myindie australia

my new band

2010-05-31T00:20:00.000-07:00

my new band..

pay what you feel for this...

http://www.flagandforget.bandcamp.com

Arrows, Space Invadas & Old Man River VS. Katalyst

2010-01-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, here we go for 2010...new tunes for your tired ears and our over saturated music scene.

Old Man River Vs. Katalyst. (click the pic above) This idea had me interested from the begining and im putting it here for you to check out. Its a mixtape...i guess...or maybe a collaboration...kinda...but well worth a spin! (or a wheel click* as it seems to be these days!) There isnt a tracklisting anywhere that i can find, so you're on your own figuring out what bits are from what song and which sample belongs to 'whoever's work! Its fun! Props to whothehell.net for pointing my browser to this one. What a find!

And speaking of Katalyst..Space Invadas (click link to the right) is a new project from him and Steve Spacek but it stands as a totally different thing alltogether from what you would normally associate with these guys. (and you would be forgiven if you dont know who either of them are) This is being branded as 'Soul-Fi' which means urban-soul-beats and licks. Whateverrrrr! Its groovy (it has groove so i can stay that!) and its fresh. There's a full length coming out early 2010 (whenever that is) and this offereing is something or a pre-cursor to the highly anticipated album. Next sync im putting this on my ipod...seriuzly. Mad stuff!

Arrows (click pic on left) are a band from Brissy who play *eeem.....0h!* no hang on a minute...indie post rock with melody and feeling. Yeh that's better. Cos emo is a trashy term, a throw away tag, a damaging label which will inevetibly limit audiences ability to fully apreciate music for being frickin bad-ass and epic. That's what this is.

Hobbeldehoy Records is the genius indie label up in QLD who decided top put all their releases up on Gimmesound.com for you to listen or just outright download for free. Studies show that music sharing helps artists as far as profile and explosure as concerned. No one makes money selling CD's anymore anyway. Get onto this stuff and go to a show and buy a shirt!! RIYL: Explosions in the Sky, Middle East, Decoder Ring, Sunny Day Realestate and stuff like that.

2020FAXION...

2009-12-20T16:19:00.000-08:00

I played a gig on the weekend with my mates hip hop outfit called '2020FAXION'. It usually consists of two MC/producers and the tracks...and a party! But for one night they added bass, drums and keys to the mix and all in all...phatness. Lots of it. It was absolutely awsome and I had more fun playing bass than i can remember in a long time! Though it was a one-off thing, i hope we can do it again to a bigger audience!

The guys released a MixTape last year and were giving it away to get gigs and build the profile. Good move. Heres the link... http://tinyurl.com/yabfsrm or click the pic.

They have a myspace and facebook page so go check it out and if you like it... come to a show!

(Sean's fav tracks: The Truth, Hold the Moment, Satisfaction)

We need a medic over here...

2009-12-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

Blueline Medic are an inspiration to me. They're from Melbourne, they chose to be independent and kept their art their own despite loads of media and label attention from aroudn the world. In other words they never sold out. The band plays indie rock that carries melancholy and angst along with riffs, light jangly guitars and hoarse vocals. Its everything i wanna hear in every other indie band i hear these days. Too bad they finished the band this year...

Pictured is a 7" called 'The Middle of the End' and was released through Hobbledehoy Records and is available as A FREE DOWNLOAD!

Its just two songs but they are great! One original and the other is a cover of an Imogen Heap song "Let Go'. Click the pic for the link.

Change Your Ways....(Hardcore ITP)

2009-12-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

Damn, this is the business. (*meaning this is really fricking good)

Not hip hop, not reggae, dub, pop indie... no. This is the heavy.

Coming straight out of Bendigo...wait...what? Bendigo? Yeah thats what i thought.

There is an immediate comparison to Bring Me The Horizon's latest work, minus the ear bleed. Its not as complicated, not as hard to understand but just as easy to enjoy.

They have the links to get their EP for free on their myspace page...

http://www.myspace.com/changeyourwayshardcore

Go there, read the lyirics, see what the dudes are on about...like it or not, they are doing it right.

Click on the pic above to just down the EP in zip format.

Im gonna press play again.....

...for we are young and FREE!!!!

2009-11-30T19:41:00.000-08:00

Stuff got put on teh internetz and i foundz it so you can has it too...! CLICK THE PICS!

The Beautiful Girls are releasing new album early 2010 and they are offering the first single as a free download! Its a little different from previous work that i have heard form these guys, but i really like the new direction and polish on what was already a pretty slick roots/blues/alt reggae vibe.

Urthboy contributed a cover of The Clash song 'London Calling' to TripleJ's infamous 'Like a Version' segment this year and its included on the new comp/CD of the same name. The fifth in the series this one looks kinda interesting from a glance at the tracklist. BUT... this song is frickin awsome! Not like Urthy's other stuff and yet i cant help but think he's very well suited to the song! I hearts it. The d/l link came in an email to mailing lists subscribers.

The Optimen are an aussie hip hop outfit and have plans to drop a new album in 2010 (doesnt everyone?) and this is the lead single off the disc. Its a free download and is well worth your three minutes! RIYL: The Herd, Horrowshow, Thundamentals, Illy etc etc...

So this isnt exactly new. No, actually it isnt new at all. But i only just came across it myself so its fresh to my ears. Its a band from Melbourne which serves as an outlet for one of the Cat Empire dudes. Not sure which one, doesnt matter though, this is pretty far from Cat Empire territory. See this as a second band, not a side project. It hase a blend of so many different stlyings that its a bitch to pigeon hole BUT if you at all enjoy rootsy/reggae/indie/hihop/electro/pop music then this will get its hooks into you. The version im linking you to features a guest verse from Phrase (Melbourne MC) and i have to admit, whilst i dont care much for him...he really adds to this track to make it something really special.

So there's some feel good tunes to play in the background of those good times your having with the warmer weather!! Cheers!

I found more.

2009-11-23T16:13:00.000-08:00

I found more...mooooore!

A band that sings about matters of justice, environment and politics who are actually worth listening to is ‘Blue King Brown’. They have a new single available for free d/l called ‘Moment of Truth’ and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it for those who want a healthy dose of activism in their ears. Sign up to their email list to get free goodies.
Go get the track from the link below…
http://www.archive.org/download/MomentOfTruth_669/1.MomentOfTruth.mp3

Now, mixtapes are awesome for a number of reasons:
1) They are free
2) They build interest in local artists and DJ’s.
3) They are better than remixes!

‘Chasm & Vida Sunshyne’ dropped an album on Obese Records in October. Its dub- reggae-hip hop stuff. Very cool. But leading up to the release DJ Diaz released an official mixtape called ‘Fire in the Building’ which collects a bunch of their appearances on other peoples tracks, remixes it and features a bunch of new tripped out instro’s, breaks and beats to lay back and zone out with. The idea is that if you like it, you can go check out their new album or follow the DJ’s work..or follow up the original songs from which they have borrowed to make the mixtape.
http://www.chasmbeats.com/fire.zip

Get it….its sooooo good!

From Little Things Big Things Grow (+ rant)

2009-11-16T17:14:00.001-08:00

I did not know about this until today. It's really quite cool and features some fantastic artists all collaborating on a song that was previously just another Paul Kelly tune. (One of the many, cos dude has like 20 albums!) Now it's a reworked track that features snippets from PM Ruddy's "Sorry" speech and some awsome lyrics and voices that capture the heart of reconciliation. I wish I knew about this sooner but apparently it blew up all over Triple J last year when it was released..ha! Im so behind. Anyone else miss this?
Its got Urthboy, Ozi Batla, Missy Higgins and Jane Tyrell on it to name a few voices. Sick eh?

You get the song via the Get Up! web site which has a page just for this campaign/project. There's also high-res artwork and a video clip available for free download (my favourite type) but its a big file! (youtube it instead) When you're done have a look around the site and see what else is going on. Worth your 5 minutes i promise.

Or...just click on the pic for the mp3 if thats too much.

RANT WARNING:

This gets me thinking, why isnt there more? As in...why arnt there more collaborations, partnerships and artists out there joining forces to speak out...or speak up about something? Dont get me wrong i am stoked that this exists, im all for the 'apology' but why does it stop there? What about assylum seekers, boat people, migrants and refugee's? What about suicide, depression and self harm? Homelessness, substance abuse, gambling and family violence? There is a never ending list of issues that could really benefit from some of this treatment and ive noticed that the mainstream media is missing the point. Power is in the hands of the people, not the other way around. Change will occur from the ground up, not top down. Live Aid, Wave Aide, Earth Hour, Make Povery History...whilst all good idea's and effective mediums in communicating to a large audience at once have resulted in very little change to our culture and society. So, a concert is still just a concert and a song is still just a song. More songs will still only amount to that...more songs. More noise. But people with voices can do a lot. I like that Paul Kelly, Urthboy and all the rest are motivated like this...i just wish more people were.
End rant.

Lest we forget 11:11am, 11/11/09

2009-11-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

I always choke up when i think about this day and what we as a nation remember on this day. I imagine myself boarding a ship and leaving my wife, my son and my friends and family, hobbies, job, comfortable way of life...then consider the liklihood that i would never see them again. Leave them behind to grieve, imagine the pain, imagine the loss and how much that would impact everyone left behind. Its terrible right?

Then multiply that scenario a few thousand times over, and that is exactly what occured in the lives of all the men and women over the years who stepped up and defended our country and our way of life, or more to the point, the freedom to chose how we live.

People + Sacrifice = Freedom

Here's a great song by Redgum called 'I was only 19', covered by the Herd. Its fitting for today. Just click on the pic and you will go to the host site where you can watch or download it in a variety of formats.

....off this album BTW.

R.I.P. The Tongue

2009-11-08T18:27:00.001-08:00

Here's a brand new & FREE mixtape from Elephant Traks artist 'The Tongue'. Unreal stuff featuring heaps of other quality hip hop artists. It flows seemlessly from one track to another and has a great vibe to it. I really like it. I really really like it!! The theme of memorial/funeral for the dude is kinda weird but works in the context of the mix. Theres a few interesting interludes (see 'Terrorist Hotline'!!) and cool instrumentals but the gold is in the lyrics that challenge and confront, irritate and interest me to new levels. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in skiphip or aussie music in general! I also like the tribue to De' La Soul wth the artwork image. I had that album, good times. Click on the picture to go to the site, download link at the bottom with the tracklisting.

Supplemental entry:

Unkle Ho released a mixtape of his own, the first in what will no doubt be many from this awsome instrumental/dj-producer/artist...whatever! It's really pretty good and would fit perfectly in the background of a cool cafe on a hot afternoon in a busy city somewhere with a cold brew in ya hand. Some of the music gets a little easy to ignore but then he pulls you back in with a guest vocalist or a sweet riff or sample. Either way its a great free soundtrack to wehatever you're doing right now.
Get it here:
http://soundcloud.com/urbanworld/unkle-ho-the-devils-mixtape

Hard, Hard, Soft, Soft

2009-11-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.myspace.com/northlaneaus
Sydney metal-core band giving away a three track ep.
Can get the songs here:
http://www.triplejunearthed.com/Artists/View.aspx?artistid=30445
IMO: Pretty bloody heavy and quite good.

Techy-Metal-Core band from Sydney
New album out called Empires and Endings
Stream here: http://www.myspace.com/mazeau
Download a freebie from here: http://www.purevolume.com/lightwithoutheat80
That’s the last track on the CD, pretty epic closer too. (don’t stream it from PV, d’l quality is mmmuch better)

Sydney indie band 'Parades' are going to be buzz band in like…ten minutes.

The more people catch on to these sounds the better i say.
Stream tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/parades
Down two tracks for free here: http://www.triplejunearthed.com/artists/View.aspx?artistid=19421
*Invaders’ is off last years demo… *Dead Nationale is off their latest double AA side..(See picture) UNREAL drumming, soft and pretty vocals…what a mix!

Ice Pictures - aka Matt Blake. Sweet indie sounds, a little radiohead-ish, a little Gomez, a little Muse...a lot of goodness whichever comparison you draw from it.

Stream tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/icepictures

Or grab a bunch for free from here: http://www.triplejunearthed.com/Artists/View.aspx?artistid=23309 He's giving it away so if you want to have the lot...follow the links from his myspace page and you can grab the EP in mp3/aac format depending on your preference.

Ben Lee does free

2009-10-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

I like Ben Lee. He's kinda funny, kinda quirky and sometimes very clever. He's also quite well known for being a widely disliked artist which is a unique reputation to have...not one i envy however. But love him or hate him, he doesnt stop because of it. And that in short is why i like him.

A while back he got my attention and some new found respect when he released his own cover album of 'Against Me! - New Wave'. This is a really bloody good album in itself, but Ben Lee took all that it was and re-made it in his own image. The result...in my opinion...is fantastic! (clicky the piccy to get the linky) Dont expect the same punk rock and power of Against Me' but rather a more stripped back lofi-indie approach which actually keeps the arrangements and melodies more or less untouched.

Curious? Yeh i was too. Go on, get it..its free.

Now back in the day, before we knew him, Ben played in a band called Noise Addict. Its widely thought that this was a good band and that his departure from the sound is a shame. He must've been listening because now 13 years later he has resurrected the moniker and reformed the band to release this new album for 'Noise Addict'. And he is putting it out for all the world to have for FREE! Get it from here

So thats free stuff for today, enjoy the tunes and share the links as you go!!!

Sean

Out there...way out there.

2009-10-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

I spent a fair amount of time digesting and immersing myself in the epic music found on Perth's instrumental/prog/post rock act Sleepmakeswaves album 'in today already walks tomorrow'. Its like...epic, massive, heavy, intricate and yet...not metal or tech. Its 6 beautiful movements that kinda flow on from one to another and they released it to the world for free via the Lost Children net label. They are responsible for some incredible post rock/metal and instrumental bands all of which have released music for free. Click on the image to go to the bands download page and prepare yourself! If you enjoy stuff like 'Explosions in the Sky' but always wished it was a but heavier, then this is a dream come true..plus they're aussies!

And for something else a bit...out there: Ghoul.

These guys come from Sydney and play a style of indie music that's really hard to describe. Electrocoustic, lo-fi experimental indie-pop? Nah thats not right... :( Its just a bit weird and really cool. I dont expect everyone will dig it...but...ITS FREE! Thats gotta make taking a chance on an 'out there' kinda band more worth it!

'A Mouthful of Gold' is their debut EP and you can get it by clicking on the image or following the links from their myspace. Stream a track and see if you dig it. I do, otherwise i wouldnt be sharing it with you! Cheers!

Phat elephants make big impressions..?

2009-10-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I was trying to think of something clever to put as a title to the blog post, i guess thats the best i could come up with. I really like the roster of artists associated with the Elephant Tracks label. Seriously, what a powerhouse of talent! Since i dont JUST listen to heavy music i thought id feature some of my favourtie artists in the skip-hop scene and more specifically from this stable of aussie artists!

Horrorshow have a sweet new web site up and its a .com and everything! Thats a fair committment in this day and age of myspace pages and facebook groups! So their new album was just released called 'Inside Story' and its getting some huge cred!!
TripleJJJ is giving away the single 'Thoughtcrime (doing my think)' via the free music page. Thanks triple J...again.

<- they look kinda scared. I can relate when i catch trains at night, i get scared too. Why do people with backpacks and tracksuit pants look so intimidating at night? Why arnt we scared of suits and uniforms? Thats my thoughtcrime, im judging by appearances, they must be dangerous...they're wearing back packs and trackies! Eek*

'Combat Wombat' ..the name for me..conjours up images of this robust fighting comando wombat. That is not entirely the point but i've said it anyway. The album is caleld 'Unsound System' and you can hear a track 'Qwest' (click) which did really well on triple J's Net50 back in the day! It's not new as far as products go, but its fresh music and the project has meaning behind it. The members share their views on environment, war, politics and society trough the web site and the music. Finally, someone is singing about something worth thinking about!

Hermitude recently did a cover of Bjork's song Joga (yes thats right...Bjork) and put it up for free via his myspace. Worth the listen... click here and if you dig this stuff you really ought to check out the rest of Herimtude's work! Some people cant dig the uber-aussie accents, but i dont care! Im freeking aussie, thats what we sound like. Better than fake ass american gangster talk!

Ozi Batla

And finally... i have saved my aboslute favourite skip-hop track EVER for you.. from Ozi Batla i present: 'Starship Troppers'. This is a solo track...so its pretty much just a 'Herd/Ozi Batla' track. At the moment he performs with Astronomy Class whos second album is just rocking me at the moment. Serious awsome reggae/hip hop/dub groove rap stuff...whatever, its good. This song tho...its pretty confronting and makes you think about war and the young men and women who fight these things. Phenominal.

So that wraps up my skip hop section. Hope you all enjoy the free tunes and follow links onwards to see the artists and labels pages!

Triple JJJ: Still good for something...

2009-10-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

I dont turn the radio on very often. I rarely get excited about the stuff i hear when i do tune in, usually when driving a work car or something. I am reminded of the good ol' days when i could leave my dial tuned in to TripleJ/PBS or RRR and expect to hear something good/new and cool and then id go out and research the band and find their music in a shop!
Nowadays it's tuned into whatever frequency my ipod is broadcasting and listening to playlist x. Given that the radio is kinda getting more and more saturated with dance/pop/weird alt country folk stuff...im comforted by the fact that a station like TripleJ has kept their horizons bright with the JJJunearthed page. You will find a lot of crap bands on there...yes..that is certain.

BUT theres a bunch of mad-nutt bands who have tracks up there for free and i figure this makes it a place to re-visit from time to time and get updates.

Atlanta Takes State

Metal, in your face...mad stuff from sydney. Check their myspace for info and whats happening with them.
The song you wanna hear is 'Who Ate The Disco Biscuits' and if you dig that, then you definitely need to dig up the rest. Look for a new EP thats on its way from these guys. This track is off a demo but if you can look past it...you're in for a treat!!

Dream On, Dreamer

These guys are from Melbourne and as far as i have listened, freeeking rule. I dig it. The track to get on is Vultures and if you like what you hear, go on itunes and buy the other tracks which make up this EP and turn it up loud so the nanna's in the car next to you will know 'we likez ze metal muzik'.
Good for fans of the synthy-core-sing/scream stuff thats becoming so popular at the moment.

Awsome... !!

Love...this!

2009-10-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

'Lovecats'
(<- meaning these dudes)
Song: 'Dont Play The Part'

I kinda feel funny about liking this cos generally speaking it is sooo not my thing. But there's this hooky, in your face attitude and tongue-in-cheek vibe behind it all that i cant ignore. These two dudes are in a band called 'Amity Affliction' who are a pretty tight band in their own right. Heavy and hard hitting in all the right places.

Put your email in here and they will send you the song! Totally worth it! But dont expect to hear riffage or screaming or anything! It's all about electro-pop and rap...but not gangster! Welcome to 'crunk'.

Pretty much...amazing.

2009-10-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Who's amazing? "This City Sunrise"

Who are they? A three piece band from NZ who relocated to Melbourne last year. Given the fact that NZ is kind of..smaller and the OZ is kinda ..bigger, it makes sense to come over and have a crack at the scene. What with all our sick talent and full to overflowing heavy music scene! BUT i dont know if its going to be worth it. Good bands get overlooked all the time and often it's those brilliant souls who we love to listen to that others have no clue about.

So i want to help, im tellin yall to check this business out! Im a fan. Yup i am blown away by the pure originality and style coupled with brutality and severity of the sound.

They have a myspace of course.. but go check out the blog and read up on their plans and stuff. Maybe you could help them find a new name for the band? It has to start with a 'G'. (yeh im serious!) BUT the real draw card here is that they are giving away their tunes. Get the pictured EP 'Sings In Union' and turn it up loud. Then if you are into it, you can go back for more and get the earlier self titled EP form last year. You wont be dissapointed.

*ahem*...............................and introducing...................Farewell Forever

a) Mates of mine.

b) New band made up of ex-members of: The Red Shore/ArmageddonSky/Silent Betrayal

c) Free track up over at purevolume (feat Jamie/Red Shore)
d) 3track EP on its way.

e) epic, brutal and will tear your face off.

f) you're a gimp

Ive been following the progress of these guys closely and im heaps excited by what they are doing. It's as heavy as a four letter word...but yeh it still has appeal to draw listeners in i think. Good luck boyz.

If you truely love something, set it FREE

2009-10-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

More?

More free music...

iexplodelike...

They are a crazy synthy/progressive screamo band from sunny* Melbourne who have started to put themselves out there...for free! I like it. But i also really like 'House Vs Hurricane' and 'Dream on, Dreamer' and other bands in the scene doing the synthy-beats mashup with hardcore. Its fun. Whilst this is just a demo, it stands up against some other bands releases at the moment. They have a blog and myspaz.
(*sunny bit was a joke)

"Secrets in Scale"

They are a rad alternative rock band that will do your ears a favour. They have a 6 track EP and yup..they're giving it away for here. Click HERE and go have your self a good time! I really rate this stuff, i hope you do to. Write to them, tell them you're into it, add them to your mysapce etc..spread the word!

Paper Arms

Based in Adelaide, these post-punk/hc boys have it. Its a hard edge, rough vocals and attitude WITHOUT the pretentious, flair and drama. I know Josh who used to play in God So Loved The World & back in the day...pop punk icons 'STR'. They had a 4 song CD which sold out and is now up for free download.

One writer for bombshellzine had this to say about them: "nothing this well-rehearsed and excellent has come out in years.... nobody is as good as this right now. Myspace them immediately for your own good."

OK, there you go... thats the last of it for now. Have fun with it and share alike, tell your mates if you think they'd be into some of this stuff! Add the bands on myspace, head out to a show and buy a shirt! Do what keeps this scene alive.

Hip Hop Core

2009-10-05T20:18:00.001-07:00

Deez Nutz...

There i said it. A band name that i usually outright refuse to say. One of the worst ive heard.

The back story is JJ' was the drummer of infamous chuggahcore band 'I Killed The Prom Queen'. He was a good bloke from what little time ive spent with him in the 'Antiskeptic' days. Anyway this is his thing..gangstar hardcore. He's up front delivering the vocals instead of behind the drums. It sounds like a terrible idea to mix genre's like that, but when you review some of the older bands in the ilk... you'll find that this really isnt a new thing but more of a modernized sound from wayyy back. It works too. I dont know how sincere the effort is to marry hiphop with hardcore but thats what im getting out of it. They have some albums out (see pictured) with the latest "Stay True' well worth a look in. BUT what's really cool is that they are giving away a new single...not featured on the album! Its called 'Free Music' and you can get it here

Its beefy and has a good groove and when you d/l the track you get art and lyrics along with it. *click* ... totally worth the 3 minutes it takes.

And then to add to the mix...he's in a REAL hip hop thing (minus guitars) called Grips & Tonic in which he partners up with this kiwi dude Louie Knuxx. I aint into it. You might be though so here's the linkage... and you can grab two free tracks for your trouble.

What IS cool though is that he appears as a guest vocalist alongside Michael Crafter ... (who used to the be singer in IKTPQ) on the new Confessions track 'Thats Not The Goose' which you can stream on their mysapce. I dig this song alot. It sounds immediately familiar and fresh at the same time. If you're up for it, Bluntmagazine is giving it away as a free download along with a swag of other bands on their new MixTape#1 which you can get here and i strongly recommend you do. Loads of good bands, heaps of shite ones and yeh generally a worthy download if not for the Confessions track alone. The new album is out on the 9th Oct and should deliver the goods.

(resist records rarely dissapoint)

Ahh well thats a heap of tunes for nothing. Keep your money. Spread the word.

New Day, New Core

2009-10-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

IM Back. Whatever.

Nothing says 'indie' like hardcore. Its the ugly, confronting heavy music that gets messy. It sometimes lacks the polish and finesse of its more accessible and older brother...metal. It lacks the appeal and fun of its other sibling ...punk rock. But with what it lacks, it make makes up for in spades with passion, energy and brutality. NO radio would take a risk with a sound like this, no major label would gamble on a scene with such confronting trends, links to ethical movements, violent energy, outspoken views on society and culture! Hardcore punk, metal core and ..just plain old 'hard core' music has long been a big part of the melbourne music scene and now more than ever it is seeing a*boom!*

I like that there's room for you no matter what life-views you hold to: christian, straight edge, vegan, party boy, dont care what i am*, gangstar ... you can get into this.

Lately im noticing the scene which produced such brutal bands is now brimming with cross overs, genre mash ups and a new breed of kids with something to say. Keyboards are becoming more and more familiar, beats and samples are making their way in, break downs are replaced with blast beats, dance beats are replacing double time, singing is backing the screaming, rap is even getting a look in and colour is back in the wardrobe!

It's just full of variation and new idea's and i really like it! I dont like all the music that is coming as a result but the adventurous bands behind it have my respect at least!
Im going to start sharing some of the music ive found and the links to where you can find it too. All free.
As it comes.

2009-06-10T22:08:00.001-07:00

i just stepped up to ping.fm, lets see if this is the way to save time updating stupid social networking sites...lol

Angelas Dish. An actual review this time.

2008-04-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Hmm...
I like these boys, they have toured with us and shared the stage many times since. I've witnessed their development and surge to prominence in our little indie scene. In the bands promo pic it looks like the rays of sunshine are pushing forward despite the cloudy obstacles and I'd say the same for the bands new album 'War on Time'.

Firstly, it took far too long to get this disc on shelves i reckon. I liked the first EP a lot (everyone did), and I thought it would have made a bloody good album if they'd just added one or two more songs to it. The second EP didnt do it for me like that first one did so i held out my interest until this 'album' arrived. However, i admit that i kinda stopped checking the news on it after a while, even after they put out the single, i was hoping for the full length.

The sound isnt tops (sorry boys), inconsistent and at times muddy. It dissapointed me from the first 10 seconds and from that moment on it was left to the merit of the songs to redeem this release. The opening track was skipped in under 2 minutes, the single stood out (as it does) and then things get a bit better. 'Seven Years' was all gold, 'Yeah...but not tonight' grabbed me by suprise but the rest kinda sounds half mixed and watered down filler. 'Engine Stalled' picks it back up towards the end and 'Paint a Picture' ends up being a good song but anti-climactic for a closing track. Maybe it would have been stronger with 8-9 songs and some pretty little filler intstrumental outro to make up numbers?

Its got ups and downs, doesnt sound 'amazing' and they had to wait a while to release it. Sounds like a typical indie band fighting the timing, costs and opinions of others to get their music out. I will have to ask them about it next time i see em.
The lead single and easily one of the better moments on offer is 'Soft November'. Listen..

Look a band called...Lukas!

2008-04-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

These guys have been kicking around a for a few years now but it seems in the last 6-8 months they have really got the momentum up and have nabbed themselves like heaps of Antiskeptic supports, or appearances at shows that we were also playing!! After seeing the same friendly faces at show after show I eventually take the timeout to listen to them and i rekcon these cats are pretty good. Based in Sydney, Luke Munns and his band of brothers have been hitting the road to support their latest release titled 'You and Me'. This disc has raised a bit of a question for me which i cant quite resolve....

If a CD has 8 songs is it: a) a mini-album or b) an extended EP? Pick up a copy of this and decide foryourself. It comes bundled with a DVD featuring a 'making of' stlye doco for extra value...and value it is!

Ive offered the first track..its a kicker!

World Away - Lukas.mp3

New Gear fo' da New Year

2008-02-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

So its feb already! Farrrr out. Im in a new job, doing new things, playing new shows in new places and enjoying new stuff. I have a new guitar, new idea's and finally some new music to wrap my ears around!

I have begun to find myself hungry to hear some good hip hop. It doesnt have to be much, just a good hook, some works in verse and a fresh beat.

I found Urthboy. He's on the mark.

Heres a track from his web site, there's two up for grabs from his first LP so go ahead and get the other one.

Long Walk Home

Oh and here's his web page

(*actual picture of urthboy)

I was over in New Zealand recently which was fun too. I was floored by a Kiwi hip-hop act we played with at the Parachute Festival. The dude's name is Brad but he goes under the title 'Rapture Ruckus'. Web linkage....nnnnnnow

If you visit his page you can get his new single 'No Matter' for free after signing up for the newsletter thingy. Trust me..if you like the 'holy-hip hop' like moi' then you want to get on board with this dude. Positive, motivating and phat.

Anyway the album i bought (see pictured) is great and ive been really getting into it!

(*actual picture of RR!)

And one of the best releases of last year which went almost totally un-noticed by the general public was this...blistering, blazing bloody amazing blast of hardcore punk from adelaide called 'God So Loved The World'. They got together and wrote some old school style hardcore songs about God, life, politics and issues. Its pretty blatant-in-your-freeking-face christian hardcore here...but wether you rejoice like me or find yourself turning the other way, this stuff is nuts. Seriously awsome gear... go and get the album right now from JBHiFi for like $12!

They only have a myspaz page so i must resort to that for a link... and they broke up a lil while back so there wont be much more than this i imagine.

This song ripps... Nails

In my absence....

2008-01-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

Man i cant believe its been like... since last year that i blogged! Man a lot has happened in the time that's passed and rather than offer an explanation, i will offer diversions.
Go here: http://www.whothehell.net/
Freaking best aussie music blog ever... i seriously love this blog. I read it all the time. He has mp3's, pictures and blurbs and then on the weekend he colates youtube vids for us. This space is the bomb.

Im majorly addicted to my DS. In particular homebrew stuff. I have one of those R4 chips which means i can down stuff off the net and play it. Rad times...oh yes. A particularly aswome app ive been playing with is an i-pod/iphone clone for the DS. So now i put all my mps and junk on that and listen in the car! Rad times...yes indeed. So in lieu of posting stuff, im still looking for the gold and waiting for my mates to reelase new stuff ha ha ha ha ha!!!

So what've i been listening to? Hmmm... not much aussie gear i can tell you that right now. Yeh theres been a swell of releases over the holiday period, sure we had some aria's and festivals and stuff...but that happens every year. Im waiting for the stuff that smacks me in the head and says 'hey retard, pay attention. this is the new edge, get on it.' Cant wait till ive got some time back on my hands to go find it....

Keep ya eyes on http://www.angelasdish.com
We hooked up with them cats the other week for a gig and they rocked it.
Skeppers' are gonna be a pretty active over the next few months, racking up some frequent flyer points too. That may just be the ticket to bringing some new jams for yall.

On a sad note i gotta just mention how incredibly shit it was to loose a mate over the holidays.
RIP Damo. You all wouldve heard about the crash up near Coffs Harbour everything.
Nuff said.

Mates bands...

2007-11-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

We (being ANTISKEPTIC) recently did a Youth Alive event over in regional South Australia where we caught up with some very quality peeps. We hooked up with the darling Sundance Kids' again and they were great as norm, but the bonus part was when i did merch for em... i noticed a bunch of rare 'Thinktank' CD's in the merch box! Jeremy (the bass player) used to be in Thinktank and our guitar tech and all round nice guy Kev was 2nd guitar in the 'Tank as well! Im well pleased to announce that their 2nd album 'Here is the Moment' is once again available to the music buying/loving/sharing public!! It's actually the first two EP's re-released as an album for their European Label Household Records.Frickin awsome tho...still measures up better than heaps of the current brand of indie trash out there today!

Buy it here...

Listen to one of my fav tracks Pale (first song on the disc)

Another rad A-town band to keep eyes on is Newtonheath! They have just released their new full length disco called 'Come together and Unite'. I was especiall y amped about this cos i was a mega fan of their previous band 'Edison Music' and to a lesser extent 'Sumi'. (sorry guys)

Mat and Rach have been doing this music thang for years and under a few different names as well. A quick looky at the web page gives you some mp'3s of previous work and a bit of background to digest. All in all its a pretty solid record from the outset, a bit up and down, it feels like this might really grow on me as i give it time but im still coming to terms with the fact that this does NOT sound like another Edison' record. I feel dumb because i think i was expecting one! Theres some uber big rock moments, great choruses and some pretty guitar parts dispersed throughout, not just an emo/rock thing...but more developed and urgent.

Anyway...

Rad song off the album...

Web page...not a myspaz page thankyou!

A favourite Eidson song for yall..

Going solo...

2007-10-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

I love Something For Kate.

I mean a) they're from melbourne, b) a three peice and c) an indie band that got big so whats not to like! They capture my breath, my imagination and sometimes my heartache's and hopes. Thats what a good band can do sometimes! Paul Dempsey does solo gigs about the place from time to time and has a special one coming up actually.. see here... He could totally get away with releasing a live-solo album cos the shows are just that good but fans have beaten him to it. If you go here... you'll find a two-disc live bootleg from a solo show he did some time ago capturing all the clapping, chatting, tuning and singing you'd get at a show. Its pretty cool actually so go have a listen! Here's my favourite track ::> Captain (million miles an hour)

NB: SFK have a 'best of' release, would be a great introduction to new comers!

The other dude im gonna blog about, well dosn't exactly inspire me quite the way Paul and co. have been able to, but none the less is an artists who proudly flies the flag for indie bands! Im speaking of Ben Lee. For some reason he's hated by people as much as he is liked, i dont get it! He writes cheeky, happy pop songs that get stuck in ya head, he wins awards, makes people smile and he speaks his mind. I guess that must really piss people off....?? Anyway he's recently dropped a new album and its doing ok, single on the radio, name popping up around the place and all that BUT... have you heard the OTHER ALBUM he put out recently? Its great, political, challenging, anthemic and totally not even his songs!! He covered the new 'Against Me' album called 'New Wave' completely acoustic with ditsy keyboards and paper thin loop drums and all the Ben Lee trimmings. Its an interesting listen made all the more enjoyable by the fricking awsome songs. You can get it from Ben Lee's blog.. here...

This is the title track New Wave and you should go get the rest of Ben's version of the album (which is free!) and then buy the Against Me! version from a shop somewhere.

After all, it is said that plagiarism is the highest form of flattery!

From the Horsells mouth...

2007-10-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

There's an awsome trio based in melbourne, they've been around for a good few years honing their craft with several blistering EP's, they play anthemic hard rock flavoured with hardcore ... they swing guitars about and make all sorts of angsty noises with the fury of The Nation Blue and the severity of The Mark of Cain but add to that the choruses of someone like Gyroscope.

Im talking about the mighty 'Horsell Common'. Probably like my favourite melboure band. Nay, one of my favourite aussie bands. They've FINALLY dropped their full length album 'The Rescue' and its great...
They have a blog too... http://horsellcommon.blogspot.com/ so go have a peek and tell what ya think about stuff! This track is from the record and it fully ripps... play it loud...

The Rescue

And since i gave the Mark of Cain' comparison.. (sadly many wont remember them!) i feel it only right to share the love: Retaliate (best song on the 2001 head smasher 'This is This'.) Now Antiskeptic (*and our previous bands) owe a lot to the stlyings of these boys from a-town. Big stoppy-starty 6/8 grooves, staggered 7/8 riffs and what not... mmm meaty. I dont know if Horsell also tip the hat to them but my ears hear some similarities and thats good to me!! More Than Kind

And thats my blogging done for today. Im feeling pretty excited at the mo' cos we just got some shows in Thailand next month and NewZealand in January. We're going O/S yall...here's hoping for more!

Townsville...bringin the goods

2007-10-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Townsville...
So far away and removed from the rest of the major cities on the east coast being so far north. I didnt know they had such amazing bands up there but it seems they do! One of my mates Carl Jackson came from up there, he was in a rockin punk rock band called 'Wishful Thinking'. They moved to Melbourne and rocked our faces off for a few years but broke up last year. He's doing solo stuff now...heaps 'not punk rock' and i really like it...have a listen.

This one of my favourite tracks Carl's done... Shining On You

And this is another one of my fav's from another project of his: Look up and point
He's got a site here: http://www.virb.com/carlwjackson
( and here http://www.myspace.com/prisonerslikesand )

PS: You'll find a stack of the old Wishful' tunes up here for your listening pleasure..
http://www.mp3.com.au/wishfulfthinking

And...now a band i'd mentioned previously in the blackstump blurb: The Middle East are also from Townsville. They're brilliant. Sounding a little bit like Sufjan Stevens dating Explosions in the Sky i am caught up and swept away in their music each time i listen to it. Amazing live, great recorded and i can't wait for the next release! So far they've only done a split ep with another amazing band (but from Cairns) called 'Sleeping in Trains' so until then...get this!

Song here: http://www.triplejunearthed.com/themiddleeast

( and http://www.myspace.com/visitthemiddleeast )
Buy it from ebay.. yeh they sell it on ebay and why not!

But also from: http://www.fist2face.com.au/

Sweet

Blackstump 07....

2007-10-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Let there be rock...

Stump 07 has wrapped again and what a weekend it was! I wasnt even there for the whole thing this year but still managed to take in the dust, sights n' sounds of several awsome acts i hadnt seen before as well as catch up with a few mates! The evtn atracts artists from as far as townsville to adeliade and all inbetween!! 'Antiskeptic' did its duty on the main stage Saturday evening and hopefully everyone enjoyed the set as much as we did!!!

There were many triumphant returns this year following the awsome '06' lineup which featured loads of unknowns and plenty of fresh new faces! They included 'The Middle East' & 'Sleeping On Trains' who totally wowed and stunned crowds last year and did it again for 07 ....but i am focussing this post on my friends in 'The Sundance Kids'. A top quality act from Adelaide who are going to be famous and get signed and get bloody massive. Its obvious really..the songs are just great. The band is just fantastic (made up of all star adelaide rock alumni) and the product is hot. Way hot...feel free to get on board now before you start hearing them on Nova and MMM and all that!!!

Im still working out the bnitty gritty of file hosting and what not so until i have a better grasp on the ins and outs... you 'll have to settle for some linkage...

You'll find three golden 'Sundance Kids' tracks over here...taken from the 2006 demo. Some of which were re-recorded for the amazing 'Including the Atmosphere EP' which features a whole band rather than the all acoustic approach.

http://www.triplejunearthed.com/thesundancekids

And try this .... if it works... is the first track off the EP...

http://www.mediamax.com/seaniam/Hosted/01%20Solutions%20-%20The%20Sundance%20Kids.mp3

It would go without saying that there's a myspaz page for them as well...but you knew that already right? Go ahead and make them your friends...but more importantly wrap your ears around some of the best bands to come out of adelaide in a fair while!

I blog therefor i am...

2007-09-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

Hello...

My name is Sean, i play in an independent Australian band called 'Antiskeptic'. We are based in Melbourne which literally oozes quality art, noise and idea's for us creative types to chew on. We travel around the country a bit and probably spend more time playing interstate than we do in our own city so we get to see a lot of cool bands and meet some great people!

This is going to be a place for opinions, pics, mp3's and stuff that i come across from our bubbling oz music scene. I was podcasting a show by the same name on i-tunes (look it up) however i simply do not have the time to maintain it anymore...and its been like 6 months since i even looked at it! I will try and put something up again..someday...maybe more interview-ish and less music show focussed i think.

I was doing a little bit on the Skepper's myspaz page.. http://www.myspace.com/antiskeptic

But honestly... i frickin hate myspace cos a) it's trashy b) it's crowded and c) there's too much to do.
(All the while I have my own page at http://www.myspace.com/iamlittledavid and then there's the corresponding purevolume and virb pages as well!!! Im a hater...but im also trying to keep up~)

So yeh... welcome...