#THINGSTHATGETMEEXCITED

Alright so I made that a hashtag just because I’m a little too excited! But there has been a few leaks and a few teasers for some of the best up and coming albums to come out this year! There is so much amazing new music from old bands, new bands, bands that just wont quit, Australian bands, New Zealand band, Icelandic bands, indie band, hip-hop band, pop band, alternative bands, rock bands and even rubber bands*! I’m just that excited I thought I’d share with you a few of the albums that I’m most excited for!

*Rubber bands may not have new albums out this year.

Jack White – Love Interruption - Right there is the first track from the up and coming Jack White record. It will be called ‘Blunderbuss’ and is his first solo record (I know he has worked with so many other artists it surprised me too). Jack wrote, recorded, produced and played practically every instrument on the album. He is releasing it through his Third Man Records on April 23rd.

The Dirty Three – Rising Below - ‘Toward The Low Sun’ is the 8th major release, and first in 7 years, from Melbournians, The Dirty Three. Its already receiving rave reviews and will be out before the end of this month. Again the collective of Warren Ellis (Violin), Mick Turner (electric guitar) & Jim White (Drums) promise to please fans with an album which is challenging and intriguing. It continues the art folk, instrumental post rock which the band is very well known for. 

Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania  - Not too much has been released from the new Smashing Pumpkins album but something is sure to surface soon. Attached is something very cool, its a little preview of something off the album which was recorded at a live gig a little while ago. ‘Oceania’ is more then an album, its a continuation of the Smashing Pumpkins 44 song project, which started with, ‘Teargarden By Kaleidyscope’. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Santigold – Big Mouth  - The last record that we heard from Santigold was in 2008. Her debut album was received glowingly amongst the critics, its no wonder that we are all watching anxiously to see how her new album will go. Its already been revealed that it will be named ‘Master of My Make Believe‘ and their is rumours of different producers including Major Lazer’s Switch. The video for this is actually amazing so please go and check it the hell out!

Children Collide – Sword to a Gunfight  - The first single off the new Children Collide album is a hard hitting, in your face space-punk bash! With whirling guitars, funky bass riffs and loud vocal yells, Sword To A Gunfight, is an amazing introduction to the new album, Momentum. Its already been revealed that it has been produced by Woody Annison (the same bloke who made their second album), and is going to showcase a whole different side to Children Collide.  

The Shins – Simple Song - James Mercer doesn’t sleep! Well that mightn’t be true but it certainly seems like it since he’s just finished up working with Danger Mouse for their Broken Bells project, and now he is back with The Shins about to release another album. The lead singer, song writer, instrumentalist and producer is back with the Shins and they are about to release a new album in titled ‘Port Of Morrow’. The lead single, Simple Song, is their first release in 5 years and shows the band in a new chunky, power-pop light. It proves that they’re still an arena rock band that is well and truly really to roll! P.s. if you want to have some fun check out their website because for a limited time only you can stream the song live on this very cool player, go check it out.

There are a whole bunch of other artist which have been rumoured to have albums coming out over the next year so! Here is a list of some of the albums which we are most excited about:

• The Avalanches – Well we’ve been waiting for this one for about 10 years now so I wouldn’t hold my breath.
• Tyler, The Creator – More angry, aggressive rhymes from Hip Hop’s it boy!
• The Flaming Lips – Question, what happens when punkers grow up? Answer- The Flaming Lips.
• Metallica – Fingers crossed Lou Reed isn’t on this one!
• Sarah Blasko – Apparently she is recording this one in Europe again so thats always promising.
• The Presets – This will bring you back to the dance floor!
• Lisa Mitchell – More poppy folk music from the blissful sweetheart is always a good thing!
• Slash – Well this could be interesting.
• Miike Snow – We have two tasty teasers of the new album from the Swedish boys so stay tuned to hear some well produced Swedish Pop music very soon!
• The XX – Heavy bass and dreamy harmonies, who would have thought that it would be a great mix?
• Something For Kate – Original Alt Rockers are back!
• Muse – To make this record even more epic then their last they recorded this one in space!
• Sigur Ros – Lots of rhythm and melody in a language we can’t understand – SOUNDS GOOD!!
• Franz Ferdinand – The Scottish lads are back with more great music. It’ll be interesting to see how this one turns out!
• Hot Chip – Maybe James Murphy could lay his little finger on the new album from the party pop, synth kings? Yes please!
• Mumford & Sons – Rumours have said that they might have had some strong Shakespearian influence in their song writting and music. Pushing these folky boys back in time.
• Wolf & Club – The sexy Sydneysiders are back with a basstastic, multilayered album filled with synth and other fun things!
• Queens Of The Stone Age – Horns up! You can never have enough QOTSA!
• Seth Sentry – The Aussie Hip Hopiest has a way with words. One of the smartest rapper out at the moment is putting the final touches on his debut album. Sounds good to me!!
• Mazzy Star – Its been a while between drinks but I’m not doubting that it could be a stunner.
• Odd Future – Teenage hooligans letting loose on another mix tape.
• The Medics – North Queensland’s very own alt rockers have been working mighty hard on their debut so we’re very excited to see how it turns out!
• Regina Spektor – The front woman of the New York anti-folk scene is back and in the studio ( picture bellow).

ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL

2012 has already given some of the best musical experiences. One of them that can now be added to the list is the St. Gerome’s Laneway Festival! Imagine yourself walking around the tall, stone brick building that are the Sydney College of The Art, if you don’t know what that is, just imagine Hogwarts School of Wizardry instead. Around you is a bustling buzz of excitement for it is the first sunny day in weeks and everyone is outside prepping themselves for some exceptional live music, from the likes of SBKTRK, Feist, Laura Marling, Chairlift, The Drums, and the list goes on…

The Laneway festival has grown strong over the last few year and now boasts a line up that could easily have it classified as the best single day alternative festival in Australia. Even though the line up is one thing, the venues themselves are another. Hidden around corners and up ally ways the festivals 3 main stages are almost hidden from sight. This is as much as a good thing as it is bad. The only problem with the corridors and buildings is that unless you’re right in front of the stage you wont see any of the performance, but lets not go into that too much.

What turned me on most about Lanway was the amazing line up. Boasting a line up that was ‘headliner less’ it included the likes of SBKTRK, M83, Feist, Laura Marling, Chairlift, The Drums, The Horrors, EMA and many many more.  Of course at a festival you have your favourites and my three standouts where Feist, SBTRKT and Pajama Club.

This was my first experience with Laneway and similarly most of the artists who performed there. Feist was an act who I’d been looking forwards to seeing for a long time. Her last record Metals received critical and commercial acclaim across the world. She proved that she could rock a crowd with a 6 piece band comprised of three back up singers, a fellow in a top had playing keyboards and guitar, a drummer who kept the beat strong and another charature who looked like he’d be at home in an African Safari playing numerous other instruments. Up front, dressed in white, was Feist who was relentless in her guitar rocking and sing song leading. She lead the crowd in what she called “a true 80’s style sing along” on her track, Comfort Me. One track that was however missing from the set was her joint combination with Australian Sally Seltmann, 1234. However in saying this, she made up for it with a hellova finish, playing her 2007 single, I Feel It All.

Going into the SBTRKT set it was a little daunting. Just before they started playing there was a massive crowd serge which I latched onto to gain a good standing spot. Just prior to the set something happened in the crowded that still gives me goose bumps. Over the Front Of House speakers, Fleetwood Mac’s classic song, Dreams, was blearing. Without warning the whole crowded sung together, at the top of their lungs, the chorus. Never before had I left such unity at a festival. After waiting a further 15 minutes SBTRKT jumped onto stage with a powerful combination of bass, drums and samples. Lights were blazing as they kicked through a plethora of hits including Pharaohs, Wildfire and Trials Of The Past. The pure energy, which SBTRKT gave off, fuelled their last tack to the point that it left everyone breathless from excitement. The Right Thing To Do turned into a crowd sing-a-long with everyone jumping up, down and around. It was ferocious!

Finally, a band that has only been active less then a year, however its members have a combine musical experience of over one hundred years. The Pajama Club is the new outfit for husband and wife, Neil and Sharon Finn, of Split Enz and Crowded House fame. They create their version of old school, psychedelic blues and rock ‘n’ roll. Neil Finn is an incredible showman introducing their tracks and even teasing the audience at numerous times. One of the many highlights in their set was when they covered the David Bowie track, Moonage Daydream. After the song Neil asked, “Do you guys know who David Bowie is? Because the people at Triple J recon you don’t.”  Sharon was also on fire with her funky bass playing and high, timid, sexy even, singing. She was killing the track, Tell Me What You Want whilst her husband jumped on drums. The set closer, Go Kart, gave Neil a good chance to show the crowd that he still has the ability to shred a good ol’ guitar solo! Over all Pajama Club proved that no matter how much success you’ve had, if you love what you’re doing then you can keep doing it well. This could equally be said for the Laneway Festival itself. Here’s to the Laneway Festival and I will see you next year!

TODAY! is Saturday the 7th of January!!

Yep I know I haven’t been on air too often and the blog has been neglected so I will allow you to direct your hate mail to keegsafternoonshow@gmail.com. We are back for another year! This means we are kicking into the 3rd year of The Afternoon Show. Thank you to our two and a half listeners who’ve followed the show since its inception way back when.

We kicked of 2012 with a bang! (Hopefully not the same way that it will end) It was a very special 3 hour show which was made up of two things.  Firstly, we visited Peat’s Ridge a week before and caught up with some bands there and some old friends. We had interviews with San Cisco, The Crooked Fiddle Band, Paper Scissors & Tijuana Cartel. San Cisco who were playing their first Peat’s Ridge Festival came down and spoke to us about what life is like now that their new single ‘Awkward’ is out. Awkward – San Cisco. (Check out the video it is this super cute text battle between lead singer Jordi Davieson and drummer Scarlett Stevens). They let us know what its like wandering from festival to festival day after day. The day before the band had been at Philip Island at the Pyramid Rock Festival and then after their set at Peat’s Ridge they were driving down to Sydney to play a gig the next day. It shows that these guys are in it to win and are defiantly prepared to do the hard work.

Good friends of the show, The Crooked Fiddle Band, where also playing at Peat’s Ridge. The last time we caught up with them they’d just come back from their European tour and were playing some dates about town. It was the first time that I had actually seen them play live so I had no idea what to expect. It was an amazing, jumping ball of energy that was wrapped in springs so it bounced all around the tent. Imagine four people on stage each with different instruments. One is on drums bashing away, happy keeping time with every pound. A tall, bearded man who is swapping between a guitar and then some old, medieval instrument. A skinny bloke who is playing a double bass and dancing along to the beat. And a woman who is keeping it all together playing fiddles and violins. But imagine them jumping all at once and yelling and sweating (because they’ve been working very hard). Now you have the Crooked Fiddle Band live! It is something that you don’t want to miss. Check out this song off their new album Countess Bathory\’s Finishing School For Girls – The Crooked Fiddle Band 

One thing that we found out about Peat’s Ridge was that artists and punters keep coming back year after year! It was just after 1.00 PM when we caught up with Tijuana Cartel. We were in the very chilled out Green Room at Peat’s Ridge, sitting back in one of the many comfy lounges, and the 5 lads from Tijuana Cartel were reminiscing about their past experiences with Peat’s Ridge. One thing that they said they loved was the surrounds. Peat’s Ridge is situated an hour from Sydney is the beautiful Glenworth Vally. The festivals many stages and campsites are surrounded by mountains so the sun stays away longer in the morning, and goes down sooner at night. Flowing through the campsite its a river which many of the punters and artists take good advantage of, especially  when the heat sets in! Now you can see why people keep coming back to this spot. Tijuana Cartel put on a very special performance, playing twice in the festivals 3 days including a special New Years set warming up the crowd for Gotye! Check out their newest tune which is a cracker and a party starter for sure! This is ‘Letting It Go’ LIVE FROM PEAT’S RIDGE! Letting It Go – Tijuana Cartel