Introducing: TERRY

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TERRY is an Australian super group of sorts – comprised of (deep breathe) Al Montfort (of Total Control and Dick Diver), Zephyr Pavey (Eastlink, Total Control, Russell Street Bombings), Amy Hill (Constant Mongrel, School Of Radiant Living), and Xanthe Waite (Mick Harvey Band) – who’ve announced their debut album, TERRY HQ, will be out July 1 via Upset the Rhythm.

Ahead of its release next month, they’ve kindly been previewing their debut LP with some sublime singles. So far it would appear their sound is a sort of throwback to that late ’70s / early- 80s era – with touches of punk, post-punk, glam and indie – and it is magnificent! The first glimpse was provided by ‘Don’t Say Sorry’, a nervy, scratchy and off-kilter stomper. It operates in the blurred lines between punk and indie, skittering along with an unhinged guitar until the midway point, where it careers off into a discordant, sonic self-implosion and never looks back. Their new single ‘Third War’ is an infectious, warped take on classic ’70s glam with punky tones. Unravelling at its own pace with a peaceful acoustic strum and vocals, it is offset by the constant drone of an electric guitar, and juxtaposed by melancholic musings surrounding a seemingly doomed world.

TERRY HQ, will be out July 1 but for now, get your ears into the jerky rhythms of ‘Don’t Say Sorry’ & the wonderfully infectious ‘Third War’.

Best of 2014: Johnny Feeney’s Albums of the Year

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The ever insightful Johnny Feeney pops up every now and then to share his musical musings with us, always adding an extra flavour to the blog and always a welcome one at that.

Ahead of my own albums of the year list, Johnny has kindly compiled his top ten albums from 2014 but before I leave you in Johnny’s very capable hands, I’d like to thank him for this, and all the other posts during the year, and of course the site’s renovation too.  So, without further ado, here are Johnny’s top ten albums of the year.

10. Sleaford Mods – ‘Divide and Exit’

2014 was certainly the year that Nottingham’s Sleaford Mods shot to prominence after years in the underground. Primitive programmed beats and Andrew Fearn’s menacing basslines provide the platform from which vocalist Jason Williamson volleys tirade upon aggressive tirade. Foul-mouthed, venom-spitting Williamson is the star turn here – a poet of the disenchanted lower classes in the UK. Powerful.

09. Miss Kenichi – ‘The Trail’

The third album from Berlin-based Miss Kenichi is a haunting, gloomy slow-paced affair reminiscent in parts to White Chalk-era PJ Harvey. Although sparse and dark on first listen, this album slowly reveals itself on repeat listens and is stunningly beautiful in places.

08. Benjamin Booker – ‘Benjamin Booker’

New Orleans-based Booker’s self-titled debut album is a treat of stomping, soulful blues rock. Sounding older than his 25 years, Booker’s voice is a magnetic presence throughout this record. The rollicking, rousing tunes are such good fun but Booker is equally as effective when he slows things down on tracks such as ‘Slow Coming’. Big things lie ahead for Booker, one imagines.

07. Brody Dalle – ‘Diploid Love’

Well-connected former Distillers frontwoman Dalle’s first solo album features guest appearances from the likes of the Strokes’ Nick Valensi and Garbage’s Shirley Manson but never for a moment is the spiky Dalle outshone on this fine rock record full of snarling vocals and thundering hooks.

06. Ultimate Painting – ‘Ultimate Painting’

Ultimate Painting are the very interesting side project from Jack Cooper of Mazes and James Hoare of Veronica Falls. Packed full of breezy, dreamy indie rock, lovely harmonies and incredibly infectious tunes are prevalent throughout. The easiest of easy listening.

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Guest Post: Johnny Feeney Picks 3 Albums [Timber Timbre, Brodie Dalle & Total Control]

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The ever insightful Johnny Feeney pops up now and then to share his thoughts on some albums which have caught his eye, always adding extra flavour to the blog. Without further a due, here are three albums have been taking his fancy lately. Thanks as ever to Johnny for taking the time to do this and with that, I’ll leave you in his very capable hands.

Timber Timbre – ‘Hot Dreams’

The fifth album from Canadian outfit Timber Timbre is a rather dark affair – twisted, cinematic country/Americana accompanied by vocalist Taylor Kirk’s dulcet tones, baritone guitars, snapping percussion and luscious string arrangements that feels like a perfect soundtrack to a disparate spaghetti western noir. This album is certainly one that requires multiple listens before it fully reveals itself. The dreamy title track is the lightest thing on offer with layers of synth-strings and woozy saxophones but is an exception rather than the rule.

The sinister ‘Bring Me Simple Men’ sounds like Portishead gone country fronted by Roy Orbison. ‘This Low Commotion’ is an album highlight with its sweeping strings and tinkling keys. The supreme ‘Run From Me’ plods along before slowly building and bursting unexpectedly but welcomely into life. Instrumental ‘The Three Sisters’ mirrors all what’s gone on before it and closes the album with one final ride into the sunset as the darkness envelopes all around. Hauntingly beautiful.

Brody Dalle – ‘Diploid Love’

Perhaps better known as the former frontwoman of punk-rockers the Distillers and wife of Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Brody Dalle’s rock credentials are certainly plain for all to see on here. On her debut solo album, she takes on production duties along with QOTSA collaborator Alain Johannes and although guests on the album include the Strokes’ Nick Valensi and Garbage’s Shirley Manson amongst others, there’s no doubt that the star of the show is Dalle herself.

There’s no shortage of thundering hooks or spiky attitude with Dalle’s snarling vocals driving the songs along. The strongest track on the album, ‘Meet the Foetus/Oh the Joy’, is a paean to motherhood with an ending so impossibly catchy that it can lodge in your head for days. ‘Blood in Gutters’ is fantastic – the scuzzy guitars and Dalle’s raw vocals providing the perfect foil for each other. There are some weaker moments towards the end such as the tame ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ but shouldn’t take away from what is an excellent rock album.

Total Control – ‘Typical System’

Melbourne quintet Total Control is not an especially easy band to pigeon-hole into one specific genre – new wave, post-punk, alternative rock, krautrock are some of the terms they’ve been labelled as. Their second album runs the gamut of all these and bends and contorts them into a weird and wonderful, heavily psychedelic sound. Founding member Mikey Young is also a member of garage-rockers par excellence Eddy Current Suppression Ring so it’s no surprise to see some rollicking, spiky punk rock appear throughout such as the fabulous ‘Expensive Dog’.

In other places you get something approaching straight-up garage rock like ‘Systematic Fuck’ and the much darker psychedelic sounds of ‘Liberal Party’ and the brilliant ‘Two Less Jacks’. The synth-rock of ‘The Ferryman’ is a further departure, while the chorus of the sublime closer ‘Safety Net’ evokes Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. All this interchanging keeps the listener guessing as to what’s coming next which makes the forty minute listening time fly by. Truly exceptional.