News news news!

The best of the 90's
Lenny Kravitz and the Cranberries, together at last! In what would get so many of our 14 year old selves excited (surprisingly not me though, I wasn't the biggest fan of these two, although the Cranberries had some crackin' tunes), they are coming out for a tour. And to make it even more radio friendly, they've got Wolfmother coming with them!

March 24, Riverstage.

Now relive the magic!

G3

I've had this video on my computer since I was about 12:

It's the Karate Kid guitar duelling Steve Vai. Amazing, right? Well Steve Vai is touring as part of the G3 tour next year, when 3 kick-ass guitarists go around showing us their chops. Next year it will be Steve, with Joe Satriani (who's casette I used to have lying around somewhere) and Steve Lukather. April 5th at the Convention Centre. For some reason it's also 18+.

Joy Divsion live (sort of)

Peter Hook, the bassist of Joy Division (and member of New Order) is set to cash in on the Joy Division legacy again this year, by once again touring a full band playing an entire Joy Division album. Last time it was Unknown Pleasures, but this time he will be playing all of Closer. To me, Closer was a dark and moody album, but the songs on it aren't really anything I remember when I think of Joy Division. The show is Black Friday, April 13 at the Tivoli. Maybe he'll do something extra special for it?

Ariel Pink

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti were out at the start of the year for the Laneway festival. I watched a few songs, but to be honest, it wasn't my thing. Their music is sort of a hipster psychedelia. Maybe it was just that he was playing on a bloody hot day under a tin shed, but I just didn't get into it. I'm willing to give it another shot though, as the recorded stuff isn't too bad. I can do that at the Zoo on the 8th of March!


Dan Deacon
Everyone's favourite electronic party animal is going on tour! He'll be partying it up in Woodland on January 12. Tickets are about $32. This will be a great party night.

One sentence album reviews (#9)

Due to the floods this went on the backburner, but I'm slowly bringing it back on my Twitter.

Bad Books - ST (2010): Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine crossover for sweet indie-folk. 4/5

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today (2010): experimental lo-fi pop music doesn't really sound that good to me 2/5

1905 - Voice (2002): Female lead noise rock/screamo. It's currently one my favourite genres and I love this album. 4.5/5

Make Do and Mend - End Measured Mile (2010): This album can probably be the new yardstick for the orgcore genre 4/5

Gorillaz - The Fall (2010): Not bad for free and recorded on an iPad, especially love the almost cinematic instrumentals at the end 3.5/5

A Day to Remember - What Separates Me From You (2010): The idea of a pop-punk/metalcore crossover scares me, but I'll admit this album isn't horrible. 3/5

Anchors - Bad JuJu (2010): good, fast, melodic hardcore punk from Melbourne. Sound better on album than their last live show I caught 3/5

Athletics - Why Aren't I Home? (2010): Ambient post-rock that sounds more like midwest emo. 3.5/5.

Bad Sports - ST (2009): Garage rock that sounds like it's from the prime days of the early 70s! 4/5

Church of Misery - Houses of the Unholy (2009): Japanese/southern-rock/stoner/

sludge/metal, which sounds amazing. 4.5/5

Cloud Nothings - Turning On (2009): happy, jangly guitar-pop; refreshing as it sounds nothing like that current surf rock craze 3.5/5

Colors - Palindromes (2010): this is as cliche as screamo gets. It's neither good, nor bad. It just is. 2.5/5

Burning Love - Songs for Burning Lovers (2010): The former Cursed singer goes into hardcore punk, result is like the Bronx covers Cursed. 4/5

James Blake - James Blake (2011): I always thought dubstep was supposed to be more dancy, not this awesome laid back sound 4/5