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 …
Track: British Sea Power – Bad Bohemian, plus new album news
It’s been more than three years since we last heard from the magnificent British Sea Power and the wait is over: they have announced a new album entitled “Let the Dancers Inherit the Party” due for release on 31 March 2017 and, in anticipation, they have released a new song with video called “Bad Bohemian”. …
Track: Why We Run – A Moment to Return
One of my favourite local Sydney bands, Why We Run, is back with no sign of a waning of their incredible talent. In fact, quite the opposite. I reviewed the debut single, ‘Comfortable Lie’, last year and follow-up release, ‘Ignites’ from with great enthusiasm, and they just keep getting better. Their atmospheric, enigmatic songs fuse …
EP: Hugh Kelly – Give Me All Your Love
Busking in the streets of Edinburgh since his teens, Hugh Kelly dropped out of university to concentrate on his music, culminating in the release of his debut single, ‘Give Me All You Love’ in early February. This was followed by a video two weeks later and at the end of February he will release his …
Track: Modern Chair – Can’t Look Back
New Zealand’s Modern Chair have been drip feeding singles all last year, and each release anticipates the next with a mounting sense of excitement. Let’s be clear: I am a huge fan. From their debut, ‘Tokyo Compression’ through to ‘Vampire Squid’ and ‘Sending the Sun’, Modern Chair produces dirty, stomping squalls of pure joy laced …
Track: Careless Sons – Betty
Last year we enthused about North London ‘Pop and Roll’ outfit, Careless Sons. They are back better than ever with their new single ‘Betty’: a more mature, smooth sound yet still emotive and hook-laden: The production is clear and precise, driving the chiming guitars and excellent layered harmonies. I am reminded a little of the …
Track: The High Learys – Letters to Alice
There’s a fresh blast of warm wind coming in from the west coast of Australia to melt the polar ice caps forming around Sydney Harbour (still recovering from the recent lightning visit of Backseat Mafia’s esteemed editor-in-chief). It’s name is The High Learys, and never has there been a more beautiful sound to leaven the …