Despite claims Sound of Silver would be their last, no one is complaining about the release of This Is Happening. Following the trend of its predecessor, This Is Happening is one long album. The only song under five minutes is lead single ‘Drunk Girls,’ most definitely the misnomer of the album, and an attempt to capture some of the fun seen on LCD Soundsystem’s eponymous debut. Usually, Murphy forgoes 3 minute blasts of energy for a series of tracks which have a much slower burn to them. ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ begins quietly contemplating itself with some uncharacteristically quiet vocal work (including spiteful vocals about friendship) and series of drum beats and hand claps, before Murphy lets loose with some huge synth. This Is Happening follows the pattern of its predecessor, providing a collection of songs which are long but never feel dragged out and have a huge amount of depth, an area in which other electronic acts fail to outweigh. ‘All I Want’ begins with nothing but a simple drum beat before wailing synth, guitars and Murphy’s heartfelt vocals accompany it.

It is these lengthy songs where LCD Soundsystem are truly in their element. Self referential song ‘You Wanted a Hit’ is 9 minutes long, yet is a subtle and well constructed song which bring a lot of different elements together. ‘I Can Change’ is another highlight on the album, a wonderful track filled with a clear 80’s synth influence and pleading vocals. ‘Pow Pow’ is a smattering of different drum beats all at a different tempo, and ‘Home’ closes the album the same way Murphy opened it; complex yet subtle, focused yet sparse.

It will be a shame to lose LCD Soundsystem, given Murphy’s insistence This Is Happening will in fact be the last album. But, it is best it comes to a truly dignified end. Instead of wallowing about the loss of what is arguably one of the best electronic acts of this decade, this album should be appreciated for the brilliant collection of tracks that it is. Murphy’s range of influences on This Is Happening is larger and more evident than on Sound of Silver. Whether it is better than that album is a tough call; Sound of Silver may just top it, but not by much. LCD Soundsystem are happening right now, appreciate and take it all in while you still can. They may not always make hits, but LCD Soundsystem are so much more than that.

Review Score: 9/10

http://www.theaureview.com/albums/lcd-soundsystem-this-is-happening-2010-lp

The Rocketsmiths are a band with a great deal of enthusiasm, and that tag comes with physical evidence. During only the second song of their set, lead singer and guitarist Dom Miller broke a string on his guitar, and felt no need to fix it throughout the remainder of the set. He is clearly the centrepiece, with his enthusiasm greatly contrasted with the mellow demeanour of his fellow band members. The Rocketsmiths perform their fast, and at times ferocious indie rock set with ease. They are very comfortable and confident with the increasing audience size, and remain so throughout. The Rocketsmiths already have a devoted fan base; but if you don’t know much about them, it’s time to take notice.

“This is a lot better than Townsville,” claimed Spoon front man Britt Daniel. Even if they weren’t particularly well received Groovin the Moo in Townsville the Sunday prior, tonight’s gig showed they will always have an appreciative crowd to come back to in Brisbane.

The last time Texan minimalists Spoon were seen in Australia was for 2008’s Big Day Out. This tour is on the back of 2010’s well-received Transference, and Spoon begin their set appropriately by playing the closer to that album, ‘Nobody Gets Me But You.’ From this point, it’s a while before any new material is heard. Instead, the audience is treated to a short tour of previous albums, stretching as far back as Girls Can Tell favourite ‘Me and the Bean.’ In amongst these were the eerie and haunting jabs of noise on ‘The Ghost of you Lingers,’ a song whose power in emphasised immensely in a live performance. In amongst the remainder of the set is a large sample of Transference material, but with a surprisingly generous amount of older tracks and a cover of The Damned’s ‘Love Song’ thrown in for good measure. As is evidenced throughout the night, Spoon have a way of formulating a perfect mix of new and old material in their set lists. Spoon’s back catalogue is diverse, and they don’t want it soon forgotten.

Highlights amongst a set filled with them include the acoustic lead ‘I Summon You’ and ‘The Underdog,’ both of which escalated in to crowd sing-a-longs, fantastic Transference single `Written in Reverse,’ and the affecting ‘Black Like Me.’

Precision is an aspect of Spoon’s music which is so integral to their sound. It’s also the aspect of their music that Spoon gets so right in a live performance. The skill and precision that each band member is capable of is impressive and quite staggering, and their technical skills cannot be faulted. Spoon never sound sloppy or unprepared, and their minimalist sound allows for the simpler nuances of their music to truly shine.

Spoon follow a strict formula within their sound, one that after a decade continues to sound fresh and exciting. Tonight, the band didn’t do much out of the ordinary, but they didn’t have to. The crowd were grateful just to hear Spoon again, and a great performance from the band only extended their enthusiasm.

http://www.theaureview.com/brisbane/ball-park-music-blame-ringo-tin-can-radio-the-zoo-21-05-10

Picking up were the second locals for the night Nova Scotia. Beginning with what feels like an extended instrumental jam, they follow by pounding through a short set of guitar-laden noise and fierce indie rock. They finish with one final feedback soaked jam before leaving the stage.

Soon the crowd was to be subjected to the psychedelic noise of drawcard The Besnard Lakes. From the moment the ear-pounding reverb and Jace Lasek’sabsolutely flawless falsetto of Like The Ocean, Like The Innocent begins, everyone is hooked. The room is filled with an endless barrage of noise. It is clear The Besnard Lakes have early shoegaze efforts such as My Bloody Valentine as a strong influence, albeit as a considering more rocking beast. Noise builds and builds on every track, and threatens to engulf the enraptured audience. They may bring a track to an abrupt halt after six or seven minutes, but it would have just as pleasant to do it all over, simply to be washed over once again in the blissfully psychedelic noise.

Lasek, looking is he if came straight out of the 70s, puts a great deal of energy into his performance while wife (and singer/bassist) Olga Boreas is much more composed. This is reflected in several songs; Boreas lead Devestationfrom 2007’s …Are The Dark Horse threatens to explode while maintaining its composure, whereas Chicago Train begins with hair-raising falsetto from Lasek before thumping drums and dueling guitars explode in one more flourishing of noise.

Likewise, Land of The Living Skies, Light Up The Night and Albatross begin as a calm before the storm. Haunting guitar and falsetto echo throughout the The Zoo. Before finishing, the band give a gracious three song encore including fan favourite Disaster, and the awkwardly titled Life Rarely Begins With Tungsten Film #1 from debut album Volume One.

The Besnard Lakes seem to earn their self-given moniker as a dark horse. Lasek may be ecstatic because he had no idea anyone “knew who the f**k we are,” but with such a performance, The Besnard Lakes have every reason to be known the world over.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/27768/The-Besnard-Lakes-Nova-Scotia-Mosman-Alder-The-Zoo-11032011

Looking around, there are several discrepancies in the ages of twee-pop iconsBelle and Sebastian’s audience tonight. Given their 15 year history, it isn’t surprising. They clearly mean something to many in the audience, and there are audible chatters of excitement in the air moments before they take the stage. As a result, Belle and Sebastian approach their set with careful consideration.

The mood changes when the opening riff to I’m A Cuckoo begins, as opposed to the slightly reserved beginning of I Didn’t See It Coming from their new LPWrite About Love. It’s from this point the diverse range of Belle and Sebastian fans are taken on a glorious, celebratory tour of a band with a masterful back (and more recent) catalogue. They are also doing so with a band who feels as vital as ever.

Equipped with a slightly too quiet mini orchestra and sparingly used local trumpet player, every album is represented in various forms; yet it seems to beDear Catastrophe Waitress and If You’re Feeling Sinister which receive the most attention. Every track performed is so achingly gorgeous and/or upbeat, there’s a feeling Belle and Sebastian could turn anything into brilliance. Case in point:Stevie Jackson’s cover of Pleasant Valley Sunday is a short stroke of impromptu genius. Having said this, cries are constantly heard for song requests from the audience, leading to Stuart Murdoch giving in several times.

If both of Belle and Sebastian’s leading men have something in spades, it is charm. From their Scottish accents to their contrasting attitudes, it is hard not to be enamoured by both of them. Murdoch’s on- and off-stageantics still show he is determined not to act his age. His enthusiasm is infectious, and everyone is happy to go along for the ride with him.

Belle and Sebastian’s heartfelt ballads go down best amongst the crowd. Lord Anthony, Piazza, New York Catcher and The Boy With The Arab Strap(amongst many others in a very generous two hour set) leave the crowd stunned and moved by their beauty, followed by uproarious cheers. Alternatively, the final moments of their set ends in a sea of overjoyed dancers with anAnother Sunny Day / The Blues Are Still Blue double. It caps off a night of memorable excellence from the indie-pop legends.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/27691/Belle-and-Sebastian-Little-Scout-The-Tivoli-Brisbane-07032011

Morgan starts by singing a descriptive soliloquy to the audience. Throughout the rest of the set, this pattern fails to change. Sure, there is the occasional looped vocal harmony and scattered drum patterns, but Morgan continues to sing lyrics from within his onstage song book. The entire has a set has a feeling of Morgan sing-reading a bedtime story to the audience. From the merely polite applause, it seems to be working well at putting the audience to sleep. The set may be interesting, but perhaps Morgan should stay behind the drum-kit more often.

Years ago, Warren Ellis likened Joanna Newsom to “some yowling autistic playing a harp with a brick.” It would be safe to assume at this time Ellis had never seen the supreme talent in a live setting (or perhaps never truly listened). From the opening harp plucks of The Book of Right-On, Newsom’s performance is rich and assured. Newsom is a woman who seems wise beyond her years.

Newsom’s voice is an acquired taste, enough so to drive many away from her sublime recorded efforts. In person, her voice is so much more powerful and commanding that it would be difficult for the unconvinced to stay that way, Newsom switches between harp and piano effortlessly, constantly reminding the adoring crowd she is equally gifted at both.

None of this would have as much impact if it wasn’t for the talented backing musicians behind her. While at most times out of the spotlight (the violinists in particular), they are all integral to her tracks; they provide an excellent grounding to Newsom’s latest triple-album offering Have On One Me, and at other times fill up Newsom’s earlier, more stripped down tracks, making them large enough to fill a theatre.

As with any truly excellent performance, it is over much sooner than it should be. The crowd too feels this way, in between the thunderous applause following encore track Baby Birch are pleas for the utterly captivating woman not to leave the stage. It is hard not to be swept up in the moment. It is also thrilling to realise at 29, she most likely hasn’t quite yet reached her creative peak. With a performance this impressive, it’s hard to not be startled by that.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/27634/Joanna-Newsom-Neal-Morgan-The-Tivoli-Brisbane-04032011

The Books performances could be touted as multimedia performances, which frontman Nick Zammuto argues are integral into drawing people into the complex and at times jarring instrumentation. As the video for Group Autogenics I begins, it is difficult to argue with him. The almost psychedelic visuals composed of talking heads from an assortment of individuals is hilarious, bewildering and most of all, hard to look away from. So much so, it’s easy to forget the two immensely talented individuals more than happy to take a back seat to their lovingly crafted videos.

As Zammuto tells anecdotes about the discovery of the various tapes used for several tracks, he introduces Gene Back, a touring addition since their small tour run in early 2010 in anticipation of the release of last year’s The Way Out. Watching Back play guitar, keyboards and violin, it seems borderline impossible to understand how the show existed without him. To Zammuto andPaul de Jong it too must be a huge relief, as both stick to their respective guitar and cello for the entire evening.

It remains clear, however, that the most attention is paid to the video presentations. Much like the samples integrated into most tracks on The Books’ four albums, the videos are compiled of old, VHS-quality oddities that could only be found in a Lifeline or worse still, digging through piles of garbage. The videos, ranging from golf-instruction videos ( I Didn’t Know That ) to summer camp footage ( A Cold Freezin’ Night ) to an assortment of others, are elegantly entwined into the music they are accompanied to. The videos feel as composed and as thought out as the music they are partnered with. It is often hard to figure out whether this is a strange and amusing video or an analysis of the human condition. Perhaps they are both.

Much like The Books’ self-described ‘collage music’ which refuses to be shoehorned into any particular genre, there aren’t many performances quite like this one. The show feels intimate, an almost organic relationship between the audience and three humbled individuals. The Zoo may only have been half full tonight, but everyone there was witness to a unique musical experience, and a rare one at that.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/27533/The-Books-High-Places-The-Zoo-Brisbane-19022011

Melbourne talent Jessica Says alludes to it in her lovely opening slot. She clearly is very honoured be on tour with Pallett, and I’m sure is disappointed tonight it will come to an end. Her sullen gothic pop and ethereal voice proves somewhat of a match to Pallett, while not as complex as him, she is highly enjoyable in her own right.

As Pallett casually takes the stage, I am still unaware of what is about to be witnessed. I had heard little details about his performance, complete with loop pedals and various other gadgets that make the common mind simply boggle at his level of comprehension. He is, in other words, the epitome of the one man band. Pallett opens with Final Fantasy track The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead. It’s at this point everything finally falls into place.

It’s difficult to explain in words what makes Owen Pallett so special. He is a man who has professed is a firm disbelief in any form of showmanship. He likes to keep things simple, in his utterly complex way. If the rapturous applause and cheers from the tiny crowd are any indication (which follow every single song and swarm the echoic building), he is winning these people over incredibly easily without showmanship. What began to wash over my mind, and I imagine several others in the room, is how can a man so immensely talented be so humble? Even the occasional mistakes he makes in the complex setup are graced with modesty, and they are easy to forgive.

It’s hard to imagine a better pairing for the Old Museum than Owen Pallett, to the point where it feels built simply to set the stage for this performance. It is indeed a beautiful, vintage space full of enormous charm, and these characteristics are lifted immensely through his performance. The swirling orchestral pop totally devours the small room, and everyone in it. Pallett takes tracks from his 2010 album Heartland and EP A Swedish Love Story, both Final Fantasy albums and a track from old band Les Mouches, at the behest of an audience member. Despite Pallett’s insistence on a customised set, everything he plays is so utterly lovely there is no general concern about any omissions.

He finishes his pre-encore set with Heartland favourite Lewis Takes Off His Shirt, and comes back with two final tracks, Oh Heartland, Up Yours! and a cover of Caribou’s Odessa which would make Snaith himself bend at the knees.

Few gigs have the same effect on me, simultaneously bewildered by the exquisite performance that was just witnessed and deeply saddened that it may be a while before I get the opportunity to see it again. This was one of them.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/27115/Owen-Pallett-Jessica-Says-The-Old-Museum-Brisbane-25012011

Some bands can efficiently translate their repertoire to a live setting, and depending on their quality, this is usually enough. Then there are certain bands that use their music as a foundation for something else entirely. Future of the Left is one of those bands.

From the opening guitar lines of Arming Eritrea (a track which almost always opens their shows), the crowd cheers and celebrates. There is a feeling the eclectic crowd know what they’re in for. Considering the band played here exactly a year ago on Falls sideshows, that really isn’t a surprise. It shouldn’t be surprising either that they are all back for round two; as they breeze through the set, who wouldn’t want to experience this for a second (or a third, or forth) time?

This is evidenced from several front rows towards to the front of the stage, filled with a small but clearly dedicated and enthusiastic branch of members. A lot of bands playing club shows can’t get any portion of the crowd moving; Future of the Left can invoke people to stage dive. There is so much dedication in the crowd that Andy Falkous forgets the changes on Small Bones Small Bodiesand suggests the crowd are to blame due to their enthusiasm.

The reason for the enthusiasm is right there on stage. Many Future of the Left songs are intense on record already. However, their live counterparts are a whole different beast. Guitars and keyboards have that extra punch; their whole performance is stepped up in terms of intensity and ferocity.

It would seem the set is slightly different to their 2010 shows, with roughly five new songs played, all of which are barely introduced. New songs can often alienate a crowd, but the quality is so high everyone maintains their enthusiasm. That isn’t to say the set isn’t filled with old favourites, selections from both Curses and Travels With Myself And Another. Also making the cut are several McLusky Songs including To Hell with Good Intentions and Without MSG I Am Nothing.

The encore has mostly McLusky tracks as well, beginning with ballad Fuck This Band before segueing in to Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues, clearly a crowd favourite and may be the best thing anyone in this room will hear all year. Future of the Left pull out one last track, a shortened (yet ultimately extended) version ofLapsed Catholics. It proves to be a fitting end to a fantastic set.

Many people’s favourite gigs, much like award winners, tend to be realised closer to the end of the year while they are fresh in the mind. We are barely in to 2011, so it may seem like gigs such as this may be easily swept under the rug and forgotten. Future of the Left put such an idea to rest, producing a show that won’t easily be forgotten as the year pushes on.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/26923/Future-of-the-Left-Further-The-Zoo-Brisbane-03012011

A band needs to take an intermission slot between the smorgasbord of minimalism that will be heard tonight. Who better to fill that void than local heroes Slug Guts? Taking to the stage in their usual black attire, they begin their barrage of sludge pop, with the hiss of feedback behind them. Behind all the noise and barely decipherable vocals are clear melodic hooks. Not even thinking to stop between songs, Slug Guts’ set becomes a bombardment of noise, making it increasing difficult to tell some songs apart from each other. The whole set is so wildly enjoyably and effortless on the band’s part that it doesn’t even matter.

The crowd swarms as My Disco take the stage. Without any fervour, the group begins the opening chord to Closer, the opening track on their latest albumLittle Joy. It is a typical My Disco song; completely minimalist in structure, built around repetition and an absolutely intense experience. As the song approaches the climax, the song continues to build and build. The intensity grows. It is impossible to know when My Disco will release, or whether it will build to greater heights. It continues. And continues. And then eventually, they bring it to a close.

This is just roughly five minutes of what proves to be a brilliant and utterly mesmerising set by the group. Listening to Little Joy, while fantastic, at times feel like a placeholder for what is heard in a live setting. This set is comprised totally of tracks from Little Joy, making the experience well and truly a celebration of their latest album. Most people know what to expect from My Disco; at first, the repetition of guitar and bass chords, drums patterns and vocals which Liam Andrews hauntingly echoes through tracks seem like a chore. Upon hearing, it is an utterly bewildering experience.

The minimalist reverberations from My Disco truly have to be heard live to fully understood. Yet, given how long they have been around, most people would already understand this. This was just another fantastic set from the always reliable group; one designed to show after three albums, they are still going incredibly strong.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/26537/My-Disco-Slug-Guts-Absolute-Boys-The-Zoo-Brisbane-27112010