Reviews

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Review by: Mike Wafer @ X-Press Magazine

Few female artists could write lyrics requiring a 'STRONG impact coarse language' or themes sticker on their CD and not come across as being deliberately antagonistic, but Kate Andrews is far from a run-of-the-mill lyricist. When she employs profanity she does so with the same level of poetry and neccessity of any of her more 'pleasant' choice of words...that is, she uses the right words in the right places for the right reasons.

Far more developed than anything previously released under this moniker or any other in Andrews' career, ROARING TRADE plays out like it has been painstakingly crafted. Thanks, in part, to the audio captaincy of Dave Parkin, but mostly to a great band, ROARING TRADE is a success on every level.

The bare bones of each song (for which the credit usually goes to Andrews herself) is essentially minimalist rock constructed to allow a story to be told, though it's through delicate, yet intricate, texturing does the story really come to life.

At times remniscent of the haunting masculine/feminine tones of Siouxsie Sioux, or even Chrissie Amphlett, Andrews' vocal delivery ranges from being convincingly spiked with anger, to alluringly dripping in sex, though never takes the tacky approach with either.

Similarly, the balance between feminine delicacy and masculine brutality is maintained effortlessly throughout, further cementing the singer's classy sass.

With few cheerful moments, this album is most definitely one to soak up over a period of time (as dark emotions are best absorbed) but purely on a musical level Razorlily have hit the nail bang on the head here.

Pop-aware enough to know which elements to pick up and which to leave alone, Razorlily make impacting music without inadvertently making pompous music. Roaring indeed.

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Review by: Jayde Ferguson

The De Grussa band launched their new cd, self titled, at the Fly by Night Club on Saturday March 18th. Their website only gave the hint that they were piano based rock, so I went in having no idea what to expect.

It is safe to say I was not the only person in the crowd who was completely blown away by the Michael De Grussa band. Not only was the talent as group impressive, but also their talent as individuals was remarkable. Each member put a huge amount of energy into the performance, which shined through in each song.

Their music, piano based rock with a humorous twist, created a huge change in the audience the moment they stepped on stage and it was obvious there were many fans in the crowd. They began their set with their song Robot Girl and they immediately made an impression with their energy, talent, and entertaining lyrics.

Michael, piano and lead vocals of the De Grussa band, has a voice that captures the whole audience around him. Recently, having been recruited by Eskimo Joe as the new keyboard player, his song writing talent, piano playing, and strong voice makes him an incredible performer. Throughout the first few songs, his voice downed out singer Brad Ford, but by Come and get your stuff Steff, Brad's voice sounded great and complimented well with Michael.

After a few songs of their own, the band covered 50 ways to leave your lover by Paul Simons and did an excellent job of it. By this stage, it was obvious to the crowd Michael and Brad were not the only talent in the band. Drummer Danny Jeater was stylish, explosive and never bland, and Michael Nash on bass was an energetic and humorous performer offering the band more talent. Part way through the set, Nash stepped in with a humorous, yet talented solo performance of It's Lovely, while Michael, Danny and Brad disappeared off stage.

After Nash's solo, (which had the crowd in fits of laughter), Nash left the stage and the rest of the band returned dressed in Mexican outfits to sing Muchos Nachos in Spanish. The song, about loosing their nachos, came through well and proved to the crowd their ongoing talent and humor, this time with Michael changing from piano to guitar.

After Nash had returned, and the Mexican outfits had gone, the crowd was in anticipation when the band started to play Queen 's Bohemian Rhapsody. More talent was brought in for the song when new guitarist Matt Goode came on stage offering a whole new outlook for the De Grussa band.

The crowd showed confidence that they could pull Queen off well, and they did. Again, another incredible cover. It was great to see such well done covers of songs that are renowned for being so good.

Guitarist Ben Hardy, stayed for the rest of the set, proving to the crowd the capacity of these guys, and just when it seemed the set was about to finish, another musician, Claire Purse came to the stage in Too Sad to Rock on the saxophone. Just goes to show the talent in this band keeps growing and growing!

The band finished their set with I Dreamed I Cut My Hair, and an encore of Tina Turner and No More Never Agains.

The audience seemed very satisfied with what the band has to offer and would most definitely agree that future performances from these guys are not to be missed!

The gig went off without a flaw, with the performance being carried through well right to the very end. At not one point did their energy levels and enthusiasm die down, leaving the crowd wanting to see more. The De Grussa band have definitely proved themselves as one of Perth's best upcoming live talent, so expect to see more of them and be captured by their humor, energy and talent.

Jayde Ferguson
Freelance Journalist

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Perhaps you've listened to a great CD by some local Perth talent. You are most welcome to send in reviews on CDs by local musicians and bands as well!

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The Next Big Thing Competition; a cornerstone event on the Perth music calendar – responsible for unearthing acts such as John Butler, Fourth Floor Collapse, Head Filled Attraction and Outfit Faux; has returned this year with a collection of fresh faced acts stuffed to the brim with rockin' charisma and major player skills when talking musicianship.

The venue is the White Sands Tavern, the night is Friday and a crowd is steadily building. The first act on the bill, Parker, are up front setting up when the MC for the evening takes to the stage and tells the audience what those who are old-hands already know.

'The Next Big Thing Competition is a drug free event. This is a non-smoking venue, if you want to smoke please feel free to do so outside...' I look at the hordes of people lining up at the bar, almost frothing from the mouth and just gagging to hand over their hard earned cash for a couple of drops of sweet, sweet liquor. I smile and think to myself, 'Drug free?'

'We have seven bands performing tonight and they are competing for a chance to play in the semi-finals'
'We know! Bring on the tunes!' That's me again.
'Before we get started though, I have a free CD for the first person on stage right now!'
'Is this guy kidding? Where am I? A freakin' Blue Light Disco?'

Eventually the MC introduces Parker and exits stage left – relief washes over me briefly but I know he'll be back.

Parker, a four-piece band, put on a solid show. The first song of the set instantly hit me with feelings of Counting Crows or Hunters and Collectors crossed with the softer sounds of Elbow. They made use of strong bass riffs and combined them with catchy guitar parts, the tuneful voice of the front man enjoyable throughout the set. It was obvious that this act had rehearsed their material and they all came across as being comfortable while onstage. The highlight of the set was a song sang with the blue lights and one that inspired a mellow and thoughtful frame of mind – Searching for Gold. As the song built to its awesome crescendo, I thought that I would like to hear some piano, but as I realised that they were building the song just so they could strip it back for the thoughtful outro, I came to the conclusion that this band did not need anymore of anything. I just wanted to sit quietly and nod my head to the beat.

The second band to hit the stage was Dirty Tricks, a three piece act seemingly inspired by the sounds of early White Stripes, John Butler, RATM, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Black Keys. Despite having a couple of loose moments with regards to the form of their songs, I feel that this may have been intentional with regards to their function as they definitely had a jam session feel.

The third act on was Mark Storen and the Rusty James. Very commercial-radio was my initial thought as the sounds of (oddly enough) Frente, Nickelback and LIVE came to mind. There was nothing wrong with what I was hearing, it was listenable and they were obviously well rehearsed, but it was lacking that edge that made me want to hear more. As my notes will attest, Nothing Special.

The Luminaries, Act #4, took to the stage and rocked away to their UK influenced sounds. Some would call it new wave; I would call it 'ordinary'. This sound has never really appealed to me personally and this act did little to change my way of thinking. Bias? Maybe – but I like to think that I can enjoy good tunes based on an independent rationale of What I like, I like. What I don't like, I don't like. And with regards to this performance, I don't like.

That brings me to The De Grussa Band. I was impressed by these guys. Not only were they well rehearsed and tight – as in they played like a unit, not individual musicians – but they were different and amusing ('The man and his evil ice cream plan' – classic). Throughout the four songs played I noted influences ranging from Elvis to Michael Jackson to Tenacious D, along with (the amusing side of) Ben Folds and even Meatloaf. In saying that, The De Grussa Band definitely had their own sound. Well composed piano solos, BIG sounding songs and ample use of harmonies all came together to produce a fantastic, all round performance.

The sixth band to assault the ear drums of the punters came in the form of One Shining Moment. From the very first song this act had the crowd by the balls with their heavy yet tuneful riffs. As one of the largest acts on the bill (five piece) they produced the type of reverberation that is to be expected from five musicians while at the same time producing a unified sound. With main influences coming from Placebo and The Smashing Pumpkins it was noted that this act also seemed to take some musical leads from bands such as Depeche Mode and The Cure. Crowd response was phenomenal as everybody Wooed and Yayed while a group of girls moved across the dance floor.

The final band to take the stage came in the form of The Usuals. The Usuals, a four piece hard rock group, had the difficult task of following some outstanding musicians and, in the words of the frontman, 'We'd like to thank the other bands for coming out and making it so damn hard to follow youse. Bastards.' He was completely right. Although they were quite tight, they failed to bring to the table what some of the other bands had throughout the evening. I am talking about, of course, that edge, that special something that makes people want to go out and buy records. Hey, let's be honest, and that's what the Judges were looking for.

With all acts finished and the judging over with, there was just one thing left that the crowd wanted to hear, 'Who was the winner?' As the suspense was built via the prolonging of the announcement I thought to myself that the bands who deserve to claim this rock prize would have to be; Parker (3rd), One Shining Moment (2nd) and The De Grussa Band (1st). I put those thoughts away as the announcement was being made.

'The runners-up, tied for 3rd place tonight, are Parker and One Shining Moment!' Confusion and bewilderment swept over me. 'In 2nd place we have Dirty Tricks!'
How the hell did that happen?
'And coming in 1st we have... The De Grussa Band!'
Okay that I can agree with.

I was amazed at the results. I could not see the appeal (musically or marketabley) of Dirty Tricks and as only the 1st and 2nd place getters move into the semi-final, I could not (and do not) understand the decision made by the Judges Panel. I left the venue, so satisfied that I had just witnessed some great musical talent in action and yet so unsatisfied about the Judges decision. With that said and done, it was still a great night and this still a great competition. Just maybe next time I should be on the Judging Panel.

Daniel Gane
Freelance Journalist

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I just had to say what an unbelievable night it was at the paddo,

from the first opening set to the mind blowing set of Munky Punch it truly showed what brillant talent we have in Perth. Its a shame that not more people recognize it and actually play this brillant music on the air waves instead of all the overseas crap that we get.

I have a particular soft spot for Munky Punch their raw talent is a breath of fresh air, and as for the their guitarist what can you say a real dynamo and totally spell binding to watch,

Lets hope we see a heap more of them

Got any thoughts about the recent SLAM Launches? Let us know!

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After a collection of fine two stage SLAM events this year, it was time to say goodbye to 2003 with a corker of a line up. While it could have been called Screamin' SLAM or even 'Something Is Wrong With My Sound' SLAM (see details further in) the post Chrissie bash was a superb night indeed.

Although advertised at a later time, due to other commitments Dyslexic Fish were first on the bill tonight. This was in no way the best gig that the Fish have played, but they pulled out a fantastic set, which just proves how good this band are live. The first of many acts to have sound problems tonight (yes...the room was cursed!) the Fish had a few annoying crackling lead moments, but with the brass section and wah pedals fired up, the band funked the place up. With Glenn Sarangapany's sampling a bit of Little Birdy, it was the perfect way to introduce the Fishes' best creation, with their frontman proving that he too can hit the high notes like Miss Steele, maybe even higher. Best song of the night.

Raring and ready to go, Maidstone unleashed the phenomenal Bombay's Night, but a very unfortunate technical problem emerged, ultimately cutting out the best half of the band's best song. Luckily the guys were able to overcome this to pull out a decent set. Sounding a little more electric than what you'll hear on the awesome debut EP, while they may not have had the intensity they display on the disc tonight, there was nothing stopping Keanan Thayer from unleashing one of the finest voices this reviewer has heard in a while. Sure, there were a couple of tunes that could use a little work, but with great numbers like Can't Breathe emerging, it was enough for Maidstone to show their magic.

Teasing everyone with a couple of bars of My Sharona, amelia dOnut quickly bounced on stage, with Gypsy wearing a very sexy pairs of shades, which looked a little like Elton John gone wrong. Playing more of an unfamiliar set, with a few newer numbers seeming a little more rock than their trademark funk, it was when they pulled out their best song that this band came to live. The culprit? Jelly Baby Underpants, and the audience had to have been impressed with Gypsy's manic screams. Plenty of groove and never without some lovely dancing, another technical problem emerged. Jez's bass decided to say goodnight during the catchy final number Who's Gonna Dance, but while Noodle's guitar compensated for it's absence, the bass conveniently woke up for the last bar of the song.

My my, it was time for Lucid to hit the stage. And just when did this band get so bloody good? And I mean that in the nicest possible way. They were loud, they were rocking and they pulled out a very attractive set of tunes. Whether last time this reviewer saw them they didn't play one of their best sets, or they have just really improved, any way they were on fire tonight. Although many ears may have been slightly damaged by the time they got of the stage, this band was very tidy tonight. Their vocalist has improved and overall the band should have been very happy with what they offered tonight.

Next up on the bill were Mr Sandman, and if Lucid had only slightly damaged your ears drums, well Mr Sandman were there to finish them off. These guys could stand up on stage and play terrible, and you would still have to like them. They look tidy, they sound tidy...and they are just mighty cool. Their loud set of rockabilly tunes went down like a treat, and although there may have been little mistakes that made their way in, it wasn't anything to drastic. Thankfully including the awesome little number Highway Love, this band rock, then they rock, and then they rock some more. And they rocked the socks off.

Continuing with the battle of the loud bands, next to take the stage was the mighty power of Munky Punch. Now this reviewer will have to admit that she was a little confused with this band's sound tonight. They are great, but for some reason this reviewer couldn't really get into their set tonight. Why? Hmmmm, tough question. They have the groove, they grab the funk and blend it with the rock nicely...and their vocalist has the best hair in the business. Yet something didn't seem to grab the attention. But, Munky Punch did get the biggest crowd tonight, and entertained many. It may have been the less known numbers...who knows, but they sounded good.

There was probably a reason why Ambersoul were originally first on the bill, as they didn't seem to fit well in their new position. Not because they were bad or anything. Following a loud band and with an entertaining band to follow them, their lack of stage presence slightly effected the tunes the were delivering. Still, armed with a frontman with plenty of potential, and without a doubt the reason behind the band's great sound, this guy certainly impressed tonight. Great voice, he controlled the notes nicely in this interesting sounding rock band. But it was still a little confusing as to why they brought out the goods in the last 20 seconds of their set, turning things very rock and roll to leave the stage in a rock star sort of motion.

Phil's Finest Hour. Does anything need to be said about this band? Um...yes. They rock. This reviewer has written about this band many times in the past, so it has come to the point where she can sell this band no more. If you haven't seen them yet, please do. They will guarantee a smile on you face. Tonight Phil was without a lot of leg kicks, but instead decided to climb all over his key board, and decided to do a bit of improvising, singing about Australian Idol, the SLAM guru Stevie D and 'My key board seems to have lost volume' (another technical problem) And while the band bopped about, sounded great and even had request for Phil to take off his pants.... (Apparent dare from a dOnut) it was the way the crowd bopped about and smiled through their set, which was the best thing to watch. Top stuff.


Renae Powell

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Maidstone has recently joined the ranks of bands to keep an eye out for. First coming to my attention as finalists in Triple J's 2002 Unearthed and ever since Maidstone have continually evolved and will hopefully continue to grow more as a band. Launching their debut ep 'Bombay's Night' with local acts Chris Fuller (Ikey Mo), Blanche Dubois and the charismatic Phils Finest Hour, as support.

Phils Finest Hour appears to be going from strength to strength, in both their live presence and their tightness as a band. If there was one thing that you can not deny about Phil's Finest Hour it's that they know how to put on a show and make the audience feel involved. There wasn't a toe not tapping or a head not bobbing in the comfortably crowded bar. The charismatic lads bellted out music that they obviously love and are thankfully good at. With a small technical difficulty involving their bass player, the band simply took in their laborious stride whilst still keeping the audience entertained. Improvisation seems to be their key to a fresh and constantly exuberant stage presence.

Although Phil's Finest Hour are undoubtedly a crowd puller, I am curious to see how they will convey that same live energy into a recording. I am looking forward to seeing this band evolve more and find their own niche. But we will most definitely be hearing more from the aptly named Phil's Finest Hour.

Maidstone greeted the stage with an enthusiastic onslaught of attention grabbing guitar work that promised more than what the band offered up. Maidstone have all the elements present to create a fantastic sound, but just when you think they are going to give you that killer hook they just don't seem to carry it through to the nail biting end.

Maidstone do manage to convey a more than appealing sound, but a sound that needs to step up to that one last level to truly in capture the strength of their music. A great night was had, and I am sure that Maidstone came away from their EP launch with smiling faces, as they pulled off a great night. I look forward to watching this band grow as I am most certain that they have a bright future ahead of them.

Kirra Wallace.

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In the past months we have all been blessed with some fine SLAM gigs. 'Funky' displaying some of the states tastiest funk bands; 'Smokin' showcasing a collection of indie talent and a recent dose of the ear bleeding throttle rock acts in 'Sonic'. Tonight, perhaps not one of the best SLAM selections, but still seeing some happening pop/rock talents take to the stage to offer all they had.

A Queens Of The Stone Age style bass line helped open Self-Made Guru's average sounding set. With a change of vocalists early in, it showed the problem of this band's sound. Their opening songs displayed a great louder sound equipped with an average singer; but with a change of vocalists, saw a slightly boring sound with a great vocalist. A solution?? Take the better sound and put it with the better singer and you'll find yourself a better sounding set.

Now, despite a few monotonous structures and riffs, Loud Howard did produce the first lot of hooks for the evening, and what a great singer to man the vocal duties of a pop outfit. Not only did he offer a top effort, but also was the stand out hook producer out of everything capable of making a sound on that stage. As things picked up in the second half of their set, the new song Love You saw a great intro leading to nice use of dynamics, which showed that this band's songwriting has obviously improved.

There's nothing like a catchy little county pop number, and if anyone was going to deliver it, it may as well have been db Threshold. Although this is a band that is far more enjoyable when treating them as more of a background noise, say something to listen to when amongst friends, that is nothing to suggest that they are bad, it is just a vibe that they give off. Some smooth bluesy numbers were on offer with intros that were a little like something Elvis could call his own. The conclusion of their set provided a nice little solo that would be amazing if a jazz brass section was added to it. Just a suggestion....

With some soft noises leading to the harmonies of their female dual vocalists, there was something a little odd about the Flavoured Sounds sound. What it was may never be known, as there was something about the band that made people want to keep watching. With a quick entrance of some beats and samples, and some not so enjoyable hip hop style singing, it was good to see the girls go back to utilising their vocals better, which resulted in something different being brought to the stage.

Supernatural. Just as easy as they were to enjoy, they were just as easy to find boring. Just as tight you could find their sound; it was also easy to see how sloppy they could be. Just as easy the variety was to find, it was also as easy to find the monotony. And just as easy it was to see them as quite decent; it was also as easy to find them unbearable. The picture has been painted about how Supernatural came off tonight. Make your own interpretation of the painting.

Halleluiah!! At last a damn fine rock number to surface onto the stage and be a standout highlight for the evening. Not only did The Levels look good, and actually looked like they wanted to be there, they put on such a top effort that they deserved a bow for saving the interest of spectators. Something saying Faith No More, something saying The Music and something saying Audioslave, no matter what the sound could be compared to, it was great. Smoothly delivered bass lines and a powerful rock finish with classic rock screams saw this band dominate tonight.

Stage number two hadn't seen much in the hooks department tonight, and also hadn't had much attention as stage number one. But with Flagfall ready to jump on board the pop ship, things turned around. Sure they had a hell of a job following the previous band. Still, nothing was going to stop this band from pulling out a decent show. They came, they played and they were enjoyable. Probably a band that would've been best earlier on into the night; to help break things up a little. But still a great job all the same.

If you have a little three-piece called Phil's Finest Hour on the bill of your gig, you can be almost a hundred percent certain that they will not disappoint you in the entertainment department. This is a band that put in all the effort, no matter the crowd size, and with a frontman as enjoyable as he is to watch, this band have big things ahead of them. With interesting numbers like Michael Jackson does and the neat drum work in closer Goodbye, these Bunbury boys could well be labelled Western Australia's answer to Ben Folds. And if they aren't, who cares, their still a mighty cool band!


Renae Powell

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