This Week's Releases

This week's latest and greatest…

Lance Ferguson - Raw Material (Warner)

He's been the face of the Melbourne soul scene for the past decade - and active for more than twice that long - but it's taken until 2017 for Lance Ferguson to put the final touches on the first record under his own name. And what an ambitious, fun project it is! Ferguson began by recruiting some of the country's finest musicians, pulled from bands like Hiatus Kaiyote, The PutBacks and his very own The Bamboos. He recorded a dozen tracks with them, cuts filled with soulful grooves and funky twists. Released as a double act, you could listen to the first record as a hands-in-the-air-like-you-just-don't-care party playlist, the second record as the logical next chapter in Ferguson's glittering career, or go one-for-one, exploring just what's possible when you combine a vinyl record and some hella-talented musicians.

"What an ambitious, fun project it is!" - Dylan Stewart. Album Of The Week, four and a half stars. Read more…

The Creases - Tremolow (Liberation)

Although the title of their debut album - a term used to describe a wavering musical tone - is perhaps used to symbolise the Brisbane band's experience of highs and lows since their 2013 beginnings, it's also an accurate representation of the release. The first four tracks - Answer To, Everybody Knows, Is It Love and At Last You Find - are particularly good; they're cool, catchy, retro, nostalgic and showcase the band's unique sound. Joe Agius makes a good frontman - he's charismatic and possesses quite a talent for melody. The album wavers just a little with tracks like Point and Impact that the band already released in 2015 and 2016 respectively, though picks up again towards the end.

"Cool, catchy, retro, nostalgic." - Madelyn Tait, three stars. Read more… 

Saskwatch - Manual Override (Grow Yourself Up)

If your idea of Saskwatch is horned-up soul music, you might find yourself double taking through Manual Override. Moments such as opening one-two punch December Nights, with its meandering flute line, and Then There's You are equal parts eclectic and sultry. Singer Nkechi Anele's vocal line is much more prominent than it has been in the past, Renoir a perfect example of how her lyrics are given space to shine. Her vocals are more subdued on North Terrace, the muffled instrumentation more akin to The xx than contemporary soul singers like Kylie Auldist.

"Saskwatch are focused on creating an indie-pop album filled with lush choruses... and a generous serve of rawness around the edges." - Dylan Stewart - four stars. Read more…