One Sentence Album Reviews (#20)

Ahhh! So close to the end of my 2011 list. A few more CDs and I'm moving on to the 2012 collection.

Howling Bells - The Loudest Engine (2011): another indie album from the ex-pats with beautifully haunting female vocals 3.7/5

The Subways - Money and Celebrity (2011): a very up-beat pop/grunge/punk album, with a beat great for jogging. It's very fun 4.6/5

Blink 182 - Neighborhoods (2011): After realizing it's not immature-joke punk, it's an album that grows on you. Reminds me of Boxcar Racer 3.7/5

Tori Amos - Night Of Hunters (2011): A very orchestral, almost cinematic album full of Tori's beautiful voice 4.7/5

The Smith Street Band - No One Gets Lost Anymore (2011): a masterclass in writing hella-emotional and catchy sing-a-long folk-punk 4.5/5

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - ST (2011): Surprising album that shows why he is a great songwriter. he's still got it 4.8/5

The Jezabels - Prisoner (2011): Obviously schooled in the Nick Cave style, this has dark lyrical content & a sound of great 80s post-punk 4.4/5

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery (2011): at their age can they still make pop-punk songs about teenage stuff? The answer: yes 3.8/5

Into It. Over It. - Proper (2011): Another one of those pop-punk albums that sound similar. Just can't get into it, I'm kind of over it 2.9/5

Tom Waits - Bad As Me (2011): Tom's most pop album yet? He still throws in so many random instruments and sounds though 4.5/5

Raein - Sulla Linea D'orizzonte Tra Questa Mia Vita e Quella Di Tutti (2011): Italian (real)screamo band's free album reminds me of how good scramz can be sometimes, without being extreme 3.8/5

No Anchor - Real Pain Supernova (2011): Imagine the bass from Fugazi being doubled up (2 basses!), lengthened and made into sludge metal 4/5

Bridge and Tunnel - Rebuilding Year (2011): it borders between orgcore and post-hardcore, but fuck genres, it's a rad punk album 4/5

Tony Sly - Sad Bear (2011): As far as former punks doing alt-country-folk goes, this is not that good. 2.5/5

Bush - The Sea Of Memories (2011): There's glimpses of their former past in there, but I still blame Gwen Stefani for making Gavin too happy 2.6/5

Samiam - Trips (2011): a good punk rock album that makes me think "this is what I want Alkaline Trio to always sound like" 4/5

Kasabian - Velociraptor (2011): Their stoner-indie-rock has lost a lot of its electronic edge to have a very brit-rock (even Beatles) sound 4/5

VA - (Ahk-toong Bay-bi) Covered (2011): Great covers by amazing artists celebrating U2's classic album. This is 100x better than the original 4.6/5

Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials (2011): Bringing opera and soul music to the indie hipsters since 2007, now to the pop-music world 3.5/5

VA - Come As You Are: A 20th Anniversary Tribute to Nirvana's 'Nevermind' (2011): My favourite tribute so far, includes a quirky mewithoutYou cover 4.5/5

The Black Keys - El Camino (2011): hard to believe it's 2 guys making such a sonically rich album; finally taking blues-roots mainstream 4.8/5

Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires (2011): the ultimate Greys Anatomy soundtrack now channels the Postal Service with more electronica 2.8/5

Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (2011): Lyrically dark & depressing twee-pop that makes you lonely and happy at the same time 4/5

 

Johnny Foreigner - Vs Everything (2011): punkier, less produced Los Campesinos! I listened to the 2 back-to-back and didn't notice a change 3.8/5

The Dear Hunter - The Color Spectrum (Complete) (2011): Epical prog-indie journey representing all colours. Misses sometimes, overall good 4.3/5

H2O - Don't Forget Your Roots (2011): A cover album of classic hardcore/punk songs, made kind of soft and pop-punky by H2O. 3.6/5

Spank Rock - Everything Is Boring And Everyone Is A Fucking Liar (2011): Okay beats under some less thank okay rapping 3/5

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Magic Of Youth (2011): Who said ska is dead? Not these guys. They've still got it 4.5/5

Guthrie - ST (2011): my dad, the old blues loving soul that he is, loves the dirty modern blues of this album. So do I 4.4/5

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (2011): Every Coldplay album is radio pop, with one song I really love. This album breaks that mold. Not one good song 2.4/5

VA-ZZ Top:A Tribute From Friends(2011):Some good covers, even Coheed sounding 80's rock. But it has Nickelback ruining my fav song: Legs 3/5

 

Pangea - Living Dummy (2011): a garage rock record that sounds like it was lost from the 60's 3.8/5

Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After (2011): soundds like a dirtier/more falsetto Touche Amore. Very similar styles 3.5/5

Review: Pallisades/Quiet Steps/Nuclear Summer/Loma Prieta/Raien, Sun Distortion Studios, December 31 2011

I've had such a bad run of New Year Eve parties over the last few years that I decided to do something compeltely different: stay sober and watch some great bands play the last ever show at Sun Distortion Studios. There's been so many great shows there, but I probably won't miss it at all; probably because of the black-eye incident.

At least on NYE I got a good spot on the balcony area to photograph the bands without getting punched in the face. I can't really be bothered writing words for this, so here's some photos of what was a damn good night of scramz (and Quiet Steps) on NYE spent with some of my new friends I've made throughout this year.

Quiet Steps

  
Nuclear Summer

Loma Prieta

Raein

Free Music Friday 34! The "my new years eve plans" edition

What are you doing for New Years Eve? Going to a club with 100's of other people, drinking overpriced champagne and generally just hating on humanity as you wait for the bus/train/taxi with 100's of other people after midnight?

I'm not. I'm getting my rock on at the very last Sun Distortion Studio show. It features some great bands from all over the world. The headliners are Italian screamo band Raein and American scream band Loma Prieta. It's going to be a great (and loud) night.

If you're deciding at the last minute to come along, check out Raein's new album "Sulla linea dell'orizzonte fra questa mia vita e quella di tutti gli altri" which you can get for free on their website!

Seriously, if you've got no other plans tomorrow night, get to Sun Distortion Studios. It's 20 bucks. It's BYO and their will be a tonne of great bands.

Free Music Friday 33!

I've been waiting for this album for what seems like forever now. And finally, it's here. And even better, it's free! The band is Nuclear Summer and they are from Brisbane. And I took this picture of the guitarist doing some finger tapping at Fat Louies.

I've been raving about this band for the better part of the year now, with their mix of noodly riffs, clean harmonies and thrash-like vocals (not surprising, given their lead singer is one of the two from Ironhide). They dub this sound Sunshine Metal... I like that tag.

Their first album is pretty damn good. Get it for free (or give them some a donation) over at Bandcamp.

You can also catch them touring around supporting this album on the following dates:
December 26, Billionaire (18+ and with Mourning Tide!)
December 30, House Show, Sunshine Coast
December 31, Sun Distortion Studios, supporting Raein and Loma Prieta (all ages)

That las tshow is one you do not want to miss out on. Seriously. I just bought my tickets today. It's an all ages show, so it should be done well before midnight so you can still go off and party for NYE and kiss your girl. It also features to great skramz bands, Raein from Italy and Loma Prieta from the USA. It's also the very last show Sun Distortion Studios will host. Which is sad, as it has been an amazing all ages venue in Brisbane.

Local Brisbane Music extravaganza

Every few weeks I harp on about this, but goddamn Brisbane has some of the best local music around. So much good stuff is happening lately that I just have to share it with you all.

Snitch

I stole this picture from Jess. Sorry, but it was the only one I could find of the month's poster. I'm normally not a fan of any Destroy All Lines clubs. They have good bands ocassionally, but the crowd of scenesters isn't my favourite at all. They just kind of annoy me. But this month I'm going to have to make an exception with so much good music coming up at Snitch, their Thursday nightclub.

This Thursday, the 3rd of November, old Brisbane punk rockers The Gifthorse will be playing an acoustic set, while two of my favourite (and not to mention great) bands Fires of Waco and Quiet Steps will be playing full sets.

Then come 24th of November, my friend's band Castles Sunk Below the Sea will be playing their post-rock/emo stylings alongside Jud Campbell (former singer of the Disables doing acoustic), Fires of Waco and Perth's hardcore giants Break Even. It is two great Thursday night gigs of great Brisbane bands. Get on it.

Quiet Steps
Speaking of Quiet Steps, they will be playing the last ever show at Sun Distortion Studios. Come New Years Eve, they will be playing a show with Nuclear Summer as well as the awesome Italian screamo band Raein.  I may have squee-ed out loud when I heard of this show.

Lofly records
Also on this Thursday night (but at the Zoo) the local record lable Lofly will be putting on a showcase of their local acts. Included on this will be Mr. Maps (who's new music video you can see me in) and Re:Enactment.  It's $10 for great indie and post-rock.