Reacharounds
The Mint Chicks
Bad Buzz
This is a punk lullaby, wrapped up in that perfect cutesy lo-fi robot shit from the '90s that someone took too far (Polyester Girl). It also sounds like the missing link between the controlled fury of the band's fantastic Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! and the lo-fi perfection of Screens. That's (kinda) funny because that's (kinda) EXACTLY what Minty guitarist, Ruban Nielson, told us their new stuff was gonna sound like when we interviewed him a few months back.
Record Reviews
Beach House
Teen Dream
If voices were fuckable, I'd be balls deep in Victoria Legrand from Beach House's sultry, sensual siren calls. It hazily wafts it's way through your ears, juicy with cigarettes, red wine and sex - leaving you feeling like you've smashed a bottle of claret while wading through a hot spa.
News
Vampire Weekend 'big city' tour
A little birdy (not Ms Steele) recently told me that this band called The Vampy Weekenders were kind of on-track to become the biggest, most rad hipster band on the planet.
This led me to believe that some people might be interesting in knowing the Paul Simon Yacht Band have just announced the details of a bunch of shows for when they are here in May galavanting around the countryside.
Thursday, April 29: Town Hall, Auckland
Tuesday, May 4: Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Thuesday, May 6: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide (ALL AGES)
Tuesday, May 11: The Tivoli, Brisbane (ALL AGES)
Wednesday, May 12: Enmore Theatre, Sydney (ALL AGES)
Sunday, May 16: Metro City, Perth
General public tickets go on sale Monday, February 22 at 9am. There is also a special pre-sale for Frontier members that starts at noon on Thursday, February 18.
Articles
Ten Questions: The Kill Devil Hills
We fire ten 'hot ones' at Brendon Humphries of Western Australian band The Kill Devil Hills and he politely returns serve with some responses that give a lil' insight as to what peeps attending shows on their upcoming national tour should maybe expect.
News
Eddy Current Suppression Ring national tour
Last week we let it slip that Eddy Current Suppression Ring would be playing two Sydney shows in early May.
News
Jay Reatard cause of death revealed
The Commercial Appeal reports that the official cause of Jay Reatard's untimely demise was "cocaine toxicity". The Shelby County Medical Examiner, Dr. Karen E. Chancellor, also cited alcohol as "a contributing factor".
Jay's manager, Adam Shore, has also announced that there are some possible posthumous releases in the works, including a new solo record for Matador and a re-issue of some of Jay's early stuff with The Reatards on Goner Records.
Articles
Interview: Frightened Rabbit
The other day we sat down inside the magical bubble world called Twitter and spoke to lovely Scottish lads, Frightened Rabbit, about their upcoming new album, the general acceptance of the 'cunt' word and Kevin Bloody Wilson.
Videos
Frightened Rabbit
Nothing Like You
Nothing Like You is the second single from Frightened Rabbit's new album, The Winter Of Mixed Drinks (out March 6), and a clear front runner for Song Of The Year Twenty Ten.
You can catch Frightened Rabbit playing a FREE show TONIGHT at Beach Road Hotel in Bondi, alongside Sydney up-n-comers Cabins. Doors open at 7pm, with Frightened Rabbit taking to the stage about 10ish.
News
The Go Roll Your Bones kick off residency this Friday
Pleasurably wild Sydney lads Go Roll Your Bones are starting a month-long residency at Kings Cross' World Bar this week, tackling the 'sloppy drunk' 2am slot every Friday in February.
They'll be joined each week by a host of party-starting bands, helping carry you through the regular 10pm to 2am drinking hours...
February 5: DZ, The Joysticks, Brainslaves
February 12: Howl, Sideways Hitchhiker, Step-Panther
February 19: The Small Hours, Wandering Bear, The Good China
February 26: Ernest Ellis, The Preachers, The Salvadors
News
Groovin' The Moo line-up 'announced'
Thanks to a good ol' fashioned media screw-up (premature street press advert-ulation) the line-up for this year's Groovin' The Moo has dropped a day ahead of schedule.
Record Reviews
Surfer Blood
Astro Coast
Like Christopher Owen's Girls before them (and the Beach Boys prior to them), Surfer Blood's debut album Astro Coast succeeds in reciprocating basic 60's chord sequences within easy-going reverb drenched pop songs. With an effortlessness and ease that would typically suggest years of musicianship, the band's focus on chord progression, melody and lyrics is reminiscent of the music of the nineties.
News
Tours tours tours: The Mess Hall, The Drones, The Kill Devil Hills
What do The Mess Hall, The Drones and The Kill Devil Hills have in common? If you answered "ROCK" you would be half right. If you said "they are all bad ass duos with elaborate hair styles" you would be completely incorrect.
BUT... if you said they are all touring around Oz-tralia over the next couple of months then you would be crack-smack BANG on the dollars.
News
Sydney Laneway Festival is happening this Sunday
There are couple of amazing things about the playing times (as below) for this year's Laneway Festival.
a) Daniel Johnston is opening for Dappled Cities. That's right, the man that gave birth to Kurt Cobain, Yo La Tengo and The Beatles is opening for eh.. those guys.
b) It's gonna be pretty empty at "headline o'clock" at the Clock Tower Stage, right?
c) Really nice too see they are accommodating oldies like me that enjoy an afternoon snooze, with The Middle East conveniently scheduled right before 3pm nap time.
Car Park Stage
12:00 - Black Gold
12:50 - Oh Mercy
13:50 - Kid Sam
14:50 - The Middle East
15:45 - Bridezilla
16:55 - Mumford & Sons
18:10 - Sarah Blasko
19:30 - Echo & The Bunnymen
20:50 - Florence & The Machine
Clock Tower Stage
11:30 - The White Goods
12:20 - Seekae
13:20 - Hockey
14:25 - Frightened Rabbit
15:30 - Philadelphia Grand Jury
16:45 - The Very Best
18:15 - Black Lips
19:25 - Radioclit
20:55 - N.A.S.A.
Inner Sanctum Stage
11:45 - Fergus Brown
12:45 - Danimals
13:40 - Jonathan Boulet
14:25 - Whitley
15:50 - Wild Beasts
17:00 - The xx
18:15 - Daniel Johnston
19:30 - Dappled Cities Fly
20:50 - Eddy Current Suppression Ring
News
We are interviewing Frightened Rabbit via Twitter on Monday
Everyone's favourite Scottish lovers/musicians Frightened Rabbit are currently in the country playing at the national Laneway Festival, supporting Echo & the Bunnymen and topping up their highland tans.
Reacharounds
My Disco
Young
When I first heard that My Disco would be releasing an 11 minute 'first single' in February I assumed it would be a fairly slow building, mind-draining affair. But, as your ears are probably telling you right now, the song is a lot more forthcoming in it's approach, starting with all it's cards on the table and then stripping back to a fairly buck-naked rhythm pattern.
Young is set to be released on February 9 via Mistletone. You can catch the band officially launching the new single on Friday, February 12 at Oxford Art Factory.
News
Eddy Current to play two Annandale Hotel shows in May
UPDATE: (04/02) these shows are actually happening in April. Full details here.
Photo by Alicia.
Although not 'official' just yet, we have received word that soon-to-be-internationally-massive Melbourne garage rockers Eddy Current Suppression Ring will be playing a pair of shows at the Annandale Hotel in early May, presumably as part of a national album tour for their new LP Rush To Relax.
Sunday, May 9: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Monday, May 10: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Friday, April 9: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Saturday, April 10: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
The band's latest single, Anxiety, which is getting a bit of a solid run in radioland at the moment, is up and streaming on the band's MySpaz.
Rush To Relax is out on February 15 via Shock.
News
Tucker B's are supporting The Kill Devil Hills, updating their website, maybe playing some shows
It's been a fair gap between 'drinks' (or more precisly 'shows') for Perth/Sydney fighting blokes the Tucker B's. While the gang don't have any headline shows of their own planned at the moment, you can catch them supporting fellow WA lads The Kill Devil Hills on Friday, February 12 at the Annandale Hotel and Saturday, February 13 at the Heritage Hotel in Bulli.
They have also assured us that they'll be playing some more shows sometime around April or May, the details of which are possibly hidden somewhere in the group's Australia Day website 'news' update:
Nipples.
Discussions
"Nice review Rav. Sensational album."
8 hours ago in Beach House - Teen Dream
"this came across very pretentious. the whole thing about 'she came to me in a dream'. sorry but wanna be any more of a wanker?..."
10 hours ago in Interview: Art Rush
"Shudder to think how much you spent on VB at that Drones Metro show... It was more than $13."
16 hours ago in The Decemberists @ The Virgin Mobile Metro Theatre - 19/01/2010
"FF are awesome. Radiohead are still good. still.
"
2 days ago in The Fiery Furnaces - Keep Me In The Dark
"AWESOME :)
They were my highlight at Laneway, both nights at the Annandale is going to be sweet."
3 days ago in Eddy Current Suppression Ring national tour
Upcoming Shows In Sydney
Tuesday, February 9
Wednesday, February 10
Thursday, February 11
Friday, February 12
- My Disco + Qua + New War @ Oxford Art Factory
- The Kill Devil Hills + Tucker B's + Wifey @ Annandale Hotel
- David McCormack & The Polaroids @ Spectrum
- Howl + Sideways Hitchhiker + Step-Panther + The Go Roll Your Bones @ MUM, World Bar
- The Nevada Strange + Rice Corpse + Whores + None Music @ 6 Cunningham St, Haymarket
- World Champion + The Morning Papers + The Vignettes @ Oxford Art Factory (Gallery Bar)
Saturday, February 13
- The Dodos + The John Steel Singers @ Oxford Art Factory
- The Frowning Clouds + The Ripping Dylans @ Oxford Art Factory (Gallery Bar)
Sunday, February 14
Tuesday, February 16
Wednesday, February 17
- Salt N Pepa + Killaqueenz + Hoops @ Metro Theatre
- Our Monk + Carpet @ Oxford Art Factory (Gallery Bar)
Thursday, February 18
- Yo La Tengo @ Metro Theatre
- The Ripping Dylans + The Maladies + The Magnetic Heads + Line Drawings + Megastick Fanfare @ Annandale Hotel
Friday, February 19
- Jonathan Boulet + Sherlock's Daughter + Kyu @ Oxford Art Factory
- The Necks @ Metro Theatre
- The Go Roll Your Bones @ MUM @ World Bar
Sunday, February 21
Thursday, February 25
Friday, February 26
Saturday, February 27
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Raekwon announces solo tour
The Chef was only here a few months ago with (half of) the Wu-Tang Clan, but he has just announced he will be heading back in March for a whole bunch of solo shows in promotion of his 2009 masterpiece Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt II.
Our Favourite Artists Of The Decade: Menomena
It may seem a strange choice to bring so much attention to a band like Menomena in a list of artists of the decade, especially with so many other names seemingly crying out for recognition ahead of them. But Menomena's feats this past decade are not to be taken lightly. While a lot of bands put out good or even great albums, very few actually managed to put out 2 or more, and both of the releases by the band this decade (not including their Under An Hour collaboration with a Portland based dance ensemble) fit neatly under this banner.
Ten Questions: DZ
We recently sat down inside a large container called 'electronic mail' with Brisbane wildcats DZ and hit them with ten questions. Coincidentally enough, they fired back ten related answers. We then hit the big red 'GO' button and now they are here for you to read.
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On the international stage, no artist managed to captivate or stun us as much as the little-Brooklynites-that-could: TV On The Radio. Right from their first appearance on the scene, the band managed to continue their upward trajectory throughout the duration of the decade, a feat that so many other promising bands of similar heritage failed to achieve.
Goodbye 2009, hello FUTURE
Now that 2009 has (finally) clocked out we, the 'editorial' 'team' of this lil' webspace, have decided it's officially time to salute the year gone and celebrate all that it gave us.
Circle Pit - Hurricane
A few months ago Mr Magic Pharaohs strutted into our office and threw a CD-R down on the table. Hand-written in black ink were the words 'Circle Pit - Sydney Indie Record Of 2010'. This was partly a cheeky little joke from the Magic Man, something he was internationally famous for, but he also didn't have the faintest idea what the record was called. He also hadn't bothered to acquire track names, so for the next month or so we listened to the record with literally no accompanying information other than the fact it had been created by Circle Pit, a local band who, as previously mentioned, I've been slightly unsure about since day one.
Interview: The Mint Chicks
We chat to Ruban Nielson from The Mint Chicks about how their relocation to Portland has affected their music, what they have planned for the year ahead and how their new album Screens is really really fucking brilliant.
Songs - Songs
Sydney has had a steady flow of impressive noisy punk bands emerge over the past few years. Talons, Whores and Dead Farmers, to name but a few, have molded their angsty outbursts of frustration into exciting and genuinely catchy punk music. Songs exist at the other end of the spectrum, and while still classifiable under the wide umbrella of 'punk music', they don't possess quite the same dangerous swagger as their peers, choosing instead to mix together sensible pop structures with melodic arrangements to create a less aggressive form of the genre.
Yeasayer - The Children
This song, the opener off the Brooklynites' upcoming new album Odd Blood, sounds nothing like the first little sneak peak Ambling Alp, which we posted a little while back.
The Fiery Furnaces - Keep Me In The Dark
Everyone seems to hate The Fiery Furnaces now because they said what everyone was thinking - Thumb Yorke is a wanker and Radiohead are a little bit overrated. Truth is, deep down we all know that Kid A isn't the best album of the decade, OK Computer falls away a bit towards the end and In Rainbows was only good because it cost 'sweet fuck all'. Hi Sean!
Gig Review: Homebake @ The Domain - 05/12/2009
The Festival Ladies, minus Mrs Pop who is currently lost to the Seattle grunge movement, attended Homebake on the weekend. The much loved Aussie / NZ festival once again did not disappoint. Futurama tattoos, vodka infused slurpees, the revival of the epic 90s band Tumbleweed, interpretive dancing, vodka smuggled in via Ribena squeezies and yet another moshpit injury... it had it all.Meta Meta Meta
Say Hello
We are always looking for new contributors and like-minded individuals to 'get involved' with this site. Email us at us@polaroidsofandroids.com if you are interested.
Also hit us up via email if you would like to send us music to review, reacharound or pump in our low-riders.