Monthly Archives For October 2014

LISTEN: Pleasure Symbols – ‘Ultraviolence’

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Pleasure Symbols

‘Ultra Violence’, the first thing we’ve heard from Brisbane duo Pleasure Symbols is one of those tracks that immediately creates a video montage in your head. When I listen to this I see myself better looking, better dressed and more badass, smoking cigs and stalking the streets like a goddamn killer. This song makes me want to be a worse person, in the best way possible.

‘Ultra Violence’ is all cold bass, synth and drum machine. Vocals are monotone and dark, crushed under the malevolent buzz, only lightened slightly when the mildly hysterical treble-y synth comes in at the end, still spiralling you into the abyss. Definitely wanna hear more of this (well, what they’re calling) ‘coldwave’ business.

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WATCH: Contrast – ‘Drum Machine’

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Contrast

We really dig Contrast. It’s not hard to tell: we really dig them. They put out an EP a little while back that got us all in a buzz and now they’ve followed up by releasing a dreamy clip that suits their music perfectly.

‘Drum Machine’ was one of the five tracks on Contrast’s Less Than Zero EP, and it’s also one of the best. Sound wise, it sits at a cross point between Real Estate, Major Leagues, Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing – what a sweet spot! The clip is simple but nice; VHS fuzz, retro aesthetic and simple execution. This is the perfect clip for the song at hand because it never threatens to overshadow the music – the way a clip should be.

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You can pick up a copy of Contrast’s EP Less Than Zero here.

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INTRODUCING: Pronto

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Pronto Press Photo

Hold your bloody horses, garage fans. Forget about that sick new band you saw on the weekend, cos I’ve found your new favourite act: Pronto. Of course these guys are out of Melbourne, and obviously they’ve been living on a steady diet of Eddy Current Suppression Ring. They’re fast, furious and insanely addictive.

Pronto, like many of Australia’s best garage punk bands, have helped an old genre grow up a little bit. They take early 70’s proto-punk, like The Troggs, and brutalise it into something that Hozac Records would eat slugs to put out. On their debut album, When You’re Gone, Pronto speed through their 11 tracks with frightening ferocity. They do bands like Dead Farmers, Royal Headache and Straight Arrows proud.

Between the gale force guitar solos, the crunchy, hollow vocals and stampeding drums, there are a few particular standouts. If you’re any sort of fan of loud, fun guitar music, you’ll love songs like ‘Soldier’, ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Cry’. These tracks will blow down your house like it’s a greedy wolf and you are soon-to-be bacon. Best played loud.

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WATCH: Multiple Man – ‘Persuasion’

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The first time I heard Brisbane two-piece Multiple Man for real was at this year’s Shedstock festival in June (which is a travesty considering how often they play in my town). I had ‘fallen asleep’ early and was lying in my tent when outside started what sounded like the most insanely fun party ever. The music was violent and dark but driven by these bouncy synths that made everything so bloody danceable.

I wanted to get up and throw my body around and yell for no reason but being too ‘sleepy’ I just lay on my half-deflated blow up mattress and had a fucken great time throwing shapes internally.

‘Persuasion’ is Multiple Man’s newest single, and comes with a suitably dark, Euro-electro inspired video by Alex Dunlop. The title track from their forthcoming EP, it sounds like someone found everything good about the 80s and put it in a dance song, when what they kinda wanted to do was tell you to go fuck yourself. It’s sexy, aggressive, fun and really, really cool.

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Rock 4 Renewables: Nun of the Tongue

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Nunofthetongue
Leigh Ewbank, former Damn Terran drummer and Yes2Renewables campaigner interviewed Melbourne trio Nun of the Tongue, ahead of tomorrow’s Rock4Renewables fundraiser. All proceeds from tomorrow’s show at the Gasometer go to support Y2R’s continued work campaigning for climate change action.
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Name + instrument: Oscar (guitar, vocals).
In three words, how would you describe your band? Lo-fi, trashy fun.
Any tours, notable gigs or record releases lately? We just launched our debut 7″ EP last month at Bar Open, titled Burger Porn Real Estate.

 
Why do you support renewable energy? 
Electricity is one of the most important aspects of modern day life. Finding a self-sustainable energy source is one of the most important tasks as a species.
 
There’s an election coming up in Victoria, do you have a message for Victorian politicians on renewable energy and climate change? 
It would just be to look at the facts and decide through that. Creating a renewable energy infrastructure would create jobs and cut c02 emissions. It’s all about what the science says.
 
Your band is a renewable energy source. What is it? 
Wind power. From our butts onto Tony Abbott’s face.
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Rock4Renewables’ fundraiser happens at the Gasometer Hotel in Melbourne tomorrow from 4PM until late.
Bands include Nun of the Tongue, Jess Ribiero & the Bone Collectors, Empat Lima, Alysia Manceau, DJ Emma Peel, Knave Knixx + more. 
More details at the FB event page. 

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EXCLUSIVE: The Dead Heir – ‘Cooked’ EP

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Dead Heir

Here’s your first taste of Cooked, the new EP from Melbourne six piece The Dead Heir. The band recorded with Joey Walker from King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard, which probably justifies the splintered guitar intros, tandem vocal biking and why it takes more than six people to make a psych song. As per usual legacy, these are still the slack-eyed, major-minor poems about nothing parading as something. Case in point, and all in good fun.

The Dead Heir launch the Cooked EP at The Toff In Town on Thursday October 9 with special guests, The Citradels & The Infants. Buy the EP over at Bandcamp.

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WTH PRESENTS: Rock 4 Renewables Fundraiser

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Our old pals in parliament have been making their usual slew of embarrassing, socially divisive calls lately – including a lack of support for climate change action. A bunch of local Melbourne bands are having none of it, and are getting together to raise funds for the cause this weekend. All proceeds from the ‘Rock 4 Renewables’ fundraiser will go to assist Yes 2 Renewables‘ campaign for renewable energy.

The initiative, lead by Leigh Ewbank (former Damn Terran drummer) has already made a mark in the community; challenging anti wind farm campaigners in Canberra – and more recently, helping the Anglesea community fight to close a polluting coal power plant operating just 500 meters from a primary school. For more information on Yes 2 Renewables’ work, head on over here.

Good lineup, great cause. More details at the FB event page.

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