This is a pretty affair, there’s no two ways about it. Paddy Mann is Grand Salvo and Grand Salvo is Paddy Mann. They’ve been one and the same for over ten years now and despite a press release that insists that Grand Salvo have received critical acclaim, you’d have to say that the man’s flown under the radar. I can only deduce that this is a cross-media demonstration of solidarity wherein all music writer types have remained quiet on the movements of Mister Mann. It’s like that time Cuba made everyone angry so all the other countries were all like “no one hang with Cuba, they are being crazy annoying” so Cuba got super bored and just made sweet Latin grooves for a few years and but no one cared until the decided that Cuba was alright again and now Buena Vista Social Club are all that. In that analogy Cuba represents Grand Salvo and I represent whichever champion* shattered the embargo because I’m going public on this thing and there’s not a damn thing the UN can do about it. My self-aggrandising behaviour is reaching new peaks but let’s look at it as the necessary evil in the process of Grand Salvo delivery.

The new record is far more rich and textured than earlier releases with percussion, harp, recorder and cello present at different points (and sometimes at the same point!!). The song you’re hearing isn’t actually my first choice from the record but it’s the only single publicly available at this point and it’s no less heartfelt and romantic. I’m not sure if I like much of the contemporary folk that deals with youth and the movement of time. Actually I’m sure, I don’t like it. This isn’t the debut record from an artist suddenly invested in indie-folk though, this is the sixth record from a tested and true Australian folk staple. It’s lyrically mature and the arrangements are punctuated with a weaver’s subtlety. Slay Me In My Sleep may be be far fuller than the lighter acoustic fair Grand Salvo have previously released (see Needles) but it’s still a delicate, unaffected Aussie beauty.

*nope

Remember Spiderbait’s ‘Calypso’? That’s what this reminds me of, save that the tropicoso lady lungs are underpinned with the aural equivalent of a lava lamp – suspended goop easing you into a state of goodwill/chill. I just listened to ‘Calypso’ again and no, it doesn’t sound anything like this tune, but I’m going to retain it as my point of reference. Let it never be said that Tommy Faith is a quitter.

It’s the first track from Alpines’ forthcoming debut ‘A Is For Alpine’ and it’s got the internet writhing à la your cousin’s 2009 pavlova OD. That was some heavy juju. Anyway, he’s healthy now and this track is bananas so its a win-win. I’m notoriously dispassionate towards female vocals so my unequivocal support of this track must say something of the total effect it’s having on me. The Ivy League Records roster is looking stronger with every passing moment/release and the impending record from these Melbournites is going to be another strong arrow in their already fantastic quiver (Catcall, The Rubens, Sures). Apologies for saying plenty and nothing at the same time but seriously, the track is a lava lamp. Think about it.

New four track EP from off-center hip-hop duo Brothers Hand Mirror is a release you’d best listen to this week if you’re going to stay fresh. It’s the mentos of EPs, the freshbreathe deluxe. You’d even consider calling tic-tacs on this thing but when you listen to those beats it’s pretty evident that we’re talking more than 1 calorie. This is the high-fat business of Oscar Key Sung (aka Oscar of Oscar + Martin) on the boards and the nonsensical, image heavy rhyming of HTML Flowers. It’s a quavered lyric delivery that reminds me a whole, whole lot of Cincinnati’s WHY?, an Anticon group that already went a long way to blur the lines between hip-hop and hipster. My good-pal Maccy D who captains 2SER hip-hop show In The Red called this hipster-hop and that’s probably fair, given that I’m loving it and I’m not the firmest proponent of Aussie hip-hop.

The two tracks I’ve taken from the EP are ‘Our Will’ and ‘Oops Oh My’. The first because it’s the beat that most closely resembles historical Oscar Key Sung, the second because it’s an amazing cover of that Tweet (no twitter) track from way back when. I should point you to the whole EP though because ‘Waterfall Walker’ has a gritfingered blues lick that you’ll be crushing on. All four lo-fi gems are free for download anyway so even if you’re disappointed (unlikely) all it’ll cost you is a few seconds of your time. Ready go.

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.

Here’s a gentleman worth keeping an eye on courtesy of his apparent ability to make music within any chosen genre. Have a listen to the pair of songs streaming below and you’ll have to agree, you’ll just have to agree that they are quite dissimilar, am I right? I’m right and I’m astute and that’s why I’m a viable music media node. Respect me. The one song sounds like an under produced Justin Timberlake, with the light sprinklings of an Oscar + Martin jam. There are some organic sounds in there that thanks to my well honed ear, I’ve been able to identify as the jingling of car keys and the clinking of a vintage collectible spoon on an empty jar of Cottee’s jam.

The other, the more recent ‘Selma Blair’ from his third record Home, has this chorusey bit that comes in around the 1:00 mark that is sure to set your heart a-flutter. Rollicking banjo? Don’t mind if I do. It’s a far folkier affair and it’s a better representation of the album in which it resides which is, incidentally, free. He’s from Melbourne too, just by the by.

Yeo – ‘Two sides Of A Door’ [DOWNLOAD]

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Yeo – ‘Selma Blair’ [DOWNLOAD]

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