father washington you're all mixed up / collecting sinners in an old tin cup

Supertramp

There are a lot of bands that have sell-out albums and top-ten hits which "define their sound", and then quietly slip in songs which are often less popular, tending to be more reflective, sometimes but not universally with a greater acoustic emphasis, and with a strange aura of melancholy. If say Beatles, chances are you will say Hey Jude in reply, ahead of Golden Slumbers or Carry That Weight.

This divergence is very obvious in Supertramp. I say Supertramp, and you scream back Logical Song, but the song I'm sharing, A Soapbox Opera, is far-removed from that hit's massive popularity.

A tinkling piano, an introduction incorporating the frantic words of a protester against fascism, and effective string articulation: if this song was a property it would be anything but a "renovator's dream", and I can't sell it any harder than that.

Supertramp - A Soapbox Opera

Beach Boys

I say Beach Boys. You say, "pay less; pay cash!"

But these three songs are from one of their earliest albums, Smile, and are far removed from the heady extravaganza of Pet Sounds. While their trademark assembly of harmony runs all the way through, in their earlier work there is a sense of delayed grandeur, of plucked strings and of muffled drums. Enjoy.

The Beach Boys - Surf's Up

The Beach Boys - Three Blind Mice

The Beach Boys - Child is the Father of the Man


Joy Division, inter alia...

Strangely enough, people often ask me what music I listen to, and while the list I provide is often eclectic, its always "good". But what does this mean?

For a start, anything I post on here is something that I consider worthwhile. Yet there must be a further definition, some essential quality.

While thinking about this I stumbled across the touchscreens in Melbourne Grammar's Learning and Leadership Centre, and, noticing someone had figured out a way to get the internal speakers to play, looked up a live drumless version of Videotape Thom Yorke recorded. In doing so I stumbled on a quote of his which perfectly sums up what I think music and musicians should be about.

"It's a fine line between writing something with genuine emotional impact and turning into little idiots feeling sorry for ourselves and playing stadium rock." - Thom Yorke

Hear that Chris Martin? This definition works so well. The difference between good and bad music is one between a song full of hollow, meaningless lyrics that spin out a maudlin story (usually involving the proverbial "her/she") and a song in which the musicians are deeply involved, in which the singer has made an emotional investment and the others are trying their best to construct their sound around it so that it is brought to life.

Ian Curtis

But that doesn't mean you have to be depressed.

Joy Division - No Love Lost

While Radiohead and Joy Division are both great examples of this difference, you can look at a band like Of Montreal, whose costume changes match their constantly metamorphosising tempos, and get the same effect coming across. Segue into...

George and Jack from Oligarchical Machinations went to Of Montreal at the Hi-Fi Bar the other night, and while I assume they'll be writing an in-depth review sometime this long weekend, in the meanwhile here's a guest Haiku Review of the night, written by George for here:

electrorhythmic

a psychosexual zoo

sublime surrender

- George

But yeah, music.

We had an earthquake here in Melbourne last night; 4.6 on the Richter Scale, as an aside.

I came to the world unrehearsed

but I've learnt some things