STACK October 2016 Issue 144

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Airbourne
Breakin' Outta Hell
Yep, they’re derivative. Sure,
their lyrics are big, dumb and
obvious. But Airbourne are a
glorious celebration of the inner
bogan in us all. They follow the
AC/DC formula – no ballads, no
bullshit, delivering anthems for
the common man. Frontman Joel
O’Keeffe is a mix of Bon Scott and
Angus Young; you can just see his
cheeky grin as he rips out another
monstrous riff and declares, “It’s
all for rock ’n’ roll!” Rock might
no longer be cool – whatever that
means – but Airbourne remain
loud and proud. And thrilling.
“I know what I got,” O’Keeffe
declares in Get Back Up. “And you
can’t take it away.”
(Spinefarm Records/Caroline)
Jeff Jenkins
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22 OCTOBER 2016
MUSIC REVIEWS
Sum 4113 Voices
Where do you go when teenage
angst has paid off well and now
you’re bored and old? Sum
41’s efforts in later years – a
decade since they emerged as
Maiden-worshipping inheritors
of Green Day’s brattish pop punk
– have made for some unsteady
propositions, but credit where it’s
due, they mostly refrained from
revisiting the high school clichés
of their younger years. 13 Voices
continues to push forward by
finding what distinguished Sum
41 in the first place: Dave Baksh,
the guitarist who made their first
records so thrilling, is back. The
record leans more heavily on their
metal heritage, delivering every
riff and beat with more force at
a slower pace. It’s the only right
choice for a band with Sum 41’s
legacy, and they grab it with
both hands. (Hopeless Records/
Unified) Jake Cleland
The Black Sorrows
Faithful Satellite
Has there been an Australian artist more prolific
and consistent than Joe Camilleri? Regardless
of whether he’s got a record deal or radio play,
Camilleri simply continues to do one thing: churn
out quality music. Jo Jo Zep &The Falcons are in
the ARIA Hall of Fame; surely it’s time for The Black
Sorrows to be inducted? Their 20th album showcases a stellar line-up:
Claude Carranza (Kids In The Kitchen) on guitar, Mark Gray (Wa Wa Nee)
on bass, Angus Burchall (John Farnham) on drums, and jazz great John
McAll on keyboards. These guys can play anything, and Faithful Satellite
traverses bluegrass, blues, rockabilly, reggae, rock, gospel and soul.
And props to Camilleri’s long-time lyricist Nick Smith, who creates vivid
images: “And that cold grey moon will be rising soon to watch over me …
as we roll into the night, with our faithful satellite.” Camilleri delivers the
words with a vitality that singers a third his age would love to have. “It’s
the last time I’ll trudge through the streets of this town,” he declares in
the record’s final track, Into Twilight, before adding: “I ain’t sayin’ farewell.”
Of course he’s not. He’ll never stop. He can’t. The music is in him.
(Head Records) Jeff Jenkins
Two Door Cinema Club
Gameshow
The UK lads have returned with
a vengeance. If you are familiar
with and loved the single What
You Know (impossible not to
feel the latter if you are the
former) from their 2010 debut
album, you'll be delighted with
the Irish trio's latest record,
Gameshow. It's totally loyal to
their indie-rock lineage, with
the intro on Bad Decisions
alone worth buying the disc
for – also, make sure you check
out its remarkable video. Are
We Ready? (Wreck) is as true
as they come, harping ‘What’s
it gonna take/ there’s always
something else,” pulling at
the heartstrings of all the true
romantics out there.
(Warner) Alesha Kolbe
LVL UP Return To Love
Return To Love is the raw, jagged
indie rock record we've been
craving. Forming in 2011, the LVL UP
guys are no newbies to the scene
and have further magnified their '90s
slant with their newest album, full of
groovy hits. It cruises between tunes
as rugged as a bearded lumberjack
(Spirit Was) to calming melodies
that feel like a mellow beach breeze
(Cut FromThe Vine). The four-piece's
musicianship is in the spotlight
throughout, showing off rousing
riffs, pounding drums and wicked
synth effects – see Hidden Driver
– with that pure lo-fi love. Every bit
their creation as the Monster was
to Frankenstein, Return To Love is
LVL UP’s beautiful child, epitomised
in the haunting swan song Naked
In The River With The Creator. (Sub
Pop/Inertia) Savannah Douglas
Safe Hands
Tie Your Soul To Mine
Novocastrian five-piece Safe Hands
have spent a long time trying to
fit the ‘punk’ stereotype: breaking
instruments, stage invasions and
general chaos. Recently the band
issued a statement on a change
of philosophy and maturity. If you
think this means they've gone
soft, you couldn’t be further from
the truth; from the raw opening of
The Coliseum 1921, the record is
unfailing. Benjamin Louttit’s vocal
performance falls somewhere
between Jesse Lacey of Brand New
and Jordan Dreyer of La Dispute.
The Great Affair is the band’s
shining achievement; on a brooding,
emotional journey, Isaac Gibson’s
drums will cut through you like a
katana sword.
(Lost Boy Records)Tim Lambert
Lost Animal You Yang
Remember those rainy days staring
out the window, envisioning yourself
in a moody music video? Get ready
for those wistful pop pangs again.
Jarrod Quarrell’s quirky adenoidal
voice is noticeably stronger in his
second LP; guaranteed to make you
cry-dance, he's no longer drowning
in the murk of previous release
Ex-Tropical. You Yang balances vocals
with odd instrumental choices; from
yearning saxophone in Do The Jerk
to Gorillaz-esque melodica in Where
It Ends and a beautiful backing choir
amongst the spectral puddles of
Prisoners Island. As the atmospheric
twang of NewYears Day comes to a
close, there's a low, long rumble to
give us time to compose ourselves –
though you may find you need a little
longer. (Dot Dash/Remote Control)
Savannah Douglas