Jeremy Neale’s ‘Darlin’ is going to be big. He’s cut his teeth in Velociraptor and come to the obvious conclusion that the next career step from a moderately successful garage-rock outfit is a doo-wop throwback project. Neale’s crooning vocals are smoother than the output of a broken softserve machine and that sax- THAT SAX. It squeals and screeches antagonising, yet never compromising the melody. Given the current situation of the Australian music market one might wonder if there’s any further room for tunes this historically derivative but I say ‘yay’. There certainly is. The strength of that melody serves as guarantor against any other criticism that might be levelled at the track but there’s also unmistakeable technical ability. I think the single has been about for just a few days but word is travelling, chins are wagging. Also included for your listening pleasure is his first single ‘Winter Was The Time’. Download both tracks courtesy of Triple J Unearthed.

Here’s a set of Melbournites that are pushing the artistic envelop. Think a drum and bass Seabear without that much drum and bass, but still with a little bit of drum and bass. Then minus the drum and bass, throw in the ocassional breakbeat and some well rounded bass rumblings and there you have it, I’lls. It’s a grammatical nightmare of a name but when you think about it, and you will, it’s actually a pretty great way of spelling Aisles/Isles etc. And I know, I know, I know I say this all the time but please believe me, you won’t understand the quality of this act until you listen to it with suitable auditory apparatus – this means apple headphones, laptop speakers, ringtones, those eskies with built in speakers, they’re all off limits. Maybe just wait until you get home if I’ve mentioned something relevant to your current circumstance.

The vocals are serene and caringly layered behind the wash of sound (I would have liked to hear them a little higher in the mix) made up of those earlier mentioned drums, the regular quick finger trill of delayed electric and a piano melody that is often lost underneath all the rest ( though it comes to the fore at the end of ‘Thrice’). If you’ve ever listened to any Radiohead (at all, ever) you’ll have trouble listening to ‘Take higher Ground’ on it’s own merits, but do try as I’lls are definitely more than the sum of their influences. As far as I’ve discovered, there are member connections to other Melbourne bands such The Ocean Party and Kins and no doubt a few others I’m oblivious to so we’re not talking about fresh to the game upstarts here.

Their 7 track Thread EP is available here or there’re two tracks up for free download on their unearthed page for the frugal.

After last month’s false start we’re now officially underway with the Tallest Man’s third full-length There’s No Leaving Now, due out June 11. The Dylanesque vocal tones that we’ve grown so found of are here even complimented by a Dylanesque delivery. I like this so, so much. I truly wonder if anyone will ever touch me the way The Tallest Man does, and though that couldn’t sound any creepier, I assure that I mean it in the least gropey way possible. Big Krisso’s done it again.

I’ve heard that the new record is going to have an added country twang to compliment his familiar acoustic folk riffery and I’m open to it. I’m even open to his reported use of a full band on this record. What I’m not open to, and I’ve said this before, is the delay on his ‘Once A Year’ soundtrack songs. WHERE ARE THEY!?

The Tallest Man On Earth – 1904 [DOWNLOAD]

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Tracy Chapman here puts her spin on the Carly Rae Jepsen track that has already spawned scores of covers across the webz and likely this is the best of the bunch. Its a world apart from Jepsen’s classic ballad of a quick burning love but the new spin on things goes down alright with this guy. Don’t ask the obviously question now, we both know what’s going on here. Maybe give it some guts, the recording is rather quiet.

Ben Howard – ‘Call Me Maybe’ (Carly Rae Jepsen Cover) [FREE DOWNLOAD]

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And here’s Ben Howard’s single ‘The Wolves’

Then reverting to the topic of covers again, here’s Oberhofer’s take on Kanye’s ‘Runaway’

I’ve had to hold this back a day because posts have been pouring forth in torrents these past few days and I know you’ll unfollow this thing if I’m too trigger happy on Facebook. Somehow it almost seems the reverse on twitter – the more drivel shared the more follows received. But I could only withhold this from you so long so here it is – Opossom and their hugely desirable blend of something and psychedelia. I could sit here and make like I didn’t source this from POA but the truth is that it’s fresh from their hallowed halls.

June 1 will see the release of their first full length Electric Hawaii, a title that I think appropriately reflects the general absurdity of the songs that you’re about to listen to. They’re burgeoning with that charismatic charm that’s usually reserved for less directed music but there are moments, just a few of them, where you’re altogether lost in the muffle. Underpin that business with Tame Impala’s lo-fi drum track and a king’s portion of LSD and you’re about ready to experience Opossom. You’ll be even more ready when you buy your ticket to their Goodgod show in a few weeks.

Blue Meanies sounds like it might have been produced by Peter Bjorn and John courtesy of the tinned reverb on the vocals and the wandering bassline. Cola Elixir is about as psychadelic as one can venture before they cross the threshold from psych-pop into the more directionless realm of pure psychadelia. That perma-baked guitar sound takes a violent turn at about 2:40 when it primes into climax and we collectively try to prevent our own. I know I’ve made no mention of who they are but you can go scout that one out yourself. There’re connections and histories that won’t affect the music but will give you ammunition for when you’re crossing swords over who was listening to what first.