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.

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.

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.

Crixus, an MC, producer and DJ all rolled in to one, returns with his follow up EP 'Prototypecast', available both digitally and as a delicious  12”.

Continually pushing the standards of Tasmanian hiphop and raising the bar of professionalism, all the songs are written, recorded and mixed by Crixus himself, who is no stranger to the DIY ethic that purveys the local music scene. 

He smartly features the talents of vocalist Urshula Leung and electric cellist Nicholas Mercer from fellow Tasmanian band Little Bear and provides a whole stack of digital download bonuses to accompany the vinyl release. Instrumentals of all six EP songs, remixes by feature producers, and extra unreleased songs are all available via the digital download code included with each record. 

Personally I'm a fan of the urgency of the track The Awesome Things My Parents Have Taught Me. But have a listen over on the bandcamp and make up your own mind.

Tasmanian singer/composer/arranger Aly Patmore has returned from overseas study with a burning passion to keep jazz alive, and with the help of some of Tasmania's finest musicians, she's created the Hobart Jazz Octet.

The collective are interested in taking the small ensemble form to a new level, spirit and energy. Utilising the medium of Jazz and the great composers and arrangers it has produced during the last half a century of music.

Five members of the Hobart Jazz octet will come together to form the ‘Ebony and Ivory’ project quintet, playing as part of February's Jazzivory event THIS FRIDAY.

Have a listen to Aly's interview on Tasmusica this week in the audio player below. Interview is courtesy of Edge Radio.

Photos courtesy of The Point of Difference photographer Dave Pullen.

On January 15th 2013, anti-cultural trash three piece Wasted Idol scheduled a performance in the food court of a shopping centre in Hobart to release their album 'Three Coffin Fire'. The video below shows almost the entirety of the performance. Although it sparked a bit of controversy on the interwebs from those who didn't quite see the point of the exercise, a little birdy tells me it got the attention of more than just the shopping centre manager, with a person who shall remain nameless offering the boys a future gig and promising not to unplug them.

Folks, The Point of Difference has regrettably had to take a little hiatus due to the bushfires that occurred across Tasmania.

Business as usual will resume very shortly.

In the meantime, head on over here for all the info on different bushfire appeal fundraisers that musicians around Tassie are putting on:

https://www.facebook.com/TassieFires2013MusicHub

The Tote in Melbourne is also putting on a kickarse bushfire benefit gig featuring an amazing lineup that includes ex and current Tassie artists. More info here: http://thetotehotel.com/node/738

Have you ever found yourself wanting to go to a jazz club in Hobart and discovered there isn’t one? That’s exactly what happened to Antony, so he made it happen. That’s right, he made a jazz club (thank goodness for people like Antony).

Held bimonthly at Ivory Bar, the Jazzivory nights started in July and have featured the Jamie Pregnell Trio, Housework (Antony’s own band) and Sweet Potato playing to a full house every time. And yes, you can sometimes get a Hamond Organ thrown in for good measure. Sexy, sexy times.

The nights are planned to be pretty low key so people can still catch up or have a jive if they want, with the bands play right on the floor by the bar so the vibe is intimate.

You can catch the last Jazzivory for the year this Friday night, with two sets from the Jamie Pregnell Trio performing original music, improvisations and jazz standards in a contemporary format. 

Guitarist/Composer Jamie Pregnell has recently returned from overseas where he was selected to attend the Banff international workshop in jazz and creative music in June this year. Jamie was able to study with some of the top jazz musicians from around the world and has begun to make plans to record new music from his experience overseas. Upon returning home he has formed The Jamie Pregnell Trio that features Alf Jackson on Drums, and Hamish Houston on Bass.

Next year’s Jazzivory kicks off again on Jan 25th, with 2013 set to feature such Hobart jazz awesomeness as Mia Palencia and, dare we say it, an octet. 

Click for more info

On his website it says "Something like if Adorno and Orwell had a kid with ADHD that spent all day playing Xbox".

I prefer to describe Linc as a man with a large collection of harmonicas (why did I not know there were so many options before now), a natural storyteller and the best beard in Hobart.

He's been performing longer than I've been paying attention, which means he's got the craft down to a pretty fine art. Seeing him perform live with any one of his various incantations of a band is always a foot stomping, whiskey swilling affair, full of energy.

He launches his new album Resonation this Wednesday night at the Republic Bar. Get around it. And get one of the limited edition bone coloured vinyl copies of the album while you're at it.

http://www.linclefevre.com/

I captured Linc performing 'Rosalie' live in the Edge Radio studio last week.