TONIGHT - Sonic Masala & Spunk Records Presents The Ocean Party Album Launch

We here at Sonic Masala have always been big fans of the somewhat innocent navel gazings of Melbourne suburbians The Ocean Party. Their second LP Social Clubs from last year was one of clarity, brevity, and early-middle-twentysomething malaise - not so rail against the world as it was rolling with the genial punches. The band members are best mates, great blokes, and have an even better record in the form of Split. They played in Brisbane recently for the Spunk Records showcase, but tonight is the official launch party for the album - and Sonic Masala is along for the ride. It's cracking off at the Beetle Bar tonight at 8pm - come early to see local upstarts Dag, Thigh Master and Blonde Tongues, as well as Sydneysider Nathan Roche (he of now defunct Camperdown & Out infamy), all for a tenner. See you there - I'll be the guy propping up the merch bar.



DAG - 15.07.2013 from Joshua Watson on Vimeo.

See You On The Beach Tonight

(poster by Matt Deasy)

Really looking forward to this one. Brave the wet to see something truly special at the Beetle Bar tonight as Melbourne-via-San Franciscan Michael Beach officially launches second LP Golden Theft in Brisbane. It's one of my favourite albums of the year hands down; he is a super rad guy; the supports (Tape/Off, Tiny Migrants, Soda Eaves) are all incrediballs; cheap sangria; $5 schooners (it's Carlton Draught, but there are better beers on offer like Coopers Pale Ale too). All for a tenner, and Soda Eaves kicks off at 8pm. Come!!!!!

Dollar Bar (NOT At Paddington Workers Club...)

Brisbane's premier purveyors of sardonic yet whimsical guitar pop Dollar Bar have returned like the fabled phoenix. It seemed that you couldn't step out your front door in the early 2000's without falling over the band. Yet after a series of slick releases and a debut eponymous album, the boys left us in 2004. But the last three years has seen the fire back in the bellies of the four-piece - there is no sense of purpose here other than for the band to get back together again, hang out as mates, just like you're supposed to. Why be in a band if you hate everyone unless you are 90s Lou Barlow, amirite?

Dollar Bar are launching 2nd album ten years on from the debut, and it's called Paddington Workers Club after the now sadly defunct establishment that many a Brisbane band of the 90s and early 00s cut their teeth and drank their weight in the amber stuff. Its fitting that as their "comeback" record, unlike Farnesy, actually means something - its self referential as always, but is looking forward as well as looking back, and what made things tick. The boys are older, worldlier and (assumedly) wiser, yet the cheek, wit and cagey shambolism remains intact. Tattooed hipster Canadian girls on bikes, sterilised currency, overdue bills, people from Brisbane moving to Melbourne to hang with people from Brisbane, Pollard and Salter references - these things only skim the surface of why this album is the shit. And it's short, so it's a bliss bomb as well.



Dollar Bar launch Paddington Workers Club tonight in Brisbane at the Beetle Bar. The supports - Roku Music, Tape/Off and Undead Apes - is outta this world too. This is seriously going to be one of the most fun music nights of the year, so you better be there, fools. Here's their great new video too. It's good to have you back, lads.

Stranger Marville Gods

Local grunge-addicted duo Marville may not have hit your radars that often, but that's not because they are a new band. Rather, they have been playing the traps for some time since humble beginnings of a solo outlet for Bottlecock aficionado Ash Kerley under the moniker Strangers. After teaming with Linda Dark, the band have been not-so-quietly chipping away, until Sydney band Strangers threatened to take them to task over "their"name, despite Kerley playing under the moniker for ages before the pipsqueak screamos came onto any semblance of a "scene". Anyway, the duo obeyed the lesser of two evils, and are reborn as Marville.

Which is working out mighty fine, as the duo prepare to launch their debut album (in either incarnation) today, Vayan Con Dios. An album of unabashed tension, atmosphere and slack-jawed nihilism in the Adalita-in-mid-career-Magic Dirt mould, with some smouldering instrumental interludes, the album doesn't push the envelope, instead happily espousing the strengths of their limits, comfortable in their brittle skin. With a Bottlecock LP in the ether, Kerley promises to be a busy presence in Brisbane circles over the next twelve months - and if this album is any indication, the 90s alternative scene is coming along for the ride.


Marville launch the album tonight at the Beetle Bar alongside ol' SM faves El Motel (it's been awhile, padres), You In Reverse and the rising glory of The Steady As She Goes. For a $10, it tees off at 8pm.

Melting Cobwebbs All Around You

Another Brisbane band making waves is Cobwebbs, a four-piece that has evolved substantially since I saw them support Times New Viking last year. Back then, they were still a garage-blues band in a wild showman in Sam Wightman. Since then their sound has gotten considerably darker, murkier, yet still with that surly sneer plastered across their face. Their support of The Laurels at The Beetle Bar was acid-tinged shambolism at its height. So it comes with great delight that the band have announced the release of their debut LP through local label Lost Race. Its called All Around, and if 'Ice Melter' is any indication it will be fucking killer - I can't get it out of my head.

Friday Cover Up #1 - The Horrortones Souled Out.

Leave it up to rock'n'soul cover behemoths The Horrortones to put out something as irregular yet delectable as a triple 7" box set. These guys only play like twice a goddamned year! Seriously though, it's great to have these consummate pleasure machines put tracks on wax, and the six songs on display will have you greasing your hair back and shimmying in no time! Just try to resist the decadent, blitzed charms of 'W.A.S.T.E.D' or the swinging frenzy of 'Mojo Hannah'. None of the band members even know where 'They Don't Know' comes from, but the tune does James Brown and hootenannies proud (trust me, such extremes can co-exist). And it wouldn't be The Horrortones without a Dirtbombs cover - or at least a cover of the Dirtbombs covering The O'Jays ('Living For The Weekend').


Courtesy of Mere Noise, there are only 150 of these suckers on planet Earth, so pre-order this diamante delicacy here. The launch is on Friday June 1 at The Beetle Bar, where they will be joined by Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side, Cannon and Lovely Legs (who have just finished recording tracks for an upcoming cassette - I've heard the unmixed tracks and they are special!) And look at that poster! The caricatures are more life-like than the band members in person!

A Brutal Punk To The Face

Ouch My Face are brutal. The above picture attests to that. In fact they have loads of kick arse band photos that attest to that. But it takes listening to the Melbourne trio's experimental punk to truly appreciate how much these guys and gal like to punish aurally. Their opening shows for the likes of The Bronx and particularly Shonen Knife blew pundits away with their eviscerating power. I have the guys from Brissie band No Anchor (who are privy to the occasional sonic explosion themselves) to putting me onto their current 7", which you can listen to and buy below. If you are in Brisbane at the back end of July, you can experience the blistering fury yourselves, as Ouch My Face venture north for a couple of shows. They are playing an instore at Tym Guitars July 24, after the Beetle Bar will have imploded under their anarchic presence the night before, July 23 (ably assisted by Butcher Birds).