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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The Curse of Company

The thought of a band containing Dave Rennick (Dappled Cities), Sarah Kelly (The Red Sun Band) and Tim Rogers (Jack Ladder) is rather enticing for anyone who enjoys the Sydney music scene. But when these three (and others) combine to become The Curse of Company, a whole new sound is born. Some might find this disappointing, but I think it's quite refreshing. Rather than me attempting to describe this new sound of theirs (and just pulling fancy words out of thin air), you can have a listen to their current single below.

All The Mines

The whole concept of this band seems to be shrouded in mystery. There's a lavish back story, complete with colourful characters and perilous adventures, and a continuing tale that unfolds as the album progresses. It's an intriguing approach and adds extra level of interest to those fans who like their bonus content. It's all very nicely contained in their website, which lets you explore this content (literally), by dragging bits and pieces across the screen. It's suprisingly fun. There's also some free downloads up there if you're savvy enough to find them.

While I like their recorded stuff, seeing them live added a whole new dimension. They launched their single the other day and it was a very enjoyable show. They're all seasoned performers, but seeing them go so well in their first show as a group suggests good things to come. They have an album which will be arriving later in the year and you should definitely consider seeing them next time they swing through. Here is a live recording to tide you over till then.

White Clothes

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MGMT

About a year ago, I came across MGMT on a music blog somewhere. The song I heard was Time To Pretend and while I thought it was good, it wasn't enough to make me want more. I seem to remember the reviewer writing them off as a bit off joke band, not being all that serious about their music, and I guess that image just stuck in my head. I certainly didn't expect to hear from them again. That's why it came as such a shock to see posters appearing all over town saying nothing but "Who Is MGMT?". They summed up my thoughts rather well. Who were this band? Clearly they weren't the deadbeats I'd come to think they were.

It's about the same time that they're song, Kids, started making its way onto the radio in a big way. I'm sure it's been floating around for a very long time, but it's only now that I've properly discovered it. All I can say is wow. There's something subtly infectious about this song that really draws me in. The keyboard riff that plays throughout is so simple and yet so effective. And when combined with the drum beat, it makes me wanna move everytime I hear it. I don't know what others think of this track, but I love it.

Kids

MGMT also have an album out, Oracular Spectacular, but I don't know if I can recommend it. It's a bit weird and too inconsistent for my liking. Too many tracks remind me of The Scissor Sisters. But that said, it does have its moments and while I personally don't think it's all that great, it's certainly worth a look if you're interested. You can watch the video to their new single, Electric Feel, here. It certainly sets the scene for some of the more bizarre influences in their music.

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"New Zealand's Dappled"

Something about the above words struck a chord with me when I heard them last night. They were used to describe The Boat People. Now considering that they're actually from Brisbane, it was probably the comparison to Dappled Cities that I found intriguing. This may have been a bit of a stretch with some of The Boat People's earlier material, but with this latest single, I can certainly see the parallels. It has me quite excited for the arrival of their new album, Chandeliers, some time in July.

Awkward Orchid Ochard

Also here's the video for this song. I'm not so sure about the "how many band names can you spot" gimmick they're running with, but it's a interesting video nonetheless.



And speaking of their earlier material, it's actually very good. Yesyesyesyesyes is quite a solid album. If you're looking for some quirky pop music, I'd definitely recommend picking it up. Here's a track from it:

Unsettle My Heart

The Boat People are about to embark on mini tour for their Awkward Orchid Orchard single. Check their myspace for local details. Unfortunately for us, the Sydney gig is at The Vanguard, which is way too formal for my liking (tables?). But when you toss in support from Cloud Control (who have a killer new track), it should be a good night regardless.

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The Seabellies

Who would ever have thought that getting played by the country's only decent national radio station would have any effect on your popularity? Well it's certainly done wonders for The Seabellies. Sure they've played V Festival and won a host of competitions, but it was getting their single, Heart Heart Heart Out, played on Triple J that has catapulted them in to the public eye. It also hasn't hurt that it's a damn good song. Stream it below and experience the full glory of that keyboard riff. If you want to download, you'll have to buy it off iTunes (outrageous!).

Heart Heart Heart Out (iTunes)



Now in the past, The Seabellies have taken a bit of a whack for being a little gimmicky. Personally I loved it when they all busted out into an epic drum solo, but I can certainly see how the effect wouldn't last. Well cynics better pay attention, because things have changed. Instrument swapping has been rationalised and novelty minimised, in favour of a more refined (yet equally powerful) performance. At their headline show last week (which was sold out), I was really amazed by how far they'd come. It was a brilliant set. And they repeated this at The Triple J gig, which was lapped up by punters and influential presenters alike. Dismissing these guys would criminal. They're easily one of the most interesting bands emerge from this country in a long while.

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theredsunband

Another Sydney band which has me quite excited at the moment is theredsunband. I never really got into them around the release of their last album (Peapod), but listening back, I can't any good reason see why. Perhaps the punctuation of their name annoyed me. Whatever the case, the album is quite enjoyable and definitely worth a listen if you can still find it.

Sleep Forever

However, it's their new stuff that is grabbing me on a whole new level. It all began at the Laneway Festival, when I decided to end my night on quiet note by seeing them at the Basement stage. It was a great atmosphere and despite not knowing many of their songs, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's something haunting about Sarah Kelly's vocals. One moment they feel warm and inviting, the next hoarse from desperation. It combines well with the band's distorted guitar/organ sound to create a very dark atmosphere. I couldn't really tell if it was new stuff they were playing, but the first two singles certainly suggest that their upcoming album is one to look forward to. I've already mentioned Like An Arrow, but this new one is just as promising.

The Eagle

Their new album, "The Shiralee", will be out on June 14th. They'll also be doing a mini tour at the end of the month.

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