Music

Released mid last year, Vince Staples‘ double-album debut Summertime ‘06 was praised as a clever, vivid, and blunt entry into the long history of reality-rap coming out of L.A, fully delivering on the potential the 22 year old rapper had been showing across four mixtapes and one very well-received EP. That potential shifts well to…

Somehow I’ve managed to miss CHVRCHES every time they’ve come out to Australia, and as they tour with Laneway Festival, I finally found out what I’ve been missing out on. Selling out two weekday shows at The Forum in Melbourne is no mean feat, and if anyone were to deservingly do so, the Scottish trio…

In this week’s State of Affairs, we talk Sydney lock out laws, look at the growing music market in Germany, announce the Queensland Music Awards nominees and look at the AIR charts for the week! Lock-out Laws: Episode VI – Return of the Musician Over the last week, the boiling tension behind Sydney’s Lockout Laws…

James Blake has just released a new single “Modern Soul” on his BBC 1 Radio show and it’s full of his incredible voice and instantly recognisable piano style. There’s no word of when his highly anticipated third album will come out or if this one’s a cut from it, but it certainly makes us excited…

Today, Adam Young celebrates the release of his debut solo record, Elementary Carnival Blues – an album that has seen the musician dive into some stellar alternative country sounds and work with some incredibly talented types along the way. While his work with seminal bands in Daisygrinders and Big Heavy Stuff perhaps would indicate a…

After the shock announcement that Prince will be touring Australia and New Zealand at the end of this month with his concept live show, Piano & A Microphone, the Purple One has decided to up and spread the Aussie love outside of just Sydney and Melbourne. The legendary musician will now be heading the Perth…

We should expect it by now, but the masters of the one-take music video have gone and done blown our minds once again. For their new single “Upside Down & Inside Out”, the US quartet have convinced a S7 Airlines to send them weightless. In an actual aircraft. For a perfectly time, free-floating, magnificent adventure. I…

Perched dangerously close to the edge of the stage, Battles‘ signature skyscraping cymbal lingered precariously over the crowd as the New York band’s fans eagerly awaited their long anticipated return to Sydney. Guitarist and bassist Dave Konopka emerged first, busy looping his effects on the ground, a guitar draped over his shoulder. There was a slow build as guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams came on and then, finally,…

As we continue to hurtle through the opening months of 2016, Art vs Science have gone and reminded us this week that their tour is coming up just as quickly, with the release of a brand spanking new video for “Chosen One”! Shot and directed by the band, the music video for their new single…

Ali Robertson is a name you’re sure to be hearing more of through 2016 – the Scot is making some damn fine music and to enter the weekend, his new single “Something About Your Love” is a pearler. The tune, as an introduction to this exciting artist’s potential, is smooth and darkly enticing, similar to…

Yesterday morning, many Australians in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney woke up early to stream an unprecedented worldwide listening party-cum-fashion show by Chicago emcee Kanye West, debuting his new album, The Life of Pablo in full (or so we thought). So far, the album has been very well received if publications across the globe are anything…

Mark Seymour has been entertaining us for many years, both as the lead singer of classic Australian rock band Hunters and Collectors and in recent years as Mark Seymour and the Undertow. Ahead of a performance at Taronga Zoo and in the middle of a regional tour, he sat down with AU Review reporter John…

In light of director Cameron Crowe‘s latest music series, Roadies, Showtime have announced a three-day music-thon to be held at Clive Bar on Rainey Street, Austin, as part of this year’s South By Southwest Music, Film, and Interactive Festival. From March 16-18, there will be bands performing every hour in the afternoon and evening, featuring…

Already announced to play at Bluesfest this year, American rockers Eagles of Death Metal have revealed that they will be including Sydney, Melbourne, and Fremantle in their visit to Australia next month. Eagles of Death Metal tour dates can be found below: Friday March 25 – The Croxton, Melbourne Sunday March 27 – The Metro,…

Hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, A Wilhelm Scream are set to bring their energetic live shows across eight cities in Australia this May. The complete tour dates for A Wilhelm Scream, with links to where you can purchase tickets, can be found below: Thursday May 19 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth (18+) | Tickets here Friday…

For one night only, Something for Kate are bringing you an exclusive “Greatest Hits” show at the Spectrum Now Festival at the Domain on Saturday, March 12. Made up by Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth, and Clint Hyndman, Something for Kate has been around for twenty years, and is one of Australia’s most respected and successful…

It’s been an exciting week for Bullet For My Valentine and indeed, their fans who’ve been hanging out for some new visuals from the Welsh metal legends! They’ve recently dropped a new music video for their latest single “Worthless” and man, does it go hard. Directed by Stuart Birchall, who was also behind the clips…

A large part of Purity Ring’s appeal has been their ability to create an atmosphere that is, on the whole, wildly different to any other pop act on the planet. In 2011, when their tracks “Ungirthed” and “Belispeak” first made the rounds on music blogs before piquing the interest of tastemaker Pitchfork, they wisely dubbed…

In This Issue: It seems its all about the black and white this February, we’ve got some heavy and electronic releases coming for you this month so check them out! Jonny Avery Jonny Avery is a singer/songwriter from New Zealand with delicate guitar work. Captains of Industry is cowritten by Jonny and his dad before…

Noel Gallagher is roughly halfway through making his third Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds album and so far, he’s fairly satisfied with the material that’s been flourishing in recent studio sessions. As a songwriter, Gallagher is approaching the creation of this new album in a way he’s not done before – entering the process empty…

Sydney four-piece The Jezabels have progressed in leaps and bounds following their 2007 debut. With four awards under their belt, the band has enthralled listeners with innovative soundscapes and lyrical prowess. Weaving between different genres their latest release, SYNTHIA is a product of stunning composition and production. A cohesive body of work, each track maintains individuality…

Melbourne’s Man Made Mountain have dropped a new tune this week that should be earmarked for every weekend turn up playlist. “Cachaça” sees the House of Beige members link up with rapper Tom Scott for the number, the music video of which takes them to the Railway Hotel, Thornbury Bowls and the Sunshine Rollerskating Centre…

Sly Dunbar is one half of prolific duo Sly & Robbie and even if you haven’t heard the name before, you’ve surely heard him and Robbie Shakespeare’s work in one way or another. The duo have crafted some of the greatest rhythms (or riddims) in reggae and dub, a DNA which has flowed into other…

2016 marks a pretty exciting year for The Living End’s Andy Strachan, with a new solo EP now released in Follow The Sun! Recently, Strachan caught up with Josh to have a chat about the EP which, as they discuss, is notably heavier and darker than what people may have been expecting, as well as…

Their first album in four years, The Waterfall is a bracing return for My Morning Jacket, that will reaffirm them in the canon of indie rock. It’s graceful and lyrically robust, while still maintaining the positive vibes of the group. It’s been a while coming, but throughout the album’s run time, it proves a stellar…

Some brand new Parquet Courts visuals  are here! The band recently released their official music video for “Dust”, taken from their new album Human Performance, a record that stands to feature possibly some of their most open and emotional material yet. “Dust”, on the surface, is a pretty clear cut tune – dust is indeed everywhere…

Following on from a successful opening event last Friday, the crew behind the Courtyard Sessions at Sydney’s Seymour Centre are heading in dreamy direction this week, in welcoming the wonderful Iluka to their program! Seeing out 2015 with a memorable spot on the Woodford line up, the Sydney vocalist and songwriter looks ahead to the…

Back in 2013, Savages released a critically acclaimed album, Silence Yourself – a post-punk gem that even had its own manifesto as part of the cover art. The anticipation was high then for Adore Life, an album devoted entirely to love songs. Luckily, Savages have lived up to the hype and delivered another excellent LP.  The album begins with the scorching…

After a five year hiatus, Cog are back for a run of shows along the east coast this July! This one probably feels like a longer way for the dedicated fan base who’ve no doubt been crossing fingers and toes for this announcement but finally, they’ll be able to see their beloved Cog hit venues in Byron,…

The complete line-up for the eighth The Hills Are Alive has been announced and for the first time in the event’s history a limited allocation of tickets has been made available to the general public. The line-up includes Bad//Dreams, The Belligerents, Fraser A Gorman, Grenadiers, Running Touch, Arthur Penn and the Funky Ten, Venus Court, Fossil Fuel and many…