We’ve heard a lot of people bemoaning the lack of hard-hitting rock and roll in the country recently, particularly on the radio, but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there. In fact, 2016 has been somewhat of a bumper crop for amazing Aussie rock records, from long-serving rock stalwarts to impressive up-and-comers.
With The Delta Riggs about to bring their latest slab of rock and roll, Active Galactic, to the live stage with a national tour, we thought we’d take a look at just some of the other killer Aussie albums and EPs that have kept the rock flame burning and absolutely demand a listen.
The Delta Riggs are about to launch into their Active Galactic tour tonight with two shows at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, before continuing on for a run of dates across the country. Active Galactic is out now through Rah Rah Radio / Inertia.
The Delta Riggs – Active Galactic
Active Galactic is full of the sort of tunes that evoke images of the classic rock and roller swaggering down the street in a leather jacket and tight jeans. Dirty, slick, and full of fun, The Delta Riggs provide one of the best sounding rock albums in a long time, helping to demonstrate alongside the rest of these bands that the genre is alive and well in Australia.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
Like a road train bearing down on you, King Gizzard are an unstoppable force. Nonagon Infinity is an album that never stops hitting you with its mesmerising riffs, psychedelic vocals, pounding drums, and intense rock vibes. You can listen to this album a hundred times and still not pick up on some of the amazing work that is thrown into the mix – and they’ve got plenty more great records left in them, we’ll wager.
Violent Soho – WACO
Just like its infamous namesake, WACO is raw, brutal, and so very upfront. Violent Soho have been going from strength to strength with every record they release, and Waco proves that they only keep on getting better. From its balls to the wall opener ‘How To Taste’ to the triple j favourite ‘Like Soda’, these guys know how to write a song that will appeal to everyone who digs rock music. It’s great to see ’em getting the enormous love they deserve.
Jack River – Highway Songs No. 2
Proving that rock music can be catchy as well, newcomer Jack River is turning heads already. With a sound similar to early PJ Harvey, mixed in with the songwriting sensibilities of some of the best Beatles singles, you’ve got an amazing artist on your hands who is looking unstoppable.
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The Bennies – Wisdom Machine
No strangers to having fun and bringing out the good vibes, The Bennies are easily one of Australia’s most enjoyable bands. Wisdom Machine proves a number of definite truths about The Bennies; they love great riffs, they love to be energetic and, above all, they love to belt out some crushing tunes.
The Drones – Feelin Kinda Free
One of Australia’s national treasures, The Drones are a phenomenal band. When they brought out Feelin’ Kinda Free this year, they proved that even though they’ve been a band for almost 20 years, they slow no sign of slowing down – in fact, they only seem to get better.
Camp Cope – Self-titled
Camp Cope tell carefully-constructed, emotive stories instead of hitting you with a conventional series of rhyming lyrics, and they make it work like they invented the style. With their self-titled debut, Camp Cope throw down some of the most upfront rock music you’ll hear at the moment – they’re one of the bands that the Australian music scene was hanging for.
Harts – Smoke Fire Hope Desire
Channelling the spirit of Prince, Harts delivers an enthralling collection of riffs, melodies, and soaring vocals with Smoke Fire Hope Desire. Right from the start, this album doesn’t let up, starting strong and making its way to tracks like ‘Power’ which blows you away with the sheer magnitude of rock that it embodies. It’s even better live, too, like every great rock record should be.
Olympia – Self Talk
After making a name for herself with her self-titled EP, Olympia’s Self Talk continues to bring out the amazing tunes that everyone fell in love with. Breezy, stylish, and laid-back, Olympia effortlessly sinks her hooks into you with every single track.
The Peep Tempel – Joy
Undoubtedly one of the most Australian-sounding bands around at the moment, The Peep Tempel are pretty much carving out a name for themselves as living legends. With a reputation for amazing live shows, and albums like their newest, Joy, proving that they’re probably going to be sticking around for a long time, The Peep Tempel are bringing back classic pub-rock with a refreshing, modern twist and a delicious sarcasm.
Orb – Birth
Menacing, hard, and unrelenting, ORB take inspiration from some of the leading sludge-metal bands and twist it together into a sound uniquely theirs. Birth is one of the few albums that manage to deliver a truly Australian take on the genre, one that’s been severely lacking from Australia in recent years.
Stonefield – As Above, So Below
Stonefield took Australia by storm as they burst onto the scene a few years back, but their sophomore album As Above, So Below felt like a full realisation of their early promise. Taking a more mature approach to their new album, adding elements of doom into their glorious pych-prog formula to incredible effect.
Dallas Frasca – Dirt Buzz
Music is always even better when its delivered with a sense of fun, and that’s exactly what Dallas Frasca give you. Loud, bluesy, hard, and just damned enjoyable to stuff into your rock-starved ears, Dallas Frasca’s Dirt Buzz is the soundtrack to a summer of beers and bands.
Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier
Eight years on from their first EP, Twelve Foot Ninja still haven’t lost any of their brilliant personality. It’s the thing that’s always set the band apart from their heavy music peers – that and some excellent tunes. On Outlier that personality becomes even bolder and more confident, as well as more experimental. There’s a formula to this album, but it’s not really ‘2 + 2 = 4’. It’s more like a Rube Goldberg-esque physics equation that takes up an entire blackboard. Complex and confronting, yes. But it all makes perfect sense.
Airbourne – Breakin’ Outta Hell
Airbourne are easily one of the most underrated bands in the country. Beloved overseas but never embraced in their home country the way they have been in Europe in America. It’s a shame, sure, but it certainly hasn’t stopped Airbourne from making quintessentially Australian rock music. Yes, the songs tread familiar territory. They’re all about driving, drinking beers, and rock and rolling all night, but it’s precisely what we want to hear. Airbourne is pure candy for the rock pig brain.
The Murlocs – Young Blindness
Proving that bluesy garage rock is still a genre that Australia loves, The Murlocs are bringing it to your ears in the best possible fashion. Drawing influence from a lot of the classic blues-rock bands, the group are doing their best to bring about another genre revival.
Luca Brasi – If This Is All We’re Going To Be
Unafraid, unrelenting, and unapologetic, Luca Brasi pull no punches with their approach music. They’re not scared to show their punk roots, and they don’t show away when it comes to delivering some of the most brutal genuinely Aussie music that you’ll hear at the moment.
Totally Unicorn – Dream Life
Totally Unicorn have undoubtedly provided some of the most crushing music that Australia has seen in a long time. Covering a diverse amount of genres, yet staying on the harder, punk/metal side of things, Dream Life is as subtle as a punch in the face, but rocks 10 times harder, and is much, much more enjoyable.
