Tag: Spoilsport Records

Carpet Burn Share Butterfinger Hands

Leave a comment

First, let there be fair warning for US audiences, as this song is not at all about the heralded Butterfinger snack. But, Carpet Burn, a new act led by Kayley Langdon and Tam Richards-Matlakowski is rather paying homage to how we all let things slip out of our hands, both literally and figuratively. The song is this pseudo-psych pop that creeps in along Kayley’s synth work, almost like a pop horror score; the wonky bounce helps set up the falling vocal delivery that seems to tumble down to the ground…like any object would if you indeed did have ‘butterfinger hands.” Plus, the song wraps up with a great noisy freakout that’s sure to set fire to your soul. The band will release their I Can’t Believe It’s Not Carpet Burn EP on June 18th via Spoilsport Records.

Stream the Debut LP from Quality Used Cars

Leave a comment

When I first heard “To Wendy Love Steve,” I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to make of Quality Used Cars; Francis Tait has a rather distinctive voice, and I wasn’t sure whether I was on board for it or not. But, when that chorus dropped in, I was stunned, and couldn’t wait for more. Today, we get more as the Good Days/Bad Days is finally available to stream. These feel like the songs you want to accompany your favorite storyteller; the songs have great narratives, wound about these gentle little Americana elements sliding off into the sunny horizon. I’ll admit, it doesn’t have that immediate reward that makes for the thirsty hits of today, but dammit if its not rewarding if you just bathe in the joy of Tait’s songwriting. Grab the LP from Spoilsport Records.

Quality Used Cars Share To Wendy Love Steve

One comment

While having worked in the Australian music scene for some time, Francis Tait finally has a project to call his own, Quality Used Cars. On February 19th we’ll all be treated to Good Days/Bad Days via Spoilsport Records, and here we’ve got another single that might grab you. Francis has a very matter-of-fact delivery, distinct in tone and style, which is one of those things you take with you when you walk away from this track. I like the subtlety of the song’s he’s writing too; they’ve got these brief little pop nuggets that bubble to the surface during the chorus, as it does here, but its almost like a brilliant fireside storytelling from a great Australian bard. Been really feeling this one and here’s to hoping you will too.

Eggy Share HAL 9000

Leave a comment

I’ve been pretty high on Eggy during their release cycle for the forthcoming Bravo!, so we continue our support by giving you a little nod towards their latest single from the LP…the last before the record drops on Friday! This one’s got a little nod to Kubrick, and you can almost feel the famous AI machine in the sort of hobbling synth work that bobs and weaves into the song’s foreground. All that said, this lot are great at building in extemporaneous textures, layering in vocals and a snappy drum beat that gives the song more depth as Hal exclaims “pop culture’s killing me!” Spoilsport Records release the full LP this Friday!

Quality Used Cards Share Ripoff Merchant

Leave a comment

Francis Tait has worked in various outfits around Melbourne, but it sounds as if his debut solo record under the moniker of Quality Used Cars might be the one that sort of breaks out into the open. Musical, the song definitely fits into the vibe of the Aussie casual pop, steady and careful, pensive and powerful; you’d be forgiven, too, if you thought you’d heard it before, as the sound has grown increasingly familiar around the world. But, an area that allows Tait to forge his own ground is his vocal delivery. He ends up sounding an awful lot like he’s delivering a sermon about the trials of an employee at his father’s record store…oddly reminds me a bit of Courtney Barnett’s distinctive delivery. Good Days/Bad Days will be out next February via Spoilsport Records.

Eggy Release Absentia Single off Bravo

Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I encouraged you to dip your toes in the waters of Eggy with their single “Johnny Whoop,” but now they’re here with a more skittish little jingle that should be right up your alley, particularly if you’re a fan of all things Melbourne. It’s got that sort of swaggering gallop that you’d expect as background music to some sort of satanic dance (I was thinking Midsommar here); it sort of leaps and lands, spastically throws this way and that with angular guitar notes cutting in and out of your speakers. It’s that brand of post-punk that begs you to balance the see-saw between exuberance and anxiety…and I mean that as a compliment! And then it stops. Look for Bravo! on Spoilsport Records on November 13th.

Eggy Share Johnny Whoop and Announce Bravo

Leave a comment

We all know by now that Melbourne is a hot bed of incredible tunes, but now Eggy are ready to make their mark with their debut LP, Bravo! They’ve got this sound that seems like its part grungy psychedelia, but then it sort of has this proto pop feel. It’s like they’ve taken the exploratory nature and jammed it up with a bunch of jittery pop nuggets, particularly the way the vocals fall in the chorus. There’s just this unmistakable cool to it, this undefined bad-assery that just makes you want to throw your credit-card down and pick it up. I’m pretty sure that’s a smart idea based on this single alone. Bravo drops on November 13th via Spoilsport Records.

Jarrow Shares Sauce Song and Flowerbed

Leave a comment

I’m always trying to figure out what’s going on in the Melbourne scene, and luckily I got an email that turned me onto Jarrow, which is the solo work of Dan Oke. He’s got a self-titled album slated for May release via Spoilsport Records, so why not toss out two tracks from said release. On “Sauce Song” we find Dan fairly synth driven, which isn’t always my cup of tea, but there’s something familiar in the chorus; it definitely sounds like everything that swirls around the pop indie scene. I liked the experimental flare that drew the song to a close. “Flowerbed” seems to burst brightly from the get-go; I like the way the vocals sort of jump high up, only to casually come down to Earth. Oke has these little vocal inflections here too that pack the punch, raising the tune above mere mimicry in the scene.

Aussie Pop from The Great Divides

Leave a comment

When you drop names like the Sea Urchins and the Clean in your reference points, I promise you I’m going to listen (and I’ll be pissed if you’re lying!). So this is where I get to meet the Great Divides, the newest Australian export with an EP on the way shortly. In this tune, the band’s classic jangling sounds get balanced out by the heavy throb of the bass work; they mix in the trade of male and female vocals like only the best pop purveyors can. Seriously, I’m super into this song right now and just want you all to listen to it with me! This track appears on the group’s new Face the World, Again EP, which is being handled graciously by Spoilsport Records…out Friday!

1 2