Album of the week- Digger & the Pussycats: "DIY"

Huh. They play, they break up, they tour, they fuck themselves up. And every year or so (give or take, generously) they serve up another album.
If you've heard Sam & Andy before, you'll know what to expect- a fine squawking thrash-racket and gut-rush of clever (but not "clever") tunes that fill the air like the welcome sound of an old friend with a six pack knocking on your door.
If you haven't seen them live- and surely there can't be many who haven't- you can remedy that by heading along to Yah Yah's on Thursday 1st April, where they will be launching this in fine noisy style.

All hail.

Crazy times in the daytime right now. I'm just glad that today's earthquake didn't turn out to be much.
Anyway, I'll be looking for some downtime this weekend. Like this:

Howard was a founding member of Crime & The City Solution, These Immortal Souls and Pink Stainless Tail, as well as stepping in on occasional Birthday Party guitar duty. True to his pedigree, he will be backed by Dave Graney and Clare Moore who are “back in post-punk mode”. Supports by Stu Thomas (The Surrealists) and Bad Orchestra. Cost: $7 on the door.

Although, despite some questionable aims, as a stand-alone show, this has it's charms, too:

Mainly because I plan to throw Tim Rogers in the lion cage while the lights are out. Naah, just kiddin'.

A polite reminder.

Well, I say polite, but really, you'd be a fucking idiot to miss this at the Old Bar on Friday.
Number three in an infinite series:

Yes, you read that right- Uneasy Listeners are indeed the four remaining members of the Seminal Rats, Penny Ikinger is playing with Andrew McCubbin, and Johnny Casino and the Secrets are playing all up close and personal.
As ever, feel free to say hello. I'll be there til closing.

Freaks and a festival.

Have you ever seen Telecom? No? I didn't think so.

Despite the fact they have no drummer anymore, the Old Bar are kindly letting them play this Friday night, along with Sweetmac, Daughterboy Jao and Damn The Torpedoes. One of the guys from Telecom tells me Damn The Torpedoes are pretty good, so maybe an early start and an early night is best.

Then something on the southside for Sunday:

I'm not quite sure what kind of fuckwit thinks Ripponlea is a secret. There's a goddamn train station there and everything. Still, this from a local council who issues media releases about public toilets. Anyway, there are walking tours and such , then from 3.00pm Fred Negro & Dave Mole, the Bittersweet Kicks, Frank Lee Earnest & the Empty Glasses and Spencer P. Jones are playing for free on the Lyrebird stage, at 61 Glen Eira Rd. Right by that station I mentioned earlier.

Album of the week- The Brutals: "The Honeymoon Period"

This has come along a wee bit late for me to call it "the album of the summer", which is a shame, because it would have been ideal.
Ten tracks of odd, shimmering, country-infused pop, full of naive charm and killer hooks. Here's the video for "Jeneane, Jeneane" to give you a taste. I was lucky enough to catch them live at Applecore recently, and that was even better. Still, this will do to get you through the autumn, at least. Released on the resurgent Half A Cow Records, too, by the way.

Travel time.

Well, one way or another I was always going to be on the road this (long) weekend.
For the first time ever, I'm booked in for Golden Plains:

There's a long and involved story about two friends getting me drunk and suggesting this would be an ideal way to get over my general dislike of festivals. Whatever, the line up was enough to convince me.
Who’s playing. This year’s lineup is brought to you by the letters “spirited”, “pirate” and “classic”.
PAVEMENT, DINOSAUR JR, DIRTY PROJECTORS, THE BIG PINK, MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS, TAME IMPALA, SUPER WILD HORSES, OPTIMO, CALEXICO, MONOTONIX, GASLAMP KILLER, NASHVILLE PUSSY, JEFFREY LEWIS & THE JUNKYARD, THE CRUEL SEA, CRAYON FIELDS, RANSOM, ANDEE FROST, ROYAL HEADACHE, WOODEN SHJIPS, ANTIBALAS, CLAIRY BABY BROWNE AND THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES, SPACE INVADAS, JACK LADDER, SCATTERMUSIC SOUND SYSTEM, OPULENT DJs
Not all of that is essential, and there's a bit of rain forecast, but, y'know, so what?
If I was around, though, I'd be heading to Yah Yah's on Saturday night, where Brian Hooper is previewing tracks of his forthcoming album, accompanied by Mick Harvey and JP Shilo.
Odd how it looks like there's a name missing from that sentence.

Album of the week- GOD: "GOD".

If there is one band on earth who can get away with self-titling what is essentially a reissue, it's these guys.
More than twenty years after their last show, but only weeks after a version of "My Pal" brought down the curtain on the Tote, this feels very timely. Or maybe it's just about fucking time.
If you weren't around back in the day to see them, and haven't heard either "Rock Is Hell" or "For Lovers Only", this may surprise you. Regardless of whether you were or not, my tip is to play disc two first. It includes the whole of their final show, at the Central Cub in Richmond in July 1989. Thirteen tracks, unedited but remastered, that show them in all their loud sweaty glory. A must.