THE BIG PINK

Future This
4AD/Remote Control

Looking for that perfect album to blast down the beach roads this summer? The Big Pink have you covered.
Featuring powerfully neon-lit summer anthems that revel in surging synths and hooks that sink deep, Future This is reminiscent of the fun slices of electro-pop that have propelled MGMT, Passion Pit and Foster The People to headlining festival slots.
The crazily catchy Stay Gold, in particular, is the kind of well produced jam that stands up to the best of their influences, a fist pumping bass line anchoring frontman Robbie Furze’s waifish falsetto awash in day-glo electronics. It’s the kind of forward-thinking pop song that many an indie band would die for; Future This, thankfully, has about four or so more to spare.
Aside from trying-too-hard-to-be-a-rock-band in Lose Your Mind, The Big Pink show a remarkable skill in sticking to what they know, be it typical dance-rock sing-a-longs like Jump Music or slightly off-kilter but still pleasantly palatable synth-pop numbers like Hit The Ground (Superman).
However, for all the immediacy inherent in Future This, it’s hard to imagine listening to this album in a different time and place (say, next winter) and still having that instant connection. For better or for worse, Future This is a product of the here and now, but who can be mad at The Big Pink for seizing it for all its worth?

THE NOVOCAINES

Idle Time
Ampersonic/MGM

The Novocaines have been frequenting the Perth gig scene for about five years now, chucking out a few EPs and slamming out the shows. So there was a collective sigh of relief from band and fans at the beginning of November when the band released their fittingly titled debut full-length, Idle Time.

The tunes are dirty, reckless and raw, yet structurally well-formed. The beauty of The Novocaines is that though each song is stylistically sound, they don’t take on that boring polished sheen that many rock bands tend to lean towards these days.

FELICITY GROOM

Gossamer
Inertia

The things that we do know about Felicity Groom is that she is a regular around the traps who appears to play more shows as a duo than with her full band, she is an enigmatic performer who commands a stage more than her short stature should allow, and that she has been working on a ‘much anticipated’ debut album for the past few years.

THE GIZZARDS

Man Probes The Universe
Gigi The Runt Records

Man Probes The Universe is what can happen when you have a shed full of toys, keyboards and computers that make a lot of noise, a fridge full of beer, a soldering iron and plenty of time on your hands. The Gizzards have plenty of these tools at their disposal when continuing The Doctor & The Robot Trilogy.

Man behind The Gizzards, Chad Jane, is a psych nurse by day and clearly brings large slices of his work home with him as he tools around his home studio.

Harlequin League

Harlequin League
Independent

Perth’s own league-of-gentlemen have managed a difficult task for their debut long player; refining a sound while retaining their uncommon blend of influences. Produced and mixed by Andy Lawson (whose reputation grows) the self-titled Harlequin League is a summation of some years of hard work.

MIKE DE VELTA

Whiskey In The Mornin’
Independent

Mike De Velta may well have been born in London but his heart and soul are soundly grounded in the west coast of Australia. His live gigs are always exciting as he builds the tempo throughout his blues-infused set, readily demonstrating that he wears his musical heart on his sleeve.

THE JOE KINGS

Love Strikes

Independent

There’s no doubt you’ve heard their name, seen one of their shows, or seen them on-stage at least part of the way naked. The Joe Kings have released their much-anticipated second EP, and damn was it worth the wait.

MORGAN BAIN

Another Day

Independent

Promising young talent Morgan Bain is sickly impressive. At only the tender age of 16, Bain’s voice echoes maturity beyond his years and plays guitar like a pro. The blues and roots artist is also a talented songwriter with his four track debut EP Another Day proving Bain has got what it takes to compete with the best of them.

HUSBAND

Husband

Independent

Michael Paolino knows at least two things about music. That like fashion it is ever changing, and that you should always wear black. Husband is the new project for the former Luna Parade leading man. Where Paolino’s previous band used to channel the essence of Interpol into their sound, Husband are clearly more enamoured with current go to artist The National.

BLAC BLOCS

Mandala

radicalhack.com/blacblocs/

‘Blac Blocs are fucking dead,’ declare the liners of this, the Perth band’s second and final album. It’s a clear allusion to Refused, of course, with whom they share an anarchic, activist outlook.