Alison Mosshart sings What A Wonderful World

The Kills are one of my favorite bands, a duo consisting of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. They are best described as being grunge rock, and I was absolutely stoked to be able to see them live this year. I love Alison Mosshart's voice, she makes every song sound so amazing. She also recently(ish) formed The Dead Weather with three other famous rockers, most notably, Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes.

Just the other day on the TV show, Sons of Anarchy, a wonderful cover performed by Alison Mosshart & The Forest Rangers was featured. They covered Loius Armstrong's What A Wonderful World, and did an awesome job. While I would have liked them to have transformed the song and made it more grungy or rocky, Alison's voice sounds great singing the song. Take a listen below

Los Campesinos! - By Your Hand

While I try stick to posting about Aussie music here on the blog, I couldn't help but share this great new song with you guys. Los Campesinos! are a 7-piece indie pop band from England that I have been in love with for quite some time now. They are really poppy and upbeat, and have recently released the first single from their album due out on the 14th of November. Although the album is titled Hello Sadness, this song will definitely not leave you feeling sad at all. With a very catchy chorus, and charm that I have not been able to resist, this is definitely one of my favourite songs of the year so far. Watch the accompanying video below .

Hear Alice SpaceDoll's mesmerising sounds

Alice SpaceDoll... Now that's a strange name. But man am I digging that voice and that spaced out ambient music. This electro producer/singer has a total of 2 EPs and her recent debut album, and I am liking them all. Actually I'm really loving them. Alice's debut album, Sunships & Starseeds, follows with the idea that she is actually from the Sun and has been reincarnated on Earth. Whacky I know, but who doesn't like a bit of quirkiness? Especially with great music to back it up.

You can buy the album over here. The whole album has a really great vibe, with the standout being Alice's mesmerising vocals. I will be listening to these tracks for quite some time! You can stream the album below, but make sure you grab the album if you like it, its pretty cheap, and well worth it

Stream CANT (AKA Chris Taylor's) new album

If you were really diggging those tracks we talked about a while back from Chris Taylor's (Grizzly Bear) side project CANT, then you can listen to the entire album now trough Transdreamer Records. It's definitely worth a listen, especially if you plan on going to Southbound or Falls Festival as CANT is on the bill. If you like the stuff make sure you grab yourself a copy.

  Latest tracks by Transdreamer Records

Shontay Snow previews new song

We have given Shontay Snow some love on this blog, I think shes got an amazing voice and can see her doing some big things. Just the other day at Fremantle (Mojos Bar) she released her debut EP, and unfortunately I couldn't go. You can find out more about Shontay here, and get some details on her new EP. She played a couple new songs on the night, with one song, Artificial Love not being included on her EP, but it was recorded, and you can watch it below. The song is not perfectly recorded, but you can definitely here how great it is despite that.

Caitlin Park - Baby Teeth Video

You remember the sweet sounds of Catilin Park right? If not make sure you check out this post we did here. After releasing the single Baby Teeth from the debut album, Milk Annual, she has now released a video clip for the song. Check it out below

sleepyhands - Smoke People

Sydney 7-piece outfit sleepyhands are definitely a band to listen out for. Last year they released a very impressive self titled EP with 5 stunning tracks, enlisting the help of one of my favourite Aussie artists Jonathan Boulet. After touring their music with some pretty well known Aussie acts, Jinja Safari and Holly Throsby to name a couple, they have finally produced some new music. 

Back a couple months ago now, in July, sleepyhands released the first single from their new release, Smoke People. The song is very exciting indeed. Effortlessly combining folk and pop influences, with beautiful piano interludes and superb vocals from lead singer Christine Hazelwood, this an easy song to listen to, and it takes me to another world with every listen. Be sure to check out the song below, and keep your eyes and ears open for news of sleephand's second release.

 

The National go national

Probably one of the standout albums for many people last year was High Violet by indie outfit The National. They were recently announced to be playing at Harvest , alongside TV On The Radio, Mogwai, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Kevin Devine, Seekae, The Flaming Lips, Bright Eyes, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Mercury Rev, The Family Stone, Holy Fuck, Death In Vegas, The Walkmen, Dappled Cities, PVT, This Town Needs Guns, The Holidays, Foxy Shazam, Phosphorescent and Kormac's Big Band. While those of us unlucky enough to live in WA or SA will not get to see all of these bands (as Harvest like many festivals sticks to the east coast), The National today announced a couple sideshows to cheer us up. Here are the dates:

Solo tour with The Walkmen:

Tue 15 Nov - Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide, SA
Thu 17 Nov - Metro City, Perth, WA

Harvest dates:

Sat 12 Nov - Harvest Presents "The Gathering", Werribee Park, Melbourne, VIC
Sun 13 Nov - Parramatta Park, Sydney, NSW
Sat 19 Nov - Botanical Gardens, Brisbane, QLD

Tickets are on sale for the Adelaide and Perth shows on Friday September 16th, and let me tell you, The National are absolutely amazing live, and you definitely want to grab yourself some tickets because The Walkmen are also a terrific live band.

1929Indian impress fans

1929Indian are a 5-piece indie rock band hailing from NSW, Australia that are beginning to make a big splash in the Aussie music scene. The band have been together since early last year and are finally releasing their debut EP to a growing fan base. After offering up a demo song for fans, the band have now added two songs to their bandpage from the EP. You can stream and download both tracks, which I recommend doing right now, before this band take off. These guys are really unique, combining many layers of sounds to make mini-masterpieces. My favourite of the two is Six O'Clock Swill, I am a massive fan of the chorus, with a mix of classic aussie rock sounds and more modern experimental dance sounds being combined perfectly by this fresh aussie group.

Class A - So Bad

As someone whose taste is pretty deeply rooted in indie music, I cop a lot of flak from friends with similar indie leanings for my love of hip-hop, and in particular Australian hip-hop. But despite some people's hesitation to embrace the genre, it's hard not to enjoy the upbeat sounds of up and coming rapper Class A.

There aren't a lot of female lyricists in the hip-hop scene, and Class A has established herself as one of the best. From her debut EP Class In Session to last year's full-length album Me, Me, Me & Him, she has been turning a lot of heads. In particular this song So Bad, produced by hip-hop heavyweight M-Phazes, not only showcases her skills as an MC, but it's an incredibly catchy track that just makes you want to dance. Give it a listen, and check her out on Triple J Unearthed here.

So Bad by Class A MC

Aurora and Daisy - Winter Time

I first discovered Queensland twins Aurora and Daisy last year in Triple J's Unearthed High competition, and instantly fell in love with their track Winter Time. It's a very stripped back, mellow tune but the power of these girls voices gives it a spacious, transcendental quality that's kept me listening to it again and again. Right now it's the only track they have available, but you can head on over to their Unearthed page and download it, or give it a listen below.

As a pair of harmonising, acoustic-guitar-playing twins, the Tegan and Sara comparisons are inevitable, but these girls already have such a developed, unique sound of their own. I'm definitely keen to see where they go from here.

Aurora and Daisy - Winter Time by thenewsound

Joel Fenton and the Runaways debut EP

I must admit, I am a big sucker for looking at bands influences and letting that decide whether or not I will listen to them. This probably isn’t a very good habit, but it’s got me this far. New indie rock band, Joel Fenton and the Runaways are an interesting group, in this regard. They cite their influences as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamie T and Kanye West. Interested now?

Lead singer Joel Fenton and fellow band members Ash Woodward and Harley Pascoe have just finished their debut EP. They have four songs on offer from this EP at the moment, and they’re all pretty catchy songs. While I would say that they sound a lot more similar to rock legends Red Hot Chili Peppers then any of their other influences, they definitely do not mimic their idols. All of the songs have a funky edge to them, crafted around great guitar hooks, these guys don’t seem like strangers to the music scene at all.

My personal favourite from their debut EP is the acoustic track Home. I’m a big fan of the acoustic guitar, and I really think this song lets listeners hear the great talent on offer from this band. Misty is another great track that features loads of rockin’ guitar, its a nice combination to that solid drum beat, and it absolutely makes this song. You can check these guys out here, make sure you do, because I can see these guys going pretty far in a couple years!

Adam George delivers a spectacular EP

Brand spankin' new Aussie artist, Adam George is already a master of indie folk jams, recently releasing an EP full of soothing tracks, featuring absolutely stunning vocals. I can definitely hear the Angus & Julia Stone influences in his songs, that's not to say his music is unoriginal, he's just got a similar sound.

The first track I listened to, Lost In You is a very slow, mellow song centering around his beautiful melodious vocals. This is the trend in all of his songs, with simple chord progressions and minimal instruments really highlighting his great voice. Towards the end of Lost In You, the song takes off, a wonderful finishing touch.

If you prefer your songs a little more upbeat, then you should take a listen to Smoke & Mirrors, which is probably the standout of the EP for me. I love the careful combination of guitar and drums on this track, with Adam's voice making the song one you will have on repeat for days. Feel free to stream this song below and tell me what you think.

You can listen to every one of the songs off this EP at Adam's myspace, which is quite a generous offer from such a showcase of talent. Adam George appears to be a new musician on the block, but he definitely has the goods to go a long way, I will definitely be keeping my ears out for more form this gifted lad.

Smoke and Mirrors by Adam George

National Campus Band Comp

The National Campus Band Comp has seen university bands going head-to-head in Australia for 21 years, and with past winners including the likes of Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, Grinspoon, The Vines, Augie March, and The Vasco Era, it's a pretty big deal. The 2011 competition is getting close to the finish line, with state finals already well under way.

In the ACT, chilled out folksters Sidney Creswick took out the prize in late August. You can check out some of their music here on their facebook page.
At the SA final in Adelaide, newcomers MISM stole the show.
The winners in Queensland were the funky five-piece The H Gang, who you can listen to here.

The rest of the state finals are yet to take place.
The Victorian final kicks off this Wednesday the 7th of September at 6.30pm at The Espy - Gershwin Room.
Here at home in WA it all goes down at 8pm on Saturday the 10th at the Rosemount Hotel, with finalists The Shallows, Cult of Addiction, The Runner, Tusk, Three of Life, The Cabarets, and Ermine Coat.
And last but not least, the New South Wales final will be held on Friday the 16th at the Gaelic Hotel.

I'm definitely keen to see who comes out on top in each of the state finals, and the national final in October, and to discover some of the freshest young talent on offer in Australia.

the Modern Collection on Tumblr

In order to boost our indie cred, we now have a tumblr page. It will mostly be the same content as on the blog but also occasional entries that don't make it here. If you want to check it out, go here (or follow the-moderncollection on tumblr).

Guerre - Darker My Love

One particular genre or style of music that has caught my ear over the last year is the loosely defined ambient electronic pop or lo-fi electro, call the genre what you will, some of the music falling under this branch is wondrous. From acts such as James Blake, The Weeknd and Animal Collective, these easy to listen artists are really making an impression on the music scene at the moment. I recently stumbled over Aussie artists Guerre and his bandcamp page for his new album Darker My Love. The album is offered as a pay-what-you-want price, with the option to listen to every song in full before you make any download.

Guerre, is a really impressive artist, producing beautiful, ambient songs over the last year. He has recently launched his own record label, suitably named Yes Please, with his first release being his own album in June of this year. Every song off this album is a sweet sweet, electronic delight, blending his soothing voice perfectly with organic sounding synths. His minimal approach to the songs off of the new album is really refreshing, and it helps him create the perfect atmosphere in each of his songs. Take a listen to the album below then be sure to grab his album, it's definitely worth your time!

Bastian's Happy Flight have the knack

Get On Your Dancing Shoes! Ok, so these guys don’t really have much at all to do with Arctic Monkeys, but they will definitely get you dancing in no time. Bastian’s Happy Flight are a local band from Perth, WA, and are producing some absolutely stunning dance tunes. After taking a look at their Triple J Unearthed page, and seeing their incredibly funny band picture, I knew these guys were going to be a bit of fun. I definitely did not expect the mature, polished sound that these guys have shown on their killer track My Love's (just not good enough) which you can hear below. Combining great synths, and some really sweet vocals, these guys have a very fun vibe, and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future. 

  My Love's (not good enough) by Bastian's Happy Flight 

Eliza Hull describes herself with 'Five'

Here at the Modern Collection, we are always looking for new bands to share with you, new and interesting sounds; modern sounds. We like the music we post about, and if you like it too, we strongly encourage you to 'like' our page, or pop your email into that little box on the right.

A recent discovery of mine is impressively talented artist Eliza Hull. She is from Melbourne, and brings a lot of musical experience to her solo work. After extensive work with her band, Describe Eliza, she has released her first track Five from her upcoming debut album Hourglass. With the help of Ollie McGill (Cat Empire), Mark Pearl (The Commas), Cayn Borthwick (Sans Gras), Ainslie Wills and Nat Bartsch and producers Jonathan Steer and Leigh Fisher (Gypsy and the Cat), Eliza has created a song that terrifically blends electronic elements with her easy to listen to vocals. You can hear one of the great songs from her band (Describe Eliza) below, and can go check out Five at her Unearthed page


Just Breathe by Describe Eliza

Stonefield are rocking Australia and the World

Stonefield, 2010 Triple J Unearthed High winners are definitely going places. After playing Glastonbury this year (yes you read correctly, GLASTONBURY!!), these four sisters have played an acoustic version of their new single Blackwater Rising. They are absolutely amazing, both in the studio and at their live performances. They bring an amazing energy to the stage, and will have you rocking in no time, no wonder they landed a spot at Glastonbury. You can definitely expect to see these girls moving up in the music world, so keep an eye out. Take a look at the acoustic session here and be prepared to fall in love with lead singer Amy Findlay’s stunning voice. You can also find out a bit more about the girls by listening to their interview after the song. I have embedded a video (not live) of the song that won them the Unearthed High competition (Through The Clover) below, just in case you are too lazy to click the above link - plus it's one of their best!

Edward Deer does it again

I recently talked (hyped) about a cover released by Aussie indie-folk artist Edward Deer, of Miike Snow's dance number Animal. I hope you liked it as much as I did, it was a fresh change from the original. If you still haven't checked out my post, you can click this link here and check it out now, or you can read this and check it out after, or not at all, I'll leave that one up to you. So I can't even remember how I stumbled along that cover, but I thought hey, this guy has talent and so like you should right now I subscribed to his mailing system. Now I receive one song from Edward a month!

Last night/This morning Edward finished recording the 8th song that has been made available to subscribers, and emailed it out to all of his fans. I was impressed with Mr Deer's last song, but it was a cover song, so I was quite excited to hear some of his new solo material. Now just to put things into context: when the weather is rainy and stormy, I love to listen to folk jams, stuff like Fleet Foxes, Tallest Man on Earth, etc, etc, it seems to fit the mood perfectly! If you live in or around Perth, then you probably know that early this morning the weather was pretty dismal, perfect time for an indie folk song? You got it! Edward's new song Maree, is absolutely stunning, and I'm not just saying that because it fits with the weather.

Edward Deer's song begins with a nice little finger-picking intro, which continues blissfully throughout the entire song. It begins to build up as his voice hits your ears, and then the tap-along drums come along and you know we've got a winner on our hands. I think this song will charm many people over. My only problem, and I guess it is my problem not the song's, is that it feels like it ends way too early. Now that I mention it, I guess it's not really a problem at all, it just means that this song is a great song. I strongly urge you to head over to Edward's blog and grab his song, sign up for his and our mailing system and please leave a comment below with our new Facebook comment system so we can hear about your thoughts on Edward Deer and his new song Maree.

Grinderman coming to Perth and Adelaide

Grinderman, led by the legendary aussie rocker Nick Cave have added Perth and Adelaide dates to their Australian tour today. They are also playing at Homebake and Meredith Festivals. Be sure to mark these dates on your calenders if you missed them at Big Day Out this year:

SAT 3 DEC - Homebake Music & Arts Festival, Sydney, NSW
MON 5 DEC - Metropolis, Fremantle, WA
THU 8 DEC - HQ, Adelaide, SA
SAT 10 DEC - Meredith Music Festival, VIC

the Modern Collection team grows

Hello All! Some of you guys may have not noticed yet, but a major change has happened at the Modern Collection. There will now be two authors (and owners) of this blog. We will be covering similar content as the blog previously covered, you will just get more music, and a fresh opinion on everything MUSIC. The new owner/author is Jack Burgess, who is very interested in new aussie talent, so be on the lookout for his posts. If it matters to you, you can check out the author of the posts just below each post, so you can see who's posting your favorite music. Hope you're all still enjoying the blog, and we would LOVE to hear from you on the blog or on our facebook page, so please leave us a comment. Thanks and enjoy the music!

Split Seconds amazing Debut EP

If you’re a fan of catchy indie pop music then I have the perfect recommendation for you! Split Seconds are a band from Perth, WA, that are probably one of my favourite bands at the moment. They have played alongside many great aussie acts, at festivals including Southbound, Big Day Out and Laneway and they are truly a treat live. Their self-titled EP was released earlier this year in March, featuring the awesome single Bed Down. Just recently, the mature sounding band have released another single All You Gotta Do, showing that they can create hit song after hit song. If these guys aren’t as big as they deserve to be within the next year, then I really don’t know what talent is, take a listen yourself, and make sure you check them out live! Have a listen to the tracks off of their debut EP here

Husband - Ordinary

I’m always on the lookout for artists that sound similar to The National, Editors and Nick Cave. It’s all about those deep voices, I can never get enough of them. Husband is the solo project of Michael Paolino from two relatively popular unsigned bands. He is the lead guitarist from CARL FOX and the frontman from Luna Parade, two good bands. Michael’s amazing voice really shines through on his solo song, Ordinary, this track is definitely worth a listen, so click away here to buy it if you like the preview below.

Ordinary by husbandmusic

Tokyo Police Club- 10 Days/10 Covers/10 Years

I can't not talk about Tokyo Police Club's incredibly fun 10 Days/10 Covers/10 Years project, in which they- you guessed it- cover one song a day from each of the last 10 years (2001-2010). It's being sponsored by Polaroid, so you can check it out here. There's some unlikely song choices making for a really interesting bunch of tracks. They've just passed the halfway mark, but I thought I would post what I think are the standouts:

Jimmy Eat World's Sweetness (Featuring Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit) by TokyoPoliceClub
The Strokes' Under Control by TokyoPoliceClub
Phoenix's Long Distance Call (Featuring Ray Suen of Mariachi El Bronx) by TokyoPoliceClub

Caitlin Park- Warriors With Wild Hearts

Up-and-coming indie folk artist Caitlin Park has been getting a lot of attention in recent months, with her well-received debut EP Warriors With Wild Hearts garnering her plenty of positive reviews and rotation on Triple J. The title track is a chilled out number that effortlessly blends elements of folk and electronica. She has also just dropped the first single Baby Teeth, from her upcoming debut album Milk Annual, out next month. If you want to hear it you can head over to her Triple J Unearthed page here.

Warriors With Wild Hearts by Caitlin Park

Shontay Snow - Debut EP launch

Perth songstress Shontay Snow is about to release her debut EP after making music and playing it live since 2008. She has a truly amazing voice, comparable to the likes of other beautiful Aussie girls Julia Stone and Lisa Mitchell. It goes without saying, if you like those two artists, you’re definitely going to fall for Shontay’s beautiful lyrics. There are only two songs available to listen to on the web at the moment, and they are Fizz and Small Trees, and that’s fine because they’re absolutely amazing. Fizz is going to sound killer in summer, perfect for kicking back and relaxing. I can definitely see this girl going far, and I look forward to hearing some new stuff. Take a listen below

Fizz by Shontay Snow

Big Scary - Gladiator

One of the most diverse and talented bands I know, Big Scary, have released another single from their upcoming debut album. This is the second single, after their first wonderful song Mix Tape. The song is a rocking tune, that showcases both Tom and Jo's amazing vocals. I'm pretty excited for this album, because their seasons collection idea and their delivery blew me away. Vacation if the name of their debut album, and they still haven't released information of their Australia tour, but I'll keep you posted. I've also included the film clip to their first single below so be sure to check that out too.

Big Scary by bigscary

TV On The Radio - Video Clip for Second Song

TV On The Radio have already released one of the best albums of the year in my opinion, with many stand out songs off their album. They have just released the video for the wonderful song Second Song, have a look and be blown away.

M83 - Intro (feat Zola Jesus)

M83's new album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is already high on my to get list, largely due to the stunning first single Midnight City. The song was absolutely amazing! Now the opening song for the album has been released online, and it features the lovely vocals of Zola Jesus. The song Intro is a very impressive introduction song to what sounds like its going to be a killer album. You can have a listen to the new song over here if you need more reason to grab this album when it comes out October 17th.

Damon Albarn New Side Project

Fans of Gorillaz and Blur alike will be excited by news of Damon Albarn's new side project DRC Music. The new album was produced in 7 days with a large number of producers on board. Everything Damon Albarn does is pure gold, so I'm really excited for this album. A few songs are available for streaming over at this soundcloud page so be sure to check it out. The album is for oxfam, so if you buy it, you would be helping out people that need a helping hand. Enjoy the tunes.

Hallo (featuring Tout Puissant Mukalo and Nelly Liyemge) by DRC Music

Geoff O'Connor's Vanity Affair

Front man of Aussie pop group The Crayon Fields, Geoff O'Connor is set to unleash his debut solo record upon Australia next month. You can definitely hear Geoff’s attention to detail in the two songs that have been released from the upcoming album Vanity is Forever. The two songs are delightful pop-filled gems, which you can download for free from Geoff’s bandcamp page. Whatever Leads Me To You and Now and Then. Im really enjoying the slow rhythm from both of these songs, make sure you take a listen below, and if you like what you hear grab the songs from the above links.

Kimbra - Good Intent Video

The ever-so delightful Kimbra has wowed me time and time again this year, with her first two singles Settle Down and Cameo Lover encouraging me to pre-order her debut album Vows, and her impressive duet with Gotye skyrocketing the two of them to fame. Her album is finally about to be released next week, and is the feature album all week on Triple J. I am loving some of the songs I have been hearing, and after praising her video clip for her second single here and getting excited about the announcement that she will be at Southbound, the film clip for the third single Good Intent is out. You can watch it exclusively over at Triple J’s Home & Hosed, this clip should help you get in the groove for her new album. Enjoy! You can also see Kimbra performing this song live below.

Scribble Sound - Mad Hatter

Lets run through the elements of this new song from Scribble Sound, Mad Hatter. Bass? Check. Flutes? Check. Solid beat? Check. Whacky intro? Check. This song ticks most of the boxes for me that makes a really really good song. It's a very decent first effort. The song flows effortlessly from organic sounding flutes to very heavy electronic sounds, and will definitely have you hitting the repeat button. Take a listen and see for yourself, just make sure you're in a place where you can turn the volume up.
Maddhatter (demo) by Scribblesound

Lee'Mon - One Man In The Woods

I absolutely love electro-pop music, and for some reason I really love songs that sample speeches. Follow by Error Operator being one of my favorites. I guess there's just something majestic about those diplomatic speeches that make them the coolest intro to songs. Lee'mon, the rather obscure NSW artist that has risen on popularity on the Triple J Unearthed page similarly combines old speech samples with new electro sounds. The song that has garnered them some media attention is One Man In The Woods. The song is very easy to listen to, and I recomend taking a listen here.

Buckley Ward - So Pretend

Indie pop band Buckley Ward are an unsigned band, that can be found through the Triple J Unearthed. They have one song on their Unearthed page at the moment, an absolute gem called So Pretend. I find this track really easy to listen to, with clever use of guitars, drums and synths, this is the perfect song to sit back and relax to. You will definitely not be disappointed with this song if you love indie pop, so take a listen. If you like it, you can grab it at the following places; Unearthed page or website.

So Pretend by Buckley Ward

Festival news for Soundwave and Big Day Out

Here's some juicy festival news to kick start your weekend. Soundwave 2012, after recently cancelling the massive Soundwave Revolution show earlier this month, have given some indication that some of these bands will be playing the festival next year. The bands are Trivium, CYK, The Smoking Hearts, Forever The Sickest Kids, Shadows Fall, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Hole, Sisters of Mercy, Framing Hanley, The Used, Hellyeah, Black Veil Brides, Devin Townsend, Madina Lake and Gojira. Also likely to be added according to Faster Louder are Hatebreed and Machine Head. The festival will be here in Perth on the 5th of March, click here for the other dates around Australia.

If that doesn't put you in a good mood for your weekend, UK rockers Kasabian have apparently been confirmed for Big Day Out next year, so looks like we may get to hear their new album live soon. Take a listen to two of their singles here in a previous post.

Bon Iver - Holocene music video

Justin Vernon, AKA Bon Iver released an amazing second album this year, rising above expectations he put on himself from his amazing debut album. If you haven't heard the album yet, here is the music video for what was one of the best songs off of the album, Holocene. This was released today, just after James Blake excited fans with news of a collaboration between the two, check that out here. Take a listen, and if you haven't already got the album, go out and buy it!

Miami Horror cover Under The Milky Way

Under The Milky Way is probably my favorite Australian song ever, done by the legendary band The Church. The song has been covered numerous times by Australian artists. Recently, Snickers held a promotion, where two Australian artists, Miami Horror and Phrase would cover another Australian song as voted in by viewers. Miami Horror encouraged fans to vote for The Church- Under The Milky Way, and they got exactly what they and I wanted. The cover was released today, and you can go to the snickers website to grab yourself a free version of both songs if you are one of the first 500 people.

Personally, I think Miami Horror have released a pretty ordinary cover of this song. This may largely be due to my high expectations of them, and I thought that they would add a great electro element to the song, which they quite frankly didn't do. The band still did an amazing job, pulling off a great cover, but I was expecting a little more. You can stream the song below, and if you like it go grab it from the Snickers website.

Canyons - Circadia and Under A Blue Sky

Aussie electro duo Canyons have announced that their new album Keep Your Dreams will be released November this year. If you haven't already heard these guys, you have to check them out, right now! The songs they have released with this announcement are Circadia and Under A Blue Sky which you can take a listen to below through YouTube in one video. These tracks are absolutely amazing, they combine so many organic and synthetic sounds superbly, I love the tribal feel, it's quite an experience. Also, previously relesed from their upcoming album is the lead single My Rescue which you can stream through their myspace page.

Sneaky Sound System - Big

Sneaky Sound System have released another single from their upcoming album From Here To Anywhere. The song is pretty dancy, with loads of synths, and some great vocals from Connie Mitchell. This is the second single from their new album, the first being We Love. Take a listen through Modular and see if you like the new sounds on Big. The album is out in october, so grab yourself a copy if you are liking the music.

Remixes including Foster the People, Grouplove, Ra Ra Riot and many more!

A mate made me aware of two great remixes from Foster the People, remixing Grouplove, and vice versa and I thought I'd take the opportunity to post some more remixes you may not have heard. Grouplove are a band that I have previously talked about with some pretty amazing music, you can check out that post here. Foster the People are possibly one of the most popular indie pop bands at the moment, they have taken the world by storm, and I was lucky enough to see them at On the Brightside a couple months ago and they were great! These two original songs are great, and I don't think that these remixes are any better, its just nice to hear another bands take on the song. So take a listen to these:





Sarah Blasko - Hold On My Heart {Presets Remix} by automaticdruggie

In my previous post on Doctor Rosen Rosen, I said he was probably mostly known for his remixes, and this is one of my personal favorites of his.

Yeasayer - Madder Red (DOCTOR ROSEN ROSEN Rx) by dap0509

RAC are another group that are very well known for their great remixes, and here is my favorite, probably because I absolutely love Ra Ra Riot.



Last, and definitely not least, one of my favorite remixes, and although its pretty old, it is still absolutely killer! Tegan & Sara are amazing singers, and I like what Tiesto did to this song, so take a listen.

Tegan & Sara Back In Your Head (Tiesto Remix) by Jose

If you liked these remixes, and want more, leave a comment in the side bar to let me know and I'll put up some more in another post soon! Enjoy!

Boy & Bear - Moonfire track by track review

Although I had a full listen to Boy & Bear's debut album Moonfire a couple weeks ago when it was featured on Triple J, I thought I would wait until I could get my hands on a copy to review it. Finally my copy has arrived - late orders are one of the joys of internet shopping sometimes - and I'm going to review the album as I listen to it track by track and then give it an overall rating, so lets begin!

1. Lordy May: I just love the introduction to this song, it is the perfect introduction to any record, particularly a Boy & bear record. As you first hear Dave Hosking's perfect voice, you know that this is going to be a great album. The delicate finger picking and the drums all throughout the song are superb, with a nice little piano piece to finish this opening track off.

2. Feeding Line: Now we come to the first single off of Boy & Bear's debut and its an absolutely amazing song. I love the high notes played on the guitar throughout, especially when all the other music stops, if you've heard this song then you know exactly what i mean! The chorus is superb in this song, super catchy and quite perfect really, with a whistling 'solo' that just adds an extra something. I have a feeling this song will be in many top 10s when it comes to the end of the year.

3. Milk & Sticks: Here is the second single from this record, that is easily just as good as the first one, if not better. I love the introduction, how it slows down completely and then bam! Dave Hosking's voice with some sweet guitar work. I love this song so much, it is the perfect indie folk jam and I have a feeling I'll be playing it a lot over the next few weeks. The song changes a fair bit towards the end, which was quite interesting, adding to the complexity of the song.

4. Part Time Believer: The album slows down a little here, which is probably smart, following two hit songs. With more great whistling, and great harmonies, Boy & Bear's slow stuff is definitely just as good as their faster more catchy songs. I particularly like the guitar that comes in towards the end, just before a final whistling end to the song. *After listening to the album a few times, this song has really grown on me, the singing really flows and I am enjoying it a lot.

5. My Only One: Now I'm an absolute sucker for slow, meaningful songs, and so I think this is one of the best songs off of the record. I really like the drums in this song, and as always, Dave Hosking's voice is surreal, fitting in with the instruments perfectly. What a great song.

6. Percy Warner Park: I really struggle to see the value of this song. It showcases Dave's voice perfectly, but other then that, it doesn't do much for me. I wasn't really ready for an interlude, and I'm not 100% sure if this album needs interludes, but oh well.

7. Golden Jubilee: Almost to make up for the interlude, this song is quick and upbeat from the very beginning. With cool synths, this is a song that gets you tapping your feet and bouncing, wherever you are, and I look forward to hopefully seeing this one live. That guitar is killer just before the ending, and Dave's 'Oww' is hilarious. Love it!

8. House And Farm: I'd love to hear from somebody that doesn't love a mandolin in any song, I think the response would be pretty dismal. Because lets face it, that mandolin absolutely makes this song, it's something fresh and new and that's all I have to say about that. This song has a slightly foreign feel to it, reminding me a little of some of the work from Beirut (I'll be posting about Zach Condon soon so stay tuned for that). Just the pizazz this album needed!

9. The Village: I knew as soon as I started listening to this short song that I would be sad to hear it finish. This is one interlude that I approve of. I love the use of the percussion instruments and those vocals just blew me away. I would happily listen to this song for 3 minutes plus, but it is much better then track 6 which I still have doubts about, maybe it'll grow on me.

10. Beach: This song starts off slow and wonderful and very slowly builds up, changing pace just after some very beautiful singing from Dave Hosking. These guys do slow songs very well, and this is the perfect example of that. I've probably mentioned Dave's voice a few too many times already, but this song should prove to anybody that he has the goods! What a great song, with a jam at the end that will take you to a whole new world.. I'm beginning to wonder if this shouldn't be the final track of the album.

11. Big Man: After hearing what I thought could easily of been the final track for the album, I was very intrigued. But I think Boy & Bear showed me the reason that they were making the music and not the other way around. Somehow, this song feels like a complete wrap-up of the record, giving you the time to think about what you've heard and digest the great tunes. I love the chanting behind Dave in this song near the start, and then really love the choir-like end to the album Amazing!

I really enjoyed this album, showcasing the talent that fans around Australia have been waiting to hear in full glory since their debut EP was released very early last year. Wowing fans with a cover of Crowded House's Fall At Your Feet, which reached number 5 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2010, Boy & Bear have cemented their place very well in the growing reservoir of amazing artists coming out of Australia.

I give this album a 7.5/10

Snow Patrol release new video for single Called Out In The Dark

If you haven't heard Snow Patrol's latest single Called Out In The Dark yet, you can now watch their video clip that goes along with the song. Snow Patrol for me are one of those rare mainstream bands that actually have talent, or at least they know how to show it. This song is pretty cool, and its great to see them exploring new avenues in their music, take a listen for yourself below.

The Rapture allow full live album stream and announce Australian tour

The Rapture are in full swing with their new album In the Grace of Your Love. I recently talked about their new album and the single they delighted us all with How Deep Is Your Love. It has since been deleted with all the URL changes, so you will just have to take my word for it. First up, The Rapture have let it slip in an interview with Triple J that they can be expected for a tour in March sometime next year, so that's pretty exciting. But probably more exciting for me at the moment is the stream of their new album In The Grace of Your Love. I have been eagerly awaiting this album for quite some time now, and it's definitely been worth the wait. The streaming of the album was also followed by a Q&A session with the band members themselves, but this all went down while most of us Australians were asleep, bummer. Go take a listen to the album in full for yourself, while it is still available here.

Bon Iver/James Blake Collaboration in the works

James Blake, the amazing indie artist who has released one of the best albums this year has tweeted something very interesting. The message, "24th August 2011 - James Blake & Bon Iver 'Fall Creek Boys Choir'," will garner a lot of attention worldwide. Fall Creek is the town where Bon Iver's Justin Vernon owns his studio, and I am very into the idea of these two artists with a choir, that would go down so well. These are possibly two of the biggest names in the music industry at the moment, so a collaboration between the two would be... quite amazing! Watch this space for updates as they come out.

Edward Deer's ironic cover of Miike Snow's Animal

Miike Snow's hit song Animal was released way back in 2009, and has received a lot of attention from cover artists around the world. Australian artist Edward Deer has just released his own indie-folk cover of the synth filled original this month. Edward is very talented, taking the song and making it his own, a concept many cover artists struggle to grasp. He has his own songs which you can grab and listen to over at his unearthed page here or you can go to his blog here and check out his other stuff. There are some great folk jams there that you just can't miss out on, but before you do that, take a listen to the original Miike Snow song if you haven't heard it already and then listen to his cover below. Also take a listen to a cover I have been enjoying for quite some time now by Sky Ferreira.

Mike Snow - Animal by downtownmusic

Edward Deer - Animal (Miike Snow Cover)


Sky Ferreira - Animal (Miike Snow cover) by ohkatie

Southbound add Kimbra, John Butler and CSS to the lineup

Southbound have just announced a few more artists following the release of their tickets going on sale to the general public. The artists added to the lineup are An Horse, CSS, The Head & The Heart, John Butler Trio and Kimbra. I have previously talked about CSS and Kimbra recently, you can check out those posts by clicking on the artists names. Now wouldn't it be nice if we could have Gotye as well and then we may get to see a live duet... one can only dream... Take a listen to The Head and the Heart and then An Horse below and see what you think.

The Head and the Heart - Lost In My Mind by subpop

An Horse - Trains and Tracks by anhorse

The Naked & Famous Release Video For 'Sun'

The Naked & Famous, New Zealand electro-pop band were probably one of the surprise highlights for many people last year. They released their album Passive Me, Aggressive You last year, with many standout hits including All of This, Punching In a Dream and Young Blood. But one of my favorites was Sun, it is a great song that builds and builds, really showcasing this bands talent! The band have already released a few videos for the songs off of their album, but just today the band have released a film clip for the song Sun. The video clip features some really great slo-mo effects and some rather passionate scenes which have gotten it banned from youtube already. Take a listen below and let me know what you think. They are also on the line-up for Parklife, so be sure to go and see them next month.

The Naked And Famous - The Sun from The Naked And Famous on Vimeo.

Ball Park Music - Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs

Ball Park Music have been very busy over the last year, releasing hit song after hit song on the radio station Triple J. Some of the hit songs you may have heard are iFly, with the catchy chorus (I f#cking love you, I think you're pretty), two other singles are Sad Rude Future Dude again with a catchy chorus (I haven't had a friend in years, I only have sex with myself) and Rich People Are Stupid, with a rather funny message.

Last month, Ball Park Music released their first single off of their new album Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs which is set to drop September 9th. The track, titled It's Nice To Be Alive is perhaps the most polished out of the singles that have been released so far, and I am really enjoying it. The video clip is very clever, with a great message; enjoy life! I love these guys, and got the chance to see them at Southbound at the start of this year, and they were amazing live, I expect big things from this album! Pre-order your signed copy here.

(Album Hype) Kasabian - Velociraptor

English band Kasabian have been wowing fans all around the world with every one of their first three albums. A few months ago, they released their first new single Switchblade Smiles, receiving much praise and excitement for their new album. The song is nice and heavy, starting off with an awesome electric introduction, which will be absolutely amazing to see live. Days Are Forgotten is the second song we have heard from the album, and I feel like I hear small influences of Arctic Monkeys new grungey-rock style in there. This second song is my least favorite out of the two, and although it is a little repetitive at times, I really like the new heavier sound they are producing. The new album, Velociraptor is set to be released on the 16th of September, so make sure you grab yourself a copy.

Switchblade Smiles by kasabian

Balam Acab – Motion

Balam Acab has released two singles already, Oh Why and Apart in the buildup to the release of his debut album WANDER/WONDER. The album is going to be released on the 29th of August, and will feature those two songs, plus the new song he just released Motion. This guy is very talented, he knows how to create sounds that sound real and tangible. When I was listening to Motion I felt like I was in some sort of forest with a river trickling by. People always say how music has that amazing ability to take us to other places, but this song truly does and it is making me keen for his debut album.

Balam Acab - Motion by TriAngleRecords

Green Day Debuts 15 New Songs Live

I'm not going to say much about this, mainly because I have never really liked Green Day. But for all of you that do, they have debuted 15 new songs live at a California show So an album is very likely to be coming out soon. Here are the songs they played if you're interested

'Nuclear Family'
'Stay The Night'
'Too Young To Die'
'Oh Love'
'Carpe Diem'
'Crushing Bastards'
'Little Boy Named Train'
'Trouble Maker'
'Sweet 16'
'Wow, That's Loud'
'8th Avenue Serenade'
'Ashley'
'Gabriella'
'Wild One'
'It's Fuck Time'
'Stray Heart'
'Last Gang In Town'
'Amy'
'Goodbye To Romance'
'Welcome To Paradise'
'Burnout'
'Murder City'
'J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)'
'Only Of You'
'Hitchin' a Ride'
'St. Jimmy'
'Minority'

tUnE-yArDs Gangsta Gets Gangstered

OK, so I may be using this remix as an excuse to write about tUnE-yArDs, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. tUnE-yArDs is the brain child of Merrill Garbus, who released her second album this year called w h o k i l l, and it is absolutely amazing. The album is like a breath of fresh air, with Merrill making some of the most experimental and beautiful songs I have heard in quite a while. One of the best songs off the album (although every song is great), is her, what I call taking-the-piss song Gangsta. Just last night, Beastie Boy's Ad Rock released a remix of this song. Instantly, the song became a lot more 'gangsta,' and I quite enjoyed it, although I would refrain from telling you it's better then the original, you should definitely check out both versions below. If you are digging tUne-YaRds other songs, you should definitely check out some of their live stuff, it's amazing to see how it all gets put together at a live show. Although it may not mean much, before the Falls/Southbound line-up began getting released, the Falls twitter tweeted 'Loving lots of new music right now. Especially tUnE yArDs -who kill.' Now don't get too excited, but I definitely am.

tUnE-yArDs - Gangsta by ListenBeforeYouBuy

tUnE-yArDs - Gangsta (Ad-Rock Remix) by thisisfakediy

CSS - La Liberacion

CSS are a Brazilian dance band that I had not heard of much before today. Their new album La Liberacion is due for release next week on the 23rd of August, and it is streaming for free exclusively over at Spin. Listening to the album is a really happy experience, that is reminiscent of early Architecture in Helsinki albums, so I am a big fan. I don't think there is a track on there that wasn't great. Their first single, Hit Me Like A Rock is probably the best gem out of the lot, with such awesome synths and a catchy chorus, I love it, so make sure you go give it a listen! This song also features Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie, and whether that's more incentive for you to listen or not, I don't know. I have added a remix of this song by Dillon Francis below, it's a pretty killer remix.

CSS - Hits Me Like A Rock (Dillon Francis Remix) CORRECT VERSION by DILLONFRANCIS