The Motifs

After listening to Jay Reatard, I don't think I could have stumbled across a starker contrast than The Motifs. As 'Matador Singles 08' finished, iTunes moved into 'Matches', easily the indiest indie release I've ever bought. You really can't fault it, with a mini CD, cover made of glued-on pieces, hand-drawn insert, individual message, sticker and even a sleeve hold it all. Believe it or not, the music is even cuter. The 6-track EP comes in at just 10 minutes, but offers an abundance lovely melodies. I think I did this exact post when I bought it a year ago, but the rediscovery was too good to let slide.

Tell Me More

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Laneway Listenings

As with every festival I go to, it begins with research. Ever since the fateful Big Day Out '04 when I missed The Darkness, Muse, The Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon due to ignorance, I've been sure to get to know the bands BEFOREHAND, so I know who'll be worth seeing. Laneway 2009 has an interesting lineup, which to be honest, didn't strike me at first. But the more I look at it, the more I get excited. It's not so much a selection of bands I do love, but should love. Hence the research. Here's a few of the bands I've listened to recently.

Girl Talk
Jay Reatard
Born Ruffians
The John Steel Signers

John Columbus Residency

This Sunday will see the final installment in a Hopetoun residency by my good friends, John Columbus. The band (not a person) have recorded their second EP and will be offering it exclusively at these shows. This new EP was recorded live and is slightly quieter and more reserved than their last release. Give it a few listens and you'll begin to see that its strength lies in its subtleties. John Columbus create some of the most soothing and finely crafted music in Sydney. Catch them from 8.30, but get there early to catch The never-disappointing Statics and The recently-revived Crustaceans.

MP3: Skinny Dipping

Sparkadia: Jealousy Video

Sparkadia have put out a video for their current single, Jealousy, and it's quite an interesting one. In tune with the song's lyrical content, it features the ceremony and subsequent celebrations of a couple getting married, whilst the best man looks on enviously. This wouldn't be anything special, but for the fact that these parts are played by the band members themselves. Alex (lead) and Tiffany (guitar) are the happy couple, while Nick (bass) plays the dejected outsider. Is it reflective of the bands true relations or is it merely a marketing ploy to get people lick me to spread it? Probably the latter. But its a good clip either way. Not sure what Nick thought of the idea of being made to look like an idiot, though I bet Alex wasn't complaining. And best of all, the clip features a cameo by the always amusing 'Fast Eddy' from The Seabellies.

Youth Group: New album

Today sees the release of Youth Group's fourth album, The Night Is Ours. You can hear the entire thing over at their myspace page, but get in quick because it probably won't last. The first single taken from it, Two Sides, is a brilliant track and a great way to kick off the new album. After a few spins, I'd say the rest isn't quite at that same high standard, but it certainly comes together to form a solid album. In time, it will only get better.

Youth Group are in the interesting position of being indie favourites who happened to make it big (courtesy of The O.C.). But whichever crowd you belong to, you shouldn't be dismissing this band. Their powerful song-writing, combined with Toby Martin's rich vocals make for some very moving music. I recently saw them perform the track which will likely become their next single, All This Will Pass. Despite being without a drummer, it demonstrated their live energy and added an extra bit of meaning to this song. If you're in Sydney or Melbourne, definitely try to catch them when they come through in late July.

All This Will Pass

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Dappled. Kids.

To be honest, the underage music scene in Sydney is quite pathetic. You see the occasional punk and emo gigs, or perhaps a big international act will play an all ages show, but as far as regular bands go, the ones I'm seeing each and every week, the kids get nothing. On one hand, this is great for us adults, but when you consider that their impressionable young minds are being lost to the likes of Panic At The Disco, it's cause for concern.

That's why this upcoming gig is so good. I couldn't think of a better band than Dappled Cities to win the hearts of our little brothers and sisters and lead them on a path to better musical taste. Not only that, but there's a nice selection of supports too. The Seabellies are great band who I've mentioned many times before, and as for Papa vs Pretty, I couldn't hold a higher regard. Still underage themselves, I'm blown away each time I see them. You can download their new single below, but regardless of what you think of it, you should make every effort to see them live. It's amazing.

Citizen No 1

Also, here's the video to their last track, which demonstrates some of their more electronic influences. At first I wasn't a fan, favouring the more guitar-centered sound of their shows, but this has really grown on me.



For the big kids amongst us, Dappled are also playing a show on June 27 (this friday) at The Annandale Hotel. These are their last shows before they hit the studio to record their third album. After hearing many of these songs previewed at their last show, it certainly seems like something to look forward to. No mp3's at this stage so you'll have to go watch them if you want a taste.

Dappled Cities | The Seabellies | The Wahas | Papa vs Pretty | Tickets

The radio aint that bad...

Finding a good radio station is quite a challenge these days. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any out there that I can rely on consistently. However, that's no reason to give up. Radio is still a great way to discover new music and today it delivered. Thanks Toby.

It Was by Animals Talking

I'm not saying this song is groundbreaking or anything like that, but hearing it played was rather refreshing. It feels light and free flowing, which gives it a sort of uplifting vibe. Animals Talking are a relatively new band out of London which I'll happily admit I know nothing about. But if this song is any indication, we might be hearing a lot more soon.

Good hip-hop. Huh?

I must admit that I'm not the biggest supporter of Aussie hip-hop. Not that I'm ashamed of this. Most of it is terrible as far as I'm concerned. But every now and then something pops up that grabs my attention. This song by The Herd is a prime example. It's got some great melodies and lyrics that I can get into. It feels weird saying this, but it's a great song! Perhaps if hip-hop was more along these lines, I wouldn't be such a hater.

The King Is Dead - The Herd

GIG PICK: Homebake Incentive Round Final

If you live in Sydney and like hearing great music from emerging local talent, be sure to make your way to The Hopetoun Hotel this Monday, June 16th. For only $6, you'll be treated to sets from Bird Automatic, Papa vs Pretty, Hypertonic and Seekae. Monday is never an ideal night to be going out, but in this case, an exception should certainly be made.

The Homebake Incentive program is more or less a band comp, with a new selection of up and coming bands hitting the stage every Monday night. Some are great, some are woeful. There is, of course, plenty of incentive, with the winning band getting a spot at Homebake and an EP recorded with EMI. This Monday is the 'round final', which features the best four bands from the past three months, competing for a spot in the grand final.

I couldn't really find any mp3's that did these bands justice, but there's plenty of listening material on their respective myspace pages. Even if none of their recorded material grabs you, I'd still recommend coming along. I've seen three of these bands and each has a very strong live show.

Bird Automatic

Bird Automatic would have to be one of Sydney's most under-appreciated bands. They've got great music and style to match, but just can't seem to break through. The last two times I saw them, they were incredible. They just need to translate this into some radio love.

Papa vs Pretty

Despite playing together for close to two years, these guys still aren't 18. They've been relatively low key up until now, but it looks like their fortunes are changing. They played with Malcolm Middleton, are scheduled to support Dappled and reportedly, Richard Kingsmill is coming to watch them at this very show. Explosion is imminent.

Hypertonic

Hypertonic are another young band who don't seem to be reaching their potential. Their Sonic Youth inspired rock is great to watch live, but no one seems to know about them! However, all is not lost. They've finally updated their myspace with some new material, so hopefully they're due for a revival.

Seekae

This band was formerly known as Commander Keen. I'm not sure if I've seen them or not, but either way, I know little about them. Their sound on myspace has a distinct electronic influence and I'm interested to see how it translates live.





Doors open at 8. Details on The Hopetoun Hotel can be found here.

New Sigur Ros

Sigur Ros are certainly creating quite a stir at the moment. They're heading out here for Splendour in the Grass, they've put out a single that deviates significantly significantly from their traditional formula and they're offering free streaming of their soon-to-be-released album. It's almost to good to be true!

The single in question, Gobbledigook, is behind much of the buzz. Not only is it a 'song', in traditional structure terms, but it's also a 'single', perfectly suited for radio play. Now to the uninformed, this might seem rather unspectacular, but to anyone who knows Sigur Ros, it's BIG. I personally love it. I've always found their recorded work distant, but with this track, it's engaging. Very refreshing indeed.

Gobbledigook

However, early indications would suggest that this song is an exception. The rest of their new album, titled Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, appears to stay true to their traditional sound. I think this is a good thing. When you hear these guys live, you'll know what I mean. Listen to the album on their website, or to a better quality version last.fm.

As I mentioned, Sigur Ros are coming out for Splendour in the Grass, as well as a sideshow. Get excited. Whatever you do, don't miss out on seeing one of these shows. When I saw them about a year ago, I was blown away. It was at a festival, I was standing on a slope and I knew none of their music, yet it still rates as one of the greatest shows of my life. The power and spectacle of their performance is amazing. See them before its too late. You won't regret it.

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