20.1.17

Today’s blogpost is gonna kind of unfold as an anticipatory piece on albums which should be hopefully be coming out soonish in the new year – as I feel like I saw quite a few bands live towards the end of last year that aired a lot of new material which would be great to hear on record in 2017.

Seeing Melbourne band The Stevens play a set of entirely new songs – albeit one – at the Newtown Social Club in July of last year got me very excited for their surely impending second album release. Often when a band airs completely new songs to a crowd the response can range from muted silence to unfamiliar intrigue and/or unabashed enthusiasm.

I can say without a doubt each one of The Stevens new songs on that night was fucking great and met warmly from the crowd who are surely keen to hear a lot of them on record. For the time being Alex Mcpharlane’s (one of the main members) solo cassette release late in 2016 is definitely worth checking out – it explores some of the more atmospheric elements of the Stevens’ music.

The same venue brought forth the slightly more raucous sound of a new set of songs by Brisbane band Clever in October. Sounding a bit like an Australian version of the Jesus Lizard taking a slight influence from the Drones’ first album Here Come the Lies, Clever took the stage with a ferocity that initially seemed anarchic however came together in a highly skilled musical form.

This may be put down to each band members involvement in a number of other great experimental Brisbane bands, notably singer Mitchel Perkins membership of the continually surprising and inventive Cured Pink. Looking forward to hearing from Clever and Cured Pink again later this year.

Back in NSW, it was great to see Phantastic Ferniture play live again at their self curated Christmas show/party in December. Presumably due to band member Julia Jacklin’s now well deserved success with her fantastic solo project the band hasn’t been able to play as much of late. Even though I’m unsure if there are any recording plans in the pipeline for Phantastic Ferniture, it would be great to hear more from them – I’m a big fan of their groovy/rnb influenced style.

In the similar Sydney via Blue Mountains folk influenced scene definitely keep an eye on the up and coming artists Georgia Mulligan and Dovetail this year. Mulligan has a wonderful knack for melodies and a killer voice that channels Sharon Van Etten at times. Tom Hume of Dovetail possesses an equally powerful early folk inspired voice; think another side of Bob Dylan and the folkier side to Arthur Lee’s Love, that carries his politically insightful songs in a captivating way.

You’ll actually be able to catch Georgian Mulligan at the Bad Day Out on the 28th of Jan along with Rice Is Nice Artists SPOD and Straight Arrows. Should be a heaps fun show – make sure to head along! GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Some other very exciting RIN goss going at the moment that the You Beauty boys may also have some new songs in the works for 2017, and are looking for a some backing singers on certain tracks – which I’m sure any of the aforementioned folk inspired singers may be able to help out on…

Catch ya soon,

David