Another year around the sun, another Laneway Festival loaded with unforgettable moments we’ll be recycling until the next one rolls around. The 2017 edition saw another leading lineup take on 7 shows across 3 countries – quite a far cry from the festival’s humble beginnings 13 years ago. The Sydney leg of the tour started out with some choppy weather, which soon gave way to blue skies and sweltering heat. Rain or shine though, the weather wasn’t going to stop punters taking the day by storm.
First up on the main stage was Melbourne three-piece Camp Cope, setting the tone with some high-energy noise and 0% tolerance for rowdy hecklers. Next we moved over to Spinning Top for the always incredible/ completely hilarious Koi Child to take in our fill of that jazzy Hip Hop. This was shortly followed by the infectious NAO, who is all but the name to watch right now. The long awaited Whitney took to the stage afterwards, their gorgeous brand of country soul drawing an enormous crowd who were all too keen to experience the Chicagoans. All-time favourite Nicholas Allbrook wasted no time in jump-starting things – by jumping straight into the crowd that is. Legends Dune Rats on filler duties for an absent Young Thug came to the party and then some, with every single person chanting every lyric to every song that they belted out. Then, in stark contrast to the Dunies, the incredible Mick Jenkins took the the Future Classic stage and pelted us with some seamless lyrical finesse. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard followed back on the main stage – a consistent crowd pleaser and a sure mosh riot, they slay every time. Seattle native Car Seat Headrest followed up his sold out Sydney sideshow with a choice set at the Spinning Top stage, with Tash Sultana then rounding out a massive crowd as the sun sat over hill, lighting up the late afternoon. A.B. Original brought a resounding “fuck you” to their stand-out spot, and Glass Animals sowed some contagious fervour around with their star stage presence as the sun started to set. Mr. Carmack was next over at Future Classic, and things got weird when the crowd overran the barrier and started dancing in the photo pit and on top of speakers, even the stage – a testament to his music and infectious style. Grammy winner Tourist shortly followed with some face-melting tunes, and then it was a quick rush back to the main stage for the one and only Tame Impala, who sprayed the crowd with confetti and delivered a truly memorable live set. Wrapping up our Laneway experience was local psych-electronic guys Jagwar Ma, who brought a hypnotic end to an enormous day of amazing live music.
We managed to capture some of the vibes that went down. Peep the shots below.
Part II continues here, feat. Glass Animals, A.B. Original, Tame Impala & more!
Read our Laneway 2017 review!Camp Cope
Koi Child
NAO
Whitney
Nic Allbrook
Dunerats
Mick Jenkins
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Car Seat Headrest
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
Country soul finally made it to Australia. The laid-back and enigmatic Whitney experienced a blow-out year in 2016, with the release of their first singles and full-length LP Light Upon The Lake, and a long run of tour dates around the world. Hailed on high by rightfully everyone, their debut album and the band themselves are characteristically something else. Songwriters Max Kakacek and Julian Ehrlich semi-famously holed up in their apartment during one of Chicago’s harshest winters and emerged on the other side with a tape recorder full of no-nonsense, organic, emotionally charged songs, sans any reverb, delay or other effects – honest, open and human, Julien maintains they “wanted to be vulnerable and be honest.”
Whitney’s sound and personality are simply delightful. Their music has been self-described as “country soul” and by others as “russet Americana pop”, but really it’s like some kind of memory, like riding your bike around your grandparent’s farm with the golden light of dusk glowing through the sugar cane. It’s a road trip with your most favourite people, salty ocean air soaking your skin, a fond passing moment. It’s a comforting warmth. Truthfully, the buoyant confluence of dallying guitar, keys, drums, bass and soulful horns accompany lyrics weighted with conflict, heartbreak and happier times, a reference to Ehrlich and Kakacek’s preceding romantic breakups. At its core, their music expresses an honesty mirrored individually by everyone listening.
Finally seeing Whitney live was just as intimate. Their first Australian shows saw them touring the country with Laneway Festival and playing some additional sideshows in Melbourne and Sydney, which is where we caught them. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever were on support duties, and these guys never fail to impress. Whitney shortly followed, opening with Julien bent down on the edge of the stage serenading the silent crowd with his winsome falsetto. “This show sold out, what the fuck. That’s really cool. It feels really good,” he flashes a mischievous grin. During their LP’s title track, the crowd was completely speechless, utterly mesmerised, and after Julien joyfully revealed the encore’s proceedings (four more songs with a repeat of their intro), every single person was singing along to the finale No Woman. What a profoundly charming experience. Life is simply better with Whitney in it.
Rolling Blackouts CF
Whitney
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball-stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:
Mitski – Happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ0O2vDT0VE&feature=youtu.be
We were loving New York’s Mitski when she last appeared in the roundup for the video for Your Best American Girl, she’s back again with the latest single to precede her highly anticipated fourth studio effort Puberty 2. Happy is the title, opening with a synth backbeat that sounds like a skipping CD and Mitski sounding like she’s crooning through a bad dial-up connection. There’s a discordant atmosphere immediately before the layers of sound are built upon (a low saxophone snaking its way in and out) and Mitski’s vocals shine through before the song picks up the pace, slowly building more and more frantically.
The video accompanying it is a wonderful short horror film, set in the 50s, it watches Mitski slowly unravel as she discovers her partner is cheating on her (the ending accelerates to 100 in about three seconds). This one really satiated my love for both horror movies and music videos with clear narrative arcs.
Puberty 2 is out June 17th on Dead Oceans via Inertia.
NO ZU – Hi Gloss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osM1dQlCRY8&feature=youtu.be
Melbourne eight-piece NO ZU have released their latest single Hi Gloss. It’s five minutes of raucously experimental synth pop sounding straight out of the 90s. It’s an unholy blend of different instrumental parts and vocal harmonies, so many unexpected bursts of noise that will keep your ears beyond stimulated.
The video is fantastically lo-fi and matches the bygone era sound with some vintage 3D graphics. Designed by 3D animator Alex Last, there’s as much going on in this video as there is in the song behind it. It’s almost impossible to explain but it looks like something you’d see on early 90s ABC and it’s an amazing throwback sonically and visually.
Nicholas Allbrook – A Fool There Was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmxdWeMBdT0
Howl And Echoes loves us some Nick Allbrook too, and the POND frontman has his latest single out as well as his second solo studio album today in Pure Gardiya. A Fool There Was opens with a furious staccato guitar riff before mellowing into a marching rock tune, the choruses punctuated by the same shredding guitars from the beginning, Allbrook’s positively theatrical vocals engaging the listener at every turn.
The video, directed by Matt Sav, is an Australian homage to Osez Josephine by French rocker Alain Bashung and features a mysterious figure circling Allbrook and a few companions in an illuminated carpark, creating a dizzying effect for a rollercoaster of a song.
Pure Gardiya is out today via Spinning Top Records.
Wild Beasts – Get My Bang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nkdZhFzglA
Across the pond to Kendal in the UK for this next one, with rockers Wild Beasts announcing their fifth album Boy King and releasing a brand new single simultaneously. Get My Bang is the first, a slow-burning electro-rocker that coils and uncoils across three and a half minutes before a twisting guitar solo plays it out.
The video artfully mirrors the dark feel of the song, a pair of lovers dancing through the dimly lit streets of Belgrade while the band plays. It’s an exciting introduction for what’s to come on Wild Beasts’ next album.
Boy King is out August 5th on Domino.
Whitney – No Matter Where We Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN-9ZAr2ePQ
This. Is. Nice. Indie rockers Whitney are just a few days away from the release of their debut album after wowing crowds at this year’s SXSW and have released their latest single this week in the breezy No Matter Where We Go.
The Eagles vibes are palpable in the jangly, southern-flavoured classic rock guitars and stomping percussion, singer Julien Ehrlich’s falsetto putting this summery tune on a nimbus cloud. The video, directed by Alan Del Rio Oritz, visualises the feelgood nature of the song, shots of the band jamming mingled with intimate looks at several different happy relationships.
Light Upon The Lake is out June 3rd on Secretly Canadian via Inertia.
Oh Pep! – Doctor Doctor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGgy0GoemCU
A contemporary folk-pop duo out of Melbourne are Olivia and Pepita, collectively known as Oh Pep! Doctor Doctor is their latest single, coming just shy of the release of their debut album dropping as soon as July does. The track is a slice of clever, quirky pop with a scuttling backbeat that remains blissfully lighthearted despite lyrics dealing with self doubt. The hook ‘I know what I want, it’s not what I need‘ is just built for a singalong.
The video is positively gleeful, a pair of mates enjoying a cracker day out including throwing eggs at a soccer team and transporting each other around via such conventional means as a beat up hatchback and a pram found by the bins before they enjoy a beer and a sunset together. Truly beautiful.
Stadium Cake is out July 1 via Barely Dressed/Remote Control.
Bugs – Instant Coffee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKGXhnvMAyQ
Presently one of my favourite bands in Brisbane are punk shredders Bugs. Having just released their latest record Growing Up yesterday, the most recent single from that album Instant Coffee received video treatment this week as well. Frenetically fun, the Bugs boys take pop punk and give it a distinct Australian flavour. Like good instant coffee (if there is such a thing) it never feels too sweet or saccharine, the main riff is a fish hook and the chorus is unbelievably catchy as well. Bugs shred and Instant Coffee is just one piece of a very fine record.
Its accompanying video is a ripper, with coffee beans flying everywhere while the duo enjoy a sunny day at home, although that bowl of Moccona drummer Brock Weston eats like its cereal is the stuff nightmares are made of. Overall stellar stuff from yet another promising band out of Brisbane, try listening to this or anything else by Bugs and not be wearing a shit-eating grin in seconds.
Growing Up is available now via Bugs’ bandcamp.
A$AP Ferg – Yammy Gang (ft. A$AP Mob, Tatiana Paulino)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQvb_oGWzgk
Wrapping up this week is Harlem hard-hitter A$AP Ferg and his new video for Yammy Gang, a shout out to their fallen comrade in A$AP Yams. From Ferg’s huge new album Always Strive And Prosper, Yammy Gang Featuring the rest of the A$AP Mob including Rocky, Twelvyy and Nast as well as a touching spoken word outro from Yams’ mother Tatiana Paulino about continuing her son’s legacy.
Yammy Gang goes hard like everything else on Always Strive And Prosper and the whole mob rightfully throws down in honour of Yams, Rocky’s verse exactly as nifty as you would expect. The video is a lo-fi desert trip (almost looks like the Joshua Tree), where the A$AP Mob ride in SUVs and chill out in half-built desert houses.
Always Strive And Prosper is out now on RCA.
Image: Supervisor Wire