Reel Around The Fountain

Percussion Gun

2009-11-05T00:03:00.003+11:00

White Rabbits with a little help from Britt Daniel (Spoon) performing on Jimmy Kimmel. Those drums are what dreams are made of.

Deconstructing the Saturday morning coffee mix

2009-10-23T00:09:00.005+11:00

So here's something that surprised me lately, and it's kind of bad that the only reason I really paid attention to it was because I was channel surfing one day (procrastinating, undoubtedly) and stumbled upon a performance on Ellen. Scarlett Johansson's first musical outing wasn't particularly well-received by the mainstream music media, and it seemed that us laypeople had varying opinions on it, so I was a little hesitant when approaching her latest endeavour (mostly because I have a massive girlcrush on Scarlett and want her to be fantastic at everything). So it makes me completely happy to announce that I love Break Up, a collaboration with Pete Yorn, that's been legally floating around for more than a month now.

It's the type of music that's moving, in it's own quiet, rolling way, the type that could blend into the background of any situation or completely envelop you when you're just lying on your bed, alone, wondering about what Bill really whispered to Scarlett at the end of Lost in Translation. Many of the songs even had the honour of being added to my 'saturday morning coffee mix', aka my favourite iTunes playlist (which, by the way, requires neither coffee, or it to be Saturday, in order to be enjoyed; in fact I am enjoying it right now, at 12.34Am, watching Eric Bana educate Jimmy Fallon on how to be Australian and writing an essay that's due tomrrow). Relator and I Don't Know What To Do are my favourite tracks, highly recommended. We'll see how long this post lasts before it gets taken down by that dastardly Web Sheriff *shake fist*

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - I Don't Know What To Do

It lives...

2009-10-19T18:14:00.002+11:00

Hi kids,

So I was a little inspired by Sam's thoughts of blog revival, and also a little inspired by procrastination (hello, 8,000 word essay), and decided to breathe a tiny bit of life into RATF. So I opened up the blog email inbox and found 650 emails waiting for my attention (this since the end of July, when I last checked it). And as much as I want to procrastinate there is no way in hell I'm getting through all those emails, so if you're actually one of the bands that emailed me personally (and not just label PR), feel free to email me again because I most probably won't get to reading the first one you sent. If you're label PR, feel free to send again anyway, but I'm assuming you'll just send out mass mailing list updates.

So here are two remix tracks I found, though I only opened about 5 of the emails that I got (654 to go...)

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars (Saint Etienne visits Lord Spank remix)
Ra Ra Riot - Each Year (Team Goldie remix)

Finally, an official video for Kids

2009-06-10T12:46:00.004+10:00

It was a long wait for this video. Verdict: was it worth it? In my opinion, it gives me the massive creeps. And I think that it could be better. But I'm not too upset.

Scorsese's greatest YouTube feat

2009-06-09T23:53:00.005+10:00

If you are one of the many followers of master Snob Scrilla on Twitter, you'd know that he's been excited lately for the release of the video accompanying his latest single, Heartbreak Scorsese. All well and good, you'd say, but the fact is that Scorsese is a simply smashing song (no alliteration intended) with equal parts truth and hilarity.

Love Story.

2009-05-22T00:16:00.003+10:00

I am a total video spammer, I know. My content is lacking. But this was just so worthy of posting. It's Taylor Swift's Love Story kind of melted into Viva La Vida, and it's amazing (courtesy of the wonderful Erin). Big words coming from a massive Coldplay skeptic (okay, being born and bred into a country-pop hybrid I have a massive affliction for Taylor Swift, but that's beside the point). It's also probably wrong that I got a little emotional during the crescendo of the song and afterwards, when Jon Schmidt was explaining why it was his daughter's favourite part. Okay, so now pretend you never discovered my weakness.

Something else that kind of made me not hate Coldplay so much occured when Sound Relief rehersals were happening (I live next to Moore Park Golf Course, by the way, in earshot of anything and everything that occurs at the SCG). When I went onto my balcony, I could hear a basic hum that was Icehouse practicing, not particularly interesting, so I went inside. About five minutes later, those sharp violins started off and a raw, live version Viva La Vida wafted across the whole of the general Moore Park area and into my loungeroom.. it was enchanting. I fell in love with it right then.

The next day I went back to resenting them. Creature of habit. But for a moment, they had me transfixed.

This is amazing.

2009-05-21T23:39:00.002+10:00

I have indescribable amounts of love and appreciation for this video (and the remix is pretty good too).

Sinitta - Right Back Where We Started From (Chris Racine Remix)

From procrastination good things come.

2009-05-19T20:23:00.001+10:00

I've been cleaning out my inbox lately, mostly due to the fact that I have an uni exam tomorrow and would prefer just to pretend it doesn't exist. The good thing about this, though, is being exposed to the following rad acts who are defintely worth my time.

Newcastle has produced what I believe is Australia's best indie band of recent years (the glorious Seabellies). The city's track record is improving, too, with new talents Of The Red Sea, who are unlike their Novocastrian counterparts, but just as worthy of attention. The sound of their latest tune, Escalators, is a little what I'd think of as an Australian interpretation of Interpol - the same killer hooks with low-fi vocals. They're having an album launch at The Hopetoun on June 7th, a worthwhile adventure for Sydney music fans of all types (or, you know, those who come down from Newcastle, I'm not discriminating here).

Of The Red Sea - Escalators

When I received an email entitled "Math The Band kick out the feel good jamz of the Summer of 2009!" I sighed, not because I was indifferent to it, but because the summer of 2009 has already passed for me. Nevertheless I do very much appreciate this song - it's like Matt & Kim on speed (who, incidentally, they have toured with), like a hyper I'm From Barcelona, happy fun digitally enhanced people - as they put it, "sampled casio sk1 drums, paired with solid square waves and more BPMs than can possibly be considered reasonable." Math The Band are guaranteed to put a smile on your face, it's pure, unadulterated joy without a hint of irony.

Math The Band - Why Didn't You Get A Haircut

I get a lot of solo artists email me, and sadly have kind of stopped listening, because I find that so many of them just sound the same. So I was delighted to come across an endearing message from this artist, a gorgeous folky act straight out of Calgary who had me enchanted from the first note, like what would happen if Justin Vernon took a happy pill. Kris Ellestad's brand of music is quiet and unassuming, perfect for any moment, any season, any place. It's rare that artists can create music without much presumption, but still manage to be completely relevant, one that makes music for the beauty of it without riding on another's success. Everyone has their influences, but it's about using your environment and experiences as well, which is what Ellestad has managed to do, and what makes his music so captivating.

Kris Ellestad - November Steppes

And my doctor's gay.

2009-05-18T22:55:00.004+10:00

So on Saturday, a friend and I were listening to My Girls, and whilst singing along, realised we didn't know what a particular line said, so made it up. I understand this happens a lot. At least, it does in my world. It was, therefore, unsettling to look up the actual word later, and realise what we'd been singing as "and my doctor's gay" was, in fact, "and a father's grace". Just a little off?

Animal Collective - My Girls

Another example was the ubiquitous Kids. I'd always thought it said "decision to decision I've made and not fought" as opposed to "are made and not bought". After learning this, I decided my version was much better, and I still sing it like that.

In Dear Sons & Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts, I'd believed that Spencer Krug had Hall & Oates, not, in fact, holes. It seemed to make sense. Two things one might need to live (well.. three things). Water, Hall & Oates. No?

Wolf Parade - Dear Sons and Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts

When I first heard Oxford Comma, I laughed at the name dropping of Lil Jon. After mentioning this reference to friends, they didn't believe that it was actually in this song. This time, I was victorious.

Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

And then there's Atlas. I'm not even going to attempt to translate what I thought this song said. Something like "zzzyyyyysjnnn dfgjdiodsifjodsjf ewrhewnbrt jklzzzzzzzzzz". See this for the real lyrics.

Battles - Atlas

But perhaps my favourite misinterpretation of lyrics is when I thought Drift Away wanted to "give me the Beach Boys and free my soul."

Yves Klein Blue get wise.

2009-05-18T22:32:00.003+10:00

They're the foot-tapping joy-inducing boys you know from the infectious Polka, otherwise known as the song that accompanies the ad where people throw things into a car (I have no idea what the ad is for, alls I know is every time it comes on, I'm just thinking.. oh, it's Polka, love love this song). Spunky Brisbane boys Yves Klein Blue have released their new single (and subsequent video), Getting Wise from the "Ragged & Ecstatic" album to be released in late June. Ragged and ecstatic is exactly what these guys are; they have that dance-inciting sound delivered with nonchalant charm and youthful energy that's captivating Australian (and international) listeners again and again..

American Idol + Lykke Li

2009-04-23T23:42:00.000+10:00

Huh?

This shit is fresh..

2009-04-22T17:43:00.001+10:00

Matt & Kim 'Lessons Learned' Official Video

2009 Splendour in the Grass announcement

2009-04-22T07:32:00.005+10:00

The OFFICIAL Splendour in the Grass lineup announcement for 2009 dropped at 8am this morning, and I lasted until 8.07 to wait for it until I had to run to uni. So it was going to be all hot-off-the-press, but now, not so much.

Enjoy, folks:

Bloc Party (in their ONLY Australian show)
The Flaming Lips
Jane’s Addiction
MGMT (also in their ONLY Australian show)
Hilltop Hoods
Grinspoon
Midnight Juggernauts
The Specials
Sarah Blasko
Augie March
Josh Pyke
Friendly Fires,
Little Birdy
Birds Of Tokyo
The Gutter Twins
Manchester Orchestra
Yuksek
Bob Evans
White Lies
Kram
Yves Klein Blue
Decoder Ring
Lost Valentinos
Leader Cheetah
Jack Ladder
The Middle East
Polaroid Fame
Glass Towers

Splendour in the Grass will return to Belongil Fields on the 25th & 26th of July, 2009.

If you were wondering, here's the lineup that was circulating the interwebs pre-official announcement..

The Flaming Lips
Janes Addiction
Bloc Party
MGMT
The Gutter Twins
The Specials
White Lies
Yuksek

Friendly Fires
Kram
Grinspoon
Hilltop Hoods
Midnight Juggernauts
Josh Pyke
Little Birdy

Birds Of Tokyo
Yves Klein Blue
Glass Towers
The Middle East
Jack Ladder
Leader Cheetah
Polaroid Fame

Pretty spot on? Not even sure why I bothered waiting.

I know enough to know you've gotta move your idiot body around

2009-04-20T11:55:00.002+10:00

Note that I certainly will not be the last one to post this. New Sunset Rubdown, I love it. Fun times in the classic Krug style that leaves hearts swelled and fingers crossed for Dragonslayer.

Sunset Rubdown - Idiot Heart

Ghost town

2009-04-17T16:34:00.006+10:00

So.. if you're out in Sydney next Friday night, just chilling, wandering the streets and wondering where all the cool kids are, quite obviously you've had your head in the sand. To make sure this situation never transpires, you're so lucky to have someone to tell you what's going down - it's our beloved Snob Scrilla's homecoming party/debut album release, and it's on this Friday at Q Bar/sosueme (above OAF/Exchange Hotel), and, well, to steal Sean's word, it's just gonna be radcakes.

Friday 24th April, 2009

Q Bar, 44 Oxford Street Darlinghurst

Our favourite Sydney-based-Californian Party Lord – SNOB SCRILLA - has sounded a call to round up the Axis of Party Radness to help him hijack Sosueme to launch his long-awaited debut album – 'DAY ONE' (through Ivy League Records)… and the siren has been heard!

The result is the greatest party-mash lineup in this dimension… Indie, Party, Hip Hop & Club acts from far and wide are arriving, and this is party to brag to your grandchildren about:

Not counting the special guests who will jump up on the night, the lineup is HUGE!

SNOB SCRILLA
OFFICIAL ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY

Live:

Dash & Will
X n Hell
Chaingang
Stella MC
Catcall
Seven Steady

Djs:

Ruby Rose
Spruce Lee
Nina Las Vegas
Act Yo Age
The E.L.F
Hey Now
CSK OK
Kid Confucius (DJ Set)
Wax Motif
Vivienne Kingswood
Something With Numbers (DJ Set)
Sleater Brockman
Bad Ezzy
Tom Piper
Michaela Solar-March (FBI)
96 Bulls
Inch & Dirt
Deckheads
Bert & Ernie

$10 + bf from Moshtix

Go to Myspace to check out Snob Scrilla tunes, become a fan on Facebook, or listen here -

Snob Scrilla - Heartbreak Scorsese
Snob Scrilla - Hearbreak Scorsese (Remixes)

I found this B I got in school..

2009-03-14T16:36:00.002+11:00

..has to be one of my favourite Matt & Kim lyrics.

I mention this because Matt & Kim are coming back, so that's terribly exciting.

Friday, May 1 - MELBOURNE The Evelyn Hotel - tickets through www.moshtix.com.au

Saturday, May 2 - SYDNEY Oxford Art Factory - tickets

Monday, May 4 - BRISBANE The Step Inn - tickets through www.oztix.com.au

Matt & Kim - Silver Tiles

Sunshine and smiles and stringed instruments.

2009-02-22T12:45:00.004+11:00

They came to laugh, to cry, to save, to die. And most of all, to love everyone in every way.

With Smile Brigade's new EP Eering, Creaky, it's like they've created a song for every important moment of life. Want a softly scarring break up anthem? That would be Hand In A Jar, which informs your ex-lover (or chosen person that you're mad at) that they are dead to you. Smile Brigade will tell you what you need to hear, but with a cushion in the form of sweet, sweet music to soften the blow. For those times when you're enjoying a sunny afternoon on a farm, as all of us are wont to do, there's Josanna, a slightly country ditty that may find you reluctant to go to church and would rather just sit with you on some verandah.

In five songs, the EP covers everything from old-time folk tunes to toothache soft pop with the wisdom of an old bearded man who lives in a forest, used to cut down trees for a living, and knows what it's like to lose love. Part of it probably comes from playing with long-established bands like Of Montreal and Modest Mouse. Take the less-insane Sunlandic Twin days from the former and the latter's firm grip on small-town reality, and that's a little what Smile Brigade is like. And they really do want you to smile. Smile and Smile is probably the standout track, a rolling, piano-driven tune with that easy to learn chorus. No, really, smile. It's in a slightly threatening way that you're afraid they might hurt you if you don't actually do it.

Smile Brigade - Smile and Smile

All you need is love and spare change..

2009-02-22T12:23:00.004+11:00

On a whole, Australia has been responsible for churning out internationally successful artists a la The Presets, Architecture In Helsinki, etc. Then there's the ones with the quintessentially Australian indie pop/rock sound, who, despite being really, really good, get lost in the crowd with the others.

But then you have the ones who sound a little different.. who capture a sound which is the perfect mix of influences and genres, it's like they've been doing it all their lives. erase.release is one of those bands. While they're still on the fast track to success, they've avoided making the cliched mistakes in trying to be too this-or-that, too rocky or more poppy, and have really developed some awesome tunes. That's where the love comes in. It's a beautiful blend, like cookies and cream, Simon and Garfunkel, or Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds. With influences like Les Savy Fav, Interpol, Bloc Party, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness and Band Of Horses, they've taken the best of the best and left the rest. And also proven that every band needs a good bearded warbler to be any sort of success.

As for spare change, it's all you need to appreciate them at Spectrum on March 11, or World Bar on April 3. Until then, this is the song you'll be playing over and over. Well.. I am.

erase.release - Mystery

Let us rejoice.

2009-02-22T11:41:00.003+11:00

I'm sorry that the last three posts have been videos. There's just too much good visual stuff going around. It's killing the mp3.

Aside from that, I only just discovered that RATF was named one of the top 25 Australian music blogs. I didn't know there were more than 25 regularly updating ones, but then, here we are. Needless to say, I'm pretty amazed that it made the list.

Apparently that means I can tattoo an Australian flag on my arm.

I wouldn't like death if death were good.

2009-02-22T11:38:00.002+11:00

Ra Ra Riot do Dying Is Fine on La Blogotheque. One of the songs of 2008 + French master concert series = incroyable.

A bird and a chin

2009-02-22T11:02:00.000+11:00

Andrew Bird playing Fitz and the Dizzyspells on The Tonight Show, 17/2

Lady Gaga finally gets what's coming to her.

2009-02-11T20:35:00.002+11:00

Which is to be covered by John Mayer and Ellen in the bathroom.

TV On The Radio are a little flatter than Kyp's beard

2009-02-11T18:13:00.002+11:00

You'd think that TVOTR + Colbert would be a magnificent combination of sorts, but the band's interview on the Report was a little dry, to say the least, no matter how much Colbert tried to help it along.

I still have to like them, because one shares my last name. Probably not Adebimpe, though.

With extraordinary swag.

2009-02-11T17:58:00.002+11:00

Is there any need for introduction? M.I.A, Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne & T.I at the Grammys.

This song made me rethink my position on both T.I and Lil Wayne.

T.I ft Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, M.I.A - Swagger Like Us
T.I ft Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, M.I.A - Swagger Like Us (Cobra Kames Remix)

Say yes to Scandinavian comebacks.

2009-01-25T20:56:00.002+11:00

One of Scandinavia's hottest indie acts, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, has ended their three year hiatus and started hitting the musical scene again. Their newest EP, aptly titled "#4" is set for release in early February, but they've kindly sent a track for previewing - it's called 1999.

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - 1999

Also in the new releases box is a non-Scandinavian (but formerly affiliated with the area) band, The Whitest Boy Alive, who we all know and love. Rules is set to drop in March, and the Island mp3 comes off that.

The Whitest Boy Alive - Island

Look out for the vampire crazies...

2009-01-07T10:36:00.004+11:00

Okay, the quality of this video is horrible, but my guess is that it was only posted a few hours ago, since it's from last night's Tonight Show. It's Iron & Wine singing Flightless Bird, American Mouth and it's damn good. Apparently it's on the Twilight soundtrack, which means vampire-loving crazies are now going to be fully into it, but you know that (mostly) no one with a semblance of intellect likes that shit anyway.

Know Your Math: 1 + 1 =awesome.

2009-01-05T15:13:00.005+11:00

What do you get when you team two of the best indie folk bands of recent times?

Well, you get a musical head explosion, that's what you get.

Wilco & Fleet Foxes teamed up for this live recording of Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released, and it's as good as you think it's going to be. Really, it's better than that. It was released as a present for those who promised to vote in the US election. Now, I don't know if you did or not, but all that's over, and everyone can enjoy the music. It's just simple logic. Wilco + Fleet Foxes = epic.

Wilco & Fleet Foxes - I Shall Be Released

Red squirrel in the morning.... Fleet Foxes in the evening.

2009-01-05T11:45:00.005+11:00

A Fleet Foxes show probably can't be summarised in words, if you've been to one, you know what it's like. If not, you have no idea, and I probably can't convey what happens. It's like you're completely transported to their own private world, with tall trees and pretty birds that sing in them, men with beards who aren't afraid to play folk music, and songs that so easily flow into one another. Almost the whole time that Fleet Foxes played, there was no distinguishable break between songs, the feeling of one floating over to the other, which had a completely transfixing effect. Their music transports from CD to live stage so easily, but there's still something different about it. Something much more magical. From full harmonies to Robin Pecknold's solos, each song was as captivating as the next, but the very last song, Blue Ridge Mountains, was a standout. The Dodos as support were fantastic as well, beautiful songs and a charming stage presence.

Unfortunately there's no video evidence (yet) of Blue Ridge Mountains, during which The Dodos joined in playing percussion and was just enchanting. So here's Blue Ridge Mountains on Letterman, which is not quite as magical, but good nonetheless.

Things I would do if I had $80 to spare.

2009-01-02T22:03:00.004+11:00

#1 would be to buy a ticket to Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, playing here in late Jan.

Unfortunately I don't have $80 to spare, so I'm settling for recorded live shows on the Internet Archive. There are some pretty old ones here.

As a side note, today I found almost every album of his for $5. That was money I did spare. If you were wondering, this has no connection to Rock N Roll being in the album loving section on the side. Pure coincidence.. and what a coincidence.

Ryan Adams live at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan - December 13, 2008

Ryan Adams - Let It Ride (Live 13/12/08)

Ryan Adams live at Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Scotland - December 1, 2007

Ryan Adams - The Sun Also Sets (Live 1/12/07)

Ryan Adams live at Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool - January 22, 2004

Ryan Adams - So Alive (Live 22/1/04))

Ryan Adams live at the House of Blues, Los Angeles - November 15, 2001

Ryan Adams - New York, New York (Live 15/11/01)

Ryan Adams live at The Brewery, North Carolina - February 4, 1994

Ryan Adams - Americanized (Live 4/2/94)

I noticed in these archives that he doesn't play So Alive much, he only plays it around the time Rock N Roll was released. What's up with that. While many probably disagree and with the whole anti-Rock N Roll phase that Adams fans went through, in my opinion, it's for sure his best song, and the recordings that do exist sound rad, especially the one above... it's great when you hear everyone yell in unison "IIII AM ON YOUR SIDE..."

Here's an acoustic version too.

Ryan Adams - So Alive (Live 15/1/04, Music Lounge, London) // (Complete Show)

And a video from Letterman. May 5, 2004

Request time on the Harbour.

2008-12-31T11:25:00.008+11:00

It's officially New Year's Eve now. Unfortunately I think last year's firework music was a rare event and there will be no more Arcade Fire. But we can only hope it won't be another remix of the national anthem... shudder.

So here's what I will be dancing to tonight (or, at least wishing I was dancing to when my friends play Sneaky Sound System and my deathly enemy, Snow Patrol).

Kanye West - Flashing Lights (Diplo Remix)
TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose (Prefuse 73 Remix)
Lykke Li- Little Bit (CSS Remix)
Metermaids ft. Sufjan - A Breakdown In Chicago, Or, How To Sabotage Your Own Happiness In Two Easy Steps
Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Matt & Kim - Yea Yeah (Flosstradamus Remix)
N.A.S.A ft. Kanye, Lykke, Santogold - Gifted

Have you voted yet?

2008-12-31T10:56:00.002+11:00

Apart from end of year lists, christmas ham, insufferable heat and harbourside fireworks, the end of December in Sydney can only mean one other thing: the hottest 100. Though you inevitably watch it every year and are disappointed at the mediocrity people have voted into the top 10 (seriously, it's Triple J, not Nova), you know it's still your obligation as a music-lover and Australian to put your two cents in. Even if you aren't a resident of this fine country, I urge you to vote anyway. We need all the help we can get. If I'm counting down to Coldplay while at Big Day Out (if it is on that day this year), I might... well, I may just cry.

To see the list of nominated songs, go here.

To cast your vote, go here.

To see last year's list, go here.

My own shortlist:

A.C.Newman - There Are Maybe 10 or 12
An Horse - Postcards
Andrew Bird - Oh No
Antony + The Johnsons - Another World
Band Of Horses - Is There A Ghost
Beach House - Gila
Birds Of Tokyo - Wild Eyed Boy
Black Kids - Hurricane Jane
Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Bon Iver - For Emma
Born Ruffians - Little Garcon
British India - I Said I'm Sorry
Cold War Kids - Mexican Dogs
Cool Kids, The - Bassment Party
Cut Off Your Hands - Expectations
Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
Dodos, The - Fools
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Fleet Foxes - Quiet House
Friendly Fires - Paris
Hold Steady, The - Sequestered In Memphis
Jack Ladder - Best Kept Secret
Jens Lekman - The Opposite Of Hallelujah
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody
Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian
Little Red - Coca Cola
Lykke Li - Little Bit
Lykke Li - I'm Good, I'm Gone
M83 - Kim and Jessie
Mates Of State - Now
MGMT - Kids
MGMT - Time To Pretend
My Morning Jacket - Highly Suspicious
Mystery Jets - Young Love (Ft. Laura Marling)
Of Montreal - An Eluardian Instance
Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
Plastic Palace Alice - Karaoking
Presets, The - Talk Like That
Ra Ra Riot - Ghost Under Rocks
Rapture, The - No Sex For Ben
Santogold - Creator
Seabellies, The - Heart Heart Heart Out
Seabellies, The - Feel It Leave
Sebastian Tellier - Divine
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
Snob Scrilla - Chasing Ghosts
Snob Scrilla - There You Go Again
Sparkadia - Too Much To Do
Stars - Take Me To The Riot
Tilly and The Wall - Pot Kettle Black
Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose
TV On The Radio - Golden Age
Vampire Weekend - M79
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
Wolf Parade - Bang Your Drum
Yves Klein Blue - Polka

And final choices:

Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Born Ruffians - Little Garcon
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Lykke Li - Little Bit
MGMT - Kids
Seabellies, The - Heart Heart Heart Out
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
Snob Scrilla - Chasing Ghosts
TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

Probably not too unpredictable.

Best songs of 2008

2008-12-29T17:13:00.006+11:00

As I sit here, in an empty house on a humid New Year’s eve eve eve, eating leftover ham like I have every day for the past week, it seems this is the only way I could possibly round out this year in a fulfilling way. All these songs are different; all of them carry different moods and memories, and they’ve all made my year.

10. Snob Scrilla – Chasing Ghosts
While I do enjoy some rap/hip hop, I can’t stand most of it. I don’t get the big deal about Lil Wayne. Whatever You Like was enjoyable enough, but I’m not inspired by T.I’s other efforts. Snob Scrilla, though, has me paying attention. Which is made even stranger by the fact that they’re an Australian outfit, and we’ve been guilty of producing so much crap in the genre over the past few years. But Chasing Ghosts is different. The lyrics aren’t dumbed down for a wider audience, nor are they written by illiterate school dropouts. I doubt that the majority of those who listen to Australian rap know what the lines “Where cash rules, forgo benevolence/These days it’s all about them dead presidents” actually mean. Snob Scrilla is like a breath of fresh air in a plateau of mud that we just keep getting stuck in. Hopefully, they’re paving the way for a new generation of astute rappers.

9. Department Of Eagles - No One Does It Like You
There are a few people in music who can’t seem to put a foot wrong when it comes to side projects. Dan Rossen is the king of them. Maybe shared king, with Spencer Krug. But he’s come back with a punch, with D of E’s latest offering, In Ear Park. No One Does It Like You has that immediate encompassing introduction, rolling along with apparent ease and the guiding hand of a seasoned music man who can construct a complex, layered song and still make it easy to listen to. You’ll have listen to the whole song and when you realise it’s over, you’ll think it’s only been going for about 30 seconds, but you’re still completely satisfied – it just draws you in, and you have no concept of how long you’ve been listening for. There are just so many elements to this song that it’s too hard to focus just on one, because they all come together in something so well-balanced it has to be a work of Rossen. No one does it like you, indeed. I’m pretty sure it was picked up for an ad in Aus, but I can’t for the life of me remember which one it is.

8. Ra Ra Riot – Dying Is Fine
I really hated this song when I first heard it. e.e. cummings is my favourite poet of all time, and for anyone to maul his work into song form is pure blasphemy. That is, until I actually gave it a chance. Now, I’m thinking that cummings himself would approve this as an appropriate musical form of his poetry. The thing is, though, that the chorus is by far the most appealing part of this song. And it’s that part which is taken from the poetry. The rest of it, I’m not really that amazed, or particularly inspired. I’m taking comfort in the fact that this is only a starting point for Ra Ra Riot, and they’re probably going to find their way out of this boring verse-killer chorus slump to fashion something that hits hard, all the time.

7. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
The first line of this song may have just been a forewarning of the upcoming excitement surrounding these Seattle natives. When 99% of blogs have the S/T album in their top 5 and even the most musically clueless are following the pack, it’s a phenomenon in the making, and the hype still hasn’t slowed down. It’s the unfathomably pretty songs like this that would entice even the most masculine of listeners, and the fact that we’ve seen hints of this type of music in the past few years, but nobody has taken it to the level that Fleet Foxes have. Layers of intricate beats and melodies, strong repetition and whimsical vocals mould it into a song that you just can’t tear yourself away from. They’ve fashioned a whole new style that’s unmistakably theirs, and sets the benchmark for folk for a long time yet.

6. MGMT – Kids
There’s something about Kids that is incredibly haunting and attention grabbing at the same time. It’s the slightly hollow, repetitive and immediately identifiable beat that first pulls you in, and you remain transfixed by the vocals that are almost not completely there. And, if this song is truly about the environment as many (including myself) do believe, then it’s fairly important subject matter turned out in a clearly thoughtful and remarkable way. Though there’s been so much hype from both the indie and mainstream media about MGMT, the fact is that they’re stayers. The electric undercurrent that many predicted would be tiresome by the end of the year has remained etched in our minds as classic MGMT. For a band to have a classic sound after one album is a little far fetched, but it seems as though it’s going to be the sound du rigueur of these kids for a while yet.

5. TV On The Radio – Dancing Choose
There’s no doubt that Golden Age is amazing, TV On The Radio’s finest effort yet. While Mountain & Desperate Youth may have you at times sleepily drifting in and out, Golden Age is all killer, all punch, all the time, even in its quiet moments. Which is certainly what Dancing Choose is not. It’s a raucous ride through an empty-headed society, a fast rat race with a tiny moment of peace (breeding butterflies, perhaps) in the middle of a sea of frenzy. Dancing Choose is a little like a supercharged We Didn’t Start The Fire, a comment on times present and some past that has you panting as you try and keep up. The benefits of this agitated style are that a) you can dance to it, and b) every time you listen, something different comes up. So it’s like a never-ending dig for gold. Every time you find something new, you know it’s quality.

4. Mates of State – Help Help
Unfortunately, there were quite a few mediocre reviews surrounding Mates of State’s newest effort, Re-Arrange Us. I think many were expecting the romping & rolling style of their previous records. But life changes people, and changes in lifestyle have surely influenced Re-Arrange Us. It’s a little more controlled, but a little more relaxed as well. Mates are no longer a twosome, they now have a little one that they have to think of as well, and it’s apparent in their music. But, I don’t think that it makes Re-Arrange Us as mediocre as people say. It’s filled out a little more with more instrumentation, but there’s songs that are definite throwbacks to All Day or Bring It Back. And I think Help Help is one of them. A controlled verse, sure, but it’s still worth listening to. The chorus is just classic Mates. It’s not as slow as Get Better, and not as racy as The Re-Arranger (which was another contender for this list), but it finds a happy medium, and is continually on my playlists.

3. Matt & Kim – Daylight
It’s impossible to stress how much this song has infected my life, and listening habits, the past few months. If I walk down the street with my iPod and Daylight comes on, everything changes. Suddenly everything is sunnier. There’s nothing wrong with the world. It’s not just during the song, it lasts long after that. It’s some sort of combination of Matt’s super keen and energetic lyrics and singing style, as well as the jumpy beat and anthem-like chorus. Daylight heralded the arrival of summer for me, the colours got a little brighter and everything seems friendlier. It brings a certain carefree feeling (I have five clocks in my life/and only one has the time right/I’ll just unplug it for two days), and you can’t help but envision Matt singing it with a massive smile on his face.

2. Bon Iver – Flume
For Emma, Forever Ago has this absolutely undeniable way of pulling you in. It’s astounding how something so minimal can be so attention grabbing, like some sort of new musical superpower that Justin Vernon has harnessed. The silent weight of the music completely fills your head and demands that you listen to every single understated note. Like many, my favourite song on For Emma was originally Skinny Love. But a further exploration finds that I am so, so much more infatuated with Flume. The technique of layering his voice comes out so much better in this song, and it makes me want to stop anything I’m doing whilst listening, lest I disrupt the perfect balance of the music. The power, melancholy and memories that are held in Vernon’s voice during Flume are unparalleled in anything I’ve heard before. You have to listen a little harder, turn it up a little louder, because unless you’re completely surrounded by this song you’re not really listening to it at all.

1. Vampire Weekend – Walcott
It’s probably the wild, unharnessed keyboard opener that first drags you into this song. I know it’s what got me in. Something that you can jump around a little to, and nobody will care, because they’re all doing it too. It’s infectious. But what’s so remarkable about this song, apart from this repeated contagious frenzy, is how well Vampire Weekend have reeled this little bit of agitation in to assemble low-key verses where the lyrics are standouts. It’s something that takes other bands years to perfect. The line “the Holy Roman Empire roots for you” and the simple little melody after it are the parts I always look out for, before it breaks back into the whirl. Fun fact: “This song is the first one by VW. The name Vampire Weekend comes from a movie that the singer, Ezra, was a part of. The plot was about a boy named Walcott who had to get out of Cape Cod to warn the mayor about a vampire attack before the whole town was taken over. The movie was called Vampire Weekend.” I don’t know how true it is, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

Worthy mentions:
Lykke Li – Little Bit
Born Ruffians – Wedding Rings and Midnight Strollers
Antony & The Johnsons – Shake That Devil
The Seabellies – Heart Heart Heart Out
Black Kids – Hurricane Jane

Choice covers & mashups for the holidays

2008-12-20T18:10:00.003+11:00

(Metermaids, but not the ones I was talking about)

I suppose Peter Gabriel covering Vampire Weekend's Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa ("feels so unnatural/Peter Gabriel too") was a little inevitable. But he's done it alongside Hot Chip, which makes this track pretty cool.

Hot Chip, Peter Gabriel - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

Also, super rad NYC duo Metermaids have mashed up their newest effort, Nightlife, with Sufjan's Illinoise, which is so freaking awesome it almost hurts me to share this with anybody. You can score Nightlife In Illinoise as a free download at Metermaids' website.

Metermaids, Sufjan - No Matter What You Will Feel The Illinoise Or We Will Punch You In The Mouth

Well, that sounds like a threat to me.

Up to your ears.

2008-12-16T18:07:00.002+11:00

The end of the year seems to have record companies a-buzzing with releases, eager to get them out before the holidays officially start. Good for me, because it means there's lot of quality landing in my inbox, so then I guess it's good for you as well. Take a listen to these three bands if it's the last thing you do before you get floored on eggnog. Or, if you're Australian, beer will do. In seriousness, these three have me a little excited for what's to come. They're all top quality, and you know I wouldn't recommend you anything but the best.

eagleowl
The line I'm introduced with is that they're from Edinburgh, but don't let that fool you. There's something distinctly earthy about eagleowl that doesn't resemble city living. It's folky, a little like Bon Iver, which is I guess the standard that every low-fi male fronted folk outfit is going to be measured against now. But Blanket is not as stripped back, with a subtle instrumentation backing what sounds like it could be a strong voice restrained for the purpose of the song. Pushed along by the gentle prodding of the violin, Blanket is thoughtful, slowly building towards the end but always retaining that folky essence. eagleowl carefully follow the lines of the American indie/folk formula, which is always one of success, it quietly pulls you in without you realising, and leaves you wanting more.

eagleowl - Blanket

The Sweet Serenades
In contrast to eagleowl, The Sweet Serenades' purvey that up-tempo Swedish sound that everyone can't quite get enough of. Mona Lee rolls along with a careful composition, yet an air of ease that many seasoned bands still can't conjure up. Not quite bubblegum, Mona Lee's got good teeth, and all the elements of the perfect hit. An enticing drum beat, quality vocals and classic repetition in the chorus that's striking but engaging. It's probably not what you'd call a sweet serenade, but then with a song quite as good as this, why would you want to? The Sweet Serenades definitely have promise, and there's quality in Mona Lee that surpasses so much of its peers.

The Sweet Serenades - Mona Lee

Bird Dog
eagleowl and Bird Dog, I know, right. It's freaky animal breading season apparently. Bird Dog send me a lovely link to their site, and I must admit I had fun looking through. Not only is the album cover beautiful, but so are the images which accompany the tracks for download. I really had a hard time deciding my favourite, so I've chosen two (I hope they don't mind). Omaha, not the Tapes 'N Tapes one but just as good, is a little low-key but it's sweet at the same time, and not one to fade into the background. Snow Day hits a little harder but it's still got the same distinguishable air of quality, and you know that songs like this can't keep being made unless there's a promising band behind them. They're only going to get better, which is exciting considering the diversity of their current range, and how well they do it already.

Bird Dog - Omaha
Bird Dog - Snow Day

Did the Internet figure out Beyonce's secret?

2008-12-16T17:39:00.000+11:00

I think it did.

Now, watch:

Beyonce - Single Ladies

Gwen Verdon - Mexican Breakfast

Gwen Verdon - Single Ladies

Where is la piscine?

2008-12-15T16:03:00.000+11:00

My dad is a swimmer. Pretty much every day, every since he was a kid. So when we went to Paris, I taught him how to ask "ou est la piscine?". Well, he found one. And then made a French/Argentinian/German friend who also swam at that pool. A strange man. Once Henry Miller's chef, he claimed he could make a chocolate cake so good you'd fly out the window. Not really sure how that worked, but we went to his apartment for lunch, and met other strange people. He also had a son, my age, who's accent would switch between American and French each sentence. Which of course fascinated me.

The point of this story is, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool (not LeS Swimming Pool, as some people have tagged them - well, that just wouldn't make sense now?) are awesome. A little pop, a little electro, it's reminiscent of that whole Australian electro scene from recent months. Which means it's electro that's not boring, it's easily accessible, an 80's throwback inspired by those such as Cyndi Lauper and Kraftwerk. An interesting combination, indeed. They're not French, obviously, but British. Dance The Way I Feel is, really, an anthem for those who like to dance. And not because someone told you to, or o some sort of music that everyone else is dancing to, it's just dancing of your own accord and the way that you want to, when you want to. They're tipped to be big in 2009, and if the Hype Machine... well, hype, is anything to go by, it's a pretty accurate prediction.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Dance The Way I Feel

Guilty Pleasures of 2008

2008-12-15T15:44:00.001+11:00

Like most people I have a few pop indiscretions. And considering my age and gender it’s probably not surprising to see that most of them are Disney related. I’m pretty much on the older cusp of this whole Disney regeneration with Hannah Montana and High School Musical coming out when I was in my teens, around the same age as whatever characters they had, even if it was aimed at a younger audience. And I know a lot of my friends feel the same way. We know all the songs, all the dances, and we’re not ashamed of it. Because you can’t be cool all the time. There’s also lots of R&B that I’ve been into, mostly because of my brother, and that whole period when I had to borrow his iPod if I wanted any music at all. But because of the big bad record companies, I’m not risking linking songs, in fear of this being taken down, so there’s videos. Enjoy. I won’t tell anyone that you did.

Miley Cyrus – See You Again
I admit to having seen almost every episode of Hannah Montana. I just can’t get enough of that. I also concede that the Hannah music is crap. My 5 year old sister likes it, sure. But all that pre-teen inspirational G rated fun is a little… well, it’s a little too Disney, even for me. So I was shocked when I heard See You Again. I liked her first Miley single (as opposed to Hannah singles), Start All Over, but then, I wasn’t crazy about it. See You Again was completely different; it wasn’t bubblegum pop but it was still super catchy. The rest of her debut album may not be as good, but I’ll still listen to it. And despite all the crap that’s said about her in the press, I’ll still love her. She’s just being Miley after all.

Jonas Brothers – Love Bug
Oh, I hear your collective groans. I can’t escape my love for them. Even the shiteous Camp Rock doesn’t faze it at all. I’m completely infatuated with their Rolling Stone cover, and as much as I tried to hate their music, I couldn’t. I agree that Nick’s super whiny voice is quite annoying, but somehow it redeems itself. Lovebug, also, is cute. The video as well. I mean, if an indie band sang this song, everyone would be all over it. Kind of a throwback to ballads of older times, simple but pretty, with a more surprising ending. It’s so darn sweet there should be icing sugar sprinkled on top. Maybe even a cherry. Though the JoBros don’t give away their cherries easily, I hear. Hardy har.

Taylor Swift – Love Story
I was kind of brought up with country music. My dad loves it, and from listening to his CDs all the time on family holidays (and once even accompanying him to a Gary Allan concert), I’m not as adverse to it as some. Which is why I approached Taylor Swift with an open mind. I was pretty late in hearing her music, the first time I’d even heard of her was when she sung the national anthem at the start of the World Series. And again, I wanted to hate it. So badly. But this song is just pure pop genius. It’s catchy and dreamy and kind of clever for an 18 year old. You can’t help feeling her story as she sings “Romeo save me/they’re trying to tell me how to feel/this love is difficult/but it’s real.” And she doesn’t do it like another pop princess spilling out insincerities; she does it with purpose and real talent.

High School Musical 3 – I Want It All
If I were male, I would be all over Ashley Tisdale like nothing else. She is so super hot. Admittedly not the greatest singer in the world, but I’m willing to overlook that because of her epic hair. It’s also hard to choose the best song from HSM3. In terms of the music it’s leaps and bounds ahead of the first two of the franchise. So, it’s not particularly deep or important. But it’s entertainment. And that’s what I Want It All wraps up in a nice little bundle. Super catchy, great visual effects and choreography, and a well-composed song with the only two characters in Disney history who could possibly pull it off. A Night To Remember is also worth checking out. Especially at around 31-33 seconds. I had to rewind that little bit and just keep watching it. More please, Zac Efron. It’s okay. I think he’s older than me.

T.I. – Whatever You Like
Most people don’t get this song. Sure, it’s easy to think it’s all about materialism and epitomises the shallowness of the rap industry. But what you don’t really get on the radio edits or the MTV videos are the crucial first lines; “Hey Jill/You know the old suga daddy /They be trippin’ when they tell they them girls/I said you could have whatever you like.” So it’s the not-so-subtle dig at this whole material items in exchange for love culture that does seem to be surrounding the genre anyway. The video is kind of funny as well. It would be a mistake to pass it off as some new rap phase that people will get over because it isn’t long lasting material, but I think it will resonate in years to come, if only for the whole social commentary aspect – a valid one that’s often hard to find in that genre.

Beyonce – Single Ladies
If I Were A Boy wasn't a particularly great opener for Beyonce's new album. Most of us gave it one look over and dismissed it as more crappy Beyonce. Wondering when she would get back to her best. Well, apparently this stupid alter-ego she's dreamt up actually works, because 'Sasha Fierce' has helped her produce one of her best in a long time. Who can't help singing that refrain. Well, maybe those who aren't ladies. But I tell you, when my friends and I bust out our Beyonce moves, we're almost as good as Shane Mercado. That coreography is good, though. I'm not dismissing Beyonce yet. She might still have a few more up her sleeve.

Ne-Yo – Closer
It’s easy to make a danceable, upbeat R&B song that’s pure crap. It doesn’t take a genius. But it’s probably harder to make one that’s sincere and still in the vein of ‘The Gentleman’, or whatever that image is that Ne-Yo is so desperate to purvey. Before you toss it to the side with a lot of the hip hop crap that’s out these days, take a listen to Closer. It’s not contested that Ne-Yo is a smart guy. He gets everything he can out of the music industry, writing, recording, performing, not only for himself but for others as well. You’d think after all that experience he’d be able to churn out a killer song. You’d be right.

Chris Brown – Kiss Kiss
I don’t even know if Exclusive is from this year or last, probably the latter, but Kiss Kiss has had more of an effect on 2008 for me. This kid can dance, no question about it. And his voice isn’t half bad. Even if his songs are a little generic, they stick in your head for ages, and you can’t help but admire his ability to throw out these songs that hit every corner of the pop/hip hop market. There’s the upbeat rap like Kiss Kiss, the slower R&B ballad of With You or the more dancey Forever. Which is a great song in its own right. Or even the slightly overdone but still great duet with Jordin Sparks (No Air). I think, though, Kiss Kiss is my favourite. The video is a little cheeky, but a little clever. I’d even forgive him for singing about how good he is.

Hottest in the world right now.

2008-12-14T22:11:00.000+11:00

As if you don't love Kanye puns.

Anyway, one-man-music-maker Sam Spiegel has made some mixed up goodness of Kanye, Santogold and Lykke Li, and the Hype Machine is going crazy for this shit. I mean, from the last three days alone I think 75% of blogs have posted this track. And because I am so nice and deluded to think that you haven't already heard this crazy good stuff, I'll share it with you. You'll download it if you know what's good for you. Also if you don't want to be scorned, mocked, or shamed by your cool friends. I know I wouldn't.

Also, MuuMuse has possibly come up with the best description I've seen yet.

Sam Spiegel (perhaps better known as Squeak E. Clean) is, as we all may soon come to realize, the devil. One needs only briefly look over the exhaustive list of indie darlings and pop culture icons (including Karen O, Nina Persson, Lovefoxxx, Tom Waits, and Ghostface Killah) set to lay down their vocals upon his killer debut album, The Spirit of Apollo, in February 2009 to know that for sure. The only explanation of this impossible gathering of talent is dark magick, leading to what will surely become a downward spiral of hellfire and damnation upon the Earth, at last leading us all unto the End Of Days.

But until that day, we've got one new track from the release called "Gifted," which benefits from the assistance of Kanye West on the first verse, Santogold on the second, and Lykke Li in the choruses. A hipster's wet dream? You bet your sweet girly ass jeans it is. Yet with its uber-slick synthesized production and bouncy, bubbly bass, the Apocalypse has never sounded so sweet.

N.A.S.A ft. Kanye, Santogold, Lykke Li - Gifted

I feel the same way about my Diana.

2008-12-14T21:48:00.000+11:00

Or, as we nicknamed her, Lady Di. Although it's not right unless it's cross processed.

So this is another one from the video vault. Well worth it. I love Paul Simon.

Simon & Garfunkel - Kodachrome

Recently on Daytrotter..

2008-12-14T20:52:00.001+11:00

It seems there's been lots of the good stuff on Daytrotter lately. Unreleased songs, b-sides, etc. Here's the best of the most recent. It's well worth trawling through the archives if you haven't already.

The Minus Story -Paul's Letter To St. Job (cover)

Joseph Arthur and The Lonely Astronauts - This Is Still Your World (unreleased)

Brighton, MA - Fare Thee Well (unreleased)

My Brightest Diamond - The Gentlest Gentleman (b-side)

Peasant - The End (unreleased)

The best viral videos of 2008

2008-12-13T14:33:00.000+11:00

Videogum have actually managed to compile (most of) the best viral videos from this year. What memories.

Best of 2008

2008-12-12T17:09:00.001+11:00

So there's no particular order here, because I loved all these albums the most at some point. Also, I think it's interesting to note that 4 out of the 5 top albums here are debuts. It just goes to show what we're facing in the future, and it doesn't look to bad either. And I may be a little predictable in my decisions, most of which you'll find on everyone else's top albums as well. But they were just all so darn good.

Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us
Bring It Back was for sure one of my favourite (if not my favourite) albums of 2006, and they haven’t failed to succeed yet again with Rearrange Us. Christina Aguilera may claim that she “keeps getting better”, but for Mates of State her words ring true, especially in the track of a similar name. While previous albums included a great, pounding organ and schmoozy vocals, the Mates have stepped it up a notch, incorporating a fuller instrumentation. But the undeniable power of their voices still remains, with Get Better as a case in point. They dichotomise the album with the more toned down (if you could call them that, like Get Better and My Only Offer) and race through others such as The Re-Arranger. Every record they make is just so enjoyable, but uncompromising on quality and unchanging in their often sarcastic wit.

Mates of State – My Only Offer

Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about Fleet Foxes, and praise for their debut album rings out far and wide. Their beautifully constructed but easily accessible brand of folk hits the right chords with those who wouldn’t usually find themselves drawn to the genre, and only makes those of us who are well inclined to the bearded side of things much more excited about things to come. Fleet Foxes managed to give 2008 a sound that was irresistibly pretty and unlike anything else being produced. They imitate noone, inspire everyone and have a damn good time doing it. It’s not a big leap to say that they will be one of the most influential folk bands of years to come, with replicates galore, so expect to see Fleet Foxes cubs springing up all over the woods.

Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
There’s undoubtedly magic in Justin Vernon’s songs; his way of composing and his articulations. Reintroduced this year as Bon Iver, many bloggers reservedly started with the line “I generally don’t like folk, but…” Managing to capture the hearts of a generally resistant music community, For Emma proved that wandering off in the woods for a while isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I mean, Hansel and Gretel found a house made of candy. Vernon found an inner being that manifested itself into Bon Iver’s haunting, yet fulfilling debut, a startling and honest voice amid softly spoken yet attention-commanding acoustics that have been stripped down and laid out like an exact science. It’s music that demands your attention despite its minimalist nature, something that’s harder and harder to find. Apparently, it’s a rare breed found only in the Wisconsin woods.

Bon Iver – Creature Fear

MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
I think in a few years people in general, not just any form of blogging community or people who enjoy indie music, are going to look back on Oracular Spectaular as one of the great albums of this decade. While I didn’t enjoy it when it first came out, I let myself be led astray by the haunting sounds of Kids, the best on the album, and insatiability of Electric Feel, Weekend Wars and Time To Pretend. Though the second half doesn’t quite hold up to the magic of the first, it’s the big, resounding first five that carry the album, and nobody can deny the pull of one of their irresistible hits. It’s something that everyone can enjoy, and stood the test of time. While the electro aspects seemed disposable at first, Oracular’s staying power was proved when we kind of failed to get sick of it, which is what most (including myself) predicted would happen. By the way, what was up with Pitchfork likening them to Mew. That is the biggest mismatch I have possibly heard this year.

Now I can’t put up an MGMT song because Columbia are party poopers and will delete this entire post (and that would kill me). But I will direct you to a video that plays the original version of Kids, which, in my opinion, is much better than the current one.

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Most had this on their lists last year, but it was technically a 2008 release. And what a release. More critical acclaim than you could poke a stick at, and a public reception that most dream of. Everyone was drawn to the collegiate smugness, and those of us actually at university are wishing we were at Harvard (or else wondering why our college experience is completely different from theirs). But apart from being the anthems of 19-23 year olds everywhere, the influence of the self titled debut reached beyond the obvious targets and permeated music markets around the world. Well, it has my best friend’s mother singing M79. They’ve a lot to thank Paul Simon for, but nobody is complaining about the heavy influences when the outcome is so good. From the head-shaking upbeat riots of Walcott and A Punk to the laidback Oxford Comma and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, their repertoire is grand and fit to expand in the future, if the new songs they showcased in November at the Metro are anything to go by.

Vampire Weekend –Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

Other fabulous albums of this year:

Dr. Dog – Fate
Department Of Eagles – In Ear Park
Lykke Li – Youth Novels
TV On The Radio – Dear Science
Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

I'm not always this late

2008-12-11T23:47:00.000+11:00

I don't think there's many things more satisfying then a perfect movie and song combination. I always harboured (and still do) a secret desire to work in the film industry as a music editor, because I know damn well I'd do a better job than a lot of those fools.

But here, someone's done something right, and the combination of My Body Is A Cage is epic with, well, just about anything. It's from the upcoming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which I believe is to be released here on Boxing Day (don't quote me on it).

Re:Stacks of Bon Iver

2008-12-11T22:32:00.000+11:00

All you in the Northern Hemisphere can thank everyone's darling Justin Vernon for a quick hit of his lusciously low-fi sounds just as winter is dawning. Those of us down south will stick to pretending we don't have to travel overseas to see snow, or firs, or anything remotely like the surroundings drawn up in one's head after listening to Bon Iver for any lengthy period of time. As a late Christmas gift to those who appreciate it, Vernon's new offering is like addict's hit in the short but sweet Blood Bank EP, set for release in late January. "As much as Emma is about the cold, the Blood Bank collection is about the warmth that gets you through it. You can feel the air move. Like a fire you've been stoking for hours and finally got to sustain itself, the heat blisters your face while your back is frozen solid."

SONG LIST:
Blood Bank
Beach Baby
Babys
Woods

Bon Iver - Blood Bank
Bon Iver - Babys (Live)
Bon Iver - Flume (Daytrotter Sessions)

List like me.

2008-12-11T22:21:00.000+11:00

I can stand Rolling Stone significantly more than Pitchfork, so I'm happy to put this up. But not without my own criticisms. Cos I'm way too lazy to make a list of 50. Maybe 10 in the weeks to come.

Here's what they had to say about TVOTR, who nabbed spot numero uno. And rightly so, I'd say.

The year's finest rock record was also the one that sounded the most like America in 2008, with infernal visions of war and economic desperation. But amid the fear and loathing, there was defiance: "No bombs are falling on me for sure," sang Tunde Adebimpe; he also called this "the age of miracles/The age of sound." These Brooklynites greeted the historical moment with awe — and responded with art-rock party music. Call it the audacity of hope. Producer-guitarist Dave Sitek has streamlined and deepened the band's fusion of doo-wop, punk and soul; there are swooning ballads, wind-whipped funk and even a Tom Petty bite. And then there's "Lover's Day," the greatest hipster booty call ever recorded, in which TVOTR greet millennial terror with the oldest form of transcendence. "Ball so hard, we'll smash the walls," shrieks singer-guitarist Kyp Malone. "We could build an engine out of all your rising stars." On Dear Science, the sky's the limit.

So here's the rest of the list. With added commentary for shits and giggles.

2 | Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs — The Bootleg
Series Vol. 8

3 | Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III

A fair choice, if Lil Wayne learnt the beauty of grammar. Lalalalalike a lollipop.

4 | My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

5 | John Mellencamp: Life, Death, Love and Freedom

6 | Santogold: Santogold

7 | Coldplay: Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends

What a horrible album by my second least favourite band of all time.

8 | Beck: Modern Guilt

9 | Metallica: Death Magnetic

10 | Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend

Only after every other blog proclaimed it at the end of 2007. Thank you, Rolling Stone, for saying what everyone else had already figured out.

11 | Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes

Now here's one you can really seek your teeth into.

12 | Guns n' Roses: Chinese Democracy

Genuine WTF moment. Didn't this drop what, less than a month ago? And above Bon Iver, MGMT. Even the JoBros could knock this away with the flick of a pinky. I wasn't aware that you received extra points for being 15 years late.

13 | Blitzen Trapper: Furr

14 | Ryan Adams and the Cardinals: Cardinology

15 | The Black Keys: Attack & Release

16 | Randy Newman: Harps and Angels

17 | B.B. King: One Kind Favor

18 | Lucinda Williams: Little Honey

19 | Erykah Badu: New Amerykah: Part 1 (4th World War)

20 | Kings of Leon: Only by the Night

RS claims that "they've broken the grip of their influences without losing their roots." And isn't the industry far worse off for it.

21 | Kaiser Chiefs: Off With Their Heads

Heck yes.

30 | Duffy: Rockferry

Now, I'll pay that. Not many heard much after Mercy but it's an album worth listening to.

31 | MGMT: Oracular Spectacular

Surprising that it was this far down the list since every man and his dog practically aurgasm at the sound of Kids.

32 | Jamey Johnson: The Lonesome Song

33 | Ne-Yo: Year of the Gentleman

Good stuff if you can get it. Most, unfortunately, don't. Forget what the 14 year old girls tell you, they love him cause they're told to. Ne-Yo is actually worth listening to.

34 | Stephen Malkmus: Real Emotional Trash

35 | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

36 | The Hold Steady: Stay Positive

Not their best.

37 | Nine Inch Nails: The Slip

38 | Ra Ra Riot: The Rhumb Line

39 | Taylor Swift: Fearless

I'd say she deserves it. But, she also deserves a better word put in. "Even in a recession, the formula for a bestselling pop hit is simple: All you need is the perfect chorus and the poet laureate of 10th grade to sing the damn thing. With indelible guitar chords and teenybopper charm, Swift proves no one can match her ninjalike professionalism. She should have called it Peerless."

40 | Jonas Brothers: A Little Bit Longer

Even an undying love for the JoBros can't stop a grimace forming here.

41 | AC/DC: Black Ice

And now we know the world has gone to the dogs.

42 | David Byrne and Brian Eno: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

43 | Nas: Untitled

44 | The Raconteurs: Consolers of the Lonely

45 | Be Your Own Pet: Get Awkward

46 | The Academy Is...: Fast Times at Barrington High

47 | Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping

Do they ever stop? I just don't know.

48 | Raphael Saadiq: The Way I See It

49 | Hot Chip: Made in the Dark

50 | No Age: Nouns

Rolling Stone puts a ring on it.

2008-12-11T21:10:00.000+11:00

And so it's list season again as Rolling Stone takes to the plate. There's the 100 Singles Of The Year and 50 Albums Of The Year. Here's the former. Let's just thank god there's no Lady Gaga.

1 | Beyoncé — "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"

So it wasn't the most obvious choice of the year, and Beyonce is far from what you'd usually see from me, but I have to admit that I love it. And even though the video is far from detailed, it still manages to draw me in.

2 | Santogold — "LES Artistes"

3 | MGMT — "Time to Pretend"

I like it, but to be honest, thought Kids was completely better. And not the album version of Kids, the original one, a little less artifical. Although Time To Pretend is often heralded for its lyrics, I'd tend to disagree and say they're unimaginative in some areas. "The models will have children/get a divorce/we'll find some more models/everything must run its course" does little to inspire.

4 | Blitzen Trapper — "Furr"

5 | Lil Wayne — "Lollipop"

One day, he'll feel the pain of irony.

6 | Beck — "Gamma Ray"

7 | Estelle feat. Kanye West — "American Boy"

Hated it when it first came out, but it grew on me. And I admit that I do have the same affliction.

8 | My Morning Jacket — "I'm Amazed"

9 | Coldplay — "Viva la Vida"

Thankyou very much Joe Satriani...

10 | T.I. — "No Matter What"

11 | Rihanna — "Disturbia"

12 | TV on the Radio — "Golden Age"

Would make you wonder the sincerity of the albums list if they're this far down. Gotta say I prefer Crying. Not sure if it was released as a single though.

20 | Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Girl"

Oh dear.

21 | Vampire Weekend — "One (Blake's Got a New Face)"

One of my least favourite Vampire Weekend songs, I have to say. There's magic in the others.

22 | Jay-Z and T.I. — "Swagga Like Us"

23 | The Black Keys — "I Got Mine"

24 | Lykke Li — "I'm Good, I'm Gone"

"Hand claps are the new power chords." Thanks for the heads up, Rolling Stone.

25 | Leona Lewis — "Bleeding Heart"

I wasn't aware she had a song named this. Typos aside, it is a good belter, and it stuck around for a while. The fact that she's just so damn likable musn't do her any harm.

26 | The Rapture — "No Sex for Ben"

27 | The Ting Tings — "Shut Up and Let Me Go"

Seriously? Better than That's Not My Name? The gift of hindsight may be useful here, I know that the latter may have been overplayed, but it's probably not a great factor in determining which one is better.

28 | Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne — "Let It Rock"

29 | Pink — "So What"

30 | Weezer — "Pork and Beans"

31 | Conor Oberst — "Moab"

32 | N.E.R.D. — "Everyone Nose"

All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom, indeed.

33 | The Raveonettes — "Aly, Walk With Me"

Despite the obvious reasons for liking it, I can't say that I did in the long run. It gets tiring.

34 | Gnarls Barkley — "Run"

35 | Kaiser Chiefs — "Addicted to Drugs"

36 | Usher feat. Beyoncé and Lil Wayne — "Love in this Club, Pt. 2"

Obviously someone mistook "best singles" for "worst singles". Not my best sarcastic zinger, but you get the point. Maybe slightly better that the original, but fails to impress either way.

37 | Bob Dylan — "Someday Baby"

38 | Jamey Johnson — "High Cost of Living"

39 | The Academy Is... — "About a Girl"

40 | Kings of Leon — "Sex on Fire"

Maybe the best song about STDs I have heard recently. And don't say you weren't thinking it.

41 | Duffy — "Warwick Avenue"

42 | The Raconteurs — "Salute Your Solution"

43 | Erykah Badu — "The Healer"

44 | Panic at the Disco — "Nine in the Afternoon"

Now I'm not just being facetious here, this is really a terrible song. It has such a poorly written chorus that you may need to undertake an entire English Literature degree just to heal yourself upon hearing it.

45 | Foals — "Cassius"

46 | Taylor Swift — "Fifteen"

Stumped at how it surpassed Love Story, but those who she directs the song to may be in a better position to judge.

47 | Janelle Monáe — "Many Moons"

48 | John Mellencamp — "Troubled Land"

49 | Jonas Brothers — "Video Girl"

Oh, ouch. The JoBros get nasty, and I don't hate it. Who am I kidding, I love it.

50 | Jackson Browne — "Time the Conqueror"

51 | Ashlee Simpson — "Rule Breaker"

I've never even heard this song. What a joke.

52 | Lee Ann Womack — "Last Call"

53 | AC/DC — "Big Boi"

Thank god for interns making typos, I don't know where I'd get my laughs from otherwise. It's actually called Big Jack, but I think I'll leave the alternate in for now.

54 | Cat Power — "I Believe In You"

55 | Sigur Rós — "Gobbledigook"

56 | The Hold Steady — "Constructive Summer"

Three in a row aint bad here.

57 | Charles Hamilton — "Brooklyn Girls"

58 | Jazmine Sullivan — "Bust Your Windows"

59 | Low vs Diamond — "Don't Forget Sister"

60 | Ne-Yo — "Closer"

A step outside his regular style but it's a successful one. Incredibly catchy and easy to dance to without forsaking his signature gentlemanly charm, equipped with one killer chorus.

68 | Fall Out Boy — "I Don't Care"

The Sarah Palin jokes were getting old three months ago. She's not even a credible laughing stock anymore.

74 | Ra Ra Riot — "Dying is Fine"

What the fuck did they do to e.e. cummings? PS Rolling Stone, you don't capitalise that. It's just wrong.

75 | Flo Rida feat. T-Pain — "Low"

Now here's something that should be much higher on the list. Because as bad as you say it is, you know you just can't resist it.

88 | Bon Iver — "Skinny Love"

After a dry spell, finally something good. Surely better than I Kissed A Girl. Surely.

Trust will.i.am to turn this year's most overused phrase into a song. Yes, we get it already! AS if appearing on CNN via hologram wasn't enough..

Yes, yes, no, no, no

2008-12-04T14:21:00.000+11:00

Matt & Kim are pretty much fantastic. So much energy packed tightly into short bursts of song, they exemplify what your summer listening should be about. I've gotta say, Daylight is one of my songs of the entire year. You just can't help but be entirely happy when you hear it. From the very first lyrics that open the song just as summer is opening here - "we cut the legs off of our pants/threw our shoes into the ocean/sit back and wave through the daylight" you're going to want to dance. Or jump around a little, if dancing is not quite your style. Though, my favourite lines have to be "I have five clocks in my life/and only one has the time right/I'll just unplug it for today." Daylight just couldn't be better if it tried.

Matt & Kim - Daylight

My other favourite has got to be It's A Fact (Printed Stained). Another perfect pop song packed with a little punky exuberance. I don't think there's a catchier chorus than the plain and simple "yes, yes/no, no, no" shouted at the top of one's lungs.

Matt & Kim - It's A Fact (Printed Stained)

And finally. As an homage to the delightful duo, some kid covered It's A Fact and it's pretty good. I don't think he could possibly fit more passion or excitement into this performance.

There aren't many men I love much more than him

2008-12-04T13:30:00.000+11:00

And that would be Springsteen, by the way.

Though we never may return to the glory days (pun intended) of Bruce's edgy slice of angsty Americana, take heart in the fact that he's keepin' on keepin' on. These days you're more likely to find him waving behind Barack than dancing with Courtney Cox, but, well, we've still got that old footage of his arms and backside. You had to wonder if the greatness of the songs about getting out of Jersey would stop when he actually did, but don't discount the Boss yet. He's still got some magic up his flannel sleeve.

Bruce Springsteen - My Lucky Day

The hidden mysteries of Atlas revealed

2008-11-27T19:33:00.000+11:00

You know those songs that are absolutely impossible to figure out the words to.. I love them. It's like the great equaliser. Nobody can be more pretentious than his friend because neither of them know the words.

Anyway, this is relevant because, I lately stumbled across the words to Battles' freaking awesome song, Atlas. Right. I didn't even know this song had words. But, you learn something new every day.

From Drowned in Sound:

Hidden under sheets of polyrhythm and squeezed by a vocoder/voice modulator/some weird muso machine, the lyrics have been an indecipharable mystery, 'til now.

'Til now.

Here's what they've been saying and you've been mouthing drunken all this time:

People won't be people when they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town
People won't be people, no
The people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

The singer is a crook
The singer is a crook
The singer is a crook
The singer is a crook
The kitchen is the cook
The scissors are the barbers
The singer is a crook
The chorus, full of actors*

*The chorus doesn't matter (last verse)

Now it makes sense.

Battles - Atlas

Something so awesome.

2008-11-21T17:34:00.001+11:00

Seriously.

First glance you'll be all, wtf man. This doesn't make sense. You can't remix that song.

Then you will slowly realise how freaking good it is.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Black Dominoes Remix)

And so ends this Friday, November 21, which will be looked back upon in the future, lovingly referred to as Remix Day.

Vampire Weekend mixes for your weekendy, oh my.

2008-11-21T10:56:00.000+11:00

Because it is so almost the weekend, I implore you all to put your party shoes on and dance away to these Vampire Weekend mixes. Later I just may spoil you with MGMT mixes too. Hmm.

Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Black Dominoes Remix)
Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (The Teenagers Remix)
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma (Burntpiano Edit) (let me know if this works or not. I'm thinking no.)
Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand A Chance (Chromeo Remix)

Take notice.

2008-11-20T21:43:00.000+11:00

For me, Thursday night is my TV night. Which unfortunately clashes with it being my favourite going out night. Whatever happens, Thursday night is always a good one. But because sometimes I can't afford to go out, or don't want to, whatever the reason, my schedule is something like

5.30 King of the Hill
6.00 Simpsons
6.30 Daily Show
7.00 Will & Grace/Jepoardy! (I know, but I love it)
7.30 Scrubs
8.00 Scrubs
9.00 Colbert Report
9.30 Kyle XY
10.30 Greek

So yeah, pretty sad. But it works for me. Getting back to the point, I've been noticing that the newer shows (Kyle XY & Greek) both have really great soundtracks. Today I was a little shocked when I heard Lovers Who Uncover being played on Kyle XY. A good soundtrack always adds to a show, especially when done in an unpretentious way like on these ones (as opposed to cough the OC cough). Here's a taste of what you can expect to find on Kyle XY:

Mates of State - So Many Ways
The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover
The 1990's - You Made Me Like It
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
Band of Horses - The Funeral

You can find a complete list of songs from the two series here. There's a lot more great music i.e. The Apples In Stereo, VHS or Beta, Scissors For Lefty, Help She Can't Swim, etc. But also the entire discography of the Cary Brothers... hmm.

Also, Cut Off Your Hands' epic tune Oh Girl was featured on Greek. A big tick on both sides of the fence.

This is my favourite Beirut song, ever.

2008-11-20T19:22:00.000+11:00

It surpasses most songs that I have ever heard from any band. Just so amazing. And almost as good in a cappella.

Beirut - Scenic World

The great Boston molasses flood

2008-11-20T19:03:00.001+11:00

On January 15, 1919, Boston was engulfed in a giant wave of molasses that killed 21 people and injured 150, making its sticky way through the city at speeds of 56 km/h. A huge molasses tank 15 m tall, 27 m in diameter and containing as much as 8,700,000 L collapsed near Keany Square. The collapse unleashed an immense wave of molasses between 2.5 and 4.5 m high. Witnesses stated that as it collapsed there was a loud rumbling sound like a machine gun as the rivets shot out of the tank, and that the ground shook as if a train were passing by.

Molasses, waist deep, covered the street and swirled and bubbled about the wreckage. Here and there struggled a form — whether it was animal or human being was impossible to tell. Only an upheaval, a thrashing about in the sticky mass, showed where any life was... Horses died like so many flies on sticky fly-paper. The more they struggled, the deeper in the mess they were ensnared. Human beings — men and women — suffered likewise.

I tell everyone this story and they tell me it's not real. And I say to them, hey, fuck you, this is real. And it's probably my best dinner party story.

But what I'm really trying to say is, Boston Spaceships are go. Featuring Robert Pollard as well as John Moen from The Decemberists, you know it's got to be good. And they're conveniently named after the city I will be living in, in 1.5 years time. Don't let my prejudices fool you.

Bsoton Spaceships - You Satisfy Me
Boston Spaceships - Go For The Exit

A little nostalgic.

2008-11-20T18:42:00.000+11:00

So I used to have another blog on the side dedicated to Scandinavian music. I just looked at it then. It hasn't been updated for two years. But I seemed so into it at the time. Makes me wonder what happened.. I daresay I wrote better on Au Nord than I do on RATF. It was short, but it was cute. Hopefully I can recapture that sometime soon.

Anyway, as I rediscovered Au Nord, I also rediscovered this video. I'll never stop loving it, or Thomas Dybdahl. Everything about him and his music exudes pretty.

Feels like I'm in love

2008-11-20T10:47:00.001+11:00

(my heart it beats like a drum)

Yesterday was a very momentous occasion for me. And I say yesterday because it was about 2am in the morning when this happened. I finally got my old iTunes library back! Amazing!

Now you're probably like, "huh, why is that big deal?" Well I'll tell you why. When I moved out of my mother's house in January I didn't take my library with me, but left it on her computer, thinking I'd come back for it. I had a small library on my new desktop, but my big iPod held all my old songs. So that was good. I had a new nano that held about 1000 songs from the new library (that was about the extent of them anyway) and then my new computer broke! Oh no! So the nano was stuck with the new songs, no change. Not to worry, I said, I still have the big iPod. Then that broke! It went a little crazy, then when it recovered, it had wiped off 5000 songs. Oh the pain! So I was stuck with this shitty nano from about March to November. You'd go crazy too.

Then in the wee hours of yesterday morning, I managed to restore most of my old iTunes library (about 4000 songs) to my mum's computer. And I've never been happier, even with the missing songs (which were mostly off albums I own). So I put on the stupid party shuffle function and it actually delivered a pretty rad playlist. Here is the first ten songs from it. I call it... iTunes celebratory playlist. Creative name.

Wolf Parade - Fancy Claps
Belle & Sebastian - It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career
Grizzly Bear - Knife
Camille - Quand Je Marche
Lullatone - Bushman's Samba
Cat Power - Funny Things (Peel Session)
Peter, Bjorn & John - Start To Melt
Mates of State - Punchlines
Circulatory System - Yesterday's World
Arcade Fire - Intervention

Antony mimicks Jason Bay, crowd groans at lame Red Sox pun

2008-11-19T19:30:00.000+11:00

So here is something completely out of left field...

Although I think that Antony Hegarty has been labelled in that category most of his life.

He impressed us with I Am A Bird Now back in 2005, and avid Antony fans have been eagerly awaiting his latest release, which they got a taste of from last month's Another World EP. A new foray into music for the indie world's favourite androgynous Brit, the EP packs in Antony's unique vocals and soulful sounds with something unseen, especially in the killer Shake That Devil. Although he's been playing it live for a few years, the track strays from his often minimalistic sound, infused with healthy doses of catchy jazz and uplifiting gospel. Antony is surely someone who divides the musical communities; most sitting on the love or hate side of his music. With Shake That Devil, those who pertain to the former category are sure to fall in love straight away. Those who are not so convinced of Antony's genius may pick up an ear to this tune, showcasing the more accessible side to Hegarty's beautiful music.

Antony and the Johnsons - Shake That Devil

Fleet Foxes cover + Arcade Fire remix

2008-11-19T19:17:00.000+11:00

White Winter Hymnal is a damn good song, I don't think that's disputed by anyone. And of course, when you get a song/album/sound as well received as Fleet Foxes have achieved, other bands will undoubtedly try to nab a piece of the attention for themselves by recording covers.

That, or they just really, really love the song.

And I think it's the latter that applies to Dirty Mittens' rendition of White Winter Hymnal. Lovingly crafted so as not to disturb the perfect balance of the original tune, Dirty Mittens' appreciation of Fleet Foxes is evident in their homage to their baroque-pop ventures, and the female vocals only make the song more endearing.

Dirty Mittens - White Winter Hymnal

Sometimes, the melodies bands like Fleet Foxes or masters like Arcade Fire seem so intricate and well-put together that it would be an extremely difficult feat to remix them. But a while ago i guess i'm floating encouraged remixes of Black Mirror, which of all AF songs seems a little arbitrary. So I approached the remixes with apprehension regarding how well they would actually sound. But the magic of a master remaster prevails, and this Black Mirror mix is so surprisingly good you'll wonder why you ever doubted it in the first place.

Arcade Fire - Black Mirror (Trading Aces remix)

Vampire Weekend get all Arcade-Fire in Paris

2008-11-19T17:08:00.001+11:00

Because if there's one band who do live covers like nobody else, it's AF. i.e. the mind-blowingly good Violent Femmes cover earlier this year. Apparently they now have a future challenger for that title in Vampire Weekend who churned out an extremely well received version of Plastic Bertrand's Ça Plane Pour Moi in Pairs recently.

Echt neu.

2008-11-18T17:34:00.000+11:00

Berlin, Germany and Santa Fe, New Mexico first strike you as an odd sort of combination. The experiences of spending time in these two completely different cities coupled with a close relationship with the Old World stylings of Beirut (the band, not the city) would surely make for an eclectic musical interaction. And that's just what Alaska in Winter's Brandon Bethancourt has achieved on his newest album, Holiday. Over the past few years, a revived fascination with Berlin has been developing, especially in the music and art worlds. Having travelled there, it's not my favourite city in Germany, but I was certainly taken with its minimalism, rationality and skewed outlook on life since being a bomb magnet during the 20th century.

After spending half a year in an east Berlin flat, Brandon Bethancourt (AKA Alaska in Winter) awoke one afternoon after a 16 hour-straight dance party from the previous weekend only to discover that there on his computer, was a fully finished, and totally rad new album.

Yes indeed... Brandon has no recollection of how that music got there on his laptop other than vague fragmented late night memories that involve synthesizers, lasers, berliner pils, haus musik, and possibly some singing... but regardless, Brandon pretty much had so much fun, and miraculously, an album came out if it some how... and Brandon's pumped about it... and you should be too!

-Alaska in Winter's 2nd album, "Holiday" will be hitting your eardrums like a german techno party subwoofer on November 18th.

AIW's new album is quite different to his previous efforts, Dance Party in the Balkans, which was more influenced by his time spent with Zac Condon. That's not to say, however, that Holiday isn't a killer album. Berlin is a track which definitely brings out the essence of the city, an electric number that retains their natural sensibilities as well as a penchant to let loose every now and then as only the Germans do.

Holiday is released today, and you can get it off Regular Beat's online shop.

Alaska in Winter - Berlin

Just like Miley and Mandy... but worth watching.

2008-11-18T16:56:00.001+11:00

For those of you who can't quite get enough of amazing pretentious red-haired Brits, Patrick Wolf TV just launched on YouTube. A little blurby on his page states:

Welcome to PWTV... The official Patrick Wolf YouTube Channel... Check back here for official Wolf Communications... Check out Patricks favorite online videos in the favorite section... Keep tuned for all official upcoming behind the scenes sneak peaks of the album four and other rare and exciting visual treats.... welcome, welcome, welcome ! xxx

Rare and exciting visual treats sound promising. I'm anticipating taking a wander down Wolf's memory lane, hopefully he puts up older videos alongside The Magic Position, Bluebells and Accident + Emergency.

The first journal entry is a mere 2.5 mins, mostly random shots of his travels over the past few years and a lot of eyebrow. You may just have to watch for yourself to figure that one out.

Josh Pyke likes regional universities

2008-11-18T16:50:00.000+11:00

But apparently not us metropolitan ones. Sigh.

After rave reviews of Pyke's latest efforts, he's touring the country next year with Cloud Control. Let us all pray that he brings the guitar boat.

With his new album hitting the charts at a phenomenal #3 (#1 on the Australian chart) and the video for new single 'Make You Happy' creating waves across the globe, Sydney singer/songwriter Josh Pyke is pleased to announce the national 'Chimney's Afire' album tour.

The 'Chimney's Afire' tour follows Josh's recent sold-out run of dates in support of the album's first single 'The Lighthouse Song', and will see Josh showcase songs from the record critics have been raving about:

4/5 – Rolling Stone
"Stunning" – 4½ / 5 - Sunday Telegraph
"One of the year's best" – 4 / 5 - Sunday Herald Sun
"An important and thrilling Australian artist" – 4 ½ / 5 - Daily Telegraph
"A quiet triumph of deceptively simple but devilishly affecting songwriting" – Sydney Morning Herald
"One of the best new songwriters to emerge in Australia in the past decade" – Courier Mail
"One of 2008's standout Australian albums" – Album of the week Drum Media WA

'Chimney's Afire', which follows on from Josh's ARIA Award winning debut 'Memories & Dust', was chosen as triple j's feature album while the video for new single 'Make You Happy', where Josh cruises around Sydney Harbour in a custom-made guitar boat, was recently nominated for a J Award for Music Video of the Year.

During the filming of the video, pictures of Josh in the guitar boat made their way into newspapers across the world, and spread rapidly across the internet. The video was also featured on the front page of YouTube Australia and New Zealand and continues to draw praise from fans and critics alike.

Josh will be joined at all shows on the 'Chimney's Afire' tour by excellent Sydney four-piece Cloud Control and up-and-coming singer/songwriter Jackson Mclaren (except WA). Don't miss these shows – tickets will sell-out so be sure to get in early when they go on sale December 1!

JOSH PYKE
'CHIMNEY'S AFIRE' TOUR
w/ Cloud Control and Jackson Mclaren*
Presented by triple j, MySpace and MAX
*Jackson Mclaren not playing in WA

Feb 13 – Fly By Night, Fremantle, WA (w/ Steve Parkin)
www. heatseeker. com. au, Star Surf Perth, Planet Mt Lawley & Mills Fremantle

Feb 21 – Coolangatta Hotel, QLD
www. oztix. com. au or 1300 762 545

Feb 22 – The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD
www. ticketek. com. au

Feb 26 – Newcastle Uni, NSW
www. bigtix. com. au + Newcastle University + The Rockshop + Billy Hyde

Feb 27 – Wollongong Uni, NSW
Big Tix + Venue + Redback Music

Feb 28 – ANU Bar, Canberra, ACT
www. ticketek. com. au

Mar 5 – Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide, SA
The Gov Phone Sales (08 8340 0744) + www. moshtix. com. au or 1300 GET TIX +
www. venuetix. com. au or 08 8232 8363

Mar 6 – Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne, VIC
www. thehifi. com. au + Missing Link + Polyester + Greville Records

Mar 7 – Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne, VIC
www. thehifi. com. au + Missing Link + Polyester + Greville Records

Mar 13 – Metro, Sydney, NSW
www. ticketek. com. au, The Metro www. metrotheatre. com or 02 9550 3666

Mar 14 – Metro, Sydney, NSW
www. ticketek. com. au, The Metro www. metrotheatre. com or 02 9550 3666

An epic combination?

2008-11-16T11:12:00.000+11:00

Tilly & the Wall + Sesame Street = fun fun fun

I just wish I learnt my ABC's this way back in the 90's.

Tilly & the Wall on SESAME STREET from Team Love on Vimeo.

Where cash rules, forgo benevolence

2008-11-16T09:55:00.001+11:00

Officially, I'm not a fan of rap. Unofficially, I have a somewhat strange love for Mims' This Is Why I'm Hot, most Juelz Santana songs and other American rap ventures. However, like many people, I find myself quite disillusioned with the Australian hip hop scene. I mean, this is an industry where the Sydney Serchaz (also known as the infamous lads of Sydney) are producing songs like "Fuckin' Oath We're Fresh" and singing about "watching Big Brother on my plasma telly." It's a little dismal and the reason why most Australians (and definitely Sydney residents) see it all as some big joke.

Fortunately, there sometimes comes an artist as a saving grace to what is otherwise a dead scene hijacked by idiots from the west. Snob Scrilla are a Sydney-based 4 piece who combine "the grunge of indie rock, the rhymes of socially conscious hip hop and dance worthy synths reminiscent of the 80's" (according to the Homebake website, and I'd say it's a pretty accurate description). The outfit is signed to Ivy League, and with company like that, you know they're into something good. They're getting significant airtime on Triple J and Channel V, with the music community fast realising that there's more to hip hop than what they've been fed over the past few years. Where artists like Andre 3000 have spent so much effort trying to push the genre in the right direction, others come and turn it back into something so completely shallow and superficial that nobody is really paying attention to its musical integrity anymore. Thankfully, we have artists like Snob Scrilla who are ready to carry the burden of reviving hip hop, especially in Australia.

Chasing Ghosts is a hip hop anthem with a social conscience. It combines a catchy beat and interesting composition with lyrics that explore the eternal struggle for money, and not in the "I have so much more money than you because I sell drugs and steal shit" style that other bands/artists employ. While Snob Scrilla may be most known for There You Go Again (listen to it on Myspace), Chasing Ghosts is a haunting song that will have you appreciating it for a long time to come. With lyrics like "where cash rules, forgo benevolence/these days it's all about the dead presidents," Snob Scrilla is the thinking man's hip hop artist, for those who are sick of 50 Cent's Candy Shop and the like and want real lyrics.

If you're going to Homebake, you can check out Snob Scrilla there. If not, try Falls or Peats Ridge. If you're in Sydney this weekend, they're DJing at Q Bar's 15th Birthday along with the Aston Shuffle.

Snob Scrilla - Chasing Ghosts

There You Go Again

Chasing Ghosts

Top 5 songs by Rufus Thomas with the word 'funky' in the title by bluejuice

2008-11-05T21:03:00.002+11:00

I discovered a few old Top 5's in my inbox that I had completely forgotten about posting. This is one of them, by bluejuice. Made me laugh.

Funky Mississippi
Of all Rufus' "Funky" tracks, this is only one of two that does not try to be a new dance craze, as every other "Funky" song after "Do The Funky Chicken" seemed to attempt to be. By not trying as hard, and not referencing any animals, this song is the funky pinnacle.

Do The Funky Chicken
Presumably, to make this the enduring hit it was, the same forces were at work that made the Macarena a hit 30 years later. The forces of evil. I do like the guitar that sounds like a chicken though. chicka-chowa-chicka-chowa

Do The Funky Penguin
Despite penguins being incredibly funky naturally, this song fails to capture their inherent funkiness. Which is a shame, as the record-buying public of 1971 was red-hot to dance like a bird whose legs you can't even see.

The Funky Bird
By 1973 Rufus isn't even specifying which bird we're supposed to dance like, and it seems to me that he's suffering from a creative slump. What about "The Funky Mammal", or the "Funky Monotreme"? C'mon Rufus, we need details, not broad strokes. FILL IN THE GAPS RUFUS PLEASE.

Funky Way
Like "Funky Mississippi", there are no dance instructions in the lyrics to this song. It does however, use the word "funky" in a negative context, unlike in "Mississippi" where the usage is positive. It is these subtle nuances that only Rufus Thomas could bring to the word "funky", and subsequently this song is one of his best.

I'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance with you

2008-10-22T15:32:00.000+11:00

So yeah, my computer is still dead. Not me though, if you were concerned.

But here's a video from last Friday I think, Black Kids on Leno performing I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You.

Maybe I'm getting senile, but the blonde girl really annoys me.

The music is good though.

The real video is a little trippy, but enjoyable. I'd post it for you, but some retard has changed YouTube on this uni computer into Chinese without changing it back. Here's the link as a peace offering. To those who want the video, not the Chinese. I'll continue my war with them.

New kid on the block.

2008-08-31T12:56:00.001+10:00

Soo my best friend has decided to take up the ways of music blogging (hooray!). And has also joined the club for blogs with names derived from Smiths' songs. She is over at Oscillate Wildly, and I tells you, it will be good. Her taste is different from mine (yet we still share many of the same bands, if you like RATF you will enjoy OWL as I have dubbed it because I like abbrevs), so if you like a little more rock with your pop, then I suggest checking it out.

Ay, Death to the Enmore..

2008-08-19T22:13:00.000+10:00

It's not often that you see the same band two nights in a row outside of festival season, but I'm not complaining. I ventured out (when I say ventured, it wasn't exactly far..) to the Enmore last night for my first Death Cab concert, and was offered a ticket to the myspace Secret Show tonight. Who was I to say no?

It's weird to think that the latter may have been better than the large show, but I'd say it was on par. It's not that Death Cab were particularly horrible on Monday night, they were really enjoyable. Isee a lot of shows at the Enmore and I rarely have a complaint but geez, whoever arranged the stage for Monday really needs a lesson in acoustics. At least from my point of view. We were in the second row, right in the centre of the stage, and for some reason Ben Gibbard was put in a corner on the side of the stage. Which meant that the whole show, pretty much all we heard was Chris Walla's guitar. It wasn't exactly the most enjoyable thing and it really detracted from the whole performance.

Nevertheless, the band were quite good. I think there's always something a little eerie before you see a band that has had the amount of influence that a band like Death Cab do. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the fact that even though their music is really instrumentally rich (considering they only have four members), it doesn't translate into something confusing or distracting in their live performance. And for all their newer forays into progressive instrumentalism *cough possess your heart cough* , they still deliver an upbeat show that has the crowd engaged. Now, a lot of people criticise Plans. And then there are the inevitable douches who wax lyrical about how much better the older albums are of any band. And I do really love the older albums, in particular the Forbidden Love EP. But I do think that Plans is a great album - there are a lot of songs I could do without, but others that just make the entire thing. Narrow Stairs, however, I'm not so convinced about. Which is sad, really, considering how many quality albums they've put out over the years.

In saying that, I think that Grapevine Fires is a fantastic song. A definite highlight of the night, along with Movie Script Ending, Soul Meets Body, Tiny Vessels, Title & Reg, Marching Bands and an awesome closing in Transatlanticism. So that's pretty much half the line up there. But I did leave feeling a little cheated, not because of the quality or quantity of their music, but because of the incredibly bad acoustics. I mean.. poor form. You'd think that a band with that much touring experience and a revered venue such as the Enmore would somehow work together to make sure that everyone could hear all of the music. Especially for the people who lined up for hours to be in the front row? I don't know, it's just a little off-putting..

Ah, the myspace show. A massive, snaking line and an audience full of disinterested wannabe hipsters who were reprimanded by Ben Gibbard for talking during the set. Didn't have a great position here, but the sound was infinitely better. The half-hour set was I guess as varied as a half-hour set could be (thought I admittedly missed the first song or two), but I was extremely happy to hear Photobooth.. something I thought that I would never experience. Straight after, they played Title & Reg, and everyone cheered at the beginning in recognition, but as I looked around nobody was singing or even looking particularly interested. Obviously, because they didn't play anything from Plans. Shut up. It's a great album.

And seriously, if you are like me, and haven't given Narrow Stairs much of a chance, listen to this song. In my opinion, it's the saving grace of album, and it reminds me of something in the vein of The Photo Album.

Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires

I never really liked science

2008-08-02T17:29:00.000+10:00

..I hated physics and chemisty. Biology, I could deal with that. I was even once good at it (shock). But I can leave the rest of it behind. I'm also really bad at spelling it. I keep writing sciene.

If there was, though, a class taught by Miracles of Modern Science, it would be one that I attended. Even paid attention to. Describing themselves as "futuristic pop, antebellum balladry and sea shanty singalong", it's a combination that works wonders, and if I were to put this band in a box, which I have the tendency to do, it would be a cross between Arcade Fire and the Russian Futurists (hard to imagine, so you're just going to have to trust me and listen to it). Their music is beautiful, it's really big - so many instruments pushed to their heights and depths. There isn't a lot of music out there like this, so pay attention. If there's only going to be one time you take advice from me, let it be now. Listen to Miracles of Modern Science, and do it quick, before your best friend does. You'll get lots of street cred, I promise. Well, I'll think you're cool, and that's all that really matters.

Don't be put off by all their talk of futurism and space and such. This band isn't some techno-Daft Punk wannabe band (although they do wear costumes, but they're more Verka than Daft Punk.. hey, I'm all over that). The music may be grandiose, but that doesn't mean it's less likely that you're going to find yourself humming it five minutes after hearing it. The mandolin gives it a bit of an Eastern feel, which sets it even farther apart from most other things being done today. It's the type of music that you can get completely lost in, like you could go running in some generic open field and yet still feel like you have the world for company. I'm gonna go on and say they have the potential to be on a similar level, musically, to Bell Orchestre (yet with lyrics, making them a little more radio-friendly). And that, my friends, is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Miracles of Modern Science - Eating Me Alive

If I were a rich girl.. la la la di da di da..

2008-07-30T23:21:00.000+10:00

..I would go and see the New Pornographers in October. As a uni student with an arts major I am inherently poor, and instead implore you all to go instead. Unless you are also a uni student, in which case you can come and sit in my boat. Also, in relation to being poor, I have no music on my laptop, which is my prime operating space at the moment. My stupid stupid broadband plan means I have limited downloads so if you're someone who has been waiting for their music to be featured or you're just wondering why I'm so lacklustre in general, that is the reason.

October 4 - The Great Escape Festival
October 7 - The Zoo, Brisbane
October 8 - Rosemount Hotel, Perth
October 10 - The Gov, Adelaide
October 11 - The Corner, Melbourne
October 13 - Annandale Hotel, Sydney

The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic

In other news, I have discovered this rather pretty song. It's called Medication, by US band Super XX Man. The sound is minimalistic and lovely, like rolling down a hill with plush green grass that evokes feelings of spring, though if you listen to it, there's something more sinister underneath. Super XX Man stand out as representatives of the folky side of indie, providing songs that are as meaningful as they are pretty with no intentions being lost in this marraige, and proving that not all songs of their genre are bottomless ballads that are as easily forgotten as they are added to your summer playlist.

Super XX Man - Medications

Top 5 songs by underrated bands I discovered in countries I was touring in with Alps of NSW

2008-07-07T12:35:00.002+10:00

TOP 5 SONGS BY UNDERRATED BANDS I DISCOVERED IN COUNTRIES I WAS TOURING IN

1. Australia - Fulton Girls Club: Waving my Pistols at God No. 2 (I
Wish I Had X-Ray Vision)
2. New Zealand - Rory Storm: Title Track (Fuck the Memescape)
3. United States - Hearts of Animals: Going to the Sea (Lemming Baby EP)
4. France - Radikal Satan: Prohibido (La Fievre Noire)
5. Austria - Liger: (Smapples EP)

I've toured the world twice now. For one of those tours I got a grant
from the Australia Council for the Arts, after proposing to them an
idea I had, where I would record a new song in every country I passed
through, and release it as an album. That album is called "Alps of the
World", it was just released this month, and is available in select
independent record stores and for online order through
http://www.myspace.com/alpsalps . The CD was recorded in Australia,
New Zealand, United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, France, Austria,
and Belgium, and is limited to 365 copies to correspond with the days
of the year.

To tie in with that, I decided to theme my playlist for this blog on
underrated bands I discovered whilst on tour, in 5 of the countries I
recorded the album in. Most of the bands listed I played a show with
and are friends with now, and I think they deserve to be shared.

1. Australia - Fulton Girls Club: Waving my Pistols at God No. 2 (I
Wish I Had X-Ray Vision)

Fulton Girls Club was Grant, now he is going by the name of Cougar
Flashy and not playing or recording so much. He recorded at least 3
full-length albums, and a bunch of other stuff. I first met Grant when
I was on tour in Melbourne in early 2006, and we have played together
in Melbourne on every tour I have done since. Grant has covered a
bunch of my songs live, released some on the internet and two on a
live album. When I went to Tasmania for the first time, Grant had beat
me there by quite a long time, and people were asking me about the
Fulton Girls Club covers I did. They were actually my own songs.
However, I am recording a cover of this song at the moment, it's my
favourite of his.

2. New Zealand - Rory Storm: Title Track (Fuck the Memescape)

The first time I toured New Zealand (May 2006) I met Rory in Dunedin.
I got a copy of his album from Jim Currin who runs the label it came
out on, United Fairy Moons Records. I played violin in Jim Currin's
band Ray Off once. It was incredible. Back to Rory. Rory is one of the
nicest people I have ever met, and this album (Fuck the Memescape) is
my favourite album of 2006. We played together the third time I toured
New Zealand. He doesn't like to travel much unfortunately, but I hope
he makes it to Australia sometime.

3. United States - Hearts of Animals: Going to the Sea (Lemming Baby EP)

I met and played a show with Mlee (Hearts of Animals) in her home town
of Houston Texas, in June 2007. She hadn't toured before and had only
released this CDR 'Lemming Baby' at that stage. She got offered some
shows in San Francisco while she was there, but talked to me of being
afraid that if she went to California a natural disaster might happen
while she was there. I said that a natural disaster might happen in
Texas while she was supposed to be in California if she stayed, so it
wouldn't be wise to not go on tour to avoid running into a natural
disaster, as one might happen at home if you don't go. That week the
massive Newcastle floods occurred. I got the creeps. Mlee just
released a 7" on Disaro Records, and has been opening recently for
friends of mine like Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Naked on the
Vague and Clue to Kalo.

4. France - Radikal Satan: Prohibido (La Fievre Noire)

I have never played with or met Radikal Satan, but doing so has become
one of my lifetime aspirations. I was shown an album of this band by a
promoter after a show one night in Belgium. It was pretty much the
best thing I have ever heard, and I stand by that. The night after
that, I just happened to be playing a show in Belgium with a French
band called Api Uiz, who are on the record label Les Potagers Natures,
alongside American bands Neptune, the Good Good and France's Radikal
Satan. They had a big box of stuff released by the record label on
their merch desk. I bought both the Radikal Satan CDs. Incredible.
It's pretty much impossible to find out anything about them on the
internet, and when I asked the French band Vialka about them, they
said they're a bunch of street performers who do a bunch of crazy
shit. I feel pretty blessed to have discovered these albums.

5. Austria - Liger: Smapples (Smapples EP)

Liger is Dino and Gernot and they come from Vienna. A promoter tee-d us up tonight at a bar in Vienna, on the bottom floor of a building whose upper floors have been squatted for 17 years, since the bar was legally handed over to a group of anarchists as an act of revenge by a dismissed politician. I believe it was at one point a centre for Nazi Youth. About Liger though - we ended up labelmates, I'm released now on the European label Beat is Murder Records (www.beatismurder.com), which on top of them and myself has released records for Xiu Xiu, Br'er and Dust Covered Carpet. Dino recorded the song I wrote for Austria on my new CD. He's a nice guy. I stayed in Dino's apartment for two weeks in between touring while he stayed at his girlfriends house, and I cleaned his bathroom.

I believe in punk and DIY, I still haven't grown up, so I book my own tours, manage my ridiculous schedules, and record my own records and release some.

I play old organs and keys and drum mach. I write pop songs but I like to fuck everything up live. Everything is live. Everything is analogue.

I have released six records in Australia and Europe. I have done two world tours and tons at home. I have played live in Australia, New Zealand, USA, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belguim, UK and Ireland.

Some nice people I have shared stages with include Xiu Xiu, Six Organs of Admittance, Animal Collective, Tiger Saw, This Song is a Mess but so am I, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Liger, Kevin Blechdom..."

Alps of NSW is the project of Sydneysider Chris Hearn, a collection of extra-special minimalist homerecordings backed by impressive and extensive touring. "Of Australia", off his newest album, is held up by a rollicking beat and dark, smooth vocals. It's something that you would find in a James Bond movie, the catchy drum beat infused with parts of electronica, at 2 minutes and 16 seconds it finishes on a high note (instead of being dragged out for too long like many songs of the same genre). Of Australia is as perfect to lie in bed and listen to as it would be to dance to, and leaves me thinking that stuff like this is the music that should be playing in Sydney clubs right now..

Check out Of Australia on Alps' Myspace

Wow. Just... wow.

2008-06-21T14:22:00.001+10:00

What are two of my most favourite things in the world?

....

If you said Patrick Wolf and jazz music, you'd be right. Which is why I am absolutely salivating over Wolf's song for the Edge of Love soundtrack, Careless Talk. It's amazing, his voice is a lot darker than your traditional jazz singer which gives the song a real edge. Hopefully this is a sign for his next album and not just a one off soundtrack song..

Patrick Wolf - Careless Talk

Bits n pieces

2008-06-08T16:41:00.001+10:00

Short updates of what would otherwise be long posts because I am very tired

The Small Hours (for Lisa)
Two weeks ago was the first time I had ever ventured to the Hopetoun (even though it five minutes from my house) for The Small Hours' single launch, where a good time was had by all (even men that looked like the Ice Road Truckers rocking out to some indie tunes.. there is no end to the bizarreness that is the Sydney music scene). I didn't actually hear the first band, Parades, but I'm told they were good, Radiohead-influenced (which didn't particularly make me want to rush out and listen to them but I guess if you are into that..). Bird Automatic are a great new band, definitely ones to watch on the Sydney scene, they have that quintessential Australian indie sound that has brought bands like Dappled Cities and the Seabellies attention. The Small Hours, I think, have more of an American sound about them, something reminiscent of The Little Ones and co., which I definitely like.

The Small Hours - Episode II

Green Man Green Poll
The Green Man Music Festival (to be played this August in the UK) is looking for a band to add to its already amazing line up. Go over to this website to listen to the contenders and then vote for your favourite. You could also win tickets. Line up includes Iron & Wine, Caribou, Super Furry Animals, King Creosote and The Cave Singers.

An Arcade Fire cover
Crown of Love, by This Is Ivy League, who I posted about a few weeks ago. Check it out kids.

This Is Ivy League - Crown Of Love

Fleet Foxes
I am a bit behind everyone else on this, but Fleet Foxes are fantastic. Everyone needs a little baroque harmonic pop jam in their life. Yet another band who shy away from the traditional rock band formation/sound, they're definitely one to keep an eye on. Definitely one of the best songs of this year. I think I can say that now that the year is half over.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

Speaking of..
The Small Hours and Dapples Cities. This is going to be good fun.

Beach House Tour
Beach House Tour dates announced! Don't you just love cheap gigs..

Wed Aug 20: Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney with Bachelorette (NZ) + Rand and Holland.
Tickets $25 + BF on sale through Moshtix - phone: 1300 438 849 and all Moshtix outlets

Fri Aug 22: Winter Tones @ Roxanne, Melbourne. (see http://mistletone.net for details)
Tickets $26 + BF on sale Monday June 16 through Moshtix - phone: 1300 438 849 and all Moshtix outlets

Sat Aug 23: The Troubadour, Brisbane with Bachelorette (NZ) + The Rational Academy.
Tickets $25 + BF on sale through Oztix.

Sun Aug 24: Rosemount Hotel, Perth with Astral Travel, The Tigers + Fabulous Diamonds.
Tickets $25 + BF on sale through Moshtix - phone: 1300 438 849 and all Moshtix outlets

Wed Aug 27: The Toff In Town, Melbourne with Fabulous Diamonds + ii.
Tickets $22 + BF on sale through Moshtix - phone: 1300 438 849 and all Moshtix outlets including Polyester (City).

Top Five Songs My Mom Used To Play In The Car When I Was A Young Child That Made Me Sad with The Mathletes

2008-06-08T16:15:00.001+10:00

Top Five Songs My Mom Used To Play In The Car When I Was A Young Child That Made Me Sad

By Joe Mathlete
From The Mathletes

I lived in Dallas, Texas USA until I was eight. I don’t remember much about it, other than a few scattered things, but I’ve got very strong memories of sitting in the back seat of my mother’s car and listening to the cassettes she’d play. Mostly 60s rock and Motown and 70s singer-songwriter stuff; I must’ve heard Sgt. Pepper’s a thousand times before I turned six years old. I’m glad my mom wasn’t a Phil Collins fan. Anyway, here are five songs I remember from those days that made me sad:

1. “The Needle and the Damage Done” by Neil Young and Crazy Horse (from Live Rust): I was a very curious child, and a lot of the time I would ask my mom what a song was about, or what the words meant. I guess explaining what heroin addiction is to your five year old is kind of awkward, but if my mom wasn’t willing to go down that road she shouldn’t have been listening to this album. The upside is, I will never in a million years try heroin thanks to this song.

2. “The Partisan” by Leonard Cohen (from Songs From a Room): I mean, pretty much any Leonard Cohen song I’ve ever heard is sad, but this one really stood out. My mom said it was about being in the French Resistance during World War Two and fighting the Nazis. Being in the French Resistance sounded like a total bummer: “There were three of us this morning / I’m the only one this evening / But I still go on / The frontier is my prison” is heavy stuff for a little kid. And then there’d be a part with a children’s choir backing him up on a verse, in French… I mean, damn.

3. “Walking After Midnight” by Patsy Cline (from the Sweet Dreams soundtrack): My mom played the hell out of this cassette after Sweet Dreams, the Patsy Cline biopic starring Jessica Lange, came out. This song always got to me; it’s more upbeat musically than the rest of the songs on this list, but even a preschooler can hear a lady singing about wandering around in the middle of the night being as lonely as it’s possible for a human to be lonely and get kind of depressed. Also, my mom told me the plot of the movie, and how Patsy Cline’s plane smashed into a mountain when she was still relatively young, and that didn’t make things much cheerier.

4. “She’s Leaving Home” by the Beatles (from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band): This song is probably my least favorite on the album, listening to it now; it’s actually pretty maudlin and heavy-handed. But when I was in short pants, that harp and those harmonies tugged at my heartstrings until they were ready to pop. Also it’s a song about running away from home forever, which seems scary as hell if you think about it in a practical sense when you’re half a decade old.

5. “96 Tears” by ? Mark and the Mysterians (from the radio): Not actually from a cassette, but I remember this song coming on the radio one night really really late when my mom was driving my sister and I home from visiting some relatives, and it really freaked my shit out. The organ sounded like it wanted to kill me, or at least sneak up on me while I was sleeping and give me bad dreams. And it was a dude singing about crying! A really unhinged-sounding dude… It wasn’t even that it was sad, it was disturbing. I was like four years old. I asked my mom what the song was called, and when she told me I asked her why he was crying exactly that amount tears. She said she didn’t know, and when my mom didn’t know the answer to a question I asked her it just made me all that much more unsettled. Thanks a lot, ? Mark, you creepy unstable bastard.

My family moved to Houston, Texas sometime around my eighth birthday. Sometime after that, my mom sold her car and got one with a CD player and mostly just played Carly Simon albums. And listening to Carly Simon all the time made me sad too, but that’s a different story.

---------------------------------------------------

Modern technology has made music way too easy to make; basically, if you have a computer and some instruments (technically even just the computer will do), you can be a recording artist. Likewise, if you know some guitar or piano chords and have at least a rudimentary grasp of a language, there should be absolutely nothing stopping you from writing as many songs as you feel like. I have no idea why everybody else doesn't do this.
Though the Mathletes as they appear on record are 98% just me, when we play live it is actually a "we" most of the time. "We" didn't had anything approaching a steady lineup for, well, forever; for the last couple years every single Mathletes show has featured a different lineup. What the Mathletes lack in professionalism, we make up for in unprofessionalism. Also in rock and roll.

I tend to shy away from things that involve maths, but I'm very glad I took the plunge and came across this band. The Mathletes, or Joe Mathlete and his multitudinous friends, make wonderful indie pop music that's. Opening Number comes off their new album "$@% You and Your Cool", think Antarctica Takes It with influences from Sufjan and Spoon. There are heaps of free downloads over at their Myspace for you, I suggest you go there right away if you like any of the aforementioned bands. Also if you like The Unicorns. "Harry The Hornless Unicorn" is the best thing since Charlie the Unicorn, and, well, the actual Unicorns, and there is also a cover of Les Os. Speaking of covers, The Mathletes have done a whole album of them, so if that's what you're into, head over to this site to check them out. Whatever you fancy, The Mathletes are a hyperactive good time, if you ever wanted to find out what Harry and the Potters would be like without all their Harry Potter references, here is your answer.

The Mathletes - Opening Number

New! Dr. Dog

2008-05-31T11:38:00.000+10:00

Dr Dog's next album, Fate, is due out in the US on July 22, but they've posted their first single, The Old Days from this album on their Myspace. It really is a great song, kind of traditional Dr Dog with a dose of drama. They've also announced tour dates, unfortunately it doesn't look like they're coming here again.

05.31.08 Sat Harvard Square Block Party - FREE Cambridge MA
06.01.08 Sun Mountain Jam Festival , Hunter NY
06.06.08 Fri Friday Cheers, Richmond VA
06.07.08 Sat Wakarusa, Lawrence KS
06.08.08 Sun Wakarusa, Lawrence KS
07.18.08 Fri Club Cafe, Pittsburgh PA
07.19.08 Sat Chameleon Club, Lancaster PA
07.23.08 Wed Bowery Ballroom, New York NY
07.24.08 Thu Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
07.26.08 Sat Boulder Annual Music Festival, Rochester NY
07.27.08 Sun Forecastle Festival , Louisville KY
07.29.08 Tue Mojo's , Columbia MO
07.30.08 Wed Bluebird, St. Louis MO
07.31.08 Thu Radio Radio, Indianapolis IN
08.02.08 Sat Lollapalooza - Grant Park , Chicago IL
08.04.08 Mon Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland OH
08.05.08 Tue The Basement, Columbus OH
08.08.08 Fri El Rey , Los Angeles CA
09.05.08 Fri IOTA Club & Cafe, Arlington VA
09.06.08 Sat The Earl , Atlanta GA
09.07.08 Sun 3rd and Lindsley, Nashville TN
09.08.08 Mon Bottle Tree Cafe , Birmingham AL
09.09.08 Tue Thirsty Hippo, Hattiesburg MS
09.11.08 Thu Walters on Washington, Houston TX
09.12.08 Fri Lola's , Ft. Worth TX
09.13.08 Sat The Parish, Austin TX
09.16.08 Tue Club Congress , Tucson AZ
09.17.08 Wed The Casbah , San Diego CA
09.19.08 Fri The Detroit Bar , Costa Mesa CA
09.20.08 Sat Cellar Door , Visalia CA
09.21.08 Sun Treasure Island Music Festival , San Francisco CA
09.22.08 Mon W.O.W. Hall , Eugene OR
09.23.08 Tue Doug Fir Lounge , Portland OR
09.24.08 Wed The Tractor Tavern , Seattle WA
09.26.08 Fri Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City UT
09.27.08 Sat Hi-Dive , Denver CO
09.29.08 Mon The Waiting Room , Omaha NE
09.30.08 Tue The Record Bar, Kansas City MO
10.01.08 Wed High Noon Saloon , Madison WI
10.02.08 Thu Blind Pig , Ann Arbor MI
10.06.08 Mon Higher Ground , South Burlington VT
10.10.08 Fri Middle East (downstairs) , Cambridge MA
10.30.08 Thu Night & Day, Manchester UK
10.31.08 Fri King Tuts, Glasgow UK
11.01.08 Sat Spring & Airbrake , Belfast UK
11.02.08 Sun Whelans , Dublin UK
11.03.08 Mon Glee Club, Birmingham UK
11.04.08 Tue Borderline , London UK
11.05.08 Wed Fleche D'or , Paris FR
11.07.08 Fri Apolo 2, Barcelona Spain
11.09.08 Sun Rote Fabrik, Zurich Switz
11.10.08 Mon 50 to 1 , Munich Ger
11.11.08 Tue La Casa , Milan Italy
11.12.08 Wed Luxor , Cologne Ger
11.14.08 Fri Voxhall, Aarhus Den
11.15,08 Sat Debaser , Stockholm Sweden
11.16.08 Sun KB , Malmo Sweden
11.17.08 Mon Sticky Fingers , Gothenburg Sweden
11.19.08 Wed Lido , Berlin Ger
11.20.08 Thu Knust, Hamburg Ger
11.21.08 Fri Merleyn , Nijmegen Neth
11.22.08 Sat Ekko , Utrecht Neth
11.23.08 Sun Paradiso Amsterdam Neth

For the love of all that is good and camp...

2008-05-27T19:21:00.000+10:00

I would like to take a moment to mourn the death of a close friend. A friend that can cheer me up no matter the circumstances. A friend that provides hours of entertainment the whole year round. A friend that opens my mind to different cultures, different ways of life, and yes, different music. A friend that can teach us all that no matter our personal differences, when we all come together, we can produce something special.

It saddens me to say that after a long, painful struggle, my good friend finally gasped his last breath last Sunday night.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been sacred to me for many years now; in fact I would go so far as to say it is the highlight of my calendar. But just as malevolent school children ruin Christmas for everyone by running around telling their younger peers that Santa Claus is a myth, the Eastern Europeans have succeeded in taking over the competition and ruining it for the rest of us.

See, Eurovision is meant to be an international arena free from politics. It is a place where years of wars and allegiances should be pushed aside in the name of outrageous campy song and dance numbers. Drag queens, power grabs, fireworks and unashamedly gimmicky performances are the hallmark of the competition; they are what have made Eurovision the competition it is today. Or, was yesterday.

The simple fact is, Eastern Europe has a plethora of countries all willing to vote for each other to further the cause of the region, even though a) a song contest in the region will bring nothing to its neighbouring counties and b) most of the acts that come from this area are nothing special in the slightest, more power ballads or incessantly annoying young women stripping and “singing” to a sleazy Eurodance beat – either way, they all sound very much the same. Note that Scandinavia also has a penchant for this kind of act, although the exception can be made in the case of Lordi.

So, naturally, Albania will vote for Greece. Poland will vote for Ukraine. Belarus will vote for Russia. But, Montenegro voting for Serbia? I thought they fought for their independence against the bigger country? And Croatia voting for Serbia? I was under the impression the Croats and the Serbs were not on the friendliest of terms. Following this trend, Western Europe is unlikely to host Eurovision in the next ten years, if ever again. Note that the rules of voting in Eurovision stipulate that a country cannot vote for itself, but it is permissible to vote for any other country.

This political voting has brought forth calls, especially from the United Kingdom, for a new system of voting, because along this line, they will never win. What the UK fails to realise is that they keep sending in absolutely atrocious acts. And not even atrocious in a good way. Other Western European countries (France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and everything in between) should take up the gauntlet and fight for the preservation of everything that is good and holy in Eurovision. I mean rewarding ridiculous, original acts like Sebastian Teller and those with actual talent, like Roger Cicero.

Hence next year, Moscow will be home to my sacred Eurovision. And I’m not particularly upset about this, because Russia’s entry this year was very much in the spirit of the Eurovision competition – dressed all in white, writhing on the ground, shirt ripping, a gimmick (ice skating) and even a synchronised power grab upon the song’s conclusion. But what I do wholeheartedly protest is Greece (the lady doth thrust too much), Armenia (whose horrible vocals almost deafened those whose ears her music fell upon) and the Ukraine (who was so forgettable I have already completely forgotten why they were even there) receiving so many votes.

But, although there is no hope for Western Europe, I will continue watching Eurovision in the years to come, in the hope that one day, another Verka Seduchka will come “danzing” into my life.

And now, a video playlist of the best Eurovision entries of the past two years:

Ukraine 2007

Germany 2007

Azerbaijan 2008

France 2008

Croatia 2008

Holy carp

2008-05-24T22:49:00.000+10:00

Ok, my internets is completely broken, so I have very much been out of the new music scene for the past few weeks. So no, I have not had a chance to listen to Narrow Stairs yet, but in saying that, I do like what I have heard on the internets so far. And I know many have said it before me, but you know, I am completely in love with I Will Possess Your Heart.

Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart

Two new Death Cab songs

2008-04-29T13:49:00.000+10:00

Death Cab did a Daytrotter session yesterday, four old songs and two new ones off the upcoming Narrow Stairs. Here are the new:

Cath - Death Cab For Cutie
The lyrics speak for themselves really. I don’t think the meaning of this song is too obscure for anyone to grasp. I know I have felt this way about myself and people I have known from time to time.

Talking Bird - Death Cab For Cutie
This song was originally written on a ukulele. And the version on Narrow Stairs was recorded as one complete take, with the exception of a guitar overdub. Hmmmmm….what else….

The old you can find here.

Splendid

2008-04-26T12:52:00.000+10:00

This is a four month late new year's resolution; to go to Splendour. And it will be amazing. Trust me. Amazing.

So you've got your standard play-at-every-Australian-festival-for-the-past-three-years bands (Wolfmother, Living End, Presets, Van She, Ben Lee, Gyroscope), but, Cold War Kids! Vampire Weekend! I might need a cold shower.

Devo
Wolfmother
Sigur Ros
The Living End
The Presets
Tricky
Vampire Weekend
Ben Lee
Cold War Kids
The Fratellis
The Wombats
PNAU
Laura Marling
The Vines
The Grates
Operator Please
Band of Horses
Van She
The Panics
Gyroscope
Mstrkrft
Lightspeed Champion
The Brown Birds From Windy Hill
Scribe
The Music
The Gin Club

Even if it never gets better?

2008-04-26T12:23:00.000+10:00

When a band you really love comes out with a new album, there's always that dread in the back of your mind that it's going to be disappointing. I can safely say that judging on this song, Mates of State are not just as good as they have always been. This song is amazing and I can't stop singing it. The video is also my nomination for video of the year so far.

Mates of State - "Get Better"

Snap, Crackle..

2008-04-26T12:00:00.000+10:00

Two poppy wonders from the RATF inbox.

There are a lot of great one-man bands out there. We have an abudance here in Australia, what with Gotye, The Desks, Alps of NSW etc. From Bubblegum To Sky is the project of Mario Hernandez, think of the following and you may have a hint of his sound: "PiL, meds, disco, half Mexican, half Japanese, The SOS Band, monster guitar riffs, drinking, more drinking, The dB’s, divorce, death, arrests, cannibalism, no compromises, The Bee Gees, shimmering melodies and stalking." Even The Sunbeams is a pop masterpiece of Hernandez's creation, there's a niche that voices like his a suited to and he has found it. Head on over to his Myspace to listen to Shaboom They Said, which may be even greater than Even The Sunbeams.

From Bubblegum To Sky - Even The Sunbeams

This Is Ivy League's London Bridges sounds like it has been lifted off Dear Catastrophe Waitress or Tigermilk. The connection between the band and Belle & Sebastian is instant and uncanny, and there aren't many bands whose tracks are better to follow than B&S. The London Bridge aspect of this song is slightly tainted for me, as Lil Jon's remix of the song is one of the highlights in the history of my television viewing (you must watch it), nevertheless, a band who melds bossa nova and folk into indie pop is certainly high on my list of must-haves.

This Is Ivy League - London Bridges

Top 5 songs that start with 'hey' by Spa

2008-04-26T11:36:00.000+10:00

Our bass player is called Hayden and our song “Growing Up” once might have been called “Hey You;” so here are our five favourite songs starting with the word “Hey”.

Hey Tonight – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Three things I learned from the Creedence biography “Bad Moon Rising” -
Creedence weren’t born on the Bayou, but in San Francisco, where they gigged with The Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
They used to be called the Golliwogs – and wore matching white afro’s at their gigs.
They signed one of the most one sided record contracts in rock. The owner of Factory Records, Saul Zaentz used Creedence loot to produce his first movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

Hey Suess – The 3D’s

Screw The Clean! - The 3D’s were the greatest ever Flying Nun band. We were at the legendary gig at The Empire in Dunedin when Dave Mitchell’s Guitar Amp caught on fire just two songs into the set. We waited for the band to get a new amp from the band room over the road so they could finish the gig.

When the 3D’s split, Dave and Denise moved to London and formed The Ghost Club, where we occasionally gigged with them. This video was filmed on the roof of our flat in Peckham

Hey Ya! - Outkast

Favourite line: Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbour.
Favourite Andre in the video: “Dookie.”

Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye – Leonard Cohen

I love songwriters who have also achieved outside of music.

Kris Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar, a Captain in the US Army and a Helicopter pilot before he made a living as a songwriter. Tom Scholz, of Boston, was an MIT grad who worked in the R & D department at Polaroid. Cohen was a poet and author for 10 years before he began releasing music. He wrote this song at the kitchen table in his house in Hydra in the Greek Islands, before selling up and moving to Nashville (though he never made it to Tennessee getting sidetracked in New York).

Bad as they seem - Hayden

I also love songwriters who live at home with their mums. Hayden’s coming to Auckland later this month. This song is 13 years old now, making the girl of his dreams 29.

----------

Steven Tait (vocals, guitar), Hayden Sinclair (bass) and Brian Donnelly (drums) are the members of Spa.The first two Spa singles, Neil of Diamonds and Yale have received considerable radio play in NZ and soon will be gracing the airwaves of Australia. Signed to Echo Base Records in OZ and Sarang Bang Records in NZ (also home of Salon Kingsadore - who Sinclair and Tait also play in). Spa are putting together a steady stream of rock gems ready to be added to the Indie rock pantheon.

Niel of Diamonds has a classic indie-rock sound, it's something that I would describe as a great soundtrack song (and I don't mean this in a bad or endearing way, it definitely sounds like it's a story song, that it would compliment some scene, you'll have to listen to it to find out exactly what I mean). If you're slightly sick of the ba-ba-ba-do-do-do-la-la-la types of songs that I have an affinity for then Neil of Diamonds is one song you should check out. Apart from being a great song, the video for Neil of Diamonds was nominated for Indie Video of the Year at the Juice Awards, you can find it here.

Spa - Neil of Diamonds

New! Tilly and the Wall

2008-04-19T20:45:00.000+10:00

Now here is a band that needs no introduction. Tilly & the Wall's new album O (which seems to be a popular letter for naming albums) is out soon, and their single Cacophony is here. It's classic Tilly, although they say they are going new directions with this album, bands go in new directions all the time. Usually it's nothing to be worried about (unless it's We Were Dead. Ouch?) Anyway, Tilly lovers should not fear. The new song is catchy, upbeat, and will have you salivating and pawing at the door for more. Trust me.

Tilly & the Wall - Cacophony

I keep my goodies in the jar.

2008-04-19T19:55:00.000+10:00

Often I get emails from bands who make good music, but my perpetual blogging laziness means they often don't make it to these pages. Now I am attempting to change that, because there is no point in having this email unless I actually post the music that I like. So I'm starting with these great young bands, who can consider themselves the inspiration for my laziness overhaul. On one side lie The Overdubs. They originally contacted me with the common ground of liking Bon Iver, which caught my interest. While there is more traditional American indie-boy vocals in their music, don't let that turn you off. The quietness that is so capturing in Bon Iver's For Emma echoes a lot through The Overdubs' song Orange County, something distracting in the background that somehow pulls you into the vocals. I'm also pretty sure it's the only song about OC with a banjo in it.

The Overdubs - Orange County

On the other side, Bridges and Powerlines believe they have found some sort of combination between Spoon, Wolf Parade and Thunderbirds Are Now!. Now any band that does this is certainly welcome around these parts and I would say there is definitely a middle ground between the latter two bands that Bridges and Powerlines wholly embodies, with a lot of Spoon in the vocals. The song Middle Child is certainly reminiscent of a Wolf Parade song. It has some sort of older quality about it, like it's a song that's been a long time coming, well thought out, pieced together and tried and tested just enough times to make its intent so clear without over-development.

Bridges and Powerlines - Middle Child

Five minutes with The Paper Scissors

2008-04-12T15:58:00.000+10:00

Sydney band The Paper Scissors have embarked on a whirldwind tour of Australia with their good (and very hairy) friends bluejuice. RATF caught up with Jai from Paper Scissors to chat about the new tour, Patrick Wolf, and, er... rocks.

On a scale of 1-10, how exciting is your new tour with bluejuice?
I’d say 9.

What are they like to play with?
Great, they are really fun, pretty intense and loud and full on, but at the same time very funny.
They are great to play with, all lovely guys, sometimes they go too far on the homoerotic humour, but hey, they are hairy boys.
It is going to be a really great tour, we’re going to get some of them to play with us on some songs, and I am going to shred some guitar on 2 of their songs live (I am an honorary bluejuicer). I had a vision of our last show of the tour in Byron and getting them all to sing.
Fuck it 10 out of 10, I am excited!

You supported Patrick Wolf last year in sydney, what was that like?
You know, that actually wasn’t a great show. I am going to be perfectly honest and go out and say that he didn’t even say hello or look us in the eye and his band were twats that wouldn’t move their gear for us, so we had about a square meter to work with on stage. It was a low point.
It kind of put me off listening to him.
I know it’s hard and you can’t have a great chat with every band you play with, but you can at least have some courtesy and say hello.
He was quite dashing and charismatic though, nice outfits, but for me to like someone, I have to think they are nice.

Generic question. If you had your choice of any band in the world to play with, who would it be?
The Arcade Fire. Hands down. I’m sure the other boys might say someone else, but for me they are amazing, their show in January at the Enmore saved my life, it was a religious experience.
I was having a shitty year until that night, everything has been amazing since.

Where's the best place you have ever played? Was it sydney?
ah… (no pressure) it was Sydney.
I think the best show we’ve done was at The Great Escape Festival, it pissed down rain just before we played and we were in the only undercover stage. It was mental, so sweaty and loud and I was in a great mood and it was fun fun fun.
Also Falls Festival was great, there were a shit load of people and I had no idea how good a time slot we had, so I was just staring out at a sea of people and they were all singing along! And I almost killed myself, I jumped up on my amplifier and then I realised how unstable it was, and I just had this thought of the singer from Cut Off Your Hands, and how he was playing with a broken leg, and then I managed to save myself from certain death. Yeah that was fun too. Oh and people brought us hot towels and sake before our set too.
I felt like we were finally being appreciated and respected. It brought a tear to my eye. Plus my family came to the festival too.

What are you guys inspired by? Whowould be your favourite band of the moment?
New bands, I listen constantly to Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Tv On The Radio, have been listening to Vampire Weekend a lot. Old bands/artists - Bowie, Sly & The Family Stone, The Beatles, also lots of random stuff, been listening to lots of shit 80’s pop recently like Hall & Oates and ABC.
But other than that, I like seeing visual arts too, when I have time.
And I get inspired by all my friends who make stuff.

Being the paper scissors, what do you have against the rock? have you ever thought that the paper scissors rock would be a catchy slogan? i did. as if you haven't heard that 1000 times.
We like to let people interpret it themselves, so if people say “the paper scissors rock” that is cool, however if WE say “the paper scissors rock”, that is massively lame. I think rock is a little obvious and we like to shy away from the obvious. Unless we are singing woooaaaahhhh, which is obvious.

Finally for the readers with short attention spans, describe your sound in 25 words or less...
A man I know called Alastair once said we sound “like parliament fronted by Pete Doherty, without the smack,” so let’s go with that.

The Paper Scissors - Yamanote Line

The Shows
Catch all these sexy men‐boys at...
Fri 11 April – Jive, Adelaide
Support: tba
$22 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Sat 12 April – Gaelic Club, Sydney: ALL AGES SHOW
Support: tba
$22 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.thegaelic.com/tickets & www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Sat 26 April – Amplifier, Perth
Support: tba
$25 on door, $18+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.bocsticketing.com.au & www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets
Plus: http://www.78records.com.au/

Sun 27 April – Newport Hotel, Fremantle
Support: tba
$25 on door, $18+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.bocsticketing.com.au & www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets
Plus: www.78records.com.au & direct from the venue

Sat 3 May– Trisellies, Blue Mountains
Support: tba
$18 on door, $12+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets & Direct from the Venue.

Thu 8 May – Oxford Tavern, Wollongong
Support: tba
$15 on door, $10+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Sat 10 May – Cambridge, Newcastle
Support: tba
$18 on door, $12+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Fri 16 May– Transit Bar, Canberra
Free Entry

Sat 17 May – East Brunswick, Melbourne
Support: tba
$22 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from The East Box Office, on (03) 9388 9794 & http://www.eastbrunswickclub.com/

Fri 23 May – Republic Bar, Hobart
Support: tba
$18 on door, $12+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Sat 24 May – James Hotel, Launceston
Support: tba
$18 on door, $12+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets

Fri 30 May – Atlantis Room Port Panthers, Port Macquarie
Support: tba
$22 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlets & Direct from the venue.

Sat 31 May – Step Inn, Brisbane
Support: tba
$20 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and 1300 762 545
Plus usual Oztix Outlets: Rockinghorse, Butterbeats, Central Station, MoshPit Music

Sun 1 June – Great Northern, Byron Bay
Support: tba
$22 on door, $15+bf pre‐sale
Tickets available from: www.oztix.com.au and 1300 762 545
Plus: Hotel Great Northern, ABC Centre Ballina: Music Bizarre Lismore, + all Oztix outlets

One more for the road

2008-04-08T23:16:00.000+10:00

Okay, two more. Whilst searching Dr. Dog videos I came across this - it's California, acoustic, in black & white. A very good video.

Also, in case you didn't know. Unreleased Dr. Dog songs that you can stream for free! Just thought I would mention in whilst on the topic of Dr. Dog. Listen to Passed Away here.

Video playlist: Something to be excited about

2008-04-08T22:54:00.000+10:00

2007 was an amazing year for music. So many great albums. 2008 sees the release of one of the most anticipated second albums of the past few years, from Wolf Parade. Wayne tells us it's going to be called Kissing The Beehive. I'd listen to him. He's pretty clued in when it comes to anything Wolf Parade related. But you know what else is exciting.. a new Dr. Dog album. Yes! Another one! That's on July 22. Furthermore.. Tapes 'N Tapes' new one is out today. Death Cab's Narrow Stairs will be out this year also. When? Off the top of my head I do not know. Anyway, here is some video evidence of past genius that will get you excited. These are all, in my opinion, the best videos from the respective bands.

Tapes 'N Tapes - Insistor

Dr. Dog - Fool's Life

Wolf Parade - I'll Believe In Anything

Death Cab For Cutie - Title & Registration

Pillow fort..

2008-04-08T22:39:00.001+10:00

You know what university students enjoy... sleeping. Apparently we spend 1/3 of our life sleeping. I'm happy with that. I like my bed. Except it creaks sometimes. But I make up for the negatives with superfluous pillows. Seriously, you could make a fort out of that stuff.

The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
Arcade Fire - I'm Sleeping In A Submarine
Voxtrot - Fast Asleep
Sondre Lerche - Sleep On Needles
Death Cab For Cutie - Sleep Spent
Modest Mouse - Sleepwalking
I'm From Barcelona - Oversleeping
The Shins - Sleeping Lessons

(PS. did you know there was actually a battle at a place called Fort Pillow? Me neither. That's pretty cool though. Crazy Americans.)

Out Of Touch

2008-04-08T22:39:00.000+10:00

Remember Belle & Sebastian's live covers? I think I dedicated my very first post on RATF to them. The files have expired by now, but here it is anyway.

So I came across this little gem the other day. It's a Hall & Oates cover by Bears. Good song. Good B&S style cover. Well obviously I know that B&S aren't the only bands that do live covers but Bears' Out Of Touch does remind me a lot of them.

Bears - Out Of Touch (Hall & Oates cover)

Video vault: Lazy Line Painter Jane

2008-04-08T21:57:00.001+10:00

Belle & Sebastian's Lazy Line Painter Jane is one of my all time favourite songs. If you don't know what line painting is, read this. I don't think it's the kind of thing an internet blogger should be revealing to young ones. The more you know, hey?

Anyways I am super-posting tonight. Any idea that pops into my head I am posting it. Just because I have broadband for a few hours hooray. (A blogger without broadband is like a fish without water. There is an image to ponder.)

Songs about Michael Cera?

2008-04-08T21:41:00.000+10:00

Tapes n' Tapes new album Walk It Off is released in the States today. I'm not sure when it is released here; I don't anticipate it being too far off. Anyway, here is their latest Daytrotter session. It has songs about Demon Apples and George Michael (they say the latter is not about the Faith man, the only other George Michael I knew of was Michael Cera's character on the legendary Arrested Development... though it may not be an ode to anything, at all, I guess you'll just have to find out yourself.)

Tapes 'N Tapes - Hang Them All
Tapes 'N Tapes - Conquest
Tapes 'N Tapes - George Michael
Tapes 'N Tapes - Demon Apple

Also, this is a pretty cool YouTube find. It's a video someone made to Cowbell, note that it wasn't made by the band, but it is a great video. Watch it.

Top 5 songs that make me wish winter was over by Spanish Prisoners

2008-04-07T20:26:00.000+10:00

Five Songs That Make Me Wish Winter Was Over
by Leo Maymind, of Spanish Prisoners

Here in Brooklyn, it is still pretty much winter. A few days ago it was 28 degrees outside. It feels like it's been winter forever. I can't remember the last time I went outside and was greeted by heat. In the spirit of sending winter out sooner, here are five songs that make me wish it was already spring.

1. When I Lose My Eyes- Saturday Looks Good to Me.
We played with these guys here in New York last night and a lot of their music just exudes sunlight and warmth and excitement. This song especially makes me think of spring as it tells a tale of spending time with old friends and renewal of friendship. The bouncing rhythm guitar and intermittent horns push that spring vibe. For some reason, they get compared a lot to the Beach Boys, which I don't really hear, even though both bands definitely are good spring weather music.

2. Fresh as a Daisy- Emmit Rhodes
Just a classic spring song. Really catchy hooks that are light and airy. Rhodes is one of the most melodically inventive songwriters I've listened to. His first few albums are (not so) secret gems.

3. Pocketful of Money- Jens Lekman
Jens is one of my favorite contemporary songwriters because his lyrics are usually pretty straight-forward, yet they usually don't go where you expect them to go. This song is all about going out at night and spending all your hard earned green on some strange girl, and I always tend to go out far more in spring than in winter. I'm always holed up in my apartment reading and drinking tea in winter whenever anyone suggests going out. Not happening till spring. Jens knows.

4. Sitting by the Riverside- the Kinks
C'mon, this song is called "Sitting by the Riverside." Enough said.

5. Breakneck Jane- Nostra Nova
Nostra Nova is the musical alias of my dear friend Adam Torres, from Athens, OH. He and I toured together last time it was warmer outside, and his music instantly brings me back to that time. His songwriting is really individualistic- this song weaves a great tale about a murder with a hint of mystery. Available to hear here: www.myspace.com/nostranova

--------------------

Take a Latvian-born boy, mix him with Americana beyond his years and add the latest craze of indie DIY instruments - you'll get something along the lines of Spanish Prisoners. Leonid Maymind fronts the band, whose sounds are as diverse as their collaborators. Spanish Prisoners' debut album Songs To Forget is out in the States tomorrow. Something about the name I liked: "While naming an album “Songs to Forget” may appear at first to be a common indierock form of self-deprecation --- don’t be fooled! The songs contained herein will not allow you to forget the music but, rather, time, place, and age; they stand their ground in a world of quick fixes and plastic synthetic futures."

Where God Does His Laundry is something exquisite, a combination of styles that seem to all fit together to make one beautiful puzzle. Think soft guitars and bells combined with Arcade Fire-style lyrics and a rousing chorus that rises almost to the point of climax then slowly drifts back down to something softer, more quietly joyous. But not quite finished, the song takes a turn into a happy guitar-based indie pop, enough sunshine and la-la-la's to fill any sort of Belle & Sebastian/Little Ones type void. Where God Does His Laundry is fantastic, never boring, a new personal favourite and it should be yours too.

Spanish Prisoners - Where God Does His Laundry

And here's the lyrics. Just because I like them so much.

Turn back to when Excedrin was just a funny word. Before I figured out my own body and how it worked. We lived in the scrubbed down part of town where God does his laundry and throws broken popsicle sticks at those girls out front who believe in Jesus Christ but they don’t follow his advice, they shimmer like microwaves, smile like mannequins… shimmer like microwaves, smile like mannequins.
Look at those people out there, such strange looks on their faces. Stumbling about, clutching suitcases, from rickety this to rackety that, scraping grace from their soles at golden surname laundry- mats.
So I’m setting off for places where voices echo free. Vespertine sidewalk lullabies hold the city’s keys. Just tilting and whirling, waiting for June, for I knew where the moon kept her dobro. So I tickle a bug and I watch it run, where folded worries hold no water.
La la la…

myspace.com/spanishprisoners

Introducing: Top 5 songs I like to dance to secretly at home before I go out with The State of Samuel

2008-03-14T19:04:00.000+11:00

So, here it is, RATF's newest feature. It's called Top 5 With.. (creative, I know) and basically it's about getting new bands involved in this whole blogging process along with being a great way to promote new music. So for starts, we have Sam from The State of Samuel and his top 5 songs to dance to before going out.

Rick Springfield - Love is Alright Tonight

"Dont worry daddy, Ill have her home at a respectable hour
Go to sleep daddy, you wont think about tonight
With the night comes a feeling of incredible power
Gonna love her daddy, shell be feeling it tonight
Alright, its gonna be alright
Its gonna be alright, its gonna be alright"

Opening track from his best LP - "Working class dog". This is the only song that will get me dancing at crazy at home. Fast beat, great love lyrics and a rough guitar riff to play air guitar to.

Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance

"We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine"

Dance classic and an awesome video. Always dance safe at home.

Box Tops - The Letter

A few years ago when I was still living in the suburbs of Stockholm I occasionally went to the local bar by myself and sang this karaoke. Still my karaoke favorite.

Raspberries - I Wanna Be With You

"If we were older
We wouldn't have to be worried tonight
Baby oh, I wanna be with you
So bad, (yes, I wanna be with you)"

Even though I have short hair this is the only song I would actually attempt headbanging to. The opening riff I just one of the best ever and the sing-a-long chorus is just perfect - Oh, I wanna be with you

Phil Collins - Easy Lover

One week last year this song was the only track I listened to. On a trip to Tallinn last week I sang this karaoke together with my job's network engineer. Let's just say it was a big success.

Perfect beat and perfect call-and-response vocals. Phil and Philip 4-ever.

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The State of Samuel, headed by Sam Petersson, are one of those beautiful bands to come out of the Scandinavian indie pop movement lately. Here is some bio for you:

Samuel Petersson a.k.a The state of samuel grew up in Varberg on the westcoast of Sweden. Frustrated with the people and music climate in hos hometown, he started recording songs on his 4-track machine and in 1996 he came up with the name "the state of Samuel". Several of these early recordings would resurface for his debut cassette "a 141 points average" referring to his personal-best in bowling at the moment(it's way better now!). At that time recording was just something Sam did in his spare time when he wasn't watching tv, playing c64, skateboarding, buying vinyl, playing in punk bands, going to school or learning how to play the sitar. Most of the songs from the first and second tape "the state of Samuel at the movies" were recorded in the garage of his parent's house in Varberg.

Chances are you might be familiar with State of Samuel's song, Square Roots. It comes off the album Here Come The Floods (released last October), it sure packs a sugary punch. The chorus (consisting of ba/ba ba/ba ba ba ba etc) will stick in your head for hours. And that's not a bad thing. In one song The State of Samuel have managed to package entirely what's good about this genre of Scandinavian music and the Labrador generation - the music isn't detailed or long winded, it's happy and upbeat, something that would you have on whilst dancing around at home. Whether you're going out or not. If you're like me, eternally on the search for the perfect set of sunny indie pop songs, stop. Do not pass go. Square Roots is what you need.

The State of Samuel - Square Roots

Stars, Laneway, Dan Deacon, etc etc

2008-03-03T09:35:00.001+11:00

Last week was a very, very good week for music in Sydney. Stars, Okkervil River, Clap Your Hands, Broken Social Scene, Feist, the city was overrun with all things fantastic in the indie music world, culminating in the St Jerome's Laneway festival yesterday. Personally, Stars & Laneway were my music fixes for the week, and both exceeded expectations.

Wednesday night, shockingly, was the first time I've ever been to Spectrum. But it was most definitely worth it, if only for the fantastic graffiti in the toilets (someone carved 'my body is a cage' into the wood). As support, Plastic Palace Alice were enjoyable, although I believed we were promised Bruce Springsteen covers which never came. Stars blew me away, they were so captivating - Amy Millan's voice is something totally different altogether, I never realised how great it was before but now I believe she has one of the greatest female voices (if not the greatest) in music today. Highlights were The Night Starts Here, One More Night, Your Ex Lover Is Dead , Soft Revolution & What I'm Trying To Say.

Laneway was yesterday, and it wasn't something I had really been anticipating that much, but I am definitely glad I went. The day, music wise, went something like this:

Manchester Orchestra
Okkervil River
Stars
Dan Deacon (for 10 minutes)
Broken Social Scene
Damn Arms (again, 10 minutes)
Clap Your Hands

And the standouts, above & beyond everything else, were most certainly Okkervil River (it may have been different had I not seen Stars & CYHSY previously). Though the crowd may have not known them as well as other bands, everyone certainly left with a new found appreciation for them. Standouts, for me, were The President's Dead, For Real, Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe and Unless It's Kicks. Seeing Broken Social Scene do Stars & Sons, Fire Eye'd Boy and Backed Out On The Cause/Cocks (whatever floats your pronunciation boat) was also a definite highlight.

Something else I'll never forget was the Dan Deacon gig that Ro took me too after the festival. It was wonderful, noisy, energetic and I don't think I stopped laughing the whole time. I don't think I can really describe what the whole thing was about, or what exactly went on (there were dance-offs and odes to the Ernst & Young building.. and something about two oceans on a piece of paper, and if you were drawing two oceans wouldn't it meld into one big ocean, but no, look, it's actually two oceans man..)

What can I say. A fantastic week. I'm incredibly excited for Beirut this Wednesday. Also, for those who missed out on Arcade Fire shows, or even those who want to relive them, Triple J is playing one of their Enmore gigs tonight at 8pm. Listen to it! And enjoy this music. Which will be updated later. It takes forever to upload something right now.

Beirut - Brandenburg
Broken Social Scene - Stars & Sons
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Is This Love
Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
Stars - One More Night

They hurt me bad, they do it all the time..

2008-02-28T21:50:00.001+11:00

Just some more Arcade Fire for your day. This is their cover of Violent Femme's Kiss Off. Will Butler is amazing.

Arcade @ the Enmore - Vantage point

2008-02-28T21:36:00.000+11:00

Dear taker of the following videos;

I am quite sure that the only explanation for you having these videos is that you somehow placed a camera on my head without my knowledge as I was standing exactly where they were taken from. Or perhaps it is because I am not the most altitudinous of people and it would be considerably easy to take videos over my head. Either way, for everyone else: enjoy Arcade Fire from the vantage point of your trusted blogger.

Tunnels

Laika

Power Out

No Cars Go

Wake Up

(PS. That is my head featuring prominently in Wake Up. Look, ma! I'm on YouTube!)

Something exciting this way comes..

2008-02-27T15:09:00.000+11:00

Hello friends,

I am very, very excited to announce a new project that RATF is working on in conjunction with a lot of up & coming bands.. it's called 'Top 5 with.." (yes, very creative, I know) and it gives bands a bit of creative space via this here blog. Currently more than ten bands (some you may know, some you may not) are working on their own segment as I write this, so I'm anticipating it will start sometime next week. Be excited. I don't think I've said excited quite enough in this paragraph. Excited.

As for normal posting, I'm currently trying to move my entire iTunes library between two computers which is making the formulation of mp3 mixes and such quite difficult. But don't worry. It will be back up & running very soon.

Excited!

(PS. If you live in Sydney and tonight are not at either Stars, Okkervil River or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.. what are you doing!?)

A video for your week.

2008-02-08T19:41:00.001+11:00

Here is a video for you to enjoy. It's the video of the week (there hasn't been one for a while); it's called Yale and it's by New Zealand band Spa. Enjoy.

Another thing I forgot to add - Dappled Cities are playing with the Seabellies and Sparkadia at the Oxford Art Factory next Wednesday & Thursday, tickets are $17 each. Hope to see some of you there on Valentine's day! (The poster says Bluejuice but they've cancelled)

Attention people who wanted to make good music but were always too afraid to: meet The Desks.

2008-01-30T19:46:00.000+11:00

Two simple questions;

1) Have you always wanted to acknowledge the inner musician within you but for some reason were too afraid?

2) Do you like happy Sydney pop music?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, The Desks needs you!

The Desks is Sydneysider Jeff, who for a while now has been making very good but relatively unknown music with lots of unusual instruments. Last year he recorded a song 'Home Is Where The Home Studio Is', and he's looking for musically inclined (or maybe not) people to help him add to it.

Find out more here.

From the inbox: Goodtimes Goodtimes

2008-01-30T19:24:00.000+11:00

Goodtimes Goodtimes is the baby of Franc Cinelli, an Italian Brit with a passion for cruisy, soulful music and the power of the humble guitar. A whole lot of tour experience has given GT's sound a polished, yet still relaxing vibe, and a unique element that lets the traditional summery music vibe transcend season and one thinks maybe, just maybe, this is soft-guitar driven folk that one could pull out in the winter months.

The title track of the newest album, Glue, automatically draws comparison to Devendra Banhart's quirky freakfolk styles. My favourites, though, would have to be the catchy & pretty Sea Shanty, with a gorgeous chorus that may evoke a swoon or two, and Kids, that sounds a lot like an Iron & Wine song with a British accent smothered over the top of it.

Goodtimes Goodtimes is playing around London and New York in the coming months. For details, consult the Myspace.

Goodtimes Goodtimes - Sea Shanty
Goodtimes Goodtimes - Kids