‘Fear Inoculum is a transcendent return’ – SPIN

‘Maynard is a joy to watch. The light, laser and video show is something else … At times spectacular, the visuals are the perfect accompaniment… Could other bands be this adventurous in 2019 and succeed to this extent?’ – LA Weekly

‘The visuals were provocative, with laser lights and an LED screen featuring a variety of videos – fetuses, aliens, skeletons, emaciated figures, insects, water, and fire – in line with the band’s romanticising of doom and destruction’ – Entertainment Voice’

Currently on a mammoth 26-date tour in the USA, Danny Carey (drums), Justin Chancellor (bass), Adam Jones (guitar) and Maynard James Keenan’s (vocals) groundbreaking, epic live show sees a band at the top of their powers. Their immersive live visual experience is as brilliant as the band’s music itself, and not to be missed.

Tool first formed in 1990 and have released four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000).

Released in August 2019, Fear Inoculum debuted at #1 in Australia and New Zealand (the band’s third consecutive #1 album in both countries) – with #1 debut position also in Canada, Norway, and Belgium. In the USA, the band knocked Taylor Swift off the top spot and sold 270,000 units in its first week alone. Critics were united in praise, Rolling Stone describing Fear Inoculum as: “A formal masterpiece that should stand the test of time.”

‘Absolutely gobsmacking’ – Kerrang

‘The draw of the performance … was the chance to hear the group’s intricate, multi-movement songs at a pulverising volume that still had shape and detail thanks to an impeccable live mix’ – Los Angeles Times

‘They’re so solid as a unit and at times it’s like watching a magician perform a magic trick. How do they do it?’ – Daily News

Don’t miss the multi-sensory, groundbreaking experience that is Tool, live in concert. Do not delay – tickets will not last long!

Tool Australian Tour
Friday 14 February – RAC Arena, Perth
Monday 17 February – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Thursday 20 February – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Saturday 22 February – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
www.facebook.com/ToolMusic

The album was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN by producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather) and consists of 15 new tracks.

“With Vance Powell as producer, we were able to make a very different kind of an album. The songs feel as if they could jump out of the speakers!” says drummer Jean-Paul Gaster.

The first single from Book of Bad Decisions is ‘Gimme the Keys’, will be the first of four to be released over the coming months as an instant gratification track at iTunes.

The song is about the band’s first tour back in 1991, a time where they began to cut their teeth in the live music business, dealt with show cancellations and incidents on the road. One particular show in a shed surrounded by cornfields in Lawrence, Kansas ultimately turned ugly over a missing microphone and accusations brought by drunk and gun-toting security people at the end of a long day. “Gimme the keys they can keep the guarantee | Gimme the keys and get the hell out of dodge” is a reflection of the mood of that night.

Weathermaker Music will release two very limited 7” Picture Discs in addition to the album formats (CD, a 24-page book with CD, 2xLP Standard Black, Limited Colored 2xLP, and 2xLP Picture Disc) all will have the same 15 tracks.

“Recording in Nashville with Vance Powell gave us a new and fresh approach towards making an album that truly captures the live energy of Clutch in a way I don’t think we’ve done before.” Says Bassist Dan Maines. Guitarist Tim Sult adds “Laying down guitar tracks with Vance was fun and inspiring.  Going through and trying out his and his engineer, Mike Fahey’s collection of vintage amps was one of my favorite recording studio experiences.  I think the outro solo of “Emily Dickinson” turned out particularly great.”

“I’ve never been one for nostalgia,” says Neil Fallon, “I’ve always shied away from it. But after 27 years of this, I realize that there is a wealth of stories to look back upon as lyrical fodder.  As the saying goes, ‘You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.’  Not all the songs reference our collective experience as a band, but ‘Book of Bad Decisions’ seemed like an apt name for these various chapters, whether factual, fictitious or somewhere in-between.”
www.facebook.com/Clutchband

The band rated the Artist Of The Decade (the best-reviewed band – on average – for the 2000s) by the aggregation site Metacritic, return this time is in support of their latest and greatest album They Want My Soul – like it’s predecessor, Transference, a top 4 debutant in the mainstream US charts.

Featuring the singles ‘Do You’ and ‘Inside Out’, They Want My Soul also looks set to replicate the achievements of their first five albums rating highly with the critics.

“They Want My Soul is chock full of guitar-driven greatness that makes it well worth the four-year wait and is bound to see it feature highly on end-of-year lists.”
X-Press Magazine (4.5 stars)

“Brilliant record, without question their best to date.” Q Magazine (4 stars)

“Beautifully made, multi-layered album.” The Guardian (4 stars)

For this tour the Austin-born 4-piece will be augmented by the inclusion of multi-instrumentalist Alex Fischel, previously a member of Divine Fits who toured Australia for the Laneway Festival in 2013 and who also feature Spoon frontman Britt Daniel.

“This band thrives on the audience enthusiasm, especially Daniels. Its his casual swagger, his showmanship, that makes Spoon concerts what they are, at times better than anything you can experience by just listening to the albums.” Alt-Daily (Sept 2014)

“Their performance at the Hollywood Forever was definitely tailored for fans who have loved the band since their early days. With a 21-song-set that included a four-song encore, the crowd was begging for more as Spoon left the stage. This show just might have been Spoon’s best performance ever.” GrimyGods.com (August 2014)

Spoon 2015 Australian Tour
Brisbane – The Hifi – Tuesday 10 February 2015
Melbourne – The Forum – Wednesday 11 February 2015
Sydney – The Metro – Saturday 14 February 2015
www.spoontheband.com

Having toured Australia many times, the last being a sold out tour around Groovin’ The Moo in 2013, these are the largest headline shows they’ve played here, and are set to be huge.

The Kooks released their eagerly anticipated new album Listen (Virgin/EMI) earlier this month, with Q Mag stating “This is a very good album. The Kooks sound like a band rejuvenated”.   Produced by Luke Pritchard and young hip hop pioneer Inflo, it showcases a new direction and sound for the multi-platinum selling UK act.  They already laid down the gauntlet with swaggering first taster Down, then followed up with second single Around Town, which was another shift away from classic Kooks into unchartered territory and was the first track written for the forthcoming album.
Joining The Kooks are special guests The Griswolds and Catfish & The Bottlemen.  Sydney based 4-piece, The Griswolds, are recently returned from 6 months of touring and festival appearances in the USA, where the lead single, Beware The Dog, from their debut album, Be Impressive, is currently #14 at US Alternative Radio, and #1 on tastemaker station, Alt Nation.

Welsh indie-rock four piece, Catfish & The Bottlemen have made a huge splash onto the scene and things will only get bigger and better on this, their first visit to Australia.  With their current single Cocoon currently on high rotation on triple j, they’ve also had several of their singles premiered on Zane Lowe’s iconic “Hottest Record In The World” segment, and garnered play listing on Radio 1.  In recent times they’ve performed at over thirty international festivals including Reading & Leeds, Latitude and Governors Ball in NYC.

The Kooks 2015 Aussie Tour
Perth – Saturday 17 January – Belvoir Amphitheatre
Sydney – Tuesday 20 January – Hordern Pavilion
Brisbane – Friday 23 January – Riverstage
Melbourne – Saturday 24 January – Sidney Myer Music Bowl
www.thekooks.com

With the amazing talent pool in the Tedeschi Trucks Band, one could be forgiven for thinking it would result in music aimed squarely at fellow musicians. Made Up Mind sidesteps this concern most spectacularly.

It’s an earthy workout with band co-leader Susan Tedeschi delivering just the right amount of grits and gravy in her vocals while husband and Allman Brothers Band alumni Derek Trucks spits fire when it’s completely appropriate while laying out and comping extremely tasty fills at other times. The caliber of guitar explosion Trucks is capable of lends the instrumentation an ever-present threat that adds much.

Redefining what a ten-piece band is capable of, there is not one note out of place. The space between notes is also impressive and the music has such a humanistic cadence, the extra instrumentation drops in, makes a solid point and then drops out. The result of this is a constant revealing of sublime moments.

Made Up Mind is the kind of record that will remain in your player for extended periods as each spin reveals more and more sonic wonders. Roots music has never sounded so valid or vital.

Rob Hudson
www.tedeschitrucksband.com

The five-piece band from Shepparton, Victoria Australia has always delivered crystalline pop records that are instantly accessible and beautifully easy to digest. With the new record, they attempt to expand their sonic horizons and the results are a set of tunes that take their time getting under your skin.

Recorded in Neil Finn’s Roundhead studios in New Zealand, the band has taken inspiration from the varied landscape in that island nation and put a concerted effort into utilizing a larger number of musical styles and influences in an effort to expand their craft.

Like most interesting art, you can perceive Watch Me Disappear on a surface level and get a certain take on it. You can also give it a number of spins and its charms and idiosyncrasies will grow on you as the music become much more of a living thing. Try viewing this as more of a journey than a final destination.

Rob Hudson
www.augie-march.com