Phil Ballantyne - Vocals/Guitar
Damon Cox - Drums/Vocals
Darek Mudge - Guitar
Joel Potter - Bass
Request to hear Intercooler's 'All Coming Back To Me' or 'Wasted My Day' on triple j radio: SUPER REQUEST or send a text message to 1975 7 555 or call 1300 0555 36.
REVIEWS:
Time Off Magazine 'Carving Others' single review. Jan 2007...
The razor-sharp, killer riff, the intoxicating vocals and the shout-out-loud chorus are just the icing on the cake for this first single from Brisbane quartet Intercooler’s upcoming second record, Forever Or Whatever. Drawing you in and never letting go, ‘Carving Others’ is evidence that we have yet another potential major Brisbane national success story for 2007.
Having already won the Sunscreen Video competition with the clip to this very song, more national household name status is just around the corner. Intercooler are showing signs of a new level of songwriting with, and as such, their album should be high on your list of anticipated albums for this year.
Time Off Magazine 'Forever Or Whatever' album review. Feb 2007...
Studio time can make or break an album, and, after only ever hinting at their full potential, some extra tinkering with producer Magoo has paid huge dividends for indie guitar pop-rockers Intercooler. Forever Or Whatever is easily their finest collection of songs, but the lick, spit and polish of the studio has turned uncut stones into gems.
Florid opener ‘Sail This Into Me’ sets the agenda, with a delicate refrain swelling into grander territory on the back of Lord-esque organ (that’s Jon, not the saviour). Single ‘Carving Others’, ‘Destiny’ and the squelchy, snappy pop of ‘All Coming Back To Me’ are more in line with their past repertoire, yet it’s when Intercooler really shove the envelope that things get interesting - see how the spectre of George Harrison sits on the shoulder of ‘Situations’, or the way the moodiness of ‘Come Back Down’ is amplified by the creeping arrangement.
In a clever ploy, Intercooler fire on all cylinders on the home stretch with the looped, siren soul of ‘Hold Me Again’, the question-is-the answer puzzle of ‘My Problem’ and kiddie-choir backed majesty of ‘OK Girl’.
As the title Forever Or Whatever intimates, depending on its success or failure, this could be Intercooler’s defining coming-of-age or last roll of the dice. Whatever, it deserves a hearty, wide embrace. Don’t dare leave this one unloved.
4 1/2 stars
Rave Magazine 'Forever Or Whatever' album review. Feb 2007...
Album Of The Week
With their debut album being released way back in 2002, it’s taken locals Intercooler quite a while to return with a follow-up. But better late than never, especially when this 14-tracker meets all expectations and then some. With the renowned Magoo joining the band at the production desk, they’ve obviously gone about their task methodically – just listen to the careful layering that’s gone on in opening track Sail This Into Me just for starters – but haven’t stayed there long enough to overcook it all. And, in a neat blend of the fresh and the familiar, they kept their well-honed knack for mixing up crisp melodies and more crafted stuff, but add newer dimensions to it all this time around. So, whether it’s the singalong pop of Wasted My Day, complete with handclaps, gritty but brisk rockers like Move From My Way (deliciously retro without being slavishly so), OK Girl’s acoustic guitar strum and anchored cellos lifting off with a children’s choir, or the anthemic crunch of Carving Others, this is the sound of ambitions being well and truly realised.
In New York recently, they rated Brisbane as one of the cities to watch for new music. Is it too much to suggest Intercooler may be one of the reasons why?
4 stars
Time Off Magazine live review. The Zoo, Brisbane Feb 2007...
As The Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Sticking With You’ fades out, Intercooler emerge to launch their second album Forever Or Whatever, and from square one they are jaw-dropping. Opening with three of the best riffs on the new album (‘Destiny’, ‘Carving Others’, and ‘Move From My Way’), the lads stunningly put their best foot forward in a manner that’d perhaps even please riff-maestro Keith Richards. After taking a minute to catch their breath and address the crowd, they jump into ‘Situations’, and frontman Phil Ballantyne then gees up punters with his shrilled vocal tones on ‘Pop Clothes’. The sweet melody of this song’s chorus morphs into a blinding solo by guitarist Darek Mudge, who throughout the night puts his very tasty, shit-hot flourishes over every tune.
As the drum intro of ‘All Coming Back To Me’ is pounded out with metronome-like precision, Ballantyne prefaces the song by revealing that it’s a true story. After the super-fucking cool ‘Wasted My Day’, Ballantyne grabs an acoustic and Darek jumps on keys for the pleadingly honest album opener ‘Sail This Into Me’.
Intercooler almost beat U2 at their own game with the sublime ‘Hold Me Again’, before inviting four female friends onstage for album (and show) closer ‘OK Girl’. The added cello and harmonies give this song a beautifully lush feel, and the crowd’s cries of “We want more” are met with an encore of two older songs. Playing note-perfect renditions of practically every song on Forever Or Whatever, Intercooler have pulled off a performance that won’t be forgotten for a long time.
A Mexican guitar was the catalyst for the formation of Intercooler in 2001. Had it been made in the US, perhaps the story would read a little differently.
Jaded by the ‘struggling artist’ cliché, Joel Potter (bass) hung up his instrument and pissed off to the UK, perhaps resigned to the fact that running around in circles for the sake of music wasn’t worth it.
Meanwhile, back in Oz, vocalist and guitarist Phil Ballantyne was getting restless. He knew of the possibilities he and Potter could explore if they gave it an honest shot. An epiphany of sorts occurred when the guitar Ballantyne had his sights on turned out to be a sub-standard Mexican copy and unfavourable trade for his beloved Telecaster. Not interested, he took the $1400 on offer, added a further $12 and bought himself a plane ticket to London to drag Potter home.
Arriving back home two months before Potter, Ballantyne enlisted the services of drummer Damon Cox and guitarist Michael Caso (later replaced by Darek Mudge), and the Intercooler line-up was almost complete. As though they were organising a show for a homecoming queen, the three put all they could into developing their raw rock sound for Potter’s return. So impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of his band mates, who had been slogging away at it for the past couple of months, Potter’s inspiration for music was rediscovered.
In late 2002, Intercooler released it’s debut Old School Is The New School, to critical acclaim. The band’s crossover of pop/rock, sophisticated melody, strong hooks, layered harmonies and rhythmic beats ensured the tunes were a winning combination for the listening public. Triple j radio, Fly TV, Rage, MTV and Channel [V] showed their support by instantly adding tracks from Intercooler’s debut to their playlists.
Following the release of the album, Intercooler toured up and down the east coast of Australia, playing alongside some of Australia’s biggest names including The Living End, The Casanovas, Dallas Crane and Grinspoon – and supported international acts Teenage Fanclub, The Buzzcocks, Gomez and Maximo Park.
Continuing it’s progress, Intercooler went on to play the Big Day Out and Livid festivals in 2003. That same year the band also toured the US and supported Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queens Of The Stone Age. With such a positive response from US audiences, Intercooler headed back to the US in 2004 and 2005 for further tours.
Somewhere amongst all this activity, the boys managed to release their EP Dance Of A Thousand Promises – also a hit, spending 41 weeks in the top 20 of the Australian Independent Charts. And Intercooler doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
2006 saw the boys play the Big Day Out again, and lock themselves away in the
studio to record their second album. Produced with Magoo (Midnight Oil, Regurgitator, Butterfingers), the album flaunts the evolution of Intercooler over the past five years. The band’s signature pop/rock sound is still there, but teamed now with elements of electronica, beats, mature harmonies and melody – it’s an album that proudly crosses boundaries, a courageous body of work that’s both daring and sincere.
Intercooler’s sophomore album entitled Forever Or Whatever is out now on Plus One Records/Shock.
Forever Or Whatever
Out Now!
Tracklisting:
1. Sail This Into Me
2. Destiny
3. Carving Others
4. All Coming Back To Me
5. Wasted My Day
6. Situations
7. Futures Created
8. Come Back Down
9. Navigate This
10. Move From My Way
11. Pop Clothes
12. Hold Me Again
13. My Problem
14. Ok Girl
hey boys! good to hear you plugged & played on Nova the other day. Just thought i should let you know i'm playing Rics Sunday 18 May 4pm, w/ Merri-May Gill as very funny and special guest support. Cheers- Fi Claus :>
hey boys! good to hear you plugged & played on Nova the other day. Just thought i should let you know i'm playing Rics Sunday 18 May 4pm, w/ Merri-May Gill as very funny and special guest support. Cheers- Fi Claus :>
Tym guitars is opening a new shop at 715 Ann street, the Valley this Sat, 19th April. Over 100 second hand guitars and also pedals, amps, hire gear etc. It's THE BEST guitar shop in Brisbane. Trust me. Come and check it out, you won't believe it.
Hey, thanks for accepting the add. I dug out some old papers the other day and have an old bio of yours from about 10 years ago when I had a booking agency. Nice to see it's all working out. Keep up the great work and your site looks awesome. Cheers for now, Mustang Sally
THE WOMBATS (DJ SET), CHILDREN COLLIDE (DJ SET), RUDIE 2 SHOES (4ZZZ) & THE ONE AND ONLY VVC ARE ALL CRASHING OUR HOUSE!! AND ITS FREE!! WHO'S COMING???
Hey boys.. hhmhm, excuse me, men. Karyn here, from nYc. Just dropping by to say hi and to tell you "Come Back Down" sounds great. As if you didn't already know that. Sorry I had to bail early on your last visit- I wasn't feeling too well. If I ever make it down there you can bail early on me, as revenge. I have to run now; Zoey just locked herself in my room, and I can hear her begging me to help her out. Happy Valentine's Day!
how was the show at the cross on the night of the 11th?
i'm that girl that was wearing the Big Bird shirt at your Utopia instore by the way. haha. which might i add, was absolutely amazing! i had sooo much listening to you guys and Hytest, hope you did too!
thanks for such a great gig, i'll make sure i come to more of your gigs in the future!
Devil's Kitchen Festival is back in '08 at The Step Inn on the 2nd of Feb in The Valley and the lineup is awesome!
If you want to save some $$ - Early bird tix are on sale now at http://home.oztix.com.au - or click on the poster below... best be quick, cause it will sell out!
