Top 25 - 13 March, 2016

Amanda Palmer + Ladyhawke!

1. Amanda Palmer - Machete (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: What a pleasant surprise to hear something new from Amanda Palmer. Not counting her David Bowie tribute EP and the ten and half minute gorgeousness of 'A Mother's Confession', 'Machete' marks her first full band release since 2012's Theatre Is Evil. It is glorious. It is heartbreaking. It is thought provoking. And it tells a story in a way that, really, only Amanda Palmer can tell a story. Manic one moment, quiet and reflective the next... 'Machete' shows all of the brilliant sides of Palmer we've come to know and love, from the Dresden Dolls days to now. 'Machete' is a beautiful story about friendship, losing it and also celebrating it in that loss. If you'd like to know more about the story behind it, please have a read of Amanda's own words regarding 'Machete' on her site. One of the things that I've always loved about Amanda Palmer's music is that she somehow manages to make her stories so totally relatable, even when it's something so personal to her. Her tracks make you think and this time around I'm thinking about the people in my life that are really special to me and how devastated I'm going to be if I ever have to lose them before... you know. Before I kick it. "And you said, I don't know where I'm going, I just know that I'm heading, from the dead things piled up behind me." It's all kinds of beautiful and it's so nice to hear something new from one of our most favourite artists. I could talk about this for days and days. But I'll just quickly mention that the last time a song caught me off-guard and made me all damn misty eyed and had me thinking about shit like this was Palmer's own 'The Bed Song' and hear I am listening to 'Machete' and it gets to the very last line... "You don't need me hear to cut you free"... and I'm a mess. A rambling mess. And it's all Amanda Palmer's fault. And I wouldn't have it any other way. (Matt Bond) 


2. Phebe Starr - Feel My Love





3. Ngaiire - Diggin





4. Ladyhawke - A Love Song (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: It seems like it was a thousand years ago that I was standing in a sweltering tent at the Big Day Out impatiently waiting for Ladyhawke to appear. That was six years ago and may as well be a thousand years ago considering the amount of singles Taylor Swift has released since then, but I digress. While the Big Day Out has now disappeared forever, thankfully Ladyhawke hasn’t, taking a break to sort some shit out (that quick summary of writing, recording and sobering is probably more complicated than that) and returned with a new song that was worth waiting the four long years we’ve waited for any new sounds from her. ‘A Love Song’ is perfectly Ladyhawke; a song you want to dance to, a song you want to sing along to and a song you want to hear over and over again. The cute animated lyric clip to match is making it very difficult to wait any longer for a new album release in June. (Jo Michelmore)


5. The Temper Trap - Thick As Thieves





6. The Ruiins - Eventually





7. Ariela Jacobs - Lost





8. Machine Age - Don't Look (NEW)





9. Olympia - Smoke Signals (NEW)





10. PACES ft. Rye Rye - Work Me Out (NEW)





11. Bag Raiders ft. Benjamin Joseph - Checkmate





12. SAFIA - Make Them Wheels Roll





13. James Chatburn - Cracks and Breaks (NEW)





14. Avec Sans - Heartbreak Hi (NEW)





15. Chris Watts - Let Go





16. Quintessential Doll - Beautiful Violence (NEW)





17. Ella Hooper - Monkey Mind





18. Sans Parents - Can't Stop Moving





19. Babaganouj - Do Rite With Me Tonite





20. Montaigne - In The Dark





21. Manor - They've Come Into My Home (NEW)





22. Little May - Remind Me





23. Hayden Calnin - Cut Love





24. Elizabeth Rose ft. Remi - Playing With Fire





25. Lanks - Golden Age

Top 115 Songs of 2015, #40 - 31

Meg Mac, Golden Features, Christine and The Queens + Kita Alexander!

#115 - 101

#100 - 91

#90 - 81

#80 - 71

#70 - 61

#60 - 51

#50 - 41

#40. MY OWN WAY

by Kita Alexander

Would you still dance with me

If you could get my heart for free?

Wonder teen, Kita Alexander has the brightest of futures ahead of her. With just one song, she was able to secure the services of Empire of the Sun, one of Sia's producers and the management behind Angus and Julia Stone and Lana Del Rey. She's been touted as the next big thing, will without a doubt place in the upcoming triple J Hottest 100 and you're likely to see her pop up all over the world over the next twelve months. That song was 'My Own Way', cool in the way that Alexander seems perfectly in control, yet without a care in the world. If this is as good as Kita Alexander is upon her debut, she deserves all of the amazing things coming her way. (Matt Bond) 

#39. IS THIS LOVE?

by Karl S. Williams

Is this pain what I needed

To awaken my mind from its sleeping?

I was walking past a pub once, and as I wandered by I pointed and spoke out loud the words that were written on the blackboard out the front. Those words were “Karl S Williams”. As I said them, Karl S Williams walked around the corner, nodded and said “hey” before walking in the door of said pub. I was dumbfounded, I literally LOL-ed and at that exact moment I decided I loved Karl S Williams. That moment and then this moment, this sweet, sweet tale of love, those gentle strings pulling at every emotion, the piano bringing in all the emotions and Karl’s incredible vocal pleading with me to listen closer, over and over. That and Thelma in the clip. No need to ask Karl, from that first amusing “hey” outside that pub through to all the words you sing. Yes. Love. (Jo Michelmore) 


Karl S Williams, musical fool. And what a romantic musical fool he's proven himself to be with 'Is This Love?' From the beautiful orchestration and soaring (and I mean SOARING) vocals to Williams' 'do you want me by your side' confused questioning throughout, the answer to the question in the title becomes quite obvious. At least from the viewpoint of the listener. So, is it love that Williams is feeling? Totally. I mean, who wouldn't fall in love with Thelma Plum? Is there a happy ending though? The video leans towards no and it gets super awkward. Thelma... how could you? :,-( There's even solo reflecting by the water to close things out. Oh, the feels. Damn it all! Karl S Williams, musical genius. (Matt Bond)  

#38. RESONATE

by Avec Sans

And your heart, your heart, your heart

Bears no name to hold me now, to resonate.

Well this is just nifty, isn't it? London's Avec Sans have been steadily releasing moments of electronic intrigue over the past couple of years, with their cover of Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' and the tracks 'All Of Time', 'Shiver' and 'Hold On' earning a ton of play around these parts. But nothing quite compares to their 2015 release, 'Resonate'. "The sky falls away so they can't see, and the light holds it's place inside of me." As soon as it hits the chorus, 'Resonate' blows up in the most satisfying way. I love when music is described as 'doom pop' and throw electronic in front of that and I reckon it fits this song to a T. Alice Fox and Jack St. James make up Avec Sans. They don't just have amazing names, they're also pretty brilliant at that whole making music thing. Here's to so much more in 2016! (Matt Bond)

Avec Sans have got themselves some nice web hype and internet loving over the last couple of years and I’m super happy to have provided a teeny bit of that hype, because my love of their brand of electronic pop is a super big love. ‘Resonate’ is just like their catalogue of awesome-ness; full of beats you can’t help moving to, Alice Fox’s voice is captivating and Jack St James holds it all together with a style and honesty that makes them shine. The web hype tells me they’re playing SXSW next year, so I’m really looking forward to that web hype becoming more than just hype in 2016. (Jo Michelmore) 

#37. QUEEN OF PEACE

by Florence + The Machine

Suddenly I'm overcome, dissolving like the setting sun

Like a boat into oblivion, Cause you're driving me away.

I didn’t always love Florence + The Machine. It took me a while to understand what all that wailing was about, but now I get it, it’s pretty much a given that Florence can do no wrong with that powerful set of lungs of hers. As for The Machine, does anyone know who they exactly are? What a great gig that would be, travelling the world, playing festivals and stages to millions of adoring fans, but no one really knowing who you are, so being a tourist at every stop would be super easy. What am I doing with my life? Why aren’t I a member of The Machine? Flo and I would be great friends. Instead, I’m just sitting here listening to ‘Queen Of Peace’ over and over again, writing words about how good Florence is. Who am I kidding? I don’t need the writing words bit to be an excuse to do that, I’d be listening over and over again anyway. (Jo Michelmore)

#36. NO HARM IS DONE

by Christine and The Queens ft. Tunji Ige

It's a blur

The pulsing is so loud, surely we'd feel better

If we had something to fight for.

Wait a minute... this isn't in French. Now we can't act all fancy. We weren't going to get away with 'fancy' anyway, but allow me to distract you from that thought with the incredibly smooth and dreamy tones of Christine and The Queens. A determined pop performance against hip hop flavoured beats allows Christine and The Queens' Heloise Letissier to show once more why she is one of the very best music makers in the world right now. Letissier and Philadelphia' Tunji Ige both exude a restrained anger, waiting for the right moment or cause to explode. Dramatic and fantastic in equal measure, 'No Harm Is Done' might not be as 'fancy' as Christine and The Queens' French cuts, but that doesn't make it any less sophisticated. C'est magnifique! (Matt Bond)  


If you think we put Christine and her Queens back in because we needed the fancy again, you’d be mistaken. There’s not even one bit of French in this song, but her slight accent every now and then sure makes English sound better than I’ve ever spoken it. ‘No Harm Is Done’ was released as part of her debut album release in the US, which probably explains the appearance of Tunje Inge rapping in the middle there, because you know, Americans love rap, maybe, or something like that. The real question here is, who are The Queens? What a great gig that would be, travelling the world with no one really knowing who you are etc. What am I doing with my life? Just sitting here lisening to Christine and the Queens over and over again, writing words about how good they are. Wait, de ja vu? That's French. Just checking you’re reading everything I write. But I don’t need the writing words to be an excuse to listen to songs like this. I’ll be listening over and over again anyway. Does anyone see what I’ve just done here? (Jo Michelmore) 

#35. SPRINTER

by Torres

There's freedom to and freedom from

Freedom to run, from everyone.

Torres has been releasing some impressive music in the last few years, the type of things that you may not hear everyone in the world talking about, but the type of music that deserves the all of the quiet attention it has been receiving, and more. ‘Sprinter’, the title track from her third album is painfully brilliant, agreeably unsettling, melancholy without being depressing and thought provoking without being forceful. Its spaces and restrained sounds within make it an outstanding song, one that deserves so much more than just quiet attention. (Jo Michelmore)  


On Torres' Facebook page, her influences contains only one name. Detective Olivia Benson. If that's not enough to make you automatically love her, may I suggest giving her music a listen? Because it's brilliant. Torres, also going by her birth name Mackenzie Scott, released her sophomore LP Sprinter to critical fanfare earlier in the year. It was one of the first albums of 2015 I truly fell for, with some of the most breathtaking lyrical moments of the year and alternative spins on classic Americana sounds. The standout moment would be the title track, 'Sprinter'. Following in the thematic spirit of last year's 'New Skin', 'Sprinter' speaks to all those beaten down by the daily grind. It's one of those 'the struggle is real' kinda tunes, but in a literal sense... not like those bullshit Instagram posts. You grow up and you're tired all the time and nobody tells you that you can't go back to those simple days that went by too fast. Songwriting gold, straight out of Nashville, Tennessee. (Matt Bond)

#34. MAGNETS

by Disclosure ft. Lorde

Pretty girls don't know the things that I know

Walk my way, I'll share the things that she won't.

Like most fourteen year olds, I am obsessed with Lorde and desperate to hear the follow up to her groundbreaking debut, Pure Heroine. In the meantime I'll take whatever comes my way. Whether it be a song or two on a Hunger Games soundtrack or a team up with some English electronic dudes that are pretty great, but I don't go out of my way to listen to. Unless Lorde is on one of their songs. I'll throw people out of my way and push them down some stairs to get to that. Because it has Lorde, and as I've often heard throughout my life, the Lorde is my saviour. SAVE ME, LORDE. Like most fourteen year olds, I am also prone to emotional outbursts when it comes to my idols. You should have seen me at the Taylor Swift concert. Oy. Right, I should be talking about 'Magnets'. Like a piece of metal, it's got some forces working that are pulling me right into it. And the video is fire. And the comments on it about Lorde selling out and getting all sexual are lame-o. Girlfriend is 19, let her live a little. So she macks out with an older dude and then kills him for being a cheating tool. We've all been there once or twice. Right? Stop the hypocrisy, people. Just stop. (Matt Bond)


There was a cheesy pop song released in the early 00s that had a lyric in it that would bring me close to tears every time I heard it. I'm not going to tell you what song it was, that will reveal far too much about my personality. However, that brings me to the concept of how strange it is that sometimes you hear little bits of unexpected songs that affect you. While Disclosure and Lorde do a really good job of making music together, there’s a lyric in ‘Magnets’ that has struck a chord (get it?) with me, that I really adore. But it's sung by Lorde and what would she know? Every time I hear it I think “get out of my head” and “you’re like a teenager, what would you even know?” but you know, music is transcendent and important and all that, so sometimes it’s better to just get lost in songs the way you want to and have a cry without question. Shut up. I won't be judged and I won't tell you what the lyric is, because that will reveal far too much about my personality, but it’s so very true; they don’t know the things that I know. (Jo Michelmore)

#33. WTF (WHERE THEY FROM)

by Missy Elliott ft. Pharrell Williams

Got a new idea, let me switch it

Man, I'm so futuristic.

There is a track in this countdown that makes me so (insert swear word)-ing happy that it’s in here. Because it has been a long, long, LOOOONG wait for something new from Ms Missy Elliot. The last time she released something substantial of her own, this little blog didn’t exist and the last time we saw her she was doing everything about a bazillion tiomes better than Katy Perry during Missy Elliot’s Katy Perry’s halftime performance at the Superbowl. A return like this could have been a disaster, except of course, it couldn’t, because it’s Missy and let’s face it, she’s the best. Like, I mean it. The. Best. 'WTF' is the best. Like, I mean it. The. Best. End. (Jo Michelmore)

I have been hanging out for another Missy Elliott one time exclusive for what feels like an eternity. Years had come and gone without a proper return from the undisputed Queen of Hip Hop and we were all poorer for it. Poorer, I say! No one else can do it quite like 'Misdeameanor', she is force of nature designed to get your body moving with the finest of beats and the fiercest of rap attitudes. Alright, alright... I'm a total fan girl. What of it? When she stole the show joined Katy Perry for a medley of Missy delights during the Super Bowl, everyone must have known there would be no better time than now for Elliott to make her long awaited comeback. I knew it, you knew it and Pharrell Williams knew it... which is why the former (?) N.E.R.D front encouraged her to get her badonk-a-donk-donk back in the studio. And thus 'WTF (Where They From)' was born. Really, what more could we have asked for? This was a return to form that exceeded the ridiculously huge expectations placed upon it. Missy and Pharrell both proved they have plenty of gas in the tank and that they can keep it funky fresh dressed (to impress at any party). What comes next is anyone's guess, but in this moment the original bad gal was back in the game. Thank you, Missy! (Matt Bond)

#32. NO ONE

by Golden Features ft. Thelma Plum

We were only young
We were falling in love.

Everything is better with Thelma Plum. It's something we've been saying for a couple of years now and we keep being able to do it because she keeps proving it true. Need the perfect featured vocalist for your hot new electronic jam? Call in the Plum. Old mate, Golden Features did just that. Yep, Golden Features, all enigmatic and gold mask wearing, is one of the most exciting producers to emerge in the past couple of years. Who's behind the mask? Or is it what's behind the mask? Maybe he's a robot? Maybe this is where the robots begin their assimilation into human society... taking us over from within, one dance hit at a time. Maybe I've recently watched Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Oh well, if this is the kind of sound that will lead the human race into doom, I'm all for it. What? The siren sounds of Thelma Plum and the delicious beats of Golden Features. You'd be all for it too. (Matt Bond)


Well isn’t this a special group of ten songs? One way or another you knew we’d get more than one reference to Thelma Plum in this here countdown and while we’ve been quiet so far, bam! Twice in one ten. Both features to other artists, but we’ll take what we can get, really. When’s that album Thelma? I digress. Golden Features was a secret for a long time, no one actually knowing who he was, but I’ve since done some research (hello facebook) and found out he is Tom Stell, which actually doesn’t mean anything to me, but one things for sure, he’s quite talented isn’t he? Busy producing his own work instead of others seems to have paid off for him, if ‘No One’ is any indication, its rapid beats are a perfect accessory to Thelma’s magnificent vocal. Whoever you are Tom and whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. (Jo Michelmore) 

#31. NEVER BE
by Meg Mac





I get lost in the world in a day
All I'm saying, you get trapped in the world in a day.

Meg Mac. Matt and I have a joke about her being from Sydney. Which isn't funny in itself, but I don't need to explain our jokes to you, he'll do a good enough job of that himself. Meg Mac has already been named a bunch of things by people other than Matt and I, places like JJJ, Rolling Stone and the like, so an appearance in our countdown probably doesn't mean much, but at least we have more to say about her than Nova. Anyway, the important part here is how good this song is; part soul, part pop, it feels like a gospel church service, can I hear an amen? I've never been to a gospel church service. I have been to Sydney though. You know something about Sydney? That's where Meg Mac is from. Amen. (Jo Michelmore)

Meg Mac. She's from Sydney, you know? While that might be the best a daytime Nova presenter can come up with after playing 'Never Be', you feel like maybe the song left him so speechless... astounded... mystified... that the best he could do was acknowledge that such a talent is one of Australia's own. Which really shouldn't be a surprise either, AUS music is the best. After killing it in the 2014 Hottest 100 (and deservedly so), the Mac found herself one of the country's most celebrated artists. And that took her all over the world, sharing her beautiful music with a diverse and much appreciative audience. Keeping hard at work, we were treated to the new single 'Never Be', arguably the best outing yet from this soulful stunner. Everything Mac has released so far has been excellent, so it could turn into quite the debate, but yeah, for my money 'Never Be' is where it's at. A piano driven pop gem that once more shows the depth and power of Meg Mac's voice. And it provides a mighty singalong too. There's nothing better than a good singalong. 2014 and 2015 were big for Meg Mac. 2016 will likely be massive. Bring it on! (Matt Bond) 

There's only 30 songs left to go... and we'll be back with the #30 - #21 on Saturday!

 

 

Top 25 - 3 May, 2015

Curxes, Avec Sans, Colornoise + Brandon Flowers!

1. Jeremy Neale ft. Phoebe Imhoff - Hold On Together





2. Curxes - What You Want (NEW)





3. Avec Sans - Resonate (NEW)





4. Violet - Ivory





5. Florence + The Machine - Ship To Wreck





6. Gin Wigmore - New Rush





7. Gang Of Youths - Radioface (NEW)





8. Bright Spark - Head In The Sand





9. Clare Maguire - Dream Big





10. Sia - Big Girls Cry





11. The Colour Code - It's Up To Me





12. Colornoise - Amalie (NEW)





13. MS MR - Painted





14. Ainslie Wills - Hawaii (NEW)





15. Crystal Castles - Frail (NEW)





16. The Kite String Tangle x Dustin Tebbutt - Illuminate





17. Torres - Cowboy Guilt





18. Patrick James - California Song (NEW)





19. Holy Holy - You Cannot Call For Love Like A Dog





20. Shelley Segal - Sidelined





21. Brandon Flowers - Lonely Town (NEW)





22. JOY. - Weather





23. Rihanna - American Oxygen





24. Tame Impala - Disciples (NEW)





25. The Stiffys - Kissy Kissy

Top 114 Songs of 2014, Honourable Mentions

Taylor Swift, Azealia Banks, Montaigne + Lily Allen!

Oh, hey December. It's the last month of what has been a glorious year for music. We've seen Australian acts like Sia, Iggy Azalea and 5 Seconds of Summer make a huge impact on the international charts, those French robot fellas won a swag of Grammy Awards (including Album of the Year), Miley Cyrus seems to be all but forgotten again and the hottest non-feud of the year seems to be between Ariana Grande and Bette Midler. 2014 saw the end of Crystal Castles and The Knife, but it introduced us to some of our new favourites like Montaigne, Sam Smith and Taylor Swift 2.0, pop edition. Yep, it's been a fun year and we'll be celebrating all the good times over the next month. To kick things off, it's our Top 114 Songs of 2014 countdown, which officially starts tomorrow... but there were way more that 114 amazing songs this year, so we thought we'd bump it up with some honourable mentions. And to give us time to finish writing stuff and so on and so forth. What? Here are ten incredible songs from this year that just narrowly missed out on the Top 114 Songs of 2014 list. Enjoy!

Honourable Mentions:

I'm A Fantastic Wreck

by Montaigne

And if I'm a little bit deranged would you not,

Estrange me, or change me...

Humdrum Blues

by The Growlers

She wants something tangible,

Like a ring on her hand.

Chasing Time

by Azealia Banks

Check my watch, I had the future in my pocket,

But I lost it when I gave it to you.

Hard Time

by Seinabo Sey

Hard time forgiving, 

even harder forgetting...

The Haunted

by Northeast Party House

 We all stand too long on the wrong side.

Trainwreck 1979

by Death From Above 1979

I was born on the highway in a trainwreck,

With a heart that was beating outta my chest.

R.I.P CHIX

by Tempura Nights

All the girls that lied to me are dead...

All of Time

by Avec Sans

One day you'll lose somebody,

In the way I'm losing you.

 Our Time

by Lily Allen

Let your hair down it's the end of the week,

And this is our time now let's forget everything...

Blank Space

by Taylor Swift

Got a long list of ex-lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane,

'Cause you know I love the players, and you love the game.

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

See you tomorrow for our Top 114 Songs of 2014 kick off!

Song Review - Running Up That Hill (Avec Sans Cover)

Running Up That Hill (Avec Sans Cover)

by Avec Sans

It's funny, because I've only been thinking about the cover song recently, inspired by the latest release from Ms Minaj and numerous discussions over the It's My Kind Of Scene round table (which is actually non-existent and involves a lot of text messaging instead). Whatever it is that Ms Minaj has done, cover/sample/complete rip off, it has proven that some covers work and some covers....don't. For me, a cover should be inspiring, not copying, it should be new but respectful and it should be almost everything Ms Minaj's latest single is not, which is frankly, a little boring.


Which brings me to a song that is absolutely nothing like anything Nicki Minaj could ever dream of doing and something I have been listening to over and over and over since first listen about a week ago. One of my favourite secret little loves from the UK, Avec Sans, have covered a Kate Bush song, which is brave in itself, but what makes this cover so very good, is Avec Sans ability to turn a Kate Bush song into an Avec Sans song and back again, while making me feel completely ok with the whole process and inspiring me to fall in love with their version as well as Kate's own work all over again. There’s no betrayal of my relationship with Kate Bush’s song here, only a new appreciation. One listen to the original and Kate manages to wrestle with my heart, one listen to the Avec Sans version and Alice’s almost husky vocal manages to wrestle with my spirit. One listen to Kate’s own song and I’m transported to a soundscape of completely comfortable love, anxiety and misunderstanding. One listen to Avec Sans’ cover and James’ epic synth skills transport me to a home of affection and a touch of easy desperation. In 1984, Kate Bush took her unique ethereal sounds and made an anthem for questioning hearts and thirty years later, Avec Sans take those same themes, their own unique electronic talents and have made a sweet electronic anthem for another generation of the curious and heartbroken.


Like Kate, Alice and James make a deal with God in 'Running Up That Hill', if there’s one thing a good cover should do, it’s let you make a deal with the original. You don’t have to secretly give one up for the other, they can both be loved equally and as Kate Bush and Avec Sans have proven, not only can that happen, it actually should.

Jo Michelmore gives 'Running Up That Hill' four Presets heads out of five...

Top 25 - 24 August, 2014

Our Man In Berlin, Megan Washington + Jack Colwell!

1. Tkay Maidza - U-HUH  (4 weeks at #1!)


 


2. Our Man In Berlin - Cirrhosis (NEW)


 

3. Eliza Hull - Caught (NEW)


 

4. Curxes - Valkyrie


 

5. Megan Washington - My Heart Is A Wheel (NEW)


 

6. MKO - Puddles


 

7. Montaigne - I Am Not An End


 

8. Jack Colwell and The Owls - Seek The Wilde (NEW)


 

9. Wafia - Alice (NEW)


 

10. Tulane - But I Say


 

11. Harts - Red and Blue


 

12. Little May - Dust


 

13. Wilding - Missing Her (NEW)


 

14. #1 Dads ft. Ainslie Wills - So Soldier


 


15. Battleships - You Can't Change It (NEW)


 

16. Bec Sandridge - Over The Sea





17. Jessie Ware - Say You Love Me


 

18. Lanie Lane - Celeste (NEW)





19. Coach Bombay - Girls


 


20. Kimbra - Miracle





21. Avec Sans - All of Time (NEW)


 


22. Violet - My Dress Hangs There (NEW)


 

23. Mirror Talk - 1997


 

24. Jim Lawrie - Just Like Normal


 

25. Chelsea Wolfe - Lone (NEW)

New Music Monday #78

On For You EP

by Michelle Xen (out now)

“In the distance, see the light glow, on for, on for, on for you!” Like a shining beacon of light in Brisbane’s ocean of indie rock/pop, Michelle Xen is a new entity carving a path through the waters greatly lacking in similar species of electronica.


On For You is the new EP project from Michelle Xen, featuring 5 singles and 5 accompanying videos (one officially released thus far) that will be released in the near future and features a cover of the popular Kendrick Lamar song, ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’. If you like your electro adventures fierce and sexy, brimming in dark energy, pulsing with light and bass heavy beats that make you move like a marionette puppet controlled by an evil dance master, then this EP will serve as the first dose to trigger a desperate Xen addiction.


'Lose My Cool', is the first of the 5 singles which was released a couple of weeks ago and showcases Michelle Xen’s animalistic side which seemingly does NOT like roses at all. It sounds something like a jilted lover making heavy breathing, pleading phone calls in order to rationalize her irrationality, over an ominous bass punching backing track that lends well to the maniacal theme in the song.


Xen’s vocals are both soft and soaring, and confident throughout the 5 tracks. The standouts on the EP are the title track 'On For You', 'My Cells' and 'Electric Comb'. All the tracks are individually strong and the surprise of the 5 is ‘Swimming Pools’, a song I hadn’t heard of until MKS did a version of it earlier in the year and when I heard Kendrick’s original I wasn’t impressed, however Michelle Xen not only gives it her own treatments but impressively makes it a track I not only gladly listen to but dare I say, REALLY enjoy.


Since I first discovered the gorgeous soundscapes of Michelle Xen in a live show early this year I willingly fell in her trance-inducing web. Now that I’m getting the chance to hear those tunes again, my addiction only grows, especially seeing as I’m able to dissolve myself into her visual worlds. I’ve been waiting for this kind of entertainer to emerge from Brisbane’s talented pool of musical artists and Michelle Xen’s On For You EP promises to stand out as something quite special.

Nayt Housman gives the On For You EP four and a half Roisin Murphy heads out of five...

Astrid and The Asteroids EP

by Astrid and The Asteroids (out now)

"Because I'm so unique and so are all my friends." 

Well, that's certainly true of Astrid and The Asteroids. With their new self-titled EP, AATA return with an even tighter sound and show off a range that spans the galaxy. I don't just mean the powerful range of Astrid Jorgensen's vocals either. Brisbane's best emerging band go on a genre hopping journey on the Astrid and The Asteroids EP that will leave you swooning in your seats, dancing around like you're in a Beyonce video and stopping to take a moment to truly appreciate how talented this band is. You'll likely do all of those things on opening track 'West End'... especially the Beyonce dancing. 

Who knew that a song taking a playful dig at Brisbane's hippest suburb could be so much fun? There's not a lot of genuinely 'fun' music out there at the moment. It can be a little drab and all too serious out there in the big bad music world right now, but 'West End' sets the fun meter to 11 and shoots itself off in a rocket that takes you along for the ride. An energetic opening like this is hard to ignore and there's a lot to love. I'm talking rock and roll trumpet, singing ironically with really breathy tones and hipster sledging lyrical goodness. 

An exciting opening number leads into the second single, 'Autopsy'. I once read that Tina Fey is the thinking man's sex symbol, which is just crazy because she should just be Tina Fey, sex symbol to all. There's a point in here somewhere and it comes back to me looking at 'Autopsy' as intelligent pop music. It's very 'smart' with fascinating lyrics that tell the story of a Texan clock tower shooter, Charles Whitman. You want to know more and more about the dark and sad story that Astrid is telling you right from the very beginning. "Five knocks on the doctor's door, don't know what I am asking for, but I feel fine." 'Autopsy' might be smart, but those required 'pop magic' sensibilities aren't sacrificed in the name of good storytelling. There's a gripping hook that will work its way into your brain, thrilling build-ups to the chorus and a whole heap of lines to singalong with.

'Old Friend' is a sweet R&B detour that definitely brings that swoon factor we were discussing earlier. A chilled out number with beautiful harmonies that teeters on the edges of slow-jam glory and funk-infused balladry. This current vibe is carried through to 'Love Right' and you will love this, alright. Yes, that is a statement, not a question. Is it getting a little steamy in here, or is it just this sleek and oh so sexy tune? "Think fast and move slow, 'cause I know that we're doing love right, doing love right." Yes. Yes you are. 

Saving the most suitably 'epic' number for last, 'House of Cards' is one of those brilliant slow-burners that gradually pulls you further and further into the band's world. This expertly layered final number starts with a simple piano arrangement and Astrid's lines, "all the walls are closing in, all the walls so paper thin," before adding in more and more. Expect beating drums, dramatic guitar lines and a stunning conclusion that will have you racing to hit repeat. I've been hitting repeat for what feels like weeks now and I don't see myself tiring of that anytime soon. 

Astrid and The Asteroids have unleashed another intergalactic knockout with their self-titled sophomore EP. Don't just take my word for it... go forth to infinity and beyond or something and give it a listen yourself (last space-ish reference, I promise). Astrid and The Asteroids won't leave you disappointed.

Matt Bond gives the Astrid and The Asteroids EP five Amanda Palmer heads out of five...

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS OF THE WEEK:

Hide

by Little May

EP: TBA (???, 2014)

Little May knocks another one out of the park with Sean Dooley’s stunning video for the bewitching ‘Hide’. There’s hocus and pocus, with the build to a raging bonfire in the forest at night which suitably matches the dramatic tone of the track. Despite my camp language, the clip doesn’t suffer from any such nonsense. It calls to mind the heretical dance from The Crucible more than wacky Samantha Stephens’ hijinks on Bewitched and I think we can all agree this is a good thing. Dooley’s shots grab your attention from the opening lonely walk home, the view from the driver’s seat on the open road, the mysterious flashes of our leading ladies from Little May and, of course, the final dance that’s equal parts cool, mysterious and beautiful. You should already be loving them now, but if you didn’t have Little May on your list of acts to watch in 2014, ‘Hide’ will make you change your ways. I can’t wait to hear and see what comes next from this powerful trio. 

Matt Bond gives the video for 'Hide' four PJ Harvey heads out of five...       

Shiver

by Avec Sans (out now)

Let me tell you about all the times I've listened to Avec Sans 'Shiver' since I spoke about it last week. I've listened in my car, I've listened on my walk to work, I listened on the street during my lunch break while I watched the world rush by, I listened on my walk home from work, I listened while I cleaned my house on the weekend, I listened while I baked some cupcakes, I listened on headphones in the corner of my lounge while my housemate watched TV at the other end of the room, in fact, this is one of those songs that has become part of my daily existence at the moment, I've listened to it so many times. So, imagine my excitement, when, not long after I reviewed it last week, the clip was released.


It's simple and it's adorable and, like the song itself, it's not what I expected from this fabulous duo, so therefore, it's somehow even more lovable. Alice Fox is fabulously fantastic, her 80s inspired makeup perfectly matching the beats and dancing around with all sorts of 80s looking graphics popping around her make it hard to keep your eyes from the screen. I'm no musician, but Jack St James certainly looks like he knows what he's doing amongst all the effects and it's kind of funny how this clip was made by the same person, Sing J Lee, who made the CHVRCHES clip I spoke of last week. What a small world it is. Or maybe not.


Either way, this is a super cute clip I adore and the best part is that now as I bounce around manically as I listen to Avec Sans on the street, in my car and in my house, I have an excuse. I'm just re-enacting the clip, don't you know?

Jo Michelmore gives the video for Shiver four Shirley Manson heads out of five...

Hard Out Here

by Lily Allen

Album: TBA (???, 2014)

So Lily Allen makes a pretty solid statement about the objectification of women in music, especially African American women, and ends up in the news for being racist and anti-feminist. What? What world is this? ‘Hard Out Here’ and the accompanying video takes a satirical dig at your Britneys (you’d better work/it’s hard out here for a… etc.), your Robin Thicke’s (Robin Thicke has a big…/Lily Allen has a baggy…), your Miley and Rihannas (twerk, twerk, twerk) and those that are actually responsible for encouraging misogyny in the music industry.  But Lily Allen is an anti-feminist, racist British mother who came from a privileged background and is part of the problem and part of the corporate machine blah, blah, blah. Allen’s response to the “controversial” clip came via her Twitter account:

"1. If anyone thinks for a second that I requested specific ethnicities for the video, they're wrong.

2. If anyone thinks that after asking the girls to audition, I was going to send any of them away because of the colour of their skin, they're wrong.

3. The message is clear. Whilst I don’t want to offend anyone. I do strive to provoke thought and conversation. The video is meant to be a lighthearted satirical video that deals with objectification of women within modern pop culture. It has nothing to do with race, at all.

4. If I could dance like the ladies can, it would have been my arse on your screens; I actually rehearsed for two weeks trying to perfect my twerk, but failed miserably. If I was a little braver, I would have been wearing a bikini too, but I do not and I have chronic cellulite, which nobody wants to see. What I’m trying to say is that me being covered up has nothing to do with me wanting to disassociate myself from the girls, it has more to do with my own insecurities and I just wanted to feel as comfortable as possible on the shoot day.

5. I'm not going to apologise because I think that would imply that I’m guilty of something, but I promise you this, in no way do I feel superior to anyone, except paedophiles, rapists murderers etc., and I would not only be surprised but deeply saddened if I thought anyone came away from that video feeling taken advantage of,or compromised in any way."

If you’re not adverse to a bit of intelligent, thought provoking fun and don't happen to be completely insane, hate women or participate in race-bating, you should get a good kick out of this video. It was good enough for Adele, Ellie Goulding, P!nk, Laura Mvula and Lena Dunham. Welcome back, Lily Allen. You've been missed.

Matt Bond gives the video for 'Hard Out Here' three and a half Ellie Goulding heads out of five... 
 

New Music Monday #77

ARTPOP

by Lady Gaga (out now)

Where to begin? Lady Gaga’s really done it all in just under six years hasn’t she? A stellar debut record, the monster follow-up (that’s bizarrely considered an EP, despite earning a nomination for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards), the insanely overhyped Born This Way and now her “third” studio release, ARTPOP, have seen Lady Gaga top charts, sell out arenas and win a boat load of awards. She’s gone from the new Princess of Pop to the biggest music star in the planet to… well, I don’t really know what she is now. There’s certainly been a lot of backlash against her in the past couple of years. She’s done everything in her power to shock, awe and, most importantly, entertain her fans. With nothing left to prove, you can hardly hold it against her for marching to the beat of her own drum and ARTPOP is one ridiculously self-indulgent album extraordinaire. Thankfully, it’s also quite good. The last time I did a Track-by-Track review was for Born This Way, so let’s try it ARTPOP style!

AURA

“I’m not a wandering slave, I am a woman of choice.” Truer words have never been spoken as Gaga recruits flavour of the month, Zedd, to produce this convoluted introduction to ARTPOP. It’s all very flashy – a Western themed opening with a Tarantino twist leads into some pretty poptacular dubstep inspired drops that sit behind lyrics that range from borderline insightful to full blown cringe inducing. The track’s as convoluted with ideas as that last sentence, but that last sentence was awesome, so I guess I won’t judge the track too harshly.
Rating: 2/5… or I will?

VENUS


This is a very frustrating track. The opening segment is what you’d expect a show at the Moulin Rouge to be like if the theme was ‘tits out in space’. Welcome to the planet Venus, where all the lady aliens walk around sans clothing and sing about being the goddess of love. For those of you that haven’t taken in a naughty night at the Moulin Rouge, it’s nothing like the movie. There’s a life spoiler for you. What ‘Venus’ does have going for it is killer vocal work from Gaga and the, “when you touch me I die, just a little inside, I wonder if this could be love, this could be love,” moments that will have you involuntarily waving your hands in the air like you just don’t care. ‘Venus’ is also the first track solely produced by our leading lady, so if I was a university lecturer I would give points just for trying. It also doesn’t shy away from substituting Uranus for a derrière mention. Didn’t you know her ass is famous?
Rating: 2.5/5

G.U.Y

Generic. Unintelligent. Yammering? No, not at all. It’s girl under you, silly. Don’t you wish you had a girl come up to you on the dance floor and bluntly tell you that she wants to be under you? Far out… that’s coming on a little strong, love. I WANNA BE ON YOU!! Anyway, this is the first real attention grabbing moment on ARTPOP, where Gaga just blatantly skanks it up and unleashes the pop superstar we all know and love (or loved for some people). Catchy, ready for the floor… it’s like the LGG of days gone by… those were good times.
Rating: 3/5

SEXXX DREAMS

‘Sexxx Dreams’ is the right kind of different with just a little hint of desperation. Like Madonna’s ‘Erotica’. Gasp. It feels like I’m breaking all sorts of taboos by mentioning Gaga and Madonna in the same sentence. Or not. ARTPOP is really starting to find its voice right here. Despite the desperation dig, this is undeniably sexy. Maybe not ‘xxx’ sexy. Just singular ‘x’ sexy. “Heard your boyfriend was away this weekend, wanna meet at my place?” Lezzing it up as usual and being a home wrecker. Don’t judge her… baby, she was born this way! This is the song you want playing at a club at three in the morning when you’re willing to embarrass yourself without a care in the world.
Rating: 4/5

JEWELS N’ DRUGS (ft. T.I., Too Short and Twista)

Remember all the rumours about who would be guesting on this album? Beyoncé, Azealia Banks, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley, 2Pac, Joan of Arc. We got T.I., Too Short and Twista.

Rating: 1/5

MANiCURE

Thank the pop gods… ‘MANiCURE’ is more like it! Forget what I said before about ‘finding a voice’ or whatever. This is just good old fashioned pop fun. And considering how far Gaga has been willing to move away from that radio friendly sound, this is like a breath of fresh air followed by a whiff of perfume you know is going to lead your vision to a scantily clad lady of the night. “Lookin’ serial killer, man is a goner, touch me in the dark, put your hands all over my body parts.” Something about ‘serial killer’ and touching ‘body parts’ should set alarm bells ringing, but just go with it, for we finally have something to really sing WITH Gaga.
Rating: 4/5

DO WHAT U WANT (ft. R Kelly)


We’re on a roll now, so celebrate good times (come on!) and believe that you can fly with Lady Gaga and R Kelly. ‘Do What U Want’ is everything the previous ARTPOP collaboration wasn’t and then some. “I feel good, I walk alone, but then I trip over myself and I fall, I stand up and then I’m ok, but then you print some shit that makes me want to scream.” It’s nothing new for Gaga to address media rumours, but bringing in R Kelly’s silky smooth vocal tones certainly mixes it up. Sure, Gaga’s are sad (eg. she has a schlong) and Kelly’s are more ‘trapped in the closet’ creepy, but that’s neither here nor there. And he was never convicted, right? ‘Do What U Want’ is pop perfection, an album standout and you just try not to sing-along with Kelly as he defiantly lets loose with, “yeah we takin’ these haters and we roughin’ them up, and we layin’ the club like we don’t give a fuuuuuck.” I don’t even want to know what ‘layin’ the club’ would involve. At the very least, this should make people temporarily forget about what R Kelly’s sheets smell like.
Rating: 5/5

ARTPOP

Here we go… the big title track. The explanation of all that is this ARTPOP we’ve heard so much about and not quite understood. Surprise! ARTPOP could mean ANYTHING apparently. Well played, Gaga. ‘Artpop’ the song is like my experiences with most art pieces. I don’t get it, but it’s nice enough. A little paint-by-numbers in terms of the music itself and I can’t stop myself from singing Selena Gomez’s ‘Love You Like A Love Song’ at the start. Not that I know what that song is. Haha. Urgh. A final admission from Gaga that, “I am really laughing, because I just love the music not the bling, music not the bling, free my mind artpop, you make my heart pop,” is both sweet and sad. Is she in on the joke?
Rating: 2/5

 SWINE


I haven’t read Fifty Shades of Grey, but I imagine ‘Swine’ and its squeal piggy themes would be a huge hit with lovers of the book. S&M clubs the world over are adding it to their filthy in-house playlists as we speak. Some of our kinkier readers are sitting at home, using one of their slaves as a footrest while reading this review and shaking their heads at how wrong my concept of what goes on inside the dungeons of an S&M club is. “Talk about the song, bitch!” you scream at me in an authoritative tone. “I have no master, you latex wearing goon!” I shout back. The song’s average.

Rating: 2.5/5


DONATELLA


And we’re back to almost pop perfection. ‘Donatella’ is right in Lady Gaga’s wheelhouse as it’s all about living for the fame, the good life and swigging champagne. It’s the anti-‘Royals’, but what would you expect from a song paying tribute to the iconic Donatella Versace? Snappy lines are thrown right at you, accents are applied and you’re loving every second of it. Again, this is the Lady Gaga that at one time was the undisputed pop champion of the world.
Rating: 3.5/5

FASHION


I had a little… off… feeling about this song. When I think of a song called ‘Fashion’, I think of that weapon of mass destruction that Heidi Montag (who?) released as she poorly attempted to transition into music. Listening to Gaga’s ‘Fashion’ I was getting bad vibes. There just wasn’t something right about it. Who produced it? David Guetta and will.i.am. I blamed will.I.am for Britney’s problems. I’m comfortable blaming him for Gaga’s. Let’s all just enjoy that the song wasn’t called #fashion.

Rating: 2/5

MARY JANE HOLLAND


The constant electro assault has worn me down at this point. I need a breather…
Rating: 2.5/5

 DOPE


Ask and ‘ye shall receive. We finally get a song that showcases how talented the Lady is. Hallelujah! With so few distractions, we can actually enjoy the beautiful melodies, Gaga’s spectacular voice and heartbreaking ability as a storyteller. ‘Dope’ introduces a bit of theatrical flair, adopts an NYC hobo accent and puts the focus on Gaga’s voice and the piano, with some unnecessary ‘lectro clunks in the background. Lyrically, ‘Dope’ is so-so. One minute it’s all simple and powerful, “my heart would break without you, might not awake without you, been hurting low from living high for so long,” and then you arrive at the actual crux of the song and she sings, “I’ll keep on searching for an answer ‘cause I need you more than dope.” And they say romance is dead. The performance is incredible and ‘Dope’ stands out on ARTPOP as the only ballad. The only thing holding it back is the lyrics. 
Rating: 4/5


GYPSY


If, like me, you enjoyed Lady Gaga’s debut of ‘Gypsy’ in Berlin last month (which was a piano/vocal masterpiece), you might be a bit put off by the disco dance album version. Then you’ll get over it and fall in love with Lady Gaga and RedOne letting their powers combine once more. Theirs is a partnership you want to continue forever and ever because it’s just hit after hit. ‘Gypsy’ is definitely the strongest lyrical moment on ARTPOP and comes close to being the best song on the album. Top 3 for sure. You will want to dance. You will want to adopt the nature of a gypsy and roam and pillage and go on British reality television. “Would you go with me, for life, see the world with me.” I would!
Rating: 4.5/5


APPLAUSE


“I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong, to crash the critic saying is it right or is it wrong.” When ‘Applause’ was first released, I found myself slightly underwhelmed. But in the months since its release, the song has grown on me. A lot. ARTPOP ends on an exciting high note with ‘Applause’, which is right up there with Gaga’s best singles. An admission to loving the fame and not a hint of the wanky Born This Way message that has run rampant through the pop landscape.
Rating: 4/5


Whereas Born This Way was Lady Gaga’s most consistent effort, ARTPOP as an album is all over the place. You’ve got a handful of bonafide dance floor anthems, a stellar ballad, an unwise attempt at hip-hopping it up and then a collection of serviceable, but ultimately unforgettable, bangers (not bangerz) that you know you’ll tire of quickly. Trapped behind an endless onslaught of electronic noises are some complex melodies that you almost have to fight to listen to. The lyrics jump from insightful to laugh out loud ridiculous at breakneck speed. But when ARTPOP is good (see ‘Do What U Want’, ‘Sexxx Dreams’ and the final three tracks) it’s very good. Lady Gaga set the bar pretty high with her previous releases and ARTPOP sadly can’t compete. ARTPOP is good, but it’s not great.

Matt Bond gives ARTPOP three Lady Gaga heads out of five…

Matangi 

by M.I.A. (out now)

“My words are my armour and you’re about to meet your karma.”


At this point, you’re either a huge fan of the creative force that is M.I.A or you’re not. The only middle ground is reserved for seventeen year old stoners that think ‘Paper Planes’ is their jam and, quite frankly, they don’t count. For anything. This reviewer falls into the ‘huge fan’ category. Perhaps it’s our shared Sri Lankan-ness (it’s not). Maybe it’s her refusal to conform to what is expected of a female rap/hip-hop act or to any expectations in general (getting warmer). More likely, I am an M.I.A fan because her music is stellar; unusual in all the right ways as it slips in inspiration from the most unlikely of sources (bingo!). Yes, there are also the likely sources – electronic beats mixed into bhangra influenced sounds in such a casually cool way – but it wouldn’t be an M.I.A record without them. And so, after a wait that really was too long, we now have the fourth studio recording from Maya Arulpragasm, Matangi, and though it’s not without fault, it is another entertaining rollercoaster ride from our favourite beacon of self-created controversy.


A solitary “ohm” introduces the listener to both Matangi and ‘Karmageddon’ as a sign of M.I.A’s musical resistance. The track itself is a blink-and-you’ll miss it intro, but a couple of snappy lines and some dangerous beats are all our hostess needs to propel you headfirst into her world. ‘Matangi’ and ‘Only 1 U’ are footstomping booty-shakers for sure, but the former loses points in the originality stakes and the latter treads dangerously close to ‘sweet merciful Zeus I’mma gonna skip this’ territory. Get through it and you’re rewarded with ‘Warriors’ which succeeds in its mission statement that it’s, “puttin’ them in a trance.” It makes me want to tribal dance like Beyonce, even though I know better than to do that to anyone that has functioning vision. ‘Come Walk With Me’ is the joke that M.I.A’s in on. A very ‘pop’ sounding track with lyrics that are so anti-pop (“You ain’t gotta shake it just be with me, you ain’t gotta throw your hands in the air, ‘cos tonight we ain’t acting like we don’t care.”), which evolves into a spectacular M.I.A sensory assault, which does and doesn’t carry through to the beat reliant ‘atention’.

The Weeknd is the lone featured collaborator, teaming up with M.I.A for a reworking of sorts of the guest’s own ‘Lonely Star’. This is a standout moment, a fantasy ride through Zaire and the Red Sea that will leave you breathless and wanting more… but you’ll probably wait until after the ridiculously amazing ‘Bad Girls’. Over a year and half since being unleashed on the world, ‘Bad Girls’ still has that ability to send shocks from your head to your toes that make you want to release the Bollywood star within. “Chain hits my chest when I’m bangin’ on the dashboard, my chain hits my chest when I’m banging.” Dance like nobody’s watching or something. Catch your breath with the ‘Boom (Skit)’ before falling for the aromatic blend of trap and reggae that is ‘Double Bubble Trouble.’ You know where this song would fit in? On one of those Dance Dance Revolution games. Left foot, right foot, up foot (?), down foot (??), left and up feet (???). Are you picking up what I’m putting down? Probably not, so let’s move on…


‘Y.A.L.A’ is a welcome slap in Drake’s face, turning one of the most annoying things in ever (y.o.l.o, for those better at avoiding lame terms than I) with the message that you always live again. Which is probably more wankery than you only live once, but it’s coming from M.I.A and not Drake… so I’m digging it. And she manages to name drop Julianne Moore and that’s just… surprisingly wonderful. You go, Julianne Moore! The second half run of applaud worthy tracks continues with ‘Bring The Noize’, as the ohm is replaced by the adhan and a call to prayer. Look, if there was a church that played ‘Bring The Noize’ over and over again (and featured crazy dancing) I’d answer that call to prayer. This is a real assault to the senses, with quick-witted rhymes just pouring from M.I.A’s mouth as the music replicates the sounds of an automatic machine gun. Fading out to the lines, “freedom’s just another word, choose, nothing left to lose,” is just the icing on the cake that’s probably been blown sky high at this point.

All good things come to an end and ‘Lights’ slows the pace down and just stumbles along before the undeniably average ‘Know It Ain’t Right’ begins to play. After hearing songs that seem so incomparable, these two are so-so, a little too hip-hop standard to compete with what’s come before. Matangi ends with another head-scratcher in ‘Sexodus’ featuring The Weeknd, which is just ‘Exodus’ if ‘Exodus’ wasn’t good. It’s like the B-grade version of ‘Exodus’, a little different, but not enough to stand on its own as a track that makes you take notice. I actually went back to ‘Exodus’ about halfway through ‘Sexodus’ because it’s better. You have a really fancy steak in front of you with nice sauce and a drink you really like and then there’s this slab of meat from the cow’s butt and a glass of Mountain Dew… which one are you going to choose? That’s ‘Exodus’ and ‘Sexodus’ and it’s also me being a bit of a jerk, but why would you put the same song on an album twice?


I said towards the start that Matangi is an entertaining rollercoaster ride and I stand by that because not every moment of being on a rollercoaster is thrilling. There’s the anticipation at the start, you’re excited as you take off and start heading on that steep climb that takes forever and you feel a little bit bored. Then in a flash you’re off and screaming and laughing, having lots of fun going through loops and then you hit that straight patch where you catch your breath and it’s all a bit boring again for a second and then BAM! you’re going backwards and it’s all exciting again and then it’s all over. You enjoyed the momentary rush and you look at your friends and look at the enormous line to do it all again… and you choose to get back in line and do it all again. That’s Matangi. Not every second is exciting, but there are those moments where you completely lose yourself in it and it’s those moments that will have you coming back for more and more. A strange metaphor, but you’re the one that just read the whole thing, so…

Matt Bond gives Matangi three Eminem heads out of five...

Two Moon Love

by Pigeon

When I hit play on the big orange circle on soundcloud to Pigeon's 'Two Moon Love', I forgot that I had the volume turned up full. An indication of what I think of this song is that after the initial shock of noise, I didn't turn my laptop down, because the sounds from this Brisbane based five piece are delicious. They hit you in the best way possible, with a little force but a lot of awesome, they know when to pull sounds back and let the vocal take over and they know when to layer it up good and strong, the sounds are so addictive I can't quite believe this kind of electronic talent is made in my home town. There's a little bit of 80s love in there, there's a little bit of synth genius in there, there's a lot of killer beats in there. In fact, there's nothing not to love in there. I don't even know what the two moon reference is, but I love both of them, whoever or whatever they are.

Jo Michelmore gives 'Two Moon Love' four Presets heads out of five...

Love Me All Night

by Millar Jukes And The Bandits

I think I said “YEAH!” out loud in about 3 seconds after this track started. Pumping harmonica, upbeat driving drums, wailing organ and a 60s inspired guitar riff immediately got my attention and had me bouncing in my seat. I was born after the 60s, but I am a 60s child at heart.


Once the vocals hit me I knew I would be listening to this song again and again and singing along: “Baby don’t you know I love you? Baby don’t you know I care?” Yep. Baby, you know I love this kind of sound.


We are truly in the land of the 60s with images of faded denim, flowers, flares and formidable folk festivals flying before my eyes. All here is very groovy. Yes, I said groovy. I’m bringing that word back. And indeed this track by the talented Millar Jukes is attributing all that I love about the groove of 60s Americana music. It’s fresh and fun and very very listenable. There is a splash of Credence, a dash of The Eagles and a hint of Cream here. I am reminded of Dylan on his better vocal days (because for me, Dylan's vocal capacities were hit and miss).


I was surprised to hear that that Millar Jukes is not from America but Scotland - and now resides in my own town: Melbourne. Lucky me. If I get the chance, I would love to see this band live. The energy and quality of the vocals are just a pure delight. There is no miss here on the delivery. Millar hits the sound square on every time.


Although this song pumps along with an easy-to-sing-along-to chorus like so many 60s classics, it would be a mistake to assume this song is simply a cut and paste job of the era. This is music made well with sophistication and attention to detail. The strong yet smooth female backing vocals that join in throughout the song add a whole other dimension of class to this rocking anthem. I was reminded of Joe Cocker’s full sound here and his regular addition of talented backing vocalists in his music. Again, to see Millar Jukes and The Bandits play live would no doubt be a treat.


This music is rollicking good fun. With it’s feet planted firmly in alternate country rock and it’s playful whimsy flying up to the big blue skies, “Love me All Night” would be a fantastic soundtrack to any road trip that leaves the big smoke behind. I look forward to hearing more from this band.

Lou Endicott gives 'Love Me All Night' five Johnny Cash heads out of five....

Shiver

by Avec Sans

I was on a road trip earlier this year with a friend of mine when, three and a half hours into the drive, Avec Sans popped up on my ipod and the sweet opening notes of 'Heartbreak Hi' poured out of my car's sound system. My friend, who doesn't always share the same musical taste as I, stopped giving me directions, turned the volume up and said to me; "Who is this?" in that urgent way one does when one hears something they can't resist. "Oh, a little duo from the UK. Avec Sans. You wouldn't have heard of them. But they're really, reeeeeeally good, aren't they?" I replied as the next track 'Hold On' began.


'Shiver' is everything and nothing like I expected from Alice Fox and Jack St James. Alice's sweet vocal doesn't just float above the beats and synths, it drives them in the most amazing way and while I'm no musical expert, there's some sounds in there that shouldn't make sense with each other, but somehow they do (see, no musical expert). What I do know is that I thought I'd hear something a little darker from this duo and what I received was some awesome electro pop magic and I LOVE it. I know that at a minute when Alice hits those high notes I smiled and I know at two minutes I had that feeling of knowing I'd found something special and at three minutes when the sounds are stripped back I couldn't wait to hear the next forty seconds. I know that this is a song that makes me want to dance, it makes me want to jump back in my car and drive to fun and I know it's a song that's proven that sometimes, even after only knowing a few other tracks, sometimes it's worth declaring oneself a fan early on in a bands career, because sometimes the talent is obvious from the beginning.


When my friend committed to a "I like this" after he heard Avec Sans in my car that day, I knew they'd found a new fan because my friend doesn't commit to "I like this" very often and I knew I'd be happy with whatever was released next. What I didn't know was just how good they could get. 'Shiver' makes me smile in all the ways electro-pop should, just like taking a road trip does. Hopefully the wait for more Avec Sans won't be as long as the last. Hopefully my next road trip will be as good as the last too...and with a soundtrack like this, how could it not?

Jo Michelmore gives 'Shiver' four and a half Presets heads out of five...

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

Lies

by CHVRCHES

Album: The Bones Of What You Believe (out now)

Here's a truth for you. Let's just make it clear from the beginning. I love this band. If you think you're going to read a non-biased review of this clip, you're reading the wrong blog. Here's another truth for you. I have no idea what's going on in this clip. We have a guy running, from something or to something, who's to say? We have the fabulous trio that is Chvrches, bathed in dramatic light, we have a guy on a phone at a desk, a couple sharing a meal (although technically no food is consumed) in front of a deliciously retro television set and we have someone on a couch, who looks rather unhappy, actually. Poor love. Cheer up! You're in a Chvrches clip.

It's kind of a bit spooky, almost four minutes of imagery that could mean anything, to anyone really. I assume it's some kind of alternate reality, an apocalyptic world, a world I might not like so much except for the fact it has Chvrches in it. Regardless, this clip is exactly for me what Chvrches are, beautiful and spooky and a whole lot of pop over a dark and broody undertone. They make me smile uncomfortably and that's this clip as well, I know somehow it's not really very nice but I love it. (On a side note, the director of this clip is Sing J Lee, who is clearly a very talented individual. If you click on their facebook page, they have 134 likers. Let's just remember that in the world of social media, likes don't equal talent and don't always mean so much.) Whatever, how ever many views or likes this clip receives, it's a clip I love, from a band I have fallen totally in love with this year. Lies? Nope, truth. I'm biased. I love Chvrches. Deal with that.

 Jo Michelmore gives 'Lies' four Presets heads out of five...

I Kill Giants

by The Naked And Famous

Album:  In Rolling Waves (out now)

Maybe it's the week for weird clips, because, like the Chvrches clip, I'm going say I don't really know what's going on in this one, 'I Kill Giants', the latest clip release from The Naked And Famous. It's interpretive dance, I know that, but, as much as I love all forms of art, that's never really been my thing. Regardless, it seems to be a fitting clip for an incredibly sad song with an incredibly uplifting beat. There's something powerful about such a fast and catchy beat underpinning a lyric about an incredibly sad say in the life of Alisa Xayalith, The Naked And Famous' front woman. "On the saddest of days, why couldn't we save you?" is repeated over and over, almost hypnotically, while the two performers dance their hearts out, and while I can't answer the question posed, I can be thankful for a band who is willing to let their singer face her darkest days in song and in turn produce music and clips like this.

Jo Michelmore gives 'I Kill Giants' three and half Florence Welch heads out of five...