Nova Scotia, The Sips, Turnpike @ Rosie's Bar (27.6.08)

Turnpike are fucking great band. They've consistently been my favourite local band since about the 3rd time I saw them. Their energy in a live setting can't be beaten, and they have a synergy between band members that can't be duplicated without having played together as a unit for a decade. Throw in some quality (if sporadic) releases over the course of their existence and you have something truly special.

That said, Turnpike started off a bit slowly on this particular occasion. The first song or two didn't really have that knife-edge energy that the band usually effortlessly project, and it wasn't until Adam turned his guitar way up that things started to click into place. The set consisted of about 50% new songs and 50% from their newer releases ('Selling This Century' from the Del Toro split, 'Do The Broken' and 'xxxxxx' from Humans Find Patterns), and if the rumours of Turnpike's impending demise turn out to be true I pray to God that they record and release the most recent batch of songs before bringing it all to an end.

I haven't seen The Sips in a really long time (partly due to the fact that their shows are somewhat few and far between these days). Back when I last saw them they had a country-pop influence that could occasionally be glimpsed in between the rest of the Ramones-esque punk rock. It would seem that that aspect of their sound has fallen by the wayside (or at least it wasn't evident at this show), because The Sips pretty much didn't let up the intensity for the entirety of their set. That's not really a bad thing, as their three-chord pop-punk songs are catchy enough on their own. The band tore through their beer-soaked set at maximum volume and pace before finishing with a hail of feedback and noise.

In their short lifetime Nova Scotia have become one of my favourite local bands. They combine pretty much everything you could want from an unashamedly straight-up indie-rock band: catchy melodies, volume, twisting three-guitar attacks, pop songs set against distortion and feedback. And powerdrills, can't forget the powerdrills. They've already released two great EPs which have displayed an admirable level of growth for such a new band, so one would hope that an album is not too far away. Playing their first show for quite a few months (after having pesky things like travelling and marriage get in the way), the band was actually super tight. I was expecting something a little more raw and sloppy, but that's not at all what I got. Their set finished impressively with the slow-burning title-track from their Maritime Disasters EP, rising up to a noisy crescendo before riding out on the songs' main riff.

Deaf Wish played last. They had lots of energy. They're from Melbourne, so that's all I'm going to write.

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Favourite Brisbane Bands - Cam's Top 5

Recently we here at Before Hollywood were requested to list our favourite Brisbane bands by a local music-related company. Since we are nothing if not beholden to the machinations of the music industry, we graciously complied. Therefore, let me present to you my 5 favourite current Brisbane bands (Gav's will be forthcoming).

Note: this is not an 'of-all-time' list, I'm just talking of bands who are releasing stuff right now. Also, even though Ed Kuepper, Robert Forster etc are still releasing music, I thought it kind of went against the focus of BH to list them here, since they don't really need any assistance from me.

Turnpike:
Is there a better band in existence than Turnpike? If I'm being objective then the answer is probably yes, but if I let myself give in to sentimentalism then the answer is a hearty 'NO!'. They're the sort of band who seem to inspire fanaticism in a percentage of people who chance across them, but equally seem to be fated to remain on the relative fringes of the more 'successful' aspects of the Brisbane music 'scene'. I think the band are perfectly ok with this, though.

I think that the thing about Turnpike that equally turns some people off and lures others in is the ugliness to their music. Adam's guitar verges on white noise a lot of the time, the music regularly goes through 90 degree turns to take you somewhere unexpected, and the band walks this weird line between being completely shambolic and incredibly tight - somehow they manage to be both at the same time. But when you get past that there's also a strange sort of beauty in there; you realise that there are actual melodies in the haze of distortion and screaming, that some of the time they're playing a fractured form of pop music, that the jarring transitions actually make perfect sense, and that the push and pull between the three players is what makes the band so thrilling - there's that constant sense that everything could fall apart, or that something completely amazing could be about to happen. Sometimes you get the former, but more often it's the latter.

The Rational Academy:
It's been a long time coming, but The Rat Acad are finally going to be releasing their debut album in a the next few weeks. I remember seeing my first (the first?) RA show back in the little room near the entrance of 610 back in 2004. I was super excited about the band, as it featured members of the recently disbanded Autumn Giants, Delpino and Iron On. It was a Brisbane indie-rock supergroup, and the descriptions I'd heard of the band sounded fantastic. For me, they lived up to those expectations. Through the years (and countless drummers, plus the recent addition of bass and occasional flourishes of live glitchy laptop... stuff) they've retained their core sound of distorted, down-tuned guitars married to loud drums and relatively meek vocals, creating a dreamy pop soundscape. They've also managed to move into some interesting new territory, especially on record (see: the cut-up folk of their debut EP '(drums)', as well as the synth-pop of '2004' from the upcoming full-length 'a heart against your own').

Ambitious Lovers:
Last Thursday the Ambitious Lovers returned to performing live, and it was a heart-warming thing to witness. While the lineup has changed, the core vibe has remained the same: mostly beautiful but occasionally cathartically ragged ukelele underneath boy-girl vocals, with 'junkyard' percussion accompaniments (ie: drums made out of milk crates, wine glasses, kitchen utensils, etc). Where it can sometimes seem as though most local bands are just trying to rip off their favourite international acts, Ambitious Lovers seem to be able to effortlessly carve out their own unique sound and feel, even though they may be fairly comfortably lumped in with the whole 'freak folk' thing. Equally, they don't ever come across as being willfully difficult - there is always a beautifully written song at the core of even their most wayward moments. And when they do 'pretty'... well, they do it like noone else in town, with an authenticity that convinces.

Nova Scotia:
They're by far the newest band on this list, having only existed for a matter of months, but after (self-) releasing two pretty amazing indie-rock/pop EPs and playing a handful of quality shows they've convinced me that they're a band to love. And really, with the pedigree behind the members of the band Nova Scotia was always going to be at least 'pretty good'. Luckily for us, they've pretty much surpassed all of their previous groups - they've somehow managed to take many of the best aspects of those bands and then add in new elements to take the whole thing further.

Iron On:
My review of Iron On's recent release 'The Verse' may not have exactly been glowing, but make no mistake: Iron On are a really good band (in fact I'm listening to the EP right now and liking it a lot more... though the things that I didn't like about it before still grate on me). They've been releasing quality music and playing quality shows for too long to be discounted, either by any perceived 'stagnation' in the band or purely because they've been around for so long that they start being written off due to their ubiquity in the 'scene' or, even worse, the fickle nature of the indie rock community. Iron On's sense of pop-songcraft is strong, and experience has polished it to the nth degree. The only question is whether or not they can continue to release music without things getting stale. We'll all find out later in the year, when they release their sophomore album. I'm hoping they release the sort of album that they've shown they have the potential to make.


Special mentions: Nightcrash (too recently disbanded), Scul Hazzards (too recently relocated), Rialto Decibel Choir (too new), Bloon (too 'reportedly finished' and too 'plays once in a blue moon', but still awesome), Shiver Like Timber, a whole host of others.

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Review: Nova Scotia - Maritime Disasters EP

Some regular Before Hollywood readers (???) may remember a review I wrote for a little EP called 'Bear Smashes Photocopier' by the band Nova Scotia. Furthermore, you may remember that it was, in fact, BH's first record review. If you have especially good recall skills (or you clicked on the link) you may remember that I liked that EP quite a lot. Nova Scotia have just release their second EP, entitled 'Maritime Disasters', and it's... well, it's freaking fantastic.

The first thing that struck me about the CD is how good it sounds. The opening track, 'Windswept Mile', is all crystalline guitars and smooth melodies - it's not what you'd expect from a band that contains members of Eat Laser Scumbag, The Sips and Toadracer. Nova Scotia have really expanded their array of sounds - while they still have the mid-90s indie rock thing going on (often being very reminiscent of bands like Pavement, Polvo, Weezer and The Flaming Lips) they're now taking it to some unexpected places. There's not a sound on this record that isn't beautifully reproduced and meticulously placed - or at least it sounds that way, maybe it's a lot less planned out and the band just fluked it. I doubt it though.

The following track ('Penny Dropped') sounds more like the Nova Scotia we heard on their previous release, all galloping drums and screaming guitars and keyboard hooks and straining vocals. It's just that everything is BETTER (and hell, things were already pretty damn good with this band). Listening to this song on the bus to work this morning I was given goosebumps by the energy that it contains. It's almost Neutral Milk Hotel-esque in its sense of joyous noise (we're talking 'Holland 1945' here).

They follow that up with 'The Last Boy Band', which could well be my favourite song on the EP. The basis of the song is a bouncy, repetitious bassline which pretty much plays over and over until the end of the song. Bit by bit the band adds in instruments - first the vocals, then drums and a guitar, some doubled vocal parts, another guitar, before the song explodes into screams and woozey distortion about halfway through. It's a thrilling moment, it really is. It's also catchy as hell. Seriously, I've had this song in my head for weeks.

And so it continues from there with the other three songs. 'Crawling Through The Mud' sounds kind of like Weezer, with big choruses featuring group vocals. 'Secrets Of The New Age' features chugging guitars underneath another great vocal melody and dueling lead guitars. There are even glockenspiels! Glockenspiels! Finally, the 6 minute long title track closes out the record in slow burning style. 'Stalin's Holiday Bungalow' was a similarly epic closer on the previous EP, but where that song built up and exploded in cathartic glory, 'Maritime Disasters' offers a more contemplative and smouldering end to proceedings.

There are only 100 copies of this record available. For the love of God, I hope that someone gets a hold of this band and forces them to make more than that, but in case noone does I implore you to get out to see this band and BUY A COPY (you'll also have the added joy of seeing a great live act). There is NO reason why some of these songs couldn't be huge. Pretty much every song here is ridiculous good and really well recorded - there's none of the roughness of Bear Smashes Photocopier, and the polish on these songs actually enhances the energy put out by the band. Seriously, I don't have a single bad thing to say about this record, not even a lone lukewarm comment.

This is the best thing I've heard come out of Brisbane in a long time.


PS:
Here's a live video of 'Stunted Rabbits' (from Bear Smashes Photocopier) and 'The Last Boy Band' (from Maritime Disasters) from earlier this month at Ric's. It was a really great show.

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Bands To Watch In 2008

A happy new year to all our readers! We here at Before Hollywood are hoping for 2008 to be a big year for this blog and Brisbane music. With a massive amount of artists puring out of the woodworks in 2007, I've made an attempt at whittling it down to a select few who are likely to kick it loud in 2008. This list is by no means definitive, but if I can introduce you to one or two new favourite bands then my mission is accomplished.

Influenza

Influenza are a band you'll either really love or really hate. Combining a sound reminiscent of Crystal Castles with a irreverent dose of late-1980s East Coast hip-hop thrown in for good measure, this duo has sneaked into this list on the back of a trio of good gigs this month.


Rooftop Nightwatch

Rooftop Nightwatch have been attracting a lot of attention (including from us), and there is no doubt they keep on rising in 2008. As this article is being typed the band is recording its debut EP with producer Miro Mackie. With the wealth of great songs the band already has in its repertoire you can expect the EP to be a keeper.

Shakes

Any mention of Shakes is bound to be accompanied by Arcade Fire comparisons. But there is so much more to the band than that. Shakes combines that current indie pop sound with layers of atmospheric distortion and off kilter drumming. Betony Dircks' haunting vocals tie together the awkward combination to create music that is just screaming to be put on vinyl.

Shakes - Don't Let The Wicked City Get You Down

Shiver Like Timber

Not one to rest on her laurels, Betony makes another appearance on the list in the guise of her solo project, Shiver Like Timber. While an EP was released in 2006, it has taken a while for Shiver Like Timber's music to catch on. A number of mentions in interstate blogs and street press' are sure to propel her into 2008, however, and hopefully will be a catalyst for further recording.

Shiver Like Timber - Arctic Esplanade (Live At The Harvest Room)

Capital

Capital have been a bit silent in recent times, but don't let that fool you. This is a band full to the brim with Beatlesque guitar hooks and vocal harmonies, and anyone who has caught them live will attest to their ability to make the punters dance. If the band can continue to write pop gems like 'On My Way' then they could turn out to be a formidable force.

Capital - On My Way


Monster Monster

Daniel Wright, a.k.a. Monster Monster is the black sheep of this list. Instrumental hip-hop isn't widespread at the best of times, and in Brisbane it is next to non-existent. This makes the beats and bleeps of Monster Monster's music all the more endearing. Between sampling Dr. Karl and releasing songs on SD Card's, he has had the time to create the truly epic 'Nine Minutes And Fifty Something Seconds', a composition that comes off as a miniature Endtroducing. The track will be the first of what will hopefully be numerous releases from Monster Monster in 2008.


Re:Enactment

The Re:Enactment are quite obviously influenced by Nine Inch Nails, but rather then simply going for a straight out industrial sound the band takes that sound and mashes it up with the current electro-rock trend doing the rounds. While the effect is not yet consistent, when things come together the Re:Enactment really shine. Shambolic vocals and 8-bit beeps give way to Rhodes organs and searing guitar with nimble ease to create a unique palette of sound. Having just recorded an EP you'll be sure to hear more about the Re:Enactment in 2008.

Re:Enactment - Arctic Circle


A Man Called Son

Including A Man Called Son, a.k.a Simon Pearlman, in this list might be cheating a bit. Simon has spent the last couple of months in Europe, and apparently has the intention of moving to Melbourne once he returns. But credit where credit is due, A Man Called Son creates some of the most beautiful music with even one foot in Brisbane at the moment. If the songs 'Been Here Too Long' and 'Sundogs' are anything to go by then A Man Called Son's Survive In The Shadows EP and debut album, both to be released in 2008, are certain to be well received.

Arrows

Arrows sound like a less whiny Smashing Pumpkins (I don't really like Smashing Pumpkins, I quite like Arrows however). They also sound like a more up tempo Slint. This combination works wonderfully as anyone who has heard the 12" they released with These Hands Could Separate The Sky back in October will attest. Having just signed to Victorian-based Hobbledehoy Records, Arrows are preparing to record their debut album which will hopefully build on their promising sound.

Arrows - Don't Interrupt Me While I'm Working

To The North

To The North also seem to utilise Slint as a touchstone, but end up spinning it off into a post-Hardcore sound in the vein of Fugazi or Big Black, with a little bit of jazz influence thrown in for good measure. The result is a sound as intriguing as it is messy. Although having just released an EP, To The North plan on returning to the studio in January. Keep an ear out for the results of this venture.

To The North - We Are Not Ashamed (Live)

Do The Robot

If you felt the need to pidgeonhole Do The Robot you would most likely go straight for the Shoegaze tag, and you probably should given guitarist Matt's penchant for Kevin Shieldsesque guitar antics (My sincerest apologies for using that expression). But leaving it at that would fail to do justice to Do The Robot's unique sound, a sound that melds indie pop, trip-hop, and shoegaze into a beautiful, yet noisy affair.


Feathers

Sounding like some unholy trinity of The Stooges, Bauhaus, and The Slits, Feathers are following that long upheld tradition of Brisbane bands: making a lot of noise. This all female trio have yet to have a release yet so keep an eye out in 2008.


Willows

For a band that has only been playing live since September, Willows have a very unique sound, taking the sound of early 90's lo-fi bands like Archers Of Loaf and Guided By Voices and twisting into epic post-rock arrangements. If they can build on that sound they could turn out to be a major player in Brisbane music by the end of 2008.

Nova Scotia

No guessing where Nova Scotia's influences lay, as it blatantly states on their myspace, "sounds like (a) Pavement ripoff band." And while it is difficult to not conjure thoughts of Pavement while listening to Nova Scotia, it isn't difficult to realise that their debut EP, Bear Smashes Photocopier, was one of the best Brisbane releases of 2007.

Secret Birds

I can't admit to knowing a lot about these guys, but from the random tidbits of information I've gathered I really like the sound of them. Comprising of members of a number of good Brisbane bands from the past and present (On/Oxx, Stature::Statue, John Steel Singers) and excessive amounts of percussion, the Secret Birds ply a sound reminiscent of the new wave of psychedelic rock bands like Comets On Fire. I promise to catch them live early this year and give you some more solid information.

Let's Not (But Say We Did)

Let's Not (But Say We Did) is the vehicle of Nick Smethurst, a folkster of quite some talent. Trying to think of a comparison to his lyrical style my mind continually returns to Grant McLennan (and I don't say that lightly). While the band had planned to release its debut album in 2007, a lineup rotation with the addition of three members has lead to delays. The album, Epithets, will be recorded early this year.

Let's Not (But Say We Did) - Now See The Film (Live At The Troubadour)

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Review: Nova Scotia - Bear Smashes Photocopier EP

For Before Hollywood's first record review, I thought I'd post my impressions of the Nova Scotia EP I picked up at their show last Friday. 'But Cam', I hear you say, 'Cam, that EP was only a limited release and you and your friend got the last two copies'. 'True', I reply. Still, as the owner of a blog, if I can't hold things like this above your head to taunt you then what's the point? And anyway, I'm hoping that the band will put out a more widely available release in the not-too-distant future.

To quickly sum up the sound of this EP in the context of a handful of the band members' past groups, Nova Scotia are more melodic than Eat Laser Scumbag, more straightforward than Toadracer, more musically accomplished than The Sips. There's also a touch of other Brisbane bands such as Sekiden, Special Branch and Iron On in their sound. If you've never heard of any of those bands, however, I'll say that it's reminiscent of Pinkerton era Weezer fronted by a singer who sounds like Wayne Coyne* trying to outscream Frank Black. Come to think of it, at times the band also reminds me of The Flaming Lips mid-90's sound (the Transmissions / Clouds Taste Metallic period). But enough of lazy comparisons - basically it's big drums, rock solid bass lines, three distorted guitars riding over the top of everything and some real MELODIES. There's a great playfulness in the songs that I really enjoy - from the 'brrrrrrrup' noises in 'Cat's Out of The Bag' (you'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it), to the references to Metallica, to the band members talking before 'Stunted Rabbits' kicks off. On the other side of things, the band can really up the ante when they want, such as in the extended breakdown-and-build-up-again of the 7minute closer 'Stalin's Holiday Bungalow'.

As you would probably expect from an EP with a pressing of only 50 copies, it's a pretty rough recording (my favourite bit is when one of the guitarists misses his distortion pedal in 'Stalin's Holiday Bungalow'). However, I don't think this hampers things in any way; it's not like the recording is full of string quartets and horn sections - it's straight up pop-rock with a focus on melody and energy, and it comes through as well as you could want it to. Obviously it's not perfect (they have a bit of a way to go until they can better Toadracer's 'Wandering Star' EP) but it's certainly a very promising start from a very promising band. Let's just hope they stick around long enough to let things develop.

Anyway, enough of my incomprehensible ramblings. It's a good EP and you'd do well to either attempt to track down a copy or just go and see the band play these songs at a venue near you (as long as 'near you' encompasses The Valley).

Have a listen... here.


* I'm aware that trotting out the old Wayne Coyne comparison to describe someone with a slightly nasal voice is pretty much record review sin #2 (right behind 'Band X sounds like Band Y fronted by Singer Z'... oh shi..).

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Little Lovers, Nova Scotia @ Rics (25.5.07)

First live review!!

This past Friday evening I, Cam, did something very unusual for someone who frequents the Brisbane live music scene; I went to Ric's Bar to see some bands. But not just any bands, oh no, I went to see a band that almost never plays at said establishment. I went to see The Little Lovers.

So yeah, The Little Lovers seem to play Ric's about once a fortnight. However, that's no bad thing at all because they ARE one of Brisbane's best bands, and Ric's IS a lovely little (free) venue. Better yet, they were being supported by a really cool new band that I had yet to see, Nova Scotia. If you're not aware, Nova Scotia features (ex) members of a lot of awesome local bands, amongst them Toadracer (one of the most underrated Brisbane groups from the last few years), Eat Laser Scumbag, The Sips and more. Judging by the songs available from their myspace I was expecting this band to deliver a lot, especially for one so young, but they definitely delivered. They were tight, energetic, melodic (most important) and managed kept things moving along at a good pace throughout the gig, despite some issues with new guitars and broken strings. Their songs are simple and catchy while still managing to consist of more than just two chords and a (misplaced) attitude, unlike too many bands in this city. As can be expected from their lineage, they definitely sound very 'Brisbane indie-rock', ie: big, fast drums and guitars, with synth lines cutting through the songs alongside jangly Fender guitar solos. About the only negative to their show was that the room was pretty empty for a Friday night at Ric's.

In the time between Nova Scotia and The Little Lovers, however, the room filled right up. It's a well known fact* that even if you see tLL's on a bad night you're still in for a good show, and this night proved that point beyond a doubt. Guitarist Wintah seemed to completely forget every second riff he tried to play, and spent most of the night following the other two members for cues (which is somewhat funny when you consider that their bassist, Dan, has only been in the band for a few short months). Furthermore, from where I was standing (right next to the 'main' doorway) I could barely hear Dan's bass, except for when everything else cut out. Despite this, it's pretty safe to say that everyone in the room had a great time. The Little Lovers are owners of some of the best pop songs going around Brisbane right now, so it takes more than a bit of sloppiness to ruin one of their shows (hell, would you really want these songs to be played note perfectly?). It won't go down as their most triumphant show ever, but who cares? It was still highly enjoyable.

A note for Sydney readers: The Little Lovers will be the stage of The Hopetoun on June 1st. They're playing with David McCormack & The Polaroids and Beachfield (the new band from Custand member Glenn Thompson). Go along!

In addition to that, both bands have shows in Brisbane coming up in the near future. Check out their myspace sites for dates and songs (non-downloadable, unfortunately).
Nova Scotia - June 16 @ Alley Bar
The Little Lovers - May 31 @ The Tivoli (supporting Cold War Kids) and then various dates throughout June and July (including another show at Ric's!).


Ps: Not every review will be this glowing.


* it totally is.

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