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Genre Mix: The Monikers - Eternals - Bloodhounds On My Trail

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The Monikers - Friends Like These. Background - The Monikers are a four piece indie rock band based in Adelaide, SA. Forming in early 2013, the guys have come together to create their own unique style of melodic, guitar- driven indie rock. Working hard over the past two years and delivering two EPs in the process, they have steadily built a reputation as one of the most fun live acts in Adelaide. The floor is always packed with people dancing along to their catchy tunes!  ‘Friends Like These’ was recorded and produced in SAE Studios, Adelaide, by Michael Carver. It’s an upbeat-party song with some dark undercurrents. Punchy and guitar- driven, it’s friendly demeanour somewhat conceals the more serious subject matter of the song.  “It’s probably the happiest and saddest song I’ve ever written. Definitely the most personal” - Andy Mackenzie. You can catch The Monikers in Adelaide on 12/12/15 at The Ed Castle and in Melbourne on 8/1/15 at Mr Boogie Man Bar . The Monikers are a go

The Ocean Blue - First Three Albums Reissued

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The Ocean Blue - City Traffic. And the facts - The Ocean Blue reissued its first three albums on vinyl yesterday (Nov. 20th) via Shelflife Records / Korda Records - this includes The Ocean Blue (1989), Cerulean (1991) and Beneath The Rhythm and Sound (1993). Cerulean and Beneath are being issued on vinyl for the first time ever. The band will also perform their S/T debut and Cerulean in full on fall tour (final dates below).   The Ocean Blue's debut record on the famed Sire Records label in 1989 achieved widespread acclaim and radio & MTV airplay. The band of four high schoolers from Hershey, Pennsylvania went on to do two more well-received records for Sire, the atmospheric Cerulean and alt-pop Beneath the Rhythm and Sound, and a fourth record for Mercury/PolyGram, See The Ocean Blue, before leaving the majors in the late 90s. The band did several independent releases in the 2000s, including Davy Jones Locker and Waterworks, and in 2013 released their first full length r

Friday With: Barons Of Hiddenhausen - Renders

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Barons Of Hiddenhausen - Realm Of The Edge (V.2). Background - Barons Of Hiddenhausen is based out of Vienna, and is an experimental "one man duo" founded in 2012.. I grew up near the "Waterwoods", an isolated place in the upper Austrian outskirts. I was handed a guitar pick by BB King when I was 11 years old for being the youngest person at the show. A year later I begged my father to buy me an electric guitar.  After being in several bands I decided to move to Vienna and locked myself up in a small flat for two years to start writing my first debut album. I recorded and mixed it entirely alone on just one macbook and decided to self release it by late 2012. It was around the very same time when an opportunity came along to collaborate on Digital Noise Academy in Los Angeles with one of my childhood hero's, Ken Andrews (Failure, M83, A.P.C.) . From a five track EP 'Realm Of The Edge (V.2)' has a chunky, deep and at times quite edgy vibe flowing th

Thursday Three: Krista Polvere - Gillbanks - PJKTS

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Krista Polvere - Shut Up & Ride. And those fine background promo words - Melbourne based alt-country siren Krista Polvere returns from an international hiatus with the release of her new single Shut Up and Ride on November 27. The single is the first taste of Polvere’s new self-titled album due for release early in 2016. Both single and album were recorded in Virginia, USA, and produced by producer/artist Brian Elijah Smith. The recordings were made over an intense period in a basement studio fuelled by an intense relationship between the pair resulting in an album of rare emotional vulnerability and fire. “There is a story within it all that makes this album even more intense and special. You may hear it all coming through the songs, through my voice. The producer and instrumentalist on the album was my lover at the time. When I listen to the record now I can hear the ghosts of our love and the listener may too”. Shut Up and Ride is a powerful first single from the album –

Mother Hips - Live at Belly Up 2006 (IA)

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From the Internet Archive (IA) this is  Mother Hips Live at Belly Up, Solana Beach, California, back on the 10th March, 2006. The band performed Neil Young's album 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' in its entirety on the first set. For those unfamiliar with Mother Hips, the following is part of their (Wiki) history - Tim Bluhm (vocals/guitar), Greg Loiacono (guitar/vocals), Isaac Parsons (bass) and Mike Wofchuck (drums) met in 1990 while attending California State University-Chico, living off campus in Bradley Hall. They jammed and played some original songs at a few parties (once billed as Pippi Longstocking and the Trunk-of-Funk), but soon Isaac and Mike were lured away by the prospect of playing Led Zeppelin and Jane's Addiction covers at big parties as the rhythm section of the Keystones. Meanwhile Tim and Greg played acoustic guitars and sang harmonies to songstress Ali Weiss in the mellow trio Ali and the Cats. These bands played throughout 1990, but in ear

Tuesday Rocks: Hound - Andrew Johnston

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Hound - Driveway. Background - Brisbane goth cricket enthusiasts Hound return with an infectious garage-door banger ‘Driveway’ following on from their album single ‘God is Calling’ - which turned up on a fair few radios and televisions across the great southern land. Born out of a combined love for 80’s post punk and 90’s alt rock, ‘Driveway’ is equal parts fresh and throwback. Singer Chris Cox’s lyrics and vocal delivery evoke strong images of booze soaked balconies basking in the afternoon sun. Hungover thoughts of being caught in the same environment without a means of escape, sending ones ambitions into the indifferent vacuum of outer space echoing the lyric “I guess we’re back to the same old driveway”.  Driveway’ is the first single taken from Hound’s forthcoming  EP to be released early 2016 . Whether it's post punk or goth rock is academic, 'Driveway' is a refreshing blast of high energy, fast paced, good old rock'n'roll music. Best served with plenty

Monday: Emmylou Harris with John Paul White - Twin Limb - Steve Mahabir

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Emmylou Harris with John Paul White - Kyrie. Background -  Emmylou Harris & John Paul White have released "Kyrie," the second single from the upcoming Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us, Volume II compilation. "Kyrie" is available today as a single for purchase and streaming at all digital outlets. The full Mercyland compilation will be released on January 15, 2016 on Mercyland Records. This is the second installment of the Mercyland compilation, bringing together some of the most prominent voices in Americana music. "I don’t know that the first Mercyland would have even happened without Emmylou’s involvement," says Phil Madeira. "When I started Volume II, she suggested we write together, which of course was an honor.  She brought lovely verse ideas to the table, but a chorus eluded us until the words 'Kyrie Eleison' appeared.  What better prayer can be prayed than to ask for mercy?" Classic Emmylou Harris with sensitive accom

Alternative Take: Rococode - Cayetano - Emancipator - Blade of Grass

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Rococode - Panic Attack. Background - Rococode is Laura Smith and Andrew Braun. They released their debut album 'Guns, Sex & Glory' to much critical acclaim in early 2012. The record was produced by Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother, Hannah Georgas) and mixed by John Congleton (St.Vincent, Polyphonic Spree). Upon the release of their debut, the band took to the road and spent the better part of the next 18 months touring Canada and the US in various capacities. When it came time to work on their follow-up, Rococode coaxed producers Caleb Shreve (Phantogram, Bear Hands) from New York and Ted Gowans (Tegan and Sara, Fences) from Los Angeles to set up a studio in a cabin, off the grid, in the isolated coastal forest of British Columbia. Between building fires, checking the solar panels, and failed fishing trips, the foursome set to work on music that shared none of the characteristics of their rustic surroundings. They arranged an army of synthesisers, guitar pedals and drum

Saturday Sounds: Deep Sea Diver - L.U.V - Sugarmen - Postal Blue

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Deep Sea Diver - Secrets. Background and the story so far - "Wide awake, and I'm chasing after you" - exclaims a breathless Jessica Dobson, singer and multi-instrumentalist of Seattle's Deep Sea Diver. The lyric is one that best encapsulates the front woman's bravado and fearlessness which dominates Deep Sea Diver's forthcoming sophomore LP, Secrets out February 19th on their own High Beam records. In their desire to explore dualities, Deep Sea Diver urgently and deliberately move you from rock experimentation to dreamy soundscapes, Kraut-esque drum and bass grooves to angular danci-ness, and full fledged orchestration to bare bones simplicity. Dobson has the voice and authority  to tie it all together, and turn it into a cohesive unit that soars yet remains beautifully delicate and intimate. Live, the band has received acclaim for their festival-ready power and presence, Jessica's larger than life guitar hooks, and their cascading layers that build up

Friday Five: The Goldhearts - Indigo - Radiation City - Martha Bean - James Clark Hangover

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The Goldhearts - Here's The Thing. Background - The Goldhearts have had a big year. Not only did they master playing in a band with an interstate guitarist. They released their first single “On The Run" which received weekly spins by iconic Los Angeles DJ KROQ Rodney on his show Rodney on the Roq. The single was also embraced by community radio and received regular spins on SYN, ZZZ, Radio Adelaide and others. So here' the thing... The Goldhearts are about to release their second single called "Here's the Thing”. "It's short and sharp" says Margy, the singer/guitarist and "a change in mood from the country swagger of our first single ‘On the Run’. The track highlights the punchier grittier side of The Goldhearts but with the same hooks and melodies that they are becoming known for as well as saluting the bands of the nineties where they draw their inspiration. The single is the second of their forthcoming debut album which will be release

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Hell.

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The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Hell. And Kip and the band tells us - A couple months ago I posted a demo for the song "Hell" and some people said, "why don't you record that for real?" So we went over to my friend Danny's studio (House Under Magic) and recorded the track along with two cover songs - "Ballad of the Band" by Felt and "Laid" by James as a way to mark our forthcoming tour of Japan.  The latter has lead vocals by Jen Goma, who sang on our last album and also performs with the excellent pop contortionists, A Sunny Day in Glasgow. The Felt song is really the UR-Felt song, the wry articulation of what Felt is most famous for - not being an eighth as famous as they ought to be. The song "Hell" is about how insufferable performances of sensitivity are when there's a good song playing and someone you want to dance with. Remaining Tour Dates: November 28 - Hong Kong - Cockenflap Festival November 29 - Sin

Frøkedal - Kid

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Frøkedal - Kid. Those promo words - If songs are like children, it’s important to fend off favouritism… but perhaps there is something a little special about Frøkedal’s latest, ‘Kid’. The single is paired with news of Frøkedal’s forthcoming debut album ‘Hold On Dreamer’ – a ten-track offering, slated for release on February 26, 2016 via Propeller Recordings. “Kid opens with a depiction of a young child who falls asleep under the table during a family party,” explains singer/songwriter Anne Lise Frøkedal. It all seems conventional enough, before the track takes a somewhat poignant turn: “It turns out that this is only a made-up memory because all the photos of the child have disappeared along with the family's recollection of him”.   “I remember you, kid” forms a fitting refrain, and a comforting assurance that resonates throughout new album ‘Hold On Dreamer’. Lyrically, a theme runs across its ten tracks: “They deal with people whose lives are about to take a turn – for bette