I've been waiting in anticipation for The Lawless Quartet to release their first recording for quite some time now. It's true. You see, the first time I heard of them I was at a party where I met Benny Lawless. And when I asked him to describe their music this is what I got (yes, I wrote it down with the promise of one day publishing it):

The Lawless Quartet is like a dysfunctional laser that has tried to be fixed by a said 'television expert' that is upset that BP doesn't offer Coke and dollar dog deals anymore.

On some level that description is kind of accurate, considering just how undefinable their gypsy-swing-waltzing-European tinged-cacophony is.

For a better description, listen to my interview with them on Tasmusica, pop on over to their page, or catch them tonight at the Republic Bar for Edge Radio's Homebrewed night.
Audio courtesy of Edge Radio.

I had the pleasure of being invited to see these lads play a few weeks ago and one thing's for sure - they know how to pull a crowd.

You can't go wrong with upbeat indie pop, and Chase City's summery tunes are just in time for Spring and those longer days we're all craving.


Take a listen to the lead single from their forthcoming album Winter Dawn, and if you feel like hearing more of their voices, you can listen to an interview I did with them back in June on Tasmusica about the release of their EP. 

Righto. Here's three new Tasmanian singles I've been saving up to BAM you with in one hit. I mean, three is better than one right?

First cab off the rank is Spiral Kites with their debut single 'Dropped Off The Radar', from their forthcoming EP. 

More on the Hobart quartet over here.

Second cab off the rank is Mephistopheles and their track 'The End of All Light'.

Their second album is due out in the next couple of months and includes cover art by Bill Dean (Psycroptic, Iciclan, Excarnated).

And finally, if the above was a bit too much for you, maybe you'd prefer the other end of the spectrum. 

'Crossroads' is the new offering from singer songwriter George Begbie.

It seems fairly redundant for me to even blog about The Native Cats now that all the hip and cool blogs have already done it (and said nice things to boot).

I've know these dudes a long time and they're just getting on with making fine music that people, sometimes on the other side of the world, seem to like.

Mastered by Mikey Young (you know, THAT guy from Eddy Current), the LP/CD is out through R.I.P Society and Ride The Snake.

Some 17 year old from Sydney who strings a lot more fancy words together than I care to said this "So, to summarise, The Native Cats 'Dallas' is a moody, droning whack to the solar plexus with nun chucks made from Scott Walker's limbs. It's an album that smashes pop's bubblegum and rosy cheeks into the pavement, and grounds it up into a delectable meat that it can stew over later whilst it watches 'Game of Thrones'. Because what better way to watch Peter Dinklage than with Hobartian post-punk that screams medieval awesomeness." (Read the full review at Soundly Sounds).

On that note, take a listen.

Produced by Lachlan Mitchell (The Jezabels, Something with Numbers), Enola Fall's latest offering ditches a lot of the band's previous moodiness and opts for a more tastier combination of danceability, darkness and falsetto.

If you liked their previous eight years worth of material then I suspect you'll like this progression. Unless of course you're a bit old school and don't like it when bands start sounding a bit fancy pants. Each to their own.

Have a listen to the first track from the EP and make up your own mind. I think we can all do with yelling "I'm still scared of boys" occasionally. Well, maybe that's just me...

More on them and their current tour with The Beards here.

Mes amies I apologise there has been a bit of an absence. The world stopped turning for me for a little while there. Luckily for you, the rest of the world didn't stop turning and churned out a bunch of new music for you.

Let's play catch ups shall we? In no particular order, audio first, video later.

Heart Beach. Don't know much about them bar they are a three piece feedback pop band. But I think you'll agree, it's hard not to get swept away in daydreams while listening to this single. 

Ivy St & Peter Escott. I don't necessarily dig covers but this you have to listen to - Ivy St and Peter Escott perform each other's back catalogue.

Like Minded People. That Kieran Sullivan, he's always doing something new isn't he. When does he sleep?This is their latest single but I highly recommend you listen to 'Tollman's Hill' over on their Bandcamp as well. 

Adam Cousens. Spaghetti western single from the touring troubadour. Don't tell him I prefer the acoustic live version of this.

The Beautiful Chains. Seth, front man of the band, releases a Jack Daniels fuelled kitchen recording.

M.O.1.O (Mach1nes of 1ndeterm1nate Or1g1n). I don't even know what's going on here but admit it, this film clip is the best thing ever. This single is from the album 1.0-SYMPTOMS due for release this month on Rough Sky Records.

Chase City. I've posted a track of theirs before and really, who can deny the summery indie pop vibe? This single is off their forthcoming EP.

The Middle Names. Seriously, you blink and those buggers get their house burnt down, fly to Brisbane to record and then whack out this single.

The Mornings. On the back of a huge amount of national touring over summer, here's the film clip for their latest single.

Alan Gogoll. He's gone by a few different names, including Small Giraffe, but here he is back as himself, playing his intricate style of acoustic guitar.

Andrew Marshall. Two years in the making, Andrew's new film clip focuses on cultural togetherness and sustainable living. Footage courtesy of Steppe By Steppe.

There is something magical and enchanting about Lulu's music. 

Rehearsing in secret for months, the band suddenly surprised the interwebs with a co-ordinated campaign where, unless you're very familiar with the Hobart music scene, you won't have a clue who the girl underneath the mask is.

It takes something special to stand apart from other female Australian singer-songwriters, and Lulu's got it. Their first single 'The Music Box' really tickles my fancy. You can hear it over on their bandcamp.

Their launch gig is on 13 April at the Peacock Theatre. More details at www.lulupaige-turner.com.

I captured Lulu and Hubert performing a song so new it doesn't have a name yet, in the Edge Radio studio last week. Enjoy.

Gadje play a very specific style of jazz called gypsy swing, originating from Django Reinhardt who is renowned in French gypsy culture for his pioneering jazz guitar style.

The style is defined by a special design of guitar called the grande bouche or petite bouche (seen in the photo).


Harry's right-handed guitar coupled with Josh' left handed guitar, seated next to each other, makes for a beautiful symmetrical effect for the audience.

I spoke to Harry and Josh, one half of Gadje, about this style of jazz, it's origins and growing popularity.

Audio courtesy of Edge Radio.

Save Live Australia’s Music (SLAM) is a collective of non-politically aligned, independent, local music-loving citizens, non-funded and run by volunteers. Sounds pretty DIY huh? Which is just how the musicians like it.

You probably remember the SLAM Rally that happened in Melbourne in early 2010, in protest against over-arching Victorian Liquor Licensing policies that unfairly linked live music to high risk activity. A Live Music Accord was signed on the eve of the protest, a Live Music Agreement was signed some seven months later, and a new law introduced in Victoria in late 2011 where Live Music was recognised in the Objects of the Liquor Licensing Act.

But that's just some history for you.

In the current, SLAM continues to lobby and contribute to better outcomes and political agendas for Live Music.

And now for the SUPER current, here and now - this Saturday 23rd is National SLAM Day - celebrating the anniversary of that original SLAM rally and loving the shit out of our local musicians and the multitude of gigs they do every year.

If you'd like to check out what gigs are happening as part of SLAM 2013 - head on over here: http://slamrally.org/tas

If you're doing a gig that day/night and haven't registered on their website...why not?

B-Film & The Cannibalistic Po Howard Band is a Hobart duo made up of Paul Luttrell and Caitlin Barnett, who you may know as one half of King Carousel. 

Their debut album "B-Film & The Cannibalistic Po Howard Band Strike Back" was written and recorded in the space of six weeks in their home studio and released as a free download on Bandcamp last week.

I've always had a thing for two-pieces and these guys are no exception, bringing home a huge sound of soaring electronic riffs and sweet vocals. That's all I know. Take a listen for yourself.