LABEL: MATINE�
STYLE: INDIE POP/ ACOUSTIC POP
SOUND REFERENCES: THE GO-BETWEENS, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN, THE SMITHS, GUILD LEAGUE (THEIR SIDE PROJECT)
ON THE WEB: http://www.thelucksmiths.com.au/ | http://www.myspace.com/lucksmiths | http://www.geocities.com/pearson22s/ (DISCOGRAPHY) |

LISTEN TO “MACAULEY STATION” HERE (REAL AUDIO)

[rating:5/6]

I just got “a hickup in your happiness”, the latest EP from The Lucksmiths, and WOW!, how I love that voice and those songs! This is the second single from the brilliant album “Warmer corners”, an album that has been on constant replay on my stereo for a year or so. I’m still in love with it.
For me, the most interesting thisng with this EP are the three new B-sides. One of them were left over from the “Warmer corners” sessions, and the other two are new. These three songs are so good that I recommend you to get the EP for the B-sides, and the album for the A-side…
The beautiful acoustic “From Macauley station” (listen above) is an ode to one of the unlovlier stops on Melbourne’s rail net, and for me, this is one of the best Lucksmiths songs ever written. I guess I’ll change my mind when I put on their back catalogue, because I have “some” favorites…
“Rue something” is a story of some incident that happened on tour in Paris. Great song with a strong lyric and chorus. “To absent votes” is a tale of election night in the Australian outback town of Lake Cargelligo, – also a beautiful, laidback song from a great band.
Recommended EP!

Check out The Mary Onettes and Hearts of Black Science, – both swedish bands with fresh EPs out now.

LABEL: LABRADOR
STYLE: INDIE
SOUND REFERENCES: ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, SISTERS OF MERCY, OTHER LABRADOR-BANDS
ON THE WEB:LABEL: WWW.LABRADOR.SE | BAND: www.themaryonettes.net/ PLUS MYSPACE

[rating:5/6]

The Mary Onettes finally seem to have come home, after a rough ride through the ups and downs in the music industry. They have recently signed to the swedish label Labrador, and in my opinion, this is a good place for them to be. The Mary Onettes are along with [ingenting] one of the more rock-oriented bands in Labrador’s rooster, but they share the melodic elements that we know so well from the label’s artists.

The 2006 sound of The Mary Onettes are grand, dense and powerful. They have taken the best of the indie 80s and mixed it with the sound of today. We get “Just like honey”-esque drums combined with Echo and the Bunnymen-guitars and New Order-keyboards, and a lot more. It definitely sounds 2006, not 1986.

“Lost” is the opener, – an energetic rocker with skyscraper-sound and a melody that stays long after the off button has been pushed. A very good single and a very good song, indeed. “Explosions” show another side of the band, where they turn the tempo a bit down and use broader brushes. Sounds like “Echo and the mary chain” and not a song that hits you in the same way as the title track. On “What’s so strange” we get a vocal and acoustic guitar-driven ballad full of beauty. Amazing backing vocals and a vocalist that makes me shiver, – total beauty. “R.U.N.” is the last song on the EP, – a pop song that like the other songs have a strong melodic focus on the chorus. The production of the EP impresses me. A beautiful sound, especially on the vocals.

The Mary Onettes shows us several different sides of the band on this EP, all equally beautiful. We are really looking forward to a full length album from these guys. The EP is released on november 1, and the album will probably be out in april 2007. Recommended!

LABEL: UNSIGNED
STYLE: ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE ROCK
SOUND REFERENCES: DEPECHE MODE, POSTAL SERVICE, HARDER MELANCHOLIC SYNTH-BASED BANDS
ON THE WEB: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/HEARTSOFBLACKSCIENCE / WWW.HEARTSOFBLACKSCIENCE.COM

[rating:4,5/6]

Hearts of Black Science are a swedish duo playing warm and dark electronic rock. One of them are mostly into electronic music and the other one is mostly into metal and hard rock, so the mix between those preferences has made the sound we hear as Hearts of Black Science.
Now, their new EP is out, – EP#2, with a tracklisting that has some similarities to the first sold-out EP. Two of the tracks are the same, and three new ones are added.
The opening track, “Empty city lights”, is a classic, – with its driving rhythms and powerful supermelodic chorus. On the next track, “Snowfall”, HoBS turns down the tempo but continues the melodic melancholy. A fantastic song that grows for each listen. Every time I hear this song, I discover new elements in the arrangements that just amazes me with their complexity and beauty. Also the third one, “Driverlights”, has these qualities. More guitars, more power and Depeche Mode-like synth-riffs. Fantastic melodies and a killer chorus. Daniel �nghede’s airy and almost whispery voice adds a warmth and beauty to the songs.

I’m more doubting to the next two songs, “revolvers” and “in a park”. Both are slow, dark tracks with arrangements that in my ears are less interesting. “In a park” is the better one of the two, but the complete darkness does not suit these guys. They seem to have an intuitive sense of the ultimate melody and should be working more on those sides than the slow, dark ones.

Some say the band sound like Depeche Mode, and they are in some ways right. The two bands operate in the same area of electronic music, and HoBS sometimes use sounds that are similar to the classic DM sounds (listen to the synthbass-sound on the before mentioned “In a park”, and you’ll know what I mean). Depeche-clones? No way! Hearts.. have both personality and their own style, and their melodies are one of a kind.

Want to read more about the band? Eardrums interviewed them in may

I am too lazy to write much this sunday, so I’ll let the music speak for itself…

Copeland – When You Thought You’d Never Stand Out
- a new track from Copeland’s upcoming album (spin.com)

Union of Knives – infant eyes
- cool new song from UoK. Only a 2 minute preview from myspace, but still good.

Strike the Colours – choose me
- relaxed folky atmosphere. From myspace.

Enjoy!