Second EP from Crooked Saints is a passable follow from their first EP Every Angry Inch. Singer/songwriter Tim Wheatley’s voice is quite unique. First track `Lazy Bones` has Wheatley sing in a style perfect for radio, but  then it gets all rugged, which continues on second track `Cast of Yesterday`, a track that takes the group into slow down, acoustic mood, which tells the tale of a burly evening (sample lyrics “We started making drugs but we didn’t get far/If my memory serves me correctly we were standing at the bar”). Closing track `Man in Waiting `is a great song to play when coming home on the train at the end of a long day at work. Should be interesting to see how this band progresses.

 (Matt Ryan)

Matt Ryan

Call me a broken record, but Regurgitator shot themselves in the foot when they recorded the song `I Like Your Old Stuff Better than Your New Stuff` back in 1998. The album that song came from, Unit, was one of the first albums I loved and got rocking to. Look at them now. While they still can draw a crowd at the click of a figure, the only songs you hear of theirs on mainstream radio are more then a decade old, and stations like Triple J only give their new stuff the occasional play. So we come to the groups seventh studio album, better than Love and Paranoia, their 2007 effort, but not by much. `One Day` kicks of proceedings, a nice pop track with a ace guitar solo mid way though. Shame it doesn’t stay this good though out the album. `All Fake Everything` starts nice enough, with a sweet piano opening, before it gets eletro where singer Quan starts rapping and moaning about things like having a job, and making references to I Phone, baffling stuff. The title track is the highlight, a medieval instrumental, something I want more of. Then comes `Punk Mum`, which is the most unpunk song I’ve ever heard in my life. `No Show` sounds like a song a nineties pop punk band would reject. Things pick up with `Uncontactable`, where half way through the song  a nice little phone conversation occurs. The last five track are all nice tracks, but nothing special. Maybe it was that nine year old boy inside of me, the one that rocked out to `Polyester Girl` at the grade four disco that wanted me to enjoy this album so much more, and while I still will go to there gigs, I hope they skip this record. The next time I want to hear Quan is making a record, I hope its another solo record, and the next time I heard Peter Kostic is behind a drum kit, I hope he’s back with the Hard Ons.

 (Matt Ryan)

Matt Ryan

Similar to his main band Porcupine Tree, and possibly even more so, Steven Wilson’s solo works take a while to get your head around. Once again, his new solo album Grace For Drowning is far from instant gratification music, and like most musical geniuses, the man has his quirks (understatement intended). It also takes things several steps further than his last solo release, 2008’s Insurgentes.

As I sit here typing this, I must have listened to the album at least a dozen times, and I feel as though I’m still ingesting it and trying to get inside it. It’s a double album, which doesn’t help to this end, but ultimately it’s value for money and a true musical journey. Apart from the odd grandiose moment, it’s mostly acoustic guitar and piano driven mellow progressive ‘rock’. There are melodies, harmonies and arrangements that have you saying ‘man that sounds like Steven Wilson’, and yet it’s far removed from the Porcupine Tree sound and style. He obviously uses his solo efforts as an outlet for his outpourings of musical ideas that he feels don’t suit his main project. So if you’re looking for the expansive, bombastic prog of PT you may be disappointed. But give it a spin anyway. In fact give it many spins.

If deadlines had allowed for it, I would have given this album at least another dozen listens, and I would probably be raving about it a lot more. There are moments of truly wonderful melody, such as the outtro of Deform to Form a Star and of moodiness that sends shivers down your spine (No Part of Me). Index builds slowly to and extravagant and atmospheric climax, while at over 23 minutes, Raider II is a strange, mindbending epic, that reveals his strong Pink Floydian influences.

Wilson is undoubtedly one of the true visionaries out there plying his musical trade. Every entry into his discography is a unique and fascinating work, every new album breaks new ground and has something unique to say, musically, lyrically, theatrically and thematically. Grace For Drowning is another piece of this man’s immense musical puzzle, and is well worth the time and patience it requires to fully appreciate.

This album is very well named, for it a graceful and immersing experience.

Rod Whitfield

Another Aussie band that walks that fine line between hard alternative rock and metal. The difference here is the lineup. Amodus are three chicks playing the instruments, with a lone bloke belting out the vocals. I’m not aware of many bands with this type of lineup, especially not in the Aussie alternative scene. So this is a good point of difference for them.

As a debut long player from a young band, this is solid stuff. Everything seems to be in place: the playing is dead on the money, the production is fat and clear and they can certainly write and structure a tune. There is a strong sense of melody and dynamics at play here. And the vocals of ‘Michael’ are definitely a shining light as well, he pulls off the howling and the more delicate melodic parts with equal aplomb.

There’s also certainly a strong work ethic and dedication to the cause. Taking upon yourself to fund the recording, mastering, reproduction and promotion of a full length album with minimal to no backing from anyone is no small undertaking. This alone suggests a strong sense of belief in what you’re doing.

The lineup is pretty unique, so what these gals and guy need to do now is start to develop more of a signature sound that is all their own. There are certainly glimpses of this at times across the course of the album, such as an interesting use of strings during Mirrorvein, but there needs to be more of this. Overall there isn’t massive amounts to differentiate them from several other bands on the vibrant but oversubscribed Australian heavy alternative scene. However, this will undoubtedly come with more hard work, creativity and time.

No smoke and mirrors here, these guys are the real deal, and given a few more years they could become a serious player on the Aussie heavy music scene. A strong foundation has definitely been put in place on Smokescreen, now they need to bring it to full fruition.

http://www.reverbnation.com/amodus

Rod Whitfield

A young Melbourne three piece plying the alternative/progressive heavy rock trade, drawing influence from such acts as Karnivool, The Butterfly Effect and Branch Arterial, and showing very promising signs in the process.

This four track EP is a solid stand alone release, but is possibly more value as a window into where this band are heading (as EPs often are). The sound, style and songs possibly aren’t as fully developed as could possibly be, but this will most definitely will come with more hard work, effort and creativity put into their songwriting process. The four tunes on show here display an adventurous and progressive spirit, and a willingness to spread their musical wings. Especially on the title track, which is a long, slow burning and building epic. Whilst, at over eight minutes, it meanders a little and outstays its welcome just a touch, with a little tightening this could be an iconic song in this genre.

Everything else appears to be in place. The musicianship is dead on the money, and the production is clear and powerful for what would surely have been a very budget conscious recording.

Volytion are potentially one of the more interesting and adventurous bands in the vibrant Australian alternative/progressive scene. With a little more development over the course of maybe another four or five track EP, in the next few years these guys’ presentation could come to full fruition in the form of a full length album. Then we will see what these guys are really capable of. I for one have great anticipation for what these guys could come up with.

Mark the name ‘Volytion’ in your ‘ones to watch’ column.

www.volytion.com/

Rod Whitfield

Yes, this is proudly, unashamedly bogan rock. And loving every second of it. It’s a four track EP from this Melbourne based five piece, and from the cover which depicts one of the vehicles described in the title smoking up its tyres severely, to the singer’s voice which is clearly heavily Bon Scott influenced, this isn’t just music for muscle cars, it’s also music for flannel and denim clad blokes in outer suburbs pubs to howl and thrust their VBs to the sky proudly to.

Thankfully however, unlike a couple of other bands who shall remain nameless, these guys aren’t just another blatant AC/DC rip-off. Rather, they draw influence from bands such as them and others (Rose Tattoo, The Angels) and attempt to do something all their own with the style. Indeed, their sound is a touch gnarlier and nastier than those bands. Plus they inject a little stoner-esque dredge into their sound at times, especially on Squirter and Game Over.

This EP is a very solid effort. These guys definitely know exactly what they’re doing, and will probably do it even better as time goes on. Fans of loud, proud, sweaty, dirty Aussie pub rock need to avail themselves of this EP now.

http://destroyshesaid.com.au/

Rod Whitfield

Many people may think that British act Bush is an early to mid nineties one hit wonder band, with their 1994 album Sixteen Stone and its massive worldwide smash hit single Glycerine their only real moment in the sun. And they can be forgiven for thinking this. Truth of the matter however, is that The Sea of Memories is no less than their fifth album, it’s just that it comes after a decade long hiatus.

So how have the last 10 years treated them? Pretty well, by the sounds of the new record. It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it mines the exact same ‘commercial alternative’ sound that they were doing in the 90s, and does it very well. If your tastes in alternative music lie in the heavier and/or more progressive range of the spectrum, you’d be better off giving this a wide birth. But if you’re a little more mainstream in your alternative likes, there’s much to like here.

The songs are mostly uplifting, crowd pleasing rock tunes that will appeal to a broad audience, such as Baby Come Home, and Red Light, whilst they’ve attempted to recapture the minimalist magic of Glycerine on All Night Doctors. Singer Gavin Rossdale is sounding as much like a latter day, alternative Peter Gabriel as ever.

The Sea of Memories is very inoffensive, accessible alternative rock that is radio ready. Whether they can regain the status they had in the mid 90s remains to be seen, but this album gives them a very good shot at it.

Rod Whitfield

Two members of Melbourne’s awesome Engine 37, bassist Aryn (who takes guitar and vocal duties here) and drummer Shane, have themselves an extremely catchy and appealing side project on the go here. Formerly called ‘Sir Apples’, the band have wisely changed their name, and given us this teaser single, apparently the first single from a debut album to be released sometime in 2012.

‘Restless’ is an intoxicating tune, a mid paced indie/alternative rock track with dark, subtle but memorable melody. It’s close enough to the Engine 37 vibe to appeal to that band’s many fans, but far enough away to have its own identity. The musicianship is as strong as you’d imagine from a band with such a pedigree, and production wise, it sounds absolutely sweet.

This first single does exactly what first singles are supposed to do, ie. it really whets the appetite for what’s to follow. Bring on the album.

www.shadowgame.com.au

Rod Whitfield

The collaboration of two of rock music biggest legends Lou Reed and Metallica is a conceptual album based on the highly controversial Lulu plays of the early 1900′s. The plays challenged the social and moral values of their time and its modern day musical equivalent the patience and ears of its listeners. A double album that plays for over ninety minutes it takes a few listens to appreciate it’s subtleties but once you understand the basic concept of the plays (happiness through excess or joy from sin) the intent of the musicians involved becomes much more profound.

Reed’s monotonous spoken word adaptations tell a story of sex, infidelity and death as Metallica’s doom laden riffs provide the rich musical sound-scape for the characters various highs and lows. More art rock than pop-rock, Lulu’s heavy social concepts don’t make for easy listening or back ground music but must be dissected before they can be appreciated. In relation to the artists involved, Lulu falls somewhere in-between Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music and Metallica’s St. Anger. In other words, it has its moments.

Lulu has already been described as the “worst album ever” and a “schizophrenic with a migraine but less melodic”. I must admit I almost joined it’s legion of haters the moment I saw Reed’s and Hetfield’s uber serious expression’s as well as Lars Ulrich’s pretentious pout on the disc’s back cover but I’m grateful I gave it a chance. Unlike many rock critic’s I can’t help admire their effort in bringing something different to the table, to take chances, big chances that don’t always succeed but provide a bumpy and interesting ride along the way. This conceptual album in the age of digital downloads is doing just that.
- JEFF LEASE

Jeff Lease

When Nick Cave describes as album as “some of the strangest, funniest, rawest, most heart-wrenchingly deranged music I have ever heard…” it makes me really want to hear the album so it was without hesitation that I slammed Noah Taylor & Sloppy Boys’ debut EP Live Free Or Die into my stereo.

As most of you will know Noah Taylor has made a name for himself as an actor (in films such as Tomb Raider, Almost Famous) and sometimes his quirky sense of humour gets to shine through in film roles such as Submarine… and that is the first thing that hits you about this EP, you have to be prepared for the quirkiness of the humour.

Musically, the EP stands-up as well, not surprisingly when you realise that The Sloppy Boys are in fact The Wreckery’s Ed Clayton-Jones and The Mess Hall’s Cec Condon. Yet still, nothing quite prepares you for opening track ‘Live Free Or Die!!!’. It is a wall of noise, imagine a manic Dave Graney… but one thing is for sure I love it.

‘Fuck You’ is crude and rude, although the humour that it intends shines through well and its raw energy that is normally reserved for punk makes it a stunner. The humour again shines through on ‘Scary’, and I dare anyone not to laugh at lines like ‘I’m like O.J. and the glove, I’m squeezing in but can’t get in enough.’ Noah Taylor’s god-daughter, Holiday Sidewinder, also joins him on ‘Scary’ making it smoother and sweeter with some brilliant vocals.

‘Dark And Lovely’ shows that Noah Taylor & The Sloppy Boys don’t have to rely on humor to produce a good rock track, while both ‘Girl’ and ‘Rose’ fall into the smooth rock genre… the latter also getting praise from Nick Cave as one of his favorite tracks of the year.

If you’re looking for something a little different then the Live Free Or Die!!! EP may just be for you.

Rating:

Dave Griffiths