The rumours are true. The kids are taking over. We spent so much energy encouraging them to read so that they wouldn’t end up haggard and hungover like ourselves, but then they realised that they knew more and they could play better guitar. Operator Please and Van She – both promising young bands who have released EPs to critical acclaim and built up solid fanbases not only around Australia but overseas as well – have put together debut records separately and are now coming together on a vibrant double headlining tour that will show Australia just why they’re the future.

This will be Operator Please’s first national tour since they unleashed the infuriatingly catchy Just A Song About Ping Pong. They’ll be in good form, around recording the record they’ve been assaulting the UK on the NME Freshers tour with The Go! Team (if there was ever an argument for Ritilin distribution this would have to be it), following which they’ll be heading around the mother country as part of MTV2’s Gonzo Tour, playing with industry darlings Bloc Party, We Are Scientists and Babyshambles. Their previous Australian tours were alongside Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys. How many synonyms can you come up with for hip?

The new Operator Please album is lovingly entitled Yes Yes Vindictive and will be released through EMI on November 10. The band are already nominated for two ARIA awards (Best Breakthrough Artist and Bets Pop Release) for Just A Song About Ping Pong (which incidentally hit number 12 on the ARIA chart here and number 1 on the UK MTV chart). They may take home an ARIA before they take home a High School Certificate.

Operator Please formed at Elenora High in 2005 during chess club. What did I tell you, the nerdy kids are set to take it all. The band consists of Amandah Wilkinson, Sarah Gardiner, Ashley McConnell and cousins Taylor Henderson and Tim Commander.

Van She have been around a little longer, and have cut their teeth touring the country with acts like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and our own local heroes Faker. Their intense live shows caught the eyes of any cooler and they’d be frozen label Modular, known for not only having their fingers on the pulse but pumping the beat themselves. Aside from a touring force to be reckoned with, Van She have shown themselves to be more than adept in the studio, providing requested remixes for acts such as The Klaxons, Feist and The Bravery in their time.

After testing the waters with various producers they settled on Jim Abbiss (who can show his kids albums from DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, Arctic Monkeys and Ladytron to name a few). They recorded in London’s Konk Studios and refrained from picking up accents (however did learn the value of a decent scarf). Their first single, Cat & The Eye, should be on the radio shortly, and the as yet untitled album will be out on Modular early next year.

Opening the shows are achingly fresh Canberra outfit Soft Tigers, who consistently defy categorisation with so much energy they may soon not even be able to be called musicians. In fact, members Bucky Toller, Neil Harvey and Pal Gupta prefer to think of themselves as filmmakers, directors and editors. Their debut album, Gospel Ambitions, was recorded in a weatherboard home on the south coast and thrown together with as much regard for musicianship as a nudist has for a polo sweater. They’ve toured live, almost begrudgingly, with acts such as MSTRKRFT, Young And Restless and Architecture in Helsinki, and Gospel Ambitions is released on October 20 through Shiny Records.

more info after the jump! 

The line up for the 2008 Boys of Summer tour has been announced. Featured on the bill are: Silverstein, The Amity Affliction, Set Your Goals, Deez Nuts and Capeside. Show and ticket info after the jump

I had always thought that Portugal. The Man had kind of a whiny, emo sound, thanks to an awfully needy ex-boyfriend.  Fortunately, I decided to give them another try and I'm so happy I did. 'Church Mouth' has a full, modern rock sound without descending into cliche--its sounds are refreshing enough to keep it interesting.  The title track dips into a bit of a bluesy sound, which is pleasant and surprising.  It reminds me a bit of the Canadian band Wide Mouth Mason, which is a reference I doubt anyone will get, but I mean it as a compliment.  By the fourth track, "My Mind", the album has slipped into a slicker sound.  Vocally smooth, with plenty of layers to keep things interesting, it's a good segue into the rest of the album.  The smooth sound persists through the rest of the album--slick guitar riffs and smooth vocals exemplify it.  "Bellies are Full" has a great, strong bassline and I admit I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

The vocals kind of blend in and the distinct words and phrases are hard to make out. After reading the lyric booklet, it seems kind of fitting for such surreal imagery to be vocalised in a dreamy way.

Overall, the album is great to listen to.  To be fair, as pleasant as 'Church Mouth' is, I wouldn't classify it as excellent.  It's perfect background music: what's going on is good, but nothing will be lost with conversation overtop.  I'm definitely happy that I gave Portugal.
The Man another try and didn't let that lame ex boyfriend ruin them for me forever!

 Reviewed By Arinn W.

Adri broke my heart, and the funny thing is, is that we haven't even met.
The first time I heard her voice was on the first track of said CD, the riff
was leading us somewhere, to her, it had a hum to it, a pitch, a feel, a bit
annoying but then again not. This "annoying but then again not" is my
overall feeling about this album. I looked up the band on myspace, I saw
Adri and my assumptions were correct, another hot girl fronting a band that
existed in the shadows behind her, much alike Blondie you ask me, much
alike. So what's what? I viewed  a video of them live and I saw where they
were coming from. The Voids aren't trying to be bigger than life, and you
know what I like that, they seem like the band not in a hurry to get big,
someone that would rather have streetcred than a platinum album,
respectable. But baby oh but! About Adri breaking my heart, the CD in whole
is too linear from start to finish, I notice no difference in Adris' vocal
range, I know she has range because their previous album exhibits it, a
scream here, some ins and outs, the dynamics of her voice aren't begin
showcased as they should. The band, the crew. they as I noted earlier are in
the shadows, no one piece of the band has a spotlight really, I know what a
solo is I however am talking about a mix up in the drive of each track,
heavy on the drums here, guitar there, ya know. The recording ain't doing it
for me either, the drums seem really bland, the snare isn't snappy, the
cymbols aren't crashing and crisp, the bass is totally unheard almost, and
my pretty lil' Adri her vocals aren't recorded as well as I'd obviously
like, her voice track (not her voice itself) is flat, her peaks aren't hispy
and high pitched, I like a little tweaker speaker action when I'm listening
to my punk. Whoa, I'm just not happy with the production in harsh comparison
to their previous cuts from the previous album, if you compare the two
you'll feel my pain. But The Voids are more than this album, hear me out, 
the message still comes through to me, the lyrics, the pace the meaning,
still comes through (piss and grit sometimes don't stick to the record),
amisted what are really recording and production setbacks and a few vocal
and arrangement issues, I'm down with it, even though it may seem that I'm
not. I'll catch a show when my work schedule permits and then and only then
I think I'll see The Voids in their true glory, their true element, amongst
their fans, some microphone feedback and eachother. "Guys (I'm talking to
the band,. Adri Hi.) if I had it my way your next album would be a
complation of this album some fav hits possibly a cover for fun  and some
new tracks (as I assume you're always working on new tracks) recorded live.

Reviewed by Fernando Hurtado