News in Brief: Infinity Broke, Ross McLennan, Mick Blood
This is what we like to see in a crowdfunding campaign: Infinity Broke have paid for their second album through Pozible with 55 days still left in the campaign. They’ve already raised nearly $7000, exceeding their $5000 goal. That’s great news for fans of the band’s stunning debut River Mirrors, and the follow-up Before Before is slated for self-release early next year on CD and vinyl.
Born from the Bathurst shed sessions that yielded the first album, the new LP comprises shorter songs that band leader Jamie Hutchings describes as having “a strong melting pot of surf, soul and garage” as well as “some lo-fi balladry and found-sound pieces.” On top of the four-piece Infinity Broke lineup, the songs feature Hutchings’ sister, pianist Sophie Hutchings, on “some dirty Hammond organ” plus backing vocals by a group of young female singers local to Bathurst. Infinity Broke is the first proper band for Jamie Hutchings since his days leading Bluebottle Kiss.
Ross McLennan’s new single has the lilting, transporting feel we’ve come to expect from the Snout leader’s solo career. A digital release via Mistletone/Inertia, ‘General Singh’ cites “old Footscray” and manages to stay nice and weird despite a mostly stripped-back arrangement. It follows last year’s album The Night’s Deeds Are Vapour, an M+N Lunchbox performance for Melbourne Music Week and a surprise bit of action on the Snout front. McLennan and his choral/orchestral ensemble are launching the single with two free sets at The Post Office Hotel in Coburg on Sunday, October 19, starting at 4pm.
The singer of classic Aussie punk band Lime Spiders, Mick Blood was bashed unconscious at a pub earlier this year, leaving him with serious injuries and a long hospital stay. His friends and fans have rallied behind him with financial support, hosting benefit gigs in Fremantle and Brisbane already. There’s a Melbourne one next Friday (Oct 17) at The Tote, which should get Blood’s MyCause campaign over its $2000 goal. On the bill are Rocket Science and Fez Perez, both playing their first gigs in some years, plus Seminal Rats, Devilrock 4, The Bowers and an all-star guest band playing Lime Spiders songs that features Joel Silbersher (GOD, Hoss), Davey Lane (You Am I), Dean Muller (Hoss, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk) and Alexander McMillan (Wolfy & The Bat Cubs), plus DJs in between sets. It’s $20 at the door from 7:30pm.