(courtesy No More Coats and No More Home)


Why is this man smiling?

Well, you would be too if you just released the best musical moment of 2009. Yes, it's that simple. In an exciting and dynamic year for music, one moment stands above all. The recent release of "Dragonslayer" was a tidal wave of emotion, a fierce fire burning. But there has been plenty else to keep me excited. In fact, there are plenty of releases so far this year that have stoked my fire, but also plenty more that I have failed to keep up with. I still have a pile of music that I need to get acquainted with. Why, oh why, do we have to work for a living? It's also been a good year for live music, although not quite the level of 2008, with Fleet Foxes, The Hold Steady and Okkervil River giving us wonderful shows that were universally celebrated.

However the phenomenal success of Pink, Kings of Leon, etc. shows us that in the 'outside' world there is still a huge vacuum in the commercial world of music. Whilst albums by Neko Case and Grizzly Bear have made a small dent in the atmosphere, there is still a long way to go before commercial and critical success goes hand in hand. At least we can still see most of favourite acts in smaller, more personal venues. That has to be a plus.

Top Ten Albums of 2009 (So Far)
1-Dragonslayer-Sunset Rubdown
Burning brightly, providing sustenance to the wanting, delivering joy in finely sculptured parcels. That is the beauty of Sunset Rubdown.

2-Veckatimest-Grizzly Bear
Already a modern classic, sumptuous, glorious and harmonies to die for. Worthy of all the hype and more. Discoveries upon every listen.

3-Enemy Mine-Swan Lake
Three men enter a room. Three men leave with music of an order that few can reach. Yes, Bejar, Mercer and Krug equals greatness.

4-Bromst-Dan Deacon
The big man has done it again. His finest work yet is a thrilling ride of substance and clarity. Designed to stimulate. Mission accomplished.

5-Middle Cyclone-Neko Case
The voice from another universe creates a feast for the ears. Beautifully compelling and delicious to the very last drop. Sigh.

6-The Hazards Of Love-The Decemberists
This album is a stunner. Why the mixed reviews? Ambitious and complex, an album to swallow in whole, several times over.

7- Merriweather Post Pavilion-Animal Collective
A band of great influence gives us perhaps their most highly acclaimed work yet. I still prefer the more tribal sounds of yore, but it is surely great.

8-Face Control-Handsome Furs
What's not to love here? Impossibly catchy and wonderfully addictive. If not as great as "Plague Park", it's still a great ride.

9-Clues-Clues
Every song here is an exercise in melody and pop mastery. Great to have Alden Penner back, this album needs a bigger audience.

10-Skin Of Evil-Blackout Beach
The beauty of Carey Mercer is once again on display. For him, quite restrained, but still delightfully macabre and strange.

I also like these albums
Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free-Akron/Family
Outside Love-Pink Mountaintops
Worldwild-Pterodactyl
Years-Years
Get Guilty-A.C. Newman
The Floodlight Collective-Lotus Plaza
Songs Of Shame-Woods
Yours Truly, The Commuter-Jason Lytle

Songs to Dig
Idiot Heart-Sunset Rubdown
Vampire-Pink Mountaintops
A Hand At Dusk-Swan Lake
Lakeside-BLK JKS
Radio Kaliningrad-Handsome Furs
Octavio-Viva Voce
Perfect Fit-Clues

Music to anticipate...
Wilco (The Album)-Wilco
Upper Air-Bowerbirds
American Central Dust-Son Volt
Horehound-The Dead Weather
Expanding Universe-The Most Serene Republic
I'm Going Away-Fiery Furnaces
Josephine-Magnolia Electric Co.
Gather, Form and Fly-Megafaun
Riceboy Sleeps-Riceboy Sleeps
The Knot-Wye Oak
Signal Morning-Circulatory System
Infinite Light-Lightning Dust
Creaturesque-Throw Me The Statue
Zounds-Dappled Cities
Wind's Poem-Mount Eerie
Intuit-Ramona Falls
Welcome Joy-The Cave Singers
After Robots-BLK JKS
Keep In Mind Frankenstein-Grand Archives
Time To Die-The Dodos
Vapours-Islands
Eskimo Snow-Why?
There Is No Enemy-Built To Spill

All weekends feel special. Especially as I spend them all with my lovely girl. But this weekend felt really special. It culminated today in the purchase of this wonderful etching by Australian artist Anne Smith. We bought it at the Falls Gallery in Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains. The colours are just beautiful. We were also lucky to get a peek inside the home of the owners of the gallery and saw some magnificent art hanging on the walls, including a sublime Garry Shead. What a great artist he is.

Some of the other highlights of the weekend were-
Essendon smashing the vastly over rated Carlton on Friday night.
Seeing a potentially great wedding venue in the Mountains.
Finding great things at Gleebooks in Blackheath.
Josophan's Chocolates.
Dinner with wonderful company in Blackheath.
Meeting two beautiful dogs on Sunday morning.

Some other thoughts-
Triple J Hottest 100 closes tonight. Wilco got my number one song.
Pink really needs to leave our country. She is awful.
This week's Chaser was a big return to form.
I hope Tyler Hansborough succeeds in the NBA.
Malcolm Turnbull has lost all credibility.

Wilco (The Album) is out June 30.

If one man can make this sort of music, then, well, let's be grateful.
Let's be happy and full of good humour.
For this is truly a moment in music to celebrate.

Let's celebrate then...
"Gone are the days bonfires make me think of you.
Looks like the prophecy came true.
You are a fallen tree; he is a fallen tree.
How old are you? No, how old are you?"

Growing old, remembrance of things past, loss, forgiveness. Achingly beautiful, impossible to forget. A perfect blend of voice and sound.

"If I found you in this city.
And called it paradise.
I’d say I love you but I hate this city.
And I’m no prize."

Impending doom, uncertainty, vanity leading to destruction. A thunderbolt living inside a headrush. Drumming is extraordinary.

"My god I miss the the way we used to be.
So here's a photograph for you to hold.
It's my picture before I got old.
It's a picture of a buffalo."

Change, sadness, loss of innocence, wishing for the past. Melody brought down from somewhere that we CAN NOT reach. Oh, sweetness.

"You've got mascara all over your bedsheets.
You've got mascara all over your clothes.
You've got mascara making broken heart shapes on your face.
And you have yet to see the ghost."

Impossibly unrequited love, pain, unbearable pain. The new sound, guitars shredded and shed to the four winds. Fairly rocking, yes.

"And paper burns.
And paper fades.
And paper crumples into ugly shapes."

Forgetting the past, living in the present, remembrance of life that is good. The sweet moment, pop wonder. Maybe Swan Lake did it better...

"And if there are two eyes in my head, there are four seasons in a year.
And reflections on the water of a burning yellow sphere.
And the days add up to weeks, add up to months. And add up."

Love never ending, undying devotion, patience. Purely wonderful in that Krugian way. Metaphor used in his unique way. Poetic.

"Like all fireworks and all sunsets.
We all burn in different ways.
You are a vast explosion and I am the embers."

Longing, patience, admiration from afar. Rhythmical, driving, completely intoxicating. These sounds are completely and totally compelling.

"I see your face when I close my eyes.
I see the muscles in your legs from the way you always rise.
To the occasion of catching things that fall
like the statuettes on pedestals I tend to build too tall."

Blind ambition, desperation for love, submission, compliance. Epic is too small a word here. Ten minutes seems far too short. Giving of life.

"Dragonslayer" was laid down rocking. Straight to the floor. Raw, uncompromising. Guitar heavy and yet so melodic it will make your head spin. It is meant to be discovered over and over again. It deals with love and love lost. Sometimes love never gained, often wishing for a past that may never return. If the music wasn't so uplifting this would be sadness in the extreme. This is the beauty of Sunset Rubdown. Pain sits side by side with joy. If you thought, somehow, that your music library was complete, well think again.

This album fairly sparkles. Dynamic and direct, it fills the listener with excitement upon every listen. The debut album from Montreal's Clues is to be applauded and lauded for its ingenuity and freshness. When The Unicorns dissolved, we waited for the next stage. If roughly one half (or two thirds even) gave us the drama of Islands, then the other half has waited longer. But the wait was worth it. Clues are definitely more closely aligned to the music of The Unicorns. Alden Penner and his band of merry men have managed to create a piece of music that is both thrilling and substantial. This is direct and forthright music, infused with insanely catchy melodies and interesting ideas. Ideas that balance light and dark in near perfect proportions.

This self titled debut is also an urgent affair. It fairly rattles along, passengers are welcome but they better hold on tight. Tightly, for this freight train has no fat and is pure muscle. It clatters and bangs, music that is strong on melody but also possesses an ability to wake any listener from their potential stupour. This is extremely evident on the opening three songs. "Haarp" is static guitar and drum rolls and lilting vocals, a kaleidoscopic track, closely followed by the surging "Remember Severed Head" and the bulldozing "Approach The Throne". All these songs feature unique time signatures, a great deal of urgency and explosive percussion with cymbals being bashed with great fury. This is definitely a great album to experience on headphones as you pick up the robust sounds and deft nuances. There is light though, with the eerie "In The Light" providing respite. I also enjoy the slow build up of "You Have My Eyes Now", which climbs and reaches with great effect into the air. As stated, there is no filler on this excellent album. Whether it is the pop certainty of "Perfect Fit" or the sombre taste of "Elope" there is much here to enjoy. Well, enjoyment is guaranteed with surety on the pulsating and airtight "Cave Mouth" or the mini epic that is "Ledmonton". Clues have crafted a pop/rock record of great energy and balance. Music with urgency and an unceasing ear for melody.

MP3: Remember Severed Head

In an extremely fine year for Australian film hopefully this will be another one to enjoy. "Last Ride" stars Hugo Weaving and is directed by Glendyn Ivin. "Last Ride" opens in Sydney in July 2.

BLK JKS are Lindani Buthelezi, Mpumi Mcata, Mlefi Makananise and Tshepang Ramoba. They are from Soweto, South Africa. Earlier this year they released an excellent EP in the shape of "Mystery", four tracks brimming with excitement and originality. Now they return with their first proper album in "After Robots". This album was recorded in the USA with Brandon Curtis in January, 2009 and will be released on Secretly Canadian on September 8. This is an album that I look forward to with high hopes.

After Robots Track Listing
1 Molalatladi
2 Banna Ba Modimo
3 Standby
4 Lakeside
5 Taxidermy
6 Kwa Nqingetje
7 Skeleton
8 Cursor
9 Tselane

MP3: Molalatladi-BLK JKS

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the part where I get very excited. Dan and Alexei (otherwise known as Handsome Furs) are coming to Australia. With two wonderful albums behind them, especially the stellar "Plague Park", these are shows not to be missed. At all.

Handsome Furs Tour Dates
August 27 Corner Hotel, Melbourne
August 29 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
August 30 Amplifier, Perth

Brought to Australia by Civil Society
Tickets go on sale June 19

MP3: Radio Kaliningrad

The Polaris Prize is Canada's first juried award for creative artistic achievement in recorded music. An independent jury of 180 people judge the best Canadian album in the preceding 12 months. The ultimate winner is judged on quality of music rather than album sales. A couple of days ago a long list of 40 albums was released. On July 7 this list will be shortened to 10, with the winner announced at a gala evening in September, where a prize of $20,000 awaits.

Past Winners
2006 He Poos Clouds-Final Fantasy
2007 Close To Paradise-Patrick Watson
2008 Andorra-Caribou (pictured above)

2009 Long List
Jackson Square-Arkells
Chances-Jill Barber
Beast-Beast
As Seen Through Windows-Belle Orchestre
Quiet Earth-Bison B.C.
A Mountain Is A Mouth-Bruce Peninsula
Coeur De Pirate-Coeur De Pirate
Live In London-Leonard Cohen
Let The Children Die-D-Sisive
The Seven Seas-Elephant Stone
Mountain Meadows-Elliott Brood
The Chemistry Of Common Life-Fucked Up
Lost Channels-Great Lake Swimmers
Face Control-Handsome Furs
An Imaginary Country-Tim Hecker
Into Your Lungs-Hey Rosetta!
Post-Nothing-Japandroids
Begone Dull Care-Junior Boys
Yes!-K-OS
Troubador-K'NAAN
La Patere Rose-La Patere Rose
Some Are Lakes-Land Of Talk
Lhasa-Lhasa
Labyrinthes-Malajube
Fantasies-Metric
Forest Of Tears-One Hundred Dollars
Outside Love-Pink Mountaintops
Three-Joel Plaskett
Lies On The Prize-Snailhouse
The Happiness Project-Charles Spearin
Superioryouareinferior-Rae Spoon
Oceans Will Rise-The Stills
Family-Think About Life
Timbre Timbre-Timbre Timbre
Soft Airplane-Chad VanGaalen
I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too-Martha Wainwright
Wooden Arms-Patrick Watson
At Mount Zoomer-Wolf Parade
Women-Women
Treasury Library Canada C/W Houndstooth Europa-Woodpigeon

Now, quite a lot of these albums I am not familiar with at all. I figured out that I own 10 of these albums. Of those I would naturally like to see Wolf Parade win. What else? But as albums by Sunset Rubdown and Arcade Fire have been over looked in the past I am going for something else as the winning entry. I predict Chad VanGaalen to take out the prize in 2009.

If I was to make a list of my favourite all time bands (pre the Krugian era, that is), then Idaho's Built To Spill would right near the very top. If not at the very top. Their mix of strident guitars and Doug Martsch's vocals made a permanent indent in my heart. In fact "Perfect From Now On" would easily find a spot in my top ten albums of all time, not to mention their other classic releases. Even though their latest album, "You In Reverse", was not a classic, I am still excited by news of a new album. "There Is No Enemy" will be released in October, the band's seventh studio album. To quote Doug, "On the last record, a lot of the material was built on jamming. But, for this one, I wrote most of the songs and brought them to the band. Still, we're trying to make it sound like a continuation of what the last record was, as far as sounding like a live band with little sounds coming in and out. Most of the songs are five or six minutes long-- maybe a couple of seven, eight minute-ers. And a couple two, three minute ones."

Full details to come in due course.

Gallons of ink have been spent on this subject, but here are a few more scribbles. For this is worth it. This is good. This is actually great. "Veckatimest". Believe the hype. Believe that you are unlikely to hear a better album in 2009. Well, a non-Canadian one anyway. This is music in full bloom. With surety and deliberation Grizzly Bear have conjured music that glows. That is radiant. That is destined to become a modern day classic.

This album paints all the corners. That is something I am sure about. For the corners are important and vital. If great music has broad and bold brushstrokes, it also reaches into the recesses, the cornices. The corners. Where subtle surprises await and delight. Where moments of beauty become apparent upon every listen. It takes a certain type of dedication and craftsmanship to arrive at this point. A certain type of talent too. A talent to create delicate and persuasive sounds that make sparks inside your brain and fireflies in your heart. What began as Ed Droste's project has bloomed into a band at the peak of their powers. With two robust songwriters and four band members who all play a vital part, this band are creating music that is impossible to resist and almost compulsory to admire. With nary a weak track, "Dory" perhaps the only slight one, "Veckatimest" flows with great certainty from start to finish. The closing three songs are sure to knock you out.

But we start with "Southern Point", a softly, softly opener that lulls you in. Sparse drumming and tender guitars are an invite to the world of Grizzly Bear. That world becomes the magnificence that is "Two Weeks", a song of infinite hummability. Staccato piano and darting guitar go perfectly here with floating harmonies. So many highlights after this too. The swelling tide of "All We Ask" (great drumming) or the delicate and tender "Fine For Now" are pretty great to digest, before we hit the pulsating "Ready, Able", which comes complete with shimmering sections. As said though, the closing three songs are a knockout. "While You Wait For The Others" is a powerhouse, a heart stopper, a buzz storm. The moment at 3.23 where the harmonies collide and collapse is surely one of the signature moments in recent musical history. "I Live With You" is a stalking beast, with stomping guitars and sweet and piercing vocals. "Foreground" is then a perfect closer, perhaps the most tender and sensuous song that the band have written. And that band is in overdrive. Daniel Rossen and Ed Droste have written exquisite songs. Their plaintive vocals express a longing that rest comfortably with the listener. Although lyrically the songs are fairly straight forward, it is the atmosphere and the sounds created that complete the magic. Chris Taylor provides a bedrock of interesting instrumentation, whilst Chris Bear's drumming is something to behold. This is music to invest yourself in, to embrace and ultimately to celebrate.

Yeah, then music stood still. Stood still to witness the greatness that is Spencer Krug. Conversely the greatness that is Sunset Rubdown. Thursday night in Boston they played the Middle East, the first night on their month long North American tour. Here is the closing song "Nightingale/December Song", apparently the first time they have played this song live. My god, I can't wait until they get to practice it a bit! The drumming is phenomenal here, augmented by members of support act Elfin Saddle. There has been an ongoing debate on Stereogum about album of the year so far. Plenty of votes for "Veckatimest", which I endorse strongly. But we all know come June 23 who the leader in the clubhouse will be. "Dragonslayer"!!!!

Set List for Middle East Show, June 11
The Empty Threats Of Little Lord
Idiot Heart
Black Swan
The Taming Of The Hands That Came Back To Life
Silver Moons
Coming To At Dawn
Yo Go On Ahead
Paper Lace
Winged/Wicked Things
Snakes Got A Leg
Dragon's Lair
Nightingale/December Song

Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!
The Mending Of The Gown

In other news, Dan Boeckner was interviewed in the Los Angeles Times recently. He revealed that Wolf Parade will be going into the studio in November to record a new album. Happy Days!

It was Deerhunter. It was meant to be great. So, was it? Well, nearly I would say. I was certainly impressed. At some points, nearly astounded. But for some reason I wasn't moved Thursday night at the Manning Bar. You know, in that way when a show moves your foundations. Makes your bones ache at the music on display. Maybe Deerhunter are designed to impress and startle you, not exactly enter your heart. Make no mistake this is a very impressive band. Just not an particularly endearing one.

So, an atmosphere was created. Guitars shimmered and sometimes shredded. These men can surely wield their instruments. Intricate interplay between guitars was on display, with a barrage of drums to back it up. After a slow build up the band launched into "Agoraphobia", their latest 'hit', which was soon followed by "Little Kids", a strong start indeed, songs from 2009's "Microcastle", the album that turned me into a Deerhunter fan. The album that preceded it, "Cryptograms" is more difficult to my ears. More drone then melody. I think this is where the show lapsed for me in part. Songs like "Cryptograms" and "White Ink" create feelings and strange sounds, sometimes difficult to swallow. Maybe I need to invest myself more in their sound, but that is what my ears are telling me. However the driving rhythms of "Never Stops" were great. Guitars meshed with drums with great effect here. Then "Nothing Ever Happened" absolutely tore me apart. This multi faceted song built and built before exploding in the final section. After this I was satisfied, although there were still good moments to come. "Octet" was all dreamy power and "Saved By Old Times" really stomped and rocked. A song off their new EP closed, "Circulation", which dragged a bit, adding to a night that had great peaks and but also some flat spots. I couldn't fault the band though. Bradford Cox, although not a great singer, is an exceptional guitarist and Lockett Pundt played his guitar licks with expert indifference. Drummer Moses Archuleta was dynamic in his craft, supplying great rhythms through out the night. The set was also a decent length, augmented by a two song encore where Cox asked for requests. They gave us "Spring Hall Convert", which was a triumph and then "Operation", although Cox deemed this song to be 'waste' of a request. The encore was also the only time where Cox opened up and spoke. Previously they had been very business like, with barely a word spoken. Maybe this was why the night did not soar completely for me. I witnessed a great amount of craft and skill, but not a lot of heart. However each band is shaped in its own way and this band is certainly very impressive. Certainly very impressive at what they do. Which they do very well.

Set List
Cover Me (Slowly)
Agoraphobia
Little Kids
Intro
Cryptograms
White Ink
Never Stops
Dr Glass
Hazel St
Nothing Ever Happened
Microcastle
Game Of Diamonds
Vox Celeste
Fluorescent Grey
Octet
Rainwater Cassette Exchange
Saved By Old Times
Circulation

Spring Hall Convert
Operation

To quote the liner notes, 'music and lyrics by Stephen McBean'. Well thank you Stephen. But a story a read recently credits another major contributor to the mesmeric joy that is "Outside Love", the third work from Pink Mountaintops. At a wedding in Montreal McBean met Sophie Trudeau (GY!BE, A Silver Mount Zion). They actually composed a song at the wedding (oh to be have been there) and later decided to work together. The result is an album that is pretty hard to resist, an album uplifting and very giving. McBean and Trudeau have expanded the Pink Mountaintops sound, adding huge dollops of soul and lashings of spirit. With the help of many people from many bands, including the Black Mountain crew we have arrived at a sound that is primary, temporal and thoroughly intoxicating.

This begins with the anthemic "Axis: Thrones Of Love" which hums and drones as it builds layers over layers. A surprise to me is that it features the vocals of Ashley Webber and not her more famous sibling Amber. Ashley is great, her ethereal reed combining dreamily with the gruff and grit of McBean. If you want crunch to follow then "Execution" will do it for you, in spades. But it is the following two tracks where the eagle soars. "While We Were Dreaming" shimmers and glides under the soaring vocals of Webber. This song is filled with longing and hunger, a plea for love. This album is after all about love, inside and out. Outside and in. Pure and impure. "Vampire" turns it up a notch with McBean taking centre stage over a gentle guitar, before a choir climaxes the song into ecstasy. "You can suck out the blood, but you can't kill the heart of my love." Yes! "Holiday" is actually the only song to feature the vocals of Amber Webber and it is a rousing and spirited jaunt. The title track is another to savour, eerie and atmospheric it creates a feeling of impending doom. One of the few missteps is "The Gayest of Sunbeams", which feels a little lightweight to make much of an impact, but the album ends with sweet magnificence in the shape of "Closer To Heaven". This song pierces my heart. A song of majesty and grandeur, the harmonies explode and shatter into a million tiny pieces. A great way to end an album of huge scope and ambition. A piece of music that succeeds in its aim. To infuse the listener with love.

MP3: Vampire

Write this name down, that's if you haven't already. The Middle East. Damn good. Extremely good. A new blazing talent on the Australian music scene. Saturday night they played at The Factory in Enmore and they were iridescent. Original. Wonderful. The band from Townsville numbered seven and their music was a rich and varied tapestry. Incorporating many styles, they have a sound which is hard to pin down, which has to be a good thing. They opened with a semi country jaunt, complete with banjo, before going into songs that were atmospheric and ethereal. "Lonely" was one, which developed into quite a loud and ferocious jam. The set was relatively short, just under an hour, but it was magical and hugely rewarding. They create gorgeous harmonies with two male leads and one female, but basically everyone takes part creating an aural assault. Probable highlight was the heartbreaking "The Darkest Side", a tender and moving ode. Also great was the uplifting "Blood" which was received with great rapture. This prompted a short encore that featured two songs that I didn't know. One might have been a cover, but they were both great. This was a special night with a great new talent. As said, their music is genreless and original, with instruments flowing in all directions and styles. See this band when you can, soon, you won't be disappointed.

The only disappointment on the night, well besides the dreary support that was Grand Salvo, was the obnoxious crowd. Well, that is the audience standing at the back of the room that seemed more interested in themsleves than the music on display. I think a combination of cheap tickets, only $20, and a bar in close proximity seem to be a recipe for disaster. Too many casual 'fans' spoiling the occasion for those there for the music.
Oh well, an ongoing concern...

Episode #5.3: Frightened Rabbit - "Song Against Sex" from Off The Beaten Tracks on Vimeo.

Oh, more greatness. Grizzly Bear!

Deerhunter are in Australia next week. Hooray! Can't wait. Here, they are caught recently live from Noise Pop.

Hanging out for the next Menomena album? So am I. Well, how about music from a member of that celebrated Portland trio to fill the gap. Brent Knopf has called his creation Ramona Falls, named for a popular hiking trail on Mt Hood, Oregon. The debut album is called "Intuit" and contains 11 tracks. It was written and performed by Brent, with help from a multitude of friends including members of The Helio Sequence, Mirah, Loch Lomond, Talkdemonic, etc. "Intuit" will be released on August 18 on Barsuk.
You can listen to a couple of tracks streaming here.

Intuit Track Listing
1 Melectric
2 I Say Fever
3 Clover
4 Russia
5 Going Once, Going Twice
6 Salt Sack
7 Boy Ant
8 Always Right
9 The Darkest Day
10 Bellyfulla
11 Diamond Shovel