KINGPIN - SAY YEAH!KARMA COUNTY - NEW EMPEROR OF SAD
Ages back, a new sound from a now well-known band in Karma County was unleashed to great acclaim by pretty much everyone around who were fortunate enough to hear their musc. Through a succession of always interesting releases, the band have a sort of country style feel to their music, while still managing to remain set apart from that scene, always seeming to tread their own path.
I'm not entirely sure, but I think the band have not long release, or are about to release, another album called Headland, this being the first taste of it. As expected, the band have decided to play it safe, sticking with the well established style that they've made a name for themselves with & that for sure is no0t bad thing. The title is the only brand new track here, with old favourites such as "Postcard" & "Good Things Come To Me Now", as well as "Secret Country" from 2003 rounding things off. Certainly the new track is promising yet another quality release for the band.
New Emperor Of Sad is out now. hEARd rating 8/10
KINGPIN - SAY YEAH!
Pretty much a killer recording in anyone’s language in my opinion this one. A 4 piece Australian outfit whose music kicks some serious butt when you even hear the first few bars of guitars. With a dozen brilliant little numbers thrown at you in quick succession, this is one red hot album. There are a couple of bands who come to mind - one being The Pixies, the other Weezer, but I think the sound here is more rock oriented than that might indicate.
The opener “Wrecking Ball” is a blistering tune that’s carved straight out of the book of rock superstardom I reckon. Likewise, second track in “Stick Around” is another awesome piece of work. Most of the tracks are like these, quick, to the point & immensely enjoyable at the same time. One minor exception is the slightly slower “I Do”, during which the sense of anticipation is just as cool as the song itself. There’s another couple of very special moments here, firstly the title track, but secondly, the closer “Killing Rock ‘n Roll” is simply an awesome track that’s one of the best songs I’ve heard in ages. Can’t wait to hear more from these guys, that’s for sure.
Say Yeah! is out now throughn Noise-A-Thon. hEARd rating 9.5/10
LAST YEAR’S HERO - START OVER
For a couple of tracks into this five track ep, I was thinking that here we had yet another punk nouveau band, but the music began to grow on me. I’m not quite sure why, as the sound is not dissimilar to a lot of other punk-sounding bands, but the well crafted riffs & short, zap in zap out songs work a treat once you get into the sound of the band, which harks back through other similar sounds like Jebediah, occasionally Blink 182 etc...
Far from being a copycat band though, the band have some great time tested themes here, as the cover art might indicate. The title track “Start Over”, by the time you get there, fits the mould beautifully, while the cool “My Own Worst Enemy” is also something of a pick, but it’s the closing number, “It’s Not Me IT’s You” is a killer cut. There’s certainly something about this band which isn’t immediately obvious, but they have got what you want for short, poppy rock tunes & that’s something a lot of bands struggle for a long time to achieve.
Start Over is out now through Below Par. hEARd rating 8/10
LOSTY - LAND OF THE LOST
An excellent debut ep from Sydney based ‘outfit’ (I think it’s basically one guy), Land Of The Lost showcases the depth of the Australian hip hop scene’s talent with a full 5 tracks of brilliance in an oft dismissed genre with some great beats & loops & some energetic & well-timed rap towering over some outstanding production work, which could be said to be the Australian stamp, as some of the overseas hip hop over the last couple of years has been fairly lacklustre in production ethic, though this one, coming from the legendary Studios 301, should be on the mark.
The “Introduction” track is quite an impressive opener, though “Gatecrasher” is the one which really launches the style that shadows the rest of the ep, with “Story So Far” a more typical hip hop sound, likened to that of Hilltop Hoods I guess. The pick here & easy to see why, is middle effort “Time To Shine”, which brings to mind the vocal style of some of the oldest Regurgitator stuff & it’s one track that you can really sink your teeth into. All up, this is one classy ep & if your into the sound of other hip hop outfits in Australia, then you’ll be right at home here.
Land Of The Lost is out now through Warner. hEARd rating 9/10
LUMP - HERE I AM
The music on this album reminds me somewhat of a band that’s been around for quite a while, Extreme. It’s a cool album & while the sound is not overly innovative, it’s pretty good indeed. I’m certainly very impressed by the sounds here & there’s a few odd gems here for most people to enjoy, that’s for sure.
Pick of the lot for me is the outstanding “Here I Am”, though as with a lot of albums, there are more here to enjopy than just those considered to be the picks. In particular, both "Waiting" & "the very cool "Token Of Hostility" are both exceptional tracks in their own right. Not too sure on the history of this band, but they have a very cool sound & I think they'll be heard from a lote more by the sounds of this.
Here I Am is out now through Warped. hEARd rating 8/10
