Don't know how many people on here are actually from Aus...but Aussie groups like 'The Grates', 'Architecture in Helsinki' and 'The Drones' have all received high praise from pitchfork and there are plenty of others releasing great material (gerling, gyroscope, the mess hall, morning after girls, the panics, regurgitator, theredsunband, wolf and cub, youth group)

Just thought I'd make known my appreciation for Australian indie music...which seems to be particularly strong atm.
discuss...

Hey. I was browsing through this forum and couldn't help but feel the need to reply to your thread.
I'm from Australia and you're right, there is a lot of excellent indie music coming out of Australia at the moment.
'The Grates' are releasing a new album next month so I am sure that'll promote them even further.
The other bands you mentioned are also excellent, check out Brisbane's 'Transport', Melebourne's 'The Casanovas' and 'The Gin Club'
If you're intersted, I'll tell you some others.
Reply...

Warren Ellis is a genius, whether with The Dirty Three, Nick Cave, or probably just tuning up...
So now my fine friend - you can tell me some others, and I shall listen attentively, and make absolutely no Aussie jokes, lest they boomerang on me...

I saw the grates live about a month ago as a support act at a gig. I'd never heard of them before and thought they were pretty good but the frontwoman was incredible, I've never seen anyone that happy... just looking at her made me smile

in my opinion, the best australian band right now is 'the panda band' from perth. they have a myspace if anyone cares:

www.myspace.com/thepandaband

their debut album comes out in august too.

You Am I are one of the favourite bands of all time, Paul Kelly is up there amongst the best singer/songwriters, and the Drones are one of the best newish bands I've heard for a while. Another singer/songwriter I love is Darren Hanlon. His lyrics are superb.

I guess by the look of the lack of replies, no one really cares about our great country.....or at least the great music of our great country.

Stocky - you will win the heart of MarkF on this forum with praising the great Paul Kelly. Total agreeance from myself with his foggy highway of last year being a superb trip down the bluegrass road.

The Drones are my fave band at the moment. Saw them in Syd earlier this year, and were just brilliant. They play with You Am I soon in Canberra (where I'm from) and could well be the gig of the year.

Machine Translations are the most consistent Aussie band - J, being one of our most talented musicians.

As I have said here before, Melbourne live scene rivals the best in the world, and if your not familiar, just get down to either 'The tote', 'the Corner', 'the Espy', 'Ding Dong', 'St Geromes', 'Spanish Club' Northcote Social Club' or many others, any day of the week. They have great local and international stuff, like no where else in Aust.

sadly, Canberra isn't quite the same.

Several people around here love some Australian bands. I just haven't posted in here before because I'll come off like a broken record in my love for Hoodoo Gurus, Paul Kelly (almost God), You Am I, Yothu Yindi, Lime Spiders, Saints, Midnight Oil, etc. I better check out the Drones.

I was thinkin'. I have this vinyl called Love Planet from the early '80s by Painters and Dockers. I think they're from Melbourne. Has anybody heard that crazy band?

You mentioned some great Australian bands, mark. I've heard Painters & Dockers only from a track or two on some comps I have.

More great artists from Australia I enjoy are DM3, The Chevelles, Danny McDonald, Sunnyboys, Spectrum, Breadmakers, Blackfeather, Summer Sons and The Pyramidiacs, among many others. Any music associated with Dom Mariani (DM3, Stems, Stoneage Hearts, Lime Spiders, etc etc) is automatically buyable by me. Some great surf instrumental from down under includes GT Stringer and the Atlantics.