Important Changes

I've decided that this blog will no longer serve as a 'musical journey' as such. I'm becoming interested in freelance writing, and this will become my portfolio. It will remain focused on music, and I'll be attempting to give a proper, solid review on one or two albums a week. I'll mention gigs and such, but expect the informality to cease here.

I have changed the title also.

My Misfortune

Yeah, so earlier I was a BIT upset. But you know, it's cool, but then I saw the Splendour in the Grass line-up and nearly died. HOLY IHJBFIHBHIB JSBDKJNSIJNDSBCJHBDCKJNSLKMDLNHSIDHBEIUC. Yeah, it ain't too shabby. I can't go to that either. So what I'm going to do is list each gig I've missed out on this year:

- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Grizzly Bear
- Big Day Out
- Soundwave Festival
- Two different Dinosaur Jr. shows
- Pixies
- Sunny Day Real Estate/Glassjaw/Jimmy Eat World thingo
- Brand New
- Groovin' the Moo
- New Found Glory
- and now Splendour

That's all I can think of, without listing the 20+ no-name bands that I coulda-shoula-woulda seen,

I'm just one lucky guy, eh?

I better end up going to Dillinger in May, and also a few sideshows for Splendour...hopefully Grizzly Bear...at least.

...I've got nothin'

Coming to you live from Sydney, yeah, with not too much news. I didn't end up going to New Found Glory, Break Even, or Paper Arms and successfully pissed off a scalper. I had a moment of glimmering hope, but then it was crushed with relentless cruelty. Yeah, it's disappointing...but you know, the bands aren't all that great.

Again...New Bands

Insomnia has reared its ugly head yet again. It's half-past two in the morning and I'm supposed to wake up in three hours. It's gonna be a fun drive!

Whining aside, I've got important news for you, my loyal readers - I'm going to see New Found Glory, Break Even, Paper Arms, and a stack of other bands in a few days. I don't particularly like any other those bands, but it beats sitting around at my uncle's place. I'm getting my NFG tickets for less than half of the retail price too. SICK!

Down to business.

When the Sea Became a Giant by Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate): Well, strike me down and call me an idiot, 'cause I thought 90s emo was...well...still in the 90s. I discovered them in a really strange way, the guy who owns the label they're signed to sent me a private message (which I assume was somewhat superficial) that attempted to strike up conversation about Mineral. Regardless, I can forgive his shameless advertising. Damn this is good. Don't let my branding of 'emo' fool you with immediate connotions of lyrical reliance; this collective has an idiosyncratic instrumental focus, that goes to the extent of offering an exact polarities of their (10-year prior) 'contemporaries'. I'm noticing a pattern in the current journey, and that's an undeniable emo streak surfacing. I'm cool with it. Definitely look them up. 4/5.

Whirlpool by Chapterhouse: Found 'em cruising around Last.fm, as per usual. Another shoegaze band, with remarkable soundscapes and density. I keep using density a lot lately, but it's really the only way to describe what I'm listening to. There isn't much of a deviation from the traditional shoegaze form, so there isn't much to talk about, but they're also worth a spin. 3/5.


...I probably need sleep. See you on the other side.

Violent Soho: Self-titled

Finished exams today. Thank God. HA. The skin on my middle finger has worn through about 6 layers. Preeeetty cool.

Anyway, now it's down to business.

I'm going to dedicate this entire post to one of my FAVOURITE Australian bands, Violent Soho. They've recently released their second full-length Violent Soho.

---------

Violent Soho are an interesting collective. Their debut We Don't Belong Here rates as one of the best albums I heard last year, but disappointingly, this one doesn't reach the mark. Firstly, my main issue is with the recording. Violent Soho's attraction is the utter rawness of their art. The pounding riffs of the "original" tracks such as "Love is a Heavy Word" and "Jesus Stole My Girlfriend" is truly remarkable. It even challenges one to consider grunge as still having traces of life, behind the flannelets and binge drinking. When I downloaded my "copy" of this new endeavour, my hopes were crushed. Brutally.

The album is essentially a regurgitation of over half of its predecessor, 7 out of the 10 tracks are remastered. The production seems to have detracted from this raw nature Violent Soho can pride themselves on; it's kind of hard to articulate, but in short, the heavy drawn out bass-line that dominates the previous work is reduced to a cheesy overlay of a "do-do-do" and childish attempts at anthemic rock.

Here, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig8k9XZOOrQ

Can you hear the intensity? The "rawness" that I'm talkin' about? Eh?

Yeah, I thought so.

In short, I heard it and was immediately reminded of The Vines - Awesome debut, then crash and burn baby.

Make sure you ain't misunderstanding me, I'm not feeling this album due to the fact that they've lost their raw grunge spirit and haven't even bothered to write a new album. This album is more than likely to thrust them into popularity off the back of a year-long US tour. It's just got that kind of feel to it.

Side Project

Check this, I'm trying out tumblr.

http://maythemusessmileuponyou.tumblr.com/

We'll see if it's more of a success than this?

Photos from the best Youthie Gig ever.