Backseat Downunder

Album Review: The legendary Died Pretty release ‘Live At The Forum 2008′: a spectacular journey back to the gothic pop visionaries’ classic ‘Doughboy Hollow’ and greatest material, with a tour dates announced.
One of Australia’s best musical exports, the formidable Died Pretty, shone brightly in the eighties over a series of spectacular albums that were only out done by the band’s mesmerising live performances. I will never forget seeing them at the late lamented Mosman Hotel in Sydney in the eighties completely transfixed by singer Ron S …

News: Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission announce new album ‘Where Only Memory Can Find You’ alongside news of upcoming national tour
To celebrate the news of the upcoming release, the band has released the second single from the album, Lilac Trees. The new single ties in with memories and perceptions of the past. Not only is it a song about memory, but it is also a song about a song; an old song from the American …

Track: Awabakal/Newcastle’s dust settles with the evocative thrill of ‘Joy (Guilt)’ on news of new EP and tour.
Hailing from Awabakal / Newcastle, dust have announced their debut EP ‘et cetera, etc’ on 29 March and provided a very enticing taste of what to expect with their new single ‘Joy (Guilt)’. Travelling a very similar path to bands such as Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital and Idles, but with a distinctly antipodean blush, …

Track: Sydney’s Body Type unveil the exuberant grungy pop sparkle of track ‘Holding On’ on announcement of new LP ‘Expired Candy’ and UK/Europe dates
‘Holding On’ is an exuberant grungy pop joy from Australian band Body Type: it canters along with a brilliant high-stepping trot and fuzzy guitars augmented by vocals that have sixties-flavoured timbre – a sort of Bananarama pop sparkle overlaying a darker indie sensibility. Lead vocalist and guitarist Sophie McComish says that: ‘Holding On’ came from a particular …

Track: Stephen Cummings (The Sports) unveils superb new single ‘Carry Your Heart’ in readiness for new album ‘100 Years From Now’.
Last month we brought to you news that the legendary Stephen Cummings from Australian icons The Sports (and with a prolific and highly successful solo career) was releasing a new album ‘100 Years From Now’ in the aftermath of a stroke, made in collaboration with Robert Goodge of the legendary I’m Talking and other old …

Live Review + Gallery: WOMADelaide Day 3 (Sunday, 12th March, 2023)
I started out on Day 3 with the intention of visiting a couple of the workshops that some of the artists do throughout the festival. My first port of call was to see Indigenous artist, Richard J Frankland, and I then followed up by seeing Bab L’ Bluz after having caught Julian Belbachir play a …

Premiere: Mako Bron recalls those ‘Newtown Nights’ – another brilliant release from the Sydney maestro of glittering indie pop.
We are inordinately proud to bring you an exclusive listen to the new single ‘Newtown Nights’ from the mysterious and criminally under appreciated Mako Bron. Mako Bron is the moniker of one Chris Brookman whose work we have followed assiduously now for years – his EP ‘Cloudbites’ making our list of favourite antipodean releases for …