Lady Strangelove
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Lady Strangelove

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | SELF

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | SELF
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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Russian Circles 18th September 2011 @ Fowlers Live"

The night started off with a passionate appearance by local psychedelic Adelaide band Lady Strangelove. Their impeccable timing, swiftly executed Omar Rodriguez-Lopez style guitar riffs and unpredictable movements in their songs hypnotized the crowd. The band was bursting with energy that seemed never ending – with a surprising amount of it coming from the bassist, who had just recently broken into hives. This band certainly proved to the crowd that they were worthy of an opening slot of an international band, if not more.

Following Lady Strangelove was another local band – Coerce. They were on the other side of the musical spectrum, with their sound fusing hardcore, screamo and metal. Such a fusion of genres has been done before – many times – but the key thing about their act was that they showed the crowd how possible it is for a band to sound so musically unique and familiar at the same time. Coerce are definitely a band to look out for if you’ve got cravings for a local hardcore show that won’t disappoint.

Finally the band everyone was waiting for briskly walked out on stage. The floor filled up with eager fans, and Russian Circles picked up their instruments. With the stage lights off and a shady atmosphere surrounding them, they initiated a musical overture, which ended up turning into one of their classic songs – ‘Harper Lewis’. The track exploded midway through, with the whole crowd banging their heads to the thumping of the powerful bass line.

The band played around six songs, which is a lot for a band with an average song length of about eight minutes. Between each song was a light interlude, filled with layering of guitar riffs and just the right amount of intensity. The guys literally did not stop playing from the start of their set until the end, which is remarkable.

One of the most unique things about their performance was a lack of vocal microphone. This meant that there was no banter between songs, no farewell at the end of their set and no way to show their gratitude to their encouraging fans – just three boys with nothing but their instruments. This definitely put a twist on things, as it felt like there was a glass wall between the audience and band. No matter how much the fans cheered, clapped and shouted, the band just played like they were in their own private rehearsal room.

- Tom Gaffney - Tonedeaf


"Black Mountain, LadyStrangelove @ The Corner,Melbourne (28/02/09)"

I wish I lived in the sixties. I don’t know whether it’s parental nostalgia, my obsession for vinyl or my undying hatred for the new Melbourne Model, but it seems like the sixties were a better time to live. Though I am reconciled to the fact that I will probably never get firsthand experience of the decade of fringes and free love, I was present for the next best thing at The Corner in Richmond on Saturday night. In a sell-out encore show, Canadian retro-rockers Black Mountain (ably supported by Adelaide imports Lady Strangelove) served up a steaming hot slice of good old West Coast sixties psychedelia and justified their reputation as one the coolest live acts on the planet.

It was amazing that the crowd, a healthy mix of indie hipsters and nostalgic thirty-somethings, could even hear after the musical ear bashing they received from opening act Zond. The local five-piece were loud. And I mean fucking loud. While noise can be used to great effect in music (look no further that new indie darlings The Pains of Being Pure At Heart) the squalling guitars and screamed vocals were way too much. Technically Zond were very capable, and perhaps in a heavier context they would have been better received, but in comparison to the riff heavy psych of Black Mountain they seemed an incongruous choice to support.

Lady Strangelove however were excellent. While several bands, namely Wolfmother and more recently Tame Impala, have had more commercial success in reviving psych rock, Lady Strangelove are by far the most faithful in their reinterpretation of the genre. They do a fantastic job of aping psych’s biggest, from Blue Cheer to Black Sabbath. Their music has a timeworn quality to it; tracks like Teleport with its wah wah saturated guitar line, or Rotate with its crashing marshal rhythm section, could have come straight from your dad’s record collection. Visually they look the part too, with plenty of long greasy hair and rock star moves, and frontman Benny wails like the best of them, his high pitched yawl never missing a note. It was a welcome blast from the past and the perfect preamble for Black Mountain.

Despite the portentous title of last year’s sporadically excellent sophomore LP In The Future, Black Mountain are a band steeped in the past. For reasons other than the track title their band name checks, they have frequently been compared to perhaps the greatest exponent of psychedelic music, Led Zeppelin (no mean feat in itself), and after listening to opener Tyrants you can see why.

It began with a brooding four note arpeggio, slowly building over layers of ominous Moog synths as the band members, a grizzled, straggly looking bunch, took to the darkened stage. It then exploded into a swaggering tower of a song, built around a searing riff from hirsute frontman Stephen McBean and a shuddering Dazed and Confused-esquse bassline. It was a song of several discrete, but meticulously constructed sections. Key signatures shifted and changed, as did the instrumental focus, so that one minute it was a plaintive ballad, the next a spacey, psychedelic jam. It is their inventiveness as a group, as well as their sheer musical virtuosity (*Matt Camirand* is one of the best live keyboardists I’ve heard) that are most reminiscent of Led Zeppelin.

But whereas a band like Lady Strangelove succeed, and in some ways are limited to, consolidating a musical genre, Black Mountain make it their own. Angels is a catchy, foot stomping rocker, which shows off the charming, often haunting vocal interplay of McBean and spaced out lead vocalist Amber Webber. The interesting, patently melodic quality of their harmonies is an element seldom seen in music as heavy as this, and it really works. Ultimately however, it is Black Mountain’s ability to avoid the clichés of psychedelic rock, eschewing face melting shreds for concise punchy solos, replacing windmills and dance moves with stately, humble stagecraft that defines their music and makes them such a consistently interesting band, and an awesome live act. I left the corner with my appetite for the sixties well and truly satisfied because who really needs the sixties when you have these guys. - Faster Louder


"Lady Strangelove, Like Leaves,The Rules @ Jive (14/05/11)"

Lady Strangelove have been on Adelaide’s ‘bright future’ list for a few years now with their sweet mix of physcodelic, heaving rock and effects-driven bass lines. Having recorded in California with acclaimed producer/engineer Sylvia Massey ( Red Hot Chilli Peppers ) in 2010, Jive was the place to be for the launch of their first single Sweet Exchange. The crowd was set for a belter. Strangelove were supported by The Rules & Like Leaves with the former playing to a scarce crowd first.

The Rules are a three piece local band with a style somewhere between Rage Against the Machine, Anthony Kedis and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lead vocalist, and awesome front lady Carla Lippis, chucked everything she had at the small crowd. Constantly sprinting up and down the stage, with stage presence maxing out, she was determined to excite the audience. Her huge vocals cut through the tight and at times heavy guitar and drums. While at the the start of their set the crowd looked disinterested, and unappreciative, by the end everybody was moving. A wicked set from a band I want to see more of.

Next up were Like Leaves, another local outfit that have been creating a bit of buzz with their phys-rock/folk meddled sound. Vocalist/ Guitarist/Violinist and all round-sultry seductress, Juliet Hunter opened the set with her bellowing, Florence Welch-style vocals. The crowd was instantly drawn to her. As bassist Pat Saracino provided deep, thick walks, guitarist and fellow vocalist Dan Varricchio bounced from one effect to another playing off of Juliet. The real highlight from this set was drummer Ryan Manolakis’ obvious talent with the sticks. You could almost see his energy behind the kit. The track Fruit was a long drawn out physc-experience that left me wanting. The crowd had filled up the spaces on the d-floor and Like Leaves were the reason.

By the time I had re-fuelled, the hyped-up band was up on stage. Lady Strangelove has been a regular “you have to see them” conversations around Adelaide. I last saw them a few months back in an alleyway and was struck by the way each of the band members’ unique styles, gelled together in some trippy way.

With a backdrop of weird, acid fueled video clips, Devil Inside was the opening track. Before too long vocalist Brendan Shaw had warmed up enough for his high-register- Robert Plant style to shine. A classic Strangelove quality is the half-time breakdown, a move that makes their sound so huge. That and guitarist Josh Van Looy’s solos that can rival the rock gods.

Next was Staircase. And if the crowd had any doubts that they were there to see a rock band, those were smacked off their faces with this song. Bass player Azz Shaw’s effects were a stand out, with him and Van Looy playing off each other beautifully. Van Looy’s signature jig was in full flight and Brendan Shaw’s vocals hit full throttle as he bounced from the echo-mic.

Evolution Shoes was another highlight with Brendan Shaw picking up drumsticks and banging away on some bongos during one of their many breakdowns.
But as the songs blended into one big, sweet lsd journey, the title track from their dropping single Sweet Exchange began. Starting will howling guitar and synth, the beat started and Shaw’s vocals once again stamped authority on the song. Showing his versality, Shaw grabbed a harmonica and busted out.

Lady Strangelove are uniquely talented, they have a style that will probably see them destined for big things. Awesome show, but the best thing? They’re Adelaide’s own. Claimed. - Faster Louder


Discography

Sweet Exchange (CD SINGLE) - 2011

Freakquencies (EP) - 2009

Lady Strangelove (EP) - 2006

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Bio

Lady Strangelove are four brothers who love to create music: Azz Shaw, Josh Van Looy, Brendan Shaw & Fox Faehrmann.

Lady Strangelove play an adventurous concoction of psychedelic music which runs the gamut of psych rock, to sonic electronica. This approach to music accompanies an energetic live show that incorporates wall-melting lights & projected visuals, making for a colourful cinematic experience of sound and moving images.

Since forming in Adelaide, South Australia in 2006, they have had the opportunity to share the stage with a diverse range of both national and international artists, including: The Black Keys, The Temper Trap, Wolfmother, Black Mountain (hand picked by the band themselves for their "In The Future" Australian Tour), Helmet, Trans Am, The Besnard Lakes, Midnight Juggernauts, The Drones, PVT, Tame Impala and Children Collide. They have also performed at the Meredith Music Festival, Big Day Out & the Laneway Festival.

Lady Strangelove are currently recording their debut album at Radiostar Studio's in Weed, California with acclaimed producer/engineer Sylvia Massy who has worked with artists such as Tool, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Beastie Boys.

Lady Strangelove have just released the 1st single "SWEET EXCHANGE" from their debut album and will be backing it up with many shows over the coming months. The Video Clip for "Sweet Exchange" has received over 12,000 views in just a few weeks of release. Sweet Exchange was mastered by Tom Baker@Presicion Mastering in Hollywood, California (Nine Inch Nails, Beastie Boys, Tenacious D).