It’s Psychological - Happy Times (Swashbuckling Hobo)

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 January 2017

Hits: 3597

It could be as the title says and allude to obsession, but “It’s Psychological” also proves you can make an entire LP from songs about U-boats and shit food and come out winning.

Maybe it’s something in the sub-tropical water or the inexplicably-labelled local beer (that’d be Fourex to you and me) but Brisbane’s small underground rock scene is teeming. HITS are the heavyweights, Mick Medew is the elder statesman, but there’s plenty more happening if you use a coin to rub the panel on the scratch lottery ticket and look underneath.

• punk
• brisbane
• happy times
• it's psychological
• swasbuckling hobo records

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The Outskirts of Your Heart - Pat Todd & The Rank Outsiders (Hound Gawd! Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 January 2017

Hits: 5148

You might think of it as just another European label re-issuing an American artist’s old work on vinyl - a smart commercial move because nobody in Europe buys albums on CD - if they can help it.But you should consider Hound Dawg Records' engineering the re-appearance of the first record for Pat Todd’s post-Lazy Cowgirls outfit as a public service. Here’s why:

• country
• los angeles
• pat todd
• rank outsiders
• the outskirts of your heart
• hound gawd records

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Unknown Compelling Force - Fortress of Narzod (Chief Designer Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

05 January 2017

Hits: 4582

Nothing succeeds like excess and this trio from Melbourne has the concept truly nailed on this seven-track EP, their second release. Studio leakage, a seething fuzz attack and enough strange aural samples to keep it weird, Fortress of Narzod actually turns over new turf in a well-ploughed paddock.

Nailing their colours to the mast of a boat occupied by bands like Sabbath, MC5, Union Carbide Productions and Dead Meadow, Fortress of Narzod comes across as an Antipodean, suburban version of all of the above. No war pigs or bustles in hedgerows here, Fortress of Narzod draws as much inspiration from Michael Moorcock sci-fi novels and video games as doom-laden minor chords.

• melbourne
• stoner
• buffalo
• naked eye
• casanovas
• jim lewis
• fortress of narzod

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Double CD launch for Prehistorics and Stukas

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By The Barman

The Barman

30 December 2016

Hits: 4490

Here's how to start 2017 with a bang: Three of Sydney’s best high-energy bands are kicking off 2017 at stun volume on Saturday, January 7 with a dual album launch at The Factory Floor in Marrickville.

Detroit-inspired rifferama melody kings The Prehistorics are launching their fourth long-player, “Storm The Gates”, on CD and vinyl with their first gig in 13 months. 

Main-man Brendan Sequeira has been dividing his time between Sydney and France and this will be their only home-town appearance before a lengthy European tour.

They took their time about it but The Stukas are finally unleashing their debut CD, “Ju-87”, after 30 years of live savagery. 

Reputed to be Sydney’s most hated band, The Stukas have played with everybody from the New Christs to XL Capris, the Celibate Rifles and New York City’s Dictators. It’s been a long and hard road but their latest line-up is as energetic and confronting as ever.

The Dunhill Blues recently notched 10 years of gigs all over Australia and Europe, playing their unique hybrid mix of rock, garage, country and punk blues. 

The Dunhill Blues play a pummelling, primitive and pulsing style of rock 'n' roll that's best viewed beer in hand. They don’t have a new album to launch (they’ve already released three) but they do have the firepower to shake you out of your post-Christmas stupour.

Tickets will be on sale at the door or save yourself some dollars by pre-booking online here.

• sydney
• prehistorics
• dunhill blues
• stukas
• factory floor

Surrender b/w Down Around The Corner - The Lonelyhearts (Buttercup Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 December 2016

Hits: 4798

The Lonelyhearts popped out of Sydney’s western suburbs in 1979 and burned, briefly and brightly, before slipping away. Their their first 45, “Last Kiss” b/w “Ambition” is as one of the great lost Oz power-pop gems of its time.

They had two lives, resurfacing towards the end of the decade, but The Lonelyhearts’ recorded legacy (three full singles) was scant for a band of their quality. And that’s why Melbourne’s canny boutique label, Buttercup Records, is seeking to make amends.

• sydney
• buttercup records
• power-pop
• the lonelyhearts
• john rooney
• tom watson

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Ever So Lovely b/w Someone Special - The Strawberry Teardrop

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By The Barman

The Barman

19 December 2016

Hits: 4687

Make sure you read until the end.  Let’s talk vinyl first:

The A side of this is where the voice (and guitar, for the most part) of X goes back to the ‘60s to show off his sentimental side. Steve Lucas pulled together a capable combo in Levi Franco (drums), Ryan MaCay (bass) and Herbie Mayhem (piano) to play his songs a couple of years ago, so strap yourself in.

“Ever So Lovely” is an ode to Mrs Lucas (hi Joey!), set to raunchy guitars and set off by Steve’s warm but chipped-at-the-edges vocal. Shades of A.R.M., his fabulous Oz Rock project of 20 years ago, here but not as excessive and fixed in the now.

• ian rilen
• steve lucas
• the strawberry teardrop
• ever so lovely
• someone special

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A Big Bad Beautiful Noise - The Godfathers (Godfathers Recordings)

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By The Barman

The Barman

19 December 2016

Hits: 5236

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a record by the re-constituted Godfathers rocks like a motherfucker. There’s plenty of YouTube evidence of recent gigs in packed Pommy pubs to show as much - as you can see for yourself, above. 

The real ear-opener comes when you slip an advance copy of the new disc into the player and hear how fresh and true to the sound of the original band that they manage to be.

The Godfathers were built around brothers Peter and Chris Coyne (vocals and bass respectively) when they formed in 1986 and, for a time, they did bigger business in the USA than at home in the UK, where their brand of hard-riffing rhythm ’n’ rock-blues was distinctly on the nose.

• godfathers
• british
• peter coyne
• chris coyne
• a big bad beautiful noise

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Juggling Prayers - Circus Chaplains (Circus Chaplains)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

14 December 2016

Hits: 5517

Classic release from a Sydney band. Also a classic example of a band pulling in multiple different directions, which makes for a broader variety of approaches to their songs.

We’ve all seen bands where this doesn’t work - because it’s damned hard to juggle everyone’s creative juices - but with “Juggling Prayers” we have one of those fine CDs which, once it’s finished and begins to replay, you don’t turn off, you just let it repeat.

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When giants strode the earth: Gun Club at the Strawberry Hills in 1983

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

11 December 2016

Hits: 9627

Celibate Rifles singer Damien Lovelock once said to me that the Sydney music scene between 1978 and 1985 was as strong as anywhere in world, at any time.

When a city’s musically on fire, it becomes the rock capital of the world…especially for the people that live there. It could been New York City in the mid-’70s, London in 1966 or San Francisco in the late ’60s. Sydney was right up there with them.

I remember I was out seeing bands every night of week. It could be every Wednesday with the Triffids’ residency at the Strawberry Hills Hotel, upstairs at the Trade Union Club for the Laughing Clowns, or some punk band down at French’s Tavern. You could finish with Paris Green at 3am in Kings Cross.

There were so many gigs that stood out: the Birthday Party, Scientists and X at the University of NSW Roundhouse, the amazing New Year’s Eve gig with the Celibate Rifles at the Trade Union…and The Gun Club at the Southern Cross, later re-named the Strawberry Hills Hotel.

The Strawberry Hills Hotel in Surry Hills was OUR pub. We were still aged in our late teens and we virtually lived there. There was cheap (or feree) beer and amazing music every night of week. I actually lived in a cheap shared house, a few blocks down the road.

One night in 1983, the publican told me to turn up on Monday. He said that “a Yankee band, The Gun Club, are playing.”

• spencer p jones
• sydney trade union club
• kid congo powers
• gun club
• strawberry hills hotel
• southern cross hotel
• billy pommer
• stuart coupe

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