USURPER OF MODERN MEDICINE

Turbo Handshake
Heartless Robot

Turbo Handshake is the sophomore effort from local three-piece Usurper of Modern Medicine, already one of the bigger names in Perth’s experimental rock scene. An interesting question with any ‘experimental’ band is whether the band has an obscure, but constant, sound or whether they actually adopt an experimental approach to music making – taking risks and trying new ideas.

Usurper, it seems, have a little of both. Their stock sound is one of motoric, Krautrock beats and waves of laptop texture. It owes a lot to bands like Can and Neu! but doesn’t sound like any local band on the scene today. The biggest problem with Usurper’s first release, Acid Chess, was that this sound, wonderfully mesmeric in a live setting, came off as a little unfocused when recorded.

On Turbo Handshake the band have kept their basic sound but stretched it into new shapes, making it more original and effective in recorded form. Quadruple Dragon and I Am The Panopticon are the torchbearers for Usurper’s old sound. This release’s strongest track, however, is Pidgeon Religion, a Fuck Buttons-esque departure into more electronic terrain. The end of Turbo Handshake features several remixes by local producers. Ylem’s crackling, hip hop take on I Am The Panopticon is the CD’s other highlight, providing another possible angle to the Usurper sound.

_HENRY ANDERSEN

BALLS OF STEEL

Hair metal throwbacks Steel Panther are “more infectious than a bad case of herpes” and they’re set to bring the love back to Perth this year. After rocking the main stage of Soundwave back in March, the LA rockers will hit the stage of Metro City on Wednesday, October 10.

RIDE WITH ME

Do you remember what you were doing in 1992? Well, Mark Gardener does: he had just released the masterpiece Going Blank Again with his British alt-rock group Ride. To celebrate that momentous year, Gardener is heading to Australia on an acoustic tour where he will revisit some of that shoegaze classic as well as other hits from across his career.

BAKED SALMON

With his name synonymous with The Scientists, The Surrealists, Beasts Of Bourbon, and oh so many more, Kim Salmon is one of the most influential musicians ever to have cut their teeth Perth. He promises to “guitarfuck” Perth when he drops by The Bakery on Saturday, July 28.

SKY’S THE LIMIT

Combined their talents on full length album Songs Of The Southern Skies, Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp are now joining forces for an Australian tour. The album features contributions from the likes of artists Iva Davies, Gurrumul, The Living End’s Chris Cheney and heaps more.

GROWING UP

You may have seen them on the Rage couch over the weekend, but you will have to wait until August until you see them again. They are Melbourne rockers Children Collide and they’ve just released their third album Monuments.

SKULL CANDY

Fresh from the announcement that On The Bright Side is taking a year off, we get one more Splendour In The Grass sideshow announcement. UK trio Band Of Skulls are returning to our shores for their Sweetening Up Winter tour and they will step into The Bakery on Monday, July 23,

SMILING POLITELY

It’s official: there is not going to be an On The Bright Side festival in Perth this year, but we can tell you that at least one of the Splendour In The Grass headliners is making their way to Perth in 2012! The Smashing Pumpkins are true survivors of the ‘90s grunge movement.

WAKE ME UP

After pulling the pin on his proposed stop in WA earlier this year due to a stirring bout of pneumonia, George Michael has announced dates to make up for it, including a stop in WA which will go down in history.