Album reviews

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signed-and-sealed-in-blood This week's rhetorical question is about bands singing in faux Irish accents with traditional Celtic instruments, mixing it up with banjos, strings, pipes and punk rawk guitars. The query is: "Do we need 'em?" The quick answer is: "I'll get back to ya." From your perspective I know that's it's not really good enough so I'll spend the next 400 words so telling you how albums like this get to exist in the first place.

Details: By The Barman; 10 January 2014; Hits: 4904

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4.9k views

now-or-never Who says the French don't "get" rock and roll? There's plenty of evidence to the contrary - especially on these two albums from Brittany power trio Ultra Bullitt, who are coming to Australia in 2013 to show us how it's done.

Details: By The Barman; 10 January 2014; Hits: 5010

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5k views

chance in hell cover Melbourne songstress Crystal Thomas has woken up in too many emergency ward beds for her own good. Next time you or I do the same, let this album be playing in the background.

Details: By The Barman; 10 January 2014; Hits: 6449

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6.4k views

partygirl Every so often, a record lands that knocks you sideways and leaves you wondering if anybody took down the registration number of the truck that just hit. The busy London borough of Hackney isn't known as Rock and Roll Central but The Dustaphonics sound like they're doing their level best to change that.

Details: By The Barman; 10 January 2014; Hits: 4840

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4.8k views

johntheconqueror If you can imagine a soulful, bluesy engine room with guitar that has a tone thicker than your great aunt's cankles, you're halfway to getting a grip on the sound John The Conqueror shoots for. Named after a psychotropic herb rather than a dead King of England and with members drawn from the Mississippi Delta, Philadelphia and parts in-between, this power trio hits their intended mark with accuracy, more often than not.

Details: By The Barman; 10 January 2014; Hits: 5448

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5.4k views

my-friend-murderer Onetime Australian alt.country poster boy Dan Brodie has taken the low road. One wheel's scraping against the gutter on "My Friend The Murderer" and it makes the ride more interesting.

Details: By The Barman; 09 January 2014; Hits: 5206

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5.2k views

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The Living Eye

Right eye

The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
+ The Glycereens
+ Kathleen Turner Overdrive
Banshees. Ipswich
- Apr 5
w/ Painters & Dockers
+ Sunny Coast Rude Boys
The Triffid, Brisbane
- May 24

Kim Salmon’s Smoked Salmon
Australian Tour
APR
4 - Bearded Lady, Brisbane - Tix
5 - Vinnie's Dive Bar, Gold Coast - Tix
6 - Bangalow Bowlo, Bangalow, NSW - Tix
11 - The Grace Emily, Adelaide - Tix
12 - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne - Tix

Guitar Wolf
Australian Tour
APR
4 - Seasonal Brewing, Perth
(w/ Zerodent & The Murderbirds)
5 - Prince of Wales, Bunbury, WA
(w/ Turd!)
6 - Buffalo Club, Fremantle, WA
(5.30pm doors)
Tickets

Ups & Downs
+ The Crystal Set
Marrickville Bowling Club
- Apr 10
SOLD OUT

Nursery Crimes
+ The Herbal Lunatics
+ fun again!
+ The Darrans
+ Bugg Music
Marrickville Bowling Club
- Apr 26
Tickets

The Stems
East Coast Australian Tour 2025
APR
23 - Northcote Social Club
24 - Sydney Crowbar
25 - Gum Ball Festival, Hunter Valley, NSW
26 - Old Museum, Brisbane
Tickets

Mike Rudd + Tim Gaze
MAY
2 - The Citadel, Murwillumbah, NSW
Tickets
3 - The Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets
4 - Banshees Bar, Ipswich, QLD
Tickets

The Cruel Sea
"Straight Into The Sun Tour"
MAY
1 - Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide SA
2 - Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne VIC
3 - Canberra Theatre, Canberra
16 - Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong NSW
18 - The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley QLD
31 - City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW
JUN
5 - The Regal Theatre, Perth WA
7 - Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah WA.
Tickets

Cherie Currie
Australian Tour
with Hot Machine
SEP
5 - Rosemount, Perth
6 - Crown and Anchor, Adelaide
11 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
12 – Sydney Crowbar
13 – Brisbane Crowbar
Tickets