Category Archives: Review

CD Review: John Butler Trio – April Uprising

Review: Lana Harris

John Butler Trio - photo credit Polly Armstrong
John Butler Trio – Click here for John Butler Trio at iTunes		   John Butler and his newly revised trio (bringing Nicky Bomba to drums/ percussion and Byron Luiters to bass) have made every effort to make April Uprising an accessible folk rock record. Single ‘One Way Road’ was available for free download from several media outlets last year, on top of being the summer promo track on a certain digital sports channel, which guaranteed the single reached new ears. The Trio have also value added the LP by including a poster, environmentally friendly sized lyrics booklet and free trucker’s hat to those who buy the physical CD rather than download.

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CD Review: Carry Nation – Like a River Does

Review: Victoria Nugent

Carry Nation   Brisbane solo artist Carry Nation’s debut album Like A River Does is the perfect soundtrack for lazy summer days spent in contemplation, with its rich, full sound and intimate lyrics. Built around the foundation of the voice and guitar of Brisbane songwriter Jessie Warren, the recording sees her joined by bass, string and percussion players, with their music making the ideal accompaniment for Warren’s strong and honest vocals.

Warren began playing guitar at sixteen, writing her first song at seventeen, and playing her first show at the Verve Cafe at eighteen.

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Live Review: The Dead Weather @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 23 March 2010

Review: Duncan McKimm

The Dead Weather - Photo by Nic Adler
[Photo: Nic Adler]		   The seemingly subdued nature of the crowd at the Tivoli was jarring upon entry – but after five or ten minutes I realised I had misdiagnosed. It was like a room full of ex-boyfriends and girlfriends trying to act cool and disinterested in front of the other – but the butterflies were everywhere. As the roadie tuned guitars and tested keyboards, the hum of the audience chatter bounced to ever more excited levels. Supergroups hold so much of the unknown in them, but at the same time so much familiarity.

While no one was expecting a dud show (unless Jack White had broken all four limbs he’d still be worth watching), it felt impossible to set a level of expectation on the impending set. The only thing that could be assured is that with the combination of talent on stage, it would at least be memorable.
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Live Review and Photos: Angus & Julia Stone, Boy & Bear, Lavelle Collins @ The Palace, Melbourne 25 March 2010

By Luke Sutton
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Angus & Julia Stone
[Photos: Anna Kanci] 		  Brother and sister duo Angus & Julia Stone are making their mark on 2010. With a new album, Down The Way having just been released, the Stone siblings embarked on an Australian tour to promote this wonderful new release for a wide circle of fans. The stage had been decorated into a furnished room, which lamps, old cameras, and a backdrop made of wallpaper decor’ and old photo frames. The term ‘Intimate gig’ could not have been truer, despite being played at the Palace.

Opening up the night in Melbourne was local singer songwriter Lavelle Collins. Playing solo with only his guitar in hand, Collins played a somewhat generic folk set.

Playing an acoustic set due to two of Boy & Bear’s band member’s being on tour with Laura Marling, Boy & Bear was comprised of a trio tonight. Reminiscent of the UK’s Mumford & Sons, Boy & Bear are such a wonderful band to watch perform. Such being, it was incredibly disappointing to see the three remaining members having to compete with the chatter of a crowd who really did not care. Many moments of perfect harmonies were blown away by the chatter of some stoned/drunk girls in the front of the floor area. Regardless of this, paying attention to the band, we were treated to a strong, honest and wonderful set which was closed with the excellent Mexican Mavis. Boy & Bear have an EP released in stores and online soon.
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Live Review: Massive Attack @ River Stage, Brisbane 23 March 2010

By Denis Semchenko

The River Stage is still somewhat quiet by the time I cross the Goodwill Bridge and walk up the familiar hill, most of the crowd seated on the grass and listening to Martina Topley-Bird’s unassuming, often lovely songs. Previously known as the co-vocalist on Tricky’s lauded ‘90s records such as Maxinquaye and Pre-Millenium Tension, the diminutive songbird is in a relaxed mood, engaging in humorous banter between songs.

Sparsely arranged – a keyboard, an electronic marimba and a beatbox – and led by that unmistakable, slightly breathy voice, the numbers from 2003’s acclaimed Quixotic, 2008’s The Blue God and the forthcoming third album provide a suitable start to the evening. Poison is gently seductive, the Loop Station-assisted newie is undeniably catchy and the set closer Too Tough To Die has Martina rock out on a quirky-looking electric guitar. A total, albeit brief, pleasure.
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CD Review: Rotting Christ – ‘AEALO’

Review: Ben Hosking

Rotting CHRIST AEALO
Rotting Christ – Buy: Rotting Christ at iTunes		   Rotting Christ is, for the uninitiated, a very strange beast upon first listen. Credited as being one of the progenitors of the second wave of Black Metal (BM) at the dawn of the 1990s, the band has amassed a sizeable and remarkable body of work spanning some 11 releases.

What sets Rotting Christ apart from their contemporaries is their ability to seamlessly inject their Greek heritage into the music. This is done largely within the accepted construct of the BM rule book and without a hint of cliché or pastiche.

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CD Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan – ‘Option Paralysis’

Review: Ben Hosking
Dillinger
The last few years have been pretty turbulent for The Dillinger Escape Plan. While their records and their live performances have always been violent musical explosions of fury, the latter usually quite unpredictable in nature, it did seem at one point that the band ran the risk of becoming victims of their own chaos. As front man Greg Puciato recently put it, the band was engulfed in “a vicious tornado of animosity” that led to the departure of drummer and co-founder Chris Pennie.

As history sits, their last album Ire Works was completed and toured with the help of Gil Sharone of avant garde group Stolen Babies. However, this proved only a temporary solution, with Sharone leaving the group at the end of 2008.

Certainly, Dillinger is not a band known for their stable line-up, with guitarist Ben Weinman the lone original member. Regardless, the group searched for permanent replacement through 2009 – no easy task considering the relentlessly brutal barrage of erratic blast beats that permeate most of their music. What they found was 25-year-old Billy Rymer.
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Live Review: Devin Townsend @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 12 March 2010

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Review by: Hannah Collins
Devin TownsendWhat do you say about a person that seemingly has everything, can do anything, and pleases mostly everyone with his never-ending display of musical prowess? >Devin Townsend is such a man. At almost 40 years of age, his list of achievements both in and outside of the music industry, have never ceased to amaze us. His list of albums and sprouting projects is as long and lustrous as his hair once was, with their both differentiating and intriguing sounds as diverse as Devin’s facial expressions. He was once dubbed the “boy genius” by Steve Vai at only 19 years of age and 20 odd years later, he’s definitely lived up to the hype that precedes him.

In his early days, Devin debuted his original works as the founder, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist for hard hitting, extreme metal act “Strapping young lad” (whose debut album “City” was declared to be; “possibly one of the best metal albums of all time”).
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Live Review: Emilie Autumn @ The Metro, Sydney – 18 March 2010

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By: Bek Grealy
Emilie Autumn

Last night, we encountered Emilie Autumn and her Bloody Crumpets at The Metro theatre, Sydney.

Emilie Autumn’s performance was a two-hour theatrical extravaganza, a conceptual wing-ding that has only a tangential relationship to the normal procedures of rock ‘n’ roll. I recall Emilie’s My Space page a couple of years ago, which included portions of a predictable rock line of attack, and depicting evidence of this in the future events, with the maintenance of two support bands. It was, basically dubbed, a gig.

But now, it’s a show, and the difference is distinct. Emilie Autumn has taken a decisive step towards theatre. No support bands tonight – just an elaborately dressed stage, some equally elaborately dressed Bloody Crumpets, and Emilie Autumn the queen of the performance.
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CD Review: Bec Plath “Unrequited”

Review by: Lauren Sherritt
Bec PlathBec Plath’s debut solo EP Unrequited is the kind that sells live gig tickets. To put it plainly, this young woman has guts, a trait she showcases most beautifully on the record. With an honesty so often lacking in modern day song writing, Plath bravely explores to a remarkable extent the story of her life and herself throughout Unrequited, and compels the listener to come along for the journey.
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CD Review: The Kill Devil Hills – ‘Man, You Should Explode’ LP

Review: Lana Harris

The Kill Devil Hills   When writing about The Kill Devil Hills, it’s pretty much de rigueur to use a variety of swampy, country folk and blues inspired words. Press releases and journalists alike reference cowboys, hard drinking, and the southern USA when writing about this West Australian band. So it’s not enough for me to say that Man, You Should Explode (their 3rd full length release) is a mature recording.

To maintain the desert inspired linguistic sentiments …The Kill Devil Hills have ripened into the sun wizened, rifle cradling old man on the front porch, dispensing wisdom as freely as he spews forth obscenities to those who dare trespass on his land…

The album opens with two sing along tracks, ‘It’s Easy When You Don’t Know How’ and ‘Cockfighter’ which, with it’s one word chorus and short punkish riffs, was a favourite at their recent Brisbane show. These two tracks are fun and tight, ballsy, and set up an expectation of more of the same for the rest of the album. But with track 3, ‘I Don’t Think This Shit Can Last Much Longer’, the Kill Devil Hills turn inward. This is a gentle, emotive and introspective track. ‘Rosalie’ is similarly paced – moving, dark and beautiful, reminiscent of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ ballads. ‘The White Lady’ continues along the same tracks, drawing on the minor scales and bringing melancholic aspects.
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CD Review: Buick Six – Common Arms EP

buick six   Review: Lana Harris

Despite the never-ending death and birth cycle of live venues, amid licensing restrictions and noise curfews, bedrooms and garages on both sides of the Brisbane river continue to deliver quality acts to the Australian music scene. Buick Six owe their beginnings to the soggy grounds of 2007’s Splendour in the Grass festival. By 2008, a debut EP had appeared which captured the force of Buick Six’s Brisbane based gigging through live recording.

Their new EP, Common Arms, is garage rock at its dirty, window shaking best. It is only their second release, but the songs on the record sound like the outpourings of a band well used to working and recording together. Guitar work throughout is excellent. The overall feel of the record is urgent, potent, bursting – an achievement to capture on a recording, and suggesting that when viewed live, Buick Six would be a sonic explosion of grinding, grungy rock. The simple bass-guitar-drums line up works in their favour, a pure outlet for their untamed energy left uncomplicated by extra musicians or fussy elements.
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Festival Review: Playground Weekender 2010

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Review: Brahbrah Oscar

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Playground Weekender
[Photo: Arfy Papadam]		   Within only a matter of moments after disembarking the ferry, it becomes immediately apparent why Playground Weekender (PW) has been the recipient of the “Best Crowd & Atmosphere” award for the last two years running.

PW organisers pride themselves on compiling a line-up that will attract a friendly and laid back crowd, and they know their craft well. The result is, quite bluntly and refreshingly, a music festival without all the jerks.

Over the four long and hot days festival goers remained pumped, happy and, as far as intoxicated crowds go, fairly mature. Even during the headliners when the main stage crowd was in full force, there was little pushing and shoving, people seemed pretty considerate of each other.

With little requirement for much control, the friendly crowd seemed slightly at odds with the size of the police force throughout the weekend. Officers walking sniffer dogs through festival grounds among the punters simply enjoying their lunch was an unusual sight. Though despite their numbers and high visibility, police were friendly and relaxed. Security were equally laid back in general.
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Live Review: Orbital @ Family, Brisbane, 24 February 2010

By Denis Semchenko

Family can be a strange place. Despite this being a school night, a somewhat uneasy and restless vibe is easily palpable as dilated-pupil clientele wander about, while one clearly “under the influence” punter tries to strike up a conversation with me about how it’s going to be “a good night” and later passes by and wonders whether I’m “trying to be cool” as I check my phone for messages. Peaking too early is never fun, dude.
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CD Review: The Break – ‘Cylinders’ Single

Review: Lana Harris
The Break was formed from three of the previously in-your-face-political pub rockers Midnight Oil (Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey) plus the bassist (Brian Ritchie) from the grungy, always a bit teen-angst Violent Femmes. The love child spawned is nothing like its parents. Instead, it is a fun loving, apolitical coast dweller called The Break.

‘Cylinders’ is the pre release, first impression of the new creation. What is presented is a three and a half minute instrumental surf rock track. Surf rock? If you have ever seen a movie with teens at a beach shack party, circa 1960’s, you’ve heard surf rock. Remember ‘Wwwwwwwwipeout!’ Surf rock. It was repopularised for a while in the 1990’s – the opening credits to Pulp Fiction are overlaid with a revamped version of surf rock in the form of song ‘Misirlou’ and put the genre back into the population’s consciousness.

The Break’s postmillennial take on the genre has a heavier, deeper feel. Darkness washes across the laid back and loose vibes from the sixties, as though a man with sinister intentions is hiding amongst the palms that surround the beach shack party. There is a strong energy to the track, which explodes in your face like salt spray from a crashing wave. The Break thump straight into up-tempo, driving, full band participating music that ebbs and swells as the song progresses. The beach theme and vibes will continue with debut album Church of the Open Sky (released by Bombora Records) promising to be a mostly instrumental surf rock record with tracks named after famous surf breaks.

The Break – The Break available at iTunes

Midnight Oil – Midnight Oil available at iTunes
Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes available at iTunes

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