Category Archives: cd

Fresh swell on the horizon set to BREAK!

Related: Our CD Review: The Break – ‘Cylinders’ Single

The_Break - Photo_by_tony_mott   Australia’s most exciting new surf rock outfit THE BREAK are primed to deliver a power packed set when the band perform tracks from their debut album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ live at a venue near you during April and May. Audiences will be treated to a mind blowing experience as classic surf meets spy-fi psychedelia when the three core members of Midnight Oil; drummer Rob Hirst, guitarists Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey, join with bass player Brian Ritchie of Violent Femmes to present a whole new and contemporary approach to the surf music genre.

THE BREAK’S first official tour kicks off on the Easter weekend with festival appearances at Victoria’s hip and happenin’ Boogie Fest and the esteemed Blues Fest in Byron Bay. On Good Friday the band will take their unique surf sounds to The Westernport Hotel on Victoria’s Phillip Island – an area renowned for its pumping surf – which is particularly apt as many of the tracks from the album are named after hot surf breaks.

Following a stupendous introduction to Sydney fans in February, the band will return to The Annandale Hotel on April 11th to officially introduce their new album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ released on April 16th on the independent Bombora label through MGM. On April 20th they’ll turn on the local Newcastle fans with a special show at Lizotte’s at Lambton. From there THE BREAK team up with their mighty mates The Hoodoo Gurus as special guests for select shows on The Gurus ‘Purity Of Essence’ tour. Being old mates expect the unexpected as the two bands hit the road for the first time ever!
Continue reading Fresh swell on the horizon set to BREAK! →

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THE SOLOMONS – Debut EP Release

Melbourne band The Solomons originally formed in late 2007, and have since added Aaron Ronaldson and Leigh Baines to original members Doug Hind and Cass Allan. They spent 2009 supporting the likes of Tim Rogers, British India, Evermore, Oh Mercy, Gun Street Girls, and The Casanovas, as well as completing their debut six song EP.

‘Waiting For Something To Happen’ is the new single taken from the band’s debut EP ‘The Solomons EP’. The EP was recorded at Hothouse Studios with Craig Harnath and Finn Keane (Franz Ferdinand, Jet), and mastered by Tony Mantz at Jack The Bear Deluxe Mastering (Nick Cave, You Am I), ‘The Solomons EP’ showcases the band’s diversity of influence, as well is its distinctive guitar driven melodic sound.

http://www.myspace.com/solomonsband

Waiting For Something To happen  by  showoffservices

Artist, cd, Music

OK GO…amazing new video!!!!


New single ‘This Too Shall Pass’! from the new album “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky” available at OK Go – iTunes

Directed by James Frost, OK Go and Syyn Labs. Produced by Shirley Moyers. The official video for the recorded version of “This Too Shall Pass” off of the album “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky”. The video was filmed in a two story warehouse, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The “machine” was designed and built by the band, along with members of Syyn Labs ( http://syynlabs.com/ ) over the course of several months

Related:
Our interview with: Damian Kulash of OK Go
OK Go website

OK GO
OK Go – OK Go available at iTunes

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‘APRIL UPRISING’ from the JOHN BUTLER TRIO!

John Butler Trio - photo credit Polly Armstrong   The John Butler Trio’s first studio offering in three years, ‘APRIL UPRISING’ (independently released through MGM on March 26th), follows the much acclaimed 3 x platinum ‘Grand National’ album which cemented the band’s global success with sold out tours world wide.

‘APRIL UPRISING’ introduces new trio members Nicky Bomba on drums/percussion and Byron Luiters on bass and combines the personal, the political and the musically memorable with skill and passion.

‘APRIL UPRISING’ was introduced late last year with ‘One Way Road’, the incredibly catchy first single from the album. Taking out the number one spot on the national airplay charts three times this year, ‘One Way Road’ has been the most successful radio single to date for the JBT, the first entry being on the eve of their national sold out tour in January. It was also chosen as the lead track for the summer campaign of Channel 10’s new digital 24 hour sports channel One, and remains on high rotation on the station and it still holds the number one spot on the AIR 100% indie singles chart, which it’s held for 15 weeks now!
Continue reading ‘APRIL UPRISING’ from the JOHN BUTLER TRIO! →

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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.
Continue reading CD Review: The Kill Devil Hills – ‘Man, You Should Explode’ LP →

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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.
Continue reading CD Review: Buick Six – Common Arms EP →

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Tour: Gossling to tour in support of debut EP – ‘If You Can’t Whistle’

To celebrate the success of her debut EP ‘If You Can’t Whistle’, Gossling (aka Helen Croome) will take to the stage with headlining shows in Melbourne, and offering support to The Whitlams and Whitley in Canberra.

Gossling’s debut EP ‘If You Can’t Whistle’ has garnered plenty of attention, with the track “Days Are Over” becoming part of Triple J’s staple play list in recent times, and “He Knows My Love” being used in the Triple J ‘Unearthed’ promos. Gossling’s tracks were discovered by Triple J after she drew attention as an Unearthed artist. Gossling started 2010 supporting Lamb for their side shows during their visit for Peats Ridge Festival.
Continue reading Tour: Gossling to tour in support of debut EP – ‘If You Can’t Whistle’ →

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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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CD Review: Angus and Julia Stone – Down The Way

Review: Elena Gomez
Down The Way, second album from beloved folksy duo Angus & Julia Stone, sees the siblings put on their Producer hats and travel the globe, touring and recording with the likes of Martha Wainwright and Brad Albetta. They’ve sacrificed their memorable melodies and the arc that seemed to form their debut album, A Book Like This. But what they lose in melodious offerings, they make up in having a much more polished sound. Where A Book Like This was a home movie filmed in sepia, filled with character-forming crackles and perfect imperfections, Down The Way has been steered more professionally. Its homey elements are still present but they have been muted.
Angus & Julia Stone – Angus & Julia Stone available at iTunes

The album opens with “Hold On”, in Julia’s fragile voice, and it’s clear from this point that the energy has been amplified, possibly a result of having a three year gap to progress and grow in their sound. There are lulls and swells in Down The Way that make for less passive listening. A little less of ‘round the campfire with last pair of clean undies’ and a bit more of ‘coasty road trip in a car with air-con and an icy-pole’.
Continue reading CD Review: Angus and Julia Stone – Down The Way →

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FAITHLESS ARE BACK

Yes they are – they’re back – not just back after a four year absence but back….to reclaim the dance floor.

It’s funny that after fifteen years of existence (and well over 10 million records sold) Faithless have never been more relevant; think Calvin Harris’ recent number 1 or the countless tracks with a house groove, riff and rapper, Faithless’ signature sound adopted by many, bettered by none. Name checked by everyone from Hadouken to Tinchy, this band is legendary, but they are also on tip-top form: Continue reading FAITHLESS ARE BACK →

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CD Review: The Boat People – Soporific Single

Review: Lana harris

The_Boat_People_Soporific_Single   This second single release from The Boat People is just as surprising as the first single ‘Echo Stick Guitars’ was. ‘Echo Stick Guitars’ showed an electronic, hip-hop side of the Brisbane based quartet. Anticipation and assumptions regarding future singles led to thinking that more of the same would naturally follow. Thwarting expectations, ‘Soporific’ is nothing like its predecessor. ‘Soporific’ is an aptly named track, mellow, laid back indie pop

with words that had me reaching for the dictionary a couple of times. A break from the lyrics, where guitarist Charles Dugan is given the limelight and solos forth, allows his technical capabilities to shine and gives the track a more complex feel.

The single comes with two B-sides, ‘Flower Water’ and ‘Stereo Pair’. ‘Flower Water’ flows even gentler than ‘Soporific’. It’s a song about waiting for someone who has left, and the questioning and emptiness that comes with it. The music echoes the lyrical content. It is instrumentally sparse, delicate, imbibed with cascading electronic tinkling through the chorus.
Continue reading CD Review: The Boat People – Soporific Single →

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Operator Please Announce Details Of Their Sophomore Album ‘Gloves’!

Everyone’s favourite Gold Coast collective, Operator Please, return with their remarkably sophisticated sophomore album ‘Gloves’ on Friday April 23.

The band spent 12 months pouring their heart and soul into a record that was largely self produced at a Byron Bay farm and in Amandah Wilkinson’s Gold Coast lounge room.

Lead singer Amandah says, “The album is the perfect representation for where we are at right now. It has all the experiences and growth from touring, seeing places and discovering the new; encompassed into about 35 minutes of songs.”
The band chose to upload the debut single ‘Logic’ to Myspace two weeks ahead of service: the reaction was incredible, with national radio stations adding the track immediately. Proving to be an instant hit, ‘Logic’ is released digitally on February 16.
Continue reading Operator Please Announce Details Of Their Sophomore Album ‘Gloves’! →

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DAYSEND Australian Tour supports announced!

DAYSEND – Within the Eye of Chaos – Out February 19 2010
“Daysend know exactly when to be brutal and when to switch on the silken melodies and heart rending dynamics.” UK Kerrang! KKKK review
Check out the latest single ‘Simple Minds’ at www.myspace.com/daysendmusic now!

DAYSEND AUSTRALIA TOUR – SUPPORTS ANNOUNCED!
Continue reading DAYSEND Australian Tour supports announced! →

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Pet Shop Boys – Live DVD/CD

PET SHOP BOYS – PANDEMONIUM LIVE – LIVE DVD/CD RELEASED FEBRUARY 26
Pet Shop Boys – Pet Shop Boys available at iTunes

“The ravishing pop spectacle of the year” – The Times

Pet Shop Boys release a new double-pack DVD/CD, ‘Pandemonium Live, The O2 Arena, London, 21 December, 2009’, on February 26.

The DVD includes the full Pandemonium show which Pet Shop Boys toured to much acclaim last year. The film has been made by David Barnard who directed Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Cubism’ DVD of the Fundamental tour. The audio for the DVD was mixed by Dave Woolley. Also included are the following DVD extra features:
Continue reading Pet Shop Boys – Live DVD/CD →

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CD Review: Scott Spark – Kathleen EP

Review by: Lana Harris

scottspark-kathleen   Celestes are not only a group of divine girls but also the name given to a small set of orchestral bells played via a keyboard mechanism. Typically used in orchestras, the use of one in a pop song suggests a performer who knows his keys – and Scott Spark is a man who knows his keys. His second EP release, Kathleen, credits five different types of keyboard instruments, including the Celeste and a toy piano – imagine what this man’s music room must look like! The sounds generated by Spark are explored within the boundaries of indie pop, with unique touches added by his technical piano abilities and the gathering of a wide variety of instruments and performers to round out his music.

Continue reading CD Review: Scott Spark – Kathleen EP →

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