If you’re at all familiar with indie-award-winning-pseudo-literary music blog Sound Doctrine you’ll know that we don’t do a whole bunch of giveaways, because we’re a combination of underfunded and uninspired. Also, there’s not really a ‘we’, it’s just me. Or I, or whatever. Anyway, it’s not that I don’t want to give you good things it’s just you’re better than a free ticket to Busby Marou or a promotional copy of the new Mumford record. So in celebration of getting some cool guy memorabilia made up for myself (see above) I’ve got my hands on a few very, very, very (very) limited edition split EPs by The Middle East / Sleeping In Trains (see below). I’ve got fifteen of these to give away in a week’s time when I’ll physically pulling names out of a literal hate. Maybe a snap back cap, maybe a bowler, this is yet to be decided.

These were first available at their shows about six or seven years back. I got mine when they played a set at Blackstump (I know right!?) and to this day, the four Middle East tracks from this split are #2, #5, #6, #7 in my all-time most played songs. That first set blew my mind just as they did every subsequent time I saw them on stage.

Let’s not underplay the tracks from Sleeping In Trains though. Their side of the split is outrageously good. Sleeping In Trains was the band from which Mark Myers would emerge to join The Middle East (and his own project The Starry Field) so it’s a safe play to assume it’ll be king kong.

THE MIDDLE EAST
1 The Bats and the Brave
2 At Home In Our Convictions
3 The Streets
4 Gold

SLEEPING IN TRAINS
5 Rabbit Hole
6 Tie your Heart
7 Away
8 Cameron
9 Sweet Dreams

Aluka are an a capella three piece straight outta Compton Melbourne who’ve just now released the first track from their debut full length. Think a poppier Mountain Man and you’re probably not far from the truth of it. The track has also been remixed by Oscar Key Sung whose idea of a remix is obviously not far from cover. Obviously it’s killer though, as it is, afterall, Oscar Key Sung. Guy can’t do much wrong as far as I’m concerned and I’m very concerned indeed. I’ve spent the week listening to the new Tame Impala and while I’m knee deep in appreciation for the thing, the jury’s still out on ‘Is it as good as Innerspeaker?’

Probably not. This track from Aluka has been a good interlude from the mind-spiralling Lonerism in that this is a definite, concrete set of sounds without an excess tone to be found. It’s been an even better interlude still from the B.O.B playing over the work loudspeakers. I wish my life was a permanent B.O.B interlude. That’s the dream though, isn’t it?

This week I’ve been listening Melbourne’s Cold Hiker whose wailing Radioheadisms were passionate enough to keep me more than interested for the full duration ‘Phosphenes’ a whole bunch of times. Old mate’s fluid falsetto was the draw card that pushed me through the first listen but the off beat tom hits and swaggering flow were what’s bid me play it through a few more times. Let’s be honest though, there’s more than a little Paranoid Android in there. I’m a man of faith though and I’ve forgiven it in the foreknowledge that this is just the tip of the Cold Hiceberg.

Anyway, has been sitting in my drafts all week and it’s not getting any more significant with each passing day so I’m going to cut this bird free before I strangle it to death. That hour we lost via daylight savings hasn’t done me any favours even if it’s allowed me to witness natural sunlight for the first time in since March. Heavens above.

Laurence probably won’t last that long. Not as a band I mean, just as the name under which they’ll perform. When they start hitting their straps and these frequencies hit those (read: your) ears, you’ll know that what was meant to happen has happened and that life is good. Your woman will finally start respecting you and maybe that gimp who works the xerox will stop hitting on her when he senses your newfound closeness. Plenty of potential in this track, obviously. Bright Eyes turned americana and vocodered through a tincan + a bonus introductory instrumental. It’s a moving joint if you’ll let it be.

I’ve had to suspend all work related activity to place this up here for your listening pleasure but I’ve no regrets for as the old saying goes, ‘When there’s a new Sufjan Stevens Christmas track online, cease all business’. I know it sounds like a cliche but those old sayings are popular for a reason.

It’s classic Sufjan (inasmuch as it’s totally ridiculous and an extension of his constantly expanding structural experimentation) but it’s also nothing like the Christmas songs of past. It features a Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” refrain that you’ll find yourself singing along to over the weeks leading up to Christmas and obviously it’s thirteen minutes long. The best news is that he’s releasing a second batch of Christmas records called Silver & Gold: Songs For Christmas, Volumes 6 – 10 and they’ll be out November 13. You know what to get me. Judging by this trailer that he posted online last week there will some more traditional Christmas numbers in the mix.