‘Seizure music’ specialists Knife Party left no question of their crowd-pulling clout at Future Music Festival this year, and now the juggernaut is rolling on with the release of the duo’s second EP, Rage Valley. After a delay to the release date while Knife Party buffed and polished their handiwork, the EP will be available on iTunes and all other digital stores from Monday 4 June.
“Despite the leaked versions roaming about, the new ones are much, much better,” the guys announced recently. How’d you like a listen? We’ve secured the Australian exclusive preview of the four tracks – Rage Valley, Centipede, Bonfire and Sleaze. While the full versions are still being kept tightly under-wraps, this should be a worthy primer. Try before you buy…
Arriving at the Sydney Entertainment Centre I was feeling sick with the excitement of experiencing my first live concert at age 13 and the fact that I was going to be seeing my favourite band, Florence + The Machine only added to my nausea!! The crowded foyer was filled with eclectic fans moving around everywhere. There was a freaky, nervous atmosphere; a buzz which, combined with the intense electronica sounds of Blood Orange, could be heard from inside the venue. The energy was making me desperate to get to my seat. I hurried my Mum along and was overwhelmed when we settled down, centre-stage right behind the mosh pit. Blood Orange was so loud and the hysteria was growing and we knew it wasn’t long before Florence Welch and her “machine” would be coming on stage.
After much anticipation, finally the lights were out and then the dark shadows of Florence, Isabella and other members of the group appeared on stage. As they began to play “Only If for a Night” the screaming became deafening and I thought the roof was going to fall in on us. Florence’s powerful and unique voice was just incredible to hear live. The music was bouncing off the walls and together with the amazing lighting and projections on the Art Deco styled back-drop of the stage, it gave a truly ceremonial, unearthly feel. When the 3rd song “Between Two Lungs” came on, the stage turned deep purple and blue and large lung shapes were illuminated on the screen. Mum asked me if I was crying and I couldn’t deny that my eyes were watering as I was all choked up. The lights were flashing like crazy to the beat of the drums and I was just so overwhelmed.
As the first sustained note of “Shake it Out” was played, an eerie quiet washed through the audience.The stage had changed and then burst into an inferno of blazing colour as the crowd also erupted and joined in – totally awesome! Every song was just spectacular and Florence looked stunning. When she threw off her cape, she revealed what appeared to be a black body suit with gold trim that looked like armour.Her energy was infectious as she skipped back and forth across the stage and when she sang “Dog Days Are Over”, everyone was totally into it, clapping and jumping up and down in unison.
Florence is so creative and has an incredible voice.I feel so inspired by her music and my first concert will be a memory that remains with me for my whole life!I didn’t want it to end but I was lucky enough to have her squeeze my hand and sign my ticket as she left after the concert and we were making our way to the car-park.
Written by Charlotte Clare
(Main photo by Prudence Upton)
A-MAY-ZINE
I know what you tell your friends; “Cool Accidents is the best online blo-” Let me stop you there. I don’t know if you know this mates, but Cool Accidents has actually been putting out a physical zine, I don’t know, every few months or so. We’ve got some friends who help us out every now and then who you might already know. This time our good buds Django Django, Justice, Selah Sue, Santigold, Charlie XCX, Simone Felice and plenty more have written some junk for us. It reads real good and it looks mad better. The only thing better than a physical zine though, is a physical zine gone digital, you feel me?
Keep your eyes peeled for the limited edition hard-copy which can be found in most good record stores round Australia and a select few cafes. The thing is pressed with a delightful matte finish and looks a million dollars.
Janelle Monáe - Sydney Opera House, Live Review - 27.05.2012
Afro-futurist Janelle Monáe put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in my life, this last Sunday night. I’m not bandying words here, I mean it. This is for real. I don’t even know where to start, there were so many conflicting elements that it almost defies cohesion yet someone that beautiful, talented, small, talented lady made me all rubber legged as I stood there (seated show, standing patrons, you feel me?) glorying in the bizarro-soul production of the whole extravaganza.
Thing was big. We’re talking brass section, strings, dancers, guitarist replete with GHD straightened locks and 70s tash, and a keyboardist with no less that four keyboards surrounding him. But the basslines, oh the basslines. Dude’s fingers walked up and down the neck of that thing like my barber’s uncomfortably familiar hands. If you’re not familiar with Janelle Monáe then this is going to be a big moment in your musical life-history. She fills a space somewhere between R&B and funk but attends to a fixation on the futuristic. Her debut full length is 70 epic minutes that follow the exploits of spiritual robotics - no joke - and features her most well known single ‘Tightrope’ (feat. Outkast’s Big Boi). The record has been remarkably well received with radio play the world over as well as a startling 8.5 rating from renowned hate-merchants Pitchfork. But it’s the live show we’re here to talk about and so we shall.
She came on stage, heralded by our MC for the evening, just one more member of Monáe’s sizeable entourage and from the first note it was clear that she was angling for stadium spectacular in her delivery. She played a fair chuck of Archandroid, throwing in a James Bond Medley (‘Goldfinger’, ‘You Only Live’ Twice) for good measure as well as the Jackson Five’s ‘I Want you Back’ which transitioned the captive crowd from enraptured to overjoyed. ‘Tightrope’ proved to be the highlight of the set, as expected, if only for one of the most absurd basslines I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Where the record pointed at her own techical proficiency as a voice and as a songwriter, the extravagance of the live show made clear that she’s a band leader in the truest sense. Monáe channeled James Brown in her call and returns, even going so far as to don Brown’s pre-splits cape, though the move itself proved too much to hope for. For the short of attention Monáe provided a few cheaper, though no less interesting frills. She painted a picture (literally. on canvas. she then gave this to an audience member whose birthday it was was, at the end of the show) while belting through a track. She was attacked by her masked dancers and proceeded to shoot them down. She and her band lay unmoving on the floor for a full five minutes before exploding upwards into action once more. For the full 90 minutes my attention couldn’t waver.
I’m seeing Sufjan play this wednesday day night. I’ve seen him each time he’s been out these last few years and he’s one of my very favourite, if not my favourite artist of all-time. The Janelle show was as good as any time I’ve seen Sufjan. There’s a fact. For a taste, markedly just a taste, watch the video below. It’s about a hundredth as good as the real thing, but perhaps it’ll whet your appetite for the next time she graces our shores.
Disco and dancefloor legends Donna Summer and Robin Gibb both passed away recently so we wanted to take time out to pay our respect and put together a post that highlights a whole bunch of contemporary dance music that is helping keep the tradition of disco alive.
First up is The Guardian’s selection of the top 5 modern disco tracks followed by our very own Cool Accidents sampler of our fave nu disco jams and finally we have brand new business from one of the flag bearers of the modern day disco movement Ms Kylie Minogue.
For proof of disco music’s continuing influence, check out these recent songs that owe a huge debt to the dancefloors of the late 70s
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake (2003)
Initially intended for Michael Jackson, this slinky, Neptunes-produced single was, says co-creator Chad Hugo, born out of a desire to “make a song that would get people up like in a disco but not be a disco”. Note the word “disco”, not “club”, the venue for most modern day R&B bangers.
Hercules & Love Affair feat Antony Hegarty – Blind (2008)
Taking the best elements of disco – spidery basslines, funk guitars, squelching sax – and adding a soul diva vocal turn from Antony Hegarty, Blind is the epitome of modern disco, all hands in the air euphoria tinged with unshakeable melancholia.
Music Go Music – Warm In The Shadows (2009)
For nine short minutes Warm In The Shadows, LA-based disco trio Music Go Music’s best song, undulates and wriggles over a chugging bassline, rapid funk guitar and the sound of a million disco balls smashing together.
Lindstrøm & Christabelle – Lovesick (2010)
Norwegian producer Lindstrøm is often cited as the figurehead of “space disco”, which, if this collaboration with singer Christabelle is anything to go by, basically means taking the disco template, slowing it all down and making it sound strangely sinister.
Little Boots – Every Night I Say A Prayer (2012)
Always professing a love of disco in interviews, Little Boots put her money where her mouth is on this one-off single released for Record Store Day. Minimal and spacious but with a massive pop chorus, the video also recalls the New York voguing scene, which melded disco and house.
Disco Ain’t Dead!
Further to the Guardian’s selections, check out our picks in the sampler below, we’ve got tracks and remixes from The Scissor Sisters, Mayer Hawthorne, Kimbra, Dimitri From Paris, A-Trak and heaps more.
and finally we have modern day disco diva extraordinaire Kylie Minogue!
MUTEMATH @ The Hi-Fi Sydney 16/5/12
MUTEMATH are perhaps one of the most crucially under appreciated American indie bands of the last decade. The New Orleans quartet have released album after album of forward-thinking, genre-hopping rock, but it’s taken this long to get them down to Australia. Judging by the hysterical reaction of the packed-out Hi-Fi to their arrival, it couldn’t come soon enough. With a solid blend of theatrics, chops and devastatingly good songs, MUTEMATH should be a mandatory study guide for other bands with ten times the following on how to perform and engage an audience.
Perhaps the best part about seeing a band three albums down is hearing how dramatically they’ve progressed since they broke out. Cuts from the most recent Odd Soul are the most aggressive and ambitious, offset by the more conventional numbers from Armistice and their self-titled-debut. But the tendency to move seriously left of centre binds all these pieces together, whether it’s great instrumentation, unique chord structures or bass lines that belong more in jazz than rock. MUTEMATH have built a strong canon, and it fires relentlessly tonight.
The audience lap it up, and so they should; they haven’t been treated to a show this professional in months. And sure, having Paul Meany coast over your hands on an inflatable crowdsurfing mattress is a hilarious and inspired move, but this and other stunts (confetti canons, triple-drumming) are the kind of things lesser bands do to detract from the fact that they’re not very accomplished musically. If they had just stood stock-still and played, everyone would have left happy. That they go above and beyond shows that they love their fans as much as they evidently love practicing and playing together. It’s an early call, but it’s unlikely Sydney will see a more professional, endearing rock show this year.
So today sees the launch of Spotify in Australia and as a result 22 million Australian’s now have the opportunity to access all the music they want legitimately.
There will be a lot of media debate this week about whether Spotify and streaming subscription services will impact iTunes especially since there is a free service - users can listen for free in exchange for listening to three to four minutes of advertising every hour.
But we should be wary not to jump on this bandwagon and look around the world and see where streaming subscription services and iTunes operate together and where iTunes remains the dominant digital service retailer even though Spotify has launched there and been up and running for a while. It is only in markets such as Sweden, where Spotify first launched in 2008 that Spotify is the number one digital contributor – after four years!
As Kate Vale, who heads up Spotify down under cites “Our major competitor and the people we are trying to get onto Spotify are those that are illegally downloading music,” She believes there are about 2.8 million Aussies illegally downloading music every month.
Well if we can encourage 2.8million people to get with the story that music does matter and to start getting music via services that pay artists for their copyrights then that is a great thing!
And look at all the fun we can have with services like Rd.io and Spotify…
You can share tracks via Facebook, twitter in one click
And there are all the apps that are being integrated into Spotify. My favourite of the moment being We are Hunted. All these apps are there to enable us to discover music.
You can create playlists and subscribe to them to get updates…
Here’s some playlists Warner has created for your listening pleasure…follow us on Facebook or Twitter or subscribe via Facebook and we’ll make sure you get to know all the tunes we’re loving as we discover them.
This new “unofficial” video below for Knife Party’s ‘Internet Friends’ surfaced over the weekend. Directed by Thomas Kanschat, it’s pretty damn amazing for a fan made video and comes across looking like a slick big budget production normally reserved for “official” vids
The Knife Party boys even got on twitter posting: “This is so fucking cool… much better then the video we commissioned (and rejected)”.
Never trust a woman scorned!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We wanted to bring to your attention something really shitty, which isn’t really our habit here but occasionally something happens that while it isn’t pleasant, you can help do something about it, which helps negate the bad vibes surely? On Friday night Blackie who is the guitarist from Sydney punk legends The Hard Ons was brutally bashed (in Crows Nest no less) by two teenagers while driving a taxi. This has left him in hospital with a fractured skull and bruising on the brain, as well as facing the prospect of 2 months of no work and cancelled touring.
Now this is a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but given that I grew up on a steady diet of The Hards On’s, AC/DC (the only person to look cooler rocking an SG than Blackie is Angus) and The Sex Pistols, it really struck a chord (probably an open G) with me. The first vinyl I ever bought in my early teens was the “Surfing on my Face” 7 inch, and I owned and still own such gems as “Dickcheese”, “Smell my Finger” and the poptastic “Yummy” which is I guess as close as The Hard On’s had to what the music industry would call a hit. At the time in the 80’s when skinhead bands were all over the place, as well as shitty overproduced disco and new wave, the fact that three young and ethnically diverse snotty little shits from Punchbowl could make such an impact on so many snotty little shits lives was testament to the DIY Scene and their incredible work ethic. I have a heap of personal memories of the Hard On’s that are really important to me…. For example seeing them play at the first venue I booked in Perth just before it was shut down and having crowd surfers tear off part of the roof. Or getting partially knocked out in the mosh pit at the Newport Hotel in Fremantle. Meeting the guys from the band for the first time and kinda freaking out – they are still some of the nicest dudes you could hope to meet, but I don’t think I coped with that too well as for me they walked 8 foot tall and I was not worthy. Watching Ray the bass player get hit with a sneaker at the Big Day Out, and instead of bitching and moaning about it like every other band on the bill seemed to – he filled the sneaker with beer and then drank it. Not sure what the point was, but it was pretty fucking funny. Watching the band play at the first Big Day Out to come to Perth with Jerry A from US legends Poison Idea – Jerry A asking if anyone wanted a beer and then proceeding to peg full cans of VB at the crowd. The Hard On’s were well known all over the world, and probably got more respect in countries like Germany and the US than they did in Australia – watch the Rollins and Hard On’s cover of AC/DC’s “Let there be Rock” below for evidence of that!
I had a great feeling pride a few years ago when in New York and a heavily tattooed NYHC kinda dude offered me $100 for my ratty old Hard On’s shirt – I thought good on ya lads.
Anyway – the point of all this ranting is that not only were the Hard On’s important, it’s that they are STILL important – and that so many of the people who fell in love with their fuzzed out breakneck paced punk rock pop ditties count them as an important part of the musical fabric of this nation. Hard On’s shows are sweaty and beer soaked reminders of what was so good about being young and not caring about much other than having a good time, and we all need that occasionally.
So – this terrible thing happened to Blackie – and there are several ways you can help him out, and more are popping up by the minute. They are taking donations at the Hard On’s Facebook, and the Zombie Dog Entertainment guys have set up a way to donate on their website. Tym’s guitars in Brisbane are auctioning some stuff off as a benefit, and if you feel like rocking, then this Wednesday at The Sando all proceeds from their regular Weds night (not starring Blackie this week unfortunately!) will be going to Blackie, and The Hard On’s are not cancelling their June Annandale show, they are going to do it with a bunch of guests and Keish their original drummer playing guitar and singing – lots of chances for folks to help out and drink beer in the process check out the Hard On’s Facebook page for updates
If you were put at gunpoint, what is your favorite Prince song or the one you wish you’d written?
The Cross…. or… The Beautiful Ones
Off the top of your head, what’s your favorite Prince period?
Being born in the 90s I first discovered Prince in the Musicology era, and have worked my way back into his discography since then. I will always have a love for that record especially as it marked a bit of a new sound for him and the first album to be recorded outside of Minneapolis in many years. I guess that era will always be special for me as it was the first Prince I knew!
You covered I Wanna Be Your Lover live – was there a second choice?
So many choices!! I’d love to cover Thieves in The Temple or Controversy.
How would you sum up the enduring appeal of Prince?
He is an artist who has continually managed to stay relevant, genre defying, boundary pushing and prolific beyond measure while also staying outrageous sexy and strange.
