Paul Dempsey - Everything is True - Album Review

*****
On his debut solo album, Paul Dempsey has kept everything that is great about Something for Kate and made a fresh and unique sound that I can't get enough of. I've been listening to this album on repeat for over 2 weeks now and have not come close to tiring of it yet. Even the latest single "Romona Was a Waitress" which is getting fairly heavy airplay still sounds fresh. The songwriting on Everything is True is Dempsey's strongest effort since SFK's Elsewhere for 8 Minutes and the simple yet catchy acoustic guitar is the perfect accompaniment to his clever and insightful lyrics. All the instruments on the album are played by Dempsey and he also wrote and co-produced the debut with Wayne Connolly, who has previously worked with The Fauves and Josh Pyke, proving that he is truly one of Australia's most talented artists. It's hard to pick highlights on such a strong album but I am really loving "Fast Friends", "Bird in a Basement" and current single "Romona Was a Waitress". The bonus disc features four covers played acoustically and is a nice addition, if only for the great MGMT cover of "Time to Pretend. You can find his cover version of classic 90's Teenage Fanclub track "Sparky's Dream" on iTunes as well which is probably my favourite of the cover versions. This fantasic debut is the current leader for Album of the Year at this stage and I am looking forward to seeing a full live show at the Palais in Hepburn Springs on the 11th Sept, having seen a sneak preview at RRR's Performance Space in July before hearing the album. I strongly receommend this album, even if for some stupid reason Something for Kate is not your cup of tea. 5 out of 5.

Everything is True
1. Bats
2. Fast Friends
3. Out The Airlock
4. Ramona Was A Waitress
5. Take Us To Your Leader
6. Bird In A Basement
7. Theme From Nice Guy
8. Have You Fallen Out Of Love?
9. The Great Optimist
10. Safety In Numbness
11. Man Of The Moment

Counterfeits and Forgeries
1. Time to Pretend (MGMT)
2. Heaven (Talking Heads)
3. So Like Candy (Elvis Costello)
4. Disappearer (Sonic Youth)
5. Sparky's Dream (Teenage Fanclub) iTunes Bonus Track

Here are the latest tour dates for Paul Dempsey

Thurs 10 September – Ruby’s Lounge
Fri 11 September – The Palais, Hepburn Springs
Sat 12 September – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Wed 16 September – Lizottes, Kincumber
Thurs 17 September – Wollongong University, Wollongong
Fri 18 September – Brewery, Newcastle
Sat 19 September – Manning Bar, Sydney
Fri 25 September – The Sound Lounge, Gold Coast
Sat 26 September – The Zoo, Brisbane
Thurs 1 October – The Gov, Adelaide
Fri 2 October – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Sat 3 October – Fly By Night Club, Fremantle
Fri 9 October – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Sat 10 October – Westernport Hotel, San Remo

David Gray - New Single and Album

1. Fugitive
2. Draw The Line
3. Nemesis
4. Jackdaw
5. Kathleen
6. First Chance
7. Harder
8. Transformation
9. Stella The Artist
10. Breathe
11. Full Steam

David Gray has just released an excellent video for "Fugitive" which will be the first single from his forthcoming album Draw the Line due out on September 22. It's another great upbeat piano driven classic from the UK singer who hasn't released an album in 4 years. See below for the latest video for David Gray and a couple of classics.

New Music - May 2009

It's been a good year for music so far with plenty of excellent releases on the schedule for the next couple of months including newies from Eels, Paul Dempsey (Something for Kate), Placebo, Eskimo Joe, Kasabian, Phoenix, Lemonheads(cover album) and the debut album by Passion Pit. Here are the film clips for some of the tracks that I have been listening to lately. My favourite song at the moment is "Eid Ma Clack Shaw" by Bill Callahan from his great new album Sometimes I Wish I Were an Eagle but unfortunately there is no clip for this song as yet.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times - Album Review

1. Number With No Name
2. Up To You Now
3. Shimmer And Shine
4. Lay There And Hate Me
5. Why Must You Always Dress In Black
6. Skin Thin
7. Fly One Time
8. Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart)
9. Boots Like These
10. The Word Suicide
11. Faithfully Remain
Rating: ****1/2

Ben Harper's new band Relentless7 has given Harper a new spark and he is showing some of the passion of his earlier releases. The album begins with "Number With No Name" featuring some trademark Harper slide which is good to hear again, especially with distortion. White Lies for Dark Times is Harper's heaviest album to date with his lyrics illustrating some of the anger that the title hints at. "Shimmer and Shine" shows off the talents of his new band with drummer Jordan Richardson adding some excellent percussion fills. As good as his slide is to hear again, Harper's greatest instrument though is his voice which is in fine form as usual. "Keep it Together (So I Can Fall Apart)" has Harper wailing over his wah driven slide which is featured again on "Boots Like These". The slower numbers like "Up To You Now", "The Word Suicide", "Faithfully Remain" and "Skin Thin" work on the album to show off Harper's songwriting talents. " The bluesier rock numbers "Why Must You Always Dress in Black", "Boots Like These" and "Lay There and Hate Me" have Relentless7 in their comfort zone and are a perfect fit for Ben Harper's style. White Lies for Dark Times is a return to form by one of the best musicians of our time and hopefully it will not be the last we hear from Relentless7.

Doves - Kingdom of Rust - Album Review

1. "Jetstream" – 5:30
2. "Kingdom of Rust" – 5:11
3. "The Outsiders" – 3:28
4. "Winter Hill" – 5:18
5. "10:03" – 4:04
6. "The Greatest Denier" – 3:59
7. "Birds Flew Backwards" – 2:51
8. "Spellbound" – 5:39
9. "Compulsion" – 5:14
10."House of Mirrors" – 4:20
11."Lifelines" – 4:26

Rating: ****1/2
The 4th studio album from UK band Doves is my favourite album of the year so far. I hadn't listened to Doves since they released Some Cities in 2005 and had somehow forgotten how good they are. I have rediscovered their back catalogue in a big way after hearing Kingdom of Rust which was an easier first listen than their previous releases. They have a small following outside the UK, despite rave reviews around the world, like fellow underrated Manchester lads Elbow. They also released their 4th and most accomplished album last year, taking out the Mercury Prize for The Seldom Seen Kid. Kingdom of Rust is of the same quality and is my early tip for this years Mercury Prize. Doves were nominated for their first two albums Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast but missed out. Both bands have taken great steps on their 4th albums and with Gomez are the best bands out of the UK at the moment.
Opening track "Jetstream" is a perfect example of Doves epic sound and they do it naturally without overdoing it. First single "Kingdom of Rust" is an instant classic that starts with a Spaghetti Western feel and soars into an epic piano driven chorus. The highlight of the album appears on the 9th track "Compulsion" and it's all about the funky bass. The whole album is excellent and although it might not achieve commercial success, it will be a favourite among real music fans and critics alike.

Gomez - A New Tide - Album Review

Rating: ****
1. "Mix"
2. "Little Pieces"
3. "If I Ask You Nicely"
4. "Lost Track"
5. "Win Park Slope"
6. "Bone Tired"
7. "Airstream Driver"
8. "Natural Reaction"
9. "Very Strange"
10."Other Plans"
11."Sunset Gates"

I have waited a few weeks to let Gomez's 6th studio album sink in before making any judgment on it and after repeated listens, A New Tide has started to grow on me. It is not their best but they are a band that don't make the same album over and over and that's one of the reasons I love them. It is less radio friendly than their previous effort How We Operate, sounding more like their underrated 3rd album In Our Gun. Not to say that they are no catchy somgs on the album with tracks like "If I Ask You Nicely", "Natural Reaction" and excellent first single "Airstream Driver" all having an upbeat vibe. The acoustic guitar is heavily featured on this album and all 3 vocalists share the lead on singing duties, with some excellent backing vocals on every track. Their latest offering has received mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it as whole album, even though there were not as many stand-out tracks as usual. I may be biased though because they are probably my favourite band. The distinctive vocals of Ben Ottewell on "Little Pieces", "Lost Track", "Bone Tired" and "Sunset Gates" are reason enough for Gomez fans to be excited about another release. I am glad I persevered with this album becuase it is getting better with every listen and a worthy addition to their impressive catalogue. I will look forward to seeing them back in Australia to tour this album, hopefully this year sometime.

Lady of the Sunshine - Smoking Gun - Album Review

01. Silver Revolver
02. Home Sweet Home
03. White Rose parade
04. Jack Nimble
05. Big Jet Plane
06. Smoking Gun
07. Daisychain
08. The Wolf
09. Anna
10. Kings Black Magic
11. Dead Mans Train
12. Lady Sunshine
Rating: ****
Ever since hearing the first single"White Rose Parade" played on JJJ I have been anticipating the new album by Lady of the Sunshine, Angus Stone's side project . Smoking Gun is a more eclectic album than previous releases by Angus and Julia Stone with his sister. The album is great on it's louder moments when he swaps the acoustic guitar for an electric on "Smoking Gun" and lead single "White Rose Parade" . "Kings Black Magic" starts nice and gentle with an acoustic guitar strumming over soft vocals but then morphs into a thumping chorus which provides one of the albums highlights. "Big Jet Plane" is one catchier songs on the album featuring a chorus that has been stuck in my head many times, same goes with opening track "Silver Revolver". The slower acoustic numbers highlight Stone's songwriting talents, particularly on "The Wolf", "Daisychain" and "Anna". "Jack Nimble"and "Lady Sunshine" show off Stone's impressive vocal range and are standout tracks. Hopefully this will not be a one-off project for Stone but there have been no live dates announced as yet. A fantastic debut showing a new side to a very talented musician.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz - Album Review

****
1. "Zero" 4:25
2. "Heads Will Roll" 3:41
3. "Soft Shock" 3:53
4. "Skeletons" 5:02
5. "Dull Life" 4:08
6. "Shame and Fortune" 3:31
7. "Runaway" 5:13
8. "Dragon Queen" 4:02
9. "Hysteric" 3:50
10. "Little Shadow" 3:57

For their 3rd album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have headed to the dancefloor replacing their loud guitars with synth to great effect. Kicking the album off with first single "Zero", Karen O squeals, croaks and moans beautifully through the songs sexually charged lyrics over dance beats and synth. It's one of their finest songs to date and one of the highlights of It's Blitz. "Off With Your Head" is their catchiest song to date and will stay in your head long after you've heard it. Hidden amongst all the beautiful choruses and dance beats are darker moments like the atmospheric "Skeletons" and the albums closer "Little Shadows". Other highlights on the album are "Shame and Fortune", ""Dragon Queen" and "Hysteric" with no real filler unlike the YYYs previous two albums. With word of an Australian tour for later this year (possibly for Splendour in the Grass), they are sure to be one of the biggest bands of 2009.
TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek and Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Supergrass) add to their already excellent track record with production on this album. Below is the great new clip "Zero" as well as a track from each of their previous albums, "Maps" from Fever to Tell and "Gold Lion" from Show Your Bones.

The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love - Album Review

The latest release by The Decemberists sounds more like a rock opera than an album and it is a pleasant change from albums that have 3 or 4 good songs and the rest filler. Each of the 17 songs have their place on the album, even the small instrumental tie-ins, and sound best when played in sequence as a full album. It is a good way to spend an hour though and Colin Meloy’s distinctive voice is always good to hear. Although they sound like the same band, some excellent riffs show up throughout the album which are unexpected at first but after repeated listens become the core of the album.

This press release sums up the story of what the album is about better than I can:

"The album began when Meloy – long fascinated by the British folk revival of the 1960s – found a copy of revered vocalist Anne Briggs’s 1966 EP, titled The Hazards of Love. Since there was no actual song with the album’s title, he set out to write one, but was soon immersed in something much larger.
"The Hazards Of Love tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came 'to be living so easy and free' in the aforementioned “The Rake’s Song”. Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden deliver the lead vocals for the female characters, while My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Robyn Hitchcock and The Spinanes’ Rebecca Gates appear in supporting roles. The range of sounds reflects the characters’ arcs, from the accordion’s singsong lilt in “Isn’t it a Lovely Night?” to the heavy metal thunder of 'The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing”."

After only a few listens it has already become one of my favourites of the year so far and is getting better with every listen. Below is the tracklisting and an audio sample of "The Rake's Song" from the new album as well as a couple of great film clips from the previous albums.

1. "Prelude" - 3:04
2. "The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)" - 4:19
3. "A Bower Scene" - 2:09
4. "Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)" - 4:07
5."The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)" - 4:26
6. "The Queen's Approach" - 0:29
7. "Isn't It a Lovely Night?" - 3:29
8. "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" - 6:27
9. "An Interlude" - 1:40
10. "The Rake's Song" - 3:16
11. "The Abduction of Margaret" - 2:07
12. "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" - 3:56 .
13."Annan Water" - 5:12
14. "Margaret in Captivity" - 3:08
15. "The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)" - 3:22
16. "The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)" - 1:31
17. "The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)" - 5:57

Faith No More to Play Australia?

Faith No More recently announced that they will getting back together to play a few festivals in Europe later this year. Ever since, I have been anxiously awaiting news that they would bring their big swag of hits down under. Although there has been no official word as yet, Faith No More's bass player Billy Gould posted this message on Twitter a few hours ago which has given me some hope.

"In answer to your questions of shows outside the EU, especially from Brazil and Australia, yes, we are thinking of coming there."

Re-forming for this reunion will be Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Bill Gould, Jon Hudson and hard-working frontman Mike Patton. Faith No More split up in 1998 after being together for 17 years through various line-ups and this year will be the 20 year anniversary of the highly influential best seller The Real Thing, the first album featuring Mike Patton as singer.

The festival tour dates that have been announced for June are as follows:

Fri June 12 to Sun June 14 - Download Festival Donnington Park Englandhttp://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/

Friday June 19 to Sun Jun 21 - Hurricane Festival Eichenring Scheeßel Germanyhttp://www.hurricane.de/

Friday June 19 to Sun Jun 21 - Southside Festival Neuhausen ob Eck, Tuttlingen Germanyhttp://www.southside.de/

Friday June 19 to Sun Jun 21 - Nova Rock Festival
Nickelsdorf Austriahttp://www.novarock.at/

To keep updated of all Faith No More's reunion news, check out Billy Gould's Twitter page which is updated frequently - http://twitter.com/MRGOULD

Sound Relief - Playing Times

The playing times for the once in a lifetime event Sound Relief have now finally been released and it looks like it's gonna be a great day of music. With bands only playing 30-40 minute sets, we are guaranteed to be treated with a set full of hits by all the artists.
After a 10 year haitus, Hunters & Collectors re-formed especially for this show and it may be your last chance to catch these pub rock heroes as have announced that they are not planning any shows after this. Other Australian icons that re-formed for these special concerts are Midnight Oil, Split Enz, and Icehouse. Australian icon John Farnham is also rumoured to join Coldplay on stage to play Farnham's classic "You're the Voice", which Coldplay have playing at their Australian shows recently. Kylie Minogue has also been announced as a special guest MC for the Melbourne event but at this stage will not be performing.

Tickets for the MCG show in Melbourne have now sold out but there are still plenty of tickets available for the Sydney show at the SCG.



MELBOURNE

10am Gates
12:10pm Jet
12:55pm Gabriella Cilmi
1:40pm Kings Of Leon
2:20pm Paul Kelly
3:05pm Augie March
3:50pm Bliss N Eso with Paris Wells
4:35pm Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson w/ Troy Cassar-Daley
5:30pm Liam Finn
6:20pm Jack Johnson
7:00pm Wolfmother
7:45pm Special Announcement & Minutes Silence
8:00pm Hunters & Collectors
8:55pm Split Enz
9:50pm Midnight Oil
10.30pm Finish


SYDNEY

11:00am Gates
12:15pm Coldplay
1:00pm Wolfmother
1:45pm Hoodoo Gurus
2:30pm Little Birdy
3:05pm Architecture In Helsinki
3:40pm You Am I
4:25pm Josh Pyke
4:55pm Marcia Hines (Special Performance)
5:30pm Taylor Swift
6:15pm Eskimo Joe
7:05pm Jet
7:45pm Special Announcement & Minutes Silence
8:00pm The Presets
8:50pm Icehouse
9:40pm Barry Gibb (feat. Olivia Newton-John)
10.30pm Finish

War Child Heroes - Various Artists - Album Review

War Child is an organisation that raises money for children living in poverty in the world's most dangerous war zones. For more info on this worthy cause, visit the website http://www.warchild.org/uk.

The idea behind this new compilation was getting 15 music legends to choose one of their tracks to be covered by an artist they think will do it justice. There are some interesting choices here with some tracks improving on the orignal. Elbow do a very faithful version of U2's "Running to Stand Still" from The Joshua Tree which is one of Bono's favourites and a highlight from the album. David Bowie selected former collaborators TV on the Radio to add their unique flavour to the classic song "Heroes" and was no doubt pleased with the result. Iggy Pop also chose a former collabrator in Peaches to tackle the classic punk track "Search and Destroy" and the song fits her style perfectly adding some fuzzy synth and thumping drums to great effect. Beck turns Bob Dylan's "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" from a laid-back blues song to a funky electronic rock track like only Beck can. Other highlights feature Lily Allen with some help from Mick Jones on The Clash's "Straight to Hell, Franz Ferdinand's live take on Blondie's "Call Me", Yeah Yeah Yeah's version of The Ramones' "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" and Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City covered by The Hold Steady. A solid and unique album with the profits going to a wortthwhile cause make it a great purchase.

1. Beck - "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" (Bob Dylan)
2. Scissor Sisters - "Do the Strand" (Roxy Music)
3. Lily Allen and Mick Jones - "Straight to Hell" (The Clash)
4. Duffy - "Live and Let Die" (Sir Paul McCartney)
5. Elbow - "Running to Stand Still" (U2)
6. TV on the Radio - "Heroes" (David Bowie)
7. Hot Chip - "Transmission" (Joy Division)
8. The Kooks - "Victoria" (The Kinks)
9. Estelle - "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)
10. Rufus Wainwright - "Wonderful/Song For Children" (Brian Wilson)
11. Peaches - "Search and Destroy" (The Stooges)
12. The Hold Steady - "Atlantic City" (Bruce Springsteen)
13. The Like - "You Belong to Me" (Elvis Costello)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" (The Ramones)
15. Franz Ferdinand - "Call Me" (Live) (Blondie)

Dan Auerbach - Keep it Hid - Album Review

****
The solo debut album from Black Keys singer/songwriter/guitarist has just been released and it is a must have for all fans of The Black Keys or for those that wish they were a four-piece. Dan Auerbach has taken full control of this album, singing over a number of instruments including lead and rhythm guitar, drums, keyboards and percussion as well as taking responsibilty for the production and engineering at his own studio, Akron Anaolog.

The album opens with a great acoustic gospel song called "Trouble Weighs a Ton" and is the biggest departure from the heavier sound The Black Keys. The next track "I Want Some More" sounds a bit more familiar featuring some bluesy guitar and funky organ and one of the many highlights of the album. Like all good albums, it takes a few spins before the meldoies reveal themselves but it's worth the effort. Keep it Hid has all the things I love about The Black Keys but with the extra instrumentation and backing vocals, is different enough to be set apart, especially on tracks like "Heartbroken, In Disrepair", "Real Desire", "The Prowl" and "Street Walkin'". The quietier moments on the album like the before mentioned opening track, "When the Night Comes", "Whispered Words", "When I Left the Room" and closing track "Goin' Home" gives the debut album more depth. In conclusion this is a worthy and ecelectic release from The Black Keys frontman and after seeing him in action in January, more proof that he is a legend of our time.

Unforunately there are no film clips from the album yet but I here is the audio for "Street Walkin'".

Free Download of new Gomez track

Click this link http://gomeztheband.com/ to get a free download of the excellent new Gomez song "Airstream Driver" from the upcoming album A New Tide. The album will be released on March 28th 2009 in Australia, March 30th in the UK and March 31st in the US. Gomez are my favourite band and can't wait for this to be released after hearing a preview when they played "Mix" and "Very Strange" on their tour of Australia last month. Here is the tracklisting and artwork for the new album.

1. "Mix"
2. "Little Pieces"
3. "If I Ask You Nicely"
4. "Lost Track"
5. "Win Park Slope"
6. "Bone Tired"
7. "Airstream Driver"
8. "Natural Reaction"
9. "Very Strange"
10."Other Plans"
11."Sunset Gates"








Here is a great live version of "How We Operate" from the bands previous album of the same name and the film clip for "Notice". I have also included "Machismo" and "Rhythm & Blues Alibi" for those who might not have heard the excellent sounds of Gomez before.

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - Album Review

****
The new album by scottish four piece Franz Ferdinand is a return to the form of debut album. Their 3rd album opens with the funky dance track "Ulysses" which begins with a smooth bass line over whispered vocals leading into a thumping synth riff that keeps building until the catchy chorus kicks in. It is their best track since debut single "Take Me Out" and has been stuck in my head for a week. It is a promising start after their hit and miss second album You Could Have It So Much Better.

The album continues to bring the funk with "Turn It On", "No You Girls" and "Twilight Omens" featuring their trademark harmonised choruses and guitar hooks. The second half of the album doesn't quite reach the same level but there is enough good here to make it an enjoyable listen from start to finish. The epic length album version of "Lucid Dreams" does not work as well as the original 3 minute version that was released last year, but still has it's moments. "Bite Hard" opens with some gentle piano which transforms into another pumping dance anthem. "What She Came For" is another catchy dance/rock track as is "Can't Stop Feeling" which features some more dirty synth riffs.

The albums closing tracks "Dream Again" and "Katherine Kiss Me" are a quiet departure from the rest of the album, ditching the electronic sound for a more mellow vibe. This supports the bands assessment of the album having a dusk to dawn theme that starts with party songs and winds down as the album finishes. Although this album for the most part is more of the same, it is still their best album to date and an excellent addition to their catalogue. Here is the clip for the great new single "Ulysses"

Michael Franti - Obama Song

Here's a pretty cool track by Michael Franti & Spearhead called "Obama Song" . With Barack Obama officially becoming the leader of the free world today, it's a good time to check out this funky little track.

Debut Album by Kram from Spiderbait

Lead singer and drummer from Spiderbait, Kram, is about to release his debut album Mixtape and from the tracks I've heard on his My Space it should be a ripper. You can preview 4 of the tracks from the aptly titled Mixtape which according to a quote from Kram will sound "like a radio station where all the songs sound like different bands even though it's all played by one person.... The premise of the whole album was to be constantly changing your approach musically". Sounds like my kind of album. You can also get a free download of "Outer Space" from My Space (click here http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=393564850)

The film clip for first single "Silk Suits" is an instant classic. The action takes place at Rod Laver Arena as Kram (sporting jeans, Motorhead T-Shirt and matching yellow head and wrist bands) and Alicia Molik battle it out with Nic Cester from Jet as umpire. The song is already been played heavily on Triple J, featuring Kram's trademark thumping drums and killer vocals. The new album is released in Australia on March 14th. Check out the excellent clip for "Silk Suits" below as well as a great live track from the Meredith Music Festival and a snippet of album track "Soccer".

The Black Keys / Gomez / Dr Dog - The Palais, St Kilda - 11 Jan 2009

This gig had the perfect lineup and with a start time of 7pm, was impossible to resist. The afternoon was spent drinking beers at the espy and getting sunburnt with a few friends who were also going to the gig. Dr. Dog are a band I only recently starting listening to but they have become a favourite of mine. Their 2008 album Fate was one of the best of the year, and was featured heavily in the 45 minute set. The opening piano riff of "The Old Days" started the show off nicely as they played through a tight set of retro rock tunes. The vocals were shared by three of the five members and would not sound out of the place in the 60's. Highlights of the excellent set were "Hang On", "Uncovering the Old", "Army of Ancients" and closing track "The Rabbit, The Bat and the Reindeer".



Dr Dog were going to be hard to beat, but Gomez were well equipped to do so. They opened the set with "Shot Shot" and played all hits for over an hour, including one new track. As they were playing "Bring it On" in full at the Espy on Tuesday night, they left that album off the setlist. I was glad because I was going to the Tuesday show and it gave them time to play classics from Liquid Skin like "Rhythm & Blues Alibi", "Blue Moon Rising" and "We Haven't Turned Around". They closed with two tracks from How We Operate, "Girlshapedlovedrug" and an extended jam version of "How We Operate" which sounded amazing. I have now seen Gomez five times and they have always managed to bring something new to their live performance. Even seeing them twice in 48 hours during the week, they were both completely different and excellent in their own way. They have now become my favourite band. Setlist below


The Black Keys command the stage better than most 5 piece bands as they stroll on stage to their positions in front of impressive stage props. There is a giant inflatable dream catcher that is lowered behind Patrick Carney's raised drum kit and an inflatable indian figure behind singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach. After a quick greeting they go straight into their energetic and loud blend of rock and blues, playing tracks from Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. It was 45 minutes into the set before the new album Attack and Release was featured with an excellent version of "Strange Times". Highlights of the main set were "Set Me Free", "The Breaks", "Your Touch", "Same Old Thing", "Hard Row" and "I Got Mine". They came back for a 2 song encore after a short break and was the highlight of the set. They started with a chilling version of "Psychotic Girl" and finshed with my favourite Black Keys track "Till I Get My Way". It was a night I will not soon forget, the highlight being getting to meet Gomez singer Ben Ottewell before they got on stage while he was outside having a ciggie. He talked a bit about the new album, A New Tide coming out at the end of March and that they will probably back in Oz before the year is out. I'll be there fellas.

Gomez Setlist:
Shot Shot / See the World / Silence / Homoa Beach / Rhythm and Blues Alibi / Ping One Down / Blue Moon Rising / Airstream Driver/ We Haven't Turned Around / Girlshapedlovedrug / How We Operate.