16 Millimetre

Melbourne band 16 Millimetre offer their EP Simple featuring the acclaimed single Cannonball. This 4 track treasure trove presents the listener with lush soundscapes, vivid imagery and emotive vocals. Everything needed to make this dramatic pop a truly enjoyable piece of music to listen to. Listening to them I am reminded of David Bowie, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds all rolled into one, but with 16 Millimetre's own touch of magic.

The title track, 'Simple' is anything but. Layers upon layers of instrumentals build this song's atmospheric presence. You feel yourself drifting off into the clouds listening to this song. The song slowly builds from a serene beginning to a faster paced burst of energy. A good opening track to showcase their talents. 'More/Less' is a lot more stripped back, with mostly vocals, guitars and drums. The kind of song you would listen to in a hotel, wasted from the night before. Brutal enough but still spaced out.

'Cannonball' is a very beautiful song and I can see why it was so critically acclaimed when it was released in 2005. Lead singer Tom Hoskins shows his range as a vocalist in this song. From the peaceful falsetto melancholy to the bittered anger he is able to create with his voice. He's able to draw you in and then spit you out again.

'The Breath of your Majesty' feels almost breathless listening to it. The imagery I would use to describe this song would be floating in the air and falling from the sky, but in a surreal, peaceful way.

An absolute joy to listen to, these guys have the perfect balance between music, vocals and lyrics. Look out for more from these talented Melbournians, just on the verge of the release of their debut album. - The Dwarf 6th April 2007

They might be called 16 Millimetre , but this Melbourne band definitely has big screen dreams - think 70mm.

This four-track EP - featuring Simple, More/Less, Cannonball and The Breath Of Your Majesty - introduces their brand of bold, dramatic pop. The centrepiece is Tom Hoskins' voice, a sublime instrument. One minute, it's subtle; the next, sharp. And then it soarsÉ check out the achingly beautiful More/Less.

Produced by Robbie Rowlands, instrumental in the development of Dallas Crane and The Fauves, are a good pointer to the quality that is 16 Millimetre . - Music Australia Guide 11th December 2006

A cold Melbourne Saturday night, four bands on a great bill at the Rob Roy, and Howzat! reckons two of them have got the ability to conquer the world. Sure, that's a big call, and you have to have a lot of luck to top the charts, but if sheer musical power has got anything to do with it, 16 Millimetre and Window could go all the way.

How much life is left in the 60s and 70s rock revival? 16 Millimetre and Window bring us into the 90s and now. Sixteen Millimetre, with singer Tom Hoskins - the best vocalist Howzat! has heard in the past year - remind of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, but they've also got their own thing going on. They have made an album with producer Robbie Rowlands (who was instrumental in the development of Dallas Crane and The Fauves). If it can capture the mood and textures that they have live, it will be a masterpiece.

Window are more My Bloody Valentine, but with three captivating singers they make the shoe-gazing thing come to life.

Memo to the American A&R executives who went ga-ga over Jet and Wolfmother - get back on the plane and see Window and 16 Millimetre. - Inpress 24th May 2006

Melbourne collective 16 Millimetre are heading to Adelaide for two shows and by all accounts from the indie kids in Melbourne they are well worth a look. Cara Lanyon (keyboards/backing vocals) brings us up to speed.

What’s the latest for the band? “Well…,” Cara paused. “We are driving to Adelaide this week in a 12-seater bus to play our first shows in SA. We are headlining the Grace Emily on Thurs 2nd Oct with The Pleasure of Books, and the Wheatsheaf Fri 3rd Oct with Sleepless. We are following up these shows with a gig at the Curtin Bandroom in Melbourne on Fri 4th Oct.”

Are you looking forward to playing Adelaide, several shows even? “Yes,” Cara replied “It’s great that on our first trip to SA we get to play two of the best known and most well respected indie venues in Adelaide. We have heard great things about the Grace and the Wheaty so are really looking forward to it.”

What can punters expect from your band? “From talking to people, I’ve gathered that a 16 Millimetre show can be a fairly intense experience. People tend to be blown away by the power of Tom’s voice. It’s not all heavy though – we have our lighter moments as well. A cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon has been making its way into the set recently.”

What have you heard about the Adelaide scene? I’m learning that it’s a very open, friendly scene,” Cara believed. “People have been incredibly helpful when it comes to putting these shows together. I guess it’s from being a fairly small place, and quite isolated. Melbourne bands I’ve spoken to have had a great time over there.”

Do you know much about the supports? “Quite a lot actually! The reason we are going to Adelaide in the first place is that I went over for work earlier this year and happened to meet Matthew from Sleepless (support for the Wheaty show on 3/10). We were on the same page musically and decided to organise some gigs together. To me, Sleepless are one of those bands who disregard the trends and just do what they love, and do it really well. They have quite a folk bent and remind me a lot of the music I grew up with in the 90’s (in a good way!!) – Elliott Smith, REM, Sloan… you get the idea. The Pleasure of Books were introduced to me by Matthew as well, and also have that jangle-pop feel that’s so familiar and gives you the warm n fuzzies.”

To punters who don’t know how would you describe your sound to them? “Argghh I hate describing our sound!!! I’m terrible at it! Dark indie rock is the usual fallback but that’s not particularly helpful to most people. Tom’s voice swings between a really pure falsetto and a devastating roar, with my girly harmonies at times adding a sweeter touch. Plenty of atmospheric guitar and synth sounds, laced with organic pianos, strings and acoustic guitar. The album has been described in Inpress (Melbourne streetpress) as “breathtakingly beautiful”.”

Do you have an album/EP out or in the works? “Our latest release is our debut album – Fight or Flight. It was pieced together over various sessions spanning a couple of years with producer Robbie Rowlands (Dallas Crane, The Morning After Girls). It was officially released through MGM earlier this month. We also released an EP Simple in 2006.”

How would you describe it? “Again, I’m not much good at descriptions… I’d prefer to leave that to the experts. For us it’s a big achievement – many, many hours of work went into it. Definitely a labour of love and we’re pretty proud of the result. I quite liked this review: “16 Millimetre takes us on a journey through the darker corners of our memories, through the melancholy thoughts that flit around the wine-soaked mind of someone who has failed too many times to not care. The band provides a tried-and-true backing to the fantastically soaring and subtle tones of singer Tom Hoskins, whose lyrics are well-crafted in their simplicity. There are upbeat songs, there are downbeat songs, there is crunchy guitar and clean guitar, there are highs and lows. This is an incredibly impressive debut album.”

What do you see as the next big challenge for 16mm? “Hahaha making it to Adelaide in time for sound check on Thursday! Seriously though… we’re pretty keen to work on some new material now that the first album is finally out. Up till now, Tom has been the principal songwriter, but we would like to write more collaboratively on the next one. Finding a new method of working together creatively to push our sound forward is probably the next big hurdle for us. Oh, and working out how to get the headline spot at the Big Day Out!”

For further info check out the 16 Millimetre website and MySpace

16 Millimetre play the following Adelaide shows:
Thursday 2 October – The Grace Emily Hotel
Friday 3 October – The Wheatsheaf Hotel

Article by by Bobby Tyger for Faster Louder (fasterlouder.com.au)
- Faster Louder, 1st October 2008

The first track of 16 Millimetre's debut album Fight Or Flight is a killer. Having never heard of the Melbourne 5-piece, I was prepared to write them off, but New Face- a haunting, angsty song that digs into your chest cavity and your brain and drags out all those lonely hopeless moments life has provided you - wouldn't let me. It's just that damn good. The song is beautiful, melodic, emotional, and is the perfect introduction to 16 Millimetre, a band that could be accurately described using those three words.

The next track, Better Than Life, brings to mind the likes of Crowded House and.. and.. okay, my lack of knowledge of 1980s Australian pop has finally bitten me in the ass. I can't name any more bands, but the music really has an Australian feel to it (but not in a stereotypical way), if that makes sense. That echoing clean guitar, the mournful tone, and the catchiness are all there.

Saturday Night catapults us right back into the present. A great, modern, indie-rock song with a Killers-via-Something For Kate vibe, this song is solid. I'm three tracks in and so far I haven't found a single flaw.

Over the other 8 tracks of this album, 16 Millimetre takes us on a journey through the darker corners of our memories, through the melancholy thoughts that flit around the wine-soaked mind of someone who has failed too many times to not care. The band provide a tried-and-true backing to the fantastically soaring and subtle tones of singer Tom Hoskins, whose lyrics are well-crafted in their simplicity. There are upbeat songs, there are downbeat songs, there is crunchy guitar and clean guitar, there are highs and lows.

This is an incredibly impressive debut album.

-Reviewed by Benjaminnn for The Dwarf (www.thedwarf.com.au) - The Dwarf, 1st July 2008

It's been a long time coming, but 16 Millimetre's debut album, Fight Or Flight, has been worth the wait. It's breathtakingly beautiful. Produced by Robbie Rowlands, it showcases the voice of Tom Hoskins, one of this city's finest singers.

The band explains that "Tom studied music under the auspices of Melbourne's public transport system. He writes songs on trams and fills pages with thoughts that change shapes into patterns and from patterns form music. Sometimes when the 96 tram rattles through Carlton, the score is full of joy, other times it is stained with angst, but it is always full of life in its flawed perfection."

More on 16 Millimetre in Howzat! soon. They launch Fight Or Flight at the East Brunswick Club on Saturday. - Inpress, 25th June 2008

'Split me open and see my soul,' sings Tom Hoskins on New Face, the opening cut on 16 Millimetre's debut album. It's the perfect introduction to an extraordinary album. These dark urban tales will haunt you. Tom's voice is breathtaking – Bowie meets Jeff Buckley, capable of being both fragile and fierce.

The standout track is the should-be-an-Aussie-classic Saturday Night, a tale of 'tearing through the maelstrom', depicting the nervous energy of a night on the town, capturing the anticipation, excitement, desperation and frustration: 'I just need some flesh,' Tom sings, 'to feel myself, to feel all right.' 16 Millimetre have made a masterpiece. Australian beauty.
- Readings Magazine - 14th August 2008