review

Record review: The Preatures – Is This How You Feel? (2013, single)

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I’m not going to lie. For the first fifteen seconds of my first listen to the new The Preatures track ‘Is This How You Feel?’ I caught myself thinking oh fuck… what have they done? For those first few anxiety-filled moments, as those retro-fuelled guitar lines crept their way out of my speakers, I foolishly wondered why the Sydney quintet felt the need to change their ‘sound’.

But just as quickly I moved on to wondering what exactly is The Preatures’ sound? The “baby be mine” pop melodies of ‘Take A Card’? The dark country-rock of ‘Pale Rider’? The smooth soul of ‘Young Brave Me’? Thankfully, I quickly came to the conclusion that The Preatures have such a variety of good musical vibes to offer that each of their songs should be judged as entirely separate entities, and not parts of a single greater being. Once Isabella Manfredi’s super-smooth vocals kicked in my doubts were eased, and by forty seconds in I was sold. Thank you, The Preatures, for an initially stressful but ultimately pleasurable half-minute.

‘Is This How You Feel?’ is the first single from The Preatures’ upcoming EP; the band’s third release, which follows on from the breakthrough success they achieved throughout 2012, centred on their excellent single ‘Take A Card’. Bright and funky with their signature girl/boy vocal dynamic and more than a hint of rockabilly guitar, it’s another seemingly effortlessly cool and sleek release from the young Sydneysiders, and bodes well for the band’s future. Mandredi takes the limelight vocally, with Gideon Benson contributing a few lines mid-song, as plenty of ’70s feel comes through from start to finish. In short: it’s a damn fine track.

Being the tour supports of choice for bands like Deep Sea Arcade, San Cisco, and Hungry Kids of Hungary has helped win The Preatures new fans around the country, and ‘Is This How You Feel?’ should continue to do the same. Anticipation builds for the EP…

Record review: Primal Scream – More Light (2013, LP)

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Now in its fourth decade, Primal Scream’s career has had more twists and turns than a motor race. From flower power, acid house, dub, dance, and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll, there’s not much the ‘Scream haven’t tackled since their formation in Glasgow in 1982. Since 2008’s Beautiful Future the band has undergone some changes; most noticeably with the departure of bassist Gary Mounfield, who rejoined the reformed Stone Roses and was replaced by Simone Butler. The great thing about Primal Scream albums is that you never know what you’re going to get, so what have the six-piece served up this time around? The answer is quite a mixed bag, and while it’s definitely not bad, it’s also not all good. Opener ‘2013’ is a decent attempt at a soaring rock song that will sound great live, but for every good song there’s one like ‘Culturecide’; a pretty poor attempt at a social/political statement that ends up sounding heavy and awkward, or ‘Goodbye Johnny’; a bizarre saxophone-heavy loungeroom number that sees frontman Bobby Gillespie doing his best/worst crooner impression. Single ‘It’s Alright, It’s Ok’ is pretty much 1991’s ‘Movin’ On Up’ revamped for a new generation; all uplifting Bob Marley-esque lyrics and handclaps, and ‘River of Pain’ features some nice acoustic guitar work over Gillespie’s breathy vocals. Primal Scream are one of the best bands to have come out of Britain since the ’80s, but a lack of cohesion and too much filler probably means More Light won’t be going down in history as one of their best albums. (First International)

Record review: Primal Scream – More Light (2013, LP)

/ Paul McBride / 1 Comment

Now in its fourth decade, Primal Scream’s career has had more twists and turns than a motor race. From flower power, acid house, dub, dance, and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll, there’s not much the ‘Scream haven’t tackled since their formation in Glasgow in 1982. Since 2008’s Beautiful Future the band has undergone some changes; most noticeably with the departure of bassist Gary Mounfield, who rejoined the reformed Stone Roses and was replaced by Simone Butler. The great thing about Primal Scream albums is that you never know what you’re going to get, so what have the six-piece served up this time around? The answer is quite a mixed bag, and while it’s definitely not bad, it’s also not all good. Opener ‘2013’ is a decent attempt at a soaring rock song that will sound great live, but for every good song there’s one like ‘Culturecide’; a pretty poor attempt at a social/political statement that ends up sounding heavy and awkward, or ‘Goodbye Johnny’; a bizarre saxophone-heavy loungeroom number that sees frontman Bobby Gillespie doing his best/worst crooner impression. Single ‘It’s Alright, It’s Ok’ is pretty much 1991’s ‘Movin’ On Up’ revamped for a new generation; all uplifting Bob Marley-esque lyrics and handclaps, and ‘River of Pain’ features some nice acoustic guitar work over Gillespie’s breathy vocals. Primal Scream are one of the best bands to have come out of Britain since the ’80s, but a lack of cohesion and too much filler probably means More Light won’t be going down in history as one of their best albums. (First International)

Album review: Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold (2013, LP)

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Hype can often be fatal to new bands, but New York slacker-rock four-piece Parquet Courts are probably too stoned to care. Being labelled by some sections of the music press as the hottest unsigned property knocking around this year’s SXSW festival lead to the band being snapped up by Create/Control and their album being released in Australia. But is the hype justified, or all a bit of the usual industry shenanigans?

In the case of Parquet Courts, the attention and praise lavishly heaped on the band is more than understandable. Light Up Gold is fifteen tracks of a new brand of lyrical slacker-rock; funny, sharp, at times smart, and at times bonehead dumb. In short: it’s fantastic.

The shoddily lo-fi recording quality of Light Up Gold is somehow totally appropriate for this collection of songs – these four guys would probably spit in the face of the idea of a polished record. Opener ‘Master of My Craft’ is a great way to kick off, with singer Austin Brown proudly exclaiming “Socrates died in the fucking gutter!” over a barrage of frantic strumming and simple percussion.

There’s more than a hint of early Clash throughout – before they learned how to play, especially in the brilliant ‘Careers In Combat’, which sees Brown sharing life advice like “there are no spots left for park rangers, because there are no bears left to save you from, but there are still careers in combat my son,” and with a majority of songs under two minutes on length, this is a band that doesn’t give a damn about virtuosity or showmanship. Why would you, when you’ve got so much disaffection and contradiction barely restraining itself in your starving, college drop-out guts? And why not write a song about donuts with an intro that sounds like a Michael Jackson track circa 1985, as on ‘Donuts Only’? Fuck it.

It will be interesting to see where Parquet Courts go from here, and if they have the stomach or desire to toe the industry line, but this album is a damn exciting piece of work.

LIGHT UP GOLD IS OUT NOW VIA CREATE/CONTROL

Record review: The Black Angels – Indigo Meadow (2013, LP)

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Austin’s – nay, North America’s – finest proponents of drone-drenched psych-rock The Black Angels are prolific, to say the least. With an album released at least every other year since 2006, the Texans can fairly churn out the jams, and are back with their fifth full-length effort, Indigo Meadow.

While their bio may describe them as “experimental”, The Black Angels’ music has always been the psych-est of shadowy psych-rock; and fans of the band can rest easy in the knowledge they haven’t tried to change the formula in 2013. Fuzz, drone, crushing riffs, and brooding lyrical themes are the backbone once more.

The subject of the title track and opener appears to be a girl who has “been a problem since the moment I met ya” and who singer Alex Maas tells “you always cause unreal friction,” reinforcing the fact that this is one bunch of cats who don’t do love songs.

Middle-eastern-tinged ‘Love Me Forever’ starts off being equal parts The Byrds, John Lennon, and Page & Plant in their Egyptian phase, before unleashing a crushing riff that devastates everything before it. ‘Always Maybe’ sounds closest to ‘Bad Vibrations’ off Phosphene Dream, while one listen to the start of ‘Don’t Play With Guns’ is enough to induce sudden outbursts of air guitar or a blast of enthusiastic fist pumping if you’re that way inclined.

While in many ways it’s more of the same for the quartet, the songs are generally shorter and sharper, and while it could be argued that Indigo Meadow won’t win the band any new fans, it’s another epic chapter in the career of one of the mightiest psych-rock bands of the last few years. (Blue Horizon Ventures)

Live review: The Delta Riggs + Stillwater Giants + The Strums – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane – April 11th 2013

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When The Delta Riggs last played Black Bear Lodge at BIGSOUND 2012, snake-hipped frontman Elliott Hammond led the audience in an impromptu sing-a-long of “holy guacamole, we got chips!” before introducing their best-known song as one for “all the cunts out there.” That particular gig had a perfectly loose party atmosphere; all raucous abandon and who-fucking-cares gestures. Tonight’s show – while being just as boisterous and unrestrained – also involves the important business of an album launch; the Melbourne quintet’s debut Hex.Lover.Killer, and Brisbane is the first stop on the tour. Aren’t we a lucky bunch of people?

Local rock ‘n’ rollers The Strums are first up this evening, and the boys warm up the growing crowd’s ears with suitable volume and energy. Frontman Jai Sparks is the focal point as the band get sweaty with a half-hour set of punk-tinged rock, including a breakneck cover of ‘You Really Got Me’ by The Kinks.

Margaret River quartet Stillwater Giants are next onto the stage, and frontman Henry Clarke announces their goal of “getting you loose enough for The Delta Riggs”, as well as explaining “we’ve only been in Brisbane for an hour, and we’ve already nearly got into a fight over a car parking space”. Interstate issues aside, the band play a great set of guitar pop; all surf breaks and sunny melodies. ‘Give In To Me’ is a mid-set highlight, topped only by ‘Under The Radar’, and a fantastic cover of ‘One More Time’ by Daft Punk – a great song choice considering the French electronica giants’ Wee Waa announcement this week.

Elliott Hammond is the first of the ‘Riggs to take to the stage, and takes a seat at the keyboard for opener and new single ‘Better’. “Gonna take it from the start, escape from the city where we wound up again,” he sings before his four band-mates join in and get a show heavy with new songs under way; what a great fucking start. Next is ‘Perfume & Lace’ off Hex.Lover.Killer before ‘Counter Revolution’ from Talupo Mountain Music Vol. II gives the dual guitarists a chance to let rip.

Next comes the first two tracks from the album, ‘Stars’ and ‘America’; by which stage the crowd is getting loose (thanks for the elbow to the jaw, Red Bull girl) and Hammond announces “those of you who have the first EP – we are playing fucking nothing off that thing, I’m telling you now!”

Eighth song of the evening ‘I Was Profound Tomorrow’ brings the pace back down a bit before the three-track finale of “our big hit from the radio” ‘Rah Rah Radio’, ‘Money’, and the instrumental ‘Save It ’til The Morning’. The out-and-out ROCK of the first two is nicely matched with the psych jam riffs of the latter, and the band leave the stage to huge applause.

Of course the lads are hounded back to the stage for the obligatory encore which is overshadowed by Hammond and guitarist Tristan James relating a story about The Preatures drummer’s “total bitch” of an ex-girlfriend who took a communal microwave and locked it in her bedroom. Hammond’s response? Take the TV and put it in the garden. His punishment? Get pushed through a table. Rock and roll…

Hex.Lover.Killer is a top rock ‘n’ roll album and tonight’s launch more than does it justice. Do yourself a favour and go see ’em.

THE DELTA RIGGS ARE TOURING NOW! SEE http://www.thedeltariggs.com/ FOR DETAILS.

Record review: Kurt Vile – Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze (2013, LP)

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Since his 2008 debut Constant Hitmaker, Kurt Vile has been making the type of music that many other musicians would trade their biggest hit for. Critically acclaimed and loved by fans the world over, since Vile left The War On Drugs and went solo he has become almost a cult figure to those in the know, and has consistently improved his recorded output through 2009’s Childish Prodigy and God Is Saying This To You, and 2011’s Smoke Ring For My Halo.

Sometimes an album title is an oblique reference to some part of the band’s music or artistic outlook, but Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze almost perfectly describes what can be found on album number five from the 33 year-old Philadelphia native. Vile’s music in the past has had more than a hint of stoner rock; not in a fuzzed-out Dinosaur Jr. kind of way, but more like a free-spirited spiritual guru kind of way – he’s going to help you turn on and tune in rather than drop out.

Nine-minute opener ‘Wakin On A Pretty Day’ is a chilled opening track by anyone’s standards. Part Jackson Browne circa 1978, part mid-summer daze, part laid-back stoner warmth, it carries a message that features in much of Vile’s work: bad shit happens all the time, but whatcha gonna do? With excellent guitar work that is an overlooked part of Vile’s arsenal, it shows this album to be his most spacious and laid-back effort to date.

Some of Vile’s riffs on Smoke Ring For My Halo were heavily Clapton-influenced, and the same could be said for the rock-y ‘KV Crimes’, while ‘Was All Talk’ is not dissimilar to the excellent ‘Freak Train’ from Childish Prodigy. Take a quick look at the running times of the songs on the album and you’ll notice the extended jams on ‘Too Hard’ (8:04), ‘Air Bud’ (6:30), and closer ‘Goldtone’ (10:26) make this Vile’s longest album to date, and also one of his best. The only point that could be made in the negative is that there isn’t a stand-out or obvious hit here, but Vile doesn’t seem to be the sort of musician to be bothered by such trivialities. This is an excellent album. (Matador)

Record review: Ilias – Somewhere In Time (2013, LP)

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Sydney-based Algerian/Australian multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer Ilias may have taken ten years to write and six months to record his debut album Somewhere In Time, but when you compose, play, and produce everything yourself, you can afford to go at your own pace. The result is an impressive eleven song collection of jazz-tinged folk and indie pop tunes that is as original as it is refreshing. The white Gretsch guitar on the cover gives a hint at what lies inside; as deft, understated guitar licks combine with Thom Yorke-style vocals and harmonies in a laid-back and effortlessly smooth affair. With opener ‘Never Utter The Word Never’ Ilias sets out his stall as a musician who values melody and feel above showmanship, and on ‘Loving You’ his vocal range is allowed to shine. The ethereal and dreamy pop aesthetic is a strong point throughout, and on riff-heavy mid album tracks ‘This Life’ and ‘September Memory’ Ilias’s guitar playing comes to the fore in hypnotic fashion. A string-shredding solo could take these songs to another level, but would also probably detract from the humble and heartfelt nature of the lyrics, which tend to focus on the heavy subjects of love and loss. The overall feel of this album is one of velvety bar room vibes, complete with a level of polish not often found on independent releases, and these songs would probably best be enjoyed played live in an intimate, inner-city basement venue. Hopefully it won’t take ten years for a follow-up. (Independent)

Live review: The XX + Jagwar Ma – Brisbane Convention Centre – 9th April 2013

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Two million Facebook ‘likes’ – that’s how popular The XX are. Two million people the world over have been affected enough by their music to seek out a particular web page and give them their seal of approval with a single click. Until Tuesday, I was not one of those people. But only until Tuesday.

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I enter Brisbane’s Convention Centre and make the seemingly endless walk from the Melbourne Street entrance to where the action is, and am immediately presented with a dilemma – grab a drink from the bar and hoof it down me in the foyer (no drinks allowed in the auditorium!), or head straight in and catch the support. Thankfully I make the sensible choice and head in to see Jagwar Ma. From the very start, I like them; I’m a sucker for a band with the knack of mashing indie rock and dance beats together with such great results. ‘Come and Save Me’ is a top track, and the three-piece are full of energy throughout their set, even if the majority of this audience aren’t. The other track I recognise – ‘The Throw’ – is just as good, if not better, and I note more than a hint of The Happy Mondays and the production of Martin Hannett in the band. Bravo.

Brisbane Convention Centre is normally far from being the best venue to watch a band; the pristine carpets, middle-of-the-road alcohol policy, and office-like sterility don’t exactly lend character to an evening’s gig-going, but in some ways it’s the perfect place for The XX’s live show. The London trio’s music pulls fans of all ages to the gig, and the sparse stage lightning is perfectly suited for their dark and brooding tunes.

After a short wait the lights are dimmed and Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft, and Jamie Smith walk onto the stage, and ‘Try’ begins (anyone else think the beginning sounds like a car alarm?) Huge cheers reverberate around the Convention Centre and the track has all the ominous feel that’s on the record. Songs from their debut album and latest offering Coexist are blended seamlessly, including ‘Crystalised’, ‘Chained’, and ‘Reunion’ in quick succession before Oliver addresses the audience with “How’s it going Brisbane? This is the last day of the entire tour, so I not only want to thank you all, but I want to thank you as a country too.” Cue fervent, patriotic cheers.

‘Sunset’ is next, and it’s at this point I realise what a tight guitar player Romy is; she doesn’t miss a note all night and her riffs really stand out amongst the atmospheric haze emanating from the stage. ‘Missing’ follows, then ‘Reconsider’; a B-side off Coexist, then earlier track ‘VCR’.

A couple of songs later, and before the climax of a giant ‘X’ appearing on the stage amid a mess of white light and smoke, Oliver address the audience again. “Thank you so much Brisbane,” he says. “This has been our longest tour in Australia. We still don’t know what a bogan is, and we haven’t spent more than an hour on a beach, but we’ll be very sad to leave.”

I leave the Convention Centre and walk across the bridge towards the city with senses somehow more in tune with my surroundings. It’s a strange kind of bliss seeing The XX.

Live review: Papa Pilko & The Binrats + Jimi Beavis – The Joynt, Brisbane – April 6th 2013

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After leaving The Joynt last night at around 11:30 I turned to my mate and said “with the right amount of drinks and the right people, that could have been just about the best night out you’re ever gonna have,” and I wasn’t joking. What began as a casual stroll down to West End on a chilled Saturday evening finished with the realisation that it’s this sort of gig in this sort of venue that provides the most exciting, personal, and damn entertaining gig experience anyone could ask for. All that was needed was tonight’s headliners to be on form – and they more than delivered. More on that shortly.

Support for tonight is Brisbane’s own besuited blues troubadour, Jimi Beavis. Beavis and his band of three get the show off to a flying start with an entertaining, funny, and perfectly loose set; full of black humour and charm from start to finish. An early highlight is his song ‘No Job, No Prospects,’ which gets the audience singing along to the chorus of “no job, no prospects, just sitting here discussing aspects, of unemployment,” before a kazoo appears from somewhere and adds another dimension to an already great track. Beavis is an accomplished harmonica player, and his guitarist Brodie continually makes jaws drop and hips move with his bluesy riffs, as Beavis pushes him to front-and-centre for a deserved spot in the limelight. A cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s ‘Lord, I Just Can’t Keep From Crying’ and Beavis’s own ‘You’re Frisky When You’re Sloppy Drunk’ rounds out a fine set.

The boys from Papa Pilko and the Binrats have been sinking beers next to the bar all night, so there’s no grand entrance; they simply hop onto the stage and get the show started. Dressed in all black cowboy gear and an array of headgear, the seven piece provide an interesting spectacle, centred on manic frontman Cyrus Pilko. It’s hard to tell how much of his face-contorting, hip-swinging, arm-flailing, and sweat-drenched boot-shuffling is part of a character he has created or if it’s genuinely how he is, but the singer is one of the most entertaining, charismatic, and brilliantly ridiculous Australian front-men around right now; his style is simply infectious and watching him prance and thrash about onstage is worth the admission fee alone. His early admission of “If I hadn’t popped out kids in Sydney I’d move to Brisbane today” gets a loud cheer and roars of laughter.

By second song ‘Back Home’ the band is in full swing, and they sound tight across the board, and it quickly becomes clear Pilko likes to talk to the audience between songs. He deals with a drunken heckler with aplomb before third track ‘Some Kind of Evil’ and his anecdote about being scared in caves in the Blue Mountains tails off in a fit of laughter and confusion before ‘Into The Light’ is reeled off in fine fashion.

Fifth track ‘Bar Fight Blues’ gives the three-man horn section a chance to show their stuff, as the audience dances and swings in unison, before Pilko coaxes the crowd to join him in doing the Usain Bolt pose and relates a story about accidentally whipping his band members’ faces with a belt.

Seventh song ‘East Harlem’ ups the ante again as monumental amounts of banjo riffs echo around the Joynt, before Pilko breaks out a loudspeaker for the fantastic ‘I Demand Satisfaction’ and ‘Howling’.

At this point a string breaks on a guitar, so to fill in time while it’s replaced Pilko invites Terri from the Joynt’s staff onto the stage and they run through ‘Walking Through The Jungle’ with hilarious results. When the guitar is functional again the band kick into ‘The Gambler’, which is described as “being about pokies”, and is undoubtedly the highlight of the night and the Binrats’ best song; it’s a brilliantly bluesy romp with all the right amounts of sleaze and groove.

The final track is ‘I Can’t Be Satisfied’, after Pilko relates a story of how a girl in the front row likes to reach out and “tug his cock”. Several “thank-yous” and “have a good nights” later and the show is over. Out onto the street we go, and as I reflect on what just happened I make a promise to myself: that I will go to more gigs like this, in venues like this – they are the heart and soul of Australian music and something to be cherished. Thank you Papa Pilko and the Joynt for reminding me.

Record review: The Delta Riggs – Hex.Lover.Killer (2013, LP)

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Kim Fowley, maniac former manager of The Runaways, once said “rock and roll is a nuclear blast of reality in a mundane world where no-one is allowed to be magnificent,” and that’s exactly what this debut album from unashamed retro-rockin’ soul slingers The Delta Riggs is. The Melbourne quintet already have three EPs under their belts, and Hex.Lover.Killer is a barrelling, rip-roaring romp from start to finish.

Opener ‘Stars’ shows that while The Delta Riggs appear at first to be a fairly straight-forward rock band, there is diversity on this album to keep you entertained throughout, and for repeated listens. The bass-riff heavy track sets the pace, then the excellently groovy ‘America’ takes things up another notch. ‘Scratch Flower’ is another kick-ass rock track, and ‘Fiend*’ has shades of a Chili Peppers intro and ’70s classic rock behemoths Mountain. There’s even an instrumental track in the form of the four-minute ‘Save It Til The Morning’ – epic.

Single ‘Rah Rah Radio’ was the eighteenth most played track on Triple J last week – a pretty damn good result for a straight-up blues-rock band ploughing their way through an increasingly electronic and folk-heavy play-list on the airwaves. The album is rounded out by the Guns ‘N’ Roses via Free-esque track ‘Something Creeping’, which comes complete with epic guitar solo and appropriate levels of harmonica, and the dirtily funky ‘Better’. Rock ‘n’ roll is here to stay, and Hex.Lover.Killer is making it happen. Good luck not wearing out your repeat buttons. (Rah Rah Radio)

Record review: Daughter – If You Leave (2013, LP)

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Londoners Daughter formed initially as the solo project of singer Elena Tonra before guitarist Igor Haefeli and drummer Remi Aguilella jumped onboard, and in the few short years since their 2010 conception the band have been impressively prolific, to say the least. Five EPs, one set of signatures on a contract with 4AD, and a short foray into the American market via an appearance on the Letterman show later, and the band is ready to release their debut long-player, If You Leave.

At times ethereal and haunting, If You Leave will carry the candle of the wistful and heartbroken everywhere. The band’s tunes are undoubtedly well-crafted and intimate and Tonra’s breathy and fragile vocals are at times measured and beautiful, but the sometimes contrived and suffocating atmosphere conjured by much of this album may make you want to shout “lighten up you miserable sods!” in the general direction of your speakers. It’s one of those albums that you can appreciate is a well put together piece of work, but leaves you thankful when it’s over. In short, it’s pretty hard work.

In saying that, Daughter do exactly what they set out to do, and do it well. Singles ‘Smother’ and ‘Still’ are highlights, and on ‘Youth’ Tonra’s vocals are more to the fore, instead of being lost amongst a haze of guitar tinkling and shadowy background noise.

The constant sorrow and wistfulness becomes draining by sixth track ‘Tomorrow’, but the final track ‘Shadows’ is all shimmery guitar lines and pounding drums, and is well worth hearing if you can make it that far. (4AD)

Record review: Thelma Plum – Rosie (2013, EP)

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Eighteen year old Brisbane folkie Thelma Plum doesn’t mess around. Despite being a complete unknown twelve months ago, the Brisbane Music Industry College graduate has bagged a Triple J National Indigenous Award, scored $10,000 worth of recording time from the Deadly Awards, signed with Brisbane’s Footstomp Music (home of Busby Marou and King Cannons), and now launched her debut six-track EP – not a bad effort for a young woman barely old enough to buy a drink. Hype and promise may be one thing, but backing it up with good music is something entirely different, but luckily Plum does it with apparent ease on this excellent release. Warm vocal tones and charming folk melodies throughout can’t hide the fact that she is quite the ballsy folk singer; lyrics like “la-di-da-di-da-di-da-da… fuck you!” on the otherwise upbeat and sugary ‘Around Here’ reveal her abrasive side. The colourful language doesn’t stop there, with more weapons-grade cussing popping up on ‘Dollar’, complimenting the infectious hand-claps and gentle Aussie twang to Plum’s engaging voice. The beautiful piano ballad ‘Breathe In Breathe Out’ slows the pace right down and the title track gives the young singer a chance to flaunt her impressive vocal range. The only drawback with this EP is knowing that there is an eighteen year old singer out there with more talent and accomplishments than you will probably ever have, but that can’t be held against her. 2013 and beyond is looking good for Thelma Plum. (Footstomp)

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)

Record review: Surfer Blood – Tarot Classics (2012, EP)

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Surfer Blood main man John Paul Pitts recently claimed he unwittingly became part of the lo-fi movement by virtue of his band recording their debut album on less-than-adequate equipment in his apartment. Clearly keen to avoid a repeat of releasing something of such perceived low quality, Surfer Blood’s second release Tarot Classics immediately shows itself to be a much crisper recording. In doing so, however, Pitts has changed Surfer Blood’s sound, dragged it kicking and screaming into high fidelity, and risked alienating some of the fledgling band’s fans.

A modest release at only 4 songs and 15 minutes long, plus two remixes, Tarot Classics hints at potential Smiths-cum-Weezer indie glory, but following a recent tour in support of the latter, Pitts should be more keenly aware of the importance of a pop hook to keep his songs memorable. The problem with this EP is, while the songs are enjoyable on first listen; they are too easily forgotten.

Opener ‘I’m Not Ready’ picks up where debut album Astro Coast left off. “I’m not ready to look the other way” sings Pitts, over a deceptively-intricate guitar line.

The pace is upped on first single ‘Miranda’, its chugging guitar powering the song along, with Pitts doing his best Morrissey impression with a lyric that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Weezer album circa 1995.

‘Voyager Reprise’ slows the tempo down, its piano opening hinting at something epic, punctured by Pitts’ somewhat morose vocal, again with distinct hints of the Smiths. A stylish synth break divides the song in two before a Strokes-esque guitar riff finishes the lengthiest track on offer at 4 ½ minutes.

Closer ‘Drinking Problem’ is Tarot Classics’ highlight, and possibly the least characteristic song yet recorded by the band. Pitts’ increasingly-assured tenor sings “at least I know who my friends are,” over a simple bass/drum riff, with excellent interweaving guitar work filling out the song.

Ultimately, Tarot Classics is a fun and welcome addition to any existing Surfer Blood fan’s catalogue, even if it is unlikely to win over any new fans. Here’s hoping they can make their next full-length release as hot as their native Florida. (Kanine Records)