Every once and a while a band blasts out of Australia and lands on U.S. soil to make their mark on the rock scene. Melbourne's Children Collide first blazed a smoking trail on rock radio Down Under that is still smoldering. Now, as they wrap up their first-ever, and from all accounts, successful, U.S. tour this month, the band is gearing up for next month's Australian tour with Jane's Addiction.

The band's new album, The Long Way, was released last month in the U.S. Children Collide got their first real exposure in the U.S. at 2007's South By Southwest conference in Austin. The band has been compared to Nirvana, Fugazi, Sonic Youth and The Vines, among other popular rock bands.

The Long Way was produced by Dave Sardy (Dandy Warhols, Oasis, Wolfmother, Jet) and so far its lead single, "Social Currency", has been played more than 125,000 times on the band's MySpace page. Children Collide's publicist describes the "disco-political" track as "a slap in the face to the pseudo-cool club kids with a dose of rock-n-roll reality." Other notable songs on the album include the riveting "Chosen Armies", the catchy "Brave Robot" and the dark appeal of "Skeleton Dance". The album was originally released in Australia last fall.

While alternative rock has suffered a setback in recent years - partly due to the saturation of indie pop - band members Johnny MacKay (vocals/guitar), Heath Crawley (bass) and Ryan Caesar (drums) are doing their part to keep it alive and kicking.

"Social Currency" - Children Collide from The Long Way (2009)

"Chosen Armies" - Children Collide from The Long Way (2009)

Check out Children Collide on MySpace and a new 'how-you-want-to-see-it' video of "Chosen Armies" from the official website for Children Collide.

The band's upcoming shows:

June 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Khyber
June 27 - Allston, MA - Harpers Ferry
June 28 - New York, NY - Mercury Bar
June 29 - Washington, DC - DC9

Children Collide - 'Social Currency'

Note: Yes, it is true, according to the band's MySpace page, that they are signed with a major label. As I have made clear in the past, sometimes there are great bands and musicians who are a product of, or a purchase of, a major label. It is not logical to simply toss away a great band for that reason alone (yet it's still like 'ah, duuuuuude.'). Now that the major label's are creating or funding dozens of smaller, "independent" labels, it will become harder and harder to make this distinction.

That said, at the end of the day, the best music, in my opinion, is created by independent labels and unsigned musicians and bands. Rarely do they does it stay that way once outsiders start meddling and dictating. Part of this blame goes to the bands and artists themselves; for example, The Decemberists. So, again, it's a complicated issue all around. Few things in life are ever "all good".

Labels: Alternative Rock, Indie Artist/Group Profiles

For garage rock lovers who dig 1970s classic guitar rock with plenty of slow jams - meaning longer songs - the brand new release from Weird Owl is worth checking out.

On the whole, there are some solid rock songs on this album, but Weird Owl would do even better to instill more variation in their songs. Hopefully the next release will see Weird Owl step it up and break out more. They have the elements to make more captivating rock like The White Stripes and The Strokes.

As one EMusic observer put it, there is "much needed personality to the sleepy locomotion of the songs." That quote hits it on the head. But still, this is a decent debut rock album for music lovers inclined to a chilled out experience heavy on electric ooze.

"Do What Th' Owl Wilt" - Weird Owl from self-titled debut
"Skeletelepathic" - Weird Owl from self-titled debut

Stream more songs at Weird Owl's MySpace page. *

* Just a minor note to the band: The page background color makes it really hard to read stuff.

Other posts this week:

New Indie Rock Songs from Throw Me The Statue and Papercuts - 2/20/09
More Best Indie Albums of 2008: Person Pitch by Panda Bear - 2/19/09
M. Ward's New Release 'Hold Time' - 2/18/09
Laura Gibson Artist Profile and Upcoming Release - 2/16/09...plus, new releases from Ben Kweller, Bishop Allen and The Decemberists (2/12/09).

Labels: 2009 Releases, Alternative Rock, Weird Owl