Tag: compilation

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dirty Jeans Celebrates Aussie Alternative Rock Music

Australia’s rich rock history is celebrated with the release of Dirty Jeans: The Rise of Australian Alternative Rock.

The compilation concentrates on the years between 1988 and 2002, an iconic period which brought us the likes of The Vines, The Living End, Spiderbait, Magic Dirt, Grinspoon, Frenzal Rhomb, You Am I, and heaps more. They’re all represented in this stellar album, which features liner notes Adalita and Au-go-go Records founder Bruce Milne.

If you feel you need a post-Christmas gift, you can find Dirty Jeans: The Rise of Australian Alternative Rock in stores on January 17.

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussies Sing French on Mélodie Française

I have a confession to make. I am a Eurovision tragic. I might wax lyrical about talented singer-songwriters, but all I really need to enjoy a song is a wind machine, some sequins, and a dramatic key change. Sadly our musicians are ineligible to join in the fun beyond voting in SBS’s unofficial poll. However, our local artists are celebrating the spirit of the event with a new compilation album called Mélodie Française.

This unusual disc sees some of Australia’s brightest stars tackling classic and contemporary French songs. The album will feature cuts from Lisa Mitchell, The Jezabels, Dappled Cities, and Gossling and Oh Mercy’s beautiful take on “La Minute de Silence.”

Mélodie Française will be released midyear through Original Matters in Australia and stream exclusively through France’s Deezer.com.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Warner Releases Three New Nuggets

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the music buff in your life, Warner Music might have the answer. A trio of CDs has been released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the influential compilation album Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From the Psychedelic Era: 1965-1968.

Now if you’re too young to remember Nuggets, let me give you a history lesson. This 1972 release brought together 27 of America’s first garage rock acts, and paved the way for the punk rock movement. That original album has now been remastered and repackaged to include new liner notes from Lenny Kaye, Patti Smith’s future guitarist and the man behind the compilation.

For some Australian flavour, Warner has also released Nuggets: Antipodean Interpolations of the First Psychedelic Era. Basically it’s the original songs covered by Australia’s new breed of garage rockers including The Frowning Clouds, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Eagle & the Worm, and Velociraptor.

You can complete the set with Down Under Nuggets: Original Australian Artyfacts 19650-67. This album showcases the best Australian garage rock bands of the 60s. It’s what Lenny Kaye might have put together if he lived in Oz. Think The Lost Souls, The Loved Ones, The Moods, The Black Diamonds, and even early recordings from The Bee Gees and The Easybeats.

The Nuggets trilogy is in good record stores now.

Image used with permission from Shows in Space Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Parx-e Volume 3

It’s been a little more than four years since the first Parx-e compilation found its way into my stereo. The second was released with little fanfare, but I’m thrilled to have a copy of the third installment keeping me company today.

The third Parx-e album is supersized, with two discs rather than the single CD the first delivered. I suppose there was just too much talent to cram onto one! The quality certainly hasn’t suffered, with Parx-e Volume 3 serving up an enticing and eclectic mix of Aussie and international indie acts.

It’s that variety that ensures that even at a couple of hours, the third Parx-e doesn’t feel like a slog. However it doesn’t feel like we’re jerked around between genres either. The Parx-e team must have made some killer mix tapes in their teens, because they know how to put together a diverse collection of music without jarring our ears. OK, so the metalbilly stylings of Black Hayet might have jarred me just a little bit, but I think that was the point!

I was thrilled to see some of my favourite independent Aussies like Bec Plath and Catherine Traicos featured. Just as the first album did, the latest Parx-e also introduced me to some new talents like pop-rockers Crossing Romeo and playful jazz pop chanteuse Rosaline Yuen. I’m sure I’ll find myself delving into the catalogues of many of the contributing musicians.

Go Go Sapien and Steph Hannah, two of the artists featured on the disc, will play a free show Brunswick’s The Penny Black on October 19 to launch Parx-e Volume 3. The album will be officially released and available for free through the Parx-e Zine website the following day.

Image source: Parx-e Zine