Record of the Week: New Centre of the Universe Vol 3 compilation LP

Various: New Centre of the Universe Vol 3 12” (Anti Fade) Brilliant compilation album from thi Australian label that is taking the world by storm. There’s a lot of buzz around Australian punk, post-punk and indie music lately, and Anti Fade Records seems to have their finger particularly close to the pulse, as we can see by this compilation. Interestingly, the label’s description notes that on this volume they’re moving away from punk-derived music in favor of “a more relaxed and easy listening record.” That certainly made me skeptical going in, but after one listen I was sold on this comp. The highlights are the bands that I knew already; the impossibly great Parsnips (I can’t wait to hear a full-length from them!), Alien Nosejob (whose track here is pretty punk-sounding TBH), Terry, the Shifters, and Vintage Crop, but there isn’t a skip-worthy song here in my opinion. If you get down with the softer side of punk/indie (i.e. you own releases on labels like Flying Nun and Sarah Records) I think you’ll be just as smitten.