August 2010
3 posts
1 tag
Interview: Band of Horses →
Just months after it’s well-received release, Band of Horses are bringing Infinite Arms to Australia. Before they took to the stage in Sydney, WB sat down with Tyler Ramsey, lead guitarist, to discuss the album, tour and band.
WB: How has the trip out to Australia been so far?
TR: It’s been great. We were here before and I remember having a blast. Melbourne was a lot of fun but...
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Review: The Whigs - In the Dark →
Score: 68%
The Whigs are best known for their raw southern indie and garage rock trademarks; catchy guitar lines, boisterous chorus chants, and simple yet effective instrumentation. They are a band who echo the successes of the nineties, but add their own original twist. When comparing In the Dark to this preconceived notion of the band, it is blatantly obvious that something has changed in...
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Review: Band of Horses @ The Enmore Theatre →
It’s unlikely the Enmore Theatre has ever catered for such an eclectic mix of fans during a single event in all its colourful history. Young and old, flannel shirts and duffel coats, you could only imagine what the bands themselves must have thought upon arrival. But it wasn’t just the diverse crowd that represented the contrast of this night.
Fronted by the drummer of The Drones, Mike Noga and...
July 2010
20 posts
3 tags
Review: Devo - Something for Everybody →
Score: 56%
You would think that in 20 years of their absence a lot in the music world would have changed, but ironically Devo have hit the spotlight again in front of an audience who have progressed very little. The band who arrived in the 1970s to save us from cultural and social devolution have chosen a brilliant time to come back, easily slotting right in and picking up where they left off.
...
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Triple J feature album: Birds of Tokyo - Birds of... →
So I’m yet to hear a lot from the album, since I’ve been plagued with work and many other commitments (hence the period of nothingness for two weeks), but from what I have listened to, it is brilliant. There are so many potential singles to be released and chart highly here in Australia and even perhaps overseas.
It pretty much just continues from their previous album, with brilliant,...
Song of the Day: Iron Butterfly...
Song of the Day: Slipknot ‘People =...
Song of the Day: Placebo ‘Haemoglobin’...
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Review: Fabulous Diamonds - Fabulous Diamonds II →
The actual version, as posted on Wireless Bollinger.
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Song of the Day: IAMX ‘Spit it Out’...
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Triple J feature album: Washington - I Believe You... →
It seems like this has been coming a long time now. For a while now we’ve heard teasers here and there from Washington, whether it be tracks from the EP, or live recordings.
Expectations have been far exceeded. The album’s sound is clever, inventive and oh so enjoyable. Her voice just makes the whole thing come together.
A really fun album to listen to!
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Song of the Day: Elton John ‘Tiny...
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Pitchfork best new album: Big Boi - Sir Lucious... →
I’ve recently made a post about it here.
Thanks!
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Pitchfork best new album: Wavves - King of the... →
Wow, okay. So many influences that I can hear in this band. Normally, I find ‘influences’ or ‘sounds like’ categorisation to be an admission of a lack of originality. However, the combination of classic and new sounds Wavves presents is something quite different.
I think it’s a sound which will appeal to a wide range of audiences, and I hope to hear more from this...
7 tags
Pitchfork best new album: ceo - White Magic →
This has to be one of the most enjoyable albums I’ve had the liberty to listen to which has been listed on the Pitchfork website. I’m not sure what it is, but I find it just so enjoyable.
It’s tracks like ‘Come With Me’ that I wish were played more often in clubs. Perhaps not all night long, but something different from the usual uhn tiss uhn tiss that’s...
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Song of the Day: The Cure ‘The Love...
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Song of the Day: Black Violin...
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Triple J feature album: Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left... →
As far as contemporary Hip Hop goes, this is pretty reasonable. Interesting beats and unusual syncopation lend themselves to an above average release from Outkast’s Big Boi.
It is testament to how different Outkast have been from the rest of the field. ‘Shutterbug’ is my introduction to the album, and I have to say, it’s a great blend of contemporary and old school Hip...
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Song of the Day: Duran Duran ‘Ordinary...
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Special: Fabulous Diamonds - Fabulous Diamonds II
EDIT: I just received an email saying that I got the position of a contributor with WB! Hopefully you’ll see my stuff up there soon.
The following is an honest review I wrote for Wireless Bollinger as a trial. However, they have yet to respond to it and let me know if it is worthy of being published. The LP is to be released in a couple of weeks, so perhaps this is to be in anticipation of...
June 2010
21 posts
bohemea:
suicideblonde:
Fleetwood Mac -...
9 tags
For the Record: Faith No More - The Real Thing
The Real Thing is the Californian five piece’s third studio album, released in 1989. It is of course, the beginning of Faith No More’s rise to the top, with Mike Patton joining the band. His signature voice and character, alongside the fantastic mix of funk, metal, jazz and rock has helped cement their place in history, and I believe that without him, they would not have found near...
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Song of the Day: The Matches ‘Wake the...
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Song of the Day: Jose Gonzalez ‘Far...
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Pitchfork best new album: Julian Lynch - Mare →
The record’s an interesting listen, the vast instrumentation really adds to the sound. However, what is that sound exactly? I’m not sure what the random addition of rather pointless sounds is meant to represent or achieve, though maybe I am missing some deeper meaning. Overall I find it a better than average album, with the obligatory and poor attempt at transcending some worldly...
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Song of the Day: The Kinks ‘This Time...
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Triple J feature album: The National - High Violet →
Looks like Pitchfork beat them to it. Here’s my post from a little while ago.
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For the Record: Maniac - Extended Play
I must admit, I absolutely love this EP. I love Jake Grigg and Something With Numbers. I love Shawn Harris and The Matches. Honestly, together they have created something at least equally amazing as the two put together.
The record was officially launched a couple of weeks ago at an art studio in Surry Hills (which I myself attended) along with various artworks depicting the duo, one of which...
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Song of the Day: Philadelphia Grand Jury...
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365 days and that feeling of "where were you?"
So it’s been one year since the great man passed away. I felt like I should post because not only was it a death which shook the world, but it also placed a great big void in the musical community. Every year, I will remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, on the 25th of June 2009.
After all the drama, a doctor bound to get handed a gaol sentence and lose his license, and the...
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Song of the Day: Something With Numbers...
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Song of the Day: The Bloodhound Gang ‘Uhn...
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Song of the Day: Stone Temple Pilots...
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Song of the Day: Smashing Pumpkins...
Triple J feature album: Sleigh Bells - Treats →
Thanks to Pitchfork I have already posted here about Sleigh Bells. Enjoy!
Pitchfork best new album: Emeralds - Does It Look... →
Does It Look Like I’m Here is a much more mainstream-oriented sound for Emeralds, their past releases have been a little harder to listen to. Not saying that they were bad, but it’s what happens when as an artist you start experimenting just a little further than the imaginations of the millions will follow.
Overall, it’s a great record to just flick on and lie down and relax...
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Triple J feature album: Sia - We Are Born →
I’m not usually a huge fan of the standard pop release. However, the combination smart writing and Sia’s multifaceted vocals make We Are Born a stand out, much like her previous four long plays. It’s tracks like ‘Clap Your Hands’ that get stuck in your head, taking full advantage of the concepts behind good pop music. Strong choruses, instrumentation and clever...
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Pitchfork best new album: Ariel Pink's Haunted... →
Ariel Pink has a really interesting hybrid of sounds. The obvious revival of funk rhythms and heavy bass lines intertwined with a more modern take on electronica really does make for exciting listening. For me personally, it really brings back memories of when I first discovered 80s bands such as The Fixx and Wang Chung, corny listening I know.
‘Fright Night (Nevermore)’ really...
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Pitchfork best new album: Wild Nothing - Gemini →
Honestly this is just an awesome, chilled record for a winter’s night in. The catchy and upbeat guitar, fast paced rhythm, and falsetto hooks in Summer Holiday really get you warm moving. That’s opposed to the more relaxed, electronic feel of the cleverly titled Bored Games. A spacey feel which is gained by high amounts of reverb really helps to lose the rigidity which a lot of indie...
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Triple J feature album: The Drums - The Drums →
I remember hearing the first single released from the debut album, Let’s Go Surfing and subsequently had it stuck in my head for days after. The sign of either a horrible pop song, or a brilliant piece of art. I think it’s safe to say it fits into the latter category.
The Drums’ material is an amazing mix of the new Brooklyn Indie sound, and the old, prolific styles of bands...
I just needed an excuse.
Yep, first exam is over and I have a few days to breathe. I should have this week’s feature album done tomorrow, as well as the two or three updates from Pitchfork.
Whilst you’re at it, could you please “like” the page on Facebook here? That way you can not only be updated more easily, but can give me ideas or feedback!
Thank you oh so much!
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For the Record...Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a...
I am really surprised I haven’t posted about this album already, but I have to after listening to it on repeat all day today whilst studying in the library. Iron Maiden would have to be my biggest musical obsession to date, and they were my first real introduction into heavy metal. Unlike most people, The Number of the Beast was not what got me into them, but rather Face in the Sand from...
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Pitchfork best new album: Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 →
I’m not sure what to say here, it’s not bad. It certainly has a strong beat, but I just don’t think it’s anything exceptional. It’s like a mix between Rihanna and teen dub try-hards. I find stuff like this to be awfully repetitive too. Where’s the creativity? Is it only possible to think of one verse and maybe a chorus line?
All I’m saying is that it...
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Pitchfork best new album: Tame Impala -... →
It’s so good to see an Australian band up on Pitchfork, and my review from a few weeks back is here.
May 2010
22 posts
6 tags
Triple J feature album: Cloud Control - Bliss... →
Hailing from where I lived just up until recently, Cloud Control have been on my radar for a good few years now. I was pretty let down when we were unable to contact them to play at a local gig I helped put together, and even more so now. With some airplay on Triple J from their Unearthed site for the last year or so, the band has really gained a strong supporter-base, touring the east coast...
12 tags
For the Record...Stone Temple Pilots - Thank You
This week I decided to post about the album which has spawned my new obsession. Due to the release of their new self-titled record about a week ago, I’ve begun listening to them more and more over the past months. Thank You (2003), the band’s first compilation album, is a great insight into some of the most popular tracks from a range of releases. From the really well known, more...
100 low-quality posts and counting...
First of all I would like to thank all of the people who have bothered to read what I have posted here. This is the 100th post I have made, and so I thought I would do something a little special.
In 100 posts, I have had 219 visits, 331 page views and 21 tumblr users start following me. In such a short period of time, with such little and meaningless content I am both surprised and elated.
It is...
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Pitchfork best new album: James Blake - CMYK →
A name I relate only to the American tennis player, I struggled to find much information on this artist. What I do know however, is that CMYK is a strange mix of R&B, Jazz and something else I can’t quite put my finger on. For only 21, James Blake is certainly an impressive musician with several well thought out EPs to his name.
Since this is a short release, I suggest you definitely...
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Pitchfork best new album: Janelle Monáe - The... →
Not really a name I’ve heard much, but as a soul performer, and this being her second album (the first released back in 2003) it’s understandable how she’s slipped under the radar previously. The blend of good quality soul and indie sound really makes for some enjoyable listening. Instrumentation escapes the usual traps of R&B and soul music, the incorporation of orchestral...
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Triple J feature album: Midnight Juggernauts - The... →
The Melbourne outfit’s second album, The Crystal Axis is going to do wonders. The Midnight Juggernaut’s electropop/indie sound has been traveling on Australia’s airwaves for a good few years now, and they are no doubt one of the most demanded local bands for festivals.
Its with much excitement then, that I take a listen to their new release on Triple J. So far, Vital Signs...