Chelsea Bleach
Punk
Chelsea Bleach released a tune called ‘Public Safety’ about six months ago. I don’t know if they released anything since, but I really would like them to do so. However, ‘Public Safety’ is still doing the trick for now. It’s a captivating grungy punk song complete with alternating tempos and disaffected vocals.
Thursday December 22 – Gasometer Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
Morning TV
Indie Pop
Morning TV’s indie pop music is presented with glazed eyes. It’s as though the world hasn’t quite come into focus yet, but you’re pretty fucking pumped to munch down some Cheerios and flick on Dragon Ball Z.
Thursday December 22 – Oxford Art Factory – Sydney, NSW
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Parcels
Funk Pop
Parcels are rather reminiscent of Berlin-via-Norway indie funk band Whitest Boy Alive. The Whitest Boy ain’t around any more, so the resemblance is welcome. There are funky guitars, sweet melodies sung in falsetto and a nicely balanced electronic element.
Thursday December 22 – Black Bear Lode – Brisbane, QLD
Hamjam
Alt Pop
Hamjam have just released an LP called a / s / l?. Don’t they know it’s the middle of bloody December? It always pissed me off to have industry folks advising against releasing music in December and January. But Hamjam have said up yours to conventional wisdom and dropped a record full of dirty indie pop songs with plenty of groove. Good on ‘em.
Thursday December 22 – The Bird – Perth, WA
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Alex Lahey
Pop Rock
Alex Lahey recently covered Killing Heidi’s ‘Weir’ with additional vocals from Ella Hooper AKA Heidi’s original assassin. That makes perfect sense; Lahey writes endearing pop rock tunes that contain a few nods to the late-‘90s.
Friday December 23 – Evelyn Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
Ouch My Face
Rock/Experimental
“I got a – boom boom boom – creep heart / I got a – boom boom boom – creep heart.” Those are the chorus lyrics in Ouch My Face’s signature tune ‘Creep Heart’, and they just about sum up the band. The Melbourne trio are unabashed weirdos, illustrated by their strange and infectious music.
Friday December 23 – The Tote Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
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Black Heart Breakers
Rock’n’Roll/Pop Punk
According their official bio, Black Heart Breakers ‘is a raw sonic power that only comes around so often.’ I like their bold attitude. And while their recordings don’t quite vindicate this avowal, the group of Sydney teens are pretty clear rock-heads with plenty of energy.
Saturday December 24 – Brighton Up Bar – Sydney, NSW
Lazertits
Punk
Oh me oh my, Lazertits’ latest release ‘Boss Bitch’ is fucking dirty. After a trudging opening riff that sounds like a Melvins outtake, the song becomes a speedy and righteously indignant punk number.
Saturday December 24 – The Old Bar – Melbourne, VIC
Peter Bibby’s Dog Act
Folk/Rock
Peter Bibby has featured in this column more than any other act. That’s down to two key things: 1) he plays a shit ton of shows, and 2) he’s a singular freak folk songwriter on the Australian music scene. A third reason might be that Bibby’s not nearly as big as he should be, so it feels just to keep promoting his shows.
Saturday December 24 – Mojos – Perth, WA
Dave Graney/Clare Moore
Rock/Folk
Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, the films of Woody Allen, PJ Harvey and tofu. These are some of the things I despised as a kid chiefly because my mum loved them. I have since become a vocal fan of all of those things. Another on the list is irreverent blues punk songwriter and raconteur Dave Graney.
Monday December 26 – Hotel Metro – Adelaide, SA