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, first-class, Aussie rock.
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!
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 Hop.
Maybe your other Hip Hop artists could learn a thing or two from Big Boi, I’m just saying.
Looks like Pitchfork beat them to it. Here’s my post from a little while ago.
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 phrasing really lend themselves in favour of Sia’s writing.
Overall, it’s good…for something that’s not usually my cup of tea. If you love your pop music, this will be a great listen. Otherwise, well you may as well give it a go. It’s not too bad.
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 such as The Cure and The Smiths. Their use of heavy reverb and a generally higher range of pitch really give tracks like Best Friend and I Felt Stupid an upbeat presence, probably part of the reason their songs get stuck in my head for days at a time.
Overall, the riffs and hooks are relatively simple, but that’s what it’s all about right? Short phrases that are easy to remember, repeated throughout the track in different forms. They have their act down packed, and I can’t wait for their first trip Down Under.
Check them out!
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 over the coming months.
Their sound is a great mix of classic and contemporary rock, and indie pop, which will get you moving to the groove in no time. I really find the innumerable layers of instruments and vocal harmonies to be one of the best things about Cloud Control’s music. There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight is the first single off their debut album which has had such mixed reactions. Some complain about how this release seems to have little ‘purpose’ beyond current trends, but in all reality, finding music which is this good is hard enough these days. On the other hand, many praise the quartet for bringing back the awesome sounds of the 60s and 70s, and mixing it so well with the indie style which is the latest to fall subject to ‘obsession’ and ‘trend’.
But the way I see it is, it’s an amazing album which you just have to listen to in full, and this track really shows just how great Cloud Control are at what they do. This Is What I Said is quite different, and displays how stripping back those layers can create such an alternative form and sound.
All up, they are a band you must definitely check out if it’s your scene!
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 mainstream songs like Vasoline, Plush (and what a fabulous acoustic version too!), Creep and Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart, to the amazing All in the Suit That You Wear (my personal favourite), it’s a great mix of new and old.
I bought the album years ago, mostly because I had heard of STP and never really listened to them much (knowingly). Then upon listening I realised their stuff was everywhere, especially in the nineties whilst I was growing up.
If you need an introduction to the band’s large and respectable catalogue, this is probably the easiest way. I’m just hoping Pitchfork or Triple J pick up their new record so I can have that excuse to post about it (or I’ll make a special case over the coming weeks). Between the Lines is the reason I’m glad they decided breaking up was a bad idea.
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 continues the band’s great sound and promises that The Crystal Axis will be an undoubtedly great album. It will be interesting to see if it will outnumber the five singles released from Dystopia (2007), all of which I loved.
There’s not really much else to add here, other than check it out!
I’ve been waiting for this album ever since I first heard Tame Impala on the airwaves at Triple J over a year ago. They have an amazing way with raw sound, it’s almost like it is straight out of the 60s, but still with that modern rock edge.
I think the first single released from the record, Solitude Is Bliss is the perfect display of their classic sound. The mix of instrumentation and effects is extraordinary, and it could very well be directly off some film like “Almost Famous” or “Empire Records”.
Is it prolific or exceptionally original? Maybe not. But it’s damn good music, and probably some of the best new stuff coming out of Australia right now. Get set, because Tame Impala will soon enough be a household name amongst a younger generation. Psychedelic rock is on a comeback!
