The Cure At Sydney Opera House.

Just a friendly reminder to my readers in beautiful Sydney, NSW – The Cure will be performing live their first three albums (Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds, and Faith) on the evenings of 31 May and 1 June, 2011 at the legendary Sydney Opera House. The shows will be 180 minutes long (with two intervals), and will feature a revolving lineup of musicians present and past who have indelibly moulded the spirit of The Cure. 

three imaginary boys

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robert smith - voice + guitar

simon gallup - bass

jason cooper - drums

seventeen seconds

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robert smith - voice + guitar

simon gallup - bass

jason cooper - drums

roger o'donnell - keyboards

faith

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robert smith - voice + guitar

simon gallup - bass

jason cooper - drums

roger o'donnell - keyboards + percussion

laurence tolhurst - keyboards + percussion

This is going to be a show to remember – so if you're in Sydney (or plan on being in), you really can't do worse than go. We here at SDU HQ insist! Here's Robert Smith & company performing "The Drowning Man" off of 1981's Faith in 2005. Absolutely brilliant.

Album Review: Seekae.

SEEKAE

+DOME

©2011 Rice Is Nice/Popfrenzy

Sydneysiders Alex Cameron, George Nicholas, and John Hassel – better known as electronic "ghetto ambient" trio Seekae – have released their sophomore LP +Dome and connoisseurs of intelligent and thoughtful music everywhere can rejoice. "Ghetto ambient." This description of their sound, half-jokingly coined by the band to describe their ebullient and emotive crossbreeding of ambient electronica and glitchy experimental pop. Being a record that generously rewards repeat listens, +Dome expands greatly from where its predecessor, 2008's The Sound of Trees Falling On People (GREAT album title, BTW) left off. It builds on the kick-ass 8-bit fuzzy electronica and ambience with a stellar washing over of layered beats, string arrangements, sampled noises, and the heavy bass one might expect to hear at a late-night London drum 'n' bass club. And there's glockenspiels! Bloody glockenspiels! I don't know about you, but I'm crazy mad for glockenspiels.

The magic begins with opener "Go," with its slow-building guitars over a snare drum and a throbbing bass, releasing finally with the aural imagery of a stream of icy cold water trickling over a field of pebbles as we launch into "Blood Bank," which I think of as a beautiful melding of Kid A-era Radiohead and Crystal Castles. "Two" invokes images children playing, it's so delicate with its intricacies and fragmented percussion. The lovely "Gnor," with its sparse strings, swells with emotion – I'm reminded of a sunset, the colours of the sky changing minutely as the sun bids adieu. There are so many surprises and wonderful moments on +Dome; I won't try to tell you about them. Rather, this is a record that demands to be listened to multiple times. There's always something new lurking in the background or just around the corner that hasn't been noticed before. Fucking amazing. One of the best records of the year, so far.

Here, for your listening enjoyment, is "Mingus."

Art Vs Science!

The year was 2007, and Dan McNamee had gone to see a Daft Punk concert in Sydney. Inspired by the techno spectacle (as well as anybody should!), he rang up two old high school mates, Jim Finn and Dan Williams, and proposed that they form a band. Art Vs Science was born, and the rest, as they say, is history. And I'm really, really impressed by what they've turned out so far.

There are many pleasant surprises that have engaged me during my stay here in Melbourne (if one is interested, then visit my Oz-ward Bound blog to read about my adventures trying to gain Australian citizenship). Victorian architecture,  flocks of parrots, the colourful flora and fauna, the laid-back personality of the local population, and -- yes -- the nearly obscene wealth of fantastic electronic acts that have been formed here. From the Presets, to Severed Heads, to Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts, to Pnau and Empire of the Sun, to Grafton Primary and Infusion, and to Art Vs Science and Sean Quinn and many, many more, Australia has produced some of the more original and eclectic electronic soundtracks to grace my playlist in many a moon.

So, back to Art Vs Science. They formed in early 2008, and have so far released two EPs: 2009's Art Vs Science and 2010's Magic Fountain. Their first full-length (title TBA) will be released in February of 2011, and they've also covered Split Enz's "I See Red" for the new compilation record He Will Have His Way, a compendium of Tim and Neil Finn covers. They've also recorded a minute-and-a-half little ditty about bad breath for the Australian kid's science TV show Sleek Geeks (think about rhyming "halitosis" with "diagnosis"), and are currently on tour with Infusion and Sean Quinn (they hit St Kilda on the 10th of December at the venerable Prince Bandroom -- you should totally go)!

An enthusiastic and bombastic stew of experimental synths, disco-punk, and techno, Art Vs Science's music is fantastically catchy, a frenzied hodgepodge of forward-thinking boom 'n' bass 'n' noise. Utilizing guitar and bass and live drums, their work has something for everybody, including those music snobs who tend to steer clear of bands that "just noodle at keyboards and sequencers." But holy shit, there's a lot of fun to be had here. "Parlez-vous Français?" will not only get your ass moving on the dancefloor, but will also make you smile -- there's a lot of quirky humour on display. "Take Me To Your Leader" delves deep into Empire of the Sun territory -- it reminds me quite a bit of Mr Steele's "Swordfish Hotkiss Night." "Magic Fountain" maintains a serious Daft Punk sensibility throughout its hardcore bangin', and -- if you're listening to their Magic Fountain EP -- there's even a live cover version (recorded at Splendour in the Grass) of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Boom! Shake the Room" that's just ... fucking special.

OK, I've talked enough. Here's some music for y'all, my favourite readers in the whole wide world.

art vs science

"parlez-vous français?"

art vs science ep

art vs science

"magic fountain"

magic fountain ep

New Music: Grafton Primary.

Sydney-sider brothers Josh and Benjamin Garden, AKA Grafton Primary, have been very busy, busy bees this last year, putting together their sophomore album, tentatively entitled Sophomore and preparing for their new tour, which hits Melbourne tomorrow evening in St Kilda's wild Prince Bandroom. Should be a whole hell of a lotta fun, so Second Drawer Up highly recommends heading down there if you've wondered what's worth doing this weekend!

Having been formed in 2006, and with two EPs and their first album Eon under their belts, Grafton Primary (who tour with a live drummer and bass player) are willing and ready to unveil their new(ish) sound to the masses. "This tour's not so much a dusting as an absolute renovation," Josh told Inpress Magazine - and to my ears, it sounds like it's going to be a veritable shitload of fun. I love the sounds that burst from my speakers when I play Eon or the Relativity EP (which I'm listening to right now as I type this) - they're quirky, noir-ish, and clever. Take what's best from Jan Hammer and Harold Faltermeyer's 80's synth-soundtracks, Australia's "2nd wave of nu-rave" (whatever the hell that means), and indie-pop, throw them in a blender, and you might have something similar to the sound made by the brothers Garden. Keep an ear out for the new single, "The Eagle." Josh seems particularly buzzed about it, so I can only reckon it's going to kick ass.

So get your ass to the Prince Bandroom, already! Grafton Primary are going to be supported by Wollongong electronic pioneers Infusion; so it's going to be twice as fun as you thought. Serious!

Here's "Relativity" by Grafton Primary for ya - cheers!

grafton primary

"relativity"

relativity ep

Man of Colours.

Well, it's a lovely Wednesday morning, and what should pop up on my playlist but "Man of Colours" by Icehouse? Taken from the 1987 album of the same name, I really have to admit that this track is a quintessential example of what can make Icehouse such a special band. "Man of Colours" tells the story of an old man in an upstairs room painting vignettes from his life and examining them with a mixture of pain and pride. The album itself, Icehouse's fifth release, also contains gems such as "Kingdom," a magical examination of a woman coming to peace with herself, "Sunrise," a scorching anti-war statement of epic proportion, and then, livening things up a bit, the biggest hit of Icehouse's existence, "Crazy," which is, quite frankly, a fun love song.


I'd mentioned before that Iva Davies was an accomplished oboe player - and on "Man of Colours," there he is, playing it to his heart's content. It's a mournful sound, laid over an achingly beautiful synth and a deceptively simple drum beat. It soars - it reminds me, in a way, of the sensation of flying through clouds. Towards the end, when Davies practically cries the lyric "And I can see, see through these tears, tears of a man, a man of colours," it nearly breaks my heart. And what's really nifty about the video for the song is that Iva Davies' father himself is the star, the old man upstairs. It's simply gorgeous.


With no further ado, here's "Man of Colours."

icehouse

"man of colours"

man of colours

And, while there's no video for it, per se, here's the anti-war track "Sunrise." Listen for Davie's anguished scream towards the end as the crashing cymbals signify the end of all that's good in the world. "You'll never see the faces of the fishermen, but you may see their shadows burned against the wall." Damn, Iva - intense.

icehouse

"sunrise"

man of colours

Three Australian 80's Hits.

Well! I've now been in the land down under for just under a month, and it's been absolutely spectacular. Things are going great with my girlfriend, I'm getting some healthy color, and I've lost two and a half kilos (probably from all the fresh and organic food I've been eating) -- so all in all at this moment, I'm pretty tops. Still need to quit smoking, but I'm now under a pack a day, so we'll see where I'm at in another month, shall we?


So today I was thinking: How's about I put together a nifty little package of early 80's Australian music for you, my faithful readers, this weekend? Sounds like a plan, thinks I. So with no further ado, here's some 80's treasures that will, today, be on my humble blog!

From 1983, QED were a Sydney band featuring Jenny Morris, a Kiwi from discontinued band The Crocodiles. Wrapping up the rest of the group was Rex Goh (ex guitarist for Air Supply!) and Ian Belton on bass guitar. Featuring Amanda Vincent on keyboards (though for the life of me I don't know who's doing them in this video), QED evoked a sound that to this day evokes in me a tremendous feeling of nostalgia (because, really, what is this site but a musical nostalgia choo-choo train?). They only released one album, Animal Magic, before disbanding (Jenny Morris went on to great acclaim as a solo artist) -- and "Everywhere I Go" was their first single. And here it is. Love Morris' purple coat!

qed

"everywhere i go"

animal magic

Yeah, yeah -- I know everybody on the planet knows who Men At Work are, and can probably sing "Down Under" line for line at the drop of a dime. But I don't care. I'd like to think of today's post as a bit of comfort food, if you will, and since I've started with the year 1983, I figured I'd stick with it. Think of it as something of a theme. So. Men At Work. From the southern Melbourne suburb of St Kilda (love that 'hood), they only released three albums: 1981's Business As Usual, 1983's Cargo, and 1985's Two Hearts. Today's track comes from Cargo, and personally I find it to be quite an effective anti-war song that still holds water. I'm speaking of course of "It's A Mistake," and here it is for your listening pleasure.

men at work

"it's a mistake"

cargo

Though best known for their (rather crappy) 1986 cover of Lipps Inc.'s "Funky Town," Melbourne's Pseudo Echo back in the day composed music that was extraordinarily similar to the output of fellow 80's stalwarts Ultravox. Their debut record, 1984's Autumnal Park featured many high points in early 80's synth-pop, but none rose so high as their hit single "Listening." I remember back in 1985 when I first bought the album (entitled Pseudo Echo in the United States) -- I probably bugged the shit out of my parents by having kept lifting the needle and going back to start this track over and over and over again. It's a great tune; I haven't heard it in a long time, but it's great to go back to a priceless pop gem. Here's "Listening" for your listening pleasure on this gorgeous and sunny Saturday afternoon. Cheers!

pseudo echo

"listening"

autumnal park

Congratulations To The Church.

We here at Second Drawer Up HQ would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Marty Wilson-Piper, and Tim Powles (drummer Richard Ploog's replacement, after his tragic psychological meltdown) of Australian band The Church on their induction into the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Hall of Fame this last Wednesday the 27th of October, 2010. It's been one hell of a ride for The Church, with a career chockfull of highs, lows, changing fortunes, drug addiction, musical successes, and commercial failures. I have to say that The Church has never been anything less than interesting -- personally, I count them as one of my favourite bands of all time. From their beginning in 1980, with the audacious debut Of Skins And Heart, the new-wave and synth-y Seance and Remote Luxury, the massive success of Starfish and its runaway hit single "Under The Milky Way," the psychedelic musical maelstrom of priest = aura, and to lackadaisical but still quite charming Gold Afternoon Fix, The Church have always gone their own route; they've always done things on their terms, and damn the consequences. They're true mavericks, in the truest sense of the word, and I salute them. Carry on, may you prosper onwards, and always have a trick or two up your sleeves. I'm very proud of you!


And now for a couple of my favorite songs. This is "Constant In Opal." One of Kilbey's greatest strengths is his razor-sharp wit, and way with words (You can watch his speech here - it's just freaking awesome). The clowns creep me out a bit, though.

the church

"constant in opal"

remote luxury

Ah, "It's No Reason." What a gorgeous, gorgeous song. I love the women's voices in the background - one could lose oneself in this tapestry.

the church

"it's no reason"

seance

This, "The Unguarded Moment," was their very first hit single. Goddamn, if the guitars don't excite you, then you just might be a zombie, mate.

the church

"the unguarded moment"

of skin and heart

And, here's probably my favourite track of theirs, "Destination" from their 1988 album Starfish. Here it is being performed live for an Italian TV show - pretty awesome.

the church

"destination"

starfish

New Music: Bag Raiders.

Well, I've been here in Australia for a little over two weeks now, and I thought it appropriate to incorporate some more Australian electronica here on Second Drawer Up - so I have! Today, a gorgeous Monday morning, I aurally visit the beau monde of Sydney, and the new, exciting music of Bag Raiders, who have just released their debut self-titled album the first of October. This duo, consisting of Chris Stracey and Jack Glass, exhibit many of the qualities in electronic music I admire so much. Interesting and textured beats? Check. Laser-cool synths? Check. A certain house-music sensibility? Check, check, check. Add to those components some wistful lyrics, some tribal drums, a great buildup, and a rocking finish, and you have a track like "Way Back Home." I'm liking these guys immensely - think of them as a housier Cut Copy, and by all means totally check 'em out. I'm calling this one a winner. Check out their Myspace page - you can stream some of their music AND see where they're going to be playing for their 2010 tour! Melbourne readers, they're playing at the Billboard Club Friday, 19 November. Cheers!

bag raiders

"way back home"

bag raiders

Electro Classic Jukebox: Severed Heads.

Hello, all! Sorry I've been so inactive these past few weeks - I've been out and about, investigating new grounds, fertile and action-packed. I'm afraid I've been derelict regarding my blogging duties - it won't happen again! ANYWAY, back to the electro-madness that you all enjoy so very much!

Hailing from good old Sydney, Australia, here is a great example of electronic music that branched out separate from the usual Anglo- and Euro- twig of the electronic tree. Severed Heads sprouted in the year 1979, but they originally went by the name of , and I'm not kidding, Mr and Mrs No Smoking Sign. Apparently, as a joke, they changed their name to the aforementioned Severed Heads and have not felt good about it ever since (really!).

One of the few Australian synth-pop/industrial bands that sprung from the Sydney punk-scene of the late '70s, I think the Severed Heads (Richard Fielding and Andrew Wright) were way ahead of their time, considering the year and the state of their continent at the moment - i.e., how removed from England they were.

But I digress. Here, from 1984, is Severed Heads with their classic track, "Dead Eyes Opened."