This week, IAs residentriff wrangler,David Kowalski, dives into Grammy-bound punk chaos, transcendent live folk, Split Enz resurrection magic and a fresh hit of indie oddities.
Amyl sniffs out Grammy nomination
Melbourne bogan punksAmyl and the Sniffershave scored their first Grammy nomination for the Best Rock Performance category. This is a huge achievement for a young independent band having just released their third LP,Cartoon Darkness, around 12 months ago. They share the nomination withLinkin Park,ParamoresHayley Williams,YungbludandTurnstile.
Considering the preference of Grammy voters to prefer acts on major labels with big marketing budgets and bands that have been around forever, for a young independent punk band from the southern end of Australia to be noticed, let alone nominated, is truly astonishing. Personally, I wish them every success in this crowded field. I hope they bring home the gold.
Little Quirks live
On 25 October, I had the opportunity to catch Central Coast folk rock bandLittle Quirkslive in Canberra. In a small-ish band room at theWhite Eagle Polish Club, the stage was only just big enough to contain the bands physical presence, but not their energy.
I arrived asStella Evewas warming up the crowd with her melodic brand of indie pop, her songs pleasantly punctuating the air with delicately chosen lead guitar lines and strident lyrics. Not long after drummer Mia Toole and her dad/manager Paul Toole fitted her cymbals and freshly tuned snare drum to her drum kit did her cousins and siblings bound onstage, full of colour and energy.
Lead singer and guitarist Abby leaps onstage in one of her full-body suits, with wings, and leads the band in a powerful set of songs taken from the new EP,The Beast, and their recent self-titled LP, as well as classics from earlier in their career likeLife Wouldnt BeandCrumbled. They also included a couple of well-chosen covers in the mix. I thought the choice ofJolenebyDolly Partonwas an odd choice of song for them, until they played their stunning rearrangement of it. I dont think I will ever doubt their song choices again.
The live four-part harmony singing in this song, and others, by the Toole family Abby, Jaymi, Alex and Mia (even while pounding her drums into submission) was just stunning. Jaymis lead vocal is drenched in the ache and pathos the song requires. They also included a powerful version ofZombiebythe Cranberries, a song that was a staple when the girls used to busk on the beachfront esplanade of Terrigal years ago.
Of course, I cant forget to mention Jordan, not related by family to the others, but a brilliant guitarist in his own right who coaxed a gorgeous tone out of hisFender Telecasterwhile pulling all kinds of rock star poses. The night wasnt complete without Abby running through the venue, guitar still strapped on, wirelessly connected to the PA and strumming vigorously, dancing with all the fans before returning to the stage to complete the show.
Having seen the band five years ago, and seeing them again a few weeks ago, their stage presence and performance style have gotten far and away more explosive in the ensuing years. They were fantastic then; they are even better now. They play every stage, no matter how small, like theyre onstage at Wembley to 100,000 people. Having seen some of the recent footage on social media where they opened forRob Thomasin Brisbane last weekend, they played to 8,000 people like they played to this writer and a hundred others in a small club in the nations capital.
Little Quirks are definitely one of the best live bands in Australia at the moment. Check them out whenever you can.
Bluesfest 2026 lineup
The lineup for the nextBluesfestin Byron Bay over the Easter long weekend in 2026 has been announced. The lineup will includeThe Living End,Kenny Wayne Shepherd,Mark Seymour, blues legendBuddy Guy,Mental As Anythingand also NSW Central Coast teenage guitar prodigyTaj Farrant, among many others, with more to be announced in due course.
I couldve fallen off my chair at the announcement of the headliners. New Zealand legendsSplit Enzhave reformed to take the top billing and will be mounting an arena tour of Australia later in the year. I never thought Id see the day.
The band will include original membersTim Finn,Eddie RaynerandNoel Crombie, joining Tims younger brotherNeil Finnalong with James Milne on bass and Matt Eccles on drums to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their debut LP,Mental Notes. They promise loads of their classic art-rock eccentricity and renditions of classics likeI See RedandMessage To My Girl.
Split Enz will be playing Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena on 13 May, Sydney at the ICC Theatre on 18 May, Perth at the RAC Arena on 22 of May and Adelaide at the Entertainment Centre on 25 May.
Split Enz - I See Red (Official Video)
New music Sneeze's new EP
Sydney indie and underground stalwartsSneezeare back with a new EP with the very grown-up title Bands, Jobs, Girlfriends. The band have made a name for themselves with songs that feature the utmost of brevity. Their debut self-titled release in 1993 was a double 7 single with 20 songs on it. That release was later expanded onto 12-inch vinyl with bonus tracks to be retitled41 Songs in 47 Minutes.
This new release is no different, with six songs in just over eight minutes, recorded at various points between 1998 and 2025. The band has a core of formerHalf a Cowbookstore owner andGodstarfrontmanNic Dalton, andSmudgesinger-songwriterTom Morgan.
The band was filled out with a revolving cast of people in Daltons orbit, including at various timesAlison Gallowayfrom Smudge, Simon Holmes,Alannah RussackandRobyn St ClareofThe Hummingbirds, and on occasionEvan Dandofrom theLemonheads.
This particular release features their long-serving drummer,Lara Meyerratken, and also an appearance fromSimon Day, most notably known for his bandRatcat.
The EP, as well as a host of great music, is available at theHalf a Cow label Bandcamppage.
Until next time...
LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S SPECIALLY CURATED PLAYLIST BELOW:
David Kowalskiis a writer, musician, educator, sound engineer and podcaster. His podcasts 'The Sound and the Fury Podcast' and 'Audio Cumulus' can be heard exclusivelyHERE. You can follow David/X@sound_fury_pod.
