here in the future, it might be hard to get used to at first because of non melodic vocal style. To start with, I’ve blogged their current single ‘Hands In The Air’, the perfect introductory song to Groundies sound. It’s now time for me to see their reputable live show, they are playing tonight at the East Brunswick Club so come join me.
Apr
12
The Scare - ‘Bats!Bats!Bats!’
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The Scare’s ‘Bats!Bats!Bats!’ is without a doubt the best punk song about at the
moment. It’s sweating sleaze, screaming for rebellion and quite frankly, the
sexiest bloody song to come out of Australia (dare I say) ever! The band
originally come from Queensland but resides in the UK. Though they were
briefly back in Australia a little while back to play some shows and record
with Scott Horscroft of Big Jesus Burger Studio, another praise worthy slap
in the face for this band is a recent stint supporting Gallows, a UK punk
band causing more than a riot in the UK. I think it could well be the year
of The Scare! I too will be relocating to the UK for a bit and can’t wait to
get to one of their UK shows (the last Sydney one was sensational).
Apr
10
Sui Zhen - ‘No Disko’
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I’ve known Sui Zhen for years and have seen her performed live so many times that I thought I lost objectivity for her music. Since moving to Melbourne 6 months ago I have not seen or heard any new material until last week when I was in Sydney and heard her instantly recognisable voice on FBi Radio. Before I left she told me that she was going to collaborate with an electronic producer whose name I can’t remember now. ‘No Disko’ is the first song to come out of that recording session and it shows off a more confident and relaxed sounding Sui Zhen. The arrangement turned out to be warmer than I was expecting which is nice cos I was afraid that it would turn her to some sort of chill out/comedown music vocalist. She’s going to do a bit of touring in August I believe so keep an ear out.
Apr
09
Superb Lyrebird - ‘Insignificant Appendage’
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One of my favourite bands to emerge from the Sydney alternative scene in the past twelve months are these guys, Superb Lyrebird. Like all sub-scenes, it becomes a bit incestuous after a while, and Superb are a good example of that, because all the members come from different bands who, during one point or another, have shared the stage with each other.
Superb Lyrebird brings together members from two defunct Sydney outfits: Endusk (who programmer/keyboardist/percussionist/general beeps and blips James McKenna was a member of) and Fat Slinky (who dummer Nathan Tuffin and bassist Wesley Von Grabill were a part of). For vocals and guitar, they’ve borrowed the talents of Dave Bleus, who moonlights as the frontman for Sydney outfit Self | Is A Seed (once called Self, but there’s already a band in the States called that).
This is easily my favourite of all the members’ current and prior projects: it’s a far more mature alternative sound, combining dissonant, foreboding melodies with driving riffage, similar to bands like Cog and Karnivool. Though while most alternative bands these days are trying to be the next Cog, and you come across clone after monotonoua clone, Superb thankfully put their own spin on it, so rather than sounding like some rehashed, second rate rock band, they’ve developed their own style. Their debut EP Anoised has just been released, and if you’re a prog rock fan it’s a great listen. Though, as good as it is, it doesn’t really match up to seeing them live, at their most visceral, because that’s where it all clicks.
Apr
06
The Straight Arrows - ‘Can’t Count’
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Out late one Friday night I was rather incoherently talking to the door
staff at Spectrum (one of my favourite smaller live venues in Sydney) when
Alex from the Red Riders appeared at the door with an arm full of music
gear. Hhmm, an unadvertised Red Riders DJ set perhaps? Not totally. The
Straight Arrows were playing a late shift gig upstairs. But who the hell are
The Straight Arrows? The band is new, but over flowing in experience, Owen
Penglis is the main man, Al from Red Riders, Angie from Kiosk on bass and
Adam on drums.
But most importantly what do they sound like? They are a late night dream of
filthy guitar, beaty drum and foot shifting pop. But Al said it best,
“…Everything’s getting super electro and slick again, so we’re going the
other way into the depths of feedback and mess and spirit.” Brilliant.
Defiantly not an 8.30pm support band, have a listen to Can’t Count122 and
before you know it, you’ll be striding down to the darkest, smokiest bar,
whiskey in hand ready to shake.
Apr
03Mister Speed - ‘Everybody Needs Somebody’
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Sydney based Benjamin Speed has a very impressive music resume, according to his Wikipedia entry. As one half of the hip hop duo The New Pollutants he performed in Big Day Outs and Adelaide Fringe Festivals and released a fair few records. On top of that all that he teaches music and composes original film scores. So he’s pretty much a musical all rounder, and it doesn’t surprise that he decides to step away from hip hop with his new project as Mr. Speed. His new album The Dreamer is very cut and paste sample fare with lots of world sounds and catchy beats. It ranges from the upbeat playful hip-pop, to rock and roll numbers, to the chill out variety songs, and the arty statements type of songs.
He’s got an ear for sample based hooks with a world music variety and a liking for old instructional TV interview out takes. The singing style has a bit of roleplaying suggesting some sort of theatre background. It’s quite hard to choose which song to showcase , there’s quite a few gems in this release. So I’ve picked this one that I’m guessing is the radio single. To be extremely generalising he’s very much like Gotye, they’re even on the same label. So if you dig Wally you should check out Ben.
Apr
02
photo by Luke Austin
Catcall - ‘Diss’
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I’ve seen Catherine Kelleher performed in Kiosk many many times and have seen her hung around the Sydney scene for a number of years but I didn’t actually get to talk to her until we met in Meredith last December. I was hanging out with a Melbourne crew I met shortly after moving down (they eventually became Gameboy/Gamegirl) and she happened to be friends with them. I am pretty sure she was at least as intoxicated as me at the time, it was dark and we were moving through the campsite to get something from her tent. I held on to every last bit of sobriety I could muster so I could at least get some get-to-know conversation going. It’s weird how I’ve heard her songs, seen her on stage and wrote about her and finally getting to know sort of completes the experience. And yes she is really lovely.
Catcall is her new solo project and all the songs on myspace is quite basic and I’m guessing these are just home demos to what will shape up to be more elaborately arranged tracks. Diss is perfect for an introductory song, it’s declarative, flows along at a pace she’s obviously comfortable with, and provides the listener with multiple choices on where to go from here. This should be good, expect to hear more soon.
Sydneysiders: she is playing with Deerhoof and My Disco at the Factory Theatre tomorrow, go to this gig!
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