Monthly Archives For February 2010

International Songwriting Competition- Aussie Finalists

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The International Songwriting Competition‘s list of finalists is out, boasting a very strong  Aussie showing. Maybe the judges are onto us now after Kate Miller-Heidke’s win last year, taking home US$25 000 in cash and a tonne of other prizes. We’ll be taking a look at artists from the list between now and the announcement of winners in April – there are just too many to do justice to in one post.

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Loon Lake – ‘Into The Office’

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Loon Lake – ‘Into The Office’ (mp3)

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‘Into The Office’ is one of the first demos released by Loon Lake and it’s super promising. The sounds like a demo, yeah, but I’m really hoping they retain this loose, lo-fi feeling. Even if even every band this side of Eddy Current is trying to record thirty minute albums in twenty minutes, Loon Lake genuinely sound like dudes chilling with guitars in their garage. Doesn’t hurt that the hook in the chorus is a killer as well. In the increasingly crowded Australian garage rock market, these guys manage to stand out without ever sounding like they’re trying.

www.myspace.com/weareloonlake

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Absolute Boys – ‘Minimal Wage’

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Absolute Boys – ‘Minimal Wage’

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‘Minimal Wage’ is the A-side of an upcoming 12″ by Melbourne’s Absolute Boys. I’ve been waiting for them to send this track through for a while now and the finished, mastered version didn’t disappoint.

It has an almost ritualistic quality to it – like a group of dudes rocking back and forth around a fire in an empty shopping centre carpark at night. The track will have you rocking back and forth too thanks to its uncompromisingly repetitive-cum-hypnotic guitar stabs and sparse percussion, which is reminiscent of My Disco. Rubbing against that are softer, floating vocal harmonies in the vein of The Beach Boys/Animal Collective set, but with a suitably ‘chant-y’ sound to them.

I’ve not heard the B-side but look forward to checking it out. These guys are worth getting excited about.

www.myspace.com/thedeadboys

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Win Club NME Australia Double Passes!

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Update: Club NME Australia launches this weekend! Thanks to the rad dudes over at Boundary Sounds we’ve got a double pass THREE double passes to Sydney and Melbourne to give away.

Due to an underwhelming response for our Twitter promo (not ready for Twitter giveaways yet?), we’re going to do this the old fashioned way. Email rsvp@whothehell.net and tell us which member of The Smith is DJing at Club NME before 5pm today for you chance to win.

Passes still up for grabs and pretty easy to win so go nut.

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