EP: Jekyll – The Whispering Gallery
Here at Backseat Mafia we are unabashed fans of Jekyll since their debut, and have already reviewed – very enthusiastically – a number of singles off their new EP ‘The Whispering Gallery’ (The Escapist, I Do What I Can and Marionette). ‘The Whispering Gallery’ collates these releases and adds two new track – ‘Echoes (Uncut)’ …
Track: Hannah Georgas – That Emotion
Produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, the new single from Hannah Georgas is a gorgeous, dreamy pop song that is celestial and majestic: soothing, crystalline guitars and a driving rhythm, with Georgas’s voice the absolute icing on the cake: Georgas says of working with Dessner: Aaron and I agreed the production needed to bring out …
Live: EWAH and the Vision of Paradise, Altar, Hobart 14 March 2019
EWAH and the Vision of Paradise were launching their single ‘Play Hard’ (see my review and interview here) in their home town, seemingly on the cusp of the apocalypse, and it was a great performance from a band that is incredibly mature and poised. While undoubtedly the enigmatic EWAH, as the principle songwriter, guitarist and …
Track: DMA’S – Life Is A Game Of Changing (Orbital Remix)
DMA’s darkly melancholic ‘Life Is A Game of Changing’ has been remixed by iconic dance duo Orbital to create a slightly more ominous bubbling version of a great song. The bones of the vocals remain, dressed in something far more dance oriented and arctic in tone: Orbital said of the remix: It was great fun …
Track: prettything – One More July
Bella Venuti has form as part of Melbourne band IV League and prettything is another avenue for her work – expressly not a side project but a separate outlet. prettything has just released a dream pop single ‘One More July’ and it is a luminescent delight. ‘One More July’ has at its a heart a …
News: Gena Rose Bruce – UK Tour Announced
One of our favourite Australian artists, chanteuse Gena Rose Bruce, released a brilliant album ‘Can’t Make You Love Me’ late last year which we called ‘ an extraordinary debut that brings to the fore Bruce’s gorgeously rich and expressive vocals with personal tales of love and loss.‘ After the disappointment of the cancellation SXSW where …
Video: Bambara – Stay Cruel
We absolutely love Bambara‘s new album ‘Stray’ – calling it the most satisfying pulse-quickening pure rock’n’roll you could wish for, and said of the song ‘Stay Cruel’ that its alluring siren song backing served to highlight the darkness below the surface. Melodic and foreboding. Bambara have released a new video to the song following sell …
Track: Garsa – Jimmy sour highs
Outer Mancunian Martin Garside is releasing the fruits of his labour under the name Garsa in the form of a brilliant track called ‘Jimmy sour highs’. Recorded in his home studio, Garsa’s vocal style and melodies recall the baggy Madchester style of The Stone Roses or the Charlatans but the accompanying music is absolutely intriguing …
Live: Costume
The Peacock Theatre in Salamanca – a historic dockside part of inner city Hobart – is quite unique. It is part of a line of old sandstone warehouses facing the docks and the back wall of the stage is the raw rock cliff face that backs the buildings. It is a small and intimate space, …
Track: Like Elephants – Coastal Drive
Austrian group Like Elephants have released a gorgeous single called ‘Coastal Drive’ – inspired by a cold, isolated seaside environment which can be felt in the Arctic tones and dreamlike reverie of the song. A melodic thundering bass provides a foundation to layered vocals and chiming guitars – it is an ethereal, vaulting song that …