My Top Five of 2009

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.

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#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.

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#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.

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#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.

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#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.

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#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.

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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.

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.

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.

Goodbye Buildings Breeding. Thanks for the Kite Fire EP.

Bands are mortal. Some, like Sacremento band BUILDINGS BREEDING, pass away too soon; others, like U2, continue to annoy the fuck out of people when they should have been euthanised a decade ago. Sometimes there seems little justice in this world.

Back in September, Buildings Breeding released this statement via their blog.

“We regret to inform you of our demise. We are ever so humble and grateful for all of your love and support through out the years. It has been so pleasing to share our little group with all of you. As we disband we do not do so on a sad note, we have had a full run with no regrets or disappointments .”

While they’ve now broken up following a round of farewell shows, they’ve blessed us remaining mortals with one last release. The Kite Fire EP was released in last week and you can download it FOR FREE from the following link.

While you’re here, I might as well tell you what I think of this final Buildings Breeding release. I’ve listened to it twice now and I was instantly entranced. While previous records, like their self titled long player and 2009's “In the Key of Calloused Fingers”, featured some individually great songs, I occasionally felt a lack of cohesiveness while listening to these records as albums specifically. Filler tunes were nestled in between some individually great songs. Not so on the Kite Fire EP.

Every song is strong and the entire record feels well balanced and evenly paced. We start off proceedings with a re-recorded version of “Brights of My Eyes” which originally appeared on the Beesting EP. It is now slower with slightly different instrumentation with a more discernable chorus It is a noticeable improvement. The original was good, but the newer version is superior in every aspect. The same can be said for the updated version of “Death on Tax Day” which appeared on the “In the Key of Calloused Fingers”. Many comparisons emerged in my mind while listening to the record. Sometimes I thought they sound a little like the Delgados, other times like the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, even Mogwai popped into my head when listening to the instrumental section of songs like 'Kite Fire'. Regardless, there is something for everyone on this particular outing.

Without a doubt the two highlights of the EP are 'Anchor Song' and 'Kite Fire'. The former features drone like delays overlayed with surf-inspired melodies and whereas the latter is more reflective and features a drawn out, somewhat uncharacteristic, instrumental section. All the songs, with perhaps the exception of the closing number “Lies of Love” with its slower brooding tone (which I feel is the weakest of the seven songs on the record), are finely crafted and present a band that have embraced a wider array of textures and sounds.

Buildings Breeding - Anchor Song by Buildings Breeding

Long-term fanciers of Buildings Breeding will notice the distinct use of more reverb and delay effects on the guitar, the addition of extra keyboard melodies and more dynamic percussion serve to mature the band’s sound, each dynamic featuring in different regards throughout the entire record. One criticism I’ve always had about the earlier recordings was the somewhat overpowering bass sound that occasionally became annoying. It is a much more balanced affair on this outing.

Overall, the result is one very good EP, one worthy of wide acclaim. A shame that it will ultimately prove to be the band’s last. Thanks for the concluding chapter though. Remember, it is FREE.

Last Dinosaurs, The Boat People, Red Riders @ The Globe

Visiting the Globe Theatre in Fortitude Valley during the Brisbane summer is much like a trip to the jungles of Southeast Asia.

The heat can be intense. My vision is swimming as people in top hats frolic in the lobby. Much like many other Brisbane venues, the Globe is not exactly the most comfortable place to be once the mercury hits the high twenties. However, several months of university-imposed isolation from the live music arena gives me the fortitude to ignore the ill comforts of this sweat pit. I’m at the Globe to check out Last Dinosaurs, The Boat People and Red Riders.

Last Dinosaurs are anything but relics from the cretaceous period, but rather a young foursome who play ever-so-nice indie pop rock. A friend of mine actually told me about these guys about a year ago and I’ve always been keen to see what they were like sur l'étape. I had been itching to see if their live show matched the quality of the songs available to listen to via their ArseSpace page.

My co-pilot JM Donellan can taste traces of Futureheads within the reverbed punctuated indie pop songs. I delineate flavours of surf rock. Regardless of genealogy, which seems so important in modern day contemporary music for some reason, the show is very solid. Upcoming single ‘As Far As You’re concerned’ appears early in the set. While the band briefly falters during ‘Honolulu’, the set is otherwise very solid. A promising band who will no doubt receive much more pundit attention in the coming years.

There is a fairly quick turnaround, and Brisbane stalwarts The Boat People enter stage right brandishing instruments and playing many songs from their latest record “Chandeliers”. I haven’t heard this particularly record, but going on the strength of what is performed tonight, I can only assume that it is fairly good. ‘Born in the 80s’ and ‘Panic’ are played with much gusto. Keyboard dude Robin announces the imminent performance of new song ‘Echo Stick Guitars’, a song they haven’t played much live allegedly but comes off sounding smooth as sugar. Guitarist Charles, whom I got some lessons off a few years back, is fully engrossed in the performance, intent on hitting all the correct notes. Such technical proficiency is a hallmark of the Boat People, a band obvious well used to live performance.

Not much of “yesyesyesyesyes” is evident in tonight’s set with only ‘Unsettle My Heart’ managing to make the cut. It is an enjoyable performance but once again I’m haunted by something that I’ve always felt about the Boaties. Their songs are good, some very good, but do not quite reach the heights of other indie pop bands like, say, the Shins. I know, a lofty comparison, but I guess I really want them to be that good. I can’t really put my finger on the exact fashion in which they are deficient. Still, I must admit, they are consistently better than many of their contemporaries.

The cowds of barely post-pubescent girls should have told me something about Sydney band Red Riders. I had never heard any of their music apart from their great ‘Ordinary’, the strength of which has me attending the gig tonight in anticipation that other gems might lurk in the coiled springs of their instrument’s pickups. Not that “barely legal teens” don’t have any taste in music, many do, but often it seems their tastes do not converge with my own.

Three songs in and I am convinced they are an Expatriate cover band. Perhaps a trifle harsh, but I just felt that their set choice might not have been well thought out – many of the songs sounded so similar that I often found myself glancing towards the exist. Not a very good sign. ‘Ordinary’ appears near the end and somewhat changes the dynamics of the set, mostly optimistically. However, in the end I’m left feeling disappointed.

Truth is, I wanted to like them, they all seemed like such affable guys who genuinely liked being on stage, but perhaps this was just a bum night.

Red Riders Alert!

Good gig on tonight in Brisbane with Sydney band Red Riders playing at the Globe with some solid Brisbane support in the form of The Boat People and Last Dinosaurs. After completing my uni semester, it is time to rock out. Since I missed what was sure to be a great Buzzcocks show last night at the Zoo (god damn!), I'm chafing to get out and about.

Tweeters are talking about the possible closure of Rics Bar - the Brisbane institution of local music. Scary news. I can't imagine a valley without it. Though, news just to hand....it seems like it only changing owners. The people who run the RGs are taking over, apparently. YES. Not long now before we have Krazy Kangaroo Karoake in Rics. Bundy Rums all round! Take that wannabe hipster police.

After receiving some good news this morning about an internship, looks like I'll be jetting off to sunny New York City for two months comes mid-January, and hopefully will be checking out 'the scene' in that city.

The Drones: Live at the Hi-Fi

Fuck, I love the Drones. I hope the addition of the expletive indicates how serious I am. I mean, they’re pretty good, are they not? Show me some evidence to the contrary. I implore you. Today I’m penning a quick word about their latest live record “Live at the Hi-Fi”. I actually meant to do this over a month ago, but university demands unfortunately got me sidetracked.

According to the boffins, live albums can be perilously difficult to pull off. One presumes this is the case because so many factors lie outside the control of the artist. Too many variables may exist. For instance, the sound quality and the willingness of the crowd to engage with the band and vice versa are examples of items that can vary hugely from gig to the next. There are no second takes or overdubbing in the live arena.

Despite the obvious risks, I can think of some live records I really like. For example, “Setlist” by The Frames and “If You’re Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican” by Belle and Sebastian are two that stand out in my mind. So, if I’m asked to have a proverbial gander a live record with some semblance of criticism, these are the comparative dimensions generally considered.
Well, considering that, “Live at the Hi-Fi” is somewhat of a mixed bag. Recorded at the opening of the Hi-Fi Bar in Brisbane back in May 2009, I was lucky enough to be present at the gig. The Drones were at their mercurial best but since the gig was invite only, there were many in the crowd who obviously had never heard of the band before.

As documented on the record, the songs and the performance are great. It was tight, raw, and energised; pretty much what you would expect from a Drones performance. The tones come out crystal clear on the record. ‘Nail It Down’, ‘The Minotaur’ and ‘I Never Want to Change’ are very well performed. Some songs are missing from the record that was included in the gig setlist. From memory, “I Used To Be A Supercargo” and “Your Acting’s Like the End of the World” were performed on the night but did not make the record’s cut.

However, there is something missing which, for me, is important to the live mix. Generally, in the context of live albums, this record is good. The songs are great, the sound is immaculate, the band is tight, but yet there is something slightly amiss. It took me a few listeners to fathom, but I finally pinpointed it. There is little audible reaction from the crowd.

There could be many reasons for this, some I’ve already alluded to. It was perhaps not the best occasion to record the Drones with many people clearly unaware of their music. That obviously means that you can’t really expect them to cheer along to songs they don’t know. Hence, the lack of screams and adoration and loud cheers I guess.

However, this is not to say that this album is not worth a place in your record collection. If you’re new to the Drones, this might actually be a good release to pick up, as it cuts across most of their discography. There is even a cover of Kev Carmody’s “River of Tears” which is performed with true gusto.



I believe you can get this release through iTunes.

Better Off Dead

The title to this post describe my current wish. I'm in essay land with my masters and thus, as explained before, have had little time to blog.

I have been listening to some good albums while I've been bashing out the words on my word processor. I just thought I'd pause to post a link to a live video of Le Peste performing 'Better Off Dead" back in 1979. This is a great song.





Anyway, I'm also thinking about starting a new web project with a larger scope than this blog - but with music integrated into its structure. This will happen sometime...soon!

Local Music: Greenthief

Friends, it has been a while. Unfortunately, the twin gods of extreme essay writing and procrastination have preordained my absence. You see, I have the relatively simple task of writing 11,000 words of academic-standard essay writing in the next two weeks. This means that I have a heap of blogging backed up in my ‘drafts’ folder that I hope to complete in November sometime. Until then, humble reader, bear with me.

However, I just thought I’d pause to mention a local band that I heard on 4ZzZ the other week while driving about town called Greenthief. I can’t recall now which song I heard exactly (perhaps ‘Morning Sun’), but their songs are none too shabby. I’m kind of reminded mid-to-late 90s Indie pop music, and being a child of the 90s, I guess you could say I’m somewhat inclined to such a genre.

They’re playing a few shows in the next month or two (including the curiously named 'Bitches Be Crazy'), so perhaps it merits a trip out to the Valley (somewhere I’ve increasingly avoided of late, I think I’m getting too old). They’re a local band and we should all support the local scene.

That's our Steve! Oh, and Foucault

Everett True mentions a small bit regarding a very interesting article by Steve Albini - one of my favourite producers (Pixies, Nirvana, Mogwai). Great read.

*edit*....And he is the man with the links tonight - another interesting article linking Foucault's Discipline and Punish to Last.fm.

Felinedown Digital Re-Release This Saturday

I think someone will have to explain to me the precise meaning of their name but regardless, I have it on good authority that Felinedown are a capable, up-and-coming local act. If you need some direction as to what their sound is think a blend of Garbage and Nine Inch Nails (alternatively, you could just go listen at their myspace).

Anyway, they're playing a showcase on Saturday night to digitally re-release their EP that was recorded early this year. Also on the bill are the more than capable Grand Atlantic and Moon Jog.

It is being hosted at Top Floor, 99 Elizabeth Street in Brisbane Citay. It is $15, BYO alcohol (which means, $15 plus the the benefit of getting boozed super cheap - what Valley venue can offer THAT?! If you ignore the Valley Studios that is!) So, if you're not doing much come Saturday evening, I implore you to "come on down", price is right style.

Pivot turn to Grizzly Bear

I actually meant to post this a week or two ago but it slipped my mind until I received a facebook prodding from Australian experimental-rock act Pivot. About a year back, they have recorded of 'Colorado, the final track of Grizzly Bear's 2nd LP, "Yellow House" but it just seeing the light of day on a Warp Records compilation.

Seems like Pivot have been doing a bit of globe-trotting, recently playing All Tomorrow's Parties in New York City. Hopefully they are making waves - they really are a quality band (if you haven't seen them live, then do so at your next possible opportunity).

The cover is slightly more minimalist than the original track, and features a 'pivotised' drum beat and some gated synth effects. It is not a hugely different interpretation from the original but worth a look if you're a fan of either band.

The cover is available for download from this link.

Local Natives: New Tracks

Yes, I know I should be writing my essay, but I thought I’d pause to mention a great set that you can obtain (for free) by Californian band Local Natives. I’ve talked about these guys a few times in the past, and I really think they might be 'the next big thing'. So, don’t you want to be one of those guys who ‘were fans before they got big’, ignoring the fact that those kind of fans are usually total assholes. (ha, like me!)

Anyway, the band recorded four tracks for LA Music blog Aquarium Drunkard and included some great songs like “Stranger Things” and “World News”. There is also a Talking Heads cover "Warning Sign" included in the session. You can have a gander over at Aquarium Drunkard. I encourage you to check them out!

As far as I know, you still cannot buy any Local Natives music, so it is a blessing that they are recording for blogs and music sites. If you like this session, check out the Daytrotter Session as well which features the great "Airplanes", the song that first got me into them.

Brisbane Gigs, Boat People, Mastodon

Hrm, yes. I'm writing this, procrastination from the mountain of work that I have to complete.

This weekend sees a variety of great gigs by both local, interstate, and international bands throughout Brisbane city (and if you're not here, why the bloody hell are you not?).

Tonight you can see the Vivian Girls, supported (I believe) by Everett True at the Step Inn (who assures us he is cooler than us for doing so. Well, thats all well and good, but cop this - one of the Veronicas turned up at my band's gig on a Monday night several years back, so I am way cool too....nghaaah!). Also, psychedelic group Tame Impala hit the HiFi Bar in West End (a gig I really would love to go to!).

Saturday Night sees Oh Mercy play at the Globe, whereas the Butcher Birds and SixFtHick occupy the Zoo.

I'm not even mentioning that NoFX and Bad Religion are at the Riverstage. God damn it!

So many great bands playing, but unfortunately I have a large essay to write for Monday afternoon (the causes of jihadist terrorism - joy).

Anyway, the Boat People have a new song out called "Echo Stick Guitars", which you can preview over at the Home and Hosed page. For some reason, this song sounds really familiar. Perhaps it sounds a bit like the Magnetic Fields? Hrm. Not sure. It is not too bad at all.

Oh, and if you haven't heard the latest Mastodon album, you really should do yourself a favour and give it a whirl. It is radical.

So What Will Be The Best Records of 2009??

Well, we enter the final quarter of the year, and come the end of December many people will be back into listmaking mode, and I'm no exception.

To be honest, I haven't listened to a heap of '2009' records this year. As usual I'm still stuck several years back. There are a few that I really like, but I thought I'd ask YOU what ones I'm missing out on. So please comment and suggest any records that have been released thus far that you think have been outstanding. It would be great to see some Australian or Brisbane suggestions.

I have set up a poll on the sidebar to the left and will attempt to add some of your suggestions, should you have any.

For me, I'm undecided yet, but I'm inclined towards the debut record by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

New Drones Released Tomorrow

The Drones are rightly considered by critics and fans alike within the Australian music scene as the best band doing business within the boundaries of this nation. For good reason as well, they write awesome songs, they’re great live, and they produce a scintillating amount of noise.

Earlier in the year, the Drones baptised the newly constructed HiFi bar in Brisbane with a set that not only blew the minds of all who attended, but also moved the Indo-Australian tectonic plate by one hundredth of a millimetre, such was a power of the inspired rock unleashed from the instruments of Lilliard and co.

The good news is that the Drones will release a live album tomorrow comprising of tracks from this set. I’ve been lucky enough to score a preview of the album, and I hope to write up a few words about it by the end of the week.

In the meantime, you might want to have a listen to an example from the record – Shark Fin Blues.

I Do Not Like Naming Bridges After the Go-Betweens

Oh, this one is going to be controversial.

Today, the Brisbane City Council announced that the name of the Hale Street link, the next bridge to span the Brisbane River, would be called “The Go Betweens Bridge”. Not only does this seem grammatically incorrect and somewhat confusing to say (inevitably, people will call it the Go Between Bridge*), I believe it is not the greatest choice. And yes, my foot is in the stirrup, and I'm about to mount a tall horse.

At first glance, this position may seem strange considering that a) this is a music blog that occasionally focuses on Brisbane music, the Go Betweens being ultimate representation of all that is good about ‘the scene’, and b) I am a fan of the band’s music.

I could go on at great length as too why I’m not inclined to the name, but to summarise, it primarily comes down to two reasons.

1. It sounds plain kitschy. Not that I’m one for following rules and conventions, but in the context of ‘Brisbane Bridges’ it sounds strange. What are we going to build next? ‘The Beegees Bridge” or the “Savage Garden Motorway”. With a few exceptions, it looks out of place within the context of existing infrastructure.
   
   A better name could have been chosen. For example, I believe the ‘Grant McClennan Bridge’, a name that was originally put forward as the alternative to the Eleanor Schonell Bridge that spans the river between Dutton Park and St. Lucia, would a more fitting tribute. Might piss off Robert Forster (who knows?), but then again, McClennan always was the better songwriter! The reasons for this, I expand upon in my second point.



2. The name fundamentally lacks cultural force, or risks confusing the populace as to the motivation behind naming the bridge after such a niche band. In general, most Brisbane people do not know who the Go-Betweens even were. They inevitably will assume that the name is in reference to connecting Milton and West End in a spatial sense i.e. people will ‘go between’ these two points. Thus, the cultural reference will be lost on most locals as well as most interstate and international visitors.
   
   If the name had been ‘The Forster and McClennan Bridge”, more cultural force could be attributed to the structure. One would assume that people will be motivated into finding out who these individuals are, and why they are so important. Who now remembers what the ‘Goodwill’ part of the ‘Goodwill Bridge’ refers too? (Before you ask, it was named in conjunction with the Goodwill Games being held in Brisbane around the time of construction).
   
   My essential point is that the motivation behind the name will lost amongst contending assumptions about that meaning, or through simple misunderstanding.

This may seem that I’m simply being a deliberate grouch. I accept it was a popular public vote, however that doesn’t mean I personally have to agree with it. Perhaps I will be proved wrong.

* This seems to be a point of confusion. I’ve seen it listed in the media both with and without the plural ‘s’ . The band was ‘The Go-Betweens”. If the bridge is the “Go Between Bridge”, then really it is not named after the band, is it?

Soft Airplane B-Sides

Chad VanGaalen released a great record last year called Soft Airplane of which I was a big fan. He now has offered the b-sides from this record as a free download from his website. A quick listen through indicates that it is 'ok' ('Corvette' sounds great!). Nevertheless, it is worth a look at, and its free! So why not? Thanks to I Guess I'm Floating for the tipoff!

Brisbane Records: "Worry a Lot" - The Zebras

The Zebras used to live and play around Brisbane a few years back. For a time it seemed like they were the only band that practiced pop music in this town, back when it seemed people stupidly assumed it was wrong to like jangly guitars.

“Worry a Lot” is The Zebras second long-player and featured a more assured direction than the self released debut. Layers upon layers of guitars dominate the album, but most songs are absolute gems. ‘Worry a Lot’, ‘Science Competition’, Fine Lines’ and’ Doong Doong’ are all fine songs and worthy of prolonged attention. Almost as if the band took the best features from their self titled debut – specifically the two first songs from that record ‘Forces of Light’ and ‘Look Confident’ – and employed this formula across the entire follow up. That is not to say that “Worry a Lot” is formulaic, though ‘Fine Lines’ and ‘Science Competition’ sound curiously melodically similar, and even if one did find a certain similarity evident, this doesn’t really mean that much at all; if it works, bloody well use it.

They’ve been doing the rounds in Melbourne, a town that seems curiously more attracted to jangly pop music than the likes of Brisbane, which I’m somewhat annoyed about considering my own fondness for this stuff. It seems Lost and Lonesome have signed up all these bands, and ‘encouraged’ them to move to Melbourne. Not that anyone would need encouragement – it’s a great city. Though, it is a shame they're not here, plying their wares, there is not enough of this in this town.

Gig of the Freakin Week: The Bell Divers at Rics Cafe

The Bell Divers have been somewhat reclusive of late. One may speculate as to why this has occurred, but speculate no longer! The band are back and set to indulge the Brisbane public with their delicious brand of poetic pop to Rics Café this Saturday night, the twelfth of September, in an intimate set that promises to be tighter than the pants Tina Turner donned in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome

I’m told by their skin-beating percussionist Donaldio that they have been tinkering about in old Queenslanders constructing new tales of whimsy and intrigue. I asked Donaldio what we could expect from the band in their post-member-reshuffle era, to which he replied:

“Clinton's vocals are heading north, scaling the snow-capped peaks and plunging into the fjords, Matt's bass has an edgy Southern rock vibe while Mel and I head west and east respectively with honky-tonk piano playing off against my ritualistic drumming.”

Expect some tracks from their glorious debut record “June July” that was released last year (which you can purchase/download on their website) along with a few new tracks. If you haven’t heard the Bell Divers before, have a listen at their myspace page.

This is a great local band and I encourage you all to get your rear-ends along to Rics Café this Saturday. Supports from Bliss, and a bunch of Djs with very postmodern names.

Blaming Ringo For Pretty Much Everything Including the Dirty Linen

So, where was I?

Oh yeah, so me and my budding literary overlord friend, Mister JM Donellan, were lucky enough to catch the first of Blame Ringo’s laundromat gigs which I talked about last week. The gig was in West Ashgrove, a short walk from my place, though despite that fact, we still drove – our bad.

The band played a few numbers from their ‘Lucky Number 9’ LP which was released earlier in the year, as well as some newer songs – which I must say, sounded very good. Actually, this happened to be the first time I’ve ever seen the band live, something that I had been meaning to tick off my long ‘things to do before my death and eventual reincarnation as a puma’ list. I’m pleased to say that this has now been achieved.

Despite its short nature, no doubt due to logistical issues of attempting to play three laundromats within three hours, there was much to like about Blame Ringo’s gig. Newer songs like 'One Way Driver' and 'The Sunshine Song' sounded particularly good, the boys employing vocal harmonies and other techniques that have the power to make teenage girls soil their undergarments to great effect. I guess it was lucky they were performing in a laundromat then. The setlist (and some other photos from the laundromat tour) are available for perusal on their myspace blog. I managed to take a small video of the band performing ‘Garble Arch’ which you can see below. Unfortunately my camera battery ran out about a minute in...but you get the gist, right?


Anyway, Pete from the band, being the nice guy that he is, did me the courtesy of answering a few of my meandering and somewhat random questions about the band, the tour, and forthcoming plans.


Hi Blame Ringo, that certainly was a flattering photo of the band that I saw in the Sunday Mail a few weeks back. Some would say arousing. In the spirit of your moniker, can we also blame Ringo Starr for the inclusion of such racy material in our local rag?

We blame ringo for pretty much everything. I'm not sure whose idea it was to strip for that photo shoot though. In fact, I think it was Tony, and he ended up covering up with a Rave Magazine! Cheeky bugger.

A very interesting video clip of people attempting to re-inact the famous Abbey Road record cover accompanies the song 'Garble Arch'. Can you tell us the story behind how this came about?

We all love the Beatles and I'd always heard these stories about how Abbey Road is still as popular for tourists as it's ever been. It seemed like a no-brainer really. Granted, we had no idea that it was going to take off the way it did, but we always knew it was going to be very popular.



This laundromat tour is certainly a very interesting idea. You guys have a history of quirky live performances, I recall your former band “The Little Heavies” performing from a back of ute, parked on Waterworks Road in Ashgrove. How are you going to possibly one-up the laudromat idea? Playing on rooftops in New York a la U2? Gigs on a space shuttle en route to Mars?

To be honest, it's now time for us to cut the crap and put out a killer new record. We've got some wacky plans for the new year, but for now it's all about the music. We're demoing later in the month and feel confident that we're onto something special.

So these gigs at the various laundromats around Australia, did you manage to do any ‘covers’ (ho ho ho)?

Not much washing was done in the end. I booked the schedule far too tightly. We literally pulled up outside a laundromat, ran in, played our tunes, said our goodbyes and got the hell out of there, speeding off onto the next show. It was a riot though.

Your recent record “Lucky Number 9” is a great little local release. What are you intending to do next?

As I mentioned before, we're currently demoing for a release early in the New Year. The tunes are taking a slightly more pop-rock direction, but our Kinksian stylings will be as strong as ever. We'll keep everyone up to date as best we can over the next few months!

Indeed. ‘Cash in Jackson’ from “Lucky Number 9” features some killer guitar chops and a somewhat epic solo. Can we expect this tune on any future evolutions of the Guitar Hero franchise?

Believe it or not, I've thought about Guitar Hero. I got "World Tour" and played it to death. And I will be getting the Beatles one when it comes out in a week's time. Not sure how it all works though. The new record is going to have equally gnarly axe wielding though, don't worry about that. We have a few gigs coming up before the end of the year, and will keep you posted on them for sure.

Blame Ringo are playing a few more gigs in the next few months, the details of which you can discover for yourself on their myspace page.

Pixies in Brisbane in March 2010

Well, welcome to spring. Glorious time of year in this hemisphere, isn't it?

News just to hand. The band everybody loves to claim as an influence are coming to Brisbane in March 2010. No, not Radiohead, but, yes, the Pixies (though I'm sure you guessed what I was talking about from the baby-faced picture of Frank Black above).

You can read a bit more here.

They're celebrating the 20th anniversary of their epic record 'Doolittle', an album that is probably responsible for the employment of at least three Rics Cafe disc jockeys. Yeah, it has that excellent song 'Debaser' on it and the song that Kurt Cobain said he ripped off when he wrote 'Smells like Teen Spirit'. 'Gouge Away' I believe.

Anyway, be prepared to hammer ticketek or wherever/whenever the tickets come on sale - this one will sell out in two seconds. Probably less. Keep your ears and eyes out, eh?

Lately on the stereo

A lazy blog post about some tracks I’ve really been hammering to death on my music player. I thought I’d share some and post a few youtube live performances for you appreciation.

Tenuousness by Andrew Bird from “Noble Beast”.

I think I’ve finally ‘got’ Andrew Bird on this latest album. Not that he wasn’t good before, I just didn’t think much of his previous records – I didn’t know the way in. This song in particular has opened that door.



Little Secrets by Passion Pit from "Manners".

Call them what you will, but this album is a cracker. This song has a great chorus and is a godo alternative to the other more radio friendly songs off this record.



Percussion Gun by White Rabbits from "It's Frightening".

A recommendation from a friend of mine. This album is not bad, but I really like the record opener.



Another One Goes By by the Walkmen from"A Hundred Miles Off".

The Walkmen have defined 2009 for me. This Mazarin cover from "A Hundred Miles Off" recalls the dreamy dancehall sounds of the 50s and 60s.



Young Adult Friction by the Pains of Being Pure at Heart from "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart".

How anyone in 2009 is going to top this record, I’m not sure how. I really love this song and I really hope the Pains make the trip across to Australia sometime soon.



You can tell that I’m in the middle of essay writing hell. I have a lot of assessment and no motivation to write. Frequently, I try kick myself out of these ruts by returning to blogging, hence the series of posts I’ve managed to smash out over the last few days.

Phoenix: Live at the Enmore 2009

“So, how do you think the show will turn out tonight, Mr. Mars?”

“Well, I’m going get changed, eat a croissant, go out on the stage and rock the fucking shit out of the place.”

“Wow, that’s some plan.”

Extract from my made up interview with Thomas Mars, lead singer of Phoenix.

Actually, Thomas Mars probably wouldn’t be that crass. The vocalist for French indie-pop band Phoenix seems like too nice a guy to say anything that rude. His partner Sophia Coppola would probably wouldn’t be too impressed by that sort of language. And you don’t want to get Sophia angry, she might make a movie out of your private life.

It has been some time coming, but due to unforeseeable time constraints, my thoughts on Phoenix’s Enmore gig have been delayed nearly three and a bit weeks. Well, the wait is over. Aren’t you excited?

Sarcasm aside, Phoenix are riding a wave of well deserved praise following the release of their fourth studio album “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”, which followed the superb third album “It’s Never Been Like That”. If you’ve heard the latest record, you may agree with me when I say that is one of the most fun albums to be released this year. Their live show had a lot to live up too.

Fortunately, Phoenix delivered in spades, playing a show that I’m told was one of the most complete performances ever to grace the Enmore Theatre in Sydney. This being my first visit to the venue, I cannot say whether it was or not, but I can say that it was FREAKING AWESOME.

I arrived at 9pm, slightly boozed I must say, being that my pal Derek and I had consumed a few pitchers of lager prior to the trip out to Newtown. Luckily, we’ve inadvertently timed our attack run to perfection, arriving just in time to see the band hit the stage.

Phoenix open with Listzomania, inspiring the crowd into the sort of mania that the song derives its name from. From there, it’s a feast of danceable hits. Songs from their last two albums dominate the show, though 'Funky Square Dance' from ‘United’ debuts early in the set. Thomas Mars occasionally addresses the crowd between songs in a cordial and generally 'I'm glad to be here' manner, but chatter is kept to relative minimum. The music does all the talking, and it is clear that the band revel in their art. One cannot but notice the controlled ferocity of their drummer, as he beats the skins like man possessed by Romanian gypsy demons. After a rousing version of 'Too Young', 'Girlfriend' and the six-minute almost instrumental 'Love Like Sunset', Phoenix close their set with 'Rome' to rapturous applause.

As can be expected, the crowd demand more, and Thomas Mars returns to the stage to perform a slower tempo version of 'Everything is Everything', before the rest of the band join him on stage to blast out 'If I Ever Feel Better', from which I suspect that many people die of pure joy. The night is brought to a close with the lead single from the latest album, '1901', and many happy punters vacate the Enmore. I certainly was quite satisfied.

Blame Ringo To Launder Good Times

I meant to write about this a lot sooner but a combination of work and university study has kept my music writing hobby to a minimum. I do think you should read about the upcoming tour by local Brisbane indie pop group, Blame Ringo! who are about play a whole heap of laundromats over the coming two weeks down the east coast.

If you haven't heard of Blame Ringo! well you obviously haven't been reading the music press or the Courier Mail or listening to ABC radio, because they're beginning to garner a bit of well deserved attention. They released a great little record earlier this year called "Lucky Number 9", which hearkens back to the best bits of the Kinks and the Beatles and which you should immediately go out and purchase.

Not only that, I insist you check out the Garble Arch video featuring the many tourists attempting to replicate the Abbey Road album cover.



The tour kicks off tomorrow with a set at my local laundromat in Ashgrove, Brisbane at 4pm before moving on to the Paddington Laundromat at 5pm. I'm going to be there, but will YOU!?

The tour is as follows [Source: myspace]

Thursday, August 27th - BRISBANE
Ashgrove Laundromat – 483 Waterworks Rd - 4pm
Paddington Coin Laundromat – Cnr Given Rd & Latrobe Tce - 5pm
New Farm Laundromat – 540 Brunswick St - 6pm
Bar Soma, Brisbane w/ Dave Di Marco - 8pm

Friday, August 28th - NSW COAST
The Washing Well, Yamba – 27 Coldstream St – 9am
Grafton Laundromat, Grafton – 205 Prince St - 10:30am
Northside Coin-Op, Coffs Harbour – Park Beach Rd - 12pm
Willing & Able Laundrette, Port Macquarie - 17 Short St - 3pm
The Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newcastle w/ Like… Alaska - 8pm

Saturday, August 29th - SYDNEY
Elizabeth St Laundry, Surry Hills – 571 Elizabeth St – 10am
My Beautiful Laundrette, Newtown - 110 King St -12pm
Annandale Laundrette, Annandale - 20 Booth St - 1pm
The Lewisham Hotel, Sydney – Budget Music Festival - 2pm

* Photo 'borrowed' from the web. If I've done something wrong here boys, get in touch and I'll take it down.

Decoder Ring, Bridezilla @ The Zoo, Brisbane, August 22, 2009

Are Decoder Ring the Australian incarnation of Scottish post-rock maniacs Mogwai? There are certainly a lot of similarities – long epic jam-outs devoid of vocals, melodies that seem to wash over you like acid, burning through your eardrums and knifing into the emotional response receptors of your brain. Regardless of the lofty comparisons, Decoder Ring are as equally enthralling as their northern hemisphere brethren.

A Decoder Ring concert is a dramatic, visceral, and enjoyable exercise. I’ve managed to catch them a number of times but their recent set at the Zoo was the first time I’ve seen them in the post-Lenka, fully instrumental guise. I was a bit sceptical about how they would go about pulling this off, but I should not have been. After all, the band started off as an instrumental electronic-rock act.

As any aspiring music critic does, I arrive too late to catch the first support, whom I’m told on good authority were quite enjoyable. A shame, really. Anyway, Sydney indie outfit Bridezilla, the primary support act, put on a worthy performance that caught me a bit unawares. I had managed to catch them at the Golden Plains festival earlier in the year and they seemed a bit unsure of themselves. However, this performance allayed my doubts. Front-woman Holiday Sidewinder and her Abbie Dobson-esque vocals are the stuff of teenage boy wet dreams, and the violins and saxophone provide fresh dynamics that make the songs, well, a lot more interesting than the usual triple-j ilk that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. “Chainwork”, “St. Francine” and “Forth and Fine” make appearances during what is a very enjoyable set.

Decoder Ring manages to walk out on stage just before eleven o’clock to a crowd that both seem very appreciative and very inebriated. Actually, I was puzzled by the appearance so many people who seemed so outrageously drunk. For a brief moment I pondered if these characters might be Coldplay fans that had converted to the church of Decoder Ring after the band appeared supporting the British pop behemoths during their recent tour of the country. Of course, this relies on the assumption that Coldplay fans are all severe alcoholics, an argument backed up by the fact that I feel I have to be completely hammered to enjoy Chris Martin’s increasingly boring brand of pop-rock.

Decoder Ring play many of the songs from their recent album “They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team”. Visual effects that rapidly flicker between cavorting horses and bird migrations keep the eyes occupied while the band plays epic song after epic song, repeating and converging melodies and sounds like they were going out of fashion. My personal favourite from the new record, “Charlotte Ramping” appears early in the set along with “And Grass Will Grow Over Your Cities”. Lead single “Beat the Twilight” prompts wild celebrations from a drunk guy next to me, causing him to shake his fists in the air with unbridled enthusiasm. An instrumental track from Somersault makes an appearance, before they take the foot off the pedal, playing some slower numbers like “Point No Point”. The highlight of the evening has to be the drum’n’bass infused “Serac” from “Fractions”, followed by distortion draped “Welcome Shoppers” from their first long player – arguably the two best songs of the night and cause bodies writhe with pleasure within a sweat dance pit, while senses are sucked out of people’s brains as Decoder Ring construct a gravitational singularity within the venue, and peoples minds’ are dragged beyond an event horizon. You could say I was somewhat impressed.

The band indulge the audience with a perfunctory encore and retire into the night, like gregarious vampires, never to be seen again…..at least until the next date on their Australian tour. They’re not Mogwai, but they are every bit as accomplished.

Fancy going to Victoria/Tasmania for New Years?

Well, the initial line up of the Falls Festival has been leaked, and there are some large names on the bill. Some names that might even encourage me to make the journey to either Lorne in Victoria or Tasmania for the second time.

Three great acts in the form of Grizzly Bear, Andrew Bird and Future of the Left are set to take the stage alongside other international artists such as the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and Moby. There seems to be a fair few great Australian artists set to play including Lisa Mitchell and Philadelphia Grand Jury. Looking to be a great line up already!

You can have a sneak peak on the Falls Festival website.

All-Time Top 100 Songs Written by People with Penises: Was the Poll Sexist?

Following on from my post yesterday, looking around the blogosphere and twittersphere, there has been some really interesting commentary regarding the lack of female representation in the hottest 100 list, with many people attempting to find reasons for the gender imbalance.

An article by “Kim” at Mark Bahnisch’s Lavatus Prodeo raised my ears to the issue. Furthermore, Articulate talks about the issues, asking if we can blame the lack of female representation on the listeners.

The Enthusiast goes into a lot more detail and provides an interesting run down on the phenomenon. However, near the end of the article, Mel Campbell suggests that the people voting are inherently sexist for the emergence of list characterised by a lack of females.

“That ought to remind us that participating in a public poll like this makes a public spectacle of our taste in music. Perhaps voters simply didn’t want to be embarrassed by their choices. Perhaps they felt more comfortable admitting they liked mainly sexist rock music.”

Without a doubt, this is a very interesting debate and one that is hard to find any concrete answers of whether the latest hottest 100 countdown consciously excludes females.

In terms of gender representation there is no doubt that there is a severe lack of representation, but was it ‘sexist’ as the above posts would tend to suggest? There are a variety of definitions for being sexist, but basically we can accept that it is a belief that one gender is superior to another and that there are lines of discrimination based on such a belief.

Based on my limited understanding of feminism (which in itself is a sometimes very inconsistent body of ideas that revolve around gender distinctions), I get the feeling that you cannot say that the results of the hottest 100 poll are sexist. Feminism itself isn’t exactly about ‘rights and representation for women’. It is about gender equality, a subtly different concept.

I believe that the charge shouldn’t be ‘Were the results of the Hosttest 100 sexist’ or even ‘was the process used to bring about the results inherently sexist?’ – I think the real question is ‘Are the people who voted in the poll sexist?’, and that is a very hard question to answer.

I have some suspicions that the way in which the votes are calculated advantages certain common popular songs that can be seen as essential to the target demographics musical evolution (for instance, songs people liked ten years ago). I think a fairer way to find out if the pollsters were sexist would be see the gender statistics of every voters top two or three songs, rather than the entire ten.

Then again, does the gender of the artist really matter? Am I’m discriminating on the basis of gender if I happen to prefer The Beastie Boys “Sabotage” to Bjork’s “Hyperballad”? I hope I wouldn’t be.

I know I personally do not think about the gender of the band or performer when considering whether I enjoy a piece of music, art or a book. And I think this view can be a feminist one. People like music because of the emotions they receive from them – the melody, timbre, harmonies, lyrical content and a vast number of other considerations. The fact that a song is sung by a male or female is, most of the time, irrelevant.

In fact, I could think of many reasons why concentrating on the gender of who is producing a piece of art is inherently anti-feminist. By simplifying the results of the poll to simple questions of the sex of the performers who put out a tune, could one ask whether these people are inherently making judgments on art based on gender distinctions and drawing boundaries based on sex? Aren’t we forgetting the content, messages and persuasions of the artists who made the music that what was produced in the hottest 100? I’d wager that, regardless of gender, these musicians and their fans would be the people most likely to support feminist ideals.

By saying this, I perhaps run the risk of accusations that I’m subverting and manipulating the ideals of feminism. I hope I’m not because I have the greatest respect for the ideals of feminism and hope that I’m consciously aware of the pervasive effects of overt and covert gender distinctions that still exist today.

I also note that while this gender distinction has been raised on a number of blogs, I haven’t seen much talk with regards to race or other reflexive ‘isms’ being discussed, a phenomena that is also interesting to note.

Would be interested in hearing your perspectives on what I’ve just written – perhaps I’m wrong. Convince me!

Kiedis and his Scar Tissue

It is hard to believe that Anthony Kiedis is still a functioning human being.

I’ve just finished his biography “Scar Tissue” and it is a great little read. It focuses from his birth up until the period just after the release of the Red Hot Chili Peppers eighth studio album “By the Way”. And yes, if you haven’t figured it out already, it is the biography of Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of super-rock-funk group “Red Hot Chili Peppers”.

I hope to not put any large spoilers in my brief discussion here, but if you’re hell bent on not knowing anything about Kiedis’s life, you’re advised to close your browser window now.

Kiedis’s existence is defined by three competing relationships – music, women and drugs. While Anthony’s drug taking is a trifle extreme – some events bordering on insane – I wasn’t aware of the extent it permeated his band’s reality, and how drug abuse can threaten to destablise entire lives. Not just of the user, but also their relatives, colleagues, band companions and life-long friends. You come away with a great insight into how the dreams of some ordinary, if not a bit crazy, guys like Kiedis and Flea can be realised despite some serious personal problems.

I’m not the hugest Chili Peppers fan boy – I have a few albums, I like some of the songs and I think Flea is an excellent bassist – but the book gave me some new appreciation of their music. They are obviously extremely passionate about the music they produce and to trundle on despite such set backs is a testament to their integrity particularly as musicians. The death of their original guitarist is tragically described by Kiedis. He doesn’t seek to glorify such an incident or imbibe it with overt sentimentality, but takes a very matter-of-fact approach. The reader is overwhelmed with a true sense of sorrow.

I was particularly fascinated by his insights on the ups and downs with his various long-term girlfriends and in many ways could see some of my own life reflected in the various struggles he had – though my own are definitely on a much less grander scale.

The book ultimately is redemptive and triumphant. It left me with the sense that someone can succeed despite so many setbacks. Sure there is some luck involved, but in the end passion, enthusiasm and a lust for life are the virtues that drive Kiedis. And while I may never be the biggest Chili Peppers fan, I respect them for what they have achieved despite the obvious turmoil that characterised the band’s past.

The moral of this story is: kids, don’t do drugs.

Thanks Zan: Acoustic Phoenix

Gods, I love Zan Rowe sometimes. I particularly love the little tidbit she shared with the world today - some acoustic Phoenix sets.

Here is an acoustic version of probably my favourite Phoenix song "One Time Too Many".



There are a few more on Zan's blog - "Lisztomania" and "1901". I cannot wait to see them in Sydney in early August.

And Zan, if you happen to read this, fancy getting married?

It is All Over: Latest 'Top 100' Songs Compiled.

I’ve just got back from a few days with some friends in Byron Bay where we just kind of lazed around, visited Nimbin, went hiking at Minyon Falls (great little hike up to a great waterfall, despite all the leeches), and watched 'Bruno’. Unfortunately, it was raining most of the weekend so little time was spent on the beach (hence, Bruno). All the while, the Triple J’s Hottest 100 ‘of all time’ was being played through the speakers of the car stereo as we toured back roads of northern New South Wales.

For what it is worth, I was genuinely surprised at what emerged within the top one hundred. I cannot deny that many of the bands and artists that made the list happen to be some of my favourites. As I had predicted, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” came in at number one. No big surprise as it had taken the honours the last two times. It is clearly a song that has meant so much for so many people over the last twenty years. Rage Against the Machine made it at number two, Joy Division at number four, and Radiohead had a bunch of songs in the top twenty.

I had predicted that the nature of these sorts of poll as well as the Triple J hype machine would mean that the ‘Kings of Leon’ of this world would dominate, but thankfully this did not really occur. It would seem that the audience realised that a lot of these songs have not reached classical status yet, or simply don’t deserve such status. You can view the entire list here, and you’ll note that the majority of the songs on the list are at least five to ten years old.

It was great to see band’s like ‘The Shins’ and ‘You Am I’ making it, along with 'Midnight Oil' as well 'Massive Attack'. However, it is obvious that the list is dominated by alternative rock music; entire genre’s missing or woefully under-represented.

Jeff Buckley’s cover of Cohen’s "Hallelujah" made it into the list at number three. I must admit that I do have some slight reservations about its inclusion above songs such as “Paranoid Android” (number 5). I’m not arguing that it is not a great cover – arguably the best of all the pretenders - I just think that perhaps "Paranoid Android" deserved to be ahead purely on the basis that it is an original piece of work. I’m a bit outraged that Hilltop Hood’s "Nosebleed Section" made it into the top twenty – an indictment on the state of hip-hop in the current climate. You can probably blame Jay-Z, Kanye West and all those over-commercialised clowns with their violent, misogynist and somewhat confusing messages for drowning out the music of great hip-hop acts like Jurassic 5. It seems that people have become disillusioned with the genre, it isn’t doing anything ‘new’ or interesting anymore, probably because of the fans it tends to attract nowadays. Australian hip-hop is even worse, being extremely formulaic (rap about beer/peace, add beat, add panpipe sample).

While I mentioned that there were a lot of my favourite bands in the list, virtually none of my favourite songs managed to make it in. For the record, here are the songs that I voted for: Guided by Voices - Game Of Pricks / Radiohead - Let Down / The Replacements - I Will Dare / Roy Orbison - Crying / The Cure - In Between Days / Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart / The Cardigans - Lovefool /The Clash - Lost In The Supermarket/ The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby / The Beatles - We Can Work It Out

You'll note that only Joy Division’s track was in my list.

While I believe that, in general, the songs that made the top 100 deserve their status when you take into account the TripleJ listener demographic - this obviously doesn’t mean that they are the best 100 songs of all time (look at the extreme battles that went on in the hottest 100 music forums on the TripleJ website). The fact remains that it is impossible to compile such a meta-narrative due to the subjectivity of music appreciation.