The Smiths: 50 greatest songs: pt 2

Recently MOJO magazine listed the 50 greatest Smiths songs. Here is the second and final part of that list, including some videos.

Here is the rest of Mojo's 50 greatest Smiths songs, from 20-1.




20. Girl Afraid
19. The Headmaster Ritual
18. The Boy With A Thorn In His Side
17. Stretch Out And Wait
16. Shoplifters Of The World Unite
15. Bigmouth Strikes Again
14. I Know It's Over
13. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
12. Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me
11. Back To The Old House
10. Still Ill
9. Hand In Glove
8. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
7. Panic
6. William It Was Really Nothing
5. Reel Around The Fountain
4. This Charming Man
3. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
2. The Queen Is Dead
1. How Soon Is Now?

The Smiths: 50 greatest songs: pt 1

Recently MOJO magazine listed the 50 greatest Smiths songs. While such lists are subjective and can lead to many a disagreement, I thought it a good time to share the list and some of the music. When I first learned to play guitar, a Smiths fan at my school taught me to play 'please, please, please let me get what I want'. He also suggested that if I wanted to start with any Smiths Lp, the best one to start with was the compilation- 'Hatful of Hollow'. I since realised how right he was. It is my favorite of their albums, compiling non album singles, b-sides and live tracks.

The Smiths formed in Manchester in 1982 and ended in 1987. They released four studio albums;The Smiths, Meat is murder, The Queen is dead, and Strangeways here we come. A live album 'Rank',  a slew of singles (including many non-album singles), and a handful of compilation albums.

Here is Mojo's list from 50-21



50. Barbarism Begins At Home
49. Ask
48. Cemetry Gates
47. Meat is Murder
46. Is It Really So Strange?
45. Nowhere Fast

 44. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
43. Suffer Little Children
42. You've Got Everything Now
41. I Want The One I Can't Have
40. This Night Has Opened My Eyes

39. Pretty Girls Make Graves
38. These Things Take Time
37. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

36. Rubber Ring
35. Jeane
34. Shakespeare's Sister
33. Rusholme Ruffians
32. London
31. What Difference Does It Make?

30. Half A Person
29. Well I Wonder
28. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
27. Handsome Devil
26. I Won't Share You

 25. Accept Yourself
24. Death Of A Disco Dancer
23. A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours

22. Asleep
21. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

Local music

Recently I have been really enjoying some music which just happens to be local, or local-ish.


DMA's their LP 'Hills End' is really strong and well worth exploring. They are from Sydney and sounds like they have a bit of a brit-pop/oasis influence, which is especially noticeable in their track 'Timeless'
Here are two songs from them:

DMA's- 'Delete':


The next clip is full of interesting older people, it was filmed at the Globe Pub in Hackney, London. I can't stop watching!

DMA's- 'Timeless':




This next band, Gold Class, are from Melbourne. I am really enjoying their LP 'It's you'. Spiky, raw and urgent, this may not be for everyone. You can buy their work on bandcamp! Here are two tracks from them.

Gold Class- 'Life as a gun':


I love the clip for this next track and especially love the 'echos' of each person projected on and behind them.

Gold Class- 'Bite down':


This last band, Methyl Ethyl, are from Perth. I quite like the cover to their lp 'Oh Inhuman Spectacle'. I keep meaning to check out the LP and hope to soon!

Methyl Ethel- 'Twilight driving':


Here is their Lp Cover:

All work copyright of the respective artist/s.

Music from a time gone by........

The title of the blog post, may make it sounds as if I was going to share music from a bygone era, where people huddled round a camp fire and road on horseback, but the truth is, this is music from when I was much younger. I stumbled across one of these bands the other day, in a blog post on Double J radio about Aussie bands from the 90's and it prompted this post.

Big Heavy Stuff- 'May'. I love the line "I should have known better than to wish, I wished too hard and then it slipped through my fingers"...



Tumbleweed- 'Sundial'.  This track reminds me of going to the Big Day's out, when they first started up in Melbourne.



Front end Loader- 'Pulse'. This track is still on my i-pod (is that the modern equivalent of a walkman?). The love the line 'at the end of your life, who gets to decide that it's over?'


Regurgitator- "blubber boy". This track has a word in it which may be offensive to some or many (most people never pick up on the word).  This was and possibly still is, a band that was awesome and so energetic live.



Skunkhour- 'up to our necks in it': This song still resonates. Really great stuff. Urban poetry wrapped in soulful, lite funk and jazz sounds'.


Magic Dirt- 'Pace it': Adalita  Is such a rock goddess. Magic Dirt a band I dipped in and out off over the years and along the way, really liking a few tracks. This is fun and energetic. It is still on my i-pod. Though I love the spikey raw edges to their sound, this is pretty polished sounding (for them!).




Gerling- 'Death to the apple gerls': Ahh Gerling. How I loved your debut LP. I played it and played it and still sometimes listen to it in my studio. The singles from the LP (aside from this one- which has swear words censored out), were different mixes and in some cases almost completely different songs (ie. 'Enter, Space Capsule'). I loved that and it gave me much reason to buy the singles as well.



Dave Graney and the coral snakes-'rock n roll is where I hide' (live): What can I saw about Mr Graney? He is so, so good. This track is one of my favourites and if you listen to the lyrics, it is a  great little story. Trainspotter note:I once peed next to him at a toilet urinal at the Prince of Wales hotel.. I was so excited at the time and wanted to say hello and tell him how much I love his music, but felt it may be a little odd! This recording was from 'Recovery', which was a great Saturday morning music show on ABC.



All music copyright the individual artists.

New Music April 2016

It seems like a while since I posted some new music.

Here is what I have been listening to lately.

The new Parquet Courts  LP "Human Performance' is a bit loose, DIY (in a produced way) and has some great little moments like this one-

Parquet Courts - 'Berlin got blurry'


The Pet Shop Boys have a new Lp out called 'Super'. It is produced by Stuart Price, who did the last LP and this is apparently the second of a trilogy. I really like the pet Shop Boys, but can't help but think that anyone could be singing over these sounds, which sound a bit samey and lack the tonal and musical variety of albums like 'Fundamental'. I do like 'Pop Kids' though.

Pet Shop Boys- 'Pop Kids'


Aussie group 'The Drones' have released a new LP titled 'Feelin Kind of Free'. If you like loose, raw (and with a bit of sonic noise) and interesting Aussie music, then this is well worth a listen. This slower track is a favourite-

The Drones - 'To think that I once loved you'


Lastly, Prince has passed away. Many people will have a favourite Prince track or Lp. I have several and grew up with many of his LP's. Here is a track that never seems to sound old to me.

Prince- 'When Doves Cry'




All music copyright the respective artists.

Music

It has been a while since I posted new music. I haven't been listening to too much new stuff of late, but have re-acquainted myself with some older music. Here is a small selection of tunes, one or two I may have shared on here a long while back, but they are worth a listen or second listen!

Joanna Newsom has a new LP out- Divers. Her voice can really divide people (it does sounds a little different on this Lp (possibly due to age or she may be singing differently due to nodule issues a few years back?)), but I personally really love her work. She also plays the harp and piano. It has been 5 years since her last Lp (the triple Lp) 'Have one on me'.

Joanna Newsom- 'Divers'



Nadia Reid. This New Zealand songstress was brought to my attention by my mate Jody Galvin (who is often playing abut town, so keep an eye on her facebook page for info).
Anyway I quickly purchased Nadia's Lp 'Listen To Formation, Look For The Signs' and am enjoying it. This is a single from it.

Nadia Reid- 'Call the day':


Unless you are living under a rock, you would know that Adele has released a new track off her forthcoming LP '25'.  I watched the clip, around 14-15 hours after it was released and it had already gained over 7 million views on you tube! Over 500,000 people gave the track a 'thumbs up' and just over 5,000 didn't like it. I wonder if it meant the other 6.5 million were all apathetic listeners? I think I need to give it a couple more listens to decide were I sit. I checked this a day later and the the track had over 50 Million views. I checked it again around a fortnight later and it had just under 226 Million views!  (yes, 226 million!). Now, around a month after release, the track has had almost 485 Million Views! Yep, wow!  As for the song, I think I am still undecided on how I feel.

Adele- 'Hello'



As part of cassette day (yep, you read right), I finally bought Courtney Barnett's Lp "Sometimes I sit and think and sometimes i just sit' I bought it on cassette, I think 300 copies were made. Here is as song from it called 'Depreston'. This has really grown on me and I really like it. This video is live from the great "A take-away show' series.

Courtney Barnett - 'Depreston' (live):




Jessica Pratt. I stumbled across this next song and can't stop listening to it! Her voice is so intriguing and the lyrics have some great moments. The clip is a fan made one.

Jessica Pratt- 'Back, baby':



Other songs I seem to be connecting with emotionally at the moment:

I have been re-listening to Laura Marling's gorgeous Lp 'Once I was an eagle'. This track is so captivating.

Laura Marling- 'Love be brave'



I have always loved this next song and never realised till recently that the great Jimmy Webb wrote it!
Nina Simone is amazing full stop!
Nina Simone - 'Do what you gotta do'



There are some Modest Mouse songs that I really really like and then there are the rest which I want to like... This track is one I really like and is off the Lp with one of the best titles ever (and has great cover artwork)-  'Good news for people who love bad news'.

Modest Mouse- 'Ocean breathes salty'



It is no secret that I love Neko Case. This next track is just so damn good. I play it on repeat. It is from the LP 'The worse things get, the harder I fight, the harder I fight, the more I love you'

Neko Case- 'Calling cards'



Many years ago, I stumbled across Laura Veirs and really loved her voice.  I kind of forgot about her after a time and recently found her again This track is off the 2005 lp 'Year of Meteors'

Laura Veirs - 'Secret someones'?






All copyright belongs to the respective artists.

Melbourne scenes, part 1.

Here are a few photos I have taken recently of Melbourne and it's surrounding areas.
For some reason, I was inspired to walk about and take photos of urban-scapes.

Permit zone, Fitzroy:

Lucy Liu, Melbourne:

 

The Vault/Yellow Peril, Southbank:

Under surveillance, Southbank: 

Cracked mirror, Melbourne:

all images copyright matthew schiavello 2015.

Music and art.

I recently picked up an older compilation from Rough Trade Shops called 'counter culture'. I had bought one years back, loved it and had been keeping an eye out for these, but they seem to be hard to come across. They are an eclectic and great mix of  tracks their staff and customers love from the previous year. They feature more independent releases from alt country, punk and electronica. Some may find some of the tracks unlistenable or weird, but there are usually little nuggets of gold in the compilations. I picked a few up recently online and here are a few of the more enjoyable (and listenable) tunes from them.



This first track- 'The oil rigs at night', by The Delines has a lovely quality to it. It feels as if you are in this woman's head as she thinks things through. There is no grand swelling of strings or vocal acrobatics, just warm intimacy. In its story telling I am reminded of 'By the time I get to Phoenix'.
The Rough Trade compilation has the studio version, but I thought I would share this live version from KEXP:

The Delines- 'The Oil rigs at night':




This next track has a mellow vibe. I recall hearing it as I was working and immediately thought..Hmm, what was that track? I like it.

Real Estate- 'It's real'.




This next track is kind of fun and cheeky. It makes some great points and be warned- it does have a couple of swear words in it.

Dan le Sac versus Scroobius Pip- 'Thou shalt always kill'




These next two tracks you may have heard before. They both have a mellow and chilled retro feel:

The war on drugs- 'Red eyes'



Soulsavers- 'Revival':




Lastly, the Liars. They have been about for a while and this is a great headphone track. And remember, as the chant goes- 'facts are facts and fiction 's fiction'! The clip uses computer generated images to warp reality to represent different variations of 'reality'. I am not sure what is fact and what is fiction here.

Liars- 'Mess on a mission':



all music and images copyright of the respective artists.

Also, speaking of cheeky! A cheeky reminder of the group show I am in and which opens this Sunday!
I hope you can pop in for the opening or anytime while it it on. The exhibition ends on Wednesday the 12th.

new music- May 2015

Some new and not so new, things I am listening to.


Laura Marling:
I love this woman's work. This track, is off her her fifth LP titled 'Short Movie'. I have all of them and just added this to my vinyl collection. I also downloaded this track off i-tunes and it is played on repeat as I walk the streets!

Laura Marling-False Hope:




Sylvan Esso.
This group kind of slipped by me. Their self titled Lp was released mid 2014. This track came up on my radar recently and I had this nagging feeling I had heard this song before. I am really enjoying this track and especially the sounds used in it.

Sylvan Esso- Coffee.




TV On The Radio.
I haven't loved much by TV On The Radio over the past few years, but stumbled across this great live version of their track - 'Careful', originally off their latest LP 'Seeds', this recording is from the brilliant program 'Morning becomes Eclectic'.


TV On The Radio' 'careful (live):




The Twerps.
Melbourne group, doing well overseas in Indie circles. I like this track, but whenever I hear the opening to it, I can't help but think that it reminds me of another song, but I can't figure out which one! This track was released late last year.

The Twerps- 'Back to you'



Shelby Lynne
A friend put me onto 'live from Daryl's' house' a while back.. but I kind of forgot about it till now. Daryl is he of Hall and Oates fame. The premise is simple and well executed, he invites musos into his space and jams with them. This is Shelby Lynne and her beautiful song Leaving (off her 2000 LP 'I am Shelby Lynne)', which has not aged one bit!

Shelby Lynne- Leavin' (live from Daryl's house)




Alabama Shakes.
Their first Lp 'Boys & Girls', was brilliant and their follow up 'Sound & Color' show they are definitely not one trick ponies, but are a musical force to be reckoned with. I was listening to the Lp recently and kept getting distracted by bits and thinking 'this is brilliant!'

Alabama Shakes- 'Don't wanna fight' (Live on Letterman).





all tracks copyright of the respective artists.

Forward to the past (or something like that...), film photography.

I have been shooting film again.. I do it in spurts.. I love the fact that I don't know how the image will look until it is developed. It forces me to be better as a photographer, as every shot counts.. If i go out with a 36 roll or film, then I only have 36 shots! I had better get it right the first time!

Here are a couple  of recent shots, all taken with my Nikon FM10 manual camera. The black and white film is RPX 100. The colour film is Kodak Gold 200.

All photographs copyright matthew schiavello 2015.

New Music- December 2014

Some new music I am really enjoying.



Tom Vek- Sherman (Animals in the jungle).
A colleague and I heard this on Triple R on Friday afternoon at work (the boss left early, so we switched the radio over from Bogan rock to community radio). It was just before 5pm and we both stopped and said.. Wow! What is this?? It is a little Strokes sounding... Such a great rhythm track

Tom Vek- Sherman (Animals in the jungle)


Speaking of Rhythm...
Caribou- 'Can't do with out you'

This track is the first track of his new Lp 'Our Love'. I really loved his last Lp 'Swim' and this new one does not disappoint. Beautiful put together electronic sounds.

Caribou- 'Can't do without you'



Rudely Interrupted- 'I am alive'

This is a Melbourne Band, who write and play fun pop music.
They have a website you can check out if you like.
Rudely Interrupted- 'I am alive'



Neil Young- 'Razor Love'
I was watching a TV program with A.K. recently and this tune was used in it to great effect. It reminded me when the 'Silver and Gold' Lp was released in 2000 and I really loved this track off it. I still love it.


Neil Young- 'Razor Love'



Another older tune is 'Cannibal's Hymn' by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
This is off the 2004 double LP ' Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus'. In recently purchased this on vinyl. This track in particular is off the 1st Lp 'Abbatoir Blues'.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: 'Cannibal's Hymn'

The Shambelles, the end is near....

On the 20th of December, the Shambelles will play their last gig. They have been around for 6 years and are an ACE party band. I have taken a quite a few photographs of the band over the past few years. Not only has my confidence as a photographer grown over this time, but we (the band and I), have become more and more comfortable with each other, which shows in the photographs.

If you are around on December 20th, then pop down to the Lomond Hotel in East Brunswick (Victoria, Australia), to see the band go out with a bang!I'll be there as well..maybe come along and share a beer with me :-)

Here are some images I took of their second last gig, at the Royal Oak hotel on November the 20th.


Julia On Drums!

Mon on guitar! 

 Alics on Bass!

Jody on Vocals!

Three of the Belles!

All four!

 

The belles:

All photographs copyright matthew schiavello 2014

A.K. and I at TarraWarra Museum of Art

Recently, A.K. took me to TarraWarra Museum of Art. I had never been there before and had a great time looking at some really interesting pieces and taking photos. This gallery is worth a day trip out Healesville way, to see it. Here are some photos from that day.


Some views from inside the gallery, looking out:

A.K. decided to have fun in an installation that was essentially Styrofoam balls being blown about by big fans.. just like snow..  He got those little balls everywhere.. and I mean everywhere!
 

A really interesting decal was placed over an external window, that made the view outside onto the country,  look like a beautiful dot painting.

Lastly, something I saw on the way back to the car.

all photographs copyright Matthew Schiavello 2014. Art copyright of the respective artists.

New Music- October 2014

I have purchased a few new things that I want to share with you. Hopefully you may find something of interest, that you then further explore and support the artist/s involved.


Jennifer Castle:

A Canadian singer/songwriter who has just released a new LP title 'Pink City', this track is off it.

Jennifer Castle- 'Sailing away'




The Peep Tempel

This track has a language warning to it. It is a bit raw and Aussie, it wears it's heart on it's sleeve and has me singing 'I don't think Trevor is good for' loudly in the mornings as walk down the back streets of Fitzroy.

The Peep Tempel- 'Carol'




J Mascis:
The man who was Dinosaur Jnr, who help define the 90's alternate scene, has just released another album where the acoustic guitars are preferred over loud electric distortion. The most recent LP is titled 'Tied to a star'. The track 'wide awake' has Chan Marshall (Cat Power) on vocals as well!

J Mascis- 'wide awake'



Avi Buffalo
I don't know much about this band.  They are from Long Beach, California, they have a new album out, but this track is from their 2010 Self titled LP.


Avi Buffalo- 'What's in it for?'




David Bowie
If you have been under a rock and didn't know David Bowie had a new LP out a while back (mid 2013), you may have missed this brilliant track, which has a fragile and maudlin quality to it. I don't know how many times I have listened to this and at the end, earnestly sang 'as long as there's me, as long as there's you', as I wistfully looked off into the distance....

David Bowie- 'where are we now?'




Grant Lee Buffalo

An old tune that has for some reason resurfaced and I seem to be playing a lot, of late. This is off the 1994 Lp 'Mighty Joe Moon' and has some great lines such as:

'Devastation at last finally we meet
After all of these years out here on the street
I had a feeling you would make yourself known
You came along just to claim your place on the throne
And I have been overthrown
Overthrown'

Grant Lee Buffalo- 'Mockingbirds':



All rights belong to the respective artists.

New Music August 2014

It has been a while since I posted some new music. These below tracks may not have been released this past month or even this year, but I love them enough to want to share them with you. I do so hope that you may be able to find some time to listen to them and fall in love with some of them yourself! This post has a mix of acoustic, plugged in, raw, honest and fun sounds. Hopefully something for everyone.


Helen Begley- 'West Brunswick'

This first track is by a local lady who I saw at a songwriters in the round gig. From the moment she started to sing her songs I was captivated. Why hadn't I heard of her before? Sure my mate Jody had been telling me to check her out and there always seemed to be something getting in the way of me being able to.. and now I'm kicking myself for not checking her out sooner!... Anyway, Helen Begley is the name of the artist.  Do check out her website! This track is off her LP 'West Brunswick', which is such a great Lp! I sometimes play it in my studio when I am painting.  I have attached the title track below. From the start there are such great lines (which remind me of early Paul Simon or Joni Mitchel), such as:

'Standing on the overpass in winter
The icy wind will slap you as it blows
Cars rush to the gorgeous city
West Brunswicks' not that pretty
from this road

On the local creek bed made of concrete
Philosophers leave words in thick black paint
 Saying dream as if you'll live forever
and live as if you'll die tomorrow

As I lie awake on lonely nights,
I hear the rumble of the 55*
And the braking trucks on their freeway ride,
A woman screams
you killed my life'



* the 55 is the number of the tram that runs across the city through to West Brunswick.





Perfume Genius- "Hood"

'Perfume Genius' is the stage name of American Mike Hadreas. My friend Flo from Paris, put me onto this guy and I love this track and video. Porn actor Árpad Miklós (Péter Kozma), who died early 2014 from an apparent suicide,  is in the video below. This track has such beautiful lyrics like:

 "You would never call me baby
If you knew me true
Oh, but I waited so long for your love
I am scared baby that I can't keep it up for long"

Perfume Genius- "Hood"



Future Islands- "Seasons (waiting on you)".

I can't work this band out. I have seen a few live clips and in particular their performance of Seasons(waiting on you), on Letterman, was insane in very confusing way. Is the singer dancing to his own drum or taking the piss? Still none of that diminishes my love of this track, which I purchased on i-tunes recently.


Future Islands- "Seasons (waiting on you)"




Tobias Jesso Jnr

Here is a guy who is getting lot's of press and hype at the moment, all from some demos and no actual releases. I actually really like the two tracks I have heard, which are just Tobias and piano. Yesterday I ordered a 5 pack of his demos on single sided flexi disc (ie flimsy plastic to play to the turntable). Yay!

Tobias Jesso Jnr- 'True Love'




Something Fun that isn't new, but I rediscovered it recently, is this hilariously and well done spoof of Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the heart', where they literally sing what is going on in the video clip!
Not sure who did this but the video says: Lead Vocals-PersephoneMaewyn, Lyrics/vocal/editing dascottjr.

Total Eclipse of the Heart (literal video version)






Recently I brought a couple of reissued albums on vinyl.

Life without Buildings- Any Other City

I love this Lp and this group from Glasgow. This Lp was originally released in 2001 and the band then broke up in 2002. The track 'The Leanover' is rambling, urgent and has a realness to it. I have been known to sing along to this loudly in  the car. This Lp was re-released as part of record day 2014!

Life without Buildings- 'The Leanover'



Deerhoof- 'Friend Opportunity'

This San Francisco noise-pop band are just so interesting! You never know what will happen with their albums or tracks which can just take a turn somewhere else when you least expect it!   This album also has one of my favourite album covers. A piece of art I wished I had done myself! This is another re-release on vinyl.

Deerhoof- '+81'

New music Feb 2014

While I am busy doing a gazillion things and yet to work on more of my Amsterdam holiday photos (yep, can you believe it?), I thought a music post was long overdue.

Here are some recent musical purchases:


I am really enjoying the track 'Easy Easy' off 19 year old English artist- King Krule's Lp  '6 feet below the moon'. I haven't purchased the Lp, as nothing else I heard from it 'grabbed me', but this tune did.

King Krule- 'Easy Easy'


The Cairos are an aussie group ( I think from Brisbane), that I heard on Triple J a few times and this single really grew on me.

The Cairos - 'Obsession'.




Laura Veirs has a new album titled 'Warp and Weft'. I have liked her for a while and missed the last few albums. Listening to this new one, I am prompted to get off my butt and track down the albums I missed.

Laura Veirs-'Sun Song':





Saskwatch are a 9 piece soul/ R & B band from Melbourne. Local! Yay! This tune is so damn catchy I had to buy it for the car!

Saskwatch -'Hands'



This next track is by New York duo/group Phantogram. There is something about this single I like, but at the same time feel it is a little cold. I am slightly reminded of Melbourne group Alpine, expect Alpine are a lot warmer sounding.

Phantogram- 'Fall in love'

New music- November 2013

I thought I'd share some new vinyl releases Some of these tracks may have a swear word in them, so be warned.:

Arctic Monkeys- 'AM'.
What a fun and rocking album this one is!

Arctic Monkeys- 'R U Mine?'



Chvrches- 'The bones of what you believe':

I love this album, so much so that when it is over, I smile and find myself asking myself, 'Hmm that was good, should I play it again?'.  They are from Glasglow and make brilliant mature synth pop.. oh, and you need to hear them!

Chvrches-'The mother we share'




Melody's Echo Chamber- 'Melody's Echo Chamber':

This Lp was produced by Kevin Parker from Tame Impala... and you can tell, in a good way.
I do especially love the track 'Quand Vas Tu Rentrer' and am reminded if it being on my i-pod as i traveled by buss across the Netherlands!  I seem to think I may have posted this previously, but it is well worth another post anyway!

Melody's Echo Chamber-'Quand Vas Tu Rentrer'



Goldfrapp- 'Tales of us'. I know this due are know for their uptempo numbers, but this Lp is more low-key loveliness similar to their LP 'Seventh tree'.
I am posting a live version of the track. If you don't know already, then prepare to hear a beautiful and amazing voice!

Goldfrapp- 'Annabel (live on Jools holland)':


The Smith St Band- 'no one gets lost anymore'.
A local band that is noisy and catchy and I wish them well! There are often great lines in their tracks, like these ones from 'The best friend I ever had' - 'I was dying for a cigarette like I didn't know they would kill me..'.. &  '...and your mum's boyfriend called me trash, but that's ok cause you don't call him dad, you just call him when you want some cash, or to make somebody feel bad...'   .

The Smith St Band-'The best friend I ever had': 

I do also love this 'sold out' cheeky T-Shirt of theirs-'Mock meat isn't murder':

Lubomyr Melnyk - 'Corollaries'.
I was listening to 'the quiet space' on radio national late on night and heard a piece from  Lubomyr Melnyk's new LP 'Corollaries' and thought, I have to buy this, it is beautiful. I had never heard of him before.

Taken straight from Wikipedia 'Lubomyr Melnyk (born December 22, 1948) is a composer and pianist who pioneered "continuous music" which requires a totally new technique of piano playing, based on extremely rapid notes and note-series that create a "tapestry of sound" usually with the sustain pedal held down to generate overtones and sympathetic resonances. These overtones blend or clash according to the harmonic changes. The technique of mastering his complex note patterns and speeds makes his music difficult for the normal pianist. Melnyk's personal sense of harmony and melodic flow often create a sombre, stately effect. He writes mostly for the piano although several chamber and orchestral works exist.'

Lubomyr Melnyk- 'A warmer place'

Darkness and Light: 'The happiest days of my life' & 'A post for Lou Reed'.

I thought we would take a short break from the holiday blog posts this week, just for this week. I was going to post a piece of writing titled 'The happiest days of my life'. A piece that is filled with darkness and light and then the news came on about Lou Reed's death. I then wanted to post some of his music as a remembrance of him, partly because I love so many of his songs and partly because I was shocked that many people did not know who he was. Much like the man himself, Lou Reed's music is filled with darkness and light... As I thought about this, the realisation came that it might be fitting to have both prose and ode to Lou in the one post.


Part 1:

'The happiest days of my life'

I want to say that the time
I was with you,
was the happiest time
of my life.

But that would be untrue.

Is it clichéd to say, that
we clung to each other
like drowning men
cling to floating debris?

I want to say that the happiest days of my life
were the days we spent together,
not the days we fought
or hated each other
venomously.

Nor the days
we planned and schemed
our next victory against the other,

but the days
in between.

Those precious
few days in between.

Even then,
happiness
is too strong a word
to describe the calm relief,
the respite from
our constant war.

I can say,
that there were moments with you,
which were the happiest moments
of my life.

And in all honesty,
they were.

For all the shit,
all the hurt
and the spite,
we still had these moments

that were so beautiful
they kept us together
for (much, much) longer
than we should have been.

copyright matthew schiavello 2013


Part 2:

Lou Reed.

Lou Reed died this week, on October 27th, aged 71. He was a prickly character who wrote songs (sometimes about characters), that influenced many, myself included. If  being part of the Velvet Underground wasn't enough, Lou Reed had a long solo career and also collaborated with other artists. His catalogue included tracks like; Walk on the wild side, Waiting for the man, Sweet Jane, Rock and Roll, Heroin, Venus in Furs, Perfect Day, Vicious, Dirty Blvd, Romeo had Juliet.. to name but a few.

For those of us who know and love him and for those who don't know his music, here is a small selection of Lou Reed's work. May he rest in piece:

From the 1972 Lp- 'Transformer' here is the wonderful track 'Walk on the wild side'. With so many great lines, rather than pick one to type up, I'd ask instead that you just listen repeatedly. Brilliant story telling and a kick arse bass line (As a Tribe called quest once asked, 'can we kick it? yes we can!'):



Another track off the 1972 Lp- 'Transformer', is the beautiful 'Perfect day'. Heartbreaking lines like 'Such perfect day, you made me forget myself, I thought I was someone else, someone good.':



From 1988's 'New York' is this great tune 'Dirty Boulevard', with lyrics that force you to question critically:
 'This room cost 2,000 dollars a month
you can believe it man it's true
somewhere a landlord's laughing till he wets his pants
No one here dreams of being a doctor or a lawyer or anything
they dream of dealing on the dirty boulevard

Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll piss on 'em
that's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death
and get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard.'':
 


From the Velvet Underground days, here are a couple of tunes.

Off 1967's 'The Velvet Underground and Nico' comes 'Waiting for the man. A song all about trying to score drugs':


From 1970's lp 'Loaded', here is the track 'Sweet Jane'. A song covered by many, for obvious reasons...How can you not sing along to lines like '... anyone who has a heart, wouldn't want to turn around and break it.....':



If you liked any of these tracks and had no idea who Lou Reed was.. go out and explore his musical legacy. If you loved the Velvet Underground tracks, go out buy the early records and put them on repeat, maybe you might be inspired to go out and start a rock and roll band like so many others!



next week..more holiday adventures!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue- Sept 2013

It has been a while since I have shared some  music!

Something Old:

Frank Sinatra's 1956 Lp 'Songs for Swingin' Lovers' is a album filled with one great tune after an other. I have played it over the years and never tire of it. A true sign of a classic album.


Frank Sinatra- 'You make me feel so young':



You am I- the Lp 'Hourly Daily' is a relatively modern classic album and has been re-released recently to celebrate 20 years since You am I's debut Lp  'Sound as Ever', was originally released.
A track off the Hourly Daily Lp, which has a swear word in it, is this simple and honest track 'Please don't ask me to smile'.

You am I-'Please don't ask me to smile'



Something New:

This is a group I want to like, but haven't really heard anything that has grabbed me... I don't mind this new tune though.

Fuck Buttons- 'The Red Wing'



I like this track off the Pet Shop boy's new Dance Album, 'electric'. I do have to admit,, that tt is sometimes on the ipod, as I dance/walk my way to work.

Pet Shop Boys- 'Vocal'



I read a bit of hype about the new Boards of Canada Lp, a "return to form", Blah, blah, blah.. who would have thought they were right? It is great and I have it on vinyl.

Boards of Canada- 'Reach for the Dead'






Something Borrowed:
A couple of Aussie groups/artists in Triple J's 'like a version, covering overseas tracks.

I love San Cisco, I think they sound great and yes i am still meaning to buy their debut album. I actually prefer their cover of Daft Punks 'Get lucky', to the original. Maybe fast forward to the 1:13 mark, to miss all the chat

San Cisco: 'Get Lucky'




Ash Grunwald and Andy and Scott from The Living End are joined by Urthboy to cover  'Feel Good Inc' by Gorillaz. Again, maybe fast forward to the 1:16 mark, to miss all the chat:




Something Blue:

Only because this clip has some wonderful blue lighting!

Cold war kids: 'Lost that easy'

New images and descriptions - Sept 2010

I thought I'd post a handful of newer images that have been on various sites and people may or may not have seen. I generally don't like to talk too much about my images, I rather that people like or don't like them for what they personally get from engaging with the image/s. I like that sometimes the title is enough to hint at what may or could be. I like that 10 different people viewing an image can come away with 25 or more different interpretations.  However, after a discussing a few images with a couple of different friends, who keep saying, I like it, but what is it.. and then upon talking about the image, my friends would often react with "woah, I liked it before, but love it so much more now...' I thought I would cheekily provided a comment or two about a few of my new images.

I came across a wall in a grotty door way, off a grotty lane. I have to say that It didn't stink, unlike most doorways I find myself in. Someone had stenciled the word 'dunce' in several places on the wall. I captured a couple of images and then found this one, where presumably someone else had covered the stencil, as if to hide it, I imagined that perhaps it was an act of shame, or perhaps an act of  frustration or defiance, stating "I am not stupid!' Perhaps they covered it up because the felt it inane?  I was initially going to title the piece "I am not!'.. but felt it might be too angry, so instead and because of what was hidden underneath the beautiful black line work I decided to call this piece:
                                       
                                                 'the hidden untruth' 

These next layers of graffiti on a wall, reminded me of wet grey and miserable winter afternoons, but in a melancholic and beautiful way. You know that feeling where the greyness of the outside world seems to evoke a sad greyness in ourselves. As I stood there, I suddenly found myself remembering rain running down windows and the washed out colour and life of wet winter afternoons. I tried writing out variations of the text in English but then realised that the German translation ‘Winternachmittagen’, suited the piece perfectly, well for me anyway.:

                                               ‘Winternachmittagen’

These next two images are part of a group of photographs I took of the reflections of people. I really liked how the extension of their reflections created a sense of something else. Idea's of togetherness, separateness, connectedness and disconnectedness came to my mind when I saw these. I like how the reflections in the top photograph, despite being separate shadows, suggest a connectedness in the way they complimented one another:


                                                 'Reflections at NGV #113'

                                                                  'Reflections at NGV #94'

I stumbled across the below scene as I was running late to meet a friend, but I had to stop and take a photo. The pitted wall looked bullet riddled and the red 'dripping' dot lead me to wonder if the 'you' in  'you are here'  represented our ideals and beliefs. I wondered if in some way the frantic shifting pace of the modern world was at risk of whisking us up and off our feet and dragging us along in group thought, in doing so, executing our individualness. Suddenly our precious individual thoughts were being blindfolded, lined up and 'ready, aim...... fire!'. Now replaced with unthinking, unreflective and unquestioning  and group-think.
There are so many ways an image or scene can be imagined and interpreted and in fact this may simply be a cool image stating the obvious, that ' you are here'.

I had a late brunch/lunch with my brother and brother in-law. At lunch they joked about which television couple they were like and who was the 'boss' in their relationship... yes, one was Bert and one was Ernie.  Not long after this I took this photograph. I felt the two smaller circular images in the lower left of the image were these two in essence. Sometimes one holds the other up on their shoulders and sometimes it is the other way around.  The indistinguishableness about them both symbolises the equality between them. The larger image at the top of the photograph symbolizes our patriarchal fathers and what we learn from them/him about how we as men must act/behave. How we as men must be the 'boss' in the relationship and take control, using violence if necessary to force our partners to submit to our wills, because that is what is 'right' and what has been handed down from father to son for generations. In this image, as the father figure watches over and 'guides' then, they look out and away, reflecting upon the relevance of the past knowledge and understandings that have been handed down, in their new and modern world.

                                                          'Chris & Edo #105'

All photographs copyright matthew schiavello 2013