Aussie Exports and Expats Rock Chicago
By Veronica Murtagh in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 7, 2009 5:00PM
Melbourne quartet The Drones first hit stateside radars with their 2006 album Gala Hill. American fans quickly forged a bond with the band, responding to the overwhelming sense of integrity in their politically charged rock. Labels took equal note of the enigmatic four-piece act, and in 2007 Spaceland Recordings released a live album recorded at LA rock venue, Spaceland.
This year sees the return of The Drones with a full American tour and the release of their fourth album, Havilah. Recorded in isolation, in a house deep in the foothills of Mt. Buffalo, Victoria, Havilah sees the band at their rawest and most emotive to date. Gareth Liddiard's thickly accented vocals sweep, dishevel and puncture the gentle, blues-tinged instrumentation provided by his bandmates. Havilah is a rare rock album that pushes the boundaries with just the right amount of controlled chaos.
Back when CDs were still passed amongst friends and we subscribed to magazines, foreign musicians hoping to launch their careers stateside packed their bags and relocated. Australian native Tania Bowers began her career alongside her sister in early Nineties noise pop outfit Spdfgh, touring Sydney and opening for the likes of The Breeders and Bikini Kill. Bowers relocated to Chicago in the late Nineties, coining her current performance moniker, Via Tania.
Four years after Via Tania's debut album, Under A Different Sky, Bowers prepares to release her much anticipated followup, Moon Street Moon. Fans of current "It" girl Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes will find a common thread in the dreamy, slumberous tunes of Via Tania. It's easy to draw comparison between the similarly ethereal and haunting melodies of the two women, but while Khan hides behind strategically crafted alter egos and an embellished, costumed exterior, Bowers wears her soul on her sleeve and possesses a maturity of talent that doesn't need a gimmick to connect an audience.
The Drones play with Via Tania and Puerto Muerto & The Balkeners tonight, April 7, at Schubas, 3159 N Southport, 9 p.m., $12 at door, 21+.
Photos via The Drones' and Via Tania's myspace pages