Tag: The Bloodpoets

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Bloodpoets Take Aim with “War” Single & Tour

Brisbane rock act The Bloodpoets are assaulting our ears with a brand new single called “War.”

The track is our first taste of The Bloodpoets’ second album, a disc which ups the energy to replicate the band’s famous live shows. It’s much rawer than Polarity, which should impress their faithful fans. That back to basics approach should serve the band well when they take the songs on the road.

The Bloodpoets will kick off their War Against the World tour with a hometown show on April 27 before they head around the country. Tickets are on sale now for the following dates.

27 April 2012 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane
11 May 2012 – Pony, Melbourne
12 May 2012 – The Oak, Launceston
8 June 2012 – Andergrove Tavern, Mackay
15 June 2012 – The Burdekin Hotel, Sydney

Image used with permission from Red Mosquito Management

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Wings” – The Bloodpoets

The Bloodpoets WingsThe Bloodpoets impressed me with their album Polarity last year, so I was excited to see what they’d serve up with their latest effort, the EP Wings.

The Queensland outfit has always been eclectic, playing with light and shade, standing somewhere between indie rock and commercial pop. The gulf between these two extremes seems more pronounced on Wings, a disc that starts with sweetness and ends with real grit.

When I first slipped it in I mused that this didn’t sound like The Bloodpoets I’d first met. They weren’t rocking quite as hard, and instead were focusing on the melodies and pop hooks. That could easily sound like a criticism, but the band still wasn’t bowing to the demands of top 40 radio. They hadn’t lost any of their individuality; they were just taking a lighter touch. “Sunny Day” really excited me with its playful bass groove and irresistible brass strains. I also loved its follow up track “Next Year,” which I can imagine sounding right at home on radio. It feels familiar from the first listen, not predictable but warm. I adored the depth that the ringing bells gave this pop gem.

“She Feels It” marks a shift in the EP, a move away from the sunshine and into darker territory. It felt more like The Bloodpoets of old to me, although it has an epic quality that I haven’t heard from the band before. The remaining tracks also show the band’s grittier side, almost as if they want to remind us that they’re never going to completely lose their edge.

Wings feels like The Bloodpoets are checking in with us, showing the directions they’re taking and giving us a teaser before the next full length recording. It’s exciting to see them stretching out every which way and evolving as a band. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Image source: The Bloodpoets Facebook page

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Bloodpoets “Dance” Around Oz

Brisbane quintet The Bloodpoets will groove their way around the country to promote their brand new single “Dance.” The track is the first taste of the band’s sophomore album, which should hit shelves later this year.

The single, and its riff-driven electro beats, represents a change in musical direction for the band.

“‘Dance’ is characterised by these riffs, whereas previously we wrote a four-minute chord song, focusing on arrangements of instruments and vocal delivery” explained singer/songwriter Tom Murphy. “The writing process for Dance was different. It was born during a jam between the drummer and me on an electric drum kit. Because of the sounds on the kit, we decided to muck around on a cheesy riff until we realised if it was on big guitars and a real drum kit it would be enormous.

“Lyrically the song was based off how overwhelming it can be to see a good looking woman dance, so I tried to explore it in a smutty, yet a respectful way.”

The Dance tour will see The Bloodpoets perform tracks from their debut album Polarity along with some new tunes.

“We have had an extremely positive response to the new music and have heard people say that this is the type of music they thought The Bloodpoets would eventually reach in terms of style, but hopefully also in terms of potential,” Tom said.

Grab your dancing shoes and catch The Bloodpoets at the following venues.

28 July 2010 – The Troubadour, Brisbane (18+)
6 August 2010 – Neverland Bar, Gold Coast (18+)
12 August 2010 – King George Square, Brisbane (All Ages)
15 August 2010 – Pacific Hotel, Yamba (18+)
27 August 2010 – Brisbane Raws game @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (All Ages)
27 August 2010 – X&Y Bar, Brisbane (18+)
17 September 2010 – Kings Beach Tavern, Sunshine Coast (18+)
14 October 2010 – Toff In Town, Melbourne (18+)
15 October 2010 – The Hub, Launceston (18+)
16 October 2010 – Pacific Hotel, Yamba (18+)

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Thomas Murphy of The Bloodpoets

The Bloodpoets are one of my favourite new bands on the scene, thanks to their energetic live shows and eclectic gem of a debut, Polarity. I recently caught up with the band’s lead vocalist and founder Thomas Murphy to chat about the album, life on the road, and all things music.

Your debut album Polarity has just been released. For those who haven’t heard of you before, how would you describe it?
I would describe it as a bit of a journey. Kind of like a day. The beginning of the album is vibrant and exciting, the type of thing you can leave on at a party. The final section is more diverse and interesting with songs that are a bit more emotionally intense, and finally the relief of “My Paradise” which is basically the going to bed song! Pretty much put this album on 45 minutes before bed at full blast.

Polarity is such an eclectic album. What bands are you listening to at the moment?
I am listening to Muse quite a bit just because I support their experimentation and diversity. I see it as a positive reinforcement that I can continue to release in that fashion and still aim for success. Also listening to old Radiohead and as always Beatles and The Cure

I saw you supporting The Badloves last month, and I was really impressed by the way you won over the mostly middle-aged crowd. How do you approach a show like that, where everyone is keen to see a headliner whose music is so different to your own?
We find the feel of the headliner and try and match it as best we can so people can have an ideal night. They expect to have a colourful sonic experience, so it’d suck if we rocked and ruined that preconception of the night out. We did throw in Borderline just to entertain the younger people. We did the same for The Whitlams though at the Tivoli and copped a bit of flack for being samey and uneventful. So we’re just learning to be a support, we should’ve rocked Whitlams, but we didn’t rock Badloves and it was fine. Just depends on the crowd on the night.

You’re currently on tour to support the album. What do you love about being on stage?
I love the idea that I know what is coming. I know what songs the crowd is there for and will react to, so I get this awesome anticipation of knowing that the room is going to explode in the next song, and I use the song previous to it to prepare for it. It’s an art in itself, and it’s much more intense and risky.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Matheson and The Bloodpoets Win JD Set Spots

The Panics will take Matheson and The Bloodpoets along for the ride when they set out on the next JD Set tour. The new bands won a slot on the tour thanks to the votes of their loyal fans.

Victorian band, Matheson say they’ll use the tour to test out airports and discover the beauty of Western Australia.

“We’d like to learn how to get through airport screening without at least one of us being pulled aside for a rub with the magic wand,” explained Aaron Matthews. “We’d like to learn more about WA. From what we know, it’s a wonderful state. It’s always great to see how different bands approach playing to different crowds. We wanna know what love is. We want The Panics to show us.”

Meanwhile The Bloodpoets just want to get out there and play.

“Being part of The JD Set is something we are extremely excited about,” they said in a statement. “To support The Panics, a band we’ve looked up to for so long, is going to be a big learning curve for us. We feel our music is something that appeals to the same audience and being part of the tour with The Panics will give us the chance to learn about larger scale tours and give us the opportunity to play to a new audience.”

The Panics, Matheson and the Bloodpoets will play the following JD Set dates.

23 September 2009 – The Espy, Melbourne
24 September 2009 – The Capitol Theatre, Perth
25 September 2009 – The Esplanade Hotel, Busselton

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

"Polarity" – The Bloodpoets

bloodpoets

With their debut album Polarity, The Bloodpoets have created an album that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go until the final strains.

The opening track “Just In Time” bursts from the speakers, and the follow-up and first single “Borderline” is just as hard-hitting. This is the kind of music that demands to be turned up loud. But it’s not just the energy that appeals. They might be a band that rocks hard, but The Bloodpoets also have a strong pop sensibility. Their tunes are infectiously addictive. They’ve got their quirks to be sure, but I can imagine these melodic songs becoming mainstays of Triple M.

But there’s a lot more going on here than straight down-the-line energetic rock numbers. The natural humour of “Give It a Shot” is so refreshing. The dark instrumentation of “Straight Ahead” is interesting too. And the closer, “My Paradise” is an epic more ambitious than most would attempt on their debut album. The track is a risk, yet amazingly it works.

After playing Polarity for a few days I realised I’m actually going to see The Bloodpoets supporting The Badloves this weekend. I can’t wait to discover whether they can capture the energy of this disc in the live arena.

Polarity is in stores from October 3.

Image source: own scan