Leah Flanagan
Alternative pop
Leah Flanagan’s new LP Saudades is an alum made in the old fashioned way – that is, in a studio with a big team of contributing personnel. It’s become a rather rare approach, an indulgence even, but SAUDADES is a testament to teamwork. Several old hands, like mix engineer Paul McKercher and guitarist Jim Moginie, help to enrich Flanagan’s alternative pop numbers.
Thursday October 20 – Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane, QLD
Miles and Simone
Alt country
The term alt country is often used as code for “this is isn’t corny, soulless stuff straight off the Nashville production line”. Case in point: Melbourne duo Miles and Simone. Their songs encompass all that’s great about country music – acoustic guitars, male/female harmonies, enveloping melodies and an intermingling of melancholic and anticipatory emotions.
Friday October 21 – Grace Darling Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
Sally Seltmann
Pop rock
Sally Seltmann’s latest single ‘Dancing in the Darkness’ came out in April, so the fact she’s only launching it now suggests there’s more on the horizon. Either way, these shows promise to be uniquely fascinating with Seltmann taking the stage solo. Throughout her career as New Buffalo and under own name, Seltmann’s assumed the role of a classic singer-songwriter. ‘Dancing in the Darkness’ continues in this vein.
Friday October 21 – Newtown Social Club – Sydney, NSW
Wireheads
Garage rock
Wireheads are like a bad haircut you have no choice but to own up to, but then the more you live with it, the more you appreciate its wayward charm. They’re like a dilapidated old motor vehicle, it barely runs and makes a shit tonne of noise, but you still bloody love the thing.
Friday October 21 – The Foundry – Brisbane, QLD
Em Burrows and the Bearded Rainbow
Psychedelic soul
At its core, Em Burrows’ music is more soul than psychedelic, but it does contain some wonderfully swirly chord progressions, chiming pianos and circular melodies that give a nod to the ‘60s psych boom.
Friday October 21 – Mojos – Perth, WA
The Ocean Party
Indie rock
The Ocean Party write honest songs without much in the way of fluff. They work bloody hard on them – not a single bass pluck or piano chord lacks purpose – but their chief focus is on good, memorable, affecting songcraft, rather than bombast or contrived experimentalism.
Friday October 21 – Hotel Metro – Adelaide, SA
Tankerville
Rock
Tankerville are kind of deranged. Their latest EP, I Want Your Blood, is the epitome of hostility. The songs are fast and very short, filled with shouty man voices and hammer-to-the-brain punk rock instrumentals.
Saturday October 22 – The Tote – Melbourne, VIC
Poppongene
Dream pop
Melbourne solo artist Poppongene makes appealingly floaty guitar pop. There’s all sorts of reference points – Beach House, a cloudier Tame Impala, early Animal Collective – but it’s best to forget about such concrete entities and let the music take your senses for a spin.
Saturday October 22 – The Old Bar – Melbourne, VIC
The Nation Blue
Hard rock
The Nation Blue are back at it and not a moment too soon. Following May’s rarities compilation, they’ve just dropped two brand new albums. The titles alone – Blue and Black – indicate they’ve stayed firmly on brand. And by that I mean they’re continuing to make heavy-gravity Aussie-inflected punk rock.
Saturday October 22 – Brisbane Hotel – Hobart, TAS
Joyride
Hip hop/electronic
Here’s a cause we should all get behind: the Proudly Pokies Free campaign targeting Sydney’s horrifying gambling addiction. The campaign launches with a show at Oxford Art Factory, with local hip hop bigwig Joyride leading proceedings. Pokies aren’t just horrible eyesores and one of the primary things preventing Sydney from being as cool as Melbourne, but they help facilitate a truly frightful gambling epidemic in Oz. Lets get rid of the blasted things and enjoy live music instead. Sunday October 23 – Oxford Art Factory – Sydney, NSW
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