Violinist/vocalist Xani Kolac and drummer Mark Leahy of Melbourne’s The Twoks are back with an uplifting EP, “First Light,” which they recorded at Sydney 301 with “sweet vintage amps, toy pianos,” along with producer Tony Buchen. The title track will have you up on the roof with Kolac dancing to the sound of better times…
Read more
Appleonia (Jessica Kahn in her downtime) is literally feeding people with music. The singer, born in Argentina, bred in Australia, has developed a model that she says is a ‘win win’. For every free album ‘bought’, Vittoria Coffee has committed to donating the monetary equivalent of three meals to OzHarvest, a non-for-profit that takes excess…
Read more
Brisbane born Jeremy Neale has succeeded in delivering a catchy, vintage-tinged EP. In Stranger Times is a concoction of tunes constructed to make you crave a rebellious lifestyle and will surely be a summer hit. ‘Do Do Do’ is the EP’s opener and it instantly sucks you in with a simple, surfy beat running throughout…
Read more
With Each is a Dream, Alice Rose is given a vehicle with which to showcase her gentle, distinctive vocals. The Danish singer has a playful quirkiness that sets her apart from other singers of the indie-folk ilk and this album reveals layer after layer of her personality, with soft ballads and sunny pop numbers…
Read more
To be honest, before writing this review, I knew absolutely nothing about Frankie Rose. It was only after listening to ten minutes of Herein Wild that I realised that I had done a disservice to myself. Rose’ second solo album is the sonic equivalent of clear blue skies and that fancy candy floss they serve…
Read more
The eighth Possible Worlds Film Festival is just around the corner, showcasing the best new independent cinema from Canada, and for the first time, the United States. Films will screen at Dendy Opera Quays and Dendy Newtown from the 8th to 18th August and selected titles will also screen at ARC Cinema in Canberra from the 21st to 23rd August 2013. Sarah Polley’s…
Read more
Aphir’s debut release, Invirtue, opens with a looped vocal hook coupled with a sample of the static generated by a vinyl record stylus – the only non-human, non-sung element the listener hears until the E.P.’s closing track. It’s clear at the outset that the focus of these songs are the layers upon layers of rich,…
Read more
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,…
Read more
Teen Girl Scientist Monthly is the kind of band name that sees you saying it twice just to make sure you got it right the first time. In contrast, their new album, from the strong bass and feisty vocals of the very first track, makes it easy to understand what they’re all about. Modern…
Read more
When I first got the email about interviewing Oh Pep!, the adorably catchy folk-rock-indie quintet based out of Melbourne, I couldn’t help but think how clever it was that leading ladies Olivia Hally (guitar/vocals) and Pepita Emmerichs (violin/mandolin) creatively married their names to come up with something that perfectly describes their style of music. The more I…
Read more
Jen Cloher is a singer/songwriter know for her unique blend of bluegrass, country and folk. Despite graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the artist quickly pursued a music career releasing her debut Dead Wood Falls in 2005, which earned her an ARIA nominated for Best Female Artist. Cloher followed this up with Hidden…
Read more
If you close your eyes as you listen to the opening track on Only for the Woods, you will feel as though you’ve been transported to another land. Imagine warm fires, worn picnic rugs, and a camp of gypsies dancing, clapping, and playing their guitars, banjos, and loud drums. The exotic food, beautiful wagons,…
Read more
Tell us a bit about yourself! My name is Suzie Smart and I’m a singer/songwriter/guitarist. I first got into music hearing my Dad play Bob Dylan on his acoustic guitar – when I heard the real deal I was hooked! At the age of 19 I picked up a guitar, learnt three chords and began writing….
Read more
(Image : Farzaneh Edraki) ‘We’ll have a little moment together and we’ll go home feeling good about shit,’ laughs Jen Cloher to a crowd of onlookers. She picks up a white electric guitar, and starts strumming. UNO players in the café corner set down their cards; the waitress bends to pick up a Melbourne…
Read more