Reviews

Reviews
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Club Acoustica @ The Basement 25/11/03
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Rattle and Strum
Saturday, September 6, 2003
The Acoustic Music Renaissance in Sydney
Thursday, May 1, 2003
Music Hits A Sweet Note for Youth
Sunday, December 1, 2002
The Quiet Revolution
Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Club Acoustica Presents Singer/Songwriters
Friday, October 18, 2002
Classic Covers Will Never Gather Moss
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
CD Review 'Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1'
Wednesday, October 2, 2002
Tim Carter at Iguana Bar, Wednesday 25 September
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Featuring Next of Kin & Angus James
Monday, September 2, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 29 August
Monday, August 19, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 15 August
Monday, August 12, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 8 August
Monday, July 29, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 25 July
Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Yes, There is an Alternative to Triple J
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 11 July
Saturday, June 22, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Saturday, June 1, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1 (Underfoot Records)
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
CD Review 'Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1'
Sunday, April 28, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Wednesday 17 April
Friday, April 19, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Club Acoustica CD Launch March 20, 2002
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Acoustic is No Antonym to Energetic
Tuesday, April 9, 2002
Drum Media CD Of The Week
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Doors Are Opening For Music's Quiet Achievers
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Join the Club
Monday, March 18, 2002
Electricity be Damned - The Mellow Beauty of Club Acoustica Finally Moves From the Stage to the Stereo
Tuesday, March 5, 2002
Club Acoustica CD Launch at The Basement
Monday, February 4, 2002
Club Acoustica Presented in Association with the Sydney Fringe Festival, La Bar, Thursday 24th January
Friday, August 10, 2001
Live at the Wire-less
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Club Acoustica at The Basement
Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Drum Media Live Review
Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Drum Media Article
Monday, June 11, 2001
The Noiseless Club
Monday, May 7, 2001
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday August 22nd
Monday, April 9, 2001
Last Night a Violin Saved My Life
Monday, July 17, 2000
Bob Dylan Tribute Night at The Basement - 12th July 2000
Monday, May 29, 2000
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday May 7th 2000
Monday, May 1, 2000
Not Quiet... Amped! Club Acoustica Flies High in the Face of All That is Loud and Distorted...
Tuesday, March 7, 2000
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday March 27th 2000
Tuesday, February 1, 2000
Three's Into Acoustica Does Go
 
Saturday, June 22, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
By Philippe Perez
musicwire | cd-reviews

22-06-2002 Vibewire

If you live in Sydney, and you frequent gigs a lot, you may have heard about the Club Acoustica gigs which happen every Thursday at La Bar.

This is a clever concept, throwing together the best the Sydney scene has to offer in terms of acoustic music. This compilation being released by the Club Acoustica folk contains such names as Stella One Eleven (‘She Lies’) and King Curly (‘I Wish I Was A Girl’) who deliver a new shine and perspectives to songs which usually are flavoured with electric guitars. Beside these well-known names are names which are sure to be heard either for the first time or in-passing in The Drum as unsigned artists.

These are really the hidden treasures of the scene and Club Acoustica surely shows the fabulous talent Sydney has and not an electric amp in sight.

The line-up in the compilation includes the majestic vocal stylings of Brett Hunt in the laid back ‘Crazy’, as well as the harmonic simplistic yet delightful Miss Radio with ‘Move You’, all in live mode.

Two personal highlights for myself on this record are standout live performances from two artists which sing and perform with heart, Dominique Fraissard's ‘The People Sea’ is a song which suits the acoustic guitar to a T and really does make a point of telling the listener how a melody is supposed to be sung. The second highlight for this reviewer was Jeff Duff's ‘Vampire Lover’. This standout track on the album just cries out in agony to you. The rollercoaster emotional ride which is Vampire Lover with its Spanish / Eastern European flavour of evil, blood and thirst is persuasive enough to start up flamenco lessons.

Most of these artists clutch onto their acoustic guitars like babies and it is shown with performances by Luke O'Shea & Medicine Wheel (‘Telephone Lines’) and Jay Atwill. The musical stylings are also very varied, ranging from sweet sickly pop of the before-mentioned Miss Radio, to the folk of women in docs (who tell a love story Surry Hills style in ‘Crown St’) to the worldly sounds of Shimmer with ‘Spirit Child’.

Overall, I found the album a great listen and it showcases the acoustic format as a format not only restricting itself to the clichés of dreary country music but also exploring and delving into music territories that the genre usually doesn't see itself in.

The sounds heard on the album (all live) are a good reason to get out of the ear-ringing environment of rocking electric guitars and to head on down to a Club Acoustica night in Sydney.


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