Modal Melodies
Modal Melodies

Following two excellent singles, Jake Robertson finally gets serious with the ALIEN NOSEJOB solo series with this, his debut LP. While those two stuck relatively close to the rock’n’jerk’n’pop that we’ve come to enjoy over the various bands Jake has been a part of, this LP is a whole new beast (alien?). Taking a notable step to the side, off the path, and into the brush, this album sees Robertson flirting with calypso and goofy pop. It rules. We finally have our punk Paraiso, and who better to bring it to us than the man who brought us other Fox Network Specials such as “The Five Fabulous Weeks of the Chevy Chase Show”.Alien Nosejob is Jake Robertson (of Ausmuteants, Hieropants and Frowning Clouds) and the four songs are bedroom recordings, augmented by a full-blown horns section in one instance. Sounds like early Devo on a meth trip with its stuttering guitar and jerky rhythms fitting perfectly.

Drawing from a collective musical lexicon as seen in Amici, Sogni (which translates to 'Dreams') reflects on themes of decision-making, change, time, heartbreak and the practicalities of work and daily life. Primo!'s music is a study of duality, weaving through these themes with an idiosyncratic delivery that is punctuated by post-punk sensibilities, upbeat jangle and unexpected electronic flourishes.Sogni sees the introduction of Amy Hill on bass, adding to the original trio of Suzanne Walker (drums), Violetta Del Conte-Race and Xanthe Waite (guitars). There’s a freshness here, a breaking of new territory that's a testament to the group’s collaborative work ethic and experience in their associated bands.Spanning just under 30 minutes, Sogni’s twelve songs were conceived collectively in the rehearsal room and perfected in a live setting, before being recorded to an 8-track with Al Montfort across a number of home studios in Melbourne.The resulting LP comes with a languid and fluid pace. Opener “Things To Do” sets the tone for Sogni, a record that reflects Primo!’s day-to-day life, with sharp lyrics and a chiming encouragement. “Perfect Paper” propels the album into cruise, with splintering guitars, “Machine” highlights the work-hierarchy struggle (you told me just what I should do / but the problem is you’re only human / and I just can’t listen to you / machine, machine, machine”). “Best and Fairest” questions the idea of an ideal life, while “Love Days” reflects on past relationships and “Diamond Day” deals in accidentally being swept up in love. Before long, the LP is wrapped up with a hazy and intimate final track, “Reverie”.Primo! are making guitar music that explores the boundaries of everyday life with calm levity, tilted grace and grit.

After the demise of the Ooga Boogas in the Before Time, the four band members went their very separate ways. Being in that band was such an intense high pressure experience, some chillax time was well-deserved.Stacky recorded under the name Leon, Per joined Voice Imitator, Mikey recorded with The Green Child and Rich played in Drug Sweat. All quite deserving projects, but it was Leon's solo outing that garnered the most interest from public and industry alike. The demand for live shows led Leon to recruit Per from Ooga Boogas and a guy named Brad into his touring lineup.The trio was red hot, but inevitably the venues they filled required a fuller sound so Leon recruited Mikey from Ooga Boogas on second guitar. The gruelling touring schedule became too much for family-man Brad, so Rich from Ooga Boogas jumped in to fill his size 11s and off they went for another lap of regional Victoria.Eventually the question presented itself to this freshly-minted foursome: should they continue as Leon's backing band or strike out anew with a fresh identity? The answer came in a moniker too electrifying to resist; a name as clever, enigmatic and indeed, as powerful as the band itself. Power Supply.Back in the shed, jams became songs, jokes became lyrics and long afternoons spent together became the record you're now half-listening to while you yearn for your inbox. Listen though, and you'll hear life through the lens of Leon and the tactile tentacles of his pals. In The Time of the Sabre-toothed Tiger contains ten songs that listen so easy, you'll barely notice when they're gone.

The Snakes: future, past, present punk. Outsider rock'n'roll for the greedy listener. De ja vu punk with satisfying sounds, dirty rhythms and shrieking tones. Snakes perform reptile rock with flange and overdrive, shrill budget keys and cowboy swing drumbeats. Cohesive blend of L.A. sleeze, post punk and pop.Providing the new soundtrack for the depraved and twisted - casual bangers include Snakes Bday, Solid Income and Pop Song that fit in with the likes of your Richard Hells, your Gun Clubs and your Electric Eelses. Snakes are Steph Cheeseman, Charlotte Zarb, Jimmy Mcgarrie, James Dadd and Lewis Hodgson.