Archive for the ‘Music Reviews’ Category

Be The Morning – The Marines (Laughing Outlaw)

The Marines debut album is the product of a lengthy gestation leading to a hot summer spent in a rented workman’s cottage somewhere outside of Sydney. It would also appear that it is the product of a collection of very tasteful record collections. Not that they are simply mimicking those high quality record collections, but there’s no denying that musicologist listeners are likely to spot strains... Read the full story

Future Universe – Ron S. Peno and the Superstitions (Fuse Group)

It’s taken a long time for Ron Peno to get around to releasing a solo album, and even now he’s chosen to attach a band to the project, not just in name but in musical collaboration, and, it feels like, in spirit also. The songs on Future Universe were written by Peno and guitarist Cam Butler, although at times you feel like the ghost of (the very much alive!) Jimmie Webb may have floated through... Read the full story

Long Player Late Bloomer – Ron Sexsmith (Warner)

This album has been out a few months now but has only recently made it to my CD tray. That, in itself, is a bit surprising because I’ve long been a supporter of the Canadian singer-songwriter, but perhaps my support had become a bit complacent. Maybe Sexsmith was feeling a bit the same way, because for this album he recruited producer Bob Rock to add a bit of radio-friendly polish to his tunes. Rock... Read the full story

Mark Seymour and the Undertow (Liberation)

Mark Seymour holds an important place in the Australian music landscape but it’s not easy to define. He’s not quite regarded as a “national treasure” in the way of Paul Kelly might be, but he’s also not seen as a nostalgia act trading off his illustrious path. He’s accorded much more respect than that.  His recent albums have had a relatively low profile though, and they’ve been regarded... Read the full story

Robbie Robertson – How To Become A Clairvoyant (429 Records)

How To Become A Clairvoyant is Robbie Robertson’s fifth solo album, and his first since 1998’s Contact From The Underworld Of Redboy. Perhaps the most acclaimed solo album was his self-titled album from 1987, which included songs like Showdown At Big Sky and Somewhere Down The Crazy River. That album was nothing short of magnificent. Robbie Robertson, of course, was one member of The Band and within... Read the full story

Collapse Into Now – R.E.M. (Warner)

Much will be written about how this is “the best R.E.M. album since (insert reviewers favorite R.E.M. album here)”, and that’s fine. But in the end that’s going to be more about the reviewer’s view of the back catalogue and their personal point of entry into it, rather than this actual album. This actual album is a cracker – and it would be a cracker whether the band had a hallowed history... Read the full story

Dancing Backwards In High Heels – New York Dolls (429 Records)

Dancing Backwards In High Heels is a different album to the first two albums of the New York Dolls second coming – 2004’s One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This and 2009’s Cause I Sez So. Those two album’s seemed to pick up where the early Dolls left off, with big riffing guitars and sleazy sounding glam rock meets power pop songs. But there was always more to the New York Dolls than... Read the full story

Adalita – Adalita (Liberation)

I don’t know Adalita personally. Despite my “street press” years in the 90’s and her band Magic Dirt being a staple in those publications, somehow our paths didn’t cross. There was always someone else at InPress who passionately wanted to do the Magic Dirt interview or someone else that wanted to review their show. It would be a reasonable assumption that I’d know Adalita, but I don’t. But... Read the full story

The King Is Dead – The Decemberists (Capital)

The latest offering from The Decemberists is less conceptual, but no less satisfying, than previous releases. It’s a collection of songs that individually stand the test of independence and yet still constitute an album of integrity. The reference points are obvious and not even slightly disguised – early REM, Wilco, Neil Young (circa say After the Goldrush) and 10000 Maniacs. What’s not to like? It’s... Read the full story

Vessels – Bryan Estepa (Laughing Outlaw)

This is the third album from this Sydney based artist and although the first two have apparently attracted a sizeable following in Australia and internationally, he remains one of those “best kept secret” type artists. Lets hope that changes. Bryan Estepa is a tremendously talented pop songwriter – and by ‘pop’ I mean the sort of pop that owes its existence to writers like Lennon and McCartney,... Read the full story

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