Heapsablog

Status Update...kinda...

2011-05-27T17:21:00.005+10:00

Dear Heapsafans,

Apologies that we've been a bit slack on the blog of late. Christmas, festivals, Linguistics degrees, new acts and well yep, lots of work really. We'll get on board soon and post some more stuff but i assure you we've been busy on other parts of the interwebs, so feel free whilst waiting to check out our other modes of electronic expression:

Facebook
Will's Facebook
Soundcloud
Twitter

And check out the Bedroom Philosopher's new clip while you're at it, quietly wishing to yourself that you knew how to dance like that:) Nice work Justin! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrUJ_NGipv4)

Will out. See you at Stylin' Up tomorrow:)

Splendour in the Grass - a few pics

2010-08-20T17:22:00.007+10:00

Skipping Girl Vinegar - opening Splendour

Horrorshow - fresh off a 32 hour flight from Germany.

Midlake
Art vs Science
Ibeefa

Great New Clip from Laneous and the Family Yah

2010-07-22T13:34:00.002+10:00

No introductions necessary on this blog to LATFY - Classic video from the crew's home in Brisbane's West End:

The Optimen announce 'The Out Of Brisbane Experience' Tour

2010-07-09T17:50:00.005+10:00

Following on from the shining release of their sophomore album The Out Of Money Experience in April, Brisbane’s The Optimen are hitting the road this July/August and taking their tunes to the nation on the official album launch.

A five-year sojourn that culminated in one of Australia’s finest-hip hop releases this year, The Out Of Money Experience has been robustly received. Triple J’s Hip Hop Show made it their ‘Album Of The Week’ as did 3d World (Sydney), Zebra (Mel) and Zebra (Bris) saying:

“The Brisbane group’s long-awaited sophomore record is the kind of meticulously crafted listening experience which could only be sculpted with a significant allotment of time and dedication. It’s also a remarkably consistent and enjoyable Australian hip hop album. In short – it’s amazing. You should get it.”
‘Album Of The Week’ – Matt O’Neill, Zebra Brisbane / Zebra Melbourne and 3D World

With the album debuting at #37 in the Australian ARIA Urban charts – the response across the board was emphatic:

“This is quality start to end.”
Shane Scott, Onion Magazine

“In a move that goes against the guns, bitches and bling attitude often found in modern hip hop, The OPees show they really are more about mic checks than paycheques.”
Nils Hay, Rave Magazine

“Aussie Hip Hop, and a good exponent of it. Obviously lyrically driven, with great understanding and a perfect mix. Samples and beats drive the many and varied stories the boys tell. A new addition to the mix to get bodies grooving.”
ZEDblog

“The Boomtown boys are finally back ... if you were a fan of their upbeat bass lines and rowdy rhymes The Out Of Money Experience still delivers.”
Beat Magazine

“Despite the occasionally sober lyrical content – and don't mistake that for criticism, as I'd much rather hear hip-hop that discusses real issues, as opposed to self-aggrandising hyperbole – The Optimen's overarching optimistic attitude is the biggest take-away from The Out Of Money Experience.”
Andrew McMillen, The Vine

The Out Of Brisbane Experience

The Optimen are getting ready to blast off on the long awaited Album Launch Tour. Taking in the East-Coast and Adelaide (Sorry Perth, we owe you!), The Optimen are taking to the road, bringing brand new tunes from The Out Of Money Experience, plus old favourites from their earlier releases.

Friday July 16 – FBi Stolen Records Gala Ball, Gaelic Theatre, Sydney
with Koolism, Thundamentals, Ozi Batla, Daisy Meds, Phatchance feat. Coptic Soldier, Loose Change and Katalyst (DJ SET)
$12 supporters / $17 non supporters / $22 on the door.
All proceeds go to FBi Radio.

Saturday July 17 – Transit Bar, Canberra
With D’Opus and Roshambo
$10 Entry | 8pm

Friday July 30 – Beach Road Hotel, Sydney
With Undertow, Gabreil Clouston and Edseven
FREE | 8pm

Friday August 20 – The Espy, Melbourne
W’ MPhaze

Saturday August 21 – The Rocket Bar, Adelaide
Details TBA

The Out Of Money Experience

Though the title might sound like a desperate plea for help in these trying times of economic uncertainty or, more predictably, the ‘old as the ages’ cliché of the starving artist, The Out Of Money Experience is really anything but. This much-anticipated sophomore album by The Optimen (The OPees to their friends – and they will take all the friends they can get) is the result of work: hard work.

Featuring some of their favourite emcees, both from Australia (Tommy Ill, The Archetypes, Pure Product, Adverse, Lazy Grey and Rainman), two international legends in the field – Jehst (UK), Phil The Agony (USA) – and local Brisvocalists Laneous (Mr Laneous) and Kel (The Kelly Gang), The Out Of Money Experience is galvanized by its strength of guest appearances, not stirred into a turbulence by them as can be the case.

The Out Of Money Experience displays a far greater diversity of sounds and assortments of instruments than ever before heard on an Optimen record, but the album isn’t only advanced and progressive in terms of its production values and musicality. It is also the most diverse work that The Optimen have released topically.

Indeed, for The Optimen, the last five years in the culmination up to this sophomore release have been a journey of epic proportions – and for the listener that’s what The Out Of Money Experience brings – it’s a journey.

www.theoptimen.com

www.myspace.com/theoptimen

MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON! STAY TUNED!

Paul's Beamer:)

2010-06-29T14:34:00.004+10:00

Paul's over in Europe at the moment with his band Dubmarine and sent us this pic which i absolutely love!

Taken from the stage at the Mundial Festival in The Netherlands:

The Dubmarine cats have a few more festivals to go - hope they're all as exciting as this one Paul!

The Good Ship Release Debut Album + Announce East Coast Tour

2010-06-25T15:19:00.008+10:00

LET'S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT: THE GOOD SHIP IS A VERY BAD SHIP

Some bands come along that are family-friendly; you can buy their CDs as presents for your mother, play their music in shopping centres, or as background music at all-ages family get-togethers. The Good Ship are NOT that band.

Drawing inspiration from fellow denizens of the deep like Nick Cave, The Decemberists and The Pogues, The Good Ship’s tunes do somewhat explore the seedier side of humanity somewhat.

The Good Ship- 'These are a few of my favorite flings by HeapsaWill

For the success that The Good Ship has so far garnered, it’s still a strikingly new vessel. Seeded when John Meyer and Daz Gray caught up one night back in 2009, bitching and moaning about the state of their own respective bands at the time. As the night wore on they started swapping songs and soon realised they had a whole album’s worth of material. They gathered together a motley collection of musicians, and the rest is a history still being written.

No one realized it would happen quite so quickly though. With a devastating live show, risqué lyrics and more ‘in-your-end-o’ than innuendo, the band quickly gained punters’ attention, but it was the rich layers of folk, rock, country and pop textures that kept people coming back for more. After little more than a year, they’re already filling venues right across the east coast.

The Good Ship’s calling card has been a willingness to lyrically engage themselves in not oft covered subject matter, coupled with a pop sensibility strewn across blindingly infectious sing along melodies.

But there’s a poignant side to The Good Ship that can be missed if taken at face value. There’s a lot here for anyone willing to scratch the surface a little, as without looking past first impressions it’s easy to miss where these songs are really coming from. 18 When You’re 44 for example could be easily perceived as Daz Gray taking a jab at ‘cougars’, and in some ways it certainly is. But as with all good songs, it’s a lot closer to home than that, as he himself explains: “It’s primarily about my Mum. When I was 15 we moved to a small country town in central western NSW called Grenfell. On the few occasions that my Dad was actually working Mum would get tarted up and go to the pub. No one would actually admit to having sex with her but suffice to say, it was known she was up for it & didn’t have any issues with putting out. She was a mother of six after all.”

Another example is the Gray penned track 6000 Cocks which approaches the oldest profession from an interesting angle, as Gray explains: “I’ve worked in a shop for quite a few years, my day job. One of the girls I work with used to work as a prostitute – she’d fill me in with the many stories from her brothel days and one night estimated that she must have seen approximately 8000 penises during her working life, but because she had a lot of repeat customers it was probably actually closer to 6000 different members. She is still a good friend and actually now calls ‘6000 Cocks’ her song, which is quite lovely really.”

The Good Ship is not testosterone-fuelled teenage bawd, the songs are more late-night SBS than internet-porn. Indeed the mature sexual nature of their lyrics has seen The Good Ship harbour as many female fans as male.

So from the profane to the macabre, says Meyer; “unless you’re one of those easily offended wowsers that like to call the ABC to complain about boobies, it might be worth sticking around to explore the deeper side of the Good Ship. You may quite possibly even be a happier human being for it.”

‘AVAST! WRETCHED SEA’
Undulating Tales Of Woe & Intrigue

Featuring 12 “Undulating Tales of Woe and Intrigue,” the Good Ships debut album ‘Avast! Wretched Sea’ hits shelves Monday July 5th through Autumn Recordings. Recorded over a long hot summer with Neil Coombe (John Steel Singers, Go Betweens) and Janie Trevaskis (Wilson Pickers, Texas Tea) it’s a triumph of dark, sweaty heaving beauty, featuring the Good Ship’s trademark blend of sweet melodies and debauched lyrics.

Track one and first single ‘A Harbour Fair’ is already racking up strong radio-play. By now a bit of a ‘theme song’ for the band, it’s a rollicking revelry that tells you everything you need to know about the Good Ship – without the swear words.

Next up, inspired by the much loved classic tune from The Sound of Music, ‘These Are A Few Of My Favourite Flings’ offers a series of vignettes, a perverted laundry list of past sexual exploits. Some of the seedy characters populating the song (apart from the songwriters...) include a tattooed punk, a prim and proper Christian lady, and a transvestite. It may or may not be autobiographical...

‘Sea Monster’ is a dark and stormy ballad that tells the tale of a wayward lad who sells his soul to the forces of evil, sacrificing his crew members in return for future glory and riches. The album takes a sonic left turn with the haunting classical guitar sounds of ‘6000 Cocks’. Telling the true story of a former prostitute, the song hints at the double edged sword of her profession, with the seedy world constantly beckoning her back to its dark attractions.

Elsewhere, ‘Don’t Kiss Me With Your Lips’ is an all-out country hoedown that never fails to get the crowd jumping. In a strange mirroring of Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Let’s Get Physical’, it’s a weird kind of love song, with its female character imploring her man to stop being so sweet and lovely, and just give her what she wants.

‘Tavern Song’ is just that: a song for a tavern. It’s the story of a man who just can’t tear himself away from the pub. ‘No Shortage Of Company’ is one of those songs that creeps up on you slowly and works its way in deep. With a soft and haunting jazz club vibe, the song speaks of the conflict between a heart that wants to go one way, but is pulled another by the temptations of the flesh.

Written by the Good Ship’s former accordionist Brett before following his heart to Canada early this year, ‘Bury Me’ is an old style country gospel sing-along, a heart wrenching call and response between a dying man and those that have gone before him.

‘I Can Make Her Laugh’ is perhaps the most melodically gifted track on the album, perfectly encapsulating The Good Ship’s ability to combine sweet sounds with debauched lyrics. In a way the sister track to ‘Don’t Kiss Me With Your Lips’ it’s all about strong women and wimpy guys. The creepy and disturbing track ‘Cut Off My’ creates a Silence of the Lambs vibe as its sadistic tale slowly builds to a devastating crescendo.

The aching ‘Last Song Of The Night’ is the perfect closer. Refined, resolved and offering an antidote to some of the questionable content that precedes, it tells of the lonely and solitary life of the performer.

In all, it’s an album that deals with the topics many have experienced or may be able to relate too in some fashion, without removing the spice that makes life enjoyable.

THE ‘AVAST! WRETCHED SEA’ ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR

Live, The Good Ship are a seething maelstrom of decadent musicality, with 8 to 9 members on stage at any one time and a whole heap of archaic instrumentation from mandola, lagerphone, fiddle and trumpet to accordion. This sense of joy and anarchy hasn’t been lost on audiences and after only a year on the scene the band have gathered a substantial loyal following. To celebrate the release of their debut album, The Good Ship are hitting the road this June/July to take their collection of saucy tunes to the nation. Get on board when The Good Ship play:

Saturday June 19 – Bald Faced Stag, Sydney NSW
with Charles Jenkins and Jo Meares & the Honeyriders
$12 | 8pm

Friday June 25 – Queen St Mall, Brisbane QLD
FREE | 7pm

Saturday July 3 – The Grace Darling Bandroom, Melbourne VIC
with TBA
$10 | 8pm

Sunday July 4 – The Labour In Vain, Melbourne VIC
FREE | 5pm

Saturday July 10 – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD
with Rocketsmiths and Inland Sea
$12+bf presale thru OzTix or $15 at the door
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=16203&promoID=100
Doors at 8pm

BUY AVAST! WRETCHED SEA HERE

“This is firmly in the Weddings Parties model of big combo sea-shanty-cross-drinking-song folk punk, and you get the feeling this Brisbane collective could be the business when in full live flow, despite having been at it for little over a year. Suitably awash with rum and brine.”

Drum Media – ‘A Harbour Fair’ Single Review

“‘A Harbour Fair’ is a rollicking sea shanty that features the words buxom harlot, tavern, maiden, cutthroat and wanton thigh, plus rousing cries from the male chorus. As far as dinner theatre goes, they really kick Gilbert and Sullivan’s arse.,”

Beat Magazine – ‘A Harbour Fair’ Single Review

“Guzzle it while it’s still fresh”

Rave Magazine – ‘A Harbour Fair’ Single Review

Katie Noonan @ The Metro

2010-06-23T15:14:00.013+10:00

Many many thanks to Jessica for these great shots of Katie Noonan and the Captains @ the Metro last Saturday night. There's a heap of other fantastic live shots and other photos over at her blog.

New Bedroom Philosopher Music Video

2010-06-15T13:16:00.004+10:00

The Bedroom Philosopher has released the clip for ‘Northcote (So Hungover)’ from his recently released third album ‘Songs from the 86 Tram’:

See if you can spot the cameos from Josh Earl, Tim Rogers, Angie Hart, Kram and Hannah Fox.

Laterz...

'Northcote (So Hungover)' by HeapsaWill

The Good Ship Announce their debut single ‘A Harbour Fair’

2010-05-14T13:12:00.005+10:00

LET'S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT: THE GOOD SHIP IS A VERY BAD SHIP.

The Good Ship- 'A Harbour Fair' by HeapsaWill

Myspace

Drawing inspiration from fellow denizens of the deep like Nick Cave, The Decemberists and The Pogues, The Good Ships tune’s explore the seedier side of humanity.

Since forming only 12 months ago, their rousing live shows have seen them quickly snag a strong fan base and score some sought-after supports in their hometown of Brisbane including Skipping Girl Vinegar and Mick Thomas (Weddings, Parties, Anything). While risqué lyrics certainly grab the punters’ attention, it’s the rich layers of folk, rock, country and pop textures that keep them coming back for more.

The Good Ship’s debut single 'A Harbour Fair' is a rousing singalong that tells the story of a band of sailors headed for shore after a long journey, eager for the triple delights of booze, ladies and gambling that await them in their Harbour Fair. Pursuing whales across the waves these past thirty days, the lads are well ready to hit solid ground.

The single is the first off the Good Ship’s debut album 'Avast! Wretched Sea'. The album, recorded over a long hot summer with Neil Coombe (John Steel Singers, Go Betweens) and Jamie Trevaskis (Wilson Pickers, Texas Tea), is a triumph of dark, sweaty, heaving beauty, featuring the Good Ship’s trademark blend of sweet melodies and debauched lyric.

Live, The Good Ship are a seething maelstrom of decadent musicality, with 8 to 9 members on stage at any one time and a whole heap of archaic instrumentation from mandola, lagerphone, fiddle and trumpet to accordion. This sense of joy and anarchy hasn’t been lost on audiences and after only a year on the Brisbane scene the band have gathered a substantial loyal following. The Good Ship will be touring east coast Australia through May / June to support the release of 'A Harbour Fair'.

‘A HARBOUR FAIR’ TOUR

SATURDAY 22 MAY 2010 8PM
Grace Darling Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
with Dead River Deeps and the Wildes
COST: $10

SUNDAY 23 MAY 2010 8PM
The Old Bar, Melbourne, VIC
with The Hired Guns and RSVP
COST: FREE

SATURDAY 5 JUNE 2010 8PM
The Joynt, Brisbane, QLD
COST: FREE

SUNDAY 6 JUNE 2010 2PM
Peregian Originals, Peregian Beach, QLD
with Mardi Lumsden & the Rising Seas and others
COST: FREE

SATURDAY 12 JUNE 2010 8PM
THE CANNON BALL “A ROCK N ROLL PIRATE MASQUE”
Great Northern, Byron Bay, NSW
with the Rocketsmiths and Jimmy Willing and the Real Gone Hick-Ups
COST: $20

Maiden Single ‘A Harbour Fair’ is Out Now

The Good Ship’s Debut Album 'Avast! Wretched Sea' is out on June 19 through Autumn Recordings

“However real excitement is reserved for the seven gentlemen and two ladies of The Good Ship. Sans usual pirate attire, the merry crew rip it up on The Decemberists’ Rake Song, Violent Femmes’ Country Death Song and Gunners’ rabble-rousing I Used To Love Her. Murderously good.”

Rave Magazine – Live Review

“On stage from left to right there’s an accordionist in a puffy white shirt, a violinist with eye patch, admiral’s cap and a fake bird teetering halfway down his back, 3 guitarists, a bassist, a drummer and the one female member doing back-up vocals. The music was fun, melodic inlayers and full of vocal harmonies. The energy from the stage easily transferred itself into the crowd.”

Life Music Media – Live Review

Galleon Announce Debut Single 'Kamikaze' & Accompanying Launch Shows

2010-05-14T12:43:00.003+10:00

Galleon - 'Kamikaze' by HeapsaWill

Myspace

Named after their favourite St Kilda café, four piece Adelaide based Indie-rock band Galleon was born in mid 2008.

Says frontman Nick Deegan “we were recording a bunch of songs in Melbourne with the four of us, and we still didn’t have a name. During these recording sessions I would leave the studio to write lyrics at this local café called galleon. We had a bunch of potential names, but Galleon ended up feeling like the most appropriate.”

With drummer Ryan Robinson, bassist Tim Anderson and guitarist Brad Iversen completing the line up, Galleon spent the best part of 2009 writing and recording what would be their debut release, a small collection of songs hand-picked out of roughly 30 other songs which were written alongside them. The songs, which later this year will form the band’s debut album, were engineered and mixed by ARIA nominated Jimi Maroudas (Eskimo Joe, The Living End, The Little Stevies), and produced by Patrick ‘Patch’ Robertson, singer/songwriter of now defunct Australian rock band Motorace.

Explains Deegan “we purposely gave ourselves time to record the album at our own pace, and hence the recording process was very chilled at times. I wrote the skeleton of one of our songs during a lunch break. Patch and I then recorded the bed track to this, and wrote the rest of the parts together over the remainder of the day.”

The first of these songs to fall on public ears is ‘Kamikaze’, a song schizophrenic in nature and a good first impression of galleon’s knack for light and shade. Says Deegan: “Kamikaze to me is about transition of youth to adulthood and everything in between. Kamikaze was the word that best described the amount of new, cool and fucked up shit you go through in such a small period of your life, in that sometimes life is seamless and sometimes you crash and burn. Overall we live and learn…”

Alongside the writing and recording, Galleon has taken time out to play a handful of shows between 2008 and now. Such shows have included Schutzenfest w/ the Galvatrons, Ed Castle w/ The young Heretics, The National Jack Daniels tour and the 2010 Clipsal 500 after race concert w/ British India and Eskimo Joe to name but a few.

With national tour dates TBA in support of the forthcoming album, Kamikaze single launch dates took place in Adelaide a fortnight back and Melbourne this week;

Saturday May 15th @ 'Spensers Live, Melbourne

W/ Matheson

Bedroom Philosopher Releases Third Studio Album 'Songs from the 86 Tram'

2010-04-30T16:36:00.005+10:00

In 2002 Justin Heazlewood had a segment on triple J’s morning show. Upon hearing his demo’s, producer Vicki Kerrigan said the lyrics were like ‘bedroom philosophy’. The announcers started calling him ‘The Bedroom Philosopher’ and the name stuck. As Justin himself says: “I’m glad, it’s better than the other name I was gonna go with - Damp Slacks”.

In stores April 16th, Songs From The 86 Tram is the third studio album from The Bedroom Philosopher. A genre swapping LP that's as comedically profound as it is musically diverse, Songs From The 86 Tram is a full-blooded concept album about Melbourne’s iconic 86 tram route.

Explains Heazlewood “I understand that some of the aspects of the album are specific to the Melbourne area, but for anyone outside I can give you a crash course, a tram is when a bus and a train have sex, and the train smokes during pregnancy.”

The album was crafted from writer / performer Heazlewood’s (Frankie magazine, John Safran's 'Race Relations') award winning Melbourne International Comedy Festival show of the same name, which won the ‘Director’s Choice’ award in 2009 and the Green Room award for ‘Best Production’ in 2010. To help turn the show into an album, in the studio he enlisted the help of producer Chris Scallan (Avalanches, Akon, Cut Copy), Harry Angus (The Cat Empire) on brass, and his hipster slayin band The Awkwardstra. The album was mastered by Greg Calbi of New York's Stirling Studios whos credits include David Bowie, John Lennon and Bob Dylan.

From the lamington lament of Middle Aged Mum to the scenester satire of triple J hit Northcote (So Hungover), Songs from the 86 Tram sees Heazlewood masterfully construct twelve different personas, which each then receive their own unique musical treatment. From Aussie hip-hop, to indie-shoegaze, piano ballad and yacht rock to spoken word and prog-folk, every genre gets its turn. Each song is a story, told by a different character. Think Paul Kelly meets Flight Of The Conchords.

“This album is an exercise in character exploration. In comedy, bogans get made fun of all the time, and old people and junkies are all easy targets. I was interested in also taking on demographics that are rarely satirised in any way. Indie muso’s, wanky artists, middle aged women and refugees all get a mention. The 86 tram is what you get if you cross a rollercoaster and a psychiatric hospital so this album is basically ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ for people watching. This CD holds a mirror up to society - I mean literally, I often use the CD to do my hair on the tram.”

Currently receiving rotation on triple J, FBI and Austereo’s Radar Radio - hit single Northcote (So Hungover) is the first time someone has captured the 'nu Australian' accent. From beneath the safety of a long fringe, our antagonist protagonist 'uh's' and 'ya's' his way through the exploits of his band. ‘Inpress single of the week’ Tram Inspector has also made a splash on radio and at live shows. Prompting comparisons to Beck and Bowie, the song casts light on the surprisingly sexual overtones of copping a fine. We Are Tramily is an authentically banging Aussie hip-hop track, complete with sitars, (a timely pro-Indian salute) whilst In My Day (Nan) is a Python-channelling comedy classic.

The Bedroom Philosopher - 'Northcote (So Hungover)' by HeapsaWill

There’s Trishine - the bogan love song with its timeless “words can get f**ked” refrain, Man On A Tram - a blisteringly simple piece of Dr Suess brilliance and live favourite New Media - which lifts the macbook lid on the stadium sized ambitions of the Melbourne arts scene. Final track of the album Old Man At End sees a reflective old man with a hipflask prepare to check in with ‘the big tram inspector in the sky.’ It’s Khe Sahn meets Radiohead.

Songs From The 86 Tram captures The Bedroom Philosopher’s unashamedly dense lyricism. From the inner monologue of a hopeful Sudanese refugee to the charmingly cynical diatribes of a marooned Irish backpacker, The Bedroom Philosopher treats each of his protagonists with intellect and empathy. Songs from the 86 Tram is resolutely Australian: “ I kind of resent the bombardment of American and British culture I had all through my childhood. Growing up in Burnie in Tasmania was a very isolating experience – I didn’t own an Australian album until I went to Uni. So from that angle I try and over correct by making my stuff capture a flavour that is uniquely Australian. You tend to get a lot of people banging on about ‘focus on the UK and US markets, don’t make it too localised’ blah blah, so with 86 Tram I went, ‘oh yeah, how about a concept album about Melbourne tram culture. Sell that’. Oh, I’m sure if Sufjan Stephens did it about the New York subway system we’d all be creaming our cardigans.”

Songs From The 86 Tram follows in the footsteps of The Bedroom Philosopher’s previous hits I’m So Postmodern (JJJ's Hottest 100 - 2006), Folkstar and Golden Gaytime, his ironic wit-hot comedy finding him a cozy niche on Triple J and community radio Australia wide, performing everywhere from The Melbourne International Comedy Festival to the Big Day Out.

Random fact #278 - The Bedroom Philosopher holds the world record for the longest continuous singing of John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’. Heazlewood: “I sung it for 9 hours. I intended to go for 12 but I got bored in the end. It was a publicity stunt. I like the idea of endurance performance. In the end my voice held out fine but my wrist got RSI from all the strumming. The best thing about it was I had the lyrics on a sheet in front of me, and after nine hours, I still didn’t know the lyrics, as if my brain was rejecting them. Channel 7 came down to film it and I was the odd spot at the end of the news that night – but they said I was promoting the Melbourne Comedy Festival and didn’t mention my show at all. The lesson is, never try.”

Shows

Solo national tour dates have just been announced for April / May:

Wednesday April 28 – The Front Café, Canberra
2 Wattle St, Lyneham - (02) 6249 8453
Doors 8pm. $12 (door sales only)

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL
Thursday April 29 – The Vanguard, Sydney
Doors 6:30PM The Vanguard, 42 King St, Newtown | Bookings sydneycomedyfest.com.au 02 9020 6966

Friday April 30 - View Factory, Newcastle.
8pm. Free.

Wednesday May 5 – Grace Emily, Adelaide
232 Waymouth St, Adelaide. (08) 8231 5500 Doors 8:30pm. $12 (door sales only)

Thursday May 6 – Alley Cat, Hobart
381 Elizabeth St, North Hobart. Tasmania. (03) 62312299 Doors 8pm. $12 (door sales only)

Friday May 7 – Royal Oak, Launceston
14 Brisbane St, Launceston, Tasmania (03) 6331 5346 Doors 8pm $12 (door sales only)

Sunday May 9 – Powerhouse, Brisbane*
119 Lamington St. New Farm (07) 3358 8600
Free. Headlining 'Livewired' Comedy. Starts 6:30pm.
(*All shows except Brisbane are with Josh Earl as special guest)

"We’ve previously called the quirkily tweedy Bedroom Philosopher ‘the Jarvis Cocker of stand-up’; and you can almost certainly add elements of The Kinks’ Ray Davies and, almost inevitably, Flight Of the Conchords to the mix."
Steve Bennett, Chortle.co.uk

“...ample musical invention flavours his dreams of alien abduction, caged bears and Jesus on Big Brother, and unlike the accidentally funny troubadours out there, he knows a joke should have a point.”
Michael Dwyer, The Age

"As far as the greater population is concerned, I weep for musical comedy artists in this post-Flight Of The Conchords (*on HBO) age; Joe and Jo Blow tend to be able to stomach only one of each "thing" currently in the zeitgeist. However, their ignoring of other musically inclined funny people is their loss, because The Bedroom Philosopher's hysterical skewering of meat-headed ticketing inspectors falls somewhere between a Fame-era Bowie slink and inspirational Hunners balladry. I like my musical comedy to, as the name suggests, be musically captivating first, funny second. Luckily, with Tram Inspector, both come equal first."
Clem Bastow, Inpress.

“It is (like the man himself) entirely enjoyable, entirely likeable, and entirely odd”
Timothy Bocquet, BM

Stylin' UP Returns For It's 10th Year

2010-04-29T16:42:00.006+10:00

Saturday May 29 @ CJ Greenfields Sports Complex, Inala

Pride in SELF / Pride in COMMUNITY / Pride in CULTURE

Australia's largest Indigenous youth music and cultural festival Stylin' UP returns for 2010 for its TENTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. 2010 will feature a deadly line up of some of the best local and national talent nurtured by Stylin UP over the last 10 years. The festival was established in 2001 by local Inala elders in partnership with Brisbane City Council as a way of instilling their youth with pride in themselves, their community and their culture.

It now attracts crowds from across Queensland in excess of 15 000 each year, and has grown to become Australia's largest Indigenous Hip Hop and R&B music and dance event that celebrates youth and contemporary Indigenous culture.

Produced with and for young people in Brisbane and across Queensland, Stylin' Up is also an award winning, nationally lauded contemporary Indigenous creative arts development program (winning the 2004 Premier of QLD award and the National Reconciliation Award in 2008). One of Stylin UP's key outcomes has been the fostering of a mutual respect between the South West Brisbane corridor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the Brisbane City Council. The collaboration has been declared a rare success, because of its long term commitment to the community and reconciliation.

Kelvin Lui (Project Officer from Inala elders and Community member) explains, “Such collaboration between Indigenous community and government is rare. Stylin UP has worked because it wasn't a one off, it has been a commitment to the long term and ultimately - a positive step towards reconciliation and connecting young people to peace and long term resolution.”

Stylin' Up's mantra Pride in SELF / Pride in COMMUNITY / Pride in CULTURE, emphasises its commitment to young Indigenous people to take a positive step towards personal and social change, which ultimately contributes to community change. Stylin UP has been developed within a community development framework including a large workshop program facilitated by leading local artists in the run up to the event each year. The workshops run in local schools in the South West Brisbane Corridor as well as through a regional program facilitated by Human Ventures. These workshop programs nurture the next generation of artists as well as passing on the inherent values of Stylin UP no shame - step up and be proud; represent your culture and your community.

Stylin' UP breaks down the barriers between community and police and community and government and encourages young indigenous people to step up and grab opportunities and engage themselves in them.

Music

Though not exclusively a music festival, Stylin’Up combines some of Australia’s finest Indigenous Hip Hop and R&B acts alongside a host of local and national emerging acts, providing Indigenous youth throughout the Inala district and greater Queensland, the power and support to express themselves artistically on a national level.

Over the last ten years headliners have included Jessica Mauboy, Christine Anu, Savage, Last Kinection and many many more. This is combined with the aforementioned 'emerging artist' line up, many of whom have gone on to become headliners in their own right. Examples include locals Indigenous Intrudaz - 2 local Inala MC's with a massive local following who have grown up alongside Stylin' UP playing every gig in its 10 year history."Stylin’ Up is basically like Christmas for us in Inala" laughs Indigenous Intrudaz MC Damien Bani. Indigenous Intrudaz won the won JB Seed Grant in 2008 and have just finished recording an album at the prestigious 301 Studios. Damien Bani also works as a producer on Stylin’ UP, one of his tasks is implementing the ‘emerging artist’ line up. Fellow Intruder MC Dougie Patrick also facilitates local Stylin’ Up workshops.

Other examples are fellow locals Banawurun, who took out the 2006 Deadly Award for Band of the Year and Impossible Odds - emerging artists in 2007, Impossible Odds have since gone onto have a number of tracks receive high rotation on triple J.

The Inala Community through the Stylin'Up Community Crew decide who performs at Stylin' Up each year. Their mantra in 2010 has been to support the local Inala and Queensland talent to shine for The 10th year anniversary Stylin' Up. The program this year will see many key performers from previous years asked to return celebrate and showcase their success.

Workshops

The Stylin’UP program also consists of an extensive workshop program. Workshop’s run for four to 6 months leading up to the festival in Brisbane and the South West Brisbane corridor, and year round throughout key regional Queensland Indigenous communities, including Logan, Cherbourg, Hopevale and Woorabinda.

The workshop process is an integral part of Stylin' Up. Amongst many other things, it provides young people with routine through rehearsals and places an emphasis upon the importance of process and skill development. Nurturing and empowering the next generation.

Music and Dance: Workshops in Music creation, beat production, lyric writing, streetfunk, breakdance and performance technique.

Ladeez Business: A program of arts, cultural and skills development workshops, specifically for young women. These workshops create a safe environment for young women to explore and express, develop identities and community solutions through culturally appropriate arts and cultural forms.

Little Ladies: Specifically targeted at young Indigenous girls aged 4 – 11 and their families who live in and around the Inala region.

Traditional Dance: Workshops for young children years 1 – 7 in traditional dance, food and cultural practices.

Dancing

Dancing, both contemporary and traditional, is a massive part of Stylin' UP. There are a multitude of performances and competitions right throughout the day. Workshops run prior to the event culminate in on the day performances. Whilst traditional dance groups feature alongside contemporary dance - many groups also incorporating unique qualities of their traditional dance in to contemporary dance formats.

Community

Ultimately – though now of national significance, Stylin UP is all about community. The Stylin UP community crew, who run the event, is open to all community members to attend. All posters and event artwork is designed by young local indigenous artists, T shirts are printed by local manufacturers and performers are chosen by community groups.

A myriad of cultural and community events take place alongside the music stage and offer a mix of performances and activities that showcase the talent of the local community. Stylin’UP include’s Contemporary and Traditional Dance, Dance Competitions, Food and Drink Stalls, Arts and Craft Stalls, Free Rides, Basketball and much more.

PI Boyz - 'Aboriginal Justice' (Radio Mix) by HeapsaWill

Snake!

2010-04-23T16:24:00.004+10:00

Just a quick one on the snake we pulled out of the office yesterday! Needless to say hilarious results but no Bear Grylls style heroics...man that guy is gnarly...

We reckon it's a ~~brown tree snake or some other sort of common python~~ Coastal Carpet Python

Katie Noonan and the Captains Announce 'Emperor's Box' Album Tour Dates

2010-04-23T13:02:00.005+10:00

National Album Tour - June 2010

www.katienoonan.com
www.myspace.com/katienoonan

One of Australia’s brightest musical discoveries of the new millennium, Katie Noonan returns to the spotlight with an original album, a fresh sound, and a new band, the Captains. A five-time platinum and multiple Aria winning recording artist, Katie is in fine voice on Emperor’s Box, a dynamic piece comprising 13 personal, emotive works. Co-produced by Katie and Grammy Award-winning rock specialist Nick Didia (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Stone Temple Pilots, Powderfinger), Emperor’s Box marks a return to some wonderful and familiar territory for Katie. Emperor’s Box is the sound of a confident, accomplished artist. It’s a lush and at times muscular affair, captured in the studio by a tight unit clearly at the peak of form. And of course, Katie’s vocals shine.

“It feels like the best thing I’ve ever done,” Katie says. “Music is about freedom for me, I’ve always followed my muse and been very lucky to be able go on and make different records. This is definitely the album I’m most proud of.”

Over the last two and a half years Katie and ‘The Captains’ (Cameron Deyell – guitar, Stu Hunter – keys/bass, Declan Kelly – drums) have been slowly building a vessel of exciting, unique songs and they are very excited to be taking the new album on the road this June and playing these new tunes around the country.

‘Emperor’s Box’ is a real return to form for Katie – back to her beloved lush, organic band sound and strong and inspiring personal stores and has been widely critically acclaimed, with Rolling Stone Magazine’s 4 star review saying “it is a joy to hear Noonan return to the more traditional pop of Emperor’s Box, albeit with a sumptuous and skewed take on the art form that combines the experimental beauty of Sigur Ros and Radiohead with the dark, dreamy atmospherics of 27” and Kathy McCabe describing it as “deliciously overthe- top alternative pop”.

EMPEROR’S BOX is Katie’s second release for Sony Music, and is the follow-up to the Brisbane-based artist’s Blackbird, her well-received jazz and 2009 Aria-winning project issued in 2008. This time round, Katie has penned all the songs. As has been the case throughout much of her stellar career, the songstress has teamed with some of the best in the business. The likes of Split Enz great Tim Finn, rising star Sia Furler, Cold Chisel icon Don Walker, pop troubador Josh Pyke and acclaimed Australian writer/poet Tom Shapcott are some of the big names who share writing credits on the new effort. Josh Pyke and Sia also appear on the album on their respective co-written tracks.

EMPEROR’S BOX NATIONAL ALBUM TOUR WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS THE JEZABELS **

JUNE 5, TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS
www.ticketlink.com.au 1300 855 835

JUNE 11, THE GOVERNOR HINDMARSH HOTEL, ADELAIDE **
www.thegov.com.au 1300 GET TIX (438 849)

JUNE 12, THE FLY BY NIGHT, FREMANTLE
www.flybynight.org 08 9430 5976
w’ Timothy Nelson & The Infidels / Goodnight Tiger

JUNE 13, THE FLY BY NIGHT, FREEMANTLE
www.flybynight.org 08 9430 5976
w’ Ghost Hotel / Wolves at the Door

JUNE 18, THE HI FI, MELBOURNE **
www.thehifi.com.au 1300 843 434 www.oztix.com.au 1300 762 545

JUNE 19, METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY **
www.thmetrotheatre.com.au (02) 9550 3666

JUNE 25, THE POWERHOUSE THEATRE, BRISBANE **
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org (07) 3358 8600

JUNE 26, JOE’S WATERHOLE, EUMUNDI **
www.musicliveatjoes.com (07) 5442 8144
Tickets also available @ Joe’s Waterhole Eumundi,
Backbeat Records Maroochydore and Shake it up Music Nambour

EMPEROR’S BOX IN STORES FRIDAY APRIL 9TH THROUGH SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT AUSTRALIA

“A treasure well worth discovering”
Marie Claire

West End Carnivale Returns For It's Second Year

2010-04-23T12:08:00.003+10:00

MUSIC | CIRCUS | MASQUERADE

Saturday May 15 – Davies Park, West End

www.westendcarnivale.com.au
www.myspace.com/westendcarnivale

FEATURING
The Bamboos (Melb), Sunshine Sound System (NZ), Mojo Juju and The Snake Oil Merchants (Melb), Juke Baritone & The Swamps Dogs (Syd), Dubmarine, Laneous and the Family Yah, Kingfisha, The Woohoo Revue, The View from Madeleine's Couch, Tibet to Timbuctoo, Grassroots Street Orchestra, Darky Roots, Blind Dog, The Rude, Paua, Truth Serum, LUVS, Juddah, Bessy Lou, Martini 66, Graffiti MC's and Happy Days

PLUS SELECTAS
20,000 Leagues, Andy Dub, Apex, Basmati, Ben Osborne & Sunny Dread MC, Boxy Lucha, Cat Kid, Lao Mirador, Nick 1, Opiuo and Scuba D

AND
Big Burlesque Show, Briefs, Deviant Sky, Hoopla Clique, Hu La La, Joel Chia, Lita Lynx, Lou Lou, Rio Rhythmics, Ruby Grapefruit, Shaz and Daz, Talitha Herrick, Tennille, The Mysterious Dr Mercurious, The Plumb-hers and Tiger Lil

West End Carnivale
Establishing itself as Brisbane’s most original new festival with over 2000 attendees at its inaugural event last year, The West End Carnivale is back! Rudekat Records and the team behind Experience BTS bring to you another fantastic selection of bands, selectas, circus freaks and masked marauders in Brisbane's biggest masquerade party ever!

Taking place May 15 at the fantastic riverside grounds of Souths Leagues club at Davies Park, The West End Carnivale will host over 50 acts featuring a mighty reggae and world music line up. As well as bringing top level national acts, The West End Carnivale is all about promoting the excellent music and performing artists of Brisbane and the West End scene in particular.

The Carnivale draws its inspiration from the Brazilian and Caribbean tradition and encourages all performers and patrons to mask up, or come in a costume. It’s tradition for Carnivale goers to come in masked or costumed ‘gangs’ (groups) – and this year the festival will offer group discounts for those who come and add to the colour. This year, Rio Rhythmics will return with their famed costumed dancers and percussion ensemble to form the nucleus of the Carnivale parade. They will be joined by fire dancers and roving performers to create what is undoubtedly the festival highlight.

The Carnivale will also feature an outside bar, food and craft markets and a workshop venue. The West End Carnivale is all ages and under 12’s are free.

The Bands
Headlining the 2010 event is Melbourne’s finest purveyors of Soul and Funk The Bamboos. Fresh out of the studio with brand-new album ‘4’, the guys are sure to be on fire when they take the Carnivale main stage. Joining them from across the Tasman is Sunshine Sound System, who are sure to have the crowd bouncing with their tight mix of Hip Hop, Funk and Soul.

And from there the line-up goodies continue, with well-loved bands Mojo JuJu and The Snake Oil Merchants (Melb), Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs (Syd), Dubmarine, Laneous and the Family Yah, Kingfisha, The Woohoo Revue, The View from Madeleine’s Couch and Tibet to Timbuctoo all playing the West End Carni 2010. They are joined by Grassroots Street Orchestra, Darky Roots, Blind Dog, The Rude, Paua, Truth Serum, LUVS, Juddah, Bessy Lou, Martini 66, Graffiti MC’s and Happy Days on a jam-packed lineup!

The festival will also feature DJ’s: 20,000 Leagues, Andy Dub, Apex, Basmati, Ben Osborne & Sunny Dread MC, Boxy Lucha, Cat Kid, Lao Mirador, Nick 1, Opiuo and Scuba D

The Performers
Roll up, roll up, the West End Carnivale is not just a music festival, with a host of circus, cabaret and visual performances scheduled so that your eyes also get a feast – not just your ears. Centre to this years event is the Big Burlesque Show, which will feature some of Brisbane’s finest felines showing off their artistic talents. The festival also features performances by a smorgasbord of brilliant artists, incuding: Briefs, Deviant Sky, Hoopla Clique, Hu La La, Joel Chia, Lita Lynx, Lou Lou, Rio Rhythmics, Ruby Grapefruit, Shaz and Daz, Talitha Herrick, Tennille, The Mysterious Dr Mercurious, The Plumb-hers and Tiger Lil.

Tix are On Sale Now through www.oztix.com.au or www.westendcarnivale.com.au

Paul Greene - New album and Tour

2010-04-22T16:30:00.003+10:00

www.paul-greene.com

Paul Greene Announces His New Album ‘Everywhere is Home’& Accompanying National Tour

With album sales now swiftly approaching 50 000, Paul Greene has built a loyal and enthusiastic following Australia wide through extensive touring and a series of critically acclaimed releases. One of Australia favorite troubadours, Greene has just announced that his eagerly anticipated new album 'Everywhere is Home' will be released April 26th through his own label Whirl records, distribution by One Stop Entertainment.

Greene was 'discovered' by Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst (with whom he formed the aptly titled duo; 'Hirst & Greene') in 2005, but it was his 2008 album 'Distance Over Time' that saw the pieces really begin to fall into place. With ABC's Radio National making it their 'Album of The Week' upon its release, 'Distance over Time' justified the many critics who regarded Greene as one of Australian music's best‐kept secrets. Illustrating the depth of appeal, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Nova anointed him Australia's best unsigned acoustic act of 2007.

A regular on the Australian festival circuit, in the past 12 months alone Greene has performed at; East Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Toyota Gympie Muster, Queenscliff, Festival Of The Sun, Coastfest, Caloundra Music Festival, Woodford and Peat's Ridge and his work has drawn praise from the likes of Ani DiFranco, The Waifs, Patty Griffin and Pete Murray – to name but a few.

Paul Greene - 'Everybody Gotta Little Love' by HeapsaWill

'Everywhere Is Home'

After showcasing at the Canadian Music Week in March 2010, Paul returns to Australia this April to launch his brand‐new album 'Everywhere Is Home'. Featuring 12 new tracks of Paul's distinctively versatile voice, full‐bodied acoustic guitar and tuneful harmonica, 'Everywhere Is Home' brings together all the appeal of his previous releases and augments them with a set of new experiences and lessons picked up on the road. From the plaintive lyrical assessment and insistent alt‐country pulse of Going To Take A Miracle through the fly on the wall self analysis and musical meander of Stay On, 'Everywhere Is Home' is the sort of album that feels like the road dust has only been brushed gently off.

In Greene’s own words: “This album is the most challenging thing I have done in my career so far. Every album begins as an unscaled mountain: You start off knowing where the summit is, but you can never know for sure the best way to get there. All that anyone else really gets to see is a snapshot of the view from the top. I have spent a few years wondering what would be the best approach, and I decided that using what I had was going to be more interesting that going into a studio where I would have every trick in the book at my disposal. I have been mucking around on 4 tracks since I was a kid, so I have been experimenting with recording for a long time. I have also recorded a few albums of my own, a few albums for or with other people, and a stack of production demos for friends. This, however, is the first time I have ‘released’ an album I recorded myself.

Hence the album features a wine glass solo, drums that don't sound like drums, and also features my wife on flute – one of two guest musicians on the record – which she hadn’t played the whole time I've known her. I think that this recording blew a few circuits in my brain – but I am proud of the results, because it captures what I sound like to me.

In regards to the title: we were on a particularly grueling 3 month run of shows to north Queensland with no air conditioning in our converted school bus. My Daughter (Lily, age 5) was missing home and her friends. I was trying to comfort her by saying that the bus was our home; and that she was Australian and we were in Australia, so she was home; and that she was from the planet earth, and we were on
earth, so she was home. She went silent for a long time, then from the back seat said to me in the rear view mirror ‘so dad – everywhere is home’.”

The Tour

The upcoming tour to launch 'Everywhere is Home' will be a rare treat for fans in that it will be the first time Greene has toured with a full band for a number of years. It will be the best of both worlds though, with all shows also featuring a solo set. For further incentive, the 'Everywhere Is Home' tour will be the last run of dates for Paul before he returns to Canada for the prestigious North by Northwest taking place in Toronto in June. Support is by Penny & The Mystics. Fronted by Penny Hartgerink (whose 'Four Days', hit No.1 on the national independent EP/Singles chart in 2008) the group has been quietly making a name for themselves performing regularly around the NSW South Coast, where their original mix of rock, reggae and new age roots music has won them a strong local following.

Paul Greene ‐Everywhere Is Home Tour
Supported by Penny & The Mystics (except WA)

Thursday April 15 ‐The Basement, Sydney NSW Call the Basement Box Office to book on (02) 9251 2797 (Mon ‐Fri 10 am ‐5:30 pm) or online at
http://www.moshtix.com.au/Event.aspx?id=30875

Friday April 16 ‐The Heritage Hotel, Bulli NSW
www.heritagehotel.com.au or (02) 4284 5884

Saturday April 17 ‐Milton Theatre, Milton NSW
Plus The Lucky Wonders Ticket Sales: Country Leather (02) 4455 3056 or online at http://tickets.oztix.com.au/Default.aspx?Event=13937

Sunday April 18 ‐Playhouse Theatre, Mittagong NSW
Ph (02) 4871 1086 or online at: http://tickets.oztix.com.au/default.aspx?Event=14874

Thursday April 22 ‐Lizotte's, Newcastle NSW
Book online at www.lizottes.com.au or (02) 4956 2066

Thursday May 6 ‐The Curtin Band Room, Melbourne VIC
Tix online at http://laingtix.oztix.com.au/default.aspx?Event=14131

Friday May 7 ‐The Baha Music Bar, Rye VIC
For Tix (03) 5985 2077

Saturday May 8 ‐Home Tavern, Wagga Wagga NSW
Tix (02) 6921 3117 or online at http://laingtix.oztix.com/default.aspx?Event=14062

Sunday May 9 ‐Front Gallery & Café, Canberra ACT

Thursday May 13 ‐Mojo's Bar, Fremantle WA

Sunday May 16 ‐Redcliffe on the Murray, Pinjarra WA

Thursday May 27 ‐Brisbane Powerhouse (Visy Theatre), Brisbane QLD
Tickets available online at www.brisbanepowerhouse.org or via Box Office on (07) 3358 8600

Friday May 28 ‐The Soundlounge, Currumbin QLD

Saturday May 29 ‐Joes Waterhole,, Eumundi QLD
Tickets available via (0 7) 5442 81444, or at Joe's Waterhole Gaming Lounge, Backbeat Records and S hake It Up Music

Thursday June 10 ‐Grace Emily Hotel, Adelaide SA
http://lainngtix.oztix.co m.au/default.aspx?Event==14088

Friday June 11 ‐Sand Bar, Mildura VIC
Tickets online at http:///laingtix.ozti x.com.au/default.aspx?Evvent=14430

Saturday June 12 ‐Deniliquin Club,, Deniliquin NSW
Tickets online at http:///laingtix.ozti x.com.au/default.aspx?Evvent=14092

Optimen's Second Album Has Finally landed!!!

2010-04-22T16:01:00.004+10:00

The Optimen Release their sophomore album 'The Out of Money Experience'

Myspace

Though the title might sound like a desperate plea for help in these trying times of economic uncertainty or, more predictably, the old as the ages cliché of the starving artist, The Out Of Money Experience is really anything but. This much-anticipated album by The Optimen (The OPees to their friends – and they can take all the friends they can get) is the result of work: hard work. The sort of work that keeps you up late at night and makes you late for the next day’s “working for the man”. And it shows.

The Optimen - 'Pay Cheques' by HeapsaWill

The three original members and emcees of The Optimen (Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff The Russian) have never wavered in their commitment to being independent. From release to release, whether their own or for label-mates, and all on their own Red Tape Entertainment imprint, they have done it their own way – even turning down record contracts that most upcoming artists would lay aside a baby-maker for to do it. Add DJ Damage on the turntables and Peter Beaty on live samples and studio mixing detail and you have one of the country’s few thoroughly independent acts, through and through. 

This insistence on in-house production carries forward from the beats (courtesy of Sammsonite and DATS) to the cuts and scratches (a tip of the hat to DJ Damage), and even the samples used to give the album its sonic slap to the face were provided by Kristoff The Russian (with the occasional offering by former crew member DJ Sheep). This self-reliance has also been integral in the cultivation of their truly unique sound – warm brass, even warmer bass, gripping guitar riffs, shimmering strings and drums that move through you so freely they could make a religious sister renounce her faith and take a part-time job at a bikini carwash. Add to this the trademark Optimen rap presence and precision of Damage on the cut and you might begin to have an idea of what The Out Of Money Experience sounds like.

Only it’s bigger… And it’s better.

Featuring some of their favourite emcees, both from Australia (Tommy Ill, The Archetypes, Pure Product, Adverse, Lazy Grey and Rainman) and two international legends in the field – Jehst (UK) and Phil The Agony (USA) – and also local vocalists Laneous (Mr Laneous) and Kel (The Kelly Gang), The Out Of Money Experience is galvanized by its strength of guest appearances and not stirred into a turbulence by them as can be the case.

The Out Of Money Experience also represents some standout ‘firsts’ for The Optimen: First time using session musicians – including drums, saxophone, trombone and a range of keys, the first time working with some of their own international rhyme idols, with Jehst bringing his signature introspective reflection and effortless flow for Dust (an exploration into what it means to be human when you take away all of the constructs that society has placed here), and Phil The Agony (Likwit Crew/Strong Arm Steady) with his characteristic commanding of attention on the album ender (and bonus remix track) Number One.

The Optimen - '80's Babies' by HeapsaWill

To enhance The Experience for the listener, The Optimen have continued to show considerable growth from their 2002 EP release Breath Control, their debut album Boomtown (’05) and label-showcase Red Tape Renegades: Vol 1 (’07), both in their musical inclination, with a far greater diversity of sounds and assortments of instruments than ever before, beginning with a brooding horn section reminiscent of a Japanese monster flick, sounding the impending doom and destruction like the fading echo of an air raid siren on album opener O Shit!, to the sunshine and lollipops wrapped in a mother’s hug on 80s Babies, in the form of a this time bright horn arrangement that is threaded together with a retro saxophone loop by a hand that just can’t stop snapping its fingers.

The album isn’t only advanced and progressive in terms of its production values and musicality, however. It is also the most diverse work that The Optimen have released topically – which is what really gains attention. While they still deliver their standard (though stepped up) form of ‘battle’ inspired rhymes, replete with ‘bragadociousness’ they have dug deeper this time around, mixing through a palette that begins with reminiscing on days past (80s Babies and time pre-money troubles in Pay Cheques) to the approaching of 30th birthdays (all this year) for emcees Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff in 30 Rock. On The Rocks gives insight into the rocky relationship goings on the boys have with alcohol, which has been personified here, and Something in the Air featuring local hero Lazy Grey is a pseudo-socio-political address on how we could all be making greater efforts to connect with each other and put our differences aside in the name of getting high… really, really high. Before the album is through, though, The Optimen have to pay hommage to the mostly African American musicians who paved the way for them as a sample-based act but also just for the incredible and inspirational music they have gifted the world with. This track, Respecognise, features the newest Red Tape signess, The Archetypes, as well as the powerful and soulful singing voice of Kel, who takes the track out appropriately.

Indeed, if this album were an outside-of-the-genre musical performance, it’d be Frank ‘Old Blue Eyes’ Sinatra, complete with the New York Philharmonic, performing ‘My Way’ to a packed Madison Square Garden in the mid 70s – only you know that to reach that earth-moving crescendo at the end you first get to enjoy the journey it takes to get there. And that’s what The Out Of Money Experience brings – it’s a journey. An expedition for over an hour that will leave you wishing there were more artists out there who were in it for the music and not the semi-permanence of praise and empty accolades.

If this isn't your new favourite album for this year then it won't be far from it, or your money back*.

*Not a real guarantee.

Georgia Fields Releases New Single 'Something Borrowed, Something Blue'

2010-04-16T18:23:00.005+10:00

Georgia Fields is earnestly applying the finishing touches to her debut album. In the meantime, the charismatic songbird is releasing the second single from her forthcoming record, to tide us over until the winter LP release.

‘Something Borrowed, Something Blue’ intertwines the childlike naivety of experimental sounds with mature and considered orchestral arrangements. Romantic without dissolving into a swamp of twee, the track features a charmingly bizarre animal toy sample. B-sides include ‘Sinking Relation Ship’ – a mournful, maritime-y tale of a couple who are “falling apart like pavlova”… and the string-lush ‘Happy Accidents’, recorded in her cellist’s lounge room.

Since her 2007 debut, Fields has earned a reputation for her impressive live shows. Her ‘Mini-Indie-Orchestra’ is a 12-piece ensemble of Melbourne’s musical heavyweights, featuring a string quartet, brass, woodwind, tuned percussion, full band, and even a cordless drill. Most recently she was named Frankie Magazine’s ‘New Favourite Band’ (March/April 2010 issue).

Collaborators on the forthcoming album include multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, Judith Hamann (cello, harp, vocals, piano, and more), with ARIA & APRA-awarded Greg Arnold of Australian folk/rock institution Things of Stone and Wood in the producer’s seat (Carus; Skipping Girl Vinegar).

Georgia launches “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” in Melbourne:

Thursday April 29 @ The Toff in Town
Doors: 7.30pm - 11.00pm
Tix from Moshtix (1300 GET TIX) www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix outlets inc Polyester (Fitzroy & City)

Full National tour dates are tba for the album release.

“Something Borrowed, Something Blue” is released nationally on Popboomerang Records in April 2010.

“Fields specialises in cute, vintage-y folk-pop that makes you want to sway in time and sing along when you know the words.”
Frankie Magazine, Australia

“...Unique and timeless, with her style reminiscent of the finest of 60s and 70s female songwriters.”
Billy Baxter, ABC Radio National

“Fields tells you little adult stories with childlike innocence.”
Drum Media, Sydney

“...The arrival of a truly marked talent.”
Inpress Magazine, Melbourne

“My latest favourite band in the whole world.”
Fred Negro, Comic Artist

The Lucky Wonders

2010-04-01T17:59:00.004+10:00

Announcing the release of their debut album Thirteen O’Clock
and National Tour

Myspace

Byron Bay’s The Lucky Wonders are set to release their debut album ‘Thirteen O’Clock’, and to celebrate are preparing to head out on a mammoth tour across the country.

The Lucky Wonders - 'So You've Never' by HeapsaWill

The Lucky Wonders - 'Home' by HeapsaWill

Consisting of singer songwriter duo Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle, as well as Brent Calcutt on bass and Anastassijah Scales on drums, The Lucky Wonders are building impressive momentum following the release of their debut single ‘Happy Pill’, the first single pulled from ‘Thirteen O’Clock’, in November last year. ‘Happy Pill’ received some Triple J airplay and also went straight to the top of the Triple J ‘Unearthed’ Roots chart, picking up rave reviews along the way as well as strong community radio airplay right across the country.

Recorded in their hometown of Byron with Anthony Lycenko (Xavier Rudd, The Beautiful Girls, Pete Murray), ‘Thirteen O’Clock’ is a delicate blend of roots tunes with a pop underbelly. Most of the album was recorded in the early hours of the morning at Studios 301. During the day the band had to nail blankets over the windows and doors “to adapt to the vampire lifestyle”. At that stage The Lucky Wonders were the duo of Emma and Jessie. They were joined by Ben Franz (The Waifs) on bass and lap steel and Dave Sanders (Acre) on drums on the album.

The album has a theme of connection: with yourself, a lover, the world. Also the connection between hard times and the journey towards happiness.

Explains Emma: “This album covers a lot of ground, the individual tracks read like chapters in a bigger story, and in the end you’re left with something real but optimistic. Despite our contrasting life experiences we create something special when we write together. It’s like, yeah, life can hurt sometimes, but if you stay open, there is a chance at something bigger and fuller.”
And immediately, people have been connecting with The Lucky Wonders' music. On Triple J ‘Unearthed’ users raved about Happy Pill: “I love the harmonies and melody of this great pop song, it’s simple but beautiful”, “Classic Aussie acoustic pop at its finest” and “Really, really like this song and this band. Bring on the album!” to list but a few. The critical response has been equally positive, The Northern Star emphatically announcing: "The only trouble with The Lucky Wonders release is that it leaves you wanting more."

Riding this wave of support, The Lucky Wonders are packing their WonderBus and hitting the road. Playing 40+ shows in some of the country's finest venues, the band will be taking their catchy songs and irreverent banter to woo audiences in every far flung corner of Australia.

‘Thirteen O’Clock’ is released March 8th through Vitamin.

“The ‘Thirteen O’Clock’ Album Launch Tour”

Thursday April 1 – Pacific Hotel, Yamba NSW
Wednesday April 7 – Lizottes, Newcastle NSW
Thursday April 8 – The Vanguard, Sydney NSW
Friday April 9 – Heritage Hotel, Bulli NSW
Saturday April 10 – Hotel Gearins, Katoomba NSW
Wednesday April 14 – The Oxford Tavern, Wollongong NSW
Friday April 16 – Club Sapphire, Merimbula NSW
Saturday April 17 – Milton Theatre, Milton NSW
Sunday April 18 – Front Bar, Canberra ACT
Monday April 19 – The Phoenix, Canberra ACT
Friday April 23 – The Wesley Anne, Melbourne VIC
Sunday April 25 – Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne VIC
Thursday April 29 – The Republic Bar, Hobart TAS
Friday April 30 – The Royal Oak, Launceston TAS
Saturday May 1 – Stage Door, Bernie TAS
Saturday May 8 – The Gov Front Bar, Adelaide SA
Friday May 14 – UWA, Perth WA
Sunday May 16 – Mojos, Fremantle WA
Thursday May 20 – Quindanning Inn, Quindanning WA
Friday May 21 – Dunsborough Tavern, Dunsborough WA
Saturday May 22 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River WA
Sunday May 23 - Denmark Tavern, Denmark WA
Friday May 28 – Camel Bar, Geraldton WA
Saturday May 29 – Clancy’s, Fremantle WA
Sunday May 30 – The Paddo, Perth WA
Friday June 4 – Gascoyne Hotel, Carnarvon WA
Saturday June 5 – Monkey Bar, Monkey Mia WA
Thursday June 10 – Coral Bay Hotel, Coral Bay WA
Friday June 11 – Whalers Bar, Exmouth WA
Wednesday June 16 – Divers Tavern, Broome WA
Friday June 18 – Divers Tavern, Broome WA
Saturday June 19 – Divers Tavern, Broome WA
Sunday June 20 – Matsos Brewery, Broome WA
Wednesday June 23 – Station Township, Kununurra WA
Friday June 25 - Ski Club, Darwin NT
Saturday June 26 – The Happy Yess, Darwin NT
Sunday June 27 – Mindil Markets, Darwin NT
Friday July 2 – Firkin and Hound, Alice Springs NT
Saturday July 3 – Outback Pioneer, Ayers Rock Resort, NT
Sunday July 4 – Residents Club, Ayers Rock Resort, NT

“A dreamy tune with a ticking rhythm... Jessie and Emma's voices work beautifully together."
Beat Magazine

"The only trouble with The Lucky Wonders release is that it leaves you wanting more."
The Northern Star

“In all, the (band) possesses all promise to enrich their niche, with wise messages cleverly concealed behind winsome refrains.”
Billboard Discoveries

“Love it! Grab on to those things that make your heart fill up....this song is one of those things.....!”
TRIPLE J Unearthed Review (Happy Pill)

The Optimen's '80's Babies' Film clip has Landed

2010-03-17T17:15:00.003+10:00

Watch this space as the sophomore album's due for release on April 10th...but meanwhile check it out:

The Optimen - 80s Babies from TheOptimen on Vimeo.

The Optimen - '80's Babies' by HeapsaWill

Dubmarine & Laneous and the Family Yah Announce Double-Headline Show at The Zoo March 26 + Limited Edition Dual Band ‘Mash Up’ EP

2010-03-10T15:56:00.004+10:00

Together at Last!

Laneous & the Family Yah vs Dubmarine - 'E.V.O.L.V.E.D' by HeapsaWill

Fresh off their killer sets at this year’s Woodford Folk Festival, Laneous & the Family Yah and their good friends Dubmarine are putting on a bit of a treat – a double blast headline down in ol’ Fortitude Valley on Friday March 26. The mega bash will see the release of the extremely limited ‘Mash Up’ EP remixtape, as two of Brissy’s tightest outfits team up to deliver an Alphabet soup of genres and grooves.

The Mash Up EP

Always ones for a great collabo, Laneous & The Family Yah and Dubmarine have gotten in the studio to specially rework their singles ‘Chip’ and ‘Bubblegum’. The result – two brand “new” tracks ‘E.V.O.L.V.E.D’ and ‘Non Stopper’, plus a couple of riddim remixes, that see lyrical brothers Kazman and Laneous trading ensembles to create a once-off blurring of bandlines. ‘Mash Up’ is an exclusive mix mash smash splash-up, copies will be available at the show – and not really anywhere else.

‘Mash Up’ Track Listing

1. E.V.O.L.V.E.D feat. Laneous and Dubmarine
2. Chip (Bubblegum Riddim) feat. Kazman and The Family Yah
3. Bubblegum (Chip Riddim) feat. Laneous and Dubmarine
4. Non Stopper feat. Kazman and The Family Yah

Get down to the Valley for the first shows for 2010 for both bands, for a night of mixing, matching, collabing, and one big musical mash up Dubmarine and Laneous & The Family Yah Double-Headliner Friday March 26 – The Zoo, Brisbane with Mad Occupants

$15 / $12 conc on the door ONLY | Doors: 8:30pm

Gareth Liddiard (of the Drones) Announces Solo East Coast Tour Dates

2010-03-05T17:18:00.003+10:00

After five years of non stop touring, four albums, and numerous accolades, one of Australia's most acclaimed and unique songwriters Gareth Liddiard of The Drones has decided to put his pedals on ice for a while.

With his debut solo record set for release later in the year, Gareth will be undertaking a special run of acoustic shows to preview songs off the upcoming album alongside all your Drones favourites.

The Dates
(w’ special guests TBA)

Thursday 15th April @ The Troubadour, Brisbane
Level 2, 322 Brunswick St, FORTITUDE VALLEY
Tickets $20 + bf from www.oztix.com.au
Doors open 8pm

Friday 16th April @ Notes Live, Sydney
75 Enmore Rd, NEWTOWN
Tickets $20 + bf from www.oztix.com.au or (02) 9557 5111
Doors open 8pm

Friday 23rd April @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
301 High St Northcote
Tickets $20 + bf from www.northcotesocialclub.com / the box office 94861677 / in person via Corner Box Office
Doors open 8pm

“The show gave Liddiard a chance to play a few songs the band don't typically play in their live sets as well as providing quieter, though no less harrowing, interpretations of some The Drones' most enduring songs … The intensity of the songs was tempered with Liddiard's affable, funny and engaging manner between songs … The tales, sung with Liddiard's cracked and damaged vocals, cut right to the core of humanity's morality, corruption, and search for redemption. Amazing stuff.”
Polaroids Of Androids – 27 February 2009

“For fans of Liddiard’s verse, the unplugged show was a way to experience its horrible, apocalyptic glory free from rock postures and the distracting volume of amplification. His is a savage vision and one that’s often based in the past, but somehow it still feels more relevant than a thousand columnists in The Weekend Australian trying to give utterance to similar themes. If you haven’t listened yet, listen. And if The Drones’ screeching guitar hurts your ears, read the lyrics instead. As for Liddiard, if he plays solo again, don’t miss it. He’s likeable, he’s brilliant and he’s ours. And for better or for worse, compatriots, we’re his too.”
Musicfeeds.com.au – 5 March 2009

“You can certainly hear the influence of that period's dark local underground in The Drones' capacity for assault and febrile movement, not to mention singer Gareth Liddiard's lean charisma and often brilliant lyrical ability.”
Sydney Morning Herald – 30 October 2008

“But it was in the final song for this evening, Sixteen Straws, when Liddiard broke a string and declared that he doesn’t do encores, that the crowd really showed their appreciation for the talented fellow who happens to front one of Australia’s most loved underrated music success stories.”
Fasterlouder.com.au – 12 March 2009

New Single from The Bedroom Philosopher

2010-03-05T13:28:00.008+10:00

The Bedroom Philosopher - 'Northcote (So Hungover)' by HeapsaWill

In the lead-up to his third studio album Songs From The 86 Tram (set for release April 2 through Shock), wit-hot maverick The Bedroom Philosopher has officially unleashed new single Northcote (So Hungover), the follow up to previous single Tram Inspector (Inpress Single Of The Week – Dec 09).

Already on high rotation on triple J, new track Northcote (So Hungover) is a searing slice of scenester satire, and possibly the first time someone has dared attempt to capture the 'nu Australian' accent. From beneath the safety of a long fringe, our antagonist protagonist 'uh's' and 'yeah's' his way through the exploits of his band, giving you the intimacy of an overheard conversation in the comfort of your own phones.

The Bedroom Philosopher may have achieved the perfect blend between humour and music, his tighter-than-your-jeans band of hipster slayers The Awkwardstra, laying down a surefire shoegaze rock bed, the relentless 4/4 chug, driving the song forward on a one way route to cooltown. Finally, a playful point is struck against the Vice magazine army of Gen-Y fashionistas that hide behind trash fashion and fixed gear aloofness.

Northcote (So Hungover) follows in the footsteps of The Bedroom Philosopher’s 2005 hits I’m So Postmodern, Folkstar and Golden Gaytime, his ironic quick-wit comedy finding a cozy niche on Triple J and community radio Australia wide. Shows everywhere from The Melbourne International Comedy Festival to the Big Day Out are augmented by The Bedroom Philosopher’s (aka Justin Heazlewood) position as senior writer for national mag Frankie, his regular sketch comedy show on Triple R ‘Lime Champions’, and even a recent stint as a young John Safran on ‘Race Relations’.

With his new album Songs From The 86 Tram The Bedroom Philosopher has levelled the playing field as every demographic gets their turn; from Aussie hip-hop wannabees to bogans to backpackers, the middle aged and the elderly. The album has been sculpted from his award-winning 2009 Comedy Festival show of the same name, and was created with the help of producer Chris Scallan (Avalanches, Akon, Baz Luhmann's Australia), Harry Angus on brass, as well as his smokin' hot band The Awkwardstra.

New single Northcote (So Hungover) is at radio nationwide and available on iTunes now

Solo national tour dates are tba for April / May but in the interim, Melbournites can catch The Bedroom Philosopher at MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL playing Songs From The 86 Tram:

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Songs >From The 86 Tram

Thursday March 25 to Sunday April 18 – Victoria Hotel, Melbourne*

215 Little Collins

$23.50 / $19.50 conc. | Bookings www.ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 660 013

9:45 pm (8:45pm on Sundays & no Mondays)

“...ample musical invention flavours his dreams of alien abduction, caged bears and Jesus on Big Brother, and unlike the accidentally funny troubadours out there, he knows a joke should have a point.”

Michael Dwyer, The Age

"As far as the greater population is concerned, I weep for musical comedy artists in this post-Flight Of The Conchords (*on HBO) age; Joe and Jo Blow tend to be able to stomach only one of each "thing" currently in the zeitgeist. However, their ignoring of other musically inclined funny people is their loss, because The Bedroom Philosopher's hysterical skewering of meat-headed ticketing inspectors falls somewhere between a Fame-era Bowie slink and inspirational Hunners balladry. I like my musical comedy to, as the name suggests, be musically captivating first, funny second. Luckily, with Tram Inspector, both come equal first."

Clem Bastow, Inpress.

“It is (like the man himself) entirely enjoyable, entirely likeable, and entirely odd”

Timothy Bocquet, BMA

Check out more of the Bedroom Philosopher's songs here: www.myspace.com/thebedroomphilosopher

Northcote (So Hungover) is available now on iTunes

Album Songs From The 86 Tram is out April 2 through Shock

The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker Set to Tour Australia

2010-02-26T17:10:00.004+10:00

www.thedynamites.net/

www.myspace.com/thedynamitesband

Touring This April In Support Of Their First Australian Release 'Burn It Down'

“New York City has the Dap-Kings, the retro funk and soul band that recently backed Amy Winehouse. Nashville has the Dynamites, whose approach is about three-quarters James Brown — especially mid-1960s James Brown — with touches of Memphis, Motown and New Orleans. “
The New York Times

Direct from Nashville, Tennessee, deep soul 10-piece The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker are preparing to make their first trip to Australia this April. In support of their first Australian release Burn It Down (out April 2nd through MGM), The Dynamites play the East Coast Bluesfest in Byron as well as their own headline sideshows.

Soul music is here to stay, and it’s still evolving. The Dynamites Featuring Charles Walker are living proof. Lead singer Charles Walker doesn’t imitate, emulate or try to resuscitate a bygone nostalgic era. He is soul, the real deal, still carrying the flaming torch of funk and soul lit back in the late 60’s at the Apollo Theater where he opened up for icons like James Brown and Wilson Pickett.

The Dynamites have proven that national treasures of soul and funk like Charles Walker still walk amongst us. What’s more, the fresh songwriting approach of Dynamite band leader Bill Elder, a.k.a. Leo Black, continues to push the deep funk envelope, propelling Walker to sound equally at home singing a scorching hot, up-tempo rocker as he does on a heart wrenching 60’s-style soul ballad.

A 2008 article in USA Today included The Dynamites in the short list of “acts that are wowing live audiences coast to coast with fresh songs and slamming performances.” The article also got it right in asserting the relevancy and freshness of the deep funk movement: “These critically lauded acts aren't cover bands, paying homage to old heroes. They're creating their own legacies in a genre that the industry seemingly shelved long ago.”

Apropos to being timely, The Dynamites second album, Burn It Down has something to say about life right now. From its raw opening notes, it wastes no time getting to the gritty heart of the matter. Punctuated by staccato horn section bursts and Walker’s intense proclamation that “it’s been a long time coming,” the vibe evokes the ominous flames of incendiary times.

Their commitment to being a hard working touring act, throughout Europe and the U.S., has solidified an international following. When the band recently played the esteemed Austin City Limits Festival, a local journalist urged attendance but cautioned to: “just make sure you know where the nearest defibrillator is.” While their recordings capture much of the excitement, seeing the band live takes the experience to a whole other level. As Walker puts it: "You can only do so much on a record," he says. "The performance is a lot different. I can't stand doing songs exactly the same. I have to stretch out a little bit. That's part of my thing."

An essential authenticity comes across in The Dynamites music and message. Without a doubt, Burn it Down acknowledges that not all is right in the world, but it doesn’t get stuck there. Times might be rough and people might be grumbling about doomsday, but Charles Walker and The Dynamites are here to remind us that “it’s a sunny day.” Sure we could bitch and moan. But we could just as well get down to some funky assed grooves and burn that negativity down.

Some Quick The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker Facts

• Just played a 2-night New Year’s Eve stand with BAND OF HORSES Dec. 30-31, 2009 in Atlanta (The Tabernacle)

• Partial list of previous North American festival appearances: Bonnaroo (2007), ACL (2007), Jam Cruise (2009), Outside Lands (2008), Langerado (2008), Wakarusa (2008), Montreal Jazz Festival (2008), Ottawa Bluesfest(2008),
Voodoo Fest (2008)

• Opened for Dave Matthews Band 2 nights in Los Angeles (Staples Center). Toured with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Widespread Panic, New Mastersounds, Galactic, Dirty Dozen Brass Band & James Hunter.

• Major press for album releases include feature articles in USA Today, Harp Magazine, The Tennessean,New York Times, Austin Chronicle & Boston Globe; Most recent national feature: Blues Review Magazine (11/09)

• Just completed SIXTH European month-long tour in two years. Festival and headline club dates

The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker Australian Tour

Thursday April 1 - The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
(www.espy.com.au)

Friday April 2nd - Byron Bay Bluesfest, Byron Bay
(www.bluesfest.com.au)

Saturday April 3rd – Step Inn, Brisbane
(www.myspace.com/stepinn)

Monday April 5th – Byron Bay Bluesfest, Byron Bay
(www.bluesfest.com.au)

Burn It Down is out April 2nd through MGM

“Old-school shouter Charles Walker joins the established eight-piece Nashville based Dynamites and the union is a match made in hard funk heaven.”
All Music Guide

“… nothing less than a new dictionary of old soul, hard funk, and vintage R&B.”
Boston Globe

www.thedynamites.net/

www.myspace.com/thedynamitesband

Best comment ever!

2010-02-26T12:03:00.004+10:00

Anyone who uses Blogger is used to the occasional SPAM generated comment from god knows where but today i think i got the best one yet...

It Read, from user "3D Movie":

仇恨是一把雙刃劍，傷了別人，也傷了自己......

Which intrigued me primarily because i study Mandarin at uni. So i translate what i don't get and arrive at:

"The hatred is a double-edged sword, has injured others, also has injured self"

What exactly this has to do Bluejuice i may never know, but this def. takes the cake for randomness. Knowing full well that comments like this don't really come from real people i feel compelled to answer it anyway. So...

3d電影:

停止发送同样的消息到多个新闻组我的网站笨蛋!

谢谢您.

I'd love to hear more competitors for random music blog comments, especially ones with answers inspired by Mr. T like that one above...

Bluejuice 'Ain't Telling the Truth' Tour Dates Announced

2010-02-25T12:44:00.000+10:00

Bluejuice are dainty fellows. They know how to set a dining table, and they know the call of a rainbow lorikeet when they hear one. They’re too polite to take the last hors d’oeuvre, and they walk on the outside of a footpath to protect their lady-friends from a vehicular drenching on a rainy day. Bluejuice are your seats down, coats around, and doors open type of guys.

It’s a shame then that these suggestions of good manners boil away to nothing in the face of a deep-seated psychological need to lie. They lie to their grandmothers. They lie to their Chihuahuas. They lie to their manager about writing relevant press releases.

Bluejuice’s new single Ain’t Telling The Truth is an homage to their passion for the lie. The only thing truthful about the song is the title that it ain’t telling the truth. It’s one of those songs with a descriptive title (much like Stevie Winwood’s Valerie was most likely about someone named Valerie). It is the second single from their second album Head Of The Hawk.

But the real truth is that the single follows the giant success of ‘Broken Leg’ which picked up an ARIA nomination for ‘Breakthrough Song of the Year’ and hit the #5 slot on the world’s biggest music poll ‘Triple J’s Hottest 100’. The video scored ‘Video of the Year’ nods from Rage, Myspace and iTunes and it has sold more than a whopping 50,000 copies and still going strong.

And from March 31st through to until May 9th the band will take that mix of manners and miss-truths and The Holidays on the road with the “Ain’t Telling The Truth Tour” proudly presented by Nova, Video Hits, and Myspace.

Ain’t Telling The Truth Tour Dates with special guest The Holidays.

Tickets on sale 9:00am Monday 22nd February

WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH – ARMIDALE UNI, ARMIDALE
Tickets: $29 P
Tickets available from www.bigtix.com.au and UNE Services Retail Shop.

THURSDAY 1 APRIL – METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY
Tickets available from www.metrotheatre.com.au or the Metro Theatre Box Office – 02 9550 3666

FRIDAY 2 APRIL – NEWCASTLE PANTHERS, NEWCASTLE
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

SATURDAY 3 APRIL – DOYALSON RSL, DOYALSON
Tickets available from DOYALSON RSL Reception or by calling 02 4390 0622

WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL – ROI BAR, ALBURY
Tickets available from Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

THURSDAY 8 APRIL – EUREKA HOTEL, GEELONG
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

FRIDAY 9 APRIL – PRINCE OF WALES, MELBOURNE
Tickets available from www.princebandroom.com.au, venue box office or phone the venue on 03 9536 1168 (10am - 6pm, Monday to Friday). Also available from Greville Records (Prahran 03 9510 3012), Missing Link (City 03 9650 8208) and Polyester Records (Fitzroy 03 9419 5137).

SATURDAY 10 APRIL – KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545 and New Generation

SUNDAY 11 APRIL – THE SOUNDS LOUD ALL AGES FESTIVAL, MOONEE VALLEY

15 APRIL – ANU BAR, CANBERRA
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 and via ANU Ticketek Box Office – Level 1, Administration Office, Union Building (above the Bar).

FRIDAY 16 APRIL – UNI OF TASMANIA, TASMANIA
Tickets available from TUU Contact Centre 03 6226 2495 and www.moshtix.com.au

SATURDAY 17 APRIL – HOTEL NEW YORK, LAUNCESTON
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and Mojo Music, 81 Brisbane Street Launceston 03 6334 5677

FRIDAY 23 APRIL – HI FI, BRISBANE
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and all Oztix Outlets and http://tickets.thehifi.com.au

SATURDAY 24 APRIL – COOLANGATTA HOTEL, COOLANGATTA
Tickets available from Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

SUNDAY 25 APRIL – GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL, BYRON BAY
Tickets available from Hotel Great Northern Mon - Fri 9-5PM (Jonson St, Byron Bay), on 02 6685 6454 and Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

THURSDAY 29 APRIL – WOLLONGONG UNI, WOLLONGONG
Tickets available from www.bigtix.com.au / UNISHOP (42218050) / REDBACK MUSIC (422961169)

FRIDAY 30 APRIL – KATOOMBA RSL, KATOOMBA
Tickets available from the venue and Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

SATURDAY 1 MAY – PANTHERS, BATHURST
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

WEDNESDAY 5 MAY – THE GOV, ADELAIDE (ALL AGES)
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets, www.venuetix.com.au, over the bar at The Gov (11am-9pm Mon-Sat) or phone 08 8340 0744 (11am-9pm Mon-Sat)

THURSDAY 6 MAY – NEWPORT HOTEL, FREMANTLE
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

FRIDAY 7 MAY – PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or www.heatseeker.com.au

SATURDAY 8 MAY – CAPITOL, PERTH
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlet

www.bluejuice.info/

Watch Out for Rockets

2010-02-18T13:04:00.002+10:00

Aaron from Austin band Watch Out for Rockets hit me up the other day on the release of their new album 'Beasts with Hearts of Gold'. Its a great piece of varied lo-fi and well worth a listen over at their myspace. Some songs like 'Lift off Cloud Controller' have a shoe-gazey sort of feel while tracks like 'Heart Popper' have a definite indie twang that reminds me of something Modest Mouse would have done in one of their early albums.

Great Bio too (shamelessly poached from their myspace) which is no doubt 100% true:

"In 2007 David T. Jones journeyed to a small village in Nicaragua to teach Dadaist art to the village children. On his third day there a war between rival drug cartels erupted. Afraid for his life, Jones found shelter in an abandoned church. For two weeks he hid out in the church, surviving only on wafers and wine. His meager diet, vast amounts of alcohol and isolation soon led Jones to suffer severe delusions and hallucinations.

As luck would have it his brother Aaron Rimbey, and friend Lucas Urbanski were touring Spanish architecture in South America at the same time. In a strange twist of fate they came upon Jones in the abandoned church, finishing the very last of the wine.

Rimbey and Urbanski nursed Jones back to health, but the drug war had once again made it too dangerous to leave the church. One day they stumbled upon a 4 track tape recorder and instruments that had been left behind by the church band. To fill the endless void of their days they began recording impromptu songs. Two weeks later they had a collection of 17 songs which make up their debut album-Let Me Levitate.

Three months after the American Embassy learned of the plight of Jones, Rimbey, and Urbanski they came to the rescue and put them on a plane headed to America. In September of 2008 they released the album, and Jones headed to The United Arab Emirates to teach scream therapy to political prisoners."

So head on over and check them out.

And if you like it - BUY IT

Skipping Girl Vinegar - 'One Long Week' Extended East Coast Tour Dates + Supports Announced

2010-02-12T12:43:00.004+10:00

Having been enjoying SGV's freshman album for what seems like ages now, at long last we have the first taste of what their second album will sound like!

You can listen to 'One Long Week' below, download it at itunes or snail mail it right to your door.

Skipping Girl Vinegar - 'One Long Week' by HeapsaWill

Extended VIC tour dates have also been announced + All Supports so head along and check them out!

Friday February 12 – Joe’s Waterhole, Eumundi

with Ant McKenna and Drew Wilson

Tickets on sale from the Venue phonecharge 07 5442 8144, Backbeat Records, Maroochydore and Shake It Up Music, Nambour
$10 presale / $15 on the night

Saturday February 13 – Troubadour, Brisbane

with Francesca De Valence and Charlie Mayfair

Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au, phonecharge 1300 762 545 and all Oztix outlets
1 ticket – $13, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $17

Thursday February 18 – Excelsior Hotel, Sydney

with BirdsandBelles and Andrew Bennett (Dawn Collective)

Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au or phonecharge 1300 762 545
1 ticket – $13, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $17

Friday February 19 – Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland

& Special Guest

Free Show!!!

Saturday February 20 – Transit Bar, Canberra

& Special Guest

FREE SHOW!!!

Doors 3pm – double set show

Saturday March 6 – Knox Theatre, Bayswater

with Leena and Tyla Bertoli
Tickets on sale from Venue Box Office, phonecharge 03 9729 7287 and www.knox.vic.gov.au/theatretix

Sunday March 7 – Potato Shed, Geelong

with Leena
*ALL AGES Afternoon Show – Doors 2pm*

Tickets on sale from City of Greater Geelong Customer Service Centre (City, Geelong West, Drysdale, Ocean Grove, Belmont and Corio Village) or from the venue phonecharge 03 5251 1998

Outdoor event – bring a picnic basket

Thursday March 11 – Drum Theatre, Dandenong

with Leena & Paper Dreams

Tickets on sale from Venue Box Office, phonecharge 03 9771 6604 and www.drumtheatre.com.au

Thursday March 18 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
with Goodnight Owl & Snowy Belfast

Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au and from East Brunswick Club box office, 280 Lygon St, PH: 9388 9794 or via the website www.eastbrunswickclub.com
1 ticket – $15, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40 Door – $20

Saturday March 20 – Southern Peninsula Arts Centre, Rosebud

with Leena & Special Guest
Tickets on sale from Venue Box Office, phonecharge 03 5986 8204 and www.rsc.vic.edu.au

Saturday March 27 – Kingston Arts Centre, Moorabin

with Leena

Tickets on sale from the Venue Box Office, phonecharge 03 9556 4440 and www.kingstonarts.com.au

www.skippinggirlvinegar.com

Katie Noonan and the Captains: The 'Page One' EP and national tour

2010-01-19T15:14:00.003+10:00

FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2009

Fresh from recording their incredible new album with International Producer Nick Didia, Katie Noonan and her new band The Captains are very excited to get out on the road behind their epic first single ‘Page One’.

‘Page One’ is a rockin’ song co-written between Katie and her Captain’s guitarist Cameron Deyell and legendary Oz songsmith Don Walker (of Cold Chisel fame) – a song that Katie wrote as a wedding gift to fellow Captain’s keyboardist Stu Hunter and his partner.

Over the last two years Katie and ‘The Captains’ (Cameron Deyell – guitar, Stu Hunter – keys/bass, Declan Kelly – drums) have been slowly building a vessel of exciting new songs.

This is a real return to form for Katie – back to her beloved lush, organic band sound and strong and inspiring personal stores.

Katie has written about half the album on her own and then co-written the other half with a host of Anzac luminaries including Tim Finn, Don Walker, Sia Furler, Josh Pyke, Tom Shapcott and her fellow ‘Captains’ band mates.

Says Katie about the new record: “I haven’t felt this positive about my music since the george days… I feel like I have finally found the right musical partners to make my music with again. I am really inspired and excited about this new record – I can’t wait to share the songs and tour around the country.”

**THE ‘PAGE ONE’ EP NATIONAL TOUR WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST BRIAN CAMPEAU**

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 18 – THE GOVERNOR HINDMARSH HOTEL, ADELAIDE SA
With Special Guests The Zephyr String Quartet
www.thegov.com.au www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX (438 849)

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20 – THE FLY BY NIGHT, FREEMANTLE WA
With Special Guests The Chemist
http://www.flybynight.org 08 9430 5976

TUESDAY MARCH 2 – LIZOTTE’S, KINCUMBER NSW
www.lizottes.com.au (02) 4368 2017

WEDNESDAY MARCH 3 – ANU BAR, CANBERRA ACT
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

FRIDAY MARCH 12 – REPUBLIC BAR, HOBART TAS
With Special Guest Jordan Miller
www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX (438 849)

SATURDAY MARCH 13 – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
With Special Guests Parallel Lions
www.northcotesocialclub.com 03 9427 9198

SUNDAY MARCH 14 – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
Matinee Show with Special Guests Parallel Lions
www.northcotesocialclub.com 03 9427 9198

FRIDAY MARCH 26 – THE ZOO, BRISBANE QLD
www.oztix.com.au 1300 762 545

SATURDAY MARCH 27 – A AND I HALL, BANGALOW NSW
All Music and Vision Byron (02) 6685 7611 , Ballina (02) 6686 8111, Lismore (02) 6622 3399 Barebones Art and Space (02) 6687 1393 and Mullum Books (02) 6684 1419

THURSDAY APRIL 8 – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY NSW
www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX (438 849)

"Noonan's soaring, beautifully phrased high notes, ultra-musical communication of meaning and expressive use of the microphone and digitial technologies were stunning."
Gillian Wills, The Australia – 7 March 2008

“This woman is the whole package. She is not only one of the most versatile singers in the industry, easing her way through rock and jazz and even scaling the heights of opera, but she has the amazing ability to completely rearrange a song yet keep the emotional substance of it.”
www.jonimitchell.com – Oct 31 2009

WWW.KATIENOONAN.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/KATIENOONAN

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/KATIENOONAN

New Single 'One Long Week' from Skipping Girl Vinegar + Tour

2010-01-19T15:03:00.003+10:00

Announcing new single ‘One Long Week’

Broke, warn out and exhausted, Skipping Girl Vinegar crawled into the studio with their hobos in tow in the week before Christmas 09 to record their new single ‘One Long Week’, the first release from what will be part of their follow-up sophomore album. Working with Melbourne indie producer Nick Huggins (Kid Sam, Seagull, Whitley) and Greg Arnold, the band have ventured into new territories whilst retaining their organic hobo pop aesthetic, uncovering a dark and overwhelming melodic classic.

Mixed in January 2010 in Nashville by American indie legend Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Bob Evans), who mixed SGV’s debut album, the new single ‘One Long Week’ uncovers the whirlwind of the previous year of endless independent touring and the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Sift The Noise’.

After returning from Nashville in February 09, SGV hit the road running and found themselves stumbling into a shopping centre overwhelmed by the presence of a giant polyurethane reindeer that hailed the arrival of December, and its associated Christmas paraphernalia. With this came the realisation that an entire year had slipped into the vortex of what had felt like one long week.

‘One Long Week’ Tour

Surfacing from the studio, refreshed from the summer break and a cracking set at the Pyramid Rock Festival, Skipping Girl Vinegar are gearing up to head out on the indie highway on an east coast tour to celebrate the release of their new single ‘One Long Week’. Be sure to gather into the ivy covered woodland set and experience Skipping Girl Vinegar perform new songs from their eagerly anticipated second album, as well as old favourites from Sift The Noise.

Thursday February 11 – Excelsior Hotel, Sydney
Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au or phonecharge 1300 762 545
1 ticket – $13, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $17

Friday February 12 – Joe’s Waterhole, Eumundi
Tickets on sale from the Venue phonecharge 07 5442 8144, Backbeat Records, Maroochydore and Shake It Up Music, Nambour
$10 presale / $15 on the night

Saturday February 13 – Troubadour, Brisbane
Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au, phonecharge 1300 762 545 and all Oztix outlets
1 ticket – $13, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $17

Thursday February 18 – Excelsior Hotel, Sydney
Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au or phonecharge 1300 762 545
1 ticket – $13, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $17

Friday February 19 – Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland
Free Show!!!

Saturday February 20 – Transit Bar, Canberra
FREE SHOW!!!
Doors 3pm – double set show

Thursday March 18 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
Tickets on sale now from www.skippingirlvinegar.oztix.com.au and from East Brunswick Club box office, 280 Lygon St, PH: 9388 9794 or via the website www.eastbrunswickclub.com
1 ticket – $15, 2 tickets – $25, 3 tickets – $30, 4 tickets – $40
Door – $20

‘One Long Week’ is out February through Secret Fox, Popboomerang and MGM

www.skippinggirlvinegar.com

NYC

2009-12-16T16:17:00.003+10:00

For those of you who don't know i'm on holidays back in nyc...so from the Staten island ferry, happy holidays from Amz and i to all of you...

Stuff your Stockings this Xmas with Dubmarine

2009-12-03T15:26:00.006+10:00

Announcing the release of their new single Chip + Single launch dates

Myspace

Batten down the hatches, Brisbane’s high-powered dub and dancehall assault Dubmarine are preparing to rip into 2010 with the release of their brand-new single Chip. Featuring their trademark bass-driven foundations, twin trombone blasts and thunderous synth explosions, the track rocks a deep dancehall riddim. Lead by the vocal gymnastics of indigenous superstar D-Kazman, Dubmarine have set about redefining the Brisbane reggae sound with the first release from their highly anticipated debut album Depth Of Sound – due 2010.

The release comes after Dubmarine were bestowed the honour of being nominated for the ‘Best band of 2009’ at the Deadly Awards. Announced at award ceremony held at the Sydney Opera House, they were just pipped at the post by the very deserving Saltwater Band, but are still chuffed with the recognition.

The reggae/dancehall/electronic/acoustic kaleidoscope Dubmarine has had a busy 2009. Between prime spots at Woodford Folk Festival, Parklife, The Dreaming Festival, and the inaugural U-Tribe, as well as successful tours of QLD and NSW, the nine mariners of this dub-sub vessel have been bunkered down in the studio. Working with producer Andrew Stephens at Drew-Id Studios and The Tanuki Lounge in Brisbane’s West End, Depth Of Sound is set for national release early next year.

Chip is the first new music from Dubmarine since their debut-EP Dub From The Deep caught the national music community by surprise in 2007. A relatively new collaboration at the time of the release; people quickly flocked to the group, infected by their upbeat danceability and imaginative exploration of reggae and dub. First single Singie racked up strong airtime, featured nationally across Triple J, PBS, 3RRR, FBi, SYN and 4ZzZ.

The Dubmarine crew are set to release Chip this November/December with a string of Vic, Qld and Northern NSW dates. The release also coincides with the launch of the ‘Live @ The Dreaming Festival’ DVD with the bands return appearance at the Woodford Folk Festival.

East-Coast ‘Chip’ Launch Shows

Thursday November 19 – The Australasian World Music Festival, The Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne
with Mad Professor and The Red Eyes
$18 + BF
1300 843 4434 or www.thehifi.com.au

Friday December 11 – The Soundlounge, Gold Coast
with Kingfisha and CC The Cat
$15 presale | $17 at the door
www.thesoundlounge.com.au

Friday December 18 – The Step Inn, Brisbane
with Kingfisha, Tin Can Radio, Darky Roots and Andy Dub
$15 at the door | 7:30pm

Saturday December 26 – Buddha Bar, Byron Bay
FREE ENTRY

Sunday December 27 to Friday January 1 –Woodford Folk Festival, Sunshine Coast
+ Live @ The Dreaming DVD release

“...a killer drum’n’bass track that left the crowd and I wanting more!”
The Courier Mail

“This is toe-tapping funky, sexy dub at its’ finest.”
In The Mix

New Single from The Optimen

2009-12-03T12:05:00.009+10:00

Myspace

With the release of their sophomore album The Out of Money Experience just around the corner, Brisbane’s The Optimen are proud to present the first single to be lifted from it, Fire Fighters.

A Bit O’ Context

While it is often said to breed contempt, The Optimen emcees (Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff the Russian) formed their friendship on familiarity. After repeatedly writing themselves off, week after week, at the same high school parties in Brisbane’s inner western suburbs, it didn’t take them long to realize they had more than more than just mild-mannered intoxication in common. With a love of good times and getting the crowd moving, the three soon became renowned as dependable DJs to get the party started right. Upon confirming they had no natural ability at this, they soon took to the mic. With the release of an 8 track EP “02: Breath Control” they quickly set about making a name for themselves on both the local and national front.

By the time they dropped their debut album “Boomtown” (which, for many, has since become a preferred nickname for their city) in 2005, it was an eagerly awaited outing. The first single Give it Up was added to high-rotation by Triple J and the crew went on to pick up two gongs at the 2006 MusicOz awards including ‘Best Urban Artist’ & ‘Best Film Clip’ (for Give It Up). This was followed by a slew of peer based awards on Ozhiphop.com, the southern hemispheres largest online hip hop community. This album also introduced DJ Damage (Terntable Jediz) to the fold with his signature meticulous cuts, sage like wisdom and stock market tips.

2007’s “The Optimen present Red Tape Renegades Vol 1” consolidated the band’s national profile and formally introduced Balboa, Anonymouz (Canada) and Pure Product, the other artists on their own label ‘Red Tape Entertainment’.

In the live arena, The Optimen have proven themselves one of the hardest-working acts in the country. Their list of credits includes some of the nation’s biggest festivals (Good Vibrations, Parklife, BBQ Beats), performances with the likes of US-superstars Ghostface Killah, Public Enemy, Beatnuts, Masta Ace, The Alkaholiks, Method Man & Redman, plus Aussie compatriots The Hilltop Hoods, The Funkoars, Downsyde, The Herd, Drapht - and many more. With the most recent addition to the group, Peter Beaty, the crew have at last found a way to translate the enormous sound of their studio recordings to the live stage.

Fire Fighters

Download Fire Fighters

Buy the freshman album 'Boomtown'

In writing the album, Fire Fighters was the first track that didn’t take much convincing on any part. Already introduced as a staple to their live set, with its infectious hook and ground-moving bass groove, it set the standard early and in many ways served as an indicator to the direction the album was heading. Starting with a breathy drum break lifted from a mysterious Japanese LP that Kristoff purchased for 100 yen in Shibuya, Sammsonite didn’t waste any time in building a track around it. When DATS suggested the minimal vocal flourishing sounded like an exclamation of “Fire! Fire!” the theme took shape. DJ Damage laid his cuts in the break and so the album began – in the true co-operative nature of the group. As a side note, Kristoff admits “We actually don’t know where this record is, or even who it is! It went missing from the studio before we could translate the kanji from the cover!”

In turning a small sample from a 7” into the first single, The Optimen added their own layers, including a rich coating of horns, live drums and breaks from Myka Wallace (Laneous & The Family Yah), backing vocals from Laneous himself and keys from Greg Arnott.

Fire Fighters is the first taste of The Optimen’s sophomore album The Out of Money Experience which is scheduled for release March 2010.

The Paper Scissors release new single 'T-T-Time'

2009-11-27T14:43:00.007+10:00

After years of releases and rapturous responses from crowds all around the country The Paper Scissors went quiet. The boys holidayed, went solo, played in other bands, moved away from Sydney, kicked back a little bit and lived life. They started working on new music in 2009, and then shortly after, changed their line-up to a 3 piece. The band are now more focused and disciplined in their sound and approach, and are hard at work finishing their second album. Their live show has been garnering even more acclaim with the three piece lineup wowing audiences during a small tour in August.

Until the second album drops, TPS are offering some palate cleansing singles to keep their old and new fans happy. First was the anthemic disco/noise banger Howl, and now new single T-T-Time, which has already hit airwaves and is now available across the internet.

Download 'T-T-Time"

T-T-Time finds the band at their most fun with its barbershop meets surf-rock sound, but sees some new elements being introduced. Reminiscent of their best-known tunes such as the sing along radio hit Yamanote Line and the almost ubiquitous We Don’t Walk - which was all over major network television - T-T-Time is instantly recognisable as TPS with errant handclaps, catchy hooks and Xavier Naughton’s nasty fuzz bass, but adds a more intricate arrangement, a more crafted lyrical approach by main songwriter Jai Pyne and the future indie sound of Ivan Lisyak’s mixing and Pyne and Lisyak’s production. The bare bones of the song were written by Pyne in New York late last year when he was far away from loved ones and home, but inspired by the rich musical and cultural history of the city. He was supposed to have a holiday but garageband and a stray nylon string guitar called and many ideas were penned that will see the light of day on TPS second album.

The video features most of the bands relatives, drama students, basketball players, resurrections and auditions.

The single and video are released ahead of a handful of club dates in early December and major festival Appearances over Summer. Stay Tuned...

Listen to our artists on Erk FM!

2009-11-24T12:07:00.005+10:00

Based out of Sydney, Erk (and his partner in crime Judy) have been podcasting since 2007 and started Erk FM in 2009 to showcase both Australian and international music. Erk FM is broadcast every Friday (Australian Eastern Standard Time). I met Erk through another fine podcast - The Ourobouros Podcast some time ago and he was kind enough to suggest collaborating on a project together to broadcast some of our acts in an all Aussie show. Erk is great at coloring in a full perspective of the artists he broadcasts, providing solid background info and commentary. While you're on the site I highly recommend lingering around awhile and listening to some of his other excellent shows too...

Head over to The Erk FM Site to check it out!

Artists Included:

*Bluejuice
*The Drones
* Skipping Girl Vinegar
*Laneous and the Family Yah
* Genevieve Maynard and the Tallboys
*The Paper Scissors
*Andrew Petersen
*The Ray Mann Three
* Special Patrol
*Grand Atlantic
*Carus Thompson
*Kristy Apps
*Georgia Fields
*Jamie X
*Barrel House
*Fisherking

And thanks be to Erk for this great mix!

Laneous And the Family Yah (yet again)

2009-11-10T17:03:00.010+10:00

Shit at Life, Good at Music Tour

Laneous and his Family Yah haven’t had a lot of spare time of late, but they still managed to find time to write, record, produce, master and press a brand-spanking new track in 5 days. Pretty straightforward really - their upcoming tour already had a name “Shit at Life, Good At Music” - so all that was missing was the anthem to accompany it.

As such, coming just three months after their hugely-successful album launch tour, Laneous and Family Yah are preparing to hit the road once again. Because indeed - they might be Shit at Life, but they’re Good At Music.

Their debut album St. Ill Regal hit shelves in August and was quickly added to rotation and ‘favourite’ lists right across Australia. Triple J added single Searing Life to high rotation, FBI added BubbleGum and the album swept straight into the Top 10 on 4ZzZ and countless other stations to boot.

Triple J, who had made the band Spotlight Unearthed Artists in June, picked them as the unearthed winners to play Parklife in Brisbane whilst their own headline east-coast album launch tour ripped through Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, including a 900 head sell-out at their hometown of Brisbane. With the first pressing of St. Ill Regal completely sold out, the band inked a deal with MGM to officially re-release the album nationally on November 13.

Check out more tunes from Ill Regal.

Download 'Shit at Life, Good at Music' here

Or download 'Searing Life' here

But don't just take our word, check out what some others have had to say:

Scene Magazine
Triple J
Faster Louder
Greenfest
Brisbane Festival

The “Shit at Life, Good at Music” Tour!

Proving they’re not lyrical liars, Laneous and the Family Yah are about to embark on their ‘Shit At Life, Good At Music’ Tour to wrap up 2009. Heading back on the road with the rag-tag monster ensemble including the beautiful Bird Fire choir, catch the Laneous crew:

Friday November 27 – The Macquarie Hotel, Sydney
(9pm, FREE)

Saturday November 28 – The High and Dry Festival, St Albans
(Tix/Info: www.highanddryfestival.net)

Sunday November 29 – Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby
(Venue: Ex-Services, 7pm, Tix: www.mullummusicfestival.com)

Wednesday December 2 – The View Factory Cafe, Newcastle
(8pm, FREE)

Thursday December 3 – Hotel Gearin, Katoomba
(8pm, $10 Entry)

Friday December 4 – The Beach Rd Hotel, Sydney
with Olmecha Supreme (NZ) and Pataphysics (Melb)

Saturday December 5 – The Annandale, Sydney
with The Phonies + Jimmy Swouse & The Angry Darts

Sunday December 6 – The Fringe Bar, Sydney

Thursday December 10 – Front Bar, The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
with Illzilla - (8pm, FREE)

Friday December 11 – The National Hotel, Geelong
with Olmecha Supreme (NZ) and Pataphysics (Melb)

Saturday December 12 – Bar Open, Melbourne
with Sietta
(10pm, FREE)

Thursday December 17 – The Hi Fi, Brisbane
with supports TBC
(Doors 8pm, Tix/Info: www.thehifi.com.au)

Saturday December 19 – Buddha Bar, Byron Bay

Sunday December 27 – Blah Blah Blah Festival, Brisbane

Sunday December 27 to Friday January 1 – Woodford Folk Festival, Sunshine Coast

People’s across the nation have been singing the praises of St. Ill Regal and L&TFY:

“Words like sprawling, epic, and opus are par for the course when describing some of the more ambitious double album projects of the 1960s and 1970s, but rarely in recent memory has a local act concocted a long-player worthy of such description, and on a debut album to boot.”
Kris Swales, Time Off

“... I crave music to make me feel good. That's where a band like Laneous and the Family Yah come into it. They blend styles at will, effortlessly moving from silky soul to beat-heavy hip-hop, never sounding contrived or overreaching.”
Dom Alessio, Triple J

“With tambourines smashing, a vocal ensemble crooning and the tightest of grooves, an unexpected rock-out into fiercely syncopated riffage leaves the crowd wondering if Faith No More frontman Mike Patton might have left an illegitimate child in his wake, such is the eclectic leap between Motown-inspired R7B, hip hop-inspired backbeat and straight up musical virtuosity…. There is nothing to fault the band.”
Dave Dri, Time Off

“The Band emerge in rare full sound and stage glory. Even on this ceremonious occasion Mr Laneous hesitates to be the centre of attention, although this plays well amongst a band so full of personality and talent…”
James Stafford, Rave Magazine

“The Family Yah take no time in belting out a plethora of old and new songs, each one running from the next with Duracell bunny precision. The flow is like warm honey on a hot day.”
Faster Louder

“Mr Laneous is already on to a good thing. His music is ingenious and its complexities are not lost on the audience. Laneous keeps us on our feet, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Fasterlouder.com

“This lot hale from good ol’ brisvegas and I tell ya, if they don’t take the Roman Empire by storm with their debut album then I’ll eat my terry towelling hat.”
Dom Fagan, AIR

“Superstar frontman, Laneous has united a band comprised of some of the funkiest that River City has to offer… The band gives off a raw energy together with very tight grooves and infectious beats. Besides a set of golden vocal chords, Laneous possesses rad rhymes and keen style.”
Leopard Lady, Virgin Music

St. Ill Regal re-released 2nd pressing is out through Bird Fire records and MGM Distribution on Friday November 13

Skipping Girl Vinegar announce new single and 'For the Birds' Interstate November Residency

2009-10-15T11:26:00.006+10:00

Following on from their recent ‘Music From Cold Places Tour’, their largest and most successful national run to date, Melbourne alt acoustic popsters Skipping Girl Vinegar have just announced their ‘For The Birds’ dual Sydney / Melbourne November residency. The month-long run of shows is set to coincide with the release of their new single Sinking.

The Melbourne / Sydney ‘For The Birds’ November residency will see SGV play:

•Wednesday nights @ The Northcote Social Club (4th, 11th, 18th & 25th) - Melbourne

•Thursday nights @ RAVAL (upstairs at Macquarie Hotel ) (5th 12th &19th) - Sydney

(Please note the last Thursday night in November there will be no show in Sydney due to the ARIA awards).

All supports for the interstate residency have just been announced, namely:

Melbourne: Wednesdays @ The Northcote Social Club

Wed November 4th
BUCKLEY WARD

Wed November 11th
GEORGIA FIELDS

Wed November 18th
LEENA

Wed November 25th
DRUGS IN VEGAS

Sydney: Thursdays @ Raval (upstairs at Macquarie Hotel )

Thu November 5th
CHRIS ARNOTT

Thu November 12th
JESSE MORRIS & THE THREE BEANS

Thu November 19th
ASHLEIGH MANNIX (SOLO)

Sinking

Download Sinking

Or buy The single/album here

The residencies will be accompanied by the release of Sinking, the third single to be lifted from Skipping Girl Vinegar’s debut album Sift The Noise. The video clip for Sinking is also the third in a series of four animated film clips that coincide with the order of the singles being lifted from the album (ie each clip follows on from the previous one).

Picking up where the clip for title track Sift The Noise left off, the clip for Sinking sees the band enter outer space and is available for viewing online now:

All SGV clips to date have been awarded ‘Indie Clip Of the Week’ by ABC’s Rage and broadcast nationally.www.youtube.com/user/secretfoxanimation

“Share The Secret With Your Friends Group Discount”

The SGV ‘For The Birds’ November residencies will feature a few little points of difference. Firstly, to encourage people to bring a few friends along and ‘make a night of it’ there is a special “share the secret with your friends discount” available on all tickets purchased to any show through www.skippinggirlvinegar.oztix.com.au. Put simply - 1 ticket is $15 / 2 tickets - $25 / 3 tickets - $30 / 4 tickets - $40 meaning tix for all shows get cheaper the more you buy.

Melbourne / Sydney ‘For The Birds’ November Residencies

Melbourne Wednesdays – 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th November
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB
301 High St, Northcote ph: 02 9486 1677
Doors: 8pm – 11pm
Tickets on sale from skippinggirlvinegar.oztix.com.au and from the venue box office, phonecharge 03 9486 1677 or www.northcotesocialclub.com

Sydney Thursdays – 5th 12th &19th November
RAVAL (upstairs at Macquarie Hotel )
42 Wentworth Ave, Sydney (near Corner of Oxford St) ph: 02 9213 3848
Doors: 7.30pm-10.45pm
Tickets on sale now from www.skippinggirlvinegar.oztix.com.au and from Moshtix outlets, phonecharge 1300 438 839 or www.moshtix.com.au

The Middle East @The Princess Theatre, Woolongabba

2009-10-09T12:53:00.007+10:00

The Middle East

I'll be honest and say i didn't know much about this Townsville band before heading out to see them last night. After hearing a lot of hype I quickly checked out their myspace before heading out, saw the 300, 000+ views and a mention of a Pitchfork review and left the house with a picture in my mind of a well established and highly successful band. To my surprise though on arriving at the Princess Theater i discovered i had them all wrong. The Middle East are really just in their infancy, but have enjoyed an amazing amount of success based upon the strength of their single release to date, the EP 'The Recordings of the Middle East'. I wondered at first if the hype was well founded while walking into the all-ages gig - seeing 2/3 of the crowd seated and the church posters on the walls(a venue thing i'm guessing)...but despite some small hiccups i'll discuss below these guys blew me away with both talent and potential. They were great to watch and left me more eager for an album than any band has left me in a long time.

The 7 strong cast must have rolled out 15-20 different instruments throughout the set, ranging from the standard guitars (playing from 1-4 at any one time) to mandolins, banjos, tambourines, rain sticks, keyboards, electronic synths, harmonicas and more. It was obvious that each player was accomplished in their own right, despite the fact that the two frontmen held most of the stage presence for the entire band. There were tight jeans and country-boy clothes everywhere, the bassist sporting a large akubra with all the trimmings to make you think you were watching a country show, until your eyes spanned to the edges and saw the electronic equipment, the trumpet and xylophone. The majority of their songs were downtempo, sometimes leaving you with a thrist for something just a little more upbeat (this was true especially towards the end) but each song commanded deep concentration from the crowd, rarely broken in the spaces between songs. These gaps at times stretched on like uncomfortable silences at a dinner party though - they didn't seem quite comfortable in the spotlight yet and maintained a minimal amount of crowd interaction except for their actual playing. I know there's a fine line between to much chat and too little, but when there's absolutely none coupled with amazingly sentimental songs, it left at times a slightly dry feeling to the experience.

Despite several relatively obvious technical glitches and some on stage stumbling as they played new songs though, the layers of melody intertwined beautifully with all 4 singers showcasing individual and highly harmonious voices. Each song was a real team effort, seeing instruments change hands frequently and lead singers become back-up singers until everything got shaken up all over again. Each song had everyone spellbound, combining all the good elements of alt-country, folk music and vague samplings of indie rock vibes coursing underneath lyrics that went deep into your reflective center, tackling deep issues in a heart touching way that never sounded cliche but just sounded perfect. 'The Darkest Side' appeared early without fanfare but the highpoint of the night was definitely when they played 'Blood' with it's the Arcade Fire-ish outro which gave everyone the body and intensity they'd been waiting for. I would wait in line for hours for a chance to see these guys play again and cannot wait to see what practice and experience breeds. I think youth here is a blessing for a band that already shows so much depth and heart.

Buy the 'Recordings of the Middle East' EP here

Laneous And the Family Yah (again)

2009-10-09T12:31:00.007+10:00

I know i posted on these guys a few weeks ago but this album is still on my own high rotation and i seriously love this song. STRONGLY recommend you check out their myspace not least of all to check out more of the following pictures, but also to check out their tour starting today down in Sydney...

Download Searing Life - album version

\

Bluejuice "Head of the Hawk' Tour Happening Now!

2009-10-07T14:57:00.005+10:00

Bluejuice's last tour of the East Coast was their most successful tour ever...Stav got punched in the face in Frankston and threatened with a beating in Coffs. The band got to watch 'The Devil Wears Prada' in their first ever tour bus. In combination it was a tour that saw Bluejuice gargle enthusiastically at the sight of so many Jimmy Choo high heels whilst also soberly acknowledging the redemptive nature of renewed self-awareness.

It is this combination of violence and feminine emotional awakening that the band hope to bring once again after launching their brand new album, 'Head Of The Hawk' on September 18th,

'Head Of The Hawk' is Bluejuice's magnificent second album. It’s a mixture of old and new, pop and dance elements delivered with the melody, cheek and psychosis fans have come to expect.

Download 'Ain't Telling the Truth' from the album.

Buy a signed copy of 'Head of the Hawk'

Check out their website for full tour details.

The Drones Release New Live Album

2009-09-25T14:20:00.005+10:00

A full year on the road is a scary proposition for most bands, but for The Drones it has become just another day at the office. Performing to sold out venues and receiving critical acclaim, the last six months has seen the band literally circumnavigate the world. This has included two huge tours of the USA, two tours apiece of both the UK and Europe and multiple festival appearances (including ATP in New York) on top of that. The reception overseas to both the bands current studio album “Havilah” and their live show has been extraordinary:

"What 'Havilah' does is jump up and down on the rotting carcasses of The Vines and Jet stabbing them again and again with a flag that says ‘Miles. Better. Than. You. Ever. Were."
NME

"Speaker-bleeding blues"
MOJO (4/5)

"Vocalist Gareth Liddiard is a songwriter of extraordinary power"
Time Out (5/6)

"An awesome proposition. Dirty and primal, tight and threatening...you need this band in your life."
Stool Pigeon (4/5)

Somewhere in the middle of all of this, The Drones made it home for an Australian tour last May, one show of which was the jam-packed opening night of The HI-FI Bar in Brisbane. The show was recorded and the band have just announced that “The Drones - Live At The HI-FI” will be released in stores Oct 1st as a ‘Limited Edition Live Bonus Disk’ accompanying any purchase of the band’s current studio album ‘Havilah’.

“The Drones - Live At The HI-FI” is a candid snapshot of a band at the peak of their powers. Throughout the course of their career, The Drones have carved themselves out a veracious reputation for their live shows. Indeed many have touted them as arguably the best live band in Australia. It’s claim to which multiple live reviews bear witness:

“It’s seriously no major statement of hyperbole or aggrandisement to suggest that maybe – just possibly – The Drones are not just currently the best rock band in Australia, but the best rock band on the planet today.”
Time Off Magazine

“Does that power and genius of a show from The Drones even need to be questioned anymore? Gareth Liddiard remains an undisputed master of inebriated (even when sober) hellfire… We don’t ever want you to change either.”
Rave Magazine

Also available as a stand alone download through iTunes, “The Drones - Live At The HI-FI” showcases tracks from throughout the band's career, stretching as far back as their first LP release in 2002. Highlights include; The Minotaur from ‘Havilah’, Shark Fin Blues from the band’s award-winning 2005 release ’Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By’ and River Of Tears, a powerful song penned by Australian Aboriginal activist and singer/songwriter Kev Carmody.

“The Drones - Live At The HI-FI” is available Oct 1st through ATP / MGM

Download the live version of 'Shark Fin Blues' here.

Or check out the new clip for the Kev Carmody cover 'River of Tears' that appears on the album, performed at the Cannot Buy My Soul concert at The State Theatre in January 2008.

Special Patrol Album Release

2009-09-03T12:07:00.004+10:00

Following Special Patrol's new album “The Stranger’s Dozen” released on August 14, the Adelaide 5 piece have just announced their National Album Launch Dates.

Proudly presenting their new album “The Strangers Dozen”, The follow up to their sophomore long player “Handy Hints From The Undertaker”, “The Strangers Dozen” was recorded at Eastern Bloc Studio in Melbourne with producer/engineer Jonathan Burnside.

The first taste of the new album, a double A side / album sampler Right On / New Year’s Eve was released in June to an emphatic response and sold out single launches. Beat Magazine made it their single of the week, FBI added it to rotation and strong alternative radio airplay was received right across the country (3RRR, 4ZZZ, RTR, Radio Adelaide, 3D and many more). On Triple J, both tracks were super requested following airplay, Zan Rowe made Right On her catch of the day and Dom Alessio highlighted New Years Eve in a post on his Home & Hosed Blog.

Who are Special Patrol: Released in 2007, their sophomore album “Handy Hints From The Undertaker” thrust Special Patrol directly into the Australian musical eye. Three tracks received strong triple J support and Nova crowned them a national unsigned feature act. Live, they made small work of the national circuit supporting the likes of Ben Kweller (USA), Paul Weller (UK), The Mountain Goats (USA), Turin Brakes (UK), Donovan Frankenreiter (USA), Powderfinger, Paul Kelly, Youthgroup, The Whitlam’s and Pete Murray to name but a few, all interspersed with their own headline shows to their loyal fans in each state. Special Patrol Festival appearances include Falls Festival main stage 2006 and 2008, Big Day Out 2007, Clipsal 500 Concert 2008, The Woodford Festival 2009 and many more. 2008 also saw Special Patrol win the SA final of The MTV Kick-start Awards, receiving some great exposure on MTV as a result.

“The Strangers Dozen” picks off where “Handy Hints” left off, but says front man Myles Mayo: “we wanted the album to have a consistent sound this time. With “Handy Hints” we recorded it and mixed it in a half dozen different studios and wrote it in two very separate halves, so this time we wanted to see what it was like to record the whole thing with one person - Jonathan Burnside. The result is an album that we feel has a distinct sound from start to finish”

In true Special Patrol form -“The Strangers Dozen” is devastatingly intuitive; radiant, full bodied, darkly undertoned and yet simultaneously bright eyed. From the street pop swagger of Ordinary Life and sultry lilt of In Between You and Me to
the inferred resolution of My Reason - this is a record that sees Myles Mayo and co back in full splendoured swing.

Download 'Right On' and New Year's Eve' from the new album here

Or head to their myspace page to check out more.

Catch Special Patrol Launching “The Stranger’s Dozen”

Saturday September 12 - The Vanguard, Sydney

Friday September 25 - The Gov, Adelaide with The Whitlams

Saturday September 26 - The Gov, Adelaide with The Whitlams

Friday October 2 - Jive, Adelaide

Saturday October 3 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Saturday October 10 - X and Y Bar, Brisbane

Saturday Oct 24 - The John Curtain Room, Melbourne

Friday November 6 - Fowlers Live, Adelaide

More Launch Dates TBA

www.specialpatrol.com.au

“The Stranger’s Dozen” Is In Stores Now Through MGM