Fergus Brown

"We're nerds in love, we're one plus one. Playing magic cards from dusk til noon."

Not a recent track, but a pretty one. Can't stop listening to the debut album from Sydney's Fergus Brown rather humorously titled Burgers Frown. It was released earlier this year and I'm going to put it out there: its gotta be one of the best Australian albums of 2009. Each of the ten tracks are almost painfully heartbreaking, but with lyrics such as these you just have to smile while you listen.

Fergus Brown-Nerds In Love (zshare)

Paul Dempsey (and me)

I think when I first heard Ramona Was a Waitress by Paul Demspey I liked it. But for some reason I was reluctant to admit it. Nostalgia is a weird thing for me, more often than not it makes me love something that my brain knows is utter crap. But every now and again it encourages me to section off emotions into periods of time. Confused? In 2001 Something For Kate's Echolalia somehow made it in to my battered discman and stayed there for quite some time. I think it was probably the first decent CD I ever owned (though like I said there is a part of me that says "All 4 One" was a great release). But since these days of 14 year old obsession I haven't thought much of Paul Dempsey's seductively croaky tones. So when I started hearing his voice again I sort of freaked out and thought no no no, Paul you need to go back to 2001. To a world without terrorism, and facebook, and swine flu. And so I shut him out. How rude!

Then I heard this remix by Melbourne's Faux Pas and through the synths and vocoder I saw the Truth: Paul Dempsey should once again reign as my God and this song is beautiful.

Paul Dempsey-Ramona Was a Waitress (Faux Pas Remix) (zhare)

The Big Pink

A lot of my music listening happens as I drive around the streets of Sydney listening to my shitty car radio far too loudly. It is here that I form some pretty instantaneous opinions: flick the channel? Stick in a Cd? And I find it oddly satisfying when I later find -these fleeting thoughts are shared by others. When I first heard The Big Pink Dominos I (a) liked it (b) sung along and (c) got a major MGMT vibe. Surprise suprise, I'm not the only one who thinks this.

The Big Pink-Dominos (zshare)

Down to the river to pray...

You could basically work out who Paris Wells is by tracking the various advertisements her soulful voice has been used for. Way back in 2008 Grace Baby was featured on a Myer commercial. Which would most likely make her Australian. Six months later the feisty awesomeness of Fuck Your Soul appears in a promo video for the new Bettina Liano denim collection. Hmmm, so she's probably from Melbourne. Whatdya know, three months after she's swapped the angsty threats for a beautiful cover of the classic folk song Down to the River to Pray for the always charming Victorian Tourism campaign. Ok, so maybe all this really tells you is what state she lives in.

Gotye + Passion Pit

What's more exciting than the release of a hotly anticipated second album? More hype producing than a leaked track from one of the biggest names? And even better than discovering the next big thing in your local bar? Well. It's when two of your very 'bestest' musicians collide together, especially when it's totally unexpected.

Gotye + Passion Pit= learnalilgivenanlovin amazingness

Most Australian's know and love Gotye to bits, but Wally's school report card would say he is yet to live up to his "international potential". Enter learnalilgivenanlovin 7" stage left. This is his first American release and to sweeten the deal and create some buzz they have included the Passion Pit remix. Not reaaaaaally what I expected when I heard bout it. Think more of a classic dance vibe and less the kooky hand clap pop-ness of Manners. But hey, its a whole lot of fun.

Gotye-learnalilgivenanlovin (Passion Pit Remix) (zshare)

Memory Tapes

I'm one of those crazy kids who totally love rain. Rain sound. Rain smell. Rain feel. All of it. Don't get me wrong I love beautiful bright sunny days too, but you won't find me complaining about a week full of storms either. The only thing I don't rate about wet weather is the horrible smell of damp clothes. Possibly my least favourite thing in the world, but we cant really throw the baby out with the rain water now can we? Speaking of rain, this is how the smooth Horrors rework of the Memory Tapes track Bicycle begins, and by the time it clears the track has grown out of its grumpy minimalism and into a punchy piece of a disco. Magic.

It's taken me a while to work out who Memory Tapes actually is. At first I thought it was the collaboration of two different dudes: Weird Tapes and Memory Cassette. But after reading "Memory Tapes is Weird Tapes is Memory Cassette" on his blog I think its safe to say that we're talking about one dude: a stay at home dad named Dayve Hawk from New Jersey. Well done son. Pumped for a full release real soon.

Memory Tapes- Bicycle (Horrors Cosmic Dub) (zshare)

Memory Tapes-Bicycle (zshare)

Daft Punk Does Disney?

There is a new Disney film coming out called Tron Legacy, which is the 25 year follow up to the 1982 cult classic Tron. So what? Well other than being a pretty cool looking flick, the sound track is being done by none other than Daft Punk. Who woulda though? Disney doing it harder, better and faster. That was lame.

Moving along. What appears to be the theme to the film has recently been leaked in various states of length and edit. There is a little bit of debate going on regarding whether this is actually Daft Punk, with the general conclusion being that it is a Cryda Luv rework of the original. Take a listen for yourself. Although classically a lover of the Frenchies more upbeat and cutsie tracks, this dirty and bass heavy taste of whats to come is quite nice indeed.

Daft Punk- Tron Legacy Theme (zshare)

The Smoke

The Smoke are five piece indie band from Melbourne who's sound I'm having a hard time defining. Blood Orange is their debut effort and it moves between tracks like Defeat Retreat which to me sounds like early Green Day, title track Blood Orange with its almost Santana-like riffs and personal fave Sweet Spanish which at times croons like Frankie.

Live, these guys have the stage presence that many experienced bands can only wish for. Vocalist Dane Robertson groves along with a total wackiness that I can only think to describe as a cross between Sarah Blasko and Anthony Kiedis. Guitarist and songwriter Luke Cartwright is captivating whether he is tweaking his peddles or smashing through his awesome solos. I sorta feel these guys are under-hyped. Maybe in their hometown there is some talk, but I think there might be some big things to come for The Smoke.

The Smoke-Sweet Spanish (zshare)

We Were Promised Jetpacks

"My body it was black and blue"

For some reason I really really want to go to Scotland. Not sure why...I mean England and Ireland and Wales don't do it for me. But Scotland, WOOOOAH!

So it makes me happy to hear some sweet tunes coming out of this nation-which-i-love. We Were Promised Jetpacks were formed in Edinburgh (my favourite Scottish city) but now live in Glasgow (my least favourite Scottish city, though it is fun to say)*. The music is at times beautifully simple and then surprises you with a massive crescendo of crunching guitar and crashing drums. But the Scottish twang courtesy of singer Adam Thompson is what makes me really want to stick around for every track of the bands debut These Four Walls.

* I know absolutley nothing about Scotland, I base these judgements on movies I've seen.

We Were Promised Jetpacks-It's Thunder and It's Lightening (zshare)

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