Monthly Archives For October 2014

INTRODUCING: Weak Boys

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weakboys

There’s nothing quite as manly and striking as a bunch of blokes in a band called Weak Boys. I mean, that’s a name that instantly assumes a Bon Scott-like confidence, a title worthy of a king. ‘Hello, we are Weak Boys’, is all one has to bellow in order to send all the other blokes running in terror, and for every girl in the vicinity to swoon.

Weak Boys are a Sydney trio made up of Matt Banham, Craig Lyons, and Chris Yates. Some of the other bands these guys have played in include Dollar Bar, Disgusting People, Little Lovers and Summer Flake‘s Sydney band. (You’re not a success until you have a band ready to go in every state, so congrats Summer Flake). So it comes as no surprise that their own lil’ supergroup is something you’ll want to spend all your hard-earned cash on.

After making every drongo on a Sunday do a collective ‘Oath!’ with the release of their single ‘Hangovers’ earlier this year, they’ve gone and released their first LP, Weekdays/Weekends. It’s a soulful ode to living in modern day Sydney and being, in the eternal words of Lethal Weapons’ Murtaugh, ‘too old for this shit’.

Besides ‘Hangovers’, Weekdays/Weekends is crammed with beautiful slices of mope-pop, and every track abounds with happily depressed Yo La Tengo-isms. ‘Dog Farm’ is a track that should get all the Cool Dog Group participants excited, and ‘Deal With It’ is like if Bart Simpson discovered The Ocean Party. Weak Boys – they’re probably one of the most underrated bands in Australia right now.

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LISTEN: Broadway Sounds – ‘Something Sensual’

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‘Something Sensual’ is the synth boogie track off Broadway Sounds’ most recent EP, The Last Detail, and sits amongst the band’s signature Afro-pop and calypso influenced jams.

Most tracks from the Melbourne 4-piece would be best enjoyed sipping a rainbow cocktail stacked with exotic fruits by the pool of your favourite low-cost roadside motel – all of which you can see in the clip to their track ‘Something Sensual’.  It looks like an over-40s dating infomercial one minute and astrological matchmaking the next.

Frankly, if you produce an analogue synth boogie track that doesn’t have 90s fluoro-wash VHS production and breakdancing Adidas clad youth in its film clip, you’re doing it wrong.

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WATCH: Day Ravies – This Side of the Fence

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Day Ravies

As a solemn patron of Sydney’s best bands, I was noticeably more bright and cheerful in the following days of the release of Day Ravies’ latest single, ‘This Side of the Fence’. The dreamy shoegaze foursome had been out for while due to some injury, while side-projects such as Shrapnel and Disgusting People were getting a little bit more love time.

But Day Ravies have bounced back from the sideline, and have adopted, maybe even ‘modernised’ their lax sound. The new single features bouncy synth lines strutting next to wobbly guitar belches. Tie all those sounds together with some pixie-like vocals ala. Bilinda Butcher, and the result is goodness to your ears.

They’ve also just put out a great new video, which is a bit like Lewis Carol and an episode of Art Attack on smack. The video is as fun and bright as ‘This Side of the Fence’ itself.

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SEQUENCE: Lower Spectrum

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Photos by James Whineray

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When sound artists aren’t soundtracking the future / pulling knobs they’re busy doing other normcore shit like walking their dogs and putting dried fruit into plastic bags at Kalula’s. Lower Spectrum (Ned Beckley) went for a walk with photographer James Whineray around Fremantle the other week. Special appearances from Comida Do Sol, Benny, James, Lucy, Pesto the dog and Booyeembara Park.

Lower Spectrum is Triple J Unearthed’s Feature Artist all this week. Listen to more of Ned’s spectral work here, or order the latest EP, ‘Traces’ on vinyl or CD over at his Bandcamp profile.

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(View full photo set below.)

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WATCH: HEAVY – ‘Coming Out’

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Self-described as “Weed and Vaseline Gangstas”, Auckland’s HEAVY follow up their excellent EP ‘Tasty‘ with a video for ‘Coming Out’.

HEAVY are a hip hop duo whose music is defined by droning basses, mangled vocal samples and some damned tasty rapping. It’s hazy and smooth, while lyrically being anything but shy. With almost all their material clocking in at under 2 minutes a piece, there’s something very punchy about their ‘get up on a pedestal fo’ these fools’ attitude.

The video is a disorienting endeavour filled with outfit changes, jewelled lips and slow-mo snack foods. It’s equal parts glamorous and grubby, with an unsettlingly slight divide between the visuals and the duo’s warped vocals.

Watch the video above and download ‘Tasty’ right here.

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MAP October 2014

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Our submission for MAP this month features minor spandex indulgence from The Twoks. Don’t forget to check out our Soundcloud for our monthly MAPcast podcasts.

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a zip file of the full 21-track compilation through Dropbox here.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Ubika – Fahrenheit

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Hard rock guitars, solid bass and drums plus strong female vocals are the formula behind Ubika. Fahrenheit is the first single from their latest album, Amigos Del Bosque, and it’s inspired by Ray Bradbury’s novel. The song has a video directed by Diego Stickar, which you can watch here.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
The Twoks – First Light

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The Twoks are a Melbourne two-piece comprising Xani Kolac on violin and vocals, and Mark Leahy on drums. Initially the solo instrumental project of Kolac, who studied jazz and improvisation at Victorian College of the Arts, the duo is now renowned on the local live circuit for their unpredictable sets which feature Kolac on loop station and a smorgasbord of effects. On The Twoks’ latest release, First Light EP – which boasts crisp production from Tony Buchen (The Preatures) – Kolac’s improvisations have been whittled down to concise retro-pop tunes in the vein of Pat Benatar or Kate Bush.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Baleia – Breu

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Breu is one of the strongest songs from Baleia’s debut album, released last year. They first caught the attention of the indie press in Brazil with a jazzy cover of Justin Timberlake but in their album they show a handful of influences, resulting in experimental indie-rock that dabbles in baroque pop and folk.

Hear the full compilation below.

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