Posts Tagged ‘Victoria’

TROPICAL FUCK STORM – ” Braindrops “

Posted: August 24, 2019 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Highly anticipated second album, one and a half years after their critically acclaimed debut LP. Featuring members of the now-defunct band The Drones. Recommend If You Like: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Nick Cave, The Slits, Protomartyr, The Drones, Gang of Four, IDLES.
“I’ve invented fake news as a genre of music,” Gareth Liddiard observes with a laugh. Heʼs talking about Maria 63, the closing track on Tropical Fuck Stormʼs sophomore LP “Braindrops”. The song takes aim at the once-marginalized alt-right conspiracy theories that now seem to be a driving force behind the rise of fascism in global politics. “It may be the most stupid song ever written,” Liddiard jokes. Heʼs wrong, Maria 63 is emblematic of Tropical Fuck Stormʼs keen ability to mine the extreme edge of pop cultureʼs periphery for potent musical and conceptual spice.

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Tropical Fuck Storm were formed around 2017 in the city of Melbourne, Victoria along Australiaʼs south-eastern coast. The band released their debut long-player A Laughing Death in Meatspace on Joyful Noise Recordings in 2018. Each of the bandʼs four members bring considerable experience to the group. Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin were part of the long-running and critically-acclaimed act The Drones, while Erica Dunn and Lauren Hammel have performed in a variety of well-received projects. Perhaps itʼs that wealth of rock and roll experience that allows Tropical Fuck Storm to so expertly deconstruct and distort the genreʼs norms. “Everything we do, we try to do it in a weird way. The whole album is full of weird beats, and just weird shit everywhere,” Liddiard explains. He cites Doc at the Radar Station-era Captain Beefheart as a key sonic touchstone, and Braindrops certainly shares the Captainʼs penchant for pounding abstract grooves.

It’s a amazing doozy, perhaps even more so than its predecessor — and keep in mind, this is coming from a band known for slinging tales of Soviet chess machines, shellfish-related conspiracy theories, and “antimatter animals.” Consider the tremulous guitar riff leading off album opener “Paradise” a facsimile for the record’s sun-poisoned strain of dadaist pop: an prolonged, paranoid sirens’ song peppered with references to Pokémon, Eugene Leary, global warming, and leg-humping dogs. Highlights include “The Happiest Guy Around,” a rowdy cut that, with its chattered vocals and ebullient energy, recalls a Beegees simulation gone awry; and the bristling title track, a sprightly, staccato race against the doomsday clock.

Tropical Fuck Storm have achieved a uniquely off-kilter sound on Braindrops.

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The MAES – ” The Maes “

Posted: June 7, 2019 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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One of the most delightful discoveries of my year so far, this Australian duo made a very good record full of dusty tunes and tremendously lovely harmonies. RIYL coffee and quiet mornings and, sure, quiet snowy May mornings

The Mae’s Trio is a Melbourne-based band of three young musicians fast making a name for themselves in the Australian music scene. Maggie Rigby, Elsie Rigby and Anita Hillman started playing music together late 2011. All three members of the trio write their own songs and these are tastefully arranged to suit the group’s diverse instrumental talents and love of three part vocal harmony.

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Released May 3rd, 2019

ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER – ” Talking Straight “

Posted: December 13, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The one thing that 2018 could not take from us is the pure joy of a pop song. And yes, there were bigger ones, more emotional ones, but with “Talking Straight,” RBCF provided us with a song that felt so perfectly fleeting that it was incomparable in terms of pure indie-rock pleasure. “Talking Straight” is the sound of ’70s and ’80s FM Aussie-pop distilled to its purest form, an expertly-crafted geode of a song that sounds readymade for blaring over the radio. But the band’s attraction lies in their veracity. For all its hooks, the song feels incredibly whole, full of hard-panned riffs and stratospheric harmonizing. It’s akin to world-building, in a way, all the song’s small details adding up to make it feel bigger than it really is. RBCF’s songwriting tricks you into thinking it’s effortless, which is something we all needed this year.

RBCF’s first proper full-length album is a fun run of 10 tracks, skillfully crafted by a young quintet of Aussies. Following two beachy EPs (Talk Tight, The French Press) the band treads similar territory sonically (think: jangly, catchy rock n roll), while leaning into some heavier themes. Masked by buoyant melodies, hooks aplenty, thumping rhythms, and thoughtful harmonies, lyrics like these (from “Bellarine”): “Cool air off northern “water, two years since I’ve seen my daughter. The fish are biting every line but mine…seems like rum is taking all my time,” show a written wisdom that adds depth to these summer-tinged jams and a reason to hit play any damn time of the year.

‘Hope Downs’ (Release Day: June 15, 2018)

The FOUNTAINEERS – ” Greater City, Greater Love “

Posted: September 22, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Fountaineer

Right out of the gates the debut new album from Australian band The Fountaineers, “Greater City, Greater Love” buries both a sharp critique and loving homage to Australian culture in the red dirt of a synth-laden outback pastiche, born of the band’s rural upbringing in country Victoria.

The record is gripping, in both its music and lyrics, and tracks like album opener ‘Sirens (Parts 1 & 2)’ have the ability to lull you down into the beautiful depths of deep, moody, distorted vox, before prodding you in the ribs.

Abrupt sonic about-faces – like the transition from the uplifting crescendo of ‘Sirens’ into the sharp, electronic snap of drums that heralds moody standout single ‘Still Life’ – also serve to keep you guessing, as the record walks a line between the desert-dry tones of The National and the more playful theatre of The Killers’ Sam’s Town.

The album carves its home out at the meeting point between cynicism and nostalgia, exemplified on the soaring synth of lead single ‘The Cricketers’ as it balances against the weary refrain of “I don’t think I care enough about you”, or the skewed optimism of ‘Grand Old Flags’.

Through the lens of small-town Australia, Greater City, Greater Love captures the universal struggle to break away from a place that leaves you haunted by fond memories and bitter feelings in equal measure, and to reconcile its worst traits with its best. As we see the world around us seeming to move forwards and backwards at once, Fountaineer’s debut perfectly translates a feeling many of us can relate to.

LEAH SENOIR – ” Pretty Faces “

Posted: May 26, 2017 in MUSIC
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Leah Senior is the kind of artist best enjoyed alone, indoors and cozy on a cold winter’s day, allowing her exquisite folk sounds to melt your heart.

The depth she achieves with just her voice and a guitar on Where Have You Been? is astonishing, while the subtle strings on Pretty Faces and Jenny are stirring. You Were Not Fit For The Day is wonderfully evocative as Senior spins an observational story, her double-tracked vocals inducing chills. Black Limousine notably shifts the pace of the album as Senior’s backing band joins the fray, to potent effect. With a spellbinding voice and a delicateness to her music that is nothing short of awe-inspiring, Senior is truly something special.

The second single taken from Leah Senior’s new album “Pretty Faces” out May 26th on Flightless Records.

It’s an engrossing release, 10 tracks delicate, dark folk music that grabs you from the first gentle guitar pluck, and refuses to let go across a swirling world that ebbs and flows, all pinned down down to some kind of ethereal reality by Senior’s incredible voice. It’s released on King Gizzard’s own Flightless label, and was recorded and produced with King Gizz’s Joey Walker. It also features musicians Jesse Williams (keyboard/electric guitar), Andi Senior (vocals), Joe Walker (therovox), Michael Cavanagh (drums), Alex Bleakly (bass) and Vince Ward (cello).

BRAILLE FACE – ” Glow “

Posted: January 23, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Another breakout artist , Jordan White arguably delivered one of 2016’s best local albums with his Braille Face debut, Kōya.

His year got off to an encouraging start when he was named a the first signing to Spirit Level, the revived indie label launched by Double J’s Tim Shiel and Wally ‘Gotye’ De Backer, the latter of whom he spent time with , recording a bunch of material “most likely” destined to land on his second album.

Upon his return, he knocked over a slew of well-received live outings — including his sublime showing at Bigsound  and ended the year riding high, hopefully safe in the knowledge that he’d created something really special along the way. We genuinely cannot wait to see what comes next.

It comes as no small surprise that an album is now coming our way from Braille Face (AKA Jordan White), but what will continue to make us all wonder, is how on earth he managed to narrow his Rolodex of songs down to just one album of 12 songs.

‘Because’ is the third taster we have for what to expect from Kōya. It’s very different to ‘Glow’ and ‘Backwards/Medicated’, but the consistency between all the tracks is Braille Face’s voice. It’s emotional, captivating, and somehow both smooth and raspy. This track is certainly something slower, it has a distinct raw edge where the other tracks have been filled with sound, and yet this track is still full in its own way.

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The track is full of soft piano, and a pretty neat sound that is reminiscent of a piano accordion. It leaves plenty of room for you to be transported into the cold hard world the lyrics are describing, and yet, the piano alone would fill you with beautiful thoughts of a warm spring day.

Taken from Braille Face’s debut album Kōya, to be released August 31st via Spirit Level/Inertia.

Written and performed by Braille Face.
Piano by Luke Howard.