News: Big Scary are 'Leaving Home' again, announce Vacation tour

AMR's favourite babes, Big Scary, have already announced their first international visit, hitting up the prestigious SXSW festival later this year; but today sees the announcement of their biggest national headline tour to date. The Vacation tour sees the Melbourne duo playing dates across the country throughout April, with support from the excellently eighties stylings of Geoffrey O'Connor and some, as yet unconfirmed, special guests.

Big Scary are nothing if not a thrilling live act (in fact, last year's best according to this blog) and having released their excellent debut album on their own independent label, Pieater, they're taking it back on the road - the very place that inspired it's reflective set of intropsective, genre-defying gems.

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy - SUPER EDITION

Remember that quote from Wes Bentley in American Beauty? The one about there being too much beauty in the world in the world and he can't take it? Well I feel like that at the moment, only replace the word 'beauty' with 'music' and the floating plastic bag with a wealth of amazing new tunes.

I guess first and foremost though, I should be plugging this:

Fellow lovers and loathers of music, my latest comedy show based on this very blog is already in full swing as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2011. That's the cheeky show poster up there and essentially it's a whole new hour of music based hilarity to capitalise the momentum of my comic debut, my Difficult 2nd Album in every sense of the word.

You can book tickets and find more dates and deets here:

Al's Music Rant: The Difficult 2nd Album|Melbourne Fringe Festival 2011

If you need some convincing, there's already some reviews of the show available.

Firstly via ArtsHub who give a lovely review of three-and-a-half stars

then there's Crikey, which - despite a strange obsession with my facial hair - seemed to like the show.

So come on down to The Glasshouse from this Thurs 29 - Sun 2 or next week from Thurs 6 to Sat 8 to catch some cutting musical analysis, some crazy character work and a whole bunch of powerpoints.

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

• Topping headlines is AMR's favourie Melbourne duo Big Scary revealing details of their impossibly anticipated debut. Pull out your permanent makers and personal devices and mark a big red cirlce on Friday October 7, as that's when Vacation will be released, on the band's newly formed Pieater label. The press release describes how it "touches on slowly losing touch with any known constants - friends, lovers, permanent accomadtion and jobs." We've already heard the scales-tastic Mix Tape (may I point you once again to the Alice Dupre-directed video" but the next single to be lifted from the album will be Gladiator - you can read about both in AMR's 'Biggest, Scariest Interiew Yet.' Have a squizz at the William H. Luke cover art below (via Big Scary twitter)

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

• Firstly, to AMR favourite Kimbra. Vows is still slated for later this year (did I mention I'm excited for that one?), but in the meantime we have her contribution to Gotyé's forthcoming Making Mirrors album in the form of Somebody That I Used To Know. Due to some (let's admit it - inevitable) internet leaks, Gotyé posted the excellent video for the track on YouTube sometime this morning. The simmering, borderline-spiteful duet soundtracks a video featuring stop-motion bodypaint and the resulting effect is visually captivating as well as emotionally felt. Enough words, have a view:

There's also a full album preview of Making Mirrors kicking around too, and it's set for release August 19.

• Kins, as metioned in our in-depth chat, are relocating to the UK to follow their musical career. Their last shows in Australia were to be as part of the Castle music festival in Castlemaine (go figure), but it turns out they've managed to squeeze in one absolute last headline show before they jet off. So book the 21 July into your diaries now, as they play The Order of Melbourne with support from Steering By Stars and The Removalists. At the moment, details are only available on their Facebook page, but you've already 'liked' them now haven't you?
• Fresh off news of a new 7'' single, Wilco unveiled the artwork and tracklist for what will be their eight studio album, entitled The Whole Love. It will be the first record released under the band's own newly-formed dBpm label and if that geometric artwork and the Summerteeth-ish vibe of I Might are anything to go by, it'll mark a new stylistic shift also.
• Remember when all you could read about in the blogosphere was Kanye West? Well he's been, Mama's Boyfriend controversy aside, comparitively quiet as of late. Maybe because he's been working hard on that Jay-Z co-album he'd been boasting about earlier in the year. Watch The Throne now has a preorder website and a fancy gilded cover. Noticeably, the tracklist is missing previously released single H.A.M., at least it may mean the ever-entaining Kanye twitter feed will pick up steam.
• Radiohead recently announced plans to release a four-part, vinyl-only remix project of The King of Limbs, but now we can actually hear some of the results. Namely, Caribou's take on Little By Little and the Jacques Green version of Lotus Flower. Stereogum also has details of the second installment of the remix project. (via Dead Air Space & Stereogum)
• In other 'head news, their sticksman Philip Selway is releasing a four-track follow-up EP to his Familial album of last year. Entitled Running Blind, it contains similarly Nick Drake-esque acoustic hymnals, this time with the assistance of a full backing band. Love-er-ly. (via Pitchfork) 
• To finish things off, is FasterLouder's excllent retropsective of Recovery. No need to say much more than that, just take a nostalgic read and meida-assisted watch at some of the Australian music and television industry's awkwardest moments collide. (via FasterLouder)

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

Wow, so Shakira is looking more like Beyoncé with each passing day...

• Voting for triple J's Hottest 100 Albums of All Time closes tonight at midnight. That's right, TONIGHT. There's plenty of great nominations there (may I recommend Big Scary for the wild card vote?), so make sure you take the time to contribute your say and let's save ourselves another Angus & Julia Stone debacle shall we?
• A little band called Radiohead made a surprise appearance at this year's Glastonbury festival, short of upstaging headliners U2 by appearing on the modest Park stage. Organiser Emily Eavis had been dropping hints leading up to the final date, but of course many jaws were dropped in the mud and minds blown nonetheless. The band focussed on an In Rainbows/King of Limbs-centric set while showcasing new tracks Staircase and The Daily Mail, a re-working of a Yorke solo favourite.(via Stereogum)
• Justin Vernon, or more specifically Bon Iver, has been smashing the late night chat appearances as part of his promotional duties for his self-titled sophomore (as promised, a review is forthcoming). Having already murdered Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with his rousing rendition of Bonnie Rait, he returned with an equally spine-chilling Holocene (via Stereogum)
• ...then proved he can make a joke, as well as take one, with the impossibly charming Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report. In which we were blessed with not one, but two intimate performances. Of particular note is the choral-abetted version of Skinny Love. (via Consequence of Sound) 
• Icelandic goddess Björk - last seen driving down a road singing along to some of her new music -  has allowed some new details to emerge regarding latest album-come-science-project Biophilia. Turns out that driving soundtrack was Crystalline, the lead single from said recording; and it's lovely. Then grouse as the drum and bass splashes in. (via Pitchfork)
• In this day and age even releasing a rare 7'' vinyl, as Wilco have just done, doesn't prevent its contents from appearing all over the blogosphere. I Will is a brand new track from America's finest, coupled with a cover version of Nick Lowe's I Love My Label - pertinent considering the band have recently formed their own independent label: dBpm Records. (via Pretty Much Amazing & Cover Me Songs)
• Here's the part where I probably turn a few people off. Coldplay have given a taste of their new sound, and if Major Minus is anything to go by, it's in a distincively Achtung Baby-era U2 direction. But wait, there's also the safe, piano-led swoop of Moving To Mars. Both are taken from a forthcoming EP entitled Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall. Now, despite that awful name (which sounds like the winner of 'let's make a Coldplay cliché' comp), and the fact that the title track may well be an utter rip-off (see FasterLouder for that particular kettle of fish) - this trio of tunes forms a rather interesting new set for the band - I for one, am looking foward to the finished follow-up to Viva La Vida. (via Pretty Much Amazing)

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

Getting very close to performing the show on that poster there, but still somehow I've managed time to keep my musical senses sharp. In fact, I recently got a full preview (through legit means) of the latest albums from Wild Beasts, TV On The Radio and Architecture In Helsinki (previously featured here and here); and can safely say that they are wonderful additions all to this year's record collection. But onto the headlines...

• Rejoice! Bon Iver - the man more commonly known as Justin Vernon - will be releasing his HUGELY anticipated follow-up to For Emma, Forever Ago sometime in June. There's talk of children's choirs and new collaborations, and even some track titles (via FasterLouder)
• Speaking of long-awaited sophomore records, Friendly Fires are scheduled to deliver album no. 2 Pala in May. In the meantime, you can get a first taste with this radio rip of Live Those Days Tonight on YouTube.  (via triple j) 
• In the wake of Japan's devastation, large parts of the music community have done what they can to conribute. Including The Morning Benders who have released a remix EP entitled Japan Echo with all proceeds going towards the Earthquake Relief Fund. More details here (via Pretty Much Amazing)
• Radiohead's The King of Limbs gets a physical release tomorrow, and to celebrate they're giving away a free newspaper at selected retail stores. More details can be found at their website, but to save you searching - it'll be available gratis from Polyester Records in the city. (via TheUniversalSigh)
• Tyler, The Creator (whose killer video for Yonkers was spotlighted previously here) has confirmed the tracklist and artwork for his debut Goblin. It's not your average hip-hop sleeve that's for sure, but then Tyler isn't your average hip-hop star. (via One Thirty BPM)
• Finally, the live comedy version of this very blog will be opening this Wed 30th March at Eurotrash, as part of the 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Still plenty of tickets available, but do make sure you book your tickets here: Try Booking Event | Al's Music Rant .

Also you can check out an interview I did for for 'Living In The Land of Oz' for the digital radio station, 979fm, available to stream or download from their website.

And another reminder that I also directed Patrick Miller's Archibald Wheeler Whets The Whistle (yeah, I'm a renaissance man - deal with it). He opens on Thursday and ticketsa are available from the Comedy Festival website.

And stay tuned, because there's still an epic interview that'll be appearing very very soon. Need a hint? Let's just say it's someone I've had a lot of fun interviewing before. Watch this space.

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

Been a lot of new music floating about the interwebz as of late, so here's AMR to signpost you to some of the best and newest.

• Jonathan Boulet's other musical outfit, Parades have just released a new single. Their first new material following in the wake of their excellent debut Foreign Tapes (a Top 10 album for 2010). Water Stories is available to download from the band's revamped webspace, along with tour dates to support the new tune. There'll be much anticipation considering their recently cancelled shows supporting Ernest Ellis (via Paradesmusic)
• In a move harkening back to their MySpace-buzz inception, Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys have snuck a brand new tune onto their YouTube page almost unannounced. Entitled Brick By Brick, it finds elements of glam and psychedelia creeping further into their sound. The tough track is the first taste of the group's as yet untitled fourth album, working again with producer James Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco) (via Pitchfork)
• As previously reported, post-punk dandies Wild Beasts are set to unleash a new album in early May. The first single to be taken from it is Albatross, which debuted on Zane Lowe's BBC show. Hayden Thorpe's rubbery falsetto remains intact, but imbued with a slower-blossoming track with warm splashes of piano and a more relaxed rhythmic pulse. Lovely. (via Stereogum)
• My beloved Bat For Lashes has recorded a cover of Depeche Mode's Strangelove, as part of a promotion for a new Gucci cologne called Guilty Pour Homme. The 1987 gothic pop perfectly suits her musical sensibilties, even if cashing in for a designer label doesn't. (via Stereogum)
• Gayngs, the indie supergroup smitten with eighties soft-rock, have released a remix EP of their debut Relayted. Made available free online, Affiliyated, is a set of drastic reworkings by producer collective Doomtree, armed with random stems from the album. The rules were that they had to use all samples from the album, and adhere to the 69bpm meter. The results are very interesting indeed. (via The Good, The Bad & The Unknown)
• Finally, the delighfully eccentric work of Californian Merrill Gambus, better known as tUnE-yArDs, has dropping all manner of teasers for her forthcoming sophomore w h o k i l l (she likes her idiosyncratic spelling as you can see). First there's the rhythmically vibrant Bizness, which demonstrates how she scored a slot supporting Dirty Projectors; now there's the grimy tongue-in-cheek of Gangsta as well as a new song, Doorstep, performed live on the streets of Paris. All great teasers for what is sure to be a highlight in 2011's release calendar (via PrettyMuchAmazing & Le-Hiboo)

2011 just got 100% more awesome

We'll get into that hyperbolic title, but firstly the headlines...

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

• You know Daft Punk - hopefully from their work pre-Tron: Legacy - and while they haven't reached irredeemable levels of KISS' merchandise whoring just yet, they're trying their damndest. March will see the Gallic duo teaming up with Coke to release limited edition bottles, in an enterprise called daftcoke. The signature coke recepticle will be available NOT in cool mini robot helmet containers, but simply feature the signature recepticle in gold and silver (like their helmets *yawn*). Can you feel how uncomfortable I am with this? (via Pitchfork)
• Mogwai's Barry Burns has delivered a self-effacing feature for UK blog Drowned In Sound, entitled Five Myths About Being In A Band. It's well worth a read, mainly because it nails "so funny it's true" for both people in and outside the rock n' roll lifestyle. (via Drowned In Sound)
• The fine folk at Stereogum brought my attention to this exhaustive soundcloud project that attempts to cover every #1 song up to 1992 at five seconds a piece. Be warned: it's long, but equally awesome. Like a really lazy Girl Talk mix. (via Stereogum)
• So Red Hot Chili Peppers have a working title for their new album, and it's *deep breath* Dr. Johnny Skinz's Disproportionately Rambunctious Polar Express Machine-Head... yep... d'you get all o' that? Looks like the love affair with George Clinton's kerr-azy funk is back on and the collective anticipation for a John Frusciante-less Chilis is off (via FasterLouder)
• So you've had a gutful of all the Radiohead coverage yet? Well you might wanna skip this bit. Firstly, Beat magazine's online site published my 'proper' review of The King of Limbs, but American group Robotanists did several better. In fact, they covered the entire damn album in 24 hours. That's right, and it's available for free at the group's bandcamp page. It's a pretty solid effort, going some lengths to quantifying an answer to those hypotheticals 'would you still dig this album if it was the debut from some unknown band?' - well have a listen and see for yourself (via AtEase)

So, to the title of our post. Well, aside from a small love affair with Akron/Family, Bright Eyes and Trail Of Dead (and of course, the R word), we haven't covered much of 2011's big album releases round here lately. Well here's a little list of the exciting releases due in the coming months. In no particular order:

TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light  

Due: May 11

As previously reported, the New York art-rockers are readying to follow-up their excellent 2008 record Dear, Science.

Al's Music Rant at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2011

Ok, we've got a lil' bit o' this and a lil' bit o' that today. But first things first IMMA EAT YOUR BRAINS, THEN I START ROCKIN' GOLD TEETH AND FANGS, Argggh, curse you Nicki Minaj!

Sorry about that, so, first things first, Al's Music Rant - the hour-long comedy show based on this very blog which debuted as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, will be playing as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2011. Which means that come March 30th, you'll be able to see the show that critics called "a brilliant masterclass in music appreciation" (thanking you kindly, Mr. Flaherty, or should that be Mr. Flattery!); it also means you'll start seeing little Leunig logos all over my mug. But let's cut to the chase.

STOP THE WORLD'S AXIS! NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM IMMINENT!

Just when I'd finished rattling off about Valentine's Day and some love for music metaphor, then along comes the greatest news of all, that of a new Radiohead album. Yep, it's official, make your way to The King of Limbs website for full details, but essentially we'll have brand new music from the Oxford quintet this Sat 19th Feb.

I don't want to downplay the significance of this event, but we all sort of knew that this was coming, so it doesn't have the same kind of shock and awe that the the release of In Rainbows did. That, and the pay-what-you-want model has been ditched, not a big problem for those who plan to buy the super deluxe set (details below) but it's interesting that after being lauded for popularising such a revolutionary model the band would opt for a fixed price scheme for this release.

Anyway, what does it matter - say it out aloud, nay, shout it across the rooftops "New music from Radiohead!"

So here's the facts:

Love is in the something, something

Yes, yes that witty title will reveal all. But first *bulletin music*

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

• Alright, some big news from AMR favourites and Melbourne's best band©, Big Scary, who with a shiny new website, have announced a national tour in support of their Big Scary Four Seasons compilation (which was the third best album of 2010 in this humble writer's opinion). They'll be playing dates across the east coast through March and April. Check the website for details, and i'll see you at the East Brunswick Club show. (via Big Scary.net)
• British rock-cosmonauts Amplifier have released a companion EP to their mighty album, The Octopus (another 2010 highlight). The five-track release, entitled Fractal, is available as a free download from the their bandcamp page. The band's frontman, the wonderfully named Sel Balimir, has called it "an insight into exactly how we write." (via Amplifier)
• and finally, a big ol' *SPOILER ALERT* cause the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held today and though like most popular votes masquerading as imporant ceremenoies, there was a lot of awards that missed the mark (Lady Antebellum sweeped several categories, Who? Yeah, exactly); but hope abides. Muse's The Resistance won Best Rock Record, with Matt Bellamy awkwardly thanking his "beautiful preganant girlfriend" (that's Kate Huson trainspotters) - which inspired this Kanye West tweet. The Black Keys took out the award for Best Alternative Album, with Brothers, which probably also means they swayed Stephen Colbert's vote at one point. But the big news, which you probably already know if you clicked on any music site today - is The Suburbs winning The Arcade Fire Record of the Year. Viva la Art Rock! (via the internet in general really).

So yes, today is indeed the hallowed day of Cupid, Valentine's Day. Now Al's Music Rant has a bit of a potted history with ol' V Day. There's was the inaugral Valentine's Grinch playlist, it's grumpy sequel, and then another list for the softies celebrating that perennial song topic: the kiss. But this year is different...

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy

• Lady Gaga's new single is called Scheiße. That's a self-fulfilling prophecy if ever I heard one. (via GagaDaily)
• Turns out that the new Strokes single is pretty darn good, harkening back to their Is This It days of duelling lead guitars and strong, soaring choruses. But the best news is that Under Cover Of Darkness is available to download for free - right now! - from the band's website. Off you trot (via Pitchfork)
• Now that new single was great and all, but what really brought a smile to my face was this:the good stuff happens about a minute in, where the Purple One tells Kim Kardashian to "get off stage". Why? Cause only one thing matters in a Prince concert, and that thing is Prince. So if you ain't moving, get moving. Brilliant (via Too Fab)
• Games publisher Activision have pulled the plug on their Guitar Hero and DJ Hero franchises, closing down their guitar hero business unit and any future productions. Being an avid gamer, this was an issue I needed to express myslef on - so I did, with the lovely Irene Scott for triple j's Hack. Even my messagebank got an airing on national radio. (via Gamespot and triple j)
• Speaking of triple j, Music Director Richard Kingsmill posted the results of the 101-200 rankings of triple j's recent Hottest 100 poll on his blog. Highlights include appearances from AMR faves Sleigh Bells, Janelle Monaé and a whole lot of Yeezy. Particular kudos to both Kimbra and Big Scary who, though they should have been much higher in the list in my opinion, charted with Settle Down at 125  and Falling Away at 167 respectively. (via Richard Kingsmill's twitter)
• Finally, new music from Icelandic goddess Björk has surfaced, Biophilia is - depending on who you believe - the title of her forthcoming album, the background music for a iPad app, a science fiction film with director Michel Gondry; or all of the above. Regardless, it's a rousing instrumental. (via Pretty Much Amazing) 

Oh, and just a reminder from last post about the lil' ol' competition that's running.

All you have to do is come up with a witty musical-themed name for the new segment that is basically "Things I've Been Listening To Lately." email your idea, along with your name, mailing address and the subject line: AMR COMPETITION to alister.newstead@gmail.com to be in the running for these lil' guys:

That's right you could be the proud owner of The Jezabels' Dark Storm and Big Scary's At The Mercy Elements, as well as the proud owner of the name you come up with for my new blog segment. Dig in. Entries close Sunday Feb 20th.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

So the immortal chorus from one David Bowie should make things clear, there's gonna be a few tweaks and differences around here. Since Al's Music Rant is the production of just the one man, the titular Al, time is not always of the essence when it comes to consistent and lively blog posting.

While I've always tried my very best to present articles, reviews, lists and the like with the most passionate, informative and entertaining content possible - it often leads to just one big article a month with lots of dead air between. The simple result, and solution, is the introduciton of two shimmering new regular segments to the Al's Music Rant armoury. The intention is to not skimp on the quality of the bigger posts that you've all come to know and love, they'll still be happening. Hopefully though, these new segments will mean I can deliver more consistent, contemporary and relevant content.

Q: The bottom line?

A: More Ranty goodness in yr internetz. Capiche?

'So what are these new segments?' I hear you say quizzically, but with arched brow. Well, dear music lover, the first new segment is a news section. Which does exactly what it says on the tin, it's a music news report. Now I know that there are more resourceful, bigger and better news sites out there - but the aim is just to provide a music news round-up. Just to keep you informed of the more interesting goings on. Or maybe just some links to interesting things that have caught my ears and eyes around the web.

That, and who can resist a Beatles reference.

It'll go a little something like this:

I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy 

• Local soul-pop sensation Kimbra is performing a free gig as part of the annual St. Kilda Festival. She'll be on the O'Donnell Gardens stage at 6.45pm. Not only that, but she tweeted some news about single number two from her forthcoming debut Vows. (via Kimbra Music Twitter)
• Breaking up is hard to do, especially if you're one of the industry's leading pop mavericks. Following in the wake of The White Stripes and LCD Soundsystem calling it quts, Gorillaz have decided to call it a day. (via Consquence of Sound)
• Speaking of splits, the wonderful Perth outfit Snowman have also dissolved. That's the bad news, the consolation good news is that their third LP will be released 'posthumously.' (via FasterLouder)
• Speaking of anticipated albums, TV On The Radio have been secretly working away on their latest album, titled Nine Types of Light (ooooh arty). It's due in Spring (ooooh vague). (via Drowned In Sound)
• It's been a long time between drinks for The Strokes, but the influential New Yorkers have finally released a short teaser for their long-overdue fourth album Angles. Hear a 30-second clip of the lead single here, and be sure to tune into Triple J's Tom & Alex for brekkie to hear the full thing on air! (via Pretty Much Amazing & Triple J Twitter)
• Lovers of vinyl and dwellers of the northeastern suburbs unite! Thornbury Records is a brand-spanking new independent record store and according to these guys, it's pretty damn good. So get on down there and support your locals (via Something Sweet To Throw Away)
• Here's a great little piece of music journalism analysing the Top 5 from Triple J's recent Hottest 100 poll. It doesn't pull its punches, but neither does it coast on research and insight either. (via The Vine)
• Hey, did you know that clever, polished sketch comedy still exists? Well, it does and it's called Portlandia. Here's just a taste of the hilarity. (via Anna)
• And finally, check back Monday for some actual breaking news. I dunno if I'll be the first to break it, but I'll be the most proud. Too cryptic? Need a clue? Well you're all just at the mercy of the elements aren't you?

News. Cool. Facts. Information. 'But what is the second brand new section?' I hear you croon. Well, it's a similar round-up, only this time it's a quick look at what Al's Music Rant has been digging latley, what's been tickling the ear drums so to speak. It won't amount to fully-fledged album reviews, but quicker sketches or portraits of some great music. hink of it as a virtual flick through the large stack of CDs that inevitably pile up next to my listening station (re: computer). Please ignore the horrible title, more on that later but it'll be a little something like this:

What I Have Been Listening To Lately

Ghoul - Dunks

The second EP/mini-album from Sydney four-piece Ghoul is the very picture of fresh, exciting music. Triple J's Dom Alessio already nailed it when he called it "like Antony Hegarty meets Radiohead." Particularly on a track like Dreambeat which channels Hail To The Theif-era. Then there's the dark dub atmosphere of 3Mark. Elsewhere The Slip balances experimentalism and engagement with its captivating refrain of "after an honest break". It's all so well-constructed too. Cannot wait to here more from this bunch.

Ghoul - 3Mark

Alpine - Zürich EP

The Melbourne-based group clearly have a fascination with Switzerland, but since the band changed their name from Swiss, they've been scaling even greater heights (see what I did there?). The six-piece, led by twin chanteuses Lou and Phoebe, have delivered a collection of five incredibly well-honed songs. Mining atmosphere and chilling pop economy as much as their savvy production and guitar arrangements. If they can come up with equally dashing material for an entire album, they'll be laughing.

Alpine - Villages

British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall

One of those bands I've always intended to check out, but didn't get around to doing so. Partially due to inexplicably confusing them with Ocean Colour Scene (don't ask...), but their latest album piked my interest proper. Not least due to that evocative title, the resultant contents of which - much like its namesake - is a record of contrasts. For the most part it's a straight-up rock record, with an eye to stadium-filling boasters in the 'Alternative' vein. In other areas though it's a full-blown Pulp revival, particualrly on Luna and Living Is So Easy which feature a similar Jarvis Cocker-esque delivery. Between them is nestled the lilting, atmospheric Baby and penultimate track Once More Now is eleven plus minutes of wafting loveliness.

British Sea Power - Living Is So Easy

James Blake - James Blake

Although he's been associated with an electronica and dubstep background, what drew me to Blake was that his weightless, auto-tuned voice - crystalline and haunting over warbled bass and fragmented keys - is that it took the template of Bon Iver's Woods and ran with it. His debut album is filled with equally mantric repetition, it's spare minimalism is addictive in a strange way. Tracks like Unluck, Wilhelms Scream and soulful Limit To Your Love build and sway with a cathartic hypnosis rare of someone so young. Trust me, you're going to be hearing a lot more of James Blake in 2011.

James Blake - Limit To Your Love

The Hidden Venture - Live At St. Andrews

"Inspired in equal parts by the stoner riffs of Californian desert rock, the guitar wizardry of Hendrix and also every soul singer who had a story to tell" so goes the Bio for the local four-piece. Emerging from the dissolution of the genre-bending A Planet In Space (previously featured on the rant), they've emerged into a much leaner, tougher beast. Channeling Faith No More's lothario-rock on Certified Diamond and Josh Homme histrionics on Worlds Collide. This live EP is available for free from their website for the meagre price of an email, it's such an energetic set you can almost feel the sweat splashing about as the group lash their instruments into submission.

The Hidden Venture - Worlds Collide

so there you have it "Things I've Been Listening To Lately" a rather crap title wouldn't you agree? And not one I'm going to stick with, which brings me to my final and most exciting point. For the first time ever on this humble blog we have....

COMPETITION! WIN STUFF!

You read that right, but first, what you could win. Well aside from the bragging rights of having a section on this very blog named for your talents and wit, I have two of 2010's best Australian EPs up for grabs. Namely, Big Scary's excellent At The Mercy Of The Elements (which you can read up a bit on here) and  The Jezabels' Dark Storm (winner of the coveted Best EP award as part of the 2010 The Good, The Bad & The James Blunt).

To the victors, the spoils

All you have to do to win this wonderful prize is come up with a title for my new segment. That's right just think of a better title than "What I Have Been Listening To Lately" and the accolades as well as those CDs above are all yours. Ideally, the title should be a musical reference, maybe a song title or lyric - get creative! 

All entries must be emailed to me at alister.newstead@gmail.com. All entries close on Sunday 20th Feb. Please include your name, mailing address and of course, your awesome suggestion. Tell your family, tell your friends, this is an honest-to-goodness comp.

Thruppence

Just a few words today dears, i've been in the throes of moving out (which is going ace) but is not music related so let's not dwell. I figure a lot of you haven't got through the bulk of my last post about concept albums, so i'd redirect your attention there if your starved for music articles.
Otherwise, i'm just going to direct you to three records from three of my favourite artists

If there were any band more deserving of a break, it's Bloc Party, who have already treated us to a remixed version of their third album Intimacy this year. But, of course - why rest and abuse your status as cutting edge rock stars like so many, when you could be making great music?
The four-piece have just announced that they'll be premiering a brand new single on Zane Rowe's Radio 1 show tonight. Entitled One More Chance, it was a track recorded back in April with Jacknife Lee, and the single proper is due for August 10th.

While this is a bit of a shock announcement, it follows a regular pattern of Bloc Party releasing singles in the downtime between albums (eg. Two More Years between Silent Alarm and A Weekend In The City then Flux between that album and Intimacy), usually signalling a stylistic shift. Colour me pumped.

Having spoken to frontman Steven Wilson first-hand for Beat Magazine, I knew Porcupine Tree had a new album due in September, but quite what to expect: I did not.

And what are we getting? A double album, that's what. The Incident will be Porcupine Tree's twelfth studio album, and their first double since 1995's The Sky Moves Sideways. The first disc is the entirety of the title track which is a 55 minute song cylce, while the second disc will be four tracks recorded during the same studio sessions at EP length: Flicker, Bonnie The Cat, Black Dahlia and Remember Me Lover. Although not confirmed, it's safe to say that artist Lasse Hoile will be involved with the artwork. Full details are at the band's website. The record is due September 21st through Roadrunner Records. Album of the year speculations begin now.

And finally, the folks over at FasterLouder have provided this modest little behind-the-scenes video of Melbourne's leading genius (© Al's Music Rant 2009) aka Paul Dempsey. Giving a sneak peek into some of the sounds of the forthcoming Everything Is True, out August 14th. It seems that lead single Out The Airlock was a perfect taster for what sounds to be a largely acoustic album. Still i'm already chomping at the bit to get my hands on this one.

well, I'm off to get my copy of The Temper Trap's album. 'Till next time music lovers.