Handsome Tours are Very Excited to announce the welcome return of their old friends The Shins to Australia this July. Armed with new material from their acclaimed fourth album Port Of Morrow, the band will perform at Splendour In The Grass, plus headline shows at Festival Hall in Melbourne and the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney.

It’s been a busy start to the year for the Portland based five piece, with the band currently in the midst of an extensive US tour to celebrate the release of Port Of Morrow. The album has been five years in the making, following on from their 2007 LP Wincing The Night Away, and was recorded throughout 2011 with band leader James Mercer handling all songwriting duties, lead vocals and the majority of instrumentation.
Continue reading Tour News: The Shins Australian tour – July 2012 →

Description: Photo of Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster) and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily, from the television program The Munsters.

Date: 28 August 1964

By CBS Television (eBay item photo front photo back)
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

** Click her to see The Munsters Publicity Photo – The Cast (1964)
** The Munsters Halloween Publicity Photo (1964) with Al Lewis, Beverley Owen and Fred Gwynne

Review by Billy Geary
Without a doubt, Sydney’s Matt Corby has undergone a meteoric rise in popularity over the last year. After selling out The Corner Hotel five nights in a row on his last visit to Melbourne, one could only assume the demand would be just as great this time around. This proved to be correct, with Corby managing to sell out the considerably larger Forum Theatre three nights in a row. Not a bad feat from a young man so early in his musical career.

From the moment support act Alpine began their set, one could tell they were going to struggle to win punters over. Their over the top brand of synth pop was by no means a good fit and it showed in the punters. Despite this, the sextet soldiered on and gradually won over a tough crowd. Alpine’s sound definitely has its merits and some definite catchy moments, it was just a case of wrong place and time in this case.
Continue reading Live Review: Matt Corby, Alpine @ The Forum, Melbourne – 6 June 2012 →

Description: Publicity photo of the cast of the television program The Munsters. Seated, from left: Butch Patrick (Eddie), Yvonne De Carlo (Lilly), Fred Gwynne (Herman). Standing: Beverly Owen (Marilyn) and Al Lewis (Grandpa).
Date: Press release is dated 28 August 1964.

By CBS Television
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

** Click here to shop for The Munsters T-shirts and merchandise **

More Photos:
** Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo – The Munsters (1964)
** The Munsters Halloween Publicity Photo (1964) with Al Lewis, Beverley Owen and Fred Gwynne

Description: Publicity photo from the television program The Munsters for Halloween. Pictured from left: Al Lewis (Grandpa), Beverley Owen (Marilyn), and Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster).

Date: Not dated. Beverley Owen played the role of Marilyn for the first year of the program only; she was replaced by actress Pat Priest after that. The series began airing in 1964 and the publicity information mentions this is a popular new program. This would have to be from 1964, as Owen was no longer in the cast by 1965.

By CBS Television (eBay item photo front publicity release)
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

** Click her to see The Munsters Publicity Photo – The Cast (1964)
** Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo – The Munsters (1964)

BECK
SIGUR ROS
MIKE PATTON’S MONDO CANE
GRIZZLY BEAR
BEN FOLDS FIVE * BEIRUT * SANTIGOLD
CAKE * THE DANDY WARHOLS
THE BLACK ANGELS * CHROMATICS *OZOMATLI
LIARS * FUCK BUTTONS * THE WAR ON DRUGS
DARK DARK DARK * …

http://www.harvestfestival.com.au/

In November 2011, Australia experienced a festival akin to the picturesque models of those seen in gorgeous settings all over Europe. Acres of magnificent, natural environments beautified and transformed as surreal lighting and visual displays lit the paths from one stage to the next and mesmerizing sculptures and art installations coloured the mind and inspired the heart.

Within the stunning tactile environment drifted sounds and songs; many were known, others were not. They ranged from the ethereal, the explosive, the experimental, the prolific as well as the new, and by days end they shared one common theme – they were adored.

This November, Harvest will once again provide the rich tapestry in the Australian music and arts calendar, proudly unveiling a line-up spanning decades-long prominence to pioneering trailblazers.

Harvest is very proud to announce that – Beck – a man who’s graced the world with 11 of the finest albums and is currently working on the next, will be bringing his extensive repetoire to Harvest in November. Sigur Ros will shift light and space as their unique, cinematic soundscapes drift through the trees, being part of the vibrant, day-long, aural weave alongside Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane, Grizzly Bear, Ben Folds Five, Beirut, Santigold, Cake, The Dandy Warhols, The Black Angels, Chromatics, Ozomatli, Liars, Fuck Buttons, The War on Drugs and Dark Dark Dark.

2012 Harvest Dates and Tickets:

Sun 11th Nov 2012 – Melbourne, Werribee Park
Sat 17th Nov 2012 – Sydney, Parramatta Park
Sun 18th Nov 2012 – Brisbane, City Botanic Gardens

General Public tickets on sale Thursday 28 June 9am.
via harvestfestival.com.au, oztix.com.au 1300 762 545 & ticketek.com.au 132 849

** CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2011 HARVEST FESTIVAL PHOTOS AND REVIEWS! **

Review By Helen Brown
Brace yourself for a heavy onslaught from Florida-based Hot Water Music, but prepare to be under whelmed by the punk rockers’ 8th studio release. Fuelled by a take-no-prisoners attitude, Exister is set to a relentless high octane pace, but this pace is directionless as though the brakes have been cut and the album is headed for a messy collision course.

While the beats themselves are quite catchy with some definite bop-along moments, the lazy vocals do not match the consistency of these beats. There are many tracks where there appears to be screaming for the sake of screaming, with no real purpose or direction. There is a lack of vocal control, with a string of nonsensical noises made by mouth.

Exister has a common theme of apathy, which is very fitting considering the sloppiness of the album. There are two tracks that rise above the rest of the mediocre pack, these being ‘Pledge Wore Thin’ as well as the only clear stand out, ‘Drag My Body’, a catchy number with layer upon layer of guitar riffs and impassioned vocals.

Because Exister finishes as quickly as it starts, it is virtually impossible to absorb. The album certainly has its merits though, and Hot Water Music has some wicked instrumental skills but this record is largely the result of a metaphoric train wreck. It does not grab you and is a little too unremarkable, therefore a little too easy to pass you by.

(My rating: 2 out of 5)

Review By Helen Brown

Hot Water Music on facebook

** Click here for more articles by Helen Brown
** Click here for more CD reviews

New York’s experimental dream-pop group, School of Seven Bells have announced that they are returning to Australia for The Hi Fi Shoreline Series.

GHOSTORY is the third full-length album from shoegaze-pop trio-turned-duo, School of Seven Bells. With the new line-up comes an evolved sound and what just might be the band’s career defining release.
Continue reading Tour News: School of Seven Bells Australian Tour – June 2012 →

To celebrate the launch of their debut E.P. ‘Tony’, Alla Spina is taking it to the streets. It will be kicking off at the Tempo Hotel June 19 followed Roma St Rock stage as part of the Fête de la musique happening simultaneously in Brisbane and worldwide on Thursday June 21. You can also catch this up and coming band and its wild, kinetic live show at the Woombye Pub on June 30 with Sunshine Coast Roots Rock band, The Floating Bridges. *more shows listed below…

Bio:
Alla Spina is a five piece band from Brisbane QLD, Australia. Forming in late 2010, Alla Spina is already becoming well known in and around Brisbane for their high energy music and performances.

Influenced by various forms of music, Alla Spina (“pumped up” in Italian), play music inflected by punk, rock, pop and ska. The band strive to transcend musical and social boundaries by sticking to a “no boundaries” formula to their hybrid sound and write about breaking stereotypes and following one’s own path.
Continue reading EP Launch: Alla Spina “Tony” EP launch shows | June-July 2012 →

THE QUIET STORM EXHIBITION
Brisbane artist Sam Hillcoat refines his love of urban culture into a fine art.

The Quiet Storm exhibition is a powerful new body of work by Brisbane tattoo and street artist, Sam Hillcoat. The two day exhibition opens at Jugglers Art Space on Friday 22 June from 6pm, until Saturday 23 June, 5pm.

The exhibition, Sam’s first solo show, features striking new works on canvas using oil, acrylics and aerosol. With several successful group shows under his belt and nonstop tattoo and canvas commissions, Sam has had to lock himself away and surrender much of this precious income to prepare his prolific new body of work.
Continue reading The Quiet Storm Exhibition – Brisbane | June 2012 →