Some amazing bands I discovered in Australia!

Jamilla

Even a casual music observer cannot help to notice that a huge proportion of buzzy bands, (mostly in  indie/ psychedelic rock circles) over the past few years have hailed from Australia. This includes indie heroes such as Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett,  Avalanches, DMA's, Pond, (my personal favourites) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard ans recent breakthough stars such as Amyl and the Sniffers and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Earlier this year I decided to go and explore the country for myself on an epic two-month journey that took me from major cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane), smaller cities (Darwin, Townsville, Newcastle), Tourist staples (Uluru, Byron Bay) and the middle of fucking nowhere's (Tennant Creek, Erdunda). When I wasn't taking in epic scenery, delicious food and meeting exotic animals I was searching for new bands. Luckily enough I was spoilt for choice Australia has a liberal attitude to promoting new music. Their government funded station Triple J puts the UK equivalent to shame. However actually finding shows proved to be a little harder in my first major city stop of Sydney.

Sydney. 

Luca Brasi 

I only saw one show in Sydney. Luca Brasi supported by Tiny Moving Parts and Eliza and the Delusionals. In order to get to this show I walked across the city from my hotel near Kings Cross all the way to the university. Once I got there finding the student bar hosting the show proved to be nearly impossible. Until I asked for directions and found the unmarked building. 

Eliza and The Delusionals were the gold coast indie rock four piece who kicked things off. From what I can remember I was pretty impressed by them. Although not nearly as much as i was by Tiny Moving Parts. An American emo band who seemed to have already conquered the hearts of many an Australian despite it only being their first tour over there. Some readers may already be aware of Luca Brasi from their UK tour with Moose Blood. Being unfamiliar with them I was pretty blown away by the energy in the room from them. This young emo band have sold out small rooms all across Australia and have packed them out with the same fanatic crowds that i have seen attend UK shows for the likes of Creeper or Milk Teeth. I don't rate them as highly as some of their UK emo/pop punk contemporaries. Yet based on the love they receive in their home country I am sure they could be conquering our shores any time soon. 

Darwin. 

Aside from a few performers in Byron Bay it wasn't until a month after that gig in Sydney that I caught another show. I was lucky enough to catch the Australian legends The Preatures in Darwin. Coming towards the end of a mammoth Aus tour The Preatures performed a fantastic set of sexy, swaggering rock n' roll that few other bands can deliver nowawdays. I was lucky to see them in Darwin as few major bands play them and as i can attest to, even a huge act such as The Preatures can struggle to fill a venue in Darwin. I was also impressed by how outspoken they were, particularly in regards to their respect for aboriginal culture. The support came from the endearingly awkward Ali Barter. Her live show was stripped back to just her and a guitar, a far cry from the full band sound of her album. Despite fighting against a crowd that would not shut up her incredible voice stood out as an obvious sign of her talent. Ali Barter's songs are a candid look at her mental health and sexuality. She tackles heavy topics with a dry sense of humour and is therefore an artist who I feel could be making some very vital music in the future. 

Adelaide.

W.M.N

Adelaide may be overshadowed by it's big brother Melbourne but it has a thriving music scene of it's own. I caught a show at a small pub that opened with the political, alternative RNB duo Argus and The Liar. The duo mix conscious rhymes with a trippy neo soul style backing. Perth native Jamilla followed on with her very modern style of alt-RNB. Her songs can be both reflective of her experiences being a young black woman and overtly sexual. While at time her sound felt a bit artificial it was the strength of her voice and personality which made her shine. W.M.N are a band like none other that I have seen. I am only going on my assumptions but one member appeared to be a classically trained violinist with an operatic voice. While two other members appeared to be transgender. These 4 people mixed electronic production with, violin accompaniment and elements of rap and spoken word. I have little other way to describe it yet I can think of few other bands so evocative of the age that we live in.   

Draining

Another night I found the (quite literally) underground punk club 'Ancient world'. I saw a plethora of local acts. From the grunge trio Agapanther, the post-rock duo Still They Slept and best of all the shoegaze band Draining.  The self described 'Sad Punx' Draining played a fantastically noisy set of punk rock drowned in guitar effects. They capped things off by smashing up their gear. 

Melbourne.

Sophisticated Dingo

I couldn't wait to go to Melbourne. While the inner city is chaotic and crowded the suburbs are every bit the hipster paradise I imagined the city to be. The Yarra suburb is an oasis of bars, cages, restaurants, tattoo parlours and of course.. live venues. Having known the city for producing acts such as King Gizzard and Rolling Blackouts I was eager to find the next big thing. After scouring about 30 shows alone that night in the local rag 'Beat' I settled on local heroes Deathbeat. A punk duo who mix heavy grooves with furious rapping. While there are similarities to UK punks Slaves, Deathbeat have created a sound that is unique to them. One of the supports for that show Slim Jefferies also supported Sophisticated Dingo on the next gig I saw in Melbourne. Their a scrappy hardcore band who are endearingly rough around the edges. By the time Bad Bangs, Face Face and House Hats had finished their fantastic sets it was getting late. Sophisticated Dingo were launching their EP 'Tastes just like the real thing' with a hour plus long set in front of a packed out room. They bought some trippy light projections to make their show that little bit more special. If you've guessed by their name alone that Sophisticated Dingo are a scuzzy two piece surf punk band then you'd be spot on! They ooze an especially Aussie sense of not giving a fuck and as such their show was heaps of fun!

So it turns out that just as I had expected the fantastic Australian bands who have broke through in the UK are only the tip of the iceberg. 

Deathbeat

Links

www.elizaandthedelusionals.com

www.facebook.com/lucabrasipunkrock/

www.thepreatures.com

www.alibartermusic.com

www.facebook.com/pg/argusandtheliar

www.facebook.com/pg/jamillamusic/

www.facebook.com/pg/wmnmusic

https://draining.bandcamp.com/

www.facebook.com/pg/deathbeatband

sophisticateddingo.bandcamp.com/

The Best Albums of 2018 (Honourable Mentions)

Playboi Carti - Die Lit
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
Beach House - 7
Beak> - >>>
Rich Brian - Amen
88 Rising - Head In The Clouds
Table Scraps - Autonomy
Nine Inch Nails - Bad Witch
Various Artists - Black Panther: The Album
Vince Staples - FM
B.E.D - B.E.D
Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam - Blackout Cowboy
Christine & The Queens - Chris
Soccer Mommy - Clean
Scarlxrd - DXXM
Bodega - Endless Scroll
Amber Arcades - European Heartbreak
Sabrepulse - Exile
The Carters - Everything Is Love
U.S Girls - In a Poem Unlimited
77:78 - Jellies
Marmozets - Knowing what you know now
Caroline Rose - Loner
Nas - Nasir
Preoccupations - New Material
Serpentwithfeet - Soil
Raf Rundell - Stop Lying
Denzel Curry - TA1300
Ezra Furman - Transangelic Exodus
Paul Weller - True Meanings
Sunflower Bean - Twentytwo in blue
Nabihah Iqbal - Weighing of the heart
audiobooks - Now! (in a minute)
Frigs - Human Behaviour
Matt Berry - Television Themes
Noname - Room 25
Kurt Vile - Bottle it in
Joey Pecoraro - Music For Happiness
Virgina Wing - Ecstatic Arrow
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex and Food
The Orielles - Silver Dollar Moment
The Go Team - Semicircle
Starcrawler - S/T

A brief enquiry into The 1975

If you've read my bloggings over the past few years you'll know that one band I've always written off (indirectly or in some cases rather more directly) is The 1975. It seems that outside of a growing minority of angry internet commenters. As the recent NME piece 'How i learned to love the 1975 points out at first it was rather easy to hate them. It seems that each generation gets at least one cocky band of young male Mancunians who take the UK (and sometimes the world) by storm. The 70's gave us Joy Division, 10cc and Buzzcocks. The 80's gave us The Smiths and The Stone Roses, the 90's gave us Oasis and we ended up with The 1975. With Matt Healy's floppy hair, and mix of dickishness/ way too much self awareness it seemed that we got the worst one of the bunch. Yet over time with The 1975 growing in popularity and critical acclaim I started to wonder what others were hearing that I wasn't. After all Pale Waves grew on me to the point that their debut became one of my favourites of the year. And they're more or less the same band.

After seeing the several 5 star reviews of 'A brief enquiry..' and the intriguing title I decided to give it a listen and found it to be one of the most frustratingly inconsistent listens I've heard in a long time. The album has been compared to many to Radiohead's Ok Computer. Yet from the opening track that is ironically titled 'The 1975' the only real comparison I can think of is to Bon Iver. More specifically Bon Iver's 2016 album '22, A Million'. Matt Healy's voice is so drowned in vocoder effects that it might as well me Justin Vernon singing. The annoying vocal effects throughout this record seem oddly self defeating. Matty is known for being an witty lyricist, yet it's hard to see why when every track sounds as if he's shouting the words from the bottom of the well. However the albums real opener 'Give yourself a try' is actually a pretty good song. A pretty catchy pop song that mixed garage style beats with a rather overbearing guitar riff. my faults with this songs are with the production rather than the tune itself. 'TOOTIME...' is another example of what the band do best, up-beat 80's style pop rock. Yet it's a song that manages to be both mildly annoying and forgettable at the same time. 'How to draw/Petrichor' is their most blatant steal of Bon Iver's sound yet. At least until the UK Garage style breakbeats kick in.  

The song where all this actually works is the single 'Sincerity is scary'. On this joyous lead single the jazzy piano and trumpets actually work with the gospel choirs and off beat rhythms to create a very enjoyable song.

The only song where the 'OK Computer' comparison seems valid is 'The Man Who Married a Robot'. This is the 'Fitter Happier' of the album. A robotic voice tells a glib story of a man who falls in love with the internet and subsequently dies alone. The difference between this and Radiohead is that the atmosphere isn't one of existential dread, in fact its almost hilarious. A few acoustic ballads further illustrate the fact that The 1975 are a band seemingly in a bit of an identity crises as any emotional depth is robbed by the erratic nature of the songs that surround them. There is even a bizarre detour into lounge jazz on 'I couldn't be more in love'. The grande finale 'I always wanna die (sometimes)' is an epic closer where Matty's vocals soar over an orchestral accompaniment. It's an example that, frustratingly enough, this album is absolutely brilliant in places. The songs are mostly solid but it's the production that usually lets them down. The 1975 were clearly so focused on making a 'generation defining masterpiece' that they smothered their songs in effects and unnecessary instrumentation to the point where they become hard to listen to. What any of this album has to do with 'online relationships' is beyond me. Yet despite some of the tracks being downright annoying there is something about this album that makes it worthwhile and makes me want to hear it again. This overblown third album bears more resemblance to another release of 1997, 'Be Here Now'. it remains to be seen whether or not this album will be panned in a few years time. But 'Be Here Now' still has it's fans. The fact is that despite it's faults this album has almost won me over. It hasn't taught me to love The 1975 but i do now hate them a lot less.  

Acts to watch in 2019

It's no secret that 2018 was dominated by an increasingly downbeat and depressed sound. As all genres of music, rock, hip-hop, pop, dance... seem to be squashed together to make an increasingly bland radio friendly sound to appeal to the biggest number of people possible. However it seems to me that handful of new stars in 2019 may provide some respite.

 Jimothy Lacoste has made waves throughout 2018 by dropping several viral singles. Jimothy is instantly recognisable as the working class London kid wearing expensive clothes and colourful chinos. In his videos he has been seen hanging off the edge of trains, climbing onto busses, dancing in public and generally annoying and confusing London commuters. Jimothy has a musical style that is as unique as his fashion sense. His style of rap music has a retro, washed out aesthetic. Jimothy half raps, half talks over backdrops of incredibly catchy synthpop tunes. Jimothy is an inspiring character who focuses on spreading positive vibes and self fulfilment. You may also recognise Oliver Tree from his various Youtube videos. The 'professional scooter rider' who wears baggy jeans, shellsuits and proudly wears his bowl cut. On the surface Oliver might seem little more than a meme

However his music speaks for itself. Oliver's debut EP is an addictive mix of pop-rap boasting Oliver's knack for writing catchy tunes, and his dry offbeat sense of humour. Judging by Joji's success in 2018, I think Oliver could be the next Youtuber-turned pop star. 
If ironic pop-rap isn't your thing then Heavy Lungs and FONTAINES D.C. could be more your thing. Heavy Lungs are the Bristol based 'blood brother's to IDLES. You may already know about  Heavy Lung's singer Danny Nedelko from the brilliant song IDLES wrote about him. He's a charismatic front-man, and Heavy Lungs dark take on post-punk could make them the next break through band. Fontaines D.C have won over a legion of fans supporting Shame on their recent tour. Especially amongst the IDLES 'AF Gang'. Fontaines D.C. have a singer who embodies the look and carefree attitude of the late Mark E Smith and some of the catchiest punk rock songs to come out of Ireland since The Undertones penned 'Teenage Kicks'. 
Another band who I was hugely impressed with recently was the incredible The Fever 333 a new project raised from the ashes of letlive.  The Fever 333 believe in COMMUNITY, CHARITY, and CHANGE. Their music is an empowered and boldly political mix of metal and hip-hop. I saw them wow the Arena Birmingham. Scaling the bleachers to spread their message to the balcony seats, delivering passionate speeches, backfips and drum solos. They outshined the act they were supporting by far. The Fever 333 are one the most vital and passionate bands in the world right now.  

Shame, Sorry, Fontaines D.C. Live at the Institute Birmingham review (28/11/18)

FONTAINES D.C are a band who are much like Shame in their post-punk sound, and overtly political lyrics. At least i think their singer's lyrics are political. It's kind of hard to tell what he's saying with his thick Irish accent. With his thrift shop clothes and punch drunk swagger he evokes the spirit of Mark E Smith. I was impressed by Fontaines D.C. as much for their great tunes as their attitude. 'Liberty Bell' and 'Hurricane Laughter' are some of the best punk rock songs to come out of Ireland since The Undertones Penned 'Teenage Kicks'. Overall Fontaines D.C seem like they've come out of some sort of wormhole. Their contemporaries seem more likely to be Stiff Little Fingers or Boomtown Rats than IDLES or Shame. Yet seeing such a young band with great songs, a great sound and attitude is uplifting in whatever decade you're in. I have no doubt that big things are coming this bands way. (8.4/10)
SORRY hail from the same tight knit London scene as Shame. They're one of the most intriguing and unique bands to emerge from that scene in the past year. They lack any clear influences and in the current pantheon of indie rock bands there is no-one to compare them too. Their downbeat lyrics, keyboard flourishes, jangly guitars and hints of shoegaze are all familiar yet add up to a sound that is totally their own. However their live show wasn't as engaging as the bands before and after them. I enjoyed their set but I didn't love it. (7.6)

Shame have been on stage for a little over two minutes and their newly blonde singer, Charlie Steen is already crowd-surfing on a bed of frenzied fans. Shame are riding high at the end of a triumphant year. Their début album 'Songs of Praise' was released back in January. This album marked them out as being one of the best of a new wave of post-punk bands to crawl out of the UK's underbelly. Almost a year later and the record is topping end of year lists, Shame have become a tabloid target in the sun and played one of the most memorable 'later...' sets of the year. For this Birmingham show the lucky crowd was to hear three brand new songs. 'Human for a minute', 'Cowboy' and 'Exhaler' are not just new but possibly three of the best songs Shame have written yet. It seems that Charlie Steen is taking a bit of a break from tory baiting to write songs that are more introspective. 'Human for a minute' is quite openly about the feeling not being a functional human. 'Cowboy' seemed to feature the line 'sometimes I want someone to sit by me and tell me every-thing's fine'. When the next album comes around Shame may be tacking mental health as well as the state of things. If this sounds like Shame have gone a bit emo then don't worry. Despite being more in touch with their feelings they sound more punk than ever. Charlie proudly announced that 'One Rizla' was a pop song and the first song they wrote together. The crowd at this show was a mix of teens, old school punks and 20 somethings, yet the crowd was still happily bouncing around for the band who can unite these tribes together. On stage Shame are unable to stand still for a minute, moving and jumping around with the energy that only such a young band can. 'Angie' was a rare calm moment, before the raucous punk rock of 'Lampoon'. An encore was brief and unnecessary as Shame returned after a minute or so to play 'Gold Hole'. Once again Charlie was crowd surfing and standing on the palms of Shame's adoring fans. Proof if any were needed that Shame are one of the most vital young bands in the UK. A band to be treasured.  (9.2)