Well film started out just great in 2020. First week of the year I saw 1917 and nothing bettered it for the year in my opinion. I thought it should have won Best Picture but I was still really happy to see Parasite win. It was a great film. Terrence Malick returned with the incredible A Hidden Life so that was a special pleasure too. Then cinemas closed in March and lots of films got pushed back into 2021. The two I missed the most were Dune and The French Dispatch. Missing out on Marvel films and the new Bond film not such a worry for me though. As cinemas reopened there was still plenty to see. Lots of smaller independent fare that really delivered. The best being the amazing Nomadland which looks like a major Oscar contender in 2021. Lots of films were sold to streaming services or were already headed there. Netflix gave us films from heavyweights Spike Lee, David Fincher, Charlie Kaufman and Aaron Sorkin and all were worth watching especially the latter three. Amazon Prime had many films to recommend too with the truly superb Sound of Metal becoming one of the best of 2020. So a fractured year but still plenty of good stuff. Here's hoping to 2021 being one of full cinemas and great films for everyone.

1.1917

2. A Hidden Life

3. Nomadland

4. Mank

5. I'm Thinking of Ending Things

6. Sound Of Metal

7. Little Women

8. The Last Black Man in San Francisco

9. The Trial of the Chicago 7

10. Beanpole

Well this will will be a short post. Sadly live music ground to a halt in 2020 due to the global pandemic. The year started off brilliantly with the great Vampire Weekend finally returning to Australia and putting on a wonderful show. Sadly there weren't a lot more to go to in 2020. Bill Callahan at the State Theatre was the last one. The following week we were due to see Rhiannon Giddens but she had to cancel and fly home. The National was cancelled soon after too. We had bought tickets to see Patti Smith, Big Thief, The Hold Steady, Angel Olsen, Alex G and Bon Iver. All postponed and eventauuly cancelled. Hopefully 2021 will see some sort of return to normality. 

1. Vampire Weekend @ Enmore Theatre

2. The New Pornographers @ Metro Theatre

3. Allah Las @ Paddington RSL

4. William Tyler @ Seidler Penthouse

5. Bill Callahan @ State Theatre

6. Jay Som @ Oxford Art Factory

Some artists, through a long body of exemplary work, achieve iconic status. Their work feels important and vital. I do believe Bill Callahan is one such artist. He is an artist that commands respect, quietly and with surety. Thursday night at the beautiful State Theatre we were fortunate enough to see him again. For the fourth time I believe. His baritone voice and plaintive songs with emotionally strong lyrics are pure greatness. What a pleasure it was.

Mr Callahan released another excellent album last year in the shape of  'Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest'. So naturally we received a very good slice of that album. My favourites being 'The Ballad of the Hulk', '747' and 'Angela'. He tried to give a good portion of his back catalogue too including such great songs as 'Drover' and an epic version of 'America!' But the best part was when he even reached back to his days recording as 'Smog' to play us the all time classic in 'Say Valley Maker'. What a superb song that is. And I must say his band of three were superb. A subtle drummer, a double bass player that was truly in sync and best of all a lead electric guitarist that played to the strength of all the songs in the best way possible. Thanks for coming again Mr Callahan.

Set List
Writing
Son of the Sea
America!
Circles
747
Too Many Birds
Camels
Watch Me Get Married
Let's Move to the Country
Say Valley Maker (Smog cover)
The Ballad of the Hulk
One Fine Morning
Angela
So Long, Marianne
Drover

Riding for the Feeling

The New Pornographers are fun with a capital F. But that could possibly undersell them as they are so much more than that. Their songs brim with pathos and humanity. They are exquisitely constructed with undeniable melodies. Wednesday night at the Metro was a great pleasure to see them once again. It had been a while. But they have lost none of their touch, that's for sure. Sadly the venue was not full. But I guess they aren't really a 'hip' band anymore. Which is a shame because they are stamped with greatness and seeing them live proved it once again.

Last year saw the band released their eighth album in the shape of 'In The Morse Code of Brake Lights' and I believed it was their best in a while. Happily they played quite a few off that album and the new songs sounded great live. Especially 'The Surprise Knock' and the plaintive 'Higher Beams'. Also happily we heard a great selection from their astounding catalogue with many classics being played. 'Use It' was the first of many to get an enthusiastic crowd going. But I also loved 'The Laws Have Changed'. 'Testament to Youth in Verse' and 'The Bleeding Heart Show'. Finishing the set with 'Mass Romantic' was just the cherry on top. The band still numbers seven but this was the first time I had seen Simi Stone play with them. Of course Neko Case is a stellar singer who sets every song alight. Then there is the main man Carl Newman holding everything togther. What a band.

Set List
Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile
Use It
You'll Need a Backseat Driver
Dancehall Domine
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
The Surprise Knock
The Bones of an Idol
Whiteout Conditions
Colossus of Rhodes
The Laws Have Changed
Higher Beams
Testament to Youth in Verse
Dreamlike and on the Rush
Crash Years
All The Old Showstoppers
Adventures in Solitude
Champions of Red Wine
Play Money
The Bleeding Heart Show
Mass Romantic

Challengers
Brill Bruisers
The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism

Friday night was the first ever Jay Som show in Sydney, or Australia for that matter. The band had just flown in from New Zealand and Friday night at the Oxford Art Factory was the first of a small run of dates in this country. Sadly the show was not sold out but for those who were there it was a special night of beautiful music. Jay Som is primarily Melina Mae Duterte, born in California with Filipino heritage. She now plays within a band of four, and this show was off the back of last year's excellent album 'Anak Ko'.

Jay Som's music is dreamy pop but with a solid base. And last year's album I think was her most substantial yet and happily she played quite a bit off that excellent record. Highlights included the title track as well the super popluar 'Superbike'. The band was really solid and some beautiful guitar jams emanted from the stage. It was great to hear the delightful 'The Bus Song' too as well as the just released new single in 'A Thousand Words'. It was a short set, about an hour, with no encore. But it was a great pleasure to see Jay Som for the very first time. 

Set List
If You Want It
Turn Into
Baybee
Nighttime Drive
Anak Ko
Peace Out
Superbike
Get Well
Crown
The Bus Song
A Thousand Words
Lipstick Stains

Los Angeles based band Allah-Las have been around for 12 years now, releasing four albums in that time. But it wasn't until 2017 that the band first made it to Australia, playing a splendid Sydney show at the Oxford Art Factory. Thursday night they were back, playing a sold out show at the Paddington RSL. I'm never quite sure where this band fits in the music world. They're certainly not a 'hip' band. Their music is evocative of classic 60s bands, but they seem to attract a young and devoted crowd.

They were truly splendid on Thursday night. Their golden guitar tones washed over an enthusiastic crowd. They are a very talented band with multiple vocalists, although Miles Michaud handles the majority of singing duties. The other standout of the band is lead guitarist Pedrum Siadatian. His guitar technique, aided by effects, really ads the layer that make the band a cut above the rest. Just beautiful warm tones, exemplified by the classic track 'Sacred Sands'. This song is from their wonderful self titled debut album, an album they still lean heavily on and rightly so. They also gave us plenty from their 2019 album in 'LAHS', with 'Polar Onion a definite highlight. But it was definitely a night of many highlights.

Set List
Sacred Sands
Busman's Holiday
Prazer Em Te Conhecer
No Werewolf (The Frantics cover)
In The Air
Tell Me (What's On Your Mind)
Had It All
Catalina
On Our Way
Sandy
Maharishi
Light Yearly
Brittany Glasz
Polar Onion
No Voodoo
Could Be You

Catamaran
Calm Me Down

2019 presented lots of great music but I think there was only one true classic to me. Lots of very good to great music to listen to whether it was by veterans or by new artists. But one album stood clearly above the rest and that was House of Sugar by (Sandy) Alex G. The Philadelphia artist has been making music for years even though he is still very young. But his latest release was his most ambitious yet. Extremely creative and inventive but still retaining his impeccable ear for melody. Some of my man crushes released albums too. Kevin Morby made his most ambitious album to date. Ty Segall released an album with no lead guiat and yet it still rocked extremely hard and his best mate Mikal Cronin gave us another album of sublime melodies. Indie heavyweights Vampire Weekend, Wilco, Bon Iver and The National returned and showed they have lost none of their touch. Perhaps the year belonged to Big Thief who managed to release two wonderful albums in the one year and a song in 'Not' that was my song of year. Danny Brown I think is the best rapper working today and his latest album was fantastic yet again. So many amazing women making music too. Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen albums were truly spectacular and I loved records by Stef Chura, Vagabon, Hand Habits, Jay Som, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Claire Cronin and many, many more.

1. House of Sugar-(Sandy) Alex G

2. First Taste-Ty Segall

3. Two Hands-Big Thief

4. Seeker-Mikal Cronin

5. uknowwhatimsaying-Danny Brown

6. Oh My God-Kevin Morby

7. Forever Turned Around-Whitney

8. Remind Me Tomorrow-Sharon Van Etten

9. All Mirrors-Angel Olsen

10. Father of the Bride-Vampire Weekend

11. Violet Street-Local Natives

12. An Obelisk-Titus Andronicus

13. I Am Easy to Find-The National

14. Ghosteen-Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

15. Eraserland-Strand of Oaks

16. Placeholder-Hand Habits

17. Ode to Joy-Wilco

18. Anima-Thom Yorke

19. i,i-Bon Iver

20. Face Stabber-Oh Sees

21. At the Party With My Brown Friends-Black Belt Eagle Scout

22. Midnight-Stef Chura

23. Undress-The Felice Brothers

24. U.F.O.F.-Big Thief

25. I'm You-Hallelujah the Hills

26. Lost Wisdom Pt 2-Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron

27. In the Morse Code of Brake Lights-The New Pornographers

28. Big Dread Moon-Claire Cronin

29. Cows on Hourglass Road-Avey Tare

30. Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?-Deerhunter

31. Buoys-Panda Bear

32. Vagabon-Vagabon

33. In the Shape of a Storm-Damien Jurado

34. Glacial Pace-Hurt Valley

35. On the Line-Jenny Lewis

36. I Need a New War-Craig Finn

37. Purple Mountains-Purple Mountains

38. Anak Co-Jay Som

39. Seeing Other People-Foxygen

40. Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest-Bill Callahan

41. Thrashing Thru The Passion-The Hold Steady

42. August-Shannon Lay

43. Nowhere Now Here-Mono

44. Plastic Anniversary-Matmos

45. Better Oblivion Community Center-Better Oblivion Community Center

46. LAHS-Allah Las

47. Warmer-Jeff Tweedy

48. Deceiver-DIIV

49. Between the Country-Ian Noe

50. I Made a Place-Bonnie 'Prince' Billy