Caribou + Four Tet, The Zoo, 15th Feb 2011

So from now on I promise to update this blog more regularly than what is disgustingly going on now. If I were a reviewer for a proper site with pay or some sort of renumeration, I'd be fired immediately. This just won't do and I demand improvements from myself.

Now that's all over, over to you at the gig, Stephanie from the 15 day old past.

The pairing of electronic gurus Four Tet and Caribou couldn't have been better timed (*cough*) two weeks ago, as they both released critically acclaimed and pleasantly popular albums early last year, giving me (because this is all about me) plenty of time to get accustomed. I became particularly immersed in Caribou's 'Swim', obsessed not only with "Odessa" as you know already, but the entire record. Four Tet's 'There is Love In You' is also haunting, delicate and terrific.

With that, the Zoo on Tuesday was particularly packed, as they played a sold out show to a sea of electro fans, or as much of a sea you can fit into a tiny room.

The Zoo is another favourite venue, not because of its quality, although it's pretty good for what it is, but because of the relaxed, easy going vibe, the simple set up and location, and not to mention their typically cheaper door price. However the size and it's lack of air conditioning made the full capacity venue a little uncomfortable particularly towards the end, although the more passive, pleasant crowd assisted in still making the show an enjoyable experience.

Openers Frolix did not have much of a crowd to entertain initially, but their very short (20 minutes?) set showcased ambient, dark synth and beats, with aphex-twin-esque vocals, which were a nice intro into the type of gig this would become. They would probably have sounded more polished on CD but made a nice background soundtrack to settling in for the evening.

Four Tet came on quite subtly in a bright yellow shirt, in case you weren't sure if he was the dj or not. He played an hour long set, involving a selection of 'There is Love In You', some 'Everything Ecstatic' and probably lots of other recordings that I need to probably purchase tomorrow. It was quite brilliant how he effortlessly switched from one track to the next to create a flowing, pulsing vibe. I never really got into 'rave' music or whatever you might call it, but this was the closest I have come... the slick, powerful beats and otherworldly samples moved the audience, including myself into a zombie like trance. "Angel Echoes" was a particular highlight, a dark, flowing, eerie pattern which I really loved on the record and especially enjoyed dancing to. "Joy" got the crowd really moving and was extended for some time as one of the last tracks he played. It was exciting to hear what he would bring in next, but at the same time I never wanted what I was hearing already to stop. Like going to a shitty club to dance, but with interesting, amazing music, that you couldn't HELP but dance to. I didn't know what I expected, but I was really pleasantly surprised to be so mesmerized by the music.

After Four Tet finally took his hands off the deck and bowed himself out, it was sad to see him disappear off stage, but also exciting to know what would be next. After a short wait, on came Caribou in full band mode, drumkits, guitars, macs and synths. Without much fanfare, "Kaili" started up from 'Swim', synth and voice blasting us in the eardrums. It was clear from the very beginning that a lot of Caribou's vocals are probably sung very quietly and precisely, which meant that live it was less polished, a little wobbly, and not very clear, given the change in volume and space. He sounded okay, but it gave the music a bit less sheen, and brought down the quality of the songs a little too significantly. The music still sounded great, and it was an exciting opener.

All that kind of fell apart when the Mac also, fell apart. Too much heat (only one song in!) meant the program they were running crashed, and after a few attempts, an impromptu acoustic version of "Hello Hammerheads" (from 'The Milk of Human Kindness'), and a bunch of well placed electric fans later, the band decided to completely change computers, and it was a few minutes before things were back in business.

Luckily it was all smooth sailing from then on. As they played a great deal of 'Swim' tracks as well as a few off 'Andorra', the vocal sound issues were overshadowed by the excellent musicianship, particularly the insanely good drummer. Holy shit, if I could do anything as good as that guy could drum, I'd be a happy, possibly rich lady. That dude belt the absolute shit out of those drums, which really made the show, as so much of Caribou's work is so driven by and dependent on the drums.

This was also like going to a club to dance, but in a completely different style, context, vibe, feeling. There were moments of joy and bliss as in "Memory Day", deep and dark moments a la "Odessa" and just plain moving your feets and slightly rocking moments such as "Bowls" and "Sun", their encore song.

As a whole, the night was an interesting mix. It was quite incredible to see how different two artists that share many similarities, sound so different side by side, due to differences in style, context, and just the live experience itself (dj set vs live band). I was really glad to have experienced it and apart from technical problems, it probably wouldn't have been at all the same experience with each band on their own, and definitely not as interesting.

Hmm, a shorter review, but my new thing is trying not to waffle on, which I hope I remember tomorrow in a job interview I will be suffering. Procrastination is my best learnt skill...

Caribou and Four Tet get seven and a half Korgs!

What else is on my mindgrapes?

After taking me a good two weeks to post the last blog, I actually have some time to just throw a couple of music thoughts out there, because my brain has been cluttered with them over the past week or so.

Firstly, the wonderful news of Arcade Fire cleaning up the album of the year award at the Grammy's last week.

The Grammy's are an award show I rarely give two shits about, not just because most awards shows don't have much meaning attached to them, particularly ones based on album sales (ffs, isn't the money the reward for selling lots of albums? do you really need a stupid statue as well?) but also as they're usually won by over-marketed pop stars/ boring country stars etc. I've never heard of. HOWEVER...

All hilarious "WHAT IS AN ARCADE FRIES WHO ARE THE SUBURBS" tweets aside, Arcade Fire winning signifies a great thing.

It means, that (some) people out there are actually sitting up and taking notice of musical artists that are trying to do something new, creative, and amazing. If a band like Arcade Fire, that apparently half the music loving world hadn't heard of, can win a majorly hyped music award, over bigger-than-jesus popular artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Eminem, then perhaps there is some hope for the music world. Perhaps we the lovers of alternative music, are not doomed to sit in the corners with our ipods on drowning out the million screams of die hard fandom for richly dressed, manufactured rehashed droll. Perhaps the more creatively minded musicians that struggle day in day out to get their voices heard and get some kind of following, will have more chance to get that sort of recognition they deserve. Perhaps!!

Which leads me to my second thought of the day, putting away the mainstream pop music scene for a bit. Where I fit in with music these days. Within the realms of the music that I am drawn to, whatever you may categorize it (I can't even begin to imagine how), it feels like there are two schools of thought around, that sort of contradict each other.

There are those that strive to discover as many new, underground artists as possible, as independent as they possibly can be... so that anything that would have been considered quite non-mainstream six months before, is now completely mainstream and how the hell could you STILL be listening to that album it is soooo lame and so long ago and ttly ovah it maaan.

Then there are those that get really pissed off with the first kind of people, and shun anything considered independent or underground, as 'indie' or 'hipster' and 'wank' and such labels, and thereby do not give it a second thought, preferring not to associate with anything that could fall under that category. And you know, I don't blame them.

But whatever one thinks about an image, a brand, a label, a culture... It appears to have completely overshadowed the entire music world. You don't listen to something for how it sounds anymore... you listen to it because of what it means. You listen to it because of what it says about you, and what THING you ascribe to. You listen to it because of the way it looks.

I may be completely overgeneralising, I may be just being a cynical cynthia over here. And it may seem a bit pretentious of me even putting this thought out there, after my previous Arcade Fire rant.

But it's the vibe I have picked up over the past few years as I become more and more ingrained in music and music culture. It's not just here, in Brisvegas, it' s Australia-wide, it's world-wide.

When did we stop listening to music for the way it sounded and the way it made us feel, and what made us stop choosing it for that reason? Who cares how 'fucking hipster' Animal Collective are and how pretentious Conor Oberst is? Who cares that the band you're listening to now only formed 3 days ago on the side of a road playing songs that were only about 17th century Rome?

Does their music appeal to my ears? Because if not, I'm really not interested.

I like fucking Steely Dan and America and adore Joe Jackson, and I was an obsessed Ben Folds/ Five fan for a good part of 10 years. I've seen more bands with my parents, and will continue to, than I probably will ever see with a friend. I don't get a single cool point for any of that. What draws me is that I like what I hear. I don't know WHY I like what I like to hear, it probably has a lot to do with the music I grew up with, and how my ears have evolved throughout my life. But it's why I choose it. I don't care what it looks like. I'm not trying to paint myself as this perfect, well rounded music lover. There are things I feel dirty enjoying, the perception of 'I'm not supposed to be enjoying this' is still quite alive and real in many music listening situations. There are also some styles of music I just will never get or appreciate... *cough* metal *cough* country. But as 'indie' as some of the bands I will post about, seem.. I wouldn't be there if I didn't genuinely have a great enjoyment of, not their image, label, mission statement, personality, but their goddamn music.

I'm so incredibly guilty of it, but I'm really, really sick of putting labels on people based on what they listen to. It's ridiculous.

Ok, with that, my last mind grape... More like mind rape, a week ago when the news broke that Radiohead would be releasing their new album, The King of Limbs, in five days time, in digital form. For a week, that was all on many fans' minds, and for the 3 or so hours when it was reported that the album would be brought ahead a daily earlier, it was all that was on my mind and agenda as well. Radiohead have certainly tried to change up the music press industry by making sudden announcements of new singles and albums of late, which can be frustrating but also very exciting. But in the end, is the album any good?

It's not a question one can answer briefly, but I'll do my best. On first listen, it was slightly underwhelming, but obvious to me that multiple listens would unravel its hidden complexity. After doing so, it did unravel as a solid album, but I certainly don't feel its their best work, and it is very very difficult to separate it enough from their catalogue to make a good judgement of it. I can't help but compare the first few tracks of TKOL to Thom Yorke's The Eraser, and "Little by Little" which sounds kind of like "I Might Be Wrong", and it all reminds me of "Hearing Damage", Thom's single released last year. It's very dark, brooding and electronically focussed, and it appears to me as an extension of In Rainbows... the direction they were always heading from Amnesiac onwards. The first half is a quick descent into schizophrenic beats, synth, bass and dubstep, with a slight reprieve (although erratic itself) with Lotus Flower, clearly the most commercial track on the album. If it had all been that, I think the album may have driven me away as too hard to continue. It saves itself with the last 3 tracks, almost guiding the listener out of the nightmarish static of the first half, back into a sweet dreamland of emotion and beauty. As a whole, it kind of works, but I do think it still needs to grow. There is still much to explore in this deep dark Radiohead forest of an album.

Ahh and that is one of the most exciting parts of music, the repeated exploration of an album... the way it forms and changes over time, you pick up on things you didn't catch earlier, things you dismiss as filler become some of your favourite moments on the album, you hear it while something significant is happening and you associate a song with that memory forever, you hate it for a while for that reason, and then love it again years later.

Rant over, thankyou and goodnight!!

Laneway Festival, Friday 4th of February, Brisbane Showgrounds

BRADFORD (he's very good)

A first (and much, MUCH belated) festival review for this humble blog, so I'll do my best to be short and sweet and not too waffley. St Jerome's Laneway Festival sprang from the loins of Melbourne's actual lane-way festival, and turned up in Brisbane some four years ago (yes? correct me if I'm wrong!!) as a smaller, indie-er music festival in Winn St, a street bordering the Zoo music venue in Fortitude Valley. Since then it changed hands to Alexandria St, which really is the entrance to the Exhibition Showgrounds. Thus, even less laney was this years laneway, becoming more of an awkward and disgustingly hot, condensed Ekka music show day. It had to be done I guess, as it appears that the numbers interested in the Laneway festival have well exceeded its original capacity, and there were indie kids packed in from end to end. Still, despite the amass of crowds, it being Brisbane after all, I managed to bump into half the people I knew anyway.

What brings people there, are of course the bands playing. And this years lineup was set out to be the indiest of all festivals, possibly only trumped if Animal Collective took their All Tomorrow's Parties lineup over here. Mind you, those bands that weren't on my personal itinerary were mostly unheard of to me, and I am sure I missed out on some very good performances. What I did manage to see was an interesting array of experiences, some good, some amazing, some okay, some damn awful.

I arrived there with my bro a little later than my usual festival promptness, and we fumbled about for our group while the Local Natives played on the main Alexandria St Stage (Nothing much to report as although they sounded good from memory, my attention was minimal, sorry fellas). Bear In Heaven were the first band I got to check out properly, in the oddly named "Inner Sanctum" stage, inside one of the exhibition halls. As far as they went, it was quite dull and uneventful, but not unpleasant, rather a slow stirring buildup to the day's events. We missed their last bit to check out Beach House back outside, ending up nicely in the front-ish row.

Beach House are a band I am still undecided on, finding their ultimate laid back, slow burning style kind of tedious, but a little catchy in some way. After a few songs, I soon decided they were better than I gave them credit for. They flowed seamlessly from one song to the next, and played a lovely selection of their catchier tracks, mostly from Teen Dream. Victoria was an oddly charming frontlady and sang well, and the band played quite pleasantly. It was an enjoyable set and we left it with just a song to go, to ensure we got to see as much of the Antlers as we possibly could, sandwiched in between Beach House and Warpaint.

I got to the front of the Inner Sanctum just as the Antlers' signature track 'Kettering' was in the throes of an explosive wall of sound, incredible to hear and see. Antlers are a band I need patience for, as their somber soft build ups can be frustrating when their louder/faster/heavier moments are so appealing. Luckily there were more moments I enjoy the band for, and it was an awakening, entertaining few songs I got to see before scuttling off to Warpaint.

As our group gathered for Warpaint, it was apparent we must have missed Undertow, which I must admit was the only song of theirs I knew well. Not to worry though, as what followed was a pretty powerful end of a set, and I couldn't help but move along to the grinding beat and vibe. It also helps that the ladies of Warpaint are pretty easy on the eye as well. I just wished that the clashing of timetables had not occurred so that I could have seen more of both Warpaint and the Antlers.

What followed then was a wait for Ariel Pink and his Haunted Graffiti...

ARIEL PINK (I don't think so Tim)

As Ariel came onstage to "assist" with the roadies, it was entertaining in itself to watch him parade around with his op-shop apparel and fake snake around his neck, babbling into mics to get the show on the go... And then suddenly without warning launching onto their first song. It was a weird beginning which only got weirder as the mental state of this guy became more apparent. You could barely hear a word, no thanks to the appalling sound; he forgot lyrics and had to restart songs; and after hearing that they had only 2 mins left, he spent the next minute babbling to the band about what to do, then sat on the floor while blaring out the last song. I recognized only one of them. The rest was a mishmash of noise and yelling. I know that being crazy and psychotic is supposed to be Ariel pink's schtick, which everyone else seems to think is awesome, but to me, this schtick is useless if it's not involving and engaging of the audience, which it wasn't. Ariel was in his head, performing to himself, uninterested in providing anyone else with a decent experience, and frankly it was embarrassing to see a band with such a worldwide acclaimed album and millions of indie fans wanting to s their d's, to be so unprofessional and rubbish onstage. Don't do drugs kids.

Luckily after that train wreck, there was the redeeming sound of Deerhunter, the band I most wanted to see on this day. Despite technical issues left over from the Haunted Graffiti, the sound leaving much to be desired, Deerhunter blew the crowd away.

Bradford Cox and and opened with most possibly my favourite track from Halycon Digest (the latest album), 'Desire Lines', a perfect opener to take the awful taste of pink from our mouths. The vocals were a bit distorted however the guitars and drums were exquisite, and as the song built up to its climax, a wonderful feeling of bliss crept into my body... thissss, this is what I was here for. Other highlights were 'Nothing Ever Happened', and 'Helicopter', which were amazing in very different ways, the first pounding and volcanic from opening thumping beat to wall of screeching noise at the end... the latter, a gently, lulling emotional ride of obscurity. Bradford stood stoically at the appropriately moments and thrashed around like a fish out of water on his guitar at other appropriate moments. The whole band was mesmerizing and perfect for the vibe of the day. Which is why it felt a bit strange when they exited on 'Cover Me (Slowly)' and 'Agoraphobia', which together opens the album Microcastle. This choice left an unfinished feeling at the end of the show, and that feeling of uncertainty as to whether a show was finished or not continued throughout the day.

I ended up missing a fair portion of Cloud Control's set, which was unfortunate as what I did see was pretty entertaining. They were set up in the only lane-like area in the showgrounds, narrowly in between two buildings, which made viewing difficult anyway. I managed to catch a few of their signature tunes, including their cover of Kid Cudi's 'Pursuit of Happiness' and a brief switch mid-song into 'Pepper' by the Butthole Surfers.

After the last of Cloud Control's set, we drifted past Foals who sounded fairly tight, to eventually find a struggling Gotye back at the carpark stage. Gotye was halfway through his set, again having to suffer the terrible audio issues that wouldn't let it be. Still, Goatee pressed on, playing the cringeworthy thanks for your time, all cheese on, voice activated phone message and all. He was oddly placed, as despite a new album, Gotye hasn't quite got back the hype he once had, and the end of his set saw a dude making the most of what he could with what he had. Still, it was nice to hear 'Heart's A Mess', not that anyone cares about it anymore, and 'The Only Thing I Know' from his more unknown Boardface record. Again, unsure if he was coming or going, we left a bit early (I think?) to catch a little Cut Copy before goodbye times.

And it had been a very long day, we were tired and out of it, but that's really no excuse for Cut Copy to bore the pants off us. Perhaps being closer to the front would have made things a little more exciting, but considering the dance genre of Cut Copy's tunes, I expected to be somewhat moved. It was a slightly indulgent set including only one from their (best *cough*) album Bright Like Neon Lights, a lot of boring time between songs, slow-building (and frankly boring) songs from their newest one, and not only 'Hearts on Fire' but also 'Lights and Music' from In Ghost Colours, which are basically the same song. Seeing them way back almost five years ago during the Good Vibes festival, I recall them as not the best band live, and of course dance/electro doesn't always translate to live as well as on an album. But you know, time for improvement perhaps? Eh. I ended up sitting on the sidewalk with the group as the band finished, exhausted from the day and ready for bed. I don't know how I managed to get through the past few Splendour In The Grass festivals, as just a one day festival takes it out of me nowadays.

All in all, the Laneway festival was a good day, with lots of room for improvement, particularly the sound issues that dogged particular stages, weirdness of venue, and timetable clashes. Some things are staple festival issues that can't be helped (including price of drinks!!) but I do hope next years is a little tighter.

FESTIVAL RATING: Six and a half raybans out of ten.

Sufjan Stevens, The Tivoli, 30th of January 2011 (aka: Font issues.)

The best gig is the gig that creeps up on you after having forgot that you went on a ticket buying spree some months ago, but surfaces in your mind just in time to be attended. That gig was Sufjan Stevens for me, the first of many concerts coming up in 2011. The most chiseled hunkface of the music world, his impeccable voice and his crazy neon band, performed at the Tivoli Monday night amongst a sold out audience (lucky me) as part of his Age of Adz tour. Although having acquired the new album, I hadn't had much chance to listen to it, but I knew it was a significant departure from his usual works, albeit with that familiar Sufjan orchestral, folksy flair. Usually I feel I enjoy concerts more when I know most of the material, as obviously it can be more exciting to anticipate the songs you like most, and experience how the songs/album you know well, translates live. However, I don't think that theory applied this night, as every song was presented so well, each being unique, complex and layered, so that it was lovely to listen to with fresh ears.

Lucky, because the entire show was almost all Age of Adz as well as his EP of last year, All Delighted People. Solo support act and Xavier Rudd imitator Tim Hart played us in with his folk guitar, and was talented enough, but had nothing particularly exciting or original going on, and I was happy for his set to be over and for Sufjan to wake me up again. Oh boy (oh no!), did he wake me up.

The simple christian-boy image of Sufjan and his music was really put to the test with his new look tour of neon tape and alfoil costumes, bright makeup, fluro accessories, and cutesy dancing girls with robo-moves. They opened with the title track off Age of Adz, an appropriately epic, layered and electro-orchestral opener for the set, introducing us to the style and mood that would dominate the night. It was only broken occasionally with a few beautiful, delicate folk moments, sometimes accompanied by his entourage, sometimes just Sufjan and his guitar. The sound at the Tivoli, my favourite of all venues, was absolutely impeccable.. you could hear every syllable and nuance from Sufjan's incredible voice (credit to him as well of course!) and the band's sound blended perfectly with it. I became quite enamoured of the new material, which was often introduced by Sufjan, through either a quick intriguing description of what the song was about, or either a rather long complex tale.

The story behind the album art and the astronomical, apocalyptic themes of the songs, took a while to come out but was quite fascinating. Sufjan told us of his discovery of the schizophrenic artist Royal Roberts and his trippy, dreamy, futuristic artwork, made via simple means, such as posterboard and felt tip pen (his art was projected on the screen behind the band at various points during the night). It was lovely to hear Sufjan keen to talk about his discovery and his lead up to the creation of such an album, as a personal foray into his own psyche... instead of just rushing into song after song as many live artists do.

As the songs went on, Sufjan made a few accessory changes, including this crazy hat made out of various crafty bits and tin foil (which you probably can't see very well AT ALL) :

The whole effect was quite incredibly daunting, but amazing. The final moment involved a phenomenal 25 minute song, the super positive 'Impossible Soul' (also Age of Adzs' closer), during which at various moments I thought had changed to a new song, particularly when he decided to break out the autotune mic (yikes!!). After its enormous finish, balloons and streamers having settled on the audience, the man and his band walked off, only for Sufjan to come back soon after to play us a small selection from his signature album, Come On Feel the Illinoise. This was a real treat, and we got to hear 'Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois', followed by 'John Wayne Gacy, Jr' (omg, lump in throat), and to finish off, but of course, 'Chicago'. It provided a wonderful ending and a happy feeling in my heart.
Hearing the new stuff for mostly the first time live, was probably the best way to experience it, but although nothing will beat it, I am fast becoming obsessed with Age of Adz the studio album. It is interesting that Sufjan has taken his focus (although always subtle) away from his christian ideas and themes and toward a more open, questioning, shifting, life/death/the universe mind set... I was quite contentedly amazed at this until the song 'Get Real Get Right', in which the lyrics quite un-subtly declare "Get real, get right with the lord". I guess he's still a God-fearing dude at heart, which is fine of course, but it's refreshing and much more interesting to experience this new slant Sufjan is putting on music, art, and life. In fact, I am probably getting ahead of myself, but this new album may in fact be becoming my favourite of his to date. It is certainly showing to be at least one of the most creative.
New year, new blog rules. Rating scale!!! I give Sufjan Stevens and his Adzmazing band 8 glowsticks out of 10.

2010: SONGS OF THE YEAR

photo by SMBaker

Only 16 days into 2011, and I think we can all agree that so far it has been a pretty shit beginning. The past five days have been a mental blur of stress, panic, counting blessings, shock and awe, heartache, and dirty work. The QLD floods have taken an insane toll on the state, and the thousands of households and businesses affected by the floods have a long road ahead to get their lives back to normal. Not to mention the rest of the states of Australia now being ... (here comes that word, oh god, will you be able handle it!?)... inundated. I feel so incredibly lucky to not be one of those directly affected, and feel absolutely astounded and touched, not only at the ability of people to immediately get back on their feet after such a tragedy and start rebuilding their lives, but at the generosity and compassion of the thousands of people streaming through my area alone, to assist in whatever way they can. I once held the belief that humanity was a pretty pitiful thing, and I'm beginning to realise how amazing people can be.

With all that's happened, I managed to vote in the Triple J Hottest 100 with hours to spare before voting closed. I hope by Australia Day (January 26th), when Triple J will be broadcasting the countdown, we're all well on the way to recovery, and beginning to see the fruits of our arduous labour in trying to get Brisbane and surrounds back to the way it was. I can often be heard complaining about the averageness of Brisbane in comparison to more livelier Australian capitals such as Melbourne and Sydney, but in all its old fashioned and simple glory, I do have a soft spot for the town I grew up in, as you would expect. I therefore also hope we use Australia Day not as the bogan-filled drunken write off day that quickly descends into racism, as it is becoming; but as a day of celebration of the good that has come out of this country, the people who do care about the people in it, no matter who they are or where they come from, and are always willing to give a hand. We're not easy to define as a culture, us Australians, but if I could pick something I admire about Australia, it would be the people in it with the compassion that I have seen over the past few days. And I guess that is something that comes out of every continent in the world. Which is why... fuck, people are awesome.

With that, here are the 10 songs I voted for, and hence the top 10 songs I enjoyed most in 2010.

Arcade Fire- We Used To Wait

This song is one of many brilliant songs off the album The Suburbs, also one of my favourite albums of the year. I chose this one as it struck a huge chord with me, particularly in its combination with the 'interactive filmclip' which you can see here if you haven't already: http://thewildernessdowntown.com/

The whole feel of the album, to me, involves the experience of growing up as a kid in the suburbs, which was particularly fitting this year, having moved back home, and with the passing of my grandmother, which in itself brought back lots of suburban childhood memories. The song really drives that whole idea home, the promises you made to yourself in your younger days, the stress-free easy life of back then, in comparison to the present, the hectic bustle of adulthood and the regrets of having not done what you promised to achieve. It's an excellently crafted song, as part of an equally crafted album.

Caribou- Odessa

This song actually fucking creeped the fuck out of me for a good long while. It's very dark and eerie but also energetic and catchy... in a kind of confusing, odd way. I had heard a fair bit of Caribou's earlier stuff long ago, hadn't formed much of an opinion on it, and had since forgotten about him/them. Then he releases this craziness and I can't get it the hell out of my earwormed brain. To meet it really sounds like something from a sharp nightmare, and it seriously was one night when I accidently turned on my stereo on the middle of the night by falling on the remote, and this song came on. SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT

It's beautiful and ugly at the same time, and not appropriate for walking to the train station from work on a dark late night. I warned you.

Gorillaz- Stylo (feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def)

My favourite song off Plastic Beach, as I may have already stated, is probably Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon), but as that song has no chance of reaching anywhere in the countdown, and this one is a little more radio friendly, I thought I'd go with this. I really love Bobby's vocals, the driven beat, and even the really odd subtle "juicccccccccccce". As a first single from the album, I think it stands up really well, coupled with the Bruce Willis cheesy filmclip. And as every song in this countdown usually does, I couldn't get it out of my head for at least a week.

LCD Soundsystem- Home

James Murphy of LCD's new (and supposedly last?) album This Is Happening is probably well stated to be not his best, but is still pretty excellent, and it was difficult for me to choose a favourite. Drunk Girls was a little too North American Scum/Time to Get Away/Daft Punk is Playing At My House-esque to be a favourite, I Can Change is sweet and catchy but a little too repetitive, as is Dance Yrself Clean (to repetitive to be a favourite remember! I still love both at the same time). Pow Pow is fun, but the lyrics are to be desired.

Thus! The song Home, is the song I found myself playing singularly the most, and was most appropriate as a soundtrack to many moments of this year, plus is just a really great song. The build up is nice but not too long, and the bassline and cowbell works together wonderfully. I love how the lyrics just build on each other without a defined chorus, and the ahh's of emotion fit nicely over the crescendo.

So grab your things and stumble into the night... so we can shut the door, oh shut the door on terrible times...

Janelle Monae- Tightrope (feat. Big Boi)

This song is so fucking catchy and danceable that if you don't enjoy it then I don't understand you??! It's not often I become so enamoured by a soul/ r&b singer as I usually try to avoid that type of music, but this is the kind of stuff that appears to hark back to the beginning of r&b and what it really meant back then- true rhythm and blues. It's soulful, meaningful, positive and absolutely addictive. The video is also pretty terrific: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc&ob=av2el. Janelle is a woman to aspire to be, full of power and grit, an amazing voice and some brilliant musicianship behind her. Whether we high or low, we gonna get back up. APPROPRIATE MESSAGE JANELLE (erm, Big Boi).

Deerhunter- Desire Lines

Deerhunter's latest Halycon Digest is another amazing favourite of the year for me. Again it was hard to pick a favourite as basically every song is a delicious slice of cheesecake for my ear mouths. Desire Lines stand out for me as a sweet reminiscent ballad, with a nifty chorus that satisfyingly stuck around in my head (um, ear stomachs? analogy over!!) for many days. After its initial chorus-verse-chorus, the song morphs into a mad, quickening guitar riff that builds and builds, sucking you in until the end. I really enjoy Deerhunter's tendency to layer and section their songs, so that the beginning of the song is something very different to the middle and the end. This song captures that, without being too complex or inaccessible. Hipster/indie as they are, I think Deerhunter are one of the best bands around at this present time currently during this life period.

Sleigh Bells- Rill Rill

Sleigh Bells are an interesting musical group. When I first expressed my interest of them, a friend thought it very odd I should like them, and rightly so, as they are very in-your-face and kind of harsh in a 'ok, had enough, back away, back away!' manner. They are a band I have learnt to somewhat enjoy however, as their music is quite unlike anything I have heard before, and I appreciate how they try to be different in a 'don't give a crap about what people think' way. (and despite that the indie kids love them anyway!)

This song however, is a stark contrast to the rest of their catalogue and to me the best song on the album. It is a much gentler tune, that travels along sweetly and lazily, and picks you up and pleasures you repeatedly. Its light pace and simple acoustic strumming rhythm makes it a very fitting lazy summer song, along with the harshly whispering 'ah''s and tongue in cheek lyrics of typical teenage thought patterns. It would have been appropriate, had this summer been so far at all lazy. As it is what it should have been, so it makes my list.

Kyü- Pixiphony

This is a recent, last minute addition.. I had heard this vocally complex song many times over the past few months but never figured out who sang it, despite many Shazam attempts. Finally I figured it out (oh! the joy that finding out the name of a song brings) and found it and realised I had to vote for it. I have really little idea who Kyü is or what their thing is all about (except that they're from Sydney, nice), but based on this song, haunting, tribal and amazing in its simplicity, they appear to be something that makes you sit up and take notice. The radio edit is only about 2 minutes long, but short and sweet in the way that most classic songs are, and more songs perhaps should be.

The Morning Benders- Excuses

You tried to taste me,

And I taped my tongue to the southern tip of your body

!! For a song so adorable and addictive, these were not the lyrics you would expect, and I was a little amazed to discover them. This song has instant classic branded all over it, kicking off in a classical romantic mesh of violins and piano, tumbling drums, and developing into wonderful crescendos of vocal harmonies. The Morning Benders' album Big Echo is also a contender for instant classic, and this one as an opening track really seals the deal. It's not often that da-dum's and da-da-da-da's can sound sooo good without being even a little bit off putting.

Blur- Fool's Day

Not sure if you noticed??? but I am quite a big fan of the genius that is Damon Albarn and his fellow britpop kings Blur. Hence, as if I am not going to vote for this song! It is a simple, pleasant tune, that brings back the old Blur flavour that is known and loved, very different from Damon's later projects. Admittedly, it is nothing spectacularly out there, but it is catchy and light and it is just lovely to hear the band together again, particularly Graham Coxon's signature guitar work. I doubt it will make it in the countdown, as it wasn't played too often as far as I heard, but I pledge thee allegiance to the band.

Honourable Mentions of the Year:

The Radio Dept. - Heaven's On Fire

Midnight Juggernauts- Lara Versus The Savage Pack

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- Bright Lit Blue Skies

Little Dragon- Swimming

Most Tame Impala singles

Song I thought was released in 2010 but turned out to be released in 2009 and hence ineligible and disappointing:

White Rabbits - Percussion Gun

I'm pretty proud of my list, as every song has been something I've spent lots of time enjoying and becoming slightly obsessed over, and not something to fill in the gaps or simply that I would be expected to pick. 2010 was an excellent year for music, and 2011 looks like it may be just as eventful, which would be a welcome comfort during such a disheartening beginning of the year. There are so many people out there who have lost so much, much that is irreplaceable, and personally or financially valuable. ... At least, music is something you can never lose, that is always within you, unforgotten, imprinted, that can be replicated in so many styles and forms... that sends a message, and brings comfort, hope and emotional catharsis. I know it's cheesy, but it explains why it is so important to me, and why I think it is important we celebrate it, along with our honourable attributes as a nation.

Happy music day everyone (uh, in a week). TAKE CARE.

GORILLAZ, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 19th of December 2010 +++++ Little Dragon, Woodland Bar, 18th December 2010

*note, this BEC trend will not be continuing for much longer, thank god...*

Ladies and gentlemen, a double post for you today. Why? Because my concert experience on this particular weekend was not really just a singular experience, it was more of a build up of excellence. I have long anticipated just being able to see Damon Albarn do any thing at all in the flesh, and when I heard Gorillaz were finally coming to Brisbane in all their glory, I must admit I did wee myself a little. Managing to secure myself a GA spot pretty quickly, all was peachy in stephconcertanticipationworld.

But it got better!! With the release of Gorillaz's new album, Plastic Beach, I knew that guests who collaborated on it would hopefully arrive in our humble city to play their parts at the show. I was really happy to find out however, that not only would De La Soul be supporting (wowzer) but also Little Dragon, who thanks to their guests spots on Plastic Beach and the invention of dropbox (tymvykwya), I have been growing extremely fond of this year.

But wait, there's still more! THEN I found out that not only were Little Dragon supporting, but they were also playing a show the night before at Woodland bar, one of our desperately needed new music venues here in Brislame.

Well it wouldn't be so desperately needed if they just quit closing down the already good venues, but i digress.

......later!!......

Myself and a good friend, (name changed to 'gig buddy' for privacy reasons), made our way to the Woodland bar, in anticipation for Little Dragon's pre-gorillaz show. We to'd and fro'd a bit and thus missed most of the support act Mitzi, which seemed pretty good from the one song we heard. The venue was quaint and intimate, but not too small, and the pictures of nature on the wall of the stage tied in with the Woodland theme. Naturally, due to it's newness, music selection and kitsch, hipsters abounded.

Little Dragon came on at about midnight, which is hell of too late if you ask me, but us 24-25 yr old grandmas managed to stay awake and energized. Lead singer Yukimi was dressed in a kimono and looked cute as a button, and began the set banging the life out of a wooden instrument as per the beginning of 'A New' from their latest Machine Dreams. A lot of the set was Machine Dreams stuff, which is all very good luckily, but I would have preferred a little more of their self titled one, which is a little slower, more variable and sensual than the dancey Machine Dreams.

Not long after they started, the group of drunk people in front of us starting dancing in a manner which suggested they needed to show the length of their limbs off in the most outrageous way

possible, so that we were in danger of being knocked out. Usually I would move out of the way a bit, tut to myself and be okay, but the crowd and my patience did not allow for this. I think I'm growing old and hot headed- I used to be able to handle gig idiots (there are always at least one) but I'm tiring of them much quicker these days. Gig buddy and I decided to move over to the couches at the back and prop ourselves on top, giving us a better and more comfortable view.

The band played an epic set, I wouldn't be surprised if they played all of the new album's material. Yukimi's vocals were lovely, but came out a little bit distorted to my ears, perhaps a venue issue, as did some of the instruments. It was all entertaining however... the band flowed from song to song with ease, Yukimi sang and moved with passion and expression. It was song after song of groovy, sensual bliss.

As they played their final song before the encore, my gig buddy was disappointed not to hear 'Twice' the first off their self titled and a song she really loved. Luckily the encore opened with that exact song, which was delicately and sweetly done (their slowest and subtlest of the set). We were pretty chuffed at that and it left a nice feeling to take home with us... at 1.30 in the morning. Yawwwwwwwn zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

......... THE FOLLOWING NIGHT!!!.....

After such a late night I was excited yet a bit worried about the impending (and likely long) gig at the huge and uncomfortable Ent. Centre. Luckily it was all very pleasant. We got in there in good time, got a decent spot, and the crowd was pretty amicable all in all (no sweaty teenagers here!!) Everything ran pretty much spot on time. Little Dragon came on, Yukimi in the same kimono, opening with the same song, this time with a bit clearer sound (same volume in bigger room??). They only played 4 or 5 songs before they made way for De La Soul. It was clear that De La Soul were here to get the crowd pumped for Gorillaz, plus to throw in a bit of their material to keep the fans happy as well. They teased and joked with the crowd, getting us to join in on chants and competitions as to which area was the loudest, amongst performing a small selection of their classics. It was good fun and I wish I could have seen more of them. But no time for that, Gorillaz time muthafukkas!!!!!!!!!!!

It was all pretty neat the way they aimed to present us with the cartoon band, turning into the live band, and cutting back and forth between real life and cartoon life aided by the massive

video screen behind the performers. We were presented with a slightly cheesy video of the band backstage, getting ready, as the huge amount of musicians took their place. As that finished, the orchestra began with the opening piece of the new album, leading into the Snoop Dogg collaborated track 'Welcome To The World Of the Plastic Beach'. But of course, Snoop not being part of the crew, he sang his lines as projected on the video screen, complete with top hat and telescope (most likely the music video for the song). Somehow this all worked instead of being really bizarre and corny. As this went on and the band and backup singers performed, I managed to pick out the main players, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and finally Damon Albarn. Once I spotted him it was hard for me to stop smiling like a big stupid childish girly girl.

DAMON!

(Still learning how to properly use iphone cameras. Tips??!)

It was only uphill from there, as the band played an excellent selection from their three albums. I was really happy to hear 'Last Living Souls', one of my favourites off Demon Days, and even 'El Mañana', which I did not expect. I was especially thrilled to hear 'Tomorrow Comes Today', and 'Punk' (even more unexpected), from the first album. There was of course the bigger hits, 'Dare', 'Dirty Harry' and '19/2000', with songs from Plastic Beach providing the bulk of the setlist. The stunning carton visuals complementing the songs made the whole thing a giant smorgasbord for the senses, if you pardon my language.

This was the last gig of the Australian tour and the second last of the world tour, and you could tell it had been a great run. The infinity people onstage were full of energy, pride and excitement, the most of all being Damon, who jumped around on stage like the happiest kid in the playground. Damon performed as if in awe of his creation around him, so chuffed to have so many awesome people involved, and being able to share it with everyone. During 'White Flag' he ran around in a circle waving said flag for a good portion of the song like he was on speed. His energy is that of the younger Blur frontman he was, and his voice while perhaps deeper with age, is still pristine.

White Flag

Highlights were also the guest performers, particularly The National Orchestra for Arabic Music for 'White Flag', De La Soul for 'Superfast Jellyfish' and Yukimi for 'Empire Ants' (which was amazing) and 'To Binge'. I didn't really like 'To Binge' on the album, but live it became something quite lovely, as Yukimi and Damon dueted with quite beautiful chemistry, finishing with Damon giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek. The best guest for me however was Bobby Womack, who, despite appearing like all this touring was a bit tiring for him, sang brilliantly. He opened the encore seated on a chair, with 'Cloud of Unknowing', a beautiful melancholy song, which set the tone for the perfect encore.

Bobby

(again, any iphone camera tips will be greatly appreciated.)

What we expected to hear was next, 'Feel Good Inc', and then 'Clint Eastwood'. My one lowlight, if I had to be picky, was that instead of the lyrics I had memorized well over the years, guests Bashy and Kano sang a different rap over the verses for 'Clint Eastwood', which I was slightly disappointed by. I was just so looking forward to singing "THAT IT'S ALL IN YOU' HEAD!!!" at the top of my lungs, but never mind!

The show finished in the best possible way, with the closing two tracks from Demon Days, Don't 'Get Lost in Heaven' and 'Demon Days'. It was a beautiful, moving, feel good ending with the performers giving their all for those last few moments. If there was one single person not grinning like an idiot by the end of the show then they did not deserve to be there.

As the show ended, I felt an immensely confusing sense of giddy happiness due to what I had just experienced, and heartfelt sadness that it was all over.

One thing is for sure, as 2010 drew to a close, it just slips in there to be the best concert of the year I've attended, and one of the top 10 concerts I've been to in my life. Which means I need to revise my list. Damn you, Gorillaz.

Muse, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 6th December 2010

Muse are an English band I fell in love with in highschool, lead by the charismatic and vocally extravagant Matthew Bellamy and his chums Dominic Howard and that guy on bass (Chris Wolstenholme). Their first 3 albums are very fine works, combining catchy, driving, almost "hard rock" riffs with a bit of glam and spacey- electronic influences. Those three albums, Showbiz, Origin of Symmetry and Absolution (my favorite) had some pretty creative epic soundscapes going on, but it wasn't over the top.. the songs were just restrained enough to not be ridiculous.
But then they released Black Holes and Revelations... And later, The Resistance.
To be fair, Black Holes is not awful; if you've had a chronological Muse marathon, it sort of presents as a logical progression from proggy/ glammy (Queen-y?) to proggier/glammier. But stand back and listen outside of that scope, and feel as your face goes in the shape of a bunched up rag. It is the sound of a band trying to be so epic and camp that it's rather alienating. I have not purchased The Resistance, but the songs I've heard from it are telling me not to.

So sets the scene for my expectations of their concert Monday night. I took my sister, a bigger fan that I was, and her two best girls, for her birthday, (conveniently that day)- a few of the only teenagers in the world who did not get into them through Twilight. I was expecting lots of the last two albums, lots of annoying teens, and a cringey face.

I got some, but not all of this.
The entertainment centre should be banned from having music concerts there for its terrible organization, stupid location, dumb rules (I can still throw a cup of water on the stage!!, and how the hell am I going to hit anyone from allllllll the way back here!!) and general overpricedness (everything). Despite this, getting into the GA section was fairly easy (we won't talk about getting out), and us girls settled in for a good spot. An hour or so later I was reminded how much teenage boys stink, but for the girls' first mosh experience, they coped pretty well.
Dead Letter Circus were a pretty average support band, trying to appease to the 'hard rock' aspect of the music taste of Muse fans, without doing it particularly well or interesting. I'm getting a bit over the blah blah screech of guitars under a whiny unintelligible wail that seems to be dominating the airwaves in multiple forms of late. Live, it was long one long stream of screech and wail without any rhyme, reason or creativity. Luckily it was only 30 minutes of this before the 30 minute wait for Muse began.
As the lights finally dimmed, it was clear that the extravagant proportions of Muse's music would be completely translated live. Three "skyscrapers" (well that's what I'm calling them!) which had been set up onstage prior, came to life with lights and projections of windows gradually lighting up, signalling the entrance of the band. Each skyscraper split in the middle by one of the sheets covering them dropping down, to reveal a Muse member standing in each, decked out in glitz, kicking off with 'Uprising' (from The Resistance). 'Uprising' is a terribly cringey camp spacerock anti-government anthem, which meant it was a perfect opener for such over the top presentation. Heck, if you're a band with over the top kinda sounds, why not complement it with over the top kinda visuals?? It really was the only way, and somehow it worked.
I'd heard they weren't very talkative onstage, so wasn't expecting much chatter. Unfortunately for that tradition, technical difficulties on Matt's skyscraper straight after the first song, meant that Dom was forced to say hi and explain the hold up. A badly timed, awkward few minutes ensued which threatened to break the momentum. Luckily it was their only hiccup and they got on with each song without much fuss.
They continued with a lot of new stuff, which suit the style, but I was beginning to tire of it. They at least mixed up the performance by changing from standing up on the skyscrapers, to the floor, and back again. A nice moment involved Chris jamming on Dom's skyscraper with him, reminding the crowd that he's actually a pretty good bassist. Their later catalogue finally began to make an appearance, starting with 'Butterflies and Hurricanes', which was easily a highlight amongst 'Bliss', 'Citizen Erased', 'Sunburn' (my sister and I jumping like turds as the teens around us stood still in stupor) and 'Plug In Baby' (thank god they played 'Plug In Baby'!). It was pretty great seeing Matt play the (neon) piano in 'Butterflies' and 'Sunburn', which he did effortlessly.
A nicely timed encore ended with 'Take A Bow' off Black Holes, a better choice for their opener, I would have thought. But in a way it did fit as a closer, ensuring the audience was left with either a massive 'phwoar!!' or cringe imprinted in their mind. Almost as if to advise "DON'T FORGET US TWIHARDS, OR YOU'LL BURN IN HELL!!!!"
In the end, despite my dislike for the songs I knew they just had to play, they put on a great show, the only way they knew how, via extravagance. Similar to their recorded music, if I stood back and watched from a distant point of view, I would have cringed to the high heavens, but being in there immersed in the sound and mood, I didn't cringe once. They created the appropriate mood fitting for each song, thanks not only to the projections, lasers, neon lights and huge setup and venue, but also thanks to the fact that they are a pretty damn good band. A band that may have just lost their way in terms of songwriting. Let's all hope they find their way back again.