CYRK — CATE LE BON
I have been desperate to hear this album for ages, and when it it’s UK and US release date had well passed and it had still not appeared on iTunes or was anywhere on the database at Rockinghorse – i actually emailed her management saying basically, but a little more politely, “WTF?”.
So like a leper in this digital, supposedly modern world, I resorted to Amazon. Yeah I know. I feel dirty.
Anyway I got the CD and as I have said before, holding music in your hands, devouring the booklet and credits (always wanting more), waiting that excruciating minute or two while the CD was ripped into iTunes — is actually quite a refreshingly blissful ordeal these days.
So Cate fucking rocks. Like she really does rock. She has these sweet, sweet quirky melodies and harmonies, but there’s always big-fat- fuck-yeah drums behind and a morbidly obese bassline and then shredding guitars binding everything together. It’s not wimpy or reserved, despite appearances. And it is just such a perfectly happy balance. This is what I attempted my whole musical career – a happy mix of light and dark, humble and hesitant set against a musical tsunami sweeping over you.
At first I thought it got a tiny bit bogged down in the middle, but those songs were just growers. Sometimes the best songs.
Highlights are “Fold the Cloth“, “Cyrk”, “Falcon Eyed” and “Ploughing Out Pt 2”.
POND — “Moth Wings”
I’ve posted about this band before but here is another riff-based jam that rips the fuck up outta shit – any shit you wanna throw at it. Enjoy.
LACE CURTAINS — “High Fantasy”
This song initially sounds like it belongs in Sesame Street, but then when the singer starts talking about someone objecting to getting songs written about them — well I like self-referential songs and let’s face it – it’s a bit post-modern writing a song about song-writing.
THE LAURELS — “Tidal Wave”, “Black Cathedral” and “Art School Girl”
This is a band from Sydney. And being from Brisbane, especially at State of Origin time, I was a bit “icky” about considering whether I’d give them a go. It goes further than that cause being from Australia you feel a bit like every single Australian band is trying to be so serious, and in doing so copy some global trend and not be “Australian”. Or even “Sydney”, or even “Brisbane”. And I can remember being from Brisbane all the Melbourne bands and the Sydney bands would be like, “Hmm”. In that way that “hmm” sounds like you are really saying, “You fucking hicks, get outta my way.” But “Tidal Wave” was one of those songs I knew I would fucking adore even after the very first listen. And apart from being amazing and featuring really cool basslines I think this band has serious talent. I also love the artwork. And they do remind me a bit of another Sydney band…
DROP CITY
(Retro Tune)
(Actually a pic of the Lovetones — Matthew’s post Drop City band)
This is an awesome, awesome band and this is just one of their crazy-amazing songs. If you can track down “Setting Sun” or “Apple Tree” then wow. Good for you and you won’t be disappointed.
DJ GLAD RAPPA 