Last Week’s Jams, Today (9.26 – 9.30)

Hitting our stride last week, or so it seemed. We wrapped up the week streaming tons of records we’d been jamming, plus new stuff out on Friday from Gold Star, Midwestern Medicine, Matching Outfits and more. Personally, I got stuck on that Melby tune, wondering what it would take to make them huge in the US. And, since we got to spin some records, we’ve also got some upbeat numbers sent our way by Fujiya & Miyagi, Certain Times and No Zu. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone, so like us, its all over the place. Happy Monday.

Top Albums of 2021

Honestly, I’m pretty over lists at this point. They’re arbitrary and don’t really reflect anything but someone’s tastes, except here where they reflect the tastes of three individuals…because that’s how we roll. So, take this list with a grain of salt. These are the records we thought were the best, which mostly just means these are the ones we listened to on repeat throughout the year! Feel free to leave a comment on what you think we missed, or why we’re dumb; we love good comment trolls.

Also, because this list is really about crediting the art that made us happy, we wanted it to make you happy too, so we included purchasing links where we could. Read more

Bops of the Week: July 19 – 23

We gotta start off our week looking back at last week. We’ve got 19 great songs to enjoy on your end of things, including a tune from Quivers who shared with us a delicious pudding recipe, plus talked about their latest LP Golden Doubt. Some tunes from friends like Lachlan Denton, Geoffrey O’ Connor and Colourmusic popping up too, so you really can’t go wrong by just spending your morning withs one easy listening on a Monday. Click the link, and if you find something you love, go back and check out last week!

Rock n’ Recipes: Quivers

Earlier this year, Quivers released the most excellent Golden Doubt, receiving rave reviews all over the globe…not to mention ATH adoration. So, having followed the band, we reached out to songwriter Sam Nicholson to ask a few questions about the record and its release, and asked him to share a recipe with us. He’s obliged with some incredible answers, and a recipe for Golden Doubt Lemon Delicious Self-Saucing Pudding. Read on and find yourself a detailed recipe you can easily follow at home!

Read more

What’s Cool in Australian Music, Today

Clearly I’m struggling to not write about all the songs and all the cool things, so why not turn three posts into one, you know, just to cut down on boring you with my mundane thoughts on people’s music. So, below, you’ve got streams to 2 great LPs and a new single.

 

 

Shrapnel – Alasitas

This record’s impossible to describe in the absolute best way possible, though I’ve tried to pigeon-hole the band’s sound in the past. Just imagine bits of indie pop, elements of experimentation, prog and psych, then swirled about like the colors on the album art. This is an LP worth self-immersion.

Quivers – Golden Doubt

They’re going to get Go-Betweens comparisons, based on the band’s line-up alone, and parts of that are unfair, but parts are definitely just. What’s just is that they’re writing the same style of timeless pop tunes you want to share with everyone you love. I’m stuck on “When It Breaks” at the moment.

 

Delivery – Brickwork

I’ve already written about the first single from the band’s forthcoming Yes We Do EP, so, feels like we should continue that support as they offer up another frantic bouncer, an energetic frolic in fast forward. Their new 7″ will drop at the end of the month via Spoilsport!

The Week in Music May 10 – 14

Here we are. Here you are. It’s Monday morning, so let’s go back in time. Way way back, to last week. We’ve got new hits from the Goon Sax and Quivers, as well as some more obscure stuff like Keron and Nina Savary. Plus, we’ve got some old favorites in Dentist, Leon Bridges and Tapeworms, piled on top of a few tunes we dug that already got the mass of hype you’d expect. As per our tastes, its all over the place, which is sort of how I’m feeling on this Monday morning. Have a rad day my friends!

Quivers Share Chinese Medicine Video

At this moment, I’m not sure anyone’s writing timeless pop music quite like Quivers; Sam Nicholson has dialed into peak songwriting, and with his band’s arrangements, they’re crafting some truly unforgettable tunes. This latest single opens much the way you’d expect, with semi-wayward jangles and Nicholson’s voice; the steady beat keeps things moving, giving the listener this undeniable connectedness. Soon, a synth note twinkles in the far off night sky, matched by some very faint backing vocals that build towards a burst…a shooting star of pop falling across the song’s skyline. While all this goes on, sit back and watch the great video animated by Jordan Thompson of the Ocean Party; I’m a big fan of the line work there. But, the song’s not done, as the vocals swell, joined by more of a backing chorus, letting the guitars ring silent as the song fades into a tinkering piano line that eventually disappears into the world. Just another string pop number from the forthcoming Golden Doubt, out on June 11th via Ba Da Bing/Bobo Integral/Spunk.

Quivers Share Hold You Back Single

Remember when you bought that first (or second) Camera Obscura record, and then they came in and blew you away with Let’s Get Out of This Country? Well, I do, and those are the same vibes I’m getting listening through to the singles on the next Quivers LP. For instance, take their latest single “Hold You Back;” it’s got a punchy drum stomp, with Sam weaving and wrapping his vocal notes around every corner. But, those bits were already there on their debut, We’ll Go Riding on the Hearses, but, with this LP, it’s all about those little arrangement details that make you swoon at the band’s feat. Strings hit you immediately here, then they come in and out of the song to build a deep texture that you only get with the best pop songs. Oh, and if you want the real special bit, wait for Holly and Bella to sweep you away with dreamy vocals around the 2:45 mark. Golden Doubt hits on June 11th via Bobo Integral. There’s a video version HERE too!

Quivers Announce Golden Doubt

I was all in on Quivers when they dropped We’ll Go Riding on the Hearses, so of course I have high expectations for their forthcoming Golden Doubt LP! I’m sure they’ll hate hearing this but the first 2 minutes or this so sounds like classic Grant-led Go-Betweens, using a casual vocal pacing from Sam, and incredible backing harmonies from Holly and Bella…needless to say, I was slow-tapping my toes and enjoying myself. But, as a fan of 10-20 second moments of pop magic, the musical interlude around 1:40 was a nice additional touch, setting me up for the body-tingling pop eruption at 2:30! Group harmonizing never sounded so sweet, and the churning jangles and overall brightness guarantee we’ll all need a copy of the new album; it drops on June 11th via Bobo Integral/Spunk/BaDaBing!

Quivers Share When It Breaks

I’m a sucker for big circular guitar sounds, the kind that seem to wrap around your ear with these delicious pop tentacles, such as the latest tune from Aussite outfit Quivers. They’ve pushed out a couple of tunes since the release of their 2018 hit, We’ll Go Riding on Hearses, but this might be the best one. I love the way Sam’s voice has this sort of heavy melody to it, blanketing the track in this general warmth; it gets some great added muscle when the accompanying vocals come in to turn up the charm on their end. It’s not quite power pop, and not quite indie pop; it’s somewhere in the middle, somewhere where you feel comforted by your favorite sounds, so give a listen.

1 2