Album Review: The Amazing – In Transit
‘In Transit’, the newly released album by Swedish band, ‘The Amazing’ is a unique blend of shoegaze/dream-pop that at times diverts into the lush indie/folk vibes of bands like Belle and Sebastian or Sufjan Stevens. This is a remarkable piece of work – eleven layered, dreamy and evocative songs that somehow manage to capture within …
Track: Manic Street Preachers – Liverpool Revisited
In anticipation of the release of the new Manic Street Preachers album ‘Resistance is Futile’ on 13 April 2018, the Manics have released a classic track entitled ‘Liverpool Revisited’, which is about the Hillsborough Justice Campaign efforts to get some legal accountability for the death of 96 supporters in the 1989 stadium crush in Sheffield. …
Track: Tove Styrke – On the Low, plus album and tour news
We first noticed Swedish singer Tove Styrke nearly four years ago when she released the dynamic, feisty electro pop “Even If I’m Loud It Doesn’t Mean I’m Talking To You”. It is no surprise to see how she has developed into a major international force since those early days. Having just finished touring with Lorde …
Album Review: mastersystem – Dance Music
‘Dance Songs’ is the fantastic debut album from mastersystem, an indie supergroup of brothers. The band consists of Scott Hutchinson and Grant Hutchinson from Frightened Rabbit, Justin Lockey from Editors and his brother James Lockey from Minor Victories who have come together to produce something that has its own unique identity. ‘Dance Music’ is far …
News: Dark Mofo Festival 2018, Hobart – lineup announced
Dark Mofo, the world’s most extraordinary festival, returns to Hobart – the city on the edge of the world – in the middle of the deepest darkest winter from 7 through to 24 June. The Festival is a series of events, concerts, light shows and installations that deliberately encompasses the weird, the controversial, the obscure …
See: Polychrome – Final Kiss Video, plus album and tour news
The silkiest, smoothest hook-laden glory that is ‘Final Kiss’ by Polychrome, reviewed here last month has now been augmented further by the release of a new video: a series of luminous neon lights that evoke the vague eighties feel of this brilliant song. This is, for me, one of the stand out singles of the …
Track: Hatchie – Sugar and Spice, plus announcement of debut EP
While there was much excitement in Australia following the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games last night in Brisbane, Backseat Mafia’s antipodean outpost was more enthralled by the news that Brisbane’s other great product, and one of our favourites, Hatchie, released a new track along with news of her debut EP, both entitled ‘Sugar and …
News: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah release “Some Loud Thunder” 10th Anniversary Reissue with bonus tracks plus tour
Clap Your Hand Say Yeah’s iconic second album “Some Loud Thunder” will be reissued with exclusive bonus tracks on May 25th to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of its original release. ‘Some Loud Thunder’ stood out for its low-fi cool demeanour – reading from the same book as Velvet Underground and Jonathan Richmond with shouty, erudite …
Track: Maff – Melaniña (EP)
My favourite Chilean shoegaze exponents, Maff, today release their epic EP ‘Melaniña’after releasing two brilliant singles ‘Desfile’ and ‘Hawaii’ off the EP earlier this year. The EP opens with ‘Act 2’ with its hallmark driving, sustaining guitars and slow languorous drive in an enigmatic instrumental form. As with any successful instrumental, ‘Act 2’ conveys emotion …
Track: Black Heart Breakers – Melody, plus EP and tour news
Leather jackets and denim, chugging guitars and a whole barrel full of sneering attitude are necessary appendages for any serious rock band that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Add to that a superglue chorus and layered harmonies you get Black Heart Breakers and their rip roaring new single ‘Melody’. ‘Melody’ is a little bit punk …