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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
