Save the Foundation

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors

2013-02-11T22:16:00.003+11:00

Why do we all care so much about JT? Cool, okay yep - good music maker. Couple of totally radical solo albums I've actually never listened to - the singles were enough okay? - and then he was in that movie where people didn't age? He's pretty much a modern day Monet! Riding along this throbbing Timbaland produced beat that squeaks, moves and shines (like the sun breaking through the clouds), he sounds confident, assured and super romantic. And damn he rides it hard - for about eight fucking minutes. Luckily things take a turn around the five minute mark, changing this into a super interesting vocal-laden game-changer. But really the whole thing is just so over the top, it's hard not to find it endearing and really fun on at least some level. Probably written all about that girl he married recently (I think). Cute and shit. But maybe it's just written about his own reflection because y'know, mirrors! LOL!

Dick Diver - Water Damage

2013-02-11T19:30:00.000+11:00

Wasn’t sure about this Dick Diver jam at first because it felt almost too Go-Betweens-y? Like, I love the absolute fuck out of this band but something about it didn’t quite gel for me. Maybe it was the vocals buried slightly lower in the mix, or the chorused guitars. But then all those things I didn’t like... clicked. Steph Huhges’ vocal drew me in at first, providing an anchor amongst the now beautifully sounding layered noise. Without even grasping the full meaning of this song, it still strikes emotionally harder than similar bands doing the ‘jangle-pop’ thing around Melbourne. Not to compare and judge though - love the vibe of this ‘movement’ for the most part. Dick Diver always have the knack for creating feeling out of small, familiar phrases that tug at the heart. Look forward to the album DD. Keep up good work, guys.

The Return of Fall Out Boy

2013-02-10T21:08:00.001+11:00

Let’s talk about the return of Fall Out Boy for a minute. What does this mean for rock music? It kind of means nothing. Cool, good and brilliant rock music lives outside of the pop vacuum that Fall Out Boy are inside of. In fact associating Fall Out Boy with rock of any sort has long been redundant. They’ve long been struggling to gain widespread pop acceptance, going as far as getting Jay-Z to guest on their “breakthrough” pop album and now getting 2 Chainz (2 Chainz!!) to annihilate their past in their most recent video. And that’s what makes them great.

Sure you can trace the band back to their hardcore roots, but what has made them an interesting and fantastic band has been their driving ambition of trying to break into the world of RnB, Hip Hop and Pop. They’re like Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl, always trying to make it into the upper east side. It seems like an impossible goal for a scrappy hardcore band from Chicago or a scrappy annoying kid from Brooklyn to do either, but apparently they can.

Over time they’ve moved further and further away from their classic 4-piece sound and more and more towards the shine and gleam of modern studio RnB. “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” is testament to that, barely sounding like a band and more like a powerful vehicle for Patrick Stump’s ever growing vocal range. A monster computer that’s trying it’s best to create the ultimate pop hooks. Not to mention that video featuring 2 Chainz (2 Chainz!!) very literally burning their entire past. It’s basically the least subtle metaphor of all time, but it suits them.

Sure it’s so easy to hate Fall Out Boy and not just because their music can be trite, overproduced and laced with over the top irony and but also because oh God, Pete Wentz is pretty annoying. But to hate them, you’d be missing out on one of the most intriguing breakthrough pop acts of the 00s. Constantly trying to reinvent themselves all in the search of the almighty dollar. Or artistic expression. Doesn’t really matter either way.

Farrah Abraham is Pretty Cool

2013-01-21T19:51:00.000+11:00

Farrah Abraham is a star - in the loosest sense of the word - from MTV’s Teen Mom. She also makes crazy ass electronic pop music. Demented, fractured and somehow brilliant - it’s more interesting than you would ever think. Her music is deeply tragic and soundtracks her autobiography, which after reading a few chapters of at a friend’s house, is similarly crazy and desolate. First she’s a pregnant teenage girl and then the baby’s dad dies before even being born. Shit doesn’t get more real than that!

Pushing autotune to the limits, melody to the side and her mind to the breaking point, these tunes are almost unlistenable yet there’s something undeniably brilliant about them. The naive and sheer honesty in her (sometimes incomprehensible) lyrics shine through above beats trying so hard to be pop but... aren’t. There’s moments in these fractured, glimpses into Farrah’s life that are so catchy and so weird that you just need to hit repeat once they’re gone. Grating, awful and repetitive are words you might use to describe Farrah’s work but with the right ear, they’re bold, brilliant and fucked up.

Traversing the Musical Landscape of 2012

2012-11-20T22:08:00.002+11:00

This blog has kind of lost it's way as anything remotely objective so here's a post about about interacting with music as a gay dude in 2012. No! Don't stop reading, I promise it will be interesting for people of all orientations and stuff. Or at least interesting to me when I go back and read this months later and wonder what I was talking about. It's actually more about music listening when you have a full-time job that is a total time suck anyway. Look - it's all over the shop. Hi.

Firstly, it's 2012. Gay stereotypes are over! I'm free to breakthrough and enjoy whatever I like without people judging me. I can listen to the new Townhouses album one minute and enjoy the new Rihanna single the next. It's a free earth, no one is stopping me. But, guys can we shut up for one minute? How come listening to some cool indie band makes me a dumb ass hipster and listening to a current pop song makes me hella gay? How come I can't appreciate Justin Bieber without people assuming I have a boner for him?

I feel like a lot of this judgement I'm sensing doesn't come from the outside but from within. From all that internalised homophobia that I built up and now see in others. I mean I like all kinds of music and I'm not ashamed of any single artist I like (except I secretly kind of like that Muse single from a few months ago) but I feel I've gotta balance out of my love of pop music with some mad sick cool indie music to break through this perceived stereotype. The problem is - indie rock is fucking boring lately.

Maybe I'm getting old but 2012, what the fuck is up? These are the words of someone out of touch with underground music. Look, I know there's amazing music out there waiting for me to discover it but maybe I just don't have time any more. If your band isn't on god damn Spotify, then I probably won't have time to listen to them. Between going to work, working, coming home and the rest of my life - I seemingly don't have time to be as into music as I like. And it kills me.

You see for me, less pop-orientated music always takes a while to sink in. Probably not just for, but for most people. I need time to properly absorb it. I can't appreciate a new album through headphones at work when I've got people shouting at me every few minutes and by the time I get home I just wanna play Halo 4 or watch Homeland. Music is taking a lower priority every single day, so for the new music I wanna hear - I want it to make an impact. Easier is just... better. Sometimes.

It's less rewarding too. I know that I'm missing truly amazing artists and songs. And while pop music is brilliant and full of gems, it very rarely strikes emotional chords with me. I guess what I'm saying is... I have no idea. I need to re-evaluate my interests. I don't wanna be that 30 something guy who gets all his new music advice from the charts at JB HiFi but I also don't wanna be trawling the web for that super-cool band of 2025.

I just wanna listen to what I like and not feel like a chump that's missing out on cool shit.

Frank Ocean is a cool dude

2012-08-20T21:47:00.001+10:00

Enjoy this post about Frank Ocean's cool tune, "Bad Religion".

Remember like, maybe over a month ago when Frank Ocean published that letter about his first love being a man and how every gay man's heart broke for him? It was super sad/sweet and even straight people were (mostly) super psyched to have an out black RnB singer. Gay people, especially those who were sick of people telling them that they're 'not really gay' because they don't really give a fuck about the Scissor Sisters or Lady Gaga, were even more psyched. DON'T GET ME WRONG - Lady Gaga is fine and makes okay music and it is fine to like her. Oh but the Scissor Sisters are awful and should stop trying to cement their place in gay culture because they are just the worst!

So, Frank Ocean! Brave move, man! You've been commended all over the net so I'll leave it at that, but what I did notice was that in discussions of your pretty great debut album, was that people kind of skipped over all the gay parts. That is fine, people didn't want to make a 'big thing' about your coming out, they wanted to just 'talk about the music' and that's great. Every review I read was very grown-up and thought out, and most said it didn't matter what pronouns were used. But the thing is - it kind of did. To me at least.

"Bad Religion" is heart-breaking because of the simple swapping of 'she' for 'he'. The themes in this song have never really explored in this kind of context - ever. I know I haven't listened to every song ever, but this track stands out to me as a gay man. It's every young gay man's fears all wrapped up in ballsy, sparse and beautiful 3 minutes. The yearning, the frustration and the fear - it's all there. Driven by eerie organ and deep religious connotations, Ocean is terrified of revealing his sexuality. Even to a stranger. But even more importantly he is in love with someone who can never love him back. They can never love him back because they're even more afraid, and that is devastating.

Ocean's voice sounds desperate against the church organ, he's almost given up; the only thing that drives him towards the climax is anger and sadness. All culminating in one piercing scream, that is one of the best moments in music this year. One of the sing along moments for any young gay man, or even anyone who has been in love with someone they can't have. This desperate plea is so simple and so universal but it holds a special place for those who are queer, that particular yearning you feel for someone who's never going to find you attractive. Never even going to look at you that way, or if they are - they're never going to admit it. It's songs like this that help permeate our homophobic culture and it's songs like these that hopefully stop more songs like this from ever being written.

But mostly thanks for the catharsis, Ocean. Nice job, I really fucking appreciate it.

New Music: “Don Juan”

2011-02-22T16:48:00.002+11:00

Collarbones – “Don Juan” mp3

Remember when Beirut went all electronic/returned to his electronic roots with that EP, that one time? Remember Melbourne collective Psuche? Do you like smooth vocals over glitchy/poppy electronics? Do you like pop songs? Yep! I remember and or like all of those things! That is what you are saying in your head right now.
Long distance duo Collarbones, is a lot of those things. Adelaide’s Travis Cook and Sydney’s Marcus Whale, combine forces to make blissful electronic pop tracks and “Don Juan” is a very good example of one of these tracks. Bouncy, “soulful” and dreamy: it is a good song that you will probably like it if you enjoy the things from that first paragraph above this paragraph just here.
bandcamp

New Music: “Freaks and Geeks”

2011-02-20T17:09:00.001+11:00

Childish Gambino – “Freaks and Geeks (radio edit)” mp3

It’s around midnight and you and all of your friends have decided it’s too cold too go out tonight. You’ve been drinking since dinner and everyone is in that hazy, lazy stupor and they just wants to never go outside again. Staying inside away from the wind and cold seems like possibly the best idea ever. Your room has that warm glow that only ever appears in the winter. Besides think of all the money we can save guys!

Another bottle of wine is opened and glasses are filled, that guy who doesn’t drink wine opens another beer. Nostalgia kicks in, talk turns to high school – ‘do you remember when girl hooked up with guy?’ – and before you know it at least two of your friends have fallen asleep with half empty wine glasses sitting on the floor next to them.

You have another drink as the the gaps between verbal memories become longer. You wonder what you and and these people have left to talk about, not in a bad way, no judgement here, but you’ve known them forever and you can’t talk about what you used to do for eternity. Discussion turns to what DVD you should put, or what downloaded TV series you should watch. Instead someone gets up and walks over to your laptop, that until now had been playing some fun jokey rap tracks at a low volume, they switch to the next album in iTunes and turn up the volume. “Freaks and Geeks” starts and the conversation stops. This song, daaaaaaaaamn!

website

Video: “Fifteen”

2011-02-10T16:30:00.001+11:00

Super Wild Horses – “Fifteen”

Super appropriate that Melbourne duo Super Wild Horses, have decided to release their video for “Fifteen” this week. The same week I attempt to start skateboarding again and also cut my hair like a teenager. THEY ARE PEERING INTO MY SOUL via this cool B&W lo fi handheld clip, you guys.

Faceless youths, urban decay, graffiti, skateboarding and all those cool things that young people like. The piano that runs throughout, lifts the track from just fun, to interesting and the,by now trademark, cheap and scuzzy guitar riffing is delightfully poppy. These girls have the knack.

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New Music: “Rally 'Round The Fool”

2011-02-08T21:17:00.003+11:00

The Get Up Kids – “Rally ‘Round the Fool” mp3

Welcome back Get Up Kids! Missed you so much! Really missed 90s emo bands in the 00s. Such a thing to miss, but a thing I missed all the same. Yeah, sure you reformed and played a show that I caught in Melbourne last year but what I, and probably the world, really wanted was some NEW MUSIC from you. Thanks for this new album, There Are Rules.

I really dig “Rally ‘Round The Fool”, because cool production. Menacing bass!! Nice string scratching, palm muting and some massive drums: stadium size drums really. I like emo bands taking advantage of big production and crafting their own sound with it. This is a song that does that, sounding big yet also sounding grounded. Must be because of the not-fucked-with vocal track that feels actually natural – other emo bands should take note of this! – and the fact that the big production isn’t covering up a bad song. It’s a good song with big production. WOAH! That is a thing that doesn’t happen often in a post-2000 emo rock band. Look how many times I said the word ‘emo’ in this post. So many times.

Best Worst Songs Part 3: “Moth’s Wings”

2011-02-06T00:49:00.001+11:00

Passion Pit - "Moth's Wings" mp3

THIS SONG! It is just so gross and overwrought and stupidly overproduced BUT GOSH!!! Remember how in Big Love – spoilers ahead! – when Amanda Seyfried and the guy from Breaking Bad got married in the backyard of Bill Paxton’s three houses (because of polygamy) with the glow of the swimming pool just looking so good and then this song played and you probably cried SO MANY TEARS???

But then ALSO, how gross is it that there is about 50 layers of sound over what could probably be a really beautiful stripped back pop song. BUT THEN MAYBE if they stripped it back it would just suck because the guy from Passion Pit cannot sing at all really and his band were really terrible when I tried to see them live but left after five minutes because they were one of the worst live acts I’ve ever seen. Nice effort though, guys. One day.

It’s strange that this song even has any emotional resonance at all because the lyrics are just… really dumb? “Spastic and violently” is not a cool phrase to sing. “You left me shimmering like diamond wedding rings”, yep, actually no. Very dumb lyric. I really want to connect with something here but there’s nothing but melody, which is fine I suppose.

In conclusion (a thing people are saying a lot), this is a really fun, big giant mess of a song. Striving so hard to connect with pretty much the entire world and maybe succeeding for a few people. I really like it very much but it’s also pretty bad. Thank you Passion Pit.

Avril Lavigne has the most terrible dreams. Part 1

2011-01-30T19:31:00.001+11:00

Avril Lavigne – “What The Hell” mp3

Avril Lavigne had done it. She had finally the closed the gap between her hardcore punk beginnings and her newer, poppier sound. Avril had now broken from her origins and was finally ready to become the true pop star she had wanted to be since she released the hit song “S8r Boy” in the year 2000, ushering in a new generation of teenage punks. Standing in the studio vocal booth, she was in shock. Her hands trembled. She couldn’t believe the vocal track she had just laid down. So intense! The best of her career, maybe. This could be the song to get me the critical acclaim I have always rightly deserved: this is my “My Girls”, she thought. Still trembling, she walked out from behind the glass, her legs wobbly, and suddenly she collapsed right in front of producer Max Martin. He raised his sunglasses to observe as her head hit the ground.
When Avril she opened her eyes she wasn’t in her own personal L.A recording studio anymore. In fact she wasn’t even in same country. She had awoken in her teenage bed back in Napanee, Canada. Punk rock posters were slapped on the wall: NOFX, AFI, The Get Up Kids, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Religion and even more classic anarchic bands stared down at her renewed teenage self. Her cargo pants clashed horribly with her pink bedspread. Her necktie had fallen into her tank top. She brushed it aside and took a step onto carpet, the weight of her combat boots felt slightly off-putting against the soft carpet. Her head was spinning, or maybe the room was. Avril took a couple of steps towards the door but it was locked. She was trapped. She quickly turned when she heard a voice coming from the other side of the room.
“Why did you abandon us, Avril? What did we ever do to you?” Avril looked all over the room, but it was empty. There was no one but still the voice continued. “We inspired you. We gave you your start. Why did you give up on us?” Avril was starting freak the fuck out. What was going here? Why am I back in Canada? Why I am dressed like a fucking idiot? I thought I left this life behind me! I’m a fucking pop star now! She kept turning on the spot like a top trying to find the source of the questions, it was then she noticed something strange out of the corner of her eye. It was her NOFX poster. She swear she saw frontman Fat Mike blink.
“But that’s crazy...” thought Avril out loud.
“It’s not crazy, you bitch. It’s reality” said the poster. Fat Mike’s lips actually moved and his eyebrows narrowed.
“Whaaat The Hell?!?” screamed Avril. “How is this happening?” She was shaking with fear. Her eyes were now fixed on the poster. On Fat Mike’s bulbous lips. Another voice came from behind her.
“It’s not just Mike who is mad Avril, we all are. We don’t understand why you have forgotten us”
Avril turned to see Gregory Walter Graffin, of political punk pioneers Bad Religion, looking at her mournfully from within his postered confine.
“I didn’t do anything though! I just paved my own way” stammered Avril.
“No Avril, you didn’t. You used us. You used punk as a construct, as a gimmick to make yourself appear edgy and cool but at one point you really believed. You believed in more than the aesthetic, you believed in the politics, in the anarchy. You were a cliché teenager but you were honest and were punk to the core. But no longer, we are so ashamed of what you have become”
“I... I didn’t meant to Greg. I was just a child.”
“Intentions are unimportant in the greater scheme of things, young woman”
“Yeah!” screamed a poster of a 1990s Davey Havok from across the room. “We aren’t letting you wake up from this nightmare until you vow to return to your roots!”
TO BE CONTINUED... (next time Avril releases a good single. Maybe never.)

New Music: Pretty old shit

2011-01-21T12:33:00.001+11:00

The Ancients – “Spitting Dummies” mp3

Wilco? Is that you Wilco? Pretty sure it’s you. Really like this direction you are taking. Really really smooth, nice alt-country vibes. Feeling a bit nostalgic listening to this. It is much better than anything you have released in the past few years at least. Really dig the pointed recurring guitar line and country-breakdown introduction.

Wait? The Ancients? Ohhhhhh, I like you guys too. Kind of wish you would follow in the direction of that sick sci-fi influenced solo track from last year but this is really nice too. Love it. Feel it all around.

myspace

Who I voted for in triple j’s hottest 100 and why

2011-01-16T20:22:00.002+11:00

Kanye West - Monster {Ft. JAY-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver} mp3
Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Cee Lo Green - Fuck You!
Dan Kelly - Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam
Joanna Newsom - Good Intentions Paving Co.
LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls
My Disco - Turn
Sally Seltmann - Harmony To My Heartbeat
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Round And Round
Bedroom Philosopher, The - Northcote (So Hungover)

Triple j is a popular alternative radio station that broadcasts all over Australia in case you didn’t know (I don’t know who is readings this!). These songs I voted for are probably not the 10 best songs of the year, for honest. I picked 10 songs that I liked and thought perhaps might have a chance of actually making the countdown.

“Monster” is/was a pretty big hit in 2010 yes? I’m pretty sure it has a video clip and sooo many guests. Heaps of people must of listened to, and liked, “Monster” for sure. Also Kanye’s album was pretty popular???

Triple j really love the Arcade Fire. Yep. So what if their new album was very thematically overwrought, this song actually owns and it’s an (alternative) radio hit if I ever heard one. Hope you get back up there Arcade Fire!

“Fuck You!” is the best song. Swearing is really funny!! I love to swear and especially love swearing in musical form. Could this be one of those “crossover” hits where triple j doesn’t mind that a commercially successful brilliant pop song actually gets recognition. Probably.

Dan Kelly is kind of a triple j dude. He is a bit alternative but also he really just writes clever pop songs. This song is good and also has a chance of making the countdown because the chorus, Bindi Irwin (what the LOL?) and the polished production.

I dunno about “Good Intentions Paving Co.”. It is one of the best songs from that 2010 album of Joanna’s, but it’s really long and like why did triple j even put it in their voting list? Maybe it has a chance. It is a good song, very good piano and stuff.

Drunk girls are really funny things. The funniest thing sometimes. James Murphy knows this and “Drunk Girls” is a funny, clever song that goes for less than five minutes and has a good chorus and catchy verses and all that. I’m not sure if this really struck a chord with the Australian public this year but it might have. I am so out of things that strike a chord.

MY DISCO!!! My favourite band! Actually don’t think “Turn”, has a chance of making the countdown but just always have to support MY DISCO. ALWAYS SUPPORT THEM! The lyrics are super hilarious/great also.

Sally can do it! This song is really melodic and well written and has cute girl vocals. Things that triple j really really love and play a lot of. Is this her most popular song? I dunno, but it’s the catchiest and probably has the best chance of making it somewhere in the 100.

Honesty never even listened to “Round and Round” much in 2010 but apparently it really made it big here? It is after all a very good song with a lot of great ideas crammed in there and it’s really great that Ariel Pink is getting fans here. Have this vote from me Ariel Pink!

LOL if “Northcote (So Hungover)” wins. Very amusing song that is very very accurate in its portrayal of the Melbourne hipster and also a pretty good song really. No doubt this will make it into the countdown somewhere because “LOL hipsters are so gay!!”

Can’t wait for Australia day!

New Music: Duck Tales

2011-01-13T22:48:00.001+11:00

Ducktails – “Killin’ the Vibe” mp3

The room was littered with various pieces of modern music equipment. You could hardly take a step without tripping over a loop pedal or a mini Korg. Mounds of cables formed shiny plastic snake pits and amps were angry beehives lining the walls. Ducktails was oblivious to the mess and kept sweeping his fringe away from his forehead in frustration. For some reason he couldn’t figure this track out.

“I just want this song to really mean something” said Ducktails to his three friends in the room: Dent May, Jarvis Taveniere and Panda Bear. “It is really just lacking that something at the moment”
He was right, it was for sure a dreamy indie track that had the potential to win Ducktails many new alternative fans but it wasn’t the lo-fi hazy pop number that he wanted it to be. Before Ducktails could say anything else Panda Bear swept his fringe to the side and added a suggestion.
“Brah, maybe I could do guest vocals?” Mostly he just wanted to do anything. He had been sitting in Ducktails’ bedroom studio all day watching him obsess over this track and was about ready to slit his wrists if something new didn’t happen soon. Dent May agreed and adjusted his glasses (before sweeping his fringe to the side) and added,
“Hey maybe I could add something too! Make it a wicked indie collab or whatever”
Jarvis agreed, nodding his head and swooping his fringe to the side without saying anything. His contribution was implied.

Together they worked through the night. They thought of the perfect lyrics to go with the hazy sound. Totally perfect and meaningful lyrics. The most perfect lyrics of all time perhaps. Thank God they had they had all four of them to make the lyrics just so perfect. You could tell it was definitely the work of a quartet. They all laid down vocal tracks and planned how they would release the track. First to the internet, then to vinyl and then who knows?! Once it was done they all hi-fived and whipped their hair back and forth. “Welcome to 2011”, they all thought.

The Best Worst Songs Part 2

2011-01-12T12:12:00.001+11:00

Taking Back Sunday – “A Decade Under the Influence” mp3

“Uggggggh” groaned Adam Lazzara as he rolled his not yet fat body out of the hotel bed. The hangover was pressing needles directly into his tiny brain. Moments of last night flashed into his brain. Microphone swinging, a lack of good singing and just so many teenage girls. He looked over to see if he had managed to “pick up” one of these young women but alas no, he was alone. No doubt the other, more attractive, band members of Taking Back Sunday had ensnared all the half decent looking girls. What a show though, just so much fun and so much microphone swinging. Lazzara’s most favourite thing to do.

The year was 2005 and the band were riding high on the current wave of emo success sweeping the United States of America. Lazzara contemplated which wave emo was up to by now. Third? Forth? A brand new wave perhaps? He thought briefly of his ex-best friend’s band, Brand New and how they would never really gain the success or critical acclaim that his fantastic band had achieved. He chuckled, or attempted to, as his throat was still raw from last night’s screaming/singing merely a tiny cough was produced by his tired vocal chords.

He surveyed the dirty hotel room. Not rock star dirty though, just drunk dirty. Empty Budweiser bottles everywhere, the bedside table upturned but the television still safely on its stand. Not thrown out the window. Taking Back Sunday were above stunts like that. As he blinked he again felt the needles press into his brain. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he thought of the destructive nature of alcohol. A constant positive and negative throughout all of Lazzara’s life. As he thought of the last night’s beer fuelled exploits he began to have an idea, an idea that would change Lazzara’s life and Taking Back Sunday forever.

He madly grabbed a pen and his notebook from the upturned bedside table and began to scribble the beginnings of the song that would change his career. Change his life! The best idea he had since thinking of the name, “Taking Back Sunday”. This is brilliant, thought Lazzara, these are maybe the best lyrics ever written by anyone in the history of emo. I’ve hit the nail on the head! This, this is music!!

He kept writing through the pain of his hangover. He could hear the rest of the song being written in his head. The backing vocals, oh God the backing vocals were going to be so emotive! The guitar, the guitar! It was colossal! Every experience he had ever had with a beer bottle flashed through his mind grapes as he succinctly and brilliantly explained the entire existence of alcohol in what would become a historical 4 minute emo pop song.

When he was finished writing the lyrics he realised how heavily he was shaking. He had felt the presence of God in his hand while writing these lyrics. He could scarcely believe the enormity of what he had written. Suddenly he broke down, he put his head in his hands and wept. He could barely sputter the words through the tears until he finally managed:
“Thank you, God. Thank you for helping me write one of the best worst songs of all time.”

A story about Pockets

2011-01-11T18:46:00.001+11:00

Pockets – “Gun Shy” mp3

Note this is not at all accurate. RIP Pockets.

“Unf! I am so into Minus the Beat at the moment guys! Just soo into them!” exclaimed Trev suddenly - as just waking from a trance - to a dorm room full of barely-paying-attention-acquaintances. Some of whom were soon to be the friends that would hold his life together for the next year.
“The twinkling guitars! They are like, fucking blowing my mind!” he again almost shouted. Very keen to get his love for Minus the Bear outside of his brain into the thick air. Very very keen to be heard at this minute. Many of the acquaintances softly agreed but not before indulging Trev with a listing of all their favourite bands. Trev hadn’t heard of them but feigned interest anyway. Lo-Tel... who?

One of the others in the room piped up in strong agreement though. It was Josh, he had only meet Trev a few weeks ago at an underground warehouse show in Sydney’s east, but they had strongly clicked together over their love of “Math Rock”. He was the closet acquaintance in the room and could be considered a friend. They had been Facebook friends for weeks at least now.
“Duuude! I fucking love Minus the Bear! I am always playing their riffs on my sweet Fender Squire. Just the sweetest riffs!” Josh said while slightly fist pumping. At this point another face in the room turned to the Minus the Bear love-in. The face was of Pete. He was really only there because he had heard there would be weed in Trev’s room but that had turned out not to be true. He had decided to stay after digging some of the music that was emanating from Trev’s Mac Book.
“Guys I really like Minus the Bear also, but their lyrics are just a bit naff. I can’t really relate to their frat boy ideology or date rape theatrics. It’s a little too American for me, you know. I wish there was an Australian band that did the same thing” said Pete, a lit major, while slowly stroking his chin and looking throughout the room.

While this extremely interesting conversation was taking place in the confines of Trev’s dormitory room - he lived on campus at UNSW by the way - there was forth party listening. Quietly and intently. Aaron studied the room and noticed that Trev had a bass guitar. A shiny black thing in the corner next to a CD stand carrying all the latest cool indie band releases. He remembered that Josh had just said he played guitar and of course he himself played the drums! He quickly pieced all this information together and like someone had committed inception in his own mind the idea of Pockets was born. Aaron was pretty sure Pete could sing due to his keen interest in the lyrics of hit Canadian band Minus The Bear. No one but singers were interested in lyrics after all.

The next week the band had their first practise. Everyone was super psyched to finally be in a band. It had been a goal of each member since birth. Soooo psyched to have their dreams come true. They clicked so well. Laying down smooth math rock tracks and within the year they had an LP out. Things were going so great! So great! But things always have a way of turning sour...

TO BE CONTINUED.... (probably not though)

bandcamp

Video: “Tea”

2011-01-09T18:37:00.001+11:00

Seagull - 'Tea' from Dylan Wiehahn

Another AMAZING video from Seagull for new single “Tea”. Again directed by Dylan Wiehahn, who directed their breathtaking video for “Company”. This one is less Victoria and more Queensland, but still spookily evocative and goddamn ethereal. Gorgeously hazy and the song is very nice too.

Watch thing in full screen. Be amazed. Yep.

BEST FIVE ALBUMS OF 2010

2010-12-28T20:12:00.001+11:00

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Childish Gambino – Culdesac
Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
Otouto – Pip
The-Dream – Love King

So many things have already been written about Yeezy’s latest album, so let’s strip it back to basics. This album truly succeeds because it’s not afraid to be a pop album. It wants to be a pop album SO MUCH. Every single song works within a pop template, even when West is trying to be experimental he still manages to cram in just so many hooks. It’s mind-blowing how accessible, yet dense and enjoyable this album is.

Lyrically it is all over the place in the best way. Ranging from self destructive to self inflating, it’s a wildly accurate portrayal of modern celebrity captured with a self-awareness not many thought possible from a guy with such an ego. The fact that one of the biggest/best media dickheads ever managed to make an album this precise and fantastic is pretty pretty pretty good.

Culdesac is a completely different hip-hop album. Also opting to try many things, it is never quite as adventurous or as breathtaking as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Even when shit gets heavy Gambino throws in a few punch-lines to even things out. It works for him though.

It’s a great album because not every song is a homerun but FUCK, it tries so hard to hit them. An album trying this hard to succeed at hip-hop, RnB and perhaps indie was just never going to be perfect. But it does make an amazingly fun and varied album that works through sheer goodwill and unique clever lyrics. Insightful, funny and so damn spot on. Love this thing guys.

The-Dream’s Love King, is another album that just has so much good that you can forget about the bad. It is very long after all. Also the bad is really forgettable so it’s not hard to forget! But GOSH, just so many good songs on this thing so many parts where you are like “yep! You nailed that just then The-Dream!”

Outrageous pop monsters that degrade and entertain. It’s brilliant and probably the most fun album of 2010. Everyone should notice how much fun this album is! Maybe if you are a women it’s not so fun though. But I bet it is still great for women. This album is how all men think about ladies! LOL not.

Deerhunter released their most complete album yet. It’s so pop yet weirdly experimental and full of so many good ideas and moments. Cox’s lyrics remain direct and somehow brilliant. So many guitars on this thing. Needed some guitars in this list.

Otouto made one of the most complete albums this year. I guess you could call it art pop IF YOU ARE A HUGE WANKER. But mostly it is a unique pop album that is sparsely beautiful with some brilliant pithy observations about the world and human condition. Just normal stuff like that. Very great album. Very great year for music!

BEST FIVE SONGS OF 2010

2010-12-22T15:01:00.002+11:00

1. Childish Gambino - Do Ya Like

2. Kanye West - Dark Fantasy

3. Hoodie Allen - January Jones

4. The-Dream - Yamaha

5. Dan Kelly - A Classical DJ at Dandenong Station

Woah woah. Fuck the haters. I have a DEGREE, I’m also not that cool so I’m allowed to sincerely like/LOVE these songs. Also I forgot to care very much about music this year and only really listened to REALLY GREAT pop songs, hip hop aimed at hipsters and heaps of generic indie rock. You got me guys! I’m bad at music in 2010! All these songs are great though so ignore the above paragraph.

“Do Ya Like” never really struck me as the best song on Childish Gambino’s album at first but it eventually burrowed deep. SO DEEP EVERYONE. Gambino switches between crooning RnB and straight up killer flow in the most clever song of 2010. Line after line of wit, romance and straight up punch lines. The smooth beat works with minimal effort and damn, this song demands repeat plays. NEVER STOP LISTENING.

“January Jones” follows in a similar vein, i.e. appealing to geeky white dudes, but Allen maybe takes it to another level. This is a song about January Jones after all, a star in one of the most acclaimed television shows ever. That show is Mad Men, by the way. Buoyant and super summer-y, Allen’s flow isn’t perfect but it adds to the charm and if I liked girls more I guess I would have a mega crush on January Jones too.

It is beaten out by Yeezy’s “Dark Fantasy” though. THIS FUCKING SONG. Maybe the best use of a sample all year (CAN WE GET MUCH HIGHER???) and FUUUCK whoa, what an album opener. Kanye spits fire and the contrast between the verses and the chorus is the best. Just the best. Come to think of it, maybe this should be number one.

I included Dan Kelly at number five because actually I didn’t spend all year listening to RnB and hip hop. “A Classical DJ at Dandenong Station” is maybe not the best song if you’ve never actually been to Dandenong, just the absolute worst place by the way. Really love the use of expensive production as it adds to the theatrics extensively. Kelly is a talented lyricist in his own right and is able to find the sweet spot between novelty and sincere.

I put in The-Dream’s “Yamaha” because what a fucking monster of a pop song. The lyrics are just ridiculous but also perfect. Perfect modern pop song really.

So yeah 2010! What a year for music. Very many good songs that I did not include in this list. More meaningful songs just weren’t doing it for me this year. Let’s all relax and enjoy pop music forever.

The Best Worst Songs Part 1

2010-12-21T18:03:00.001+11:00

Motion City Soundtrack – Everything is Alright

This song is the very best/worst! Very enjoyable bad pop punk from one of the most middle of the road albums of all time (damn you Producer Mark Hoppus!). Super great helium vocals and just a lot of palm muting. Don’t forget the moog! Never forget the moog.

But for real! Very relatable lyrics. I am often counting the tiles in the ceiling and self medicating. Two things that many people do. Honestly very much like this song as a clever piece of generation Y anxiety wrapped up in a shiny pop punk shell with really fun drums though.

It’s a pity that Motion City Soundtrack never really got any better. They had a lot of potential as shown in songs like this and most of their first album but they just never really expanded on the good, instead opting to make goofy bad songs about boring things. Sort of just faded into worse than mediocrity but I think they still have fans so yay for them.

This song is also the best/worst because Patrick Stump does guest vocals! Love that guy!

Video: “Saturday Night”

2010-12-07T00:02:00.001+11:00

Jessica Mauboy feat. Ludracis – “Saturday Night”

Oh no! Why is this song so bad?? I had such high hopes for you “J Melly”! After the perfect, yet so so lazy, “Running Back” from a couple of years ago I have been waiting for you to make some kind of really spectacular comeback. Instead you release this! What the? Make more good songs already.

Ok wait. I listened to it about 10 times in a row. Maybe it’s not too bad eh? One of those “growers”. Such a unique RnB beat and really great lyrics that jump on the ALCOHOLISM bandwagon that Kei$ha started back in early 2010. Also L-O-L, Ludcracis’ verse is atrocious. The video obviously had a high budget though. In the 80s.

(What is Foundation even about anymore??)

New Music: Dank Alley

2010-12-01T12:39:00.000+11:00

Dan Kelly – “A Classical DJ at Dandenong Station” mp3

Not sure how “new” this really is seeing as how I saw it performed over a year ago but yay, recorded versions of songs are cool new things sometimes. Dan Kelly is old enough (35! Ancient!!!) to know how to write a song and this a pretty perfect summation of the talents he has refined over the years.

It’s light-hearted and clever. with so many great hooks in both the songwriting and production. The riffing of classic composer’s names, the vivid(SO) Melbourne-centric lyrics and Kelly’s melodies are super sweet. While the production is way polished there’s enough depth to hold this up to repeated listenings. NEVER FORGET POP FOLK MUSIC.

myspace

New Music: Number 96

2010-11-25T13:49:00.001+11:00

East Brunswick All Girls Choir – “Essendon 1986” mp3

Feel the rollicking angst of this new track from Melbourne’s East Brunswick All Girls Choir. The 4-piece have been doing good things for a while, slowly gaining momentum and finally have an album coming soon.

New single “Essendon 1986”, taken from their debut album Sandhurst Town due out in April, is a chugging automotive non-stop rock – kind of folk - song. Dangerous guitars, buried strangled vocals and a relentless barrage of everything. It’s pretty much full frontal. I think I mentioned it’s quite relentless. I also think it’s about Essendon in 1986 and it’s really cool.

myspace

New Music: Osca Osca Osca

2010-11-18T21:05:00.001+11:00

Oscar and Martin – “Recognise” mp3

RISE FROM THE ASHES (of Psuche) LIKE A PHOENIX and make new low key electronic pop jams with a BRAND NEW NAME. That’s what Melbourne duo Oscar and Martin have done and they are currently releasing cool new tracks via ~indie~ label TWO BRIGHT LAKES (I love those guys).

“Recognise” is a simple beat driven two minute textured pop track. All sweet and organ-y with Oscar’s super smooth vocals providing the hook + cool electronic glitchy parts. I don’t even know what I’m talking about. It’s really silky and great though.

two bright lakes