Arctic Monkeys

After gaining a cult following for their transcendent album “Fluorescent Adolescents,” indie-punk band Arctic Monkey’s fifth studio release AM lives up to the band’s rising expectations, while evolving into something more meaningful than previous albums.

           

Though harboring a fan base that can easily be labeled as “leather-jacket,” lead singer Alex Turner’s lyrical turn-of-phrase often results in something more evocative than his song titles might suggest. Much of what AM is built off of is not only Turner’s tactful though impulsive songwriting, but the emotional barriers he sometimes neglected in previous albums. Take this line from AM’s lead single Do I Wanna Know?, “Maybe I’m too busy being yours too fall for somebody new.” This brand of more sensitive songwriting is not exhibited in previous albums, accounting for a lot of the album’s commercial and critical achievements as well as improving on the band’s value itself. What separates AM from its predecessors is the emotional undercurrent seamlessly woven into the greaser-style sound Turner spends most of his time working on. And along with their classically indie-strummed guitar solos, Turner’s diverse (and nonetheless beautiful) vocal range and the band’s innovative song structure that’s kept listeners rapt for over a decade, AM proves to be the most haunting yet of the Monkeys’ albums.

Though some might say it clashes altogether with their slicked-back and stolid personality, the depth in which AM is built upon actually improves on the punk-rockers’ individualized sound, and with the angsty spirit that the band is renowned for playing live, there is no stopping Arctic Monkeys.

MODERN CURE - Q&A.

Modern Cure are a five piece indie pop rock band fresh out of college. Their vocalist is Victoria Geale, playing guitar is Will Smyth and Oliver Marshall, playing bass is Joshua Keddie and keeping the band in time is Alex Quigley on the drums. The band formed for a High Schools Battle of the Bands and after finding success decided to continue playing together. 

With their fresh indie rock sound and quirky, enthralling vocals, Modern Cure are an exciting new act. Their track 'The Streets' features strong, anthemic rhythm section and an upbeat beat that is a perfect summer tune. The vocals are endearing, with light harmonies and Victoria Geale's distinctive voice lending the track a lighter side.


We caught up with Modern Cure recently!


When did you guys start playing together?

We formed halfway through 2011 to play in our school's battle of the bands. We had all been in other bands before, but we wanted to play together. We won the junior section at Rock Challenge Tasmania, so we've kept it together since then.

How would you describe your music?

Our style instrumentally is inspired by bands that we listen to like The Wombats, The Kooks, The Strokes and Two Door Cinema Club. If anyone asked us how we would describe our music we would say enjoyable to play.

What are you working on right now?

We're currently working on getting a substantial original set written and rehearsed, as well as recording for future release. As we continue to write music we like our previous songs less, so we find it kind of hard to have a forty-five minute set that we're all happy with. It's great that we think our music keeps getting better though, so there is a positive to it.

What will Modern Cure be up to in 2014?

We've been working on an EP for nearly nine months now, but we keep on changing our minds as to what should be on it, and also write better music that we then have to record. Hopefully we will have it out both digitally and physically by the end of the year. We also want to play a lot more live shows and establish ourselves as a prominent force in the local music scene here in Launceston, which is why we're working hard on getting a strong set together.

How did you get your band name?

Choosing a band name was pretty difficult, it took lots of brain storming and terrible ideas before we came up with Modern Cure. We thought it sounded cool, but like a lot of band names its just a play on words and doesn't really mean anything.
Listen to Modern Cure performing 'The Streets' at Breath of Life festival!

TOO WEIRD TO LIVE, TOO RARE TO DIE! - REVIEW.

I think I speak for everybody when I say that Panic! At the Disco has come a long way since releasing one of their most renowned songs "I Write Sins Not Tragedies." The lyrical complexity has grown greatly from "And, yes, but what a shame, what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore," to "This is gospel for the fallen ones locked away in permanent slumber." However, regardless of the meaning (or lack of) it is guaranteed that P!ATD will bring you infectious vibes and catchy tunes. 

Four for you p!atd, you go p!atd

All joking aside, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die is most likely the best album that they have ever released. Although this has been called the "party" album because of upbeat songs like Miss Jackson and Vegas lights it also accompanies significant, momentous songs with deep meanings like "This is Gospel," that states "these words are knives and often leave scars," which is a very powerful phrase. 

The album cover pretty much sums it all up

This album was released October 8, 2013 with 10 incisive songs. My personal favorite would have to be "The End of All Things," which is actually very ironic because it's about a never ceasing love. 

Panic! At the Disco is playing February 23, 2014 in Sydney, Australia @ Soundwave Festival :-)

SHIELDS: THE B-SIDES - REVIEW.

            Renowned for their chart-topping single “Two Weeks,” Indie-atmospheric band Grizzly Bear released their fourth studio album Shields in September 2012, and earlier this year released the albums B-sides. While Shields did well to live up to post-Veckatimest expectations, their B-sides release took a different approach to exploring the band’s musical complexities.

            While their previous albums were experimental in terms of musicality, their B-sides explore the other component of the band’s attention-grabbing euphony. The vagrant instrumental echoes and influential sound still manages to work well for them but were it not for the as-yet-unheard lyrics nothing would be too valuable about this release. Take this line of Will Calls: “oily hands, slippery slope, pointed fangs without scope.” Compared to the chart-stealing qualities of the band’s upbeat lyrics Grizzly Bear brings an element of seriousness to the table. Defiant of their palpable indie-impressed songwriting, their B-sides are progressive in their nature and, combined with the ever-haunting vocals of lead singer Edward Droste, put together another satisfactory 8-track album.

            Contradictory in nature and theme to their ubiquitous though interchangeable sound, Grizzly Bear’s B-side release of their widely acclaimed Shields does just as well in approaching atmosphere and human qualities through their eerie melodies and excess eloquence.

            Grizzly Bear is playing at the Falls Festival, Sydney, December 28, 29 and 31

THE CITIZENS - Q & A.

The Citizens are an up-and-coming indie pop rock band hailing from Bondi, Sydney. They've played some exciting shows - winning Bondi's Battle of the Bands and competing in YouthRock finals - and recently released some new tracks, the aptly titled 'The Table's Not The Place' and 'Fishing In The Drought'.

Their funky new track 'The Table's Not The Place' has punchy, rhythmic - almost popcorn-like - guitar work influenced by Two Door Cinema Club and stylistic features and lyrics reminiscent of the ever-clever Isaac Brock. It's a cool, sassy track that's neat, clean and altogether pretty fun.

We caught up with the cool kids from The Citizens recently!

Who are The Citizens?

The Citizens are Lewis Clark (vocals, guitar), Sachin Burns (Lead Guitar), Joey Reinhard (Bass) and Ben Munro (Drums). We are an indie pop band from Bondi, and we were formed in 2011. 

What do you guys do at band practice?

We write our songs with strong structures and we rehearse them endlessly, for a really great live show. 

How did you guys start playing together?

We started playing together when we entered a band workshop where we were placed together and wrote good songs, so we wanted to stay together as a band. 

Best thing you've done as a band?

Our best experiences would have to be supporting The Cairos at the Metro Theatre, for All Ages Concerts Sydney's Christmas Party.

The Citizens at YouthRock

Check out their music at their Triple J Unearthed page and listen to their track 'The Table's Not The Place' below:

INDIE CHRISTMAS LISTOMANIA.

Ladies and gentlemen, unless you've been living under a rock (an indie rock hopefully) and you have the social skills of a blade of grass, you will have noticed that Christmas is coming (or Hanukkah. OR DECEMBER THE TWENTY-FIFTH FOR GOODNESS' SAKES).

And with said occasion, you see, comes a variety of novelty music which is kitschy as heck with the same amount of charm as my left foot. You would think that people would get sick of celebrating Christmas the same way for twenty centuries, but hey, each to their own.

I'm allergic to sleigh bells almost as much as I'm allergic to the song 'Tomorrow' from that abominable musical Annie, and so every year when the carols come up on the radio or some random dude is singing on a street corner I just want to squash someone with a Biggest Loser contestant in a red suit.

But never fear, hipsters and closeted hipsters alike! In the light of Sydney's new 'Hipster Santa', whose band plays indie covers of carols, I've collated some alternative covers to keep you entertained this silly season (without the help of an extra eggnog, of course).

MERRY INDIE CHRISTMAS

Artist Adam Horne makes various well-known novelty songs and socially idiosyncratic tunes in the styles of indie artists with tongue-in-cheek artistic stereotypes and quirks.

So this was released in 2012, but it's basically carols parodying performing in the style of some heavy weight alt and rock acts (such as Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons and The xx). 

The only fault I can find with this is that each track is only thirty-seconds long or so, but again it's just for laughs really.

The xx one is my favourite though because HIS ROMY MADLEY CROFT IMPRESSION IS FREAKING AMAZING.

Here are my top five picks for this silly season:

1. Band of Horses - The First Song

Firstly, it's Band of Horses. The new wave/dream pop revival guitar wall of sound is such a wonderful flashback to hazy 90's shoegaze and influences like The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Cocteau Twins, with dashes of Crystal Castles and even Beach House in there. Ben Bridwell's arousing crooning over the top sets the standard pretty high for indie Christmas carols - it takes the you-didn't-even-know-this-was-a-song-about-Christmas-stance. But then again, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was another indie tune with just the word Christmas thrown in to startle the discerning hipster.

2. Hey Rosetta! - Carry Me Home

We've established that Christmas celebrations get a bit icky after repetition again and again, and so eventually people hit that age where they rock up to someone's party and simply launches themselves into the nearest bottle of whiskey. This is this song.

Hey Rosetta! cleverly masquerade the drunken lyrics with their delightfully cheery disposition and stride bass. It's a celebration of a lack thereof in itself, and this song is pretty feel good and shoulder-swinging as songs about alcohol and homesickness with reference to saints go. 

3. Bright Eyes - White Christmas

I've never had a White Christmas - heck, I've never even seen snow. But I can imagine listening to this song while it snows - the music is so poignant and delicate, you could probably hear it melting if you left it out too long (weird analogy I know, but you get the idea). The beautiful acoustic picking in the background grounds the smooth vocals and I can imagine that if White Christmases are the same as on those dodgy Christmas cards, it would sound like this.

4. The Civil Wars - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

If I was ever stuck out in the Mojave Desert with nothing but a spile and a solar-powered iPod, I'd probably just be listening to the bluesy-folk of the Civil Wars as I drained cactuses of their juice and tried to make tequila.

Since Christmas in Australia is essentially the Mojave Desert anyway, this song will fit into festivities (or whatever you hipsters call your gatherings - "esoteric phrontisteries", you say?) with its breathy vocal harmonies and the undeniable sense of longing (probably for a decent present this year).

As usual the guitar work of The Civil Wars, no matter how simple it appears, is wonderfully crafted and serves as a solid backdrop to the golden croonings of Joy Williams and Paul White).

5. The White Stripes - Candy Cane Children

If I were reading this post I'd probably think this was some bogus post and that the writer was actually going to Rickroll somebody or other. The White Stripes made some weirdo kitschy (albeit 'alternative') Christmas song?!

Apparently they did. I was just as surprised as you lot, but it's pretty good just like all of their deliciously lo-fi, grungy I-don't-give-a-damn-we're-siblings-okay stuff.

So there we have it. Have a wonderfully alternative Christmas what with your vegan turkey and coeliac macarons and what not, people.