The Paradise Motel - 'Brown Snake'



The Paradise Motel were once the darlings of the (at least, Melbourne) scene. Stoic, besuited men in black crowded intensely around the swaying Merida Sussex, fashioning gorgeous melodies from skeletal rhythms and providing just enough thrust to counter-balance the whisper of Sussex. A favourite of the inner-city set, the band's noir-ish performances became folkloric for their intensity. The group released four albums proper, as well as a handful of essential EPs, before moving to the UK in 1998 to make something of it. They split the next year.

Ten years later they're back. Australian Ghost Story will be their first album in a decade, and not unsurprisingly it's concerned with the macabre: the life and death of Azaria Chamberlain.

So it must be for good reason that the imagery first single 'Brown Snake' evokes is sunlight on sand, barren vistas and loss. Business as usual then. The band are about to finish up a Tuesday residency at Melbourne's Nothcote Social Club, before releasing Australian Ghost Story in the the middle of the year. A limited edition Live EP (4th in the NSC series) will be available on the night (27th April).

myspace.com/theparadisemotel

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The Book of Ships - '...Aagh'



The Book of Ships are largely the work of one d.a.calf, once a resident of Newcastle and now Melbourne. But don't let the 'solo guy makes an album' story fool you; this is a full blown band affair. Our protagonist roped in a slew of people in the studio to flesh out the record, as plainly evident in tracks like '...Aagh: a rushing, indie-rock track that brings to mind the dynamic buzz of folks like Broken Social Scene, old school Decoder Ring, and...I want to say Superchunk but it's not quite right. Sweeping-indie-firecracker-rock?

The Book of Ships self-produced debut effort Dark Continent, Cold Century, (mixed by Scott Horscroft no less) was recently self-released in both digital and limited edition, and is available from the bands MySpace:.

myspace.com/thebookofships


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World's End Press - 'Golden Child'



I've already mentioned World's End Press a few times (most recently as a guest on Richard Kingsmill's show on Triple J last Sunday. Hear that here.) but it's for good reason. They're fun. How 'bout that?

'Golden Child' ratchets down some of the atmosphere of first single 'Only the Brave' and replaces it with a dinky piano line that I swear is from a Black Box/M People track transported somewhere back in the mid '80s. In any case, 'Golden Child' reflects the bands interest in creating actual songs out of the more obvious instrumental disco/pop influences. Once again, it doesn't approach representing the bands live show - see it if you can. Cowbells just look cooler live I guess.

myspace.com/worldsendpress

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Ivy St. - 'Oh Their Faces'




Tasmania. Where it's always dark and rainy. Where beaten Fender Jaguars are handed out at pre-school and emotions are expressed with a thump on the toms and a gurgle from gasping lungs. I wonder if there's any sunny twee pop music - or hip-hop - made in Tasmania? Or are such outcasts bound and sunk in the Derwent before making it off the mainland? Or...just make it off the mainland?

Ivy St. are another in a long line of Tasmanian jagged guitar bands (think Sea Scouts, Witch Hats, Little Ugly Girls, The Nation Blue) to commit their sonic desperation to tape, and so another one to be pretty noteworthy, if crowding an already bulging pigeon-hole. The three-piece made waves with the release of their solid debut Picture Machine last year; which provided a more melodious (and thus refreshing) take on the genre. 'Oh Their Faces' is a new 7" release for the band, the flipside being 'Talk to Strangers'. Again, the band hits harder live.

myspace.com/ivyst