Weekend Winddown 5

The end of the year is near! I'm hoping to get a christmas mix up sometime soon, just to fall in line with every other blogger. I don't know of many artists that do christmas songs as well as Sufjan Stevens though so it could just be a bunch of his finest.

Looks like 2008 has a lot to offer. For those who don't know the "other" preferred political party in Australia has made it in to governance! Labor has booted the Libs out for the count and the timing couldn't be better. With interest rates on the rise, despite who would end up running the country, it's about time we turn to the environment as we deal with the monetary and general costs of global warming. Drought and petrol prices have sent the price of goods and services soaring. Fruit and Veg has never seemed to cost so much!

But I digress. Whether or not you support the Libs the Labs or neither it's nice to see some neglected areas being addressed. That much some of us can agree on... maybe... I say this in as politically correct a way as possible (assuming there's a general consensus on what is the "correct" thing).

I offer another round of relaxed tunes for the hopefully stress-free weekend. Nothing beats lying in bed semi-awake on a Sunday morning and listening to some good music.

Alela Diane - Pieces of String [buy]

Alela Diane was a risk buy for me. I was traipsing through one of my favourite indie music shops, Landspeed Records, and noticed the reviews on the front of this woman's album. The comparison to Joanna Newsom sold me (or rather, sold the album TO me). I can see what the reviewer meant when they mentioned this contemporary of Diane's (whose music I adore). However Diane's voice is perhaps more approachable. It doesn't demand your attention as immediately as Newsom's. At first you don't notice the music; it seems like background music. But suddenly a harmony from out of nowhere will grab you by the heart and you find yourself hooked to simple soft songs.

Angus and Julia Stone - The Beast [buy]

This Sydney brother-sister duo, Angus and Julia Stone have taken their time growing on me. It's not that they don't sound lovely together. It's just that they're tempted into writing what I call "lacklustre songs for the sleepy surfer." This is the same category where you'll find my seldom-listened-to albums by Jack Johnson, Xavior Rudd etc. It's just not my thing; I need a melody not just some pissin about on a guitar.
In the case of AJ Stone, however, they do surprise me time and time again. They've challenged themselves a lot more on their debut release, and the first song off it "The Beast" reveals their nuanced angle. I'd be interested to see if they will continue their musical walk in this direction, or even if they take another turn altogether!


I'm From Barcelona - Chicken Pox [buy]

Swedish band, I'm From Barcelona, have warranted comparisons to The Polyphonic Spree. This is probably because their band's number of musicians total 29. But that's as far as the comparison goes, as far as I can tell.
These guys write much more radio friendly structured pop songs than The Polyphonic Spree will ever feel humble enough to attempt.
IFB carry a flurry of instrumentsm, including clarinets, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, banjos, accordions, kazoos, guitars, drums, and keyboards among others. However, they don't use them unnecessarily; rather, they use them in a complementary way. Their method is: if it works, throw it in, if not someone can wait by the sidelines and do some backing vocals for a bridge. It's much more palatable than TPS's mad dash to include every single instrument known to man in every single song they write.

As a result, you wouldn't know that 29 members crowded this band when listening to their songs. Hell, the album cover would suggest there are only 4 of them! You only find out when you recognise the variation between each track just how much is involved.

Kat Frankie - Treading Water [buy]

Apparently Kat Frankie is from Sydney! I didn't know this when I first heard her. I downloaded a song "The Tops" from the radio stationJJJ's official website. And recently bought the album before reading an interview that revealed a bit of her background.

This woman would easily fit in a mix cd (or tape, or blog mix, if you prefer) including Cat Power, Katie Noonan, Missy Higgins, Beth Gibbons and Basia Bulat. Taking time out to go live in Berlin seems to have paid off for Frankie! Not only has Frankie got a remarkable talent for writing beautiful melodies, she also includes the right instruments to build on or break down each song at the right time, avoiding any possibility of monotony. In "Treading Water" the piano is worked in perfectly.

And of course I can't resist the Mellotrone used in a few of the songs. What a beautiful and unnoticed instrument it is. It just draws in a gorgeous line of melancholy. "Treading Water" doesn't have any Mellotrone in it but the songs that do are perfect for your lonely days. For those who have heard The Notwist, their song "Pick up the Phone" is a good example of a Mellotrone used well and I highly recommend you check these guys out.

Machine Translations - Love Won't Wait [buy]

I'm still testing the waters with Machine Translations. He's a bit hit and miss for me. When he does hit the mark though he gets the bullseye.
Comparisons to Beck are fair but he's a bit more relaxed in his style. Good laid-back tunes, and potential for strong songs.

The National - Cherry Tree [buy]

The National continue to impress me in many different ways. It's now at a point where if a certain song by them comes on I have no choice but to listen to it there and then, all the way through. I like a lot of artists but few are privy to grabbing me like that. I now understand why there's such a strong underground following... and why they've so quickly crawled to the number one most-listened-to artist on my Lastfm profile page!
Just listen.

The Panics - Don't Fight It [buy]

Ahhh The Panics... If only the lead singer had a sweeter voice... but isn't that the point? There's something in the drawl-tone style of Jae Laffer's voice that feels sentimental and oddly colonial. I know that's a vague way of explaining it but that's the best I can come up with.
I don't know why but for the most part I like The Panics...
Some songs fall flat, mind you. But this album introduces an instrumental element that delivers the songs with much more bravado; and it works perfectly!

Either way, they've just won the J Award so they're doing something right.


Before I sign off though I must direct your attention to Grizzly Bear member Daniel Rossen's cover of a song called "Too Little Too Late." "What song," you ask? Exactly! I'd never heard the apparently bad Jo-Jo original but it's performed so well by Rossen. It's a nice 60's style track with great vocals. Click on the song and download it from Stereogum's website.

Road Rage

A good long while ago I remember seeing a poster for a new (or, as it is, old) concept wherein two films are shown for the price of one (a double bill feature release). Better yet, two of the hippest directors around (Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez) were set to pen this (at least these days) uniquely marketed film prospect.

It's been months since I first heard this idea and, thanks to an extremely poor response at the box office, the two films have now been organised for individual release in Australia (and in other parts of the world). Sufficed to say I was pissed off. My friends and I had anticipated a night reminiscient of our high school days, when we'd have horror/thriller nights devoted to popcorn and limited, squashed seating in our homes. Of course we could still do that now but it's just not practical or necessary.

Which is, from what I gather, exactly what the audience has been thinking about this Grindhouse idea. Why struggle to stay awake through two films, than see them both for what they are individually, with the appropriate rest periods?

Even so, I thought the idea was cool and being a cheapskate, the two-for-the-price-of-one thing still appealed. I was going to see it at the closest Drive-In movie complex (of which there are very few left). We figured they'd show the Tarantino and Rodriguez upon the release of the second film (in this case Rodriguez's Terror Planet)). Alas I've now heard that as of 31st October 2007 Bass Hill Drive-In has closed down.

It's strangely poetic and telling of this generation's response to the idea of a fun night out, watching films of degenerate quality in terms of sound but elite quality in terms of storyline, direction, acting and screenplay.
Tarantino might have been disappointed (perhaps clinging to the idea that we're missing out on something special the public had in the 70's) but Rodriguez says he understands the response completely (according to an interview found in last month's issue of Empire. As much as I hate to admit it I tend to agree with Rodriguez. Come to think of it, very few of my friends were actually keen to see the double bill. A lot of my friends are either not horror/thriller people or find themselves too busy to stay up past their bedtime to watch two films which they could have savoured better on two separate occassions.

Either way I'm a fan of both directors and last Tuesday I decided to see Death Proof (which has recently been released in limited cinemas in Australia).
In short, I loved it. This is classic Tarantino. It doesn't matter what the story is, in the end the direction and the dialogue keeps me intrigued in any of his projects. I'm yet to come across a director which better provides dialogue speckled with talk about absolute crap. And it's not uninteresting crap, it's "that's so true," seemingly off-the-bat cafeteria chat.

The film plays out in two parts. It's a bit like Kill Bill in this way. The first half is serious, sexy, sensuous and strangely ambiguous. Tarantino teases us for a long time with a keenly self-aware abscence of horror. We even find the character who we know (at least from the trailers) to be the psychopathic maniac of the film quirky and likeable (even though it is Kurt Russell playing the role). He sure is smooth with the ladies (particularly in the way he manages to talk a flirtatious but nonetheless comparably shy woman into giving him a lapdance). Notably, I feel like I'm watching an old 70's-style dusty film. The jukebox spins records, the reel is old-school and jumpy, and yet they're using mobile phones and discussing the signs of the times.

The second half of the film is a lot more fun and funnier! I was almost a bit hysterical and felt I had to contain myself from whooping and laughing raucously. It takes a lot to get me in that mood so I was massively impressed and entertained. The car chase scenes were cleverly constructed, the dialogue breezy and colourful, the characters loveable and cultured.

It wasn't the perfect film (I did find myself looking at my watch sometime through the first half of the film; it certainly doesn't start with a bang). It does work its way up fast though.
My advice is don't expect this film to change the world and don't take it too seriously. Tarantino's films have often been acclaimed for their philosophy on life. For once though this guy is enjoying the genre for what it really is.

The soundtrack, as usual in a Tarantino film, is slick with relatively unknown "classics" from an earlier era.

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch - Hold Tight
April March - Chick Habit [buy]

I give Death Proof 4 out of 5 stars.

You can see what Margaret and David gave this film out of 5 stars here.


In other news, director of Donnie Darko, Richard Kelly's new film has been released in the States. Thankfully it looks very different from DD (I loved DD but whenever a director tries to reclaim the feel of their first film it usually pales in comparison). And it sure looks a lot bigger in scale. Exciting and timely end-of-the-world stuff which might not go down well with the critics but is sure to please the (not so) underground fanbase. The film is called Southland Tales and is set for release in Australia sometime in January.

Catching Bullets in our Teeth

Sorry for the major lack of posting lately! I got a new job about 5 weeks ago in another state and I don't have personal internet access there yet(which I must say is driving me up the wall).

Lately I've been watching Nip/Tuck. It took me a while to get into this show and you really have to pay attention and follow closely to understand what's going on but it's got so much going on that if you do that you won't be bored of it even for a moment.
The gritty portayal of two men's plastic surgery business explores corners of the mind and body I have never even paused to consider.

Somewhere through the second season the creators introduce a new menace in Miami (the harsh glitzy city in which the series is set); the carver! As he rapes his victims and carves sickeningly broad smiles into people's faces Sean and Christian (the lead partners of the show) do their pro-bono best to repair the damage.

This of course gets under the Carver's skin and the series really starts rollercoastering from there. The clever thing, though, is that the creators are sure that the other storylines are not interrupted or postponed. Rather, they're all weaved constructively together.

I'm yet to see what happens after the first one or two episodes of season 3 and i'm hooked now; determined to watch on.

Below are a list of songs I've been listening to lately. The first up is Tunng. The theme of their latest album fits in well with Nip/Tuck actually as a lot of the lyrics concern matters of the body. They're playing at the Sydney Festival in January, along with a host of other amazing talents like Andrew Bird, The National and Joanna Newsom.

Perhaps the most exciting artist to play in Sydney though is Sufjan Stevens! Finally I'll be seeing my favourite music guy! I've also added his latest "released" song, "Ring Them Bells," a cover of Dylan from the new soundtrack I'm Not There.

Tunng - Arms [buy]

Sufjan Stevens - Ring Them Bells [buy]

Lior - Landslide [buy]

Sia - Soon We'll Be Found

Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You [buy]

Radiohead - Reckoner [buy]

Covers 1

Cover songs!

Originally by Nelly:

Jenny Owen Youngs - Hot In Herre


Originally by John Lennon:

Regina Spektor - Real Love [buy]

Originally by Sigur Ros:

We Are Scientists - Hoppipolla


Originally by Peter, Bjorn and John:

Dawn Landes - Young Folks


Originally from the Willy Wonka soundtrack:

Ferraby Lionheart - Pure Imagination

Weekend Winddown 4

Ben Harper - Morning Yearning (Alternate Mix) [buy]

I'll admit I like the original version of Ben Harper's "Morning Yearning" better because I just like strings in any song, really. But subtract that and the guitar becomes more prominant and there's some nice guitar work in this song.

Clare Bowditch - The Thing about Grief [buy]

Clare Bowditch has some new stuff coming out on 13th October! Perhaps because she won an aria award sometime after her last release the wait for new material hasn't seemed too long. I'm definately excited to see what she's written! She seems to develop in leaps and bounds between albums, creating catchier and more melodic music!
You can hear a new track on her myspace page.

Lior - Grey Ocean [buy]

Lior's music is now available overseas via itunes, yay! His album, Autumn Flow, had me entranced for ages! I was just meditating on his sound. I saw him live once with my sister and brother-in-law and the crowd were so still when he played. His voice seemed to crack when he told us how sick of the war in Iraq he was. He'd just heard backstage that there'd been terrorist bombings in London (we found out after the show from my mother). This news gave his music strength though and made it all the more heartfelt.
He'd opened the set with this song "Grey Ocean" which is the first of his I'd heard. I love slow sad music so I was in pursuit of Lior's music long before I could buy the album.
Can't wait for new stuff from him!

Basia Bulat - Snakes and Ladders [buy]

I was a little disappointed with the whole album but perhaps it's just taking a while for me to get into Basia Bulat's Oh My Darling. A few songs have really stuck out for me though, particularly "Snakes and Ladders." I'm not a fan of country music but the slight warble in her voice doesn't deter from the tune. In fact it's matched well by the intense violins and piano, which retains a continuity through the song as layers of instruments explore beyond the core melody.

PJ Harvey - Silence [buy]

This woman can sing! I didn't realise it before this album. I always had an annoying dislike for Harvey's usually sardonic vocals. Annoying because everyone else seemed to like her. Every now and then I'd hear a song like "This Mess We're In" and realise that amongst the almost grunge influence weighing down her songs was a beautiful songstress in Harvey.
The new album sees her stripping off her monotone mood and breaking forward with a soaring range of highs and lows. The only likeness she seems to maintain with her old sound is the darkness in her music. It works well.

Jenn Grant - In a Brown House [buy]

This woman doesn't write songs with clear choruses and verses. You might tap along thoughtlessly to one of her songs before you find yourself caught up in a different mood sometime through the song.

What really makes "In a Brown House" special is the background vocals. Beautiful simple song.

The National - Racing Like a Pro [buy]

Whenever an artist I like recommends a band I always seem to get off on the wrong foot with the recommended artist.
Let me explain. Final Fantasy does a cover of The Destroyer's "An Actor will Seek Revenge" and I figure I might like The Destroyer. Turns out, I don't, but Owen Pallett (aka Final Fantasy) does more justice to "An Actor" than the Destroyer.

So when Menomena say they're listening to The National I figure I'll give them a go, expecting the worst. And, to be honest, if the free mp3s on The National's website were anything to go by I might still not like them much.

However, their new album has blown me away. Not sure how I can describe it. The songwriting is beautiful, the deep Nick Cave/Lambchop-esque voice works, the piano is irresistable and all other instruments used at exactly the right moment. The album collaborates a variety of moods without taking away from the album as a whole too.

I'll never get sick of "Racing like a Pro."

APEST

Photo taken from here.

This weekend NSW are getting "treated" to a long weekend. On friday people will sit at home and twiddle their thumbs while the Australian Government hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)forum.
Basically a bunch of leaders from around the world meet up and discuss information the general public will never be privy to.

Fair enough. I don't think I could sit through what will probably be a very drawl meeting. Bet the boss of US will be taking some time off golf to grab a nap during the summit. There's the cynic in me coming out again.

The official APEC website for those who have the time and patience.

My friends and I are trying to plan what to do this friday.

But it's proving difficult, as others may find.


If you have any suggestions let me know...

Bjork - Who Is It (Choir Mix) [buy]

Earlimart - The World [buy]

Headlights - Put Us Back Together Right [buy]

Weekend Winddown 3

Image taken from here


I didn't watch for too long but the Lunar Eclipse was spectacular last Tuesday night! It was a clear night, the milky way was visible and the red moon reminded us all of our teensy size in the universe.

I bring you another Weekend Winddown mix on this the first day of spring!

Bat for Lashes - Moon and Moon (live on KCRW)

This Bat for Lashes song is unreleased so far (even though she brought an album only just this year). What an amazing song though! And well, with the lunar eclipse last week and all I figure the timing fits too.

Radiohead - Gagging Order [buy]

I finally found this rare-ish Radiohead album of bsides the other week! The album, Com Lag, was rereleased here earlier this year. You can also find the Four Tet remix of "Scatterbrain" on there so it's a good compilation!
I always like the way Thom Yorke takes a phrase and uses it in a different context: Move along, there's left to see...

Beach House - Master of None [buy]

I heard Beach House a while ago and they didn't take with me. Probably because I had the volume turned down. They do the creepy quiet sound well though and the melody of their songs, though buried beneath the sound, sticks with you like a slow waltz for ages. "Master of None" is my favourite track.

Caribou - Melody Day (Four Tet Remix) [buy]

I heard this Caribou song earlier this year and I remember being impressed with the way they've modernised the 60s groove styling. The album is very psychedelic and cool! But it also has this variety of sounds too. It's not all "groovy" and upbeat.
And I've come to the conclusion that Four Tet don't know how to do bad remixes. They're just so good at what they do. This time they wind the song right down and spin it out a little more.

Tunng - Take [buy]

The unique sound Tunng use is basically a combination of folk and electronica. Not new but they do it extremely well. The melody is usually pretty basic but very catchy and they use a variety of instruments to keep you listening all the way through, as they build up the song. They also have a talent for creating a bassline with their vocals. "Take" comes from the forthcoming album, "Good Arrows."

Turin Brakes - Dark on Fire [buy]

I've always quite liked Turin Brakes. I bought their first two albums on sale both times for $10. I bought the first one on the strength of "Underdog (Save Me)" and then the second album on the first album's strength. I've never gotten sick of them. They have a really good acoustic sound and the lead singer has an amazing voice with a range he seems to expand more and more each time an album is released. I didn't get into the country stylings of the third album but this song, "Dark on Fire," from the upcoming album promises a return to form with even stronger song writing.

The Epochs - Head in the Fire

Who are The Epochs? I went to their website and it took me to their myspace page. I haven't seen any music of theirs on sale anywhere. All I know is that I love this song and "Opposite Sides" (which you can download for free from their myspace page) and that they're quite different from one another. OS is an upbeat 90s sounding song. "Head in the Fire" is an acoustic strolling melody slow song. If you can do upbeat and downbeat songs equally well, chances are the debut album will blow us all away. Too bad they're still so unknown.

The One A.M Radio - Mercury [buy]

I've gotten into The One A.M Radio so quickly it's not funny. I heard "In the Time We've Got" and I knew I'd love these guys. I don't know much more about them but this song "Mercury" reminds me of the Notwist a lot: which is a high compliment!
Can't wait for this album to be released here!

Beirut - Nantes [buy]

Zach Condon of Beirut promised us good things when he released an EP last year, which included the mindblowing and moving song "Elephant Gun." This guy takes gypsy folk and makes it more palatable to the casual ear, as he universalises the sound. He has an amazing voice too! Thanks to the bloggers a bunch of tracks from his upcoming album have just been leaked and it's all as emotionally astounding as he promised! If you download only one song from this winddown mix it has to be this song!

Have you accepted Jesus as your financial investor?

A couple of weeks ago I read a book released by a woman named Tanya Levin. It was an account of her experiences in and out of Pentecostal "Empire", Hillsong. As a christian man who has been attending a church for the past 7 years or so I was already aware of who Hillsong were and my bias against them has quickly mounted (because what they represent is often contrary to what many other christian churches represent).

The first time I witnessed a Pentecostal church service it was late at night on a channel we only got on one tv due its odd wide-range reception (we picked up a rare community channel that broadcast random programs). Anyway this one particular time (I think my sister was sitting with me) I flicked it onto some Televangelist show. Everyone in this church was laughing; every single one of them. A man with a microphone was going around putting it up to people's mouths so we could hear that each person was hysterical.
My sister and I laughed for a bit (mostly cause one woman's laugh was particularly bad and infectious). After a while though it just freaked us out and I had to change the channel.
Afterwards I kept thinking, "what was the point in that?" This was before I became a christian and I still wonder what the point is.
What sticks out for me when these group outbursts occur, though, is that it's not a just a Pentacostal thing. And I'm highly doubtful that it comes from God. In 1978, Guyana, more than 900 members of People's Temple were killed with forced suicide methods by drinking Kool-Aide beverages laced with cyanide. Sure, laughing is not half as dangerous as forced suicide but it's the psychological state these large crowds are in in such situations that scares me.

And I suppose this is where my bias against a lot of Pentecostal churches began. Since then I now know that not all Pentecostal churches conduct themselves in the same way and I try to be less passionate i my rants. And the laughing church thing has become much less popular since the ninties, as well.

One church or business I have always been critical of, however, is Hillsong. I'd seen several documentaries and articles on this church. It seems lots of members over time have left, disenfranchised by its franchise.

The specific focus of my criticism is Prosperity doctrine, which, in a nutshell is an argument whereby giving more to the church will see you rewarded financially by God on Earth (which isn't substantiated by the bible, and in fact is contradicted in the bible with the well-known "it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to pass into heaven" passage).
I won't delve into the ins and outs of the bible because the books and documentaries, reporters, everyone have pointed to these specific passages, which Pastor Brian Houston has either ignored or swept aside with a statement like "that doesn't apply to christians."
That one made me laugh. Who would it apply to, if not those who believe in the gospel?

Levin, as an author, extends her argument beyond Hillsong at times and this perhaps where her and I don't always see eye to eye. While I'm always willing to question bible passages and get to the nut of the gospel I always feel it's important to consider the whole bible. For example, when it comes to the representation of women in the bible she only questions the passages which best serve her argument, instead of nuancing her argument to include the opposition.

Nonetheless this brave woman has produced a challenge to one of the most successful churches in Australia.
She's not bringing down God or the followers of Christ, she's attacking the cold corporate approach Hillsong take when recruiting its members.
The bottom line for them is money, which means if you're a member of Hillsong you're treated as no more than a number, a consumer. It's much like a mall really. There's cushioned seats you can sit on to rest from your overwhelming shopping experience and the people behind the counter are friendly, and you might even like the repetitive music playing over the speakers, but it's all there because you're paying for it and it's artificial.

This book, called "People in Glass Houses," has been published at quite a cost for Levin, which is why I'm quicker to hear her out than those who have tried to silence her. For one thing, she (perhaps because of her reporter-style questioning) is no longer welcome to the church. Now the Hillsong head honchos might argue that Levin is a threat to the members of the church (and if they said this I might understand where they are coming from). But they give no explanation, just an awkward and authoritative term of reproach.
I did a search on Wikipedia and according to a clearly disgruntled person, Levin's a whole lot of crazy things short of being the devil.
This person has attempted to defame her on Wiki so much so that it's overblown and worthy of a good chuckle. The only true bits are her birth, occupation and that she was born in South Africa.

The person wrote: Tanya Levin (b. 1971) is an Australian writer and social worker.

Born in South Africa to a family heavily involved in witchcraft, Tanya moved to Australia in the 1980's joining Hillsong Church. She left soon after, as she found it hard to make friends in the movement. Most choosing to avoid her because of her open lesbainisim and satanic ritules streaming from years of drug abuse.

Her only book "people in Glass Houses" is not so much about the world famous and well regarded Hillsong Church but more a manifesto of beliefs from tanya levin. The publishers claim it in non-fiction. The truth is it really is fiction. The book is mostly retoric and twisted, missinterpreted philisophy. This can be found throughout the book with it's many refrences to bible teachings that are taken out of context.

She suspicously left out the passages about condeming the works of servents of God. This may be a deliberate omission as it would seriously challegng the pretext of her book. There is wide speculation she framed it around life with Hillsong church to sell more copies of her mad ramblings.

Hillsong Church.<[1]


[Original text correct on 27th August, 2007]

Note that the only reference given in the endnotes is for Hillsong Church. I particularly like the bit about the satanic rituals and drugs.
I was going to edit it on the Wikipedia website but it doesn't look like this is an option. I'm not sure if it's because Wikipedia doesn't want it to be edited or if I'm not a member of their site or what but the lack of references and the blatant lies that have gone overlooked annoy me. It's like a spelling error that you can't fix anymore because you've handed your assignement in already. And, to add insult to injury, this person has left their little piece on Levin rife with spelling errors!


Anyway I think it's the responsibility of christians to question what it is they believe. Not to break it down or disengage from the church as much as possible but learn from it and help others understand the bible too.
Christians are asked to worship God, not the church, and although I'm not sure where Levin stands in her faith at the moment it's clear in her book that we should be aware that not all churches' actions are motivated by God or the gospel but may be influenced more heavily by power and greed, among other things.

One show that really niches out an indepth analysis of the concept of God and Satan, and good and evil is Carnivale. Throughout the course of two series a humble man who wishes only to live a simple life under the radar (denying his ability to heal) is called to confront a powerful Methodist Church Minister, whose attempts to gain more power subvert his initial attempts to spread the gospel (through his ability to reveal to people and himself what others' "greatest sins" are).
It's a work of fiction but despite that and the fact that it's a period-piece series set in the 1930s, it works key arguments relevant to today's religious and political endeavours. And it puts forward a strong case for why church and state might be distinguished from one another. I highly recommend it for those who like progressive drama series, with engaging characters and storylines.

When Levin wrote her book I don't think her intention was to deter people from the gospel. Quite the opposite, I think. Levin wants people to be aware of what can go on in churches, particularly large economically successful corporate companies like Hillsong. Levin isn't the only one to speak out against Hillsong. I've seen documentaries on sbs of people who attend special bible studies to "relearn" the passages in the bible that have supposedly supported prosperity doctrine.
I've seen other members who have completely thrown their faith out, along with Hillsong, hurt and frustrated at the time they've wasted on something that ultimately hasn't rewarded them the way they were promised by the pastors.

Whatever the outcome, Levin offers a deconstruction of Hillsong. She answers the question "Why, when Hillsong have so many supportive attendees, is this conglomerate criticised, and what for?" And though she shares her own experiences she also illustrates her argument with literature from psychologists and the stories or testimonies of other parishioners.

Since journalists aren't allowed in the premises it's nice to hear the truth from someone who has spent plenty of time inside the tall walls of wealth.

You can read another written work of criticism.

Explore what others think on the Sydney Anglican forums.

Read Andrew Denton's interview with Tanya Levin.

And Father Bob interviewd Tanya Levin on 19th August this year if you'd like to subscribe to JJJ's Sunday Night John Safran and Father Bob podcast on all things religious.

Mosey Jose

The thursday before last my friend and I went to see Jose Gonzalez at the Factory Theatre in Enmore.

We'd never been to this venue before and it looked fairly new or recently renovated. Swanky place, plenty of space, relaxed vibe (which was just the mood we were in, since it was a midweek performance we were attending).

People bustled about, lay on the lounges lining the walls and sipped alcoholic beverages of sorts, waiting out the supporting act in anticipation of the real reason we'd all shown up: to see the Swedish folkster himself.
My friend and I took the chance to grab some seats in front of the stage, which were as cosy as the atmosphere.

Although we were only really interested in Jose, the supporting act were pretty good. I'd heard them before but I didn't realise they were playing and wasn't paying much attention. Overall they were a bit repetitive and meandering and I felt a bit "meh" about it as I sipped my L pound. Then the lead singer (who looked, to me, oddly like Andrew from Buffy) said "hi, we're Rand and Holland" and my ears perked up for the next song.
The rest of their set was decent. Their songs aren't all memorable but they know how to play and it seems to be a case of "less is more" with these guys. Either way, I'm always a little curious about experimental folk and over the set more and more of the crowd's attention was drawn (either that or more people were turning up for Jose).

R & H left without a "thankyou," "goodbye" or even are "We are Rand and Holland." Maybe they were shy. Everyone clapped awkwardly, unsure of the exit.

Soon after, Jose came out quietly and sat down. My friend and I were already prepared for the nature of his performance (since he's known for his introvertedness). He just started playing.
And man, the guy might be shy but his voice sure isn't! It soared through the speakers so crisply and everyone seemed to draw their breath all at once in awe.
The percussion of the strumming on the acoustic guitar took rhythm and entranced us all.

New songs and old were all captivating.

It was nice to be at a performance where we could just sit and listen. I usually get a bit tired of artists who need excitement and jumping and jiving during their show. I usually prefer to absorb it all quietly. This time I didn't stand out and look as stand-offish as I might in my stillness.
At one point two excited girls stood up, God love 'em. I immediately thought "uh oh, are we all gonna have to stand up now?" but luckily the majority were with me this time. "Are you guys gonna sit down...?" one punter behind them asked, and they embarrassedly sat back down, still hypnotised by Jose, and clinging to one another as if to prevent collapse.

Jose announced his "last song" before exiting. Much to our ammusement he couldn't find the exit (cause it was through the curtains and there was no clear break in them).

Naturally he took a while to return for the encore. He bashfully said something along the lines of "I was gonna surprise you by making my way around but I couldn't see... bumbling about in the dark..." Everyone briefly chuckled but cut themselves short, ready for his final few songs.

Out of the set I was pleasantly surprised to hear an acoustic version of "Send Someone Away" (the Embee song Jose contributed to a few years ago).

All in all it was a wonderful breathtaking performance and I can't wait to see him again at Falls!


Embee (feat. Jose Gonzalez) - Send Someone Away [buy]

Jose Gonzalez - Hints [buy]

Jose Gonzalez - Down the Line [buy]

Rand and Holland - Beanstalk [buy]

Falls Festival Lineup Announced!

Cansei De Ser Sexy at last year's festival.

This year looks to end with a bang for me when I go to the Falls Festival with some old uni buddies. I've never been before and have wanted to go for years.

The first lineup has just been announced!

This year those lucky enough to purchase tickets will get to see:

Kings of Leon
Groove Armada
Paul Kelly
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Waifs
Gotye
Built to Spill
Jose Gonzalez (who I'm seeing tomorrow night, incidentally)
The Go! Team
Blackalicious
The Mess Hall
Girl Talk
Kev Carmody
Whisky Go Gos
Neville Staple's Specials

It's definately a good start! The Go! Team seem especially cool live, judging from the live audio sets i've heard. It will be awesome!

If you're keen to go your best bet is to sign up for a free account and enter the Subscriber Ticket Ballot on the official website before August 20th.

Built to Spill - Carry the Zero [buy]

The Go! Team - Patricia's Moving Picture [buy]

Kings of Leon - Fans [buy]

Mercury Nominees

The Mercury Award Nominees for 2007 have been announced!

This is a pretty prestigious award and in the past winners have included Portishead (with their album Dummy) and Antony and the Johnstons (with I am a Bird Now). You can learn more about the awards here.

The line up for this year is:

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Basquiat Strings - Basquiat Strings

Dizzee Rascal - Maths and English

Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

Maps - We Can Create

New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom

Jamie T - Panic Prevention

The View - Hats off to Buskers

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

The Young Knives- Voices of Animals and Men

I'm inclined to think Amy Winhouse will win this time round.

But I think the most worthy of the award, and easily my favourite definately have to be the two I haven't listed above:

Fionn Regan - The End of History

Fionn Regan - Black Water Child

Fionn Regan - Angler's Curse [buy]


Bat for Lashes - Fur and Gold

Bat for Lashes - Horse and I

Bat for Lashes - The Wizard [buy]


After I bought The End of History on a whim last year my love for it grew suddenly and it is still spinning on my stereo. I saw Fionn earlier this year at a small gig at the Basement in Sydney and he was amazing. This guy has a real talent for guitar plucking. Even for slow songs he manages to pick quickly away to the rhythm. And he writes strong songs too. This album is loaded with songs that work together as an album and on their own.

Which also goes for BFL. She invokes the sounds of Bjork, Tori Amos and Cat Power but still manages to instill her own unique voice. There's a nice conceptual theme running through as well. Natasha Khan (who is BFL) draws from her strict religious upbringing, where animals were sacrificed, including her pet goat. She did some travelling in Pakistan too so she seems to have adopted some of their culturalities too. In the video clip for "What's a Girl to Do" (which you can check out here) she's got this odd animal spiritual thing going on as she bikerides with people with animal masks on. And in the clip for "Prescilla" (here) seems to explore her childhood and religious upbringing a bit.

If I was to decide who got the Mercury award it would have to be one of these two remarkable people. I can't wait to see what more they have to share because these two albums also happen to be their debuts.

Soundtrack Sunday # 2

So this entry is a pretty obligatory one for Sunday but it's one of the best songs on Buffy and it closes Season 2 ("Becoming Part 2") sadly.

The story so far is this: Buffy had slept with her vampire-with-a-soul boyfriend, Angel, who, in turn, lost his soul because of the naughty sex they had. After an apocalyptic face-off Angel meets the pointy end of Buffy's sword and is sucked into hell. Buffy, who's had a falling out with her mother after a "coming out" announcement about her Slayerness, catches a Greyhound to L.A to get away from all the crazy and despairing and we're left wondering what this means for our heroine for the next season.

Sarah Mclachlan - Full of Grace [buy]

Weekend Wind-down # 2

Image of South Beach taken from this site

I've been having computer troubles lately so sorry bout the lack of postage (particularly the supposed weekly "Soundtrack Sunday" mixes which haven't been happening since the first week).

Here's another mix to wind down the week.

Liam Finn - Second Chance [buy]

I've been waiting ages for Liam Finn's debut album to come out after hearing this song on JJJ. Of course Second Chance is the best song on the album but it's a strong first step in this guy's career. Being the son of Crowded House's Neil Finn he's sure to do good work (because he has his papa's voice).

Maps - Liquid Sugar [buy]

Really been enjoying the Maps music lately. Just good electronic stuff with its own unique style.

Sea Wolf - Middle Distance Runner
Not sure where to buy but there's a "coming soon" message in the store section of Sea Wolf's website.

Sea Wolf is a lesser known and understated artist. At first listen it seems like any other fair weathered acoustic guitar strumming music. Then you notice the strings in the background, the rhythm maintained not just by the percussion but also in the way the guitar strumming acompanies it, the vocals layered in melodies and harmonies...

Laura Jean - Our Swan Song [buy}

Laura Jean hails from Melbourne and her music slowly grows on you. I was initially disappointed that the album doesn't quite seem to match the strong pop of "I'm a Rabbit I'm a Fox." But I've noticed that since I've owned this album I've found myself putting it on when I'm in a quiet mood. Not as background music but as mournful, thoughtful music. Simple Nick Drake-esk songs drawn out with soft touch style. Makes her music more timeless.

Nick Drake - Day is Done [buy]

Speaking of Nick Drake, here's the first song of his I heard and it's one of the most beautiful songs he's written. No wonder he had such an impact on the world of folk.

Loney, Dear - Sinister in a State of Hope [buy]

Similar to another artist I've mentioned in the archives, Windmill, Loney, Dear is a guy you'd find in the subpop section (in fact, you can find him on the subpop website). He can sing at a very high vocal range, easily outflanking anyone who might wanna sing along (unless you're prepared to put on your whiney singing voice). Fortunately this guy can hit the high end without sounding annoying. But what I like most about this guy is that unlike a lot of subpop which is mostly negative he pushes more for playfulness and hope in his songs.

Sia - I Go to Sleep
Not available yet to buy or preorder but this song is also available as a live version on Lady Croissant, if you'd like to buy.

Sia's finally releasing another album! She just seems to get better and better in her song writing. This song is a Pretenders song, so forgive me for mentioned her song writing abilities without actually providing an example here (however, her you can find her song "Beathe Me" in the archives here). But here she really brings the piano out in the song, which promises more keys on the album (hopefully). That said, I've heard a few other songs from the upcoming album and piano or not she's written some outstanding songs! Can't wait to get it in my hands!

Weekend Wind-down

Image of Bondi on ice taken from this site

A friend of mine at the start of July said something along the lines of "this is the worst month of the year." At first I thought that was an obscure thing to say but the last month has been a pretty hard one for myself and my friends. There's been plenty of bad news and illness to go around and it's a relief to see the month of July ploughed off and the last month of winter coming in now.
Thankfully there's plenty of quiet slow moody music to appreciate when your in a quiet slow and moody state of mind. As I bounce back from the monstrous headache I woke up with this morning I'm preparing myself for a weekend of recovery.

And I bring you a "Weekend Wind-down" mix of tunes.

Sufjan Stevens - Pittsfield [buy]

There's a reason why Sufjan Stevens is one of the biggest names on the blogosphere. Arguably my favourite artist ever. This is one of his lesser known songs but even so, you can see where his talent lies: he hits the simple melody so perfectly.

Aviator Lane - Lengthways We'll Run
Where to buy: I've seen this on sale at Red Eye Records in Sydney city but I didn't have money to buy it at the time. Not sure if you can buy it online anywhere but you can check out his official website

This guy, Michael Radzevicius, has ties with Art of Fighting and resides in Adelaide. He has played, supporting artists like Okkervil River and Dappled Cities Fly. I haven't heard much of his stuff but Lengthways is a smooth nice song. You can see the Art of Fighting influence (I think Marty Brown, of Art of Fighting, produces his music, but I'm not entirely sure cause it's been some years since I first heard this song).

Brian Campeau - Montreal

I heard this guy and this song from radio station JJJ's Unearthed website. There's a multitude of talented unknowns floating on this site and you can freely download songs they've legally allowed for your listening pleasure. The only drawback is sifting through all the music you might not like. But rest assured, you can listen before you download and add it to your itunes list.

Crowded House - Together Alone [buy]

This was a surprise gem for me. I was pretty young when I first heard Crowded House. I'm nearly 24 so it just goes to show how long their music has lasted. Anyway the point is the only album I'd owned was a best of. I recently bought a few of the albums cause they were on sale and this song really blew me away. It's not really their typical style but I think the vocals fit in really well. And, well, it reminds me of The Lion King. There, I said it. I'm sentimental. But take a listen and lemme know what you think. Would it be worthy of replacing, say, Pineapple Head, on the Recurring Dream best of album? Meanwhile, anyone else think the new album sucks?

Feist - La Meme Histoire [buy]

Thanks to Fabulist for this little number. It slowly grows on you, this track. It's not quite up there with the songs you'll find on The Reminder but when you're in the right mood it clicks well.

Midlake - Van Occupanther [buy]

This was one of my top albums last year. Somehow these Texans have taken the sound of Stills and Young and modernised it with a rocky edge. Just take a listen, it works well.

Shapes and Sizes - The Taste in My Mouth [buy]

Thanks to Open Your Eyes for opening my... ears to this song. Not sure if I like these guys or not yet. There's elements of their music I like which reminds me a little of The New Pornographers but often the experimentalism gets in the way. In this song they strip away the noise and just play. Beautiful vocals, beautiful song.

Bishop Allen - The Monitor [buy]

Pop melodies driven fast or slow, depending on the song, these guys have created an elusive sound which has caught up with me pretty quickly. Early on I didn't quite get the fnadom surrounding Bishop Allen but each song I've heard while shuffling my ipod has had me wondering "hmm, who is this?" and looking to see it's none other than the Bishops.

Modeselektor - The White Flash (feat. Thom Yorke) [buy]

I haven't heard Modeselktor before but this is one of the coolest songs spinning the blogosphere at the moment. And I can't resist Thom Yorke's vocals. Some of his best work (even better than a lot of songs on his The Eraser). This song is off an album to be released later this year. I'll have to take a closer look at these guys.

Pushing "Dead" Stories and the Crafty Musician

Bryan Fuller, who brought us the brilliant and short lived story of the "lives" of grim reapers, Dead Like Me, now brings a new perhaps more subtley and carefully worked series called Pushing Daisies.

The story is basically this: From an early age a boy named Ned learns that he has an uncanny ability to bring the dead back to life with a touch. He also learns that if he touches that reliving thing again it will return to its dead form. Interesting and very specific story, which seems random, until they throw in the clincher. At age 19 Ned learns that his first crush/first kiss girl-next-door has been murdered. Having brought her to life, and not wanting to return her to her dead state, he (and she) cannot act on the desire to touch once more, under less morbid circumstances.

And the specificity of this plot is what I think will help carry this show through and hopefully maintain a longer life than DLM. If I were to make any criticism of DLM (and I criticise with much hesitation) it's that the creators tried to bite off more than they could chew. It would have been enough to focus on the life of George and her fellow grim reapers, but there was a nagging insistence to see what was happening in the lives of George's family, post-George's mortem.

Pushing Daisies isn't particularly funny but it's very cleverly written and the actors are very charismatic. The story seems to move quite quickly too, and I noticed a quickening in the way the actors spoke (somewhat resembling the charming rambling of the characters of Gilmore Girls).

At the moment you can download the pilot episode at all good torrent websites, programs and splinter download affiliates. I'm really looking forward to the next episode. I didn't mention before but Ned also investigates the way in which people died by bringing them back to life for a minute to ask them who their murderer is etc. It's going to be fun to see what directions Fuller takes these characters in.

Check out the extended preview for Pushing Daisies


Meanwhile, I was doing some music shopping on the weekend and I noticed a cd cover with reviews making obligatory comparisons to Elliott Smith and Led Zeppelin when I noticed the name, not of the artist but the title, Silver and Fire. Then I looked again at the artist's name which I'd skimmed: Martin Craft. Finally it hit me: Long Time Listener had finally released M Craft's album in Australia! This is a man whose music found me last year while I was trawling many a blog. And I can say the comparisons with Elliott Smith and Zeppelin are not entirely drawn outside the lines. His voice suits the style well and if nothing else you can't help but appreciate the variety of songs on the album. We're talking groove funk jams like "You are the Music" and "Sweets" down to lo-fi softly sung reflections like "Teardrop Tattoo" and pop gems like "Love Knows How to Fight."

I don't know a whole lot about Martin Craft except that he likes to write music about loneliness and coupledom. He is from Australia and was once part of a group called Sidewinder whose music I never heard. He now resides in London and is a talented musician.

Martin Craft - The Soldier

Martin Craft - Solitaire [buy]

You can hear more of Martin Craft's music at his myspace page

And his err, other myspace

And you can hear "Love Knows How to Fight" at Long Time Listener's myspace page

Bonus new tracks available at The Daily Growl's blog

A Galaxy of Planets but no Home

I finished watching season 3 of Battlestar Galactica last week. It was a pretty strong finish as it sets things up for the fourth and final season of the smartly written, fast-paced series.

I'm not normally a big fan of scifi. I'd watched Firefly (and the film Serenity) because Joss Whedon had his creative hand over it (and of course, since he'd created my favourtie series Buffy I couldn't turn away from it). That was probably the first time I really loved a full on scifi show. I'd liked The XFiles too but though it is classified scifi it wasn't quite as full-blown as Star Trek and scifi series set in space.

I had no intention of watching BSG but all these different friends of mine kept recommending it or talking excitedly about it. And when I say "different friends" I mean different kinds of people friends. Those who watch every bit of scifi they can, those who don't watch any, those who like fun flighty television, and those who prefer sophisticated exploration of timeless and relevantly timely themes. (Also, Joss Whedon has given it his five-by-five review). So I figured I'd at least try it out and watched the miniseries (which kicks off the whole thing). Pretty good viewing, not mind-blowing. However it was good enough for me to continue watching and by the time I was halfway through season 1 I decided this was the best series currently on the box.

The premise is, to a degree, unique enough (given this is a remake). Essentially the history of the show is that war was waged between humans and robots (called Cylons) they'd created to help the colonies of humankind with their lives on 12 Earth-like planets, in a galaxy far far away (presumably). There was a settlement between human and cylon and the cylons left to find something more for themselves. Many years later they return to upset the peaceful conditions the humans are living in (and, well, eliminate them). And now the cylons can look "and feel" human (a concept that pays off unendingly, and which the original series' creators didn't think to incorporate).


What keeps me watching though is the strong writing that emerges after the miniseries, the character development, and the numerous directions each development in the show take us in. On top of that this is perhaps the most politicially relevant series screening at the moment. The writers don't pigeonhole the leaders that come in to power over the course of the three seasons. Each of them reveal dark sides, but they also prove their strengths. The conflict between controversially elected President Roslin and warship Battlestar Galactica's Commanding Officer Adama allows for the writers to really nut out the complexities behind political leaders.

I won't give away what's happened by the end of season 3 but looking back it's amazing to see how far it's come in so few seasons. Although season 4 will be its last it's sure to take the series in yet more surprising places.


I haven't gotten as into the music on BSG as some have. But I quite liked the piano song that was played in an episode called "Valley of Darkness" where Starbuck puts on a recording of what is supposedly her father's work.
It is actually a Philip Glass song (which explains why I like it). But it's also nice to see moments where the characters' pasts are brought up. They're not often discussed because the slate has been wiped clean, so to speak. But when we learn something about someone's past it usually explains a LOT.

Philip Glass - Metamorphosis Five [buy]

View the teaser trailer for the upcoming telemovie, "Razor," which focuses on the Pegasus ship

The official BSG website

Drawing Covers

Sorry for the lack of posting the last week. I've been writhing in cold sweats and breathing through a congested nose.

If you haven't heard of Gotye you're missing out big time! This guy has crept his way into my subconscious mind over the years, through his eptness at exploring a multitude of moods and rhythms through his experimental music.

"Out Here in the Cold" first caught my ears' attention, not just because of the way this Melbourne musician, Wally DeBacker, skips easily between a mood of wintery melancholic isolation and fearful tragedy - But also because the man knows how to mix his vocals, just as much a he knows how to mix his samples and instrumentation. So he's one up on obvious popular "mixers" like Moby.

Since then the upbeat 50's danceanthem "Learnalilgivinanlovin" and the soulful "Heart's a Mess" have really put Gotye on the radio-map.

A remix of a bunch of his best songs have been released on a new album called Mixed Blood. If nothing else this shows just how well respected Gotye is in the music community.
There are some outstanding variations of his songs by artists including Karnivool, Inga Liljestrom, Infusion, Velure and Joe Hardy.

Some songs have heavy dance beats woven through. Others, which I tend to favour more, offer reperformed or cover versions of the songs. Liljestrom's noiresque take on "Coming Back" pays off handsomely. And amidst the three remixes and covers of "Heart's a Mess" (easily the most well received song Gotye has written) my favourite is the stripped back soundscape take by Joe Hardy.

But what I'm most excited to hear is the final track on the album covered by another group who seem to be sneaking up on me with their lush melodies, Fourth Floor Collapse. They cover "Worn Out Blues," which Gotye failed to do justice to when he gave it only 38 seconds of playtime to close his album. That had always bugged me because it is probably the saddest and most beautifully written piece of music on the album and we only get what feels like a sample.

Fourth Floor Collapse have kindly extended the song to 3 minutes and have written in a bit more. I noticed in the album credits it says "All songs written by Gotye except "Worn Out" written by Gotye and Fourth Floor Collapse." The best covers are ones where artists take someone else's song and make it sound like one of their own. FFC have succeeded not only in doing this but in taking "Worn Out Blues" to the next level.

Gotye - Worn Out Blues

Fourth Floor Collapse - Worn Out

You can buy Gotye's music from his website


Meanwhile, I'm one of the few who haven't jumped on the Harry Potter bandwagon and I wasn't all that excited about the release of Rowling's latest installment last Saturday. However I am a little envious of those who are a part of what seems to be a rare thing in the modern age - people anticipating a book's release. Doesn't happen too often and it's nice to see people amped about the release of a book for once, rather than the latest generation of ipod. Don't get me wrong, I love all that materialistic junk too but good novels seem few and far between and the ones that are written well and tell a unique story deserve to be read by many.
So I've started reading "The Philosopher's Stone" and plan to continue right to the end before the next Potter film comes out.

Soundtrack Sunday

Hopefully a series I can continue each Sunday, wherein I share some of my favourite music from my favourite films, television etc.


Magnolia is one of those somewhat pretentious films where separate lives culminate in one big supposedly profound conclusion. PT Anderson does a good job of it, though. I didn't find the end particularly profound, simply quirky. What I particularly liked about this film was the way the characters' emotions were displayed so realistically and affectingly. Due credit also goes to the cast for their phenomenal performances (though these are all known established actors so there's little surprise there). What really tied the characters emotions together was the soundtrack. At one point, in their darkest hour, the characters all sit alone and sing along to Aimee Mann's "Wise Up." Though I think the strongest song in the soundtrack is probably "Save Me," "Wise Up" is used constructively at the moment of Epiphany or realisation for each struggling character.

Aimee Mann - Wise Up [buy]


Jon Brion also contributed to the score music for Magnolia. This guy really gets around. He did a strong composition for Punch-Drunk Love. In this, another PT Anderson film, a simple love story is told in a peculiar and unique way. Kudos to Adam Sandler who shows he can play serious roles and isn't half as annoying when he does. What stands out with this soundtrack is its understatedness. Brion doesn't overload his scores with a multitude of sound, he tends to rotate around one or two tunes that crop up throughout the film. This isn't particularly new for a scorist, but Brion has a knack for conceptualising the core intentions of the director and enhancing them. I love the way he uses the song "He Needs Me," which is a song Olive sings to her love, Popeye in the original series, to represent the cutesiness of the relationship focussed on from beginning to end. But my favourite song is the climactic "Here We Go," which hints at the adrenalin rush one gets when a relationship is blossoming.

Jon Brion - Here We Go [buy]


I'll continue on with Jon Brion's influence, since his work is so prevalent in the world of soundtracks. In what was my favourite film of 2004, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind director Michel Gondry focuses on the life of a man grappling with the break up from his girlfriend. When she fails to recognise him one day and he learns she has gone to a special clinic and erased her memories of him, he determines to do the same. What we see is the memories as they're being erased. The beauty of this film is that even though this is classed by some as a "romantic comedy" it's not just about the translucency of "couple" relationships but all. In an exploration of the strength and fragility of relationships and their vulnerability to human behaviour, Gondry really excites the audience to "fight" for the maintenance of the characters' memories, and reveals the utter destruction beyond the decision to erase memories to ease the pain.
These two songs (one a score piece from Brion that crops up throughout the film, the other a remarkable cover by Beck) are my favourite pieces from the film. I particularly like the clarity given in the lyrics for "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime."

Jon Brion - Peer Pressure
Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime [buy]


Somersault wasn't the best film I'd ever seen. Directed by an Australian, Cate Shortland, we watch as a girl runs away from home and struggles with the tumultuous loneliness brought on oneself through selfdestructive behaviour. It's ultimately about the need for others' forgiveness, even if you've buried yourself under guilt and grief. Actually, I don't know if this was intended by the director and if it had've been about this at the core I probably would have enjoyed it more.
My main problem with this film was that at times I felt it was boring and pretentious. However, Shortland chose the scenery and music well and it pays off watching this film just to see the beautiful Blue Mountains. The sad soft soundtrack caters to the beauty embedded in the film.

Decoder Ring - Somersault [buy]


Of course I can't leave you on such a depressing note. My favourite film of all time is Donnie Darko. I'm not entirely sure what it's about, other than to perhaps say it's one of the most unique films I've ever seen. It's funny, sad, scary, exciting... It's about time travel, growing up, fate, the contradiction of life... And well, in saying that I still haven't done it justice. But for some reason (and I'm sure there is a reason if you pick away at the film) the film is set in the 80s so we get a soundtrack of songs that have lasted through the 80s and can still be appreciated now. And no, this doesn't include Ciny Lauper (whose songs should only really be played at 80s dance parties). Tears for Fears seem to sit perfectly in this film. We have the popular cover of their song "Mad World," performed by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules. But I also really, for the first time, got into the song "Head over Heels."

Tears for Fears - Head over Heels [buy]

Sing us a song

There seems to be plenty more guitarists than piano players in the world. Which makes sense because although I've played neither, I've heard the piano is a good deal more difficult to play. But all that work pays off I think. Nothing sounds better than a simple piano melody.
Don't get me wrong, I like to hear good strumming and plucking of the guitar too but it really touches something deep to hear the keys of a piano delicately, or sometimes ferociously, tapped.

Some well-known artists have showed just how beautiful the piano can sound. Ben Folds, Sarah McLachlan, and Regina Spektor are only a minute example.
But there's a fair few more out there.


Menomena might not be known for their piano playing, per se. They're an indie group who experiment with electric beats, guitar hooks, even their vocals vary from track to track because all three members share this role. However amongst their experimental sound piano riffs often standout, proving they're not just in it for fun (though there's that too). They know how to pick up on the strength of a simple piano line.

Menomena - Rose [buy]

This is easily my favourite Menomena song. I'm not sure what it's about but the piano riff is beautiful. Especially with the complementary singing.


The Cinematic Orchestra have hit their stride just only this year really. The first I heard of them was on a compilation of Radiohead covers songs, called Exit Music. The name of this band says it all. The instruments involved include saxaphone, drums, bass, guitar, trumpet and piano. Usually they go for a Jazz Fusion sound, which isn't really my kind of music. But this beautiful tune, which has lately been one of the most popular songs on the blogosphere, caught my attention.

The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home [buy]

And although I'd heard one or two of his songs on tv series Grey's Anatomy it also forced me to recognise the brilliance of Patrick Watson (who contributed to "To Build a Home").

This guy is a born pianist. The song below shows how skilled he really is. I'm no professional (far from it and way down the list of amateurs) but I figure you must be particularly well trained to play the piano the way he does for this song. The vocals and the guitar, all other elements to the song seem to follow on from the piano line.

Patrick Watson - Drifters [buy]


Windmill is Matthew Thomas Dillon, who is fairly new to the scene and from the sound he certainly seems to stem from the world of subpop. He sings much the way Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) does. A slight unhinging in his voice that might make you cringe if the vulnerability in the voice wasn't so compelling. This has radio friendly pop appeal and though I think it'll be a slow burner I can see great reception of this guy.

Windmill - Tilting Trains [buy]


Another indie pop group, the Annuals have slowly grown on me. I heard "Brother" and I liked the subtle way the song's tune just snuck up on me. I'd been listening to it for a while, not noticing who it was; it was background music because unlike most pop it didn't leap out at me. But later I found myself humming the song and wondering who it was before my ipod found it for me on random.
Then when I was in New York late last year I found their album on sale (because the cover was slightly damaged) and I bought it. I didn't really listen to it for ages but again over time it has subverted my initial reaction to their music. And I've noticed other bloggers have been saying the same, pulling the Annuals album "Be He Me" out of their collection and listening to it and realising these guys have quietly sat themselves down next to the likes of Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene.
Piano doesn't feature much on their album but in this song, "Father," the piano just elevates it that little bit extra.

The Annuals - Father [buy]


Going solo Emily Haines, of Broken Social Scene, has released her own works. People who listen to Aimee Mann might be familiar with the direction Haines is coming from. Her voice tilters towards sounding languid and depressed but instead of leading her songs with her voice she seems to rely on her instruments more. When she does this with the piano it lifts her game really well and allows her to pull off a concerned, maybe even a bit sarcastic, tone, without sounding boring.
If Aimee Mann could take a page from this woman's book she'd be once more writing songs as good as the singles she did for the Magnolia soundtrack.
For now I'm happy to play Haines when the mood strikes.

Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - Our Hell [buy]


Another beautiful songstress, Sia (Furler) has gone from an overproduced r 'n b sound to a more refined sultry sunny sunday afternoon melancholic mood. Born in Adelaide and now living in the UK this woman's voice and soft touch has helped her find her way to working with Zero 7.
However no song quite sets her apart from everyone else as "Breathe Me." A lot of people finally recognised this gorgeous and sad song when it was played in full in the closing scene of series Six Feet Under. Not much is done with piano here but the melody never sounds repetitive.

Sia - Breathe Me [buy]


And I'll leave you with a well respected artist, Antony Hegarty, who leads Antony and Johnsons. His voice is quite strange and elusive. Not quite male, not quite female. But this just allows him a great vocal range so it doesn't turn me off his music in the least. And he knows how to utilise the instruments around him.
This piano-heavy, guitar accompanied song shows what he can do with ease.

Antony and the Johnsons - The Lake [buy]




I really love Menomena's music videos. Check some of them out via youtube:

Rotten Hell

Cough Coughing

Wet and Rusting