Tuesday, April 09, 2013
The National - Demons
New song by The National. Thoughts?
When I think of you in the city,
The sight of you among the sites.
I get this sudden sinking feeling,Of a man about to fly.Never kept me up before,Now I’ve been awake for days.I can’t fight it anymore,I’m going through an awkward phase.I am secretly in love with,Everyone that I grew up with.Do my crying underwater,I can’t get down any farther.All my drowning friends can see,Now there is no running from it.It’s become the crux of me,I wish that I could rise above it.
But I stay down,With my demons.But I stay down,With my demons
Passing buzzards in the sky,Alligators in the sewers.I don’t even wonder why,Hide among the under views.Huddle with them all night long,The worried talk to god goes on.I sincerely tried to love it,Wish that I could rise above it.
But I stay down,With my demons.I stay down,With my demonsI stay down,With my demons.I stay down,With my demonsI stay down,With my demons
Can I stay here? I can sleepon the floorpaint the blood and hang the palms,On the door.Do not think I’m going places anymore,Wanna see the sun come up above New York.Oh, everyday I start so great,Then the sunlight dips.Less I’ve learned,The more I see the pythons and the limbs.Do not know what’s wrong with me,Sours in the cup.When I walk into a room,I do not light it up.Fuck.
So I stay down,With my demonsI stay down,With my demonsI stay down,With my demonsI stay down,With my demons
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Ben Quilty - After Afghanistan
Last Thursday I managed to get in
to see Ben Quilty's exhibition After Afghanistan. Housed in Sydney's old Darlinghurst gaol,
(operational from 1841 - 1921 and at one stage home to Australian poet Henry Lawson),
the exhibition is a result of Quilty's experience as the official war artist,
commissioned by the Australian War Memorial and attached to the Australian
Defence Force. In October 2011, Quilty spent a month with Australian soldiers
in Afghanistan. His task was to record and interpret the experiences of
Australians deployed as part of Operation Slipper in Kabul, Kandahar, and Tarin
Kot in Afghanistan and at Al Minhad Airbase in the United Arab Emirates.
For his official war artist commission, Quilty has created large-scale portraits that focus on the intense physicality of these soldiers and on the emotional and psychological consequences of their service. Part of the exhibition includes a looping video of the episode of Australian Story that covered Quilty's trip to Afghanistan. The episode includes interviews with many of the subjects of Quilty's portraits. Seeing these men and women speak about their experiences in Afghanistan and about the process of visiting Quilty's art studio to pose for paintings increases the sense of both connection and familiarity that one feels with the portraits when you go through the exhibition.
As the name of the exhibition suggests, Quilty's portraits focus on the human consequences of Australia's military engagement in Afghanistan. In doing so, he does not shy away from suggesting that the major consequence is one of confusion, doubt, loss and brokenness. There is no glorification of the modern soldier, or even any concessionary nod to the necessity of war. The major theme I found myself looking at was one of 'damage'. And upon reflection, the fact that the Australian Government or Defence Force has not sought to bury these images is refreshing - and should be applauded. (In the exhibition, Quilty himself reveals his concern that, in showing these soldiers as he sees them, he might be putting the 'official war artist' position at risk). Far from being buried however, Quilty's paintings are on public display, and are free of charge. What's more, they will travel around the country as part of a national tour. One wonders whether such honest depictions of men returning from Lone Pine would have been so readily (and officially) championed.
- [If the suspense generated by that last rhetorical statement is just too much for you to handle, a quick scan of the work of the official war artists for the First World War on the Australian War Memorial's website reveals that the answer is most probably 'no'. In contrast to Quilty's work, there is a distinct focus on 'duty' and 'sacrifice' rather than 'damage' and 'futility'.] -
For his official war artist commission, Quilty has created large-scale portraits that focus on the intense physicality of these soldiers and on the emotional and psychological consequences of their service. Part of the exhibition includes a looping video of the episode of Australian Story that covered Quilty's trip to Afghanistan. The episode includes interviews with many of the subjects of Quilty's portraits. Seeing these men and women speak about their experiences in Afghanistan and about the process of visiting Quilty's art studio to pose for paintings increases the sense of both connection and familiarity that one feels with the portraits when you go through the exhibition.
As the name of the exhibition suggests, Quilty's portraits focus on the human consequences of Australia's military engagement in Afghanistan. In doing so, he does not shy away from suggesting that the major consequence is one of confusion, doubt, loss and brokenness. There is no glorification of the modern soldier, or even any concessionary nod to the necessity of war. The major theme I found myself looking at was one of 'damage'. And upon reflection, the fact that the Australian Government or Defence Force has not sought to bury these images is refreshing - and should be applauded. (In the exhibition, Quilty himself reveals his concern that, in showing these soldiers as he sees them, he might be putting the 'official war artist' position at risk). Far from being buried however, Quilty's paintings are on public display, and are free of charge. What's more, they will travel around the country as part of a national tour. One wonders whether such honest depictions of men returning from Lone Pine would have been so readily (and officially) championed.
- [If the suspense generated by that last rhetorical statement is just too much for you to handle, a quick scan of the work of the official war artists for the First World War on the Australian War Memorial's website reveals that the answer is most probably 'no'. In contrast to Quilty's work, there is a distinct focus on 'duty' and 'sacrifice' rather than 'damage' and 'futility'.] -
One time too many
Put this on and walk somewhere. It will improve your day.
Favourite line: then it's hard to tell who's kind, they do look alike.
Favourite line: then it's hard to tell who's kind, they do look alike.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Footrot Flats
Not sure if anyone is familiar with Footrot Flats.... I used to love it and read the books as a kid. My Aunty had a selection the books at her place, and I remember I could spend hours thumbing through their pages whenever I visited. Somehow I ended up with those books, and I came across them whilst cleaning up the storage room the other day. These two in particular stuck vividly in my memory. I can remember exactly where and how I was when I first read these.
Ah... nostalgia.
Ah... nostalgia.
Saturday, March 09, 2013
Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze
This is the definition of late night lights down earphones listening.
Perfect for that late night drive home through the rain where you look through the droplets on your car windscreen at the people wandering about your city and wonder whether they are as lonely as you are. That's about the time you decide that you are going to paint more.
Some pretty sweet wah-wah-infused noodling in that guitar solo.
Perfect for that late night drive home through the rain where you look through the droplets on your car windscreen at the people wandering about your city and wonder whether they are as lonely as you are. That's about the time you decide that you are going to paint more.
Some pretty sweet wah-wah-infused noodling in that guitar solo.
Thursday, March 07, 2013
Impossible things
“I can’t believe THAT!” said Alice.
"Can’t you?” said the Queen in a pitying tone.
“Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”
Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said, “one can’t believe impossible things.”
"I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!”
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Augie March - There's No Such Place
I recently decided to set up an itunes alarm on my computer and set it to random so that every morning I wake to a different song. It's always something of a lottery. Some mornings, it's The National. Others, it's John Denver. Once, it was 'Learn to speak spanish: lesson 1'.
This morning I woke up to this gentle melancholy number. 'There's no Such Place' by Australian band Augie March. What a nostalgic little gem.
I lay in bed, watching the last droplets of early morning rain slip and slide their way down my bedroom window, a final dance to their resting place. Through the window, clouds of fog hugged the Canberra mountains. And below them, the absence of traffic marked the sound of a city still asleep.
There is no such place, o yes I have seen it too
Just a little different from how you do,
A river winding blue among the dunes and a marble bed
A sun that doesn't set but settles.
There is no such place.
If I lower mine to yours would you kiss me on the face?
If you're looking for an unmarked place,
There is no such place -
Blasted in appearance and a composite of fearful minutes
Frozen in the waking instant
Longing, things I long for,
Peaceful nights, strangers at the door,
O come in, come in,
You've been here before.
Impossible not to wake up feeling a little pensive.
This morning I woke up to this gentle melancholy number. 'There's no Such Place' by Australian band Augie March. What a nostalgic little gem.
I lay in bed, watching the last droplets of early morning rain slip and slide their way down my bedroom window, a final dance to their resting place. Through the window, clouds of fog hugged the Canberra mountains. And below them, the absence of traffic marked the sound of a city still asleep.
There is no such place, o yes I have seen it too
Just a little different from how you do,
A river winding blue among the dunes and a marble bed
A sun that doesn't set but settles.
There is no such place.
If I lower mine to yours would you kiss me on the face?
If you're looking for an unmarked place,
There is no such place -
Blasted in appearance and a composite of fearful minutes
Frozen in the waking instant
Longing, things I long for,
Peaceful nights, strangers at the door,
O come in, come in,
You've been here before.
Impossible not to wake up feeling a little pensive.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tropfest winner 2010 - Shock
It being Tropfest season, I found myself looking through some of the past winners and came across this one from 2010. A great concept piece. One of those short film ideas that is so simple you can practically teack the film back through the creative process to the point of conception. As in: "I reckon shock jocks must just spend every moment they are not on air crying." Yep. There's your Tropfest winning film right there.
For the Moody Christmas fans you might recognise a young Patrick Brammall.
For the Moody Christmas fans you might recognise a young Patrick Brammall.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Saturday, February 09, 2013
Ryan Adams - Lucky Now
I'm confused about Ryan Adams. I can't tell whether he's really good, or just a really mediocre song writer with an awesome band. Sometimes his writing is incredibly lazy ('Waiting outside for you to find your keys / Like bags of trash in the blackening snow' - why the?). Other times I think, this is a man who just writes from the heart, without the need to overstate anything. ('So buy a pretty dress / Wear it out tonight / For all the boys you think could outdo me')
This is the man who wrote Sylvia Plath, Easy Plateau, Magnolia Mountain, My Winding Wheel, and Shadowlands. Worthy, beautiful music. But he's also got a sizeable catalogue of really average music, a lot of which has the stench of a man desperate to fulfill his record label contract. One could say, Mayeresque?
Sometimes he manages to fit awesome and mediocre into the same song. Take his latest single 'Lucky Now', which essentially comprises a drunken ramble during the verses, only to smash out an incredibly listenable chorus and an even better guitar solo (see earlier comments about him perhaps being saved by his band?).
I imagine turning up to band rehearsal must be quite the roller coaster. "Wow! Ryan! That was awesome. Love it! What else have you got?... Oh... Uh huh.... ok. what else? .... hmmmm.... Well... Um... yeah.... we can work with that...Yeah, that'll be ok once we whack a few guitar solos on ... What else?... Um. Ok... Lets take a break."
This is the man who wrote Sylvia Plath, Easy Plateau, Magnolia Mountain, My Winding Wheel, and Shadowlands. Worthy, beautiful music. But he's also got a sizeable catalogue of really average music, a lot of which has the stench of a man desperate to fulfill his record label contract. One could say, Mayeresque?
Sometimes he manages to fit awesome and mediocre into the same song. Take his latest single 'Lucky Now', which essentially comprises a drunken ramble during the verses, only to smash out an incredibly listenable chorus and an even better guitar solo (see earlier comments about him perhaps being saved by his band?).
I imagine turning up to band rehearsal must be quite the roller coaster. "Wow! Ryan! That was awesome. Love it! What else have you got?... Oh... Uh huh.... ok. what else? .... hmmmm.... Well... Um... yeah.... we can work with that...Yeah, that'll be ok once we whack a few guitar solos on ... What else?... Um. Ok... Lets take a break."
Friday, February 01, 2013
Bon Iver - I can't make you love me
And for the broodier amongst you... this moocher from Bon Iver. What's that? Your brain hurts? Yeah, he'll do that.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Passau
Some more photos from my trip to Europe last year. These ones of Passau, in southern Germany. Home to Till, Kiki and (future emperor of the EU) Paul Zimmermann.
Anais Mitchell - Young Man in America
So - I'm a little obsessed with this singer. I'm sorry, but any song that starts with...
The album version of Young Man in America is here, but I've chosen a live version performed for NPR Music. The set starts with the Shepherd Song, which I've posted previously. For those short of time, Young Man in America starts at 7:40.
'My mother gave a mighty shout...And then ends with...
opened her legs and let me out...'
'Make me want what i want... has my vote.
Another wayward son
Waiting on oblivion
Waiting on the kingdom come
To meet me in my sin
Waiting to be born again
Mother kiss me cheek or chin
Mmm, a little medecine
Mmm, and then I shed my skin
Mmm, and lemme climb back in the bed you made me in.'
The album version of Young Man in America is here, but I've chosen a live version performed for NPR Music. The set starts with the Shepherd Song, which I've posted previously. For those short of time, Young Man in America starts at 7:40.
Daaaaawniel!
'WHEN you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.'
Flight Facilities - Clair de Lune
Loving this at the moment. Debussy - still kicking goals all over the place.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Little Dragon - Twice
Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic music/downtempo band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996. Yep, 1996, and still going. Sticking at it much?
Beautiful, haunting, worthy music.
And here she is, Yukimi Nagano, born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden to a Japanese father and a Swedish-American mother. Probably couldn't be much cooler.
And here she is, Yukimi Nagano, born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden to a Japanese father and a Swedish-American mother. Probably couldn't be much cooler.
Monday, January 07, 2013
Boxing day under the bridge
In something of a Pender/Carew tradition, Boxing Day afternoon usually involves a trundle down to Kirribilli, a football, a walk around the water, and fish and chips under the bridge. It was one of those summer afternoons when the sun just seems to lean back in the sky and go on forever. Good times.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
