Ever since our inception, Froglix has been mightily impressed by the quality of independent music emanating from the land Down Under and the city of Brisbane, in particular, has the very real potential of becoming the next big thing in music. What? Brisbane? Drago, surely you jest. Nay my friends, nay. Don’t believe me? Then check out the latest digital sampler from Sounds Like Brisbane. This incredible collaboration compiles tracks from (18) different artists and their respective labels to create one mega Australian indie collective. Genres include everything from jazz, to hip hop (that’s right Australian hip hop), country, alt-rock and…well…you get the picture. It’s a smattering of just about everything and here is the best part. You can download all (18) songs at once or listen to them one by one and download your favs…all for free! Just go to www.soundslikebrisbane.com and have at it!
There are a number of stand out performances but some of my personal favs include “Blue Blood” (DZ Deathrays), “Her Song” (The Medics), “These are a Few of My Favourite Flings” (The Good Ship), “Washed Up” (I Heart Hiroshima) and “Taxes” (Undead Apes).
Aside from the music, what I find most intriguing about the SLB project is that it’s genesis sprung from the labels themselves. Stephen Green from SGC New Media Marketing explains. “There were a few meetings and some of the labels were already helping each other out, so they thought they’d get together and make it official and start the SLB website. They figured that there’s so much good stuff going on that it made sense to pool their fans and let everyone sample what everyone else is doing.” It’s a brilliant idea but will it work? Oh, I’d say so. If memory serves me, I believe Dischord Records in DC made quite splash by unifying the DC punk scene, paving the way for a number influential bands back in the 80′s. Then in the the 90s, it was bands like Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Soundgarden and the like working together and supporting each other that set the stage not only for the “Seattle Sound” but entire grunge genre. Given that track record, I’d say that the labels tying into the SLB know exactly what they are doing and we at Froglix applaud them for pushing the indie envelope and doing their part to get more great music out of the shadows and onto the world’s stage.
- Drago
Australian indie rockers doing covers…of the Wiggles!?!? Yup. Rewiggled (ABC Music) is a compilation project that showcases (20) indie artists from Down Under remaking their favourite Wiggles tunes. The video above features Oh Mercy‘s rendition of ‘Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car’…and I swear I’m not making that up. Say what you want about the Wiggles (they are only the top children’s musical act of all time) but I happen to think it’s quite cool what these cats are doing. Hopefully this is just a prelude to a full album review as we anxiously await our opportunity to hear this rather courageous compilation in its entirety. Although I’m not certain we are truly ready for it!
“Red Room”
McLeod, The Brisbane Project, etc. have most certainly captured our attention and our ear, for that matter. This new wave of indie and alternative artists are very talented but not more so the pioneers from the Land of Oz who blazed the trail before them. It is here that we direct our attention for this week’s Flashback. Back in the 80s/early 9os it was 
Some may consider Aussie siren 
