Two Pieces Of Carsick Cars

I never thought I would see Carsick Cars. The idea of a Chinese no-wave inflicted guitar rock band even existing seemed unfathomable – but to see them hit the stage at Woodland back in 2012 felt like a heady hallucination. A true caterwaul, but one that felt imbued with real, honest and earned anguish. I hope to see them play again.

And if they continue to produce albums the calibre of 3, I reckon there's a hot chance that I will. It's been five years in the making, and the shift in sonic aesthetics is palpable. There is a stronger jamming vibe to these songs, and whilst the Western musical appropriation has always been evident in their abject love of Sonic Youth, 3 is littered with much further-reaching touchstones. I felt like 'Wei Cheng' was a mix of The Kinks and The Clean, all sunny, ebullient and crisp in execution (unbeknownst to me, The Clean's Hamish Kilgour actually produces this record alongside Peter Kember - yep, Sonic Boom). 'Fifteen Minutes Older' sounds crafted for Doug Martsch's inner ear only, so effortless is the tightly wound yet effervescent guitar pop carved out here. 'The Best VPN So Far' was pummelling in the engine room, the drums rolling forth like a harbinger of giants of yore, whilst the anguished growl of the guitars were of the netherworld - yet all was evocative of something positive in nature, regardless if experienced through headphones, stereo speakers or in a stadium. It's the pop strains that are stronger; the motorik seam richer; the psych permutations more striking. This album deserves to be heard by EVERYONE.


But that isn't enough - Carsick Cars just finished a Stateside tour with Minneapolis' psych-drone outfit Flavor Crystals (whose own newly released album is eerily called Three), and have a split blood-red 7" to stand as a marker of their time together. It was crafted for Record Store Day, but is now available to all (both releases are available here in Australia thanks to the inimitable Tenzenmen and Geijing Records). The Chinese trios contribution is 'Yoko' and is a perfect slice of rollicking guitar pop, the drums and organ effects driving the song at a frantic pace - Guided By Voices in hi fi. Flavor Crystals' effort is 'Mirror In My Mind', a much more wound-down, stargazed effort - the band has also recently toured with Brian Jonestown Massacre, so that gives you an idea into what psych realm we are drifting into. It's a great piece of Krautrock-inflicted glide, but the effervescent strength of 'Yoko' undercuts it somewhat (although if you dig Spacemen 3 - which I do a lot - you could take the split from the other side of the fence too...) Its still a must have though - both tracks a perfect exemplar of their oeuvre.


You can buy both releases here and here.

Double A Voyages For Maates Of No Return

I didn’t know who Aa was until I saw them at Woodland in 2011. I was with my mate Andy, and we were debating the current conflagration of auxiliary drummers in indie rock. We had seen some Aussie bands who shall remain nameless whose use of the extra percussion was at best a novelty and at worst a waste of time, poorly masking the basic nature of the band’s music with what was deemed as “tribal rhythms”. Tropical pop? Don’t make me laugh. Yet Aa are a percussion tour de force, continual drumbeats layered over each other until the resultant cacophony is a myopic catharsis, a trembling pummelling. When they brought out more drums onto the floor, I was swept up in the theatrics, commandeering one to join in myself. Such audience participation can become a nightmare, but like the Boardrum experience, Aa kept everything loose yet precise, with every “drummer” attuned to their worldview. It was a killer show and showed that there are a few bands out there where more than one drumkit isn’t just warranted yet essential.

But after their great 2011 release mAate (itself a combination of their 2007 debut GAame and their Glossy EP from 2009), I hadn’t kept track of the Brooklyn collective. Now Northern Spy Records has released their new album, VoyAager, and…well, I don't know. It goes without saying that change is good in the world of music, but also without saying that change for change's sake is bullshit at best. I'm not saying that Aa are doing something wrong with mixing things up, but the more Battles-esque tracks here (I'm talking Tyondai Braxton-era Battles too, just listen to 'Drug Mom') bewilder me more than energise. The paring back of older track 'Glossy' does give a sense of distilled acidity, yet the elongated tension was what brought this band into their element. The kaleidoscopic hallucinogens were part and parcel to Aa's MO, I know, but it just all seems too saccharine. Still, there are ominous freaks like 'Pug Pit' to look forward to.

Maybe I'm the one who's changed. I bet these tracks kill live, which to be honest is the only way to experience em. Istill have their drumsticks at home too, so we're still mAates.

Grab VoyAager here.

Ex Slugs And Butcher Birds Let Fly

 

Ex-Con came to be after Joanna Nilson (Butcher Birds) and James Dalgliesh (Slug Guts) got together in the feverish, nightmare-inducing humidity of a a Brisbane summer awash with monsoonal floods, kneejerk alcoholism and an inexplicable anxiety borne of idleness. The first combination of the band also included Cat Maddin (Dreamtime) and Alex Dunlop (Keep On Dancins), captured on their debut self-titled 7” (out through Bon Voyage).

Recorded live by Blank Realm’s Luke Walsh at the now defunct Woodland Bar this time last year (apparently accompanied by a bottle of Captain Morgan, a Holy Grail reverb pedal and some extra long Rizlas, these 3 tracks are icy fingers dug deep into the skull, tetanus behind the eyes, eczema for the ears. Nilson is at her best when she sounds tortured, and here she moans, screeches and howls like a death wraith with withdrawal symptoms, backed by barbed-wire noise and production-line industrial drum disorder. It’s a nasty mix, yet the heritage here (plus the feverish connection to the “Sunshine” State) gives it the rusted barbs to stay stuck in the flesh for a long time after the last note has been flayed.

Ex-Con comes out on Monday, and can be pre-ordered here. Nilson and Dalgliesh have absconded to Melbourne, and now have a new rhythm section comprising of Steph Cola (Spite House) and Andrea Blake (Chrome Dome).

Ex Con - Cuda '82

I Want Lots More Of Deacon's America

I mentioned only days ago the Dan Deacon show in January (still one of the best shows of 2012, in no small part due to the arresting performance by John Maus). Well, the Baltimore alchemist has brewed his next elixir, calling it America, and is giving us a booster shot with leading track 'Lots'. Seriously, this guy can always pull me out of a funk, and this track is as sugar-high, sonorous, orgasmic technicolour ear candy as always.

Happyfest Playlist

I haven't spoken much about Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ other than in passing, but suffice to say it is the only way to hear decent music on this side of the world on the radio (of course you could stream WFMU, but I like my wireless). Anyway, they have a mega old transmitter of death, it's on its last legs, and the station has been raising funds (aiming for around $30 000) to replace it. Good news is they have almost done it. Better news, you can help get em over the line by going to a cool boutique festival they are putting on this Saturday, at the last show at the sadly defunct(ing) Woodland. The festival's called Happyfest, and the lineup is pretty radtacular. As far as outside bands go we have Lost Animal (Melb), Kirin J Callinan (Syd) and Ghastly Spats (Syd), with the local contingent led by Blank Realm, Feathers, Dreamtime, Martyr Privates, Nite Fields, Per Purpose, Cannon, Outerwaves, The M-Humm...Jesus tittyfucking! For a palty $20 you can be there, have the time of your life, see off Woodland in style, and help save your local musical taskmasters. Win-win, kids. And if THAT doesn't win you over, check out this lil playlist. See you there punks.

Blank Realm - Full Moon Door
Feathers - Wild Horse Mountain
Dreamtime - Robe
Nite Fields - Come Down

Get Lost In The Zoo On These Shjips

The great shows continue tonight, with SF psych legends Wooden Shjips sailing into The Zoo to deliver what will most likely be an incendiary tripped out performance. Ably supported by Secret Birds and Nite Fields, this is going to be one of the best shows of 2012, HANDS DOWN.

Wooden Shjips - Lazy Bones

No Anchor Will Give You Enough Rope...

Brisbane's local proponents of black sonic sludge gunk No Anchor had a 7" to throw your way. Titled Rope/Pussyfootin', it features four tracks including an ace cover of Big Black's 'Jordan, Minnesota'. Coming in at under ten minutes, the 7"s offerings of short and concise songs are a testament to their ever-evolving songwriting (despite apparently doing the recording in 4 hours - that's sixty minutes a song), and the power that these songs exude (especially 'Rope') is jaw-dropping. Metal for the indie crowd? Well, it certainly is more accessible to an extent, but still as loud and abrasive as fuck.



Recorded by No Anchor's own Donovan Miller and Innez Tulloch on new(ish) Nowhere Records, Rope/Pussyfootin' will be available on March 17 in both limited Blue (100) and Black (150) vinyl. Digitally though, you can pay what you want - get it here - but be warned, there will be no Big Black cover on the digital release.

To coincide with the launch, No Anchor hace a party for you! They will be playing at Woodland, ably supported by Whitehorse(Melbourne), Quiet Steps, Tiny Spiders and DJ Swedetooth. Its all for a paltry $12, and doors at 8:30pm. More about this when it comes down the rabbithole...

No Anchor - Rope

Strangely Transfixed By Royal Baths (Updated)

I'm still not wholeheartedly convinced that I like Royal Baths. I mean, the Brooklyn-via-San Francisco band tick the right boxes - dark, brooding, garage based tendencies, drone tinged rock, a love of Spacemen 3... Yet I can't quite get them. Whether it's because I think/thought they're style over substance, or that they are/were a little over-hyped, I'm not sure. I wasn't enamoured with their debut Litanies (on Woodsist), but I listened to it quite a bit anyway. Weird.

I'm equally flummoxed by how much I'm enjoying them right now. I find their songs to be fairly insidious in how they squirrel under my skin without my notice or permission. It kinda hurts my head, because I can't put my finger on it, yet there it is, on repeat, making me happy and maudlin at the same time. Their new album, Better Luck Next Life, is coming out through Kanine next week, and it will be interesting if there is a similar sensation to the first. Likewise, I'll keep you posted as to whether it bewitches me the way the first one did, or if I genuinely dig it (or genuinely loathe it - nothing is off the table here...).

UPDATE - Royal Baths will be playing in Brisbane! Yep, they have lined up Woodland for Thursday March 29. I think it's time I settled my love/hate stance once and for all...

Royal Baths - Black Sheep
Royal Baths - Darling Divine

Prince Rama & Sun Araw Touch Out In Woodland

US psych-pop bedfellows SUN ARAW and PRINCE RAMA head down under this Summer for Sugar Mountain Festival in January, but can't get enough of Aussie sultriness, so are hitting Woodland tonight! The bands join forces for a kaleidoscopic double whammy, bringing their dubby dance jams and transcendental melodies in their wake. Prince Rama's Trust Now and Sun Araw's Ancient Romans were two solid releases of 2011, so this promises to be one hell of a show. Supported by one of Brisbane's best bands of the moment, Blank Realm, along with Rites Wild from Adelaide, and all for $20-odd, get to this show - your life depends on it. Tix can be gleaned here.

Prince Rama - Summer Of Love
Sun Araw - Bump Up

Total Control/Thee Oh Sees Split

What a delightful meeting of minds! San Fran crazy horses Thee Oh Sees are touring the States with Aussies debauched maurauders Total Control in tow, and have this split for you to ascertain how these two acts sound meshed together under one seedy sweat-stained roof. It is the usual spastic exuberance from Dwyer and co, whilst the four tracks from Total Control are embedded with seething disdain, a bizarrely corrosive counterpoint. Why it works I don't know. Maybe that cat that got it on with Paula Abdul is onto something...

And further good news is Thee Oh Sees will be playing in Brisbane at the turn of the New Year. Yes, they will be playing Woodland (after their show this time last year was cancelled due to the floods) on Jan 11. Maybe TC can make the trip northwards too?

Thee Oh Sees - Dead Energy

Total Control - Nervous Harvest

And for the live stuff?

Watch live streaming video from lepoissonrouge at livestream.com

Royal Headache/Dick Diver Gig

just a quickie here. As previously mentioned, Harvest (featuring Portishead, Flaming Lips, Mogwai, The National, Holy Fuck and a host of others) hists Brisbane's Botanical Gardens tomorrow, followed by the amazing iPhone replaying of the Flaming Lips' epic Zaireeka album as orchestrated by Wayne Coyne himself. Also on that night will be Melbourne's great exponents of post rock atmospherics Laura, playing at Woodland. But if you want to start your music overdose early, get to Woodland tonight, as the bands responsible for two of the most exciting albums of 2011 are converging for a night of drunken passion.


Royal Headache (self-titled) and Dick Diver (Now Start Again - listen to the whole thing here) are going to blow everyone away, and this is a promise. Very exciting! Supported by local act Loose Grip, and at just a tenner, this promises to be a stellar show.

(As a side note, my mate (and now brother-in-law) can't get into RH because the vocalist sounds too much like Ted Leo. As I haven't seen them live yet, I cant pass on the definitive verdict - but that summation is fucking funny.)

Royal Headache - Down The Lane

Dick Diver - Through The D from Chapter Music on Vimeo.

Migrating To The Woodland And Into Your Drunken Heart

Murky fuzz band and local whale enthusiasts Tiny Migrants are releasing their debut EP on CD (7” available through Mere Noise later this year) at Woodland tomorrow night! Ive been a big fan of every facet of this shambolic collective ever since I saw them support Mark Sultan in February - they were literally the first "new" band I saw when arriving back in Brisbane, and they still delight with every show, especially their interesting set when in support of the brilliant Ty Segall.


Now this show will be incrediballs, not just due to this (and they love to drink, so you know it will get fuzzy and friendly), but the supports have stepped up in the form of motivated party-bunch Cannon, reverb spiked Sunshine State and the return of punk trio the Sulphur Lights. That is huge, shitfaced-worthy news, and seeing as its all for $8 you cannot go wrong. CAN NOT. So get there. And to sate you, here is the first song I heard them play that really grabbed me...

Tiny Migrants - Honeycomber

Double Dose Of Not Not Fun Fun

Seriously, summer is looking like a killer season for Brisbanites. Another amazing show to add to the list is the pairing of psych mind-melters Sun Araw and Prince Rama (pictured above). Both acts have put out some amazing records in the past few years, and both have great ones out now in the form of Ancient Romans and Trust Now respectively. They will be playing Woodland (where else?) on Friday January 20. So here's an idea - get blitzed and drop out with these guys, and continue the sun-bleached vibes into Australia Day! There's no better way to spending that holiday in an altered state. All for $15 +bf! Amazeballs - get on that!

Sun Araw - Bump Up

Prince Rama - Golden Silence

Double Baltimore Magic

It was sad news indeed that two Baltimore acts, Double Dagger and Ponytail, have hung up their chaps in 2011. Both bands were up in my top ten live acts of all time (as witnessed by me - that's how these things work, right?). But two other B-more acts continue to ply their trade with excellent results.


First up we have the electro-shock artist and dance-party authority Dan Deacon, renowned as one of the world’s funnest and most epic live performers. I saw him play at London's ULU in 2009 - such an amazing show, it had all the funky white kids shuffling (they are too hip to dance). The Dr Marvin Monroe maniacal yet lovable alchemist, is equal parts crazy and inspirational, participatory and energetic, and his intense live show breaks down audience inhibitions to enable mass mayhem and fun. He has just signed onto Domino Records, and is making his way to Australia in January 2012! What's more he is bringing his ensemble - sop full band awesomeness! AND one such member is Denny from Double Dagger! Wow.

But the excellent times do not halt there, as he will be supported by one of 2011's most lauded artists in John Maus. His groundbreaking new album We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves (released on one of our fave labels ever, Upset The Rhythm (as if you didn't already know!!!), distributed locally through Inertia) has been one of the iconic records of 2011. The confrontation of punk, the fleeting poignancy of 80s movie soundtracks, the insistent pulse of Moroder and the spirituality of Medieval and Baroque music all find salvation in John Maus.

The show is rounded out by locals Toy Balloon, whose sound is a collision of shambolic noise, plump dance grooves, brother / sister vocal harmonies and rigid polyrhythms. The result is a brilliant and confounding bastardisation of pop music that few people can resist. With one foot in a world occupied by new wave, cosmic disco, early hip hop and acid house, and the other foot firmly planted in the introspective, experimental indie rock world, the four piece has built a scene-busting following through their dynamic and diverse live shows. It all happens at Woodland on Thursday January 12 - grab your tickets here. AND A NEW ALBUM IS ON ITS WAY!!!

Dan Deacon - Red F


Then we have Future Islands, who also played that titular ULU show. Their new album, On The Water, is every bit as great as was hoped, and whilst they aren't known to be touring Australia soon, this album is more than enough to keep you afloat! Grab it here.

Future Islands - Give Us The Wind
Future Islands - Before The Bridge

With these two acts in business, the world is not a cold, dead place...

Thos Voices Will Guide Us To The Very End

I saw Times New Viking play earlier this year in what was one of the best shows of 2011. However one thing they mentioned struck me as a little...well, sad, although I understand the idea. The band mentioned that now that they are in their thirties, they feel a bit silly from time to time creating noise and thrashing about, and are considering their options for the future. The Columbus Ohio trio are fantastic, and self-confessed Guided By Voices fanatics (no less due to the hometown connections), so I hope they look to Robert Pollard to see how it can be that they make it work.

Guided By Voices go from strength to strength, and have just released the below track off the forthcoming Let's Go Eat The Factory LP (featuring the classic line-up that includes Tobin Sprout - and he's writing songs again!). Pollard has also released an awesome album with side project Boston Spaceships which will be here very shortly. These guys have been around much longer than TNV, and are still finding ways of being inimitably awesome. Hopefully some of that Columbus mojo will rub off on them...

Let's Go Eat The Factory will be out New Year's Day - what a way to bring in a bleary-eyed 2012! Actually, maybe the world cannot handle this record - this is what the Mayans warned us about! Ah well. In that case, I guess there is no hurry in keeping TNV together...

Tracklist below (the amount and brevity of tracks also heralds TNV - come on guys, stay on for the good of humanity!!!)

Laundry And Lasers
The Head
Doughnut For A Snowman
Spiderfighter
Hang Mr. Kite
God Loves Us
The Unsinkable Fats Domino
Who Invented The Sun
The Big Hat And Toy Show
Imperial Racehorsing
How I Met My Mother
Waves
My Europa
Chocolate Boy
The Things That Never Need
Either Nelson
Cyclone Utilities (Remember Your Birthday)
Old Bones
Go Rolling Home
The Room Taking Shape
We Won't Apologize For The Human Race

Guided By Voices - The Unsinkable Fats Domino

I Love Laura 1200 Times Over

Here is an album that I didn't even know I was looking forward to!

Melbourne instrumental act Laura put out two great albums in the mid-2000s, Mapping Your Dreams and Radio Swan is Down, as well as live album (re)Capitulate. I came to the band from this last release and fell in love with these ambient rockers, quickly working backwards through these two albums. I then promptly went overseas and thought that was it - all was quiet on the Laura front. It appears that life got in the way - but Laura didn't disappear into the ether. Releasing EP Yes Maybe No in 2008 (obviously I missed that one), its taken over five years (or as band member Andrew puts it, it'll have been 191 million heartbeats) but a new longplayer is on its way - Twelve Hundred Times.


As complex and cinematic as ever, Laura are bringing forth their best album to date, and they are bringing it north to Brisbane, playing Woodland on Saturday November 19. Some of you may recognise the date - that is also when the massive Harvest festival touches down, featuring the likes of Flaming Lips, Mogwai and Portishead amongst its many amazing artists that will be on board. This really hurts for us Laura fans, but the band are intending to go on as late as possible in case you want to catch one more stellar performance that evening. There are efforts afoot to get em to play an early all ages instore on the Sunday - I will keep you posted on that venture. In the meantime, if you aren't going to Harvest, this is THE show to get to. Twelve Hundred Times is available now.

Laura - This Grey Earth

Banned Books Grip The Guillotine

Banned Books have done something pretty amazing here. They have remixed current "it" hip hop crew Death Grips (whose Ex-Military album is great, actually) by layering it on top of their track 'Malio'. Its been on constant rotation over here (alongside the aforementioned Future Of The Left EP and God Bows To Math LP), so waste no time - have at it already!

Death Grips - Guillotine (Banned Books Remix) by banned books

And for added pleasure, here is a live version of 'Malio' where they are joined by the amazing Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier! He is so mental! Just something to get you excited about the imminent Australian tour in January 2012!

"Malio" By Banned Books feat. Greg Saunier of Deerhoof from Banned Books on Vimeo.

And finally, to end this day in triumphant manner - here is Ex-Military in its entirety! So good...

Death Grips - Exmilitary by deathgrips

Double Moon Rising Over The Wood(land)

Its a grand thing for Brisbane to be getting itself a slice of Ripley Johnson tonight. The wildly bearded frontman for San Francisco's premier psych band Wooden Shjips has been incredibly busy in 2011, seeing as the band put out their new album West on Thrill Jockey just a while back - and it is amazing! But before the big touring schedule kicks off again for those guys, Johnson is gracing Australia with his presence, along with his wife Sanae Yamada - who also happen to form San Francisco's other premiere psych band, Moon Duo! They also brought out a stellar album this year, Mazes (on Sacred Bones). Tonight they threaten to blow all patrons at Woodland into the ethereal stratosphere, helped out by Tasmania's Tiger Choir and Brisbane's merchants of loud and abrasive noise, Secret Birds. Not sure if tix are still available - check here, I have my fingers crossed for ya! This will be a true show to drop out to...

Sink Shit

A few weeks ago I went to Woodland to see "local" (they are predominantly Kiwi, with one Aussie - and live in Adelaide) act Batrider. They were fucking ace. Sarah Chadwick is the best. But I was equally taken aback by the first act, Nite Fields - so much noise from such a small number of people! And when I heard it was only their third show EVER, I was sold.

Now Danny from the band is organising his own shows - and this one is a doozy. Boat cruises are fun at the worst of times, but when you throw a Springtime evening, copious amounts of booze and radtastic live music, what can go wrong? lots, to be honest, hence why Danny's calling the show Sink Shit, and is (half-jokingly) telling people to get their wills sorted. Lucky for me, I have nothing, so that crisis is well and truly averted...

The bands are Nite Fields (of course), Cobwebbs, Blank Realm and a mystery Sydney band going under the name Yes Television. Never heard of em, you say? Well, check them out over here and then see what you think...

Sink Shit is now on sale here. There are only 100 tickets to be had at$14.90 +bf, which also includes entry to an after party set up at Woodland. Sorry no door sales to save from hiring security, which is fair enough. Get there - it's gonna be pretty amazing...

NITE FIELDS from heidi cutlack on Vimeo.

Times New Viking Grammatically Plunder The Brisbane Woodlands

Brisbane, the excitement is at fever pitch! The upcoming few months closing out 2011 will see you awash with amazing overseas acts. You will see the plethora of local ace acts slowly littering these pages in due course (we've already heard from the likes of Nova Scotia, Tiny Migrants, Blank Realm and No Anchor), and yet its a trashy trio from Ohio that will kickstart this in earnest! Tomorrow at Woodland Times New Viking hit the stage, alongside local acts Cobwebbs and Meat Thump (the name has me salivating already!). Their latest album Dancer Equired cleans up the scuzz but does nothing to dampen the rampant energy these garage noise pop fusionists dish out.

Times New Viking were one of the first stellar acts that blew me away when I arrived in England back in the heady days of 2008 - they supported Los Campesinos! alongside No Age. What was Los Campesinos! thinking? These bands wipe the floor with their twee shit! AND it was the second gig after Offset Festival where I caught up with Paul, and a year later Sonic Masala was born - collective awwww...

Seriously though, this show is gonna be amazeballs. Tix are still available at $25/bf, and is not to be missed!

Times New Viking - Downtown Eastern Bloc
Times New Viking - Fuck Her Tears