Falls Festival 2010

The Falls Festival recently announced their line up for the 2010 edition and most festival enthusiasts will not be disappointed. Arguably the premier New Year’s holiday music festival and multi-day festival of the summer the Falls Festival looks set to be another must-event do for the break.

Artists on the bill include: Angus & Julia Stone, Jamaica, The Rapture, Klaxons, Paul Kelly, Sleigh Bells, The Living End, Interpol, Hot Hot Heat, Tame Impala and The Middle East just to name a few. You really can’t complain about that now can you?

If you were organised and managed to subscribe and enter the ballot then good on you. For those who are sloth-like in their action worry not, tix go on sale to the general public on Sept 9th so you still have time to get your shit together.

If you miss out on falls then you might want to consider the Pyramid rock festival which is also an annual occasion of excellence.

Some samples for your interest.

Shampaign – Marina and the Diamonds

Secrets – Jamaica

Klaxons return

UK’s Klaxons return with a new record and not one but two tours down under this year. Now that’s good value.

First things first, the record cover takes out Album design of the year, hands (or paws) down. The resolute yet apprehensive expression planted on the cosmo-cat’s face as he prepares to enter the unknown, or surf the void, is as hilarious as it is stirring.

Now on to the music. The second album from the group sees the characteristic punk-tinged electro-rock fusion return but with a harder edge, attributed to nu-metal god-like producer Ross Robinson’s influence (credits include Limp Bizkit, Korn, and Vanilla Ice…?). The sound is good. Modern, hard melodic electro-rock that is an original and valuable contribution to the British shoegaze tradition. The standout tracks on the record are the openers, Echoes and Same Space, available for tasting below.

Klaxons play two exclusive shows in Sydney and Melbourne in a few weeks, hitting the Enmore Theatre on Thursday Sep 2nd. More info on that gig here. They then return over NYE to do the Falls Festival and several other festivals on the new year circuit.

You can order Surfing The Void here.

Echoes – Klaxons

Same Space – Klaxons

Cee-lo says “Fuck You!”

Cee-lo Green recently dropped the first track off his upcoming solo release titled Lady Killer. Known as the vocal half of Gnarls Barkley, the duo collaboration with Danger Mouse, Cee-lo sure knows how to deliver a killer vocal track with one of the most distinctive and interesting voices around.

Cee-lo’s new track, simply titled Fuck You, sees him lay his powerful pipes down on a retro mo-town sounding beat overflowing with “ooooohs” and “doo-wops”. The opening major chords on the grand piano contrast perfectly with the ironic lyrics about love, ataris and gold diggers. Cee-lo may just have created the best anti-love song of the year. The video is also thoroughly satisfying and especially useful for karaoke sing-along purposes.

Keep an eye out for Lady Killers coming out in the next few months.

Fuck You! – Cee-lo

Strange Talk?

I heard Strange Talk last week on Triple J being plugged as the week’s Unearthed featured artist. Their track Climbing Walls is sheer electro-pop rock band perfection with pleasing vocals and rising synth melodies. These guys could easily be Australia’s version of Phoenix and have clearly drawn great influence from the French group, not bad for a group that only formed in Melbourne 6 months ago.

Check out their interview on Triple J here.

Climbing Walls – Strange Talk