polaroids of androids

New Music: Our Monk

I went to high school with this guy called Anthony Ortuso. One of the few memories I have from my high school days involves Anthony organising a bunch of us to let mice go during our final graduation assembly. He bought the mice and distributed them amongst people with specific instructions on the exact moment when it would be 'fucking hilarious' to release them. I kept mine in the top pocket of my school shirt for the whole day, only occasionally letting it out to stretch it's legs and cause people to scream etc.

Unfortunately, the whole thing was foiled by some 'snitch'. The assembly was canceled and Anthony was arrested, sentenced to death and/or suspended for half a day.

That was a million years ago. Anthony is now all grown up (kinda) and plays in a band called Our Monk. The Sydney four-piece have their own unique style that exists somewhere between jazz, diet Man Man and amusing popstastic tom foolery.

In Your Dreams

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Our Monk  

The New Pornographers announce tour, kill websites with their dirty name

In addition to their appearance at this year's Great Escape festival, AC Newman and his fellow pr0n-lovers are gonna play some sideshows:

Tuesday, October 7: The Zoo, Brisbane
Wednesday, October 8: Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Friday, October 10: The Gov, Adelaide
Saturday, October 11: The Corner, Melbourne
Sunday, October 12: Annandale Hotel, Sydney

Tickets on sale Friday, July 11.

Via Ocean's Never Listen, who have had their site CRUSHED by some sort of Blogspot 'cleaning' robot, which obviously found the word 'porno' in the URL and/or article title and proceeded to destroy the site's content with warning labels. Whoa.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: The New Pornographers  

The top 50 Australian albums ever (according to The Age)

The Age (it's a newspaper - yeah, they still make newspapers! ha!) today released their definite list of what they reckon are the top fifty BEST EVER Australian albums.

1. Midnight Oil - 10 to 1
2. Skyhooks - Living in the 1970s
3. Radio Birdman - Radios Appear
4. The Saints - I'm Stranded
5. Hoodoo Gurus - Stoneage Romeos
6. You Am I - Hifi Way
7. Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls - Gossip
8. INXS - Kick
9. Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional
10. AC/DC - Back In Black
11. Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust
12. Crowded House - Crowded House
13. The Easybeats - Easy
14. Loved Ones - Magic Box
15. AC/DC - Highway To Hell
16. Sunnyboys - Sunnyboys
17. INXS - The Swing
18. Go-Betweens - 16 Lover's Lane
19. Hunters and Collectors - Human Frailty
20. Drones - Wait Long By the River and The Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By
21. Archie Roach - Charcoal
22. You Am I - Hourly, Daily
23. Avalanches - Since I Left You
24. AC/DC - High Voltage
25. Saints - Prodigal Son
26. Cold Chisel - East
27. Cold Chisel - Circus Animals
28. Died Pretty - Doughboy Hollow
29. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Good Son
30. Paul Kelly - Post
31. Richard Clapton - Tiger
32. Beasts of Bourbon - Low Life
33. Daddy Cool - Daddy Who
34. Birthday Party - Prayers on Fire
35. Rose Tattoo - Rose Tattoo
36. Even - Less Is More
37. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock
38. Flowers - Icehouse
39. Chain - Toward The Blues
40. The Easybeats - Anthology
41. Stephen Cummings - Lovetown
42. The Angels - Face to Face
43. Crowded House - Woodface
44. Go-Betweens - Liberty
45. Regurgitator - Tu Plang
46. The Whitlams - Eternal Nightcap
47. Silverchair - Diorama
48. The Church - Starfish
49. Master Apprentices - A Toast to Panama
50. Jet - Get Born

Big-ups up to the Drones, Avalanches and Birthday Party for (somehow) getting onto list, which as a whole, is pretty fucking poor.

And the panel who put their collective brains together to come up with the list were...

Patrick Donovan, Andrew Murfett, Shaun Carney, Katy Steele, Chris Johnston, Jo Roberts, Kylie Northover, Jeff Glorfeld, Michael Dwyer, Craig Mathieson, Barb Walters, Gary Munro, Larry Schwartz, Khalil Hegarty, Patrick Smithers, Karl Quinn, Mahalia Barnes, Darren Seltmann, Stephen Cummings, Joel Ma, Missy Higgins, Andy Baylor, Dan Warner, Ella Thompson, Phil Gianfriddo, Clinton Walker, Mary Mihelakos, Neil Wedd, Keith Glass, Laura Jean, John Watson, Rae Harvey, Murray Engleheart, Jeff Jenkins, Billy Pinnell, Neil Rogers, Amanda Roff, Dylan Lewis, Clem Bastow, Bruce Milne, Ella Hooper, Ian McFarlane, Brian Wise, Kath Letch, Ed Nimmervoll, Ed St John, Patti Revson, Stuart Coupe, Michael Gudinski, Sarah Morgan, Craig Kamber, Brian De Courcy, Jane Rocca, Vivian Lees, Warwick Brown, Paul Oldham, Dave Laing, Steve Cross, Steve Tauschke, Michael Coppel, Karen Leng, Kav Temperley, Emily York, Robbie Buck, and Glenn A Baker.

Hmmm.. John Watson? And only one Silverchair record? Ha?

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (6)

Youth Group own the night, you own the right to buy their new album - and party

Photo via JAMD.

Youth Group are set to release their fourth album, The Night Is Ours, on June 28, which, for those playing along at home is this Saturday. The record, produced by Tim Kevin and Anthony The (great surname), was recorded on an abandoned 1920's mess hall on Sydney harbour over the space of a few months late last year.

For the record - they did NOT record the album inside the stomach of the band, The Mess Hall. In fact, it was a lot more like a boat, than a bluesy rockin' duo.

To celebrate the release, the band are playing some nice, gentle intimate shows:

Wednesday, July 30: The Vanguard, Sydney
Thursday, July 31: The Vanguard, Sydney
Saturday, August 2: Manchester Lane, Melbourne
Sunday, August 3: Manchester Lane, Melbourne

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Youth Group  

Van She are strangers to Good Music Town

Because I only listen to two music acts - AIDS Wolf and Lil Wayne - I don't spend a lot of time keeping up-to-date with the 'crazy' 'antics' of mundane electro acts like Van She.

But my ears recently fell onto the Sydney group's new single, Strangers, which isn't too bad ... until the chorus hits and it all goes a little 'pear shaped' and/or shithouse.

Strangers is out NOW, with the album, V, due on August 9. Check their MySpazz to find out details of how you can catch them perform, pose and pout throughout July as they strut their stuff around the country.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (3)

Artist Pages: Van She  

Rocket Science's triple Hopetoun treat

Melbourne's Rocket Science are preparing themselves to hop into a tour van and drive around the country for a couple of months. On their travels they plan to stop occasionally, stretch their legs, pick up some food from convenience stores and also play songs from their new album, Different Like You.

As part of the tour they will play not one, not two but THREE shows at Sydney's Hopetoun Hotel. If only Eddy Current Suppression Ring had been as kind.

The full itinerary:

Thursday, August 21: The Peninsula Lounge, Moorooduc
Friday, August 22: The Corner Hotel, Richmond
Saturday, August 23: Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Thursday, August 28: Jive, Adelaide
Friday, August 29: Sandbar, Mildura
Saturday, August 30: Green Room, Canberra
Thursday, September 4: Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney
Friday, September 5: Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney
Saturday, September 6: Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney
Thursday, September 11: Prince Of Wales, Bunbury
Friday, September 12: The Norfolk, Fremantle
Saturday, September 13: Amplifier Bar, Perth
Saturday, October 11: Sounds of Spring Festival/RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane

Different Like You, is due in stores on July 26 via High Spot Records. The new single, Sinful Cowboy, which you can currently hear over at their MySpzzzz, should be hitting the radio world sometime this week.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (3)

Artist Pages: Rocket Science  

Albert Hammond Jr is playing sideshows, releasing a new album, solving the world's whaling issues

Albert Hammond Jr (aka That Fuzzy Haired Guy From The Strokes aka Lil A-Ham aka One Of The Few Decent Acts Coming Out Here In August) has just revealed the details of the shows that him and his band will be performing when they are in the country for the Splendour In The Grass festival.

Wednesday, July 30: Prince Bandroom, Melbourne
Friday, August 1: The Gaelic Theatre, Sydney
Saturday, August 2: The Zoo, Brisbane

Tickets go on sale Monday, June 30.

Albert's new album, ¿Cómo Te Llama?, is due out on July 7, and from what we have heard of it so far it definitely leans more towards the experimental-ish (and Spanish) side of things than his last one.

Lisa

Borrowed Time

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (3)

Artist Pages: Albert Hammond Jr.   Splendour In The Grass  

British India return with terrible new single, picking up right where their shit album left off

Too harsh?

Well, we are making up for the fact we don't own a time machine and thus are unable to go back and be a little tougher on their debut album. We were far too kind back then. In hindsight, it barely should have registered past the two point zero mark. It should have been one of those 'funny' 'tough' reviews. Maybe another turd or something just as 'clever'.

The group's new single is called I Said I'm Sorry and it's from their upcoming record, Thieves, which is scheduled to hit stores on July 12.

While Gullotine got these guys to Grinspoon-like levels, we think Thieves will take them over the hump and get them to Powderchair stardom. Go for gold fellas!

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: British India  

Final supports for Snowman's Sydney shows revealed

With Snowman's double Annandale extravaganza now only 22 days, 20 hours and 48 minutes away (at time of publication), our excitement level has been raised even more with the identity of the two local support bands revealed today.

At the Thursday night (July 17) show they will be supported by art-rockers Naked On The Vague, while the Friday evening (July 18) will see the night kicked into gear by the atmospheric gracefulness of Charge Group.

Tickets for both shows available NOW via the Annandale Hotel website.

These supports are, of course, in addition to Baseball, who will be present (and more than likely - kickin' ass) at all of the dates on the tour.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Snowman   Baseball   Naked On The Vague   Charge Group  

Yeasayer's Sydney sideshow announced

A couple weeks back we got mildly excited over the news that Yeasayer would be finally heading our way as part of The Great Escape.

But, the real excitement only comes today, upon the 'announcement' (a couple of lines at the bottom of a giant page of gig listings) regarding their Sydney sideshow.

The full itinerary of their tour now looks like this:

Friday, October 3: The Zoo, Brisbane
Saturday, October 4: The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday, October 5: The Great Escape Festival, Sydney
Tuesday, October 7: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

AND best of all you can get tickets right NOW via Moshtix.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (4)

Artist Pages: Yeasayer  

Gig Review: Deaf Wish + Dead Farmers + The Escapes @ Maggotville - 21/06/2008

I passed over a last minute ticket to The Black Keys' evening performance at Manning Bar to attend this show. I am sure the Keys kicked ass and all that, but I think the Deaf Wish vs Dead Farmers vs The Escapes battle royale that I witnessed was at least 45,297 times more awesome.

The Escapes are the best, drunkest, sloppiest, worst and most exciting band I have seen in a long time. They were crazy drunk, but their music, most of which consisted of nothing more than a fairly stock standard punk riff and a repeated chorus chant, accompanied this perfectly. Expect them to be bigger than a Presets/Cut Copy supergroup.

Their set was filmed (and often confusingly heckled) by a fairly large and kinda scary ruffhead who had a bottle of bourbon in one hand and a can of coke in the other. He was mixing them in his mouth. He personified the mood of the evening.

Dead Farmers, besides the notable absence of 'the best song ever', Violence, played an unbelievably solid set. They were fresh off supporting The Black Keys that afternoon at Manning Bar and their performance rounded off a hectic couple of months which was seen the Sydney trio play around 146 shows in every nook, cranny and stadium of this town. The smallish crowd (of around 20 people) were treated to a house party set up with the two guitarists positioning themselves down on crowd level, which really added a lot to their overall eargasmic performance.

I didn't know a lot about Melbourne's Deaf Wish before they kicked into their furious half hour set, but by the end I was their biggest fan - ever.

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (3)

Artist Pages: Deaf Wish   Dead Farmers   The Escapes  

Video: Snowman - We Are The Plague

Mild nudity. Dilating pupils. Horse art fire.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Snowman  

Magic Dirt are going to play a lot of shows

From now until the end of the year, chances are when you ask Magic Dirt what they are doing they will reply with either 'playing a show', 'going to a show' or 'vomiting because we had too much to drink after our show last night'.

Yes, they are an embarking on a fairly large national tour.

Wednesday, July 30: O'Dowds Irish Pub, Rockhampton
Friday, August 1: Bon Amici, Toowoomba
Saturday, August 2: Sands Tavern, Maroochydore
Saturday, August 9: Swindlers Bar, Hotham
Wednesday, August 13: UTS Broadway, Sydney (lunchtime)
Wednesday, August 13: Wollongong Uni, Wollongong (night)
Thursday, August 14: Uni of Newcastle, Newcastle
Friday, August 15: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Saturday, August 16: Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale
Sunday, August 17: Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong
Thursday, August 21: Great Northern, Byron Bay
Friday, August 22: Cooly Hotel, Coolangatta
Saturday, August 23: The Zoo, Brisbane
Friday, August 29: The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Saturday, August 30: Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Friday, September 5: The Opal Inn, Coober Pedy
Saturday, September 6: The Gov, Adelaide
Friday, September 12: The G, Mt Gambier Hotel
Saturday, September 13: The Loft, Warrnambool
Saturday, September 27: Wave Rock Weekender, Hyden
Sunday, September 28: Esperance Hotel, Esperance
Wednesday, October 1: Bourbon Bar, Albany
Thursday, October 2: Prince of Wales, Bunbury
Friday, October 3: Amplifier Bar, Perth
Saturday, October 4: Mojo's Bar, Fremantle
Saturday, October 10: Sandbar, Mildura
Wednesday, October 15: Monash Uni, Gippsland
Friday, October 17: National Hotel, Geelong
Saturday, October 18: Golden Vine Hotel, Bendigo
Friday, October 24: Rubys Lounge, Belgrave
Saturday, November 22: Wilcannia Community Hall, Wilcannia
Sunday, November 23: Broken Hill Entertainment Centre, Broken Hill
Friday, November 28: Republic Bar & Cafe, Hobart
Saturday, November 29: Republic Bar & Cafe, Hobart
Saturday, December 13: Westernport Hotel, San Remo

As previously reported the band will be looking for up-and-coming bands to support them at the majority of the stops on the tour. More info about that here.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (6)

Artist Pages: Magic Dirt  

The Polyphonic Spree announce sideshows

In addition to their inclusion in the final round of Splendour acts, the cult-like choir of angles will be doing some shows 'on the side'.

Tuesday, July 29: Metro Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday, July 30: Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne
Thursday, July 31: Tivoli, Brisbane

Tickets on sale this Thursday (June 26).

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: The Polyphonic Spree  

Girl Talk invites you to feed the animals, for FREE!

Welcome to 2008 where nerds are cool, kids wear fluro and, most importantly, music is FREE-ly distributed via the power of da internetz!!

Girl Talk, who pretty much destroyed the careers of about 20 billion bedroom, laptop remixin' juggernauts/losers with his insanely awesome 2006 release, Night Ripper, has just released his latest trek into the world of 'mixtape madness' - Feed The Animals.

First things first, check the 'dope as fuck' cover...

You can download the album HERE (in lovely 320kbps format) under one of those 'cool' 'new' pay-whatever-yo-like systems.

If you fork over five bucks or more you gain access to the wonderful world of 'FLAC file options' and if you give Mr Talk ten dollars or more you even get a physical copy of the record when it's available. With the good exchange rate at the moment, there is really no excuse to not shovel over a decent chunk of your pocket money, right?

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (7)

Artist Pages: Girl Talk  

Deaf Wish in Sydney this weekend for 7" launch

Noisy Melbournites, Deaf Wish, are bringing their chaotic and brilliant thrusts of 'urgh' to Sydney this weekend as part of their East Australia 7" tour.

Thursday, June 19: Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne
Saturday, June 21: Maggotville (40 Fitzroy St, Marrickville), Sydney
Thursday, June 26: Old Bar, Melbourne
Friday, June 27: Rosies Tavern, Brisbane
Saturday, June 28: Jagera Arts Hall, Brisbane (all ages)
Friday, July 4: Pony, Melbourne
Saturday, July 5: Birmingham Hotel, Melbourne
Friday, July 11: The Tote, Melbourne
Saturday, July 12: Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne

The Sydney show (this Saturday evening!) will also feature The Escapes and Dead Farmers. Talk about a triple punch (in the head)!

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Deaf Wish   Dead Farmers   The Escapes  

Children collide with SPOD, zero casualties reported at this early stage

Children Collide score fairly high on our elaborate 'suckiness vs success' graph, however, they will suck a little less on their upcoming tour due to the fact they will be supported at all shows by THE one-man disco inferno - SPOD!

Friday, July 18: The Trouboadour, Brisbane
Saturday, July 19: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Friday, July 25: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Saturday, July 26: Jive Bar, Adelaide

Tickets are on sale NOW and will set you back around $12.

The tour is in celebration of Children Collide's new single, Social Currency, which sounds a bit like this:

Yes. You're right. It is kinda bland.

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (0)

Artist Pages: Children Collide   SPOD  

Gig Review: Ghosts Of Television + Yes Nukes + Bangle Tigers @ La Campana - 11/06/2008

Is it against the 'internet law' to review a show that I helped to organise?

Is it wrong/uncool/super-hip to label this 'show of the year' when I had a strong hand and/or arm in making it so?

Are you really ready for me to unleash more gushing praise than a Pitchfork review of the new Panda Bear vs Black Kids vs No Age vs Tapes N Tapes (circa 2006) mixmaster project?

Survey says?

Continue? Ok.

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (3)

Artist Pages: Ghosts Of Television   Yes Nukes   Bangle Tigers  

Dizzee (mudda-phucking) Rascal, Diplo, Peaches and Blackalicious announced as part of Parklife 2008 line-up

Festivals are awesome! The majority of people who go to them are great! They are almost 100% 'wanker free'! People are awesome! Australian flags are rad! Your Southern Cross tattoo looks 'killer'! Your girlfriend isn't wearing much clothing and that is hot!

The line-up for Parklife 2008 has been announced:

• Dizzee Rascal
• Blackalicious
• Diplo
• Peaches
• Goldfrapp
• Soulwax
• 2manydjs
• Martin Solveig
• Plump DJs
• Jesse Rose
• Does It Offend You, Yeah?
• XXXchange
• Metro Area
• Elektrons
• Yuksek
• Van She
• Dragonette
• Boy 8-Bit
• Familjen
• Bag Raiders
• Ajax
• Slyde
• Grafton Primary
• Van She Tech

Yesssss. Van She and Van She Tech! Double Van She! Double score!

And the dates to pencil into your diary and/or iCal:

Saturday September 27: Adelaide
Sunday, September 28: Melbourne
Monday, September 29: Perth
Saturday, October 4: Brisbane
Sunday, October 5: Sydney

Read More

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (12)

Artist Pages: Blackalicious   Peaches   Diplo   Dizzee Rascal  

New Music: Damnbuilders

What happens when you melt together the best looking parts of Talons and Dead China Doll, let it simmer for about six or so days and then serve it up on a bed of roses, prescription 'downers' and shredded pages from Linda McCartney's autobiography?

The answer is Damnbuilders, who are arguably the greatest side project and/or supergroup since Gravediggaz.

Snake Bites

Our Fathers Glory

You can catch the duo 'in da flesh' when they support Dead China Doll and The Laurels at Hermanns Bar on July 4.

Capt Polaroid
Link | Email to a friend | Post to Delicious | Share via Facebook | Comments (1)

Artist Pages: Damnbuilders