Mick Harvey broke from the Bad Seeds back in 2009. Bad Seeds being the group famed for backing Nick Cave. With exception to a light project here and there, this is really the first we’ve heard from Harvey. Sketches From The Book Of The Dead is his first stab at strolling down his own path, and it’s one that should not be ignored.

Australian siren Lanie Lane‘s debut single, “What Do I Do” has a soulful, old-time jazzy feel to it. This is no surprise when confronted with her influences — all the truly powerful early jazz singers are there, from Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to the masterful Nina Simone. Within “What Do I Do” is a hodgepodge of classic sounds, from 50s pop to 30s jazz and blues. Were Lane to have it, she’d probably wander back to the underbelly of those eras — the places where art …

High Highs is Jack Milas and Oli Chang of Australia and they produce light pop melodies that, as heard in “Open Season”, are entirely infectious. Soft and pleasant, “Open Season” has the perfect balance of emotive vocals, bouncy piano, and laid-back guitar to be one of the year’s better finds. They’ve been spinning this band for quite a while now over at my old station, KZUU.

The Lucksmiths broke up just over a year ago now, and they’re finally giving us what they promised at the time — a posthumous single of what may have been their last original recordings. The single is titled Get-To-Bed Birds after the A-side track, and it is available via Lost & Lonesome Records of Australia and Matinee Records in the US.

Another Cover Art piece transferred over from that site, this time covering three out of print singles by one of the greatest Australian bands to ever exist — The Lucksmiths. The band may no longer be together, but their music stands just as strong as it did one the day it was released, be it from their humble beginnings in the early 1990s to their final release just a year or so ago. Here’s the original post:

I love the sound Hot Spa has; blending hyper-infectious experimental surf pop and with a group sing-a-long mentality. “Kiola Beach” uses the dated retro footage that seems so popular these days, hinting of the 1970s and early 80s. Seemingly a homage to the past, the video for “Kiola Beach” is a collection of snippets from Hot Spa’s family videos from the 70s. It fits well with their lo-fi, almost unplugged pop sensibilities. And with a surf-heavy family heritage (much of the video includes surfing), it’s the perfect …

Paul Turner has returned with a new batch of his classic soft spoken acoustic melodies made for bohemians and monks alike. This Australian-bred songwriter doesn’t stray too far from the comfort zone he developed on his previous release, Clear Blue. But Another World does seem a bit darker in a lyrical sense. His words contain questions that have no answers, as well as answers that are never questioned. Although the direction of this album has not skewed into a new direction, it is still a huge …

There’s something eerily beautiful about this video; it borders on insane. Tame Impala does a good job taking a scene of destruction and turning up the shock value to the point of laughter. Laughter fades to bewilderment, then understanding. Insanity does play a part here, if you’re one to look for meaning in videos such as this. If you’re not part of that camp, it still maintains viable entertainment value.
Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock band, and “Solitude is Bliss” is their latest pop song — though …

Sleepwalks are a three-piece garage band influenced heavily by 90s gritty, in-your-face rock backed with loud guitars, heavy drums, and greasy-haired vocals. You know, they’re the style of vocals you’d expect at far-too-hot basement shows where the volume is cranked a bit too high and by band members who are a bit too high, fielding hair that hasn’t been washed in the greater part of a week and where sweat floats as freely as raindrops in the Pacific Northwest.
I think one of the big surprises, however, is …

Worry A Lot marks second release by The Zebras, following their self-titled debut from 2004. The album is crafted with the jangle pop that made the twee movements of C86 and Sarah Records so lovable. From the punchy guitar to the driving percussion, each song contains the power to knock you off your feet. The Zebras hail from Australia and it is extremely difficult to find a copy of anything by the group on this continent, making it clear a US-based label needs to release the album stateside.