My Monday Music feature has long been an item for the Vintage history books. I stated back then that I would write about music when the mood struck and when I felt I had a good collection of recommendations. And now, a few months later, I do have that select group of artists.
Some of them have released new albums recently, others have not for some time; what they all have in common is their homeland: that continent-island in the south Pacific that Americans visit in record droves each year. This entry is a testament to the high quality of Australian music. Let s begin, eh?
Dukes of Windsor. If you re looking for a band that effortlessly incorporates modern rock elements with classic rock and glam, you need look no further than Melbourne s Dukes of Windsor. While they meld many genres that came before them, they do not sound like any particular band their influences combine to make an all-new innovative sound that will leave you wanting to dance and mosh almost simultaneously.
Their entire album, The Others, is of high quality, without a dead track to slow it down. Jet. Ah, our good friends Jet.
They ve been around for some time now. First they wanted to know if you would be their girl. And just when you thought that being Jet s girl might be okay, they went off and called you a cold hard bitch.
Their debut album was a rocker and their followup is nothing short of incredible in its own right. They have matured, surely, and their sound is now more unique. While they started out sounding like a 1970s American rock throwback, they emerged this year with their own unique sound and motivation.
Wolfmother. I can t say enough good things about Sydney s Wolfmother. They ve released an album, their self-titled debut, which never gets old.
Ever! I think I ve listened to at least half of the album every day since downloading it several months ago. It has that classic sound that makes you recall Led Zeppelin, and yet they re progressive enough to sound 21st century.
They re powerful, hardcore, and addictive. The Vines. While it s been a while since we ve heard from The Vines (also from Sydney--is this the only place that music is made in Australia?
!), they are a fusion that can sound both distinctly Beatles and distinctly screamo. Lead singer Craig Nichols is known to be raging alcoholic troublemaker and it shows in his music.
His singing can be delicate one minute and brash the next. The contrast in styles has produced three albums which are addictive, infectrious, and classic. Evermore.
Originally from New Zealand, they now hail from, you guessed it, Sydney. They re a rock act, but they re no Wolfmother. Evermore takes a more casual approach to their music and sounds just a slight bit more relaxing and uplifting.
Their latest album sounds sort of like Coldplay--if Coldplay was from Oceania. Soaring music, which disguises the distinctly downtrodden lyrics about love, life and separation, make this band a can t-miss. So, in conclusion, Seattle has passed the torch to a new generation.
This new generation doesn t hail from our side of the Pacific, but they make music just as good or better than anything Seattle ever threw at Billboard s Hot 100. I anticipate the next releases from all of these bands and will undoubtedly keep listening to their current albums long into the future. They ve made one thing clear: Australia s not just for surfers anymore.
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