Dirty Three are the most exciting and different band I think I’ve ever heard. It basically sounds like three Australian men in a shed banging whatever they feel like. Any noise is accepted into a Dirty Three track and their scratchy experimental sound has got them a lot of attention. They’ve even done a track with singer Cat Power who manages to steady the ship a bit to make a gentle alternative song.

Defining the trio’s sound is probably one of the hardest things to do – they’re like a reviewers Everest.  The best way to describe it is different which may sound vague but some songs are slow and melodic and others sound like electricity pylons having a brawl.

The band have made some great tracks and my favourite to listen to has to be their ”Theme Tune”. The track really sums up the band. All the noise in this track should sound disastrous but it strangely seems rhythmic. The crowd popular “Great Waves” featuring Cat Power is the most melodic and complete track that Dirty Three have created. The vocals from Cat Power are simply stunning while the progressive drums and guitar give great support.

One thing to be sure of when listening to Dirty Three is that it’s like nothing else you’ve heard or will hear. The style and genre will most likely mean that they stay in the shadows of the music industry but if you think you have a browed music taste then this trio can certainly put that to the test.

I’m sure you don’t need telling who Zombie Nation are especially as they created Kenkraft 300 – one of the biggest club anthems of all time. So, their new album Zombielicious better be good. I’m happy to say that having owned it for about a week now, I love it and can’t stop playing it.

Listening to the album turns whatever location you may be in into a raving nightclub. A frenzy of fuzz and drum beats make up the sound behind Zombie Nation and with all tracks being at least four minutes in length, it takes a hell of a lot of energy to get through the record in one listen. Zombielicious may sound funny but the tracks have a no-nonsense attitude to them as electronic and techno melodies get blasted out.

Annoyingly for your neighbours, the songs sound great loud like most electronic music yet at low volume levels, the quirky Zombie Nation sound is never a disappointment. “Mystery Meat Affair” is one of the highlights on the album with a burst of synths that sound like they would fit in with 1960’s arcade games and a steady techno beat keeps it melodic. The album is a bit of a monster itself with 14 tracks and track 4, Radio Controlled, is another great hit. Being one of the few songs with vocals, it offers a bit of variety. A huge hook to be remembered and repeated bellowed short phrases all help make it extra special.

The record will keep you listening for nearly an hour, but that short time will have you out of breath and in need of a refreshing beverage. Zombielicious is a must buy and can fit into almost any playlist or music collection.

Mr Fogg’s music is as odd as his name but both are strangely amicable. The electro/indie music maker’s career is only beginning and although it may sound like a cliche, his music really does have something new to offer. A debut album has just been finished and fresh new tracks will soon be published on the Internet. I for one can’t wait to hear the album as if it maintains the quality of what I’ve heard so far, our ears are in for one hell of a treat.

According to the man himself, Mr Fogg’s music sounds like “One man living in the woods with only a computer for entertainment.” When you hear his tunes you get an idea of what he means but the gentle and easy listening electro pop is to be savoured. Whilst synth melodies give a dirty sound, pitch perfect vocals and gentle jingles help make every Mr Fogg listen a great experience.

The BBC’s Radio 1 and Radio 6 had many compliments for the mysterious man and there are two tunes that certainly live up to the hype. “Moving Parts” is a superdooper easy listening masterpiece that can sooth to the core. Its radio friendly tone and simple layout makes it an awesome tune. Meanwhile “Keep Your Teeth Sharp” has a bit more flare and could be stuck on in any mood or time of day and would please. I’m not going to kid myself. Mr Fogg’s music is hard to imagine at the top of the charts but he sounds like one of those Glastonbury artists who you’ve never heard of and only impress every time you hear them.

I’m not afraid to say that Streetsweeper are probably my favourite band of this decade and most likely the next. They’ve got a lot to live up toafter that claim so who’s behind this? Well they don’t come much bigger than Tom Morello who’s teamed up with Boots Riley of The Coup to make a supergroup that should take the rock charts by storm.

Sounds great but are they actually any good? The quick answer is yes they are. At first listen you’ll just think your listening to Rage Against The Machine as Tom Morello squeezes out some monsterous funk riffs but when Boots Riley starts beating out his lyrics you know you’re listening to a supergroup that actually live up to their name.

It’s no surprise that politics is heavily involved in the bands message as Boots Riley says “This is a time when the working class is being fleeced left and right. More families will be homeless and more people will be jobless. They’ll need something to listen to on their iPods while storming Wall Street.” To be honest though, the band could preach anything and I wouldn’t care with the music being as good as it sounds.

By visiting their website you can listen to “Fight! Smash! Win!” where big bass lines and defining guitar playing from Tom Morello will please your ears for weeks on end. Boots Riley shows his quality on this track with meaningful lyrics that are catchy and tight while crashing drums and a nice guitar solo finish the song off nicely.

If you’re a Rage fan then you’ll love Streetsweeper. If you didn’t like Rage, then get your head checked and give Streetsweeper a listen anyway as Boots Riley gives a more commercial sound than Zack De La Rocha who is a bit hardcore for some.

Since the release of You Me At Six’s album “Take Off Your Colours”, the band have gone from being potentials for the future to a threat to Fall Out Boy’s global pop/punk throne. So the chance to see them in their breakthrough UK tour was an opportunity not to turn down.

The aurora around the Portsmouth Pyramids was filled with anticipation for the five Surrey punks to come out on stage and as soon as they did, you knew from the smileon vocalist John Franceschi’s face that the audience was in for one hell of a gig. There was no messing, a quick hello into the microphone and then straight into the opener “The Truth Is A Terrible Thing”. It was evident that there was going to be no holding back. The explosive energy that the band had as a whole was truly awesome. Drummer Dan Flint gave his kit a good bruising and honestly couldn’t hit them faster.

The foundation had been set for the rest of the night and track after track of pure fast paced punk came swiftly. At times it seemed the singer John would eat his Mic. All vocals were bellowed out with plenty of effort whilst John also kept them under control and the gig was far from an amateur screamed mess.

The energy the band gave on stage transmitted to the crowd who chanted along with every anthem and could have put the national gymnastic team to shame with their mandatory jumping. More awesome tunes like “The Rumour” and “Call That A Comeback” were belted out in similar fashion with great guitar work between Chris Miller and Max Heyler who although couldn’t keep still, couldn’t miss a note even if they tried. By the time the interval came, you had your moneys worth but after slushing down a quick beverage the wait for the band to get back on stage was agonising even though it was probably a shorter break then most bands take.

The re-opener was fan favourite “Save It For The Bedroom” which to be honest was a bit of a blur as the venue turned into a sort of organised riot. “Jealous Minds Think Alike” was another impact track and even with a beer soaked shirt and hair, you could appreciate the quality of band on display.

Like at every gig, it finished but the band left you craving more and there seemed to be a stubborness from the crowd to leave.  Having got outside to the refreshing Portsmouth night air, there were pleased fans all around but the band’s crowds and venues are sure to get much bigger.

If you like Fall Out Boy or Panic! At The Disco then you’re very likely to love Machine OEM who are a band on the fringes of making it big in the Rock world. The band have only been around for three years and their progress is exceptional. They already have material that could fill the top of the rock charts and this is mainly due to their professional and tight sound.

The band have many influences like every other artist but Machine OEM look like they have the potential to get as far as their inspiration which includes bands like Foo Fighters, H.I.M and Seether.The groups diverse sound is poppy enough to be mainstream and commercial but at the same time it is hard hitting and spicy enough to please hardcore rock fans and metal heads.

Machine OEM don’t try and suit every genre, insted they create awesome uniform rock music. “Something To Say” is a song that saw the start of the bands career and it’s fitting that it’s an absolute cracker. A fast tempo and a huge anthem like chorus are all factors that make it a great listen. “Maybe Its Me” would make Guns N Roses proud and certainly the guitar playing could rival slash.

If you do like the sound of Machine OEM then why not invest in them? For as little as a pound you can invest in their music at Slicethepie.com and you’ll get a slice of the profit for every 1000 albums they sell. If not your money, then certainly invest your ear as the band are yet another hugely underrated band.

Tape music has been getting ever more popular and is certainly a genre on the rise. In ten years time we could easily be looking at Coal Beautiere as being some of the pioneers of this modern movement. Pianist and lead vocalist Adie has been playing since the age of six and it shows in her performance while the other half of the band, Art provides a bit of bass here and there.

The piano driven songs can have a very quirky sound and the sometimes dark jingles are enticingly haunting. The bands sound is not to dissimilar from Alessi’s Ark and the vocals are certainly as good. Awesome lyrics and melodic clean playing has got Coal Beautiere where they are today and a future bright career is almost certain.

Each song that you listen to from Coal Beautiere is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. “The Charming One” is probably the song with the most impact. It’s beasty and powerful piano core gives it great character while the vocals seem to hit every note perfectly whilst keeping a nice bit of personality. “The Spark” is a more upbeat tune and its lighter sound on the ear gives great variety but is also quite refreshing.

Coal Beautiere are far from your average band. Both in style and quality. Their quirky dark sound shouldn’t work but it does. The music gives the ear a great bit of exotic flavour and as long as songs like ”The Spark” and “Blood and Gold” are composed, the fire will keep burning for Coal Beautiere.

The Uglysuit are one of those bands that can pick you up on a Monday morning and make you feel smug about your life. Their sweet mellow tunes have been catching the critics ears and getting a host of complements and success forecasts. Considering lead singer Israel Hindman used to be a member of a screamo band, The Uglysuit have come some way to get where they are now.

The band sound like a mellow Red Light Company or the soft songs that Jet ocassionaly do. Jangly guitars with clean electric leads give a warm and easy listening atmosphere while pitch perfect vocals make it a struggle to stop listening to a track. The band are apparently influenced by apple pie making it sound like they’re under the influence but religion is said to be the driving force behind the ballads they bake up. Prayer circles and praising all take place before gigs and it certainly sounds as if the band have the man upstairs’ backing but the songs do not sound like they’re preaching a way of life, instead they give a beautiful and thoughtful soundtrack to your life.

The track “Chicago” has to be the bands big hit and everything from its progressive sound to its brain soothing melodies is executed to great effect. The chorus is huge and will have have you humming all week but elsewhere, songs such as “…And We Became Sunshine” back up the bands quality with a more upbeat tempo and fantastic piano/guitar duelling.

There’s nothing Ugly about this band (you heard worse) and as long as they create this standard of music they’ll hit the jackpot. It would be nice hear one or two more upbeat tunes but The Uglysuit are great for evening music or in fact anytime of day.

You’d be forgiven if you looked at the picture above and thought, great another cheesy girl band, however these five Melbourne women are the next big rock band. From what I read at the moment, Tantalum are wanted more for magazine covers than gigs and performances but the girls know how to compose a killer tune.

Influences like Motley Crue and Van Halen are evident in their material and guitarists Myska and Kristel can shred off solos that would make slash proud. At the moment a debut album is being constructed and you get the feeling that it might just be a bit of a success what with all this hype for a band with no records.

The three songs that are available to listen to at the moment are all worthy of the hype however. “Pretty Girls Don’t Lie” is probably the most hardcore track with vocals chants and crunching rhythms that are not to different from  Iron Maiden. “Sign Up” features some awesome vocal harmonies and an intro that waste’s no time thrusting into a screeching guitar solo. The last track, “Get You Hot”, is simply exeptional. Big riffs and plenty of attitude give it a great rock tone and the anthem like chorus isn’t bad either.

Music wise, Tantalum might not be up to the same standards as other global rock bands but the girls certainly make a refreshing difference to your normal long haired headbanging rock stars.

A quick note from Phil: We first introduced you to The Good Natured last summer, but times have changed and this is a much better write-up than the original one!

Sarah McIntosh is the lone member of The Good Natured and you can expect her to be a radio regular in a the not too distant future. A combination of electronic rhythms that would make MGMT proud and sublime vocals that sound like a mellow lily Allen or Kate Nash are the recipe to her success. The Berkshire bouncer certainly has a fresh sound that can be best described as electroacoustic with, of course, a little extra spice.

At times the keyboard playing sounds like The Prodigy playing on a church organ but it works and ear perplexing melodies add to the vibrant atmosphere that each track possesses. Although she’s not selling out stadiums, Sarah has a powerful voice which would sound great if she did a duet with Bloc Party.

Three always seems to be the magic number and their are three belters of tunes that stand out from The Good Natured back catalogue. “Rose” has to be the highlight. At first you’re certain that you’re listening to Kate Nash and then some inventive melodies and catchy beats begin and you know you’re dealing with a different kettle of fish. “Heart Of Stone” is my personal favourite. The track has a great injection of aggression and attitude and some of the the electronic bellows would not be out of place on a Daft Punk record. The last track that is in a different league is “How Can I Believe In You” which mixes organ and sonic drum beats but even better, it sounds good too and is more than just a musical experiment.

If you want a bargain, I’d go see a Good Natured gig right now as in a couple of years, you can expect tickets to sell out in minutes and prices to rocket due to all the hype that Sarah is sure to receive.

MP3: The Good Natured – Warriors