Stutter this week

Ahead of their headline slot at this week's Sabbatical show, Canberra's Spartak are performing in improv duos at Stutter. Sabbatical's own Leith Thomas will perform with Spartak's Shoeb Ahmad.

From the folks at Stutter:

his Wednesday the 22nd of July @ Stutter...

• SHOEB AHMAD (ACT) / LEITH THOMAS

• EVAN DORRIAN (ACT) / CANDLESNUFFER

• BIDDY CONNOR

• MATT EARLE (NSW)

• dj PART TIMER between the acts!

@ Horse Bazaar
397 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne

8:30pm start.
$10 (full) + $5 (conc)

Click here for Stutter Myspazz

Sabbatical presents: Spartak

Canberra's own Spartak return south for the second time in as many months. Sabbatical is presenting the final show on their Lost Signal EP launch tour. The group will be fighting fit from shows across Australia, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

On this occasion Spartak will also perform seperately, in duos with two icons of Melbourne improvisation. Shoeb Ahmad will take on Dave Brown's mighty Candlesnuffer in a wave of guitars, while drummer Evan Dorrian partners with the esteemed Adam Simmons. Opening the night will be the kraut-jams of Snawklor, in full swing with the extended 'big band' line-up.

As always, it's happening at the Old Bar (74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy), doors at 8.30pm, first group on at 9pm.

Spartak (ACT)
Candlesnuffer vs Shoeb Ahmad
Adam Simmons & Evan Dorrian
Snawklor

Copies of Spartak's Lost Signal wil be available on the night, along with the Sabbatical catalogue. Or, if you can't wait, pick a copy via the hellosQuare website.

Vital Weekly review 'Palisades'

The European-based review staple, Vital Weekly, has reviewed Sabbatical's latest release, Palisades, from James Rushford & Joe Talia.

JAMES RUSHFORD & JOE TALIA - PALISADES
(CDR by Sabbatical Records)

From downunder, Melbourne to be precise are James Rushford and Joe Talia. Together they play prepared viola (Rushford) and spring tank, beatsink, cymbals, woodblock, floor tom (Talia). That I would have never guessed. The four pieces here are highly drone based and work extensively in the field of overtones. Lengthy sustaining music of long held tones, and with a strict minimum of changing the menu of sounds. Only in the third track things are stretched apart and we can note the scraping of viola. The fourth piece (all untitled) sees them exploring this further with sounds that swirl loosely in a mass of natural reverb. The music below sounds like it has been made with sine waves, but I guess it isn't. Highly refined music this is. No doubt created through improvisation, but then I guess this is not their first result in doing so. I think after hefty experimentation they came to these results. An excellent release at that. Great music at work here. (FdW)

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Palisades is available from Australian independent record stores or direct from us here.