Hear
HEAR is the enema your iTunes needs. Bringing you the most thought-provoking and up-to-date music reviews this side of Lester Bangs, HEAR sifts through the ever growing mountain of press releases and promos to only feature albums, EPs, LPs and mixes that we want to, not that we have to. Also, we try and make things make sense in 200 words or less so that you can just listen to the music.
Weekly Mixtape #1: Super Tasty Mayo Mix
Don&Johnson made a mixtape to help scoot your week along. We asked them a few questions.
1. What can people expect from La Pomme Frit?
Multi-sensory arousal
2. What makes a mixtape?
A smooth ride
3. What's your favourite track on the mix?
Nino and Radiah
4. Got something special in your back pocket for the ladies?
Giant Squids
5.
She & Him, Volume Two
Everyone agrees that She & Him, the unexpected project of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, is pretty great. It probably has something to do with the fact that Zooey has successfully charmed every single person in the world, but beyond her acting and dancing skills, this girl can totally sing.
She truly is the whole quirky indie dream girl package, minus that being married to Ben Gibbard thing.
Joanna Newsom, Have One On Me
Everybody has their One. Mine used to be Zooey Deschanel, before the malicious bitch decided that her One was Ben Gibbard. A single listening of Have One on Me was all it took to put thoughts of Zooey well and truly to bed (unfortunately not mine).
The album, Joanna Newsom's third, sprawls across three CDs and showcases her constantly developing range as a songstress.
Royal Headache 7"
Sydney's Royal Headache could be Australia's finest garage power-pop band. It seems that every song they write is infectious as hell, taking sugary 60s garage hooks and blasting them through your speakers with punkish fervor and velocity.
Opening track ‘Eloise' is the one that incited frenzy on Pitchfork, and if your misanthropic punk mate scoffs at the exuberance of the "nah, nahs" in the outro, chances are they're the only good thing that happened to him that week.
Extortion
Ever been so pissed off it makes your gut want to lurch or your body want to launch out the window? Evidently so has Extortion, if their albums are anything to go by. Following up their 2008 full-length release Sick (with the vomit-coloured vinyl alone making it worth the purchase), Loose Screws is another physical representation of where these WA malcontents' heads are.
Monotonix, Where Were You When It Happened?
If you were sloshing around Golden Plains last weekend, you're probably listening to this album right now. Israeli threesome Monotonix were a memorable highlight of the weekend, outshining bigger names on the line-up with their unabashed enthusiasm, huge hairdos and tiny shorts.
These guys sure made the most of their stage-time, performing their entire set from the muddy mosh pit and crowd surfing while playing their guitar and drums.
Houlette, Bless Bless
Houlette is the sugar cube in your Stockholm Blend tea. Their French-pop, country-esque folk minimalism reminds you of bettertimes, of simpler times when salt came iodised and men rode horses.
Bless Bless (which translates to ‘farewell' in Icelandic) is the band's debut album, following the successes of their precursor releases.
Random Entries:
Subscribe to our e-newsletter for weekly updates and exclusive stuff:
Browse our guide to Sydney by interest
Sydney Events Calendar
Select a date to see what's on in Sydney
Browse our guide to Sydney by keyword
Browse our guide to Sydney by weekly issue
Working
