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Phonograph
Black and Blue
Three piece independent guitar rock. What a genre! It’s the limitations of the form that fascinate. The boys (they’re nearly always boys) have to fill in all that space with as much excitement and rock attitude as they can. Phonograph take on the task with the sort of skills that assure you that they’re familiar with the classics of this style and yet still willing to push a little at the boundaries. Just listen to the anarchic guitar solo for confirmation. Its scribbled urgency is the high point of a beautifully controlled piece of writing, production and performance. I was highly impressed. The boys amongst you may be as well.
3996/5000
- THE BRAG - 18 October 2004
"Phonograph easily won everyone over with their infectious blend of Beatles/Kinks pop; and for the female proportion of the crowd, the ability of the especially cute, English frontman to reduce them to giggling like schoolgirls. The band's blissful and simplistic pop was well balanced with deeper and more expressive songs, allowing Phonograph to display their song-writing talent."
Aimee-Lee Curran - Drum Media - 16 August 2005
Discography
The Phonograph EP - October 2004
1 Black and Blue
2 Little While
3 Unoriginal Man
+ Black and Blue film clip – Black and Blue Live @ The Annandale Clip
Sucker In The Cool (EP) - July 2005
1 SUCKER IN THE COOL
2 EDISON
3 BLAME IT ALL ON ME
4 MR TROUBLEMAKER
5 + bonus track LEADER.
Enhanced cd feature: film clip and photo gallery
Both releases distributed by Shock Records
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
PHONOGRAPH
With their charismatic brit-grit performances and their moody pop-rock tunes, Sydney based Phonograph put the talent back in indie cool.
In 2003, the Phonograph boys were drawn together via their shared passion for the brit-pop paradise of past. Yet their first EP, Black and Blue, also showed Phonograph as not devoid of Australian rock sensibilities. In Black and Blue the boys balanced out their brit-pop influences with some dark rock sentiment.
Their second EP, modestly and misleadingly titled Sucker in the Cool, allowed Phonograph to display their hit-single writing abilities. Sucker was a hit with radio and live audiences alike – a particular favourite of all the tight-black jeans wearing folk.
It’s certainly their potent combination of skill and style that has seen Phonograph successes so far. Whether it’s from their poses in Marie Claire Magazine or their reviews in industry press – people know Phonograph have it.
The Phonograph boys are each talented and distinctive. Live and on record they combine their unique sounds and energies to push themselves and their audiences beyond the traditional boundaries of pop, of rock, and of performance.
PHONOGRAPH AT A GLANCE
Ben Hassell (guitar / vocals)
Matt Edge (bass / vocals)
Jesse Porter (drums)
Steve Claxton (guitar/keys/vocals)
First EP - The Phonograph EP, was released in October 2004 through Didgeridoo Records, now available through Shock Records.
Tracks:
1 Black and Blue
2 Little While
3 Unoriginal Man
+ Black and Blue film clip, Black and Blue Live @ The Annandale Clip
Current EP - Sucker In The Cool - released in July 2005
TRACKS:
1 SUCKER IN THE COOL
2 EDISON
3 BLAME IT ALL ON ME
4 MR TROUBLEMAKER
5 + bonus track LEADER.
Enhanced cd feature: film clip and photo gallery
Airplay: FBI 94.5fm, Planet Rock feature: Launch pad Artist (December 2004), Triple J: Home and Hosed, Super Request, PBS
National Media coverage, Rage, Brag, Drum, Inpress, Beat, MX Paper NSW/VIC, Marie Claire colour feature Dec 2005.
International Media - radio airplay in Japan (Yellow Beat at Shonan Beach FM 78.9MHz, JOZZ3ABFM, Japan 200,000 listeners) and Italy (Citta Del Capo Radio Metropolitana - Bologna Modenna Ferrara ITALY, 6.250, 94.700 MHz),
Licensing - music has been featured on 2 dvd products and Trop Fest film
Headlines in Sydney - The Hopetoun, Annandale, Spectrum, Excelsior, frequent Melbourne gigs
Supported - Betchadupa, 67 Special, The Hampdens, Riff Random, Vanlustbader
Recently performed at Come Together Festival #2 Luna Park Sydney www.cometogether.com.au
Press:
"With a good shot of pop shaken, not stirred to boot. Their initial single 'Black & Blue' is a Brit popper's wet dream; tight, unyielding and insatiably catchy."
Ellie Glass - The Brag - July 2004
"A plaintive dirty wash, sparse to brooding warmth drifting toward a lively cutting shuffle. Phonograph? Too Bloody Good"
Steve Andersen - The Drum Media - March 2005
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