Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Local indie/power-pop act Iron On open the evening, and so I'm pleased a
rad, old, bearded dude offers to let me jump in the line ahead of him in
the mammoth queue – otherwise I would have missed them. In the middle of recording their follow-up album to 2005's Oh The Romance, Kate Cooper and Ross Hope share vocal duties and guide the audience through an impressive selection of new tracks.
Later:
When the opening notes of Black Fingernails Red Wine sound out, I make my way to the merchandise stall and buy the Iron On album – they really were that good. - Rave Magazine
Iron On - Oh the Romance (3.5/5 stars)
With a similar take on power pop to Canada's New Pornographers, Brisbane four-piece Iron On keep Oh the Romance short and sweet with 10 tracks clicking in at a tick over 35 minutes. It rips past in a rush of shared vocals between Kate Cooper and Ross Hope, with more buzz than a case of Coca-Cola. Like fellow BrisVegas acts Sekiden and Screamfeeder, Iron On aren't particularly in vogue - but neither are they out of it. Like all good power-pop groups, they just continue to make memorably catchy songs ("Reckless Pronto" and "Hearts" are a treat). However, the most exciting aspect here is how effortless Iron On make it sound - because that takes talent.
By Andrew Weaver - Rolling Stone Magazine Australia
Iron On - Oh the Romance (3.5/5 stars)
With a similar take on power pop to Canada's New Pornographers, Brisbane four-piece Iron On keep Oh the Romance short and sweet with 10 tracks clicking in at a tick over 35 minutes. It rips past in a rush of shared vocals between Kate Cooper and Ross Hope, with more buzz than a case of Coca-Cola. Like fellow BrisVegas acts Sekiden and Screamfeeder, Iron On aren't particularly in vogue - but neither are they out of it. Like all good power-pop groups, they just continue to make memorably catchy songs ("Reckless Pronto" and "Hearts" are a treat). However, the most exciting aspect here is how effortless Iron On make it sound - because that takes talent.
By Andrew Weaver - Rolling Stone Magazine Australia
IRON ON
Oh the Romance (Plus One/Reverberation)
Next time you're in the record store looking for that special song that moves your feet as much as it strums your heartstrings, chances are you won't find it in overseas indie bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes or The Shins. In fact, it's probably right on your doorstep in the form of local four-piece Iron On! This debut album sees the band stretch their wings and reach full flight, interweaving articulate melodies that leave a lump in your throat with the type of rock-out abandon usually reserved for the more leather-clad type of band. It's the magnetic vocals of Ross Hope and Kate Cooper that really strike the biggest chord, their tales of love both right and horribly wrong ("Hearts", "High Miami High", "More than Tape") making you pine for more than the ten songs on offer here.
It seems unfair for them to be labelled "indie rock" because that's such a limp-wristed term and, when it comes to standout moments like "Playing Hard to Want", their resolve to totally disarm and dismantle you is unrepentant. A remarkable album.
4.5/5 stars
By Richard Alverez
- Time Off Magazine
IRON ON
Oh the Romance (Plus One/Reverberation)
Next time you're in the record store looking for that special song that moves your feet as much as it strums your heartstrings, chances are you won't find it in overseas indie bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes or The Shins. In fact, it's probably right on your doorstep in the form of local four-piece Iron On! This debut album sees the band stretch their wings and reach full flight, interweaving articulate melodies that leave a lump in your throat with the type of rock-out abandon usually reserved for the more leather-clad type of band. It's the magnetic vocals of Ross Hope and Kate Cooper that really strike the biggest chord, their tales of love both right and horribly wrong ("Hearts", "High Miami High", "More than Tape") making you pine for more than the ten songs on offer here.
It seems unfair for them to be labelled "indie rock" because that's such a limp-wristed term and, when it comes to standout moments like "Playing Hard to Want", their resolve to totally disarm and dismantle you is unrepentant. A remarkable album.
4.5/5 stars
By Richard Alverez
- Time Off Magazine
IRON ON - Oh the Romance
(+1/Reverberation)
Bris-indie rockers make hot love cool again.
From the moment Oh the Romance opens, you feel like you've been thwacked in the face with a big rubber band. And what's more, it felt good, and you wouldn't mind if it happened again - say nine more times at least. It's not the sting you remember - and there's more than a few hidden in the lyrics - it's the "fuck yeah" jolt of being woken into wide-eyed alert, because you've just heard something with more energy than a room full of Pixies fans fed a diet of Red Bull and crack.
Opener Learn Today Earn Tomorrow has you clapping in instants and riffs up a pre-synthesiser Gerling storm, with singers Ross Hope and Kate Cooper each vying for the title of Sweetest Indie Vocalist 2005. Sweet yes, but tight dynamics are at play and the distinctive voice of each guitarist is given the chance to shine more than once (Reckless Pronto and More than Tape represent for the femmes, while Playing Hard to Want and Hearts do the biz for the boys). All in songs wired with more hooks and crashing guitars than you could find in a box load of Death Cab for Cutie. The closing moments of The Safety compare with any of Sonic Youth's finest electric onslaughts, and yet always throughout they rhythm section of Ian Rogers and the sadly missed Nicola Phoenix maintain the control needed to keep the inventive guitarists on track.
Iron On are something of a Brisbane institution. Everyone's been to an Iron On show at least once. Maybe a few people wondered if the gingham and Converse would last the distance, or one day be a fond memory for ex-students in newly-purchased West End apartments. If the fact that it would be impossible to exclude a single track from your iPod is any indication, Iron On are destined to be much more than fond memories for some time to come. A welcome burst of energy, sass, and great tunes - stuff to fall in love with.
4.5/5 stars
By Chris Harms
- Rave Magazine
IRON ON - Oh the Romance
(+1/Reverberation)
Bris-indie rockers make hot love cool again.
From the moment Oh the Romance opens, you feel like you've been thwacked in the face with a big rubber band. And what's more, it felt good, and you wouldn't mind if it happened again - say nine more times at least. It's not the sting you remember - and there's more than a few hidden in the lyrics - it's the "fuck yeah" jolt of being woken into wide-eyed alert, because you've just heard something with more energy than a room full of Pixies fans fed a diet of Red Bull and crack.
Opener Learn Today Earn Tomorrow has you clapping in instants and riffs up a pre-synthesiser Gerling storm, with singers Ross Hope and Kate Cooper each vying for the title of Sweetest Indie Vocalist 2005. Sweet yes, but tight dynamics are at play and the distinctive voice of each guitarist is given the chance to shine more than once (Reckless Pronto and More than Tape represent for the femmes, while Playing Hard to Want and Hearts do the biz for the boys). All in songs wired with more hooks and crashing guitars than you could find in a box load of Death Cab for Cutie. The closing moments of The Safety compare with any of Sonic Youth's finest electric onslaughts, and yet always throughout they rhythm section of Ian Rogers and the sadly missed Nicola Phoenix maintain the control needed to keep the inventive guitarists on track.
Iron On are something of a Brisbane institution. Everyone's been to an Iron On show at least once. Maybe a few people wondered if the gingham and Converse would last the distance, or one day be a fond memory for ex-students in newly-purchased West End apartments. If the fact that it would be impossible to exclude a single track from your iPod is any indication, Iron On are destined to be much more than fond memories for some time to come. A welcome burst of energy, sass, and great tunes - stuff to fall in love with.
4.5/5 stars
By Chris Harms
- Rave Magazine
Discography
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TITLE TBA (EP) 2007
Tracks: One Man Band, Showing Signs, It's Been A Terrible Year, Can't Concentrate (Applewood Acoustic) & Snow (Applewood Acoustic).
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OH THE ROMANCE (LP) 2005
Singles: Learn Today Earn Tomorrow, Reckless Pronto, and Playing Hard to Want.
Stream from our website (see above)
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EVERYBODY CALM DOWN (EP) 2004
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THE UNDERSTUDY (EP) 2003
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
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IRON ON have just completed recording for a new 5-track EP to be released late 2007 - once again with Magoo behind the console.
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IRON ON are a four-piece rock band from Brisbane, Australia. They have been playing shows within city limits throughout Australia since July 2002 alongside bands such as Sleater-Kinney (US), Ben Kweller (US), Tegan and Sara (Canada), The Shins (US), Iron and Wine (US), Electrelane (UK), Lou Barlow & The New Folk Implosion (US), M Ward (US), The Saints, Something For Kate, Magic Dirt, Jebediah, Art of Fighting, Bluebottle Kiss, Faker, Screamfeeder, Giants of Science, Sekiden, Sea Life Park, and The Zebras. In 2003 Iron On played the Brisbane leg of the Livid Festival and in January 2005 played the Big Day Out. November 2005 they were selected by Triple J for the Next Crop promotion in celebration of Oz Music Month. In December 2005 Rave Magazine named them Rave Critics Choice 2005 for debut album Oh the Romance. In March 2006 the band toured Canada and showcased at Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto, where they were nominated for the 2006 Indies in the Favourite New Artist/International Group category.
Debut Album Oh The Romance is the follow up to their second EP Everybody Calm Down and is Iron On's most accessible and concise recording to date. Working with esteemed Brisbane producer Magoo (Midnight Oil, Jebediah, Regurgitator) the band have recorded the sort of album you can BBQ to: big on guitars, big on choruses and big on melody. Oh The Romance is hardly a more mature (ie. boring!) record but it is undoubtablely Iron On's finest work to date.
Oh The Romance is the band's first recording for hot-as-hell Brisbane label Plus One Records (Giants Of Science, The Gin Club, Intercooler). Upon the album�s release people said: (1) The most exciting aspect here is how effortless Iron On make it sound � because that takes talent - Rolling Stone (2) 'Their resolve to totally disarm and dismantle you is unrepentant. A remarkable album' Time Off (Album of the Week) (3) 'More energy than a room full of Pixies fans fed a diet of Red Bull and crack' Rave Magazine (Album of the Week) (4) 'That record fucking rocks, I�m starting a band' - your little sister.
Both the earlier EPs were recorded and mixed by Bryce Moorhead at Zero Interference studios (Sekiden, Denvar, Dollarbar) and were released nationally thru Ruth Street Records (via MGM Distro). Everybody Calm Down charted in the AIR Top 20 for four weeks consecutively, and has received spot airplay on JJJ and RRR, rotation on Fbi and is played on 4ZZZ every other day (god bless them).
Iron On's first EP THE UNDERSTUDY ("a stunning debut that should earn them a place on T-shirts everywhere" Time Off Magazine) landed the band airplay on national and local radio, as well as 2nd place in the 4ZZZ Hot 100 in 2003.
Follow up EVERYBODY CALM DOWN saw Iron On sounding even more like Iron On: dynamic playing bent into melodic shapes (rock shapes even!), alternating male-female vocals and more evidence of a continued, long-term love affair with distortion of almost any kind. It was intended that Everybody Calm Down would provoke dancing and not faux electro-clash strutting either, more so the ugly, the way dancing is supposed to look. Time Off said "Indeed, this is a diverse, exceptional piece of work" (Review of Everybody Calm Down - Time Off Magazine, Wed May 5th).
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