inpress issue #1123

M E L B O U R N E - G E E L O N G / S U R F C O A S T - B A L L A R A T / B E N D I G O - M O R N I N G T O N P E N I N S U L A

THE RED EYES NEW ARTS SECTION

EVENTTHE HOLD STEADY

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UN

STO

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TEM

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PIL

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ST

KIL

DA

FIL

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ESTI

VAL

KIM

SA

LMO

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LIS

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C S S K

33,222

W E D N E S D A Y 1 9 M A Y 2 0 1 0 ~ I S S U E 1 1 2 3 ~ F R E E

V I C T O R I A ' S H I G H E S T C I R C U L A T I N G S T R E E T P R E S S

Live Music [email protected]

www.wesleyanne.com.au

Open...MON - THU...from 4pm til lateFRI...from 2pm til late

SAT - SUN...from 12pm til late

Two for one meals on Mondays bookings: 9482 1333

(excludes steak, fish and specials)

Autumn Special

Wednesday 19 MaySINGLE TWIN + ADAM COLE 8.30pm, $8 Entry (band room)

Thursday 20 MayMISS LUCY 6pm, Free in the Front Bar

EMMA WALL + SPINIFEX ROSE 8.30pm $10 Entry (band room)

Friday 21 MayJIMMY TAIT DUO 6pm Free in the Front BarLAYDEE DEE + JAMES KENYON + ALYSIA MANCEAU + SUSIE MAE (NSW) 8.30pm, $7 Entry (band room)

Coming Up...28/5:THE PRETTY STRANGERS + GRIZZLY JIM

LAWRIE + LEFT FEELS RIGHT,30/5: STEPH BRETT BAND (CD LAUNCH),

2/6: AKASA, 3/6: THE BOY WHO SPOKE CLOUDS,

4/6: LUCAS PAINE, 5/5: LYDIA PHILLIPS

Sunday 16 may TH E EDINBURGH COLLECTIVEFEATURING OBVIAN + NIKKI PRATLEY+ JAMES DANIELS + NIC TATE 4pm , $5 Entry (band room)

Saturday 22 mayTHE BOYS 6pm Free in the Front Bar THE BON SCOTTS+ I HEART CUSACK + SOURSOP 8.30pm, $8 Entry (band room)

5

18/5 KARAOKE NIGHT

9PM FREE

19/5OPEN MIC NIGHT

8PM FREE

20/5 JULIA ROSE + CATE DE CARTERET

9.30PM FREE

21/5MATT COLLYER + GUESTS

10PM FREE

22/5BENDER BAR 5TH BIRTHDAY

WITH DJS DAPPER JAM 10PM FREE

23/5OPEN DECKS NIGHT

6PM FREE

635 HIGH ST THORNBURY VIC 3071OPEN 5PM TILL LATE, CLOSED MONDAYS

PH (03)9495-0341WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEBENDERBAR

BRUNSWICKBRUNSWICK

No.109

THE UNION HOTEL BRUNSWICK 109 UNION ST, BRUNSWICK [email protected] 9388 2235

Saturdays in May

Suzannah Espie & the Last WordSoul-country heart-throb Suzannah Espie takes to the Union stage with her sensational band the Last Word for five glorious afternoon sessions. Check it out.5pm

Thursdays in May

Stephen Cummings

Come for dinner and a stellar acoustic show of

rockabilly, honkytonk and Chicago blues.

7.30pm

Sun 23 May

Chucks Wagon (NSW)

All the way from Sydney, Chuck sings of heartbreak,

sin and redemption with Jason Walker on pedal steel

5pm

8

GIVEAWAYS

CREDITSEDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast Editor Shane ODonohue [email protected]

Interval Editor Daniel Crichton-Rouse [email protected]

National Dance Editor Kris Swales [email protected]

Contributing Editor Adam CurleyStaff Writers Bryget Chrisfi eld, Michael Smith

[email protected]

National Sales & Marketing Director Leigh Treweek Victorian Sales Manager Katie Owen Arts & local advertising Sarah Blaby

Bands & local advertising Adrian StoylesZebra/Clubs Fern Greig-Moore

DESIGN & [email protected]

Group Art Director Stuart TeagueInpress Cover Design / Art Direction Matt Greenwood

Layout Matt Davis, Matt Greenwood, Stuart Teague

ACCOUNTS & [email protected]

Accounts Qing Shu

CONTRIBUTORSSenior Contributors Clem Bastow, Jeff Jenkins

Overseas Contributors Tom Hawking (US), James McGalliard (UK), Sasha Perera (UK).

Writers Nick Argyriou, The Boomeister, Paul Andrew, Atticus Bastow, Steve Bell, Tim Burke, Dan Condon,

Anthony Carew, EJ Cartledge, Peter Chambers, Matthew Cheetham, Chris Chinchilla, Rebecca Cook, Kendal

Coombs, Adam Curley, Cyclone, Michael Daniels, Wayne Davidson, Guy Davis, Carolyn Dempsey, Liza Dezfouli, John Eagle, Guido Farnell, Sam Fell, Bob Baker Fish,

Johnny Gash, Cameron Grace, Stu Harvey, Andrew Haug, Andy Hazel, Anthony Horan, Rod Hunt, Layne Kim, Cookie Lee, Joey Lightbulb, Michael Magnusson, Baz McAlister, Keith McDougall, Sam McDougall, Tony McMahon, Adam

D Mills, Count Monbulge, Luke Monks, Fred Negro, Mark Neilsen, Roger Nelson, Danielle ODonohue, Matt

ONeill, Jordan Oliver, Adrian Potts, Paul Ransom, Symon JJ Rock, Adam Sharp, Nic Toupee, Rob Townsend,

Dominique Wall, Doug Wallen, Rod Yates.

PHOTOGRAPHERSChrissie Francis, Kate Griffi n, Kane Hibberd, Lara Luz, Lou Lou Nutt, Gina Maher, James Morgan, Heidi Takla,

Nathan Uren.

INTERNSAndrea Biagini, Dale Brett, Mitchell Brown,

Stefanie Markidis.

EDITORIAL POLICYThe opinions expressed in this publication are not

necessarily those of the publishers. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder. By submitting letters to us for publication, you agree that we

may edit the letter for legal, space or other reasons.

DEADLINESEditorial Friday 5pm

Advertising Bookings Friday 5pmAdvertising Artwork Monday 5pm

General Inquiries [email protected] (no attachments)

Accounts/Administration [email protected]

Gig Guide [email protected] [email protected]

Offi ce Hours 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday

PUBLISHERStreet Press Australia Pty Ltd 2-4 Bond Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067PO Box 1079, Richmond North VIC 3121Phone: (03) 9421 4499 Fax: (03) 9421 1011

PRINTED BYRural Press Victoria

BACK TO INPRESS62 The Wirefl ys are going places62 The Spitfi res are moving away from punk63 Stonnington Jazz Festival features

old- and new-timers63 Brian Chase and Seth Misterka play free jazz63 Chase The Sun are way more

electric on their second album65 Our LIVE section has everything you need to

know about the world of Melbourne live music!65 Gig Of The Week blows its load over

Jen Cloher and Jordie Lane65 LIVE:Reviews is left a little fl at by Tegan & Sara74 Stu Harvey gives you a ShortFastReport

on the world of punk and hardcore74 Andrew Haug takes us to the

dark side in The Racket74 Kendal Coombs leads the under-18s

boardroom in the Department Of Youth75 Adam Curley is a fi lm clip star in The Breakdown75 Dan Condon blues then roots in Roots Down78 If you havent appeared in Fred Negros Pub,

your mother probably still speaks to you79 Jeff Jenkins gets Even in Howzat!80 Our Gig Guide fi lls your diary for the weekend86 Find your new band and just about anything

else in our classy Classifi eds90 Finish Line hits hard with industry

fact (and conjecture)90 James McGalliard votes in London Fields

KIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS 26

WORD UP TO PRIZE WINNERS: Prizes must be collected from Inpress offi ces during business hours (9am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri). ID is required when collecting prizes. Prizes must be collected within four weeks of the giveaway being published. Please note, Inpress giveaway policy is that winners are permitted one prize per four-week period only.

INPRESS16 Foreword Line news, opinions,

tours, Backlash and Frontlash20 Tame Impala dont drug their audiences22 The Hold Steady have lost a keyboardist

and slowed down a bit24 Stone Temple Pilots always knew

theyd get back together26 Kim Salmon & The Surrealists have a

22-minute track on their new album. Woah28 On The Record reviews new releases by

The Black Keys, JJ and Male Bonding30 Even never rehearse31 Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper dont

hate each other after all32 The Red Eyes play reggae and dub, bro34 Joey Cape doesnt remember fi rst meeting his wife34 Biffy Clyro will play Wembley Stadium later this year35 Shai Hulud dont mind being called hardcore

FRONT ROW57 This Week In Arts, your comprehensive

guide to the week ahead; Metro Gallery gets profi led; the News; Snapshot; and Urchins Christopher Brown talks fear

58 Cultural Cringe explores the Next Wave Festival; 7 Up looks at fi lm titles that are also the storyline; and Film Carew weighs in on The Secret In Their Eyes, Fish Tank, and City Island

59 Directors Mia Timpano and Gemma Lee talk about their fi lms, screening as part of this years St Kilda Film Festival

60 Theatre Reviews: The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot and That Face; Festival Director Lisa Dempster previews the Emerging Writers Festival

taking place on Tuesday 1 June at 8pm at a secret venue. Also playing are the winners of the Red Bull Award (in recognition of outstanding potential), Oh Mercy. We have ten double passes to the show to give away, and as Mitchell has just sold out the Forum on her current tour, this is a huge prize. Coopers handcrafted beers are Australian made and Australian owned, so it makes sense they would support Australias most prestigious music prize, with both The AMP and Coopers being dedicated to craft excellence.

Sydney quartet The Holidays have announced east coast headline dates to coincide with the release of their imminent new single, Golden Sky. It comes hot on the heels of their acclaimed single Moonlight Hours, which reached number one on Triple Js playlist earlier this year, and consolidates the bands foray into an exciting new direction, blending wild percussion, sing-along chant choruses, falsetto vocals and squawking guitars. The Holidays will be playing at the Curtin Hotel in Melbourne on Saturday 12 June and we have two double passes to give away.

Also hailing from the Harbour City, blues-rockers Chase The Sun are impressing all and sundry with their new album Rednecks And Gentlemen, which is chock full of killer riffs, driving, southern-hillbilly rock and powerful blues. Theyre launching the album in Melbourne at Yah Yahs on Saturday, with guests Abby Cardwell and the Jarrah Thompson duo, and we have fi ve double passes to give away.

Since the release of their debut album Dap Dippin in 2002, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have received widespread acclaim for their spearheading of the funk/soul revival. Their fourth and latest full-length release I Learned The Hard Way is no exception, with critics noting in particular Jones maturing voice and the soulful musicianship as the albums major strengths. To celebrate its release, we have two signed copies of the album to give away.

Adelaide band The Beards just love singing about beards. Playing at the Evelyn on Friday, we have two double passes to give away.

ISSUE 1123WEDNESDAY 19 MAY 2010

Email [email protected] 5pm Wednesday

Together with Coopers, Inpress is super-excited to be presenting The Coopers AMP Intimate Gig. Featuring the winner of this years Australian Music Prize, Lisa Mitchell, its an exclusive, intimate, invite-only event

12

Lisa Mitchell

Special Guests BOY & BEAR and JOHNNY FLYNN

WED 4th AUGTHE HI-FI

Tickets from THE HI-FI, 125 Swanston St, Ph 1300THEHIFIor www.thehi.com.au; Polyester Records

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Secret Sounds presents

I SPEAK BECAUSE I CANOUT NOW ON EMI www.lauramarling.com

13

BUBLE BATHChart-topping crooner Michael Bubl has announced two Melbourne shows in February as part of his 2011 Crazy Love tour. The Canadian singer has won hearts with covers of classics Sway, Come Fly With Me, Fever and, from his latest studio album, Crazy Love and Cry Me A River. Performing previous hits and new originals, Bubl will play Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February. Presale tickets go on sale at 9am on Monday from visaentertainment.com.au, with a general public release on Friday 28 May through Ticketek.

BREAK OPEN THE SKYNew surf rock outfi t The Break are following up the release of their debut album Church Of The Open Sky with a string of shows throughout the country next month. The band, which comprises three founding members of Midnight Oil and Brian Ritchie from Violent Femmes, will play the Studio in Geelong on Friday 11, the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 12 and the Gershwin Room at the Esplanade Hotel on Sunday 13 June.

GOOD VIBRATORSWith a career spanning more than three decades and 16 albums, UK punk rock veterans The Vibrators are charging into 2010 like a bull on steroids with new album Under The Radar and their fi rst ever tour of Australia next month. With a line-up including band founders Knox and Eddie, along with long-time bass player Pete, The Vibrators will play the Arthouse on Sunday 13 June with support from Sin City, Bastard Squad and Mince Meat.

METALLICA SELL OUTAll three Melbourne dates of Metallicas World Magnetic tour have sold out. It took only hours for fans to snap up all tickets to the legendary bands three Rod Laver Arena shows this November. Metallica perform on Thursday 18, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November.

WHERE THERES A WILLSTo celebrate the release of her EP Somebody For Everyone, Ainslie Wills is hitting the road on a tour of Victoria. The Melbourne songstress, who has supported the likes of Missy Higgins, will play Bella Union at Trades Hall on Friday 28 May, the Helen Macpherson Theatre in Ballarat on Saturday 29 May, the Newmarket Hotel in Bendigo on Friday 4 June and the Palais in Hepburn Springs on Friday 25 June.

OMG, SNFU!After 29 years in the biz, Canadian punk legends SNFU are back on the road again with a stable line-up and new material in the works. The skate punk pioneers play the Arthouse on Thursday 15 July with special guests The Duvtons, The Pints and Sin City. Tickets are available at moshtix.com.au.

GOOD FOR WHAT ALES YAScottish metal pirates Alestorm will navigate stormy waters to this here fair land in September, to unleash their blend of folk and power metal on Aussie audiences. The self-proclaimed Scottish pirate metal band will be joined by Australias own metal fi ve-piece Claim The Throne for a show at the Corner Hotel on Saturday 19 June. Tickets are on sale from the Corner box offi ce and Missing Link Records.

FOREWORD LINE NEWS FROM THE FRONTMORE MITCHELLLisa Mitchells Oh Hark! national tour has been so well received that the Forum Theatre show on Friday 28 May has sold out. Due to popular demand, Mitchell has announced a show at the Corner Hotel on Thursday 27 May. Tickets are on sale now from the Corner box offi ce and cornerhotel.com. Turn to our giveaways page to fi nd out how you can win a double pass to an exclusive performance from Mitchell at The Coopers AMP Intimate Gig on Tuesday 1 June.

LANES WAYMelbourne alt.country folksters Jen Cloher and Jordie Lane have announced a second show after selling out their Thornbury Theatre gig on Friday. Cloher and Lane have promised the shows will include new material, duets and even a sweet Fleetwood Mac cover. The new show will take place at the Northcote Social Club this Sunday. Tickets are available from the Corner box offi ce and northcotesocialclub.com.

WHAT A GUYThe bro with the fro is carving up home soil once again with a national tour in June. Guy Sebastian and his band will hit the road armed with radio favourites Like It Like That and Bring Yourself from his fourth and latest studio album. Since his 2003 Australian Idol victory, the soul and R&B singer has scored more than a touchdown in his home country and overseas, most recently teaming up with fellow Idol alumni and US pop powerhouse Jordin Sparks for single Art Of Love. He will play an evening and night show at the Palms at Crown on Friday 18 June. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek and crowncasino.com.au.

MAY DAYNorwegian black metal legends Mayhem are heading down under for the fi rst time in eight years. The band are regarded as pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene, and have endured 26 years as a band, surviving the suicide of a lead vocalist and the murder of a guitarist. The band will prove the very meaning of their name when they hit the Hi-Fi Bar with their violent stage presence on Thursday 23 September.

SCALE FORCEAlt.rock brothers Secrets In Scale will join local favourites Dream On Dreamer, Qlayface, The Grey File and The Take Off when supporting Closure In Moscow at their Sunday 6 June show at Phoenix Youth Centre. The band will also appear alongside Closure In Moscow the night before at the East Brunswick Club. Tickets for the shows are available from moshtix.com.au and the East Brunswick Club box offi ce.

WEDNESDAY 19 MAYSISSIES & SLUTS THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HYENA MADRID? FOLLOWED BY A FILM SCREENING OF DAY OF THE ANIMALSENTRY $12, 8.30PM

THURSDAY 20 MAYMELTING POT PRESENTS:

SIOBHAN &THE SHAKERS CREATURES OF KARMASTOLEN APPLESLAUREN VICTORIAENTRY $10, 8PM

FRIDAY 21 MAYALBUM LAUNCH

THE BEARDS THE WOOHOO REVUETHE BASTARD CHILDRENENTRY $10, 9PM

SATURDAY 22 MAY

CHRIS CAVILL & THE LONG WEEKEND 2SWAIANITA GEORGEENTRY $9 PRESALE, $12 DOOR, 9PM

SUNDAY 23 MAY

JUMBLEDATDJ MUELENTRY $5, 8PM

MONDAY 24 MAYRESIDENCY EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS DJ OSCARENTRY BY DONATION, 9PM

TUESDAY 25 MAYRESIDENCY THE MOXIE GOODNIGHT OWLWINTER ENTRY $5, 8PM

COMING UP: SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: (WEDNESDAYS IN JUNE)SEX ON TOAST (27MAY)VOLTERA (ALBUM LAUNCH) (28 MAY)AFRO-MANDINO (29 MAY)CACOPHONY SOCIETY (3 JUNE)THE RESIGNATORS (ALBUM LAUNCH) (4 JUNE)RAINBIRD (5 JUNE)SARITAH (10 JUNE)MARSHALL & THE FRO (11 JUNE)A STATE OF FLUX (ALBUM LAUNCH) (12 JUNE)RED INK (17 JUNE)SLEEP PARADE (SINGLE LAUNCH) (18 JUNE)RAVE REVIEW 1ST BIRTHDAY (19 JUNE)MUMBLETOWN (24 JUNE)VAUDEVILLE SMASH (25 JUNE)ROOT! (26 JUNE)IDA BRAIM (1 JULY)OWN KIND (EP LAUNCH) (3 JULY)STRIKE ANYWHERE (17 JULY)

[email protected]

FRI 21 MAY - NICK BARKER + MICK THOMAS

FRI 4 JUNE - FAMILIA MOJA FUNDRAISER WITH MISO

+ HOULETTEFRI 11 JUNE - FIRE! SANTA ROSA,

FIRE! + KIMBRA + DEEP SEA ARCADE

$2 CARLTON POTS EVERY MONDAY

POND (ALBUM PREVIEW FT. MEMBERS OF TAME IMPALA) W/ EV & SHAGS + ZSA ZSA (MEMBERS OF KES, SONGS & FAB DIAMONDS)

EMERGING WRITERS FESTIVAL

SUN 23 MAY

WED 26 MAY

IOWA 7INCH LAUNCH W/ SKULLSQUADRON + QUIET THE FEW

BRIGHT KNIGHTS ALBUM LAUNCH W/ ELLE SKIES

GRAND ATLANTIC (RESIDENCY) + DETECTIVE SOCIAL + SKYE HARBOUR

FRI 28 MAY SAT 29 MAY

WED 19 MAY RESIDENCY FINAL NIGHT! HELLO SATELLITES (SINGLE LAUNCH) + NICK HUGGINS + J WALKER (MACHINE TRANSLATIONS) TWO BRIGHT LAKES DJS

NICK BARKER (ALBUM LAUNCH) W/ MICK THOMAS (WEDDING PARTIES ANYTHING)

MASTER CARDINAL + DREAMING OF GHOSTS + TEHACHAPI + STRANGERS FROM NOW ON

THURS 20 MAY FRI 21 MAY

SAT 22 MAY

16 SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

THE MIDNIGHT HOURMidnight Juggernauts have announced a national tour which will see them stop off in their hometown for a show at the Forum on Thursday 19 August. The trios debut album Dystopia established them with audiences around the globe, and their sparkling synth-rock follow up The Crystal Axis is just two weeks away from release. Tickets for the show are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

PRES

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PURPLE PARTYWith their fi rst mix CD, We Mix You Dance, about to drop, indie DJ kings Purple Sneakers are set to launch a weekly Friday night gig at Miss Libertine. Split across two rooms, the night will feature the hottest new indie tunes as well as classic dancefl oor fi llers. Each week will feature a selection Australias fi nest disc spinners, including the Purple Sneakers DJs as well as sets from top international and local bands. It all kicks off on Friday 11 June.

PRES

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MID STRENGTHWhile limited tickets still remain for the bands show at the Prince Bandroom on Monday 2 August, US rockers Midlake have announced another show for the night before at the same venue. Tickets for the new show on Sunday 1 August are on sale now through the venue, Polyester Records, Greville Records, Missing Link and at handsometours.com and princebandroom.com.au.

PRES

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YOUNG LOVEFollowing last weeks release of debut album We Are The Lost Loves, Melbourne dramatic ethereal pop duo Young Heretics have announced their fi rst full-band national tour in July. In the bands short history, members Kitty Hart and Matthew Wright have self-funded and self-produced an EP and debut album and captured audiences with their whimsical, dreamlike pop sound. Theyll be back onstage at the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 24 July. Tickets are on sale now from the Corner box offi ce and northcotesocialclub.com.

FOREWORD LINENEWS FROM THE FRONT

FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADSTo get your hands on two free tracks from a couple of this countrys hottest up-and-comers, simply head to universalmusic.net.au/freedownloads/streetpressaustralia!

Cement (No Device Remix) WASHINGTON

Washington is a singer/songwriter who is diffi cult to pigeonhole. She crosses genres from pop to country to folk and her infl uences range from Kate Bush to Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen to Radiohead. However, its her musicality, songwriting and intuitive intellect that distinguishes her from her peers. The title track from her debut EP How To Tame Lions won the inaugural Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. Taken from Washingtons eagerly anticipated debut album I Believe You, Liar (released Friday 30 July), Cement can only be described as the perfect pop song. Washingtons second EP, Rich Kids, is available now.

When I Feel Like Jesus Son The World Will Feel Much Different ERNEST ELLIS

Taken from his forthcoming debut album Hunting, When I Feel Like Jesus Son The World Will Feel Much Different incorporates all the Ernest Ellis hallmarks that weve come to know: a delicate falsetto, swelling guitar lines and arcane lyrics matched with memorable melodies. Recorded in various rural locales in NSW and mixed at 301 and Big Jesus Burger in Sydney, Hunting (out next month) includes the tracks Loveless, Bad Blood and Heading For The Cold.

UP THE HILLWith more than 18 million albums sold worldwide, Cypress Hill the trio of rappers B-Real, Sen Dog and producer DJ Muggs have pushed hip hops boundaries since their inception in the early 90s. The groups new studio album, their eighth, is titled Rise Up and was produced by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and features appearances from Pete Rock, Daron Malakian, Mike Shinoda, Apathy, Pitbull, Marc Anthony and more. Cypress Hill play the Palace on Thursday 23 September. Tickets go on sale Thursday 3 June from Ticketmaster.

APOLOGY TO FURST MEDIA PTY LTDOn 9 December 2009 Inpress magazine featured a segment entitled BARhop which contained reviews of various bars in Melbourne. Since publication, it has come to our attention that the segment reproduced parts of the Mini Bar 16 publication appearing in Beat Magazine on 4 November 2009, in which Furst Media Pty Ltd claims copyright. The reproduction was inadvertent. Inpress apologises to Furst Media Pty Ltd, the publisher of Beat Magazine, for any distress that this may have caused.

MARK OF A CHAMPIONMark Lanegan will perform a series of shows across Australia in July, on his fi rst solo tour since 2004. Lanegan was co-founder and lead vocalist of mid-80s grunge heavyweights Screaming Trees, but his solo ventures and collaborations with artists since then are equally as notable.Throughout the 90s and after the demise of Screaming Trees, Lanegan worked solidly on his solo efforts, fi rst with glorious debut The Winding Sheet. His most recent solo album, Bubblegum, was a critical smash and featured contributions from PJ Harvey, Queens Of The Stone Ages Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, Dean Ween of Ween and Guns N Roses Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin. Lanegan was also a member of Queens Of The Stone Age for albums Songs For The Deaf and Lullabies To Paralyze. Lanegan plays the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 7 July. Frontier members pre-sale tickets are available from noon today, general public tickets go on sale 9am Friday.

FORMIDABLE PASSIONAll tickets to Passion Pits show at the Prince Bandroom on Thursday 5 August sold out in 20 minutes last week, so a second gig at the same venue on Wednesday 4 August has been announced. The bands good-time electro indie pop was a huge hit at this years Big Day Out Passion Pit will also be tearing it up at the sold-out Splendour In The Grass festival on Sunday 1 August.

17SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

KEPT IN THE DARKCoopers Dark Ale, PBS FM and Inpress invite you to attend an exclusive gig at a secret location on Saturday 17 July. Featuring The Drones, The Dacios and Batrider, this free show, broadcast live to air on PBS, will be the most intimate gig The Drones have played in Melbourne in years. The band, whose local shows always sell out, performed at the Pavement-curated All Tomorrows Parties festival in the UK on the weekend. You cant buy your way into this exclusive invite-only event; for further information on how you can score yourself a ticket go to coopers.com.au/events/soundsafterdark.

PRES

ENTS

A BIGGER SLASHAfter selling out his Palace show in eight minutes, the Melbourne gig of guitar god Slash has been moved to the much larger Festival Hall. Touring with Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy, Slash will perform songs from his latest self-titled album (featuring guest appearances from the likes of Wolfmothers Andrew Stockdale, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Lemmy and Ian Astbury) as well as Guns N Roses classics. Slash plays Festival Hall on Wednesday 11 August. Palace tickets are valid for the new show; remaining tickets go on sale from Ticketmaster on Friday.

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GET IT OMRising from the ashes of legendary Californian stoner doom metal lords Sleep, Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius AKA Om had a well-documented meltdown after the recording of their live album Jerusalem, later know as Dopesmoker. In 2008 Hakius left the band and was replaced by drummer Emil Amos, but Om remains one of the most innovative bands of modern psych, drone and doom metal. The San Fransiscan duo play the Hi-Fi Bar on Friday 16 July with Lichens and Blarke Bayer/Black Widow. Get tickets Friday from thehifi .com.au.

PRES

ENTS

MERCY RULEAfter gallivanting around the US following their performance at this years SXSW, Oh Mercy take time out from recording their second album to play a free, all-ages gig at Pure Pop Records at 3pm on Saturday 29 May. The band have a busy year ahead once they fi nish their Mitchell Froom-produced new record, they join a national Temper Trap tour in July and play the sold-out Splendour In The Grass festival.

HAVE A HEARTThe annual Heart Of St Kilda concert, which is the Sacred Heart Missions major yearly fundraiser to support them in the vital work they undertake, will be held at the Palais Theatre on Tuesday 29 June. Acts confi rmed include Tex Perkins, Archie Roach, Paris Wells, Clare Bowditch, Mick Thomas, Rebecca Barnard, Ella & Jesse Hooper, Stephen Cummings, Kutcha Edwards, Even, The Frowning Clouds, Brian Nankervis, Des Dowling, Judith Lucy, Greg Fleet, Ian Bland and Hannah Gadsby. Every day of the year Sacred Heart Mission provides free breakfasts and three-course hot lunches to people who are homeless or living in poverty.

IN THE WARSWith Bodyjar duties behind them and debut single Giving It Up ready to go, the considerable talents of singer/guitarist/songwriter Cam Baines and tub-thumper Shane Wakker, along with Mikey Juler (formerly of For Amusement Only) and Mark Brunott, are set to unveil Cola Wars debut album, Invader. The band launch their release at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 18 June with support from Behind Crimson Eyes and The Statics.

KEVIN SENTKevin Rudolfs fi rst Australian tour will deliver a maximum-impact close encounter with a star of global urban rock. Rudolf will perform songs from smash hit debut Let It Rock and upcoming second album To The Sky. Latest single I Made It, featuring Lil Wayne, Birdman and Jay Sean, has already dominated the charts worldwide and is currently sitting pretty in the top 40 of the ARIA Singles Chart. With support from rising LA-based rap star Tyga, Rudolf plays the Palace on Friday 16 July.

WHITS ENDWith a number of dates already sold out, Whitley has added a fourth and fi nal show on his intimate solo tour. Armed only with a guitar, Whitley now also plays the Northcote Social Club on Monday. Head to northcotesocialclub.com now to book tickets. Whitley has also announced an extra 30 tickets each night on the door for his otherwise sold out shows at the NSC tonight, tomorrow and Friday. Get there early theyll be snapped up in no time.

KICKING GOALSSYN Media have announced that The Delta Riggs, Wilfred Jackal, Boarders, Money For Rope and The Kremlin Succession are the fi ve fi nalists of this years Free Kick band competition. The Free Kick Competition is an initiative by SYN Media and the 2010 Community Cup, offering an emerging band or artist the chance to perform at this years event. The fi ve fi nalists will battle it out at the Free Kick Finals at the Espy on Thursday 27 May. Held on Sunday 27 June at Elsternwick Park, the Community Cup is a top game of footy showcasing some of Australias best live musicians. The winner will perform at this years event alongside The Living End, Nick Barker & The Reptiles, The Blackeyed Susans and Little Freddie & The Pops. In keeping with The Clash theme for this years event, the winning band will also be required to perform a Clash song as part of their set.

CLOUD CONTROLRecent Inpress cover stars The Frowning Clouds are teaming up with New South Wales band The Delta Riggs for a Sunday residency at the Workers Club in June. The Frowning Clouds recent debut album, Listen Closelier, is a garage rock gem, while The Delta Riggs are as steeped in genuine Americana and good-time classic freaknroll as ever a band was. Support acts include Here Comes The Sun and Fuzz Phantoms.

LETTERS INDead Letter Chorus are back with Covered By Snow, the fi rst single from their forthcoming second album. The band recently spent more than six weeks touring Canada, where their previous record, The August Magnifi cent, was received well, leading one critic to call them Australias answer to Arcade Fire. Covered By Snow will be available as a limited edition 7 single and digital download later this month. With Canadian band Two Hours Traffi c in tow, Dead Letter Chrous play the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 12 June.

FOREWORD LINE NEWS FROM THE FRONT

BEST OF FRIENDSMy Friend The Chocolate Cake will preview new material and play a swag of old favourites as they play three intimate, two-set shows at Spenserlive on Saturday 10, Saturday 17 and Friday 23 July.


GOING SOFTThe Soft Pack formerly known as The Muslims began as a collaboration of two friends, Matt Lamkin and Matty McLoughlin. In 2008 the pair recruited Dave Lantzman (bass) and Brian Hill (drums), dropped their somewhat-controversial Muslims moniker and continued their prolifi c rise, with releases of MP3s, sell-out vinyl singles and EPs, viral videos and an appearance on Letterman. Already garnering comparisons to the likes of The Strokes, The Velvet Underground and Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The Soft Pack play rocknroll distilled to its very essence. The band perform at the East Brunswick Club on Thursday 8 July.

PRES

ENTS

VALENTINES DAYWith more than two millions records sold worldwide, and most recent album Fever going top fi ve here and in the States, Japan and across Europe, metal behemoth Bullet For My Valentine play Festival Hall on Thursday 9 September. The huge bill also includes Warped tour favourites Bring Me The Horizon and Cancer Bats. Tickets go on sale Thursday 27 May from Ticketmaster.

SAL OUTSally Seltmann, the songwriter and singer best known for her previous work under the alias New Buffalo, will launch her new album Heart Thats Pounding with a full-band national tour in July. Joining Sally onstage will be her husband Darren Seltmann, lyrical pop songstress Jessica Venables (Jessica Says), Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths) and Tim Harvey (Hot Little Hands). Together the band will be performing songs from Seltmanns new album as well as reaching back into the New Buffalo catalogue. Joining her on Saturday 10 July at the Corner Hotel will be Melbourne art pop trio Otouto and rock outfi t Kyu. Tickets are available from the Corner box offi ce and at cornerhotel.com.

PRES

ENTS

The campaign for small live music venues to have their high risk status removed continues in Victoria, however there are signs that their luck could change. The state government has appointed a new Director Of Liquor Licensing to replace Sue Maclellan, who faced widespread criticism for imposing rigid security conditions on all premises with amplifi ed live music in an effort to curb alcohol-related violence.

Live music advocates hope that the appointment of former Small Business Commissioner, Mark Brennan, as the new Director represents a shift in government attitude on the issue. Brennan previously has worked on projects to reduce red tape for businesses, the relaxing of retail trading hours and liquor industry reform.

Spokesperson for the live music advocate group SLAM, Quincy McLean, believes that the coming months will be crucial in determining the future of small music venues. We have a list of recommendations were going to be putting to the [state] government because now is the time to act, McLean says. The government are going to be developing their policies in the lead up to the election and Liquor Licensing is being restructured and they have a new Director.

MACLELLAN AXED

BACKLASH FRONTLASH

Sue Maclellan alienated the music industry during her fi ve-year tenure as Liquor Licensing Director through the proposed 2am lockout on licensed venues in 2008 and last years crackdown on security measures at live music venues. She was very much out of touch with the requirements of licensed premises, particularly live music venues, McLean says. I would have thought the licensing directors job would have been to work with licensed venues, not to punish them.

We had an opportunity to grill her about some of these issues at one stage and she seemed to have no qualms about the fact that venues had closed down, he says. Were not disappointed to see her go.

That was, however, before the groundswell of opposition to the high risk conditions that required small music venues to adhere to costly new security conditions. While many venues were forced to scale-back or cease allowing performances, the closure of rock institution the Tote ignited huge protest that culminated in some 15,000 musicians, gig goers and industry fi gures taking part in the Save Live Australias Music rally in February.

Although a Live Music Accord has been signed between

music advocates and the state government whereby venues can apply to have their high risk status removed few venues have been granted a rollback of conditions so far. Greens MP Greg Barber has criticised the restrictive fi ne print of the Accord. There are only a few dozen venues in the fi rst round [of rollbacks] who are going to have their conditions varied, Barber says.

He believes that rollbacks should extend to venues that had costly security measures imposed on them prior to the beginning of the government crackdown in early 2009. That doesnt even bring us to new venues that want to bring in live music but wont because they are scared of the conditions that will be imposed on them, he says.

Remove all the conditions as they relate to live music, Barber says. Live music shouldnt be any sort of trigger to high risk conditions.

Liberal MP and opposition consumer affairs spokesperson Michael OBrien has also condemned the governments handling of live music, even in the wake of the Accord. Having a brass band at the local RSL is not the same as having a Metallica gig at a venue, he says. The Liberals have proposed a fi ve-star rating system where venues with bad track records will incur high risk measures and we will reward good venues that are well managed, with discounts on their liquor licensing fees.

Quincy McLean of SLAM will be continuing discussions with the state government in coming weeks. Well certainly be asking questions about why only 33 venues were approached by Liquor Licensing for the rollback, and why only six venues applied and of those only two have had a rollback so far the other ones I think Sue Maclellan left on her desk when she left, he says. As far as the rollback goes, Id see that as a failure when theres 400-plus [music] venues that have high risk conditions.

THE MARQUIS OF LORNE HO TELCNR GEORGE + KERR S TREET S F I TZROY

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MONDAY 23 RD MAY9 TIL 11ADAM AFIF & FERGUS MCALPINAND FRIENDS

TONY ABBOTTThe Lib leader lets slip that not everything he says is the truth and for the fi rst time we believe him.

PUMP UP THE VOLUMECmon, Fitness Australia. We all pay way too much for gym memberships we never use its about time you started paying musicians fairly for capitalising on their creative product.

QUIT FACEBOOK DAYRead all about this Herald Sun-endorsed campaign on the offi cial Facebook event page. Yes, really.

SPACE INVADASLast time we saw this super-soulful local act at the Toff there was enough room to swing ten cats, so it was great to see a packed house for their mind-blowing show back there last week. Oh, guest singer Fantine was fuckin ace too.

THE PBS RADIO FESTIVALAs if you needed any more incentive to become a subscriber to this excellent radio institution, sign up before the festival ends on Sunday 30 May for a chance to win a new car.

CHRIS KLEINWorst. Audition. Ever

Space Invadas

They Tote and they vote pic by Leila Morrissey

FOREWORD LINENEWS FROM THE FRONT

The hospitality industry is not disappointed that the state government quietly appointed a new Director Of Liquor Licensing, replacing the controversial Sue Maclellan. ADRIAN POTTS garners the reaction.

19SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

Lounging in the backyard of his Perth digs soaking up some rays, Tame Impalas frontman Kevin Parker sounds relaxed but also inspired. We had a small line-up change so were really into practising and its sounding really awesome, he says of his bands activities over the last couple of days. Is Parker speaking of the permanent recruitment of elfi n guitarist Nick Allbrook? Nah, weve had Nick for ages now, he corrects. He is now playing bass guitar and Dom [Simper] who played bass guitar is now on guitar duties. Jay Watson is still thumping the tubs.

The fi rst time this scribe encountered Allbrook as part of the Tame Impala live show was at Meredith Music Festival in 2008 when he was sporting a crazy, multicoloured fl uoro scarf/boa and handing grapes out to the front rows. Oh, yeah he did, Parker remembers. We always get fruit in our rider so whenever we play a song that he doesnt do anything in he always gives a bunch of fruit away to the audience. Having initially waved the grapes past, I later kicked myself believing they may have been injected with liquid hallucinogens. No, they were quite safe, Parker laughs. Were not gonna go drugging our audience. Tame Impala shared the Meredith stage with another band often fl ung into the psychedelic category, Brooklyns MGMT. The Perth quartet also scored national tour support duties for MGMT and will be reuniting to

share overseas stages with the band later this year. Were going to Europe in September and October to tour with MGMT, Parker enthuses. And were doing America with them in June, which will be really good.

Tame Impala are no strangers to support slots (theyve previously warmed up stages for Yeasayer and The Black Keys). Playing in Perth, you kinda have to do what youre told in terms of stage set-up and the length of time [you play]. So when you see headline bands, theyre the ones making the rules and they can really tailor their live performance to what they want. And so seeing each band that you support it really inspires you to get your show to be unique in some way. Parker says supporting MGMT really brought home the fact that they are human. [MGMT] are probably the only band weve supported that weve watched every night. They break strings and their guitars go out of tune as well, you know. You always see huge international touring bands [as if theyre] on another level of musicianship, but its nothing like that everyones potentially the same level of musician.

Parker recorded all of the instrumentation on Tame Impalas self-titled EP before his band signed to a label and observes of the process behind their debut longplayer InnerSpeaker, This was the fi rst time that Ive actually recorded a batch of songs for a foreseeable project for

an album, from start to fi nish It was done with a little bit more of a professional attitude. Tame Impala were put up in what the InnerSpeaker presser describes as an enormous treehouse mansion with 180 degree views of the Indian Ocean to work on the album. Its this house on a hill in the middle of nowhere next to the ocean and its like three storeys high, Parker elaborates, and its made of a different scrap of wood for every panel. Its huge but it actually looks like a mutant treehouse and its in the middle of the bush. Its the most amazing house Ive ever been to. The scenery is distracting to say the least.

Tame Impalas expansive sound calls to mind the experience of stumbling across an unexpectedly breathtaking view after a taxing mountain hike at the best of times. So does Parker feel like this spectacular panorama infi ltrated InnerSpeaker? That was as much a blessing as a problem, he offers, because the scenery was so inspiring that, when your visual stimulation is that nice, you could play anything on an instrument and it would sound blissful youd just strum one chord and your life would be complete. It was hard to tell what was actually sounding dreamy and what was just [seeming that way] because of the scenery. We had to take the album back to our house in Perth and listen to it there and actually suss it out, he confesses. Parker explains he used to live with the rest of the guys from Tame Impala

but is now living with some other friends. We pretty much live communally anyway, he goes on. Were around at each others houses nearly every day.

Although you wouldnt know from the listed members on the Pond MySpace page (Wirey B Buddha, Paisley Adams, Kaykay Sorbet, Celestius Maximus Argyle, etc), this Perth band shares multiple members with Tame Impala. Theyre our pseudonyms, Parker chuckles of the inventive monikers, explaining that Pond is as much [about] hilarity as serious songwriting. There is constantly music and sound being made in our sort of jam house. Jay and Nick are the two leaders of Pond, thats one of our other band side-project things. Im their drummer and so they just tell me what to do and I bash the skins and have great fun. And they have other friends of ours [contributing] that we live with and hang out with and stuff. I think there are about fi ve people in Pond, but technically there are unlimited people because anyone can just do anything they want, he continues. They just fi nished recording their fourth album! We went down south for a couple of weeks we just got back about a week ago and recorded an album in our friends farm, which was pretty fun. Theyre the most prolifi c band Ive ever heard of. [Pond] produced all their albums in the time it took Tame Impala to do one.

Singling out a show Tame Impala played in the UK last year as a performance highlight, Parker marvels, a few of our idols were there. The hesitant namedropper needs further coaxing. Well, this lady named Fabien del Sol a singer that Ive always loved. Liam Watson, who is a recording engineer, and Noel Fielding was there. And some of the guys from Klaxons. They all came to watch us. Tame Impalas Sundown Syndrome single was recorded by Watson in his Toerag Studios during this same stint abroad. We had had a phone conversation before [the gig], Parker tells of how Tame Impala secured the services of the engineer responsible for Elephant by The White Stripes, but [Watson] knew that we were playing and he came to check us out and to listen to us.

It was just us playing. Our label had organised a show in Islington and I thought there would just be a couple of journalists and random people [would] come to watch us. And we rocked up in our tour van and there was a line outside the door and it had sold out. It was a really career-changing night for me, that night. At the end of it I was sitting outside with Nick having a cigarette at the hotel and I was just thinking to myself, How can life continue now that this has happened?. Parker laughs uncomfortably as if he believes this recollection sounds lame and then remembers another exciting incident. Also, we were leaving that night and some people swamped us. Theyd driven for two hours to see us and they were from somewhere in rural England or something. Parker sounds surprised by the realisation that Tame Impala have already attracted attention internationally and confesses, Im not really attached to the outside world that well I thought that we would forever be an Australian band [touring locally] but, yeah! It really opened my eyes to the fact that people in other countries are actually similar to you and listen to the same kind of things and everyone really has similar music taste when it comes down to it.

NATIVE SPEAKERSWe rocked up in our tour van and there was a line outside the door and it had sold out! frontman KEVIN PARKER tells BRYGET CHRISFIELD of TAME IMPALAs London showcase gig. Cover pic by CYBELE MALINOWSKI.

20

WHO: Tame Impala WHAT: InnerSpeaker (Modular)WHEN & WHERE: Friday, the Forum; Saturday 12pm, in-store at JB Hi Fi, Bourke Street store

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

When it was announced a few months ago that the awesomely-mustachioed keyboardist Franz Nicolay was leaving The Hold Steady, many were concerned that it was more than just the Brooklyn bands visual aesthetics that would suffer from his absence. Yet while theres no doubt that Nicolays adroit skills had made an impact on the bands anthemic barroom music over the course of their last few albums, the release of the Brooklyn groups fi fth, Heaven Is Whenever, has more than allayed any fears in this regard, for while it has a distinctly more laid-back vibe than their recent fare the record proves without a shadow of a doubt that The Hold Steadys rousing appeal has survived the change fully intact.

I think the songs just lead us there, frontman and lyricist Craig Finn offers of the different direction displayed on Heaven Is Whenever. I think a lot of it was because, being on our fi fth record, weve played a million shows, which made us confi dent enough to try some new things and stretch out a little bit. I think the other thing is that Franz left the band, so we kind of got back to a four-piece for the writing process, and that puts space into the back end of the music that I really feels serves it well. Theres a little bit more room for the songs to breathe and I think that thats a big part of the record.

The thing was that Franz came in late anyway he wasnt an original member of the band. It just freed up a lot of space, and maybe you can just hear the other four instruments better and it allowed us to really lock in as a four-piece a little more. So I think it defi nitely affected the songwriting process we did use keyboards and piano, but only where we felt they were really needed.

As with all bands utilising a distinctive sound or persona, their devoted fans cling to this for dear life and are resistant to any change to what they perceive to be the groups core motif. Accordingly, in the blogosphere many hardcore disciples of The Hold Steady have been somewhat nonplussed about this new direction.

Yeah, well I think if you look at it theres X amount of people who are just resistant to change at all, Finn laughs. But I think for a band to stay interesting it has to grow a little bit, and that theres things were going to have to constantly change musically to keep it interesting for us, and to keep it interesting for the

audiences. I think one of the things is that weve done fi ve albums now in seven years, so I feel like we can keep making records however we want to and it will always change a little bit because we do em pretty quick.

While the bands last two albums have covertly strived to encourage their fans to better themselves and look for the positives in the myriad of complicated scenarios that life often throws at us, their live shows with the omnipresent So much joy! mantra that Finn regales his fans with each night also add to the bands notoriously communal appeal.

I think thats one thing I always wanted to do with the band, to inject some positivity into a rocknroll band or a rocknroll song, Finn concurs. I want our shows to be

this big communal experience and I think thats something that weve been able to offer people. To offer a realistic but optimistic view on life, or just how they feel for that one night. Weve done our thing in that regard, but the reaction has been overwhelming because people really will go there with us. It can get pretty crazy some nights.

Fortunately for long-term fans the ongoing narrative arc that unfolds over the bands albums hasnt completely disappeared characters such as Gideon, Holly and Charlemagne are still woven into the lyrics, just now you have to delve a little deeper to fi nd them.

I think that theres some songs on this record that relate to that and some that dont, Finn admits. But also I think Ive continued to keep it away from the proper nouns

and explaining whos doing what all the time because I do think that the beauty of a song is that people are able to inject their own emotions and own feelings about it, and I want to continue on that path I think thats more important to me than spelling out any sort of story.

One of the most obvious examples on the record is that close inspection of the lyrics to The Weekenders reveals that the characters are clearly those from the song Chips Ahoy, which was a cornerstone of 2006s Boys And Girls In America album.

You know what, I was thinking about social networking, Finn admits of the songs background. Im not on Facebook but my girlfriend is, and I was thinking about all of these people getting back in touch with each other through Facebook people she hasnt talked to since high school and I was kind of thinking of those two characters in Chips Ahoy and having them reconnect, or try to reconnect. It was kind of supposed to be like, Well we havent talked in a few years, but Im reaching out to you.

Another standout track on Heaven Is Whenever is We Can Get Together, a music geeks wet dream which aside from providing the name for the album subtly namechecks a slew of bands such as Pavement, Hsker D and Meatloaf (amongst many other more obscure acts).

On that one I was just thinking about how when you meet someone who likes the same music as you, you can kind of go into this sort of static thing where you go, Oh dude, have you heard this? Have you heard this?, Finn chuckles. And I think I wanted to try and capture that, along with the idea of two people sitting in front of a record player and creating their own little world. Because in some ways thats what The Hold Steady does, weve created this alternate world where all these characters live, but I think that thats what people do with rocknroll in general sometimes you turn up, you put on your headphones and you kind of block out the world. So theres this kind of escapist thing, and sharing that with someone as in the case of We Can Get Together is what I was trying to capture.

Thats kind of been another thing thats been amazing about being immersed in this band, just seeing lots of music and meeting some of your favourite artists. I still love buying records, I still love music.

CHANGE OF PACENot everyone has been won over by THE HOLD STEADYs laid-back new album, Heaven Is Whenever. Theres X amount of people who are just resistant to change at all, frontman CRAIG FINN tells STEVE BELL.

22

WHO: The Hold SteadyWHAT: Heaven Is Whenever (Vagrant/Shock)


THE SECOND STONE AGENineties alt.rock giants STONE TEMPLE PILOTS are back with their fi rst new album in ten years. I dont think any of us wants to redo anything weve already done, guitarist DEAN DELEO tells DOUG WALLEN.

singer Scott Weiland, drummer Eric Kretz, DeLeo and his bassist brother Robert. DeLeo had been saving many of the new songs for a long time, making it a particular thrill for him to see them fi nally greet the light of day. I love recording music, he says, especially songs that have been sitting in my pocket for many, many years. Its quite cathartic to get them out. Its very relieving. And that I have the opportunity to have guys like Robert and Eric and Scott embellish upon my music its mighty fi ne, man.

Romping through 12 songs in 41 minutes, Stone Temple Pilots is built on effortless choruses and splashy guitar licks. Helmed by the brothers DeLeo in LA, it in no way rehashes the grunge thrills of platinum-selling early efforts like 1993s Core and 1994s Purple. The bluesy hooks of Take A Load Off and Hazy Days may immediately be of the familiar STP brand, but most of the songs have a 60s or 70s feel, fl itting between power pop, glam, baroque rock and more. Hickory Dichotomy and First Kiss On Mars are decidedly Bowie-ish, while Between The Lines recalls Tom Petty by way of Nirvana. The closing Maver is a harmony-ripened ballad underscored with piano, and Dare If You Dare is a dreamy Beatlesque vision until the chorus tips its hat to Mott The Hooples Bowie-penned All The Young Dudes.

We sure didnt set out to make that type of record, DeLeo asserts. I think we just wanted to be a little more expressive. Being the guitar player, I really have all the paints in front of me. Thats where all the colour comes from. I just wanted to approach things a little differently, with cleaner tones and a lot of Telecaster stuff. Its funny you say 60s or 70s: I think the record has a real country tinge, quite honestly.

Our names not even on the cover. We didnt want anything to

disturb that image. That image, to us, was like a fl ower. How

do you improve on that?

He cites a country infl uence in everything from Huckleberry and Hickory Dichotomy to Maver and First Kiss On Mars, admitting that the latter started as a nice little country ditty before Weiland introduced some very cosmic lyrics about a bipolar disco and super magic robots. Thats whats so exciting about Scott coming back with something, DeLeo gushes. He comes back with the complete, complete unexpected.

Although Weiland has said this is basically the fi rst album where his lyrics werent preoccupied by his heroin addiction, witness the rascally refrain of the lead single Between The Lines : You always were my favourite drug/Even when we used to take drugs. Vocally and lyrically, he then approaches something like vintage Britpop on the super-romantic Cinnamon, a song written and demoed entirely by Robert one night after dinner. Coaxed along by the cascading jangle, Weiland swoons, Youve got to be the prettiest girl/Ive ever witnessed in the whole world.

We threw a lot of material at him, recalls DeLeo. We were demoing three, four songs a day. We worked up 20-something. Then we got together and, in our usual fashion, we played most everything acoustically so Scott could really hear the chordings that were happening. Then we played the stuff live. So the album was actually cut twice: once in demo form and then for real. The album, he adds, was recorded digitally, albeit with the bands own collection of vintage gear.

As for the records eye-catching cover, its an image of fi ngers making the universal peace sign, courtesy of infl uential artist Shepard Fairey (the man behind the Obey Giant). Between that image and the decision to make the album self-titled, Stone Temple Pilots are letting the image and album speak from themselves. That pretty much sums it up, argues DeLeo. Our names not even on the cover. We didnt want anything to disturb that image. That image, to us, was like a fl ower. How do you improve on that? Asked if the album could be taken as untitled, he laughs and says, Call it what you want, man. You can call it Peace. He acknowledges that, in the tradition of the Beatles White Album, fans will sometimes mint their own name for a record.

With a new album hitting the world and more tour dates in the offi ng, STP are poised to make their fi rst-ever visit to Australia early next year. Live, the band remain simply a quartet Theres nothing else playing but guitar, bass, drums, and a singer, the way god meant it to be, beams DeLeo but there has been talk of adding a touring member to man keyboards and other extras. Either way, he says, Weve played those songs as a three-piece live and it works.

Whatever ones thoughts about Stone Temple Pilots in the year 2010, the band have avoided any cashing in on the burgeoning grunge revival. As DeLeo tells it, the new album isnt derived from the bands initial lifespan but rather the years spent on hiatus. We havent made a musical statement as the four of us in eight years, he reminds. A lot happens in ones life in a week, let alone eight years. [This] is just a refl ection of what has transpired in our lives.

At the same time, he doesnt put much stock in the idea that his time in various projects and Weilands years spent fronting Velvet Revolver lent some profound perspective to the new songs. That doesnt really affect me too much, he says. I treat everything differently. I dont think any of us wants to redo anything weve already done.

The career of 90s alt.rock fi gureheads Stone Temple Pilots is littered with prestigious awards, gold and platinum albums, six #1 singles in the US, and more than 35 million albums sold across the globe. Despite 2003s cherry-picking anthology Thank You, however, that blockbuster career sat dormant between 2002 and 2008. Coming off hiatus for an extensive North American tour in 08, the California quartet stayed together and got down to work on a sixth album. Fans and haters alike may not have expected a new chapter in the STP saga, but for guitarist Dean DeLeo, it was always just a matter of time.

I cant say I was really surprised, he admits by phone, sounding as relaxed as could be. I can say I patiently waited. I was ecstatic that the next chapter arrived. I knew it would, but I didnt know when. I just felt like it wasnt really over. None of us did.

Self-titled and self-produced, the new record is proof of the reignited partnership between

24

WHO: Stone Temple Pilots.WHAT: Stone Temple Pilots (Warner)


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25

THE SURREAL FEELKIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS have just released their fi rst new album in almost 15 years, Grand Unifying Theory, led by the mind-melting 22-minute title track. If people dont like it then stuff em, SALMON tells TONY MCMAHON.

It sounds very spacey to me, this album. I was never much of a Pink Floyd fan, but Ive always been into that blaxploitation sound. Its just always been around for me, you know? I, er, blossomed, shall we say, in the 70s when Shaft came along. That sort of guitar sound, youd hear it everywhere. I was actually trying to write that kind of stuff when The Surrealists began back in the 80s. As soon as someone gave me a wah-wah pedal I was off. Id never really touched one before that. I dont know why. It was a match made in heaven.

It might be fair to say, then, that Grand Unifying Theory, as perhaps the name suggests, represents something like unfi nished business for Salmon. He agrees, but is wary of the rocknroll clichs that go along with such statements and seems loath to be using all those tired old adjectives we associate with freak-out records.

Thats what I think, yeah. Its defi nitely unfi nished business. I suppose its a fair call to say that. Its really hard for me to put all these things into words without sounding ultra-cornball, but its the album I always wanted to make. As far back as when I fi rst started playing music with people, getting things together and jamming and stuff, I always had this idea that what I really wanted to do was something arty. You know, there were all these adjectives: trippy, arty, free-form, anarchic. Theres been a few times Ive attempted to do it: individual Scientists songs, [The Surrealists debut] Hit Me With The Surreal Feel and now this album.

Weve done some of the material live and, yes, its pretty trippy. It

feels like something of a journey. Theres another one of those

clichs. I hate to say it, but it really does feel like a journey to me.

And in the spirit of arty, trippy albums the world over, Grand Unifying Theory features a 22-minute title track that, despite the inherent fear with these kinds of things of being labelled indulgent, of falling into the musician having way more fun than the audience/listener trap, just makes so much sense here. Even given the obvious quality of the track, Salmon still seems slightly apologetic when talking about it. There is a humble tone to his voice but also a healthy dose of anti-establishment sentiment that suggests he is slightly confl icted in how he feels about this song.

It started out as only about half that length. But once we got into the studio our producer kept making us play it longer and longer. In the end, we just came up with ways to keep on going. We couldnt stop ourselves. It was just way too much fun. People might make judgements about it, but I kind of look at it as like the original spirit of punk rock, doing what feels right, and it was something Id wanted to do for a long time. If people dont like it then stuff em.

Basically recorded live over a series of sessions last year, it makes sense that Grand Unifying Theory should therefore be just about the perfect album to play onstage. The prospect certainly has this writer, for one, veritably salivating. Salmon again cringes as he lets slip another well-worn phrase.

Weve done some of the material live and, yes, its pretty trippy. It feels like something of a journey. Theres another one of those clichs. I hate to say it, but it really does feel like a journey to me. Hopefully, the audience will be happy to come along on that ride, too.

In September this year, Salmon will travel to New York to launch Grand Unifying Theory. Along on the trip will be his other band The Scientists, who are booked to play their seminal album Blood Red River at All Tomorrows Parties, alongside The Stooges playing Raw Power. Given that these two albums sat side by side in many a record collection of the 1980s, this coupling has a ring of correctness about it bordering on something like justifi cation, albeit decades later than it should be. Criminally undervalued at the time, its nice to see an album like River fi nally recognised alongside one like Power. Its likely that Salmon agrees, though hes much too modest to come straight out and say it.

Naturally, Im happy. Its a really big thrill. Im a rabid Stooges fan. Oh, you know, Raw Power is a really important album. It was a real turning point. Its diffi cult for me to conceive of anything Ive ever done alongside that. Iggy is a real icon. Hes been through so much too, and its amazing that hes still here.

It would be irresponsible, journalistically speaking, for Inpress not to ask Salmon about whether or not he is looking forward to any backstage antics at the gig, Iggys and The Stoogess reputations being what they are. Interestingly, though, his answer seems to indicate that with age comes a certain wisdom, although maybe not for Iggy.

Yeah, I might have a nice, cool water or something. Thats how it is for me these days. I dont know about everyone else. I dont know how itll be.

Talking of how it will be, perhaps people will do the right thing here and buy Grand Unifying Theory in numbers and it will become an instant classic. Then we wont have to wait 20 years to see it take its deserved place alongside other important works. Salmon has done the hard yards, and its the kind of thing that deserves to happen to him.

Grand Unifying Theory is the new album from inventor of grunge and all-round national treasure Kim Salmon and his band The Surrealists. Billed as the most far-out music Salmon has ever been responsible for considering the groups other work, notably Hit Me With The Surreal Feel and some of their edgier stuff, that is certainly saying something this absolute trip of a record blends avant-garde jazz, blaxploitation music noise and downright weirdness with Salmons trademark punk/thrash aesthetic. Conceived as a logical extension of what The Surrealists were up to before they took a turn towards becoming the successful indie band they were, Grand Unifying Theory is, in many ways, a record that could and probably should have been released in the 80s. Better late than never, though, and the wait has been decidedly worth it. According to Salmon, its the combination of a 1971 fi lm by Gordon Parks and the wah-wah pedal we have to thank.

26

WHO: Kim Salmon & The SurrealistsWHAT: Grand Unifying Theory (Low Transit Industries)WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Cherry


HIGH PLACESHIGH PLACESHIGH PLACES VS MANKIND PopfrenzyIt sounds like a battle, and surely one that would see the odds pitted against our now LA-based experimental art folk duo. But the title is a misnomer. This isnt a competition High Places have actively opened the door and let all of the messy bits of mankind fl ow into their sounds, all of the beauty and the detritus of modern society synthesised into one unique sound.

Its their second album and everything feels much more defi ned; theres a certain clarity, or perhaps sense of purpose, within the groups strange semi-electronic amorphous pulses. It feels like everything but the kitchen sink has been sucked into these endearing little swirls that bubble around the repetitive drum machine beats. Its a strange, rickety, almost accidental form of DIY dance music that owes possibly more to folk and experimental music than the dancefl oor.

Then theres these little fragments that theyve co-opted from a more conventional world. Some discerning use of funky guitar strumming totally transforms many of the tracks here, drawing associations as diverse as disco or even 80s pop. Mary Pearsons voice, while still treated, is no longer such an ill-defi ned cloud that fl oats almost uninterestedly across proceedings. She now has body and feeling, her vocals actively directing the songs. Possibly the strangest thing here is that there are defi nite pop hits, tunes like the slacker funk of opener The Longest Shadows and the ramshackle, shimmering Constant Winter, which in a post-Animal Collective world is actually cohesive enough to get the kids jumping.

Bob Baker Fish

CLOUD CONTROLCLOUD CONTROLBLISS RELEASE Ivy League/LiberationIf ice is the most addictive epidemic around at the moment then the government better place a ban on the debut album from Blue Mountains band Cloud Control; one play and I was hooked. A dozen or so rotations of Bliss Release later and I am happy to continue to push repeat. The four-piece singer and guitarist Alister Wright, co-vocalist Heidi Lenffer, her drummer brother Ulrich along with bassist Jeremy Kelshaw seem to have a new found authority, adopting a style that is stylistically uniform though somewhat different to the bands previous self-titled EP.

The resulting mix of choral-esque harmonies blended with an almost tribal beat and searing guitar licks permeates this release and draws comparisons to the likes of The John Steel Singers, The Polyphonic Spree and Fleet Foxes.

Opening track Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why) lulls you into a meditative state with Wright and Lenffers harmonies and the chant Why, oh why, before being replaced by fuzzed-out guitars and tambourine jangles. Playful handclaps, more tambourine and beautiful lyrics regale the listener with the uplifting thoughts shared in the outstanding Theres Nothing In The Water We Cant Fight.

With fl ashes of mysticism, there is something wonderfully simple in the quality of Wrights voice and when paired with Heidi Lenffer it has a unique, natural dynamic. Ghost Story, with its Native American vibe, is a case in point. The pairing of album singles Gold Canary and This Is What I Said are clear standouts, with Gold Canary already receiving rave reviews overseas and the latter an instant pop classic invoking memories of The Go-Betweens. All ten tracks are beauties, worthy in their own right, while Just For Now may just be the next track lifted as a single. For mine the other gems are the emotion-drenched Hollow Drums and the closing track Beast Of Love. Contender for album of the year ah, bliss!

The Boomeister

JJJJJJ NO 3 Secretly Canadian/InertiaAlthough signed to US hipsters Secretly Canadian, many suspect that unbelievably good-looking Swedish duo JJ are secretly Everything But The Girl. Many also believe that this is their third album but that would be incorrect too the title of No 1 went to an EP in 2009 and No 2 was their fi rst album, also last year. Title confusion aside, singer Elin Kastlander does indeed sound uncannily like EBGT singer Tracey Thorn however, Kastlander gets to deliver a new release superior to her soundsakes current solo foray.

Previously the Js went for ambihouse period-Thorn but this venture fi nds them harking to a time when Thorn and her partner Ben Watt experimented with plush balladry and vintage arrangements. Having ridden the indie swells of the Balearic revival last year (bustling for blog space with Memory Tapes, Friend and the like), JJ seem to have become taken with a style that the original Balearic scene would have used to take the edge off a big weekend of Eurotrashing it up.

No 3 s number one cut, My Life, could even be the sweetest comedown song ever recorded, Looking for a way through the day/A life of the night Im just wondering why you havent taken my life accompanied only by the prettiest piano youll hear this side of EBTGs Baby The Stars Shine Bright. By the time Kastlander is singing, Take me away like I overdosed on heroin, in Let Go, your heart will have broken a dozen times. And, by then the mouth harp is sounding even more beatifi c than the piano was earlier. While Kastlander and her J partner Joakim Benon may have a fondness for novelty covers (sublime but nonetheless gimmicky) on the blogosphere (Birthday Sex, the Welcome Back, Kotter theme to name just two), there are no signs here of tawdry grabs for viral attention-getting.

Like their name and release titles (and their album artwork), the duo present pieces of unadulterated simplicity a little squeak of acoustic guitar string (ahhh how we love that in the right hands), percussion thats likely derived from that box of miscellaneous instruments found at the back of the studio and synthetic tones so crisp you could iron creases in them. So thoroughly quaint yet so thoroughly modern.

Andrew Mast

WILL STOKER & THE EMBERSWILL STOKER & THE EMBERSWILL STOKER & THE EMBERS ShockAfter releasing the Five Beds For Bitsy EP in 2008 and further strengthening their onstage reputation with numerous shows around Australia, Will Stoker and his four-man band cement themselves on CD with their self-titled debut album. Tickets Please opens, almost like a fi nal check to the listener before they board the ride that is Will Stoker & The Embers, as he demands get on that train! . First single The King, the bands signature song, kicks the album along, Stoker singing vicariously of the enigmatic King Ludwig II Of Bavaria. He spits the opening verse before breaking into the chorus He was always a mystery to me.

The six-and-a-half-minute The Waves Hiss And Burst is given fl avour from Stokers stylised clarinet, and brass comes courtesy of local lads The Brow Horn Orchestra. As you get to the second half of the album, standout rock tracks Ten Thousand Horses, Bower Bird Blues and In The Belly Of The Beast reveal themselves as the bands best work, and even in the Bjork cover Come To Me the album holds strong.

It isnt until Dundee And Penelope that the brakes are applied to the weird and wonderful, replaced instead by straightforward melodic infl uences. What Will Stoker & The Embers have done is create an atmosphere throughout the album, an atmosphere which takes these songs out from the norm and you along with it, into Stokers off-kilter mind and through 45 minutes of music.

Sebastian DAlonzo

BAND OF HORSESBAND OF HORSESINFINITE ARMS Columbia/SonyThere are some beautiful, slow-moving tracks on Infi nite Arms like Blue Beard and the super-pretty ditty Evening Kitchen that cradles the inner ear like a second auricle. But Infi nite Arms isnt all slow and dreamy. The opening track, Factory, has a soaring feel to it, swinging on a skyhook through the big ole blue sky. Dilly is sweet and upbeat; its a lot like the music The Magic Numbers put out before they fell off the radar. Actually, I felt myself making comparisons throughout the album to The Magic Numbers and Fleet Foxes, the latter especially in On My Way Back Home. But then, as on their previous two records, Band Of Horses made Infi nite Arms with legendary indie producer Phil Ek, who also produced Fleet Foxes. Perhaps, along with contemporary indie musics folk revival, that helps explain the resounding echoes.

Band Of Horses music has travelled a way since Everything All The Time, which was more alt.country and rock than this. More Modest Mousey (hello again, Phil Ek) too, Id say. You can still hear a country music twang in Infi nite Arms, but it defi nitely has a more crafted, folk-oriented feel than previous work. Perhaps the recent development of the bands sound has to do with lead singer Ben Bridwell losing the reins (sorry) on creative control. Other band members can take the credit for the songwriting and composing on much of the album. Guitarist and singer Tyler Ramsay is responsible for both Dilly and Evening Kitchen. Bassist Bill Reynolds and keyboardist Ryan Monroe also contribute to the songwriting.

Infi nite Arms is a gorgeous record, happier than Everything All The Time and Cease To Begin. Im not sure whether its more accessible as well, or just better. The presence of the other band members is defi nitely felt and welcome. Theyve created a gem.

Alice Body

THE FALLTHE FALLYOUR FUTURE OUR CLUTTER Domino/EMIThe Falls fi rst album for Domino is no great departure from the 28 albums before it: Mark E Smith holds forth ever more like a bitter tyrant while his band relishes every possibility for churning repetition and fl inty variation. Its cool but kind of dumb, too, and theres no arguing that Smith maintains anywhere near the forcefulness, authority, or shock value he once had. Still, hes a bedraggled post-punk icon that refuses to go quietly into the night, though, and theres something admirable in that.

Your Future Our Clutter opens with the misshapen garage-rock of O.F.Y.C. Showcase before moving into Bury Pts. 1 + 3, the fi rst of several endurance tests exceeding six minutes. Its great when it hits its stride, but the fl abbier moments feel as haphazard and arbitrary as Smiths lyrics these days. The buzzing keyboards we hear all over the album are the work of Smiths wife, Eleni Poulou, who has been in The Fall for years now. Those keyboards offer yet another chance for disorientation, and she sings backup as well, but the working parts here feel rusty. Thats not to say there arent surprises: Smiths slurred vocals and dissection of his failing health recalls recent Television Personalities on the closing Weather Report 2. He even manages two convincing, backwards-looking refrains: You gave me the best years of my life and Nobody has ever called me sir in my entire life. Oh, and theres a cover of Funnel Of Love, a tune made famous by country queen Wanda Jackson.

At their best, The Fall today are vulgar and fun. At their worst, theyre needling or even boring. The backing musicians are capable but somewhat generic and bargain-basement, much like this albums cover art. And of course, there are far better Fall records to seek out.

Doug Wallen

KYLIE MINOGUEKYLIE MINOGUEALL THE LOVERS WarnerLets all hold hands for a moment and PRAISE THE LORD that Kylie is working with the other Thin White Duke. Stuart Price is unquestionably a production genius and he has gently coaxed from Minogue a performance of delicate beauty and emotional honesty that offers both a nod to her previous anthems like I Believe In You as well as a wink to Robyns pulsating Moroder-esque masterpiece With Every Heartbeat. Its a beautiful song and a glorious gift for those whove been patiently awaiting Minogues next move.

CLARE BOWDITCHCLARE BOWDITCHBIGGER THAN THE MONEY IslandTheres something about La Bowditchs Bigger Than The Money that reminds me of hyperactive new wave(ish) champs General Public, which tells you very little about this song other than suggesting correctly that I have a penchant for handclaps. But Bigger Than The Money has a compelling urgency to it that makes me think/hope the youth of the nation will take to this song and drive it to the top of the charts, which is what the divine Ms B deserves.

JAMIE CULLUMJAMIE CULLUMWHEELS UniversalDoes Jamie Cullum have single release attention defi cit disorder? It feels as though hes had at least fi ve singles out in the last month (NB statistics not scientifi cally accurate). Wheels is a nice enough post-Damien Rice/Coldplay piece of piano-led torch balladry (with du jour skittering drums), but like so many songs in its peer group, is unremarkable enough to form a poignant-video-montage background hum rather than leave any lasting impression.

MOUNTAIN MANMOUNTAIN MANANIMAL TRACKS SpunkWith Joanna Newsom pursuing the less Appalachian aspects of her musical personality and Fleet Foxes currently missing in action, leave it to Mountain Man to beguile you with a song so fragilely gorgeous it would shatter if you so much as breathed on it. In a time when even folk is being fl ooded by multi-member superbands and kitchen sink production, sometimes a simple voice accompanied by guitar is the perfect aural palate cleanser.

UNCLE KRACKERUNCLE KRACKERSMILE AtlanticHoly shit, this guy is still making music? The deeply anodyne Follow Me was one of 2001s - yes, TWO THOUSAND AND ONE - most irritating earworms, so to say I hadnt noticed it has apparently been fi ve years since his last album dropped would be an understatement. Smile is the sort of dreck that Sharryn will ring up Love Songs & Dedications to request and send a shout-out to Danno who is currently in remand/on an oil rig. I bet the video clip features a slow motion dance scene and a crane shot of rain in the sunshine.

BRIAN MCFADDENBRIAN MCFADDENCHEMICAL RUSH IslandThis is a gag, right? Something to do with Chris Lilleys latest venture? No? Well, in that case, it may not be a joke, but it is wildly laughable. From the excessive AutoTune to the vaguely, i.e. not enough to alienate his nanna fanbase, druggy analogies (is there anything sadder?) and generally subpar club banger arrangements, Chemical Rush suggests McFadden has such a strong grasp on his musical reality he should be scoring ABC2s I Rock.

INFANT SORROWINFANT SORROWJUST SAY YES UniversalAnd on the topic of I Rock, heres Jarvis Cocker and Carl Barat writing for Russell Brand as Aldous Snow (for the OST of Get Him To The Greek, effectively Joanie Loves Chachi to Forgetting Sarah Marshalls Happy Days ), with patchy results. Cockers work as lead singer of The Weird Sisters in Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire was a corker (as was his glam/weirdo band Relaxed Muscle) but Brands curious lack of charisma leaves Just Say Yes feeling a little... Kula Shaker.

ON THE RECORDSINGLED OUT LATEST CD REVIEWSBY CLEM BASTOW

SINGLEOF THE WEEK


THE SCOTCH OF SAINT JAMESTHE SCOTCH OF SAINT JAMESVIGILANTE NECK TIE PARTY ShockIf this were the UK, then The Scotch Of Saint James would be massive. Indeed, all the ingredients are certainly there, from the quality hair to the artsy MySpace pics and, most importantly, a cracking fi rst album. Unfortunately for these Perth lads, this aint the Old Blighty, so theyve had to do it the tough way, playing countless gigs around town and country. However, the effort appears to have paid off, as the songs on Vigilante Neck Tie Party appear beautifully crafted by the time and effort put into playing them live night after night.

Produced by Dave Parkin (Snowman and countless others), the Scotchs debut has a wonderfully crisp sound from go to whoa that really emphasises the quality instrumentation on offer, particularly Bobby Burgesss scorching lead guitar licks and fi lls.

Opening with a fi ve-strong set of catchy pop rockers, including fi rst single Blue Plastic Spoon and its excellent B-side The Happy Peacock, this album immediately takes fl ight before offering some respite in the piano-tinged Did None Boy. My Shoes immediately picks up the pace again as it hurtles towards a thrilling ending, leading into album highlight Oliver. Originally the song that found them Triple J Unearthed attention, this re-recorded version is quite simply a monster, its pounding stoner rock grooves and complex structure making it an early contender for my song of the year.

Unfortunately the ballad Hitlers Lament has nothing to do with his clips being pulled from YouTube (this album was recorded some time ago), but a howling, bluesy jam fi nishes off proceedings nicely on Bloated Country Pride and its 90s-style reprise. Indeed, this whole album has a mid-90s feel to it but that doesnt detract from a rollicking and very promising debut.

Paul Barbieri

THE BLACK KEYSTHE BLACK KEYSBROTHERS Nonesuch/ShockIts certainly apparent that The Black Keys have not lost their sense of humour with the album art for Brothers, the bands sixth album, simply stating the obvious facts along with other nuggets of knowledge hidden throughout the sleeve. The new album from the blues rock duo is a far cry from their 2008 experimentation on Attack & Release, as all the punching low-end fuzz and ride cymbal-dominated repertoire has returned.

Recording at the infamous Muscle Shoals studios was a positive step for the pair as the hallowed Alabama blues turf inspires the opening march of Everlasting Light. Sounding like a Creedence Clearwater Revival track thats been soaked in mid-70s rock riffs, it instils a sense of relief that the Danger Mouse phase is largely gone.

Dan Auerbachs lyrics and vocal delivery has only gotten stronger following on from his solo record of last year and his bittersweet ballads with pressing power are placed ever so delicately, including Im Not The One, These Days and Never Gonna Give You Up. In stark contrast youve then got Black Mud, Sinister Kid and The Only One, with ripped palm muted guitar slams and thunderous skin smashing giving a bull-at-a-red-rag experience. This is the real element that kept Keys fans happy for the last few years.

The 15 tracks on Brothers have an intoxicating mixture of classic stomping rhythm and blues, charging swamp guitar, true shoot your no good woman lyrics and some small touches of porch-sitting acoustic ballads. Another great release by The Black Keys.

Mark Beresford

MALE BONDINGMALE BONDINGNOTHING HURTS Sub Pop/StompGenteel sophistication? Subtle prog rock imbued with metaphor and irony? Not likely. Male Bonding do lo-fi noise pop at its unreconstructed best, crashing sweetness and fuzz together in two-minute vignettes of lager-soaked pogo. Their debut album Nothing Hurts rockets through 13 tracks in less than half an hour, but manages to do so with brash aplomb.

That it all begins with a strummed chord crash and a primitive clatter of drums is no surprise. Years Not Long sets out the Male Bonding stall with its surfer-boy melodies and blissful distorted rumble. Its like Ride in 1990, collecting together 60s California and UK punk and then just fl ooring it. There are also echoes of Kiwi noiseniks Die! Die! Die! in the brew. The result is straightforward adrenalised boy racer biff with a smear of pop sugar.

Weird Feelings is another sweaty gem, belting you with bpm and buzzsaw. Meanwhile, Franklin slows it down a tad and allows the bass to throb in your face while the vocals hover somewhere in the mid-distance. Crooked Scene is sheer breakneck brilliance, a defi antly dumb and summery whir of sing-along and undiluted noise. Likewise, Nothing Used To Hurt has a heavenly pop chorus; its like Phil Spector meets My Bloody Valentine. The only breather we get is the closer, the bleary opiated Worse To Come, with its acoustic guitar, far-off female backing vocals and pedal rock coda of bottom end clouds.

Hailing from Dalston in London, Male Bonding are a trio bristling with DIY attitude. Nothing Hurts is a rush of reverb and echo that recalls the spirit of 76. Its an album dashed off with a kind of carefree joy in its bones. As such it is diffi cult to dislike, despite its beer-stained, sneaker kid predictability. And yeah, dont blink.

Paul Ransom

GREAT EARTHQUAKEGREAT EARTHQUAKEDRAWINGS Sensory ProjectsDrawings is the latest offering from Great Earthquake, AKA Noah Symons, a local musician whose uncompromising though decidedly warm approach to his art would be worthy of praise even if it was nowhere near as intelligent and gripping as it is. Despite being something of a multi-instrumentalist one-man band might be a more apt description and a true renaissance man (Symons is also responsible for the stunning artwork on Drawings and is apparently a qualifi ed barista as well) it is the contributions from vocalist Maude Farrugia and the production from Josh Bach that really make this record move, adding new dimensions to an already delightfully layered soundscape. There is fi lm soundtrack emanating from the overall effect of the album, but it is held together with seemingly incongruous moments of Spanish pop and big band sounds that, paradoxically, sit effortlessly side by side.

Interestingly, Symons nominates the writings of Japanese author Haruki Murakami and the fi lms of auteur director Wes Anderson as two of his major infl uences, which somehow makes perfect sense. There is a surface accessibility here that belies this musics deeper meaning and, just like Kafka On the Sh

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