Tag: melbourne

The Latest Single from The Toads

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This recent Toads track has been bouncing around in my head since last week when it first came out. There’s this natural chug to it, rocking with this rad riff on cruise control. It allows the bass and drums to join at their leisure, seemingly building speed into the song, while steadying folks with the vocals. At 1:42, the song begins to let loose, which is where I totally got hooked, as there’s a rise and fall lyrical moment that sets up a quick drop into a bass line that leaves the listener with one final hook you’ll enjoy! The Toads will release In the Wilderness on June 9th via Upset the Rhythm.

Dragnet Rip Through with M-99

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Not too long ago we brought you the album announcement from Dragnet, a riotous outfit from Melbourne. Today, they’re dropping another pummeling bit of punch punk rock, but this time their unraveling a story of danger and perhaps murder? I mean, the whole tune is about the drug M-99, the drug utilized by the anti-hero Dexter; the lyrics “too late/its in your system/you’re on the table/and I’m bringing down my knife” pretty much confirm my suspicions. Still, the band easily disguise the sinister lyrics with this punchy bit of punk that begs for high volume and repeat listens! If you’re on board with me, then grab the Accession from Spoilsport Records.

The Toads Share Tale of a Town Split in Two

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The Toads are angling to make their name one to keep an eye on over in Melbourne’s hot music scene, and today they give us another peek inside their debut LP. When this number began, it sets up for this raucous bit, kind of bouncing in with this catchy bit of scruffy barroom rock n’ roll. Riffs begin to run amok, however, coursing through the song’s negative space and moving that bounce to the back of the mix for a moment. All this, only for the band to kind of serenade us in the middle, bringing this almost baroque pop moment as a gesture for our ears. Then the riff rings again and the band break into a closing jam that keeps you on notice for their new LP! In the Wilderness will be out June 9th via Upset the Rhythm and Zenith Records.

Listen to Martin Frawley’s Heart in Hand

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Having followed and booked Martin Frawley in his old band the Twerps, I’ve been increasingly impressed with his solo work the last several years, and the shaping of The Wannabe seems like its going to be something special. You get this rolling drum beat that gets your feet shuffling on the new single, allowing Martin to work his melodic Aussie drawl atop the mix; the guitar bits come in and out of focus, almost as if its like a dance performance, trading places back and forth with the rhythm and the hooks. For me, I always come back to the familiarity of Frawley’s voice too, as I loved all the Twerps LPs, so it feels like home. Rest assured I’ll be grabbing the Wannabe when it drops on June 23rd via Trouble in Mind Records.

Dragnet Share Strike + Announce New LP

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By now we can probably all agree that the Melbourne scene is a continuous hotbed of exciting acts, with fresh bands constantly popping onto my radar. Today there’s a new single from Dragnet, who also announce the release of their new LP, The Accession. A light hi-hat and bobbing bass groove kick the song, establishing this steady, yet off-kilter, groove that will allow the song to unfold. When it does, the vocals crawl in, more spoken then sung, emphatically delivering the lyrical content as a fiery guitar line rips through the song’s center and everything just seems to speed through with a sharpness…and suddenly it stops, and we wait for the next tune. The Accession is out via Spoilsport and Polaks Records on May 12th.

Lachlan Denton Shares Final Single from Furnishings

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In the second week of April, you’ll be able to get your hands on a copy of Furnishings, the latest LP from Australia’s Lachlan Denton (Pop Filter/Ocean Party). But, there’s one last tease before you get out your credit card! The song is is one of the man special moments on the album, taking Lachlan’s voice and presenting it on the backbone of a pulsating synth line; it somehow manages to add even more drama to the performance, pulling at you dive deeper. As the song unfolds, there are light little flourishes that burst forth and add depth, all of which comes to head right at the 2:40 mark, with full backing vocals, horns and more. You can grab Furnishings on April 14th via Bobo Integral/Spunk/Osborne Again.

The Toads Announce In the Wilderness

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Currently digging through a lot of my emails from the last week, and lo and behold, there’s one in here mentioning new band the Toads, compiled of various folks from Shifters, Parsnip and Ausmuteants (among others). Sound wise, it’s this edge-driven riff work that rings through your speakers, cutting down across the strings to create this anxiousness that’s balanced by the rhythm section. Listening in, the bass line walks you through the track, bobbing atop the stomp of the drums, ultimately leaving plenty of room in between for the vocals to come off like a highly caffeinated spoken-word impersonator. Great opening track to the group’s new In the Wilderness LP, out June 9th via Upset the Rhythm/Anti Fade Records.

Chapter Music Reissue Whadya Want’s Skippy Knows

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I don’t know much about Whadya Want, other than the band had an impact on the folks over at Chapter Music, who are some of my most reliable musical resources. So, when they sent over these tracks to let us know about their reissue of the band’s lone album, Skippy Knows, I figured it would only do us all justice to learn a little more about the band, if only through their hook-laden pop rock sounds. It’s a mixture of 80s dance club sounds, holding onto what was left of the post-punk of that period. Below, you get this groovy number that’s only here as a digital bonus track if you grab the LP; it reminds me of the sharpness of an Orange Juice track, so you can’t go wrong there. Skippy Knows will be reissued on April 14th.

The Sprouts Release Debut Single

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You need look no further than the band members of The Sprouts to know I’m going to be on board; you’ve got folks from Dippers (Thigh Master), Permits and Chook Race, all rocking and rolling as a brand new animal. The lot all gathered in Melbourne to bang out a collection of songs set to hit at the end of March, so let’s check this sample. You get churning guitar notes, not quite rocking the jangle, but offering up this sort of Aussie swing that certainly excites. Multiple voices overlap throughout to remind us of the joint affair…and the power of singing with your best mates. Then we get the added bonus of a fiery little solo guitar riff to close out the track in fashion. Sign me up as a fan! Eat Your Greens is out on March 24th via Tenth Court.

Lachlan Denton Annoucnes Furnishings

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Bobo Integral turns 10 years old in 2023, so first, congrats to the label on a great run! But, with that anniversary, the label announces a new record from one of my favorite artists, Lachlan Denton (Ocean Party/Pop Filter/Partner Look). There’s a snappiness to this track, which is really charming, playing perfectly into Lach’s vocal delivery; I love how he stretches the syllables in “prove” and “lose” as the song’s two minute mark quickly approaches. In the subject matter, Denton is reminding us that there’s a whole world out there to lift us up, if we’re only willing to put down the phone and reach out to friends for those real connections. Another gem; I look forward to Furnishings when it drops on April 14th.

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