Band Together : Music Reviews

 Dice – I Thought the Altitude Would Make It Worth the View Dice Roll a Winner - laid‑back, confident second chapter from one of WA’s brightest alt‑rock crews Dice have returned with their second album — and with a title long enough to need its own boarding pass. I Thought the Altitude Would Make It Worth the View marks a big leap for the Perth four‑piece, who packed their bags and headed to the States to work with the Big Dog heavyweight producer Joe Chiccarelli. The result? A warm, catchy, easy‑to‑sink‑into record that feels like a band levelling up without losing their charm. The album hits you straight away with how rounded it feels. Dice aren’t trying to reinvent themselves they’re sharpening what already works. You get the upbeat, windows down singalongs (Cooler, Loose Change, Call Me For a Good Time), the softer glow of Stars, and those mid‑tempo tracks that sit right in the pocket. It’s a proper mix where nothing feels out of place. One of the standout strengths is Hodgey...

Listening to Silversun Pickups since 2009, this show felt like 15 years of anticipation finally coming to life. So when the chance came to travel to Sydney to see them, I jumped. Catch and Release was the song that hooked me all those years ago, and I’ve followed every album since. For anyone who knows SSPU, Brian Aubert’s honeyed voice is the centrepiece — youthful, twangy, unmistakable. Nikki Monninger’s backing vocals and irresistible bass, Joe Lester’s sorrow‑tinged keys, and Chris Guanlao’s relentless drumming complete the sound. But the moment Brian spoke, it was clear something was wrong. Instead of that honeyed tone, he was drinking honey tea. The final show of their Australian tour — and he had lost his voice. As the music kicked in, the crucial ingredient was missing, and I found myself on a soul‑destroying journey, yearning for a voice that never arrived. I tried closing my eyes, focusing hard, hoping to catch the melody, but it slipped away. The one shining moment was P...