FRIGHT WING

MP3: Clag - Harry

There's a kind of understated malevolence to the fact that high school friends Bek Moore, Rachael Cooke and Alison Bolger called their band "Clag" and their only album "Pasted Youth"; also the fact that, for the brief period in the '90s in which they existed as a band, they played shows with their backs to the audience and masks stuck to their heads. It's the same weirdly mild sense of anarchy that Young Marble Giants evoke, and that's not where the similarities between these two bands ends: the melodic bass and studied uninterestedness of the vocals on tracks like "Harry" also bring to mind the legendary Welsh quartet. It's brilliantly intriguing stuff from one of Australia's most undeservedly forgotten bands, and that's why it's fortunate that Chapter Music are reissuing Pasted Youth next month (preorder it from the label website). Chapter head honcho Guy Blackman told us "Clag were the most amazing band in the world in the early 90s"; it sounds about right!

VALOT KAUKAA

We first posted about the debut album from Finland's Olli Aarni, or Ous Mal, not quite two years ago. His particular take on warped-out, weatherbeaten electronica - cobbled together from an assortment of grainy, organic textures - was pretty instantly recognisable as something special. So it's great that he's made another album! In under two years, Aarni's changed names (to Nuojuva, a reference to his debut Nuojuva Halava), released an album of remixes of his songs by Preservation artists, and in February will release a second album. It's no small feat: this sounds like music which is painstakingly assembled. Every sound on this first track, Laakso, contributes entirely to a sense of gentle sentimentality, but doesn't fade to beige. It sounds "alive". We can hope the rest of Valot kaukaa is this great; preorder it from Preservation.

THEY CALL IT

MP3: Albatross - Murder (Guerre's Suede Mix)

This super chill remix (from RQ favourite Guerre) of Sydney duo Albatross's "Murder" takes that track's brilliantly low-key vibe and organic, folky textures and drugs them the fuck out; the hints of piano and woodwind are gone here, replaced by Guerre's signature narcotic r&b production. The tone is contemplative and the sound borders on ambient, the violence of the song's subject matter abstracted in a totally fascinating way. The Murder 7" will be out soon through Life Aquatic Records (run by our pal, Jarred Beeler) - preorder it here.

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Max's TOP 10 SONGS OF 2011

1. Royal Headache - Never Again
from Royal Headache (R.I.P. Society/Goner)

Some records are great without making you want to be a part of them, and that's fine. It doesn't make them less great. But some are so exuberant and rich and alive-sounding that they make you want to sing along to every song at every show and be involved and there's something so special about records like that and what I'm saying is that Royal Headache's debut album is like that. There are so many great cuts from the album, but this opening track - Never Again - is extra frenetic and just a perfect introduction to my record of the year.

2. Total Control - One More Tonight
from Henge Beat (Iron Lung)


A couple of reviews of Total Control's Henge Beat have talked about the album's take on retrofuturism, and that approach is certainly one of the most interesting things about the album. Luckily, as well as being interesting, it's also full of great songs that reference enduring classics like Eno, Talking Heads and Joy Division. There's something so intriguing and also unsettling about this song's repeated refrain of "A burst of laughter / introduces your friends"; it's kind of genius.

3. John Maus - Believer
from We Must Become The Pitiless Censors of Ourselves (Ribbon/Upset The Rhythm)

There was nothing else this year (or any other year, really) that sounded like John Maus's cavernous space-synths & death metal vocals, and this closing track from his record is such an anthem.

4. Ford & Lopatin - Emergency Room
from Channel Pressure (Mexican Summer) 

It's such a pleasure to hear a band employ artificial textures so gleefully; everything about Channel Pressure sounds synthesised & mechanical. But even though Ford & Lopatin clearly have so much fun assembling their plastic beats, they never forget to write hooks and beats that stick in your brain, and that's just what Emergency Room does.

5. Kurt Vile - On Tour
from Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

Smoke Ring For My Halo is the sweetest & gentlest release by Kurt Vile so far. Even so, he fits in some terrifically macabre imagery on songs like On Tour, my favourite from the record: "On tour. Lord of the Flies."

6. Ghost Wave - Hippy
from Ghost Wave EP (Arch Hill)

I will never not love New Zealand bands who play Flying Nun-inspired garage punk. All of Ghost Wave's debut EP was great, actually, but Hippy's minimalist guitars and brilliantly unexpected bridge refrain is basically as good as it gets.

7. Panda Bear - Last Night At The Jetty
from Tomboy (Paw Tracks)

Tomboy might not have captured the zeitgeist the way Panda Bear's debut did, but if you're asking me (and I guess you could say that you are, in a way) Last Night At The Jetty is as good a song as he's ever written: sweet, wistful and sad.

8. Twerps - Dreamin'
from Twerps (Chapter/Underwater Peoples)

80s jangle-pop might be the last aesthetic that can possibly be mined from that exhaustively revised decade, but it's kinda surprising that it's taken this long to happen: it's such a listenable sound. On their debut album, Twerps ditched the scrappy milkbar punk that they'd been messing with to write some extra grown-up songs with strings and everything; super impressive stuff.

9. Real Estate - It's Real
from Days (Domino)

It's just so easy to love Days, the second album from Real Estate. It's catchy and melodic and totally sincere, and this song from it features expertly deployed whoa-ohs; everything's there, really.

10. Guerre - Millennium Blues
from Darker My Love (Yes Please)

You could say that 2011 was "the year of new R&B", or whatever, but as with so many microgenres, it only really happened at all because a handful of talented practitioners. Guerre is one of the best.

LOW LIFES

Falling Down the Stairs by Blank Realm

Blank Realm take a right turn off the druggy, DIY psych thing they've been perfecting for a while now on this new jam, taken from a 7" coming out soon on ace Brisbane label Negative Guest List. Falling Down The Stairs explores similar territory to the Twerps' recent debut: that real classic '80s jangle-pop sound with acoustic guitars and synths and a singalong chorus. It's perfectly executed, too - rough around the edges, with the slightly sinister refrain of "Who's falling down the stairs tonight?" delivered in an enthusiastic falsetto. Blank Realm's new album will be out 2012 on Siltbreeze.

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TEEN LOVE

MP3: Woollen Kits - Always

If yr gonna throw your hat in the ring with a love song entitled "Always", it'd better be one that counts. This is a post-Bon Jovi world that we all live in and the fact is that the bar has been set for rock n' roll ballads of that name, but the good news for fans of Melbourne's Woollen Kits is that this track - the second from their forthcoming self-title debut - smashes it. It's not a cock-rock power jam, but instead there are a bunch of sweet new wave guitar licks and Tom Hardisty's mellow baritone crooning a deeply sincere message of love and respect, so that is SOMETHING, I guess. Woollen Kits is out January 16 through RIP Society.

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WANNA SLEEP

MP3: Cat Cat - Moving Song

Seems like you can't talk about Canberra these days without mentioning the exciting wave of tropical punk that's soaking our nation's capital in a viscous mix of sweat, semen and artificial colouring. That's not really Cat Cat's vibe, though, which explains why they moved to Melbourne and released Uralba: it's restrained and classically indie, economic in the musicianship and melodic flourishes. This album cut demonstrates pretty well the stoner haze that sits over most of Uralba, but it's not that the record's boring - it's terrific, actually, and reminiscent of Crazy Rhythms in the super-efficient way Cat Cat knock out unassuming indie gem after unassuming indie gem.

Cat Cat are touring through December. Check out the dates at Dream Damage.

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Video: TV COLOURS

BONUS TV COLOURS CONTENT: Obviously these dudes are playing their first NZ shows THIS WEEK, starting TONIGHT and ending on FRIDAY (see the posters to yr left for more info), but if the thought of seeing more hyperactive, ultra-distorted pop punk from the seething bowl of cultural discontent that is Australia's national capital than you can HANDLE wasn't enough for you, Auckland, grip this brand new video for TV Colours' anthem "TV Glow". Too sick

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FEATURE SCENE

MP3: Rites Wild - Do No Right

The latest track that Stacey Wilson - aka Rites Wild - has drip-fed through her bandcamp page is another superb example of lo-fi, doomy synth-pop; it's layered and menacing enough to feel substantial, but it's also got a certain lightness & spontaneity that makes it a fascinating listen..

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HARD HEAT

MP3: ScotDrakula - Kick Out The Amberlamps

Real gleefully frenzied lo-fi burner from Melbourne's ScotDrakula. This opening track from their CRACKSTRENGTH album has a kind of pop naivety to it that's a lil bit reminiscent of some Goner bands but with an acidic haze just coating the whole thing and drying it right out. (via triple j unearthed)

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DARKNESS FOLLOWS

MP3: Sures - Poseidon

This totally irresistible late summer jam from Sydney's Sures has the requisite heavy reverb and surf guitars in place, but it's the rich melody and dramatic use of '60s doo-wop vocal styling that trip some heavy nostalgia vibes here (plus a sick J Mascis-esque solo in the outro). via triple j unearthed

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GET MY NECK

MP3: Step-Panther - My Neck

Terrifically drawling slacker pop-punk from Sydney's Step-Panther with an appropriately charming & unpretentious video. This jam from their debut LP has that real '90s lo-fi charm but without the forced eccentricity that characterises a lot of '90s revivalist bands, and the video itself reminds me of one of my favourite ever clips from back then: The Smashing Pumpkins' "1979". It's real hazy & nostalgic etc. but for "real shit" that "real bros" do: hanging out & eating chips at the beach with a fluffy white dog; smashing stuff with sticks; drawing dicks on the hood of a car. Step-Panther is out November 4 through Speak N' Spell.

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ICE BATH

MP3: Geoffrey O'Connor - So Sorry (Chet Faker remix)

Geoffrey O'Connor's debut solo album, Vanity Is Forever, really capitalises on the potential he's always had to sound breathy and sensual, but this remix - from fellow Melburnian Chet Faker - explores a different aspect of romantic song. Chet Faker takes the original's noir-ish '80s pop-rock forward ten years in time and, in the best possible way, evokes the particular brand of downtempo sensuality made popular by the Cafe Del Mar series. It's brilliant to hear those cold, dubby beats used like this, full of glitches and imperfections, underneath O'Connor's super-sensitive lyrics. Vanity Is Forever is out now through Chapter.

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Video: GHOST WAVE

"Hippy" is one of the highlights of Ghost Wave's terrific EP of earlier this year, and the Aucklanders have just got around to putting out a video for it. This clip features colour filters, dudes dancing real loose, washed out footage of the beach and one of the best lo-fi pop punk tunes you'll hear all year; check it out!

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DEEP BREATHS

Catcall - Satellites by rosequartzblog

So excited to be able to premiere this brand new jam from our girl Catcall. The first taste of her debut LP, The Warmest Place - last year's "Swimming Pool" - featured an amazingly hypnotic Italo vibe w/ drum reverbs stretching out into infinity, palm-muted guitars and a bunch of veiled sexual references, but "Satellites" steps up the excitement level. This track channels the current super-slick bedroom r&b trend into a dramatic pop banger but manages to hold on to the melancholic atmosphere and slightly existential lyrical themes of that earlier jam. The Warmest Place is out early 2012 through Ivy League.

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PHANTASMAGORIA

MP3: Cat Cat - Keys and Locks Don't Work

So vibed on this new Cat Cat single; it goes heavy on that total 90s trick of matching a melancholic tone with propulsive rhythm guitars & drums for a sound that's kinda gauzy & wistful but perfect for booze-fuelled teenage adventures, I guess. Their terrific Waking Space EP took some cues from the Dunedin sound but this song - the first from their debut album, Uralba (on brilliant local label Dream Damage!) - is all about the Smashing Pumpkins' 1979; such a classic!

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OPPOSITE DRAG

MP3: Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Walking In Unison

A new Eddy Current Suppression Ring jam is exciting, always. No doubt about that! But this epic new track - the A-side to a new 12", out now on Captcha - is even better for the fact that it's proof that these garage punk legends are still recording new songs together. After last year's Rush To Relax it looked a little bit like ECSR might peter out, with Mikey and Brendan releasing music with new bands Total Control and Boomgates, respectively. It might still be a while before we see another record of all-new Eddy Current Suppression Ring songs, but Walking In Unison's protracted structure (it's nearly 10 minutes long!) and krauty edge are pretty terrific signs that the band are finding new ways to push their thing forward. (If you want an ECSR refresher, you can check out two tracks from So Many Things, their forthcoming live tracks & rarities compilation, on SoundCloud.)

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FUTURE RUSHING

This video from Francis Plagne's forthcoming Tenth Volume of Maps album showcases one of the record's sweeter, more melancholic moments. It's complex & slightly baroque pop that's certainly a few steps away from the musique concrete of his earlier records, but there's a rare balance on this track (and others on Tenth Volume Of Maps) between that highly constructed collage sound and real gentle, naive folk pop. You can take a listen to another track from the record here; Tenth Volume of Maps is out October 7 on Lost & Lonesome.

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LIGHT BONES

Sleep Threaded Into Ashes - Aaron Martin & Justin Wright by Preservation

"Retro-futuristic" is a description that gets hurled around a bit, but it's rarely accurate - the vein of retro-futurism that it's become popular to draw on in recent years was occasionally funny and light-hearted, but it mostly spoke sincerely to the feeling of uncertainty and paranoia that was so pervasive in the 50s and 60s. This new collaboration between Aaron Martin and Justin Wright, the latest and final release in Preservation's Circa series, understands that. It uses those sounds and textures in a way that's compelling and listenable, but throughout Sleep Threaded Into Ashes there's a lingering sense of doom; an uneasy feeling that lasts from the Forbidden Zone-ish organ intro to the sheets of noise that creep in at the end. Light Poured Out Of Our Bones is out now through Preservation.

LAMP LIGHT

MP3: Dick Diver - Through The D

It's been aaaaages since we first gripped Dick Diver's Arks Up EP, which was a lil worrying, I guess, since sometimes bands take time off to explore new directions or whatever and these dudes were sounding real good. Not to worry, though: this brand new jam from their debut album New Start Again continues the warm, casual vibe from the earlier EP. There are some terrifically early-00s indie guitars on this track - like Yo La Tengo or the Clientele, maybe - but with this super earthy Australian delivery which is just so endearing. I guess the real reason why Dick Diver took so long to put this record together is because of the intense talent pool going on in this band: bassist Al Montfort's been playing in RQ faves Total Control and Steph Hughes has been playing guitars in Boomgates. New Start Again is out October 14 through Chapter.

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