Track Of The Day: jade imagine – ‘Big Old House’

 “I sent you a picture of a cat, to cheer you up” sings Jade McInally, front-person of Melbourne three-piece jade imagine. But don’t let this playful opening line fool you; new single ‘Big Old House’ is tempered by melancholic guitar and vocals, which add a little darkness to the light. A captivatingly gloomy slice of shoegaze-inspired guitar pop, it begs you to shimmy – or sob – along.

‘Big Old House’ feels way too accomplished to be from a band’s debut album. But then, jade imagine are no ordinary newbies. McInally has been an indie stalwart for over a decade, and the band – which features producer/guitarist Tim Harvey and drummer James Harvey – has been associated with Courtney Barnett’s Milk! Records since their debut EP a couple of years ago.

Fresh from a tour with fellow emerging Australian artist, Julia Jacklin, and with their forthcoming first album coming later this year, I’ll be surprised if jade imagine aren’t all over the radio very soon.

‘Big Old House’ is out now on Milk! Records/Marathon Artists.

Vic Conway

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FIVE FAVOURITES: Gurr

After the recent release of their new EP She Says, German duo Gurr have been busy touring and making plans for the rest of 2019. The new songs are a poignant observation on the world’s indifference to the opinions of others. We caught up with bandmates Laura Lee & Andreya Casablanca to talk about their “Five Favourites” – five albums that have influenced their own songwriting. Check out their choices below, and take note of their upcoming tour dates at the end of this post!

LAURA

1. Oasis – What’s the Story Morning Glory
It’s not only my favorite album, I think it’s also the best second album of all time. To top a debut album with a second album like this – including songs like Champagne ‘Supernova’ – just deserves all my respect.

2. Ulrika Spacek – The Album Paranoia
It really amazed me how few people know about this band: Very crafty sounds, amazing recordings, seems like they have great artistic integrity as a band… I really wish they were more famous and also don’t at the same time.

3. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
After my Oasis obsession, Deerhunter and especially Halcyon Digest were the first band to really pick me up again and get me excited about current music. So thanks for that!

4. Carole King – Tapestry
I found out about Carole King way too late in my life. Also BECAUSE SHE NEVER MAKES THESE KINDS OF BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIMES LISTS and I really don’t understand why.

5. The Sound – Jeopardy
Maybe I would say this is the greatest album of all time (to me). It’s just pure perfection to me, the compilation of songs, the order, … everything!

ANDREYA

1. Le Tigre – Feminist Sweepstakes
This is the first album that I heard a more experimental approach to music with adding synth and random stuff. I was so into Le Tigre and their aesthetic, I listened to this album from top to end in my teenage bedroom at night.

2. Sonic Youth – Goo
I used to go to the record store and just try to learn indie music history by listening through records – this record was a little hard for me to grasp but it opened a weird world of eerie vibes and “anything goes” and it totally made me feel like I am special back then haha.

3. Be your own Pet – Be your own Pet
I rarely listen to BYOP anymore but I DEVOURED this album and it basically shaped so much of my songwriting as a teen- that it can just be weird and repetitive chord progressions, loud and noisy, confusing lyrics and high energy. Jemina Pearl and Karen O were definitely my icons back then.

4. Avril Lavigne – Let Go
This album is brilliant. So many good pop songs that I can still sing along to today even though I don’t want to?

5. Supergrass – I should Coco
I actually don’t know why I loved and love this album so much but I listened to it a lot and especially enjoyed the squeeky voices- “She’s so loose” made me jam on open dissonant chords for DAYS. Love it.

Gurr Tour Dates 2019
14.06.2019 – GER Mannheim – Maifield Derby
18.06.2019 – USA Brooklyn – Rough Trade (in-store showcase, duo performance)
19.06.2019 – USA New York City – Rockwood Hall w/ Surfbort
21.06.2019 – GER Scheeßel – Hurricane Festival
22.06.2019 – GER Neuhausen ob Eck, DE – Southside Festival
30.06.2019 – GER Paderborn, DE – Wintergrün Festival
13.07.2019 – HU Banki-to Bank – Bankito Festival
26.07.2019 – GER Eltville am Rhein – Heimspiel Knyphausen
27.07.2019 – UK Oxfordshire, UK – Truck Festival
02.08.2019 – AT Lustenau – Szene Open Air Lustenau
03.08.2019 – CH Olten – Olten Open Air
09.08.2019 – GER Rees – Haldern Pop Festival
10.08.2019 – GER Konigs Wusterhausen – Bergfunk
31.08.2019 – GER Stade – Müssen Alle Mit
11.10.2019 – UK London – The Lexington
13.10.2019 – GER Düsseldorf – New Fall Festival

Thanks to Laura & Andreya for sharing their favourite with us. Follow Gurr on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Hunger Moon – ‘Honey’

‘Honey’ is the latest single from alt pop duo Hunger Moon, and we’re loving its beautiful harmonies, accompanying keys and touching lyrics.

Written in the days after hearing about the death of Keith Flint from The Prodigy, ‘Honey’ deals with the subject of male suicide; a call to arms for listeners to talk to each other and check up on those around them. At Get In Her Ears we cannot echo that more, with rising rates of isolation, loneliness and mental health, we all need to look out for each other. The act of checking in with a friend can go so much further than we often realise.

 

‘Honey’ is out now. Hear more from Hunger Moon via Soundcloud.

Tash Walker
@maudeandtrevor

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ALBUM: Lisa Hannigan & s t a r g a z e – ‘Live In Dublin’

Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan is set to release her new live album recorded at Dublin’s National Concert Hall with contemporary-classical orchestra s t a r g a z e, founded by conductor André de Ridder. This collaboration sees Lisa’s folk/pop songs played with new orchestral ensemble arrangements and has taken her to the stages of London’s Barbican and Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Live in Dublin serves as a treat for old and new fans of Hannigan, capturing her mesmerising shows across a discography-spanning 14- tracks, including new track ‘Bookmark’.

Love is a key theme on the album, as is nature. The songs lend themselves perfectly to an orchestral setting, bringing out the emotional undertones at the heart of the tracks. The bird-like flutes of ‘Ora’ and the stirring violins which create an atmosphere of sad beauty on ‘Prayer for the Dying’ are particularly beautiful. There’s a lovely change in pace on tracks like ‘Anahorish’ which is sung acapella; ‘Nowhere to Go’ which showcases Hannigan’s slow, plaintive voice as comforting and emotional, before the urgency of following track ‘Lo’, which breaks through with its persistent heartbeat-like rhythms.

Other highlights are the haunting atmospherics on ‘We the Drowned’, which will move you to tears, before the fairytale chimes of ‘Lille’ enchant with their ethereal undertones. Overall, the orchestra swell out the songs, stirring the emotions, adding to the soundscape created by Hannigan’s poetic lyrics. The song is the conductor, her voice is the key instrument. The album closes with ‘Fall’, where the orchestra quiets down and we are sung out with just Hannigans’s vocal harmonies, and guitar.

If you are new to Lisa Hannigan’s songs, this is a wonderful album to discover her gems. Now you will hear them transformed, bringing their inherent dramas and colours to the fore, amidst a backdrop of sublime keys, affecting strings and perfect percussion.

Live In Dublin by Lisa Hannigan & s t a r g a z e is due for release May 31st on digital platforms, vinyl and CD via Play It Again Sam.

Photo Credit: Gerry Sugrue

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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