Tag Archives: Don Shiau

LIVE REVIEW: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

By Don Shiau
By Don Shiau

There’s something about Death Cab For Cutie’s bookish, melancholic, minor-chord balladry that is inherently divisive. On one hand, it’s cloyingly earnest, unexciting and devoid of swagger. On the other, it’s spoken the truth for two decades to countless people emerging into adulthood, as they lay awake at night overthinking their relationships.

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ALBUM REVIEW: SUEDE – NIGHT THOUGHTS

Suede-Huge-Press-Photo

The “difficult sophomore album” is a well-worn trope in popular music. It’s the rite of passage that proves that an artist’s early success was no accident. It’s proverbially difficult because it has to sound like the first album, yet different; it has to written in a shorter amount of time, yet be more expansive.

Most bands only have to go through this ordeal once. Britpop stalwarts Suede, however, have had to do it a second time.

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S-ROCK: ALIVE & KICKIN’ [LIVE REVIEWS]

Obedient Wives Club, by Cass Goh
Obedient Wives Club, by Cass Goh

It is a good time to be involved in the S-ROCK scene. Interest in the scene is definitely growing as the media gives it attention it properly deserves. More releases, more gigs, more open mikes, more bands, more venues…more, more, more!  In the last two weeks, I managed to witness two launches – first, by Another Sunday Afternoon and last Friday, by Obedient Wives Club. These bands are very different in terms of musical approach and execution but share the same passion, talent and ability to touch and thrill true-blue music lovers. Also worth considering – the fledging outfits that opened viz Victoria Street and Rocketswan, interestingly enough, both female-fronted! Exciting times, indeed.

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