Cut Copy – ‘So Cosmic’ mix (mp3)

Soooo apparently I’m the only one who’s been missing out on this mix that Cut Copy made and released for download. It’s a selection of new songs and old songs that has inspired Cut Copy in making their new yet to be released album. There’s a lot of ’80s dance songs and disco beats, and I’m not that excited hearing the new songs being mixed in and out of the set. Still, looking foward to their album since the first one was such a grower.

www.myspace.com/cutcopy

CHAINGANG – ‘Get Off My Stage’

So if you were wondering after yesterday where the punk went from Pinky Tuscadero, it went straight into CHAINGANG which features feisty vocalist Hayley and Mike from PT. Taking the lead from the darker spectrum of ’70s punk, CHAINGANG straddle the line between indie and punk, much like their contemporaries Die! Die! Die! and Young and Restless, though they do it with a slight touch of morosity; almost Nick Cave in its darkness.

Live, Pinky Tuscadero soared mainly due to the impressive stage presence of Hayley, and I could probably guess CHAINGANG will have the same response as she’s a formidable figure live. Combine that with the rawness and bite of the boys behind her, and heads will roll and faces will melt when this four piece hits the stage for the first time in February.

http://www.myspace.com/chaingangpower

Lions At Your Door – ‘LAYD’ (mp3)

In a split worthy of an At The Drive-In comparison, Sydney’s high energy indie punksters Pinky Tuscadero split in 2006. And just like The Mars Volta and Sparta forming out of the ashes of ATD-I, so did two bands from the demise of Pinky Tuscadero – one of them being Lions At Your Door. The other, CHAINGANG, will be featured tomorrow, so check back yo.

Lions At Your Door feature Dave, Kirsten and Dirk from Pinky Tuscadero playing keys, drums and guitar respectively. Lions At Your Door maintains much of the frenetic dance energy that Pinky Tuscadero had but imbue their music with a stronger sense of rock rather than Pinky’s punk roots. It’s easy to see why Lions have snuck their way into Sydney’s music hearts: infectious, in-your-face and living up to their name – the lions are roaring at your door, are you game enough to let them in?

http://www.myspace.com/lionsatyourdoor

delSanto – ‘The Best Thing’ (mp3)

One more for the black-clad crowd, delSanto are the new incarnate of former Southern Sydney metallers Tripgauge who had a successful run supporting heavy hitters like Cog, Sunk Loto, Switchkicker, Karnivool and Full Scale… not a bad list of names for any band to be sharing the stage with.

But the boys have laid off the blugeonding Sevendust-esque riffs and given way to more melody with this first offering from delSanto, a demo version of their tune ‘The Best Thing’, mixing Butterfly Effect style riffs and anthemic choruses with Matt Bellamy-like vocals. Expect to see them supporting some of the big names in the alternative crowd very soon if they keep up this kind of quality.

But first, you can catch them at their debut show at Caringbah Bizzos in Sydney this Friday January 19.

http://www.myspace.com/delsantoband

Purpose (featuring Okwerdz) – ‘Turn It Up’

Purpose, to crib Mr G’s catchphrase, is a triple threat: an accomplished battle emcee who can write as well as he freestyles, plus produce his own tracks.

‘Turn it up’ (featuring the usually lacklustre US rapper Okwerdz in a surprisingly entertaining turn) is straight fire. The track itself sounds like vintage Just Blaze, and the hook! An 18 yo from Radelaide has no right to declare “Real Hip-Hop’s dead, and it aint never coming back!”, yet somehow I’m entirely convinced. If only he’d stop saying ‘fagget’ so much in his battle-raps, I’d happily proclaim him the most promising all-rounder of Oz Hip-Hop.

http://www.myspace.com/purposeafm

In a song that sounds like Fugazi covering Autechre, Sydney’s [insert gushing superlatives here] Pivot (in dual Pike Bros mode) demonstrate why they’ve become one of Sydney’s must-see bands.

Performing at the amazing new venue Oxford Art Factory, ‘Didn’t I Furious’ offers a glimpse into the band’s forthcoming album, the release date of which – though unannounced – is not soon enough for this self-confessed fanboy.

http://www.myspace.com/pivotpivot

… good, because I never liked you either Rogue Traders. Bernard Zuel from the Sydney Morning Herald wrote one of the best reviews of 2007 when he labelled Rogue Traders Australia’s worst band during his tirade on their woeful Better In The Dark album.

Both this song and the clip, which seems to be blatantly ripped off from Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ video, are vomit-inducing. Natalie Bassingthwaite doesn’t even show her legs enough in this filmclip for it to be mildly palpable.

http://www.roguetraders.com.au
http://www.myspace.com/roguetraders