STACK #155 Sep 2017

REVIEWS MUSIC

LCD Soundsystem American Dream American Dream is LCD

The Belligerents Science Fiction

“Sorry to say,” The Belligerents frontman Lewis Stephenson intones on the opening cut on the band’s debut album, “it’s all the same.” And, yes, there can be a stifling sameness to electro-pop. But not with The Belligerents. The Brisbane band have delivered a wonderfully kooky collection, where you never know what’s coming next. Just about every track is like its own epic electro opera, with unexpected shifts in sound – it’s almost exhausting. There are some Britpop influences, plenty of nods to the ’80s, and Caroline takes a trip to ’60s psychedelia. But The Belligerents have crafted their own ambitious adventure. Back to the future. (Sony) Jeff Jenkins

Soundsystem’s greatest record yet and that’s just on a production level. The bass snaps are crisp, the drums are almost felt more than heard, and Murphy’s voice swims through the band’s tumbling arrangements as naturally as if it was the product of their harmony. Every bar feels purposeful, even amid the No Wave scrawl of Change Yr Mind and the sparse build-up of How Do You Sleep. Murphy is still as poignant as ever: critically sharp on hedonism- diss Tonite , crucially empathetic on back-to-back knockouts Call The Police and American Dream . Age smooths all, but American Dream shows that while LCD Soundsystem might’ve sacrificed their edge, they’ve gained something far more enduring. (Sony) Jake Cleland

Tim Wheatley Pillar To Post

The sun doesn’t always shine in Los Angeles. On his second album, Melbourne-bred singer- songwriter TimWheatley clearly has a love/ hate relationship with his adopted home: “I tell you now,” he confides in opening cut Midnight Man , “I’d give my kingdom for a breeze.” Strap

yourself in for a rollicking road trip. “Just yesterday, the radio went dead,” Wheatley sings. “It’s just you and I the rest of the way.” Wheatley is a long way from home and he’s got some tales to tell: “You just would not believe the things I’ve seen,” he states in Old Hollywood (Things I’ve Seen) . Elsewhere, things take a darker turn: “There’s nothing but snakes amongst the cane,” he declares, with his ominous vocal complemented by the dreamy voice of Australian model Helena Vestergaard. Pillar To Post is, indeed, deeper and darker than Wheatley’s impressive debut, 2015’s Cast of Yesterday , with producer Justin Stanley (ex-Noiseworks) adding a muscular edge to the folk pop sound. Paradise lost. Paradise regained. Wheatley has the songwriting smarts to rise above the LA dross. In a city where everyone’s an actor, he’s the real deal. (Sony) Jeff Jenkins

Alex Cameron Forced Witness

Alvvays Antisocialites

Emma Russack Permanent Vacation

Davey Lane I'm Gonna Burn Out Bright Davey Lane is one of the great Australian guitarists; he’s Tim Rogers’ right-hand man in You Am I and the go-to guitar slinger for bands such as The Saints and Crowded House. You’d expect his solo album to be filled with big riffs and guitar solos, but I’m Gonna Burn Out Bright is gloriously indulgent, kaleidoscopic pop. Lane is like a crazy one-man band, where that band is a mix of ELO, Queen and Cheap Trick. If, like this writer, you think that 1979 was the greatest year in music, this is the album for you. It’s a terrific trip. Put the headphones on and get lost in Davey Lane’s genius. (Capgun Kids/MGM) Jeff Jenkins

Alex Cameron’s debut Jumping the Shark was a sketch of a character burnt out, hopeless, and out of time. Forced Witness colours in the lines, showing how far two cowboys of the modern wasteland – Cameron and business partner Roy Molloy – can take a good idea with a little extra gas in the tank. Draped in 20th Century romanticism, Forced Witness is Springsteenian sentiment through NewWave sheen: doom is inevitable, love must be cherished, happiness is far from guaranteed, but the struggle needs a helluva beat. It’s a genuinely moving and ingenious portrait of people failing each other and themselves, over and over, in the same damn ways. (Inertia) Jake Cleland

Despite Alvvays becoming something of an indie rock staple, Antisocialities is only their second album, such is the maturity of their already well-honed sound. In Undertow is a remarkably realistic song chronicling coping strategies post-break-up, vocalist Molly Rankin’s vocals as dreamy as ever. The drums on Plimsoll Punks unite with the band’s trademark jangly guitars as Rankin repeats the song’s infectious hook. Your Type is a blistering two minute number that shows off the band’s poppier side, while Not My Baby ’s trajectory allows you to see multiple sides of the band – one moment they’re full of energy, the next they’re contemplative. With Antisocialities , Alvvays expand upon their musical repertoire while remaining as endearing and compelling as ever. (Pod/Inertia) Holly Pereira

Emma Russack’s signature blend of wry humour, confessional lyrics and sparse instrumentation has made her a favourite of many for years. On her new album Permanent Vacation , she comments on everything from the desire to escape to the seaside ( Migration ) to the toxic influence of social media ( Body Goals ). While this new material is notably less candid than that of her previous albums, Russack still has emotional pull as evidenced in the stunning Free Things and The Way , both of which feature her voice accompanied by a wonderfully moving piano. Permanent Vacation is evidence of Russack’s progression as a songwriter, and much like her other albums, serves as the perfect companion to your existential crisis. (Spunk) Holly Pereira

041