A Has Been that Never Was

Gone gone gone

2009-07-04T08:23:00.004+09:30

Thanks to blogger's repetitive deletion of my posts without notification or warning I have now moved to greener pastures!
Follow me here

http://ahasbeenthatneverwas.wordpress.com

A Ratatat on Your Door

2009-05-04T10:02:00.005+09:30

Peter Rosewarne

New York’s experimental electronic duo RATATAT are not new. Establishing themselves firmly in the music scene for the last nine years, Ratatat have built a rapport and toured with the likes of Interpol, Björk, Daft Punk and Cansei de Ser Sexy. They’ve released three albums and an array of reputable remixes (check out how much they amplify the energy of Björk’s Wanderlust).

Every time they release something they take a progressive step forward. Last year’s release LP3 saw them move beyond the synthesizer and guitar and introduce instruments like organs, harpsichords and even a mellotron. This playful process is something Ratatat plan to continue, as Evan Mast, the producer and synthesizer-playing side of the duo explains. “There are a lot of instruments I’d still like to use. I like to get really unfamiliar stuff around because when you’ve centred on guitar and keyboard for so long you’ve developed all these habits. Picking up an instrument that I have no idea how to play forces me to think differently about melodies and chords.”

The focus on playing around with different instruments may stem from the simple fact that Ratatat are an instrumental band. Though initially Evan had attempted to write songs with vocals he found that he and bandmate Mike Stroud were more comfortable with the instrumental. Given their love of remixing, particularly hip hop, would they ever consider guest vocals on future albums?

“I’m interested in working with rappers and vocalists,” Evan reveals, “but I think probably not on our own records. I don’t want to be one of those producer bands that just add a different guest on every song. I would find that style of compilation album pretty uninteresting.” Ratatat won’t shy away from collaborations though, and have recently played live sets with rapper, Despot.

Ratatat’s success sees them touring a LOT over the next few months in numerous venues across the United States, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. “[The tour to Australia is] going to be different than the last couple of trips,” Evan considers. “We’re playing these regional shows and festivals outside the major cities. Every time we’ve been there it’s always just been for the major cities. We’re also going to have a couple of days off. Usually it’s show, show, show and we don’t get any time off. I’ve heard so much about the beaches and the Great Barrier Reef.”

While Ratatat love the, er, liveliness of performing live, Evan admits they have a propensity for the studio. “Generally we prefer recording and writing to touring. They’re both fun and completely different experiences but the feeling of creating something new from the ground up, that’s my favourite thing about music.”

With their fourth album on the way Ratatat’s future is as promising as the past has been and while they continue broadening their musical horizon, the positive response to their live act continues to mount. Despite his preference for the studio Evan’s excitement from one of his first big events is undeniable. “I never went to any festivals growing up. The first big festival we played was Coachella. That was awesome cause we’d never been in an environment like that. Everything was coming together at one time. There was this massive audience; it was a really good response! It was a good day…”

Ratatat will be performing at ANU Bar on Sunday May 10 supported by Regurgitator’s Quan. Tickets for this 18+ event are available through Oztix at www.oztix.com.au

Björk - Wanderlust (Ratatat Remix)

Ratatat - Imperials

Un-Origin-al: Wolverine

2009-05-03T21:11:00.007+09:30

***Spoiler Alert***

It can easily be said that the X-Men franchise is worth a good flogging. Over many years the comics have seen changing writers for the better and the worse. It wasn’t going to be long before someone made a film or three about it; Bryan Singer did a fine job of the first two, and even Brett Ratner’s dependence on direction over dialogue took the characters in new directions in the third.

So what character development can we expect when watching X-Men Origins – Wolverine? The highest expectation I had was none and I was still disappointed. Director Gavin Hood manages to not only bore us with predictable and clichéd scenes (check out the lovely old couple on the farm helping Wolverine “discover himself” by making sweeping assumptions in less than a few minutes) but he also ignores character histories patiently strengthened over the years. Apart from Wolverine’s obvious and overplayed interest in his boring wife/fiancé/who cares, you’ll find yourself wondering what each character’s motivation is, if you are interested enough to consider it (which is unlikely). Why, for example, does Sabertooth keep switching between siding with the “baddies” and siding with Wolverine? The only answer I can come up with is that it’s more convenient that way. Just when Wolverine’s chips are down fighting Deadpool, Sabertooth jumps in to help, when only minutes earlier he was trying to kill Wolverine’s love interest.

Hood manipulates the characters and the “story” to tailor the fight scenes (which are the only highlight of the film). He wants a scene with Wolverine and Sabertooth fighting side by side (seemingly somewhat reconciled but maybe not and who cares because we’re all confused) so he does it without stopping to consider why.
I suspect that for Hood directing is like playing a game of Sims. He’s not interested in how characters make their choices but in what they can do. And even then his mind has its limitations with many of the characters displaying one-trick pony blows.

Wolverine at times is so bad, in fact, that it is almost laughable. The film opens with a predictable “Noooo!!!” scene and is later closed off hastily with a sickly paedophilic-looking Dr Xavier loading trusting mutant kids (including a ditzy carefree Emma Frost) aboard his ship, which has appeared out of nowhere for no reason for the first time.

The sloppy film adds no insight into the comic series, nor does it promote the epic mythology which has grown since the comics began. This is a figurine movie. It looks pretty; there are some “awesome” action scenes and cameos from just about every X-Men character ever that you know, none of which contribute to Wolverine’s actual past. Hood’s unfocussed and lazy approach might get him more dollars thanks to apt marketing but this film serves no purpose to the past, present or future of X-Men.

If you’d like to see some proper character, plot and story development I highly recommend the Astonishing X-Men comics written by Joss Whedon (and now collected in book form).
Unlike Hood, Whedon selects only characters which serve a purpose to the story and develops them by pushing them to their limits. Of particular interest is his focus on Kitty Pryde whose seemingly simple ability to walk through walls is given a much broader level of importance. And the lines are witty and character focussed.

While it might not be fair to compare these X-Men stories across two different mediums I would sooner recommend time spent reading comics with substance and humour than watching a dull pointless film.
Check out the Astonishing X-Men series and avoid Wolverine unless you’re hoping to see some special effects.

Daniel

2009-04-04T00:11:00.001+10:30

Bat For Lashes - Daniel (HD) from Peter Pan on Vimeo.

Mercy Arms Shine a Light

2009-03-25T21:36:00.007+10:30

Who are Mercy Arms? Often I’ll discover a new band or musician through their association with musicians I already love. Menomena turned me onto The National. The Twelves turned me onto Zeigeist. Mercy Arms have toured with the likes of Cut Copy, Editors, and have recorded with Dave Sitek (of the ever-awesome TV on the Radio).

This understated band has been quietly making a name for themselves, hailing from Sydney. At first listen they may remind you of Skeleton Jar Youth Group or Sparkadia. But there’s something bolder about Mercy Arms. In walking a fine line between ambitious rock and patient romantic melodies, Mercy Arms produce a debut full of variety.
In particular there is, at times, a careless throw-away with the use of vocals which reminds me, surprisingly, of The Pixies. This may be why Mercy Arms have toured with The Pixies themselves.

Funnily enough between the days of The Pixies and Mercy Arms lies Radiohead and their musician-followers. One of my favourite bands of all time, Radiohead look fondly on The Pixies but have become more accessible due to (I believe) their melodic vocal arrangement and experimenting with electronica.

Mercy Arms sputter their romantic chivalry with more reverence for the guitar solos than the vocals and it works. While they’re clearly more than capable of managing melodic catchy pop in songs like “Footsteps” and “To Me now,” it is the cacophonous confidence of “Shine a Light Down” (which sounds a lot like old Living End) which lends a forgotten ear to the rebels and poets that preceded musician fans of Radiohead.
The outstanding song here is “Caroline” which looks to The Pixies for influence, and draws the listener back to the ninties when rock momentarily flourished before being snuffed out by acoustic electronica.

Mercy Arms may very well keep a lot of the current popsters from forgetting their roots’ roots.

Mercy Arms - Caroline
Buy their debut album

Mercy Arms - Kept Low (Cut Copy Remix)

Weekend Winddown 8

2009-03-23T20:28:00.011+10:30

REPOSTED minus the leaked (?) music!
I've learned to save my posts elsewhere since blogger started their tyranny of removing posts.
So I've actually lost track of what's truly leaked and what is released (because Australia is VERY behind when it comes to international musician's disc album releases (if they ever are) for bands like Mason Proper. Since I'm never told which links are the problems I can only make assumptions. I have reposted the Pooma song and the Grizzly Bear remix.
I'm here to promote music so I give you my list without most of the links (which sadly, limits the reader to descriptions only). May you discover the sounds through the many channels available!
Stay tuned, this frustrated blogger will be moving to wordpress soon.

Night’s falling…

The morning air is crisp and noticeably darker, getting out of bed is getting harder and people will soon be going into hibernation.

Andrew Bird – Take Courage

Wow, what a stand-out bonus song! And this missed the cut? Apart from the arrangement this song sounds a lot like it’s being played by DeVotchka. The lyrics are pretty too: “Night’s falling, so take courage that you’re not alone.” Aww, you can keep me company, skinny man.

Loney, Dear – I was Only Going Out

I’ve liked Loney, Dear (aka Emil Svanängen) for some time but I’ve always felt like I needed to be in the right mood for him. He’s great, he’s nice and indie and sad and all without being emo.
But there’s something in his voice that, at least on Loney, Noir, would have me abruptly turning the album off halfway through and saying aloud “okay, that’s enough…”
This time his voice comes across more smoothly and softly. And he lets the instrumentation lead the tunes a little more this time round. Mostly, he just sounds less like Kermit the Frog.

And if I’ve turned you off him just listen and then you’ll know what I mean. You can’t always put your finger on it but there’s something irresistible about Emil’s style.

Mason Proper – Safe for the Time Being

I found this gem through a blog which compared it with another song I love by Sufjan Stevens. Figuring this blogger has good taste I decided to check it out.

The start of the song was a bit warped for my liking but as it continues it becomes a message of solemn dread, delivered with a beautiful guitar riff made more prominent towards the end.
This too was before I realised Mason Proper are amazing!

Entire Cities – The Woods

I can’t wait to get my hands on more music by these guys! They remind me of Third Eye Blind a lot (during that one album when they were good).
It could be the lead male singer, Simon Borer’s voice; it’s heavy and gruff but can carry a tune. Generally speaking, Entire Cities seem to do long forgotten 90’s rock.

In this case, “The Woods” is an awkward piano ballad. I say awkward because of the vocals, not the piano (the minimalist approach is heartbreaking). When Simon sings this one he’s not the high school boy suffering his first break-up, lighting a cigarette under a bridge and thinking about his innocence, he’s the blubbering, broken man yelling out in despair and anger.
Whether or not it’s intended that way doesn’t really matter, it sounds unique.

Doves – Kingdom of Rust

Doves are back! And I don’t mean back from their last album (which was okay, but at times mediocre), I mean back-back! From their older stuff! This is exciting news!

Okay, so I’ve only heard two songs from it so far. The first released, “Jetstream,” could’ve easily slipped in between “Firesuite” and “Here it Comes” on their debut album.
This song is comparable to the sound of The Last Broadcast, more specifically to songs like “Pounding” and “Last Broadcast.” They’re one of the few bands who know how to get an anthemic song right.
New album out April 6!

Grizzly Bear – Don’t Ask (Final Fantasy Remix)
Buy

Admittedly when I bought Horn of Plenty I wasn’t sure I’d like Grizzly Bear. I had bought the album on a whim (honestly, I think it was because I liked the name and album artwork) and the experimental noise treads heavily from the opening track till close.
But listen to it all the way through, not fast-forwarding, not hoping to catch an ear-catching pop melody from the outset and you’ll hear something long-lasting.
After buying this album I was pleasantly surprised to see a bonus remix disc with a number of reputable up-and-comers, including the likes of Efterklang and Dntel, working the Bear’s songs to their fashion.

These musicians might now envy the growing popularity of Grizzly Bear as they have drawn the curtains back in preparing more accessible songs. That’s not to say they don’t experiment. The new album, Veckatimest, hyped already long before its cd release date, showcases the vocal arrangements these guys seem to have hidden.
I have heard the new album, I love the new album, but I am now waiting for the cd version because the richness of their sound doesn’t come through in the leaked copy. It’s always nice to hear Grizzly Bear’s songs (even in poor quality) but given the fact that their music is laced with subtle delights, I happily endorse the act of waiting for cd release this time round.
For now I give you my all-time favourite Grizzly Bear remixed song, “Don’t Ask.” Owen Pallett knows how to make things even more pretty!

Pooma – Through the Calm
Check em out

Amazing how overlooked this Helsinki band are. Comparisons to Sigur Rós and Múm are fair but there’s a dark grittiness that sets them apart from the rest.
Gunnar Örn Tynes of the icelandic band Múm produced and partly mixed the album, Persuader, and wow does he do a good job! Like a shoegaze Portishead by way of Inga Liljestrom.

I could easily see this album becoming the soundtrack to a dark fantasy film directed by Malter Murch.

Röyksopp - You Don't Have a Clue

I only really stopped to listen to this band recently and I’m glad I did. The new album, Junior, has been lauded as their best yet, combining the fun and daring dance beats of their older stuff with the melancholic recent.

This song is the "What Else is There?" of Junior.

What Else Is There? from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

BACARDI EXPRESS 2009 GIVEAWAY!

2009-03-11T22:04:00.012+10:30

A winner has been drawn! Enjoy the show, Matt!

A few weeks ago I posted about Groove Armada’s trip to Australia, visiting Melbourne, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong and Sydney from 26 – 28 March.

Thanks to BACARDI and Peer Group Media I have one double pass giveaway to the Sydney concert for BACARDI EXPRESS 2009! This will be held at the Big Top at Luna Park on 28 March.
Fronted by Groove Armada, the lucky winner will also see Bluejuice, Lost Valentinos, Van She, Beardyman and Hoop DJs.

Simply email me at ahasbeenthatneverwas@gmail.com with the correct answer to this question:

What is the name of the Groove Armada song which Brazilian band The Twelves remixed?

By entering this competition you agree with the terms and conditions listed below.

Don’t forget if you miss out on these free tickets you can still enter the ballot on their website to get free passes.

Terms and conditions:

The winner will be notified via email response. This competition requires you to answer the question correctly.
Participants must be over 18 to enter and attend BACARDI EXPRESS 2009.
Tickets are valued at $80. Tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the winner of the tickets.

Weekend Winddown 7

2009-01-29T15:34:00.011+10:30

With the summer sun scorching the skins of many Australians, particularly Aderlaidians (who are sufferring 45 degree (celcius) heat) it's hard to sleep, relax and wind down. The music I offer up today will not likely help with this but it may provide emotional support when you reach breaking point.

I strongly suggest regular visits to your local beach, pool, air conditioned venue or mall, or if you prefer to avoid the crowds, a cold shower.

Nitin Sawhney - Days of Fire [buy]

Nitin Sawhney has been a favourite of mine for a while. His experimental world-sound albums tap into an often neglected rhythm and passion developed with a number of unique musicians.
The gruff voice of Natty, reminiscent of Michael Franti, might at first make you feel like the song is already ruined. But as the instruments are introduced Natty proves himself a phenomenal singer with a broad vocal range. "Days of Fire" acts as a Phoenix emerging from the flames; with lyrical imagery sharing Natty's testimony of a London bus bombing in 2005.

Alela Diane - White as Diamonds [buy]

It seems Alela Diane is made for these mixes.
The Californian songstress has "upgraded" her music somewhat for her upcoming album, To Be Still, introducing more strings and a bit more of a production beat. Some haven't been too excited to hear this but I think it's a step in the right direction. Alela steps up to the plate without compromising her musical integrity.

Geoff Ereth - Surefooted

If you've been waiting TOO long for new Sufjan Stevens it's probably best to give up, like me, and see what else is on offer out there. While maintaining his own unique style, and revealing great ambition, Geoff Ereth can fill this experimental-folk-hole.

M83 - Skin of the Night [buy]

M83's Saturdays = Youth was one of the most popularly blogged albums released last year. It took me a while to understand why and some songs miss the mark. But when they hit their target, wow does it sound amazing!
"Skin of the Night" showcases not only the heavy influence from the 80's they're known for, but also demonstrates their ability to manage their vocal talent.

Passion Pit - I've Got Your Number [buy]

Passion Pit may never reach the height of success they deserve. While reminding me a lot of Phoenix the lead singer's (at times) screaming voice can contradict the slow dance pop they're producing. But they write good songs and they play them well. And I think if you can do those two things, the rest is gravy goodness.

Twiggy Frostbite - Heroes

Twiggy Frostbite are as cute as their name, but they are also yet to truly impress. When visiting their myspace to hear more, none of the songs quite strike me the way "Heroes" does. This exception sounds a lot like múm's "Green Grass of Tunnel" but rounds out the child-like innocence more than its counterpart.

Cocoon - Seesaw [buy]

I heard Cocoon a while ago and have never gotten over their very underrated album, My Friends all Died in a Plane Crash. Contrary to the title of the album these guys are not the least bit emo. Better put, they are ACTUALLY emotional. The tried-and-true male and female vocals, combined with guitar and horns or strings, reminds us that you don't have to try new production methods to come up with unique, yet simply good music.

Firekites - Autumn Story [buy]

Firekites sound much like Autumn Leaf: quiet, melodic, at times instrumental, always quite beautiful.

The Notwist - Boneless [buy]

I first heard The Notwist when watching music videos late one night. The song "Pick Up the Phone" came on and I was mesmerised and sadened by the music and a little bear dealing with what looks like a break-up; poor kid. Neon Golden was a beautiful album which I knew they could never top or even match. Their last album, The Devil, You + Me doesn't really try to, which is why I like it well enough. Though it's not quite as symphonic as Neon, it's a solid effort and just as experimental.
"Boneless" has some nice piano work from go to whoa.

Little Dragon - Twice [buy]

I haven't heard enough of Little Dragon but "Twice" is a slow piano-driven piece which reminds me a lot of Massive Attack's "Teardrop."
Not sure how it got so overlooked, except that I guess this band are still asserting their musical prowess. Singer Nagano and drummer Bodin have both worked with José González which not only illustrates their involvement in the music "scene" but should also allow them to gain a little more recognition.

Now I just need a beach to cool down by...

The Triple J Hottest 100 of 2008

2009-01-27T20:04:00.006+10:30

There are a number of "best of" lists of songs each year; Rolling Stone's, Pitchfork's etc.
I believe some of the most accurate lists involve votes from the general public. While it's nice to know what the critics think, it's often our friends driving the car we're in, or whose place we're having a party at who decide what the "best" new music is.

Stereogum's Gummy Awards provide a list of "best albums" among other things, as voted by bloggers and readers of blogs alike.
However, as far as I know, it is only Triple J who ask the public to vote for ten of their favourite songs of the year and compile a Hottest 100 list played on Australia Day (26 January). To see the full list click on the highlighted "Triple J."
The top ten of 2008 are:

10. Drapht - Jimmy Recard

9. The Ting Tings - That's not my Name

8. The Presets - This Boy's in Love

7. Pez (feat. 360 and Hailey Cramer) - The Festival Song

6. The Presets - Talk Like That

5. MGMT - Kids

4. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream

3. Kings of Leon - Use Somebody

2. MGMT - Electric Feel

1. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire

Certainly not my top ten of 2008 but that's the beauty of the Hottest 100; it's only biased by things like media release, advertising and what songs voters have had exposure to. It's still a compilation of "best ofs" as determined by the general public.
And so, whether I yell in protest or cheer in surprise, every year I look forward to the Hottest 100.
I wonder what 2009 will bring.

Get on Board

2009-01-26T08:03:00.008+10:30

Aussie supporting acts for BACARDI EXPRESS 2009 outside Luna Park

For the first time a label is teaming up with a band to bring music to the people.
Groove Armada and alcohol company, BACARDI, are collaborating with a number of our home-growns to play an enhanced DJ set, BACARDI EXPRESS 2009.

I’m not quite sure how it works but it sounds like they travel the country aboard an old train, visiting Melbourne, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong and Sydney, from 26 – 28 March.
A similar project has been travelling the world and has seen Miami, Mexico, Athens and Brazil. Fortunately for Brazilians one of my favourite bands, The Twelves, performed for their home country.

Along with Groove Armada, Australians will get to see British India, Bluejuice, Lost Valentinos and another favourite of mine, Van She.
I haven’t heard of Beardyman and Hoop DJs but they sound fun too (with the former a beatboxer, and the latter a trio of ladies playing club-worthy sets).

Groove Armada have built up a solid reputation over the years, garnering support from musicians like Neneh Cherry and Sophie Barker, and splaying the night sky with lasers at their live performances.
It will be exciting to see how this whole label endeavour carries across to our golden shores.

For more details and to find out how you can get your hot hands on tickets to the event visit their website.

Groove Armada - Drop the Tough (The Twelves B-Live remix)

Van She - Virgin Suicide

A New World of Vigilantes

2009-01-19T20:51:00.012+10:30

Illustration by Mark Eastwood. More of his works can be viewed here.

Many years after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre people still wonder exactly what a “terrorist” is and what might motivate them to kamikaze-style destroy two buildings filled with people.
Horrible war-related murders happen every day and we don’t always know the full extent of it. However, this iconic moment has burned itself into the world's memory, and the date 9/11 now has a meaning it didn’t have before. As does the word “terrorist,” which successfully demonises those responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Since then it seems a number of films, television series, comics etc have explored, specifically, the vigilante. Of interest is the idea that this vigilante is portrayed as something of a terrorist; both seek justice by violently and summarily terrorising their opponent without recourse to lawful procedures.

Recently the hugely successful (and deservedly so) The Dark Knight sees one of Batman’s nemeses, the Joker, menacing Gotham city. He doesn’t wreak havoc because he wants money, or because he hates Batman and everything he stands for (The Joker perceivably has a sort of childhood friend-love for Batman). The Joker tears the city apart for the thrill of it.
It is the representation of Batman however, that adds weight to the debate on what makes someone a terrorist. While the immediate “terrorist” of the film is the Joker, over the course of the film Batman himself is gradually perceived by Gotham city as a terrorist. We learn towards the end that the White Knight of Gotham, Harvey Dent, has been corrupted by the Joker, murdering many of his colleagues he believes are responsible for his fiancé’s death.
In the end instead of revealing Harvey Dent as the man behind these crimes, however, Batman decides that what Harvey represented (a hero, an advocate of the law) was more important to the city than the truth. He decides to let Gotham’s inhabitants believe that he himself is the one behind the murders.
This is seen as a bold political but heroic move by Batman. He trades the benefits of being seen as a hero in order to continue protecting the city (preventing any further corruption (expected if the public were to discover Harvey’s failings)). In this way the terrorist is suddenly seen in a different light. Who the terrorist is in the piece is no longer important; what the figure represents can have a greater impact on the population.
As such Batman, often considered a vigilante, is conveyed to Gotham city as a terrorist. He becomes the figure who is terrorising Gotham city; the scapegoat to be chased.

The Dark Knight is not the only fictional work to portray a vigilante “terrorising” those he means to protect.
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ critically acclaimed and popularly received comic book novel Watchmen, released in 1987, is making a comeback through film adaptation (due for release March 6th this year).
It is a timely return for this story, which observes the rise and fall of superheroes. From beginning to end Watchmen follows a number of characters who once fought crime as caped crusaders. Now no longer active, thanks to a law the Government introduced (following civil unrest), the retired Watchmen, in between twiddling their thumbs, soon realise someone is attacking them; killing or “neutralising” each of them.

Arguably the strongest component of this comic is the character development. Many of the lead characters, whether sensitive and passive or aggressive and violent, are vigilantes.
Many of them still have unforgiving qualities: which are often forgiven by some characters and not so much by others. It can easily be said that a lot of thought went into the reasoning behind each character’s decision. Even their heinous actions can be explained by the way they have behaved before (and even after).
Towards the end of the story one of these “heroes” commits what would now be seen as an act of terrorism. It is this moment, and how each character reacts to it, which suggests it is the personal reasons (of several different types) which are to blame. The way each character develops and what they all want in the end, affects the way their whole world will operate. I won’t give anything away but I found Dan’s (Night Owl’s) reaction particularly realistic and shocking.
Whether or not this intricate storytelling will carry across to the big screen is yet to be seen. However I have heard that Moore is not entirely happy with the idea that his graphic novel is being turned into a film.

Nonetheless, with The Dark Knight peaking everyone’s interest in comics in a way that Superman Returns and Spiderman 1 through 3 failed to, the timing couldn’t be better in a commercial sense.

It will be interesting to see how it is approached in a post-9/11 era. While the trailer suggests the film will be a close adaptation I wonder how different the ending, among other things, will be. The comic seems mostly concerned with the Big Brother idea of the 80’s: the notion that we are all being watched by authorities and that our own fates can be influenced and even controlled by these authorities. I wonder how the film might modernise this. After all it seems that now, as much as (or possibly more than) ever, the government is controlling much of our lifestyle. Decisions for our countries to go to war, to borrow from other countries are now turning back on us. Currently many of us face economic “crisis” and people will be losing jobs all over the shop in the coming year thanks to our indebtedness.

Depending on the way the situation is perceived, heavy-handed negative Government control can provoke feelings of being treated unfairly, which can provoke civil unrest. These feelings can be explored more fully through film, novels, television and the arts. What these works of fiction explore is that what the Government and the law fail to do might be achieved through vigilantism.

A recently introduced series, Dexter observes this in a more direct sense. Dexter, based on a novel by Jeff Lindsay, sees a forensic officer who specialises in blood spatter, Dexter Morgan, enacting revenge on serial killers in a way that the law fails to.
Dexter often outsmarts his colleagues in their hunt to convict murderers in order to exercise his psychopathic, murderous needs by hacking up those he “knows for sure” are guilty.

One striking moment from Season One is the closing scene, where Dexter fantasises the public celebrating and praising him for his “heroism.” This scene alone illustrates the nature of America (where the death penalty is still enforced), and by extension, human nature. During my Psychology degree I studied whether or not the death penalty affected the rate of homicide. Studies revealed that it has no positive impact on the community, and in fact appears to have a slight negative impact. (Where the death penalty was enforced, homicide rates were measured as being slightly higher.)
This suggests that the mentality is not “keep the public safe by ending their lives, bring justice to the victim’s family and prevent people from doing it in the first place.” Rather, it seems to be a case of the general public enacting revenge on the offender. But is this because many of us want revenge on those who have acted immorally? Is this due to an inbuilt or learnt understanding of what is moral and what is immoral?

During the series we learn about Dexter’s moral code. His father teaches him how to control his murderous urges by killing those that “deserve it" rather than the "innocent."
In Season Two this moral code starts to deteriorate (making Dexter more brutal in the few murders he conducts, and crueler towards his loved ones, particularly towards girlfriend Rita). The deterioration of Dexter’s moral code seems to reflect our own. When pushed in the right, or wrong, direction people may be susceptible to displaying immoral behaviour. By the end of the Second Season Dexter decides he is no longer interested necessarily in doing what is considered right or wrong. What is important is the relationships he’s forged; namely with his sister, girlfriend Rita and her children. This motivates him to make a decision which goes against the moral code endorsed by his father. Or rather, he uses the number 1 rule of his code (“don’t get caught”) to break morals he clung to earlier.

The theory here is that ultimately it doesn’t always matter whether or not an action is considered moral or immoral, people's decisions and behaviour can be affected heavily by the relationships they've developed. It is linked not necessarily to a greater belief system, a moral coding, but to the simple need for relationships.

In their patient detail to character development both Watchmen and Dexter demonstrate how someone might behave in a monstrous way. Watchmen and Dexter turn our accusations back on us. If our retaliation is just as destructive and outrageous as our perceived enemy, how can we demonise them and not ourselves?
Is the terrorist a monster or simply a vigilante?

Laying Down New Songs, it's Peter, Bjorn and John!

2009-01-19T16:52:00.006+10:30

Peter, Bjorn and John are releasing a new album!

Many listeners never explored this band past their overplayed hit “Young Folks.” But those that did will have quickly learnt that there’s more to this Swedish trio than meets the eye.
Their pop is laced with bopping beats, revealing on their last album (called Writer’s Block) that they are no one-hit wonder-ers. “The Chills” and “Amsterdam” in particular, are irresistibly catchy and underrated.

They have yielded a lot of attention from respected and, well, just popular musicians far and wide.
Kanye West seems to have ties with the band. In fact one song from the upcoming album titled Living Thing was leaked by the band onto his blog.

Here is a taste of the new album, which I can’t wait to get my hands on come March 31st. I’m particularly into the song which, by Kanye, has been titled “Nothing to Worry About.” Peter, Bjorn and John show that there is still ongoing experimentalism and creative expansion of their sound. I expect the album to be as uplifting and danceable as Lykke Li’s debut last year.

Peter, Bjorn and John - Lay It Down

Peter, Bjorn and John - Nothing to Worry About

Click here to visit their website

Ooh! Blogger Me!

2008-11-24T21:53:00.002+10:30

One exciting thing about Stereogum is that it's a big time popular blog.
They even have awards and stuff. In fact, I am usually more agreeable to the outcome of the Gummy Awards than another Rolling Stone's "top 100 great singers of all time from 1990."

You can also vote for your favourite blog other than Stereogum in these awards. I don't expect to come anywhere near some of the more deserved dedicated champs out there pimping music like a full time job. But if you vote because I've alerted you to the fact that you can vote for the top music of the year then I'll like you; you know, in the internet sense.

If you can't remember what happened this year, Stereogum have provided a list of albums on high rotation this year.

My top three albums, by the way, were:

1. Lykke Li - Youth Novels

2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Happy voting!

Lions and Spiders and War, Oh My!

2008-11-24T20:01:00.007+10:30

When you first hear C.W. Stoneking you might mistake him as a lesser known singer from the 1930s blues era. The voice, the use of instrumentation and percussion, the subject matter sung about, even the stifled mono sound rasping through the speakers sooner reminds you of Benny Goodman, than an experimental shoe-tapper from Footscray, Melbourne.

And yet I hear even on stage this man has the presence of someone torn straight out of the history books.

Stoneking's first album King Hokum introduced his playful sound. There was even some banter between himself and his wife, creating that depression era side of domestic living so far removed from the present.

But perhaps the concept of a depression isn't all as far removed as initially thought.
Fears of a financial recession occuring worldwide reveal the perfect timing of Stoneking's latest trumpet-out.

Jungle Blues takes a quirky look at the "dark corners of the globe."
Although remaining playful, you can't help but feel songs like "Housebound Blues" give a significant nod towards the interest rate crisis devastating families across the Western world.

And while the drunken, slow-sung blues sound has prevailed (and I hope continues to do so), this time a fearful mood has crept its way in too. During his adventures to the Congo, Stoneking sings;

"...we hitched a ride, lawd, lookin over the side,
Everything was goin on wrong,
There was bird-eatin spiders, big as my fist,
Snakes that hung down like vines
And eyes that watched as we drifted along."

This mood sits suitably alongside references to war, mentioned throughout the album. By the end of this tale Stoneking (or is it Hokum?) returns safe and sound, vowing "I'm never goin back to that country again," to tell a story about an orphaned boy, Samuel, who served in the Armed Forces. Towards the end of this story Stoneking tells us "The memories of war scarred Samuel the rest of his life, because he remembered nothing."

This time around Stoneking highlights the importance of the past, and how it informs our future. Thankfully he does all this while maintaining the fun aspect of his approach: he really does sound like a 1930s singer!
I can't wait to see him live at Falls!

C.W. Stoneking - Brave Son of America

Buy the album

Sound Familiar?

2008-10-21T18:42:00.006+10:30

Some of you may have noticed the sudden disappearance of two of my posts.

The first time was unusual. I received no notification of removal... I had posted a number of dance songs, with the typical intention of exposing any lovely readers of my blog to new artists.

It was removed. I thought this was an action taken by Elbows (a blogroll I'm listed with: see links to the left). But they didn't know what I was gabbing on about.
Being a man of the Y generation, and therefore always writing and in the past commenting on forums, I have quickly learnt that written words on the net are disposable. You are likely to be "modded" or censored in some way at some point in your life online (particularly if you contribute passionately to forum debates).
So I shrugged my shoulders and left it at that.

Then it happened again. This time to a post I'd spent a lot more time constructing. And I hadn't saved the draft of it (silly me). So I was cranky...

I checked my email account and I was shocked (though not entirely surprised) to find this little message in my inbox:

Blogger has been notified, according to the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), that certain content in your blog infringes upon the copyrights of others. The URL(s) of the allegedly infringing post(s) may be found at the end of this message.

The notice that we received, with any personally identifying information removed, will be posted online by a service called Chilling Effects at http://www.chillingeffects.org. We do this in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Please note that it may take Chilling Effects up to several weeks to post the notice online at the link provided.

The DMCA is a United States copyright law that provides guidelines for online service provider liability in case of copyright infringement. We are in the process of removing from our servers the links that allegedly infringe upon the copyrights of others. If we did not do so, we would be subject to a claim of copyright infringement, regardless of its merits. See http://www.educause.edu/Browse/645?PARENT_ID=254 for more information about the DMCA, and see http://www.google.com/dmca.html for the process that Blogger requires in order to make a DMCA complaint.

Blogger can reinstate these posts upon receipt of a counter notification pursuant to sections 512(g)(2) and 3) of the DMCA. For more information about the requirements of a counter notification and a link to a sample counter notification, see http://www.google.com/dmca.html#counter.

Please note that repeated violations to our Terms of Service may result in further remedial action taken against your Blogger account. If you have legal questions about this notification, you should retain your own legal counsel. If you have any other questions about this notification, please let us know.

Sincerely,
The Blogger Team

Affected URLs: http://ahasbeenthatneverwas.blogspot.com/2008/09/festivus.html

Thank you, Blogger Team. It is nice to be notified this time around, I'll give you that much.

Since then I have noticed that a number of bloggers (all hosted on blogspot) have received the same notification.

I understand these copyright people (chilling effects?) are doing their job to protect the legal property surrounding music.
What I don't understand is how they believe this approach (or any) will prevent music sharing on the internet.

The first music sharing program taken to court was Napster.
Poor Metallica who must've been struggling to make a dollar, felt afflicated by Napster when a demo of one of their songs made its way into the program's library. Rather than attributing sales loss to the noticable degradation in the quality of their sound, Metallica decided eager music lovers trying to save a dollar were the reason behind why the band members have now been driven to homelessness. So to ensure they still had bread on the table they sued.

Once Napster got the wooden spoon from the District Attorney splinter groups emerged. Limewire, Soulseek... You could now decide which program operated the most efficiently and carried the biggest music library. Business-minded determination emerged from the ashes of Napster.

Now we have torrents. If I choose to (and I do not condone this) I can download an entire album in 20 minutes!
It used to take longer to download that Metallica demo, I'm pretty sure.

And we have bloggers. People who willingly endorse the music of a number of musicians, regardless of who they are, how much money they have or whether or not they believe suiing for music "copyrighting" is a good way to invest in more property.

Strangely it seems out of these two it is bloggers who are now bearing the brunt of the next wave in "legal control" over music sharing. Whether or not bloggers are promoting the music, possibly increasing music sales internationally, doesn't seem to be a question worth investigating. Best to stifle this enthusiastic burst in love of music with a blanket.

Ah McCain, You've Done it Again...

2008-10-19T23:05:00.003+10:30

Rednecks have their say.
I guess the expression "You live, you learn" is a tad redundant in these circumstances.

Artificial Geniusness

2008-09-21T07:35:00.005+09:30

Ipods have been a part of everybody's everything since they were released back in 2001.
And while the makers have improved its durability they are designed to ensure the consumer will "upgrade" their ipod unit and keep buying new models. Which of course I'm a big sucker for.
I just purchased the new ipod 120g classic (because carrying a lot of music in a small box is still more of a novelty to me than colour or "touchability").

With all recently released ipods comes the new "Genius" feature. This essentially runs off the idea of programs like Last FM; the Genius component "learns" the similar stylings of your songs.

So you select a nice mellow tune, like The Acorn's Hold Your Breath and the Genius will compile a playlist like:

Hold Your Breath 5:54 The Acorn

Night Windows 4:36 The Weakerthans

Seeds of Night 5:05 The Cave Singers

Waiting For Summertime 4:55 Yeasayer

Your Legs Grow 2:46 Nada Surf

Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car 4:33 Iron & Wine

Brother 3:43 Annuals

The Plot 3:32 White Rabbits

So Low So High 3:58 Maps

All The Wine 3:15 The National

It's not always entirely accurate (often it will choose the music based on the typical sound of the artist, rather than the song). But I've heard this improves over time.

I don't know whether to be excited or scared about the fact that ipods no longer simply bring music to your ears, they get in your head too...

Weekend Winddown 6

2008-08-05T12:01:00.004+09:30

Thankfully we are now in the final month of winter. Winter seems to be the time of year when everyone goes through hardship of some form, particularly illness. It's also a time when I feel determined to rug up at home, rather that go out; to stay in and listen to some quiet music (the kind I've posted on "Weekend Winddown" mixes).

That's why Sigur Rós couldn't have performed at a better time. I saw them last Saturday night in Sydney. They were beautiful. My friends had plenty to say afterwards; about how amazing the vocals were, how mesmerising, how the beat of the faster songs really set their hearts racing. I was speechless, maybe even slightly sad. It could've been because I was exhausted, it could've been because the performance was over, but mostly it was because Sigur Rós know how to play amazingly emotive music.
Their latest studio release sets itself apart from the others with hopeful, upbeat melodies. But they still return to the beautifully soft and sad sound.

It's not yet the weekend but I'm home sick today so I'm preparing the mix early this time with an example of sad stuff Sigur Rós can produce.

Sigur Rós - Fljótavík [buy]

I saw Adele's album 19 in stores before I heard who she was. The album cover put me off so I never bothered to listen to her stuff.
Then I watched an episode of Skins, where one of the characters, Cassie (reeling from the death of another main character), runs through the streets of New York. A song is playing while this happens: a piano driven pop piece that reminds me of Sia's "Breathe Me." I later find out it is Adele. I also find out, much to my chagrin, that this song did not make it to the Skins Season 2 dvds and has been replaced by something else.

Adele - Hometown Glory [buy]

A friend recently recommended Son Lux to me. I was pretty keen to check this guy out because he had done an awesome remix of Beirut's "Sunday Smile."
His debut album reveals his large scope as he expands and contracts loud and quiet songs; some angry and violent, some melodramatic and heartfelt, and some softer; more reserved and controlled.

Son Lux - Tell [buy]

The Acorn have gradually grown on me. It's not that they require patience or repeat listening to enjoy, it's more that each song seems to compliment the other. Listening to one song by itself doesn't really do these guys justice. I initially thought "Hmmm, they sound like Turin Brakes." Which is true and I like Turin Brakes, but The Acorn have a little bit more to them.
Usually a guy sings but the example I give here is driven by beautiful female vocals that remind me of some 90's female singers, like Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash. However the use of strings and the way in which each song builds make it easy to keep them from becoming overplayed power-pop for drama series.

The Acorn - Lullaby (Mountain) [buy]

I wasn't too excited about Cat Power's release, Jukebox, last year. And I'm still not. I found it pretty ordinary compared with much of her earlier work.
But the remake of "Metal Heart" shows that Chan Marshall still knows how to tap into the beautiful.

Cat Power - Metal Heart [buy]

Fleet Foxes have been the latest big thing to sweep the blogosphere. Namely, their song "White Winter Hymnal" has been a popular hit. I downloaded it, thinking that it was good timing for winter. But I really didn't like it. At all. I'm not sure why I didn't then but I still don't. Maybe I just don't like the round-a-bout repetition of the chorus. It's too hokie.
But I checked out the rest of the album and man, was I wrong about these guys. Amazing! The vocals, the escapist lyrics, the sound which harks back to Midlake, who in turn hark back to 70s folk rock.
This song in particular reminds me of the music from the closing scene of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Fleet Foxes - Your Protector [buy]

I felt pretty content just buying Lamb's best of album, some time ago. Then I realised how much it sucks that the duo have broken up. So I've started going through their backcatalogue and found this sweet little number.

Lamb - Learn [buy]

Bring on spring!

Doomed! You're all doomed!

2008-06-13T10:51:00.016+09:30

Friday the 13th is considered unlucky due to the the associations both Friday and the 13th have (Friday being Jesus's apparent day of Crucifixion, and 13 being seen as an unlucky number).

For most of us though Friday is the last day of the working week (which is a lucky thing) and 13 is just another two digit number.

However you take it, I'll take any excuse to watch some good horror and tonight I plan to see the classic Friday the 13th.

The charm of this film is its mawkishness. Teen counsellors find themselves in trouble-danger when they go camping at a "cursed" lake. Enter Jason, enter slaughter, roll film credits.

It's nothing new now but it is fun to watch a film which spawned a franchise and still manages to sprout sequels in cinemas (see Jason Vs Freddy 2: The Rematch), even if they are complete crap.

My friends and I also decided to watch Friday the 13th because it's on a free movie channel we have at the moment. Otherwise I would probably choose to revisit some of the following, which I highly recommend:

Scream

Nothing beats the humour and fun that goes along with this film. When it was first released in the cinemas (and even later, when it was released on vhs) we'd all pull out our Scream masks and Talkboys (see Home Alone) and scare the b-grade crap out of one another.

Not only do we get to see people killed by garage door and vocal chord puncture, but we're privy to bad play-on-word one-liners like "Liv-er alone!"

Poltergeist

Don't let the PG rating scare you off; this film is loaded with witty dialogue, creative imagery and disturbing themes.

Sure it's set in a quiet suburban town, and no one really dies but there's something deeply unsettling about the parents hearing their daughter's cries for help and knowing that they really can't do anything about it. Also, the people-eating tree and clown will make you shart yourself a little.

Night of the Living Dead

This film didn't scare me too much but I found it highly engaging and smart.

Perhaps the scariest moment in this film is at the beginning, and the most disturbing part of the film comes closer to the end (and I'm sure those who have seen the film can pinpoint which moments these are from two words: cemetary and girl).

What makes this film work is its pace: A somewhat slow initial progression builds as aggressively as the increase in zombie quota. Any director of a good zombie film will probably tell you that in order to scare the audience they need to feel more and more harrassed to get the general notion of the world coming to an end at the mercy of the undead. NOTLD definitely achieves this, without getting lost in it (notice the themes of gender, race and family hacked at throughout).

Which brings me to...

28 Days/Weeks Later

Althought slightly convoluted these were the first films to really properly explore the idea of a zombie EPIDEMIC.
Rather than simply a kill-and-come-back approach, survivors fleeing from some now monstrous humans have to be careful not to get any of the blood (which, of course oozes from every possible body part and orifice) in their system, otherwise they too will become vile, unreachable rage-ers.

Add to that the fact that the zombies are alert enough to run (rather than waddle), and angry (rather than hungry for human flesh), and it really makes for some harrassing viewing.

Danny Boyle's films always set out to confront the viewer (see, The Beach and Sunshine) and Juan Carlos is true to Boyle's vision in the second installment.

Alien/Aliens/Alien Resurrection

In space no one can hear you scream.

So goes the tag which kicks off this quadrilogy.

I hesitated seeing the first film for a long time because I thought that, as an alien film it wouldn't be too true to home (literally and figuratively, ha!). Generally I find boogeyman films and films where humans are the evil, to be much scarier than creature features.

But once I started watching I quickly learnt that these are films about human evils. The aliens merely enable this.
Without boring you with too much analytical detail, it seems to me that the scariest thing in all of these films (with the exception, perhaps, of the third film: what's with the alien dog?) is that the characters are never who they seem to be. Some of them surprise us by betraying another crew member, but some of them surprise themselves by selfishly trying to save their own skin without considering the safety of their friends.
This is all perfectly illustrated in the famous scene where an alien interrupts a friendly dinner by birthing out of someone's chest.

Further viewing:

The Exorcist

Halloween

The Birds

The Blair Witch Project

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Evil Dead 1 and 3

The Shining

Too scared to sacrifice a choice chosen for me

2008-04-14T22:08:00.003+09:30

Work by Barnaby Furnas taken from here.

We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth - John F. Kennedy

Portishead - Machine Gun

Lupe Fiasco - Little Weapon [buy]

The National - Fake Empire [buy]

Radiohead - 4 Minute Warning

What is your childhood trauma?

2008-03-30T10:19:00.005+10:30

One TV series I've really become addicted to this year is Skins.
I remember over a year ago when I was in London I saw all these posters for it and there was this general buzz about it being controversial (which always hightens my interest).

And it is pretty controversial, actually! All these attractive 17-year-olds are running around doing lots of adult things in adult places.
But this is not why the show is worth watching. It's a lot of fun but the characters are likeable, and the storylines are deeply engaging.
I think one of its strongest (and in others' opinions maybe weakest) points is that the writers only feed us a little snippet of what each character is going through in each episode. This is a result of the episodes usually revolving around one or two characters each week. By the time the focus returns to each character (having rotated through a number of them) a lot seems to have changed along the way.
This is pretty appealing to me because often series can be overwrought and lengthy as they knuckle out why everything happens.

With Skins you are forced to connect the dots; to allow for the idea that a lot can happen offscreen, and still know just what has hapened.

For example, in a Season One episode, "Michelle", we get a glimpse into Michelle's family life. Her mother has just married some dropkick and part of the episode involves Michelle's acceptance of him as a step-father: nice.
In Season Two, however, when we once again see what Michelle's neglectful mother has been up to we discover that she has married a different guy again, making Michelle's ealier attempts seem somewhat futile...

It might seem like this could throw the audience off the course, but it doesn't. The benign interchanging reality of life is woven through subtley amongst the teeny drama.
Despite this "interreality," the main drama (like the ongoing love triangle between Sid, Michelle and Tony) doesn't play out in leaps, skips and bounds. This is perhaps a result of the fact that each of these main characters will share a crossover point in their stories.

Another appealing aspect of this show is that the characters are the age they play (roughly). They have pimples, braces, glasses and a mess of teenage insecurities they bring to the characters.
It has been said before that America is prone to selecting adults well into their mid-twenties and older to play teenagers. I don't think this really affects the quality of the series (see Buffy), however it often just seems unnecessary. With so many talented young actors floating about, why ignore the fact that these characters can really look the age they play?

One American series which trumps the idea of adults as teens is Freaks and Geeks. In particular, the geeks were played by young actors. This means when school bullies pick on them for not having armpit hair you know it isn't because the actor is "maintaining" by waxing themselves each month.

Like Skins the series is apt at presenting itself as a thoughtful and emotional drama series, with wisps of witty one-liners embedded throughout.
This is probably why it was axed (because network execs seem to have a lot of difficulty figuring out the difference between their arse and holes in the ground, much less how engaging a series might be: particularly if, in the case of Freaks and Geeks, it wins Emmy awards for its writing).

Fortunately Skins is a British series and looks like it will continue on at least up until a third season is produced.

Freaks and Geeks sadly never saw even a second season so it is refreshing to see that at least one of these engaging teenage series is still developing.

As usual a good series calls for good music. Freaks and Geeks took its cue from the 70's (as it was set in 1980).
Skins involves a miriad of music from the 60s to present. I include two songs for your listening pleasure. The first, by Adam and the Ants, is played when Chris floats about his house party enjoying the madness.
The second is just in general an awesome song everyone should have and is played in the first episode of Season Two while Tony is riding the bus with Maxxie.

Adam and the Ants - Prince Charming [buy]

Grizzly Bear - The Knife [buy]

Fall-ing

2008-01-05T16:32:00.000+10:30

I am still recovering from the Lorne, Vic, Falls Festival. For those who don't know, the Falls Festival is an annual music camping event held for 3 nights over the New Year. Since it involves some 10 to 15 000 people camping side-by-side, with plenty of music (predominantly of the folk variety), and... errr... "stuff" to keep you dancing and grooving and talking to strangers into the wee hours of the morn, it's pretty much a modern Woodstock. Oh, and did I mention the love? Not the "free love/make love" love (though I'm sure some cars accomodate for that) but the "look after each other" love. Feeling the warm and fuzzies?
If not, perhaps it's because you haven't attended.

So how do I sum up three days of that? Three days of great music, getting to know some new friends, getting to know complete strangers who I wouldn't see again and forming stronger bonds with good friends, all while moving overzealously to a range of music? I'll break it down roughly and unevenly and hopefully the music I've put up for you to listen to will retain some seminance of patience.

First I'm going to mention the one thing that I didn't like about the festival. It's probably unnecessary but I feel it's a good preparation point for those who are interested in going but haven't yet been.
The toilet facilities are poor. I expected this but the cisterns overflowed and crap and wee went everywhere (next to the food stands).

On the last day the temperatures soared up to 40 Degrees Celcius. Getting to common water (for showering in, cooling off, or drinking) for the most part meant a one hour que in the sun. It pushed me (and others) to breaking point. I almost fainted; I was physically and emotionally exhausted and at one point when I went looking for my friends I ended up lying down in the middle of nowhere in particular for ages.
Next time I go I'll remember to take some spray bottles full of water and some umbrellas for shade.

Now the highlights.

The bands were amazing. Most of the sets (apart from the headlining acts) were quite short but this just kept the pace moving.
I like Operator Please a lot more now. Once you see them live... the violinist especially was amazing live (just seeing her hand movements: my eyes couldn't follow, she was that fast).

Operator Please - 6/8 [buy]

Angus and Julia Stone were great too. One of my friends was sold on them from their performance. They closed beautifully with Mango Tree. I only saw the tail end of it because I wanted to see The Panics, who were also pretty amazing.

Angus and Julia Stone - Mango Tree [buy]

The Panics - Cash [buy]

A lot of people seemed disappointed with The Go! Team but I loved them. The front woman, Ninja, was very dancey and kept us all going. At one point she yelled "If I see you dancing I'm going to dance like you!" and mimicked the moves of a few people from the crowd. Mostly, the reason these guys are good live is because their music is designed for the crowd.

The Go! Team - Keys to the City [buy]

And for the first time ever I finally understood why people like Paul Kelly. There was something about hearing everyone (including myself, who used to hate the song) singing "From little things big things grow" that really makes you feel like you're part of something bigger. Probably because (as a member of a crowd) you are!

It was nice to see the crowd grow while watching Built to Spill. They were rockin' live!

Girl Talk was the perfect pre-New Year's performance. The guy knows how to mix! His eclectic range of music got people whooping with excitement as they recognised songs only they knew, songs from their childhood, and mainstream pop they usually cringed at. He got involved enough to take off his shirt while dancing and get some of the crowd on stage to boogey with him.

Suprisingly, Kings of Leon were the perfect act to take us into the New Year. You could almost feel the crowd bonding over the passionate indie sounds. It was a lot of fun to hear them play Charmer and it was beautiful to hear everyone singing "whooaaaa---oooo---ohhhhh---aaaoooohhhh" midway through Knocked Up. In particular that song will always remind me of the Falls Festival. You always feel that you've received music the best way possible when the studio version reminds you of the event.
It was during this song that I started feeling sad about the fact that the whole thing felt over. The New Year had been called (or was about to be: I'm not sure at what point the song was played) and the next morning we'd be returning to the fuss of our lives.

Kings of Leon - Knocked Up [buy]

Before doing that though my friends and I wandered into the Village. I went because over the course of the few days there my curiosity about it leapt. So many people kept saying how "weird" and "creepy" it was, I couldn't resist.
And yeah, it's creepy and weird. I'm not even sure I can explain what went on there (or if I want to).
All I'll say is a hoe-down version of Mad World was being played by some dodgy band as we walked in and that pretty much sums it up.

This was my first Falls Festival and it went off with a bang! Between all of the above things we also met some interesting people.
We met someone who demolished one of our tents accidentally, a guy who had managed to sneak in without a ticket and many random people who seemed either aggressive or good natured along a continuous scale.

I had plans to go overseas over the next summer period but now that I understand what the Falls fuss is all about it's going to be hard to turn it down in future.

Weekend Winddown 5

2007-12-02T10:12:00.000+10:30

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

2007-11-18T10:24:00.000+10:30

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

2007-11-05T11:37:00.000+10:30

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

2007-09-25T20:57:00.000+09:30

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

2007-09-15T15:41:00.000+09:30

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

2007-09-04T20:56:00.000+09:30

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

2007-09-01T10:30:00.000+09:30

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?

2007-08-27T17:44:00.000+09:30

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

2007-08-25T14:10:00.003+09:30

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!

2007-08-15T14:52:00.001+09:30

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

2007-08-12T12:03:00.000+09:30

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

2007-08-12T11:05:00.000+09:30

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

2007-08-10T16:55:00.000+09:30

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

2007-08-03T15:58:00.000+09:30

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

2007-08-01T20:54:00.000+09:30

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

2007-07-25T17:22:00.000+09:30

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

2007-07-24T21:47:00.000+09:30

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

2007-07-15T09:47:00.000+09:30

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

2007-07-03T18:39:00.000+09:30

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

Passionate Pasha Pull

2007-07-01T09:32:00.001+09:30

Postponing a Pash

For those who don't know, NSW has been copping some mighty powerful storms lately. The kind that only roll in every decade, at most. In Newcastle a coal freighter ship, the Pasha Bulker, was washed in by the rough seas and stranded on the shoreline. Apart from the threat of pollution and the fact that a whopping big ship has lost its purpose, it has a nice spectral ghostship-like presence for visitors.

Since it's quite a drive to Newcastle I haven't had the opportunity to see it, though I would like to. The latest in news is that authorities have determined to haul the hulking mass back to its home out at sea. But they've been failing. They said they're taking their time getting it back out to maintain the safety of those pulling the ship. As long as it doesn't spill its toxic contents I hope it's there a little longer. It looks cool.

Sarah Blasko - The Albatross [buy]

James Yorkston and the Athletes - Shipwreckers [buy]

Jen Cloher and the Endless Sea - Rain [buy]

Big Heavy Stuff - Goliath [buy]

My friend also alerted me to some funny Pasha youtube vids:

Pasha Transformer

Thunderbirds are go!

Pasha Priceless

In other news Paris is out of prison already. Judging from the interview she still doesn't understand why someone as popular as her should be imprisoned, as she goes on and on about how "traumatising" her three weeks in prison were. After all, it's not her fault she's so pretty. And she can't be held responsible for her actions when she's in the spotlight. Right? Wait till she just about kills someone with her reckless driving. Maybe then her claims that she has "changed" wouldn't be revealed as a "my experience was traumatic/ God's plan" perspective but more of a "I'm lucky I didn't kill someone and destroy their lives" outlook.

Arcade Fire - The Well and the Lighthouse [buy]

Cordrazine are back!

2007-06-26T15:33:00.000+09:30

Cordrazine were a very talented, very underrated Aussie band, who released their debut album, From Here to Wherever, in 1997, which hit the aria charts at number 9. Their song "Crazy" made it into the JJJ hottest 100 top ten in 1998.

I actually didn't hear them until I heard another song off their album, called "Memorial Drive" on a Hangover Cure compilation, alongside other artists like Portishead, george and Paul Weller. I followed them up from here and never heard of them again.

Cordrazine had this soulful mourning cry seamlessly weaved into strong piano melodies, which I still can't resist the sound of 5 years after I first heard them.

They had broken up and gone their separate ways. Lead singer Hamish Cowan went on to do solo stuff, which I never heard or even knew about. Apparently another band member, Sam Hollaway has toured with Silverchair as their live keyboardist.
But now they're back!

I'm really interested to hear what their stuff is going to sound like 10 years after their debut. For those who can attend they're doing a gig in Victoria: information is available on the Rubber Records website.

For your listening pleasure I've added a couple of songs from the album, in anticipation of the next release.

I Never Cared Before is a tragic love ballad. I love the gospel choir that comes in towards the end of the song.

Crazy is their most well known song and has a beautiful creeping piano riff throughout it. It's indescribable but I'd say it's their most radiofriendly singalongable song. How can you not declare "I'm crazy! Craaaaazy!" when given the opportunity?!

You can buy Cordrazine's music from Rubber Records

An unfortunately eclectic sound

2007-06-25T16:54:00.001+09:30

About 6 years ago one of my favourite bands was george. This band of five: Nick, Paulie B, Geoff and sibling singers Katie and Tyrone Noonan developed a sound that was at first embedded in progrock and jazz and went on to a more nuanced unique style.

Over some years they released three EPs. One self-titled which was only available when you attended gigs. The next two, You Can Take What's Mine, and Bastard Son/ Holiday, are probably what started a strong underground following and this was when I first heard them. I was listening to radio station JJJ's Hottest 100 and the songs "Spawn" and "Bastard Song" grabbed me.
I think it was perhaps the first time I'd heard both a male and female lead singer in the band, who seemed to divvy up between themselves the songs they'd written.

I quickly snapped up the two available EPs and saw them live at my first music festival (in fact it was my first gig or concert too) Homebake just after I'd graduated High School, the day before my schoolies trip were set to leave our Sydney homes for Brisbane (funnily enough where george came from).

Next came the Special Ones single and I was still absorbing (in particular) Katie Noonan's lush voice. However unlike the rock sound of You Can Take What's Mine the band seemed to be moving towards a softer sound. Their edge moving from the bashing out on the guitar to a punchiness to their vocals. It wasn't a bad sound, don't get me wrong. It was pleasantly assertive against the sweeping soulful orchestral sound that was starting to come through.
Though a few reacted against this, deciding to abandon the band before their debut album came out I couldn't resist them.

By the time the album was released I'd heard half the songs on the album and they were overplayed on the radio to the point of near boredom. I still like their debut album Polyserena but I couldn't help but get a little sick of it.

And I wasn't the only one. JJJ stopped playing them (except for perhaps one token song off the second album), the underground following disintergrated and was replaced by mainstream listeners who found the radiofriendly pop appealing.

In fact a few seemingly naive girls sang Katie Noonan's songs, "Special Ones," about empowerment and strumming up the courage to leave abusive relationships, in their auditions for Australian Idol. One teenage girl even confused "Special Ones" with Missy Higgins's "Special Two."

In another episode of Australian Idol Katie Noonan showed up to help some the contestants with their singing. I think this was when I started seeing this lead singer, in particular, going towards a completely different sound. One which might be overproduced and overhyped, and nothing at all like their humble beginnings and meangingful attitude.
To Katie's credit she, and her band members, are not snobs and never will be. Unlike a lot of bands with massive egos they'll play for all their listeners and appreciate everyone that listens to them, whether they be mainstream radio listeners or those with more selective tastes.

It's worth noting that these guys are not about money and never will be. My friend and I went and saw george live out the front of the Opera house for free because I was a member of their fan forum. That's the kind of attitude this band has.

Their second album didn't deviate too far from their sound and I actually found it more appealing than the debut because it was more focussed and they really utilised the orchestra they'd brought in to fill out their sound. The only drawback is the simplisticity of their lyrics, usually endearing but in the case of political songs just moralising.

Since the disappointing response of their second album they've all gone off to do side projects. Elixir, with members Nick Stewart, Katie Noonan and her (now) husband Isaac Hurren, is a gorgeous soft jazz acoustic style of music. I didn't hear much of the others.

Katie Noonan is about to release her own album. At first I thought this could be cool. Finally hearing her voice centre stage, conducting it the way she wants. She always talked about how she wanted to put forward an eclectic sound, explorative, where she'd be everyday learning what sounds work for her and what don't. For a lot of artists this approach pays off.

But I think in this case Katie's sound suffers. If you take a look at her myspace you can see just what direction her sound has gone in: here

"Quiet Day" is not quite as overproduced as "Time to Begin" but that's probably because it's one of her older songs (from the "Breathe In Now" single, released from the debut album). However "Time to Begin" sounds like a rattle in a tin. Seems like Katie has relaxed a little and sung into a mic and let someone do the rest on a computer.
Highly disappointing considering how talented she is on the piano.

george are on a break at the moment but hopefully when they're working together again they'll return to form.

If nothing else you can't help but admire some of their influences. On their Special Ones single Katie and Ty sung together a cover of the Church's Under the Milky Way

*Bonus* george - She Smiles

You can buy george music from their website

Blissful Nightmare Suburbia

2007-06-24T09:56:00.000+09:30

It was innevitable that I would mention my favourite tv show of all time Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Joss Whedon's series carried a huge following, which still seems to be growing in number. It was the show I grew up with. As I went through high school I watched Buffy, Willow and Xander, along with Giles and others who came and left (and usually returned), struggle through common, and not-so-common, day-to-day life "issues."

By the time I'd finished my English undergrad degree I was already determined to do English honours and write my thesis on Buffy. Honestly I didn't think the academic staff would allow it. After all there is that wanky level of highbrow expectation that often comes with one's entry into the academic world. And despite its arbitrariness there is some legitimacy to the expectation that you write something for a reason.

Unfortunately because I was such a committed fan I was too ambivalent about what to write on, specifically. Also my co-ordinator and I seemed to come from completely different directions. The end result was a confusing mishmash of identity, morality and the bonds of kinship.

Only now do I see stronger ideas which would have provided a more comprehensive and comprehendible argument. Apart from ideas like the use of the English language or inconsistencies between athiesm and altruism, one patrticular point which sticks out for me is the way Joss Whedon (like many others) set the evils of of hell in the middle of a predominantly white middle-class suburban town.

In itself this isn't the most unique setting for a horror film or series. American Gothic and Sopranos are just two other examples of series which have observed the hidden darkness of suburbia.

So then, what might've also drawn me to Buffy was my gradation from naive white middle-class surburban boy to... well, white middle-class suburban man, hopefully now a little less naive about the world and its atrocities. Over time I've grappled with images of war and trying to understand why I was born into a first-world country, while others suffer in third-world countries.

Perhaps the most shocking thing of all is that some of those who live in fortunate suburbs turn their backs on those that aren't like them. I'll never quite be sure if it's because of our fear of others or if it's some deranged way of showing gratitude.
I'm not talking here about our neglect towards third-world countries. Any sort of levelling between all nations is likely impossible though all help you can give is personally worth it.
What I have in mind here, however, is derogatory attitudes towards minorities. Of particular interest is the (still fairly recent) 2004 Cronulla riots.
For those who are unfamiliar with the events, the long and short of it is that some lifeguards were elegedly beaten up by a supposed gang of men of middle-eastern or lebanese appearance. Within a week the media's beatup of the attack and some irresponsible aggressors led to what was tagged as a "leb and wog bashing day." Of course that meant that those of middle-eastern or lebanese appearance keeping to themselves and trying to enjoy a Sunday in Cronulla were attacked by drunken flag-toting wankers. I've added some links at the bottom of this post if you'd like to read more about these events.

Clearly it is worth addressing what it is that motivates this mentality and what it might mean if we change it.
The problem is that it seems like any change or modification to places like the Sutherland Shire (which Cronulla is a part of) might, presumably, mean the very breakdown of such places. The question then is whether or not this would be a good thing. Obviously nothing is black and white and nothing comes without a cost but surely there is a happy medium wherein people of different colours, shapes, ethnicites and religions can coexist. It's not unreasonable to think we'd be better off knowing one another than keeping from one another. If anything we'd be smarter.

What I liked about Buffy was that though it explored this it didn't take a hard line or come up with a simplistic answer. Even as I read my own words about coexisting I'm rolling my eyes. The beauty of Buffy was that it was just proposing the reality of Suburbia and why many who live in these areas might feel dissatisfied with all they have (which often seems to be the case as we consume and scratch our heads over riots).

I was watching a visual arts documentary series episode on ABC the other week (which unfortunately I can't find any information about at the moment) and it was about artists from the suburbs and the many ways in which their artworks explored their homelife. There were those who were positive and neutral about suburban life. But one artist who made darker observations of suburban life posited that the eerieness of suburbs, the reason why we might see lush homes with people simply going about their daily life under a negative moral banner is because, as he put it, the suburbs are the profits of war.

So how does all this fit in with Buffy? Well, given the sophistication of the series it never directly touches on the specific example of discrimination towards minorities. However it is all suggested in the kinds of characters presented throughout the show. For example one character, Anya, grasps with her identity as an ex-demon and is used to highlight the fragility of humanity and our ineptitude when it comes to showing diplomacy towards others. Because of this she is only really ever loved by Xander. Buffy, Willow and Giles never really accept her as one of the group, even after her few attempts to gain their friendship.
And time and time again throughout each season of Buffy, our hero protects Sunnydale from vampires, demons, hybrids and gods (to name a few); going to war each time to maintain order in the world, but more specifically, maintain order in Sunnydale (which rapidly seems to deteriote from season to season).

By the end of the series Buffy and the surviving characters of the show stand looking at a demolished Sunnydale. Something accomplished by them, not the enemy, in order to destroy the hellmouth (on which Sunnydale stood). This has enormous symbolic contribution towards the suburban lifestyle.
Of course, Whedon is not suggesting we blow up all these suburbs in order to free ourselves from it. I see it more as a deconstruction. It's a challenge to our perceptions of suburban life. Is this really something we need or is it keeping us from something more meaningful?

But it doesn't stop there. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a franchise. You can still buy figurines, novels, comics, read/write fanfic on it. And I'm partial to the occassional Slayerfest dvd viewing when I have the time.
Even Whedon hasn't left it, as he goes on to write and direct upcoming features like Goners or contribute towards comic series Xmen. Despite the cancellation of Buffy and seeing the actors part ways and sadly go on to some abysmal roles (like Sarah Michelle Gellar's washed-out character in The Grudge or Alyson Hannigan's sickly sitcom-laced character in How I Met Your Mother) Joss has been writing an Eighth season via comic.

So far I've only read the first comic (out of what I believe will end up being 22+ comic "episodes" long). Thankfully because it is Whedon's vision continuing on (and not a novelist) I still find myself drawn to it and excited by the script and even the images as events unfold.

But one moment from the first comic I particularly loved was Buffy's yearning for home. After she destroyed Sunnydale I wasn't sure I accepted the half smile on her face as she considered the prospect of a "free" (baked cookies) life.
Despite Whedon's criticism of suburban life he also seems to appreciate the desire for its warmth and comfort. And who can resist that?

Links on Cronulla Riots: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-mob-sang-waltzing-matilda/2005/12/11/1134235951620.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1529041.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1528637.htm

Link for accessible Buffy academic content: http://slayageonline.com/

If you'd like to Buy Buffy on dvd and you are American or have a multiregion dvd player I recommend the Chosen collection. Unlike other "complete collection" editions the Chosen collection comes with an extra disc of bonus features and a letter from Joss Whedon.
http://www.amazon.com/Buffy-Vampire-Slayer-Collectors-discs/dp/B000AQ68RI/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-4118892-9443052?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1182650164&sr=1-1

Stale-Saying-Man

2007-05-08T19:50:00.000+09:30

After the last two Spiderman films I was excited to see the latest (and possibly the last) addition to the comic epic of nerd-boy Peter Parker-turned badass Spider-like creature.

I took the time to rewatch Spiderman 1 and 2 over the weekend in preparation but Raimi kindly recaps the most important events of these two films in the opening credits of the 3rd.

True to Raimi's last features our hero continues fighting those who have also turned creature-like in some way (eg, the Sandman) whilst retaining his charmingly naive and coy outlook on life. Perhaps the strength of this naivety is that it allows us to sympathise with Peter Parker more. He is not cool Mr. Perfect alien, like Superman (whose awkward Clark Kent can be seen as a mere guise for the "True hero" that lies within). Nor is he led by a butler named Alfred, or an all-knowing experienced Professor Xavier. That means like the rest of us Peter Parker must learn from his mistakes and experiences.

Such naivety, however, acts as a double-edged sword. While we can continually forgive lines like "just your friendly neighbourhood spiderman!" and "go get 'em, tiger!" because they hark back to the cheese of the original comics some lines are inexcusable and cringeworthy. Cringeworthy to the point where I wonder if they even need such cliched and redundant lines in the first place. Not all lines need be replaced with more original dialogue, some simply could have gone unsaid.
Oddly enough at one point Peter Parker is giving his girlfriend, Mary-Jane, some advice and even she interrupts him to avoid hearing a condescending speech (thankfully saving us from the same fate).

Compared to the first two films the cliche-riddled dialogue should not really be surprising. It is perhaps more noticable this time round because finally Raimi pulls out the stops and focuses more on the tension of the relationships. Of particular interest is the way Raimi addresses the conflict between Peter and Harry, which takes some interesting turns.

Unfortunately it seemed to take Raimi three films to acknowledge that this is what keeps the audience coming back. The first two films spent so much time setting up the relationship conflicts in the third that little time is left for Raimi to fully examine the complexities involved. Nonetheless it is rewarding to see the payoff.

It goes without saying that the action is phenomenal in this instalment. Just like the second film Raimi comes up with some nice elaborate settings and moves. This is what makes the two and a half hours fly by. The special effects are slickly and smoothly laid out for us too!

Though it explores a little more territory than its predecessors this film is no better but certainly no worse than Spiderman 1 and 2.

Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton (of ABC's "At the Movies") give an interesting mixed review which you can view here: http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s1900240.htm

If you've seen the first two films you shouldn't second guess seeing the third in the series. Spidey 3 is not the best film I've seen but it's worthy of Raimi's trilogy.

First Entry

2007-05-07T11:59:00.000+09:30

In this blog I plan to write entries about literature I'm reading, films and television I'm watching, and music I'm listening to.
At some point in time I'd like to post mp3s of music artists' songs to give people a taste of the range of music out there and give a little free publicity to those artists I feel strongly about. There will probably be a strong focus on Australian music since few music blogs seem to share the wealth of sound coming from my home country.

I'm not posting mp3s at this stage because I still need to iron out the legal and technical kinks.

This is my first blog and I don't own a myspace so I'd love plenty of feedback from any who happen to stumble across this blog.

The main drive of this blog is for me to keep writing. I have just finished a university degree and since I studied English I know I will miss all the creative and wanky academic writing as I enter the working world.