We couldn’t pass up on featuring The Darkness covering Radiohead for our mixtape. Make up your own mind on this one… Keeping with the theme of covers, School of Seven Bells have also covered Lil Wayne, again, make up your own mind. We haven’t forgotten to add in our most loved Australian acts either with new tracks from Sticky Fingers, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, British India and The Oyster Murders.
The Darkness – ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’
Though it’s been “a live favourite for many moons”, according to Justin Hawkins – frontman for living hair metal tribute The Darkness; they now have a “definitive recording” of their interpretation of Radiohead’s ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’. Transforming The Bends standard into something wholly their own, namely morphing its signature arpeggiated riff into a metal riff worthy of Iron Maiden; as Hawkins’ wailing, corkscrew falsetto is as twisted as the expression that’ll be splashed across the faces of Radiohead purists.
Sticky Fingers – Caress Your Soul Sydney’s Sticky Fingers manage to combine a very distinct British sound with the freewheelin’ West Coast psychedelia. It doesn’t hurt that front man Dylan Frost mirrors Alex Turner’s north-England tone, helping Sticky Fingers sound ever more accessible and established. ‘Caress Your Soul’ is the first cut from their upcoming debut album. With polished production and a bouncy rhythm, it’s indie-pop to its core.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – Elbow King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard follow up ‘Bloody Ripper’ with another barrage of balls-out surf-rawk fuckery on ‘Elbow’. From the first fuzz-addled chord you know it could be nobody else. And from there it’s just the kind of party you expect from these delinquents. There’s plenty of one syllable group vocals, and more than a fair share of fuzzy guitar solos. Bloody ripper track, mate.
British India – I Can Make You Love Me
First taste of a the newly signed British India to Liberation. ‘I Can Make You Love Me’ is the lead single from their forthcoming fourth album, a very english sounding (maybe it’s the drum beat) single but never the less catchy. Declan’s trademark vocals ooze with rocky goodness in the first couple of verses and soar once the chorus kicks in. The jangly guitars keep the bands indie sound, but overall British India have definitely taken their music to the next level.
School of Seven Bells – How to Love (Lil Wayne)
There’s always a massive “say what!” Reaction when an indie band covers a hip-hop song (and probably vice versa too). School of Seven Bells have easily outdone the original here and it’s more than just auto-tune being traded in for actual talent. The duo have exorcised the original of it’s cheesiness and replaced it with something a little more endearing. By the end you can barely tell that Lil Wayne had anything to do with this song at all.
The Oyster Murders – The Sleepers Heart
Brisbane has such a great music scene currently swelling, or perhaps it always has… The Oyster Murders are definitely another band to add to the ever growing list of dream pop bands that are surfacing. Produced by the legendary Magoo, the first single ‘The Sleepers Heart’ from the bands forthcoming debut album is lusciously layered with both vocals and instruments, strung together with haunting melodies. Bring on September, so we can hear the rest of what is sure to be a stunning LP.
