Sunday 27 April 2008

The Preset Boys

Many thanks to Adem With an E for introducing me to this Ozzie band, The Presets. Yet another act who I foolishly skirted over. His bonza review of their new album, Apocalypso (out in the UK June 12th) can be found here. Around since 2003, Julian Hamilton (vocalist, above left) and Kim Moyes (right) have a huge following in their homeland: sold out tours and a number one album. But their sound is very European. Julian said: "We've always taken inspiration from overseas. We never really wanted to make Australian-sounding music. We always love bands from England and Europe, so hopefully this is a record for the world."

They could, in fact, be described as the full-fat version of the Pet Shop Boys: "They're one of our favourite bands. The way they're primarily a pop act, yet they feed off club music, we like that, we try and do the same thing."

I would love to post a taster track but Modular, their record company, reported me to the Blogger Police for previously posting a Cut Copy track. It was a fair cop guv. So instead I'll point you all in the right direction. Nudge, nudge.

First things first. This track If I Know You is - to purloin a new word from XO London - STELLAR. It's a hook-laden synth ballad and consolidated the boys brilliance for me. No wizard of Oz trickery, just solid arrangements, meaty beats and heartfelt (homo hopefully) lyrics. Go here to Fried My Little Brain.

This Boy's in Love is the second single from Apocalypso and this homo-erotic vid reminds me of Domino Dancing's boys in the surf.



A New Sky
has the best middle eight I've heard in a LONG TIME. After the prog rock-like intro, the tune kicks in and just flys. It is AMAY-ZING and can be sampled here at SIART.

The band are traversing across the globe for the next six months including a mammoth US stint. Go to TheirSpace for details and more tracks.

Lastly, Julian's voice has a very familiar ring to it - the heavy doom-laden 80s Glenn Gregory thing. But it was the much overlooked Paul Haig (pictured here) that sprang to mind immediately. His track Never Give Up (Party Party) is one of my all-time favourites, but the one below, the equally fab Love and War, could be described as Pre-The Presets - there's even a reprise of Waltzing Matilda at the end for the perfect symbiosis.

Love and War - Paul Haig
(zShare)

6 comments:

markjenkins said...

Nice link to us, thanks for that!

mark - fmlb

DanProject76 said...

I shall be investigating these Presets further...

Adem With An E said...

Why thank you for the link; glad you dug around on them too. I interviewed Jules the other week and should have the full piece up on the website in a couple of weeks.

I'm a bit excited because it's my first cover story for Forte, so I'm actually spending WAY too much time obsessing over its structure as a readable piece. But he was very nice and was quite happy to set the record straight on why he dislikes cherry tomatoes so much.

Unknown said...

What a great track. I definitely will be checking out their stuff now. Look forward to reading your piece on them Adem.

Phil said...

Mon plaisir Mark

Dan, press your Preset now!

Bloody well donje on the feature Adem. A bright future beckons. By the way... how big IS Jules' cock?

Nice one raj

Joseph said...

I wasn't really sold on their first record but after hearing "This Boy's In Love" (and seeing the video...yow) I think I need to check out the new one. It seems like he's toned down the vocal antics (in a good way) this time.