Album reviews

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A Crowd Pleasing Extravaganza – Moot (Outtaspace Records)

It's a point hat has been made here before: Moot comes from the New South Wales Mid North Coast region and you’d struggle to think of a place with a more tenuous claim to being a spawning ground for punk rock.

Neat farms sit on rich alluvial land, squeezed between eucalyptus-lined mountain ridges and coastal towns that cling steadfastly to beaches or river inlets. The populace seems past or approaching retirement age. It’s a region devoid of (visible) dole queues or massive social dislocation – at least on the surface.

Details: By The Barman; 18 June 2024; Hits: 2899

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2.8k views

Premonition K – Kilbey Kennedy (Foghorn Records)
I came not to praise Prog Rock but to bury it. You know, throw on a “Pink Floyd” T-shirt with a handwritten “I Hate” appended to the front of the band name, just like it’s the King’s Road in London, circa 1976.

The claws were out and the poison pen primed with ink. It was time to snarl about pomposity and pretentiousness, declare a fatwah on all hippies and kick out some serious wordplay jams . This War Against The Jive is relentless, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer truly do suck dogs’ balls.

Details: By The Barman; 15 June 2024; Hits: 3521

1 comment

3.5k views

Crawling Back To You – Stu & The Connections (Crankinhaus Records)

There’s a lot of ground covered on this mini-album (digital only) from Stu Wilson and his all-star collective The Connections. The drummer with Lime Spiders, New Christs, The Crisps, Loose Pills, Leadfinger, Aberration and Chris Masuak & Dog Soldier, Stu contributes lead vocals, keyboards harmonica, drums and percussion..

Looking at his c.v., you might have certain expectations. Leave your preconceptions at the door. This is a cohesive collection of seven songs that cajole and captivate rather than assault.

Details: By The Barman; 05 June 2024; Hits: 3299

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3.2k views

Say It - New Toys (13^th Street Records)

The years 1979-82 were stellar for power-pop, with many pundits looking back with a great deal of affection for bands such as The Knack, the Romantics, Nick Lowe, Greg Kihn, Dwight Twilley and so on. All giants of the genre, with lesser-known acts such as the Shoes, the Records, 20/20 and The Beat also holding their place amongst power pop fans.

Yet there was one band from New York City on par with any of them: New Toys.

New Toys released one album of stupendous, melodic power pop called “Say It” in 1982. Long out of print, it was recently re-issued by 13^th Street Records with all songs restored, remixed, and remastered from the original multi-track tapes.

Details: By Colin Gray; 01 June 2024; Hits: 2893

2 comments

2.8k views

Rip Shit or Bust - S.S.D. (self released)

Hello I-94 Barflies, hope you’re all well. “Rip Shit Or Bust” is the new four-song EP from Queensland underground punk rockers SSD. With members all over the country, it took a bit of time to follow-up the excellent “Resurrected” EP.

“Rip Shit or Bust” just grooves. It really is a strong effort.

Details: By Ronald Brown of Dimboola; 26 May 2024; Hits: 2883

1 comment

2.8k views

Hollywood – The Fiction (Off The Hip)

Much water has passed under the bridge since 1978 when The Fiction was one of a handful of struggling punk rock bands in the womb of a nascent Melbourne underground music scene.

Like a spark, The Fiction came and went. Some of their songs made it into the setlist of mod-flavoured pop-rockers Little Murders, which has become as much a brand as a band for vocalist-guitarist-songwriter Rob Griffiths, its only constant member.

Griffiths (vocals) and Rob Wellington (guitar) remain from the original band and although the passage of time may have buffed off the sharper edges, the reconstituted Fiction still trades in high-energy pop punk.

Details: By The Barman; 23 May 2024; Hits: 2917

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2.9k views

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Datura4 on the Goldie

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The Living Eye

Right eye
I-94 Bar and Soundpressing present
Searching for Charlie Owen
(Charlie Owen solo - music and spoken word)
+ White Knuckle Fever
Smiths Alternative, Canberra
- Aug 1
Tickets
+ Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes
+ Sam Shinazzi (solo)
Petersham Bowling Club, NSW
- Aug 2
Tickets
+ The Howling Rats
Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
- Aug 3
Tickets

Hugo Race and Michaelangelo Russo
100 Years Tour
JUL
31 – Camelot Lounge, Sydney
AUG
1 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
2 – Qirkz in the Hunter, Abermain, NSW
3 – Franks Wild Years, Thirroul, NSW
8 – Tanswell’s, Beechworth, VIC
23 – Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne
SEP
12 – Odessa, Creswick, VIC
Tickets

The Tommys
+ Kreep 500
Lulie Tavern, Abbotsford, VIC
- Aug 3

Sick Fizz
(album launch)
+ The Owen Guns
+ The Jane Does
The Duke, Enmore, NSW
- Aug 2
(Free)

The New Christs
UK and Europe Tour
AUG
13 - Night ´n Day, Manchester UK
14 - Stereo, Glasgow UK
15 - Oslo, London UK
16 - Edonè, Bergamo IT
17 - Flog-On Plen Air , Firenze IT
19 - TBA Bologna IT
21 - Shake Club, La Spezia IT
22 - Molotov, Marseille FR
23 - Secret Place, Montpellier FR
24 - Le Moulin du Rousseau, Perigueux FR
28 - Relache, Bordeaux FR
29 - Festivalle Tobalina, Quintana Martin Galinde ES
30 - 16 Toneladas, Valencia ES
31 - Stereo, Alicante ES
SEP
2 - Sala Upload, Barcelona ES
4 - Sala El Sol, Madrid ES
5 - Sala Milwaukee, El Puerto de Santa Maria ES
6 - Hogaza Rock, Alfacar ES

East Coast Low
Badlanding Launches
AUG
17 – Royal Oak, Tighes Hill, NSW
23 – In-store @ Hiss and Crackle, Wallsend, NSW
(2pm, free)
23 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
+ The Strike-Outs + The Dark Clouds
24 – MoshPit, St Peters, NSW
+ The Dark Clouds + The Strike-Outs

Van Ruin French Tour  
SEP 
5 - La Petite Rade, Le Havre 
6 - La Trinquette, Rennes        
11 - Le Ravelin, Toulouse        
12 – TBC, Perpignan 
13 - La Cigale dans la fourmilière, Nègrepelisse 
18 - Shapers Club House, Marennes 
20 - Irish Pub, Frontignan 
26 – L’Armony, Paris 
27 - La Griffe, Lille

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

Dead Kennedys
Australia and NZ
SEP
16 - Auckland, Powerstation
17 - Wellington, Meow Nui
19 – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
20 - Brisbane, Tivoli
24 - Perth, Astor Theatre
26 - Adelaide, The Gov
27 - Sydney, Metro Theatre
Tickets

Soundpressing presents
Datura4
+ The Spivs
Iron & Resin Garage, Currumbin, QLD
- Oct 24
Tickets

The Soft ‘n’ Sexy Sound Tour
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes
OCT
3 - Factory Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney
Tickets
4 - Waves, Wollongong, NSW
Tickets
5 - The Street Theatre, Canberra
Tickets
10 - The Corner Hoyel, Richmond, Vic
Tickets
11 - Bundy Hall, Bundalaguah VIC
Tickets
24 - Freo Social, Fremantle WA
Tickets
25 - The River Hotel, Margaret River WA
Tickets
31 - Brisbane Crowbar QLD
Tickets
NOV
1 - The Imperial, Eumundi QLD
Tickets
2 - Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast QLD
Tickets
7 - Byron Bay Theatre NSW
Tickets
8 - Bellingen Memorial Hall NSW
Tickets
13 - King Street Bandroom, Newcastle
Tickets
14 - Avoca Beach Theatre NSW
Tickets
15 - The Lounge, Chatswood NSW
Tickets
16 - Dangar Island Bowlo NSW (matinee)
Tickets
21 - The Gov, Adelaide SA
Tickets
28 - Royal Oak, Launceston TAS
Tickets
29 - The Pier, Ulverstone TAS
Tickets
30 - Longley International Hotel, Longley TAS
Tickets

The Jesus Lizard
Australian Tour
OCT
15 - The Croxton, Melbourne, VIC
17 - Liberty Hall (ex Max Watts), Sydney, NSW
19 - Crow Bar, Brisbane, QLD

4ZZZ presents
“ZED 50”
Ther Saints ’73-‘78
+ Regurgitator
+ Tropical Fuck Storm
+ Full Flower Moon Band
+ Big Noter + Butterfingers
+ Screamfeeder
+ Nice Biscuit + Party Dozen
+ Frangipanis + Dancingwater
+ Platonic Sex + Velociraptor
Roma St Parklands, Brisbane
- Oct 25

“4ZZZ Joint Effort 50”
Dave Warner’s From The Suburbs
+ X
+ The Survivors
+ XERO
+ The Black Assassins
+ Pineapples From The Dawn of Time
Hamilton Hotel, QLD
- Nov 8