SINGLE OF THE WEEK: “Silverline” by Hawkmoon

Artist: Hawkmoon
Song: Silverline
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hawkmoon.music/

Hawkmoon are in full Rock N Roll revival mode with their fantastic new single “Silverline” which is out today.

Kicking off with a Beatlesesque Psych Pop guitar line, the song explodes into a groovy swagger that illustrates the bands enthusiasm for big hooks and tasty riffs. This is the kind of rock music that inspires you to dance as opposed to mosh and that makes it an extremely sophisticated piece of songwriting.

This is but a glimpse of what the band has in store for their upcoming debut album. There is a great hint of creative growth since the bands early material and its clear that “Silverline” is going to be one of the many examples of why Hawkmoon are a band to take notice of in 2017 and beyond.

By: Dan Newton

You can stream the song via this link:

 

 

Heavy and Weird – Anniversaries – 1987 – Albums Turning 30 – January 19, 1987 – “Warehouse: Songs and Stories” by Husker Du

The final album from Punk Rock pioneers Husker Du is also one of their strongest statements. Despite tensions within the band causing a clear division in what direction the sound was going to take, the end result is a cohesive collection of songs which display that they were always one of the worlds greatest pop acts. 

The formula established on earlier albums continues but Mould and Hart display a greater level of maturity in the execution of their songs. The music feels more urgent in its catchiness with the heaviest moments being enhanced by the personal conflict within the band. 

Ultimately it is their finest hour musically but once again, as is the case with most of closed minded punk rock pests, it was overlooked and negatively critiqued by the bands hardcore fans. Had the band stayed together and continued to evolve the sound found on this record there is every chance they would have tasted mainstream success courtesy of the big alternative rock boom of the 1990’s. 

Unfortunately that was not meant to be but if you listen carefully you can hear Husker Du’s influence all throughout the 90’s in bands who broke the mainstream. 

Favourite Track: She’s a Woman (and now he is a Man)

By: Dan Newton 

Listen to the album on the following link:

Heavy and Weird – Anniversaries – 1977 – Albums Turning 40 – January, 23 1977 – “Animals” by Pink Floyd

One of the most overlooked albums in Pink Floyd’s discography is 1977’s “Animals” – a record which seemed to be the one most punk rockers pointed to as an example of how bloated rock music had become. It was unfairly judged and misunderstood by both the fans and critics of the band. 

Continuing the progressive sound forged on “Wish You Were Here,” “Animals” goes deeper lyrically in expressing Roger Waters disdain towards how society was progressing using three animals (Dogs, Pigs and Sheep) to illustrate this. The music is rawer and heavier with more traditional rock aesthetics helping assist the psychedelic sounds reach those far out places required. 

In a lot of ways “Animals” is Pink Floyd returning to the earlier formulas of records such as “Atom Heart Mother” and “Meddle” but with more confidence and overall direction. All in all the music is a strong reminder that despite their knack for extreme experimentation, at the core of Pink Floyd was a rock band capable of connecting to you emotionally with a great groove and heavy riff. The other bells and whistles only helped enhance those simple dynamics giving them a unique place in the rock n roll history book. 

The irony is that this album is more punk rock than the bands and artists of the era give it credit for. This is typical of how most punk rockers think and a true reflection of how punk rock was invented long before a group of trendy assholes in England formed the first manufactured pop band (Sex Pistols). At least Pink Floyd got a bit radical with punk rock and “Animals” for that reason alone is an essential punk rock classic.

Favourite Track: Dogs

By: Dan Newton

Listen to the album on the following link: 

Heavy and Weird – Anniversaries – 1977 – Albums Turning 40 – January, 14 1977 – “Low” by David Bowie

When it comes to David Bowie, “The Berlin Era” is quite a monumental piece of his discography. Two of those albums were released in 1977 and are turning 40 this year. The first album released in the trilogy was the album “Low”

There is pain, there is passion and although it unfolds in a very minimal way the music on “Low” engulfs every part of your being. On a dark highway driving it will open your heart to the swoon of the ache, lying flat on your back with the lights turned off in your room and the headphones on it will take you deep inside your mind and help give you the space to answer some deep philosophical questions. It will haunt you and fuck, it will make you shiver. 

The best part of all is that it will keep you wanting more and you will reach to press repeat on the stereo over and over again. Like all good trilogy’s it is the perfect introduction to the drama. When I listen to this album I hear how influential it has been to so many different artists.

Favourite Track: Warszawa

By: Dan Newton 

Listen to the album on the following link:

Heavy and Weird – Anniversaries – 1967 – Albums Turning 50 – January 4, 1967 – “Self-Titled” by The Doors

This is the debut release from The Doors who would go on to be one of Rock N Roll’s most unique and influential bands of all time. Aesthetically their are lots of firsts on this record, little pockets of sound that would inspire generations of artists. 

At the core of the album however was a heavy blues sound that was given new life through the unique Filter of each player in this band. Of course Jim Morrison is the star but his poetry is given purpose and added drama by Densmore, Krieger and Manzarek. 

It was an odd combination of influences but the chemistry of the band helped birth a new sound that added a new kind of darkness to the psychedelic rock movement. No one had ever gone this deep before and the fact that the album was a hit demonstrates a lot about that era in that new radical sounds were embraced and celebrated by a mainstream audience instead of being delegated to the underground. 

To my ears, this album was the birth of Punk, Metal, Prog and Psych Rock. The Doors were the very epitome of Alternative Rock and responsible for the decades of art or avant-garde inspired rock music that was to follow. 

Favourite Track: The End

By: Dan Newton

Listen to the album on the following link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1jWmEhn3ggaL6isoyLfwBn

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – Jackalpac

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

Jackalpac

Jackalpac has an eclectic sound, featuring melancholic vocals over atmospheric guitars, synths and heavy grooves. This production-focused group draws influence from artists such as Kashmir, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley and The Smiths.

After a hiatus, Dan Huey has recruited a new line up in the current members. Jackalpac re-emerged and the group is currently working together on producing new music in their project studio, to be released in 2016 and beyond.

Jackalpac’s live shows are raw and powerfully energetic with a cohesive sound reflecting the driven group dynamic in the band. They’ve supported the likes of John Steel Singers, Sherlock’s Daughter, The Big Dead, Skinny Jean and been played on a variety of radio stations, including Triple J and 4zzz.

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jackalpac/
Bandcamp – https://jackalpacmusic.bandcamp.com/

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – Captain Cake

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

Captain Cake

Captain Cake is a Comedy laptop musician from Brisbane in the tradition of anti-Comedian Neil Hamburger. Captain Cake’s unique brand of comedy has thrilled and repulsed audiences but due to it’s surrealist nature it always guarantees hardcore happiness to erupt after his set has concluded. Imagine Freddy Got Fingered via Tim and Eric with the pop sensibilities of TISM and you’ll get close to the unique must see entertainment extravaganza that is Captain Cake aka Brisbane’s Greatest Living Comedian and Australia’s first ever Psychedelic Comedian.

Check It Out His Total Godhead New Single “Good Father”

 

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/captaincakeyohoho/

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – Papperbok

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

Papperbok

Ever since the mid-2000’s Brisbane has been promising to produce a pop band capable of taking over the world and since about 2010 we’ve watched them all fade away, break up or attempt to pathetically move onto the next trend. We’re confident in saying that finally Brisbane has the band capable and it is Papperbok and on their debut album “Girlk” they don’t waste anytime proving why they will ascend to become the new pop music elite.

Imagine Pink Floyd only with more shoegaze aesthetics and post-rock drama then mix it with all of the great British mood bands of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s then you’ll get close to what makes Papperbok special. For every pop hook there is a moody interlude swaying in and out allowing there music to move along like one big track. All of the players in the band are masters of their craft and know the perfect time to be silent but also attack. This makes their proggier moments more interesting and the pop songs a more direct punch. It’s nice to hear a band lean on their influences but not get too nostalgic about it. You can certainly hear that Papperbok are disciples of The Flaming Lips, Blur, Radiohead and The Beatles but they don’t steal or replicate, they re-invent these established dynamics to help create their own unique sonic dialogue.

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Papperbok
Bandcamp – https://papperbok.bandcamp.com/
MySpace – https://myspace.com/papperbok
Triple J Unearthed – https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/papperbok

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – Galapogos

 
Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

Galapogos

Galapogos are purveyors of everything and nothing favouring the sweet release of pop skills soaked in the energy of the moment in order to birth an explosion of hushed harshness dripping with cinematic nonsense that is in debt to all of the vibrations that connect with humans on an emotional level.

Established in 2010, Galapogos have managed to become one the most prolific and best kept musical secrets in the country. In the past five years the Galapogos live shows and album releases (Established Ghosts (2011), Feel Or Suffer (2013), Strange Species (2014) and An Emptiness (2015)) have become legendary with a heavy focus on improvisation, pop skills and a lot of noise nonsense experimentation. It has the capacity to be quite an intense journey that travels the full gauntlet of emotions both known and unknown.

The uneducated have labeled Galapogos many things but the band simply refers to their intense noise meditations as Progressive, Psychedelic and Experimental – a beautifully rapturous sound designed to summon the true aliens among us. Despite their funny coloured feet people seem to like what Galapogos do and in return they love them back. Galapogos are always happy to wear the claws if you’d like that.

Dadaism – Surrealism – Noise – Pop Art – Sprechgesang – Free Atonality

Yoko Ono and Kim Gordon

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/galapogosbrisbane
Bandcamp – http://galapogos2.bandcamp.com/

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – VOIID

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

VOIID

There was a quote from Kurt Cobain at some point during his life where he said that the next great rock revolution would be lead by a woman or something like that. Whilst we don’t want to get too political we think it’s a relevant stance because in this godforsaken local music scene known as Brisbane, the only relevant music being made and the only music that resonates is the stuff driven by Female Human Beings. Make of that what you will but you know, there is only so much “hell fuck yeah” we can fucking take and we feel like VOIID might be the antidote to all that white middle class macho rock bullshit that is swelling both above and below ground at the moment.

VOIID make smart music and we’re big fans of what VOIID is communicating. We get the feeling that in 12 months time they’ll also be everyone else’s favourite band as well but for now, keep them as your own little secret before you have to share them with the rest of the world.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/voiidtheband/

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One – Artist Announcement – Quintessential Doll

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Artist Announcement:

Quintessential Doll

Quintessential Doll is one of the first real 21st Century artists to light a path to the new sound of now. As an Artist, she is fiercely original, mysterious, a master communicator and the true evolution of psychedelic music. Existing somewhere between pop music structures and hip hop dynamics, Quintessential Doll presents her music as art and uses every inch of the creative dialogue – the audio and the visual – to showcase her fearlessness. Everything she creates moves in a hypnotic unison hooking you in, taking you deep beneath the drama beating at the centre of her music’s turmoiled shining light. It flattens you to the point of being totally breathless and haunts long after the experience has finished. There is an exhaustion and real high that comes on once the music finishes, almost like an endorphin release. It’s a fucking soul drenched experience that rips open your heart, makes you want to weep but at the same time you want to just fucking run and get the fuck out of what ever bad situation you find yourself in. In 2016 and beyond Quintessential Doll’s music deserves to be the new national anthem for those human beings who have graduated from teenage angst to adult pain and who still seek the emotional rush of a good pop song when it comes to finding a remedy for trying to feel some kind of “I’m not alone” resolve.

Pure Fractured Perfection – Quintessential Doll is an intoxicating experience that combines the exotic search for understanding in a world that continues to function within the boundaries of rules and regulations.

Useful Links:

Official Website – http://quintessentialdollmusic.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/quintessentialdoll

 

 

SINGLE AND FILM CLIP OF THE WEEK: “Brisbane, Transit Centre” by Andrew Tuttle

Today we are proud to be bringing you a combined single and video of the week. The artist in question is a Brisbane underground legend whose pioneering sounds have helped establish him as one of the most respected artists in our country. I’m of course talking about Andrew Tuttle and we’re proud to be premiering his new single and video for a new piece titled “Brisbane, Transit Centre” which you can stream down below.

 

The single is a re-interpretation of a live staple of Andrew’s which was originally recorded a few years back for his first EP under his own name. The song was recorded and mixed whilst Andrew was doing a fortnight residency at EMS Elektronmusikstudion in Stockholm after a short European tour in April/May, in between working on a new album,  a follow up to his fantastic 2016 release “Fantasy League.” This single is the first of two standalone singles Andrew will be releasing over summer in the lead up to the album release in mid-2017.

There is a dedication to mood and atmosphere but where other artists may favour the drone Andrew slips into the sunshine of pop music and more traditional folk stylings in order to ground his noise experimentation’s. There are lots of Jim O’Rourkeism’s all over this new single and that totally rules because I’m a devout believer in the healing power of Jim O’Rourke. I can hear the nods to all the pioneers of this genre but for me it was the pop skills of this track that impressed me most. I automatically had millions of different vocal melody ideas leap out of my mind as I sunk deep into this strictly instrumental track. The song is a beautiful thing to witness and is a nice slice of cinematic bliss that will leave you wanting more.

The film clip for this song also does a wonderful job of selling the magic of this song – have a peek below:

 
For those that don’t know, here is a quick history lesson (courtesy of Andrew’s BIO) –  Andrew Tuttle, based in Brisbane, Australia; creates sounds that explore the relationship between instrumentation, structure and genre within electronics and acoustics. Tuttle, usually solo, although occasionally in semi-regular and ad-hoc collaboration, creates a synthesis of electronic/acoustic instrumentation and genre, and improvisation/composition performed on computer, banjo, synthesiser, acoustic guitar, etc etc.

Under his own name and previously from 2004-2013 under the moniker Anonymeye, Tuttle has released recordings on labels including A Guide To Saints (Room40), Heligator, Someone Good (Room40), Bedroom Suck, Feral Media, hellosQuare, Twice Removed, Duskdarter, sound&fury, Flaming Pines, and New Weird Australia. Under his own name, solo, and in collaboration, Tuttle has performed at festivals including St Jerome’s Laneway Festival (Brisbane, AU), Melbourne International Jazz Festival (Melbourne, AU), OtherFilm Festival (Brisbane, AU) and Sonic Masala (Brisbane, AU); and venues including Cafe OTO (London, UK), Gallery of Modern Art (Brisbane, AU), Institute of Modern Art (Brisbane, AU), Le Bourg (Lausanne, CH), 107 Projects (Sydney, AU), HeK (Basel, CH), Plunge (Milan, IT), Brisbane Powerhouse (Brisbane, AU), The Old Museum (Brisbane, AU) and Howler (Melbourne, AU). Tuttle has collaborated live and/or on record (or in other situations) with musicians and sound artists including Matmos, Lawrence English, Mike Cooper, Blank Realm, Cornel Wilczek (Qua), Heinz Riegler, Inner Light (Smoke Bellow), Seaworthy, Rauberhohle, Kris Keogh, Joel Stern, Feet Teeth, Pale Earth and Sasha Margolis (Automating). As well as the aforementioned, Tuttle has shared concert lineups with artists including Matmos, Julia Holter, Forest Swords, Hauschka, The Soft Pink Truth, Daniel Bachman, Gudrun Gut, OM, Deradoorian, Pimmon, Omar Souleyman, Heinz Riegler, Julian Day, Kris Keogh, Tralala Blip, Wixtes, Lumisokea, Monika Brooks, Marihiko Hara and Sparkspitter.

Prior to 2013, Tuttle primarily recorded and performed under the moniker Anonymeye. After three albums, two dozen other recorded appearances and over one hundred live performances in Australia, Europe, and New Zealand; the Anonymeye moniker was retired in early 2013. When not creating music, Tuttle is an active participant in the Australian independent music community, as a creative director, tour manager, freelance writer and arts administrator. Tuttle also has a strong love for cricket.

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/andrewtuttlemusic
Official Website – http://andrewtuttle.com.au

FILM CLIP OF THE WEEK: “Baby” by Angharad Drake

 

The haunting video for Angharad Drake’s new single “Baby” just launched and we’re proud to nominate it as our film clip of the week – click play on the below link:

 

 

“Baby” tells the tale of a battered relationship and the paranoia that comes with it, yet the eerie video takes it to a new visual landscape. With a fly-on-the-wall perspective, the video shows us the climatic moment where everything goes awry. A tragedy filtered with breathtaking scenic shots, “Baby” is the picture perfect rendition of pure heartbreak.

Useful Links:

Download the song for free from JJJ Unearthed:

https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/angharad-drake

Do the right thing and support the artist – visit Angharad’s Bandcamp and buy her stuff:

https://angharaddrake.bandcamp.com/track/baby

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/angharaddrake
Official Website – http://www.angharaddrake.com
Bandcamp – https://angharaddrake.bandcamp.com/

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: “Girlk” by Papperbok

On their debut album “Girlk” Papperbok deliver us 33 minutes of the best psych pop music of 2016 and in the process announce their arrival as a real contender to take down the whole Tame Impala empire. Ever since the mid-2000’s Brisbane has been promising to produce a pop band capable of taking over the world and since about 2010 we’ve watched them all fade away, break up or attempt to pathetically move onto the next trend. I’m confident in saying that finally Brisbane has the band capable and it is Papperbok and on their debut album “Girlk” they don’t waste anytime proving why they will ascend to become the new pop music elite. 

 

What makes “Girlk” such a special experience is the way it is sequenced. For every pop hook there is a moody interlude swaying in and out allowing the album to move along like one big track. As isolated tracks, each song is brilliant but for the ultimate listening experience you need to sit and listen to the record front to back. The production is perfect and despite the extreme layering present on each track there is still a lot of dynamics allowing each track the space to breathe and grow without a total saturation of the frequencies. All of the players on this album are masters of their craft and know the perfect time to be silent but also attack. This makes the proggier moments more interesting and the pop songs a more direct punch. It’s nice to hear a band lean on their influences but not get too nostalgic about it. You can certainly hear that Papperbok are disciples of The Flaming Lips, Blur, Radiohead, The Beatles and Pink Floyd (and Tame Impala I’m willing to bet as well) but they don’t steal or replicate, they re-invent these established dynamics to help create their own unique sonic dialogue.

The real star of this album however is Annabelle Bingley whose vocals create such a spooky yet beautiful atmosphere. It doesn’t matter whether she is on lead vocals or providing backing vocals, she is a truly creative force and provides fresh, interesting and dynamic melodic passages that lift these songs to some out of this world places. Her voice is pure escapism and carries with it equal amounts of beauty, despair, angst, heartache, humour and celebration. Any dull rock n roll or pop song cliché displayed by the band is instantly washed away the moment her voice elegantly arrives on any of the tracks. 

 That is not to say that this album is cliched, far from it. In context of the modern music landscape it is a true treasure to behold. As a movement of music “Girlk” is a sublime treat of psych pop goodness that is in debt to all of the great British mood bands of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and although the band has opted for a concept record it’s hard for me not to dig deep into these lyrics and see them as metaphors for the authors own personal pain. Using a bit of fiction to help amplify the deep sigh of modern living works well for Papperbok and it allows for the emotion of each song to be more direct and in the process opening up your own imagination. It’s all very cinematic and as one piece of music it moves like “The Final Cut” era Pink Floyd only with more shoegaze aesthetics and post-rock drama which helps to edge it to sounding like a lost timeless classic. 

 This album may have taken Papperbok a number of years to record and release but I’m confident it won’t take long for the band to receive extreme critical acclaim for the end result. I’m confident in saying that “Girlk” is a definite contender for our end of year top eleven list and I look forward to seeing the rest of the world fall in love with the brilliant, intense and smart song writing skills that Papperbok have shown on this record. 

 An outstanding debut album that is total fucking godhead

 By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Papperbok

Bandcamp – https://papperbok.bandcamp.com/
MySpace – https://myspace.com/papperbok
Triple J Unearthed – https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/papperbok

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: “Savage” by Quintessential Doll

“The idea of songwriting is a transformative thing, and what I do with songwriting is take situations that are quite ordinary and transform them in some way. Apart from things like the murder ballads, the songs I write, at their core, are quite ordinary human concerns, but the process of writing about them transforms them into something else.”

Nick Cave

Listening to the new single “Savage” from Quintessential Doll it was hard for me not to think of the above Nick Cave quote because lyrically this song speaks a lot about the sting and stained aftermath of a personal and spiritual transformation. The main refrain of “My Mad Beauty Will Never be Yours To Tame, I will never by yours” roars like a hushed vehicle of desired escapism. A line later in the song “My Conflicted Heart Attempts to Escape My Ribcage” gives a great illustration of the deep rooted pain anchoring the delicate yet ache shaped melodies that soak every inch of this beautiful track. It’s an intoxicating experience that combines the exotic search for understanding in a world that continues to function within the boundaries of rules and regulations.

 

As a song “Savage” is just as much about the elite freedom attached to the explosive fresh breeze of a blank canvas whilst also touching on the pure bleakness of the shame you feel when you have to execute some collateral damage on humans you loved, the whole process of graduating to the place where people you know become people you knew. The production is pure perfection and matches the flawless vocal patterns contained both in a lead and backing capacity. Everything moves in a hypnotic unison hooking you in, taking you deep beneath the drama beating at the centre of the songs turmoiled shining light. It flattens you to the point of being totally breathless and haunts long after the track has finished. There is an exhaustion and real high that comes on once the track finishes, almost like an endorphin release. It’s a fucking soul drenched experience that rips open your heart, makes you want to weep but at the same time you want to just fucking run and get the fuck out of what ever bad situation you find yourself in.

In 2016 “Savage” by Quintessential Doll deserves to be the new national anthem for those human beings who have graduated from teenage angst to adult pain and who still seek the emotional rush of a good pop song when it comes to finding a remedy for trying to feel some kind of “I’m not alone” resolve.

Pure, Fractured and Pop Song Perfection – Quintessential Doll is one of the first real 21st Century artists to light a path to the new sound of now

By: Dan Newton

Official Website – http://quintessentialdollmusic.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/quintessentialdoll

Film Clip for “Savage” – https://youtu.be/JLmLHxiJS68

SINGLE REVIEW: “No One” by KING IV

One of the great pleasures of running this blog is when you discover a new artist who just flaws you, to the point where their music becomes the new soundtrack to every inch of your daily routine. The kind of collision that tears away all of the cynical feelings you can start to inherit after having to spend days going through your inbox and being constantly underwhelmed by how many bands / artists are all “style over substance” – that really fucking bums me out. Lucky for me there was an artist who I have encountered who pulled me out of this zone.

The artist I’m talking about is King IV and her glorious new song “No One” helped remind me of the joy of music and why I love the thrill of humans finding radical new ways to communicate about that “ache” that is buried at the centre of all good art and let me be clear, King IV is an artist in the truest sense with music being her chosen vehicle of expression and pain being her paintbrush. By using the aesthetics of established genres her vision is able to explode out of the speakers sparking a dynamic emotional reaction from you the listener. There will be a desire to dance, to be still and to slowly edge yourself to the outskirts of the party in order to engage some quiet reflection. All in all the comfort of being sad will be dulled amplified and totally erased giving you the space to explore the new taste of desire, giving new names to old feelings scheduling in the smooth rush of a cool breeze. This song shivers up and down your fucking spine, pushing the politics of broken hearted warfare to front and centre of your memory. It haunts and it creeps.

 
For me, this song is another example of what 21st Century psychedelic music should sound like and the production along with the vocal arrangements showcase that King IV is a human who knows the importance of coating the pop song template with weirdness in order to amplify the hooks. All good pop hooks have sprinklings of the avant-garde. This is so the hook can have a degree of hypnosis buried within it. To those who love art, we know the secret, but to those who are merely just audience members the easiest way for me to explain the role of the avant garde in a good pop hook is to say that it is that “thing” that attracts you to the song, that “thing” you just can’t explain. Artists invent new ways to communicate these avant-gardisms, musicians and big industry music machine humans manipulate the weirdness and dull it down. With her song “No One” King IV shows how creative she is by letting her music breath the language of both the avant garde and the pop birthing a very “new” and “timeless” sound.

It’s the emotion of the song that hooks me in however. The technique is world class and it’s quite clear that King IV has the goods to construct interesting pop music but the science of a song is only allowed to make sense if there is a deep emotional core sprinkling a little bit of that special stuff across the aesthetics. That’s what I connect with, the deep emotional ache of King IV’s lyrics and melodic approach. That’s where I escape into when I’ve got this song playing. I want to know more and I want to know exactly who or what is inspiring this song.

In 2016 I’ve had the thrill of discovering many different artists and King IV is just another example of how lucky I feel to get to witness the birth of an artists career. I look forward to the future of King IV’s career and to see what she’ll release next.

Don’t fucking stall – make sure you devour King IV before she becomes the worldwide hit she is destined to become.

By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KingIVmusic/
Official Website – http://www.kingivmusic.com/
Bandcamp – kingivmusic.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud – soundcloud.com/kingivmusic

SINGLE REVIEW: “Cheap Wine” by VOIID

There was a quote from Kurt Cobain at some point during his life where he said that the next great rock revolution would be lead by a woman or something like that. Whilst I don’t want to get too political I think it’s a relevant stance because in this godforsaken local music scene known as Brisbane, the only relevant music being made and the only music that resonates with me is the stuff driven by Female Human Beings. Make of that what you will but you know, there is only so much “hell fuck yeah” I can fucking take and I feel like VOIID might be the antidote to all that white middle class macho rock bullshit that is swelling both above and below ground at the moment.

The bands sole recording exists via the following SoundCloud and YouTube link and it is a 1 minute and 18 second pure kool thing lo-fi rock n roll thrill – put on the headphones and turn it up loud:

 

 

The production is supreme and perfect for this musical communication delving deep into the whole late night party drunk as fuck boredom shtick. This approach truly amps up the vocals and adds a nice contrast to the crunch of the guitar as it creeps along like a distorted washed out sigh. VOIID combine smart lyrics with simple pop melodies all the while slapping together some righteous chords that mix the hiss of shoegazing and the dust and dirt of the whole Sebadoh aesthetic. It has one foot in the past and one foot in the future and displays a desire to at least re-shape some of the established dynamics of the genres influencing them. Whilst the music is more party than arty there are hints of surrealism and dadaism weaving in and out of their overall presentation. There is a mystique to it all and that mystery begs repeated listens. This song along hints at future punk rock greatness and I can see this band taking it all the way, from the house party to the festival stage.

 

 

This is smart music and I’m a big fan of what VOIID is communicating. I get the feeling that in 12 months time they’ll also be everyone else’s favourite band as well but for now, keep them as your own little secret before you have to share them with the rest of the world.

By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/voiidtheband/

SINGLE REVIEW: “Beautiful Violence” by Quintessential Doll

There are moments in my life where I fucking hate rock music with a passion. It can produce some of the most uninspiring art in the world and when it’s bad it is really bad and when I hate rock n roll, I really want to destroy it. All of the leather pants wearing fuckholes, the guitar solos, the fucking rolling stones and all of their disgusting songs, all of the fucking humans who pretend to be Dandy Warhols, all those fucking 60’s / 70’s / 80’s revival throwback bands, all the fucking grunge revival bullshit and the army of humans who just love love love rock n roll and live life on the edge by adhering to the sex, drugs and rock n roll ethos. Fuck it makes me so very sick to witness and it honestly stands in the way of progress, you’re holding up evolution fuckwit, but I digress. Sometimes I just need to break free of it and to escape into something a little less generic in terms of musical communication.

This is not a new feeling for me, I’ve had it for as long as I’ve been listening to music and through the years this disgust with (sigh) “rock n roll” has lead me to some truly radical places. One artist who has been the shining light for me for the past few months has been Quintessential Doll. The freedom of her music really left me feeling inspired because I’m always on the search for new extremes and new ideas when it comes to the punk rock spirit. It seems that she has birthed a new kind of creative language for the riot grrrl scene (at least that’s how I interrupted it) and instead of being literal with her influences and sound she scatters all kinds of art reference points across her brand of pop music.

Quintessential Doll is one of the most original artists coming out of Brisbane at the moment and her sound is absolutely fascinating to me. That is how a lot of the music I invest in starts off, a fascination and an attraction to the way an artist conducts themselves and how they use their creativity to communicate to the outside world. A lot of this fascination starts because of the mystery and wonder of this particular person or persons and it just drives me to the point of wanting to know and hear more. I like to think of myself as a human that is genreless, I think art is about communication and I’m only ever attracted to those who are masters of communication and Quintessential Doll is brilliant with the way she communicates via her art.

This brings me to Quintessential Doll’s recent song “Beautiful Violence” which was released earlier this year.

Here is the film clip to the song:

 

Once again I’d like to use this review to get a bit controversial in terms of how and why I think Quintessential Doll is the perfect remedy and true evolution of psychedelic music. In order to do that I guess I have to outline my problem with the modern psychedelic movement happening across the musical community of late. I’ve got a big problem with all of the modern psychedelic bands popping up here there and everywhere. The reason why I find them difficult to enjoy is because they add nothing to the evolution of the genre of psychedelic music. They simply replicate what has come before them and it essentially starts to sound like a whole range of different tribute bands simply doing psych music circa 1960’s / 1970’s and whilst enjoyable it just adds nothing to our humanity. The music press certainly eat it up and shit out reviews praising the mediocrity of it all but those of us with seasoned ears and a desire to move the world into a place of equality for all, just hears a bunch of fraudulent humans adhering to a formula that can’t fail and that will help them achieve an empty kind of success.

Upon first listen of “Beautiful Violence” by Quintessential Doll I started to feel like that finally we have the first real movement of music that will help push and evolve the idea of psychedelic music into the new decade. This is a song and artist that is trying to reach some kind of true sonic revolution.

Now before the internet warrior humans pull my review apart (I’m mainly talking to the straight white males who work in guitar shops with this next sentence), let me dull down your fiery trigger finger by outlining to you that in order to evolve any genre aesthetic you need to do a bit more than purely replicate it. Proving that you can do intricate Beatles harmonies and adding some weird orchestral twists and turns and other psychedelic flourishes does not show that you are evolving the idea of psychedelic music, you’re simply paying tribute and pat yourself on the back sunshine you’ll make a lot of money in the process being a fucking fraud. All the bros will love your band but your basically just a covers act.

That is why I love “Beautiful Violence” by Quintessential Doll so much, because her music has this quality where it certainly exists within certain pop music structures and hip hop genre dynamics but it still stands alone as a unique musical communication. After listening to “Beautiful Violence” you can tell just how important it is for Quintessential Doll to present her music like art as opposed to just an exercise in commerce. It is her fearlessness that will allow her to not only be successful but also to do it with a unique creative dialogue.

I’m pretty confident not a lot of humans will buy into my assessment of Quintessential Doll being a leader of the evolution of Psychedelic Music but you see that’s just the problem with the world that Quintessential Doll is also attempting to rebel against, most humans automatically assume that the kind of evolution I was referring to was and will still come from a group of weak bodied white male humans playing guitars and potentially have a horn section or theremin or sitar for good measure. Sometimes this world has the capacity to make me feel fucking sick with the way it breathes in and breathes out.

This review of “Beautiful Violence” by Quintessential Doll is starting to potentially sound like some kind of feminist rant and for that I make no apologies because I am a fucking feminist you stupid jerks. Sorry, I forgot that music is subjective. My mistake, I’ll keep my pleas for equality and the way forward to making the world a better place to myself. You’re free to go back to sleep and live under the 1960’s / 1970’s / 1990’s rock that you all love so much, you know the one where revolution and evolution comes in the form of white middle class males.

Anyway, fuck it, I don’t really care too much what you all think of my crazy theories, yeah, yeah, musical taste / resonance and subjectivity and all that, I get it fuckwit, but trust me when I say that “Beautiful Violence” by Quintessential Doll is the way forward and considering we still have humans pretending that it’s 1960, 1970 and 1990 it’s fucking refreshing to have an artist pushing sound into some truly evolutionary places. I am just glad that finally somebody is trying to fucking be a bit creative and artistic with their music and that someone from Brisbane isn’t using bad Dandy Warhols or Brian Jonestown Massacre riffs to communicate how “out there” and “weird” they are – fuck, you don’t know how refreshing that is.

The new single from Quintessential Doll is called “Beautiful Violence” and it is a modern punk rock / psych rock / pop music classic and trust me when I say that she will be the Tom Waits of our generation.

Shut your fucking mouth and just listen – she’s a healer

 

By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

Official Website – http://quintessentialdollmusic.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/quintessentialdoll

FILM CLIP OF THE WEEK: “PDFC” by post-dusk

 

post-dusk is Ruby Smith, Brisbane producer and multi-instrumentalist who earlier this year shared debut single ‘PDFC’ which enjoyed attention across national and community radio, local and international publications alike.

Smith now shares a video for the hazy, dreamy track which she wrote, performed, produced and mixed herself while halfway through an honours thesis in psychology.

Created in tandem with director Pernell Marsden and director of photography Samudranil Chatterjee, post-dusk has created a mysterious, awe-inspiring realm bathed in gold glitter and candle light.

‘PDFC’ is just the first taste of post-dusk’s debut EP which we will see released before the year is out.

I reviewed ‘PDFC’ earlier this year and this is what I had to say:

“The moment the chords open up on post-dusk’s new single “PDFC” you relax into the groove of this amazing little heartbreaker. It swoons and aches like a late afternoon connecting directly to that part of your eternal sigh for a better place. This song is pure perfection and beautifully ethereal, I just fall deep inside of it every time I hear it and it becomes a glorious explosion of escapism that is heightened ever so magically when the vocal melodies weave in and out like a cool breeze. It’s like being caught in a divine shiver and it just takes over your body and you get fucking elevated to some truly righteous places.

I love when pop music is moody and atmospheric as opposed to being sticky and obvious. That’s exactly what “PDFC” is, a moody masterpiece that connects due to its darkness as opposed to its sunshine. It takes an artist to be able to be this direct and deep. What “PDFC” illustrates is the importance of a solid and consistent groove in order to build the atmosphere and mood of a song. The simple drone gives “PDFC” the direction it needs to unfold with the array of keys and synths flowing over this track with a Twin Peaks spookiness allowing for the guitar lines to erupt enough Cocteau Twins via Sonic Youth orchestral tone to provide the ethereal frame. This is a pure dream pop masterpiece and the kind of song that belongs on a mixtape for someone you are secretly crushing on.

The vocal performance and lyrical direction of “PDFC” is a simple ode to the desperate pulse of loss and I know it’s a typical thing for me to search for in most music but I think it is a musing on the power and turmoil of death. It may be masked inside the rhythm of a break-up song but I think at the core of the song lyrically is an ode to the angst of loss and the claustrophobic fear of aging in a world that prefers to move quickly as opposed to being a slow cheetah. Regardless of the muse it is clear that post-dusk is yearning for escape from the crippling sting of routine and for an extreme new experience to help her feel comfort and satisfaction with the moment as opposed to the dense haze of being stuck in the fear drenched cycle of feeling powerless and unable to stop the motion of time. The real joy is the way it connects and relates with your own personal experiences and provides the ultimate pain relief from your own life dilemmas.

 

 

“PDFC” is a timeless piece of art carefully crafted and communicated to ensure that all of your emotions are beautifully serenaded to a place of extreme relaxation and dislocation. This song is a personal and very warm invitation into the world that post-dusk creates for you and although the song is awash with personal and very relatable experiences it is the stylistic swoon of the dream pop genre that allows you to engage with her landscape but to also instill your own imagination and to arrive at a place of pure escapism. This movement of music is very open and as a result it provides you the ability to become tangled in your own ache stained sighs for the one you love / loved with the only logical resolve to hit repeat on your stereo in order to sail deeper into the beautifully delicate yet emotionally raw sound of post-dusk’s music.

This song will not just become the most trusted pain reliever but also the early morning rush of a sunrise after spending an evening of discovery in the arms of someone you hope will learn to love you back.

There is a very famous lecture that Nick Cave gave about the importance of the love song that I’d like to quote in order to conclude this review. The following quotes are important to understanding what post-dusk communicates as an artist and what makes “PDFC” so important:

“Though the love song comes in many guises – songs of exultation and praise, songs of rage and of despair, erotic songs, songs of abandonment and loss – they all address God, for it is the haunted premises of longing that the true love song inhabits. It is a howl in the void, for Love and for comfort and it lives on the lips of the child crying for his mother. It is the song of the lover in need of her loved one, the raving of the lunatic supplicant petitioning his God. It is the cry of one chained to the earth, to the ordinary and to the mundane, craving flight; a flight into inspiration and imagination and divinity. The love song is the sound of our endeavours to become God-like, to rise up and above the earthbound and the mediocre”

“We each have a need to create and sorrow is a creative act. The love song is a sad song; it is the sound of sorrow itself. We all experience within us what the Portuguese call Suadade, which translates as an inexplicable sense of longing, an unnamed and enigmatic yearning of the soul and it is this feeling that lives in the realms of imagination and inspiration and is the breeding ground for the sad song, for the Love song is the light of God, deep down, blasting through our wounds.”

“The love song must be born into the realm of the irrational, absurd, the distracted, the melancholic, the obsessive, the insane for the love song is the noise of love itself and love is, of course, a form of madness. Whether it be the love of God, or romantic, erotic love – these are manifestations of our need to be torn away from the rational, to take leave of our senses, so to speak. Love songs come in many guises and are seemingly written for many reasons – as declarations or to wound – I have written songs for all of these reasons – but ultimately the love songs exist to fill, with language, the silence between ourselves and God, to decrease the distance between the temporal and the divine.”

This accurately describes what post-dusk has done with her music and with “PDFC” she takes a deeper plunge into the abyss of her hurt shaped experiences in order to clean her wounds and create an incredibly divine movement of music. The safety of pop music is not on the agenda here and whilst this song has hooks it is the overall atmosphere of loss and despair that lets it hang inside your heart and soul. You carry this music with you and it buries itself deep inside of you long after you’ve listened to it. A song like “PDFC” will haunt you and wrap itself around you like a warm blanket. Like all great pieces of art it is not an instant or easy communication to digest but this is not music designed purely for the beat of major label consumerism. This is music created by someone who has loved and who has been damaged by the madness of it but who also uses heavy optimism to communicate just how much joy she gets from the rush of rejection and connection.

On “PDFC” post-dusk proves that depth, intensity and atmosphere are more important to the successful communication of pop music than the emptiness of one hit wonder world domination. I feel privileged to be able to review this song because it provided me with so much personal comfort and I’ve only lived with it for seven days. I look forward to what long term listening will do and how “PDFC” will soundtrack the many more adventures I plan to take into the landscape of broken hearted disco dancing and new romancing. This is a flawless song from a true artist who has successfully entered the realm of being one of the few modern contributors to the timeless dialogue of beauty, honesty and truth.”

By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

https://www.facebook.com/postdusk | www.soundcloud.com/post-dusk
www.instagram.com/postdusk | www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/post-dusk

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: “Baby” by Angharad Drake

Angharad Drake is a bright light in an often predictable and redundant landscape of singer songwriters. Her music is dark and moody and is clearly influenced by the many different faces of music. Now Brisbane based, Drake grew up on Australia’s famed Sunshine Coast, where she began writing music during her early years of high school, and scoring gigs at small local venues. She later went on to study a Music degree at Brisbane’s QUT. Influenced by the stylings of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Laura Marling and Bon Iver, she began to develop her own individual style during her University years and recorded a self titled debut EP in 2010. Since then she has completed two more self-­produced EP’s (2013’s ‘Lay Down’, and 2014’s ‘Swing’), all in preparation for her debut full ­length album, ‘Sword’ which was released in 2015.

The genius of Drake’s music comes down to the mood and how she approaches the melodic structure of her songs. Drake saturates each song with darkness and a spooky whisper and it becomes hard not to be pulled into her psyche. It is real journey-person material and you can hear that Drake has lived every inch of pain contained within her lyrics. There are also pinches of resolve and hope swirling in and out of the music but it is more attached to an acceptance of ones weirdness as opposed to anything found in positive thinking handbooks. As is the case with all good pop music, the intensity is front and centre and Drake doesn’t waste time grabbing your soul and taking you on a journey through the dark and light regions of our existence and the other dimensions she is channeling. Drake makes both very intellectual but also very spiritual music and when you mix the science with the soul you get a beating heart that is well balanced and rooted in purity.

Today we are very proud to be premiering Angharad’s new single “Baby” which is from her forthcoming second album which is due out in early to mid 2017.

 

Once again we see Angharad digging deep and delivering a beautiful slice of melancholy sweetness that feels autobiographical in terms of the story she’s telling. The melodic changes that swing in and out of the verses and choruses of this song are so heavy emotionally and you get dragged into the drama of it all. This is perfect pop music that is communicated with such beauty and grace. Production wise we see a few stylistic changes helping to provide the song with some interesting dynamics. These new additions sonically don’t spook Angharad’s delicate and almost whispered playing style or take away from the poetically somber tone of her music. This is music for those of us who need the rush of a broken heart in order to give purpose to our creative muse.

All in all Angharad Drake proves once again what an important up and coming artist she is. Her music is the secret weapon against this fast paced need for technology to swoop in and strangle the pure musical experience. Her voice will haunt you and her songs plant themselves deep into your existence. She will help you understand that the best art comes from those who communicate honestly and with a sense of bravery. With “Baby” we glimpse just how powerful and emotionally violent a hushed heartbroken whisper can be. It’s truly fucking “stop what you’re doing” stuff and utterly flawless.

By: Dan Newton

Useful Links:

Download the song for free from JJJ Unearthed:

https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/angharad-drake

Do the right thing and support the artist – visit Angharad’s Bandcamp and buy her stuff:

https://angharaddrake.bandcamp.com/track/baby

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/angharaddrake
Official Website – http://www.angharaddrake.com
Bandcamp – https://angharaddrake.bandcamp.com/

 

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

Heavy and Weird Presents: Collapse Into Now – Volume One

A night of new Progressive, Experimental, Psychedelic and Pop music from Brisbane and Beyond – true future music

Thursday 8th December 2016 – 6:00pm at the Bearded Lady – $10.00 entry fee

Line-Up to be announced soon

https://www.facebook.com/HeavyAndWeird