Parallel Lines on a Slow Decline

PLOASD Has Moved! Please update links if you link here.

2010-12-09T08:41:00.006+10:00

Hi all. I've had some time off 'real' work this week, which means I've had time to 'upgrade' PLOASD to a hosted wordpress CMS. Blogger has been convenient, but it's hardly the greatest platform ever for doing what I want to do.

This means that I will be no longer updating the blogger. The DNS listing for http://ploasd.com will change to the new wordpress address soon (if not already), so hopefully you won't get lost.

If you've linked here, simply change your link to http://ploasd.com and everything will be dandy.

Otherwise, this will redirect you to the new site very very soon.

New Future of the Left Demos

2010-12-07T00:58:00.005+10:00

If you don't like Future of the Left, leave immediately. I'm serious. The alternative rock/punk band that will perpetually live with the label 'that which was mclusky' are on the cusp of releasing a new record (sometime in the new year) and they're about to head to Australia to play a run of shows with their new line-up, which includes Julia Ruzicka on bass (who replaces the most awesome Kelson Mathias - Julia is also Australian) and a new guitarist, Jimmy Watkins.

I'm excited to say that they've released a few early demos for our appreciation, and the early signs are grand indeed. You can have a listen to them by clicking here. 'I am the Least of Your Problems' is particularly abrasive and completely awesome. The rest of the tracks are promising as well.

I was fortunate to talk to Falco a few weeks back for Rave Magazine and he was a super good bloke. The interview will appear in that publication sometime soon (i.e. when I get round to actually writing it up, tomorrow I swear). They play the Zoo on January 3 and I guarantee it will be brutal (having been to past FoTL & Mclusky shows).

Here's a classic live 'cover' of Mclusky classic Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues to get you in the mood.

Tenda McFly - The.Story.Of.My.Life

2010-12-07T00:20:00.005+10:00

I'm not shy in admitting that I'm not a huge fan of current trends in hip-hop. Commercialisation almost destroyed it. A whole bunch of annoying idiots got involved in making fairly sub-standard music. The Australian versions have been almost as bad, and much derided and I think, in many respects, for good reason. Still some people are plugging along and creating some interesting stuff.

Some time ago, I received an email from a Brisbane hip-hop artist by the name of Tenda McFly, but didn't get a chance to listen to his stuff until tonight. He has created a free mix tape for download that is surprisingly catchy. He uses a bunch of well known indie songs and adds in rapping and other beats to make something that fairly interesting. Artists include Grizzly Bear, Regina Spektor, Jamie T and The XX.

You can download the record for yourself and have a listen [ here --> http://tendamcfly.bandcamp.com/album/thestoryofmylife]

Review: Jinja Safari - Self Titled.

2010-11-29T22:16:00.004+10:00

I did this a while back now. My mind hasn't changed. My original tag line was 'forest rock needs a bit of logging'. Seriously, this feels like anti-music. I appreciate musicianship and all those fancy things that make those waves coming out of the radio palatable, but Jinja Safari annoy me. How is this innovative? Its just the same fleet foxes/bon iver/mumford & sons/vampire weekend crap all over again. And to title it 'forest rock', makes me want to punch a tree in the face.

With the benefit of hindsight, I think I was being too kind in the review.

Marcus Azon and Pepa Knight of Jinja Safari have come a long way in a short period of time. Triple J awarded the band the privilege of opening this year’s Splendour In The Grass festival, they secured the support on the upcoming Art Vs Science tour and also invented the genre of ‘forest rock’ – a whirlwind coming of age, particularly when you consider that the group only played its first show in May. Their debut self-titled EP reveals glimpses of both prodigious talent and slick marketing. The first two tracks, Mud and the lauded Peter Pan, are enjoyable enough, making good use of non-conventional instruments. However, the EP becomes weighed down by complex songs with overwrought instrumentation that becomes increasingly distracting, such as on Vagabond and Forest Eyes. Clearly in the mould of Vampire Weekend and Animal Collective, it’s hard to shake the feeling the Jinja Safari are exploring all too familiar territory.

Originally in Rave Magazine.

Record Review: The Mercy Beat - How to Shampoo a Yak

2010-11-20T18:23:00.002+10:00

This is a great local hard-rock album, despite its strange title. Reminds me a lot of Helmet and The Mark of Cain. Saw them play at the opening of The Alley, but the sound was terrible.

The debut record of local hard rock outfit The Mercy Beat does not seem to contain explicit instructions on how to clean Himalayan bovine. Instead, the Brisbane quartet offer a journey into a realm where guitar riffs are hard currency. Landing somewhere between Kyuss and Helmet, The Mercy Beat valiantly attempt to recreate the electric atmosphere for which their live shows are renowned. For the most part this strategy succeeds, as demonstrated on tracks such as Arouzin Yispouse and I Was Born Yesterday, where the band opts to jump out of the gates guitars blazing. 2 Nein No, perhaps the record’s most interesting track, deftly uses dissonant lead riffs and punk-inspired rhythms to describe the perils of Devo-inspired dance floor chaos. While it can occasionally feel that a few of the slower numbers want for an injection of tempo, The Mercy Beat’s debut record is ultimately a satisfying experience

.

Originally in Rave Magazine.

Record Review: At Sea - In Transit

2010-11-16T22:21:00.005+10:00

This was one of my first indie reviews for Rave Magazine, local act At Sea. I was still getting used to describing entire releases in only a few sentences (I still am). In Transit proved to be an enjoyable release. I've yet to check them out live, but it is something I look forward to when they start playing again.

Indulging in the moodiness of alt-country and garage rock, local quintet At Sea demonstrate adept songwriting on their second EP, In Transit, built around sounds reminiscent of Echo & The Bunnymen and Mark Lanegan. On this release, At Sea showcase their ability to create gothic inflections that speak in tones of premonition and dread, evident on tracks such as Doll and Weapon. Neon Lights shows psychedelic edges, meandering towards a climax spurred on by some neat vocal repetition (“You are my saviour”) courtesy of the charming Lauren Walker. Zero X Zero proves the most memorable offering, largely due to its addictive guitar hook evoking the likes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. However, some tracks suffer from the overpowering use of reverb that occasionally obscures Walker’s vocals. Despite this, In Transit shows a group heading in a positive direction.

Seems At Sea will have to content with new local up-and-comers Inland Sea for the battle of the band names. Some may get confused!

Originally in Rave Magazine.

Spotlight: His Merry Men

2010-11-14T12:58:00.005+10:00

I don't usually like funk or that popular swing type jazz stuff. For instance, I find The Cat Empire are vomit-inducing. However, local group His Merry Men seem an enticing prospect.

I randomly stumbled into Rics on Friday evening, drunk, and ill suited for music appreciation (I blame my Irish cousin for my state of mind). His Merry Men started to play, and by gosh, they were a lot of fun.

Composed of percussion, bass, guitar, keys, and not one but THREE sax players. Vocalist Megan Crocombe has that sultry voice that's well suited to the funk aesthetic and I really enjoyed the little jigs that sax players would bust out, the enjoyment heightened by my level of inebriation.

A few songs were particularly well done, such as Bobby Got and Been Around, both which you can hear on Myspace and TripleJ Unearthered. Though their recordings do sound a bit generic (in the sense that I find many jazz/funk numbers to all sound very similar, but my knowledge of this genre is fairly limited), but as a live band, I think they're great.

Bobby Got-The HiFi

His Merry Men | Myspace Music Videos

Looks like they play the Joynt on December 3 and Rics again on December 12. Attendance recommended.

Troubled Thoughts on a Troubled Legacy

2010-11-12T07:28:00.001+10:00

Published on Collapse Board a few days ago.

“Brisbane has a brilliant music scene. Since I moved to San Francisco, I’ve struggled to get my new friends interested in local music in San Francisco. Their view is that when you have interstate or international touring acts playing in our venues every night for like $15 dollars, why the fuck would you go see some no name neighbourhood kids mess around on guitars, playing music that isn’t on the radio?” – Friend and former Brisbane resident, D.Kelso, circa 2009.

OK, so my friend Kelso didn’t exactly say that, rather something very close to that.

You get the gist, right? We’re pretty fucking lucky to have what we have here, but often we can’t see the woods for the trees. Sure, we miss the occasional international act, something I’m guilty of bleating about, but the payoff is that anyone who can play G, D, and A on a guitar can start a band and walk on stage, and people will pay to go see you and (sometimes) listen. Occasionally, they might even buy your music. That’s pretty much the definition of a vibrant music scene.

However, if those musicians have nowhere to perform, how long can scenes hope to survive?

Recent events have again brought into focus Brisbane’s fairly dire record of allowing its own cultural and musical heritage to shrivel and die. The stories are well-known. Cloudland, Festival Hall, The Rev and The Arena, all gone for a variety of reasons, and it seems that those in power did little to help these places stay afloat. In the case of Cloudland, they were directly culpable. Other places, such as the Regent cinema, the government is content to sit idly by and let greed triumph over history.

In the past few weeks, there have been more announcements of imminent closures of places where people can go and support local, interstate and international touring artists, including The Globe in Fortitude Valley and the LoFly Hangar in Red Hill. Now Brisbane finds itself facing a future without the iconic Troubadour, one of the few remaining bastions of live music within the so-called ‘entertainment district’ of Fortitude Valley.

With the unfortunate benefit of hindsight, many will think that the Troubadour’s closure was not exactly unexpected. The drunken masses that prowl Brunswick Street mall on the weekends have turned the once unique and quirky Valley into something akin to hell. It’s hard to blame any particular group, or class, or person – after all, if you’re reading this and you’re from Brisbane, you’ve probably been guilty of getting drunk in the Valley – but it’s safe to say that the area has fallen victim to its own popularity. What’s depressing is that genuinely fun places to go hang out either get bought out or, in the case of the Troubadour, are forced out by circumstance. True, other venues have popped up to fill in the gaps, but dedicated music venues like The Troubadour are rare (with the obvious exception of The Zoo). All these developments highlight an immediate problem, a sudden dwindling in opportunities for local musicians to ply their wares. West End has been touted as a possibility, but apart from the HiFi, the options are fairly limited there.

Many will take solace in the burgeoning success of a number of DIY venues and art spaces that have been popping up around the city over the past two years. I’m referring to places such as Burst City, Woodland and The Alley. These places are great, but they may not be sustainable long-term solutions. Inevitably, the arm of regulation will reach out to discipline these communities; raucous live music often does not sit well with inner-city residents and/or the police.

With the Brisbane City Council and the State government pumping money into the arts, it seems strange that venues are closing down at an alarming rate. I wonder if any of the relevant authorities has rang up Jamie and Corinna of the Troubadour and said, “What can we do to make sure you guys stay open?”

There seems no obvious solution at the moment. I would tentatively suggest nurturing the DIY scene and commissioning some serious research into the music scene in Brisbane and the best way to assist venues stay afloat. It seems that at a time when people are complaining that venue lockouts will kill live music culture in Brisbane, ignorance might do it first.

Record Review: The Marsden Lees -Vices

2010-11-10T18:09:00.004+10:00

Occasionally I feel a bit bad about giving a band a verbal tongue lashing. The Marsden Lees are from the Sunshine Coast, they clearly have some talent, but need to develop their own sound, rather than attempting to mimic the whole UK post-punk thing (i.e. The Kooks, The Libertines, Razorlight). Give them a few years, I think they might come good.

The Marsden Lees’ debut will make teenage girls weak at the knees. Suitably named Vices, it explores leitmotifs like girls, alcohol and cigarettes. The Marsden Lees show unabashed affection for the British post-punk revival aesthetic, vocalist Aaron Wynn sounding uncannily similar to Luke Pritchard of The Kooks – perhaps a bit too similar. Opener Midnight Run is a solid and well-crafted single using clean electric guitar tone in the vein of Razorlight, while Sarah embraces an upbeat ska-like tempo and a neat chorus vocal hook that just screams sing-a-long. However, the EP gradually becomes less exciting. I’m confused by what seems like false British accentuation of the lyrics, which, by the time I get to In the Water, becomes frustrating. Overall satisfactory, but perhaps more innovation in song dynamics might not go astray.

You can listen to 'Pretty Little Girls' which doesn't appear on the Vices EP, but gives you an indication of what I'm talking about with the whole Kooks thing.

Originally published in Rave Magazine.

Record Review: Sweet Jane - Sugar For My Soul

2010-11-09T19:37:00.005+10:00

I've been a bit busy (as usual) but still doing lots of music writing. I've been doing indie reviews for Rave Magazine over the past few months. Lots of records get sent there and occasionally you pick up stuff that is quite interesting. Here is my review of Irish rock band Sweet Jane, and they're not too band. They do sound a lot like the Ravoenettes and our own Bonfire Nights.. Review follows.

From the moment opening track Bleed begins to seep through the speakers, I know I’m on to a winner with Sugar For My Soul, the debut record from Irish rock act Sweet Jane. They weave their way through the better days of Britpop, such as on the meandering Something For My Soul, to the more contemporary stripped-back rock sound of The Raveonettes, Where’s Your Money being a pertinent exemplar. The curiously named Danda and Lydia Des Dolles share vocal duties, the songs dealing with a predictable set of foibles: love, romance and the lack thereof. Sounds conventional, but the songwriting is surprisingly strong throughout. From the yearning Black Eyes, with its distinctive tremolo guitar riff underscoring a sense of grief, to the smile-inducing fun of You’re Making This Hard, a song where dissonance, dream pop and jangly melodies intersect, Sugar For My Soul’s strength is in its consistency.

Have a listen to 'You're Making This Hard'. This version is a lot slower than the record version for some reason.

Originally published in Rave Magazine.

Bonfire Nights...Underground

2010-11-08T22:04:00.001+10:00

I'm a big fan of Bonfire Nights. This great video of them playing in some kind of storm water drain is particularly good. Enjoy.

Art Of Noises Presents Bonfire Nights from Art Of Noises on Vimeo.

WTF Troubadour

2010-11-05T07:24:00.004+10:00

Well, the news is well and truly out. The Troubadour is closing down for good. It seems that this place has been synonymous with Brisbane music for God knows how long (its been a while, though I do recall it being a bad hip-hop/dance bar called Mantra before it became the Troubadour). This is particularly bad for live music in the city, considering that LoFly and The Globe are also ceasing operations as live music venues.

Pretty much anyone who has been in a band here has played there, pretty much anyone who is even remotely fond of local music would have been here. Man, even one of my bands played the joint.

Here are a few gigs and moments that I've enjoyed from various jaunts to the Troubadour.

Jens Lekman (2005)
Appearing with full band, the Swedish troubadour charmed the audience with songs from Oh You're So Silent Jens. A particularly great version of the 'Cold Swedish Winter' using some sort of music box as his accompaniment.

Neko Case (2005 or 2006)
This was Neko's tour for The Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. I heard Neko was a bit narky at sound check, but this didn't carry over to her live show. Absolutely amazing. Her voice was triumphant.

There are countless more, but those two really stand out in my mind.

As I wrote on a forum somewhere, I do remember some local musicians challenging the drummer from Okkervil River to a yo-yo competition. That was hilarious to watch.

Does anyone watching here have any memories they want to share?

Adieu LoFly

2010-10-22T09:03:00.003+10:00

You've probably heard the news, the LoFly Hangar is going to be closing down in December.

It seems that the local Red Hill residents are not too fond of the thump of bass drums causing their lattes to spill all over their kitchen tables. Or that their patience is beginning to wear thin. Either way, the label has decided to go out on a good note and close the venue for the time being.

The last show is scheduled for December 11th.

I only went a handful of times, but these types of places are almost the lifeblood of the Brisbane music scene, particularly now considering Fortitude Valley has gone to hell.

Thankfully the excellent Burst City still survive and is playing host to a great event this weekend - Dick Nasty / Per Purposes / Scraps / Meat Thump

Songs About Brisbane - The Stress of Leisure

2010-10-08T13:05:00.001+10:00

[Written initially for Collapse Board, but cross posted here]

So Andrew McMillen’s great coverage of Robert Forster’s ’15 Songs About Brisbane’ is the starting point for another article about artists who have used Brisbane as a muse, a setting in which to create their own myths. The Saints (‘Brisbane City’), Custard (‘Caboolture Speed Lab’) and Sekiden (‘BNE’) have all titled songs with obvious references to Brisbane locations and surrounding areas. I’m sure there are many others.

I want to concentrate on a more recent song by The Stress of Leisure, a local group that has evolved from the recordings of Ian Powne. He has a Pavement/Jarvis Cocker thing going on, but often moves into The Go-Betweens territory, investing tunes with the characteristic striped sunlight sound that is so familiar within many songs that concentrate on the city. It seems Forster and McClennan’s influence is undeniably pervasive when it comes to Brisbane.

The Stress of Leisure’s recent album, Soft Approach, an all-round excellent record, features a song called ‘Death On The Magic Mile’. It’s a sinister sounding tune, featuring overdriven guitars alternating between several low-end notes in the verse and a relatively bright and jangly chorus. The lyrical content refers specifically to ‘The Magic Mile’, which, for those who haven’t spent much time in Brisbane, refers to a stretch of Ipswich Road in the South Side suburb of Moorooka famous for an extensive array of car dealerships. Listening to the lyrics, I find it hard to pin down an exact meaning – could it refer to shady car-deals? Dodgy salespeople? I’m not sure. A look at the video for the song still has me puzzled, but there are many shots of the area, the band driving about in a Ford Mustang.

Curious, I contacted Ian Powne.

Hi Ian, I’ve listened intently to ‘Death On The Magic Mile’ and I have a few possible interpretations, but I was wondering what was the exact story you intended to tell with this song?

“I’ve wondered myself about possible storylines, and I’m not being pretentious or elusive when I say this: the song just happened. I think I have this romantic association with the Magic Mile for some reason and well, I’m basically trying to corrupt people into thinking there’s more going on at the Magic Mile than they’ve historically conceived.

“You’ve got the verses where I briefly describe the setting such as the caravans and caryards, adult shop. This all contributes to the backdrop. The chorus just came out like it did, possibly a reflection of someone who is obsessed with their own mortality. I think the lyrics in the chorus are of someone looking back at one’s younger self, reflecting. It’s all kind of stark, but romantic at the same time.”

So what do you think is so special about The Magic Mile?

“Well, it’s hilarious really, how did it come to be the Magic Mile? I find it amazing that someone has coined the name and everybody’s bought it to the extent it’s become an entity. You think about places like this and wonder how the name sticks. You can’t tell me people really believe it IS the Magic Mile, that’s what’s kind of brilliant about it."

“It’s got a bit of age to it now too. Places like this deserve some sort of mythology. Ben (bass player in The Stress of Leisure) and I would travel through it all the time when we rehearsed with Tony (former drummer) and laugh about this. One place in particular we constantly joked about was the adult shop that used to exist. It’s now been painted over, unfortunately, but it was right by the train station."

“There’s some great history to that shopfront actually. Back in Joh’s day, it was called The Golden Hands, a ‘massage parlour’ which was quite popular with many a gent. From what I’m told, many of them originated from Ipswich, but I’m sure there was a decent geographical spread (pardon the pun). It was also a popular place for the occasional police raid (flash to many years later and here’s The Stress of Leisure being photographed just by it, not to mention Ed Kuepper)."

“So yeah, there’s also this seedy history of massage parlours and who knows what else, also happening alongside the car dealerships. I’m sure others could expand on it; you scratch the surface of any place, you’re bound to find more. In the end, I think the possibilities of all these other stories are kind of where the song comes in, creating its own, even though it’s only a glimpse of a story. Also being a main thoroughfare out of Brisbane, it’s been around long enough now to form a particular place in many people’s lives, positive or otherwise. I thought the setting was ripe for the taking.”

How do you feels this song fits into a grander narrative about Brisbane?

“Well, perhaps it fits into that feeling of not taking oneself too seriously. The title certainly is humorous to me. Then there’s the ‘Hey everyone, come to Brisbane, I’m going to show you the Magic Mile!’ There’s a lot more appealing places to the eye in this city, we all know that. But it’s also an older part of Brisbane, whereas everything now is about ‘now’, this very instant. It’s about being the latest in design and about being ‘world class’, a term I can’t stand.

“Brisbane has always been obsessed with ‘new’, perhaps to its detriment. You only have to go just below the border to a place like Bangalow or Tenterfield to find the beauty in old architecture, buildings that have been around for a while. I’m more attracted to places like this. I still like the river walk, but I’m also turned off by it. I hate ‘Riverfire’! I guess the Magic Mile is referring back to a place that you really did the hard yards in, a Brisbane that wasn’t as flashy, a Brisbane that wasn’t as easy as it’s meant to be now. I like Brisbane now, but I cast a very wary eye over it. Familiarity breeds contempt."

“Ed Kuepper has also revealed a certain fascination with the Magic Mile. He released a compilation of his work called This Is The Magic Mile, so I guess we’re also one of the many Brisbane bands to follow the lead from Mr Kuepper. I’d be interested to hear what he’d have to say about the place.”

What is your own favourite song about Brisbane?

“My favourite song about Brisbane changes every week, but at this point in time I’ll say The Go-Betweens ‘Unkind And Unwise’, which I’m pretty sure is a song set in Brisbane. I love the imagery that Grant uses, particularly this verse: ‘The salt in the wind moves over the mudflats/Sticks to your skin and rusts up the lights/Blows through the ferns that breathe in the dark/I try to forget but it’s so hard’. As well as being odd timing wise, it has a distinct beauty, a worthy partner to ‘Cattle and Cane’.”

“It reminds me of an old Brisbane that patiently waited, still hanging on archly to old British traditions. This is all weighted against the harshness and grandeur of the local environs. It also reminds me of my grandparents and their house. Incidentally, I used to always see Grant walking past my place, he had a strut. Once I remember he was sitting outside the corner store, eating a banana paddle pop, content that the whole world was just passing him by. It’s such a cherished memory.”

Lately, on the Stereo

2010-10-04T20:52:00.003+10:00

Ok, ok, ok. I'm not exactly dead, but I'm not exactly alive either. I've been so busy with work and with rehearsing with my new band for Shoot (which happened on the weekend), that I haven't had much time to breathe, let alone write (though I have been writing a bit more regularly for Rave Magazine and a bit here and there for Collapse Board).

I don't really have anything constructive or critical to say, but in the aid of getting some content up, I thought I might just share what I've been listening to recently. Feel free to chime in with your recommendations.

White Denim - Shake Shake Shake

Catchy garage rock from Austin's very own White Denim. This came out in 2008, but a friend of mine passed it on to me, and I don't mind it at all.

The Bats - Block of Wood

Love The Bats. I purchased X a few months back and 'Block of Wood' is my favourite from the collection. I've been raving on and on about this song to my friends and have just managed to convince my band to attempt a cover of it. Hopefully it turns out well. Bianca included them in her NZ week posts over the past week, as well.

The Saints - Wild About You

This is a cover of a Missing Links song (also a great song). Love The Saint's version, Kuepper's guitar is absolutely fucking awesome.

Life Without Buildings - New town

It's revival time. These guys released one awesome record then disappeared. Their Live at the Annandale record is a goldmine. The live recording of 'New Town' being particularly great [the one here is the album version],

HITS - Crackpipe

Got this album a while back and enjoy it for its raw don't-give-a-rats-arse aesthetic. Its dirty, outrageous, but accomplished. All the songs on the record are consistentyl good. Crackpipe is my favourite (though, you'll have to listen through to about 5:00 mins to hear it), the sound quality is listenable but not the greatest, so apologies for that.

Shoot

2010-09-30T13:44:00.004+10:00

Hi y'all. A quick plug for an event I am intimately involved with - specifically SHOOT, put on by local Brisbane community group, the 4C Arts Collective.

Basically, we're throwing an 'art party' this Saturday October 2nd at The Alley in the city. This involves three bands, other performance arts, such as Guns and Kids (some kind of drum/dance battle I'm told), visual feasts and a variety of multimedia. The whole idea behind it is to mash as many different artistic and creative disciplines in one place and donate all proceeds to a charitable organisation or community art project.

This will be the sixth art extravaganza put on by the collective and they're always a great night out. Tickets are $15. If you buy from oztix, you get a free drink. It's a pretty great price for everything you get.

This time round, proceeds are being donated to Six Degrees - the climate change activist group associated with Friends of the Earth.

Bands include Bonfire Nights, Felinedown and newcomers (which, I must mention, I play in) Frozen Face of Polar Bear. Djs #dave and Aukistra play later in the night.

Full details on facebook or on the 4c Arts site.

Strange Powers

2010-09-24T13:05:00.007+10:00

Stephin Merritt is a personal hero of mine. You'll probably know him from his most significant project, The Magnetic Fields. I love the philosophy behind his songwriting, love his use of melody and think his lyrics clever and engaging, facets that inform my own crude attempts at song-writing. And despite my dislike of 'concept records', 69 Love Songs stands out as an exception. A record detailing songs about love songs - absolutely brilliant!

I was fortunate enough to see the band play in New York earlier in the year, an enthralling and intimate experience which demonstrated Merritt's droll persona and his often brutal sense of irony (you can read my thoughts on this show by clicking here).

The Brisbane Underground Film Festival happens to be showing the Stephin Merritt (and The Magnetic Fields) biopic, Strange Powers, on the 29th of September at the Brisbane Powerhouse. As far as I know, it's the only showing of this film in Brisbane, so if you're a fan of the man and his band, this will prove to be very interesting. Apparently filmed over ten years, the reception has generally been good.

In the meantime, perhaps its time to revist the song by which the film is named after. I love the lyrics, particularly in the opening stanza, "On the ferris wheel / Looking out on Coney Island / Under more stars than / There are prostitutes in Thailand". Enjoy.

Shoot Me Now: More Nominations for the 2010 J Award

2010-09-21T10:51:00.003+10:00

I’ve moaned on and on about this in the past and I’ve truly beaten the horse to death, but another round of nominees for the 2010 J Award has been announced, and yet again, I’m left exasperated by absence of artists who have released great albums this year but have been ignored by the broadcaster. If you didn't already know, Washington and Birds of Toyko have joined Sia, Tame Impala and Cloud Control on the roster of ‘breakthrough artists’ in line for the national youth broadcaster's 2010 award for best album.

Any person who has followed the awards over the past year should recognise that many of these 'breakthrough artists' also happen to be the ones consistently played on high rotation throughout the year on Triple J. I don’t begrudge an artist from receiving praise for work well done and reaping the rewards, but frankly, I've formed the view that the J Award is nothing more than a rubber stamp, justifying the promotion of certain artists, while ignoring those who are doing equally as good work with little recognition but who haven't, for whatever reason, captured the 'hearts and minds' of the Triple J audience. In short, populism reigns supreme and critical assessment of the work submitted for the award may go by the weigh side. Sounds elitist, but hear me out.

The award ostensibly represents the talent Australia has to offer. To quote their website, it is an award that “recognises the very best musical talent that Australia has on offer, each year celebrating the outstanding musical output of our homegrown artists." [Source: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jawards/10/about/].

So the question that always bugs me when these nominations come around, particularly when you consider the objective of the award, is the J Award truly representative of quality Australian music, or simply some means of self-justifying giving a lot of airtime to a relatively small group of bands. Where is the transparency?

This is not a criticism of any of the bands nominated in 2010 so far – truth be told, I’ve only listened to two in full – but historically, some of the records that have been nominated have been decidedly underwhelming. Occasionally, some artists seem to be nominated on the basis of their past work rather than the merits of the record that is currently up for judgement. Case in point, Bernard Fanning’s nomination for ‘Tea & Sympathy’ some years back, a record that was pedestrian and lacked any real staying power (this Drowned in Sound review of that record pretty much sums up my own listening experience of this release).

Of course, the preceding view is coloured by my own subjective judgements, but I think it is hard to deny that the artists who get nominated generally come from a group that gets consistently hammered into the listeners. There are question marks over whether the broadcaster is aware of other records of true value, that in many cases far exceed those nominated.

Lets have a look at a few examples. Last year, Sydney band Songs put out an absolutely brilliant self-titled debut record yet wasn’t picked up by the J Award. This year, Melbourne group Otouto have put out ‘Pip’, another piece of brilliance that has tragically gone ignored. The Boat People’s ‘Dear Darkly’ is also great but can’t even rate a mention thus far. There are many other examples that I’m sure people could think of as well. Richard in Your Mind’s debut record is outstanding and hasn’t appeared on the nominees list.

While more esoteric, the 2010 Mess and Noise mid-year report is far more illuminating when it comes to seeing what artists are making waves in the craft. I suggest having a read of that. You’ll note Otouto’s name features prominently amongst the list. I wonder why that is?

Consequently, this post talks of my own personal loss of faith in the merits of having a J Award. If the award is to recognise the best musical talent, then I think it is failing, because, in my view, it is not recognising the best musical talent, but rather reinforcing its own monolithic and completely subjective opinion on what is good and what is bad. I know it would be impossible to nominate every single record of merit for the award, but if the nomination process were more transparent - if the listeners could see exactly why the judging team selects certain records rather than others - perhaps some of my confidence could be restored. Because at the moment, the J Award seems nothing more than a fancy marketing tool for both Triple J and their favourites.

To finish off, let’s have a look at some zingers from the past….

In 2005, The Drones released an absolute masterpiece in 'Wait Long By the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By' along side the aforementioned Bernard Fanning solo record. The Drones lose out to Wolfmother.

In 2006, Gotye and Sarah Blasko released great records and lost out to The Hilltops Hoods formulaic brand of Australian hip hop (pan pipe sample + beat + beer reference + shout out to DJ Peril = song) manages to win the day.

In 2007, Eddy Current Suppression Ring released a great debut record and lose out to a The Presets 'Apocalypso'. I almost threw up in a hat on that one.

Occasionally it had looked like perhaps the national broadcaster had got it somewhere in the correct ballpark – in 2008 with The Panics, and last year with Sarah Blasko, but generally, I have been underwhelmed with each offering from the 'winner' of the award.

Any further thoughts?

Spotlight on The Bell Divers

2010-08-30T11:07:00.006+10:00

Busy busy busy weekend. I visited the Alley on Friday night and had a few too many [some thoughts to follow this week, perhaps today].

As I was saying last week, Collapse Board is now up and running. I submitted my first article on the weekend, a spotlight on local group The Bell Divers. You can tell I'm a fan. Here is a snippet.

Meet me in the games room and fuck me on the pool table.

Compelled by wistful melodies and punctuated by a series of odd characters, the songs of The Bell Divers are like novelettes, often exploring the realities faced by those most vulnerable to the pressures of today’s world. These might include homeless vagrants, criminals, and others, whose voices can be drowned out by a world obsessed with aesthetics and status. Other narratives investigate the well-trodden path of love and loss, juxtaposed with brutality and violence that is often stated with a matter-of-fact demeanour that a more conservative listener might find shocking or immoral. Still, it makes for interesting listening.

Life in a caravan, life with these brutal men.

I came to know of The Bell Divers through my two house-mates whom I lived with in Red Hill a few years back. They had occasionally played in the band while the group were still finalising their line up and were waiting for members to return from overseas. Naturally, I found myself going to some of the earlier gigs and listening to demos and all the other things sociable share house dwellers do.

There’s a little girl spread across the road and I don’t feel blue.

At the band’s heart are Clinton Toghill and Matthew Lobb, occasional penpals prior to beginning the group, the duo met in London to discuss the possibility of collaborating, before relocating back to South East Queensland in 2006 to make the project a reality. Filling out the band with the usual assortment of instruments (bass, percussion, keys), The Bell Divers played fairly regularly throughout the city, supporting the likes of The Fauves when they ventured up from the south, and also playing at some fairly unconventional venues such as Ithaca Pool and at a cake stall at a local community hall in Bardon. They quietly released their debut record June, July in 2007, which they recorded somewhere south of the border with Tim Whitten.

Have a read of the rest over at Collapse Board.

Also, The Bell Divers have a new tumblr blog, complete with some nuanced musings courtesy of Matt Lobb. It's quite entertaining.

Collapse Board, More Friday Evening Gigs.

2010-08-27T15:47:00.003+10:00

Good afternoon. It's a lovely day in Brisbane today, isn't it?

A quick word about Collapse Board, a new initiative led by Everett True (Plan B Magazine, the + in the Kurt + Courtney equation) and Justin Edwards (notaphoto). It's a local music blog aggregation service featuring the voices of local music writers and critics. It also has spotlight features and also have record and live reviews. I'm lucky enough to be aggregated there and will be also contributing from time to time. I recommend having a read of Alex Gillies spotlight on Teargas, cause it's great.

Also, DZ have a mouth watering show with Velociraptor and Sleepwalks tonight at the Zoo. Makes my choice of what to go see very hard!

The Alley: New Venue / Space - Bunker Party

2010-08-26T13:05:00.004+10:00

The Mercy Beat playing the OLD Alley Bar

Long time no speak? I'm still snowed under with work and house move. Planning to catch up on the writing this weekend.

Quick shout out to let you know of the emergence of a new space / venue in the heart of Brisbane.

The Alley is an artspace located in laneway just off Elizabeth street, near Ticketek main office. I don't believe it has anything to do with the old Alley bar that used to be at Milton.

They're doing their opening gig tomorrow night with The Mercy Beat headlining (rad!). Others include I Am Tiger and Massai. $10 / BYO / Doors: 8pm.

They're also hosting the next 4C Art party in October in which yours truly is playing at.

Great that these types of venues are opening up around the city!

The Stress of Leisure Launch Soft Approach

2010-08-18T21:49:00.004+10:00

Why hello there! My lack of posts can be explained by a move to Woolloongabba and a battling the dread plague. I can't promise much more this week due to similar reasons - and the fact that I'm working a heap. However I thought I'd pause to mention the launch the third record by localsThe Stress of Leisure, Soft Approach, at the Zoo this Friday.

The Stress of Leisure is the brainchild of Ian Powne. The group plays something akin to Pulp / Pavement / Bowie, but with a definitive Brisbane feel. I've heard the record, and its something special (review forthcoming sometime soon). The new video, "Death on the Magic Mile", of course contains a known local reference. The song is interesting, seeming a lot more abrasive than some of the band's previous work. Check it out below.

'Death on the Magic Mile' from Soft Approach.

Supports include Grand Atlantic and Girl with Cake.

Don't Believe the Hype - A Splendour Review [Part 3]

2010-08-11T12:17:00.005+10:00

Ben Lee poisoned me.

Woah! I have been waylaid for a week and a half. I got a vicious infectious disease, probably caused by Ben Lee. I think it was he who snuck into my tent at Splendour and infected me with a strain of H5N1, commonly known as Avian Flu. It has prevented me from finishing my Splendour review. My immune system has finally kicked into gear and I have emerged victorious. Now, without further ado....I bring you the final chapter in the trilogy, Splendour in the Grass, Part 3.

Day Three

I wake up with a feeling akin to a hangover. This is strange because I didn’t drink the day before. Perhaps Ben Lee snuck into my tent and poisoned me during the night. Feeling a bit of an outsider at the festival so I decide to attempt to fit in. I don an Australian flag as a cape, a pair of Ray Bans, a wife-beater, and a giant sombrero. Back to the amphitheatre.

I’d never expect to see a boy and bear on stage together, but Splendour is all about surprises and that’s exactly what we get when Boy & Bear emerge on to the main stage. Have you ever seen a full grown bear do a Kirk Hammett-esque guitar solo before throwing himself into a crowd of folk music loving music fans who fail to catch him and result in a horrendous shoulder injury? Well, I now have. This unfortunate event cut short the set. Indeed, boy looks a bit lost without his bear.

What is funny about Cloud Control is that in addition to playing instruments, they're also a group of traveling meteorologists with a social conscious. They play a bunch of songs from their debut record Bliss Release including the hit single “There is Nothing in the Water That We Can’t Fight” which is actually protest song regarding government proposals to put fluoride in our water supplies. A person dressed up as a large tooth complete with cowboy hat joins the band on stage and does some kind of rap, followed by a slow break dance. Presumably this is some sort of public health announcement.

When Cloud Control are not playing festivals, they're predicting weather.

A crowd gathers around the front of stage eagerly awaiting the imminent return of We Are Scientists to Australia. Several men in black roll out laboratory tables and a giant periodic table. Three guys in lab coats emerge sans instruments, instead carrying centrifuges. They perform a number of experiments, including mixing magnesium with oxygen to produce magnesium oxide. It’s all pretty exciting and I felt like I really learned something. Not all agree, going by the amount of beer cans that are thrown at the stage.

Ash used to have a super hot chick in the band. But she left to pursue a solo career. Still they have some great songs like ‘Kung Fu’ and ‘A Life Less Ordinary’. Now they’re getting a bit old and fat and the drummer looks like Adam Spencer. Still their rousing rendition of ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ pleases the gathered crowd of fashion victims from the late 1990s.

The Vines are crap. Someone hurls a wheelchair at Craig Nicholls, which he narrowly avoids. It skittles along the stage floor, crashing into the drumkit, ruining a kick drum on the way. The band regretfully have to finish ‘Highly Evolved’ without drums before trudging off the stage.

Mumford and Sons play to a massive crowd of people who love a second rate Fleet Foxes. However, they do love a good banjo. It seems that Mumford and Sons are only popular here in Australia given that they’ve been here about 50 times in the last 6 months. They are joined on stage by another hack that seems only popular in Australia. Ben Harper comes out to play a twenty-minute banjo solo during 'Little Lion Man', failing to notice the rest of the band packing up 5 minutes into his cameo. Somehow this song segues into a rousing version of 'Mama's Trippin' and I think I saw a guy in dreadlocks get an erection. Ben comes to at the end of the song, realising that everyone has left the main stage and promptly starts crying. It's a touching moment and I feel like I want to kill myself.

Richard Ashcroft is a megalomaniac. He beings with a rendition of the Verve’s ballad ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ clearly sending a message that his usual dosage of prescription medicines are failing to prevent him overcoming his natural inclination to wankery. Reacting negatively to a few missiles thrown in his direction, Ashcroft hurls himself off the stage into the crowd screaming ‘I’ll take you all on!’, arms flailing like a crazed dervish. Security guards prevent the ‘superstar’ from hurting anyone, demanding he return to the stage. Ashcroft seems perturbed, refusing to perform anymore, stating he’d rather go see the Pixies.

Often, it is puzzling how one song can define one bands career. Empire of the Sun actually only have one song – 'Walking on a Dream' - which sounds like it has been ripped off Boy Meets Girl 80s song ‘Waiting For a Star to Fall’. Luke Steele arrives on the stage dressed as giant flamingo. This costume is so outrageously large, he cannot fit on the stage without some emergency modifications to his costume. They play a 45 minute version of ‘Walking on a Dream’ before leaving to a rapturous applause. They return for an encore, in which they play ‘Walking on a Dream’ once again.

Black Francis has let himself go.

It’s getting late and Pixies are the final band to grace the main Splendour stage.Once the band that was worth a lot of indie street cred, this is the group's second visit to Australia in 2010 since the GFC destroyed their superannuation in 2009. Frank Black sit up behind the rest of the band, Jabba the Hut style, lying back on a throne, playing guitar and eating weird chicken like animals sourced from the depths of Tatoonie. Joey Santiago resembles a reanimated corpse, while Dave Lovering could actually be using a modified version of Stephen Hawking’s wheelchair as his drum kit. Still, they play a bunch of songs that are pretty awesome. However, the best is yet to come.

During ‘Where is My Mind’, spectators are shocked when a drunken Tim Roger’s charges on to stage and tackles Kim Deal, sending her prosthetic leg flying into the crowd. ‘Where is my Mind’ inevitably becomes ‘Where is My Leg?’, and the entire crowd is forced to search amongst the slew of rubbish that has gathered over the past few days for Kim’s missing appendage.

Pixies wind down what has been a thoroughly bizarre three days. I spend 10 hours in traffic on my way back to Brisbane.

The Boaties on the 2010 Australia Election

2010-08-09T15:36:00.007+10:00

It is an election frenzy at the moment here in Australia. The two candidates for the position of Supreme Leader of Australia have been involved in an often heated debate on the issue of The Boat People.

I decided to cut straight to the chase and ask The Boat People in person what they thought of the election thus far, and get their side of the story. James from the Boaties was kind enough to indulge me.

It's election time and Tony Abbott and Julia Gibbard seem determined to make The Boat People an election-changing issue? What have you guys done to warrant such concern?!

Well it's very flattering to see ourselves in the headlines but without trying to jump to conclusions I'm not sure Tony Abbott is a fan of indie-pop, so perhaps it's not us he's referring to! You never know though. Perhaps the Liberal party should use a Shins track in their next T.V. ad!

Have you considered sending the candidates a copy of your quite accomplished third record Dear Darkly to assure them that the Boat People are contributing positively to Australian society?

No, but I thought I saw Julia Gillard at a gig recently. Then I thought it was Elly Jackson from La Roux. Turned out it was neither, but for a moment I was quite excited!!

What policy do you think the major party candidates should be concentrating on instead? Do you have any reform advice?

Well, I've never been a fan of economic rationalism so it would be a nice surprise if the major parties truly recognised the intrinsic, non-material value of the arts and followed that up with policy. That and a federal "free guitar strings for poor musicians" grant.

Echo Stick Guitars. Coming to a political ad near you.

If you had to pick a song off Dear Darkly to accompany a political or election ad, which one would it be? And could you imagine what kind of message this hypothetical ad might contain?

Perhaps "Echo Stick Guitars" because it's the most nonsensical song we've ever put out! Plus it has an off-beat electro drum feel that always makes me think "spoken by R. Reynolds for the Labour Party, Canberra".

You've been touring about now, heavily promoting Dear Darkly, hows the response been?

It's been the best response we've ever had! We're loving playing live more than ever, and good thing too as there's a lot more touring to come.

Will touring pretty much define the rest of 2010? Any international touring plans?

YES and YES! We love going overseas.

Well, you've heard it from the proverbial horses mouth. Do yourself a favour and don't comdemn The Boat People to some Pacific island off the coast of Australia by throwing away your democratic rights in the upcoming election. They're nice guys, ok!

Manic Weekend of Local Gigs Forthcoming

2010-08-05T13:05:00.007+10:00

No Anchor play Burst City tomorrow night
Woah, there seems to be a lot of quality gigs forthcoming this weekend - with so much choice, what are you going to pick? Here is what is on offer over the coming Friday and Saturday night.

FRIDAY

On Friday at Clubhouse @ Tempo Hotel you can catch Seja supporting Melbourne's Otouto (whose record 'Pip' is one of my favourites of the year). Seja's record is also pretty good too.

Over at the Legions Club you can catch Young Bloods #2 featuring Bubsy Marou, Steve Grady and Transvaal Diamond Syndicate. Cost is about $10-$13 I believe and it is all ages. Presented by Starving Kids and Brisbane Sounds.

Alternatively Burst City are hosting Turnpike, No Anchor, Teargas and Dick Nasty. All ages gig, cost is $10. Some people have been confused by the running times but I have it on good authority that Dick Nasty start around 8.30, followed by Turnpike, No Anchor and then Teargas.

The Hungry Kids of Hungary are back from overseas and are playing at the Zoo.

SATURDAY

Saturday night sees Hunz and Mr Maps at Rics which sounds like an awesome gig.

Over at the Zoo sees the launch of The Mercy Beat's debut record "How to Shampoo a Yak". Supports include HITS.

I'm a bit overwhelmed but am going to try make it to Burst City and the Rics gig.

Don't Believe the Hype - A Splendour Review [Part 2]

2010-08-03T12:46:00.007+10:00

Penfold Krackerbarral continues to bring you the real events that made up 2010's Splendour in the Grass festival. If you missed yesterday's madness, you can read it by clicking here.

SATURDAY
After the awesomeness of yesterday, I wake at the suitable time of 12 noon and roll out of my tent to see that someone has used the side of my tent as a urinal during the night. As the waft of urine makes its way through my nasal passage, I raise my fist to the sky and curse Ben Harper’s name. I know he probably didn’t do it, but still, I feel justified in blaming him. I take a belt of whiskey from my hip flask and set off towards the stages once again.

I wander past the Triple J enclosure. I note the Doctor parading around in a three-piece suit interviewing celebrities. I liked this guy better when he was in Frenzal Rhomb.

McFly are playing a set. An hour long set. Who in the hell invited these pituitary retards to this ‘music’ festival? I note one Rio Lobotomy follows their set, and I pray to almighty Jesus that this is some kind of live brain removal operation on the members of McFly. Failing that, I think I might have to get one if I am forced to sit through a McFly set.

Thankfully, I’m not, and exercising my rational judgement chooses to go see the latest flash in the pan, Two Door Cinema Club. These guys are from Northern Ireland, and when not making music that features a bit too much keyboards, they’re thinking up snazzy band names like the aforementioned ‘Two Door Cinema Club’ or ‘Four Door Electric Hatchback’ or ‘Eight Legged Mechanical Esky’. They play a song called ‘I Can Talk’ which is funny because they cannot sing, nor play instruments. Perhaps that's the only thing they can do?

The Philadelphia Grand Jury take their jobs very seriously.

Philadelphia Grand Jury arrive on the amphitheatre. This time they’ve brought the entire bench of the Philadelphia Supreme Court, and instead of playing their hit songs which are ever so popular, they decide to court-marshal Julia Stone live on stage, charging her with manslaughter over the “accidental” shooting death of Andrew Stockdale from the previous day. She gets off lightly, sentenced to 100 hours of community service and a mandatory “emu parade” at the end of the festival. Philadelphia Grand Jury are harsh…but fair.

Lunchtime again. Today I opt for the Dagwood dog, which only costs me $20 plus my first-born child. I laugh inwardly – don’t those carnie merchants know that Ben Harper’s music has rendered me sterile? The joke is on them.

Tame Impala are here to wow the crowd with their psychedelia. Halfway through ‘Lucidity’, I have a lucid moment combined with an existential crisis Why did I come to this festival? Am I simply dreaming? Why don’t I look more like Leonardo diCaprio? My mind wanders for what seems like 16 weeks but is actually only about 2 seconds. Still, I can’t really remember how the Tame Impala ended. Weird.

Wolfmother had to cancel. Understandable considering their bandleader was killed the previous day. Instead, the organisers opt to put on a Black Sabbath record and everyone seems pleased.

Well, well well. Guess who is next - yup! It's Art V Science. These guys have a song called ‘Parlez Vous Francais’, probably one of the most annoying songs ever created. You can imagine some French band getting huge in France by simply singing a song in English that goes ‘Do You Speak English?”. It sounds pretty stupid to us, doesn’t it?

It always strikes me as humourous asking someone if they speak French…in French…I mean, it just won’t work out if they don’t, will it? Really they should be asking ‘Do you speak just enough French to realise that I’m asking you if you understand what I’m saying?” Anyway, Art V Science finishes with yet again no conclusive evidence as to which discipline has triumphed over the other.

Florence + the Machine want this dog TO DIE!!!

Florence + the Machine is some kind of equation. I do notice bad algebra when I see it – where is the resultant expression? Let me solve it for you. Florence + the Machine = shithouse. They play a song about how the dog’s days are numbered or over or something, which is presumably about euthanizing dogs. Get the RSPCA on the line! Not only are they pro-killing canines, but also they have the audacity to write popular music about it.

Band of Horses are a misnomer. I arrive at the GW McLennan stage expectant to see this group of talented equines, but it turns out that they are actually humans. No horse can be seen anywhere. I’m pretty peeved and find it hard to concentrate. When I pay $500 to see a band of talented horses, I expect a fucking band of horses! At least wear some kind of horse head costume! Even a camel suit like in Jonathan Richman’s 'Egyptian Reggae' clip would have sufficed.

More Camel Needed from Band of Horses

Julian Casablancas has the coolest name in the history of names. His band, the Strokes, play popular garage rock music, the type of music that spawned such awesome groups as Jet. During the middle of ‘New York City Cop’s Julian dives horizontally across the stage, Raiden-from- Mortal-Kombat style, and giving Albert Hammond Jr a fatality. Apparently they haven’t been getting along that well lately. The set ends abruptly and people return to their tents to scratch their heads over the antics they had seen this day.

Come back tomorrow for details of the final day! It will be gangbusters!

Don't Believe the Hype - Splendour in the Grass: A Review?

2010-08-02T14:34:00.012+10:00

Hola! I'm Penfold Krackerbarral and I went to Splendour in the Grass. I've packaged together some of my thoughts for Daz's benefit.

Thursday
I arrive at my campsite late on Thursday night and pitch my one-man tent. I’m crammed up against the male toilets next to a group of people who’ve been sitting around drinking beer for most of the day. They’re busy telling each other about how much more superior their musical taste than the average festival punter. I do end up confused because despite such claims, many in this aforementioned group feel compelled to state repeatedly how much they’re looking forward to watching Mumford & Sons the next day. To tell you the truth, I’d prefer watching Garry MacDonald and Ruth Cracknell do a 45 minute enactment of the best of ‘Mother & Son’ on the main Splendour stage than catch the aforementioned winners of the Triple J’s “hottest 100” of 2009. I roll my eyes and return to the safety of my fortress of solitude. I’m a tired mofo.

Mother & Son - far superior to Mumford & Sons

You see, I left Brisbane 12 hours earlier; arrived at the grounds an hour later, then spent 11 hours in a holding queue. I almost died of thirst, but was lucky enough to have enough distilled urine to prolong my feeble existence, a trick I learned from the ever-helpful ‘Man v Wild’ television series.

Friday – Day One

I’m up at the crack of dawn. I’m not missing Jinja Safari for the world. These guys won some competition presided over by Richard Kingsmill, future leader of North Korea. Ironically, despite being the first band on the bill, Jinja Safari is probably the best of the entire festival. It’s a shame that not many people are here to see them.

I stick around to see local grunge band Violent Soho sans Thurston Moore. They have a song about Jesus stealing girlfriends, which is historically inaccurate at least in a literal sense. They pretty much rock the fuck out and rip a few bottoms apart here and there.

British India play a set typical of a band who admire colonialism. Included in the setlist is an anti-Gandhi anthem, another song about bringing civilisation to the savages and a folk-esque tune that looks into the fiscal benefits of exploiting the third world. Actually, all of that might not be true, as I cannot remember any of their set because I fell asleep.

Megan Washington looks like an attractive female Beatle, judging by her haircut. She plays some songs and does a great Abby Dobson impression; everyone is holding hands and slapping each other on the back. ‘Yeah, we’re cool!’

I take a break for lunch, and spend $40 on a hotdog. It cost me $10 for some bbq sauce as well. Good value for money. It’s fortunate that I budgeted $5,000 to attend this festival. Who needs two kidneys anyway?

I return to the GW McLennan tent to catch Midlake. They emerge from stage left dressed as 19th century American puritans, pitchforks in hand. They don’t actually play guitars, instead opting to shovel hay for 45 minutes. Still, their set is more enjoyable than Angus and Julia Stone.

Angus has been getting around in a beard of late, attempting to look like Devendra Banhart. Julia gets in on the act, playing their entire set with a large bushranger-style beard. During ‘Mango Tree’, Julia dons a Ned Kelly style metal helmet, a long brown jacket, completing her outfit with two holstered pistols. Near the end of the set, she leaves her piano and ambles towards the side of stage, firing two shots into celebrity onlookers, mortally wounding Andrew Stockdale from Wolfmother. The crowd rejoices at this development, but joy soon turns to melancholy, as Julia is taken away in shackles.

Police sketch artist depiction of a murderous Julia Stone approaching Andrew Stockdale

One of two horse themed bands here at Splendour, Foals attempt to engage the crowd by catapulting a horse carcass into the mosh pit. Screams of joy turn to screams of agony as a 900-pound horse crushes several Foals fans. This naturally puts a dampener on proceedings and the usually upbeat ‘Spanish Sahara’ takes on more somber tones.

The Temper Trap hit the main stage to play a bunch of songs they stole from U2 and now pass off as their own. Still, the crowd gathered round the main stages are excited. ‘Sweet Disposition’ goes down as expected, with the surprise appearance of the Edge, who parachutes from 20,000 feet and lands directly on to the main stage in order to operate guitarist Lorenzo Sillitto’s digital delay pedal.

It’s getting dark now and that means the vampires are out. Worryingly, I note several blood-drained corpses left willy-nilly in the mandatory festival recycle bins. I shake my head with a sense of disappointment: you can’t recycle that!

Bears are usually a OH&S nightmare, particularly at large Australian music festivals.

Grizzly Bear played a great set, mostly comprising of their work from 2009’s acclaimed record Veckatimist. To heighten audience suspense, the group let loose several untamed grizzlies, brought with them all the way from Alaska. Much like the Foals debacle earlier in the day, things don't go to plan, with several punters being mauled throughout the duration of the set. Lucky St. John’s Ambulance was on hand to issue band-aids and re-attach limbs. The set ends with a cracking version of ‘While You Wait for the Others’.

Ben Harper & the Restless 7 close out day one proceedings. You know what? I can hazard a guess as to why the Restless 7 are restless. It could be because they’re beginning to realise how crap it is being in a band with Ben Harper. I stay for about 10 minutes before wandering off to find some thalidomide. I must purge these memories.

Day one comes to a conclusion and I feel fortunate to be alive.

[To be continued]

So....How Was Splendour?

2010-08-02T12:16:00.002+10:00

So I think everyone in Australia, except me, attended Splendour over the weekend. It was actually quite pleasant to walk the streets of Brisbane, 28 Days Later style - not a soul was around.

So does anyone have any good stories / thoughts / one line reviews? How many local bands did you get to see? Did anyone punch Ben Harper in the face for me?

A good pal of mind, Penfold Krackerbarral, was lucky enough to attend the festival and he has promised to post a detailed review of the proceedings. Look out for part one sometime later today.

Record Review: The Bank Holidays - Sail Becomes a Kite [2010, Lost & Lonesome]

2010-07-30T12:09:00.003+10:00

Like a long weekend, The Bank Holiday’s follow up to 2007’s Like a Film is as pleasant as a day off work. The Perth band, once noted for creating perhaps the most glorious musical tribute to the sport of badminton, have returned with Sail Becomes a Kite, a well-crafted record filled with so many different angles, tangents and vertices, protractors couldn't possibly reveal its full dimensions.

Staying safe within the walls of the indie pop genre, The Bank Holidays have produced a likeable, sensible and ‘grown up’ album with a surfeit of contemporary influences evident across its twelve tracks. You could easily mistake singer James Crombie’s voice for that of James Mercer of The Shins. Opener ‘Tripping Up to Fall in Love’ along with ‘Oxford Street’ recall the similar narrative song writing that The Shin’s do so well. These elements similarly define The Bank Holidays of a band of equal proficiency. In addition, you’ll hear tones incorporating ideas evident within the work of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, 'The Motif' being a definitive example of the former.

However, it is Bekk Crombie’s alluring performance that reinforces the record’s pop credentials. She’s a Norwegian by birth, meaning she may have either genetic predisposition or superhuman abilities when it comes to penning pop songs. Her performance on the standout ‘Thereabouts’ is highly palatable, blending her gentle and uplifting vocal melody reminiscent of Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays, with a winding guitar lick drenched in reverb, a sound so common to this sort of music. ‘In the Desert’ is also similarly outstanding, but in a more melancholic and reflective way.

It’s a solid outing for the Bank Holidays, 'Sail Becomes a Kite' representing a win for fans of intelligent and sensible pop music, something that will satisfy existing fans, but also perhaps see them attract more local and international attention.

Brisbane Blog Moved

2010-07-26T21:54:00.003+10:00

In case you followed the other great Brisbane based blog "Plus One", due to confusion with Plus One, the local record label, it has relocated to Passenger Side. Update your links yo!

2010 J Awards. And the Nominees Are....

2010-07-26T17:08:00.004+10:00

It is something I bitch about nearly every year. The J Awards. Sometimes I almost feel that they're pointless.

Despite this fact, they're newsworthy. Three artists have been announced so far. Tame Imapala for Innerspeaker, Sia for We Are Born and Cloud Control for Bliss Release.

I haven't had the chance to listen to the Sia record in full, but it sounds OK from the one or two tracks I've heard from it. Obviously, I like the Tame Impala record. I was a bit disappointed with Bliss Release.

The thing I have always disliked about the J Awards is the apparent bias for rewarding artists who already experience high rotation on the station. It seems like a perennial backslapping exercise. I have always thought it would be great to make this about 'best debut record' or something like that. Reward rising talent, instead of rubber stamping bands or artists who already have an established fanbase.

Then again, I think it is fair to reward a well-crafted Australian record. But I also think that many of the nominees in previous years have released work that was questionable at best.

I don't know, perhaps I'm totally wrong here. What do you all think?

Herr Nilsson - Little Bird

2010-07-24T17:46:00.000+10:00

So I was mucking about on the myspace page of Soda Fountain Rag , having being led there by a little ditty mentioned on Everett True's blog, when I came across a link to a demo song by Herr Nilsson, a fellow Norwegian group who also dabble in the art of pop music.

It seems the Scandinavian's may have perfected these type of songs. While the rest of us struggle in our bedrooms trying to put together the sort of chords that will make girls (or boys) melt at the very mention of our names, the Scandinavian's put them out like a factory production line.

Have a listen to 'Little Bird Giant Wings' and you might see what I mean.

Herr Nilsson - Little Bird Giant Wings (demo)

Outrageous!

Interview with Bonfire Nights

2010-07-23T11:53:00.003+10:00

Ahead of the launch of their debut EP at the Troubadour (tonight), I had the chance to speak to Ruth and Steve from local duo, Bonfire Nights.

Hi Ruth and Steve, congratulations on the upcoming release of your debut offering. Now I know you guys have been collaborating for quite some time. What does it feel like to finally have something out there which people can grasp in their own hands?

We’re really happy to finally have a recording to share with everyone. It’s been our little secret for a while now and we’re quite proud, as it seems to be drawing a positive response from people.

Stylistically, your sound is different from your two previous musical endeavours - Steve, you with Black Mustang and Ruth, you with Hot Liquid Sex. Does this project feel more natural to you guys, more so than your previous endeavours?

It has been a natural progression for us – we started writing songs together in our bedroom for a bit of fun. It got to a point when we realised that we wanted other people to hear our music, so we started demoing tracks with the goal of recording an EP together.

It’s a project that’s very close to our hearts, because we are writing the sort of music that we’ve always wanted to write.

Ruth, I see you have now traded in the bass playing duties with to play drums. And before that, you were playing guitar. Whats the deal? Are you trying to master every single instrument on the planet?

You know what they say: “jack of all trades, master of none!” I started playing drums for Bonfire Nights out of necessity, because I couldn’t get the goddamned drum machine to work! That was an expensive mistake – all I can say is, thank god for eBay.

For the moment I might stick with the drums, but I would like to get better at the glockenspiel.

You certainly get a lot of sounds from a two piece. I note you recorded the EP on a four track. While this technique almost seems synonymous with the terminally abused label 'lo-fi', it sounds anything but that. Can you explain the whole recording process and what your thoughts are regarding the process?

We recorded the EP with Matt Redlich in his home studio in East Brisbane. The process was different to anything else we had done in the past – we recorded the tracks live, sometimes using our first take. We were looking to capture the vibe of the songs, rather than sounding technically perfect.

Although it was recorded onto a four-track, Matt knew what he was doing and the analogue tape really captured a warm and full sound. There was little post-production as well, because tape sounds so good without the need for extra tinkering.

It’s definitely not a lo-fi sound, but at the same time it’s not overly produced. When you think about it, the Beatles recorded onto a four-track and they wouldn’t be described as lo-fi. Ah, not that we’re trying to be the Beatles or anything…we just ‘borrowed’ a few of their ideas when we recorded the EP.

While obvious comparisons will be made to bands like the Kills and the Ravonettes, your sound seems more complex in terms of instrumentation. For instant the use of what I believe is harmonica in 'Leave Yourself Open' may not seem like an obvious choice for a song that has such a grandiose and crunching guitar riff during the chorus section. How flexible you guys in terms of sound? And how do these track back to your alleged influences?

Our sound is really born out of experimentation, so we’re prepared to have a go at everything and anything. When we jam, we swap our instruments a lot, and play with anything we can get our hands on. I guess I don’t really how this approach relates back to any of our influences as we don’t tend to make a conscious effort to sound like any particular band.

While the EP is strong in all regards, my favourite song on the EP has to be 'We Don't Care' - it certainly seems to be the most standout song in terms of radio playability. What do you think of that assessment?

It’s definitely an upbeat fun track – that’s the song we wrote to annoy our neighbours with.

Strangely while listening to it, I'm reminded of Supergrass for some reason. Am I way off the mark?

Yeah, we can hear definitely hear that, it sort of has the same kind of feel as ‘Alright’.

Thematically, the EP seems to speak of a carefree approach of making music. I would venture a guess that it wouldn't matter if you sold 10 records or 10,000,000, its more for the love of writing a good song or playing live. Is that correct?

Exactly, we get a real kick out of creating something from nothing. Watching a song grow and take on a life of its own is something pretty special. If no one buys the EP it’s no big deal, because it’s still fun just doing what we do.

You've chosen the classic 'Teenage Kicks' by the Undertones, and given it an interesting interpretation. Can you tell us about the process of getting permission to put it on the EP, how it came about that you wanted to use this particular song in this fashion?

I always felt the song had a real innocent side to it and we wanted to bring this element out. We like it when artists give their own interpretation of a cover, as it’s a lot more interesting than trying to replicate the original.

We had to get permission to record the cover from the publishers of the original song. This delayed the release of the EP a fair bit, but APRA was really great in helping us get the green light.

You do know that in Ireland, any person under the age of 40 knows this song back to front. Probably most people in the UK as well. What about sending this version to radio stations over there?

We may be treading on thin ice, recording a cover of a classic song like ‘Teenage Kicks’. Some people will love it, some people will hate it. We probably will send it to a few radio stations in the UK, especially as we’d like to tour there one day.

I note that this Friday's show is an EP launch AND a birthday party. What can people expect at the launch party?

Good music and possibly some cake!

You will recall that I reviewed their EP just two days past. Click here to read my thoughts. Furthermore, as I mentioned the group launch the EP tonight. Tickets available from Oztix and the supports are the stellar Teenage Wolves and Blonde on Blonde.

Our Husband - Villages

2010-07-22T21:52:00.004+10:00

The theme of girl boy groups continues this week, this time featuring the esoterically named Our Husband, a interstate collaboration between Freya (from Adelaide) and Nathaniel (from Melbourne).

Their track 'Villages' from their forthcoming debut record speaks with voices akin to Cocteau Twins and the more contemporary baltimore duo, Beach House. Featuring a striking piano , Villages immediately grabs the listener's attention with a striking interplay between guitar and piano, adding the obligatory 'dream' elements, a steady rhythmic bass line that combine to create an ethereal atmosphere.

Nathaniel, from the band, kindly gave me permission to share the love. Link below.

Our Husband - Villages

Enjoy!

Guided By Voices Announce US Renion Tour

2010-07-22T02:27:00.009+10:00

I know, I know. This isn't a Brisbane related post, but I felt compelled to announce the Guided By Voices reunion tour. Considering this blog is named after a lyric in 'Tractor Rape Chain' from Bee Thousand, it is relevant enough. Skeptics often liken attending reunion tours to sleeping with your ex-girlfriend, but I cannot deny that I would be excited by the prospect of the band coming to Australia, though it would seem highly unlikely at this stage.

Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes are two records which summarise everything I love about pop songs. If you haven't listened to them, I suggest doing so or alternatively punching yourself in the face.

Here are a few youtube clips of some classics. 'I am a Scientist' from Bee Thousand, 'Game of Pricks' (probably my favourite song of all time) and 'My Valuable Hunting Knife' (this version is slower than the album version for some reason and recorded in a slicker fashion, but not as good). Keep in mind that none of these clips do justice to the album versions.

EP Review: Bonfire Nights - Self Titled [2010]

2010-07-21T14:28:00.006+10:00

Once upon a time some English guy attempted to blow up Westminister. The years, decades and centuries following this nefarious scheme, people throughout the world have celebrated this event ostensibly to commemorate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot, despite it being more likely that they generally seem to enjoy ‘blowing shit up’. While bonfire night was banned here in Australia in the 70s, locals Ruth Nitkiewicz and Steve Forster have appropriated the name for their latest musical endeavour, presumably with the objective of setting off some fireworks of their own.

Questionable metaphors aside, Bonfire Nights self titled EP is the product of an ongoing collaboration between the couple. It would be incorrect for the reader to assume this is an opportunistic attempt to tap into the ‘girl / boy’ duo trend. The genealogy of Bonfire Nights is rich enough to dispel notions that this is simply another iteration of the seemingly fashionable ‘girl/boy make indie music’ dynamic, a common trope in today’s indie pop landscape (Sleigh Bells, I’m looking at you).

So what does the EP tell us about the duo's creative journey? Well, it is obvious that Bonfire Nights have produced an accessible yet personal record. A cursory glance at the track listing hints at seemingly existential questions. ‘Own Worst Enemy’, drawing parallels to the sounds of BRMC and The Kills, is cautionary rock anecdote that indulges in the odd flange-tinged guitar solo (the flange is back in business baby!). Further investigation of the EP reveals themes of personal reflection, such as in the ballad ‘Leave Yourself Open’ (‘there ain't no sense in choice you make/ leave yourself open / when the feelings real but the words are fake / say I'm not broken’).

Despite only having two musicians on the roster (Ok, sometimes three), Bonfire Nights show a startling array of diversity over five tracks. Standout 'We Don't Care', embracing a more pop aesthetic, is designed to make ones feet shuffle. 'Don't Have to Be Here' builds from a simple guitar and vocal line into a song of operatic dimensions. The emphasis seems to be on creating a tapestry of contrasting melodies and the song is assisted by some great, yet indistinguishable, backing vocals from Ruth.

The closing song, an interesting take on the Undertones signature tune 'Teenage Kicks', continues the ideal of introspection that seems to draw the EP together. Ruth and Steve wind back the intensity of the original song, their voices whispering the famous lyrics over a simple fingerpicked guitar lick. My guess is that fans of the original song might be divided on Bonfire Nights version, but it is interesting enough to warrant some attention.

While obvious comparisons will be made to other girl/boy groups such as the White Stripes, the Ravonettes and the aforementioned (The) Kills, Bonfire Nights are not simply reproductions of these famous duos. Instead, as this EP shows, Bonfire Nights is defined by experimentation with the indie rock genre, that not only the fulfils personal goals, but is palatable to the general public.

Bonfire Nights launch the EP this Friday at the Troubadour. Tickets available from Oztix. Supports are Teenage Wolves and Blonde on Blonde.

Dan Parsons's "Firestarter" is a Single of the Week at iTunes

2010-07-20T14:10:00.005+10:00

Local pop singer-songwriter Dan Parsons has a free track available via iTunes. It is called 'Firestarter' and it is a 'single of the week', meaning it will cost you a grand total of $0 to obtain. Obviously, you have to be using an application that represents the pinnacle of software design and development, the over-bloated iTunes (ok ok, it's acceptable on Mac, but terrible in Windows).

This is probably the first time I've ever heard a Dan Parsons track despite his name being bandied about the traps for quite some time now. It's listenable and will appeal who like indie singer-songwriters - like Ryan Adams, who coincidentally has a song with a similar name ('firecracker', as I was correctly corrected - I swear these uni assignment's are making me forgetful).

Someone mentioned on his myspace that he sounds a bit like Sebadoh, but based off this one song, I'm not sure where the comparison is exactly. Educate me, dear reader.

You can check out the official video for the song below.

The Sundays - Here's Where the Story Ends

2010-07-16T16:37:00.003+10:00

While listening to the second record by Australia's own The Bank Holidays (who are great!), I was reminded of one of my favourite songs by The Sundays.

[Direct link]

A Quick Interview with My Fiction

2010-07-14T12:18:00.003+10:00

My Fiction have been about the Brisbane music scene for quite some time now. They're launching their debut record at the Zoo this Friday evening and I had the chance to ask them a couple of quick questions regarding the journey so far, the answers to which vocalist Eric kindly provided with suitable aplomb.

Firstly, congratulations on the impending release of FIRE ROMANCE FIRE. I'm guessing its been some journey to get here. Can you describe how the record came to be? How long did you spend in the studio?

Looking back at the whole process it has been a massive journey, we recorded this album in two parts over a period of the past 18months. We had previously released an EP & Double A Side Single and received some success both locally and nationally but the adventures around the coming together of this album where immense in comparison.

I think releasing an album is a pretty ballsy venture, as an indie band it is always safer, easier & cheaper to go for a second EP but I have always respected local bands that put their neck/art on the line and step up to the LP plate. You only ever get one debut album and you will have to live with it for the rest of your life so you want to be happy with it. We aimed high for this album and under the watchful eye of Magoo the magician we put together a debut album that all the band are really proud of… I reckon at 80 I will be able to happily listen back to it.

Can you explain to me the significance of the record title FIRE ROMANCE FIRE? Is it some kind of description of a relationship? Or some indication of pyromania?

The track listing of the album does follow this theme in a relationship sense – if you sit for the 38minutes and listen to the album in its entirety you will kinda get it I think. In regards to pyromania yes also – the album was named after our track Fire! Romance! Fire! which lyrically is about the burning down of the Red Hill Skate Arena… and a girl I met there years ago who set my life on a different course. Cue violins… =)

Every June is a catchy little number. The video also looks like there is a story behind it. Can you explain what this song is about? It seems to me like a 'coming of age' sort of song - am I even near the mark?

Every June was written following the death of an amazing person last year who was very important to me. The video features the QLD Welter Weight boxing champion Sam the “BOSS” Leone – he is a friend of ours and had a close connection to the song so it was pretty special for us to have him feature in the clip. An interesting twist for any boxing fans out there – Sam fought on the under card for Anthony Mundine’s most recent fight at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre (last week). Sam’s ‘run on’ song was ‘Every June’… we were in the crowd of thousands watching on… felt amazing!

I recall you guys playing at my friends house party about a year ago and it was super rad, well at least until the fuzz shut us down! What can people expect at the record launch? Any guitar hero-esque wailing solos? Freak outs? Guitar smashing?

Every good house party should have a) a punch up b) random drunk vomit in the kitchen sink and c) the fuzz turn up… I am glad to hear we could assist with at least one of these =)

The launch is seriously going to be a spectacle – for us it will be quite the emotionally charged night, when the Zoo is packed and it hits 11pm all hell will break loose (we call Danny’s fro “hell”). The line-up is super tasty with the rather beautiful Judy Dolls doing their burlesque thang, Numbers Radio tearing up the stage and one of our favourite new Brisbane bands the Belligerents sharing their good looks & hooks with all and sundry… super line up. For our set expect some special guest appearances, album played live in it’s entirety, not to mention synth smashing and wailing glockenspiel solo’s… oh just you wait!

Obviously the start of a new phase of life for the band, what is on the agenda for My Fiction for the rest of 2010 and beyond?

Friday is the beginning of our East Coast Album tour that will take us down to Sydney & Melbourne including Bryon, Sunny Coast etc. I imagine there will be plenty of interstate travel coming up in the next 6months… I know some of the big music festivals are on the agenda also along with some big supports slots. We are currently nominated for a couple of Q Song awards so that could potentially be an interesting twist. We are also one of those bands that never stop writing so that will be happening between drinks.

Basically though our hope is to get FIRE ROMANCE FIRE out to as many ears as possible around this country and beyond – the current national airplay is helping that a lot. Personally I have had a long time love affair with Asia (Japan & China) so that would be rad if I could convince the powers that be that we should jump the next flight to Shanghai.

Thanks guys!

My Fiction play at the Zoo this Friday night. Tickets are $10+BF or $20+BF with a copy of FIRE ROMANCE FIRE included (I believe you can get tickets through the band's myspace site). Sounds like a bit of a deal to me!

Also, if you haven't already, a reminder to give me your views on the Music Culture + Lockout debate by filling out the form from yesterday's post.

Brisbane Lockout and Music Culture

2010-07-13T14:00:00.005+10:00

I'm doing a bit of research into further operational restrictions within the Valley entertainment area and the rhetorical link with 'Brisbane Music Culture'. Of course, I have my own views on this, but I wonder what other think of it. If you have any time to fill out this quick survey form, it would be much appreciated.

For more information on the lockout, you can read this Brisbane Times article.

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Ed G Gives us the Tacky

2010-07-13T13:26:00.003+10:00

Edward Guglielmino is a local Brisbane musician who has been doing the rounds in this fair city for the last several years. While his hilarious wikipedia entry might lead you to believe that he is a avant garde sonic experimentalist, his music is more in synch with dominant indie pop tropes that we all know and love.

Well you can have a listen to his 'old stuff' for free if you want. Well, at least for today. He is offering his 2007 Tacky EP to the masses in exchange for your name on his email list and your first born offspring of your first domestic animal.

Click here for more details.

Some Videos from Songs and Otouto

2010-07-09T11:27:00.004+10:00

Oh yes, a new single from Sydney band Songs self titled debut record. This is one of my favourites of their 2009 record, which was also my favourite Australian record of last year (trust me, its awesome). The video is beautifully shot as well.

Also, Melbourne group Otouto released a video for their song "Sushi" fairly recently. Their album Pip is another favourite Australian release for 2010.

Widening the Network

2010-07-08T14:48:00.006+10:00

Hey all. I went a bit nuts on the ol blog yesterday. Hope you enjoyed that.

In news, I've set a facebook 'fan' page. Feel free to inflate my ego by becoming a 'fan'. Alternatively, become a 'fan' and then fill up the wall with tirades of abuse. Either way, I'll be appreciative. You'll see the link through to the fan page on the right hand column (or simply click here).

I've also added a myspace site: http://myspace.com/ploasd. If you're a band or artist with myspace, I encourage you to add me on here so I can hear your sweet sweet musics.

Of course, PLOASD has been using twitter for sometime, but if you didn't know, the address is http://twitter.com/ploasd.

In other news, I'm addicted to this song.

Album Review: The Boat People - Dear Darkly [2010]

2010-07-07T13:40:00.003+10:00

Somewhat ironically, in a week where our new supreme leader cracks the whip on asylum seekers, Brisbane indie-pop group The Boat People release what is probably their most accessible album to date, Dear Darkly. This is the group’s third record and comes on the back of two critically acclaimed records, Chandeliers (2008) and yesyesyesyesyes (2005).

Generally, this record doesn’t disappoint. Dear Darkly advances musically upon the base constructed by its predecessors but doesn’t stray to far from a winning formula; that of Australiana pop music. In fact, there seems to be a streak of Australian melodic tropes, common to popular 70s and 80s Australian groups such as the Triffids, INXS, Australian Crawl and the Church, that permeates the Boaties music on Dear Darkly. Have a listen to ‘Dance to My Pain’ to get where I’m coming from on this point.

Opener ‘Under the Ocean’ explicates themes that seem to resonate strongly in Australian music. We love the beach, we love the ocean and, thus, we will identify, at least on the surface, with the aesthetics of this song. Well, that’s a pretty good formula because it works to great effect (though, I have to admit, the chorus melody keeps reminding me of Icehouse’s ‘Great Southern Land’ every time I hear it).

The lyrics of ‘Soporific’, presumably written by someone with medical training, may have you reaching for your dictionary (it’s a drug that induces sleep by the way), but that shouldn’t put you off what is a strongly structured tune with a rather surprising bridging section that sounds similar to the dungeon level in Super Mario Brothers. The fact that I was humming the tune to the song on my nightly jog can only mean that it’s memorable enough to warrant endorsement as one of the best songs on Dear Darkly. ‘Echo Stick Guitars’ conjures technocratic images of futuristic rock bands armed to the teeth with digital samplers and some beat-machine rifles. I’m not sure what ‘Echo Stick Guitars’ are but I think I want one.

If those songs were not enough, the record is peppered with even more highlights. ‘Damn Defensive’ features of a cascade of sounds that combine well to produce what is probably the standout track of the record. There are simply so many interesting textures being painted simultaneously that it is difficult not to feel moved. ‘Hidden Buses’ is nothing more than lower fidelity recording featuring acoustic guitar and vocals, but is effective in conveying a matter-of-fact mood that is tremendously appealing ‘Cat’s Collar’ is a joyous singalong which preaches the immorality of sleeping with close acquaintances. ‘Pornography’ features a great little guitar riff that leads into a descriptive pop gem that recalls the best of McLennan and Forster.

However, perhaps some of the tracks work better than others. ‘Live in the Dark’ repeatedly asks some sort of rhetorical question about living in the dark (strangely enough!), but, simply put, is not as engaging as the aforementioned tunes. My problem with this song may not exactly be the song itself, but possibly its placing on the tracklisting. Perhaps it would have worked better at the very beginning. Furthermore, ‘You Are Adored’, the excessively long track that closes the record, could have been more concise. I’m not sure how the several minutes of ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ tagged on to the end make it a substantially better song. Perhaps this facet might become more obvious in a live setting, but in the context of the record, it seems a trifle overwrought.

Overall, despite some fairly minor reservations, Dear Darkly is a solid record and perhaps the best the Boat People have put out so far in their career. The good songs are far more frequent that ones that are not, and are lot more interesting and accomplished than many other songs doing the rounds on Australian radio, to the extent that I would not be surprised that Dear Darkly gets nominated for a J Award. These facts alone justify my decision to purchase the record. Also, I’d wager that a live performance of this record would be a special occasion indeed.

See them perform at the Troubadour on July 24th with support from Skinny Jean. I saw the band play some of these songs during a support of a very ordinary Red Riders at the Globe last year. They were quite good (as you can read here). I presume they’ll be even better this time.

Brisbane Bands 1988 Documentary

2010-07-07T12:24:00.005+10:00

A few Interesting tidbits floating around the ol'facebook today. This 1988 documentary on Brisbane bands is extremely interesting. At least to me, being a child of the 1980s. Features Ed Kuepper, Robert Forster and some other luminaries from 1980s Brisbane music scene.

Website issues

2010-07-07T10:30:00.001+10:00

Hi all. Thanks for stopping by. I read there are some issues with commenting on blogger blogs. This one has been affected. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

Album Review: Steering By Stars - Cables [2010, Independent]

2010-07-05T23:47:00.009+10:00

I get the feeling that people either love or hate the post-rock genre. I also get the feeling that many people simply don’t know enough about it, considering that it's not exactly the most radio friendly music going round. Have you ever actually heard of Mogwai song being played on the radio? I guess it is fortunate that I happen to really enjoy listening to bands such as the aforementioned Mogwai and other masters of the genre like Explosions in the Sky. For that reason, I get excited when I see and hear Australian bands who embrace such influences.

The debut long player from Adelaide quartet Steering by Stars, Cables is notable on such a basis. Comparitively few contemporary Australian bands embrace the post-rock genre. Decoder Ring is an obvious exception. At a stretch, you might include PVT (or Pivot as they were once known) or My Disco. Mr Maps is a great local Brisbane example.

On first listen, Cables seems reminiscent of paths walked by Decoder Ring. Early track ‘Spirits’ sounds like it would be found on Decoder Ring's They Blind the Stars and the Wild Team. Standout track ‘Closer’ comes fairly early in the mix and shares a similar genealogy. However, 'Closer' is as good as anything produced by the band’s contemporaries, featuring a slow burning instrumental weaving and yearning vocal melody that builds to the triumphant conclusion that seems so common within the genre. It is visceral stuff.

While often elative, there is always a danger that such formulas might become overwrought. Thankfully, Steering by Stars seem keenly aware of this potential pitfall and vary the record accordingly. ‘Blush Response’ uses layers of keyboard sounds and effects to create a reflective mood while ‘Gloom’ is nothing more than a instrumental piano ballad. As such, both tracks are well placed to take the listener back down to ground level after the peak of the aforementioned 'Closer'.

Like many of the individual songs, the record builds towards crescendo. “I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon” (whose vocal lines perhaps strangely reminds me of Scottish indie group Arab Strap) begins what I believe the strongest part of the record. Drawn out over four songs, the ending stanzas speak with both brooding and unkempt enthusiasm. ‘These Knives’ begins with a frantic and overlapping delay effects before settling into a rock groove. I'd wager that it is this song that could really work well within the live setting. ‘Ether’, perhaps the most radio friendly song on the record, embraces a more indie pop mentality while closing track ‘Residue’ is a great track in isolation, but even more stunning as the concluding part of a four-part movement. These songs all seem to connect so effortlessly together that they almost seem like one large composition.

Indeed, the entire record plays out like a sine wave. It goes through sonic peaks and valleys, allowing the listener to be engaged by the differing layers of sounds, timbres, and textures. This metaphor is not a reflection on the quality of the record. That graph will be most certainly linear, if not exponential, for some listeners.

I feel that one shouldn’t constrain a band by its alleged influences. If you’re a fan of the post-rock genre, Decoder Ring, Mogwai, you’re going to get something out of this record. If you’re a fan of acts like Deerhunter or Sigur Ros, you’re going to get something out of this. Even fans of more esoteric groups like the Mars Volta might even appreciate some of the tones that shine through. I’m not going to end by saying this band are the Australia’s ‘next big thing’ (doesn’t every record review end this way?), but Steering By Stars Cables is an enjoyable record and worthy of your pocket money.

Have a listen to 'Ether' by clicking here.

The record is available both electronically and on vinyl (no cd?) on July 8th. Keep your eyes out on their website, where you can grab a mp3 copy of 'Closer' on the media page. Fellow blogger Bianca also did a great interview with the band recently which you might find interesting, just click here to access.

Young Bloods Blood New Initiatives

2010-06-29T13:07:00.004+10:00

Hola! I'm back from the cold heart of Melbourne and semi-refreshed for the second half of 2010. I have much writing to do and little time to do it considering I'm a) need to catch up on work and b) looking for a new job. Argh. Anyway, heaps of great looking local gigs coming up. If you're not doing anything this Vendredi you might be interested in checking out a new initiative occuring at the Legions Club this Friday.

It's presented by Brisbane Sounds and Starving Kids and the first instance features Teenage Wolves [pssst, I interviewed them last week], Dirty Bird, Bixby Canyon and Calais. Cost is $10 and drinks are allegedly at '1985 prices' plus it is all-ages. Woah, what more can you ask for?

Young Adult Canines: Interview with Teenage Wolves

2010-06-21T23:15:00.004+10:00

I came across Teenage Wolves due to an extremely positive review I read on the Brisbane Sounds website. They're a relatively new band and, from what I can hear, should cause a bit of a freakin' ruckus in this fair town. Before the end of winter, they'll be cooreographing Clint-Eastwoord style gun duels in the Brunswick Street Mall. Doubt me? Well go have a listen and you'll soon understand.

Anyway, Jasmine from the band graced me with a few minutes of her attention via the ol' email, enough to answer a series of fairly innocuous questions courtesy of yours truly.

Do I detect elements of PJ Harvey and Ennio Morricone in your sound? Where do your influences come from?

We both have very different musical backgrounds but our tastes are slowly merging together as we influence each other with our own musical preferences. The Ennio Morricone influence rings very true, there’s something timeless about spaghetti westerns, in particular Sergio Leone’s films and the soundtracks Morricone adds to them are hauntingly brilliant. But spaghetti westerns aside my main influences are the Delta blues, psychobilly, early 60’s garage rock and 50‘s rock ‘n’ roll.

I love the way the songs are recorded. Was this a conscious choice?

Lane studies audio engineering so we’re lucky enough to have access to a studio every now and then. I’m really glad people dig the reverb on the recordings, I fought hard to keep that in there! Lane told me I use ‘too much reverb’ I told him there’s no such thing. He let me do a vocal take in his bathroom recently so I think he’s warming up to it.

How did Teenage Wolves come to be?

We’ve known each other for fourteen years now but we’ve only started playing music together as a two-piece very recently. We would try out other people for different roles but no-one could really understand what we were about, so we just kept it as the two of us, it felt right.

Any favourite records or artists?

Lanes pick of record is Rated R by Queens of the Stone Age which is also his favourite band. I can’t bring it down to just a single record but I’m mad for The Cramps.

Any local bands you think we should be paying attention to?

For personal safety reasons people should be aware of a group who creep around Brisbane and call themselves The Chokes. They’re some of the nastiest, low brow - low fi misfits playing instruments I’ve ever met. We’ll be arranging shows with them soon.

I note a number of forthcoming gigs. What, when, how, why?

We’re lucky enough to be playing a handful of local shows over the next month which is great, we get a real kick out of playing live. We have all the details for any upcoming shows on our site, with some more being added in the next week or so.

What are the future plans for Teenage Wolves? Headline gigs, major festivals, the trashing of hotel rooms?

We’ll be recording as soon as we get the chance. We have a lot of new songs that have been written recently that I’m wanting to hear recorded, but until then playing around town and just focusing on writing and rehearsals. It’s such early days for Teenage Wolves that it’s still at this really exciting stage for us.

Excellent. I suggest you check them out. Teenage Wolves play the Legions Club on the 2nd of July, Lambda on the 15th, The Troub on the 23rd (supporting Bonfire Nights at their EP Launch), and the Step Inn on the 24th. Holey Moley.

You can listen to their stuff on myspace and download some tracks from the Triple J Unearthed Website (I encourage you to have listen - it's great stuff].

Cabs off Ranks: BigSound Announces Initial Lineup

2010-06-17T13:19:00.003+10:00

Music conferences are the flavour of the week! For those who don't know, BigSound is the Q Music endorsed music business event that is usually held in Brisbane each September. This year line-up includes a whole bunch of people from overseas including Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes. There are also a bunch of bands playing including Children Collide, Boy and Bear, and the Vasco Era. You can read all the info at the BigSound website.

What in the Hell is Going On?

2010-06-16T12:25:00.001+10:00

Perhaps I'm too easily annoyed at things that are really not that important. Yesterday, it was my sloppy guitar playing at band rehearsal. Today, it’s the fact that the city is putting on a concert to celebrate the opening of a confusingly named "Go Between Bridge" on the 25th of June.

One could claim that I'm evolving into a some kind of elitist grouch, nonetheless I’m still rankled. It could be my underlying resentment of the infrastructure plan that Can-Do Campbell has inflicted on the city (it’s not all bad, Campbell, I’m a big fan of the busway). The expansion of unneeded car-based transport options, particularly into an area of Brisbane which is increasingly becoming overly gentrified, makes me more inclined to rail against a concert to support of an expensive and inevitably underutilised toll bridge (prove me wrong, Brisbane)*.

Town planning concerns aside, you will note that this concert will cost the punter approximately $50 to see a mix of interstate and local bands (including Robert Forster). The line-up doesn’t exactly show any diversity now does it? Are not Bob Evans and Josh Pyke like the very same person? I mean, they look different but they peddle the same singer-songwriter stuff that often seems tiresome. Bob, go back to Jebediah, they miss you.

It seems the same types of acts always get trundled out at these community events. I guess with a target audience of bridge aficionados, the government and organisers have assumed that there is little or no chance that sludge rock covers of songs from 16 Lovers Lane by more esoteric local acts, such as No Anchor, will not generate the necessary coverage from a city seemingly obsessed with Powderfinger.

I guess why I am annoyed revolves around the fact that the organisers are flying in bands from other states to open a misguided piece of infrastructure that happens to be named in honour of a Brisbane musical institution. Sure the John Steel Singers, Yves Klien Blue and Robert are all from here, but is the musical landscape so sparse that all the artists couldn't be local? Furthermore, is it me or does the ticket price seem slightly expensive? Perhaps a bill with local talent would have reduced overhead costs. While I don't begrudge the artists or the charities involved from making a living, but surely this event could have been subsidised by the government. I guess with the relative non-use of the Clem7, the government has to make its money back somehow.

Well, if you're interested, go along, and see some people from Sydney play your favourite 'Go Between' song. I think I might sit this one out.

* Andrew Stafford might just agree with me.

Idle Thoughts on UnConvention Brisbane

2010-06-14T11:59:00.004+10:00

Yesterday I attended the second day of UnConvention Brisbane, a conference dedicating to exploring the various dimensions of the Brisbane independent music scene. While I only managed to make the second day due to the acquisition of life-threatening hangover the day prior, given the quality of the conference, I wish I had reconsidered drinking all those beverages on Friday night.

The first session featured a panel discussion on Music and the Media. Generally this session revolved around how and why people might get involved in music journalism (both in written form and over the wireless) and some tips and tricks about how to get your stuff published. Considering that I have spent many hours idly bashing away on this blog, this discussion was of particular interest to myself.

The insights provided by the panel members were very valuable. I particularly liked what Steve Bell of Timeoff and Chris Harms of Rave Magazine had to say about what makes the ideal street press writer. Matt Hickey from WhoTheHell.net also had some very interesting things to say on the roles of weblogs in unearthering new sources of music and the trials and tribulations of doing so. Paul Curtis, manager of the likes of Regurgitator and founder of Valve Records, provided some humorous interludes. He almost seemed amazed at the changed nature in which music media is now delivered as well as how the industry has had to struggle with the behemoth of the Internet. While I've never seriously considered ever making a 'career' out of what I do here as a hobby, it was also interesting to hear what options one can create for themselves.

The Music as Culture session was similarly informative but more in a reflective manner. Featuring the likes of Everett True, Andrew Stafford, and Kellie Lloyd of Screamfeeder, this session devoted itself to talking about the place and importance of music within the culture of the city. Everett was at his inflammatory best, giving a great insight into how he perceives the Brisbane music scene as a relatively newcomer to the city. I particularly liked his point regarding the late-night midweek gigs and how they may contribute to undermining the scene. Andrew Stafford provided some interesting points on haircuts as well as jaded music criticism while Cam Smith relayed the cultural aspects of recording Brisbane's musicians. The panel's discussion on the comparative dimensions between scenes such as Melbourne and Brisbane was also extremely interesting, acknowledging that it might be a misnomer to believe Melbourne's scene is any better than our local one. Just as the music and the media session was educational, the music as cultural session was both humorous and informative.

You can tell that I really enjoyed it. I had suspicions at first that it would be simply a congratulatory circle jerk but I was wrong. Having a panel discussion allowed for an array of often divergent views to focus attention on what may be good and what may be not so good about the local music scenic. Furthermore, I also got to say 'hey' to some fellow bloggers, including Bianca from Music For the Laundromat and Jodi from Plus One. It's always great to put faces to names. Congratulations to Andrew McMillen and Dave Carter for organising what was a great and badly needed conference that I hope returns next year.

Album Review: Tame Impala - Innerspeaker [2010, Modular]

2010-06-12T12:19:00.003+10:00

You know what? I really disliked Tame Impala's 2008 debut EP. Other than the opening track, “Desire Be, Desire Go”, I didn't feel much inclined to what seemed derivative wankery. I wasn't convinced, instead, I was bored. At the time, I thought Tame Impala would be more suited to domesticating african antelopes rather than subjecting the public to Wolfmother 2.0.

Well, put the fish in the kettle, things have changed. Innerspeaker is so accomplished that even our musical overlords felt kind enough to give it a review that didn't feature a monkey urinating into its own mouth. What has changed? Well, the songs got better.

I can't really fault the record. In particular, "Alter Ego" is a bollucking journey through psychedelia-land that makes me feel like driving out west, over the Great Dividing Range and finding a field to dance around in. It is the first song in a triad of consecutive greatness. "Lucidity" shows us all the things that Wolfmother seemingly can't do, playing music without their heads getting stuck up their own arses. "Make Up Your Mind" is hypnotic while instrumental track "Jeremy's Storm" is determined, much like the storm it is allegedly named after. The jewel in the crown comes near the end, "Expectations" with its great chorus phrasing shows us that the land of the flange has finally reopened. Maybe my poor flange pedal can finally show its face around town now that Tame Impala have made it socially acceptable again.

Much of Innerspeaker's appeal lies in the way it’s recorded. Deliberately lower fidelity and flatter than the usual 'slickness' that comes out of modern day recording studios, makes this record a lot more interesting than a lot of the stuff that gets shoved on the airways these days. It’s very listenable, much more so than their previous EP. Some have criticised the record for being so deliberately derivative that it may lead to questions over the band's ability to sustain their current appeal. I think this 'derivative' assessment a bit harsh. How can any band hope to escape the weight of their influences? I believe a better approach is to appreciate Innerspeaker for what it is, and that is, a great debut record.

Sounds Like Brisbane and the Inhabit Fiesta

2010-06-09T18:48:00.007+10:00

Ohh! Free local music alert. You may have heard about Sounds Like Brisbane, the product of the work of several prominent local record labels including Plus One records, Dew Process and Valve (full list here). It is a very interesting little project that aims promoting and supporting the local music scene. In many ways, its a 'co-op'. Much like Proposition Joe's co-op in The Wire, except involving music instead of heroin. Yes, I've been watching a little too much of this seriously awesome show, so much that I've begun to compare friends/institutions/situations to the ones so realistically portrayed in the Wire.

Anywhoo. Their website has a load of information on future plans and ventures and includes a number of free tracks from local bands including Carry Nation and the Optimen. Check out an interesting article on the history of local music labels compiled by Andrew Stafford.

But...there is more. Next Friday, the 18th of June, Sounds Like Brisbane will be curated a miniture festival in conjuction with the Inhabit Fiesta that is happening in the city. What is the deal with this? Well I'm glad you asked. Basically, a bunch of local bands are set up in stages in laneways around the CBD (Burnett Lane between Adelaide and Queen) and Island Court (between George and Elizabeth Arcade). Artists include Last Dinosaurs, The Blowhards, Halfway, Butcher Birds and a load of other great acts. And all it will cost you is a few hours of your time.

Effin Tune: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Round and Round

2010-06-08T21:11:00.005+10:00

Ariel Pink is some freak folk dude from America. California I believe. I could be wrong, but I haven't been bothered to fact check [check complete: yes! from California]. Haunted Graffiti is his band.

Regardless, this song came up on the Sparkadia twitter feed yesterday and it caught my attention. Its a soft rock tune but its hell catchy. Have a listen and tell me what you think.

EP Review: Unlikely Superheroes - Shooting Doves [2010, Independent]

2010-06-08T15:20:00.007+10:00

Local Brisbane acoustic duo Unlikely Superheroes are likely to be a contented bunch. Their debut seven-song EP Shooting Doves speaks with the optimism of a duo that genuinely enjoy using the craft of music to explore the lessons of love and its often-inevitable loss. While there are no deep Foucauldian philosophical questions here, the lightness in which contemporary pop explores the subject of love is often more revered and genuine.

Indeed, the ‘Hereos, Riley and Emma, seem like people with whom you could share the sudden and unexpected departure of a lover without fear of scorn or mocking. Many of the songs deal with such themes, including ‘Miss you’, ‘Fool’ and the upbeat ‘Where Did I Go Wrong?’ Primarily composed of acoustic guitar lines courtesy of the talented Emma, Riley provides the central vocal focus with a jazz-inspired swagger. Unlikely Superheroes tend to tread the well-worn path of other acoustic acts and singer-songwriters such as Josh Pyke, Bob Evans and Paul Dempsey, albeit with more jazz sensibilities.

While Riley is responsible for most of the vocals, it is the songs where the voices of both artists’ coalesce that prove the most interesting. A good example is the standout tune, ‘Aeromelon’, a swing-inspired number, and a tongue in cheek examination of the minutiae of everyday existence. Perhaps it’s Foucauldian after all? Though, I hope the observation ‘I saw a baby and it didn’t drown’ featured in this song is simply a metaphor of some kind and not reflective of a literal ‘day in the life of..’ moment, otherwise I’d be asking some serious questions. The gentleness of the record’s closer ‘This Damn Weather’ is a well-constructed tune that has much potential, particularly were a few more instruments involved.

Flawlessly produced by local wizzkid James “James” North, the Unlikely Superheroes debut EP has some merit, despite acoustic pop music not usually being my thing. The enthusiasm that shines through the EP is encouraging. One laments the fact that perhaps a few more instruments would liven up the tracks during the middle section of the EP - I’m talking strings, keys, xylophones as so forth - but this criticism is only fairly shallow. It goes without saying that those who enjoy breezy acoustic music with a tinge of jazz will get more out of this EP than, say, those inclined to serious death metal. There is some strength here and this EP may prove to be a great starting point for a future career.

Unlikely Superheroes - Aeromelon

Unlikely Superheroes play at the X&Y Bar on the 11th of August and launch the EP sometime in September. You can have a listen to their track ‘Aeromelon’ above, which they’ve graciously given me permission to share.

News, Unconvention Brisbane

2010-06-08T07:08:00.004+10:00

Well, I've survived a fairly intense period of essay writing to emerge on the other side of my Masters of International Studies degree. While not completely finished, the majority of it is now done and I have no more classes to attend. This sounds all very uninteresting, but the point is that I can return to blogging with a bit more focus.

This means that I'm going to make this a bit more professional. And I say professional in the sense that it's going to get its own domain name, get an artistic overhaul and be pursued with a bit more dedication and more interesting (hopefully local) content. As you would be aware, blogger's default layout is a piece of floating excrement but unfortunately I have never had any time to mess with it. This is why ploasd.com now exists and will be getting a default wordpress install within a few weeks.

This also means I can finally look at some records I've been listening to that I've had to put away for the past few weeks due to university. Apologies to those I've been stringing along.

But anyway, to other news.

You've probably all heard by now but Mr McMillen and co are doing the UnConvention Brisbane thing on Sunday. It sounds very interesting so I'm going to head along for the Sunday session to catch the Music and the Media and Music as Culture. So feel free to say 'hey' is you see / recognise me.

There is a free all-ages gig on the Saturday night featuring Hunz, Lion Island, The Cairos, and Laneous and the Family Yah.

Thick Skin, Thin Kids

2010-06-06T19:32:00.002+10:00

The Thin Kids playing 'Thick Skin, Thin Kids' at the Paddington Fair.

Ha. I really like this song! Something cool about it being performed in a skate park.

The Boat People Set Date for 'Dear Darkly' and Announce Tour

2010-06-05T11:11:00.003+10:00

Brisbane noughties institution The Boat People are releasing their third long player very very soon. An email that popped into my inbox this morning states 2nd of July as the release date, so get your hammers ready, it's time to smash open those piggy banks!

There is also a east tour which takes in parts of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. They play in Brisbane on the 24th of July with Skinny Jean. Full details are on their webernet page.

While you're digesting your brunch this fine Saturday morning, you might like to indulge yourself by checking out the video for the first single from the record 'Echo Stick Guitars'

Don't Forget About Me

2010-05-26T11:35:00.002+10:00

Dear Internet.

Apologies for the lack of updates. This blog has often come secondary to my tertiary studies, and unfortunately, these studies will be kicking my arse until at least June 5th. I'm still alive and yes I will still be updating. Please come back after June 5th when I promise I'll be doing some more constructive writing. And I have a little surprise in the works for July.....

Until then, please don't forget about me.

Regards

Darragh

Effin Tune: Georgie James - Need Your Needs

2010-05-15T18:53:00.003+10:00

I'm in study land. I've almost completed my MA in International Relations. I'm on the home stretch. Post essays will mean more music blogging, but until then, expect not much. Apologies to the various groups who've sent me music over the past few weeks - I'm flat out.

Anyway, I was sitting back, relaxing the other day, recalling with some sadness the fact that the vast bulk of my pre-2005 music collection died due to a hard drive failure (lucky I have much of it on CD), when I remember a little group from Washington DC in the states who put out a really funky indie pop song. The group was Georgie James and the song was 'Need Your Needs'. The band featured a guy who resembled Phillip Seymour Hoffman and a girl who was/is extremely attractive. They are John Davis and Laura Burhenn.

While it may be showing its age a bit here, it still a pretty cool little song. Have a listen for yourself.

Georgie James - Need Your Needs

Hopefully, I'll get time to put up some more stuff in the coming two weeks, but don't expect much. Come June 5th though, watchout!

Lands & Peoples

2010-05-10T19:35:00.005+10:00

Trends don't lie. This is the year of dream-pop. My pal Alaina put me on to this little number which has made my day of essay writing all so much more bearable. 'In Living Colour' is a song by Baltimore trio Lands & Peoples which you can download for free from their website or from the box below. Weird that an American band chose to spell 'colour' in such a fashion, isn't it?

<a href="http://landsandpeoples.bandcamp.com/track/in-living-colour">In Living Colour by Lands & Peoples</a>

The Frustration With Splendour: Sideshows and Alcohol-Free Camping

2010-05-10T13:15:00.010+10:00

Yes, we all are crying into our pillows because we all missed out on Splendour in the Grass tickets. Did all the ‘true’ music fans miss out or did they all simply dodge a bullet? You may recall my first effort in the wake of missing out on tickets to the festival in which I fruitlessly blamed a website for my misfortune. Well, here is my second tourney at beating the living crap out of a dead horse.

Regardless of how the splendour debacle played out for you, the fact remains that some very capable artists will be docking at our shores at the end of July. A few of them will engage in the sideshow extravaganza that Splendour organisers have helped promote. While this happens every year, one may speculate that promoting the sideshows is even more important considering the ebb tides of bleeding hearts that washed up dead on the shores of the moshtix website. A cursory glance at tweeted headlines promoting ‘sideshows galore’ prompts heart palpitations. After all, Grizzly Bear, Surfer Blood and Broken Social Scene don’t often make the journey to Australia on a regular basis. However, on closer examination of the various press releases floating around the interwebs reveals a not so subtle sucker punch, one that comes with a message that reads ‘$%!^ YOU BRISBANE’*.

Ok, so we’re not “New York of the Southern Hemisphere” Sydney or “Art and Cultural Centre of New Holland” Melbourne, but you know, we’re sad that we’re not considered important enough to warrant even a drop by for a quick visit before or after the greatest camping festival in prohibition history occurs.

Well, I’m annoyed and empowered by the fact that I have this blogging platform in which to complain loudly. I feel for the many locals who missed out on tickets to the festival due to the demand, but I feel even more royally screwed by the fact that seemingly none of these great international bands are playing anywhere near Brisbane. Unless you’re wealthy enough to spend as much as the cost of one Splendour camping ticket to travel to Sydney or Melbourne, you’ve got zip all chance of seeing the likes of Grizzly Bear come July.

Now, I’m going to engage in some reasoned speculation. While I'm aware that this has not always been the case, it seems that come Splendour and Big Day Out times, many bands curiously skip Brisbane. While geographically, Brisbane is close to both Byron, Woodford and Big Day Out, I often feel frustrated that this assumption seems to inform decisions not to play Brisbane, particularly when such festivals sell out in nanoseconds.

In the case of Splendour in the Grass, one suspects that the contracts between the festival organisers and the individual artists may contain contract terms stipulating that certain bands cannot play Brisbane. Naturally, such a clause would make sense in some situations, particularly to smaller more regional music festivals. You don’t want pesky sideshows in major cities luring your market away. But in the age of Splendour such a clause seems ridiculous since a) it sells out every year and b) many people attending splendour come from all over the country.

So why are there no shows scheduled for Brisbane? If the above speculation is incorrect, and barring band’s having touring commitments which prevent sideshows (hard to swallow considering that no band has Brisbane down as a date), what is the real reason? My point is here that any contractual arrangement that renders the chance of Brisbane sideshows during festival seasons seems very harsh considering the fact that these festivals sell out so quickly.

While I’m on the Splendour bashing parade, I might as well mention my other grievance. A multi-day camping festival in this day and age where punters are not trusted enough to be allowed to bring alcohol into the campsite? Are you having a laugh? This is outrageous.

I don’t condone extreme binge drinking but I suspect other motivations lie at the heart of such a decision. Key question at the Splendour Annual Board meeting on how we can make more money out of people who have already spent $450 to attend a music festival?**

I know! Ban alcohol and charge overinflated prices for a paper cup of midstrength.

Give that wo/man a promotion.

As far as I’m aware, such issues have slipped under the radar. We should be thankful that the Splendour organisers have arranged to bring a significant international line-up, complemented with capable local talent, to Australia. But, as consumers, I think we’re entitled to be upset at the way the organisation of the event has played out (c’mon, ballot system anyone?). I know I am. Now excuse me as I return to writing an essay on mediation and conflict resolution.

If you haven't got your fill, check out another interesting article on the subject by Marieke Hardy on the ABC website.

* Two things. Firstly, in making such a statement, I have to apologise to the wealth of regions that never get to see international bands. It seems a bit petulant for me to make such complaints considering Brisbane generally gets to see more international acts than say Hobart or Darwin and probably Adelaide or Perth. Secondly, I cannot confirm there are absolutely no sideshows for Brisbane, however looking at various websites including Triple J and the Splendour website, at this stage, there seems to be no gigs scheduled for Brisbane by any international band who is gracing the stages at Woodfordia.

** Glastonbury Festival in the UK cost around $300 Australian dollars and permits people to bring their own food and drink into the festival grounds.

Splendour, My Ass

2010-05-06T12:45:00.006+10:00

Sweet bleeding Jesus. What a frustrating morning. Like about a billion other people, I attempted to buy Splendour in the Grass camping tickets from moshtix this morning. Despite getting to work early, logging into the site around 8am, from 8.30am onward I experienced constant drop outs. I’m jealous of the people that actually got to the ‘buy tickets’ screen – cause I never even got that far. Several times I got to about position 1,000 in the queue before receiving a server time out and booted back to the end of the queue. The above graphic was the screen I got greeted with time after time after time.

This is the first time I’ve attempted to buy Splendour tickets since about 2005. I think it’s the nail in the coffin for me. I don’t care about the line-up anymore, the whole setup is rancid. I realise that lots of people want to go, and systems are under great stress, but why are these problems consistent. It’s not exactly like the massive server load was unexpected? I’m annoyed that the queuing system seems fundamentally flawed. No wonder the moshtix facebook ‘fan’ page is filled with streams of abuse (though, I note strangely enough a lot of the abuse is 'disappearing') (*edit* they won't be able to sensor the Courier Mail's comment section though).

From now on, I'm sticking with worthwhile festivals like Golden Plains.

Effin Tune: Arbuckle - It's Going to Happen

2010-05-05T12:00:00.005+10:00

I've been reminiscing this week. Brisbane music in the late 1990s/early 2000s was quite fun really. Has much changed? Well I’ll leave you to judge. But back in the good ol’ days, Dave McCormack of Custard produced the debut record of a great local band: Arbuckle, Custard 'of the Gold Coast'.

Perhaps that comparison is not entirely accurate, but there are similarities. To the best of my knowledge, Arbuckle put out a handful of EPs and one record “No Heroics”. I feature the record's first tune ‘It’s Going to Happen’ here for your enjoyment (see link below).

Arbuckle - It's Going to Happen

Sadly, Arbuckle are no more (one member is now making music with The Bell Divers). I’m not sure if you can actually get any Arbuckle records anywhere anymore (perhaps iTunes?). If anyone has any that they’re willing to perhaps sell to me, please get in contact. I know Seja covered one of their songs at her Troubadour gig a few weeks back which rekindled my interest in the band. Don’t know the name of the song covered (its not on "No Heroics") but if anyone who was there knows its title, again, please get in contact.

Ps. Unrelated link, but James Pusey has written an interesting article on his thoughts as to why Mumford and Sons is so popular. Check it out here.

Local gig of the week: Deadriot at the Zoo

2010-05-03T18:20:00.005+10:00

I'm emerging briefly from my essay hell* to provide my moral support to local rockabilly-punk act Dead Riot. You may recall me mentioning Dead Riot before - I saw them play a mainly acoustic set at Browning Street Studios late last year.

My good pal Harry plays bass for them and they're playing their first headline show at the Zoo on Thursday night (6th of May). I'll be going along, despite having been at Spoon the night before. But hey, if I can do that, surely you can make it to the Zoo, right?

The cost is $10 on the door ($8 pre-sale, but don't ask me where to buy them). You can check out Dead Riot's stuff by clicking here. Supports are The Arachnids, Skarlett Blue (Melbourne), Levic, and Isaac Graham (Sydney).

*I've been writing on the most interesting subject known to man: decentralisation and local government. It's the type of subject area that gives me a rock-hard metaphorical boner.

It is Wilco Week in Brisbane

2010-04-27T22:48:00.004+10:00

This week I'll get the opportunity to finally get to see Wilco live for the first time ever (thanks to Kate for the birthday present!). "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is right up there as one of my favourite all-round records.

I'm not sure what to exactly expect of Wilco in the live arena, but I've only ever heard that their shows have all been exceptionally good. However, despite my gushing about "Yankee…", my familiarity with their other records is unfortunately not as strong. As a result, I've been manically listening through Wilco's rather large back catalog and I came across this little gem in which Feist features. Check out the Letterman performance of the song (which I don't actually think is as good as the album version, but you get the gist).

Not From Here, Not From There

2010-04-26T13:13:00.004+10:00

Remember Not From There? Remember their great debut record "Sands on Seven"? Remember the heady days before the Valley got invaded by hordes of dickheads? Those were the days.

I do recall the good times I had during my late teens. I do remember the time when Not From There tore up a stage at the University of Queensland Big Gig. Sich Offnen.

The Stress of Leisure

2010-04-25T10:50:00.005+10:00

Local group The Stress of Leisure sent me an email the other day talking about a few gigs they had coming up in May. I'd never heard of them before, but I took a few moments out of my daily grind to have a quick mosey about their website. Promoting themselves as the bastard child of the Go Betweens and Pavement, the sound is reminiscent of many of those early 90s Australian alternative rock bands that I used to enjoy listening to so much. I don't mind it at all.

They have a song available from their website that I've linked through below, that you may enjoy. They've also have a few videos on their youtube channel. Otherwise, catch them performing a free gig at the Powerhouse on May 23rd. They have a new record coming out in June.

The Stress of Leisure - Calm It Down

Yeehaw.

Live Review: Seja, Otouto @ The Troubadour

2010-04-24T11:02:00.004+10:00

It has been a while since I've been to the valley for a gig. You can insert the typical excuse of a full time student / misanthrope here. But given that I needed a break from the usual drag of my life, I was compelled to pay a visit to the Troubadour to witness Seja perform tracks from her debut record "We Have the Secrets but Nobody Cares". Along for the ride was a couple of friends including fellow blogger Ling Ling of Passionate Sounds. Due to a late dinner of vietnamese (food, not people) and a few brews at the "new" Rics (my first visit since its revamp, I'm a bit taken aback by the changes), I missed the opportunity to see BigStrongBrute perform the opening act. Apologies.

Dressed something akin to the twins in Kubrick's "The Shining", the twins of Otouto play an interesting set of dreamlike pop music featuring many strange keyboard noises. There is something beautifully eerie about this set: it was hypnotic, it was bjork-ish, it was grand. 'Spot' and 'W.Hillier' were highlights, and the performance was strong enough to convince me to look into purchasing their record. While I got the feeling some of the crowd didn't know exactly what to make of the trio, I believe that this could be a group to keep an eye on in the coming months and years.

Local girl Seja is well known in Brisbane city. Part of the strangely-absent Sekiden and keybasher for institution Regurgitator, she's put out a pretty interesting debut solo record which includes the stellar single "I'll Get To You". Merideth, from the sadly defunct Delpino, joins Seja on guitar, keyboard and handclaps and the group sway through the majority of the tracks from the record.

It is a synth fest tonight. While there seems to be a few small technical hitches that occasionally break the flow of the set, there are highlights to be had, particularly the German-spoken "We Haben Geheimnisse" and "Sing Me the Song Like You Said" and of course "I'll Get to You". Seja also switches to guitar to perform a great Arbuckle cover whose title eludes me (anyone know which one it was?). Concluding with a 'We Can't See Past Our Hands', Seja and Merideth perform a strange little dance which looks like a combination of that playground slap routine kids played in primary school and the macarena. It must be seen to be believed.

A bit rough around the edges, but a fairly worthwhile evening out. I was satisfied, yet weary from the late finishing time. I guess I'm getting old.

You may like to have a listen to Seja's debut record which is available in all good records stores.

Oh Youtube! And Miscellany.

2010-04-20T22:36:00.005+10:00

Yes, I only just found out the other day that the youtube videos I post occasionally don't format correctly with this blog layout in firefox. I use safari and chrome - and they always format correctly (well it seems). I should have checked that, eh?! Better get cracking on fixing that.

Well, soon anyway. Unfortunately, I'm deep in an exploration of korean economic development hence the relative lack of progress on any music related blogging. I'm going to Seja on Thursday night though at the Troubadour, and mostly likely I'll be at Die!Die!Die (supported by Sleepwalks, if you didn't remember).

Oh, and thanks to CityKat (AKA Katherine Feeney) of Brisbane Times repute - she gave this 'humble' blog a shout out in a column on the Brisbane blogosphere this morning. I sound like some kind of 'Zorro' character....

"He's masked, he's from Bardon and he writes Brisbane music reviews with the odd cultural reference thrown in for good measure."

Bwahah, I only just found out!

And I can't get enough of Die!Die!Die!. As I said above, they play this weekend. Here's a teaser.

Effin Tune: The Mountain Goats - 'Ethiopians'

2010-04-15T08:16:00.005+10:00

I love the Daytrotter Sessions. For those not 'in the know', Daytrotter is a website that offers free mp3 downloads of 'the best emerging bands'. They even have a studio where bands and artists come in specifically to record sessions and offer them up for public consumption. A lot of them are not actually 'emerging' but fairly well established, and there are couple of absolute gem sessions lurking amongst an impressive back catalog. The Mountain Goats set is one I recently came across.

I'm not too familiar with the Mountain Goats. I did really like that song 'Alibi' from the Babylon Springs EP, but other than that I've not really listened to them that much (and yes, I know it is led by John Darnielle and the band roster changes constantly).

Anyway, the Mountain Goats' Daytrotter session features a great little tune. Darnielle explains that it didn't make the cut of 2002's "Tallahasee", but I really like it. It begins with some chord changes that sound very like a sped up version of Radiohead's 'True Love Waits' before diving into a entertaining story about the seemingly dysfunctional relationship between two people. I particularly like the chorus lyrics.

"Good things never last, bad things never die."

You can have a listen to 'Ethiopians' by clicking on the link below.

The Mountain Goats - Ethiopians [Daytrotter Session]

You can also have a look round the impressive Daytrotter backcatalog by simply signing up at their website.

Seja! You're Getting to Me!

2010-04-12T23:39:00.003+10:00

Oh yeah. This is a gem. Brisbane's very own Seja Vogel is playing at the Troubadour on the 22nd of April in support of her 'solo' album (warning: may or may not have solos). You may remember Seja from Sekiden and Regurgitator and a few other Brisbane acts. Enjoy 'I'll Get to You' clip embedded below and get the hell out to the gig!

Good stuff. I'm buying the album.

Review: Sleepwalks "Clicks"

2010-04-11T20:03:00.007+10:00

You know a song is good when you feel compelled to place it on your portable music-playing device without the feeling that you’re obligated too. You know the band is good when you choose to repel the drudgery of your work commute by listening to their music. These two anecdotes sum up my experience of listening to Sleepwalks newly released mini-ep “Clicks”.

Sleepwalks are a three-piece alternative rock act from Brisbane who have released what I think is a very solid three track mini-ep featuring ‘Clicks’, ‘Pith’ and ‘Negative’ in that order.

‘Clicks’, evokes memories of sweaty mosh pits filled with flannelette-addicted teenagers though it’s clear that certain pop sensibilities lurk somewhere under the distortion. It’s the standout tune of the release and probably the most accessible. That’s not to say that the other tracks are less worthy; indeed, my favourite moment of the entire release comes a third of the way through the second track ‘Pith’ in the form of a distorted and isolated mclusky-esque bassline.

Stylistically, this release speaks directly to my own sense of musical appreciation. I’m a sucker for those grunge hooks, the quiet-loud dynamics of bands like Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, the Replacements and a legion of other grunge and punk acts that have clearly influenced Sleepwalks. My only real criticism is that the release is slightly on the short side – just as they drag you in, its over. However, it’s a more of a case of ‘taste of things to come’ that makes this band one to keep an ear out for in the coming year.

Regardless, I heartily endorse this local produce. It’s a solid first release and worthy of your attention (and your money). If you don’t believe, have a listen to the ‘Clicks’ above (the band have kindly given permission for you to ‘borrow’ a copy for yourself – the link is below).

Sleepwalks - Clicks [Song]

Sleepwalks support Die!Die!Die! on the 23d of April at the Coolangatta Hotel and again at the X&Y on the 24th of April. You can purchase their EP through Tym’s Guitars, Violent Green or the Outpost or by contacting the band directly.

Ps: You can listen to a live bootleg of Sleepwalks Browning Street Studios show from just last week over at Turn it Up!

Acta Est Fabula, Finger

2010-04-09T10:41:00.003+10:00

It may surprise you, but Brisbane musical institution Powderfinger have called it a day.

Although not my favourite band in the universe, they’ve been the flag bearers of Brisbane music for longer than I care to remember. Apparently this will be announced today on their website, but its racing around the twittersphere like Amy Winehouse on methamphetamine.

I’d like to thank you for inspiring one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Back in highschool my friend chose your song ‘Return of the Electric Horsemen’ to perform a off-key serenade to some girl he liked.

Fortunately for me, I happened to be in the room when this event took place (which was strange enough). Now I have the privilege of being able to bring this incident up at the most inappropriate moments, of which I’ve indulged in on at least five different occasions. Oh, and the girl didn’t buy it, unfortunately for Steve.

Well, toodles ‘Finger. I only really liked “Internationalist”, “Double Allergic” was not too bad, but apart from that, it was all pretty pedestrian to be honest. A host of other people liked your music and you made a bunch of money but I think you failed to build on the direction “Internationalist” may have pointed you towards.

Last Dinosaurs - Honolulu Video

2010-04-06T22:14:00.004+10:00

No time for any serious blogging effort today. This essay on development economics is seriously kicking my proverbial arse.

In the meantime, enjoy the newly released video clip from local indie starlets Last Dinosaurs.

Don't ask me what the hell its all about though.

Thanks to Who the Bloody Hell Are They? for the heads up.

Effin Tune: The Delgados - 'Coming in from the Cold'

2010-04-01T16:23:00.005+10:00

It seems that Scotland has a love affair with indie pop music. I mean, how many awesome pop acts come out of this magical land? Off the top of my head: Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura and many more. And why does it keep producing such quality? I wager a pouch of guineas that it is the haggis. Or perhaps deep-fried mars bar. Or some other stereotypically Scottish cultural object.

Anyway, I quickly want to chat about a great little ditty from The Delgados, a band that I have not had the pleasure of listening to in some time. I revisited them en route to work just this morning, which spurred on this ramble.

‘Coming in From the Cold’ from “Hate” has always been my favourite Delgados tune. I say this for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was the song that introduced me to the band. I do still recall the exact moment it first graced my eardrums - I was working with my father painting someone’s apartment and listening to Triple J during the summer of 2002 when it came on the morning show. I was immediately smitten.

Secondly, well, I just love the wide-eyed optimism encapsulated most clearly in the uplifting guitar melody that plays over Emma Pollock’s vocals during the chorus. While I think that "The Great Eastern" was a better record, I don’t think any individual Delgados song ever got much better than this one.

Die-hard Delgados fans may disagree with my over-the-top blushing. arguably I’ve picked the most palatable and 'mainstream' song of The Delgados discography. But fuck it, I like it and I don’t care (am I wrong? Please tell me I'm not :D). I was fortunate to catch one of their last ever shows when they toured Brisbane in early 2005. Weeks later they broke up and that was that.

Deadriot & Hangar.

2010-04-01T14:44:00.005+10:00

Ahoy mateys, a quick word out to all you aspiring buccaneers who may, or may not, be stuck for activities to do this upcoming Saturday.

Local punk group Dead Riot take to the high seas of the Brisbane river with a boat cruise around the city. Witness midshipman Harry throw his bass guitar at a City Cat during the encore*, so violent an act even Sid Vicious might wince**. This musical armada will also feature supports Isaac Graham, Fushia and Manners. Cost is $15, it’s both licensed and all-ages, and the boat sets sail from the area near Brisbane’s version of the millennium wheel at Southbank circa 6:30PM this Saturday.

Alternatively, you can head to the Lofly Hangar in Red Hill to catch Love Connection, Toy Balloon, Danimals and BIGSTRONGBRUTE in a night of gig-bitching that promises to be a hipster's wetdream. No doubt that their unwashed, soiled pants will be on sale at the Valley markets for triple the price come the next morning (the hipsters I mean, not the bands). Cost is as super cheap as the similarly named autoshop and its BYO beer and wine and grandmas.

* Not an actual feline but a catamaran.
** May not actually happen. Parallel Lines On A Slow Decline does not encourage the use of violence except against Stephen Conroy.

Industry Event: Talking Shop & Miscellany

2010-03-31T15:53:00.005+10:00

Talking Shop

If you've read Rave Magazine you've probably read articles by Denis Semchenko (he goes to _a lot_ of locals gigs, I seriously don't know how he does it!). Anyway, Denis along with 4ZzZ personality Stacey Coleman will be guest speakers at the fifth Talking Shop seminar.

The focus for this seminar is will be to identify the ways that local artists and groups to engage with local, national and international media for minimum costs (I read that as free!). As the marketing materials reads "Talking Shop serves up invaluable opportunities to meet, discuss, applaud, share and plot the growth of the arts.".

It's on at the Judith Wright Centre on Wednesday 14 April (5.30pm – 7pm). Best of all, it is FREE!. You'll have to RSVP though by using the following email link by 5pm on Monday the 12th of April.

Sounds like a very interesting seminar and probably something local bands should investigate. I'll be going myself if I somehow get out of my international relations of Asia-Pacific class that is scheduled on Wednesday nights.

Miscellany

Wanted to call your attention to a great little blog post published last week by another Brisbane music blogger. Have a read of "I've Lost That Loving Feeling" over at My Aural Fixation.

The 2010 Q Song Awards are Go

2010-03-30T15:10:00.006+10:00

Every year someone wins a q song award. Probably because they wrote a song that a panel of phony judges believed was better than some other goddamn song.

Excuse the unintended pessimism - I'm trying to do my best Holden Caulfield.

Seriously though, you can enter yourself by going over to the Q Song website and typing in your relevant details. The link is here. Best of luck!

Send me your music

2010-03-30T10:49:00.003+10:00

Now that I’m back and re-settled in Brisvegas, I’ve become more and more conscious of my recent disconnection from the ‘scene’. I have only been around the city haphazardly over the past few years (having travelled South America, lived in London, started my masters program, then f’d off to the US for a bit). It seems that these wanderings combined with the demise of my old band have left me somewhat detached from the who’s who of the Brisbane music scene.

I wish to re-engage. If you’re a local Brisbane band or artist and want to get ‘the word’ out on the street regarding your music or a gig, feel free to drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do. You can get me on ploasd AT the mail that is g dot com (I’m sure you can figure out that fairly basic riddle).

Brisbane Music Writers Unite!

2010-03-27T14:43:00.003+10:00

Something I've been meaning to do for a while was create a facebook community dedicated to Brisbane music writers. Today, while under the influence of procrastination, I did so. Feel free to join Brisbane Music Writers & Bloggers on facebook.

In other news, if you're not going to Bonfire Night's debut Brisbane show (supporting Drawn From Bees) at the Troubadour tonight then go punch yourself in the face. Now.

Teenage Fanclub Announce Date for New Album

2010-03-26T10:05:00.002+10:00

Well, Glaswegian boys Teenage Fanclub are set to release a new album in May. It's called "Shadows" and you can listen to the track 'Baby Lee' over at the band's website - it's guaranteed to make your day a smidgen brighter. The record comes out in Australia at the end of May.

Props to Everett True's post for jogging my memory of this great band.

View York: Wild Beasts, Evan Dando and the Magnetic Fields

2010-03-26T09:34:00.006+10:00

Folks, it has been some time. As some of you may know, I have been in New York City for the past two and a half months interning at the United Nations. Unfortunately, the full-time work and full time social responsibilities endemic to New York have put the brakes on any music blogging. However, as I’m back in Brisbane, I can continue the usual ramble of meaningless thoughts on popular music.

New York is one of the best places to catch live music. Literally you can see a great band nearly every night of the week for a bargain price, something that in Brisbane, Australia, you may not be able to do. Side note: literally I’ve been overusing the word ‘literally’ to the point where I want to rip my tongue out. I blame a few of my New York compadres for covertly inserting it in my vernacular. Yeah, you know who you are!

I have a few gigs that I attended during my NYC visit that I wish to speak about. I already covered Jonathan Richman a few weeks ago, but I did manage to go see Wild Beasts, Evan Dando and The Magnetic Fields during this sojourn to Obama’s Revolutionary Empire.

WILD BEASTS

Several weeks ago, my good pal Gabe got me to tag along to see an entertaining UK indie band Wild Beasts. What makes them particularly distinctive is Hayden Thorpe’s distinctive countertenor voice, something that is unusual in today’s modern ‘indie’ world. While unusual, I eventually grew used to Thorpe’s eunuch braying – it mixed well with the Morrisey-esque baritone of Tom Fleming.

Playing most of their sophomore record “Two Dancers” (which is quite good by the way), Wild Beasts meander their way through a range of dreamlike ballads that seem to revolve around working class subjects and working class people. As Gabe aptly pointed out, they evoke memories of Talking Heads. Unfortunately, at the time, I wasn’t familiar with their records, so cannot allude to the songs they played. However, the title of the concluding song is obvious, the band finishing with the delicious sing-along ballad suitably entitled 'Cheerio Chaps'.

In addition, I must point out that the support act Violins were also very enjoyable to watch. All in all, a very good night. (thanks Gabe!)

EVAN DANDO

I managed to also catch Lemonheads alumni Evan Dando in an acoustic solo gig at the Mercury Lounge in Lower East side Manhattan onMArch 8th. There was a plethora of supports (well, three), a factor that pushed Dando to a late start. However, due to some technical and transport problems, Dando only manages to hit the stage circa midnight and proceeds to play a two hour plus set. Unfortunately, due to excesses the night before; I ended up struggling my way through most of this Dando’s late set.

I’ve seen Dando play with the Lemonheads during their reforming tour in Australia a few years back. I was a bit disappointed in that effort and I didn’t have high expectations for this performance. As it turns out, I needn’t have been so pessimistic. Dando plays a remarkably well paced set consisting mostly of Lemonheads songs, something that struck me as strange considering he didn't when he was performing with that actual band in the aforementioned Australian tour!.

Starting off with a beautiful rendition of 'The Outdoor Type', he reels his way through 'If I Could Talk', 'Big Gay Heart', 'Alison’s Starting to Happen', 'Tenderfoot' and a plethora of other classics, including my own personal favourite 'Down About It' from “Come on Feel the Lemonheads”. At the conclusion of 'My Drug Buddy', Dando reveals that the ‘King Street’ referred to in the song is not actually King Street in New York, nor London, but actually the King Street in Newtown, Sydney.

2.30am rolls around and Dando doesn’t look like he was going to stop anytime soon. My body forces me to leave – I *literally* could not keep my eyes open. As Dando begins a version of ‘Skulls’, I decide to head for home, completely satisfied.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS

For what seems like eons, I’ve always wanted to catch The Magnetic Fields in the live arena. They’ve just released what is a solid album, “Realism” (which I by far prefer to "Distortion"), concluding what is called Stephin Merrit’s no synth trilogy (I, Distortion, Realism).

The venue is Town Hall, just off Times Square, a beautiful theatre apt for hosting the Magnetic Fields. It’s a strictly no nonsense affair, the band lining up side by side, in a row across the stage. No out-and-out percussive instruments are on stage – Merrit has a condition that makes him sensitive to overly loud noise – the band utilises keys, guitar, cello and ukulele. Merrit plays the ukulele exclusively and runs through a setlist which features songs from much of the Magnetic Fields back catalog albeit with the songs in a more stripped back, non-produced format (obviously to accommodate only the instruments and voices on display).

I’m writing this a few weeks after the event and the setlist is hard to recall exactly. They do draw from their wide ranging back catalog, playing songs from "69 Love Songs", "I", "Realism", "Holiday", and "The Wayward Bus" amongst others. The highlights include 'Kiss Me Like You Mean It', 'I Don’t Really Love You Anymore', 'You, Me and the Moon', and my own personal favourite 'I Don’t Want to Get Over You'. The revel in a dose of humour, playing 'Wi’ Nae Wee Bairn Ye’ll Me Beget', which produces stifles of laughter from the appreciative audience. Without a doubt, the best song of the night is 'Fear of Trains' from "Charm of the Highway Strip".

Merritt has the reputation of being a sourpuss. He engages in some ‘banter’ with his fellow musician, his body language often insinuating they’re annoying, but its hard to tell if its genuine or not. Regardless, the show is quite brilliant, the crowd lapping up the stripped-down devotions to love and other related disasters. I leave, one happy chappy.

New Radio Dept.

2010-02-16T12:29:00.005+10:00

Again, my friend Alaina is coming up with the goods. She pointed me in the direction of the new Radio Dept song from their upcoming record "Clinging to a Scheme".

It's called 'Heaven's On Fire' and sounds similar to what Radio Dept have put out in the past. If you like M83, you may like this effort.

I believe you can listen to it for yourself by clicking here.

Jonathan Richman @ The Music Hall of Williamsburg

2010-02-16T12:02:00.003+10:00

For many, Jonathan Richman will always be that guy who played funny songs in the Farrelly brothers 90s comedy "There’s Something About Mary". If you’ve seen that movie, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what kind of music Richman produces: acoustic ballads that focus on the minutia of life and love.

That is a pretty accurate description of the majority of Richman’s work in a career that spans over 40 years. Some might write off his contribution to popular music as trivial, but that is hardly fair. His band The Modern Lovers are widely credit with influencing the emerging punk scene both in America and the UK. I’m not sure how true that may be, but listening to that groups signature tune 'Roadrunner', one can perhaps see the connections.

Last night I journeyed into the dark heart of Brooklyn to witness the final night of Richman’s three night residency at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. A quaint little venue with an appealing bar underneath the concert hall with reasonably priced beer including happy hours before and after the set, even if the staff can be a bit inefficient in serving a beer drinking twit like myself (it had to be said – I missed the first two songs of Jonathan’s set due to said inefficiency).

Despite my fondness for Richman’s eccentric back catalog, I had approached this gig with some trepidation. I knew that it would only be him and a drummer, and I was skeptical that he could fill one and a half hours with songs about Ice Creams without seeming a little bit tired. Well folks, in the end, I was proved wrong, because what followed was something truly enjoyable.

Jonathan rolls through an array of songs, drifting seamlessly from his Modern Lovers days into his extensive library of solo material. The highlight of the night has to be Richman’s tribute to Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer ('No One Was Like Vermeer') which is punctuated with clever little lyrics explaining that Vermeer’s 17th century paintings felt "more like 1897 or 1910". 'Vermeer..' segues into a brief rendition of 'Egyptian Reggae' before drifting into the only Something About Mary track of the set 'Let Her Go Into the Darkness'. The crowd goes mental when Jonathan strums the opening chords of 'I was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar' and joins in at the appropriate moments, much to Richman's obvious delight. Modern Lovers track 'Pablo Picasso' is also performed with similar aplomb.

"Pablo Picassso was never called an asshole"

Keeping time with percussionist Tommy does not seem to be a high priority. Strangely it seems suitable to Richman’s randomness. Tommy expertly changes rhythm to account for Richman’s impulsive little dances and cowbell solos. All of this proves highly amusing. Even more amusing is Richman’s constant claim to the audience is that "this is not a concert, you can do and say anything you want." Someone calls his bluff, being Valentines Day and all, and hands Richman a bundle of roses.

I don’t claim to know every single song in the setlist. There were a few songs sung in a mixture of English/Spanish/French as Richman is known to do, and a lot of songs about love and love lost. Disappointingly for me, none of "Her Mystery Not Of High Heels and Eye Shadow" appears ('Springtime in New York' would have been almost appropriate).

Despite this, the show was not only funny, engaging and delightfully indulgent in nostalgia, it also served to demonstrate that songs about eccentric subjects such as renaissance art and beaches and buying a pair of jeans can be as enjoyable and powerful as those who write songs about 'serious' subjects like war or politics. Thats what music is all about, having a good time.

With that, I leave you with a dancing camel.

Thanks to Lisa for allowing me to use her pictures!

Future Specs: 4C Arts

2010-02-12T13:17:00.004+10:00

Why hello there! All the way from NYC.

A quick plug for a little event that is happening in Brisbane on the 20th of February.

FUTURE SPECS

Future Specs is the next Connect 4 art party installment from 4C Arts Collective. We have collated artists from a myriad of fields that we believe address the concept of the future, tomorrow, prediction and speculation. And we’ve mooshed it all together into well, another art party for the good people to enjoy. Come ponder the future with us at Connect 4: Future Specs, Saturday the 20th of February at White Canvas Gallery, 26 Church Street Fortitude Valley. Entry is $10, drinks by donation.

Featured VISUAL ARTISTS and interactive INSTALLATION
>>>>
Beau Allen
Lix Bacskay
Anna Cooke and Rozina Suliman
Renata Fojtikova > http://renatafojtikova.blogspot.com
Andrew Forsyth
Hannah Groff > www.hannahkay.com.au
David Heckenberg
Monica Rohan
Jose William Vigers

PERFORMANCE
>>>
Daniel Santangeli
Giema Contini
Kieran Law
Gen Ganner
Thomas Quirk & Manda Boyd
Leena Reithmuller
(MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED)

MUSIC
>>>>>
Re:enactment (acoustic set)
The Citizen Loud iPhone Quintet
Monster Monster

The facebook event is here or you can check out the 4C Arts website.

Lately on the Stereo - Beach House Take Care

2010-02-08T15:43:00.005+10:00

My friend MC Alaina was raving on to me about Beach House - a Baltimore duo. She was literally raving, foam flowing from her mouth and all that. I was scared.

She pointed me towards a great little clip of Beach House playing 'Take Care' from their latest record "Teen Dreams"

Link courtesy of the great We All Want Someone to Shout For blog who have posted a great video of the group performing this song.

Bonfire Nights

2010-01-26T13:04:00.004+10:00

Just thought I’d give a shout out for my friends Ruth (ex-Hot Liquid Sex) and Steve (Black Mustang) and their new musical project Bonfire Nights.

They’ve been doing some recording of late and have produced some new ear candy that certainly sounds quite good. Have a listen to the highly dance-able “We Don’t Care About Anything Else” and their interesting and refreshing interpretation of The Undertones seminal song ‘Teenage Kicks’. There are also some other tunes up on their myspace page.

They have allowed me to put these songs up for download, so you can sample them yourself. Do so by clicking on the links below (right click - save as, to download).

We Don't Care About Anything Else

Teenage Kicks

Enjoy!

Breaking News: The real winner of the JJJ 2009 Hottest 100

2010-01-22T13:28:00.003+10:00

I know you might have heard elsewhere, but the real story is that the ABC spoiled Invasion Day for everyone by revealling that Powderfinger's latest album took the top 12 spots in the JJJ Hottest 100. That was then followed by the entire tracklisting of Muse's latest effort, followed by every band David Grohl was involved with or mentioned during the course of 2009. The poll was rounded out by several tracks featuring Kings of Leon covering Eagles songs.

Sunset Sounds: Day 2

2010-01-13T13:49:00.008+10:00

Many had been more impressed by the lineup for day two of Sunset Sounds. On face value, day two had more popular international acts, but I don’t think it was any more hugely superior to day one (which was quite good).

I arrived in time to see the start of locals Hungry Kids of Hungary, who were, once again, playing their great brand of 60s inspired indie rock. This band, in combination with a soothing mild ale, were a great way to kick off what was an incredible night.

I was very impressed by multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird's 2009 record “Noble Beast” and his inclusion on the bill was one of the main reasons for me going to Sunset Sounds. Turns out, I was not disappointed. While arguably it took a while for Mr Bird to get into the swing of things, by the time 'Anonanimal' gets introduced, we’re beginning to see the real musical genious behind Andrew Bird. Truthfully, he is a phenomenal musician.

I managed to catched melbournians Oh Mercy, whose debut album was a great little release. Despite the smallish crowd, I found their set enjoyable. While perhaps Alexander Gow needs to improve his crowd banter, their breezy pop music is perfect for the late afternoon heat. 'Seemed Like a Good Idea' and 'Get You Back' are highlights.

Wandering around the grounds, I heard Lisa Mitchell play a dire cover of Dire Strait’s “Romeo and Juliet”. I watched perhaps three songs of Yves Klien Blue’s set at the hibiscus stage and before the urge for nausea nearly overcame me. Look, I'm sorry, but I just cannot get anything from this band. When one song is described as being about “really good sex”, I decided I’d had enough.

While I could write a thesis on the Grizzly Bear set, I have to say it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. This is truly a special band. Excuse the melodrama, but this set induced some raging reflective emotions that have rarely appeared within my conscious during live music. I can’t describe it any better than this – it was overwhelmingly brilliant.

So I head over to Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Despite my dislike of the band and their songs (apart from the quite good A-Trak remix of “Heads Will Roll”), I decide to give them another chance. Perhaps it was a bit premature. Apart from the last ten minutes of the set, I didn’t enjoy any of it. Their music seems derivative, tired and is more about posteuring than anything artistic. Of course, coming from Grizzly Bear half hour before, anything was going to look poor by comparison.

Well, in summation, Sunset Sounds was fairly good. The highlights were Grizzly Bear, Andrew Bird, and Dappled Cities.

Of course, that’s just what I think. What did you think?

Sunset Sounds: Day 1

2010-01-13T13:27:00.009+10:00

So last week was pretty mad. Not only am I preparing to leave for the States next week, I had to move out of my house on the weekend, leaving little time for pretty much anything really. However, I did get time to head to Sunset Sounds festival for some R&R before I depart. Here is my quick view on some of the performances that I witnessed.

I walked in on the first day to catch the last song of what looked liked a great set from local group DZ. From there, I headed over with my good friend Andy to see the end of what turned out to be a fairly disappointing performance from The Middle East. Despite the large crowded gathered to see them, I felt a distinct lack of engagement. In fact, they looked quite tired.

My small group of friends swung by to see Dappled Cities play at the Hibiscus stage. I’d see Dappled Cities play a few years back and I had found them boring back then. Times have changed though. They put on, what I believe, one of the best sets of any bands at the festival. Guitarist Tim not only rocked his usually high falsetto, but also a mean set of boardshorts. Many of the songs of the latest album “Zounds” were performed to perfection.

Norwegian geek-rockers, Datarock, were creating a storm at the Riverstage, employing their usual brand of fun filled disco-dancing tunes. Every time I see them, I always reflect on the uncanny resemblance between the keyboardist and my friend D. Kelso. I swear to god he is playing in Datarock.

Emiliana Torrini played a soulful set which, in retrospect, was just what I needed considering the number of alcoholic beverages I had consumed during the afternoon. She played the garden stage as the sun was setting, and it was quite enjoyable. I’m not the biggest fan, but I thought she, and her band, played very well. The singles from “Fisherman’s woman” (Heartstopper and Sunny Road) got a good response.

Not really having much to do except to wait for Moby to start, I wandered over to the Riverstage where Hilltops Hoods were playing. I don’t particularly like Hilltop Hoods so it could be expected that I don’t have much positive to say about their set. To me, all their songs sound are made up of the following formula: Song seemingly about “drinking beers” + beats + panpipe sample + frequent yell outs to “DJ Debris” as well as name checking themselves. That said, many people were gyrating like limping baboons, enjoying themselves. So who am I to complain eh?

I had been told Moby always puts on a great show. Though I wasn’t expecting much, I got more out of it than I thought possible, but perhaps less than what I should have believed from the amount of hype he got. He started off well, but his frequent allusions to his own genius soon got tiring. ‘Bodyrock’, ‘Go’ and ‘We’re all Made of Stars’ made the setlist. He did do a cover of ‘Ring of Fire’ and played a punk-song he wrote when he was 17, both that I found more appealing than the rave mania numbers that closed out his set.

With the benefit of hindsight, I should have gone saw Rodrigo y Gabriella whom I’m told were phenomenal. Damn.

Thus ended Sunset Sounds, day one. My thoughts on day two to follow.

Sunset Sounds Is Upon Us!

2010-01-06T14:23:00.003+10:00

Well, I’m about to head to day one of Sunset Sounds, the Brisbane version of the “Falls Festival” without the camping nor, apparently, the bogans (though this remains to be seen).

Some interesting local and international acts are playing. From the Australian contingent, I will hoping to catch the Middle East, Dappled Cities, The John Steel Singers, Hungry Kids of Hungary, and Oh Mercy. Of the international acts, I’ll have a gander at Datarock, Jamie T, Kaki King, Seasick Steve, Moby, Andrew Bird, Editors, Grizzly Bear and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

I’m particularly looking forward to the Grizzly Bear set, apparently their Falls appearance was excellence. Andrew Bird will also keenly anticipated. Moby, while I’m not his biggest fan, apparently puts on a great live show.

If you’re there, have a great time. Keep an eye out for my thoughts in the next week or so.

Review: Future of the Left - Live @ The Zoo 03/01/2010

2010-01-06T14:05:00.003+10:00

Jonathan Chapelle enters the Zoo stage right wielding his bass like some kind of infantry weapon and shouts at the crowd “We’re fucking Belle and Sebastian”. What follows is an onslaught of punk-edged aggression from legendary, and now sadly departed, welsh alternate rock group mclusky. That was 2004.

In 2010 you’ll find that mclusky has long since dissolved. It seems that guitarist/vocalist Falco* and Chapelle were unable to work together after a bust up over some stolen equipment while on tour in the States. Chapelle moved to Australia, while Falco and the other member of the mclusky triad, drummer Jack Egglestone, linked up with ex-Jarcrew bassist Kelson Mathias to form Future of the Left, a band which weaves intense tales about unknown and perhaps deranged individuals with names such as Rick and Colin channeled through distorted and bouncy bass lines and chainsaw-like guitar riffs. Thus far, they’ve released two excellent records, “Curses” (2007) and “Travels with Myself and Another” (2009). They graced to the Zoo in Brisbane this week to share a few saucy tales. And what a fine night of entertainment it was.

Unfortunately, I’m too late to catch local stalwarts Giants of Science. I arrived at 9.30pm, immediately ordered two scotch and ginger ales and found a spot at a decent distance from the stage hoping to avoid the mosh pit onslaught that will inevitably follow with the emergence of the headliners. Always punctual, Future of the Left arm themselves with instruments on the dot of 9.45, and immediately smash into “Travels…” opener ‘Arming Eritrea’ with the trademark scathing guitar and bass attack. This is quickly followed by ‘Chin Music’, and the brutal ‘Small Bones, Small Bodies’.

Much of “Travels with Myself any Another” is on display tonight, including a great version of ‘Stand by Your Manatee’ as well as ‘I am Civil Service’. Songs from “Curses” also get a good run, the roof of the Zoo nearly lift during ‘Plagues of Onces’. Later in the set, Mathias gives the crowd the option of ‘The Lord Hates a Coward’ or ‘Drink Nike’. How democratic. The crowd selects the latter with a voracious roar of approval.

Falco gives his voice a bit of a beating as he screeches in time to the razor-sharp sound of his own guitar. I’m surprised he hasn’t ripped his voice box to shreds by now. He switches to his Roland Juno-60 keyboard to perform ‘Manchasm’, ‘You Need Satan More than He Needs You’ as well as ‘Yin/Post Yin’, and a song that drummer Jack is fonder of than his band companions. I know because they make it plainly obvious in the pre-song banter.

Speaking of banter, Falco and Mathias are both genuinely funny guys readily engaging in tirades or making mock observations about the state of the world as we know it, exchanging verbal spars between themselves and with the crowd. At one stage Mathias takes a gift of a bottle of ballatynes scotch from a punter in the crowd morosely hoping that it is not laced with rohypnol. During another pause in the set, Falco pauses to expresses his admiration and desire for Susan Boyle. By the end of their regular set, the band announce that they don’t usually do encores, but state that when they walk off, should the crowd make a limp attempt to applaud, they would be back on in under two minutes.

Things proceed exactly as directed, and they emerge to finish the night off with a few short numbers such as ‘The Hope that House Built’ amongst what turns out to be an extended noise jam in which Falco gradually moves parts of Egglestone’s drumkit to different sections of the stage , reducing the percussionist to simply a hit-hat at one stage. Though, that doesn’t stop him from beating the living crap out of his cymbals though.

Might as well close the books on the ‘best Zoo performance of 2010’ award already, I’m not sure if any band in 2010 will top Future of the Left’s efforts on this sweaty January night.

* Not the same character from the Nintendo game Starfox, but certainly a character.

4ZzZ Hot 100 and other lists of importance

2010-01-05T14:21:00.005+10:00

Congratulations to I Heart Hiroshima for taking out top spot with their tune 'Shakeytown' on the annual 4ZzZ poll. They did some great stuff in 2009 and managed to even do some overseas dates including a few shows in Cambodia (of all places!).

The Top Ten were:

1 I Heart Hiroshima – Shakeytown
2 Hits, the - Sometimes you just don't know who your friends are
3 Vegas Kings, the - You'll never work in this town again
4 I Heart Hiroshima - Pink Frost
5 Texas Tea - Billy
6 Butcher Birds, the - Bare Arms
7 Butcher Birds, the - Millions
8 Flight of the Conchords - Hurt Feelings
9 Drones, the - Your acting's like the end of the world

You can see the full list by clicking here. You'll notice that, as usual, many local entries made the list, a testament to some of the awesome local music that we're treated to largely thanks to 4Zzz.

* You'll note that my title is misleading. Thats because I originally planned to write about some other stuff then I got side tracked and then forgot the end.

My Top Five of 2009

2009-12-31T12:21:00.007+10:00

2010 is upon us and like everyone else in the universe, I’m busily preparing my ‘Best Of 2009’ list. It is almost an obligation. Indeed, ‘Best Of’ records lists are usually the method by which one attempts to prove how universally cool they have been during a calendar year. This particular document is no exception, no matter what actual reality might dictate.

I’m going to say that I’ll keep it short and sweet, but will most likely fail. Here are my top #5 records of what proved to be a pretty awesome year in music. Let’s hope 2010 brings similar results.

#5 Passion Pit – Manners

“Let this be our little secret, no one needs to know we’re feeling.”

With a name that sounds more like a carbonated beverage or an X rated straight-to-video number, Passion Pit released one of the most fun records in a year full of fun records. Indeed, how can you listen to the opening synths on ‘Little Secrets’ and not dance like some kind of funky robot? This is a record that translates my ordinary boring existence into one not unlike the opening stages of Super Mario Brothers. Great songs lurk everywhere. “The Reeling”, “Sleepyhead”, and “Eyes like Candles” are all super-duper examples of great songs that do not take themselves too seriously and in many ways I believe that is the essence of what makes a great band great. I do recall someone on twithead saying that they were destined to become 2009s’s MGMT. I don’t believe this hasn’t happened, thank god.

#4 Andrew Bird – Noble Beast

“If you come to find me affable, build a replica for me.”

I was fairly stressed for the majority of 2009. Doing a coursework masters and trying to work full time is difficult. Lucky I had access to records like Andrew Bird’s “Noble Beast” to make writing the multitude of essays I wrote on international politics a bit less stressful. I guess it is the manner in which Bird manages to translate breezy moods and fascinating textures on to the recorded media that makes the world seem less tense. I’m enamoured with the tunes that take you firstly in one direction, and then abruptly change. ‘Not a Robot, But A Ghost’ is one great example of Bird’s tune-smithing, where, after the emergence of darker tones released by pianos, Birds capable voice changes the mood from one of brooding to exultation. The lyrical gymnastics of Bird further reinforces just how finely crafted each song is. Some might say they are too abstract, however it is gratifying to see such effort pored into constructing a single tune. ‘Effigy’ and ‘Tenuousness’ are two examples which demonstrate such ability. This is a great record worthy of your attention.

#3 Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

“Save up all the days, a routine malaise.”

It was close, but I think Grizzly Bear’s great record “Veckatimest” just pips “Noble Beast”. My friend Yasmin had been raving on to me about Grizzly Bear for what seemed like eons. Finally, with “Veckatimest” I found a way in. Why is it worthy the universal praise it has engendered? I believe the reason is found in overlapping moods and sheer scope of musicianship that Droste and co have achieved with this release. Not only are the instrumental and structural ingredients solid throughout, the lyrics, both in content and delivery, are not only complex but soothing and reassuring. Pure beauty lurks everywhere here. For instance, the snappy guitar lines of ‘Cheerleader’ contrast perfectly with the more reflective qualities of songs like ‘Foreground’ with the understated beauty of the piano rounding out what is an excellent release. With “Veckatimest”, Grizzly Bear stamped themselves as probably the most important band of 2009.

#2 Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

“But your so-called life, it is such as waste.”

It seems I just discovered a way to transcend the space-time continuum. You see, I’m back in the early eighties. I’m starring in the Breakfast Club. John Hughes is alive and well. Phoenix delivered in spades this year, attracting a French foreign legion of new fans due to a multitude of danceable, kitschy and catching songs on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. While ‘1901’ and ‘Listzomania’ are the most obvious examples, the more disco-orientated approach of this record produced a horde of great tunes. My philosophy has nearly always been that the best songs are the ones that people can dance, or at least sway, to, an inclination that most probably contributes to my hatred of balladry in all its guises. This is the reason why I really think “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” stands out amongst many of the other records of 2009. It is not boring when you look at it from any angle. Every single tune offers something to the listener. “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” made me feel good in 2009, and that’s why it is at number 2.

#1 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Self Titled

“Between the stacks in the library, not like anyone stopped to see. We came, they went, our bodies spent, amongst the dust and the microfiche.”

It is somewhat funny that such an awesome record like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart self titled debut has gone somewhat unnoticed during 2009 in Australia. While I haven’t been listening to triple-arse that much during the year (nor any radio really), I believe there has been little mention of this stellar group. A shame really, because in my book, they released the best record of 2009. My comments from earlier in the year when I first took a look at the record are still relevant today. Using nothing more than mere instruments, POHBAH accurately evocate a sense of youthful exuberance, something humanist and joyful that would have been outlawed in the Soviet Union. Those drab commies would not have appreciated such jangly fuzzed-up guitar sounds. All the songs are more or less quality, with particular praise reserved for ‘Young Adult Friction’, ‘Everything With You’ and ‘This Love is Fucking Right!’. Have a listen to this performance of Young Adult Friction, this is what you have to look forward to if you happen to be catching the band at any one of their Australian tour dates this coming February.

Quod erat demonstrandum.

Close but no cigar
The XX - The XX, The Flaming Lips - Embryonic, Knight School - The Poor and Needy Need to Party, Mastodon – Crack the Skye, Mos Def – The Ecstatic, Dark Was the Night Vol XX, Hunz - Thoughts That Move, Ramona Falls - Intuit, Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs

It has been a great year in music. If you come back tomorrow and I’ll share some more thoughts on 2009 a bit more specific to Australian music. I'm also going to talk about a few other little things. In the meantime, here are some other ‘best of’ lists of interest.

Pitchfork Media
I Guess I’m Floating
Mess+Noise [Part 1], [Part 2]
Who the Bloody Hell Are They?

To all that have read the blog over the past 12 months thanks for your support (I know you’re there, for god’s sake speak up!). I’m going to be doing some changes to these pages in the next six months of the year which I hope you will appreciate. Enjoy 2010.

The Pugs, Dead Riot, Wheat Paste, Isaac Graham @ Browning Street Studios.

2009-12-19T12:17:00.003+10:00

I'm sitting here nursing a slight hangover and watching early morning Rage on Channel 2. It is being guest programmed by some unnamed woman in her late forties who is obviously still stuck in the 1980s. I'm barraged a crushing wall of 80s pop hits featuring the likes of INXS, Eurthymics as well as a terrible Fine Young Cannibals cover of "Suspicious Minds". As I type, Run DMC are battling Aerosmith on the subject of appropriate ambulatory etiquette. It is all a bit depressing really. Oh shit, here comes Billy Idol.

Much to my livers despair, I attended the Browning Street Studios last night to see a friend massage his bow along a cello along with some other musical types. I admit that I was partially sold the gig by the venue's generous licensing (BYO) which in these "tough economic times" make the more financially prudent members of the Brisbane's social tapestry (i.e. me) more inclined such bargains. If you haven't been to the Browning Street Studios, the venue is nothing much more than a rehearsal room in a house with a PA system that may need a coat of paint or at least a few strategically placed posters on the walls. They did have an interesting cat-like sculpture in the toilet. Dave was convinced it was a leopard but I'm still unsure.

Tonights line-up featured four performances by four bands/artists - The Pugs, Dead Riot, Wheat Paste and Isaac Graham [Links below]. I'd never heard any of them before, nor any of their music, so excuse the following hodgepodge summary of the gig.

Despite the vocals being nearly unintelligible, I did enjoy the set by local punk band The Pugs. They got the whole Pogues thing going on, mixing traditional music with punk-rock aesthetics. Some fun songs, such as 'Rentre Chez Toi', feature some interesting instrumentation such as upright electric bass, mandolin, piano accordion, banjo, concertina, and with the more obvious drums and guitars. The highlight of their set had to be the closing instrumental number that witnessed the demonstration of some dexterous piano accordion proficiencies from a man with more interesting facial hair than my own.

Dead Riot are a punk band who tonight are allegedly performing "unplugged". However, I still see someone playing an electric guitar that is most definitely turned on. Its all so confusing and reminds me of the time when Cobain played an electric guitar on his version of 'Man Who Sold the World' on "Unplugged in New York". That confused the fuck out of everyone. My friend Harry added some cello skills to the songs which fleshed out the sound more, and particularly filled the sonic space made evident by the missing bass. In relation to the set, I enjoyed the first half, which featured more upbeat and faster music, more so than the second half, which became more reflective and brooding. But then again, thats the type of guy I am. I like the more energetic numbers. I cannot comment on which individual songs stood out due to the fact that the more acoustic nature of the gig makes it hard to correspond what my alcohol sodden memory tells me with the tunes on the Dead Riot arse-space page.

Unfortunately, during Wheat Paste’s set, I was outside drinking tallies. From what I could hear, it sounded entertaining. Sorry!

Isaac Graham is from Sydney. He is also a good bloke. He gave me a beer when I had run out and this immediately endears him to me. Graham plays an impassioned set of storytelling acoustic numbers in the vein of Paul Kelly and Billy Bragg. Harry chimes in from time to time with a few strokes of his cello bow., but otherwise, it’s the Graham show here. “When I Find Gold” is a highlight.

My night was then rounded out by attempting to get a taxi home from the dead zone of West End, negotiating some pizza slices from a local take out joint, and performing some impromptu acrobatics at the local commonwealth bank branch. Not necessarily in that order though. My knee really hurts this morning for some reason.

Both Isaac and Dead Riot play tonight at the clubhouse in the Valley, so if you have nada to do, perhaps you may feel like checking them out.

Arse-Space Links.
Dead Riot -http://www.myspace.com/deadriotrock
The Pugs - http://www.myspace.com/thebrisbanepugs
Isaac Graham - http://www.myspace.com/isaacgraham
Wheat Paste - http://www.myspace.com/wheatpasteband

Girls like that don't go for guys like us.

2009-12-08T10:31:00.006+10:00

Velcome to Decembre! Last month of the year, and the time of year for copious amounts of drinking and eating and celebrating (apparently).

A few good gigs on this week that I think I might head out too.

Firstly, the ever so nice Blame Ringo play with The Gallant at Mish Mash (Rosies in the City) on Thursday the 10th of December. Thats assuming you're not already going to the giant Powderfinger/Custard show at the Riverstage. And if you are, I'm slightly jealous for missing out on Custard but also smirking at the fact that Custard fans will be greatly outnumbered by the church of Powderfinger. 'Internationalist' was a good album, but everything since? Blergh.

Idle.:.Cranes (still unsure of the stops and colon usage in the band name here!) bid farewell to Brisbane with a send off show at the Hangar on Saturday night (12th) before jetting off the the UK. This also doubles as the Hangar Xmas Party. The lineup looks pretty sweet and others on the bill include include the Judy Dolls, Re:enactment, Nova Scotia, Do The Robot, Sounds From The Ward, Sleepwalks.. Event kicks off at 5PM and cost is a measly $10 (BYO).

Delicious.