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Papa VS Pretty - United In Isolation review

'Life's Got A Hold On Me' is a perfect electric kick-off to United In Isolation. It gets you ready for an epic and rocking journey with its enigmatic riff fused with a taste of the lyrical depth you can expect to explore throughout the record.
United In Isolation moves effortlessly into its second offering which is sure hit 'One of the Animals'. Still on a roll of pure energy, the transition is almost perfect. This song is possibly going to be the greatest radio track from the record.
'Charity Case' is a little eerie to start with. At first you feel like you've stepped into a twilight zone full of spinning clocks and swirls only to be hit with a tasty riff before the song slows into the first verse. Your first impression is 'where is this going and do these different elements work?' but somehow it all comes together for the chorus and all these themes marry perfectly. Rawle has the ability to match lyrical depth with a rocking vision of what a commercially feasible track should sound like without sounding too "Nova."
Unfortunately every album has its filler tracks, and Papa VS Pretty are able to supply one of the shiner fillers around but 'Look For Me' serves as this nonetheless. Having personally witnessed a lot of Rawle's back catalog of songwriting and previous EP work, this track could have easily been 'Shoot' or the beautiful 'I Still Believe In Us'. In saying this, it suits the record and isn't a stinker by any means.
'Honey' is another great pop/rock number. Having seen this track live I can argue the energy it creates, although it seems a simple song format with an incredible solo it really takes off towards the end. You can't judge the face value of this song, it really does resonate after a few plays.
United In Isolation harbours an energy of romance and ultimately rejection in its presence with themes of anger. Someone mentioned to me that they didn't know these three guys could be so vicious; fact is I knew it and 'Conquistador' is no exception to that. It's catchy, straight-up and ends breathlessly. This contrasts greatly with the more mellow ballad 'I Felt Nothing' which delicately slows the tempo of the record and gives us a more intimate perception of Papa VS Pretty. It's here we can really hear the influence Jeff Buckley has on Rawle. These two tracks marry love and war and we can see the conflict between the emotions behind the songwriting. This is one of my personal favourites from the record.
Clever enough to know not to let a sad note linger, the boys ascend us into 'Darkest Way' which sounds like an upbeat happy song but when you listen closely, it's more than that. This song seems to be a about very intimate friendship that never quite culminates into what you'd expect. I like this song because it's an example of what Papa VS Pretty do best and that's disguising deeper meaning with catchy as hell hooks. They're not happy and they're not sad, if you will.
The first time I heard 'Bitter Pill' I felt it was just another perfect example of Rawle's vocal range. The pacing of this song is perfect as it builds into its unique power, housing another Prince'esque solo. My favourite part of this track comes at the very end where we hear a new element on the record; it's what appears to be a fusion of news broadcasts and televisions voices hauntingly at war through a static. I like when bands exercise different recording materials into their music because it's really hit or miss. Being a fan of Brand New's Daisy opener, this technique sat well with me and it finishes 'Bitter Pill' in an interesting tone, it makes you want to re-listen to see if you missed something.
United In Isolation starts to wind down with 'Suit and Burn'. We get to explore again some vicious lyrics as vocals snarl, "Do your worst 'cause I can take it!". It's safe to say Papa VS Pretty can write a solid harmony no matter the mood of the song. This song also seems to be very experimental with mixing techniques.
The last impression of this album is 'You Are Not In Love Anymore' and it seems like this has been a journey of lust, love and jaded heartbreak. This track is perfect. It completely captures what it's like to be young and have your passion fall by the wayside of someone you adore. The fancy circus de weird outro is an interesting closure but to me it displays the A.D.D in this group and the ability of being able to command so many sounds. These lads have to be careful not to cram too many techniques into one record lest they sound like they're over-doing it. That hasn't happened here but I'm sure there were a lot of ideas that wanted to be heard here.
For a debut album United In Isolation is choc full of raw emotion and serves as a break-up record you could rock out to and on of the more impressive Aussie LP's I've heard this year.

Slow News Day

Is it so much to ask that all digital media music outlets in Australia maybe don't steal their stories from NME? There's not one Australian media source that actually breaks stories. Yes, we're an over sized remote island on the flip side of nowhere and no one particularly gives a shit about us, but why can't we do better?
My main source of music news in AU terms is usually fasterlouder.com.au and it is pretty handy. Every now and then someone gets bored at HQ and makes a photo slide of 'relevant moments in music' which they have essentially ripped off from another site six months passed published.. But in terms of Australian news and sideshow info, they seem to deliver. Others find solace in themusicnetwork.com but I don't fancy being up to date with Gabriella Cilmi anymore than I like sampling a selection of anal probes. They have also proven as Splendour in the Grass' buttboy when it comes to issuing bullshit press pieces about why no one gives a crap this year.
Another website I don't mind is www.pedestrian.tv -- now this isn't a TV channel or real source of audiovisual entertainment but it's a nice collective of music, street art and pop culture updates. The editorial is witty and sometimes essence of hipsterrunoff.com but the html is all kinds of fucked up and drowning in oversold ad space. It's also infrequently updated through the week and isn't above sneaky ploys to gain extra web traffic eg. that facebook scam where a massive hack went down telling you to vote for some bitch - pedestrian banked web numbers by posting an article claiming to have info on the individual behind the scam, only to be asking a rhetorical question. We'd been had and their advertiser made cash dollars.
So what do we do? Do we resort to our local street press website which is updated a regularly as your 28 day cycle or just wait for your once a week press?
Print is dead and I'll stand by it but the Internet is as sprightly as ever so why are we missing out?

OWM ‘Best of 2010’

So, I’ve mad a list of my personal high rotations for this year.

This isn’t to say that these are the most critically acclaimed works but more what I have enjoyed the most, I can’t be bothered to re-list a Pitchfork countdown to appear noble amongst hipster folk, Take it or leave it, this is what I’ve been listening to this year.

TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2010

• High Violet - The National
• My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West
• The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
• The Fool - Warpaint
• Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter

Close but no cigar: Belle and Sebastian - Write About Love, Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker, FOALS - Total Life Forever, Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record and many more I’ve acquired too late to really fall in love with just yet.

TOP 5 SONGS OF 2010

• Conversation 16 - The National
• Ready To Start - Arcade Fire
• You Got the Dirtee Love - Florence and the Machine feat. Dizzee Rascal
• Hell of a Life - Kanye West
• Eyes Wide Open - Gotye

Close but no cigar: Heavy Harm - Papa VS Pretty, Suburban War - Arcade Fire, Whip My Hair - Willow Smith (or the Neil Young and Boss cover), I’m Not In Love - Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith, Fuck You - Cee Low Green

Dude, Stonefield.

If there is anything you should do this year, it's catching tween girl band Stonefield.
I caught them last night, I died. So talented. THERE WAS BASS SLAPPING AND TAPPING!
Yeah, it's like Jefferson Airplane but going through puberty!
Find a way.

Single of the Week

You might imagine the variety of demos my inbox delivers and though some songs just take a few listens before the music really takes hold, I know a hit when I stumble across one. Today the debut single 'Exit The System' from Brisbane's threesome The Moniters landed safely in my hands and I am one happy little blogger.

The Moniters are comprised of frontman Jimi Lucas, drummer Matt Schrader and bassist Barney Gickel, the three band members met at a Killers concert a few years ago and have been recording demos with Jack and cigarettes ever since. This year the lads have been working closely with Melbourne based producer Forrester Savell (Dead Letter Circus, Birds of Tokyo) stringing together their debut EP 'Sex City Lovers' due out in 2011.

My first thoughts of 'Exit The System' was that the track is dirty, sexy and electric. The more I listen to the verses, the more I hear elements of Paul Banks in Lucas's vocals, it's quick and immediately catchy. Quite personally, I'm not the biggest 'electro' fan but this sound is a step in the right direction for electro rock. More rock than "magic fountain", The Moniters deliver a little bit more edge into this saturated market.

Give the track a spin and also check The Moniters east coast tour dates riiight here.

Bob Dylan once said, "The times they are a changin'..", and even though Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young are music giants from our Dad's day, they don't seem to have any issue with keeping up to date with what's, erm, fresh? The two genius's (well, one was Jimmy Fallon dressed as Young) recently schooled the elementary aged Willow Smith by rearranging the mega hit 'Whip My Hair'. A hit is a hit, no matter what you do with it.
Get schooled, old school.

Farewell Powderfinger

Alright, so I'm not going to lie.. Somewhere in my room back at home, amongst all my discarded PJ pants three sizes too small and polly pockets lies a Powderfinger record or two. I'm by no means their greatest fan. I saw them twice, once at BDO and at that Silverchair double show they did years ago, both times I was greatly underwhelmed. I should have been stoned.
I'm sitting back as the Australian media swarms at the ankles of "Aussie rock gods" now Powderfinger have finally split (two records later than they should have). The Brisbane band played their last set ever (John Farhnam, anyone?) yesterday and everyone is acting like it's Crowded House on the Opera House steps again. I am not going to say they didn't write some good songs over the years but I have to say their generic charm was long lost on me post 'Vulture Street' and my year ten certificate.
I think it's a perfect example of "It's better to burn out, than fade away." I am sure we will be treated to a slew of solo work and more hits than your trades Ute can handle.
I think the point I am trying to make is that Powderfinger will not be missed by me and though I respect their past work, I really think that Australian music scene is sick if our biggest export is just another state band doing regional tours for fifteen years.

If You Believe.

There are just some bands I believe in and I like to put all my energy into them until everyone I know has given them a spin. I've done it with Papa VS Pretty and Parades who are now busy crafting and delivering records and I'm still doing it with Cameras. These three local Sydney acts captivated me years ago and I am yet to lose interest as they continue to not only wow me but make a difference in the Aussie music scene.

Cameras just recently played here in Melbourne and despite the large amount of rookie errors that come along with having your guitar smashed up by Qantas, the trio + bass stand-in put on a perfect southern show. The soulful Sydney kids were here to promote their perfectly crafted debut E.P which is available NOW through all decent digital retailers.

However I've left you a sample of my favourite track off of this perfect six song package and it's a track titled 'Break/Hands'. It's honestly one of the most beautifully sung tracks I've come across the last few months. It's soulful in a sense of morose bliss but incredibly infectious. Check it out here. Girl can sing.

Also, it's not just my eye that's been caught by devilishly talented Cameras, there are a lot of international whispers and a few rumblings in the festival underground. Stay posted!

Vote Your Blogger A Trip Overseas

I won't spam this, but if you're a follower I'd love for you to support us in getting a rad opportunity to travel overseas to get our blog on. I'm not a hugely competitive person but this would mean the world to me to even try!

Click here to vote for me to travel with Channel V!

Your support would be amazing!

My Debut @ Beat TV

So, I mentioned briefly I was doing some presenting work with Beat TV here in Melbourne and you can actually catch my first interview with Australian artist Ryan Meeking.

All you need to do is visit www.beat.com.au and select Beat TV and that's where you will find my first on-camera foray. It's not amazing, and I have a long way to go but this is the transition from behind screen to onscreen.

My Favourite Album This Month - Belle & Sebastian - 'Write About Love'

Over my years of avid music listening, Belle & Sebastian have been referred, recommended and preached over and over. It might not shock you to know I am terribly stubborn. If one band is pushed so far, I will probably just avoid it, though this time I did have my reasons.

Let me take you back to a Petersham bedroom rented by five boys in 2008. I was sleeping with another music blogger/pseudo pianist and this was long before I'd even started this blog. I used to wake up in his single bed which resembled a hospital bed, to the happiest music every single morning. I am not a morning person, I am a miserable person until at least 7pm at night so when I wake up you're lucky to even get The Cure out of me most mornings because even that can sound too happy to me.

"What is this?"
"Old Belle & Sebastian."
"It's too happy"
"Figured you'd say that" - Picks up keys, walks out of the room.

So, I guess ever since then, even after High Fidelity and 500 Days of Summer references, I couldn't get interested. I know of all their classics and I know a lot of musical elitists and muses I follow really love them but it wasn't until I saw 'Write About Love' in my Uncles music folder, that I decided to give them a spin almost three years later. Safe to say my love affair with said blogger too faded in these years, maybe weeks after, bless youth.

The cover art reminds me of that of the 'Louder Than Bombs' Smiths record, you know the one featuring British playwright Shelagh Delaney at the ripe age of 19, cigarette in hand. Anyway, the first track is 'I Didn't See It Coming' and it sounds happy, upbeat, I mean it isn't Matt Berninger from The National singing baritone lullabies of misery but there are (no pun intended) moments of lyrical sinister. It was exactly what I expected at the same time as it wasn't at all. I was impressed. From the first lines of, "Make me dance/ I want to surrender", I had done just that alone in my kitchen. I was cooking and suddenly there was, I guess, a bit of a rhythm in my pancake making from that point on.

'Write About Love' then slips into one of my favourite songs on the album, 'Come On Sister', which follows the album recipe of starting with something big, then taking it up a notch and again to the formula Mr Nick Hornby describes of making a mixtape, you have to cool it down it a bit, 'Not blow your wad right away' and the tempo drops to a romantic ballad 'Calculating Bimbo' which is actually bitterly sweet.

'I Want The World To Stop' is an incredibly catchy in that pop-repetitive way and I guess there's that element of The Smiths in saying something depressing in a cheerful manner, that I can appreciate. 'Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John' is said to be the best work on the album and it's a low tempo collaboration with Norah Jones. Maybe it's because I hate Norah Jones but if it's not background noise, this song doesn't do much for me. The tempo of the album is then awoken by the infectiously album titled track 'Write About Love' featuring the gorgeous Carrie Mulligan. This is the cutest piece of music I have heard in some time. I really enjoy the adorable, "I hate my job/I'm working way too much/Everyday I'm stuck in an office" offset by Murdoch suggesting there's a prettier way of living, "Just get on your skinny knees and pray". This song has been on high rotation since its discovery.

'Write About Love' proves to be buoyant as it continues into, 'I'm Not Living In The Real World', even though it's a three minute song, it's so sweet it ends before you realise it's begun.

Now the part where the tale end of the record twists into low tempo and I'm not saying it's a top-heavy work, but I find the last few songs to be a little less catchy, a little less enlightening until the closing track of 'Sunday's Pretty Icons' which is a lovely little piece that certainly does leave the listener satisfied and wanting more.

It's hard to write about a respected band or artist when you really don't know their work. This is the eighth studio release by Belle & Sebastian and unlike all the other reviews that incorporate all bands errors of the past, I really have nothing to say. I know I now need to work backwards into their catalogue and maybe that can be a benefit when you think about it, kinda like buying a box set and not having to wait for a new episode every week. Bad analogy. Anyway, if you're like me and you've never really bothered with Belle & Sebastian, I'd say give it a spin. This is one of my favourite records this year and as summer in Australia beckons, I know 'Write About Love' will be on high rotation here at OWM.

Evening Outrage.

NME’s ‘Best Debut Albums Ever’ poll by "the people" voted Arctic Monkeys ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ over Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’. Fuck. Right. Off.
Arctic Monkeys debut also took out Interpol’s ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’, Nirvana’s ‘Bleach’, The Libertines ‘Up The Bracket’ and Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’. What the fuck even? Who let these morons choose?

I'm embarrassed to be alive.

Dropping the ball, picking up the pace, losing face.

Updates and all things new coming soon!
It's been a busy these last couple of weeks. I've been filming and celebrating a birthday so now that I am dignified and old, I am sure I can clog your screens with my rubbish.

I look forward to it.

Blue Monday

Are you tired of being Monday's bitch? I know I am.. Anyway, I've put together a playlist to get you through the complete dick-taking that is the beginning of the week. Feel free to contribute.

• Money (That's What I Want) - The Flying Lizards
• Wake Up - Arcade Fire (Not funny, literal. Wake up, you bitch)
• I Didn't See It Coming - Belle & Sebastian
• I Wanna Be Your Dog - Iggy Pop & The Stooges
• Stockholm Syndrome - MUSE
• Satisfaction - Bjork and PJ Harvey
• Nantes - Beirut
• Cause = Time - Broken Social Scene
• Handle Me With Care - The Traveling Wilburys
• Six Different Ways - The Cure

The Price of Silence - 'A Hipster Note'

There are a lot of things you will read about on OWM before I bag out Thom Yorke. To me, Yorke is the orchestrator of my heart and the 'Pablo Honey' record aside, there is very little he could to to deter my love.
The Radiohead frontman has proved himself not only a worthy musician, but as an artist, entrepreneur, and all around fucking genius. This all comes with the territory of fronting one of the most innovative and influential bands in the world. From this you can tell I am probably one of the most annoying and pretentious Radiohead fans around and would just about sell myself to get my hands on anything Radiohead related, well until today.

This morning it was announced that Yorke alongside Mark Ronson and a couple of other people I don't care about, have teamed up with British Prime Minister David Cameron to record two minutes of silence. Yep, to record two minutes of silence and wait for it ... sell it as a single.. yep, still processing the perpetual wank of this notion? Me too.

The Single is appropriately titled 'Two Minute Silence' and will be released on November 7th to commemorate fallen soldiers on Remembrance Day. Yeah, it's for a good cause, blah blah blah, and maybe I'm a bad person for thinking this is ridiculous and wanky but I give to street artists occasionally so I'm not convinced of that. It's just that this is complete bullshit? I can see it now, my fellow Yorke fans sitting alone in their bedroom being 'sooooo post-modern' listening to their two minutes of silence. How about making us our new Radiohead record, Thom? How about that? I love you but really, you can only be so 'innovative' before landing yourself in a dickload of "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?".

And Aaron Diaz wanted to know if it was a cover or a remix of John Cage's 4'33"..

When God Programmed Rage

This past Saturday my literary idol Bret Easton Ellis programmed Rage -- it's moments like these that make me wish it were 1985 when he was announcing songs on MTV, you know when they played music.

The 'American Psycho' author recently visited our shores in August as a part of the Melbourne Writers Festival and promotion for the his most recent novel 'Imperial Bedrooms'. I won't turn a music blog into a book review however Ellis is known wildly as one of the more musically versed of the American literati. I was lucky to have met the genius when he visited Melbourne but will still do anything to get an insight into his twisted mind.

As predicted, Ellis made a playlist rich with popular culture but with enough taste to get by. We were treated to clips ranging from the appropriate Lady GaGa's 'Paparazzi' to huge dedications to the authors obvious influences like The National and Mr Elvis Costello.

So if you're a big reader of the books treat yourself to the essential Bret Easton Ellis Rage playlist here.

When you don't proof read your work

You try and tell people that The Pixies toured Greenday's 'Dookie'..

Human computer.

Top 15 Album Tours I'd Step Over My Own Mother For

So, I am always trolling the Internet for lists, I am a list kinda person, maybe I’ve read High Fidelity too many times or maybe I have too much time on my hands.. anyway, this morning I stumbled across Fasterlouder.com.au and their list for ‘Most Wanted Album Tour’. With a lot of major bands touring their prized records it’s becoming quite the trend. The first example I can think of is when Sonic Youth toured ‘Daydream Nation’ in its entirety back in 2007. No, I didn’t go. Yes, it still hurts me. But with The Pixies bringing ‘Dolittle’ to our shores earlier this year and Primal Scream about to bring us the spectacular ‘Screamadelica', the people are making demands!

Fasterlouder’s list is a mix of standard classics like The Boss’s ‘Born To Run’ and Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’ which came in at top spot. It got me thinking about my top 15 albums I’d like to see tour. Some are strange choices because I mean, some records would just tour better than the way they play alone in my bedroom so they may not be my favourite offering of said band but you know the rest.. here goes..

TV on the Radio – Dear Science

Radiohead – Hail to the Thief (Could you imagine '2+2=5' annnd 'There There')

Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde

Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights (hidden track included)

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People

The National – Boxer

Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads

Arcade Fire - Funeral

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Sonic Youth – Washing Machine (mainly for Diamond Sea playage only reason I chose this over Goo)

The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

At The Drive-in – Relationship of Command

David Bowie – Low

Talking Heads – Little Creatures

What would your dream list consist of?

The National Add Extra Dates

I really don't remember when or how I first discovered The National, which is pretty unusual for me. However all I know is that sometime in 2008 the five piece made an irretrievable entrance into my regular playlist and to this day still impedes my Top 25 Most Played on iTunes.

The National are easily one of my favourite bands, they cater to everything my miserable soul could lust for musically. The songs are catchy in ways but to me it's this form of poetry that really speaks to every part of me. I'm trying my hardest not to sound like a pretentious dickbag but my affair with The National is all things sacred and romantic to me.

I was unlucky to have missed the 'Boxer' tour in 2008 when the Brooklyn based boys appeared at the annual January Sydney Festival. Picture me falling to my knees in a heaps of tears. Wasn't pretty. So I guess you can gauge my reaction to the Falls Music & Arts Festival line-up this year. EEP! I was the happiest miserable girl to have ever lived. Interpol AND The National. Yes, yes., yes please. For weeks I stalked both bands websites, tour pages and googled 'sideshows' and finally I secured tickets to both acts sideshows last week. I couldn't be happier.

It was always speculated that after the success of 'High Violet', The National would play more than one show on our shores, and after the first string of shows sold out more have now been announced. I think I will go to both.

'High Violet' is so perfect. A dramatic friend of mine even said he could only listen to it once as it was so heartbreakingly beautiful. He's a drama queen, I be playin' that shit all day everyday. If you haven't heard The National before, take a hard look at yourself in the mirror and then do something about it.

Friday 7th January - The Enmore, Sydney

Saturday 8th January - The Enmore, Sydney SOLD OUT

Sunday 9th January - Palais Theatre, Melbourne SOLDOUT

Monday 10th January - Palais Theatre, Melbourne