Album Reviews

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David Bowie -The Next day

Right!  What have you got for us after ten years then Dave…? Critiquing a new album from someone of Bowie’s legendary status (the first in ten years no less) might well fill many a reviewer with a sense of trepidation, however this little reviewer has made critical hamburgers out of some musical sacred cows recently […]

Album Reviews

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds -Push the Sky Away

15 albums in nearly 20 years.  So is the celebrated career of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.  Their last offering Dig, Lazarus, Dig!! was released in 2008, but sating Cave appetites between the aforementioned and this release was the energetic Grinderman project which was a veritable adrenaline rush compared to most of the (impressively […]

Album Reviews

Atoms For Peace – AMOK

An electronic project featuring Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Flea of  The Red Hot Chili Peppers named after a speech by Dwight Eisenhower?  Hmmm…. This is the debut effort from Atoms For Peace (the band, not the speech, although the speech’s ’53 debut is not to be sniffed at!). Of course, based on the appearance […]

Album Reviews

Eels – Wonderful, Glorious

“Nobody listens to a whispering fool.  Are you listening?  I didn’t think so.  I’ve been quiet as a church house mouse.  Tiptoeing everywhere I go…”.  So goes the introductory lyric of opening track “Bombs Away”, and a poignant notion it is.  Eels have indeed been quiet for the last few years. Wonderful, Glorious is somewhat […]

Album Reviews Uncategorized

Tomahawk – Oddfellows

Any new release featuring Mike Patton is sure to pique the interest of many a musical pundit, and interests were more than piqued when the band described this album as being like “like a heavy version of the Beach Boys” prior to its release.  I for one was intrigued about the concept, despite Tomahawk being […]

Album Reviews

Bad Religion – True North

34 years.  That’s how long Bad Religion has been a functioning entity!  Occupying a genre not known for cultivating longevity in its participants, they’ve endured line-up changes, fluctuations in popularity and label changes and are (deservedly) absolute icons of punk rock. However to use sporting parlance, you’re only as good as your last game… so […]

Album Reviews

Projected Twin – Earth vs World

This is the second album from Projected Twin, the brainchild of Adelaide local Shaun Holton.  Following on from the similarly titled, self-produced debut Earth to World, Earth vs World was made possible by the increasingly successful Pledge Music organization.  For those unfamiliar, Pledge and similar organizations take donations towards the cost of  recording upcoming albums […]

Album Reviews

Holy Grail – Ride the Void

Nuclear Blast Records Sophomore albums are always an interesting proposition.  Not only because they are supposedly “difficult”, but also because they often give a more realistic representation of a band’s sound and future direction than their debut.  Many bands skew off in a radically different direction on their second albums, eager to avoid stereotype and […]

Album Reviews

Soundgarden “King Animal”

Sixteen years. That’s how long it’s been since Seattle heavyweights Soundgarden have released a studio album! Down on the Upside was the band’s swansong, or so it seemed at the time. No one could have guessed we’d see another album from them, much less with the classic lineup. Can a band who’ve been apart for […]

Album Reviews

Parkway Drive “Atlas”

Byron Bay’s finest are back with a brand new album. Following on from 2010’s Deep Blue, Atlas has seen a flurry of press releases waxing lyrical about the band being world beaters and the cream of the metalcore crop. That’s all well and good, but does the album live up to expectations? Here’s the verdict… […]

Album Reviews

Pig Destroyer “Book Burner”

Let’s get something straight from the outset. Don’t bother with this review if you think Metallica are good, but Slayer are a bit scary. This album is brutal. This is as hard and heavy as it gets. If you’re an adventurous listener or you like your metal extreme and violently frenetic, then read on. If […]

Album Reviews

Neil Young and Crazy Horse “Psychedelic Pill”

Every so often an album comes along that fills a reviewer with equal parts excitement and dread. A work by someone of Young’s musical credentials would seem to be best approached with caution. Critiquing an album by someone so revered in the music industry is a treacherous task. Get it wrong and you’re in for […]

Album Reviews

The Mark of Cain “Songs of the Third and Fifth

Highly anticipated? A long time coming? Worth the wait? Certainly the first two are true. This is the first album from the Aussie hardcore/hard-rock mainstays since ‘This is This’ over a decade ago! It’s their fifth overall in an incredible career spanning three decades. So…what’s the answer to the third question? Read on to find […]

Album Reviews

The Beach Boys “Thats Why God Made The Radio”

Neatly coinciding with the band’s 50th anniversary, this album is the TWENTY NINTH the band have released in their incredible career! Musical content aside, this album is noteworthy for a number of reasons; it’s the first album of new material they have released in twenty years, it’s the first to feature guitarist and vocalist David […]

Album Reviews

Bob Mould “Silver Age”

So who’s this dude with the funny name then? Many of you may be wondering just that, but if you’re familiar with ’80s hardcore punks Husker Du or ’90s pseudo grunge act Sugar, then you’ve heard Mr Mould in action. Both groups produced critically acclaimed and hugely influential albums and Bob is certainly one talented […]

Album Reviews

Joe Walsh “Analogue Man”

This is the tenth studio album from Joe, who most of you will know from his work as lead guitarist in ’70s superstars The Eagles and James Gang. He has also contributed his guitar playing to countless other works by famous artists including The Beach Boys, Steve Winwood and Bob Seger. Of course Joe is […]