It's really built up lately, what with a 2 week blog absence and the push to review as many albums before the end of the year. But here we go:
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde (2011): Maybe it's the name, but I get a very country feel to this lo-fi rock 4.1/5
Social Jet Lag - The Monster Inside (2011): Generic modern post-hardcore, but with a female that can actually sing. She should do pop instead 2/5
Starfucker - Reptilians (2011): Hipster indie-dance. At times I think Flaming Lips, Of Montreal or Avalanches. The whole time I think "YES!" 5/5
Tennis - Cape Dory (2011): an album seemingly transported from the pop music of a hot 1960s summer 3.9/5
Whirl - Distressor (2010): The Jesus and Mary Chain, if they wrote good music after the 90s. 4/5
White Lies - Ritual (2011): Editors get drunk at New Order concert, hooks up with Interpol; 9 months later their baby sounds like this 3.8/5
Autre Ne Veut - ST (2010): It's a modern Prince album basically, with the same level of annoyance 2.3/5
Tim Blood & The Gutpanthers - Summer Of Our Discontent (2011): lofi pop punk, with a sound that makes me think of a non-folk Defiance Ohio 3.4/5
The Cab - Symphony Soldier (2011): If I was a teenage girl that likes soft contemporary rock, this would make me swoon. Too bad I'm male. 2/5
Nekromantix - What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell (2011): Songs about ghosts and devils... Never would have guessed that in psychobilly 2.5/5
Kimbra - Vows (2011): A beautiful funky and jazzy album of soul from a talented kiwi female singer 4.2/5
Bomb the Music Industry! - Vacation (2011): The album starts nothing like a BTMI! album, but luckily the quirky ska comes back at the end 3.3/5
311 - Universal Pulse (2011): A 311 album in 2011 just sounds dated and so forced. Nothing even remotely funky about their current sound 2/5
Regurgitator - Superhappyfuntimesfriends (2011): As disjointed and random as any 'gurge album, but doesn't have a noticeable hit song on it 3.4/5
Staind - ST (2011): Less nu-metal than they used to be, but the song Wannabe makes me laugh so hard I can't take this album seriously 1.6/5
Frenzal Rhomb - Smoko At The Pet Food Factory (2011): Tyical Frenzal: fast songs with very non-PC yet hilarious subject matter 3.8/5
Puddle of Mudd - Re(Disc)overed (2011): This cover album takes everything I love about the original songs and destroys them forever 0.3/5
The Drums - Portamento (2011) & Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams (2011): surf rock albums almost identical, minus the female singer of Dum Dum Girls 3.3/5
(I had those 2 albums queued up back to back and I didn't notice when the album changed. They are so similar, except Dum Dum Girls is louder)
La Dispute - Wildlife (2011): an emotional trip with some of the best lyrics I have heard recently, each song is a story 4.7/5
(it took me ages to listen to the album, as seemingly each song is about dealing with death. Hits close to home. But unlike their last album, I don't think I heard the word "darling" once. In Wildlife the repeated word seems to be "cancer")
Mates of State - Mountaintops (2011): I listened to this 10 times without forming an opinion; which means it is still perfect lofi pop 3.8/5
Bury Your Dead - Mosh N' Roll (2011): In my world, this album is how I imagine all good straight edge hardcore to sound. 3.8/5
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - ST (2011): At times he gets close, but Craig Owens' new band just can't sound as good as Chiodos 2.3/5
Thrice - Major/Minor (2011): The post-hardcore sound is almost fully gone, but it has been replaced with some amazing rock song writing 4.6/5
Trivium - In Waves (2011): Enough heavier thrash for old fans & melodic metal for newer fans. Summary of their career really... 3.2/5
The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love (2011): They've lost the dance-punk edge and this album just sounds like modern elevator music 2/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You (2011): A watered-down version of their past (needs Frusciante!) that would be suited for AM radio 2.4/5
I Break Horses - Hearts (2011): This Swedish male/female synth-pop duo stands out from the pack because of their My Bloody Valentine influence 4/5
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011): They've lost a bit of the dreamy hipster sound and now almost sound alt-country. My Weakness! 4.3/5
Primus - Green Naugahyde (2011): The first new album from Primus in 12 years sounds as if it is from the Brown Album years. Funky and quirky 4.3/5
Ladytron - Gravity the Seducer (2011): Very quiet ambient synth music, like every Ladytron album. Just no stand out songs on this one 3.4/5
Eskimo Joe - Ghosts of the Past (2011): A very brooding mainstream-rock album, I can imagine the radio loving it. It just sounds cliche to me 3/5
Owen - Ghost Town (2011): Absolutely beautiful folk/indie/acoustic album, with just subtle touches of his noodly emo past showing 4.5/5
Skyway - Finders Keepers (2011): Imagine New Found Glory circa 2000, but Australian. That is this album. 3.6/5
Showing posts with label Regurgitator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regurgitator. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Regurgitator
Oh hey, it must be that time of year again. Regurgitator's going on tour.
It's becoming an annual event, kind of like that two weeks of freezing cold mornings we get in Queensland when our cars actually ice over. Well it's not that bad, as I actually like Regurgitator. And this Brisbane band is still putting out music, occassionally, and still rocking out.
Sure it's been a while since their heady days of the Unit album, when they'd play Recovery seemingly every few weeks with a new hit single (gosh, I miss that show). Trust my though, I go out and see them every year and they still put on a good show.
There's quite a few shows in our area for this tour:
18th August - Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
19th August - Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
20th August - The HiFi, Brisbane
21st August - King's Beach Tavern, Caloundra
Sure it's been a while since their heady days of the Unit album, when they'd play Recovery seemingly every few weeks with a new hit single (gosh, I miss that show). Trust my though, I go out and see them every year and they still put on a good show.
There's quite a few shows in our area for this tour:
18th August - Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
19th August - Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
20th August - The HiFi, Brisbane
21st August - King's Beach Tavern, Caloundra
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Brisbane: great bands, free samplers
I've said it over and over again on this blog, but Brisbane has one of the best live band scenes in Australia, maybe even the world. And it's really pretty at night:
No matter what kind of music you're into, there's a handful (or more) of people making it in Brisbane. Most of them aren't that well known; but for every Regurgitator and Custard we get a band like SixFtHick, who've been playing just as long, put out as much good music and are chronically underappreciated. But that's not stopping them, they still keep making music and playing shows.
And shows is really what Brisbane is all about. I'm constantly surprised that when I head to a local show how the crowds can be bigger than a lot of international touring bands I've seen. How these bands from Brisbane end up being more well known in other places (like the Saints and the Go-Betweens anyone?) but still call Brisbane home.
This love of the Brisbane musical scene and local bands is obviously not just shown by me, as two free music samplers have been released highlighting some of the best bands Brisbane has to offer.
The first is Sounds Like Brisbane. A mix for more of the hipster side of Brisbane. It has everything: hip-hop, indie, electronica, mathrock, punk, folk, even old school rock and roll... everything that appeals to the hipster in you and me. It also does a great job of showing how diverse Brisbane's musical side really is.
You can get it for free right here.
It features some of Brisbane's best bands; Texas Tea, Regurgitator, I Heart Hiroshima and the Medics to name a few. But the highlight to me would be the instrumental mathrock magic that is Mr Maps. I've heard this name bandied around Brisbane and the internet for the better part of 6 months now, but I've not been motivated to listen to them. Luckily they have a track on this compilation and now I'm hooked.
The second free sampler appeals to the 50% of me that isn't hipster: it's punk and hardcore. Brisbane's punk and hardcore scene is second to none. I'm going to shows almost weekly in this scene, and that's just a small fraction of it.
You can get the link, and a nice little blurb, from this Swedish Hardcore blog (now there's a blog post I've been writing slowly for the past year or so: Swedish music (particularly hardcore)).
I've seen 90% of those bands live, most more than once. With most of them I've yet to hear recordings of their music. So this was an excellent chance to listen to them in a more quiet setting than the multitude of venues I've experienced them all in the past. The mix was put together by a dude in Fires of Waco, who's band really stands out as a highlight of this mix (and their album came out last week too, get on it). There's even some classic Brisbane hardcore on the mix, in the form of Dick Nasty, who've been playing together since before I first moved to Brisbane as a pre-pubescent.
These two samplers are really just the tip of the iceberg. I can think of so many other bands that should be included in this. And it just makes me proud, as a music fan, to be living in such a great city.
No matter what kind of music you're into, there's a handful (or more) of people making it in Brisbane. Most of them aren't that well known; but for every Regurgitator and Custard we get a band like SixFtHick, who've been playing just as long, put out as much good music and are chronically underappreciated. But that's not stopping them, they still keep making music and playing shows.And shows is really what Brisbane is all about. I'm constantly surprised that when I head to a local show how the crowds can be bigger than a lot of international touring bands I've seen. How these bands from Brisbane end up being more well known in other places (like the Saints and the Go-Betweens anyone?) but still call Brisbane home.
This love of the Brisbane musical scene and local bands is obviously not just shown by me, as two free music samplers have been released highlighting some of the best bands Brisbane has to offer.
The first is Sounds Like Brisbane. A mix for more of the hipster side of Brisbane. It has everything: hip-hop, indie, electronica, mathrock, punk, folk, even old school rock and roll... everything that appeals to the hipster in you and me. It also does a great job of showing how diverse Brisbane's musical side really is.
You can get it for free right here.
It features some of Brisbane's best bands; Texas Tea, Regurgitator, I Heart Hiroshima and the Medics to name a few. But the highlight to me would be the instrumental mathrock magic that is Mr Maps. I've heard this name bandied around Brisbane and the internet for the better part of 6 months now, but I've not been motivated to listen to them. Luckily they have a track on this compilation and now I'm hooked.
The second free sampler appeals to the 50% of me that isn't hipster: it's punk and hardcore. Brisbane's punk and hardcore scene is second to none. I'm going to shows almost weekly in this scene, and that's just a small fraction of it.
You can get the link, and a nice little blurb, from this Swedish Hardcore blog (now there's a blog post I've been writing slowly for the past year or so: Swedish music (particularly hardcore)).
I've seen 90% of those bands live, most more than once. With most of them I've yet to hear recordings of their music. So this was an excellent chance to listen to them in a more quiet setting than the multitude of venues I've experienced them all in the past. The mix was put together by a dude in Fires of Waco, who's band really stands out as a highlight of this mix (and their album came out last week too, get on it). There's even some classic Brisbane hardcore on the mix, in the form of Dick Nasty, who've been playing together since before I first moved to Brisbane as a pre-pubescent.
These two samplers are really just the tip of the iceberg. I can think of so many other bands that should be included in this. And it just makes me proud, as a music fan, to be living in such a great city.
Monday, January 17, 2011
It rained and it rained, it rained both night and day. The people got worried, they began to cry
Although the mud has been cleaned out and all the ruined crap thrown out, I'm still without power at my place, so I'm stealing internet and food and hot showers from my parents for now. Which means, I get to give you the flood related music news of Brisbane while I'm here!
Powderfinger are not reuniting for the floods. Thank goodness. Despite what people have apparently been begging for (who, seriously... who?!) they've said no. No reunion. However, in the coming days, they will be releasing a new/unreleased song with all proceeds going to the Premier's flood relief thingy.
The Whitlams, who have songs much better than No Aphrodisiac, have been doing tours with orchestras for the last few years, bringing the best out of their songs. They were scheduled to play QPac's Concert Hall on January 21 and 22, but that's now been cancelled. Possibly because QPac's underground parking lot looked like this a few days ago:
Brisbane punk boys Spitfireliar, are turning their Friday gig at the Zoo this week into a flood benefit. Come in, watch some great punk and support all those who are suffering right now. The gig includes Bixby Canyon, Groin, Bertie Page Clinic and Smokestack Orchestra. 18+, $10 at the door and it's a good cause with good music.
This next show, may be my favourite Brisbane flood benefit, and it's all local bands. Get ready for it... the following will be playing the HiFi on February 6 to support the floods:
And in non-music, but important to me flood news, I have this:
Powderfinger are not reuniting for the floods. Thank goodness. Despite what people have apparently been begging for (who, seriously... who?!) they've said no. No reunion. However, in the coming days, they will be releasing a new/unreleased song with all proceeds going to the Premier's flood relief thingy.
The Whitlams, who have songs much better than No Aphrodisiac, have been doing tours with orchestras for the last few years, bringing the best out of their songs. They were scheduled to play QPac's Concert Hall on January 21 and 22, but that's now been cancelled. Possibly because QPac's underground parking lot looked like this a few days ago:
Brisbane punk boys Spitfireliar, are turning their Friday gig at the Zoo this week into a flood benefit. Come in, watch some great punk and support all those who are suffering right now. The gig includes Bixby Canyon, Groin, Bertie Page Clinic and Smokestack Orchestra. 18+, $10 at the door and it's a good cause with good music.
This next show, may be my favourite Brisbane flood benefit, and it's all local bands. Get ready for it... the following will be playing the HiFi on February 6 to support the floods:
- Regurgitator
- Custard
- Kate Miller Heidke
- Screamfeeder
- Hungry Kids of Hungary
- Gentle Ben & His Gentle Side
- Little Scout
And in non-music, but important to me flood news, I have this:
- LifeLine bookfest has been pushed back to start this Saturday
- The Big Bash 20/20 match at the Gabba last weeked was postponed until January 24
- The Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix game at Suncorp has been rescheduled to January 26
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Regurgitator news
Quan recently announced that they won't be recording any more albums!
Don't forget that they are playing the Tivoli on September 18.
(Holy hell, I miss Recovery. As I write this on a Saturday morning, I think about how 15 years ago I'd be watching Recovery right now.)
Anyway, never fear, Regurgitator aren't breaking up, they are just releasing EPs only now. Quan says:
Anyway, never fear, Regurgitator aren't breaking up, they are just releasing EPs only now. Quan says:
"It's just too much pointless pressure to follow an out of date paradigm. I don't listen to albums why should I make them? And tracklisting was always a real bitch in this band. Now thankfully that'll be in someone else's hands. :)"In fact, they even have a new song! You can hear it over at Triple J's Home and Hosed blog, right here: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/homeandhosed/blog/s2997718.htm
Don't forget that they are playing the Tivoli on September 18.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Music Music Music
Simply Red
My parents love this band. They've been pouring out hits for 25 years and now it's time for their farewell tour. Although their music is very pop these days, they actually started at a Sex Pistols show in the 70s.
Take your parents to see them (with Marcia Hines supporting) October 1 at the Entertainment Centre.
Last.fm
Bulls and music
For those of us not lucky enough to be going to Splendour, there's a festival happening at the same time in Ipswich called Rodeo Rockfest. Catch Spiderbait playing the Friday and Sunday.
July 30 - August 1 at Ipswich Turf Club
Tickets and details
Regurgitator!
Brisbane's favourite native party band has to be Regurgitator without fail. After playing QPac's Birthday, it seems they enjoyed it so much they're going on an Australian tour.
Tivoli, September 18
Not that you need it, but their MySpace if you haven't heard them before
La Dispute
I'm not going to lie, I only just started listening to this band, even though lots of my friends rave about them. And I'm addicted. It's like a heavier mewithoutyou. Think hardcore, spoken word, folk and instrumentals mixed in together. It's fairly unique. And awesome.
They did a basement DIY tour of Australia earlier in the year, which I kick myself for missing. But luckily, the word on the street is that they will be back out here in January for another trip round. I cannot wait. Do yourself a favour and check out a great band with an original sound.
MySpace
My parents love this band. They've been pouring out hits for 25 years and now it's time for their farewell tour. Although their music is very pop these days, they actually started at a Sex Pistols show in the 70s.
Take your parents to see them (with Marcia Hines supporting) October 1 at the Entertainment Centre.
Last.fm
Bulls and music
For those of us not lucky enough to be going to Splendour, there's a festival happening at the same time in Ipswich called Rodeo Rockfest. Catch Spiderbait playing the Friday and Sunday.
July 30 - August 1 at Ipswich Turf Club
Tickets and details
Regurgitator!
Brisbane's favourite native party band has to be Regurgitator without fail. After playing QPac's Birthday, it seems they enjoyed it so much they're going on an Australian tour.
Tivoli, September 18
Not that you need it, but their MySpace if you haven't heard them before
La Dispute
I'm not going to lie, I only just started listening to this band, even though lots of my friends rave about them. And I'm addicted. It's like a heavier mewithoutyou. Think hardcore, spoken word, folk and instrumentals mixed in together. It's fairly unique. And awesome.
They did a basement DIY tour of Australia earlier in the year, which I kick myself for missing. But luckily, the word on the street is that they will be back out here in January for another trip round. I cannot wait. Do yourself a favour and check out a great band with an original sound.
MySpace
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)