Parades, Bells Will Ring and The Upskirts

(Bells Will Ring)


(Parades)

Last night, Melissa and I went to see Parades perform at Transit bar. I was reviewing the gig for FasterLouder (free tickets, woo!), but we also saw the band play at Homebake in 2009, and remembered enjoying their set.

Supporting were The Upskirts, a triple J Unearthed band from Sydney, and Bells Will Ring, also from Sydney. The bar was sadly quite empty for the gig, a fact that generally dissapoints me about gigs in Canberra, but those that did attend were pretty enthusiastic.


I won't do a full review (because then I won't be able to write one for FasterLouder without being incredibly bored by my own words!), but I will say that I enjoyed all three bands, though Bells Will Ring less than the others. Their vocal harmonies seemed a little off, and I felt like they were trying a little too hard to be polished on stage.

Parades, of course, were amazing. So much so that I bought their album! (Goodbye, food money, I shall yearn for you tomorrow!).

Music Review: Rebecca Hancock - Somewhere To Land

I first discovered Rebecca Hancock (supported by her band, The Prison Wives) way back in 2002, when my twelve-year-old-self with a burgeoning appreciation for independent music became obsessed with her debut album Somewhere To Land. Now, eight years later, Miss Hancock has released her second album, Under My Bed.

Unfortunately I lost my copy of Somewhere To Land way back when, and have spent many years bereft of the soulful, haunting songs – wishing I could find the CD again. And then I realised that with the invention of this wacky thing we call the “internet,” I probably could.

I bought another copy of Somewhere To Land from Rebecca’s website and – even putting aside the fact that she sent me a personal email saying she hoped I enjoyed the CD – am thoroughly glad I did.

Rebecca has a versatile voice that puts many of the recent female-singer-songwriter revival to shame. Her songs are reminiscent of Ani DiFranco, or Tori Amos before she became self-indulgent, and are a pleasing blend of fey, folksy tunes and dirty barstool blues. Stand-out tracks include Moon Wants a Lover, Prison Ground and an astonishing cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart.

You can listen to a few songs off her new album here.

CD Review: Operator Please - Gloves

Operator Please burst onto the music scene in 2005 with that song (that song being ‘A Song About Ping Pong’) and their debut album Yes Yes Vindictive. The pint-sized rockers were barely out of school, but performed with the verve of a veteran act. Despite the consistent quality of their music, there were mixed reviews for the album. While many recognised that there was no need to say “good for their age” – they were just good – there was an unfortunate amount of backlash against the band. They were criticised for being too young, too gimmicky, too much a myspace marvel. Operator Please, however, were not about to be talked out of making their own brand of loud-mouthed music, and are back with their sophomore album Gloves.

Gloves has perhaps slightly less of the frantic, distracted, attention-deficit-disordered energy of its predecessor – but the band have channelled this power and created something more driven. Lead single ‘Logic’ features a – there’s no other word for it – funky bass line and shows just how well the band do dance-beat rock. ‘Just Kiss’ has a climax and sexy synths that will probably encourage some make-out on the dance-floor; while ‘Back and Forth’ is a summer song with Caribbean blue skies overhead, and the influence of bands like Vampire Weekend apparent. Songs like ‘Loops’ show just how in control of the instruments the band is: these aren’t just high-schoolers, they’re technically proficient.

This second album is sophisticated, strong and still just as sassy. It is Operator Please, ready to fight, gloves off.

- M

The Trivs Farewell Tour...

Tonight we attended The Trivs Farewell Tour, of One Location - otherwise known as a 'gig.' The boys are heading overseas to various not-Canberra-and-therefore-exotic locations, and so bid farewell to our small nation’s capital with cheer and chutzpah.

The supporting acts were Super Best Friends and Ah! Pandita. Having not seen Ah! Pandita since they acquired a drummer, I was well impressed by their transition from ‘layered-vocals and uber-melodic indie-girl music’ to ‘layered-vocals and uber-melodic indie-girl with a dash of bona fide riot-grrl music.’

Farewell Trivs, may your travels see you well. May there be no trials and tribulations.


-- M

Fuck Yeah, Zines!

Zine life in Canberra has been taking off of late, thanks in part to a new collective, FYZ.

This group has been organising semi-regular zine-making days, not to mention posting links to zine fairs and other related news on their facebook page.

Check it out!