If you were ever a fan of Newcastle’s fantastic indie/folk outfit Like…Alaska, then you probably took their break-up pretty hard. However, there is some good news. Some members funnelled into other bands like Easy Tiger and Run Squirrel, while Jen Buxton went solo, performing her own brand of melancholy alt-country in pubs across the Australia….
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Melbourne’s dreamy psych-jam specialists, Beaches, have finally released their second full-length album, She Beats, and it’s a sneaky little gem. If you’re not familiar with them, Beaches is a band of five women who have a penchant for making swirling, droney music with overdriven guitars and insistent bass lines. On She Beats, the band refines…
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The mixture of catchy synth and Charli XCX’S distinctive voice is a match made in pop heaven. With the sweet sounds of 80s and 90s pop, her debut record True Romance puts a modern spin on a classic, almost timeless style. Charlotte Aitchison’s voice is something else. She is able to reach massive high and…
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Of all the genres of music that have a firm place in popular culture, hip hop appears to be the most damaging to women. That is, it presents a picture of females as bitches, as sexually aggressive groupies and as nothing more than an arse with no personality. This has led to hip hop artists…
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With Savages’ Silence Yourself, there is no wastage. There is no excess, nothing superfluous, nothing unnecessary. It’s obvious that this is the result of a very conscious decision. The album’s monochromatic artwork includes a passage aimed directly at the listener, demanding that they block out all the noisy distractions of the modern world and just…
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Ethereal, floaty and lyrically complex, Cromwell’s debut LP, Lobotany proves that this band has promise. Coming out of Canberra, Cromwell comprises of Becki Whitton (vocals), SSSDDDGGG (guitars and pedals) and Dave Flutsch (drums). Their music is difficult to describe – intricate melodies mingle with Whitton’s incredible voice to create soundscapes that are unique and delicate….
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Kurt Vile’s Wakin on a Pretty Daze would be the soundtrack to a movie about someone’s languid, lonely life. It feels like an ode to the spacious corner of our minds, the one that contains mumbled fantasies and quiet dreams. This album encompasses a sprawling, unhurried sound that draws you into Kurt’s mind. The album is bookended…
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Way back in February, I connected with the Arizona-based band Lydia to set up an interview before their April 5th New York show. I spent four and a half years of my life living in Tucson, AZ while I attended university and heard a lot about this band and saw them at least once, so…
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Along with 1.5 billion other people, I unashamedly cowboy galloped upon the Gangnam Style band-wagon when South Korean pop sensation, Psy’s hit went viral last year. The iconic clip didn’t take itself too seriously and exuded a kind of self-parodying fun that can be rare in (serious) mainstream Western pop music. So when I heard…
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Munro Melano’s debut EP Running Round is short and sweet – but it’s the kind of short and sweet that leaves you hungry for more and a little dissatisfied that the three-track EP wasn’t a full-length album instead. Although it’s a quick listen, Running Round does not disappoint. With a slow, steady drum intro and…
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So, Johnny Rotten lived up to his stage name in an interview with Channel Ten’s The Project on Tuesday night. It is now subsequently the interview about which seemingly everyone is talking – if you haven’t seen it yet, watch it here. The interview, which was to promote his tour with band, Public Image Ltd (PiL),…
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‘Dreams are like stars. They’re there during the day, but you just can’t see them’. That’s the Carl Sagan quote that Gareth Liddiard of The Drones paraphrases to explain the music on the band’s sixth studio album, I Sea Seaweed. If I’d been hoping to get a solid answer about the album’s concept, I would…
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Ever since I saw them play to a relatively small crowd at the Laneway Festival in 2011, there’s been a special place in my life for Stornoway. The band’s debut offering, ‘Zorbing,’ has been the mixtape in my car’s six-stack CD player since I passed my driving test and I’ve suggested the beautifully titled album,…
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The vibrancy and animation you find in the Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s debut self-titled album is a genuine ear opener. Composed of seasoned professional musicians who have perfected the ability to improvise, their overall sound can be described as nothing short of fresh and magical. Nicky Bomba (John Butler Trio, Bomba, Bustomento), whom I was…
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