Dead Letter Chorus – ‘Yellow House’

It’s winter and it’s bloody cold, a bastard with a biting chill thats left me and everyone I know curled up inside, fighting off the cold. Dead Letter Chorus are back with Yellow House, bringing warmth and youthful romanticism back to this bitter winter.

The video is super honest in it’s delivery – singers Gabby Huber and Cameron Potts are almost painfully cute as they ride across pastel golden fields with the sun on their backs. This is a song of sweet love & warm living rooms, and a clip to match.

It says good things of their new album, Yearlings, due out mid June.

Video after the break.

… Continue Reading

Charlie Mayfair – ‘Tell Her’

Tell Her by Charlie Mayfair

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Queensland seems to be suffering from a relentless flood of fantastic music. Riding high on the wave are Charlie Mayfair, a folk-rock six piece based in Brisbane. They’re notorious for incredible live shows, filled with rolling drums, soaring multi-part harmonies and undeniable indie charm.

I heard Tell Her for the first time in a dingy alley in Brisbane after a gig. Someone threw me a rough mix and I’ve had it on loop ever since. It’s a track for dark days and harsh nights, filled with those pounding drums and heart breaking vocals. It’s a drug you can’t deny, filled with raw emotion and soul. It’s currently unreleased, but you’ll be able to get it right here in about a fortnight – and it’s so very worth the wait.

Charlie Mayfair are hopping around the country over the next few months, supporting Skipping Girl Vinegar & Emma Louise. They’re also joining Tin Sparrow for their EP launch tour – and all of that in the next month. Make the time to catch them live.

Charlie Mayfair on FB

Tiger Choir – ‘Unicycles’

Layering lazily half yelled group vocals above rolling, satisfyingly punchy live drums and surrounding the lot with loose guitars and electronics, Tiger Choir’s Unicycles is another consistently solid step into dreamy, cotton wool pop.

Backing up last years’ debut EP, the Hobart trio’s first full length is a larger, fleshed out realisation of their summery (actually, more Autumn-y) carefree tunes.

Often spearing off on unhinged experimental electronic tangents, a quirky drumstick lead in the literally titled Wordless or unhinged watery guitars, giving the organised noise, well, a little bit of swagger.

More so, the warm tones and experimental tangents streaming out of the thick, healthy beats are varied enough to allow each track something fresh, yet remain consistent across each of the 10 tracks.

In other words the package on a whole feels like an album, not just a collection of varied indulgences.

They’re currently filling the national support slot for The Drums, touring now.

Check it here http://whothehell.net/sKVG

Adrian Whitehead

Adrian Whitehead -’ Caitlin’s 60s Pop Song’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Melbourne’s Adrian Whitehead has a voice and song-writing ability reminiscent of Elliott Smith circa XO.

His debut album, One Small Stepping Man, shows off a pop sensibility that makes a vintage sunshine aesthetic sound fresh and exciting. Fittingly, the opening track is called ‘Caitlin’s 60’s Pop Song’ – both an apt name and a solid example of Whitehead’s sound and ability.

The right stuff to get you in the mood for Summer.

www.myspace.com/adrianwhitehead

Andy Bull – Small Town Girl (Laptop Version)

The talented Andy Bull has recorded a very special laptop version of his pop gem Small Town Girl especially for whothehell.net! This is the first post of many Laptop Version series coming in the near future. For now enjoy this awesome song and catch Andy on tour this month.

www.myspace.com/andybull

Empire Of The Sun – ‘We are the people’

Empire Of The Sun – ‘We are the people’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

A ‘teaser’ single released on iTunes recently ahead of the October 4th album release, just over a week away. I have high expectations from this album and I know a lot of people do. This song starts off slow but the chorus triumphs thanks to Luke Steele’s unique voice and gift of melody. Have to say that I wasn’t expecting a sci fi themed artwork when I first heard of this project, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.

www.myspace.com/empireofthesunsound

The Hungry Kids of Hungary

The Hungry Kids of Hungary – ‘Set It Right’ (mp3)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Little more than a year old, Brisbane’s Hungry Kids of Hungary are winning hearts with their unique blend of soul, blues and sweet vocal harmony.

If The Shins had formed in London circa 1968, this is what they would have sounded like.

The Kids’ self-titled debut EP bounces from the sparkling pop of ‘Arrest This Heart’ to the loping swagger of ‘One By One’.  The highlight though is ‘Set It Right’ which leaps from from its bed of handclaps and electric strums transforming into a foot-stomping sing-a-long replete with falsetto chorus and shimmering keys.

www.myspace.com/hungrykidsofhungary

Andy Bull

Andy Bull – ‘Small Town Girl’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I’m glad that Andy Bull have finally got a good single out on a label big enough to push his music out to the mainstream market. I first learnt about Andy through his manager the lovely Julia Kosky whom I met in an industry forum. On her recommendation I checked Andy out on a small gig at Sydney’s Ruby Rabbit, not really a venue but a long terrace bar/club style. Andy was behind a set of keys and on the bass was producer Tony Buchen aka Buchman aka one of the Baggsmen. Young Andy Bull had a great voice, a soulful voice for a boy from Sydney whom I thought would be too ‘American’ to work the indie gigging circuit in Australia. That was a few years ago and I thought he has disappeared or given up or moved away but fortunately he has come back with a fantastic pop soul number. Small Town Girl is a classic soundtrack tune; I get flashbacks of the Cameron Crowe movie Almost Famous, the scene when Zooey Deschanel’s character leaves the family home to become an airline stewardes. If that movie wasn’t set in the 70s, this song would be perfect. Actually, it doesn’t matter when it’s set cos this song has an ageless quality.

www.myspace.com/andybull

British India: ‘I Said I’m Sorry’

British India – ‘I Said I’m Sorry’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I’ve never got British India. Are they a hard rock band, or an indie band? Their popularity seems to have exploded, despite the fact they’ve never released anything that’s actually worthy of such grand acclaim. I guess there’s something to say for a catchy chorus. ‘I Said I’m Sorry’ is OK, but there’s nothing all that exciting about this song. Sure, they’re aping the Clash in the chorus, but aside from that the song is just one big plateau.

http://whothehell.net/9g

Gabriella Cilmi: ‘Save The Lies (Good To Me)’ video

http://whothehell.net/Fw