The Drones

Now the Drones aren’t for everyone – I’ll state that up front. You have to enjoy your music dark and hard, and you have to be an active listener to truly appreciate the evocative lyrics that spew out of singer-songwriter-guitarist Gareth Liddiard’s mouth with such urgency. His gravelly voice, all squashed vowels and lazy diction, can make the task even more challenging, but it’s well worth the effort.

Convicts, colonies, cannibals, politics and poverty – these are just a few of the weighty subjects tackled by this Australian indie rock band, and they do it deftly. You see, Liddiard takes his inspiration from writers such as Flann O’Brien, James Joyce, Louis-Ferdinand Céline and William Butler Yeats, and over the course of four studio albums, he’s positioned himself amongst some of today’s top songwriters.

The Drones’ music doesn’t fall into the drone category as their name suggests. Instead, their material is an ever-changing mix of conventional rock, noisy, atonal, blues-based music with a dash of traditional folk thrown in for good measure.

This is certainly not music to hold hands to, but hands down the Drones are one of the best bands around today. Their energy, passion and intelligence are traits to which many younger bands can only aspire.

Why I love them, and you should too...
The Drones formed in Perth, Australia in 1998, but it took four hard years before they released their first album, Here Come the Lies, in August 2002. During this period, the band relocated to Melbourne where they briefly lived out of their van before enduring an extended stay in a dodgy caravan park filled with drunks and ex-cons. This grim and squalid existence of their mid 20’s has ended up shaping the tone and subject matter of all frequent Drones albums.

In 2004, the band completed their second album, Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies will Float By. (This, by the way, happens to be one of my favorite album titles ever….) But the album’s release hit a snag due to some unforeseen legal problems. Thanks to the folks at the In-Fidelity record label, the album was eventually released over a year later, and 2005 saw the Drones’ luck change. Wait Long…. received critical acclaim throughout the country and ended up topping many end-of-year Top 10 lists. The highlight of the year, however, was when the Drones won the inaugural Australian Music Prize -- beating out Ben Lee, the Go-Betweens and Wolfmother.

“I’m recording, shut up!” So begins Gala Mill, the Drones third album, and that’s where the lightheartedness ends. Recorded in an old mill in Tasmania, the album both draws on and challenges the history and mythology of white Australia. It’s a harrowing yet brilliant album that captures the Drones at their fiercest and most subdued. It opens with the 8-minute epic “Jezebel” – a song named after a cow that ate nuclear fallout during Australia’s period of nuclear testing that was originally going to called something along the lines of “Death and Only Death.” It’s suffocatingly bleak, containing horrific images of radiation poisoning, war and the murder of WSJ journalist, Daniel Pearl.

There’s still no optimism to be seen by the time you reach the end of Gala Mill. The album closes with a sparse 9-minute folk song called “Sixteen Straws” that was inspired by the convict ballad, “Moreton Bay.” Over 30 verses with no chorus, Gareth Liddiard – using only vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica – tells the sad tale of a group of convicts who overcome Catholicism’s stringent prohibition of suicide by drawing straws to decide which of them will kill another and get them all sent to the gallows. And when you see this song performed live, it’s hard not to be in awe of Liddiard as both a song-writer and a performer.

This brings us to my favorite album of 2009, and no this latest Drones release won’t make you want to run out and slit your wrists. Havilah was recorded at the Liddiard/Kitschin residence in the foothills of Mt Buffalo. With no electricity, the band had to rely on a diesel generator and managed to finish recording in only two weeks. The result is a brilliant indie rock album that is musically the Drones most accessible while continuing to showcase their lyrical prowess and unique political perspective. Highlights include “Penumbra”, a haunting song about Apollo 11 and the first moon landing, and “I am the Supercargo”, a song about cargo cults and the John Frum movement on the remote island of Tanna in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu.

And what’s a post without a bit of random trivia? On a recent episode of the music quiz show, Rockwiz, it was revealed that Gareth Liddiard is a fan of war memorials and has been known to drag his band mates to many while on tour. What’s his favorite? Apparently the Soviet War Memorial in Berlin's Treptower Park because “it’s depressing for all the wrong reasons”…

Listen up!
Here are the Drones performing Kev Carmody's “River Of Tears” at the Cannot Buy My Soul concert in January 2008. Yes, it’s a cover, but it’s the best capture I’ve found of one of the Drone’s electric live performances.



And here is an acoustic version of "Oh My" -- one of my favs off Havilah.



Check them out!
Over the next week, the Drones will be playing a handful of dates around the US since they are over here for this weekend’s ATP Festival. At the end of September, they will then embark on another extensive tour of Europe that will take them through early December.

Dawn Landes

I love the thrill of finding a new band that moves you so deeply you rush to find their entire catalogue and listen to it incessantly, wondering how life was complete without this wonderful music. If I’m lucky, this happens maybe one or twice a year. This year I was fortunate enough to fall in love with Kentucky-bred, Brooklyn-based Dawn Landes.

It all started back in March when a friend sent me the video for a quirky, blue-grass cover of Peter, Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks.” It featured a female singer switching between guitar and accordion conducting a backing band of “old folks”, who happened to be the WST (We Sorta Tried) Bluegrass Band from Austin, Texas. Charmed by her voice and the irony of this low-budget production, I visited her myspace page to hear more. What I discovered was an extremely talented multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and recording engineer whose music is a lovely blend of folky ballads, country-tinged rock, and electronic loops.

Why I love her….
Dawn Landes actually started out as an assistant and freelance engineer at various recording studios in New York City, where she’s worked with such respected artists as Phillip Glass, Ryan Adams, Joseph Arthur, the Earlies, and Josh Ritter (to whom she’s now married). And it was in these studios that she began recording and producing her own songs.

You’re probably starting to see a trend with my profiles – I’m a sucker for literate songwriters. And Dawn Landes is no exception. Her influences are both traditional and literary with her first song being a musical adaptation of a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

As a Francophile, I was fascinated to learn that France has played a big part in Dawn’s musical career. She landed her first record deal with the little French label, Ocean Records, and her first CD, Dawn’s Music, was released in France in 2005. Since then she has divided her time between Paris and Brooklyn and has even started writing some songs in French. None of these songs have been released yet, but hopefully they’ll make it on one of her upcoming albums. To tide us over, there’s always Dawn’s cover of Francoise Hardy’s “Tous Les Garcons et Les Filles” that she frequently plays live. It was added to her set as a way to introduce guest drummer, Olivier de Chateaubourg, who apparently is a French count....

On a different note, Dawn Landes doesn’t have an official second album. Her apartment was burgled, and the robbers stole her laptop containing the completed second album. Instead of re-recording the lost album, she wrote the song “Bodyguard” about the robbery. And this song became the first track on Dawn’s critically-acclaimed third CD, Fireproof. For the record, Fireproof was recorded live to tape, a much more cumbersome medium for potential robbers.

And now for some trivia – Dawn’s cover of Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” was used for a Human Rights Campaign video supporting the repeal of Proposition 8. This cover is a hidden track on Fireproof if you’re looking for a copy.

Listen Up!
First up is the lovely “Twilight” from Fireproof.



And here is the utterly adorable “Straight Lines.”



Check her out!
Dawn Landes’ new album, Sweetheart Rodeo, will be released on September 7th in Europe and January 19th in the US. Lucky for us, a new album means more tour dates. Dawn will be hitting Europe this September with my all-time favorite band, Okkervil River, and Elvis Perkins. Then a US tour will follow this October.

Discography: Sweetheart Rodeo (2010) * Fireproof (2007) * Dawn’s Music (2005)

The Guild League

There’s bound to be many a teary punter in Melbourne this week. You see, Australian indie darlings, The Lucksmiths, have called it a day after 16 years and are celebrating with four sold-out farewell shows for the home-town crowd. Of course I’m sad and cursing the fact that we’re not back in Melbourne, but I’m also really excited to see what the future holds for Tali White, Marty Donald, and Mark Monnone. So in honor of this band who provided the soundtrack of my 20s and early 30s, I’m going to profile Tali White’s former side project - now current band, the Guild League.

I’ve been listening to the Guild League on and off since 2002, but thanks to a dear friend, they made their way onto my radar again with their new CD, Speak Up. And this sleeper has become my album of summer 2009! I must confess I’m surprised how much I love this collection of poppy, foot-tapping, ska-tinged songs because perky/poppy music is generally not my thing. But lyrically this CD couldn’t be more grown up -- covering the heavy themes of corporate greed, career ennui, and remaining optimistic amidst the drudgery of adulthood. Now that I’ve whet your appetite, let’s examine in more detail….

Why I love them (and you should too)
The Guild League started as a global affair. Forming in Thailand back in 2000, the band’s first songs were written and recorded in San Francisco and finished in various Melbourne suburbs. The result was their debut album, Private Transport – a collection of songs about love and travel. Included was the only rap/indie hip hop song ever featured on the now defunct Candle Records label. This song, “Siamese Couplets,” pays homage to Thailand capturing all the dizzying sights, sounds, and smells of Southeast Asia.

In these early days, the Guild League was an indie experiment of 16 respected musicians. But by the release of their second album, Inner North, they had condensed their line-up to a more manageable three piece. With Speak Up, they have morphed once again into a six-piece band consisting of Tali (vocals), Cressida Griffith (cello, bass), Gus Rigby (sax), Phil Collings – not to be confused with Phil Collins! (drums), Roger Clark (trumpet), and Basic Shape's Gerry Eeman (guitars).

Working with such diverse bands has really allowed Tali White to push the bounds of indie pop by incorporating hip-hop, folk, ska, pure guitar-driven pop, and even a cappella elements into his songs.

Speaking of a cappella, Tali teaches a class called Alternative A Cappella at Melbourne’s Centre for Adult Education. This is just one testament to the quality of Tali’s pitch-perfect vocals.

And for some totally random Guild League trivia (as I love trivia), Aaron Zelinsky reported in his Huffington Post Blog (February 25, 2009) that President Obama used some lyrics from their song ”Shirtless Sky” in his inaugural address to Congress. There you have it!

With all The Lucksmiths’ farewell festivities and tours, the Guild League have been keeping a low profile. I certainly hope they pick up where they left off with Speak Up because Tali White, amongst this ever-changing collection of musicians, has fast distinguished himself as one of Australia’s finest song-writers.

Listen up!
Here’s “Suit Fits” from Speak Up. This ridiculously catchy song is one of the album’s stand-out tracks and definitely one of my favorites.



Discography: Speak Up (2008) * Inner North (2004) * Private Transport (2002)

Welcome

It’s amazing how many times I hear fellow 30-somethings bemoan the fact that there is no good/interesting/original music out there nowadays. What a load of …. OK, I’ll say it - crap! This blog is dedicated to sharing some of the best indie talent out there as well as some websites that take the guesswork out of finding new music. As for the age appropriate bit, most of the musicians I’ll be profiling are in their 30s -- making it harder to make excuses like today’s music is for kids. So let’s jump right in with my first recommendation….

Holly Throsby

Holly Throsby is a 30-year old singer-songwriter from Sydney, Australia. If forced to categorize her music, I'd put her neatly in the folk-pop bin. I first discovered her back in the antipodean winter of 2005 when she was opening for New Buffalo (a.k.a. Sally Seltmann of Feist's "1234" fame). Now whenever I’m asked for Australian music recommendations – or any music recommendation for that matter – Holly’s at the top of my list.

Why I love her (and you should too)
First I’d have to say her lyrics. Holly holds a bachelors degree in English, and it definitely shows in her use of language. Her songs are sparse, image-laden, sorrowful yet quirky. And this song-writing prowess is what sets her apart from more mainstream contemporaries like Sarah Blasko and Missy Higgins.

With each album, Holly Throsby keeps getting stronger both as a song-writer and as a performer. Her most recent CD, A Loud Call, was recorded in Nashville, TN by Mark Nevers, and includes a number of special guests from Bonnie “Prince” Billy to various members of Lambchop and the Silver Jews.

Now a headlining act, Holly tours with her backing band, the Hello Tigers (Jens Birchall and Bree van Reyk.) Amongst the three of them, they play almost 10 instruments including guitar, cello, accordion, glockenspiel, and even a set of percussive chopsticks.

And for something totally random, you’ve gotta love a gal who can ride a unicycle!

Listen Up!
So have a listen to Holly Throsby for yourself. First up is the beautiful “To Begin With” from her critically acclaimed third album, A Loud Call. Shot in a Sydney park amongst dogs, birds, and claps of thunder, it’s the perfect backdrop to Holly’s bare songs and frail, breathy vocals.



And here's “We're Good People But Why Don't We Show It?” from her debut album, On Night. This was the first song she played that cold night in 2005, and it’s still one of my all time favorites.

Check her out!

This month it was announced that Holly scored funding as part of the International Pathway grants program. So she and Bree are taking the money and hitting the road this September/ October touring New Zealand, the UK and Europe. Updated tour dates can be found at http://www.myspace.com/hollythrosby.

Discography:

A Loud Call (2008) * Under the Town (2006) * On Night (2004)