The Frowning Clouds

Thursday 1 April

Venue: The Bald Faced Stag aka ‘The Wall’

Support bands: The Walk On By, Snoozefests, Paper Moon

The Frowning Clouds are the epitome of 60’s. They sound 60’s, they dress 60’s and they have 60’s haircuts. Even though they are not presenting a new sound they are definitely digging it out of the dusty record collections of the past and showing it to new ears. These 5 teenagers from Geelong inspire hope against the plague of modern music; a generation of electro computer sampling falseness with no foundations.

My review is not heralding The Frowning Clouds as the saviours of new music. I mean to say I would like to hear more of what they are doing. I would like to see more bands inspired by 50’s, 60’s and 70’s music playing the Australian music circuit of today.

When I first heard The Frowning Clouds on their MySpace page Sydney band the Dolly Rocker Movement came to mind. ‘The Dolly Rocker Movement’ have been around since 2002 and are similarly influenced heavily by 60’s music but have a more psychedelic sound. I found it interesting to read on the inside cover of ‘The Frowning Clouds’ album in the Thank you section ‘The Dolly Rocker Movement’ are mentioned.

Patrick Emery – Beat Magazine – Nov 2007 when speaking of The Dolly Rocker Movement’s live show wrote “oozes the type of stage charisma you'd associate with the iconic rock stars who now dominate 60's pop memorabilia.” The same goes for The Frowning Clouds. It would not be hard to imagine them on a school girl’s lunch box. They really engage with the audience because they appear like they are genuinely having a good time on stage.

The Frowning clouds debut album produced and recorded by Mikey Young of ECSR and Mickster of Off The Hip is titled ‘Listen Closelier’ and holds many a song about girls. My pick is ‘Snake Charmer’.

The Frowning Clouds are playing MUM @ World Bar on the 30^th April and Mods May Day on 1 May at the Sandringham hotel Newtown.

An extract I enjoyed from The Frowning Clouds MySpace page:
“Primarily about Jangley textures, wild rhythms, throbin’ beats and wishful thinking instead of elongated guitar solos and ponytales we prefer to show what you can achieve as a sect rather than an individual of the group getting the spotlight, and dont say that shits quaint cause it ain't! mother”

I like this band a lot.