STACK #151 May 2017

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Little Cub Still Life

She-Devils She-Devils

Allday Speeding From Adelaide to Los Angeles via Melbourne, rapper Allday – real name Tom Gaynor – is carving his own lane in Australian hip hop. Avoiding the old school clichés that are often associated with our local scene, he instead takes cues from current artists like Drake, Travis Scott and Tory Lanez, mixing in his own distinct flow and pop sensitivities. In Motion – featuring a dreamy soundscape by Japanese Wallpaper – hits right in that rap/pop sweet spot; likewise, Melbourne singer Nyne’s hook on Sides wouldn’t be amiss on an OVO project. But don’t let Gaynor's mumbled verses fool you for laziness – his style is purposely crafted. For all of the album’s drinking, smoking and partying bravado, there is an underlying theme of a young rapper growing up and reaching out to grab

Aldous Harding Party There's a particular range of emotions that arrive before the party. At the party. After the party. Excitement, anxiety, vulnerability. Ordinary moments are elevated and by contrast our everyday lives are brought into focus. So too with Party , the new album from Aldous Harding. It's a rare artistic achievement to evoke these heightened feelings, and capture with poetry and precision something of our interior lives. But Aldous makes it appear effortless with her finger-picked guitar melodies, slow deliberate piano chords, commanding, uniquely phrased vocals, strings, and subtle saxophone interludes. In this space the usual rules don't apply, and songs such as Imagining Your Man are punctuated with unexpected moments that thrill with playful boldness. Deep feelings and details that usually hide in the silence are amplified. And like the best parties, it's a completely transporting experience. (4AD/ Remote Control) SimonWinkler Screamfeeder Pop Guilt The ’90s were a brilliant time for Brisbane music, with Powderfinger, Regurgitator, Custard and Screamfeeder all in play. “I’ve gone away for a long, long time,” Kellie Lloyd sings on Screamfeeder’s first album in 14 years, which comes 25 years after their debut. “I might have some regrets,” Tim Steward adds, “but I don’t let ’em kill me.” These songs sound like sonic souvenirs from the ’90s, conjuring flashbacks to that era of triple j. But while the record is gloriously retro, it also manages to sound fresh and vital, with undeniable energy and depth. Pop guilt? Nothing to feel guilty about here. This is an album filled with diverse delights. (FOUR|FOUR/ABC) Jeff Jenkins

Naming a debut album Still Life may seem suitable in the arty sense, but you will not find any of the songs on Little Cub's first record rendering the inanimate qualities of fruit. In fact, Still Life is lively in the most mercurial of ways. The British indie-electronica trio paint life into each song with unabashedly honest lyrics, and the synthesized, bassy beats – like water: sometimes choppy, sometimes rolling, always alluring – feature as a spirited asset to vocalist Dominic Gore's almost deadpan lyrics, which call out things for what they really are. So tell us, Little Cub: “When do you tire of being right all the time?” (Domino) Savannah Douglas

She-Devils are the Montreal-based duo of Audrey Ann Boucher and Kyle Jukka. Their debut album is quite accurately self-described as "a fun-house world of beautiful chaos". It's a vivid pop vision that draws on various movements from the past few decades: slick '50s greaser rock with the romantic sheen of '60s jukebox staples, for example, or rhythmic '70s punk played by an '80s chart-topper. She-Devils cite icons and auteurs like Iggy Pop, Madonna and T-Rex alongside Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, John Waters and Quentin Tarantino, and while there's a clear reverence for these past masters, She-Devils also offer something

exciting and entirely new. (Inertia) SimonWinkler

deserved opportunity. (UNFD)Tim Lambert

Strangers Mirrorland From the depths of personal

Linkin Park One More Light Fun fact for you Linkin Park purists (can we use the word virgins?): did you know that the group used to be called Hybrid Theory? It’s ironic, since a hybrid is comprised of different elements and Linkin Park bring a whole new swing-set to the playground for One More Light . The ex-nu metalists are more electronic and alternatively inclined this time around, and only some tracks manage to pull it off ( Nobody Can Save Me, Halfway Right ). But where their songs usually build to a satisfying release, OML unfortunately just doesn’t have that bite. It’s no secret that they treat each album as a blank canvas on which to experiment, but we’re not sure if we’d hang this one on the fridge. (Warner) Savannah Douglas

Perfume Genius No Shape Mike Hadreas is Perfume Genius and this, his fourth full length release No Shape , breathes new life into his compelling sound. Otherside is a delicate opener that surprises with moments of bombastic eruption. The beat sampling on the album is the best we’ve ever heard, with Go Ahead steered by a relentless thump that can be felt in the pit of your stomach. The electrifying Sides features Weyes Blood, who stuns with her magnificent soprano. Closing track Alan is a touching song dedicated to Hadreas’ partner, someone who has been integral to both Hadreas' musical endeavours and his coming to terms with his struggles. Hadreas isn’t afraid to lay himself bare within his songwriting – a trait that listeners will continue to find comfort in. (Matador/ Remote Control) Holly Pereira

anguish comes Mirrorland from Melbourne rockers Strangers. On their sophomore record, the four-piece continue the rich history of Australian progressive rock started by stalwarts like Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus. Frontman Ben Britton’s understated growl anchors the anxious undertones of a record fighting its way out of the pits of human emotion. Built on roaring riffs, rolling drums and a snarling thematic vocal performance, Mirrorlands is a brooding ten-round heavyweight championship bout, with The Wall and Hex Mob packing the biggest punches of all. (Sony) Adam Colby

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MAY 2017

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