Brisbane’s experimental gang The John Steel Singers and bravado-charged Jeremy Neale are set for their joint East Coast Boys Gone Wild Tour in promotion of each artist’s respective new records.
Both releases were well-received, we gave our two cents on The John Steel Singers’ “creative experimentation” on Everything’s A Thread and Jeremy Neale’s “rare ability to create near-perfect pop music” on In Stranger Times.
But before taking to the open road together, we approached the Queenslanders to get their take on what they though of their respective touring partner’s most recent release. Here’s the results.
The John Steel Singers – Everything’s A Thread
Reviewed by Jeremy Neale
The new album from Brisbane’s The John Steel Singers seems to be an answer to many questions. None more so than “if I was a galactic ranger in a future where laser weaponry was banned and I had to dress as a cowboy and duel hostile extra-terrestrials at space High Noon in Wild West style shootouts, what would I listen to in my downtime?”.
It’s Space Western meets the truly modern psychedelic. In this, a step light years forward – or at least away from – their 2010 release Tangalooma.
It’s not instantly accessible in that on first listen, it doesn’t make you want to air guitar around your room, cut the sleeves off your shirt and head-butt the door down as you emerge triumphantly and proclaim to the world that you’re ready to party rock.
Which is for the best anyways. After all it’s 11am on a Monday morning and all your party rocking pals are at work and you’ve only got the day off ‘cos you mostly work nights and weekends. It’s Space Western meets the truly modern psychedelic.
This rings true, that is, until the third listen. It all starts to make sense. This is a new kind of party rocking. This is the party rocking of 2099.
Initially these tracks are best absorbed over a glass of wine whilst writing your memoirs. Later, they are best used to sneak into a secret government facility and free the clone they were making of you to replace you with and use whatever social clout you had to change your Facebook posting to be in support of oppression of the working class. Unless it’s too late and you’ve already been replaced and when you go to the government facility – there’s no clone. BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CLONE.
Highlights include: ‘MJ’s On Fire Again’, ‘Happy Before’, ‘Everything’s a Thread’ and ‘TGI Tuesdays’.
Looking forward to seeing this in a futuristic intergalactic Corona beach ad that makes you feel like you’re the only one not living your life like you’re supposed to. Damn you, suburban socialite jock beer.
Jeremy Neale – In Stranger Times
Reviewed by Pete of The John Steele Singers
Well what do we have here? Sitting all digitized on my hard drive amongst all the sexy, sexy silicon and circuits? Oh, it’s the effortlessly cool EP from the Lord Mayor of (the good parts, yes there are a few) Brisbane – Mr Jeremy Neale.
For this review I was planning on writing what I was expecting before listening then writing my thoughts after the first listen.
As I am from the backwoods of West End I haven’t heard it yet but I accidentally pressed play after forgetting momentarily my brilliant plans to make it as a writer of famous reviews. You gotta stand out somehow. But fuck it, I pressed play and I haven’t looked back.
Without realising it, I now have pep in my step. Well I would if I stood up and walked anywhere but what I’m trying to say is that from the opener ‘A Love Affair to Keep you There’ (I hope this is the first track, my computer may have mixed them up) these garagey tunes have given me some excitement that I’m pretty sure was non-existent when I walked in the door after work this afternoon.
It may be the vial of ginseng that I purchased from an Asian supermarket in the Valley kicking in but I kind of want to go find a group of people in a park who are practicing amateur Capoeira or hula-hooping or some shit like that and crank this on a boom box and dance around them and just change their lives forever!
The tunes I like the best are ‘Lone Tiger’ and ‘In Stranger Times’ – add them Go Violet babes to the mix in In Stranger Times with the washy harmonies in the verse and the lift to the chorus takes this up a notch. “…I pressed play and I haven’t looked back.”
(In my opinion… and who really gives a shit what I think) I knew this dude can sing but for fucks sakes the vocals in ‘Lone Tiger’ are ridiculously smooth, like a baby sliding on ice smooth. Weird metaphor but just imagine that the little person is not bothered by the cold (because one should never actually slide a naked baby on ice) but if for some reason there one day was a boy born who was completely immune to cold, it’s not to crazy to imagine!
(I saw a documentary thing on a Sherpa who was immune to altitude so who the fuck are you to tell me that one day in the future there won’t be some kid who literally cannot feel the cold.)
So anyway take that baby and slide his hairless body along some ice and you’re somewhat in the ballpark of the smoothness of the vocals. That kid (and vocals?) would slide for ages!
Anyways I really enjoyed the tracks and really can’t wait to play alongside the dude on this tour thing we have coming up. It’s catchy as fuck, and listening to it brings back great memories of dancing whilst he played at my friend’s wedding and seeing Sean Cook (who I assume recorded the tracks, I’m not about to research this right? What kind of professional do you take me for?) Wear a tight black turtleneck.
Much Love, Pete
If you’re on the East Coast, be sure to keep your Summer burning with these northern wonders as John Steel Singers and Jeremy Neale team up for the Boys Gone Wild Tour!
Thursday 20 February
Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Tickets via www.oztix.com.au
Friday 21 February
Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Tickets via www.oztix.com.au
Saturday 22 February
Good God Small Club, Sydney
Tickets via www.moshtix.com.au
Sunday 23 February
The Lair @ The Metro, Sydney (All ages)
Tickets via www.metrotheatre.com.au
Friday 28 February
Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Tickets via www.northcotesocialclub.com
Saturday 1 March
Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Tickets via www.northcotesocialclub.com
