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Thanks to blogger's repetitive deletion of my posts without notification or warning I have now moved to greener pastures!
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A Ratatat on Your Door

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

***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

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

Mercy Arms Shine a Light

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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?

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...

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

Artificial Geniusness

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

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!

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

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