anvil

As a teen, Sacha Gervasi fancied himself Anvil’s biggest fan. He met them on their British tour and promptly became their roadie. And in the 80s things looked promising for the Toronto-based quartet. Playing a massive festival with the likes of Bon Jovi and Whitesnake, with fans amongst the royalty of heavy metal, the boys were gearing up for the big time. But here’s the thing ….. nothing happened.

Through a combination of poor management, inferior production and bad luck the group tapered off into obscurity. At the heart, best friends Robb Reiner (drums) and Steve “Lips” Kudlow (vocals/guitar) were forced to get day jobs while still trying to keep the dream alive.

Cue to 20 years later. Since losing touch with the band, Gervasi has become a successful Hollywood screenwriter. He decides to make his directorial debut in the form of a feature length doco about his favourite band. The result is a critically acclaimed, award winning film, that not only is a crowd pleaser , it gives Anvil a second chance at success.

The Story of Anvil
Anvil Metal Official Site

gotye

The biggest music poll in the world and it all happens in Australia !

It’s an Australia Day tradition to vote and then tune in to triple j’s Hottest 100 Countdown for the year.

No prizes for guessing No.1. Congratulations to Gotye. Well deserved.

mushu-traps

Following on from their last single “Bandit”, Sydney based trio Mushu are releasing their next installment “Traps” from their forthcoming EP due out in 2012. The last few years have seen two EP’s from Mushu, their debut Neverland (2008) and their self titled EP, Mushu (2010) from which came the singles “Neap Tide” and “Don’t Forget Me”. 2010 also saw Mushu take on North America, touring the US and Canada.

More recently Mushu have been focusing on their live show, embarking on two tours this year alone, hitting venues up and down the east coast like The Zoo, The Vic and The Vanguard and playing with bands such as Founds, Tin Sparrow, Cub Scout, Underlights and Winter People. In their downtime Mushu have kept busy in the studio, demoing and recording the material that makes up the bulk of their forthcoming EP.

Mushu’s latest single “Traps”, a markedly darker offering than past material, explores an aural landscape richly textured with gritty country undertones influenced by the likes of Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Johnny Cash. It was co-produced by Mushu and Luke Bert from Tales in Space (Art vs Science, Dappled Cities), and mixed by Bryce Goggin in New York (Joan as Police Woman, Pavement).

“Traps” follows the plight of an otherwise innocent and well-intentioned individual, who’s been forced by another to act out of character and do something they’ll regret. “Traps” is available on iTunes from December 2nd.

Q Trax 4 Free - mushu

Mushu Blog
Mushu myspace

abbe-may_design-desire

Abbe May’s Design Desire

Mammalian Locomotion (Kevin Parker & Cam Avery Remix) - Abbe May by sgcmedia

Taurus Chorus - Abbe May by sgcmedia

Abbe May - Design Desire

goodbyemotel-front-cover

Wish Your Way by goodbyemotel

Red Room by goodbyemotel

Burning Since Sunday by goodbyemotel

goodbyemotel - Wish Your Way

goodbyemotel-front-cover

Melbourne, Australia’s goodbyemotel are pleased to release their highly anticipated new EP Wish Your Way, recorded by legendary producer Julian Medelsohn (Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Page, Petshop Boys) and available to fans for FREE from the band’s website www.goodbyemotel.com.
With an invitation to play CMJ in New York, the band are based in the US for the remainder of 2011 while touring the new EP and recording their sophomore album. College radio is already spinning tracks from the EP as the band continues its US growth.
The album plans have picked up speed with acclaimed artist Storm Thorgerson, the designer behind the stunning Pink Floyd album covers agreeing to create its artwork.

The attention in the US has continued to flow after the success of the band’s debut album in 2010.
Following the album’s release, US TV series Gossip Girl picked up ‘Last Flight of the Bat’ with the ensuing attention taking the song’s clip viral on YouTube and securing the band US management. goodbyemotel continued to get placement on US shows such as Covert Affairs and Suits, as well as in the new Australian feature film, Summer Coda. Award winning ‘Watching You’ was also featured in ‘End Child Slavery’ national TV and MTV campaigns.
‘Wish Your Way’ is out now through indie label Nice bike Records.

“It’s not too bold a statement to say goodbyemotel are one of the finest indie rock bands currently plying their trade.” - Inpress Magazine

Q Trax 4 Free - goodbyemotel

goodbyemotel Official Site
goodbyemotel Facebook
goodbyemotel MySpace
goodbyemotel Twitter

paper-scissors-ilm-album-cover

Listen to the entire album below for free !

The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory by thepaperscissors

The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory

sounds-like-brisbane

BRISBANEʼS RECORD LABELS UNITE
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: Yes, it’s hot. Yes, it’s wet. But Brisbane is also a city with one of the strongest independent music scenes you will find anywhere. Believed to be a world first, soundslikebrisbane (SLB) is bringing together the city’s indie labels under the one banner - already 17 independent labels are represented, with more to join the fold soon.

Covering every genre from garage rock and indie, to jazz, hip-hop, country and pop, the
labels define the creative melting pot that Brisbane has become. Together these labels
work with dozens of artists, promoting close to 100 releases each year.
Among them are some of the countrys most exciting new artists including DZ
DEATHRAYS, Mr Maps, The Optimen, The Medics, My Fiction and Regurgitator.
It is a label scene that few, if any, other cities the size of Brisbane could boast with the
collective including prominent local labels: Plus One Records, Mere Noise, Dew
Process, Turkeyneck, Room 40, Someone Good, Pinnacles Music, SUGARRUSH,
Lofly, El Nino El Nino, Red Tape Entertainment, Starving Kids, Valve Records, Obisidian
Records, 777 Operations, and Useless Arts Records.

Theres no doubting that right now Brisbane’s indie labels are the engine room of the
local music scene, and the contribution they make should be celebrated and supported,
SLB’s Craig Spann explains. These labels are often one or two-person operations at the
cutting edge of the city’s creative scene, fueling Brisbane’s reputation as one of the
worlds most exciting music cities.

The soundslikebrisbane.com website features fresh label and artist profiles and a range of exclusive content updated every week. Whether you’re a fan or a music industry type, discover new labels, new bands, make new connections in Australia and get your head around one of the world’s most exciting music cities at www.soundslikebrisbane.com.

Sounds Like Brisbane -Track Listing

Q Trax 4 Free - Sounds Like Brisbane

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Last.fm Free Indie Music Downloads

israel-cannan-walk-album

Just click on the down arrow at right of the Sound Clouds and you can either purchase or download these tracks for free.

One Fine Day - Israel Cannan by sgcmedia

Letting Go - Israel Cannan by sgcmedia

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Rare Finds 2011 Full Music Streaming
Rare Finds 2011 Official Site

imagine_nyc

This week (October 9th) marks John Lennon’s birthday.

There is much that has been written and said about this music legend, so we at Qtrax.net.au will keep the commentary brief and let the music say it all.

Whether you’re a fan from the Beatles era, prefer the peace activism and bed-in’s of the solo days, or simply know the name quoted as an influence of many a modern musician, may we suggest this as an apt time to dig out an old recording from your music library, or indeed discover, one of the 20th century’s music greats.

Imagine Peace Tower will be relit by Yoko Ono on October 9th 2011 in memory of John Lennon.
Join us at 8pm Reykjavik time, 9pm London, 4pm NY, 1pm LA, 5am Tokyo.
It will be lit until Dec 8 (the anniversary of his death) , then Dec 21-28, Dec 31, 2011 and then March 21-28, 2012.

Imagine Peace Tower

sounds-like-brisbane

Sounds Like Brisbane -Track Listing

Head to www.soundslikebrisbane.com and access these tracks for free.

Just follow the instructions and you’re away !

the-wombats-this-modern-glitch_large

The Wombats … proudly present … “This Modern Glitch”

Triumphant return would be rather strong terminology, best suited to a PR driven press release tagline, but as a second Australian tour within half a year attests, Liverpool trio The Wombats have scored considerable success and radio airplay with second album “This Modern Glitch”.

No longer reliant on pushing their Paul McCartney art college credits, the boys can now hold their own with a less self conscious and more mature record.

While debut album … “A Guide to Love Loss and Desperation” piqued interest and that Joy Division song was a huge, catchy single transforming personal loss and introspection into an everyman anthem, the discerning listener might’ve noticed the inexperience and ensuring blandness of the album as a whole. Amidst the hype, critical backlash ensued, including an off-the-cuff negative swipe in comparison to fellow British music contemporaries dissected on Qtrax.net.au, by a contributor who shall remain nameless, but is in fact currently reviewing them in rather glowing terms.

the-wombats

The suitably layered intro and driving chorus of opening track ‘Our Perfect Disease’ sets the mood superbly and all the singles - which are half the album - are winners: ‘Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)’, ‘Jump Into the Fog’, and the seemingly incongruent rock-ness of ‘Techno Fan’. The epic symphony of ‘Anti D’’s aptly sweeping grandeur of melancholy transformed into hope is a gem (unfortunately the synthesisers in the live version don’t do the emotive song justice and it’s been largely ignored on radio in favour of the aforementioned tracks).

So it would follow, conversely, the album tracks aren’t as strong (’Schumaker the Champagne’, ‘Girls/Fast Cars’) etc don’t make the grade in comparison, but as padding they don’t necessarily warrant the skip button either. And there’s often a quirky line to keep you interested, or amused, or slightly perplexed, eg ‘Last Night I Dreamt…’ ‘s “apart from when I lost my virginity, I’ve never been known to frighten easily….”. Now, I don’t pretend I get it, but I’m entertained by such lines nonetheless.

While Let’s Dance to Joy Division’s still the concert encore track of choice, the band now have a larger catalogue of songs that can contend for the title of audience favourite. Building their live following with extensive touring in support of this release, as well as growing industry cred, “Modern Glitch” is brimming with energy and passion. The band sounds like they’re enjoying themselves, so we should too. Lots of fun.

The Wombats Official Site
The Wombats Facebook
The Wombats MySpace
The Wombats YouTube

ok-go-white-knuckles

What do they say - never work with animals ?

Well, OK Go have thrown caution to the wind (and after many takes) have done just that. This clip is certainly proof that perseverance really does pay-off.

This one is definitely for all the dog lovers out there ! Enjoy.

And yes, just to prove this film clip was done in only one take - check out the snippets below from over one hundred outtakes followed by the chosen take !

OK Go Official Website
OK Go MySpace
OK Go Wikipedia