Smaller Servings
Lost Courses 2008
Featuring: Major Major, Drawn From Bees, Pomomofo, Anika Moa, Streetlight, Reptiles, St Helens, Will Stoker & The Embers, Anni Rossi, Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!, The Weekend People
Written by: Steve Scully
Published: Jan 27th '09
In this business, it’s hard to escape oversight. Over the past year or so, I’ve taken on the responsibility for this ‘Smaller Servings’ feature with two hands. Unfortunately, with only two hands, a few rather nice little EPs and Singles have eluded me: they’ve slipped through the gaps, found their way to the bottom of the ever-growing pile, or been left to sweat away in the boot of my car. Whatever their fate, or the journey these brave little plastic fellows have taken over their life so far, I am here to breathe some life back into some of the overlooked. And so, for you: a collection of 2008’s lost servings – the forgotten Courses from the feast that was 2008. Some are good, others regrettable, but all worthy of at least a sentence or two.
Major Major – Great Leagues
Indra Adams (of Ground Components and DJ fame) has produced this Melbourne rock band’s rather impressive EP of sea-shanties, folk songs and harmony-ridden ditties, and it’s a welcome return to the scene for this superlative gent. Major Major are appearing at a Melbourne venue near you (if you’re in Melbourne), and their EP suggests they’re honing quite a nice mono-thematic sound, i.e. aquatic references abound. Avast!
Drawn From Bees – The Boy & The Ocean
Their EP adorned with fancy packaging and tracks labeled ‘(entre)’ and ‘(exeunt)’, you could be mistaken for thinking Drawn From Bees are far more pretentious a band than they actually are: despite their influence-heavy approach to songwriting, which works best on the lovely Muse-type number ‘Ready to Explode’, they’ve got a very nice feel for dynamic, powerful, albeit simple rock arrangements.
Pomomofo – In Super VGA
With songs called ‘Tamagotchi Girl’ and ‘Just Cos It’s French’, it’s obvious where Pomomofo are coming from… that’s if their EP’s title didn’t make it blatant enough. All techno-80s-pop, they somewhat parodically approach electro music with bleeps and bloops and a rather rudimentary understanding of the genre. It takes a brave band operating in the electronic-rock genre to utter the phrase “Just cos it’s French doesn’t mean it’s cool,” especially in the age of Daft Punk-, Justice- and Phoenix-crazy kids worldwide.
Anika Moa – ‘Dreams in My Head’
Anika has dreams in her head… who would have thought? I, personally, have dreams elsewhere. This is a boring little acoustic, country pop track that, sitting at 3 minutes 32 seconds, is far too long. It takes about that long to make some toast. Make toast instead.
Streetlight – Wolf Notes
Loud, ballsy stuff from Inertia’s new favourites… unfortunately, they’re vying for a similar spot to the likes of Children Collide (although they’re less interesting) and Airbourne (although they’re a little better). This is nothing but riff-heavy and basic rock, but somewhat shiny and attractive at the same time; ‘Red Sunrise’ is a particularly good number, but ‘Vietnam’ lets the team down thanks to heavy-handed, Aussie-as-hell anti-war balladry.
Reptiles – Smell My Skin
Oppressive and guttural, Reptiles realize that “smell my skin” is perhaps the most uninviting invitation possible, and write music accordingly. They’re like The Drones if they liked uppers instead of downers and had a little less imagination; from start to finish, Smell My Skin is a relentless and powerful punk-grunge cocktail.
St Helens – ‘Get Up’
Another Melbourne band; another short, sharp retro number full of messy harmonies, rather ad hoc guitar parts and drudging bass and piano. This is the second time in as many paragraphs I’ve referenced The Drones, but it seems their genius is rubbing off on the Australian music scene at last – light-on for finesse, but full to the brim with guts and downbeat, depressive poeticism.
Will Stoker & The Embers – ‘Five Beds for Bitsy’
Too much Nick Cave in Mr Stoker’s diet, I think.
Anni Rossi – Afton
How to describe Anni Rossi? Joanna Newsom + Andrew Bird, perhaps. Extraordinarily, unnecessarily quirky stuff, but very enjoyably so: if you can’t be bothered picking up Afton – which I urge you to do, if only for the beautifully rendered freak-folk of ‘Wheelpusher’ – check out Ms Rossi’s musings at www.annirossisgoodtimes.blogspot.com.... really, she’s rather adorable.
Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! – ‘War Coward’
Two exclamation marks and a comma might seem normal to you, but it makes me a little uneasy. Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! are about as subtle as their name suggests – their music is full of exclamation marks and commas, with stilted guitars making for as far from fluent a listening experience as possible.
The Weekend People – ‘Murder on the Mind’
How very pleasant The Weekend People are: acoustic guitars and echoing, reverbed-up vocals open ‘Murder on the Mind’, which builds gradually and predictably to a nice, big crescendo. It’s a very tame, and altogether inoffensive number from a band destined for ‘Lazy Sunday’ compilations and Sunday-morning festival slots. Weekend People indeed.
