I often wonder why some bands don’t get the coverage (in Australia) they deserve. And when I say coverage, I mean Triple J airtime. I guess the short answer is that Triple J has to cater to a variety of tastes and the majority of Australian youth are veering away from rock in favour of dance music and hip-hop. While both these genres have something to offer, it’s a shame that quality bands can’t get a following big enough to warrant an Australian tour. Regrettably, Miniature Tigers falls into this category.
Typing ‘Miniature Tigers’ into J Play will incur a failed search result. 14,000 people ‘like’ them on Facebook. That’s 2000 more than Bernard Fanning’s ‘likes’ and almost twice as many as Little Birdy (both of whom have done extremely well in the Hottest 100). There are a lot of bands doing good things in America and Europe that are almost unknown here because the promotional powerhouses in Australia are doing a lacklustre job finding them. I understand Australian radio stations have an obligation to play Australian music, but wouldn’t it be nice if we had a few alternatives that weren’t so bogged down trying to appeal to everyone. Imagine jumping in your car and hearing Joy Division on your way to work (a band that ironically received “best song of all time” honours in 1989, but had only five airings in 2011). I guess the point of all this is some specialisation would be appreciated. A radio station for rock and roll, for hip-hop, for dance music (and so on) with a focus on new and well-established music. The new Unearthed station is a step in the right direction, I just hope Triple J don’t stop there with the expansion.
If you’ve made it this far, I commend your patience. Feel free to comment! Now on to the reason you’re here.
Miniature Tigers are an upbeat four-piece based in Brooklyn, New York. They have an indie pop-rock feel to them and their music reminds me a lot of bands like Vampire Weekend, The Thrills, Hungary Kids Of Hungary, Of Montreal and Ben Folds’ Five. They’ve released two infectious LPs, Tell It To The Volcano in 2008 and Fortress in 2010. They will have a new album out in early 2012 entitled Mia Pharoah. The first single is available for free download on the official website (Boomerang, link at the bottom). Check these guys out because their songs are catchy as hell.
Miniature Tigers – Bullfighter Jacket
Myspace – Wiki – Official Site – Facebook
