Arun Kendall, Author at Backseat Mafia

News: Celebrating Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground & Nico – a stellar night with performances by Robert Foster, Mick Harvey, Dave Graney, Rob Snarski and Stefanie Duzel announced.

The Velvet Underground was always one of those bands that might have had less than spectacular commercial success, but probably directly influenced the favourite bands of anyone with respectable music…

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Premiere: California’s Matthew Nowhere exclusively unveils the psychedelic video for ‘Ruby Shards’ off his epic debut album ‘Crystal Heights’.

We are inordinately honoured to bring you a first look at the new video for Matthew Nowhere‘s track ‘Ruby Shards’, off the sublime debut album ‘Crystal Heights’ (reviewed by me…

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Track: Following rave reviews for their recent Glastonbury set, Wolf Alice are lying on ‘The Sofa’ in a delicate reverie, ahead of new album ‘The Clearing’.

Following up on their earlier visceral single ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ (see my review here), Wolf Alice put on display their versatility with the more restrained but just as anthemic single…

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Album Review: Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird unveil stunning new album ‘Rosewater Crocodile’ – a powerful beacon of luminescence.

The sonic behemoth that is Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird (CTBNF) arises again. My love for and admiration for this magnificent and criminally underrated band knows no bounds, and there is a…

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Premiere: Meanjin/Brisbane’s Shugorei team up with Shêm Allen and Karin Schaupp to release the shimmering single ‘The Charm’ ahead of new album.

Shugorei‘s stunning live performance at the birthday bash of their esteemed label 4000 Records way back in 2021 first brought the experimental duo to my attention, and Backseat Mafia premiered their single ‘Meet The…

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EP Review: Sand Brothers sweep elegantly into the world with the glorious ‘Shadows In The Square’ EP

It’s been a while since we heard from Sand Brothers and their album ‘Too Much Sky’ (see my review here) but in surprise announcement they are back with a new…

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Album Review: Merpire immerses us in the beautiful tender embrace of ‘MILK POOL’.

It’s been four years since we reviewed Merpire‘s last official release, the album ‘Simulation Ride’, and the Naarm/Melbourne-based award-winning multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter (the nom-de-plume of Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt) is back with her…

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News: With new single ‘You’re So Adorable’, SnarskiCircusLindyBand set to release its long-awaited debut album ‘what’s said and what’s left unsaid in September, ahead of live dates

With founding members Lindy Morrison (legendary drummer from The Go-Betweens) and Rob Snarski (the iconic Black Eyed Susans) at the helm, and joined by ‘Evil’ Graham Lee (The Triffids, The Blackeyed Susans), Shane O’Mara…

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News: Aotearoa/New Zealand band Soft Bait offer ‘Life Advice’ – news of their new album being released through Flying Nun Records, with a taste through the visceral single ‘Long Line’.

The new single ‘Long Line’ from Tāmaki Makaurau band Soft Bait is an angular juggernaut of attitude and swagger that is enticing with its shattering guitars and distant observant delivery.…

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News: Eighties icons Boom Crash Opera announce 40th anniversary ‘Hands up In the Air’ Singles tour across Australia.

It was 40 years ago that Boom Crash Opera hit their stride with a string of epic anthemic singles starting with the band’s debut, ‘Great Wall’ which reached top ten…

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