Album Review: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ debut album, ‘The First Born is Dead’, opened with the formidable track ‘Tupelo’, a roaring, thundering peon to the birth of Elvis Presley, born to be King during an apocalyptic storm: mythologizing the King of rock’n’roll, born in chaos, born to rule. And now, decades later, ‘Ghosteen’ apocryphally begins …
Track: Barrie – Drag, plus EP and tour news
Perfect purveyors of melancholy dream pop, Barrie, are back with a new single, ‘Drag’ off their soon to be released EP ‘Happy to be Here (Ext) – a delightful extension (as the name suggests) to their album ‘Happy to be Here’ reviewed by me in April. ‘Happy to be Here’ is pure unadulterated sparkling pop, and …
Track: HAVVK – 52
The new track from HAVVK, ’52’ is a luscious fusion of dream pop landscapes and anger – a strange but very satisfying mix that perfectly captures its political intent – the deep melancholy sadness following the societal schisms caused by the 2016 Brexit vote and the anger arising from the manner it was achieved. A …
Track: Varanasi (fka Japan Suicide) – Rosemary’s Baby
After ten years under the moniker Japan Suicide, all of the members of the band have decided to cease producing music under this name and have reformed as Veranasi. It’s not just about a name change: it is a change of approach to their music highlighted by a decision to now sing exclusively in their …
Album Review: Local Authority – Negative Space
What was Valley Heat Records is now 4000 Records, but what remains is the singular dedication to the local Brisbane music scene and an obsession with the cassette. And there is no better way to launch this new face than the debut album from Local Authority, ‘Negative Space’. Local Authority is the product of Jacque …
Album Review: Spearmint – Are You from The Future?
Spearmint‘s single off their forthcoming new album, ‘Are You From The Future?’ is the unexpectedly swinging and extremely funky ’24 Hours in A and E’, which sets the pace for a quirky, delightful and often self-deprecatingly humorous album. A blistering stab of an opening song to launch a brilliant album. ‘Are You From The Future?’ …
Track: Night Flowers – Fortune Teller, plus album news
Last year’s single ‘Cruel Wind’ from London quartet Night Flowers was for me one of the singles of the year in a very competitive field. This year, Night Flowers have released another perfect dream pop delight in the form of ‘Fortune Teller’, title track from their much anticipated album due out on 25 October through …
Track: Mallrat – Driving Music EP
Brisbane and Queensland in general is undeniably a hotbed of talent, and one of the most preeminent examples of this is the pure pop musings of Grace Shaw, under the guise of Mallrat. Mallrat’s new EP, ‘Drive’ is an evolution of the style and creativity of this phenomenal artist. Back in February 2018, we reviewed …
Live: Ride, Enmore Theatre, Sydney, 6 September 2019
It’s a spectacular thing to see a band pick up from where they were twenty seven years ago in the same venue with a seamless evolution and imbued with the same spine tingling passion and verve. Ride were in top form: age had not wearied them and new material fused magnificently with old. And they …
Interview: Mark Gardener (Ride)
The legendary Ride are back in Australia and New Zealand after more than a twenty-five year gap as well as a long hiatus in the intervening time. During this time, Andy Bell joined label mates Oasis on bass while other members pursued their own projects. Ride reformed in 2014, playing live across Europe and North …