There’s something about Fictionist that is promising and to have that potential makes their music something to look forward to. Unfortunately, their self-titled album doesn’t highlight their best work as some songs are of mediocre quality. The band have succeeded on their own terms by being part of the SXSW festival and for them to get that kind of…
Having a strong catalogue of albums and reigning success in the indie/alternative rock scene, Death Cab For Cutie are clearly great at what they do. With their eighth studio album, Kintsugi just released, we chat to bassist player, Nick Harmer about the meaning of the term “Kintsugi”, the details behindChris Walla‘s departure and how the band have evolved using both experimentation…
Last month, Danish group Mew played their first US shows in six years at SXSW in anticipation of the release of their long awaited sixth full length record +- (Plus Minus). Larry Heath had the opportunity at the festival to sit down with Johan Wohlert and Jonah Bjerre of the group to talk about getting the band back together – with bassist Johan returning to the band for the first time since departing in 2006. We talk about working with American Producer Michael Beinhorn again – the pair having previously worked with him on the acclaimed And the Glass Handed Kites (2005). We talk about working with Kimbra and Russell from Bloc Party. But perhaps the most important question of all was: when will the band finally be coming to Australia?
Brendan Toller is a rock and roll maniac. Having directed his first film, I Need that Record: The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store, he came into contact with many of rock and roll’s greatest figures, including the lesser known Danny Fields, who was responsible for the success of many iconic bands…
“In the land of the blind the one eyed girl is queen”. So goes the premise to director, Nick Matthew’s feature debut, The One Eyed Girl. The winner of the Dark Matters award at Austin Film Festival in 2014 is a raw, experimental and plodding look at how and why a psychiatrist descends into the…
There has been a few Mad Max: Fury Road teasers but today the full length trailer has exploded across media and it’s a dirty, gritty, fiery and frenzied 2 minutes and 30 seconds. With explosions, scavenged steam punk-esque vehicles flipping all over the place, an electric dust storm tornado and a guitar flame-thrower. Director George…
The Iris had the opportunity to chat to Anna Zlokovic, the director of the music video, “The Empty House,” for musician Jack Kovacs. In our exclusive interview, we talk to Anna about SXSW, recognising music videos as art, the challenges of the shoot and what it’s like working with Jack Kovacs. Anna also shares her…
Ahead of its release on DVD and Blu-Ray next week (April 8th), Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain sat down to talk about working on Christopher Nolan’s epic Insterstellar – from the space suit to the film’s strong female characters – plus Matthew’s Academy Award and space exploration. Read on: What were the challenges of…
While at SXSW, Larry Heath sat down with NCIS: Los Angeles actress Renee Felice Smith to talk about her new short film Baby, which she served on as star and Executive Producer. The project, which premiered as one of the shorts in the Narrative Shorts Competition at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, tells the story of a…
Avast, mateys! Here be SpongeBob with another cinematic adventure. This time he voyages out of water, out of time, out of earth and out of his dimension. Whatever it takes to restore the cornerstone of civilisation the Krabby Patty. The secret formula for this highly addictive burger has mysteriously disintegrated into thin water, and the…
With the news officially breaking last week that cult hit 90’s TV show The X-Files would be making a come-back we decided to take a look back at the show and pick out some of our favourite episodes. One of the things we discovered is that over the course of the 9 seasons picking favourites…
Four first look images have just been released for The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. To say that we’re excited is a gross understatement. In this next chapter of the epic Maze Runner saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known…
When it comes to true music icons, it’s fair to say they’re a rare breed – but anyone who knows Mavis Staples will tell you: she’s in a league of her own. With some sixty five years of performances behind her – and more still to come (she’s touring Australia as we publish this piece) –…
Earlier this month, ahead of its May release in Australia and in the US, the new action-comedy Spy had a premiere screening at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Though seemingly unorthodox for a major release (and a mainstream comedy at that) to see a public screening so far in advance of its release,…
When we left the Nine-Nine precinct at the end of Season 1, Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) was asked to go undercover for the FBI, his unrequited feelings for fellow detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) were still, well, unrequited, Terry Crews was still a large mass of comedic dynamite and Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) had…
Today marks the day that Brisbane-based “edgy chunk rockers” Ninth Of May are releasing the music video for the brand new single “Ramen”, and we’re proud to exclusively premiere the track on the AU today. The entirely self-produced project sees jjj unearthed winners collaborating with some of Brisbane’s finest musicians, delivering a striking yet mesmerizing…
One of our personal favourite events to cover each year is the great Sydney Film Festival; the celebration of international and home-grown cinema that is now in it’s 62nd year. Today, the first 27 films that will be spread across the event, from June 3rd to June 14th, has been announced and it includes some…
Hello Asia! Editor Johnny Au chats with actor Anthony Brandon Wong about his character “Le Bok” on ABC’s Maximum Choppage, his work as an actor as well as an acting coach and his passion for all things food! You may (or may not) have seen him as “Ghost” in The Matrix sequels but his character…
In news that has fans of The Daily Show across the globe hitting up Google like there’s no tomorrow, retiring host Jon Stewart’s successor has officially been announced as South African comedian Trevor Noah. Most of you may be saying to yourself ‘Trevor who?’ and you wouldn’t be alone. Many fans were expecting a big…
While at SXSW earlier this month, Larry Heath sat down with Jessica Edwards, the director and producer of Mavis! – a new documentary about the legendary Mavis Staples, who just so happens to be touring Australia as we publish this piece. The pair talk about the experiences of making this film, the icon herself and much…
If you are a fan of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s best-selling manga series Parasyte, April 26th is one day you are going to want to have marked down in your diary. For one day only, Madman Entertainment have announced that Parasyte: Part 1, the first part in a planned two-part film adaptation of the series, will screen across…
In exciting news for Nirvana fans, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen’s Cobain: Montage of Heck is set to have a limited release in Australian cinemas, premiering on May 7. The film is the first fully-authorised documentary about the life of the legendary frontman Kurt Cobain, featuring exclusive interviews with friends and family as well as home…
‘Dia de Muertos’ aka Day of the Dead has always been a great theme for films to work with, particularly animated ones. Director Jorge Gutierrez has taken the opportunity to inject the Mexican tradition’s vibrancy into The Book of Life, generating a sense of wonderment through stunning visuals and lively characters. The film’s plot revolves…
In the 34th installment of ‘Stumbled Upon’, we meet the UK’s Edgarville and chat about keeping things simple, their upcoming 3 month tour around the UK and get to know a little more about the band. Read on: Band Name: Edgarville Website / Social Media: Facebook Genre: Acoustic Members & their roles: Ed – singer,…
the AU review sits down with Paul Saulnier of Canadian outfit PS I Love You at SXSW to talk about the festival, their latest music with For Those Who Stay, working with Paper Bag Records in Toronto, potential trips to Australia, his favourite Australian bands, evolving the live show “we’ve gotten better at it, I…
Kicking off over the weekend, it’s hard to know where to begin with the 2015 Melbourne International Comedy Festival schedule. Every night there is so much amazing comedy – both from local and international talent – that it’s a job within itself to try and decide what to see. Well, we thought we’d lend a…
the AU review sat down with Los Angeles based group AWOLNATION‘s frontman Aaron Bruno while at SXSW earlier this month. We talk about the madness of SXSW, “it’s kind of like how life on the road is in general… I think people come together at South by and experience a little bit of what it’s…
This May, the annual music festival and conference Canadian Music Week will be opening its doors to the world, shining a spotlight on Australia and New Zealand, bringing with it dozens of bands and delegates from our countries up to the great city of Toronto. Why not come and join us? Over the next two…
Last Tuesday saw the annual tradition of the APRA Music Awards hit Sydney, a celebration of the Australian music which has made the biggest impact at home and around the globe over the past 12 months. Thanks to a special between Moshcam and APRA, the “Song of the Year” live performances were recorded and streamed,…
Self-described as “darkly whimsical folktronica”, Quintessential Doll are an up-and-coming Brisbane outfit fronted by Steph Linsdell, who is today premiering her new track “Thunder Gods”, featuring the incredible vocals of Clio Em, on the AU. The genre-bending track, jumping between the words of Opera, Electronica, Indie Pop and, indeed, “folktronica”, is a stand out of…
