music

Interview: Tim Hecker

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tim hecker

Montreal’s Tim Hecker will bring his brand of ambient electronica to Brisbane this week for a free show as part of the Mono series.

What can Australian fans expect from a Tim Hecker performance in 2013?

Well it’s been a few years since I was last visiting, so there’s a lot of new music that has been made in that time and I’m part way through working on a new album, so I think there’ll be some new stuff in there that people might not recognise. I’m never sure where things are going to go really, so best to just leave it open in terms of expectations.

How much do you stick to the recording when performing live, and how much is improvised?

It’s a real mix for me, like I have elements of all the pieces that I can use, but they are never like the albums as such. It’s two different things in a way – what makes sense in one, doesn’t always in the other. Everything effects the live experiences I think – PA, room etc – so all that feeds into what I make when performing.

Do you consider your live performance a partial assault on your audience’s senses or a chance for them to get lost in the music, so to speak?

I’d say both and neither. I definitely employ volume as a tool to overload listeners at times. That means sometimes making things more pleasant, but it also means as much if not more about sometimes making things uncomfortable or awkward for listeners. I’m not really sure what my live efforts are going after at times, I kind of throw things out and see how they bounce off the walls, and go forward from there.

Is your writing process complicated, or a fairly simple affair?

Sometimes it’s simple, easily coming in short moments of clarity or improvisation on the spot. Other times it’s very labour intensive to push the sound into certain directions where it starts to take on a life of its own. That means transformation upon transformation of some motif or line that gets hammered and distorted and bent inside out.

You have been active since 1996. How or where do you find motivation and fresh ideas for new material?

Often it seems like I’ve been thrashing at some of the same ideas for at least ten years, each release a further addition to the catalogue of failures to properly realise those ideas or loose visions. But there seems to be an arc of transformation over that period though that might suggest my interests have changed somewhat. I would say making music is both a real pleasure but also something that I need to do to maintain my sanity.

This will be your first appearance in Australia since the Open Frame Festival in 2007. What are you most looking forward to about coming to Australia?

Actually, I’ve been down once between this and Open Frame in 2010. I’ve been looking forward to seeing a lot of friends there – that’s one of the upsides to festivals, it brings us together somewhere different. I’m also looking forward to spending some time at the beach – I have a short residency just south of Byron I will be doing while here… so that will be a pleasure no doubt.

TIM HECKER AND GERMANY’S LEGENDARY POLE PERFORM AT THE IMA GALLERY THURSDAY MARCH 21st FROM 7PM. AND IT’S FREE.

Record review: The Strokes – Comedown Machine (2013, LP)

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There are very few landmarks in music these days; sometimes it feels like every riff and rhyme has been done to death. Luckily long-time lo-fi indie darlings The Strokes still know how to make releasing an album feel like an event. Done and dusted in 39 minutes, Comedown Machine is the final recording in the band’s deal with long-time label RCA, which – coupled with recent internal conflict – has prompted plenty of speculation about the band’s future. Unlike 2011’s Angles, it was put together by all five band members in one studio at the same time, not via e-mail and express post. The album sees the quintet take a definite step away from the 1977 New York sound of earlier efforts and towards a more ’80s electronic pop kind of feel, as on catchy pop-noir opener ‘Tap Out’ and the mazy title track. That’s not to say they can’t still do indie guitar rock better than most others. Second track ‘All The Time’ sounds like all the best parts of 2003’s Room on Fire fused together in one song, and 50/50 spews snotty punk attitude by the bucket load. Later track ‘Chances’ has Julian Casablancas indulging in some questionable falsetto vocals, but that aside, this is a fine collection of songs. Whether there will be another Strokes album remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: if Comedown Machine is the final nail in the coffin of the band’s distinguished career, they are going out on a triumphant, all-conquering high. (RCA/Rough Trade)

Steve Diggle of Buzzcocks: “I nailed my colours to the mast and went out into the seas and experienced it all”

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SEMINAL PUNK VETERANS Buzzcocks may have been around for nearly forty years, but guitarist Steve Diggle won’t be tiring of playing live any time soon.

“You would think we might get tired of playing those songs,” he says, “but the nature of Buzzcocks songs is that they’re so catchy and well crafted in their own weird way, and they’re always such a pleasure to play. It just feels like you are playing a classic all the time. What I’ve learned over the years, is that a live show is about communicating with the audience; it’s about the atmosphere and the vibe. It doesn’t matter whether I play a bum note or the wrong chord; we can all be in this together, and in that way you never get bored of playing them. We can put a different life into a song each night because of the nature of the audience, as we’re feeding off the crowd every night, and I think that’s where the magic is, human beings connecting, you know? But fortunately they’re all pretty good songs as well.”

Coming to Australia to play the Hoodoo Gurus’ Dig It Up festival and headline their own shows is a double bonus for the band.

“They asked us to play there,” he says. “I think they’ve been big Buzzcocks fans over the years, and it’s nice to be asked to do it. I think it’s a good combination for us to do that. Obviously they’re fans, and we have mutual respect for each other, and I think it’ll be a great day. I’ve never met them, so it’ll be great to meet and connect. A lot of bands don’t get to meet, so being on the same bill is a great chance to do that.”

Whatever the size of the gig, Diggle is clear about what to expect from a Buzzcocks show.

“A selection of great classic songs, and a lot of excitement on the stage – that’s the nature of Buzzcocks music. Seeing it live is even better than the record, really. The bigger crowds bring that big sense of occasion, which is a great thing, but then the smaller crowds are more focussed intensely on the music. So it’s great to see a band in a small place as well; you can really get the essence of what they are. You can get more of a sense of a band and what they are about. But they all work, they all have their different merits. When I’m on-stage nowadays, it’s not what I’m playing, it’s about relating to the crowd. I’m more concerned about what the crowd are doing and feeling, and that’s always interesting.”

Buzzcocks are one of the few original punk bands to still be together since their formation in Manchester in 1976.

“When you’re living with each other all the time, on the road together, in the hotel together, it’s in some ways like being married to four people, and it’s bad enough being married to one sometimes! This is why a lot of bands split up. We split up for a while in the ’80s; we had a lot of success, we were on tour all the time, and all of those things take their toll. But when we got back together again we learned a lot from the break-up; to keep things in focus and in check, and now 35 years down the line we know how to deal with all that, and it helps us survive. By the time I was 30 I realised it’s really exciting to be in a band, because you do go through this period of “what’s it all mean?” or “how am I dealing with all this?” We started when I was 20, and a lot of success came to us quickly, but then I realised that rock ‘n’ roll is in my blood and I embraced it. Like Turner, I nailed my colours to the mast and went out into the seas and experienced it all. Some people start taking it all personally and cracking up, you know? We got over those things quite early on, and that helped us survive. It’s been a great journey.”

At first success came quickly for the band, but the thought of still doing it all these years later didn’t once cross their minds.

“At the time everything was just for the moment,” he says. “We thought it was great if we had a gig that week, and maybe one the week after – we never thought further that that. Like James Joyce’s Ulysses, we were Mr. Bloom for a day, but the day went on and on for about the last 37 years!”

Planning the trip Down Under is easy for the experienced and well-travelled band.

“I just bring two guitars and that’s it,” he says. “We always hire the back line. In the early days when we went to America, we took the whole of the back line with us, and racks of guitars on the planes; flying cases of equipment everywhere. Now we just turn up and plug in. The great thing about Buzzcocks is that we don’t need rows of effects pedals, it’s just a couple of guys with guitars, and that’s enough to make it work. We were in Bratislava a couple of days ago; we just flew in there, plugged in with no sound check, and away we went. It was fantastic – it was our first time there. We did some Buzzcocks songs on piano, and people loved it; it was a different look at our songs.”

“We’ve played China, Rio, but we’ve never played Russia yet. It’s always nice to go to new countries. Coming back to Australia is a little like coming home to us, in a sense, because we’re always well received; it’s like a great understanding we have. We know what to expect a little bit, and Australia knows what to expect a little bit, so let’s all get down to it.”

While a Buzzcocks show may be rooted in music from the band’s long career, Diggle is also very much looking to the future.

“I’m working on my solo record,” he says. “Pete lives in Estonia now, so it’s hard not being in the same country. It’s easy for me to do a solo record as I’m in London and the studio’s just down the road. I was rehearsing with my solo band just yesterday, so I just keep going with everything, you know? We will get a new Buzzcocks record at some point. In the mean time we’ve got about 150 songs which are great to play live. We’ve got a lot of die-hard fans who’ve been with us all the way, which is great, and there a lot of new kids that pick up on our stuff – our fans span three generations now. Our live experience has always been the best.”

BUZZCOCKS PLAY THE ZOO ON SATURDAY 20th APRIL.

Live review: The Bamboos + Axolotl – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane – July 2012

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I arrive at the Hi-Fi bar in Brisbane’s West End on Saturday night, fully prepared to be wowed by The Bamboos and ready to get my groove on. After a bit of a wait at the entrance, much miscommunication, and a brief discussion with the venue manager in which I find myself having to convince her that I’m not actually asking to be let backstage for any devious or sordid reason (apparently “Paul from AAA Backstage” is easily mistaken for “I want to go backstage”), I walk into the packed main hall of the Hi-Fi and catch the end of support act Axolotl’s set.

Dreamy folk music is the sound that greets me from the Melbourne three-piece; a pleasant, floating ambience centred on the vocals of Bamboos member Ella Thompson. They remind me slightly of the scene from Twin Peaks where Julee Cruise sings ‘Falling’ in the Roadhouse, although much less creepy, and with infinitely better fashion sense.

Axolotl leave the stage to polite applause and the heavy curtains close for some time, allowing the audience to fall back into comfortable conversation and sip on their beverages. Some time passes, and almost unsuspectingly the curtains suddenly whip open to reveal the nine-piece Bamboos, looking all kinds of dapper in their smart suits and colourful dresses. Frontman and songwriter Lance Ferguson and singer Kylie Auldist take the stage front-and-centre as the band launch into ‘What I Know’, while “We are the Bamboos, make some noise!” is the call. The sound is at once stylish, clean, and slick, and the band an engaging sight; there is just so much to look at and plenty of movement across all members.

By second song ‘Cut Me Down’ most of the audience is dancing along to the Bamboos’ mix of soul, pop, and funk, and ‘Now That You Are Mine’ and ‘Daydream’ follow. Auldist has one hell of a voice, Ferguson is the epitome of cool at this point, and I especially notice Graeme Pogson’s mastery behind the kit.

Ferguson introduces ‘Window’ as “a song I wrote for the late, great Amy Winehouse” and Auldist pulls it off brilliantly; she really puts everything into her vocals and leaves nothing in the tank.

Soon it is time for the unquestionable highlight of the evening, and as rumoured it is in the form of one Megan Washington. The Brisbane chanteuse is champing at the bit to get on stage as Ferguson introduces her, and she is looking fantastic dressed in all black, with dark lipstick to match. She throws her arms into the air and generally flails around as the band launch into Kings of Leon cover ‘King of the Rodeo’, which includes Anton Delecca absolutely killing the flute solo (words I would never have expected to say). Until now I generally considered flute solos to be about as cool as a punch to the lower spine, but this one is impressive in all kinds of ways.

Next up for Washington is a cover of James Blake’s ‘The Wilhelm Scream’ which she says is “a song about a junkie”, before saying hello to her dad, who is in the audience somewhere. Then her final song of the evening and contribution to latest album Medicine Man, ‘Eliza’, proves to be the best of the night, as Washington puts everything into her vocal, before leaving the stage to massive cheers.

How to follow such a performance from a much-loved hometown singer? The answer for the Bamboos isn’t easy to find, as the rest of the show slowly peters out and I retire to the bar area and watch one particular guy, who is steaming drunk, dance like a maniac. ‘You Ain’t No Good’ and ‘I Got Burned’ follow before an encore of ‘Like Tears in Rain’ and ‘Keep Me In Mind’ finish the show, and the Bamboos leave the stage to cheers and plenty of applause.

The Bamboos have taken giant strides forward with the song writing on Medicine Man and that comes across in the live arena. Overall it is a great night of soulful good times, with Megan Washington not only providing the best moments, but also strangely killing off the rest of the show as her performance can’t be matched. Advice to the Bamboos: only collaborate with people who are slightly less talented than you, lest they steal the show.

Live review: San Cisco + The Preatures + The Belligerents – The Rev, Brisbane – December 2012

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At first I think I’ve set my alarm clock wrongly as I enter The Rev in Fortitude Valley on Sunday night, such is the expanse of fresh-faced youth blocking my way to the bar to get my milkshake – I mean beer – before a quick check that (a) it is actually dark outside and (b) I haven’t been able to pass for a minor since Britpop, reassures me that it is indeed the eighteen plus show I’ve arrived at, and not the earlier matinee version for the indie-pop-loving ankle-biters of Brisbane. Quite the relief.

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Doubts eased, I settle into a comfortable vantage point on the upper balcony, with a diet coke in my hand (the confusion obviously hasn’t totally cleared), just as Brisbane’s own indie-dance-pop party boys The Belligerents are stepping their set up a gear and making the kids down on the floor start to move. The five-piece are on great form; their track ‘Money’ sounds particularly strong tonight and there are some rather fine T-shirts on-stage, including the shit-themed one-two of Andy Balzat’s ‘I Heart Huggies’ and Konstantin Kersting’s ‘Pink Floyd’ number (I know this is how you meant it to be interpreted, fellas). The Belligerents are a top local band, and just need that one great breakthrough single to catapult them to the next level, but that hopefully shouldn’t be too far down the track.

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Next up is Sydney quintet The Preatures, who have already managed their own breakthrough single with ‘Take A Card’. It’s a top track, but there’s so much more to this band than catchy pop songs that take the piss out of, well… catchy pop songs (listen to the lyrics, kids.) Starting with an all-bloke jam before singer-keyboardist Isabella Manfredi takes to the stage and steals the limelight for opener ‘Pale Rider’, the band are tight and classy from start to finish, running through all five tracks from their Shaking Hands EP, and even throwing in a couple of new songs that maintain the hint of Americana present in their previous tunes while barrelling along with a welcome dose of rock; something that bodes well for their upcoming debut long-player. While the obvious focus is on singers Manfredi and Gideon Benson, I can’t help but be most impressed – yet again – by the less-is-more lead guitar work of Jack Moffitt.

And so to our hosts for the evening; Perth pop darlings San Cisco. After catching the band a few months back and thinking they needed to mature a little before being a true live force, I’m keen to see what influence their recent sojourns to foreign shores might have had on their stagecraft, and am far from disappointed by tonight’s showing. The quartet have a slew of pop gems in their arsenal, and a deft ability to write simple tunes with easily singable choruses and ridiculously catchy melodies; the sort of stuff to drive tonight’s audience wild. Starting with ‘Fred Astaire’, and running through ‘Golden Revolver’, ‘Hunter’, ‘Reckless’, and ‘Stella’ in quick succession despite some technical issues, it’s clear the band is tight and full of upbeat pop charm and good times. The necessity for The Preatures’ Isabella to join in on vocals for ‘Beach’, ‘Wild Things’, and ‘Awkward’ due to drummer Scarlett Stevens’ croaky throat only adds to the experience as the clash of styles works well and there is a collective losing of shit amongst the ‘Cisco faithful down the front.

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The encore for tonight is, quite simply, a wonderful thing, as once singer Jordie Davieson is done with his solo track ‘John’s Song’, the stage is invaded by a motley crew of hairy, bouncy folk for the final track ‘Rocket Ship’, as The Belligerents, The Preatures, and surprise arrivals The Jungle Giants jump into the action and crowd around whatever microphones are available. What is meant solely as a tour finale sing-along evolves into a bunch of usually too-cool-for-school musicians letting themselves go in the safety of the crowd; as they sing, dance, and bash tambourines like a bunch of demented monkeys. Yes guys; every one of you looked as goofy as all hell. And that’s why we loved it so much.

Record review: The Chemist – Ballet in the Badlands (2013, LP)

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The Chemist frontman Ben Witt once described his band’s music as being like a yo-yo: starting at one place and dropping down to another before returning back home. While genres are bounced around like a child’s toy on this excellent debut album, the Western Australian quartet’s tunes are underpinned by quality song-writing and dark lyrical themes throughout. Perth has been a veritable fountain of top drawer indie-rock talent in the last couple of years, and The Chemist are no exception; Ballet in the Badlands incorporates blues-y grooves, introspective pop, and melancholy folk in a slick collection of songs that reveals a little more with each listen. “The dress I hope she’s in is a shade of liquorice black, but if she sees through my charms her sister’s gonna take me back,” is a perfect example of Witt’s sharp lyrics on excellent opener ‘Heaven’s Got A Dress Code’. At no point do the band’s songs get repetitive; single ‘Silver and Gold’ is a catchy mix of creeping basslines, wailing guitars, and Gothic background vocals, ‘Sad Eyes’ is a soaring ballad, ‘Long Road Back’ is a short blast of dirty blues, and closer ‘Sparrow’s Shadow’ is a surprisingly jaunty pop number. There’s depth in these songs not present in many other band’s work, and perhaps working out where their eclectic tunes fit into an increasingly commercial music industry could be The Chemist’s biggest problem, but if they keep producing work of this calibre they will continue to draw people to their top-drawer indie-rock. (Dirt Diamonds)

Record review: The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten (2012, LP)

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Despite probably seeming like a gift from the heavens, the move to a major label has been a poisoned chalice to many a band; it marked the beginning of the end of the Replacements’ career, and it could even be argued R.E.M. were never the same after they signed to Warner, despite the commercial successes of Green and Automatic For The People. Handwritten is the Gaslight Anthem’s fourth album, and the New Jersey quartet’s first for Mercury Records, but does the change of signature on the cheques mean a shift in style or sound for the blue-collar band?

The answer, thankfully, is no. The production is crisper and the sound bigger than 2010‘s American Slang and 2008 breakthrough The ‘59 Sound, but as Led Zep said, the song remains the same; in this case a straightforward, gritty, heartfelt mix of coming-of-age lyrics, heartache, and an unwavering conviction to playing good ol’ honest rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of their obvious influences Springsteen and Strummer.

Opener ‘45’ gets stuck in with a rowdy urgency and sees singer Brian Fallon asking “Have you seen my heart, have you seen how it bleeds?” in his trademark sandpaper-throated voice, which sounds excellent throughout the entire album. It’s a tight start that harks back to the best moments of The ’59 Sound and should have crowds bouncing on first listen. The title track follows, with guitar lines sounding not unlike those on The ’59 Sound title track, with added “wow-oh-ohs”, hummed harmonies and even some minor piano tinkling in quite a melancholy yet strangely rousing track.

‘Here Comes My Man’ is next and features some sneaky mandolin and a simple Thin Lizzy-esque “oh-sha-la-la” chorus, before ‘Mulholland Drive’ sees Fallon mourning lost love with cinematic grandeur and more than a whiff of aching nostalgia. While the Gaslight Anthem openly embrace the past in terms of musical influences, it seems that Fallon’s does little but haunt him.

Next up is ‘Keepsake’, which lowers the pace but not the intensity; this time it’s family history that’s the cause of trauma. ‘Too Much Blood’ follows – another slow burner with a Faces-style feel, before ‘Howl’ provides a mid-album highlight, as Fallon ponders his fading youth over a pounding, urgent drumbeat and frantically-scratchy guitars, asking “does anything still move you since you’re educated now?” with genuine conversational innocence.

The stomping ‘Biloxi Parish’ is the closest to a love song you’ll find here, while ‘Desire’ sees a return to the “oh-ohhh-oh” choruses and crunching guitars, before penultimate track ‘Mae’ brings the balladry and places Fallon’s perfectly-gruff delivery even more into the spotlight.

Closer ‘National Anthem’ is the quietest track on the album and tugs at the heartstrings in unexpected ways. With lines like “I never will forget you my American love, I’ll always remember you as wild as they come” over a gently plucked guitar and strings, this is the Gaslight Anthem doing early Dylan, and it works beautifully. The quality of the production again plays a part here, as each note sounds clear and crisp as the album comes to a mellow close.

Critics will say it’s more of the same for the Gaslight Anthem, or draw comparisons to what fellow New Jerseyan Springsteen achieved with his first four albums, but they’re missing the point. Very few bands can turn the mundane nature of everyday life into poetry, give it widespread appeal, and do it with integrity. Even fewer can even come close to being compared favourably with The Boss.

In ‘Howl’ Fallons asks “do you believe there’s still some magic left somewhere inside our souls?” On the evidence on show here, the answer is an undeniable yes.

Live review: The Art of Sleeping + Tourism + Palindromes – Oh Hello!, Brisbane – June 2012

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Queuing in the rain is never the best start to any gig experience, but that is what several hundred pumped-up students and I do before being welcomed into the garish, retina-burning interior of Oh Hello! nightclub. Pumping beats, two-metre tall He-Man cartoons on the walls, and multicoloured lamps suspended from the ceiling just about describes our surroundings for the evening. This is a student event, so free and/or cheap stuff is a must; the freebies coming in the form of popcorn and fairy floss, and the cheap stuff involving drinks promotions, helping us to forget the weather and anticipate a great night of music.

First on the bill is Sydney pop duo Palindromes, except… nothing happens. There is some movement of people on stage that looks to be them setting up, but not a note is played, and we left to contend with the DJ’s seemingly-endless supply of indie remixes. Time drifts by without a hint of the opening band, unless I was so absorbed in the adventures of our camp hero from Castle Grayskull and watching Arnie pump iron on the big screens that I missed them – in which case I’d appreciate anyone letting me know if they are any good, or indeed what the f… happened.

Over an hour after Palindromes are meant to start, Tourism take the stage and lift the energy level in the room immediately with their engaging blend of indie guitar pop and cheeky north-of-England attitude. Lead singer Joe sings in his distinctively-charming Derbyshire accent and his four-piece band play tight, quirky guitar tunes in the style of early Arctic Monkeys, with a hint of the melodies of cult Liverpool band The Las. “We don’t have to go to school tomorrow!” Joe announces to the guys and girls at the front, much to their appreciation, before guitarist Adrian vomits on his guitar without losing his massive grin. Tourism obviously weren’t thinking of Google when choosing their band name, but they are worth checking out if you can find their website among all the holiday promotions and flight offers.

It’s also at this point that one skinny tie-wearing hipster and I have the following exchange:

Hipster: Is this Art Of Sleeping?
Me: No, it’s Tourism.
Hipster: Who?
Me: They’re called Tourism, The Art Of Sleeping’s support band!
Hipster: Does the support band come before or after Art Of Sleeping?
Me: *palm face*

Thankfully The Art Of Sleeping step up and inject some class into proceedings and effortlessly provide the highlight of the night. The Brisbane five-piece’s dreamy, measured, folk-rock sound instantly demands attention, and they have the melodies, instrumentation, and great choruses to keep you enthralled until they decide they are done.

They fire off two up-tempo numbers to get the energy of the audience up, with second song ‘Voodoo’ sounding particularly fantastic before ‘Like A Thief’ slows things down and allows us to fully appreciate Caleb Hodges’ voice, before he thanks the home crowd for coming and tells us how great it is to be back in Brisbane.

Hodges then introduces the next song – a cover of Neil Young’s ‘Cowgirl In The Sand’ – by saying “this song normally has a twenty-minute guitar solo, but we cut it to eighteen”. They do the song justice, and guitarist Patrick Silver peels off a nice-sounding solo.

Penultimate song ‘Above the Water’ – The Art Of Sleeping’s most recent single – soars in all kinds of epic ways, before closer and Triple J favourite ‘Empty Hands’ ups the quality even more and provides the perfect finish. The grateful band show their appreciation and invite fans to speak to them after the show, before leaving the small Oh Hello! stage, and the DJ starts up again.

The Art Of Sleeping undoubtedly have the quality to make it, and deserve to be playing in bigger and better venues. Personally, I would love to see them headline somewhere like the Zoo or the Tivoli, with their own appreciative audience in tow. At their present rate of ascent we shouldn’t have to wait too long.

P.S. – Fellow AAA reviewer Kirsten was at the same venue last week, and mentioned the smell as being a strange mix of good and bad. The burnt sugar odour from one side of the room meets the acidic vomit stench from the toilets at the other, and joins with the normal beer-and-squashed-lemon-slice bar scent to form quite an eye-watering mix. This is probably more information than you need to know.

Record review: The Delta Riggs – Rah Rah Radio (2013, Single)

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Sydney DJ/producer Flume was recently quoted as saying “I feel like the sound palate with a rock band is just so done, it’s so boring to me. It never sounds fresh, I just hardly give it a chance, because guitars and acoustic drums can only go so far.” How timely it is then, to hear a new single that loudly and proudly extends a righteous middle finger in the general direction of the ridiculous notion that rock music is ‘done’.

It’s with tedious regularity that that particular idea is expressed, but haters need to accept that rock music ain’t ever going away, no sir; it ain’t gonna die, as Brian Johnson put it so succinctly. That’s not to say electronic music can’t flourish and be enjoyed by all too, and Flume’s debut album is a fine piece of work; but the punters who were present at his mind-numbingly boring set at Laneway Festival in Brisbane could vastly improve their lives by taking in a performance by Melbourne’s The Delta Riggs; five guys who are aware of the importance of putting on a SHOW, given the record-buying public is now a fraction of what it once was. Anyway, back to this single business…

‘Rah Rah Radio’ is the first single from the ‘Riggs upcoming – as yet untitled – debut album. Having been knocking around the traps for almost five years, and with three EPs already under their belts, it is a bit of a landmark for the band, and is perfectly filthy rock ‘n’ roll in true Delta Riggs style. Featuring all the most appropriate elements of any quality rock song, ‘Rah Rah Radio’ barrels along a frantic pace from the off, has an appropriately grammatically-incorrect sing-a-long chorus of “You shoulda go back to where you came from”, and is generally two-and-a-half minutes of kick-arse rock ‘n’ roll, as it should be.

Rock ‘n’ roll is far from ‘done’; it’s more alive than it ever was, and this single goes a long way in backing up that statement. Bring on the album, Delta Riggs.

Jon Ouin of Stornoway: “We’ve played Stornoway twice”

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OXFORD indie folk band Stornoway are set to release their coastal-influenced second album, and keyboardist Jon Ouin is excited by the prospect.

“We’re very happy to have it finished,” he says. “It’s been a while since the first one, so we’re happy it’s finally done. We produced the record ourselves, and production is part and parcel of our writing process in a way. It’s quite a seamless thing.”

While some bands find being in the studio a difficult process, Stornoway had a different experience.

“It’s something we enjoy,” he says. “We never find it boring; it quite excites us. The songs are usually written beforehand, but the process of arranging and producing them blend into each other. We feel like we’ve got enough ideas between us to carry us through the process.”

The album features plenty of references to the sea, the countryside and escaping the city.

“It’s something that Brian (Briggs, lyricist) has always been very interested in,” he says. “In a previous life he was an ecologist, which makes its way into the music a fair bit. He uses it is a backdrop to reflect what’s going on inside I suppose.”

The band’s four members are multi-instrumentalists, but the song always dictates what instruments are needed.

“We try to think about each song individually,” Ouin explains. “We don’t gratuitously add instruments for the sake of it. It’s always about following the original sketch of the demo and trying to maintain the feeling we get from the original song. Although we do enjoy playing around with different sounds, as I suppose we can get bored quite easily.”

In a surreal turn of events, the band recently found themselves playing on the remote island after which they are named.

“We’ve played Stornoway twice,” he says. “The first time, we felt a desire to bribe the residents with whisky, and in the end we won that room of people over. We went back the following year for a festival. It might be quite weird living in a place and a band turns up bearing your name, but we loved it.”

Australian fans of the band might not have too long to wait to see them in the flesh.

“We’re talking about touring Australia,” he says. “Last time we played Laneway Festival which was one the best tours we’ve done. We’d love to do it again soon.”

TALES FROM TERRA FIRMA IS RELEASED MARCH 11TH ON CD AND DOWNLOAD.

Dan Hawkins of The Darkness: “The only giant tits on stage this time will be the band”

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DARKNESS_General-PressShot_Credit_Scarlet-Page

REFORMED, refreshed, and rehabilitated, English glam-rockers The Darkness are heading to these shores for a run of shows with legendary rocker Joan Jett.

Coming off the back of album number three and an extensive tour supporting Lady Gaga, guitarist Dan Hawkins is looking ahead to the shows Down Under.

“Expect really loud sounds played through Marshall amplifiers, running about on stage, guitar solos, and great songs; a rock ‘n’ roll party basically,” he says. “If you’re up for having a couple of beers and taking your mind off work, then come along.”

Having left their rock ‘n’ roll excesses behind, the band have found a new lease of life which has seen their shows take on another dimension.

“I think we’re a lot more energetic than we were before,” he says. “We used to hide behind a massive light show and giant inflatable breasts and stuff like that. We never used to move from our spots as we were just getting over our hangovers. That’s all been well documented over the last couple of years, but we pretty much hit the ground running at a show these days. We’re in the zone now where we don’t give a flying fuck, so anything can happen at a Darkness show.”

Sharing a bill with the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is something Hawkins is looking forward to.

“Touring with Joan Jett is going to be amazing,” he says. “We’ve not met her before, and she just adds so much glamour to the show; it’s going to be quite the event. It just reads like a great gig.”

The band’s new and improved lifestyle has had plenty of other creative benefits.

“We’ve been writing on the road, which has never happened before, mainly due to massive hangovers all the time,” he says. “It’s not going to be a long wait before the next album comes out. We can’t keep our fans waiting, and obviously we lost a lot of fans when we split up. We’ve written quite a few songs already and we’re really excited about it.”

The new lifestyle also means many aspects of the band’s earlier shows have been left behind, including the infamous giant breasts.

“I thought about turning them into a really inappropriate water feature,” he says. “But the only giant tits on stage this time will be the band.”

THE DARKNESS PLAY BRISBANE RIVERSTAGE ON THURSDAY APRIL 4TH.

Record review: The Laurels – Plains (2012, LP)

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laurels
Having taken almost five years to arrive, this debut album from Sydney four-piece The Laurels invites a level of scrutiny that only such a heightened sense of anticipation can bring, but thankfully it emerges triumphant, showcasing a band who now have a killer long-player to go with their well-established live reputation. Packed with their trademark mix of scuzzy shoegaze and dark psychedelia, Plains sees The Laurels continue the form of 2011’s Mesozoic EP release, but with greater intricacy and a broader sonic palette. The band decamped to the New South Wales countryside to complete recording with Belles Will Ring’s Liam Judson on production duties, and all that fresh air and open space must have worked wonders. Opener and lead single ‘Tidal Wave’ is a six-minute atmospheric wall of sound that washes over you as the name might suggest, before ‘Changing the Timeline’ brings the creepiness and ‘Traversing the Universe’ ups the psych. ‘Manic Saturday’ is a superbly-spluttering stream of lo-fi scuzz coupled with cheerful guitar riffs, while ‘Mesozoic’ is loose and dreamy. Closer ‘A Rival’ sounds like it could be a reprise of the opening track, making sure Plains finishes on a momentous and well-rounded high. Support slots in July with Band of Skulls and a headlining national tour in August will be the perfect place to hear the new songs from this excellent debut album. Just don’t leave it so long until the next one please guys. (Rice is Nice)

Record review: SURES – Stars (2012, EP)

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sures
SURES have risen so rapidly that their online bio simply reads ‘We started a band’ – it’s almost like their upward trajectory has been so lightning-fast that they haven’t had a chance to update it. Having been signed to Ivy League for only a matter of weeks, the Sydney quartet’s five-track debut EP stakes their claim to be Australia’s best new proponents of dreamy, perfectly-polished guitar pop, and after filling support slots for the likes of Real Estate and Best Coast, Stars gives SURES the chance to be themselves. At only fifteen minutes it is a short but solid mix of breezy harmonies, surf licks, and catchy melodies. Opener ‘Stars’ is a guitar-driven flash of catchiness coupled with a biting lyric of “you think you’re the shit, when you’re fucking the stars”. Second track ‘Poseidon’ mixes Jesus and Mary Chain haziness, ’60s pop-tinged vocal harmonies, and daydream-y mythology, before winding up with a soaring guitar solo. The beautifully-executed harmonies continue in ‘The Sun’, along with a simple lo-fi guitar riff and synth beat. ‘Romeo’ is a simple doe-eyed love song that manages to include singer Jonas Nicholls’ smartarse line “just a few drinks here and there, gets me that much cleverer” before confessing undying love to his Juliet. The influences here are wide-ranging and eclectic without being relied upon too heavily, as the foursome carve out their own unique sound on this excellent debut effort. Stars are what SURES deserve to be. (Ivy League Records)

Record review: Split Seconds – You’ll Turn Into Me (2012, LP)

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split seconds
Perth indie-rock quintet Split Seconds have been hovering on our musical radar for two years, and finally their debut album has landed, putting an end to what seemed like an excruciating wait. Their first eponymous EP came out last year, showcasing the band’s straightforward, catchy guitar pop and deliciously off-kilter lyrics, but have they managed to improve on that initial effort with this record? The answer is a definite yes, with bells on, as the ‘60s-flavoured pop melodies, manly harmonies, and storytelling talents of songwriter Sean Pollard combine to make an impressive debut. Opener ‘Security Light’ has Pollard announcing “Thursday is a bad day, because I go to war with anyone, for the smallest little thing,” before summing up the worker’s plight with “three days, two days, one day, till a holiday, it’s just a weekend.” The impossibly-catchy guitar lines and sing-along chorus of single ‘All You Gotta Do’ has garnered the band plenty of attention on national radio, while the prickly pop of ‘Top Floor’ sees Pollard berating two backpackers on the upper deck of a London bus who can’t keep their hands off each other. ‘She Makes Her Own Clothes’ and ‘Maiden Name’ show there is depth to the band’s sentiments, and they’re not averse to a love song with Amanda, although it could be about a girl or a subtle reference to a footy team; it’s hard to tell. There’s an intelligence behind these songs that’s rare in modern pop, and that alone makes this album worth a spin. (Inertia)