Pony Face have just released their second album, Hypnotised. ‘Silver Tongue’ is the first single from the record and gives you a good feel for the broody-rock sound they have nailed on the LP. This single has been getting some love around the traps but we haven’t posted it yet so… well, now we have. More importantly though, the record sounds really good. The band’s new album was produced by Casey Rice who did the last Dirty Three record and much of the same atmospheric layering remains here. It’s the slow building Interpol vibe that draws you in and Pony Face have the depth to hold your interest.

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A little video exclusive we’ve plucked from Brisbane’s We All Want To for their track ‘Ramp Up The Bleeding’.

The band have spent the last year working on their latest record Come Up Invisible (You can hear a sampler of their upcoming album below).

It’s indie-pop integrity how they used to make it, y’know. Tim Steward lends his distinct Screamfeeder flavour to ‘Ramp Up The Bleeding’, but there’s something to be said for Skye Staniford’s vocals which come up trumps in pared down moments. Either way, both types co-exist so well in their own melodic realm here. Definite New Pornographers and Lucksmiths vibes happening here…really recommend hearing this album in full.

Tour dates after the jump.

www.weallwantto.com

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Mining Boom in: ‘Patti Smith The Musical’.

Leadlight overhangs, stained wood panelling and musty carpet in all its patterned glory…Friday nights in the upstairs bandroom at the Gasometer always feel like a night in nonna’s lounge room rather than a suitable place to wig out.  This lounge room however, is beset by the slight fragrance of feet and lager, and everyone’s knitted attire has worked up the walls of the bandroom to the dewy consistency of a public sauna.

Bored Nothing are done when I arrive (sadface) but this is another typical occasion where I’ve missed a good support band in favour of food. No pity for the small group sitting on the floor for the first half of King Tears Mortuary’s set though. Are locals devoid of detaching their bodily vessels from musty carpet? Did the kids confuse King Tears for the bedtime story happening at the Snakadaktal show down the road? Standing room only pals…show some respect.

KTM plays ‘Crash Report’ and some other songs I don’t know the name of. Vocal tennis between KTM’s frontdude + woman and some edgy basslines offer a sullied ray of sunshine to all the background mumbling from everybody up the back. Dronesome surf-punk played well tends to hang it’s loose, lackadaisical fanfare over the room between sets. Since I’m stopping by at optimism, I should probably apologize for knocking over someone’s full pint of lager all over door guy (sorry Thom) + discretely blaming negligence on King Tears bassist.

There’s a dashing side profile of some guy with a mullet on the cover of Mining Boom’s EP. Their lead singer is wearing an akubra, while the keyboardist dons a ‘Slim Dusty: The Movie’ tshirt. No one is leaving disappointed tonight.

There are several times where Mining Boom’s lead guy wanders off with his back to the crowd to during solos, but by the time he turns around I can’t decide if I’m weirded out by the resemblance to Patti Smith, or aroused by the thought of Patti Smith stumbling across the Nullabor in a bush hat and a tropical shirt. Patti here sings songs about the land, lust and longing – notably, the subtleties of ‘Craigie’, where he repeats ‘ONE DAY I’M GONNA BASH THAT C*NT’ in time with some chimey keyboard major chords and the sort of sincerity that would make Gareth Liddiard narrating an Ambi Pur commercial seem a reasonably casual affair.

Thanks to All I Do Is Listen, as well as JACK YOUNGER who took maneuvered his way around limited lighting to take the set of rad photos below.

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Look. Winter’s about mid-way through. And thus, awaits the clichéd Australian summer. Do broken train lines, pink British ex-pats, and that distinctive smell of bluestone cooling on a hot summer’s night ring any bells? (Well, if you’re in Melbourne at least).

Here’s an outfit which should hopefully ease us into what’s headed our way. Velma Grove, also out of Melbourne, echo the sounds of the British nu-folk scene, only with a distinctive Australian touch. Gentle guitars, sombre vocals, and muted percussion form their broader sound. Think Jose Gonzales, Laura Marling, and even a little bit of Cloud Control. You can almost imagine it now, a cooling summer’s night, Velma Grove’s gentle harmonies lapping at your ears, the sun forming an orange arc over the horizon – yep, I know you’re there.

And that’s all you need to do, take a listen to their EP, Head for Heart. Velma Grove play Collingwood’s Grace Darling Hotel on Thursday the 30^th of August.

velmagrove.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/VelmaGrove

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Texas Tea – ‘Head Says Yes (Heart Says No)’ (mp3)

Texas Tea are Brisbane’s classiest exponents of heartfelt, country pop tunes. Their latest single ‘Head Says Yes (Heart Says No)’ is a cautionary tale, which advises against over thinking affairs of the heart, cause what’s the worst that could happen? Though I don’t know how wise this advice is, the track itself is a definite winner. It kicks off simply with twangy guitar and Kate Jacobson’s commanding voice, before the chorus brings kicks in and the song becomes a lush alt country ballad; complete with ’60s style backing vocals.

If you’re in Brisbane, catch Texas Tea launching this song on…(wait for it)…CASSINGLE, Friday August 17 at The Blackbear Lodge.

www.facebook.com/texasteamusic

www.texastea.bandcamp.com

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