Things that go bump in the night.. and the day.

So I have another job, so this has gotten in the way of the postings of my musical musings. Also, the fact that my computer has given up on living has not helped. So, I have borrowed a Ferrari of sorts and here we are.

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Big Scary and The Grates @ The Corner Hotel

I do admit I have never been a HUGE Grates fan, and was a little apprehensive when my dear blister asked me to accompany her on Saturday eve. My fears heightened when I read that Alana, my favourite member of the band, had flown the coop in favour of different pastures (touring with Neil Finn... I cannot blame her). So there I was, curious and not alone, at the Corner last night.

To my pleasant surprise, the support act was Big Scary, the Melbourne twosome who released four wonderful seasonal EPs last year. I had not caught them live yet, and now I can confirm them as one of my favourite acts getting around. They have an eclectic setlist which I'm sure will not fit with every taste, but their diverse sound is held together by a tight sound and a joyful energy. I am also in awe/love with their quirkily wondrous drummer Jo. She has inspired me to take up MORE instruments.

Big Scary by bigscary

I love The Apple Song, Hamilton and Tuesday is Rent Day, but they are all magic.

The Grates came on at about an hour to the witching hour (I use witch clock now, it's more accurate) and from the outset showed me a new side that I had not experienced. With two new additions and a sound that was eerily reminiscent of early Magic Dirt and Adalita in her glory days, it was the quirk that defined them with a new, grunge-edge. Patience is still the bouncing ball of energy that defined them in their early live sets, and had the crowd eating out of her tiny, beautiful hands in no time. All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised, and have borrowed their new album Secret Rituals, ready for a new era of female-fronted Australian rock n'roll.

I LOVE this new one. And Patience. Na na na na ooooo.

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Reclink Community Cup @ Elsternwick Park

If you have not already heard, once a year there is a magical day when those who were never meant to be allowed on a football field are set loose, and a rock n'roll frenzy begins. The PBS Megahurtz are a motley crue of radio DJs from across Melbourne's fine RRR and PBS stations (plus a few guests) and the Espy Rockdogs are a collection of local muso's who pull on the socks in order to raise funds for a good cause.

This afternoon Elsternwick Park was overrun with old and young alike, families, dogs, streakers, drunkards, thinkers, players and friends. The likes of the great Tim Rogers, my favourite aria winner Dan Sultan and the vivacious Dan Luscombe led the Rockdogs to a resounding win, though the Megahurtz put up a valiant fight despite their lack of any football skill whatsoever.

(The greatest frontman Australia has produced... playing up forward.)

Highlight was indeed the ending of the day by You Am I playing in the grandstand, Rogers and co. still in great form despite any injuries sustained on the field. All this hilarity and good ol' fashioned fun for a five dollar donation to a worthy charity? Sundays are dandy.

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So that's that for this week. I'll leave you with a pretty beautiful little clip from Big Scary.

Rock an' rollabilly

So I think I may have found the genre that has been missing from my eclectic collection,

Crazy evil preacher rockabilly.

He is playing at NSC on the 28th, I will be there with my dancing shoes on.

Speaking of,

I was at YahYahs on Friday (surprise surprise) and had the darndest good time with local wonders, Midnight Woolf. And I love this clip... especially the dancing guy with glasses.

And lastly, but not leastly... a trip back to one of my favourite releases of 2009.
SO HAPPY.

Bye.

So I kinda blew up my computer...

Well, kinda. It is trying to Benjamin Button itself... faaaantastic.

Q: How am I writing this you ask?

A: Magic. (true)

I suppose I brought it on myself. NO. Actually I'm going to blame this wonderous blog -

http://spacerockmountain.blogspot.com/

Go. Go and listen to its many wonders. Just don't try and download them all at once. They share my appreciation of Ty Segall and garage punk in all its forms. Especially try Moonhearts, Beat Happening and Soledad Brothers. But everything there is worth a spin. If you like King Khan, Segall or any of the above, delve away.

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Also, Sydneysider Jack Ladder has just uploaded his new effort to Soundcloud. Part Nick Cave, part Matt Berninger, part horror country (my favourite genre), part dark wave jesus & mary chainesque.... its all parts interesting.

Listen here.

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And Anchors new album, Bad Juju, is out now... and streaming here. Its great, and they have a song called Buscemi... which in the face of this recent onslaught of these delightful pictures, I think is well overdue.

Ps. Untitled IS a cover of Us by Regina Spektor. Wonderous.

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And a rant to finish with. Slightly off-topic, but someone has to listen to me.

http://tiny.cc/mm1u2

I CANNOT STAND THESE ADS.

If there is one certain thing in this crazy universe, it is that we do not need any more people glorifying stupidity. Smart is creative, adventurous, curious, questioning, quantifying, optimistic and powerful. Allowing society to label you so that you can label yourself and to take decision-making out of your hands is the first step in creating a world without critical thinking.

And that is scary.

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Goodnight. By tomorrow my computer will be a black screen with green writing. Maybe I can play Pieces of Eight again?

Awoohoo.

So ridiculously catchy.

Download here, but if you love it, support away.

I think that you will like me, if I just keep asking you to.

Remember how I love ridiculously cute Scottish twee-pop?

You don't?

Well, I do.

Also, I love 17year old New Zealander multi-instrumentalists.

Its not weird.

I wish I was that talented. Bet he doesn't have a small music blog that a handful of people read though... ha HA!

Through the joy of Bandcamp, download these, both.

Winter Wunderland

So its June hey? And the sun has still been a feature all week (although as I type this I think I am invoking some kind of ironical clouding over of the sky. Sorry. Its my fault Melbourne... but you can't silence me!). The internationals have decided to give me a small break from the relentless touring over the last couple of months, so I have caught my breath, got out the extra blanket for the bed and gone a' adventuring on the internets.

White Suede

Rock'n rollers prick up your ears. White Suede have put on the blue smooth textured fabric shoes, written some sweet pop tunes and added just a hint of soul. The clever Canadians have just released their debut album Animal Man, and I for one think it is just the thing for a Saturday afternoon that evolves into night, or a cheeky weekday dance. It is full of soulful optimism (Back by the River), lets out its proverbial animal side (Cold Kids) and yet maintains a folkish, playful sound that comes across in many northern indie releases. Just listen to Colourblind below and then go and donate them some money and download this beauty.

Lanie Lane

I went to a ol' fashioned letter writing event last week, hosted by the lovely Claire Bowditch, which got me investigating her upcoming tour, which led me to this beauty. Lanie Lane is a unique voice, talented musician and stunner in a 50s A-line print. Having played with the likes of Justin Townes Earle amongst others, my ears are excited about the impending Winter Secrets tour. Have a look.

Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Thanks to the ineptitude or sneakiness of Itunes, Justin Vernon's new self-titled release was leaked last week to the joy of many internerds. So once I was un-shaped (thanks idiots from upstairs, I KNOW IT WAS YOU) I joined the masses to illegally have a listen before it hits stores.

Truthfully, I was not impressed upon first listen. Gone are the crackly aesthetics and bare-boned heartbreak, and I honestly couldn't separate the synth on the final track, Beth/Rest, from a Celine Dion offering. I was ready to give it a thumbs down, but something stopped me. I listened again, and again, and now, well I'm not so sure.

Yes, it is different. Yes, now he has been inside a studio with money, and you can definitely hear that. But tracks like the opener Perth, and the haunting Holocene let you know that he has not lost the ability to pull on the heartstrings. He deftly combines all that is at his disposal and creates an album that soars higher, is more complex but is not overproduced. It is a fitting second release, and it shows that For Emma was not a fluke, but that Vernon is a very talented composer.

Jury is still out on the last track, but I reckon he'll be acquitted due to the strength of the rest of the evidence, *Bang of gavel*.

Download Bon Iver Holocene