If Charge Group's second self titled album is the first great Australian album of the year, then the second album from Jonathan Boulet is the second. Here is the wonderfully melodic "This Song Is Called Ragged". Can't wait to see them live next Saturday night!

I recently wrote about the new joint venture between Dan Boeckner and Britt Daniel, namely Divine Fits. Well now we have a taste of what they will sound like. "My Love Is Real" is the first single from the yet to be named album. It very much sounds like a Handsome Furs songs, with Dan taking lead vocals and the song having a very synthy sound. I like it, enough for me to be excited to hear more.

The new album (yet to be titled) is out September 18.
Here's a taste!

MP3: Sleeping Ute-Grizzly Bear

What a song!

Charge Group have a pulsing humanity. They wage a raging battle between anger and beauty. They are dynamic, serene and imperative. They are Australia's best kept secret. On a cold Sydney night in Marrickville's Red Rattler they once again displayed the talents that make them so watchable. Their songs have an incredible dynamic. They push and pull you with exquisite effect. Dragging you through the full gamut of emotions. The final effect is to you make you feel good. Elated. Triumphant.

This show was part of their album tour for their second sparkling self titled album released earlier this year. Naturally they played a fair bit from that release. Such as the euphoric "The Gold Is Gone" and the pulsating "Search Party". My favourite though was the mournful and sublime "Hearth Of Your Home". We also received a fair chunk from debut "Escaping Mankind". I really loved their rendition of "Lullaby For The Apocalypse". Quite stunning. The encore was superbly rendered too. "Janet's Song" (the saddest song written according to Mr Blackman) was listened to with quiet awe and "Redcoats & Convicts" sent us off into the cold midnight air with one last reminder of how great this band is.

Set List
The Jaguar Complex (recorded)
Resistencia
Hearth Of Your Home
Broken Sunlight
Morning Of The Superheroes
Volcano
Search Party
Lullaby For The Apocalypse
Speakeasy Death Song
Run
The Gold Is Gone

Janet's Song
Redcoats & Convicts

This might be the freakiest (ugliest) album cover in 2012. But I don't really care, because this is "Moms", the soon to be released album by Portland's Menomena. Now a duo, after the departure of Brent Knopf, the album will contain 10 tracks and is to be released on Barsuk on September 18.
Excited? Yes!!!!

Moms Track Listing
1 Plumage
2 Capsule
3 Pique
4 Baton
5 Heavy Is as Heavy Does
6 Giftshoppe
7 Skintercourse
8 Tantalus
9 Don't Mess With Latexas
10 One Horse

It's been a while, but Calexico are back with a new album, their first in four years. "Algiers" will be released on September 7 through their new label Anti- and in Australia on Spunk Records. The album was co-produced by Craig Schumacher in New Orleans.

Algiers Track Listing
1 Epic
2 Splitter
3 Sinner In The Sea
4 Fortune Teller
5 Para
6 Algiers
7 Maybe on Monday
8 Puerto
9 Better and Better
10 No Te Vayas
11 Hugh
12 The Vanishing Mind

I can't really explain this night, not really. But it was wonderful, amazing and incredible. So. Much. Fun. As part of VIVID, Karen O and her incredible collaborators took over the Sydney Opera House for 5 nights of delightful mayhem. Colours and sounds exploding into the night.

I knew it would be a unique and slightly strange night when we entered the theatre. Strewn amongst the seats were the Virgen Acolytes choir. It was somewhat freaky and kinda funny. But it set the scene. Threw us straight into the performance. When the music began properly on the stage it became an hour of fantastical sights and sounds. To me the 'story' made no sense. But ultimately it didn't really matter. It was about the costumes, the movements and the voices. Karen O took centre stage in one amazing get up after the other. She was joined by two sentinels, six virgens and the afore mentioned virgen choir. The music varied from soft ballads of sweet melody to raucous rock out tunes. It all kept me captivated and entranced. Thoroughly entertained. Another successful year of VIVID events.

If you were lucky enough to see Dan Deacon in all his glory at the Sydney Festival earlier this year, than not only were you treated to an amazing show but you would have heard some new tunes. Well, soon enough those tunes will become solid recordings. Domino Records will release the Baltimore wonder's new album on August 24. "America" is the title and I am terribly excited!

You can listen to a new song at his website.

America Track Listing
1 Guilford Avenue Bridge
2 True Thrush
3 Lots
4 Prettyboy
5 USA 1: Is A Monster
6 USA 11: The Great American Desert
7 USA 111: Rail
8 USA 1V: Manifest