A predictable playlist - 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.
The Besnard Lakes, Are The Roaring Night
Sometimes I wish I didn't have to tell you about music via a flashing computer screen.
I wish I could just play you something at a party. Or make you a mix CD. Some things are better if you find them out by accident, or from a friend. The Besnard Lakes have too much personality for the impersonality of a computer screen.
The Ruby Suns interview
Ryan McPhun is a musical Krishna; the multi-talented operator behind The Ruby Suns has a new album out on Sub-Pop called Fight Softly. With an almost entirely new sonic palette compared to that of 2008's lush Sea Lion the Sun's new album represents a trip out into sparse synth land. I spoke to Ryan during my lunch break.
Spoon, Transference
The fact that this is the first self-produced Spoon album was a surprise to me. They've always been so ridiculously full of sound-purpose and sound-awareness. As you might expect, it sounds just as good as anything they've paid some dude with a massive beard and a concerned look on his face to record.
Holly Miranda, The Magician's Private Library
Words like magical, enchanting, and playful get used a lot these days. Unfortunately, they're often meant to endear you to bands whose work has more twinkling and twee affectation than real emotion.
These words could describe Holly Miranda's debut - yet DON'T be frightened by this (or the album's title or artwork.
Kitchen's Floor, Self Titled 7"
Brisbane's band of doomed youth takes timeout from dwelling in apathy and distressing furrow-browed mothers to deliver a three-song 7"record. Their first foray into vinyl sees Kitchen's Floor continue to carve out dank and mould-ridden outsider pop with a raw, primitive temperament.
It's a little less rousing and hopeful in mood than their 2009 debut Loneliness Is A Dirty Mattress.
HEALTH interview
HEALTH operate on a visceral plane. There is emotion apparent in their recordings but it is not made clear for you in words. It comes through in sound abstracted, voices affected and tempos flailing. They are able to connect to the audience on a basic level without having to sacrifice their complexities.
Pivot interview
I was sitting on my front porch on an overcast Saturday morning when I heard Pivot's O Soundtrack My Heart for the first time. Something about the grey sky, combined with Pivot's clashy prog guitars, gurgling synths and techno-like builds, made for a pristine sonic experience. I hope for similar satisfaction, care of Pivot and the sky, at Playground Weekender next week.
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