- Details
- By JD Misfortune
- Hits: 1778
Dinner At Mr Billy’s – Blue Ash (Peppermint Records)
Summa the magical, mystical Blue Ash powerpop just feels so ‘60s, like some lost tracks from the "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" or "Easy Rider" soundtracks, or the incidental music from "Love American Style" or some kinda hippie exploitation marketing hoax.
Remember when 7-Up was selling themselves as flower child psychedelic? Blue Ash was around then and woulda been perfect to write their far out, hey man, garage punk jingles. So Good! The guitar playing feels like Strawberry Alarm Clock or 13th Floor Elevators sometimes, and the singer coulda been in "Hair".
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1424
Luminary – The On and Ons (Jem Records)
Just when you think it’s safe to go back in the ring, The On and Ons deliver a triple combination of power-pop punches to open their new album and leave your critical faculties flat on the canvas.
“White Ships”, “Constance” and the stunning single “Speck of Smiling Faces” are the opening tracks and as good as anything the Sydney band has recorded. Even better news is that it doesn’t end there and The On and Ons’ sixth full album, “Luminary”, is their best to date.
- Details
- By Steve Lorkin
- Hits: 1760
Fun House (High Fidelity Edition) - Rhino Records (Rhino Records)
Loaded (High Fidelity Edition) - The Velvet Underground (Rhino Records)
Theoretically, an album pressed in 2026 should sound a lot better than an album pressed in the 1970s. I mean, haven't there been vast technological advances in the sound world? Or for that matter, just about anything and everything since the 1970s?
Judging by the majority of LP reissues these days it seems not. Quite often those pre-digital era 1960s/1970s pressings sound a whole lot better than today's "$95 at JBHiFi 180 gram remastered by some genius" reissues.
- Details
- By JD Misfortune
- Hits: 1239
24 Hours in Detroit - Troy Toma and The Lousy Lovers (Jett Plastic Recordings)
So, my good friends, I hesitate to even commit my thoughts to paper very often nowadays cause I'm just so curmudgeonly and grouchy and pessimistic, I've totally turned into one of those ruined, scarred, and bitter men muttering to himself about the MC5, and wishing all these new kids in their expensive hats would get off my fucking lawn.
I got the oldness; walk with a cane, been having some scary health issues, with gratitude for some narrow escapes, my old friends are dropping like flies, and many of those remaining suddenly look like Uncle Jessie from "Dukes" Of Hazzard".
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 825
The Jane Does – The Jane Does (self released)
It seems hard to find good bands fronted by women no longer aged in their teens in Sydney these days. The reality is that the city’s small roster of rock and roll venues means the sisters (mums? aunts?) aren’t hiding, you just need to look for them at the right time.
Along with The Sugar Beats and Raising Ravens, The Jane Does are the pick of the semi-femme crop (although technically you could say that the former come from Wollongong.)
The Jane Does are Rebecca Halley (vocals and guitar) and Joanne Bennett (bass and vocals) sharing front-of-stage duties with guitarist Matt Allison. Rebecca and Jo are cousins and have shared stages before. They’ve had a series of drummers but Tim Savage now seems firmly sequestered on the stool, barring spontaneous combustion or bizarre gardening accidents.
- Details
- By Steve Lorkin
- Hits: 1101
Zeno Beach - Radio Birdman (Citadel Records)
By Steve Lorkin
Quick quiz: Which legendary band who broke up in the 1970s but reformed several decades later and recorded a album of new material which actually honoured their original legacy?
1) New York Dolls
2) MC5 (aka MC1)
3) The Stooges
4) Radio Birdman
If you answered “Radio Birdman” you win a million in prizes!
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 981
Sonic Maze – Flippin’ Kick Outs (self-released)
The splintering of what used to be called mass media has put a universe of sounds at everybody’s fingertips and they only need to pay a pittance - if anything at all. The onus really is on you and me to step carefully. lest we tread in dog shit.
It really is a maze out there – as the title of the second album from Sydney’s Flippin’ Kick Outs attests.
- Details
- By Edwin Garland
- Hits: 1333
1978 - Young Charlatans (Eminent Vinyl)
If you go on YouTube you can see a remarkable clip of two 18-year-old kids, Rowland S Howard and Ollie Olsen, being interviewed by the ABC. As the teenagers walk down St Kilda Road in Melbourne, they are jeered at for looking like aliens with art school aesthetics.
It was 1978 and a vastly different time in Australia. In the beige, conservative world ruled by the Tories and the Country Party. Every second house had porcelain ducks on its wall and a framed picture of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd. The Robert Menzies vision of Australia ruled and the fashion mindset embraced Dennis Lillee’s porn star moustache and safari suits.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1365
Family Affair - Gaian Soul (Charlie Marshall)
Because I've been in a tunnel several years long it's been a while since I reviewed a CD. I won't say I'm out of the tunnel because I'm not. As most music writers know, LP or CD reviews always take up a lot of time (the book I'm currently beavering away at doesn't get much of a chance when reviews come tapping at the door. Poor little thing).
However. I was asked if I would do a CD review to get The Barman out of a hole and I rashly said yes, so this will probably be the last for a while, so there.
- They're still Not Like Everybody Else
- It's Alive! Canadian rocker Rich Hope and his red hot band hit the mark
- Punk pioneer Brian James bids us ciao
- The Dahlmanns kick back into gear with "LIfe In Reverse"
- A little reflection to be free as Chris Bailey closes the Saints chapter
- Sacred Cowboys ride high on a new Manifesto
Subcategories
Behind the fridge
Artifacts and reviews from days gone by.
Send us stuff to review
PO Box 334
Oatley NSW
2223 Australia
Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com
The Living Eye
Indie Sounds of the Harbour City Vol 2
Launch Tour
JULY
24 - Crowbar Sydney
25 - Vi-Nil HQ, Ourimbah, NSW
26 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
31 - The Vic, Orange, NSW
AUG
1 - Crossroads, Dubbo, NSW
7 - Diamond Dogs, Dapto, NSW
8 - Wings & Tins, Dee Why, NSW
The Strike-Outs
"Double Negative" Launch Tour
JULY
25 - Ryan's Hotel, Thirrhoul, NSW
Heavy Medication Records, Savage Magic Records
& I-94 Bar Records present
"Two Headed Dog Euro Tour"
Chris Masuak's Dog Soldier
+ The Crisps
JULY
23 - Krakow - Klub Baza (PL)
24 - Warsaw - Klub Mechanik Warsaw (PL)
25 – Berlin - Wild at Heart (DE)
31 – Paris - L'Armony (FR)
AUGUST
1 – Paris - Holy Holster (FR)
(Unplugged)
6 – Toulouse - L'autan Bar (FR)
(with Big T & The Nuts)
7 – Montpellier - Secret Place (FR)
(with Big T & The Nuts)
8 - Marseille - L'Intermediare Live
9 – Sete - Guinguette Thau'thèmes (FR)
Amammoth + None For One
+ Old Heathens + Buzz Wagon
+ The Limited + Headspacer
+ My Velvet Exit
Lazy Thinking, Dulwich Hill, NSW
2.30-11PM
- July 25
Smoked Salmon
Totally Sick!! Tour
JULY
24 - Mojo's, Fremantle, WA
25 - Prince of Wales, Bunbury, WA
31 - Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC
AUG
1 - Shotkickers, Thornbury, VIC
2 - Wheatsheaf, Adelaide, SA
6 - La La La's, Wollongong, NSW
7 - Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham , NSW
8 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
9 - The Oak Tighes Hill, Newcastle, NSW
(free)
14 - Tanswells, Beechworth, VIC
(free)
15 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT
21 - Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
22 - Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS
28 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
29 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
30 - Cabarita Beach Club, Cabarita, NSW (free)
SEP
4 - Young St Tavern, Frankston, VIC
The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
Ed Kuepper 50 Years Retrospective
JULY
30 - Avoca Theatre #
31 - Canberra, The Street
AUG
1 - Wombarra Bowlo
6 - Adelaide, The Gov
8 - Melbourne, National Theatre
9 - Barwon Heads Hotel
15 - Fremantle, Freo Social
20 - Brisbane, The Princess
21 - Coffs Harbour, The Jetty Theatre
22 - Murwillumbah, Regent Theatre
27 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
Tickets
Joeys Coop
AUG
22 - Union Hotel, Newtown, NSW
+ The On and Ons
28 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra
+ Sanctimonious Fux
30 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
SEP
13 - Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
+ Swaggerland
18 - Tap Room, Castlemaine, VIC
19 - Painted Lady, Ballarat, VIC
+ Cold Irons Bound + Neutron Flow
20 - Union Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
NOV
28 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
29 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD (arvo)
Huxton Creepers
12 Days To Paris Tour
AUG
7 - Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
+ Icecream Hands
8 - Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury, VIC
+ Icecream Hands
14 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys
15 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys
16 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys
21 - Norton Music Factory,
Caloundra, QLD
+ The Johnnys
22 - Crowbar Brisbane, QLD
+ The Johnnys
+ Mick Medew and Ursula
23 - Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba, QLD
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys
I-94 Bar Records presents
Psychotic Turnbuckles
Vinyl Single Launch
+ Spittin' Chips
+ The No Such Things
Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
- Sept 5
Tickets
The Damned
Final Damnation 50
Australia and New Zealand
SEP
8 - AUCKLAND, Powerstation
10 - SYDNEY, The Opera House
11 - BRISBANE, The Tivoli
13 - MELBOURNE, The Forum
Tickets
Public Image Ltd
Australia and NZ
JAN
20 - Auckland, Powerstation
22 - Brisbane, The Tivoli
23 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
24 - Melbourne, The Forum
26 – Adelaide, The Gov
28 - Perth, The Astor
Respect The Rock Austraklian Tour
The Hellacopters + Gluecifier
MARCH
17 – Brisbane, The Triffid
18 – Sydney, Manning Bar
19 – Melbourne, The Croxton
20 – Adelaide, Ed Castle
Tickets
Fresh Reviews
-
Ghosts in the machine
20 July 2026
-
Copulaters will give you a boning
08 July 2026
-
Album Number Three hits the mark for Joeys Coop
04 July 2026
-
The Strike-Outs load the bases with electricity
28 June 2026
-
A Jungian and a tofu thief walk into a bar...
29 May 2026