Al's Music Rant: Fear Of A Blog Planet @ Melbourne Fringe 2013

Nowadays musicians are mostly annoyed, annoying, or cheating on their partners (except Beyoncé and Paul Dempsey); less art - more ‘being kewl’ and ‘making bank’. 

But perhaps it’s not their fault. Maybe they’re a product of their environment. Human iPod, cultural satirist, and music journo Al Newstead is a product of his, and he’s ready to blow the whistle/drop the bass on the industry's absurdities once more. 

Returning for a third outing after two critically acclaimed shows, Al now shares his all-singing, all-stand-upping brand of comedy edutainment with a mysterious co-conspirator. The Oates to his Hall or the Yoko to his Lennon? 

Anna O'Bryan makes Al's Music Rant 100% more female, which is an oppressive way of saying she's going to bring as much wisdom and wizardry where it is (sorely) lacking. 

One thing's certain: intelligent wit and knowledgeable silliness in a multimedia experience that’ll have you rethink your stance on popular music. 

Bookings and info at: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au
When: Sep 18th - 28th, 2013 (except Wed 25th) 
             9.30pm (Sun 8.30pm), 55min 
Where: Tuxedo Cat - The Urchin, 17-23 Wills St

Tickets:
Full Price: $20.00 
Concession: $15.00 
Tuesday: $12.00 
Group: $15.00 (per person for 4) 

Social:
Twitter @AlNewstead
Facebook event here

Image: Judith Chamizo Illustration

Additional Praise For Al's Music Rant:

• Jhnosy Award Nominee - MICF 2012 
• “Unmissable. The quality doesn’t dip.” - ★★★★ Herald Sun
• "A walking, talking opinionated jukebox that will blow you away" - Beat
• “Funny, intelligent and thoroughly entertaining” – Comedy BeastMagazine
• “His knowledge of the music industry and its genres is wide-ranging and seemingly all-encompassing” – Crikey
• “For those of you who despair about the state of the arts, you might just find yourself a new leader in Al Newstead.” – Artshub
• “His eye for the absurd marries perfectly with his shrewd ear.” – The Enthusiast
• "His persona allays fears that this will be a whiny hipster complaining for an hour.
• Al may be ranting, but his cynicism is suitable for more than a niche crowd." - Farrago

Various Ephemera:

• YAWP Magazine cover story here
• Comedy Diary for Everguide of Al's Music Rant: The Difficult 2nd AlbumPart 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
• Lip Magazine Q&A here

Review: V/A - Rock Of Ages Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

This review was originally syndicated with Tone Deaf, and reproduced here in its entirety. 

Various Artists - Rock of Ages Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Sony Music, 2012)

Guitar Hero and Glee have a lot to answer for, but perhaps we can start the inquiry with their bastard child – namely, the Rock Of Ages soundtrack.

Whether simulating a rock star with a plastic instrument in the comfort of your loungeroom, or selling a message that ‘anyone can be a pop singer’ - from the wheelchair-bound geek to the clean-cut preppy  - both forms of entertainment are essentially about mimicry. Like them, this soundtrack of the movie adaptation of the 80s MTV Generation musical is too.

The effect however, isn’t as heroic or cheesily rewarding when the people performing the same glorified karaoke are some of Hollywood’s biggest and richest stars.

Enter Tom Cruise…. Sorry, “Stacee Jaxxx”… singing Guns N Roses gold standard, “Paradise City”, the track that opens the compilation is pretty much a microcosm for the whole shameless experiment.

"My hideous little baby" Interview: Jonathan Boulet

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by Tone Deaf. Reproduced in its entirety here because I can...

Upon release of his self-titled debut three years ago, Jonathan Boulet quickly found himself labelled as Sydney’s ‘skate rat’. Albeit an internationally recognised one, thanks to the street cred of hip label, Modular, but a ‘skate-rat’ nonetheless.

With his second release however, Boulet is ready to outgrow those previously constricting tags, starting with his new album’s tongue-garbling title. We Keep The Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start The Heart is one of the lengthier titles in recent memory, it’s sing-song name bound to appear alongside Fiona Apple’s When The Pawn Hits The Conflicts He Thinks Like A King… (we’ll spare you the full title) in future music lists.

'have fun, find a girl' Interview: Devin

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by Tone Deaf. It is reproduced here in its entirety.

From the moment Devin’s debut album, Romancing, bursts to life with the brash garage rock and raucous riffs of ‘Masochist,’ the New Yorker sounds every bit the passionate upstart rocker he looks on the front cover.

A monochromatic photo of the bequiffed singer/guitarist slouched against a stairwell, dressed in  a tweed jacket and snappy open-breast shirt, his model-handsome face pulling his best vacant stare; it’s a look that, like its aural contents, is at once a balance of retro-chic and modern style.

Romancing’s twelve tracks are straight-up, no-nonsense rock n’ roll inspired by the classics. With his nasal twang that hovers somewhere between the sneer of a young Mick Jagger and the raw clarity of early Iggy Pop, Devin barrels through punk-infused chunks of Stooges-powered guitar delivered with a dash of Strokes-worthy cool.

Review: Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion

Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion (Roadrunner Records, 2012)

To say that Storm Corrosion was highly anticipated by the musical community for which it was intended, is a bit like saying the internet only mildly revolutionised modern technology. 

Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt are two men whose names have not only become synonyms for the most revered kind of distinctive, creative art in their field (progressive rock and metal music for those playing at home); but also two names that had been paired together in fevered anticipation ever since Wilson produced Opeth’s Blackwater Park in 2001.

Even with full disclosure from the pair that their much sough-after collaboration would deliberately fly in the face of the prog-metal supergroup tag they'd been saddled with; the results of their creative partnership are still a surprising listen.

Prince - The Official Thank You Australia Afterparty

So, the big question for everyone who missed out on the Prince afterparty is: what happened? What did the lucky 700+ in attendance get that couldn’t have been attained in your garden variety arena spectacular?

Did those who went in search of the big purple whale last night land a big catch?

Well, let’s put it this way. We got “Gett Off”, “Alphabet St.”, Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” and, of course, “Kiss” – performed live you ask?

Oh dear, you better take a seat, it’s going to be a long night…

Review: Shady Lane - Built Guilt

Another album review for Tone Deaf, reproduced here in its entirety

Shady Lane - Built Guilt (Rice Is Nice, 2012)

Shady Lane is the musical brainchild of Jordy Lane… at least it was. 
Built Guilt, finds the Sydney-sider expanding his solo moniker into a fully-fledged band, with the addition of Pete Avard (drums), Sarah Jullienne (synth) and most notably, Conrad Richters on bass; on loan from label-mates Richard In Your Mind.

"like going to get a haircut but the hairdresser’s really rough.” Interview: The Chemist

This interview was originally published online over at Tone Deaf, and reproduced here in its entirety

With two eclectic EPs already under their belt, The Chemist are getting ready to take the plunge and release their debut album. With attention already building with the release of The Wolves Howls Shatter The Old Glass Moon and last year’s Lullabies, the quartet are also gaining buzz from their hometown of Perth with their strong live show.

Having supported the likes of Boy & Bear and fellow Perth natives Birds of Tokyo and Sugar Army, they’re set to continue to defy both expectations and genres as they embark on their second national headline tour, their first chance to showcase their new material.

The group’s press release features an eccentric description from frontman Ben Witt on the new recordings, “we blended electricity with the insides of a badly beaten blues & folk rock piñata to make a milkshake that is not dissimilar to cement or hair wax. You may not like it, but your dog will fucking love it.”

PVT - Live @ Phoenix Public House, May 24

For their first Melbourne show since last year’s Laneway Festival, electro-experimental trio PVT showcased material from their forthcoming album in an intimate setting; which also afforded the Sydney-siders a warm-up before taking to the grander environs of their hometown Opera House in a series of appearances at the VIVID Festival.

Offering a rare opportunity to hear the bulk of their new record, it also marked one of the last gigs to be held at Phoenix Public House before the Brunswick venue is tragically forced to close its doors.

With a rough but intriguing set from support act Forces done, and with a set of new toys gleaming under stagelights, brothers Richard and Laurence Pike and electronics-wrangler Dave Miller took to the stage to roaring applause.

"Things that aren’t complicated" Interview: Bahamas

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by Tone Deaf. It is reproduced here in its entirety.

Chances are you’ve heard Afie Jurvanen and you don’t even know it.

Though best known under his tropical non de plume Bahamas, Jurvanen is actually a musical stalwart of his native Toronto, having played with an impressive list of Canadian musicians that includes fellow troubadours Jason Collett and Kathleen Edwards. He was also a key part of Feist’s touring ensemble for the better part of three years.

“I know when you list off all the names like that it seems like I’m a hotshot, session guitar player but, the reality is, Toronto does have a relatively small and tight music community,” explains Jurvanen humbly.

Speaking down the line from a non-descript hotel during a day-long promo stint, he speaks with eloquence and humility, “I’m in a nice room, people are bringing me glasses of water, I’m sitting on a leather couch… I feel like Elton John!”

Review: The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap

This album review was originally published over at Tone Deaf, reproduced here in its entirety.

The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap (Liberation, 2012)

The Temper Trap's self-titled sophomore begins with a slow start and takes even longer to gain traction. 

Review: Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

Following on from their entry in 'Introducing...', here's the Tone Deaf published album review of the artsy debut for UK purveyors of self-described ‘folk-step.’ 

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave (PIAS/Infectious, 2012)

If all you did was read about Leeds outfit Alt-J, you’d be forgiven for thinking they had long disappeared at the wrong end of pretentiousness. 

After all, their band-name is technically an unpronounceable symbol (∆), with a history involving hallucinogens, Fine Arts degrees and members named Gwilym. 

Work past the high-brow conceits (and their extraordinary origami packaging) however, and you’ll discover an act that isn’t too smart for their own good.

Mutemath - Live @ The Corner, May 15

You can read an edit of the following review over at Tone Deaf, but for the purists (and in the spirit of Mutemath's extended live show) the following is a slightly longer version. Enjoy.

As the lights dimmed on a sold-out crowd, packed to the rafters for Mutemath’s virgin performance to not only Melbourne, but Australia; necks craned between the shoulder-to-shoulder masses to get a peep of the band emerging on stage.

Instead, they marched in from the back corner of the venue, where The Cairos had just finished their rocking support slot, under a parade of fairy lights and clattering percussion.

A special entrance that signposted the magic to come.

Prince - Live @ Rod Laver Arena, May 14

This review was originally written for the blog, but it's also been syndicated over at Tone Deaf. Check it out.

“Here we are folks/the dream we all dream of”

He may not have performed ‘U Got The Look’, but Prince’s 1987 sing-off with Sheena Easton best captures the euphoric mood for the 12,000 strong in attendance at the first of the Purple One’s two Melbourne dates. Whatever ‘the look’ is, Prince has still got it. In spades.

Through his own iconic myth-making, and as arguably the last great pop star of the ‘old skool,’ his stadium shows have taken on the status of grand-standing event. Not least in a city that’s been starved of his presence for some time.

Or as Prince kept goading coquettishly throughout his set, “How long has it been Melbourne?”

Eight years actually Mr.  P. Rogers Nelson, but who’s counting?

Whether planted in the cheap seats, or had put a small mortgage to be amongst the club-style tables that girt the stage  - Prince certainly gave good value in a two-and-a-half hour set that cherry-picked some twenty plus selections from his three-decade long catalogue.

Review: Beach House - Bloom

This album review was originally written for Beat magazine, and published in print and online, where it was featured as 'Album of the Week.' It is reproduced here in its entirety

Beach House - Bloom (Sub Pop, 2012)

There’s a brutally efficient way to summarise the Baltimore duo’s fourth LP, and while labelling it as Teen Dream 2 is perhaps not an unsurprising summary, it unfairly underlines a ‘if it ain’t broke’ mentality that betrays Beach House’s characteristically organic craftsmanship.

Naturally Bloom’s predecessor was the pair’s breakthrough album, critics and fans alike flocking to the most accessible evocation of their gently nostalgic dream pop yet, besotted by its beauty and brilliance. Fashioning a sequel that matches its slow-burn appeal, Bloom is more of a casual extension of Teen Dream’s successes than a daring artistic leap. But again, that takes nothing away from its haunting effect and unfussy vividness.

Introducing... Alt-J

Until 24 hours ago I wasn't even aware of Alt-J's existence, now, I'm convinced that the Leeds outfit's possess in their debut release, One Awesome Wave, one of this year's more interesting listens.

Packaged in an elaborate, origami-styled sleeve, their album grabbed my attention as soon as it arrived on my  desk. Emblazoned with photography contributed by a space program, and sleek minimalist liner notes, it telegraphed something interesting about the band even as it revealed little detail about them.

Review: Last Dinosaurs - In A Million Years

Last Dinosaurs - In A Million Years (Dew Process, 2012)

Much like Little Red and Hungry Kids of Hungary before them, Last Dinosaurs' debut confidently re-packages the hook-laden guitar pop of Phoenix and The Strokes for an Australian audience, relying heavily on slick production punch to compliment the group’s youthful enthusiasm.

Private Life - Live @ The Workers Club (Single Launch), May 11

How often can you say you get a CD with the price of entry? In an individual fabric pocket no less, handmade by the headline act's front woman? 

Exactly. But there was more to Private Life's single launch than just a heartfelt trinket. Beginning with some solid support acts.

"We’re just acing what we do live" Interview: Mutemath

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by, Tone Deaf

The regional music festival Groovin’ The Moo has been growing steadily for over half-a-decade now, it’s line-up now swelling to regularly ensnare international acts. This year is no exception, bringing Mutemath to Australia for the first time. “This is it” chuffs Paul Meany, “this is our big excuse to come out,” the band’s keys man and de-facto leader, Meany is the face and soul-studded voice of the New Orleans fusion quartet. A band whose reputation is built on their exhilarating live show.

The A/V Room: May

It's been a while since the last edition of the A/V Room, and to be honest it's less to do with laziness and more to do with a lack of clips good enough to justify being collected together worthy in one post. Then, like karmic backlash, a whole spate of them arrive in one month! When it rains...

Lowlakes - Buffalo (Dir: Lacey Whelan)

Kicking us off is the latest from Melbourne-via-Alice Springs quartet Lowlakes. The recent AMR Introductees (yeah, that's a thing now) recently delivered not only a beautifully realised self-titled EP, but an excellent live show to launch it as well. Now, there's a clip to accompany EP highlight, 'Buffalo.' An animated fable that suits the song's mystique and haunting tone.
The moral of the tale? Don't throw apples.