PRINCE RAMA Shadow Temple SOUNDGARDEN Telephantasm " "#. .,#* .,# /. (#!". A&M Music / Universal Mistletone The newly-reformed Soundgarden were heavily rumoured to be playing the Big Day Out this year, and let’s hope there’s a chance they’re included in the second announcement, because they’re a terrifically powerful live band. They’re not bad on record, either, which makes this alleged ‘new’ album, Telephantasm, all the more disappointing, because it’s not new at all. Now there are several versions of this floating around – we’ve got the one CD version, but there is a two disc CD/DVD version out there, for completists – and it is essentially A-Sides if A&M had decided not to ignore their first couple of pre-major label records. So essentially, you’ve got all the hits – Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, Rusty Cage – but curiously, no Jesus Christ Pose - and one additional track, Black Rain, which was recorded during the Badmotorfinger session and just now released as single. Black Rain has all the elements that made Soundgarden great – a super-solid, deep groove with Cornell’s vocals blazing way over the top – but they must think we’re the worst kind of suckers if we’re going to fall for this ‘new album’ rubbish. Wait to see ‘em live, or at least wait until they put out something that is genuinely new. If groups like MGMT and Yaesayer can be held responsible for bringing psychedelic pop-rock to the mainstream masses, then Prince Rama can be thanked for snatching it right back. Currently making noise out of hipsterdestination-of-the-moment Brooklyn, psych-rock trio Prince Rama may present themselves as yet another group of blissed-out new-age cosmic voyagers, but their gleeful obtuseness and determination to deliberately unnerve listeners dispels any thoughts that these dreamcatchers are trying to ride off the back of anyone else’s reverb-soaked wave. Forging an incredibly assured record that succeeds in creating its own unique world, Prince Rama evoke wild ancient tribes praying to the Hindu god of their namesake, as warbling Kate Bush-esque Sanskrit chants are submerged under a blanket of sound. A sonically cinematic experience, Shadow Temple is an album of huge power, and even huger extravagance, but you’re going to need to burn a lot of incense to even begin to make sense of the mysteries that lie within. With _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD _LIAM DUCEY Mess Bats Head Full of Steam Shock Octopus Michael Swann Frozen Ocean Desertship Ultra Detectives YOU AM I You Am I MARK RONSON & THE BUSINESS INTL Record Collection Other Tongues Columbia doors 4pm @ 5 76 A@ 5 %( (0 37 6( There are few artists that galvanise the nation’s Best known for his work music fans like You Am I. behind-the-scenes, For close to two decades moulding chav-tastic the arrival of an album Brit pop-princesses Amy Winehouse and Lilly Allen into ‘respected artists’, from these honest rockers has been reason for superproducer Mark Ronson steps up to the celebration. Their live shows have remained a microphone on third LP Record Collection with blistering constant even when record sales may have slightly waned, but the eponymous You Am the help of new-look band The Business Intl. Unsurprisingly, Ronson has once I sees the four piece attack their latest batch of again consulted his little black book of celebrity tunes with spark and gusto. There are many moments that remind contacts, calling on everyone from Ghostface Killah and Q-Tip, to Boy George and Simon Le of Rogers’ penchant for a clever lyric, a sad chord and a well worn and lovable voice. You Am I finds Bon to make an appearance. Unfortunately, with so many different the band dabbling in many nuances and sounds, voices, Record Collection presents itself as an with Megan Washington offering a capable foil unholy mish-mash of different genres and to Rogers in the shimmery Lie And Face The Sun musical styles, each of which have their time and and the dense harmonics and backwards guitars place but sound distractingly incongruent when of Shuck. Old habits rear their head with the grouped together. This feeling also distils down to rip snorting Pinpricks and the rugged groove of individual songs, with the titular track (written Ocean ensuring ample opportunity for windmills by one of the Kaiser Chiefs, with an instrumental aplenty. Rogers’ love/hate relationship with the intro performed by Wiley and featuring backing- spotlight is given an airing with the atmospheric vocals from Le Bon) standing out as particular piano moment Let’s Not Get Famous. They may be as comfortable as an mess. That being said, with a cast list this old boot but You Am I have added some subtle long, and some genuine gems hidden in the mix colours to their palette to make this their best (who can remember the last time Boy George in a while. sounded so good?) Record Collection is certainly _CHRIS HAVERCROFT worth a spin, even if it’s unlikely to stay a staple of anyone’s own record collection for long. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY Improvised Electronic Device NEIL YOUNG Le Noise Reprise As N e i l Yo u n g aficionados will certainly It’s been four years since attest, his best work – the release of Artificial from 1974’s On the Beach Solider, an album that to 1995’s Sleeps With heralded Frontline Assembly’s return to the foray – not only Angels – has been born out of turmoil, and musically – but also with fellow countryman pushing through the pain once again finds the and mastermind Rhys Fulber rejoining the ranks. old-school rock legend making a triumphant With Improvised Electronic Device, the 15th comeback with 34th studio album Le Noise. Steeped in tragedy, the unexpected offering from these Canadians, Fulber has jumped ship again. Although unlike his last deaths of both long-time collaborator, filmmaker departure, which saw founder Bill Leeb stripping Larry Johnson, and longstanding slide guitarist back the metal influences that made Frontline Ben Keith (in Young’s own home no less) seem Assembly legendary – a disappointing result – to have simultaneously rattled and re-energised the iconic singer-songwriter. this collective has retained focus. Tracing his relationships with the two What makes this album such a giant leap forward for Leeb and co. is they finally men from their balmy beginnings to corrosive understand the importance of creating perfect ends, proves promising, especially on the symmetry between all his divergent elements. heart-breakingly self-aware Walk With Me, on The strong drum and bass influence which Young croons of “I lost some people I was of his previous post-Fulbar works are still there travelling with” promise to swarm and pester (I.E.D and Shifting Through The Lens), integrating your head for days. Legendary U2 and Dylan producer melodic aspects of his side project Delirium (Hostage) with the pounding and guitar-driven Daniel Lanois is left with the task of fleshing out lines of earlier FLA releases (Laws Of Deception the record with layers of obnoxious electronic and Pressure Wave). But easily the most exciting effects, fuzzy reverb and looped vocals, serving material heard in years lies in Angriff; ethereal to fuel the overall unsettling effect. A cathartic tour de force, Le Noise is and haunting – it builds to cutting highs tied Young at his least subtle, but it is these flaws with Nitzer Ebb-style gang chorus calls. Improvised Electronic Device reveals a and rough edges that give Le Noise the most endearing of qualities. little hope in modern industrial for us all. Metropolis US/AL!VE The Sail & Anchor’s SHOWCASING MEDALLISTS FROM THE 2010 PERTH ROYAL BEER SHOW THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER )($785,1* 0$6+ )/<,1* 021. %(/*,$1 75,3(/ *2/' 0('$/ 3(57+ 52<$/ %((5 6+2: $1' 0$6+ 6&27&+ $/( *2/' 0('$/ 3(57+ 52<$/ %((5 6+2: $1' )(5$/ +23 +2* *2/' 0('$/ 3(57+ 52<$/ %((5 6+2: &20( )25 7+( %((5 7$/. 72 7+( %5(:(5 )5,'$< 5' 6(37 30 %5(:(5 )520 )(5$/ )5,'$< 7+ 6(37 30 %5(:(5 )520 0$6+ )5,'$< 7+ 6(37 30 %5(:(5 )520 )(5$/ )5,'$< 7+ 6(37 30 %5(:(5 )520 0$6+ )5(( 7$67,1*6 %((5 7$3$6 %((5 0(5&+$1',6( $1' *,9($:$<6 6$03/( 7+( 29(5 %((56 21 7$3 )520 /2&$/ :$ %5(:(5,(6 _JESSICA WILLOUGHBY _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD ;7=<0 <+- .:-5)6<4- ??? ;)14)6,)6+07: +75 )= 26 www.xpressmag.com.au

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