Rock City is AMPed

The first albums Longlisted are: Courtney Barnett’s Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit, Grenadier’s Summer, Oisma’s Nicaragua Nights, Hermitude’s Dark Night Sweet Light, High Tension’s Bully, Marlon William’s self-titled album, and Methyl Ethel’s unimpeachable Oh Inhuman Spectacle. Swoon.

Yesterday four more were announced: Royal Headache’s High, Peter Bibby’s Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician, Oh Mercy’s When We Talk About Love and Melanie Horsnell’s Quatre Chemins.

Dave Faulkner, chairman of the AMP judges’ panel and Mr Freelove in Hoodoo Gurus, has been “immersing myself in Tigersapp by Szymon, Kill It Yourself by Jess Ribeiro and When We Talk About Love by Oh Mercy, lately,” he says.

“Oh Inhuman Spectacle by Methyl Ethel snuck up on me. I didn’t like it at first but it just clicked for me one day.”

Following last week’s Rock City Adelaide love-in with Bad//Dreems, their local buddies, playful punks “Grenadiers were a surprise to me,” he says. “That album took me a few listens to hook into as well, but then the best albums often do.

“What can you say about this one? Relentless, frenetic. File under: piss and vinegar.”

The Grenadiers play Ding Dong Lounge on Friday too, gig pigs.

As for prevailing trends, he says: “Music continues to split into a million shards, going every direction at once so there is never any ‘direction’, but I will say that hard rock is coming on pretty strong this year.”

Shard, yeah.

“The women are leading the way with lyrics. Jess Ribeiro and Courtney Barnett being two prime examples. I probably shouldn’t mention this … but I had a sneak listen to Sarah Blasko’s new album — due November — and that has wonderful lyrics on it, too.

“That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, given her past work.”

Faulkner wishes Australian music was better disseminated internationally. “Obviously a little support from government would go a long way to helping spread our music further around the world. Well, it gets a little support — precious little — and it needs more. For the rest of us, we need to support Australian music right here at home – going to gigs and buying albums so that our artists have a strong base that they can use to promote themselves elsewhere. That way they may be able to spare a few dollars to help promote themselves and pay for those outrageous airfares and hotels.

“And when I talk about going to gigs, I don’t just mean on a Saturday night when it’s walking distance from your house and free to get in! We also need to increase the local content quota on commercial radio, perhaps with an additional incentive to play new aussie music. Unfortunately some people have to be dragged kicking and screaming to support our local talent. It’s our patriotic duty.” he proselytises. Bravo Faulko.

The judging continues. Visit the Facebook page to keep abreast of all the AMP updates.

facebook.com/australianmusicprize

twitter.com/the11thAMP

#the11thAMP

BROWNE NOSE THE WAY

Clairy Browne’s recent work on Paul Kelly’s Merri Soul Sessions stood above the rest. Keep On Coming Back For More and Where You Were When I Needed You went toe-to-toe with Paul Kelly.

Cleary, she’s not intimidated. Vanity Fair is the brand spanking new single from Browne sans Bangin’ Rackettes.

“So juicy, like Fuji, it’s fresh not frozen,” she sings.

Browne is a solo artist now and Vanity Fair exudes brassy, sassy ’tude.

The bootylicious clip is inspired by the ample behinds of Coco T, Nicki Minaj, Serena Williams and Jennifer Lopez.

Also, she sounds more Beyonce than ever before, not a comparison I make lightly, nodding reader. Her debut solo album is due later in the year and an expansive tour is in the works.

facebook.com/clairybrownemusic

NO ZU = GOOD ZU

Chapter Records have signed Heat Beat’s™ number one ticket holders NO ZU for their second album Afterlife, due early 2016. Flammable.

New single Ui Yia Uia (pronounced “Yi Yah Yah”) was premiered by London’s Test Pressing blog and features the fox vox of Becky Freeman (Sui Zhen) and Daphne Shum. Buy it here:

chaptermusic.bandcamp.com

SILICON VALLEY

Chet Faker has announced the supports for his oh-you-know-really-quite-massive-shows in Oct/Nov. Silicon, Awesome Tapes From Africa and Cleopold will join Faker and Otologic will DJ between sets. Yesterday Faker dropped a reworked track, Killswitch, via Future Classic’s Soundcloud.

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Oct 30. $ 79.90, ticketmaster.com.au

CROXTON RETURNS

You Am I recently posted “15 songs cut and a new rekkid in the can folks”.

They’ll play the relaunched Croxton (!) Hotel.

Croxton Hotel, 607 High St, Thornbury, Oct 1, thecroxton.com.au

AT THE ‘DETH

Last week we told you about Megadeth’s tour, sports fans. Megadeth and Children of Bodom will play in October. Led by 53-years-young Dave Mustaine, the LA thrash metal band will rock the good city of Melbourne and you have a chance to be one of two winners of doublepasses if you email michael.cahill@news.com.au with the subject heading MEGA EXCITED ABOUT FREE MEGADETH TICKETS.

Festival Hall, Dudley St, West Melbourne, Oct 24, ticketmaster.com.au

MUST SEE GIGS

1 RAT & CO, KLO

The Shadow Electric team deserves a bloody Helpmann Award. Visions begins this weekend with a 34m square cinema screen. It’s Teeth & Tongue and Pearls, then Rat & Co and Klo performing with kaleidoscopic projections from visual artist Oliver Elmers.

For your chance to win one of two double passes to see Rat & Co email michael.cahill@news.com.au with the subject heading RAT & CO ARE ENCINO MEN OF ESTONIA.

Estonian House, Brunswick West, Fri-Sat, 7pm, $ 21. shadowelectric.com.au

2 LOWTIDE, THE SHIFTERS

Roo-gaze is a god-awful name for a genre (don’t worry, it won’t catch on, Skip), but Lowtide are bounding forth with an original take on My Bloody Valentine et al. Nine-minute epic Julia/Spring (and cool clip by Jamieson Moore, jooost below) marks the quartet as something special. AA side vinyl launch.

Northcote Social Club, Sat, 8pm, $ 12, ticketscout.com.au

3 TOTALLY MILD & TERRIBLE TRUTHS

Say goodnight … not goodbye. Totally Mild and Terrible Truths are off to Europe to play Incubate Festival in the Netherlands. This is a fundraiser with The Shifters, Small World Experience and Simona Castricum. Cracking!

The Tote, Collingwood, Fri, 8pm, $ 15, thetotehotel.com

THINK LOCAL ACT GLOBAL

LUCIANBLOMKAMP

TWITTER/lucianblomkamp

349 followers

FACEBOOK/lucianblomkampmusic

4244 fans

THE ARTIST: Melbourne polymath beat purveyor goes boldly into a flotation chamber.

CURRENT RELEASE: From Afar single is the follow-up to his 2014 Post-Nature album.

THE DEAL: He likes to watch. From Afar unfolds themes of alienation, mistrust and unquenchable lust. Cello strings bring levity to the song then they’re toothpicked apart by Massive Attack meets Nicolas Jaar synth washes. This is where Blomkamp’s classical training shines through. He won FBi Radio’s Northern Lights competition and scored a slot on Reykjavik’s Iceland Airwaves Festival. Blogs be buzzin’. Konbini says: “Another precious pearl from Melbourne’s music scene is loudly emerging this month … get ready for this musical journey.” Indie Shuffle chips in with: “I can safely say he’s one of the most exciting, talented artists in Australian electronic music today.” Thump commends Lucian for being, “not afraid to play with your heart and your mind either”. Second LP early 2016.

BUZZ RATING: 7/10

Let’s talk it over on twitter.com/joeylightbulb and I’ll follow you back.

Probably.

Big love

Mikey

x

www.news.com.au/entertainment/music