Wednesday, May 31, 2006
SATURDAY JULY 22ND
Sonic Youth, Grinspoon, DJ Shadow, The Grates, Death Cab for Cutie, TV on the Radio, Augie March, The Avalanches (DJ set), Youth Group, Brittle Fex, Atmosphere, Paul Mac + Mogwai, Something for Kate, Dungen, Mos Def, Bob Evans, TZU, Tex Perkins and Friends, Lior, Angus and Julia Stone, The Predators, Raz Bin Sam and the Lion I Band and DJ sets by Pnau (club mode), Funk Trust DJ’s & DJ Scoota.
SUNDAY JULY 23RD
Brian Wilson, Wolfmother, Scissor Sisters, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jose Gonzalez, Snow Patrol, You Am I, Decoder Ring, The Presets, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Zutons, Matisyahu, Clare Bowditch & Feeding Set + Pete Murray, Expatriate, Gerling, N’Fa, Van She, Josh Pyke, Andrew Morris, The Love Bus and DJ sets by Bang Gang, Ajax & DJ Scoota.
Not as good as last year perhaps? Lacking in the international department but the locals are pretty damn hot.
Did anyone notice that big Tex is playing?
Thoughts people?


The Black Keys - Have Mercy On Me
Also here are some other top tracks from the Possum label.
The Fiery Furnaces - Benton Harbor Blues
Deadboy & The Elephantmen - Ancient Man
RL Burnside - Goin' Down South (feat. Lyrics Born)
T Model Ford - Turkey And The Rabbit
Junior Kimbrough - I Feel Alright
Have a look at the Possum label here where you can both sample more mp3s and purchase the records which feature these songs.
Enjoy!

Monday, May 29, 2006


Ok well a post isn't a post unless I supply the goods. I bought a great album the other day by Sydney siders, Mink Jaguar (just think of something like the Pink Panther but wearing a Mink fur coat - Hot... actually come to think of it, that makes no sense at all... haha and I made you read all that nonsense. Actually I think they're playing a joke on all of us... a little quote from their description on MySpace "A seriously stupid name. A seriously stupid band." Well yeah stupid name but not band... they're bloody good and I was so happy for buying their album. But what can I say about their music? Well not much... it's simple country style rock 'n roll and it's awesome. Buy this album like I did... and if you're disappointed feel free to flood my inbox with 'I Want You To Die' type emails. Please do, I'm lonely :(
Mink Jaguar - Holy Mountain
Mink Jaguar - Say You Do

Labels: Mink Jaguar, Tic Toc Tokyo
Friday, May 26, 2006
What I’ve been craving is a triple-decker vegemite sandwich with all the extras, served on a toothpick with a cocktail onion… then on 21st May, I opened my Chuck Norris lunch box to find it.

“Like Drawing Blood” is the second record by little known Victorian, gotye. Gotye is 26 year old Wally De Backer, and he epitomises everything I love about music. The recording and production of this album was a gargantuan effort, all completed on his home computer over the space of two and a half years. He played drums, piano, sang and cut’n’pasted samples, to create a completely independent masterpiece.
It’s a hard task to put a finger on his sound, it is eclectic yet distinctive. Not dissimilar to my taste in beer & women (preferably tall and blonde, but served at a variety of temperatures..) The percussive elements of this album are top notch. A fusion of jazzy high-hats and drum machine that defies convention. It encompasses an assortment of tempos and forms, weaving in and out of electronic and organic samples.
For an example, listen to the loungey electro pop that is “Thanks For Your Time
Now follow it with the Mo Town stylings of “Learnalilgivinanlovin
Then there’s my personal fave. A gorgeous meandering serenade that will give you chills, called “Hearts a Mess”. (will put this up tomorrow. make sure you come back and get it)
Its obvious from the first listen, just how much soul and effort have gone into this LP. It is an even more commendable effort, knowing Wally also had to endure a critical hard-disk crash halfway through the recording process.
If there is one independent Australian album you should buy in 2006, this is it.
Nab it here
“Thanks for your time…”

'A dog in desperation will leap over a wall'. - Some asian guy
Well for the past hour I've been doing what every good time waster does - bodyboarding the net (I can't surf). Found this cool little indie/punk band out of Melbourne on my travels through MySpace: Red Ink Spills. Have a listen....
Red Ink Spills - Love My Baby
Red Ink Spills - Little Exit
Red Ink Spills - Fresh Out of Jail
More on their MySpace site
These guys will be up in Sydney next Friday (2nd June) playing at the Sandringham. Think I might go check them out.
Happy Friday all!

Labels: Red Ink Spills
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Bah! Well what happens when you have this awesome idea? A super cool idea that you know everyone will love and wanna piece of (like Post-Its)? Well I'll tell yah....Somebody else has the same fucking idea and then they share it with everyone and they wanna piece of it and whoa its all sooooooooooo kiewwwwwwwwwl then I have to come up with something else.
O.K got that outta my system. Hutch is right though "Cuthbert and The Nightwalkers" are schweet and you should get downloading with their tracks......On to these guys: "Jades of July" are a band out of Melbourne and have been impressing since their inception in early 2004 when Matt Wilkinson & bass player Mat Brown met and started writing straight away. They are unsigned at the moment but I have paid frequent visits to their myspace site, where their tunes are all downloadable, and their own site. Listening to "New Wave Chocolate" I instantly thought "Yeah these guys can be my new Post-Its idea for sure!"
So here it is. Have a look/listen and see if you think I was onto something. Just imagine yourself in a scarlet lit room, alcoholic drink of choice in hand, cool peeps around you and these guys playing infront of you. Yeah thats it! Post-Its schmostits.

Labels: Jades Of July, Melbourne
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Beautiful Girls
I don't know why, I don't know how, but I found myself staring at this cover again and again for 10 minutes at a time. A beautiful girl, that somehow made me think about so much more. If you do happen to behold this cover, and listen to what's inside at the same time (buy here), you'll be lost for the rest of the day. May aswell say goodnight now.
preview some tunes by Damien Jurado
And after listening to the cover of Yellow Brick Rd posted by the Baron, here's a another reminder why Sydney's Sarah Blasko epitomises the word 'beautiful':
Which leads me on to another Sydney band, The Beautiful Girls, whose laid-back surf-inspired music is also worth a good listen...
Ain't Life just Beautiful!
Labels: Sarah Blasko, The Beautiful Girls
Monday, May 22, 2006

Cuthbert & The Nightwalkers - Red Frogs
Cuthbert & The Nightwalkers - Trash
More songs available for download from their mySpace site here.
Admittedly, I was so impressed by CBATNW (it's just easier to type - actually now that I wrote that 'easier to type' bit it wasn't easier at all... shut up) that I was thinking at the time that there was no way The Light Brigade were going to top such an impressive set. Well they did, and they were damn good. This band has so many different styles and they play it all so well. It was impressive to see a 4 man band with 4 lead vocals. Equally impressive was the array of instruments on display; a ukulele, a rekeyboarder (ok I made that name up - I have no idea what it is but it's like a keyboard crossed with a recorder), a megaphone and of course, the Sandwich Club favourite, the cowbell just to name a few. They never overdid any of these instruments either - they all deserved their place.
Here are a couple from their EP which is excellent I might add (in fact the night was for the launch of their EP, '(Extended Player)'). I highly recommend getting a copy of this record. I can't get enough. It's been on my stereo all weekend.
Light Brigade - Beyond The Valley of The Dolls
Light Brigade - I Just Write The B-Sides
Their next gig is at The Hopetoun June 1st... Go see them!
Also more songs to listen to on their mySpace site
Also have a listen to this song from Danielson's (no not the karate kid) new album, Ships. Really bouncy, I like. Purchase Ships here.
Danielson - Did I Step On Your Trumpet
And here's a great cover from Aussie artist Sarah Blasko doing Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This is for Tommy and Em.
Sarah Blasko - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John Cover)

Labels: Cuthbert And The Nightwalkers, Sarah Blasko, The Light Brigade
Friday, May 19, 2006

Moving on.
I've been hearing some stuff on the rumour mill about Splendour in the Grass. There is talk of the Eels, Gnarls Barkley and, wait for it, The Strokes. I severely doubt the last though. But the Eels and Gnarls would be bloody cool and apparently they're almost assured.
Ok some music now. Here are some tracks that have been pushing my buttons lately (what the hell does that mean anyway?)
A couple of covers here.
Franz Ferdinand - What You Waiting For? (Gwen Stefani Cover)
Ted Leo - Dancing In The Dark (Springsteen Cover)
Editors - Feel Good Inc. (Gorillaz Cover)
Awesome track from Midlake's new album, Trials of Van Occupanther. Very Fleetwood sounding. My favourite song at the moment.
Midlake - Roscoe
And some stuff from the local scene...
Nice little toe tapper from The New Christs
The New Christs - Spit It Out
QOTSA sounding track by Lady Peroxide. From their EP Captain Bringdown and the Buzzkillers.
Lady Peroxide - Day Release
And a track from those Melbournites Tic Toc Tokyo. Beginning to make headways everywhere...
Tic Toc Tokyo - I Am An Amature
Have a good weekend!

Labels: Lady Peroxide, The New Christ, Tic Toc Tokyo
You should come with a disclaimer:
MY GIRLFRIEND HAS BEEN PASHED BY PETE DOUGHERTY. READING THIS FORFEITS YOUR RIGHT TO SUE ME. YOU MAY NOW HAVE HEPATITIS.


Pete Dougherty is masquerading as a junkie rocker in an attempt to escape his shady past as ‘The Child Catcher’ from the small European country of Vulgaria. His exploits were well documented in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, however it remains to be proven what actually became of the many children he caught…. Now I don’t want to be presumptuous, but he must have had a very good reason to leave a highly paid government job where he was on personal terms with the ruler Baron Bomburst. Hmmmm… make up your own minds.
Thursday, May 18, 2006

So my demented hesitation in listening to EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME by BAND OF HORSES for the first time is understandable. The mystery surrounding this band and the underlying hype had, I admit, drawn me in. I liked them for silly reasons, before I really even knew them. I knew they formed in Seattle (tick). I knew they were the product of a band break up (tick). I knew they had beards (tick), I knew the album had a nice cover (tick). I knew they had a dog (a cheap imitation for a horse, perhaps, but a tick anyway). However the real clincher - I knew they were on the SUB POP label, home to possibly my favourite album EVER; OUT OF THE SHADOW by ROGUE WAVE (tick tick tick).
So to me, Band of Horses was like a friend of a good friend I'd only seen in photographs, or a pretty girl I'd see everyday on the bus. It was near impossible to contain my excitement, but I was scared knowing that, with such high expectations, satisfaction would be all the more elusive, yet so sweet. And oh how sweet it was. This brooding stranger DID turn out to be all my heart had hoped for, and I am now very much in love. This is no school boy crush, baby. This is love. True love. And it's gonna take alot to tear us apart.
From Everything All the Time:
Band of Horses - The Funeral
Band of Horses - The Great Salt Lake
buy through sub pop
From Out of the Shadow:
Rogue Wave - Every Moment
Rogue Wave - Endless Shovel
buy through sub pop
The Horse's old band (Band of ponies??):
Carissa's Wierd - You Should Be Hated Here
Carissa's Wierd - September Come Take This Heart Away
Carissa's Wierd - (March 19th 1983) It was probably Green
Sub Pop is what a music label should be, that all others should aspire to. Im now convinced that every sound these orchestral pop specialists find is worth a listen (eg The Murder City Devils, The Brunuettes,The Constantines, Steve Fisk, Hot Hot Heat, Damien Jurado, Iron & Wine, Low, Mudhoney, The Pernice Brothers, Postal Service, The Shins, Kelly Stoltz, Sunny Day Real Estate, Stars, Wolf Parade). And I recommend you take the time to explore more SUB POP bands through their website, which offers a very generous serve of free mp3s.
Labels: Band Of Horses, Carissa's Wierd, Rogue Wave, Tom
Tuesday, May 16, 2006

I haven't really been into country music since I was 12. Listening to my Skitz Mega Mix 2000 vol. 356 tape on my Sony Sports Walkman on the way to school - Cotton Eye Joe blaring out those great yellow ear phones (yeah that's right Apple and your evil iPod - Sony were the first to be different with their yellow ear phones... white isn't really a colour anyway). Other than a brief flirt with Shania and the Dixie Chicks country music hasn't really tickled my fancy. Hang on... I just worked out what 'tickle my fancy' means. Didn't I first hear that in a Disney movie or something? Walt, you old codger you.
Anyway, last week I managed to catch a top country/ blues outfit who completely changed my opinion of country music and has left me thirsty for more. Let me introduce the Sydney group The New Days. A truly talented group of individuals. John Dance on vocals and guitar with a voice reminiscent of Nick Cave or Johnny Cash is in contrast to Jonathon Miller who I may have mistaken as the reincarnation of Jeff Buckley had it not been for that bass in his hands. Follow that up with one of the best lead guitarists I have had the pleasure of seeing in a long time. Evan Lock playing on instinct, hardly flinching at the incredibly difficult strings he was pulling. And Chris Rudge on drums not afraid to take control of any song and playing with passion that most drummers seem to leave at home these days. If you get a chance, see these guys live. It was one of the best gigs I've seen in some time and you won't be short of being satisfied.
Check out their MySpace site here.
And here are some samples from their self-titled EP released last April.
The New Days - 20/20
The New Days - Mary
Also found this nice track from Melbourne band Souls on Board. From their self titled EP which you can purchase here.
Souls on Board - Hand

Labels: Souls On Board, The New Days
Monday, May 15, 2006
Adem

While I am compelled to publicly parade my recent infatuation with ADEM, I am also a little embarrassed to admit I'd never heard of this guy until a month ago. His first album HOMESONGS, and it's rave pitchfork review, slipped under my radar. Oh, what my life may have been like if it had found me earlier. Maybe I would have kissed Maggie Woods that night by the campfire, or been inspired to quit my job and follow my dream. But alas I'm left here labouring over some lifeless spreadsheet, carrying the burden of unrequited love. But ADEM's new album LOVE AND OTHER PLANETS reminded me that life is good. Every sound, every word, every silence carries your mind around like the smoke from a cigarette and forces you to think about ideas and ambitions you forgot you had. I think the album cover itself is a good summary of what Im trying to say. Interpret it as you will . . .
preview:
Launch Yourself
Something's Going To Come
X Is For Kisses
Sea Of Tranquility
purchase through itunes or amazon
myspace
ps. I am now preparing my resignation letter which reads something like:
Dear Boss,
I am leaving the company because Im convinced there is so much more to life than this.
Adem made me do it.
Friday, May 12, 2006

Have a listen for yourselves.... Purchase it here
The Lovely Feathers - Ooh You Shocked Me
The Lovely Feathers - Wrong Choice
The Lovely Feathers - I Really Like You
And some Islands tracks just for good measure... (Purchase Return To The Sea here and see Marc's post here)
Islands - Rough Gem
Islands - Where There's A Will There's a Whalebone

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Anyway I've just been sitting here listening to the wireless when the new single from Sydney outfit The Winters came on. 'How fitting' I thought while feeling like a dejected Russian at the end of the Cold War. But as the song played on it began to warm me, ok not literally - I was still frickin freezing, but at least it made me smile on this average Tuesday (damn mid-week blues. Wednesdays should be holidays - Please Johnny, we promise we'll get more work done). A Beatelesque tune with nice rolling guitars and fantastic vocals to back it up (listen to the vocals on some other tracks - excellent). The song also features a 'la da di da da dum' to sing along to when you feel like a bit of karaoke in the car (we all do it occasionally).
Enjoy this on a cold winters day (or a hot summers day - so jealous of all you people in the northern hemisphere right now, I hope it's raining).
The new single:
The Winters - Layer Cake
And a couple of other tracks from their MySpace site.
The Winters - Over My Head
The Winters - Keef
Oh and The Dears are returning to Sydney soon. Playing at Rebel Rebel (Home Nightclub) Saturday June 10th. Bou yow!

Labels: Sydney, The Winters

I first heard of Snow Patrol a couple of years ago when they released their breakthrough album Final Straw. Admittedly I'm not a fan of their slower stuff but their faster songs which feature driving snare drums, whaling guitar riffs (never too far off course) complimented by Lightbody's powerful vocals had me completely hooked. The album went straight to the top of my 'favourite albums to drive to' list.
The new album, Eyes Open, has me a little worried however. It's almost like they've amplified their sound from Final Straw, remade their songs then wrapped it in a nice new cover ready to buy off the shelf from every damn record store in the world. Don't get me wrong, I love Snow Patrol and I really like Eyes Open yet I see myself getting very bored of this one as I feel there wasn't much more to offer over their previous release. There are a couple of goodies however. Martha Wainwright features on a beautiful slower track (didn't I say I wasn't a fan of their slower stuff? - I lied) titled Set The Fire To The Third Bar. Martha and Lightbody's voices are synergistic creating a soulful, passionate song which had me reaching for the repeat button on a number of occasions. I also really enjoyed Open Your Eyes. A great song that builds and builds to a near perfect ending - I see this song being their stand out on the album.
Here are a couple of tracks (purchase here)
Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar (feat. Martha Wainwright)
Snow Patrol - You're All I Have
and one of my faves from Final Straw (purchase here)
Snow Patrol - Spitting Games

Next week (Friday 19th) the Sydney band The Light Brigade are launching their debut EP at Candy's Apartment. I haven't seen these guys play but I'm very excited. Their song 'Drinkin' in the Day' is one of my favourite songs which I am yet to have in my collection. Have a listen on MySpace here (Ghost in the Machine is also excellent). Check out details of the gig on the toolbar on the right.

Labels: The Light Brigade
Monday, May 08, 2006
a little treat will present itself on Friday 19th May at the Sandringham Hotel in Newtown. The givegoods are something of a collaboration between Evan Dando, Tom Morgan & Paul Dempsey (you work it out...)
(sclub > i posted this here because Ive been denied access to our 'settings'!...what the?!)
Labels: The Givegoods
Friday, May 05, 2006

Well back to my reason for this blog, my recent obsession with the 80's has not only taken me sliding into the fridge and ending up with a really sore neck... I have found some pretty cool electropunk (eightiesesque - if you will) music from a couple bands that make me wanna master the coveted 80's dance move 'the worm'. Oh yes baby a few ribs are going to be cracked and teeth chipped as I listen to these tracks from Avenpitch and their track 'Butterfly Radio'and Citation Obsolete's 'The Ballad of Wolf Point'.
Marc is super lucky at the moment being in NY and all as there is plethora of music oozing from its streets at the moment and I for one am finding an outlet, an escape from all the 'brit pop'. Dont get me wrong I love it and all but I wanna expand my repertoire of dance moves

Well if want to join me, then Citation Obsolete have provided you with heapsa bulk free mp3s. So have a listen to these guys and enjoy, find out the meaning behind what frankie said when he said 'relax', dust off your copy of The Breakfast Club and jive. "Alright alright" I hear you say "enough cheese on this sandwich" Just shut up and gimme the music.
Fine then.
Its cool.
I just hope you dont chip your teeth on your tiled kitchen floor when you attempt the worm. Cos I assure you, you are going to want to......attempt the worm that is.
Thursday, May 04, 2006

Ok now here's the part where I try relate this with something completely unrelated; the band called The Capes. Hold on I've got more. There's a song on their album titled Supergirls (Super - delete 'hero' - add 'girls'). How was that? You're silence says only one thing...
Anyway The Capes are a band from South London and they do have that brit indie pop sound we all know so well. This is not a bad thing of course otherwise I wouldn't be writing about them (actually they could be paying me or blackmailing me... I swear she was legal). Their songs waver in between bands like The Cribs, Franz Ferdinand and Blur with even a hint of Strokesh guitar in a number of them. In all truth I've had their album, Hello, for sometime now and it has taken sometime to grow on me but now I really like it. I think it was more that I was sick of brit pop. This is definitely a cut above most of them and worthy of sitting in your music collection. Here are some tracks from their album Hello which you can purchase here.
The Capes - Tightly Wound
The Capes - Super Girls
The Capes -Shinjuku Hi5

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Monday, May 01, 2006

I love this track from I Heart Hiroshima - Aussie band from Bris Vegas. These guys are beginning to make waves on the Aussie scene... damn good. (Full EP download from their site here)
I Heart Hiroshima - I Feel It
Love them or hate them (I love them - obviously) Wilderness have just released a new album titled Vessel States (purchase here). If you're a lyrics person you will probably despise this... a good example of a band with completely incoherent lyrics.
Wilderness - Fever Pitch
From Jack White's new side project The Raconteurs - or The Saboteurs in Australia (read this... what a joke!) Level from their first album Broken Boy Soldiers (purchase here).
The Raconteurs - Level
Top indie/disco pop band Mystery Jets. These guys have been around for a number years but have only just released their first 'proper' LP, Making Dens. Enjoy this track from the album (purchase here).
Mystery Jets - You Can't Fool Me Dennis
Royksopp have just released a live EP fittingly titled Royksopp's Night Out. This is the track Only This Moment from the EP. Very good by the way - I've always been of the opinion that a true great group must be able to perform well live. (Purchase EP here)
Royksopp - Only This Moment (Live)
From Calexico's truly excellent album, Garden Ruin (purchase here)
Calexico - Letter To Bowie Knife
An oldie from Eleventh Day Dream...
Eleventh Day Dream - April (from their album Eighth - purchase here)
Cool indie punk track from The Lovely Feathers, In The Valley. Frickin good album too (purchase Hind Hind Legs here)
The Lovely Feathers - In The Valley
Just quickly, one of the great music blog sites, You Ain't No Picasso, wrote a little something on SClub... I'm shedding a tear in pride. Check it out here.
Back to the study :(
(SClub scout honour that my postings will return to normal soon)
3/5/06 - Sorry some of my links don't work.. I will endeavour to fix these up by tonight (still studying) Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes silk. - Confucius. No wonder he was called confucius.. I'm confused ;(
UPDATE - Links are fixed... 2 hours of my time I will never get back thanks to technology -grrrrr

Labels: I Heart Hiroshima