Never Seen Street Chant's Insides

Auckland trio Street Chant have just released new LP Hauora through esteemed label Flying Nun Records. The first single off it is 'Insides', a particularly scrappy nihilistic punk blast that is reminiscent of other NZ bands like Transistors and Die! Die! Die! It even gives space for some guitar solo esoterics. The flip side of the Street Chant sound is showcased on 'Never', a "golden oldie" that's been buffed up and spitwashed, a shimmering song about wanting things to roll your way that evokes the more obvious Kiwi indie histrionics. An exciting band that has been quiet for far too long. You can pick up Hauora here.

Have Confidence In Transistors

New Zealand trio Transistors are back with 'Confidence Man', a blasting garage track about the hollowness of bands trying to be what they're not. I'm not sure if it's intentional, but this is also the most generic song the guys have put together. It still kills, and with new EP Cuppa Jarra Brossa on the way, it's time to get excited.

Video Vacuum - King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, The Gooch Palms, James X Boyd & the Boydoids, Transistors

Let's get into a brace of Antipodean audio visuals to help this Neck-Yourself Tuesday fly by...

Melbourne's seven-headed beast King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are prepping to pump out their 3rd LP in as many years, Float Along - Fill Your Lungs, and '30 Past 7' is the first hit off the bat. It is yet another curveball from the band that refuses to sit still - nary a glimpse of the blase scuzz nor the windswept psych of their past releases, this is more spaced-out, a pastoral Spiritualized. The VHS dystopia is a bizarre fit - but it does indeed fit. These boys are a force of kinetic nature



Now for what is currently my favourite video clip of the year. Newcastle wastoids The Gooch Palms are looking to drop a dump of lo-fi garage tunes in the form of NOVO'S. Here is 'We Get By', a soul garage splurge that shows the duo gettin' dumb and havin' fun. It's fun, funny, and has a Merv Hughes pin, a boxing kangaroo flag, and Leroy surfing WHILST PLAYING GUITAR. That's all you need to know, now watch it.



My bastard James X Boyd has flown the coop, hunkering down in dusty ol Europe for the time being, but that doesn't mean he and his Boydoids aren't still kicking their kicks all over the continent. Here is a new track that, like 'Elissa Says' before it, again showcases no-fi video potential, is excellently choreographed to provide chuckles and unexpected chagrin, and perfectly incorporates Boyd's drawl and lackadaisical way of looking at the inanity of the world - there is really nothing more you could want here.



Let's finish off across the pond with Transistors, some frenetic, sunny punk put into informercial form. It's silly, stupid, filled with combed down hair and tucked in shirts, motivational speakers, a sleazy blonde and one cleaned up and happy customer. The track 'Your Life Could Be So Easy' is a catchy number, but in my opinion is one of the weakest links on their latest LP Is It Anything? - which shows the calibre of the album.



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!

Transistors Are Everything

When NZ band Transistors slung me their Flux Pentaphile EP back in 2010, I was suitably impressed. I kept an eye on the trio's progress, and told a few people about this excellent ball of energy. When they arrived in Brisbane this time last year for the 2012 Bigsound Live, I told all who would listen to go check them out - and whether you caught them at the Kiwi showcase on Bakery Lane or their sweaty Rics performance, it was safe to say that Transistors had turned a lot more people onto their frenetic punk sound.

But this has all been preamble (literally and figuratively) for the release of their second album, Is It Anything? - and it slays. There isn't much variation, nor need there be - these tracks swirl and gestate, spreading out then coagulating, blasting forth and ripping back - a violent ebb and flow. It's nowhere near as self-reflexive or nervous as the title suggests - in effect there is an exuberant amount of energy infused within these fourteen tracks. Its still raw and unadulterated too - made before the band started making waves and garnering support slots with the likes of Buzzcocks and Guitar Wolf - and hopefully this doesn't mark the end of this particular era, rather than a strengthening of the cause. A truly addictive listen, Is This Anything? (out on Arch Hill) can be picked up here.

Pop In Some Strange Way

I had the pleasure of seeing Transistors play the Kiwi bash party pre-BigSound Live last night, and despite the short running time (15min or so) they killed it. If you managed to get tickets for tonight, they are playing at Ric's Cafe alongside Super Wild Horses and The Gooch Palms, and promise to be incredible. But this post isn't about Transistors, but another ace NZ band called Popstrangers, whose Happy Accidents EP back in 2010 I quite enjoyed (see here). It's been close to two years since I have heard anything new from these Auckland lads, but that doesn't mean they have been sitting idle. They have an album on its way that should smash up the beginnings of 2013 (as long as the Mayans don't blow up the world before then). Expect to hear a lot more in the lead up to this.

Popstrangers - In Some Ways

Big Sound stuff

And so it begins...The 2012 Brisbane Big Sound conference and live showcase promises to be the biggest yet, and already is touted as the Southern Hemisphere's fledgling answer to SXSW. Big shoes to emulate, but there is credence in such claims. With the likes of Steve Earle and the like taking part in Q&As, panel discussions and masterclasses, it has the potential to be an industry icon - as far as that goes, I suppose. I for one can see why some people consider these kinds of things a bit of a wank, but it gets people interested in all facets of music, which can't be a bad thing.

But the most exciting thing about Big Sound is...the sound! Big Sound Live showcases 120 bands within a two block radius all playing over the next two nights. There are some amazing bands that are playing, some of which I have spoken about at length in previous posts (Violent Soho, Transistors, Kirin J Callinan, Velociraptor), but there is a huge list of great acts doing the rounds. Below is a "hitlist" of artists to try and check out. Have a listen, then if you are on the ground check out where/when they are playing here. Ill be around and about reviewing, taking snaps, and other things I won't dare to mention here. See you on the beach!

Straight Arrows



Super Wild Horses



Step-Panther



King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard



Courtney Barnett



Bearhug



Drunk Mums



Go Violets



Geoffrey O'Connor



Jeremy Neale



Shady Lane



The DC3



The Gooch Palms

Marching Up Arch Hill With Big Sounds From My Transistors

I've been a little neglectful of cool little NZ label Arch Hill of recent months, and I was only made aware of this when I noticed that a band that I wrote about back in 2010, Transistors (now called The Transistors apparently), were on the Brisbane BigSound bill in September this year. So it's catch up time, starting with Beach Pigs.


A ramshackle four-piece outta Auckland, Beach Pigs brought out an electric self-titled EP last year that didn't both to to break ten minutes. They inject as much beat, spunk and junk into their pop ditties that it is impossible to stay still, to not smash stuff, or to not sing along with Tourette's style abandon. The latest track is somewhat longer, sunnier, languid yet still raucous and fun. Pity they aren't hurdling the ditch come September...keep an eye out for these guys for sure.

Beach Pigs - Catch Up In The Sun


Now we have Transistors, who are touring their home country as the special guests of Aussie band King Cannons in a preamble to their BigSound soiree. Their last EP Flux Pentaphile was pretty killer, so I'm expecting them to blow all punters away when they take to Bakery Lane on Wednesday September 12...

Transistors - Abandoned

What Happens If Doc Had Used A Flux Pentaphile...

Got this over the wire on the weekend and am suitably impressed. NZ trio Transistors have just released EP Flux Pentaphile (you can grab it over at their Bandcamp site) and its a nice intro to the band's take on garage rock. Having been a band in some form since the beginnings of high school, Transistors have created a fast and noisy snot-nosed sound that encapsulates their musical mores (AKA 60s garage, 70s powerpop and punk, 80s hardcore) and firmly places them in the realms of the Dirtbombs and compatriots Mint Chicks (both of which they have toured with, as well as Crocodiles and B.R.M.C.). They released an LP from last year too - Shortwave - which would be good to chase down. Overall though, Transistors do exactly what they say on the tin - fast, loud, noisy, obnoxious, garage rock. Which I absolutely love!

Transistors - Details
Transistors - Reception To Porter (Both tracks from Flux Pentaphile EP)

And...

Transistors - Two Shadows (from Shortwave LP)