Figured I'd start a thread on bands that I catch around town that are worth checking out that folks might not have seen. Please add some of your own too.
Little John
Used to play in Redfish Bluegrass now has his own solo outfit. Recently added a drummer and bass player. Well worth checking out and I've been flogging his songs lately. Damn fine Harmonica player too.
Lindsay Phillips
Great gothic country solo act with a big voice. He's got a cd launch at the empress soon I think.
Jimmy Tait
Same kinda vein as catpower but slower and darker. 'The Pond' is definately one of my favourites of hers as is her live cover of the beasts of bourbon 'got a virus going around'. Also plays in Richie 1250 & The Brides Of Christ and Monty Sparrow.
Jacob S Harris
Another dark tinged countryish lad. Nathan Hollywood covers one of his songs and if you haven't heard Nathan Hollywood then...
Nathan Hollywood
Started off solo acoustic then got a full band and now plays very violent jarring songs with still a sense of that southern gothic twisted country storytelling. On hiatus for a bit but I'm dying to see him get back into it.
Andrew RC
Guitarist for Nathan Hollywood, Blessington and a few other acts. Started having drumbeats backing him up.
Fatti Frances
Plays drums in Nathan Hollywood and I can't remember what else she used to play in but something damn good I reckon
Brothers Grim & The Blue Murders
People probably know these cats but for those that don't they're americana, gravelly vocals, resonator guitar and put on a damn entertaining show. Chris the bass player has a new outfit called Eaten By Dogs which I just got the demo of and it is one of the best things I've heard for a while. Unfortunately no links yet so you'll just have to keep an eye out for when he plays.
Cash Savage & The Last Drinks
One of the best blues bands going around and Cash has a stage presence and voice that is larger than life.
Bulls
Dacios playing stripped down
Graveyard Train
People should know this band but if you don't welcome to the strange world of horror country sung by a man choir
Silvercity Highway
Probably know these guys too but if you don't they are well worth checking out. Fergus and Adam play regularly at The Marquis but if you get the chance catch the whole band
That'll do for the country - ish bands I guess. Pretty quiet at work if you haven't guessed so I reckon I'll be posting a veritable pantload of bands tonight.
Louder bands now
Bone
Played with these guys the other week. Good solid bass lines and entertaining show. Pretty brief description but I can't hear them on this computer and I just remember I liked them.
Bowcaster
Great furious band that come out you like a wall of sound. All the lyrics are star wars quotes.
Satan's Deathship
members of look who's toxic doing metal.
Fathoms
Can't find a link for them but good long growing songs. You know the ones I'm talking about. Also in this vein are Fourteen Nights At Sea who just added a second guitarist and are playing more instrumentals. Also These Hands Could Seperate The Sky
Kretch
One of the best damn punk bands going around in my opinion. Great live show too with Danny the frontman being like a whirling dervish on crack.
nice work.
I agree with Bowcaster. Awesome band.
Nightmaster. Baptism of Uzi. Spitfire Parade. Strange Attractions. AWESOME.
Peep Tempel
Good unpretentious rock n roll
BJ Morriszonkle
Very strange one man band. Almost like composed cartoon music. Last time I spoke to him he was testing out a new sleep pattern. Sleep from 12am - 5am, wake up, do stuff then back to sleep from 7am - 10am.
Mikelangelo & The Tin Star
Surf 'n' Western sounds from the man that brought you Mikelangelo & The Black Sea Gentlemen.
The Toot Toot Toots
One of the best good time rock bands I've seen. Great live show, catchy as fuck meaty songs, trombones, second percussionist, two frontmen. One of the best going around.
Haven't caught Baptism Of Uzi yet but mean too. Same goes for Bloodones Dig Spitfire Parade too.
i made a bigger list, but then i took six names out for being in ''new weird australia'' already or a feral media release.
Caitlin Park http://www.myspace.com/caitlinpark
sounds a little like cat power, with sometimes clever, sometimes messy integration of laptop samples.
Actual Russian Brides http://www.myspace.com/actualrussianbrides
reminds me of Chicks On Speed, lo fi electro, occasional deranged screaming. no, it's good.
Kitchen's Floor are the best
thanks mulligan!
going to need to check some of this out.
MESA COSA FOR THE WIN.
great thread - thanks
Seconded, they rule.
Ooh ... there's a few here I don't know. Will have to work on that.
TRANSIENTRANDOM!
Who was the band that played with you cunts at Red Rattler? They fucken rule.
The Wildes
'Ballad of a young married man' - Cracker of a song.
These are GREAT mulligan! Yes, The Wildes are great.
Nice to see Andrew RC in there too...
Thanks!
The Maladies
Great Sydney band that tend to come down to Melbourne fairly regularly. Energetic live show and killer album.
LOVED that goddam album.
Yeah, it's a fucking cracker of an LP. They're working on a new one soon, apparently...
Matt Bailey
Sometimes goes under the name Jupiter & Mercury now. Occasionally has the Margins/Black Level Embassy guys backing him up. One of the best albums I heard in 2009, unfortunately he couldn't get anyone to release it (me included but oh how I want to) so I think he has plans to re record this year.
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Bone are good....I think.
The Velocettes - Laid back psych surf.
Ancient Slate - Members of Brutals, Exploders playing psych-pop. Fantastic live... sound a bit like the Clean.
Mother and Son - Band from Wollongong who play in Melbs frequently, brutal dirty garage surf. Possibly my favourite band at the moment.
Midnight Caller
Royston Vasie
bone are great live, especially at the old bar!
electric mary http://www.myspace.com/electricmary
one kind http://www.onekind.com.au
sam from digger's new solo project: brat farrar
i'm gonna write bone again
anyone at TINA this week check out some good local Newcastle bands playing around town... Bare Grillz, Cock Safari, Polyfox all at Sound Summit, Cistern Corrupt and tons of others at Sound no Sound fest, tonight Stitched Vision and Scalps tonight at Croatian Club. Newcastle is great right now.
i heard a few of these bands on PBS http://www.500dollarlimit.com
Ornithologist.
I was well impressed seeing Tailor Made for a Small Room and Actor Budhists
I went to see Little John though and thought it was pretty bad, maybe the record sounds good?
for all those kind people saying nice things about intentions way back up there, we have a new release.
ahem. sorry for spamming.
for my money:
Mere Women are truly excellent and my favourite band right now. Made of Flynn, the guitarist from Ohana, Katrina, the drummer/singer from The Thaw and Bare Arms, and Amy who is Little a. They sound like all the best bits of all of those bands put together.
Crouching 80s Hidden Acronym are bizarre, genre-hopping, very talented kids from Tamworth, just moved to Sydney. Some bits sound like Elvis Costello, or Bloc Party with a sense of humour, some bits sound like Dave McCormack fronting Hot Chip. They also do a cover of the Theme From Mos Eisley Cantina live, and it kills.
Let Me Down Jungleman Gently are also youngsters from a country town who relocated to Sydney this year. Mathy pop-punk excellence. Think Fall Of Troy.
Big yes to all those bands sci_fi!
Also Bone are fucking awesome as mentioned. It's hard to explain them, I guess my empression of them was like if Scul Hazzards played dirty swampy rock and roll.
Very keen to check out Lazerface in Melbourne when they start playing.
Not sure if it's been said but Totally Unicorn are just fucking amazing. They're 3/4's of Hospital The Musical (minus the slap bass!) with Rob from Ohana on bass. They play big fat party metal, riffs galore and quirky timings but the songs and stage presence are totally enjoyable which is so refreshing for heavy music in Sydney.
Buried Feather sound like a psychedelic band.
Revolver & Sun?
Really quite very good 60's garage styled stuff.
Nothing incredible, but certainly worth a look.
Galaxy Folk were impressive the other week.
Can't stop listening to these kids.
Founds.
A few bands that I've really enjoyed so far this year...
New Howlin' Streamtrain track is boss..
Bellyache Ben and the Steamgrass Boys. Most impressive live band I've seen this year. Clips and recordings don't do justice.
Rattlehand, awesome Brissie band.
The Murlocs, caught these at the Tote by chance and was blown away.
Big Tobacco