Hi-Fab! - Little Murders (Off The Hip)

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 November 2016

Hits: 6081

Fifteen years ago, talented Victorian songwriter Danny McDonald told me that Little Murders was THE great lost power-pop band of Australia’s halcyon musical underground days of the 1980s. They were defunct at the time and an Off The Hip re-issue of their early material - and another reformation - were away off in the future.

Of course, Danny was right. He’d grown up with the band’s songs and they’d left a permanent mark. Little did he know that in 2015 he’d join Little Murders for their fifth and latest studio album “Hi-Fab!” - or that it might be the best thing they’ve ever recorded.

• off-the-hip
• pop
• powerpop
• mod
• the who
• little murders
• rob griffiths
• tony robertson
• danny mcdonald
• rod hayward
• mick barclay

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Edge of a Dream - The Jangle band (Off The Hip)

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By The Barman

The Barman

06 November 2016

Hits: 5571

If you worship at the altar of Big Star, the Beatles and The Byrds you’ll go nuts for this. The dream cited in the title is all about chiming open chords, (gently) duelling Rickenbackers and tuneful choruses that stick.

The Jangle Band bills itself as “Australia's second-best Rainyard/Header/Mars Bastards tribute act” because they’re three of the powerpop bands its members have played in. Throw in The Palisades and Jack and the Beanstalk as well. The membership has form.

• powerpop
• the jangle band
• jack and the beanstalk
• rainyard
• mars bastards
• header

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Tumbling Heights – The Come 'n Go (Voodoo Rhythm)

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By Ronald Brown

Ronald Brown

04 November 2016

Hits: 3978

Welcome to the crazy world of acid trash/garage punk rock n roll  that’s populated by the wonderful Come ‘n Go.

They’re busting guitar strings and spitting out no bullshit licks, throwing a bit of Swiss chic punk around like there is no tomorrow. In short, this album is very good.

It’s on the Voodoo Rhythm label and production is handled by Markus Staehli (Roy and the Devils.) “Tumbling Heights” is the fourth offering from The Come ‘n Go, who formed in Biel/Bienne in Switzerland in 2001. These punks have had some line-up changes over the years, but seem to have settled on Marina (drums and vocals), Philippe (guitars and drums), Franz (guitar), Rob (bass), Alain (vocals, harmonica and keys) and Markus (noise.) Benu guests on guitar on “What It Is”.

• garage
• voodoo rhythm
• swiss
• come 'n go

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Know Your Product: The art of Australia's underground 45s

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

04 November 2016

Hits: 7690

_{Hoodoo Guru Dave Faulkner adds his autograph to a copy of "Product 45" at the Sydney Spencer P Jones Benefit.                       Emmy Etie photo}

It was a few weeks ago that a parcel was waiting for me on my veranda. This is not unusual as I often order my vinyl from overseas. I even get the odd review copy of a record. This package was much larger and there was much more weighty. It was the stunningly beautiful book “Product 45 Australian Punk/Post-Punk Single Record Covers”.

I sat down and carefully unwrapped the packaging, opening the first few pages, and my first impression was the high-weighted GSM quality silky paper.  This was not the standard book that you would pick up at Dymocks. It had the sense of a limited edition, extremely high-standard production by people who had taken so much care and pride with their talent invested in the design.

• australian
• radio birdman
• product45
• citadel records
• murray bennett
• underground
• the saints
• phantom records

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JU-87 - The Stukas (self released)

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 November 2016

Hits: 5487

No ballads were written in the making of this album.

If you’ve heard or seen The Stukas, you knew that already. The Stukas are Sydney’s most enduring punk act, luxuriating in the glow of being known as their hometown’s “most hated band”. They play old school, take-no-fucking-prisoners punk rock.

But you probably knew that already, too.

• punk
• sydney
• stukas

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You'll be Damned if you miss this

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By The Barman

The Barman

31 October 2016

Hits: 4204

English psychedelic punk legends The Damned are returning to Australia and New Zealand in March 2017 for their 40th anniversary tour.

Since their formation in 1976 and playing their first gig as supports to the Sex Pistols, The Damned have carved their own path.

They released UK punk’s first LP, followed by 10 studio albums, 15 live records and countless more 45s.

Known for songs like “Neat Neat Neat”, “Love Song”, Smash It Up” and “Eloise”, they’re ranked one of the most influential punk groups.

After a series of line-up changes and a temporary break-up, the band have continued to release masterful music, with their latest offering “So, Who’’s Paranoid?” their first album in seven years.

The tour will be lead by original members Captain Sensible on guitar and the remarkable David Vanian on vocals, as well as long time members Monty Oxy Moron, Pinch and Stu West.

Dates and ticketing dertails after the break.

• live
• australia
• damned
• tour
• new zealand

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March of the Jack Boots - Monkeypig (Subversive Song Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

30 October 2016

Hits: 4131

Monkeypig covers a lot of ground in the space of its 10 punk-pop songs. An entirely self-sufficient and self-produced band now based in Newcastle, north of Sydney, it’s the vehicle for front-of-house operator and band-member-around-town, Christian Ryan.

“March of the Jack Boots” was recorded in a home studio in the bushy Sydney suburb of Engadine. No offence to Engadine, but it’s an unlikely well-spring of musical creativity. Ryan recorded, mixed, mastered, sang lead vocals and played almost all the instruments. He wrote every song except one (a co-write). The label is his own. Considering the record’s humble origins, he must have a good ear because the album sounds great.

• garage
• newcastle
• monkeypig
• independent

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M - The Monsters (Voodoo Rhythm)

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By The Barman

The Barman

27 October 2016

Hits: 4411

They’ve spent years trying to smell like rotting prawns in a hot European sun and on their newest album, the succinctly titled “M”, Swiss garage-trash combo The Monsters can finally lay claim to being tighter than a fish’s arse.

“M” celebrates 30 years of fuzz mania with a dozen songs of dubious intent that are delivered with grim precision. Some of this stuff makes a Helmet record sound sloppy, You couldn’t insert a cigarette paper between the furious boogie riffing of “Dig My Hair” or the dramatic “I Don’t Want You Anymore” if you tried (although why you’d want to do that is beyond me.) At the same time, The Monsters manage to sound unpolished.

• punk
• beat-man
• monsters
• fuzz
• voodoo rhythm
• swiss

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Proto-punk is so yesterday: Garry Gray on St Kilda, Sacred Cowboys and making Sydney sit up and listen

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

26 October 2016

Hits: 9568

_{Sacred Cowboys on St Kilda Beach with the SS Minow.}

“Sydney audiences can expect to hear much of the ‘Diamond in the Forehead’ album and a number of songs that will comprise our second album. Expect rock and roll out of the early 1970s, expect high volume in the guitar department, expect Nobel Prize-winning freak flag songs”

Garry Gray wrote this to me, and I visualise him, pounding the keyboard with pride about his forthcoming shows in Sydney in mid-November.

Gray has been making music for 42 years. I imagine by now he knows when he has a killer album ("Diamond in the Forehead") and a killer live band (The Sixth Circle) locked in. As I wrote a few months ago who when I caught The Sixth Circle live at the Tote Hotel and was blown away by a great, pure rock, street-level band:

All that dark and shade in this set; theatrics and drama. The tempo pulls back with “Club Siren”. “Our God hangs #6” is wild rock beat and with the guitars blues-based. Gray’s menacing vocals howling: 'I got hung without a trial'. "Cadillacs” has that proto punk rawness and a blues progression. There are elements of deep soul with raw gritty urban blues, and a solid rock 4/4 backbeat. Live, it is a no-nonsense rock monster.

• live
• sydney
• st kilda
• nick cave
• sacred cowboys
• garry gray
• the sixth circle
• tracey pew
• the reals
• diamond in the forehead
• the negatives

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