backseat downunder
Track: Oceans crest a shoegaze wave with the jangle fest of ‘Pure’, with launch date and new album announced.
Originally a solo effort by Melbournian Thomas Lee, the sparkling bright blue azure sounds of Oceans are now the creation of a fully fledged five piece band, and their new single ‘Pure’ is a hazy summer breeze of delight. Waves of jangling guitars and melancholic layered vocals feature in an immersive fugue. The sound draws …
News: Daughter release the elegantly meandering new single, ‘Be On Your Way’ ahead of news of long-awaited first album in 7 years
Indie dream-pop darlings, Daughter, are making a welcome return after 7 long years with the release of new album, Stereo Mind Game, due to be unveiled on the 7th of April. The trio of Elena Tonra (vocals, guitar, bass), Igor Haefeli (guitars, bass, keyboards) and Remi Aguilella (drums, percussion) have released the glorious first single, …
News: Tropical Fuck Storm cancel all overseas tours for 2023 following cancer diagnosis.
Fiona Kitschin, the ever-dynamic bass player for Tropical Fuck Storm, and partner to Gareth Liddiard, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The band have shared a short post on both their Facebook and Instagram pages with the following message….. “Hey All,We’ve hit a bump in the road here at …
News: Sunnyboys expand their swansong farewell tour ‘The Last Dance – 2023’.
The Sunnyboys are a veritable indie institution – a blinding light that shone briefly in the eighties with a power pop brilliance that had an indelible effect on the music scene in Australia and beyond – crossing from indie darlings to a national mainstream phenomenon with their effervescent jangling sounds and pop sensibilities. Their stellar …
Track: Spring Skier know ‘How To Work A Room’ with their usual panache and style – another window opened in the glorious Advent Calendar from False Peak Records.
Summer solstice passed us by just the other day and now the days get shorter as winter comes to the antipodean headquarters of Backseat Mafia. Although, it has to be said, in the southern outpost of Hobart, winter never actually left. With all the changes and the mutability of the seasons as an analogy for …
Live Review & Gallery: The Casanovas, Frankie’s Pizza 08.12.22
The Casanova’s did it again….(this reviewer says) they’re a 10 outta 10….woah woah woah woah….sorry, got carried away – those 70s inspired rock n roll riffs and catchy lyrics are just too hard to resist! The boys from Melbourne headlined one hell of a night during Sydney institution Frankie’s last week of trading. Taking to …
Feature: Backseat Downunder Team’s Favourite Antipodean Albums of 2022, and Favourite Gigs
In many end of year best albums of 2022 put together by outlets such as The Guardian and NME, there has been a distinct absence of antipodean bands – an astounding omission given the depth of quality exhibited by Australian and New Zealand artists in 2022. For the past few years, to counterbalance this annual …
Live Review + Gallery: A Swayze & The Ghosts bring the roof down as they rock Altar in nipaluna/Hobart 16.12.2022
It felt like an eternity since A Swayze & The Ghosts had played (or at least, it did for me). Covid-19 has delayed the inevitable rise of one of Tasmania’s finest alternative exports, with the band having had to take the same extended break from touring, writing and recording that most other artists have. However, …
Gallery: HighSchool at The Corner Hotel 14.12.2022
HighShool‘s first headline show and their first ever in hometown of Melbourne following supports for the likes of Sam Fender, CHVRCHES and Wet Leg returned. After selling out at Northcote Social Club the gig was moved to The Corner Hotel on 14 December, 2022. Special guests Grazer, Equal Parts and Phoebe Go. View galleries of …
Live Review & Gallery: Richie Lewis & Friends Brass Monkey Cronulla and The Heritage Hotel Bulli 25 & 27.11.2022
Richie Lewis, Australia’s favourite indie frontman of Tumbleweed fame, invited me along to capture his latest project – Richie and Friends, playing live in Sydney and Wollongong late last month, along with Front End Loader‘s Bow Campbell and The Too Easy Band as support. I was lucky enough to have caught them at The Music …