Edie Green
Alt rock
I prefer rock bands to sound loose and unruly rather than mathematically composed. Edie Green are adept players and they’re not afraid to flaunt it, but it’s more technical aggression than mathy sterility. There’s also a layer of cool aloofness that stems from the execution, which is reminiscent of Warpaint.
Thursday July 14 – Mojos – Perth, WA
Suss Cunts
Garage pop
Melbourne trio Suss Cunts are launching their debut EP this Friday night, and the event’s fated to be a glorious mess of guitars, emotions and acerbic vocalising. They’ve got Cable Ties and Palm Springs on board too, both compatriots in making hefty declarations of individuality.
Friday July 15 – Gasometer Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
The Gun Barrel Straights
Country/folk
Melbourne alt country gang the Gun Barrel Straights like to play things straight. While they cite The Pogues and the Stones as influences, there’s not much subversive character play going on in the songwriting. These acts seem to have had more of a formal influence, lending structural soundness to the GBS’s earnest numbers.
Friday July 15 – Grace Emily Hotel – Adelaide, SA
Marcus Whale
Electronic/experimental pop
Marcus Whale puts shame to any claims that the current generation is sitting at a creative impasse. As a member of Collarbones and BV, he’s been involved with some of this country’s more arresting electronic and R&B releases of recent years. He’s just dropped his debut solo LP, Inland Sea, and it’s perhaps his most developed statement yet. Produced by HTRK’s Nigel Lee-Yang, Whale summons beautiful melodies only to disfigure them with electronic discordance and chiselling beats.
Friday July 15 – Newtown Social Club – Sydney, NSW
These Guy
Indie pop
Lunchbox, These Guy’s new LP, showcases the Brissie band’s relaxed gait and penchant for electronic-infused indie pop. Their sound isn’t exactly on trend, but nor does it vie for commercial approval. Their agenda seems to revolve around having a good time and taking us along for the ride.
Friday July 15 – Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane, QLD
The Twoks
Alternative pop
It’s 12 months old now, but The Twoks’ single ‘Doona’ still sounds as refreshing as it did on first listen. Borrowing a groove from The Black Keys, the Melbourne duo delivers a song that’s infectious, bewitching and subtly poignant
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Friday July 15 – Yarra Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
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Dappled Cities
Indie pop
Dappled Cities’ four albums, dating back to 2004’s A Smile, are all cannons of charming and slyly irreverent indie pop songwriting. They’re back on the road spruiking the new single ‘That Sound’, taken from a forthcoming fifth LP. Dappled have always been at their strongest in the live environment, sharing their effusive joy and weirdo impulses with rooms full of equally joyful adherents. Saturday July 16 – Oxford Art Factory – Sydney, NSW
Alice Ivy
Electronic/soul
The Avalanches are sitting in the pop spotlight right now, and it’s justified considering the virtues of their new LP, Wildflower. The Melbourne collective didn’t invent sample-centric music, but they pushed it into a zone of wonderment and tingly nostalgia. Alice Ivy has learned a thing or two from this approach, making electronic soul tracks that prompt dewed eyed musing and easy body grooving. Saturday July 16 – The Foundry – Brisbane, QLD
Constant Mongrel
Garage rock/post-punk
Constant Mongrel aren’t hindered by baggage. They don’t feel the need to cram their songs with complex ideas, and they don’t let them carry on for any longer than is completely necessary. There’s a lot to be learned from this approach. Why cling tightly to frustrations when you can swiftly expel bad energy and move on?
Sunday July 17 – Copacabana – Melbourne, VIC
Mount Zamia
Psych pop
Mount Zamia make slick psych pop that’s more concerned with melody than layers of mystifying noise. It’s upbeat stuff, giving a nod to The Byrds and The Zombies as well as contemporary acts like Jagwar Ma.
Sunday July 17 – Newtown Social Club – Sydney, NSW
