1974: The “Arecibo Message” was a transmission to all living beings, shot across the galaxy. It was a message welcoming all to Earth.
Continue reading Forever the Optimist – “ARECIBO” (Debut Album Preview)
Tag Archives: album
Tjintu Desert Band herald in the new sound from the Central Desert
“For our community of around 200 people there is one general store, one school, no mobile phone range and little access to the internet. But Ikuntji [aka Haasts Bluff, NT] is much more than the town itself – it’s the rocky hills, the red earth, the country of our Dreaming, our grandfathers’ country.” Tjintu Desert Band.
Upon listening to the debut album by Tjintu Desert Band [pronounced Jin-Too] it is evident these five young Aboriginal men from the remote Central Australian NT towns of Ikuntji and Kintore have a connection to their land, its spirits and a transcendent magic that captures the atmosphere and sound of the desert.
Continue reading Tjintu Desert Band herald in the new sound from the Central Desert
Coldplay announce their sixth album “Ghost Stories”
On Monday 19 May 2014, Coldplay will release their sixth album, Ghost Stories, via Parlophone Records.
Ghost Stories can be pre-ordered now from iTunes worldwide. Fans who pre-order Ghost Stories will receive an instant download of the first single from the album, Magic. The single can also be streamed here.
Continue reading Coldplay announce their sixth album “Ghost Stories”
Thursday – ‘No Devolución’ – Album Review
By Helen Brown
  – No Devolucion – Thursday |
Nowadays, the word ‘genre’ can be the kiss of death for a band. Unless they do something phenomenal and memorable with their music, they run the risk of falling into a certain category and being lost among the throngs of other musicians doing the exact same thing. Case in point: Thursday’s sixth release, No Devolucion. This New Jersey-based outfit have created an album loaded with screamo American rock and impressive lead vocals, projecting a dark and broody atmosphere. Unfortunately, this effort is not ground-breaking and we have heard it all before. Licks of fuzzed-out guitar with sporadic psychedelic notes on No Devolución offer something else to the typical screamo mould, but it is not quite different enough to redeem the album. The tracks are |
primarily average with hardly any substance, in some cases comparable to an emo church choir if such a thing existed.
One example is the track ‘Open Quotes,’ consisting of a mellow introduction with acoustic guitar and soft piano notes. This is but a brief reprieve from the hardcore onslaught of the rest of the song, with strong drumming and an ever-changing tempo that comes to a sudden halt at the end. The track is about someone sorting through their emotions, and trying to survive and find their place in a dark world, once again very similar to what we have all heard before.
Continue reading Thursday – ‘No Devolución’ – Album Review
Status Quo “In The Army Now 2010” [LP Review]
Review: Natalie Salvo
Status Quo are a group of Englishmen known for their brand of boogie rock and have gotten a lot of mileage over the years from power chords and the furious sounds of fighting. Now it seems the band are giving a little something back by releasing a charity single titled “In The Army Now”. This release serves as part teaser to their forthcoming studio album, “Quid Pro Quo” and support for the British Armed Forces with profits from its sale going to the British Forces Foundation and Help For Heroes charities.
The Quo covered this track back in 1986 and scored a hit on the UK singles chart.
The 2010 version sees the lyrics get a revamp (to be more pro-army) plus an update to the music. But rest assured, there are still power chords aplenty and a chorus of angry young men (as the band are assisted by The Corps of Army Music). But strangely there are also hints of the atmospheric and in particular (and I kid you not) Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight”.
This mini-LP comes with the two 2010 versions of the title track including full length and radio edits. There are also two studio rarities “I Ain’t Wasting My Time” and “One By One” and five live Quo numbers taken from shows performed in England in 2008 and 2009. These include their classics “Caroline,” “Whatever You Want” and “Down Down”. There are also videos for the title song and “Beginning Of The End”.
Quo fans won’t be disappointed with this collection of music as it showcases more of their boogie rock with big beefy guitar riffs that hint at AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, but all while having an added rock and roll bent – almost like what would happen if Little Richard did his musical thing but replaced his piano with an arsenal of guitars. With the speed of a freight train, energy of a battalion and the heavy firepower of modern artillery, Status Quo prove they’ve still got the chops to go into battle and take a stand for what they believe in. Basically it’s three power chords and the rock uncouth.
Title: In The Army Now 2010
Artist: Status Quo
– Status Quo
Review by: Natalie Salvo
Related:
More article by Natalie Salvo:
* Smoke on the Water – The Metropolis Sessions [CD/DVD Review]
* Cloud Control, Seekae and Deep Sea Arcade @ The Metro, Sydney 15 October 2010 – Live Review & Photos
* Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele – EP Review
* The Magic Numbers “The Runaway” – [Album Review]
* The Drums “The Drums” – [EP Review]
* All articles by Natalie Salvo…
Related:
Status Quo: Just Doin' it Live – 40 Years of Quo Buy It Now! |
40 Years of Quo Classics filmed Live at Birmingham NEC, England, May 21st 2006.Album DetailsRelease Date: 2007-01-12Genre: MusicRating: MAudio: Dolby Digital 2.0 StereoContents: 1 disc |
Myles Mayo – Myles Mayo [Album Review]
Review by: Ben Connolly
 Buy the CD here |
First albums can be tricky beasts to get right. For some they’re cringe-worthy telegraphs of earnest naivety best left uncovered, for others they signpost a highpoint never again attained. For most, however, they are a hotch-potch of eagerness and ideas, often with so much crammed into short hard-won studio time or crazy experiments trying to find their way around a myriad of home recording equipment.
Myles Mayo’s self-titled debut release falls into the latter “trying to cram everything in” category which, while certainly interesting and intriguing, often comes across as a curious iPod playlist at times, rather than a cohesive narrative. |
Mayo is the front-man of Adelaide pop-rock band Special Patrol who’s found just enough internal artistic drive to branch out on his own.
Continue reading Myles Mayo – Myles Mayo [Album Review]
Femi Kuti – Africa For Africa [LP Review]
Review by: Ben Connolly
 Buy the CD here |
I’ve always been fascinated by the anthropology of musical styles – the evolution of a distinctive style and sound based on many factors, but often described easiest by geographic boundaries. Take, for example, Memphis blues with its jug-band country feel, as opposed to the Detroit blues and it’s altogether grubby and gritty undertones. While both evolved from the same musical stirrings (and both served as underpinning styles of modern blues and rock n roll), their sounds are geographically distinct and unmistakable. You can hear the swamps and sandflies in Memphis blues, and you can almost sense the grease under the fingernails plucking the Detroit blues guitars. |
Heck, there’s no musical style so underpinned by geography than slow, languid, feisty and hot reggae which, no matter where it’s played, evokes the Jamaican countryside to a tee.
Continue reading Femi Kuti – Africa For Africa [LP Review]
Album Review | Ben Ottewell – Shapes and Shadows
Review by Bianca Martin
It has apparently been five years in the making, but Gomez frontman Ben Ottewell has finally released his debut solo album Shapes and Shadows. Gomez fans need not worry though, this release shouldn’t be seen as a departure from Ottewell’s main project but instead as an expansion on it. Easily the most recognizable vocalist from the English indie rockers, his unique voice remains the focus here. Ottewell’s vocals are perfect for this classic acoustic soft rock, bordering on folk at times, style. Distinctive and naturally emotional, his voice is a little gritty and rough around the edges but mournful and somber at just the right moments.
Continue reading Album Review | Ben Ottewell – Shapes and Shadows
Buddy Miller- Majestic Silver Strings [Album Review]
Review: Victoria Nugent
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American country singer Buddy Miller’s latest offering Majestic Silver String feels like less of an album than a country music compilation with an extensive roster of guest vocalists filling out the tracks.
There’s a bit of a throwback to 70s style country, with the whole album coming across as mellow and somewhat prairie sounding in places. This is country music that is undeniably American, with strains of bluegrass and yodelling permeating the album. |
Buddy Miller has teamed up with other country guitarists Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot and Greg Leisz to create the solid, if occasionally tired instrumentals that form the backbone of most of the tracks.
“Cattle Call” starts off with an extended instrumental that is pure bluegrass, lonesome and twangy, with the eventual addition of Miller’s mellifluous vocals and a tinge of yodelling.
In “No Good Lover”, Miller teams up with Ann McCrary for a duet with bite, focusing on the demise of a relationship, with McCrary’s bold vocals the true focal point for the song.
“Meds” is a melancholy lament founded on sweet but slightly bland vocals from Lee Ann Womack. Chocolate Genius’ cover of “Dang Me” has a distinctly soul edge which seems slightly incongruous.
“Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie” with deep vocals from Marc Ribot is dark, edgy and a little on the raw side. “That’s The Way Love Goes” is sweet and tender with finely honed vocals from Shawn Colvin.The instrumental version of “Freight Train” comes across as light and charming, yet thoroughly accomplished.
Ultimately, this is a very mild album, and I couldn’t help but wish that things would spice up occasionally. All the same, the tracks are fairly easy to listen, with nothing too unpleasant in the way of instrumentals or vocals, apart from a slight want of pizzazz.
Album Track List:
1. Cattle Call (Buddy Miller sings)
2. No Good Lover (Buddy Miller & Ann McCrary sing)
3. I Want To Be With You Always (Buddy Miller & Patty Griffin sing)
4. Barres De La Prison (Marc Ribot sings)
5. Meds (Lee Ann Womack sings)
6. Dang Me (Chocolate Genius sings)
7. Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie (Marc Ribot sings)
8. That’s The Way Love Goes (Shawn Colvin sings)
9. Freight Train (Instrumental)
10. Why I’m Walkin’ (Emmylou Harris sings)
11. Why Baby Why (Buddy Miller & Marc Ribot sing)
12. Return To Me (Lee Ann Womack sings)
13. God’s Wing’ed Horse (Buddy & Julie Miller sing)
Review: Victoria Nugent
More articles by Victoria Nugent:
* Rocketsmiths “The Bones” – Album Review
* Angus and Julia Stone @ The Tivoli, Brisbane – 25 September 2010 with Luluc – Live Review
* Bonfire Nights “Bonfire Nights” EP Review
* Bec Plath “At The End of the Night” – Single Review
* More article by Victoria Nugent
Tin Can Radio – 20 Date National Tour [Tour News]
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Dynamic Brisbane indie-dance/art-rock five-piece, Tin Can Radio, are celebrating the release of their debut Long-Player Chase the Sun, Hold the Night with a massive 20 date tour around metropolitan and regional Australia. The tour begins its west-cost leg on March 15, and spans over April and May of 2011. The album will be available for purchase in limited release during the tour, and in stores and on iTunes on APRIL 15. |
The debut album, Chase the Sun, Hold the Night, is the accumulation of two acclaimed single-releases and many hard months in the studio. The 11 track LP runs a knife edge between accessible and fun, and ambitious and sonically challenging; journeying through dreamy landscapes, sing-along hooks, punchy guitar driven riffs and grinding dubstep breakdowns. It features remastered and retouched versions of the first singles Hot Trash and Days to Dust, which were both featured and played in 2010 on Triple J radio, as well as standout live favourite and latest single, “Skeletons”.
Skeletons by Tin Can Radio
Continue reading Tin Can Radio – 20 Date National Tour [Tour News]
The Little Stevies “Attention Shoppers” Tour – April/May 2011 [Tour News]
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Attention Shoppers was released on March 4th and The Little Stevies will be touring Australia in support, being joined by some very special guests along the way including Gossling, Georgia Fields, Adam Cousins, and New Zealands mutli-platinum selling star Anika Moa. These shows are not to be missed. |
ATTENTION SHOPPERS album launch tour Having charmed the world with their enchanting 2009 debut Love Your Band The Little Stevies have upped the ante – and the volume – with their newest offering, Attention Shoppers. Recorded in the USA with LA-based producer Ethan Allan (Tim Finn, Kristin Hersh, Luscious Jackson), the new album is a break away for the more laid-back, folk-influenced style of their first, and takes the band’s sound into a poppier, slicker and harder-edged territory.
The Little Stevies tour:
Saturday 2nd April – The Toff In Town, Melbourne – BUY TICKETS HERE
Sunday 3rd April – The Toff In Town, Melbourne – BUY TICKETS HERE
Wednesday 7th April – The Loft, Chevron Island, Gold Coast – BUY TICKETS HERE
Thursday 8th April – The Globe, Brisbane
Friday 9th April – Mullum Civic Hall, Mullumbimby – BUY TICKETS HERE
Wednesday 14th April – Ararat Live, Ararat
Thursday 15th April – Wheatsheaf, Adelaide – BUY TICKETS HERE
Friday 16th April – Karova Lounge, Ballarat – BUY TICKETS HERE
Saturday 17th April – The Loft, Warrnambool – BUY TICKETS HERE
Wednesday 28th April – The Royal Oak, Launceston
Friday 30th April – Republic Bar, Hobart – BUY TICKETS HERE
Thursday 5th May – ANU Bar, Canberra
Friday 6th May – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
Saturday 7th May – Vanguard, Sydney
Sunday 8th May – Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Thursday 12th May – Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River
Saturday 14th May – Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle
Related:
Who What Where with : The Little Stevies [Interview]
The Little Stevies – ‘Feel It’ [Video Clip]
The Little Stevies ‘Love Your Band’ – [CD Review]
SEEKAE +Dome Album launch – April 2011 [Album and Tour News]
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Electronic trio Seekae deliver + Dome, the band’s second offering. Based in Sydney, Australia, Seekae are made up of members George Nicholas, John Hassell and Alex Cameron. The trio formed in 2006 after a chance meeting and gained original notoriety on Sydney’s live circuit for their own brand of 8 bit electronica. 2008 saw the release of debut album The Sound of Trees Falling on People to critical acclaim. Rolling Stone described the record as “an album that’s as ambient and mesmerizing as an iced-over forest,” along with 5 star reviews, FBI radio crowned the record ‘one of Australian top ten albums of the decade’ and listeners also recognized the band at Sydney’s Music Arts and Culture Awards as Best Live Act. |
The album was a move away from their inceptive sound towards what has been described as skirt lifting, ball crushing Ghetto Ambience.
After an incredibly busy few years supporting the praised release, Seekae toured heavily, with the likes of PVT, Broadcast, Cloud Control, Decoder Ring, and Midnight Juggernauts including selling out their own headline nights.
The songwriting speaks for itself, but it is their attention to detail that makes Seekae such a unique and exciting live act to behold, once being described as ‘ an ambient feast of sonic wizardry’ (LIFE MUSIC MEDIA).
2011 holds something new for Seekae. George, John and Alex take +Dome to the stage with impressive live show that boasts live drums, guitars , samplers and synthesizers. They are back to break more ground.
Fusing the 808 and bass heavy club sounds of the new decade and their own familiar brand of electronica, the Sydney three-piece return with their Sophomore release +Dome.
Paying homage to the sound and textures of Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago and London, +Dome blends live instrumentation with electronics and samples collected over two years of performing, touring and writing.
Composing every sound and song with meticulous detail, from sub bass heavy rollers to intricate guitar riddled interludes, Seekae transmit their developed pallet through a long player that is both rhythm orientated and at the same time self reflecting.
It’s percussive, loud and exciting at times – reserved and laid back at others, but every track oozes a warm feeling that could only be described as Seekae.
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The Sound Of Trees Falling On People, first introduced Seekae’s mastery for creating intricate, beat-driven tunes. +Dome is more than just a follow up, it’s a new beginning.
ALBUM LAUNCH SHOWS
Friday 15 April Woodland Brisbane
Saturday 16 April Manning Bar Sydney
Monday 25 April The Toff Melbourne (Anzac Day public holiday eve)
Gnor by Seekae
OWLS OF THE SWAMP new single ‘SO FAR AWAY’
So Far Away (single edit) by Owls of the Swamp
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Following his fifth European tour, Melbourne-based international dream-folk troubadour Pete Uhlenbruch (aka Owls of the Swamp) is set to release his second full-length album, Go with River in mid 2011. The songs were recorded during a five-week solitary stint in a beach shack in Inverloch, Victoria, infusing the album with a captivating, spellbinding pace. |
Fleshing out his reflections on solitude and nature, Uhlenbruch evoked guest performances from a worldwide cast of musicians before enlisting the masterful ears of J. Walker (from Machine Translations) and Andy Stewart who mixed the album in Gippsland., and Adam Dempsey who mastered the album in Melbourne.
Continue reading OWLS OF THE SWAMP new single ‘SO FAR AWAY’
Veteran Hard Rockers KING KOBRA Announce New Album
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Veteran Hard Rockers King Kobra are back with a venomous new album
Frontiers Records has announced the release of the Self-Titled come back album from KING KOBRA on April 15th in Europe and May 5th in North America. Formed in 1984 by legendary drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne), Los Angeles heavy metal outfit King Kobra recorded two critically acclaimed albums for Capitol Records – the 1985 release ‘Ready to Strike’ and 1986’s ‘Thrill of a Lifetime‘. |
Along with Carmine, the band featured four relatively unknown musicians at the time – David Michael-Philips and Mick Sweda on guitar, Johnny Rod on bass and Mark Free on lead vocals. King Kobra toured the U.S., Canada, Europe and Mexico playing shows with Kiss, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Ted Nugent, Queensryche and Autograph.
Continue reading Veteran Hard Rockers KING KOBRA Announce New Album
Cold War Kids “Mine Is Yours” – Album Review
Review: Ben Connolly
 Buy Album @ iTunes |
The Kings of Leon really do have a lot to answer for, don’t they? There’s the re-introduction of initially swampy Dixie-styled rock, and the tight jeans, the lank hair and the homely Southern drawl, to name just a few. Perhaps more worryingly was the eagerness with which they helped to re-introduce some seriously lol-worthy Spinal Tap moments back into the world of rawk (just follow one of the brothers Followill’s twitter-feed to get an idea on how little grasp they have on reality), and by how much their adoring young fan-base seemed to lap it up. There was also the the warp-speed with which they jumped from being a curious, intriguing pseudo-experimental rock band into a firmly entrenched MOR behemoth of blandness and pyrotechnics. |
The result of this, and the greatest crime of all it must be seen, must be the fact they’ve shown this warp-speed blandification as a legitimate career-path with similar like-minded wanna-be acts.
The latest of these is California’s Cold War Kids, whose third album Mine Is Yours has just landed and has signalled quite clearly that the quartet has its eyes firmly on being the next revelation of arena-style rock. From start to finish the album is big and boxy and packs a serious bottom-end punch, which highlights a clear delineation between it and its predecessors (2006’s debut Robbers & Cowards and 2008 follow up Loyalty to Loyalty). It’s no suprise that KoL’s knob twirler Jacquire King had a big hand in this production. For all the bombast and pomp, however, there’s something not quite fitting in the equation and by album’s end, it’s all a little limp and contrived.
Continue reading Cold War Kids “Mine Is Yours” – Album Review