Antipodean Space Debris III

Strange and haunted. When I first heard this I thought this was a sound that could only come out of New Zealand like Pink Frost....er....and I think I was right.

Lovely

Strangely lovely

Nice

Strange and beautiful soundz from NZ once again. Peter was previously in the Great NZ band This Kind Of Punishment with his bro Graeme who released at least two masterpieces This Kind Of Punishment (1983) and Beard Of Bees (1984). I can't comment on their 3rd LP as it's never crossed my path. This tune is from his terrific debut solo album The Last Great Challenge In A Dull World (1990). This Xpressway tape features NZ underground rock royalty ie. David Mitchell (Goblin Mix/Exploding Budgies/3Ds), Bruce Russell (Dead C), Kathy Bull (Look Blue, Go Purple), Robbie Yeats (The Verlaines), Alastair Galbraith (The Rip/Plagal Grind/Solo etc.) and a few others. Quite a line-up eh?

Weird Antipodean space. These two were both in the fabulous rock band The 3Ds.

More beautifully askew soundz from the ends of the earth. This time Jefferies collaborates with Robbie Muir of The Rip and Plagal Grind.

Beaches - She Beats

When I write about an artist I usually try to evoke the sounds, ideas and feelings through words and not list influences. This is getting harder by the second particularly as we are now very late in the (rock) epoch.  I'm only a couple of listens in but I'm really diggin' She Beats. It's a guitar record. It's not really breaking any new ground but who is? My ears just love hearing those guitars and the melodies. They've definitely done stellar research*. Beaches belong the lineage of The Velvets/Stooges/Kraut/Hawkwind axis, the Paisley Underground, 80s Sydney Rock (The Church, Died Pretty) 80s into early 90s Flying Nun, Proto-Shoegaze (ie. Loop et al.) Shoegaze, 90s Kranky and  instrumental groups from the USA like Pell Mell & Cul-De-Sac and the more recent Yawning Man/Ten East. I have to say though with Beaches It feels more organic than that. This musical melting pot  has been brewing in their DNA for some time and can't help but ooze out of them when they plug in and play. As opposed to a group like Savages who seem to be mixing and matching influences like trying on clothes. IE. 'Does my Wire match my Siouxsie? Does my Banshee look big in this?'

Beaches still haven't captured the immensity of their live sound on tape and one wonders if they ever will. Someone should give them hundreds of thousands of dollars so they can create their very own Tusk or Starfish. They must be special if I'm willing to let a track like Granite Snake get past me as I swore a couple of years ago that if I heard another band being influenced by Neu (Neu are one of my all time favourite bands but does that mean every 2nd band should rip em off) I would smash the radio in. But Granite Snake blows my fucking mind, it's incredible  Who'd have thought we'd be listening to a band in 2013 that reminded us of Opal, The Pale Saints or the 3Ds? Possibly the best record of its ilk since Yawning Man's excellent Vista Point from 2007 (yeah yeah I know Vista Point is a compilation of records made in 2005, whatever).

Lists.......

Ok I was gettin a Sunday burger and chips with the Mrs today and there in the magazine racks for your perusal was another fuckin' list. This time it was The Rolling Stone top 50 alternative records of the 90s and I'm pretty sure it was you know the Australian version. What kind of Australian version has 3 Australian records in its top 50??? What does alternative mean and who gives a crap?! Anyway I've got list fatigue suffice to say no Rowland S, Dave G, Nick C, Spiderbait, The Moles, The Church, The Chills, The 3Ds, Kim Salmon etc.....I've got list fatigue and can't waste any more energy on complaining that twits run magazines and fuck knows who buys them! Even bigger twits I suspect. You am I turned up of course they obviously like chugging! Anyway my burger was fantastic mustard and pickles with like home made chips with a touch of salt and rosemary. Yum! Well worth it. The Mrs had a lovely satay & coriander burger, apparently v nice. Will be making return visit for sure. I'll bring my own reading materials though next time, I don't need to get angry/bored at Sunday lunch.

DISCLAIMER:
Not actual burger that I ate but v similar looking

Rolling Stone Australia what a fucking joke!

ANZAC DAY

Tactics

Second Langauage

My Favorite Sydney via Canberra band of all time!

The 3Ds
Awesome!
In Outer Space!