Various Artists - Songs from Down Under
This week we take our first trip outside of the main box
of cassettes, with a compilation tape my friend Kathy made for me in (I think)
the summer of 2001.
Artist: Various
Album: Songs from Down Under
UK Record Label: N/A
UK Release Date: N/A
UK Single Releases from Album: N/A
A bit of background then: Back in early 2000, I happened
to be listening to James Whale’s show on the recently re-branded talkSPORT (the
station had been known as Talk Radio, but switched to a more sports oriented
output which included a name change in January 2000, however slightly
confusingly they still had some non-sports based content, including Whale’s
programme). Now whilst I certainly don’t agree with the man’s politics, he
would sometimes have some interesting guests on, and so it proved on this
particular night. The guests were a band called My Drug Hell, who I wasn’t
previously familiar with, but who performed a song in session called ‘Girl at the
Bus Stop’ that even on first listen I really liked (yes, as well as being a
sports station that included non-sports based content, they were a speech
station that also included a small amount of live music!). They also mentioned
that one of the B-sides to the CD single of that song was a cover of Beatles
oddity ‘Revolution 9’, which I was intrigued to hear. Living as I did at the
time in rural Wales, we didn’t have many record shops nearby, so I went to the
closest thing we had, a card shop that also had a small selection of CDs. I
enquired as to whether I could order a copy of the single, and they checked but
advised it was unavailable.
I then promptly forgot about it until the end of the
year. For whatever reason, shortly after starting university it popped back
into my head, and I decided to check whether I could find a copy online. A
quick search later and I found it was indeed available to buy on the band’s
record label – Voltone International’s – website. Needless to say, I purchased
it, and a few days later it duly arrived. Included with the package was a
bundle of photocopied promotional material, including a copy of Triple J’s
Hottest 100 for 1997. Triple J is a youth orientated alternative radio station
in Australia, and at the beginning of each year they conduct a poll of
listeners to find their favourite songs released in the previous 12 months.
1997’s chart (broadcast in early 1998) included ‘Girl at the Bus Stop’, hence
its inclusion with my order. As I looked
through the list, a large number of the acts included were unfamiliar to me,
but the name of the song at the top of the list, ‘No Aphrodisiac’ by a band
called The Whitlams really stood out to me for some reason. A couple of days
later I was browsing the internet and decided to look the band up. I found a
site that contained a few sound clips of their work, listened, and immediately
really loved them.
I didn’t hold out much hope, but I went to my local VShop
(when Virgin bought out Our Price, they rebranded a number of the stores as
VShops. The idea being that they would have new releases displayed, but only a
small number of catalogue titles, with the rest of the floorspace given over to
mobile phones, DVDs and so on. As a replacement for the missing catalogue
titles, each store had several ‘Find & Buy’ kiosks, where you could search
for what you want, print out an order form, then take it to the counter to pay,
and a few days later it would be delivered to your door. You’re probably not
surprised to learn that this ‘clicks & mortar’ model didn’t last long, and
that the various VShop branches were rebranded as Virgin Megastores Xpress a
couple of years later) to see if they happened to have any Whitlams albums
available. I searched one of the terminals and was surprised to find that an
import of No Aphrodisiac’s parent album Eternal Nightcap was indeed available
to buy. I made my purchase and a few days later, the CD was delivered.
I listened and
liked it just as much as the few brief clips I’d heard previously. I joined the
band’s mailing list, but this wasn’t just a mailing list where you’d get
updates about new releases, gigs and so on, it was a fan mailing list where you
could discuss the act with likeminded individuals – you’d post a comment that
would then be emailed to everyone on the list, people would respond and that
would also go to everyone on the list and so on. As was the etiquette on that
particular list, I posted an introduction to myself, and a few people emailed
me back personally welcoming me to the list.
One of these people was Kathy, I replied, and we started
emailing each other regularly. We talked about lots of things, but music was
one of the most common topics. Fast forward a few months, and Kathy sent me a tape
of some of the Australian bands that she was enjoying at the time, and that is
where today’s entry comes in. Several more tapes followed over the next couple
of years, and despite no longer been able to play them, I’ve held on to them
for sentimental reasons (full disclosure, despite randomising the list of
tapes, I’ve tweaked it slightly as it makes more sense to do these compilations
in the order I received them, therefore each time one comes up, I’ve replaced
it with the next one chronologically until they’re all accounted for). It must
be well over a decade since I last listened to this, so with all that said
let’s get on with Songs from Down Under!
Augie March – Asleep in Perfection: A melodic,
slightly angsty, indie rock band, Augie March were a big favourite of Kathy’s
in the early to mid-2000s. This track was the opener of their 1999 Waltz EP
(released on indie label Ra Records), and is a great introduction, both to the
tape and the band in general.
Augie March – Heartbeat and Sails: Shortly after
that EP was released, the band signed with a major label (BMG Australia
Limited) and this was their debut single for them. It’s a great example of
singer Glenn Richards’ lyrics, full of literary allusion. Both these tracks
were included on debut album Sunset Studies, which Kathy kindly gifted to me.
It’s a really good album, if a tad overlong.
Album: Songs from Down Under
UK Record Label: N/A
UK Release Date: N/A
UK Single Releases from Album: N/A
Links:
Discogs
Darren Hanlon – Failing Aeroplanes: Included on
his 2000 Candle Records EP Early Days, I loved this from the first time I
heard it. A simple, almost nursery rhyme-esque track about worrying over the
seemingly impossible (“better off trying to catch falling aeroplanes”), I
listened to this over and over when I first received the tape. Kathy
subsequently bought me a copy of his debut album Hello Stranger (spotting a
pattern here?) which I also loved. I’ve bought everything he’s released ever
since, seen him live numerous times, and consider him one of my favourite
artists, and it’s all thanks to this tape.
Links:
Discogs
Elephant Gun – Cataract: I know next to nothing
about Elephant Gun, they released one album, Albino, on the Australian arm of
Roadrunner Records in 2000, on which this track was included (it was also
released as a single). That’s literally all I know about them. I haven’t heard
this in a long time, but I’m enjoying it more now than I remember doing
previously. It’s nothing particularly original, but it’s catchy piece of
slightly rocky indie pop.
Links:
Discogs
Eskimo Joe – Wake Up: Track 2 from their debut
album Girl (released on Modular Recordings in 2000) this is another one that
was a single. This isn’t a surprise as it’s really catchy. A few years on from
this Eskimo Joe actually went on to have pretty successful career in Oz, having
several number one albums.
Links:
Discogs
Even – Black Umbrella: One of the older tracks on
the compilation, this was taken from their 1998 Rubber Record’s album Come
Again. ‘Black Umbrella’ was released as a single. A three-piece indie rock
band with a melodic pop bent, Even are still going strong today. There’s a
definite Beatles influence on this track, and it’s an enjoyable listen.
Links:
Discogs
george – Bastard Son: Built around brother and
sister duo Tyrone and Katie Noonan, George went on to be pretty successful for
the few years they were active, with both of their two albums reaching number
one in the ARIA chart. This is the original version of the track (it was later
re-recorded for debut album Polyserena) from the Bastard Son/Holiday EP (released
in 2000 on Shock Records) and it sees Tyrone taking the vocal lead. A song that
builds and builds until it reaches an angst-ridden crescendo.
george – The Special Ones: Following the release
of the EP mentioned above, the band signed with Festival Mushroom Records in
2001, and this was chosen as their first single for the major label. Katie
takes on lead vocals for this one, and I have to say I think I prefer the tracks
on which she does. A genuinely really stunning voice.
Links:
Discogs
iOTA – Melbourne Summer: An alias used by
Australian musician and actor Sean Hape, ‘Melbourne Summer’ is taken from his
second album (specifically a mini-album) 2000’s Little Carlos (released via
Black Yak). This another one I haven’t heard in a long, long time, and as with
the Elephant Gun track, I’m enjoying it more than I remember doing in the past.
Some fun sound effects and some excellent yelping too!
Links:
Discogs
Loki – Not Like You: Another band I don’t really
know anything about. A Sydney based trio, they released just the one album Chyme on Festival Records in 1999. ‘Not Like You’ was released as a single,
and it’s a wonderful slice of summery indie pop, the sort of song that gets
stuck in your head for days after.
Loki – Talking Back: Another single, and it’s more
of the same really. A real shame they never went on to release anything
further.
Links:
Discogs
Oscarlima – Things That You Say: From their debut
album, 2000’s Desert Caravan (released on Rubber Records). Can’t think of a
huge amount to say about this one to be honest, it’s fine. I do like the cello
on it though, somewhat unexpected.
Links:
Discogs
Crowded House – Distant Sun: The first band on the
tape I’d previously heard of, and I dare say you have too. ‘Distant Sun’ is one
of my favourites by them too, so I remember being happy to see it on the
compilation. Back in 2005ish I saw the Finn Brothers live at a fan club only
gig at the open-air amphitheatre in Regent’s Park and it was a wonderful
experience, one of my favourite gigs.
Links:
Discogs
Ben Lee – Cigarettes Will Kill You: We immediately
follow the Crowdies with another act I was already familiar with. Ben Lee was
the lead singer of the precociously young Noise Addict, who had an indie hit
with the Evan Dando worshipping ‘I Wish I Was Him’ when Lee was only 15 years
old. This is the opening track (and first single) from his third solo album Breathing Tornados (released in the UK in 1999 on the Beastie Boys’ Grand
Royal label). I remember hearing Adam Walton playing this on Radio Wales, and I
immediately thought it was great, still do in fact.
Ben Lee – Nothing Much Happens: The second track
(and second single) from the same album, ‘Nothing Much Happens’ had been Mark
& Lard’s Record of the Week on their Radio 1 afternoon show back in 1999, and
as with the previous track, I’d loved it on first listen, so was glad for a
chance of another listen, another cracker.
Ben Lee – Nighttime: A third and final track from Breathing
Tornados, and whilst it maybe doesn’t quite hit the heights of the previous
two, it’s still pretty great. Much later I did pick up a second-hand copy of
the album, I really shouldn’t have waited so long.
Links:
Discogs
Frenzal Rhomb – I Miss My Lung: A punk band,
albeit one with a predilection for humorous lyrics, we get two tracks from
their fourth album, 1999’s A Man’s Not a Camel (released on Shagpile). The
first (which was also released as a single), is ‘I Miss My Lung’, a pretty
literal song about, well, missing one’s lung!
Frenzal Rhomb – Let’s Drink a Beer: Catchy, shout
along fun (“Let’s drink a beer, let’s drink it here”). It’ll never win any
awards for innovation, but it’s good fun.
Links:
Discogs
The Living End – Second Solution: The third and
final act on the tape that I’d heard of, and it’s another punk band. These three
tracks are all taken from their third EP Second Solution/Prisoner of Society (released on Rapido in 1997). This is enjoyable enough, but I can’t say it blows
me away. The track was later re-recorded for their eponymous debut album.
The Living End – Prisoner of Society: Another
track that was re-recorded for the debut album, and it’s that re-recording that
meant I was familiar with the band. Steve Lamacq played it a fair bit on the
Evening Session when it was released as a single over here back in ’99. An
entertaining listen.
The Living End – Strange (Live): The third track
on the EP is recorded live for Triple J’s Live at the Wireless programme.
This one is a bit less frenetic than the previous two, and it’s probably my
favourite of the three.
Links:
Discogs
Seven – Give Me Back My Gun: Another band I know
next to nothing about, and as their name is basically un-Googleable, that’s
unlikely to change. Both these tracks were taken from a 1999 self-released EP, Superiority
Complex, and to be honest it’s fairly generic late 90s rock, not terrible but
nothing to write home about.
Seven – Over You: I think I prefer this one over
the previous one, there’s a bit more going on musically. You could definitely
date it to the late 90s/early 2000s quite easily though.
Links:
Discogs
TISM – Thunderbirds Are Coming Out: TISM (This Is
Serious Mum) were ace. From forming in 1982 to disbanding in 2004, the band
members only ever appeared in public wearing balaclavas, which led to rampant
speculation about their identities (some suggestions were that they were a
bunch of school teachers, that they were a group of AFL footballers, even that they
were the Wiggles being subversive!). Their songs generally take the piss out of
Australian culture, and both of these are from their 1998 album for Genre B.
Goode www.tism.wanker.com. The songs defy description really, this one is
daft in the best possible way (“sing if you’re proud to be plastic now”).
TISM – Whatareya?: A song that proposes that
everyone is basically one of two tribes ‘yob’ or ‘wanker’ (“a wanker fights
inequality, and for people’s rights, a wanker fights class prejudice, a yobbo
just fights”). A fine way to end the tape!
Links:
Discogs
Obviously, this isn’t commercially available, so I’ve
made a Spotify playlist of the tracks that are available, that you can listen
to here if you so desire (the Living End tracks are the re-recorded album
versions, as I couldn’t find the originals, but they’re really not that
different, so I don’t think it matters too much). For the tracks that aren’t on
the streaming service, I’ve included some YouTube links below:
Loki - Not Like You (sorry, couldn't find a studio version)
Loki - Talking Back (couldn't find this anywhere, sorry!)
Seven - Give Me Back My Gun (couldn't find this either)
Seven - Over You (or this)
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