I was just watching the second episode of So You Think You Can Dance Australia which happened to feature two of my old high school mates Geoff "Drumstick" Lim and Sid Mathur!
Both Geoff and Sid came correct and scored themselves a spot in the top 100 (check out the official listings here).
Congratulations to these two immensely talented lads! Make sure you watch next week to see their progress! Hopefully I can track down some photos or videos to post here soon!
(Also, check out Geoff's website here.)
Monday, February 4, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Review: Cold War Kids - "Robbers & Cowards"
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Cold War Kids - "Robbers & Cowards"
Yes, the Cold War Kids do sound like The White Stripes. That might bother some people, but it doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t bother me because, while there might be similarities between the two bands, the Cold War Kids have enough individuality and overall quality to make them not only enjoyable but exciting to listen to. Some songs are just straight rocking (Hang Me Up To Dry). If you’re after quality raw bluesy rock, then you’ll get it. But what really makes “Robbers & Cowards” such an exciting listen is the depth and subtlety contained in its songwriting.
The album’s first track, We Used To Vacation, describes an alcoholic’s struggle (and probable failure) to overcome his addiction. Singing in character, vocalist Nathan Willett employs storytelling techniques that are both tantalising and sophisticated. The song’s first lines – “I kiss the kids at noon / Then stumble out the room / I caught a cab / Ran up a tab…” – paint a very clear picture of the main characters everyday life. As the song progresses, however, it also becomes clear that we are listening to a narrator that is not completely reliable. We are told of his promise to “never touch another drink as long as I live”, and his chanted belief that “this will all blow over in time”. By the end of the song it is clear that it is not us he is trying to convince, it is himself.
Other lines, such as “That accident left everyone a little shook up” and “But at the meetings I felt so empty”, are provocative. I was left wondering: What led this character to drinking? And what led him to revaluate his life? I was left imagining the shame and regret he might experience, sitting in a meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous. A less ambitious songwriter would have resorted to plain reportage: “I am an alcoholic. I am trying to overcome my addiction. I am in denial.” Willett communicates all this information, but does so in a way that is far more imaginative, challenging, and frankly just more interesting.
Such artful storytelling is also featured in tracks like Saint John and Hospital Beds. Both songs outline a loose narrative but leave much about the featured characters and their surroundings to the imagination. The stories are easy to follow, but the meanings behind them are left for the listener to decide.
In terms of overall sound, “Robbers & Cowards” is very cohesive album. With the exclusion of maybe Passing The Hat and God, Make Up Your Mind, all the songs combine to form a natural whole. In terms of specific instrumentation and production, "Robbers & Cowards" has a lot more drums than I expected, both in terms of mixing and drum patterns. Coming from a hip-hop background, this is something I like. A lot!
As I mentioned earlier, the album is raw. I’m talking about jarring changes in tempo & time signature, instruments getting out of time with each other, and occasionally playing a few notes in the wrong key. When done well, I really like this. If I formed a band and played like this (which I probably would because I have no musical talent) I’d sound like an amateur. These dudes make it sound good. Very good. A lot of bands, including The White Stripes, make use of a very raw sound. In my opinion, one thing in favour of the Cold War Kids is that they apply it in a way that is very appropriate to the mood and subject matter of their songs. They aren’t just raw for the sake of being raw. The changing tempo and crazy guitar in We Used to Vacation (particularly towards the song's end) build upon the character’s words to create a frantic, almost disturbing mood. This technique (and subject matter) reminded me of the Velvet Underground classic Heroin (if you dig this, check out the album version of Water by The Roots).
In the same way, raw instrumentation lends a very palpable extra edge to Willett’s vocals on songs like Saint John and the album’s secret track, Sermon Vs The Gospel. In Sermon, both the vocals and instrumentation sound completely uninhibited. It is not a watered down, pristine, studio recording, and the song benefits significantly from this. The band seems to almost shake from the energy and emotion behind the track’s lyrics.
Unfortunately "Robbers & Cowards" is not a stellar album all the way through, it does have low points. The strange, and at times almost carnivalesque, God, Make Up Your Mind deserve a hearty skip in my opinion. And depending on my mood, I may or may not bother to listen to Passing The Hat and Robbers.
Other than that, this is a sold album. Be prepared to give "Robbers & Cowards" a few listens, as some of the songs did take a little while to grow on me. If you’re into raw music, or good story-based songwriting, then this might be something for you.
Cold War Kids - "Robbers & Cowards"
Yes, the Cold War Kids do sound like The White Stripes. That might bother some people, but it doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t bother me because, while there might be similarities between the two bands, the Cold War Kids have enough individuality and overall quality to make them not only enjoyable but exciting to listen to. Some songs are just straight rocking (Hang Me Up To Dry). If you’re after quality raw bluesy rock, then you’ll get it. But what really makes “Robbers & Cowards” such an exciting listen is the depth and subtlety contained in its songwriting.
The album’s first track, We Used To Vacation, describes an alcoholic’s struggle (and probable failure) to overcome his addiction. Singing in character, vocalist Nathan Willett employs storytelling techniques that are both tantalising and sophisticated. The song’s first lines – “I kiss the kids at noon / Then stumble out the room / I caught a cab / Ran up a tab…” – paint a very clear picture of the main characters everyday life. As the song progresses, however, it also becomes clear that we are listening to a narrator that is not completely reliable. We are told of his promise to “never touch another drink as long as I live”, and his chanted belief that “this will all blow over in time”. By the end of the song it is clear that it is not us he is trying to convince, it is himself.
Other lines, such as “That accident left everyone a little shook up” and “But at the meetings I felt so empty”, are provocative. I was left wondering: What led this character to drinking? And what led him to revaluate his life? I was left imagining the shame and regret he might experience, sitting in a meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous. A less ambitious songwriter would have resorted to plain reportage: “I am an alcoholic. I am trying to overcome my addiction. I am in denial.” Willett communicates all this information, but does so in a way that is far more imaginative, challenging, and frankly just more interesting.
Such artful storytelling is also featured in tracks like Saint John and Hospital Beds. Both songs outline a loose narrative but leave much about the featured characters and their surroundings to the imagination. The stories are easy to follow, but the meanings behind them are left for the listener to decide.
In terms of overall sound, “Robbers & Cowards” is very cohesive album. With the exclusion of maybe Passing The Hat and God, Make Up Your Mind, all the songs combine to form a natural whole. In terms of specific instrumentation and production, "Robbers & Cowards" has a lot more drums than I expected, both in terms of mixing and drum patterns. Coming from a hip-hop background, this is something I like. A lot!
As I mentioned earlier, the album is raw. I’m talking about jarring changes in tempo & time signature, instruments getting out of time with each other, and occasionally playing a few notes in the wrong key. When done well, I really like this. If I formed a band and played like this (which I probably would because I have no musical talent) I’d sound like an amateur. These dudes make it sound good. Very good. A lot of bands, including The White Stripes, make use of a very raw sound. In my opinion, one thing in favour of the Cold War Kids is that they apply it in a way that is very appropriate to the mood and subject matter of their songs. They aren’t just raw for the sake of being raw. The changing tempo and crazy guitar in We Used to Vacation (particularly towards the song's end) build upon the character’s words to create a frantic, almost disturbing mood. This technique (and subject matter) reminded me of the Velvet Underground classic Heroin (if you dig this, check out the album version of Water by The Roots).
In the same way, raw instrumentation lends a very palpable extra edge to Willett’s vocals on songs like Saint John and the album’s secret track, Sermon Vs The Gospel. In Sermon, both the vocals and instrumentation sound completely uninhibited. It is not a watered down, pristine, studio recording, and the song benefits significantly from this. The band seems to almost shake from the energy and emotion behind the track’s lyrics.
Unfortunately "Robbers & Cowards" is not a stellar album all the way through, it does have low points. The strange, and at times almost carnivalesque, God, Make Up Your Mind deserve a hearty skip in my opinion. And depending on my mood, I may or may not bother to listen to Passing The Hat and Robbers.
Other than that, this is a sold album. Be prepared to give "Robbers & Cowards" a few listens, as some of the songs did take a little while to grow on me. If you’re into raw music, or good story-based songwriting, then this might be something for you.
Vote 1 Liow
D.I.Y Art Films friend & associate Nathan Liow has just made a last minute entry into the ABC Classic FM "Orpheus Remix Awards". For the competition he had to use some sample mp3s to make his own "response to both the Orpheus myth and the notion of 'opera'"... whatever that means....
Opera is a fair way from Nathan's regular production/playing styles of jazz & electronica, but he's put his own signature glitchy stamp on this remix and managed to create some interesting stuff. If Opera was a bit more like this then maybe I'd be more inclined to listen (sorry to all the hardcore opera fans out there).
Nathan's remix is called "iOrpheus"; you can listen to it here.
Support the cause and click here to sign in/register and vote!
(Don't forget to check out Nathan's myspace to hear some of his work in other genres.)
Opera is a fair way from Nathan's regular production/playing styles of jazz & electronica, but he's put his own signature glitchy stamp on this remix and managed to create some interesting stuff. If Opera was a bit more like this then maybe I'd be more inclined to listen (sorry to all the hardcore opera fans out there).
Nathan's remix is called "iOrpheus"; you can listen to it here.
Support the cause and click here to sign in/register and vote!
(Don't forget to check out Nathan's myspace to hear some of his work in other genres.)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Gigs on Friday 1st Feb (Melbourne)
The two rad composers we have enlisted for Supermarket Musical Massacre are both playing gigs this Friday night.
Nat Bartsch, with the Nat Bartsch Trio, will be playing at EQ Bar on Southbank from 11pm-1am. Check out her myspace here and her trio's myspace here.
Oscar O'Bryan will be playing as part of funk/fusion outfit King Armadillo. They'll be playing from 11pm-2am at the Purple Emerald (Flinders Lane, between Swanston and Russell). Oscar may also be manning the decks before they start. Check out their website here.
We'll let you know more about these great musicians in future posts.
Nat Bartsch, with the Nat Bartsch Trio, will be playing at EQ Bar on Southbank from 11pm-1am. Check out her myspace here and her trio's myspace here.
Oscar O'Bryan will be playing as part of funk/fusion outfit King Armadillo. They'll be playing from 11pm-2am at the Purple Emerald (Flinders Lane, between Swanston and Russell). Oscar may also be manning the decks before they start. Check out their website here.
We'll let you know more about these great musicians in future posts.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Concept Artwork - Supermarket Musical Massacre
Yesterday Chris, Maia and Steph were working on rigging some basic paper models for Supermarket Musical Massacre. Many paper-cuts later, we managed to construct a very basic model of the main character, with split pins at pivot points. This will now be replicated digitally so we can begin movement trials. Here's a couple of pics of our leading lady at present:
Stay tuned - we'll keep you updated as character design progresses.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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