Sometimes you don’t need much to capture a very large space. All I Can See manages to do that with a lilting, almost haunting feel and an introduction not that far removed from Paul Simon’s Sounds of Silence. In this case that void of endless silence was Australia’s outback and it became the inspiration for the song when Melbourne band Amarillo toured throughout the remote … [Read more...]
Revolver – The Beatles
In a few days time this landmark album will notch up its 50th birthday and while that milestone might be seen by some as “old” this extraordinary record still sounds fresh to these (ageing) ears. Whether it’s the best album the Fab 4 ever released as many believe is too close to call for me when The Beatles (white album) and Abbey Road are also taken into account. But without a … [Read more...]
Look Sharp! – Joe Jackson
Is She Really Going Out With Him? is the breakthrough hit from Look Sharp! that introduced the world to Joe Jackson, and while I quickly became a fan of that song it wasn’t enough to make me buy the album. As a new, previously unheard of artist he could have been just another 1 hit wonder for all I knew – there seemed to be so many of them on the radio around that time. I … [Read more...]
Cleopatra – The Lumineers
I like these guys. I really do. There’s a simplicity in their music that is somewhat deceptive, because while they write these contagiously likeable melodies there is much greater depth in the honesty of their lyrics. For that reason the Lumineers owe more to folk as a genre than rock n roll. The back story on this band began with two guys – Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah … [Read more...]
Elevator Operator – Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett is an interesting phenomenon. Whilst certainly not yet a household name, she commands the respect of her peers, the music press and many fans, including the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon. With just one album and a couple of EP’s under her belt she has already played major musical festivals like Glastonbury and been nominated for Grammy, Brit and … [Read more...]