Datura4 - West Coast Highway Cosmic

 Australian boogie rockers head for the open road on their fourth LP.

You don't miss the water till the well runs dry. So goes the old adage. As we're all currently under lockdown, the idea of travel, heading out on to the open road for adventure, purposeful travel and general fun suddenly seems like a privilege from a lost era. Fitting then that my listening album of choice this week has been the newie by Australian rockers Datura4. West Coast Highway Cosmic is a celebration of travel, rendered in old school boogie blues rock. The kind of album that sounds best when played loud. What better way to annoy your neighbours!

I greatly enjoyed last year's Blessed Is The Boogie. This latest release follows on almost a year to the day, and represents an extension and expansion of the band's trademark boogie rock sound, in no small part due to the input of new members Bob Patient (keys) and Howie Smallman (harmonica). For a little history of the band and to find out what sparked bandleader Dom Mariani's love of rock music you can look back to my review for Blessed Is The Boogie.

West Coast Highway Cosmic finds our heroes stretching out musically building on their firm solid rock foundations. The opening title track begins with scene-setting Hammond chords and swooping Moog notes before the guitars and drums kick in to hurtle you off at high speed down the cosmic highway. The track was written in honour of the studios the band have used over the course of their recording career, situated 124 miles apart along the south western Australian coast.

'Wolfman Woogie' is a no-nonsense brooding blues rock track, enhanced by Smallman's harmonica. The in-the-pocket groove dropping away to leave space for Mariani's riffs. Also worth checking for its heavy Hammond solo and wah-wah guitar workout. In fact the whole record has guitar heroics that will have bedroom players the world over wide-eyed in wonderment. The cleverly layered parts perfected by Mariani over a lifetime playing shows around his home turf since his youth.

The new textures brought by new keyboardist Bob Patient allow the band to build on the sound of their previous outings, but make no mistake this is a rock record with a capital R, one informed by the heavy rock gods of the 1970s – Sabbath, Zep, Lizzy, Purple, ZZ Top. 'You're The Only One' takes the pace down a little, a low-key swampy blues number redolent of the Mississipi Delta. There are those that say rock is long dead. On the evidence here don't believe it.

Click here for Datura4 on Twitter.
Click here for Datura4 on Facebook.
Click here for Alive Records.

The Jim Mitchells - Love Hypnotic

(This review first appeared in issue #81 of Shindig! magazine.)

Sydney-based five-piece The Jim Mitchells have a sound that's from the garage but is refreshingly non-macho and comes infused with a DIY Daisy Age feel. Ambiance and texture share equal billing with melody, and you're drawn in by dreamy sounds rather than bludgeoned by riffs. Described by the band as “an ode to love and mental struggles”, their full-length debut Love Hypnotic is a laid-back, gently intoxicating affair as exemplified on album opener '(Let Them All In)' with its languid beats and sun-dappled guitar lines.

'We're Up High' fuses indie with two-chord raga-rock, all repetitive groove and spiralling guitar. 'Easy Love' is a soothing slice of soft 'n' hazy psych not dissimilar to the music of Allah-Las, whereas 'Got To Believe' sounds like Supergrass taking a hiatus in Haight-Ashbury. A highly enjoyable album, and one that deserves to be part of your soundtrack to the imminent summer of love.

Datura4 – Blessed Is The Boogie

West Aussie rockers get deep down in the groove on their third long-player.


“Who are your main musical influences?” - It's a simple question to ask but a truly honest answer would offer much more than just a list of famous bands. It's a point made in Joe Jackson's autobiography A Cure For Gravity, where he says his biggest influences were the people he spent time making music with in his early pre-fame bands – players who may not be famous names but were in a position to offer insights about technique and taste, about how to play sympathetically, and about band dynamics.

I was reminded about this when reading the press release for this third album from Datura4, where bandleader Dom Mariani pays homage to the local bands and musicians he grew up hearing in the pubs and clubs of Perth and Freemantle on Australia's west coast during the 1970s. Bands such as The Aztecs, The Coloured Balls, Sitting Bull, The Master Apprentices, Daddy Cool and Carson. Household names they may not be, but they must have been pretty special to have inspired Mariani's lifelong dedication to making kick-ass rock.

Blessed Is The Boogie is Datura4's third album, following Hairy Mountain (2016) and Demon Blues (2015). It's an album that will appeal to those who like their music to be heavy, but not at the expense of tunes or funk-filled grooves. Taking the foundations like by boogie godfathers such as John Lee Hooker and cranking the amps up to eleven, Datura4's sound has all the hallmarks of classic heavy rock – twin lead guitar lines, a hard-working rhythm section laying down chunky solid riffs and beats. Throw in the heavy textured chords of a Hammond B3 organ, and right there you have some serious sonic chemistry going on.

Aside from the no-nonsense boogie rock alluded to in the album title we also find polished and sentimental FM rock on 'Not For Me', along with a nod to their musical roots with a cover of R&B classic 'Oop Poo Pah Doo', a song written by Jesse Hill in 1960, later covered by the likes of Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett and garage bands such as The Standells and The Kingsmen.

An interesting twist and side story to this album is that Mariani now owns the black 1969 Les Paul guitar previously owned by Sitting Bull's now sadly-departed guitarist Paul Fulton. The guitar was used throughout the album. Funny how things come full circle , it's a nice story and fitting dedication to Mariani's primary influences. And the guitar is in safe hands - Mariani knows how to play it, drenching this record with pure-toned guitar solos throughout.

In rock music terms Blessed Is The Boogie has a sound as old as the hills but hey, it still sounds great to me. Tags such as retro or contemporary are rendered meaningless when you crank up the volume of your stereo and tune in to the tunes, and nuanced songwriting. For those who like their rock heavy and deep grooved. Good work fellas.


Click here for Datura4 on Twitter.
Click here for Datura4 on Facebook.
Click here for Alive Records.

The Innocents - Teardrop Kiss

Aussie powerpop legends back with a new LP!

We love a bit of powerpop round our house so it's not surprising that this new album from The Innocents has had some heavy rotation on our stereo of late. The band have been Tasmania's leading exponents of the genre for some 40 years, and their talent showing no signs of diminishing.

Originally formed as Beathoven in 1975, the band soon changed their name to The Innocents and released a string of powerpop gems that chimed with skinny tie era. The revitalised band gained a new lease of life in the early noughties when a compilation, The No Hit Wonders From Down Under (2002) quickly sold out of its limited run. Their new album Teardrop Kiss has all the hallmarks of their best work – punchy, melodic songs that straddle the emotional line between happy and sad, lyrics that somehow manage to be both specific and universal, all backed with guitar crunch, uptempo beats, three-part harmonies and iced with enough variety and flourishes to make listening in one sitting such a pleasurable breeze.

The old adage about not judging a book by its cover doesn't apply in this case. The album's cover is reminiscent of Roy Lichtenstein's comic book style art - eye-catching, bright, immediate, seemingly simple yet with true depth. All qualities shared by the music.

Another reason for The Innocents' new lease of life came via their inclusion on the bills at David Bash's small but perfectly formed International Pop Overthrow festivals. For those unfamiliar with the IPOs, they take place yearly at various (mainly US) cities with a strong musical heritage, as well as ventures over to Europe recently even such unlikely places as Tel Aviv. I've been to a couple of these when they've taken place at Liverpool's Cavern Club. If you can make it along to any I highly recommend you do. Even more so if The Innocents are playing. And if you can't get along to one, do try and track down this CD

The Innocents are -

Rob Smith – Vocals / Guitar

Greg Cracknall – Vocals / Bass

Charles Touber – Vocals / Rhythm Guitar

Click here for The Innocents' website.

Click here for The Innocents on Facebook.

The Shifters - A Believer b/w Contrast Of Form (Ltd. 7")

Australian lo-fi punks' latest 7” on Market Square Records! 300 copies only!

2017 may still be a terrible year for politics but it's been an amazing year for new under-the-radar music. So much so that it's sometimes a struggle to keep up and write about it as much as I'd like. One of my favourite small labels keep coming up with the goods, outta Billinghurst of all places. This 'lil platter actually came out at the tail end of July and according to the label's website is sold out. But with a bit of luck and the aid of Discogs notifications you may be able to track down a copy. Or try the band direct via their Facebook page.

The Shifters are a a lo-fi punk band from Melbourne, Australia who make music that sounds somewhere between The Fall's lesser heard melodic moments and the Dunedin sound that came out of New Zealand back in the '80s. It's pretty cool. I like it and I think you will too. They also remind me of an American band called Phantom Buffalo who I think are from Portland Oregon. They put out a couple of albums that I really dug. I miss them. But hey this 7” is helping me get over it. Shame Melbourne is so far away as they sound like the kind of band who would be very enjoyable and accessible at a gig. Do check them out!

Click here for The Shifters on Facebook.

Click here for Market Square Records.

The Sound Of The Valentines (Complete Recordings 1966-1970)

(This review first appeared in issue 58 of Shindig! magazine)

Cherry Red CD

It's a long way to the top if you want to rock 'n' roll! So opined Bon Scott in 1975, and he should know. As one of two vocalists in Perth's Valentines, Scott slogged round Australian venues in search of that lucky break.

A string of singles revealed a band trying out styles hoping for a hit. Mod, Beat, psychedelic soul and music hall-inspired novelty all took their turn, as did a Coca-Cola ad. All their A and B-sides are here along with four unreleased TV broadcast tracks from their earlier guise as The Spektors.

An ill-advised foray into Bubblegum signaled the end, with a fortuitous Easybeats association taking Scott nearer the Young Brothers' orbit. An insightful compilation, worth hearing for the band's high watermark 'Juliette', the psych-pop splendour of 'Peculiar Hole In The Sky', and the future rock god's version of 'Nick Nack Paddy Whack'. I kid ye not!

Trappist Afterland - Afterlander

(This review first appeared in issue 51 of Shindig! magazine)

Fans of The Incredible String Band, Heron and Comus take note. Australian acid-folkers Trappist Afterland have quietly released an album each year since their 2011 debut The Round Dance Of The Cross. They've honed their craft and vision on their fifth and latest Afterlander which has a sound drenched more in olde England myth and mist than Melbourne surf and sun. With its Old Testament prophesying and limited Christ-blood red vinyl release, the vibe is as eerie and sinister as a deleted scene from Witchfinder General.

Though the freak-folk flag is raised high the mood is resolutely downbeat, thanks to chain-like percussion, hypnotic use of drone and repeated chants and mantras. Despite an instrumental smorgasbord that includes oud, tanpura, tabla, bowed psaltery, hammered dulcimer, harmonium, cello and more it's let down slightly by a sameness in mood and tempo. Though if apocalyptic wyrd folk is your bag dive right in!

Click here for Sunstone Records