The Maladies – Album Launch – Oxford Art Factory

It was a dark and stormy night…. well, less stormy and more irritatingly rainy…. anyway it was a night to venture out for the purpose of viewing the album launch show of Sydney boys, The Maladies.

Playing a bunch of songs from their debut album, With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down, it was a pretty fine show, I must say. Loud, dirty, bluesy rock, from foot tap inducing tunes to slow, sullen mini-epic songs, but still not quiet. I’d never actually been to a Maladies show before so I was not sure what to expect. Thankfully, it wasn’t disappointing in the slightest. I can only assume that the horn section and the back-up lady singers might have been a special occasion for album launching purposes, possibly not the correct sized stage for so many people to squish on to, but you really can’t go wrong with a very large saxophone. All the same, quite impressive musicality, the entire band (including back-up musicians on this particular occasion) didn’t put a foot wrong. Nice.

Ask me to name a track. Well no, I can’t because I am yet to acquire a copy of the album, but i can assure you, that either catching a Maladies show and/or purchasing your very own copy of With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down is quite a good idea.

If you are in Brisbane or Melbourne you are in luck because there’s more shows to be played:

19 Nov – The Step Inn Fortitude Valley, Queensland w Mexico City & Sue Ray

27 Nov – The Tote Melbourne, Victoria. w James McCann’s Dirty Skirt Band, Black Pony Express & Little John.

An honourable mention also has to go to Jamie Hutchings. I’m sure he’s being playing shows in some form or another since before the dawn of time. Always enjoyable…. and, it seems, about to embark on a tour of europe, so if you’re over that way, be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled. Or maybe just look at his website for tour dates (might be easier).

The Maladies – http://www.myspace.com/themaladiesband

Jamie Hutchings – http://www.myspace.com/jamiehutchings

The Rocketsmiths

The Rocketsmiths.… brought to me by facestalk…. but really…. considering the vast volumes of bands that pop up via the internet I must admit this offering from The Rocketsmiths is not too shabby at all. Not what i’d usually admit to listen to.

Anyway, a neat little tune named Doctor has landed on my earpod, and i must say I like it. It’s simple, it’s pounding, straight down the line. Punk pop, short and sweet. A five piece from Brisbane, The Rocketsmiths have been around for some time (well, since 2006 at least) and released a handfull of EP’s. Well worth further investigation.

Tour dates for the Doctor tour… here:

20 Nov 2009 – MUM at World Bar, Kings Cross, Sydney,

21 Nov 2009 – The Clubhouse (formerly Empire Corner Bar), Fortitude Valley

The Rocketsmiths –http://www.rocketsmiths.com/

Fan Death

Well, according to Wikipedia (an obvious reliable source) Fan Death is “a South Korean urban legend which states that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can cause the death of those inside (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia).”

As for the band, Fan Death is a couple of ladies who make a brand of discotheque pop stylings of the type that I have never heard before. It’s like modern disco, really. Very simple standard disco backing with two female voices singing over the top. Enough to drive you nuts if disco isn’t your thing, but i have a little soft spot for disco music….(thanks mum), but not so much for this tune (bring on the Walter Murphy Band… ahem).

There’s not a lot of obvious information available as to where these ladies are from, so I can only assume that they are american and it appears there are no live shows on the horizon. Maybe they’ve gone to Korea to dispel the rumours.

Fan Death –http://www.myspace.com/fandeath

Sally

sally@weheartmusic.com