Loving this track - Awkward by San Cisco

I think this is one of the cutest songs out there at the moment. It's so catchy and endearing, I love the contrast between male lead singer Jordi's melodic rocky voice and drummer and vocals Scarlett's punchy to the point, almost spoken word style singing. These guys are from Perth and appear to be up and coming, featuring on a few festival bills over the summer. Here is a bit more info about these guys.
http://www.triplejunearthed.com/SanCisco
It's a shame there is no clip on you tube yet but enjoy the song.

Parklife - Moore Park - 2/10/11

Checking the weather all week, I cant say I was surprised to wake up to pouring rain, but I certainly wasn't happy about it! Poncho, umbrella, beanie, scarf and gloves packed and 6 warm layers of clothing later I was ready. I'm not sure why I was outraged to see that so many people forgot to get dressed, but come on people, it was 12 degrees, raining with 50km/hour winds, well that's what the forecast said and it was spot on! The sinking feeling got worse as we pulled up outside Moore Park and had to watch some dude throwing up beside the road on his way in to the festival, not a good start.

Anyway enough about the weather.

After passing through the gates and taking in the beautiful festival grounds of Moore Park we headed over to the stage we could hear Kimbra playing. We caught a few of her tracks including her latest catchy single Good Intent. She didn't really grab me but I thought she was pretty good, I was still taking it all in at this stage of the day.

Sebastian was up next, never really heard much of his stuff before and I found him a little douchey constantly wanting praise from the crowd and never cracking a smile but everyone seemed to like him. I've never seen someone chain smoke like that before, he lit each new cigarette with the end of the last one and continued that way for his entire set. His projector show was very trippy with what looked like a rubber face version of him speaking every now and then. I found his music really easy to dance to and it was a good start to the day. However this was also the set I stumbled upon a girl who was basically wearing skin tight denim underwear, I guess she would have called "shorts" and anyone who is a facebook friend of mine got to experience that along side me on the day. I believe I posted it with the caption "I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!"

I was really looking forward to Death From Above 1979 but I had no idea of what to expect live from this 2 piece who reformed this year (who knows for how long though). I love it when a bands drummer is also the main singer, seems to me like that would take a huge amount of coordination. Grainger on drums was a little distracting with his blond undercut, it was very Aaron Carter, but apart from the random hair I was really impressed with his musicality and skills. Unfortunately it started raining during this set and out came the ponchos. With the wind blowing, the crowd appeared to be a billowing, brightly colored, loudly rustling, plastic bag. Black History Month is definitely my favourite track by these guys and they played it so well, I was stoked it was on there set list.

Example was ok, he played all his popular tracks off the current album including Changed The Way You Kiss Me. We managed to pick a really terrible spot for Example and we moved a few times to find a better one, by the time we did, the set was almost over. It felt like there was a few people doing the same as us because everyone seemed so distracted, however I got the distinct feeling like everyone's drugs kicked in at the same time and people started running around and bumping into each other like lemmings on smack.

Santigold brought the sun out with her. I really enjoyed Santigolds show, she had an amazing LED screen show going on behind her which I thought was so much fun to watch and really added to the theatrical spectacular that was her show. Highlight of her set for me was her song Hold The Line which she originally recorded with Major Lazer. She was really dynamic to watch with her massive glasses and loads of energy, I really didn't expect much, maybe that's why I was so impressed. I actually think she was the highlight of the day for me.

By this stage of the day it became painfully evident that I was one of VERY few people not off my face on drugs or completely boozed out. Its not that I felt old, I was mainly just irritated by freaks losing their Forshiz left right and center and struggling to remain vertical. At one point a group of drunk bitches stumbled over and one said to the other "I dont think I should drink anymore, I'm really drunk!". We laughed and one of them staggered over got in my brothers face and said "Are you judging us?" and whilst I felt like saying, "yes we are you drunk whore, now get out of our faces!" my brother more diplomatically said something along the lines of "take a step back, then run along" by this stage she turned around, realised her friends had wanderd off, stood there awkwardly for a second then stormed off...moron. As for the music, we were currently watching Digitalism, they were fantastic, really energetic. Everyone was definietely enjoying the music and my favourite was easily their current single Circles. I was a little irritated by the guy in front of me who kept freaking out, pulling his hair out and making the shape of a heart in his hands above his head, mimicking the heart shapes being displayed on Digitalism's screen behind the band. But he wasn't as bad as the girl who appeared next to a mate in the drinks line and told him that she could feel every hair on her head. When he inquired as to whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, she replied "Oh my god, it feels amazing!!!!"... Yep, you enjoy those dying brain cells!

Unfortunately Nero was my biggest dissapointment for the day. I know Dubstep isnt always the easiest style to listen to but I really do like most of the tracks on their latest album Welcome Reality. I also knew that half the band (Joe) was back in London putting the finishing touches on their live stage show that they will be touring with in the next few months so I expected a DJ set. What I didnt expect was for organisers to put Nero on the smallest stage there which had the grounds sloping down away from the stage. It was way to packed and the sound was really bad. Of the half a donzen songs I stayed for only 1 or 2 were from their latest album. Knowing Gossip were just down the field most likely putting on a great show was too much for me to handle and I made the best decision of the day (other than my decision to wear warm clothes) and headed over to see the last 4 songs of Gossip.

Let me do you all a favour: Do not google image search "Gossip Beth Ditto" if you have a weak stomach, she's rather vuglger and rarely fully dressed it seems. As it is, she did burp into the mic during her show at Parklife but this is apparently very tame compared to what she usually gets up to. I'm really glad I did head over mid Nero set, I really enjoyed them. For a big girl she certainly has no issue getting herself around a stage, she was so energetic and her voice is as big live as it is on her records.

20 mins late Lykke Li emerged... with no pants, it seems she got the 'no pants memo' I apparently missed. With too much smoke from the smoke machine, I spent most of set assuming where she was. She had a fantastic light show going on which was great to watch. But with Duck Sauce cranking on the stage next door, I had the urge to dance and Lykke Li was making me feel the fatigue of a huge day out, she was just a little too slow and chilled out for the closing time slot she had. I danced to Duck Sauce in the quiet breaks between Li's songs. I feel like the only reason I didn't enjoy seeing her more was because how tired I was and how chilled out her set was.

This blog post was a struggle to complete, it felt more like homework and I don't really care that the writing in it is pretty average. I guess that's because I'm not a big fan of writing about music I'm not really into, it's a waste of time I think. And the fact that I didn't really enjoy this years Parklife overly, meant it was hard to get motivated to write this. I really did try to enjoy myself, but I struggled to do so more often than not over the day.

I'm just not sure when Music festivals stopped being about music and became more about how messed up you could get and how little clothing you could possibly wear. And when did we start paying $6 for a bottle of water and $11 for a tiny cup of mid strength of vodka and lemonade? No wonder everyone was on drugs, no one could afford to drink! Maybe that makes me sound old and boring but I don't give a rats.
Overall the festival was really well put together, but the patrons ruined it and the shitty weather topped it off! Don't think I'll bother next year, not my type of crowd. Grumble grumble blah whatever....

So I think I'll take a break from Festivals for the summer and get myself ready for the big dog next year, Southern California's Coachella Festival. With a bit of luck, the weather will be better, the line up will be more to my taste, and the crowd will be a little better equipped to remain vertical for the better part of the entire day.

Field Day Line up 2012

Field Day's line up has been announced, looking a little similar to last years line up, but still pretty good.
Not sure I could ever do a New Years Day festival, I'll probably pass on this one. Tickets go onsale October 6th.

Justice
Crystal Castles
Moby (DJ set)
Gotye
Tiga
Busy P
Jack Beats (live)
Skream & Benga
Metronomy
Yuksek (live)
Spank Rock
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
Foreign Beggars
12th Planet
Young MC

Big Day Out Line up 2012

It's that time of year again, the first Big Day Out line up was announced this morning and be you underwhelmed, overwhelmed or simply just whelmed, the following is what we're looking at. It seems to be to be a mix of big names, I don't give a rats abouts, and a few smaller local bands I'm interested in at the moment.
Throw Foster the People into the mix and well... it's a maybe for me at the moment....maybe but probably not.

Soundgarden
Kanye West
Kasabian
My Chemical Romance
The Living End
Royksopp
Hilltop Hoods
Boy and Bear
Parkway Drive
Mariachi El Bronx
Architecture in Helsinki
Battles
The Jezabels
Odd Future (OFWGKTA)
Frenzal Rhomb
Girl Talk
The Getaway Plan
Cage The Elephant
Foster The People
Best Coast

Lots more to be announced later in the year, lets hope it's gets better from here.

Josh Pyke - The Metro 1/09/2011

Warning: Bad words...look out!...Blame Josh Pyke not me!

Running late and being too interested in dinner and drinks to see the support acts Paper Kites and Emma Louise, we arrived just in time to get an amazing spot (which I'm keeping a secret for the next time I'm at the Metro) just before Josh Pyke and his band adorned the stage. I've never seen him by himself but I have seen him in his side project Basement Birds and I thoroughly enjoyed them live so I had high hopes for this gig.

The gorgeously beardy, pint sized, softly sung, pop-folk singer song writer has an obvious following (not just me), selling out the Metro with his latest album Only Sparrow just being released. The new album is really impressive, taking me only 2 listens through to pick out more favorites than expected. There are quite a few of the more poppy tracks like the most current single World is a Picture which takes Pyke in a slightly new direction. It's comfortably different to his last album Chimneys Afire. There are also the tracks that are completely through and though Josh Pyke like his folk collaboration with Katy Steele from Little Birdy in Punch in the Heart

He's much more upbeat in this album, it seems he's got everything going right for him at the moment, wife, career with flashy new album and he's a recent first time Dad. In his usual style of wearing a black raincoat  to every silver lining, it seems these days he's too happy for his own good, illustrated by lyrics in No One Wants a Lover "If I could write a sad song every day of the week I'd be the happiest fucker I know." In saying that predictably no Josh Pyke album would be complete without some gut wrenching sadness, some of which is seen all through Factory Fires, a track I was so very thankful he played.

After a short pause, Pyke followed his band on stage and they began with Clovis' Son to an eager crowd and I was surprised by how amazing the voice of the drummer on back up vocals was. He flipped mainly between tracks from Only Sparrows and Chimney's Afire, with a few off Memories and Dust and Feeding the Wolves and had the crowd bopping away to Good Head Start, shortly following it up with Make You Happy, which has an amazing clip of Pyke driving around a harbor in a motor boat shaped like a huge guitar, shown in the above shot.

The Lighthouse Song was so great to see live, it has such beautiful lyrics which evoke such strong imagery "And I've been leaving gifts out in the woods/That someone might stumble upon and wonder at their origins/I've been feeling like a fox with sad old eyes/Whose skulk has all moved on to leave the dark and empty den behind". I've also never known a song with such poignant use of the word 'Fuckers" in the chorus "I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in."

He called out support act Emma Louise to fill in for Katy Steel in Punch in the Heart and the duet had the audience silent and captivated. Pyke's imagery which is exceptional and seen so much over all albums, (I could quote a million lyrics) is evident in this track. I love the appealingly provocative mental pictures in Punch in the Heart "And the wheels keep taking me back to your street/Where I would press you against the bonnet just to feel your heat." There has been an obvious progression over the years, this latest offering has a much more mature sound, more layers, more emotion, more sound, more awesomeness.

He finished the night and his encore with the shows highlight. Love Lies is another of those lyrically visual songs, "Well I trace a map in the curve of your spine/I get lost by the hour in the blink of your eye/In the shadowed valleys of your backbone I find/Love lies". It was Pyke, alone with his acoustic guitar, a microphone and some loop pedals. It was epic, a resplendent folk-hymn that filled every nook and cranny of space. Pyke layered his voice with a new harmony loop each count of 8 for the last section of the song. At first when I heard a few voices I thought his band members were offstage singing harmonies until I realised it was him, and 10 layers later I had to pick my chin up off the floor. He left his voice on loop as the house lights came up and although a loop pedal is nothing new, wow it was electrifying to observe him in all his grandeur with such a beautiful song.
Do yourselves a favour and watch the following clip, or AT LEAST watch the loop echoes from the 3 minute mark onward.

It was a fantastic night showing that Pyke still has what it takes to sell records and draw a crowd. Live, he was theatrical, vocally perfect and just altogether entertaining. Next time he plays in Sydney I'll definitely be getting tickets again. Loved it!

Loving This Track - Grouplove - Itchin' on a Photograph

I really cant stop listen to this track this week, so it needs to go on the blog! Haven't heard much from Grouplove and I really don't know too much about them, but Wikipedia tells me they're an American Indie Rock band from California who have been around since 2009 and have opened shows for Florence and the Machine lately.

This is a great rocking track which needs to be sung really loudly in the car no matter who is staring at you.
Happy Friday! Enjoy!

Album Review - Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Wounded Rhymes is the second full length album from the Swedish Singer. I've heard and loved all of Lykke Li's singles on the radio so when I heard she was playing Parklife I thought I'd listen to the album before I went to see her live. I'm glad I did.
The album, produced by Bjorn Yttling from Peter Bjorn and John, is full of contrasts, between powerhouse tracks and the vulnerable, between the primal drum based rhythmical tracks and the hauntingly melodic. The album has a quirky retro feel to a lot of songs and a darkness to the majority of tracks which I find really interesting and strangely not depressing, for the most part. The contrasts continue as her lyrics have a sadness to them with a bit of an uplifting twist especially in the song Love Out of Lust with lyrics like "We will live longer than I will. We will be better than I was. We can cross rivers with our will. We can do better than I can. So dance while you can. Dance cos you must. Love out of lust"

Her sound is a very minimal and stripped back one. She doesn't have the most amazing voice ever, but it's raw and pure and perfect for her sound. Standout tracks are Get Some which is very provocative and a little filthy, lyrics wise but has such a sexy groove to it with those primal drums, I can't help but love it, and Rich Kid Blues takes full advantage of that raw voice and gritty sound and is one of the rockier tracks on the album. The track I like least is Unrequited Love. It's painfully slow, is probably the saddest track and has an annoying 'Shoo Bop Shoo Waa' all through the chorus. Although in saying that, the track 'I Know Places' is probably slower, and a little sadder, and it's an absolutely amazing piece of music, it reminds me a little of the song she did for the New Moon soundtrack Possibilities which made her become a bit of a house hold name. Li really bears her soul in this album and its so personal I'm left feeling like I know her a little better for it.

It's been a while since I've gotten my hands on such an amazing album which ticks all the boxes for me and has something for everyone, she shows a maturity in her music far beyond her 24 years. It's a really interesting experience full of contrasts and layers and I give it a 4 out of 5.