I’ve slept on this one for a good six months now because I think part of me has been incapacitated by the thought that someone might think my tastes too cheesy, or maybe too comfortable which they probably can be, but I shouldn’t project that onto you. You deserve better than that. You’ve been here since I was exclusively a Sufjan Stevens exposure blog (not entirely untrue) and you stuck with me even when I didn’t really know how to use twitter. You did that, that was you! So let’s take a moment to mourn any credibility I might have once had.

And now let’s get on with things. Actually let’s not yet. Buckley Ward, if you are reading this, I want to make clear that I’m not saying your music doesn’t have credibility. I’m saying that people are quick to declare accessible music valueless. I think your music is a bang on. It’s carries that indie pop sense that often comes laced with tropical guitar tones. I was drawn to the none-too-overpowering nature of those tones however, in that you don’t make them the centerpiece of the tracks where bands like New Navy seem to let it override the sense of melody. I really feel these songs.

The Melbourne group have a full-length out April 20 through Shock which will house the two single below. I’m forced to use soundcloud embeds because you destroyed my bandwidth last month.

The name’s not much I know – a combination of obscure male name and my sixth favourite animal (after fox lion owl bear and giraffe) – but this is easily better than the sixth best Austrayan band I’ve heard this week. It’s probably the first best. In fact I’m enjoying the select few tracks Wilfred Jackal are currently offering, and I’m willing to forgive them for saying ‘hook-laden’ twice in their info section. To my mind, their tinny guitars and all-round gentleness (to the point of jazz) is vaguely reminiscent of Cloud Control, but minus the obvious hooks – go figure. They’re vocally bold, borderline unintelligible on the lyrics front, and they know when to bring in some brass.

The band’s publicist and I may disagree on several points, like “big guitars and pulsating keys”, but they’re doing good things and it all bodes well for the not-too-distant future, when we’ll hopefully see a more extended release. Don’t mistake my disagreement for disapproval however, I genuinely think Cayle Stephens’ powerful voice will be something you’ll be hearing more and more of from here on out. Their first single ‘Dead Eye’ is likely the stronger of the two that you’ll stream below but ‘Rooms’ isn’t without merit and makes me think they’ve listened to more that a little Radiohead in their time. Both tracks are freely available courtesy of Unearthed.

Wilfred Jackal – ‘Dead Eye’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[DOWNLOAD]

Wilfred Jackal – ‘Rooms’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[DOWNLOAD]

Melbourne’s Husky have written some very, very catchy choruses that will undoubtedly lead to attention from the same sort of folk who foam at the mouth over Matt Corby or, dare I say it, Boy & Bear. I do wonder if there’s there any room on the market for another band tapping that same demographic though. I’ll wager Husky will be signed to a major in the next 6 months. Keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, download liberally from their Unearthed page.

Apparently they’ve been around for five years. Maybe they “got good” recently. More likely though, everyone around me has been conspiring to keep them a secret from me leading to a situation similar to that of the Truman Show. They even (and this going to sound like more of my usual foolery, but it’s true) received a federal government grant midway through last year, presented by none other than Peter Garrett.

Husky – History’s Door

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Also, does anyone remember Evermore? I used to love this song. I hear one of them is working at Bing Lee in Miranda these days. It’s a fickle industry.

Evermore – It’s Too LAte

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In the overpopulated genre of folk-horror you’d have to think that Graveyard Train would be near the top of the game. There’s a whole lot of fauxk out there but the real meter stick of true folk is this: does someone in the band play the chain? Graveyard Train must surely be the only Australia act that can answer that question positively. Multi-instrumentalist J.J. Cadaver (he also plays the harp & the kazoo) works the chain like a convict, though it’s not particularly evident in the video below. There is however some cracking washboard action. They capture the oldentime feel immaculately. The song I really wanted you to hear is not the below track but their rumbling ballad Run Billy Run but iTunes rejected my credit card as I’d spent all my remaining coin on an industrial jar of heartbeats. I maintain I made a wise purchase. Confectionary aside, you should listen to Run Billy Run on their myspace.

No free downloads but if you want to order a hardcopy of their record The Drink, The Devil & The Dance then visit their myspace or download a copy through iTunes.

If anyone from the band reads this, you should probably send me a promo copy of the album… just sayin’.

Melbourne band Boy In A Box have just one track (as far as I can tell). It’s called Moon Comes Up and it’s been bouncing about my head like a beachball at a Nickelback concert. It’s a little poppy, a little cheesy and it’s ripe to be a Triple J hit over the summer (has it dropped just a little too early?) but I just can’t argue with a chorus like this. My last post was a bit wordy so I won’t say anymore. Have a listen.

Boy In A Box – Moon Comes Up

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download the single on iTunes. Thank you Sally Anthony.