Live Review - Melbourne Ska Orchestra

January 28, 2012 – Princes Pier, Port Melbourne

Festival: Piers Festival

The Station and Princes Piers in Port Melbourne are two significant landmarks that rarely get the recognition they deserve.  Having opened in 1954 and 1915 respectively these piers operated as major arrival points for new migrants.  They were the place where thousands of people set foot on Australian soil for the first time, many of whom arrived shortly after the second World War when many displaced Europeans saw Australia as a place where they could start again, safe from a rebuilding and occasionally unstable Europe and free from memories of the past.  These people arrived here and contributed greatly to the cultural diversity that makes Melbourne and Australia such an interesting and unique place to be.  While cultures can clash, they can also provide tremendous opportunities for learning about the world and understanding one another.  And so it is that some very wise people decided that these landmarks, and their role in so many peoples’ lives, should be celebrated with a music, arts and crafts festival.

As with any festival in its first year, it wasn’t perfect.  There were only three stalls for shopping and while the food was good, there wasn’t enough variety to accurately portray the broad variety of cultures that have arrived in Melbourne.  However, the intent of the festival should be praised and they will, no doubt, improve.  But, the real reason I was there was for the music.  All day patrons were treated to a wide variety of musical delights from around the world.  There was traditional music and dancing from Lithuania, Greece, New Zealand (sorry, Aotearoa), The Balkans, Spain, Ethiopia and Turkey, giving a clear indication of just how diverse and rich these cultures are and how they have managed to maintain their identity here in Australia.  But the true highlight of the evening, and the real reason I was there, was the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

Led by John Butler Trio drummer, Nicky Bomba, Melbourne Ska Orchestra are essentially a cover band.  However, seeing as the majority of the songs they play come from the early 1960s heyday of Jamaican ska, many in the audience don’t know the songs that they’re playing.  But the band’s energy and enthusiasm makes up for the audience’s lack of knowledge and finds a way to make everyone move anyway.

The band entered the pier from Tall Ship Enterprise (a replica of the 1835 ship that brought the first settlers to Melbourne) as Bomba announced their arrival with a megaphone, the brass section dancing and marching behind him as they made their way to the stage.  The crowd, clearly engaged by what was going on, were already becoming infected with the enthusiasm this band displays every time they take the stage.  From there, the band burned through a few tracks from their extensive repertoire gaining more and more dancers as they went on.  They even threw in a traditional Maltese song in order to keep in line with the multicultural purpose of the festival.  By the end of their set, Princes Pier was clearly a party zone with people dancing and smiling everywhere as the huge fireworks display went off over Port Phillip Bay.

I do need to point something out about this band though, because I don’t feel as though I’ve done it justice thus far.  There is a quality to this band that just makes people happy.  Every single person in the crowd had a smile on their face and, at the very least, was bobbing up and down on the spot.  This band has a way of getting inside you and forcing you to move and making you feel damn good about it in the process.  This is party music at its very best and personally, I’d rather this than any top 40 nonsense that’s played so loud that you can’t talk to the person next to you.  This is music for fun and I cannot recommend Melbourne Ska Orchestra highly enough.  Unfortunately, the band plays very few shows due to the various commitments of the different band members (most prominently, Bomba’s role with John Butler Trio) so please, do yourself a favour and keep an eye on their website to see where they’re playing next.  You won’t regret it.

Live Review - Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes

January 27, 2012 – The Gershwin Room at The Espy, Melbourne

Supports:  The ReChords (Aus) & Fraser A. Gorman (Aus)

I’m fairly certain that my enjoyment of this band was made pretty clear when I saw (and reviewed) them for the first time a few weeks ago when they played at the Queen Victoria Night Market.  So, it should come as no surprise that when I heard they were playing a free gig at St Kilda’s famous Esplanade Hotel, I decided to go along again and get my dance on.

Again, this band was outstanding.  Everything I loved from last time was still in check; synchronised go-go moves, the tight backing vocals from the Bangin’ Rackettes, the huge, booming voice of Clairy Browne and the kickin’ backing band who just kept delivering groove after groove.  I did say in my last review that Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes would probably benefit from a less family friendly, less daylight-y venue than the one given to them at the Queen Victoria Night Market and last night proved me correct.  The band seemed much freer than they had at the previous show I attended and it meant that their performance had a greater sense of naughty fun.  Specifically, the go-go dance moves were bigger and more outlandish, with more attitude and sass and Browne seemed more relaxed in this environment letting loose with her own unique brand of dancing when not performing one of the set routines with The Bangin’ Rackettes.

The only drawback from the night, really, was the sound.  When the focus and power of this band relies so heavily on Browne and The Bangin’ Rackettes, the mixer can’t afford to drown them out with the backing band, which happened too often last night.  During the softer numbers, when the band wasn’t pushing things, Browne and Bangin’ Rackettes true powers were heard by all.  But when the band was on a heavy groove, all vocals seemed to get lost and while the backing band is very powerful and very good, they’re generally not what your average punter is coming for.  The mix wasn’t bad enough to turn away fans or anything like that and the performance was good enough in itself to distract from this minor detail.  However, if they’re going to take the next step, and be as big as they could be, it’s something that they might want to address.

I’ve explained all of that as though it was a huge deal and I apologise if it does come across that way, but I have one of those brains where, once I notice something like that, it becomes hard to ignore.  So, I’ll leave you with the following statement that is a more accurate reflection of what I saw last night.  Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes are an outstanding band, both on record and live.  Their shows have that quality that forces people to move and have fun.  Sincerely, this band could go as far as they want to.  They have the talent, the look and the songs and it’s only a matter of time before more people starting taking notice.

At The Drive-In in Retrospect: ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! (1995)

At The Drive-In’s second release ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! arrived about eight months after their debut EP, Hell Paso.  Those eight months appear to have been spent well with ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! being far superior to its predecessor having benefitted from the extra time spent as a band.  Again, the only band members from the “classic” line-up on this release are Ward and Bixler-Zavala, with the only change being the departure of drummer, Bernie Rincon, who was replaced by Davy Simmons.  However, the music here is much more exciting.  Things were starting to gel at this stage and here is where At The Drive-In began creating their signature sound.

 

The music bursts forth with much more energy than it did on Hell Paso.  If that first release was the sound of a band taking its nervous first steps, ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! is the sound of the band finding its footing and beginning to stand up for itself.  They’ve dispensed with the formulaic trappings that the earlier songs fell into and begun to embrace the odd flourishes that would become their staple in years to come.  The production quality has also been raised, particularly with regards to Bixler-Zavala’s voice, which was lost in the mix a little on Hell Paso.  However, if you’re expecting this to sound anything like Relationship of Command, you’re still going to be disappointed.

 

This EP, while being a huge step forward, is still the sound of a band trying to figure themselves out.  With this release they sound much more fun and happy than the band we know from 2001.  It’s almost as if this was recorded at a party.  There’s a fun energy about it.  There isn’t the aggression of later At The Drive-In, but they’re certainly developing the energy that would make them one of the most powerful live acts in the world.

 

There isn’t really much more to be said about his release.  It’s a huge step up from Hell Paso, but it also serves as a transition to their next recording, which would be their first full-length album, Acrobatic Tenement.  It’s as though this EP was their testing ground.  They were seeing if this new sound would work and if they could capture some of their live energy.  If that was the case, then ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! couldn’t be deemed as anything more than a successful outing.  If you want the true start to At The Drive-In’s sound, this EP is it.

 

By the way, if you’re curious about the title, it roughly translates to, “Alfaro lives, damn it!” and references the extremely left-wing Eloy Alfaro Popular Armed Forces group in Ecuador.  It’s the first indication of the strong-minded political nature that At The Drive-In would develop.

 

Other articles in this series:

 

Hell Paso (1994)

The Return of At The Drive-In

Album Review - Resolution

Artist: Lamb of God (USA)

Release Date: 20^th January, 2012

Lamb of God find themselves in a difficult position with their seventh album (their sixth under their current band name).  Having pushed the boundaries of aggression until they became one of the most revered bands in extreme metal, they find themselves at a point that many popular, innovative bands find themselves in.  Their 2006 album, Sacrament, stands as a creative peak for the band.  It is, by far, the most varied and experimental record they have released, particularly with regards to Randy Blythe’s guttural vocals.  Of course, it also happens to be their commercial peak as well which meant that many “hardcore” fans were beginning to throw labels around like “sell-outs” and “gone soft”.  Bare in mind that this was in response to an album that still consisted entirely of screamed vocals, it was just the variation in those screams that had changed.  So, in response, Lamb of God released Wrath in 2009 claiming that it was a return to their heavier As The Palaces Burn (2003)/Ashes Of The Wake (2004) days.  The album did explode out of the gates with the first few tracks comparable to watching a drunken maniac charging with his fists poised to strike and his mouth foaming with rage.  While the initial blows it landed did some damage, it quickly ran out of steam, falling to its knees while swinging hopelessly through the air at a target that had long since left the building.  And the aimless swinging continues with the first half of Resolution.

Wait, I’m being way too harsh.  There is absolutely no doubt that Lamb of God is one of the best, most innovative metal bands of the last decade.  So, when I make the kind of statements I have already made, it’s because I am comparing them to their own lofty standards, not the standards held for other, run of the mill metal bands.  If Resolution were released by any other band, it would be an incredible achievement.  When I say that the first half of this album swings at its target aimlessly, it’s because the first half of the album is pretty much Lamb of God by numbers.  These are the kinds of songs they could write in their sleep and if you’ve loved everything Lamb of God have ever done, there’s no reason you won’t love what you hear here.  For me though, there are only so many variations of the same theme that someone can do before it all starts sounding the same.  Lamb of God seem to have regressed after the creative leaps they took with Ashes of the Wake and Sacrament and now seem content to keep treading over the same territory.  If you get to the point where the listener can pick exactly where each drum fill and breakdown will be, then it might be time to change things up.

This slightly stale feeling is felt most on the closing tracks of the album’s first half.  Before the acoustic intermission of Barbarosa we have The Undertow and The Number Six.  The Undertow sounds a lot like an Ashes of the Wake outtake and while that album is punishing in all the right ways, The Undertow sounds like the band is trying to recapture that sound rather than writing it and playing it because that’s how they feel now.  Likewise, The Number Six sounds like it didn’t quite make Wrath and with Wrath being their weakest album to date, that’s not saying much.  However, the band seems to recognise the redundant nature of these two songs by placing Barbarosa after these two misfires.  It’s as though, having been confused by the ineffectiveness of the old tricks, that drunken, swinging maniac has been put back into his cage to try and figure out new ways to attack its target.  Barbarosa is the sound of Lamb of God regrouping and figuring out exactly where they should go from here, and Resolution certainly is an album of two halves.

The first track of the second half, Invictus, shows our drunken maniac wobbling out of the cage a little bit, but it makes its intentions known.  Here we have our first signs that Lamb of God is trying something new.  Despite beginning with the familiar, the pre-chorus riffs are much more open that the Lamb of God chugging that we’re used to and it creates a much harsher, aggressive sound than we’ve been given so far.  This is followed up by Cheated, a two and a half minute blast of Lamb of God style hardcore.  They haven’t fully explored this side of themselves before and it’s a welcome addition to this album, furthering the idea that the second half of the album is where Lamb of God are trying out their new ideas and, for me, this is what I want to hear the band doing.  But nothing could prepare us for the opening vocals on Insurrection.  Ladies and gentlemen, here we have D. Randall Blythe singing for the first time on a Lamb of God album.  Let me write that one more time just so you know you read it correctly; Randy Blythe sings…clean, with notes and melody and everything.  Of course, it sounds evil as hell, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.  Insurrection weaves its way around creating a truly haunting experience and is, by far, the album’s highlight.  From here on out, the band continues experimenting with their sound to great effect, particularly with the closing track, King Me, which is six and a half minutes of symphonic Lamb of God who sound as though they’re ushering in the apocalypse.

So, you’re enjoyment of this album will depend entirely on the kind of Lamb of God fan that you are.  If you wanted them to keep bashing you over the head with a two by four, you’ll love the first half.  If you’re wondering where the progression in sound went after Sacrament, you’ll love the second half.  Either way, there’s something for every Lamb of God fan here.  Unfortunately, this means that the album is an inconsistent listen no matter who you are.  This is why I stated at the beginning that Lamb of God are at a very interesting point in their career.  Here they need to choose between doing what they know works, and pushing their boundaries.  If they keep trying to recapture their early aggression, they may turn out like Metallica who now sound like pale imitations of their former glorious selves.  However, Metallica have millions of fans who will follow them wherever they go.  Lamb of God don’t quite have that same luxury and may find themselves slowly falling into obscurity if they keep playing the same song.  On the other hand, if they keep pushing their boundaries, they might continue to be one of the best heavy bands in the world and continue to influence countless younger bands by encouraging them to explore the outskirts of their sound and influences.  Either way, their next album will be very interesting indeed, but in the meantime, if you’re a Lamb of God fan, go grab yourself a copy of Resolution and enjoy whichever side of Lamb of God it is that you like best.

At The Drive-In in Retrospect: Hell Paso (1994)

All great bands have to start somewhere and it was this 1994 release that began it all for At The Drive-In.  Paid for by guitarist, Jim Ward’s college savings, it shows the band still in its formative stages.  Only two members of what is now considered to be the definitive At The Drive-In line-up featured on this EP, those people being guitarist and backing vocalist, Jim Ward, and lead vocalist, Cedric Bixler-Zavala.  With a title that reflected their feelings about their home town of El Paso, Texas, Hell Paso was released not long after their first ever show with the music bearing little resemblance to what would come in the later part of the decade.  It is, honestly, an average listen notable only for what the band would become.

While the music doesn’t match up to the experimental, boundary pushing that made them popular, it did give the first indication of what would become one of At The Drive-In’s staples; odd song titles. They are titles that give very little indication to the nature of the songs.  In a way, At The Drive-In is forcing you to abandon your expectations by giving you very few clues regarding what you might hear.  So it might have been a bit of a disappointing listen back in 1994, as it is now, to hear such straightforward music from the three tracks presented here.

The opening track, Grand Mox Turkin, the track with the strangest title, is probably the most “normal” song here.  It is two minutes and forty-three seconds of straight up, early 1990s punk.  In fact, at times, this track has certain hints of Green Day in it, particularly with the vocal melodies in the chorus.  Only at the 1:30 mark does the track provide something unexpected with a chugging, almost trash metal-like riff, but even this is relatively hidden.  At The Drive-In hadn’t learned how to explore their diverse influences yet and as such, tend to stick to formulas that they know how to work.

Second track, Red Planet, continues in much the same vein with its predictable pop-punk power chords.  Of the three tracks on this EP, this is probably the least interesting.  What it does show though, is that even in their early stages, At The Drive-In were capable of recognising and developing a catchy melody when required, something that they almost avoided in later years.

It’s only on the final track, Emptiness Is A Mule, that the listener is given some kind of indication that At The Drive-In has the potential to be something special.  The multi-tracked vocals that open the song create an almost swirling effect, disorientating the listener before jumping back into “safer” territory with a standard punk riff.  While this introduction is only brief, it does show that there is something different about this band and if they are able to develop it, they just might turn out to be something worthwhile.

Overall, At The Drive-In’s first release, Hell Paso, is fairly amateurish.  And so it should be.  No band is brilliant from the get go.  It takes a lot of time developing a sound and going through different band members before everything clicks and things start happening.  So it was for At The Drive-In.  Hell Paso, does have fairly poor sound quality, song writing that is not quite developed, and a tendency to try and fit in with what was popular in the punk world at the time.  But it does also show the faintest glimmer of potential and just a touch of what was to come.

Next Friday we look at how At The Drive-In developed their sound on their second EP, 1995’s ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!.  Also, come back tomorrow to get a review of Lamb of God’s new album, Resolution.

Other articles in this series:

The Return of At The Drive-In

Live Review - The Red Eyes

January 18, 2012 – Queen Victoria Night Market

If you read my review of Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes set at the same venue a week ago, I don’t need to go on again about how I think the Queen Victoria Market is very weird.  But it is a very fun place to go, and it’s this reason that drew me back to the venue for another night of interesting food, shopping and music.  Where 1950s doo-wop/soul was the flavour of last week, modern reggae/dub was the flavour this week with Melbourne based band, The Red Eyes, taking to the stage.  I should warn you though, before you read any further, I’m not a huge fan of reggae music.  I find that its development relies too heavily on the achievements of a single artist and has created a style that I generally find repetitive and tiresome.  But much of this also has to do with the fact that reggae music comes mostly from a culture that I have never been immersed in and therefore, do not fully understand.  So please, when you read this, understand that I am not a connoisseur of reggae music and my knowledge is limited.

The Red Eyes are a solid, professional band.  They are tight and they have their set structured well.  They give very little indication that there is any truth behind the allusion their band name makes.  These guys do not seem to be lazy, or hazy, at all.  They know what they’re doing and they do it well.  There is something about their “riddims” that had everyone dancing last night and although I found most songs to be repetitive and drawn out, my foot kept bouncing to the beat.  I guess that’s part of the appeal of reggae music.  The people who like it, enjoy tapping into that primal urge to dance to a consistent beat, much like what is seen in tribal civilisations around the world.  It’s something deep down within us that makes us want to move and it is the reason that genres like reggae and techno have been immensely popular.

But more about The Red Eyes and their performance last night.  For forty-five minutes they kept the crowd entertained, gaining more and more dancers as the set went on.  Vocalist, El Witeri, was on song for the entire performance, but didn’t quite read the crowd correctly when attempting a “Hell yeah!” call and response.  While this would work very well at one of their usual shows, it didn’t quite work for a crowd that, mostly, doesn’t know what the band is about.  Guitarist and bandleader, Damien Charles, kept everything going very smoothly, displaying his natural ability to know when to push the band harder and when to get them to pull back.

In a reggae fan’s eyes, The Red Eyes are probably the best homegrown act going around.  They’re certainly the only one I’ve seen that has the ability to compete with the Jamaican juggernauts of the genre.  It’s highly likely that they won over a few new fans with their performance, and they deserved to.  For me though, reggae music doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of what I want from a listening and viewing experience.

The Return of At The Drive-In

It seems as though the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has become the great reviver in rock music.  Since its humble beginnings in 1999 the festival has hosted, or played a significant part in, the reunion of many highly influential acts such as Iggy & The Stooges, The Pixies, Rage Against The Machine, The Verve, Pavement and Faith No More.  Many of these acts were thought to be dead for good by fans around the world with reunion rumours being limited to barbeque “Wouldn’t it be great if…” conversations.  However, Coachella seems to keep pulling off the impossible and this year it appears as though hardcore is the theme with the return of Swedish band Refused (whose The Shape of Punk To Come has to be one of the greatest albums of all time) and one of my personal favourites, and a band that many see as one of the most important of the last 15 years, At The Drive-In. 

When I heard the news that the El Paso quintet was coming back, I nearly fell over.  Of all the possible reunions of great bands, this was on my “never in a million years” list.  The bad blood from their 2001 break-up and the busy schedules they have with their current projects seemed far too much to overcome.  But now the impossible has happened and the mighty At The Drive-In have returned, I’m going to take this opportunity to explore what made this band great.  Over the coming weeks I will be publishing a series of retrospective reviews, looking back at the band’s recorded history and what each release means to the history of the band and what it might mean now.  This will begin on Friday with a look at their 1994 debut release, Hell Paso and then on each Friday following, a release will be explored until we reach their final work, the highly influential Relationship Of Command.  But before we do that, I want to take this time to explore the questions that At The Drive-In’s reunion has raised.  While their return may be one of the most anticipated music events in 2012, there are many things that fans want to know.  What will happen to the new The Mars Volta album and the recently announced Sparta reunion and new album?  Is this a one off?  Will there be new At The Drive-In music?  Why now?

First, let us begin with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s project, The Mars Volta.  Back in August they toured Australia with a set that consisted almost entirely of new songs.  The only old, recognisable tracks they played were the final three; Son Et Lumiere/Inertiatic ESP, The Widow and Goliath.  The band had described these shows as inviting the audience to a private rehearsal of the new album.  As I’ve stated before, these new tracks featured a leaner, more direct sound without the long, jam passages that they had been known for.  It was a sound that could only be described as being closer to their At The Drive-In days while still being, very much, The Mars Volta tunes.  As per usual with The Mars Volta’s work, this new set of songs had already been recorded and was awaiting a release.  The release date kept being pushed back and pushed back and is now slated for March 27 with the title, Noctourniquet.  With this new album on the way and The Mars Volta about to go headlong into the promotion of it, questions have arisen regarding the longevity of an At The Drive-In reunion, especially when compounded with the recent announcement that Sparta have ended their hiatus.

Around the same time as The Mars Volta’s Australian tour, Sparta (featuring At The Drive-In members Jim Ward and Tony Hajar) announced that they were ending their three year hiatus and were about to begin playing a run of shows as well as writing and recording an album of new material.  Like The Mars Volta, with Sparta back in the studio and about to begin the process of touring and promotion, the At The Drive-In reunion seems to be something that could only ever be a one off performance with serious doubts concerning any new At The Drive-In music any time in the next year or so, if at all.

There is one small theory that appears to be buzzing around the internet though, and it’s that the new The Mars Volta and the new Sparta albums are actually one and the same and is, in fact, a new At The Drive-In album.  As unlikely as this sounds (considering The Mars Volta played an entire album’s worth of material back in August that, while leaner and more direct, was still too Mars Volta-esque to be At The Drive-In material) there is plenty of talk about it, both positive and negative.  The positive is that any new At The Drive-In music is a good thing and the sooner it comes out, the better.  The negatives come mostly from The Mars Volta fans who believe Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala have come too far with their experimental progressive rock sound to go back to their post-hardcore/punk days.  The pull in different creative directions that broke the band in the first place would only be amplified by the eleven year gap, and the different creative paths of the band members, since their last show together.

Which brings us to the question everyone’s thinking but dares not ask; are they just doing it for the money?  In my opinion, who cares if they are?  This is a band that never received the financial rewards they deserved for singlehandedly making punk music relevant again after skate-punk got old and pop-punk became embarrassing.  So why not reunite exclusively for a festival, win over some new fans, remind old fans of how good they were/are, gain some publicity and go back to their different bands and use that publicity to promote the new The Mars Volta and Sparta albums, all while cashing a comfortable pay cheque along the way?  That doesn’t sound like selling out to me.  That sounds like good business thinking.

However, all of this talk and all of these questions seem to be distracting from what is the more pressing issue here, that one of the greatest bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s is back.  I feel as though I’ve made it clear that I don’t care how long At The Drive-In stick around for this time.  The important thing is that their highly volatile live show will be on display again.  Those in attendance at Coachella won’t forget what they see and other bands that consider themselves highly energetic performers will be forced to rethink that assessment.  At The Drive-In were never about anything more than unrestrained passion, they didn’t care about anything else other than their music and pushing the boundaries of their capabilities which is more than you can say for the majority of modern performers.  And it is this reason that I am glad that At The Drive-In have returned; to teach lessons that some need to learn, and to remind the world of the great band that they were.

So don’t forget to check back on Friday and every Friday following as we journey through At The Drive-In’s recorded history and remind ourselves of what, exactly, the world will be in for on April 15 and 22 and why the hype surrounding their return is justified.  As for the other reuniting band at Coachella, Sweden’s Refused, stay tuned for a retrospective review of their seminal The Shape Of Punk To Come sometime before the festival.  I feel as though I am doing them a disservice by only looking at one of their albums, but I am new to their music so any look back on their career would just be amateurish in my hands, so I will leave that to someone who is more qualified.  As always, thank you for reading and I hope you check back on Friday.

Live Review - Circles

January 14, 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Melbourne metal quintet, Circles, kicked off their first official east coast tour at The Corner last night, playing the launch party for Australia’s newest metal music publication, Heavy.  On paper it seems like a perfect fit, a metal band playing for a metal magazine.  But we all know that life is never quite that simple.  Last night presented a challenge for the band, known for their unique sound (they’ve been compared to bands as diverse as Faith No More, Incubus, Meshuggah, Textures and Periphery) they were playing to a crowd who generally don’t like their heavy music to stray too far from the early Metallica/Pantera sound.  But, having won over a considerable fan base in Europe without ever touring there, Circles have spent a considerable amount of time plugging away at the local scene in order to ensure that they are just as loved here, as they are overseas. And win over new fans they did.

Opening with the pummelling dubstep infused Frontline, Circles began displaying the kind of power they are capable of and, very quickly, heads and bodies in the crowd began moving.  Vocalist Perry Kakridas was pitch perfect throughout the performance, displaying a new found harshness in his voice.  So far, Circles releases have displayed Kakridis’ ultra smooth vocals, capable of soaring highs without descending into the super clean whine that has become commonplace in some heavy music sub-genres.  But Kakridis has begun to blur the lines between his singing and screaming tones adding more power and aggression to Circles’ sound and I’m sure it will be a feature that is explored further on their debut album scheduled for release some time in 2012.  On top of this, Kakridis conversed with the audience between songs avoiding the usual metal front man posturing.  When he talks to the audience, he talks to them as though they are his friends, thankful that they have come to see the band play and thankful that the crowd is enjoying it.

The band also made the best of being relegated to the smaller Corner Hotel stage.  Despite having to play almost shoulder to shoulder, it didn’t stop guitarist Ted Furuhashi who seemed to be determined to break his own neck by the end of the set.  Bassist Drew Patton’s usual stage antics were curbed slightly after a few close calls with Kakridis, but when Patton’s on stage, few are safe as he throws his body around, kicking nearly everything in sight.  Even between songs Patton flicked bottle tops, laughing at whichever band mate felt the brunt.  The stage set up pushed guitarist Matty Clarke into a corner (who can blame him, he generally has to perform right next to Patton), but he did give the crowd some choice facial expressions while rocking his head back and forth giving the impression that he could take out just about anyone with a quick head butt.  Drummer, David Hunter, was solid as always, providing the backbone to the band with a brand new kit (which took up much of the stage space) making the band sound bigger and heavier than they have at previous shows, which is a feat in itself.

The highlight of the set would have to have been The Design taken from the band’s 2011 EP, The Compass.  Live, this song becomes a totally different beast compared with its recorded version.  It takes on a menacing quality, winding from section to section like a snake determined to make its prey (the audience) feel as uncomfortable as possible before moving in for the kill.  And when the audience felt as though they couldn’t take any more, the band closed with their most well known song, Clouds Are Gathering, ensuring that the audience got everything they wanted out of the performance with its massive middle section, again, forcing heads to move back and forth.

After the performance, it was quite clear that new fans had indeed been made with a line forming at the merch stand immediately after their set.  On top of this, the members of the band circulated through the crowd afterwards, always making themselves available to anyone who wants to talk to them about music or just to congratulate them on a great set.  Overall, Circles couldn’t have asked for a better opening to their east coast Eye Embedded tour, ensuring that they are pumped and primed for tonight’s show in Geelong and dates in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ballarat that will see them through until mid-February before another home town show for Moshphere Festival in mid-March.  Do yourself a favour and check them out!

Live Review - Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes

January 11, 2012 – Queen Victoria Night Market

Before I tell you all about Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, I feel as though you need to know a little about the venue in order for you to understand just how strange it is that it is a gathering place for people to come together to shop, eat exotic foods and hear live music.  In fact, Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market has to be one of the oddest places in the city.  Established in the 1878, it is Melbourne’s oldest market and the only 19^th century market still in operation within the CBD.  It is also one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions selling many fresh groceries and gourmet foods along with various arts and craft stalls selling their wares.  During the summer months, the market holds night sessions every Wednesday night with live music and assorted entertainment and it’s on one of these nights that this gig took place.  However, while this might seem quite normal, what isn’t as well known is that the site of the Queen Vic Market was once the site of the old Melbourne Cemetery.  The rapid expansion of the city during the later half of the 19^th century meant that the cemetery needed to be moved.  A graveyard right the in middle of one of the largest colonies in Australia isn’t the most attractive thing in the world right?  When the bodies were being moved from one site to another it turns out that someone got lazy and while all the grave markers were moved to the new location, of the 10,000 people interred at the old Melbourne Cemetery, 9,000 still remain buried under the Queen Victoria Market car parks and shed stalls.  And it is in this very place, on a Wednesday night, that local band Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes took to the stage.

This nine piece band has been creating quite a buzz around town over the last twelve months, playing just about anywhere that would have them while recording and releasing two singles and their debut album, Baby Caught The Bus all in that time.  Their sound is the kind of straight up doo-wop/soul that was all the rage back in the 1950s with a few modern touches à la Amy Winehouse.  In fact, if anyone is fit to fill the huge shoes left by Winehouse’s untimely death (even though her last few years were relatively quiet in terms of her musical output), it’s these guys.  They are the complete package.  The band grooves away with energy and bombast creating the perfect backing for Browne’s booming voice as she commands attention whilst giving the impression that she doesn’t care whether you are listening or not.  It’s not an arrogance that she displays, but a confidence in her ability to win you over with what she has, and it is a confidence that is well founded.  But the true highlight of the band is the three women who make up The Bangin’ Rackettes, backing vocalists to Browne’s power.  Their harmonies are extremely tight, especially on the excellent love ballad Far Too Late and the delightfully bitchy She Plays Up To You.  They even manage to make standards such as Sonny Bono’s Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and a cover of Salt-n-Pepa’s Whatta Man sound refreshingly new, injecting new life into them with their old school style.

I must say though, that Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes managed to do all of this with nearly every element against them last night.  The family friendly atmosphere of the Queen Vic Market meant that the band appeared to be holding back a touch, giving the impression that their normal live show would have a bit more oomph to it that wouldn’t have been appropriate for the children in the crowd.  On top of this, it was one of the coldest summer nights in recent memory and the wind often made a mess of the sound.  Despite these minor setbacks, Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes put on an excellent show, forcing people onto their feet to dance the evening away.  In fact, this band’s sound is so infectious I’m willing to bet that, in addition to all the people in attendance last night, the 9,000 permanent residents underneath The Queen Vic Market were also enjoying the entertainment, dusting off their bones and joining in with their own go-go dancing session.  I will definitely be seeing this band again.

Live Review - Beirut

January 10, 2012 – The Forum Theatre, Melbourne

Support: Pikelet (Aus)

Beirut’s music is difficult to classify.  It falls somewhere between the blurred genre lines of indie folk rock and world music.  Each member of the band covers a variety of instruments including drums, bass guitar, double bass, accordion, trumpet, ukulele, voice, glockenspiel, trombone, sousaphone and an electric piano to create a sound that is entirely unique, blending elements of gypsy, French folk and mariachi music.  Beirut is the brain child of Zachary Francis Condon (of Santa Fe, New Mexico) and since their 2006 debut they have built a very strong following as evidenced by their two sold out shows here in Melbourne over that last two nights.

Personally, I’ve always felt Beirut’s music to be missing that certain something.  While their sound is certainly intriguing and worth listening to, it just doesn’t do a whole lot for me.  As I’ve stated before, I usually only enjoy music if it evokes some kind of emotional response in me and Beirut tend not to do that.  However, their sound does interest me and it was this reason that drove me to go along to The Forum Theatre last to night see this band play to a packed house of adoring fans.

From the outset it was clear that Beirut are very good at what they do.  They have that quality that elevates them above the average band and makes a casual listener such as myself see exactly why they are well loved by their fans.  They were tight and played with plenty of energy.  They seemed to be enjoying performing as much as the audience appeared to enjoy watching it.  You got the distinct impression that even if they weren’t half way across the world, playing to a sold out crowd, they’d still enjoy exactly what they were doing if it was just to their parents and friends in their own garage back home.  It was this quality that made Beirut a joy to watch.

Particular highlights of the evening were fan favourite Postcards From Italy, hometown ode Santa Fe and a stirring rendition of Goshen from their latest album, The Rip Tide which began with a beautifully spot lit Condon at the piano as he sang the lament of lost love.  It was this particular track where I finally “got it”.  I wasn’t there observing a band I was merely intrigued by anymore. With that track they had forced me to become involved with the music and I finally understood the reason that all these people were there.  When a band can do that, make a casual listener stand up and notice, even if it’s just for one song, they deserve all the praise they get.  Beirut truly do have something special about them, and while that element may not affect me as often as it does others, I would have no hesitation seeing them again on their next tour.­­­

Thank You, Logo and Twitter

This is just a very quick post to thank everyone for the support shown so far.  The positive response has been truly appreciated.  

I'd also like to draw your attention to the new logo you can now see to the right of your screen.  It was designed and hand drawn by a very dear friend of mine.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

A twitter account has also been activated for this site so if you are a twitter user, you'll be able to get updates on when things get posted.

Don’t forget to check out my review of tomorrow night’s Beirut gig on Wednesday.

Song of the Day - Wonderful (The Way I Feel)

Artist: My Morning Jacket (USA)

Album: Circuital (2011)

 

You know a great song when you’re listening to an album in your car and once the song is done, you just keep hitting that button to start it again.  Such was the case of My Morning Jacket’s brilliant tune, Wonderful (The Way I Feel), today.  I’ve been listening to their latest album Circuital for a few days now and with each listen, it just gets better and better.  The way this band seems to come straight out of the 1970s is almost unbelievable in this day and age, especially in Australia where radio tends to be focused on the “indie pop made by arts graduates (or drop outs)” sound.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but My Morning Jacket seem to be quite popular in their home country, but here, they barely get a mention.

By taking equal parts from classic Pink Floyd, The Who and The Beatles tracks, My Morning Jacket have managed to find a sound that is not only out of place with current music trends, but also makes them appear timeless.  They manage to sound entirely different, yet familiar at the same time.  Never is this more evident on what is, perhaps, the most accessible track on Circuital.  Wonderful (The Way I Feel) is a gorgeous acoustic track full of beautiful vocal harmonies and soaring, but subtle, strings.  Lyrically, the song appears to be optimistic, speaking of escaping from an unsatisfying world to a place of true freedom.  The lyrical optimism seems to be undercut though by the melancholic nature of the music, appearing to lament the idea that the world is too far gone to become truly free and that this freedom can only be achieved within the mind of the individual.  Please be aware that this interpretation is wholly my own.  I’m a strong believer in the idea that a song’s meaning depends entirely upon the listener and where they are in their lives.  The fact remains though, that this is an outstanding song, and one that I have listened to many times today.  I honestly can’t wait to hear it live if they play it during their Bluesfest set in April and I hope you enjoy it too.

Live Review - Jim Ward

January 3, 2012 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne

Support: The Smith Street Band (Aus)

The people who attended last night’s performance at Melbourne’s East Brunswick Club will not likely forget what they saw.  In all the years I have been attending shows, I know I have never experienced anything quite like it.  So, I’m sure you can understand when I tell you that there is a great degree of difficulty deciding where to begin.  Do I set the tone by telling you about Ward’s last solo tour just a few months ago where he played the same venue, unaccompanied, to a sold out crowd of adoring fans?  Do I start by just coming out and letting you know exactly why this show was a difficult one to enjoy?  Do I leave out the emotional context and focus purely on the performance knowing that the readers of this blog will inevitably conclude, for the most part, that this was an average gig?  I guess the only way to begin a review of this show, would be to start at the beginning and see where it takes us.

The night began with Melbourne’s own The Smith Street Band.  They hit the stage with energy and gusto, performing their hearts out for what began as a small crowd that slowly built up as their set went on.  It’s no secret that I believe this band to be one of the shining lights of the Australian music scene.  While their profile may be relatively small now, I certainly hope they are given the opportunity to do what they do for a very long time to come.  They have a lot to overcome given the, sometimes fickle, nature of the Australian music scene, but if anyone’s got the talent to pull it off, it’s these guys.  If you don’t believe me, get yourself a copy of their debut album, No One Gets Lost Anymore, and hear it for yourself.  They are always playing so check out their facebook page (under Wil Wagner & The Smith Street Band) for the latest gig details and go check them out.  You won’t be disappointed.

Half an hour later when Jim Ward took the stage, this time backed by a full band, something seemed off.  The performance was a little sluggish, voices were slightly off key and some of the timing was out.  Ward seemed noticeably distracted, singing low and mumbling much of his lines.  All signs were pointing towards this gig being one that would be forgettable.  This was an incredibly surprising situation given that I had seen Ward three times before (twice with his band Sparta and I was at the aforementioned solo show played a few months ago) and had never been let down by any of his performances.  He seems to be the kind of performer who gives his all, regardless of who he is playing to, humbled and grateful that he has the opportunity to play all over the world for a living.  After the second song of the set, Ward spoke to the crowd and revealed the reason for what the crowd was witnessing.

Through tears and a cracking voice, Ward informed the crowd that, 48 hours prior to this show, he and his band mate Gabriel Gonzalez had been informed that a close friend of theirs had been murdered back home in El Paso, Texas.  Ward told the crowd that they had debated long and hard about playing the show.  The next flight they could get home wouldn’t be until Thursday and that they were likely to catch that flight and cancel their Friday night show in Sydney.  So, with being forced to stay in Australia for the next two days, and because their friend would have wanted them to, they were now standing in front of us, trying to play while their minds were elsewhere.  Ward also revealed that his friend’s family had very little money and so, he was selling signed posters with 100% of the proceeds going towards helping the girl’s family pay for funeral costs.  Not a single person in the crowd would have blamed Ward if he simply called off the show right then and there and they offered up a huge, encouraging applause as the band worked through their grief doing the only thing they’ve known how to do for the entirety of their adult lives (Ward co-founded seminal post-hardcore band, At The Drive-In, when he was seventeen).

As the night went on, Ward apologised profusely for bringing the mood down.  Many of his songs, particularly the ones about his home town and the people there, were given extra weight and he struggled with the occasional line.  There was a turning point towards the end of the show though, where the struggle seemed to stop and the songs became a kind of catharsis.  Ward became more passionate and some of the weight seemed to be lifted.  The crowd was no longer witnessing a man struggling with his grief.  They were seeing a performer expressing it with every fibre of his being.  This was never more evident that during the closing song of the night, Mystery Talks, which was originally written about the death of his cousin, Jeremy Ward (former sound manipulator for The Mars Volta).

It’s difficult to express the feeling in the room last night with words.  After all, words are merely labels and labels can only give you a hint of what is inferred, they cannot actually make you feel the emotions they often falsely represent.  What I can tell you though is that the applause of at the end of the show was not your usual display of appreciation at having witnessed a good performance.  It was an offer of encouragement and support for Ward and Gonzalez during a deeply personal time that few people can truly relate to.  The large line that formed to buy the posters Ward spoke of earlier in the night furthered this sense of support and solidarity.

As I’ve already said, I have never quite witnessed anything like this at a gig before and, while the performances towards the end of the night were nothing short of brilliant, I hope the reason for them being so is never repeated.  If you, for whatever reason, would like to donate money to the girl’s family, Ward stated that he would set up a link to do so on his blog.  At the time of publishing this review, the link is not yet there, but keep checking back over the next few days.  My next reviews will come next week with Beirut’s Forum Theatre show, Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackette’s performance at The Queen Victoria Night Market and the opening show of Circles’ Eye Embedded east coast tour at The Corner Hotel.