News: Dark Mofo Festival
Over the past few years, the city of Hobart in the Australian state of Tasmania has been transformed by the building of a privately-funded art museum called the Museum of New and Old Art (MONA) on the banks of the Derwent River. The museum has achieved international recognition for its innovative and eclectic collection and …
Album Review: British Sea Power – Let the Dancers Inherit The Party
The iconic British Sea Power are back after a four year hiatus with one of their best albums since my personal favourite “Open Season” (released way back in 2005). “Let The Dancers Inherit The Party” is the same BSP as before but with added melodic bounce, the same amount of fresh, almost childish, optimism mixed …
Track: Secret Shine – For You, plus new album news
Secret Shine’s new release “There is Only Now” is a classic brew of shoegaze and dream pop – elements of Disintegration-era The Cure mixed in with a clearer and more distinct My Bloody Valentine or Lush. It is an album filled with waves of sonic reverb and chorus, with arpeggiated synthesisers interweaving with a more …
News: Fazerdaze announce European tour dates
New Zealand indie quartet Fazerdaze are about to release an album, Morningside. It’s a record that has an evocative mix of angular, chiming music and ultimate pop sensibility. What is even more astounding is that Fazerdale frontwoman Amelia Murray wrote, recorded and produced the album by herself. The three singles released so far perfectly capture …
Album Review: Fazerdaze – Morningside
I’m just going to go straight to the point about Morningside, the debut album from Fazerdaze (essentially the output of New Zealand’s Amelia Murray). It is an extraordinarily accomplished work of art. I could just say go and order the album without hesitation and leave it at that. It’s that good. However, I shall indulge, …
New Video: The Dandy Warhols – Thick Girls Knock Me Out (Richard Starkey)
I confess I was a little uncomfortable reviewing the video of a song with such a bewildering title after International Women’s Day, but then, with the nonsensical inclusion of a tribute to The Beatles’ drummer, Ringo, I realised that nothing The Dandy Warhols release can ever be taken too seriously. This is the shouty, loud …
Album Review: Holy Holy – Paint
Holy Holy, a duo hailing from Melbourne, Australia are about to release their sophomore album, “Paint” through Sony Records on 24 February 2017. This is a delightful pop album which seems to collide seventies harmony-laden vocals with an eighties synth pop mentality to create a very modern soundscape. Holy Holy are without doubt one of …
EP: The Clouds – Zaffre
Along with bands like The Underground Lovers, The Falling Joys and Ratcat, The Clouds held the banner for classic indie pop in Australia in the late eighties, early nineties.The sweet duel vocal harmonies of Jody Phillis and Patricia Young were underpinned by a muscular rhythm section and jangling guitars. Their album, Penny Century, is often …
New Music: elbow – Little Fictions
The magnificent cinematic sound of elbow returns with the release of a new album – “Little Fictions”. To me, elbow are the Ken Loach of indie music – beautifully poignant vignettes of ordinary life in Britain, expressed with a weary narrative that celebrates the potential of individual kindness and wonder in a world of cynicism …
News: Midnight Oil announce World Tour, includes first UK date since 1996
One of Australia’s most passionate, articulate and socially committed bands, Midnight Oil, have just announced they are reforming and undertaking a world tour in 2017. The enigmatic lead singer, Peter Garrett, spent some time as a Labor politician in 2002, causing the band to go into a hiatus and no end of cynicism amongst those …