It's taken my a long while to warm up to M83 's latest release, Saturdays = Youth , for the one main reason being that I was so obsessed with his prior release, Before The Dawn Heals Us , that I didn't want this new album to make my image of this extraordinary man just crumble into pieces. So it's been what, three months since Saturdays = Youth has been officially floating about, and it's only now that I have come to the conclusion that I like it, I don't love it, but I do [...]
There's just something about Pepi Ginsberg that has me infatuated. With every listen of this singer/song-writer's album, Red , I find myself only going back for another listen, and then another listen on top of that. The album was produced by Dr. Dog 's Scott McMicken and with his expertise behind the desk he was able to expand Ginsberg's vintage feel and make it a compelling album. Her vocals are invigorating and layered with emotion that only further encapsulates whoever listens. Pepi's influences range from everywhere, most notably being that of Bob Dylan, but also the [...]
Whitley is one of those indescribable artists that only comes around very rarely. It's astonishing to believe how much he (Lawrence Greenwood) has achieved in such a short span, and at a young age (and it's even sweeter that his Victorian). His won fans world-wide, and sold out shows at just about every pub and venue to fit a decent sized crowd around Australia. It is with this that it is no surprise that Whitley he soon to pack up the bags and head off to America for a monthly stint with everybody's favorite pop-folk dream boy, Ben [...]
I'd like to introduce everyone to a group that will be the most talked about in 2009. They go by the name of Fan Death , and these past couple of weeks have been popping up on just about all of the well-known blogs around the world. There's always an artist that comes along out of nowhere and just creates this massive hype around them, and become one of the most talked about items (take MGMT for example). I'm getting some real Kate Bush cross Goblin vibes about this duo, which actually is really refreshing to hear. They do [...]
The Kings Of Leon have always been a band I've enjoyed following since the Youth & Young Manhood days all those years ago. Why? Because since then the band have changed dramatically. Not only from the most notable being their music, but their style. Here's a quick over-view; here they are in their beginning phase , now here's the Aha Shake Heartbreak days , to last years Because Of The Times , to now looking like this. I don't know if I'm the only that's taken notice of [...]
Jeremy Jay 's music is one of a story-telling nature, much in the same vein as Jonathan Richman's solo work. His songs are short and sweet and, as described by himself, "influenced by dreams and the more fantastic surrealist sensibility linked with the French New Wave". His intriguing to say the least, for there's obvious influences ranging from Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, to even the likes of Francois Hardy and David Bowie ( Hunky Dory days) but this textural blend of slow dance ballads and over the top fuzzed-out guitar work is something worthy of an applause. Jeremy is [...]
Mew is probably one of the most interesting bands I have come across, and to be honest if it weren't for Jacq (a previous Off The Record contributor, and a Mew fanatic) I might not have even come to know the band at all. Their a band focussed deeply in the music they create, and aren't happy unless it's 100% up to their standards. Their prog-rock at it's finest and most experimental with instrumentation that sends readers into a sense of loss. With all the love and worship for their music aside, it is with great pleasure I post one [...]
Could this video, collaboration, the idea in general be possibly the coolest thing to happen this year? I think so. When you think about it, Empire Of The Sun made up of Luke Steele (The Sleepy Jackson fame, and idol of mine) and Nick Littlemore (Pnau fame, well known Australian producer) is possible the best match-up. Just everything about it works, and with that all in mind, it makes their debut album 'Walking On A dream' such a huge anticipation. The video for the single of the same name has been floating around for a little [...]
I remember two years back when listening to Tilly And The Wall was something so innocent and nostalgic. It's amazing what two years can do to a band, and their music, it's not so clean and fun now; this band is serious. With their third album (O) , they have so much more attitude and angst it's really hard to believe your actually listening to them. There's still the sing-a-longs, the fun loving, and dance-crazed toe-taps but there's just so much more layers now. It's phenomenal to listen too. They've transformed their energy of declarative exuberance in [...]
Scary Mansion is a recent discover I made by accident. You know when your checking out music on Myspace (the cool and hip way) and you just find bands through bands that just extend into other bands? Well, that's how it happened. Don't ask me the direct path I took to find Leah Hayes solo project but it's turned out to be one of those small miracles. Hayes is also a novelist, so it's with any wonder why her music is so complex and each song told to such a great detail which makes her debut album, Every [...]
For those of you who are completely unaware of who Songs are, and what they are all about; firstly I say for shame and secondly I say it's never too late. With just an EP under their name, and split EP on the horizon with Love Of Diagrams , this Sydney four-piece are making waves and huge impressions. Their a band that knows what they are really doing and doing it incredibly well, and it shows so much in their recordings. 'Keeping It Clean' is the lead single off the self-titled EP (which was released [...]
I don't think it's hard to figure out that Off The Record is in-fact named after the My Morning Jacket song of the same title, which featured on the group's stunning 2005 release Z . So in saying that we here all have a little soft-spot for the band, whether we be huge fans or not. Today marks some exciting news, as it's finally been announced (after being rumoured for so many months) that the boys will be heading down to Australia in January to take part in the Big Day Out Festival. With that though, comes [...]
High Places come across as a fragile duo - very innocent looking - that have a low-key energy similar to His Name Is Alive and YACHT but consist of this experimentation within in their music that would make even David Londstreth ( Dirty Projectors fame) extremely jealous. One of my favorite labels, Mistletone Records, has quickly snapped this band up and are just about to release an album of recordings done early this year entitled (plainly, but effectively) 03/07-09/07 . This album shows High Places at their finest, and probably their most experimental. [...]
It's good to be back to writing after spending the last week or so enjoying all lights of various gigs/concerts and mixing with some interesting people (some very interesting people). One thing that had me extremely delighted was from an email I opened today consisting of a brand new video from YACHT . The video is for the already-well loved and adored track, Summer Song , and is incredibly amusing not just for the video's simplicity but by the rip off of Tapeheads as well. It's well called for, and If there was going [...]
This has got to be one of my favorite video clips going around at the moment. It's so simply made, but the ideas behind it and the complete 80's horror movies, ala Freddy Krueger, rip-offs are well excepted (and those shirts as well; the Ghostface Killer shirt being the stand-out). The song itself is what most have come to love about Ladyhawke ; it's disco driven with chunky bass-lines, catchy guitar riffs, and of course it's ability to make listeners join in. An album is on the horizon (September 22nd to be exact) from New Zealand's favorite girl, and [...]
Melbourne's very Whitley is set to play a once-off show before leaving the country to tour America with everyone's favorite, Ben Kweller . Joining Whitley for the show will be Panics lead-singer Jae Laffer, and Sime Nugent. This is most defintely one of those rare chances you get to expereince to extraordinary artists at their finest as they perform the best of their repertoire, some new tracks, and collaborative material. The Panics are also set to head off to the UK and Canada in the next coming months to record their follow-up to 2007 J-Award [...]
I confessed my undying love for this band a little while back but now it's time to once again. This isn't a bad thing; credit where credit's due, these guys really know what their doing and I am just in awe of the music they produce. So, the single for 'Social Currency' is out and about now, and getting the attention it very much deserves, but now there is an accompanying video as well. If anything, this video further proves just why this song is brilliant in all forms. The cheesy slow-motion so very much suits this song, it just [...]
I've been meaning to make a post about this band for some time but for some reason or another (which seems to be a fair bit) I never seem to get around to it. Not today though, I think Melbourne's Tic Toc Tokyo needs a good old push in the right direction. What amazes me most about this band is their decision to go for the mix of bongo's and drums and it works out an absolute treat. It adds this whole new sense to their music, makes that lot more easier to dance too and very enjoyable. It's [...]
I thought it was about time that I gave in a posted one of my guilty pleasures for the moment. It's a New Zealand (currently located in Sydney) artist by the name of Gin Wigmore , who is only just started to get some real hype behind her. But, just from listening to her music, you know the obvious comparisons that are going to be made against her. "Yet another Amy Winehouse" you can imagine some saying, but as a good friend of mine put it, Gin is "a white Macy Gray". Now there's not to many of those [...]
This is something worth anticipating. The Drones are just about ready to unload their new album upon us lucky Australians, and the rest of the world shortly after. The album will be called 'Havilah' (Oh! which reminds me, the band has a pronunciation competition going) and it looks like it will see the light of day sooner than their "early next year" prediction on September 20th. Coming off the album will be lead single (and a huge step-up might I add), The Minotaur , which looks to be doing all guns at the [...]
Off The Record
Azealia Banks - '1991' [Listen]
Metric Debuts Album via Synthetica Hide+Seek, Tickets On Sale Now For Fall Tour
