quiet paws.

So in the past few months I feel that perhaps I’ve been a little luckier than usual. I’ve entered a few competitions, and have actually been fortunate enough to win! One such competition was for this Paul Dempsey prize pack (thanks to theinsound.com – for which I wrote a short and sweet poem (well more short than sweet as poetry is not exactly my forte). I was as surprised as anyone when I was chosen as one of two winners to receive a signed 2 CD limited edition of ‘Everything Is True’,  including the four song disc ‘Counterfeits and Forgeries’; an exclusive t-shirt featuring album artwork, and a letterpress print of Paul Dempsey’s handwritten lyrics to ‘Ramona Was A Waitress’.

There has always been a ‘certain something’ about Paul Dempsey’s voice that I find completely irresistible, even though for many years I’ve strangely resisted the music of Something for Kate (the band he is lead singer of).

With the release of his debut solo album however, I feel I can finally shake off past resistances and melt into his music. If you’d like to melt along with me, perhaps you should visit Paul’s site and investigate his music (and his amazingly emotive and enticingly masculine voice) all for yourself.

Some people you just love forever and ever.

For me one of those people is Bill Callahan – an amazing artist of the musical variety. While I’ve never met the man himself, I have loved his musical creations since the very first moment I heard his wonderful voice. I remember that moment clearly… It was a crazy hot summer day, I had just arrived at my destination after a seriously long drive in a non-airconditioned car. Just as I was about to exit the vehicle, a song came onto the radio which persuaded me to linger a little longer despite the heat of the car. I was transfixed – that song was Our Anniversary.

Bill Callahan (who has also performed as Smog) released a new album a few months back (Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle), and my recent music buying laziness has meant that I’ve only just this week purchased a copy.

Not that you’re supposed to judge a book (or an album) by its cover or anything so shallow – but just look at this one (the slight overexposure of the picture, the horses, the font … it’s just all so lovely, lovely). Just as I had hoped and expected this album doesn’t disappoint. In some ways this album is a more sophisticated and layered album than earlier efforts, but it still manages to share this ‘bigger’ sound in a very simplistic way.

I have a feeling that to really appreciate Callahan’s musical appeal you may have to be a little older, a little wiser, or perhaps simply to have ‘lived some life’. There is such intimate beauty to be found in the imperfection of his voice, and much emotional significance to savour within and between his poetic words. Perhaps you will fall in love too?

I love myself a good music video, and this one of ‘Common People’ by Pulp is great (and accompanies a particularly awesome song). Jarvis Cocker totally rocks this with his smooth dance moves and his even smoother voice. You can watch the video here.

I hadn’t listened to this song (or watched the video) in ages and was glad to be reminded of its existence (thanks rage), sometimes you just need that little nudge to remember…so consider yourself also hereby ‘nudged’.

Hopefully you enjoy this tune as you reflect on your place in the world of ‘common people’…

After watching the guest program on Rage last weekend (for those overseas readers, Rage is an Australian music video program) and enjoying the really eclectic selection of videos, I got to thinking about what I would program on my list of music videos to share with the televisual world. Of course the list starts out with an obvious blend of a whole range of tracks from artists that you feel should be represented – musicians such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Iggy Pop, and so on. However rather than end up with a list of what could be described as ‘really important songs’ from ‘really important artists’, I wanted to filter my song choices in some way. What better way to filter than to apply some random rules to the process?

So the two rules I applied to my guest programming selection are that:

(1) My list could only include a total of 30 songs; and
(2) I had to actually own the song which I was selecting.

Suddenly my list changed dramatically from what it was originally. And then began the extremely difficult task of narrowing my selection to only 30 tracks. So without further delay, I hereby deliver for your viewing (or listening) pleasure, the 30 songs which I would guest program on Rage (with no preferential ordering):

1. Radiohead: Paranoid Android (OK Computer)…Radiohead as always are fascinating and thoughtful.
2. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds: The Mercy Seat (Live Seeds)…Nick and the boys totally rock it live, and the crazy energy of this song deserves to be appreciated loud and raw.
3. Beck: Scarecrow (Guero)…a difficult song to categorise, but displays a seriously unique style and thumping beat.
4. Eels: Mr E’s Beautiful Blues (Daises of the Galaxy)…The Eels are just so cool and this video is fun and happy (just like the song).
5. Mirah: The Garden (Advisory Committee)…the beat on this song kills me…it’s irresistible!
6. Cat Power: Sea of Love (The Covers Record)…delicate, respectful cover of a most beautiful, fragile song.
7. Beck: Everbody’s Gotta Learn Sometimes (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Soundtrack)…Beck’s voice is incredibly powerful and soulful as he communicates longing, sadness and acceptance.
8. Radiohead: Creep (My Iron Lung)…I have a rather major band crush on Radiohead. This song is beautiful, angry and is the perfect blend of emotional and musical contrasts.
9. Jeff Buckley: Hallelujah (Grace)…intense, sorrowful, sweet and captivating.
10. The White Stripes: I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself (Elephant)…Kate Moss is gorgeous beyond belief in this video directed by Sofia Coppola.
11. The Stranglers: Golden Brown (He Died With a Felafel in his Hand Soundtrack)…I’m not sure why, but I’ve always loved this song and the exotic luxury of this video just feels so right.
12. Smog: Our Anniversary (Supper)…not sure if there’s an official video to go with this track, but the song just had to be included as it is intimate, warm and ‘real’ beyond belief.
13. Lykke Li: Little Bit (Youth Novels)…interesting, dreamy video. I love the sense of movement throughout (also check out the beautiful B&W video for her other song, ‘Tonight’).
14. M.I.A: Paper Planes (Kala)…addictive song and compelling ‘raw’ video which avoids complicated styling. M.I.A is mesmerising.
15. Damien Rice: The Blower’s Daughter (O)…beautifully conveys the right balance of pain and aching sadness. The video features scenes from Closer (such a cast…the chemistry between Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Natalie Portman is amazing! … I have issues with Jude Law so he doesn’t count).
16. Beastie Boys: Ch-Check It Out (To the 5 Boroughs)…these crazy kids always have fun, and this video is no exception. Street rage, heaps of costume changes, and a final fatal explosion…what more could you want?
17. Hawksley Workman: Ice Age (Treeful of Starling)…just a stunningly beautiful, romantic song (in fact, the entire album is the same).
18. Johnny Cash: Hurt (American IV: The Man Comes Around)…wonderful cover by an absolute music master, the video is perfect in visuals and pace…and oh so sad…gets me every time…
19. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (featuring PJ Harvey): Henry Lee (The Best of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds)…gets my vote for the sexiest music video ever. Seriously. You must watch it!
20. Pop Levi: Pick-Me-Up Uppercut (The Return to Form Black Magick Party)…he’s just so crazy, I love it! This song always makes me smile.
21. Bjork: It’s Oh So Quiet (Post)…wonderful Spike Jonze directed video with fantastic ‘popping’ colours, cleverly mixed-up pacing and great use of choreographed dancers.
22. Gary Jules: Mad World (Donnie Darko Soundtrack)…fantastic visuals in the video directed by Michel Gondry are the perfect accompaniment to this beautifully measured and sad song.
23. Basement Jaxx: Romeo (The Chillout Sessions 3 – Ministry of Sound)…hello Bollywood!
24. Elvis Costello: I Want You (The Very Best of Elvis Costello)…love the beat and range of emotions in this song (see if you can track down the Fiona Apple cover…it’s awesome as well).
25. Kings of Leon: On Call (Because of the Times)…love the boots and the subdued opening before the song suddenly bursts to life.
26. The Beatles: Let It Be (The Beatles Anthology 3)…simplicity in delivery and style at its very best.
27. Blur: Tender (13)…a big beast of a song that begs to be sung along with. The B&W totally works for me.
28. Jem: Come on Closer (Finally Woken)…this song just sounds so ‘naughty’ (in a very, very good way).
29. John Lennon: Imagine (Lennon Legend)…I love the dreamy opening as John and Yoko walk towards their home, the white shutters which are opened to let in the bright sunshine, and the shared look of love.
30. Seu Jorge: Life On Mars? (The Life Aquatic Soundtrack)…great Bowie song + great cover = awesome video. Steve Zissou rocks!

So that’s my list (at least at this particular moment in time) – please share your thoughts. What would you include on your own personal music video list? …(feel free to apply my rules, adapt your own limitations, or choose to give yourself no boundaries at all…).

Music can be many things to many people, and like all forms of art it can be appreciated on many different levels. Often behind the appeal of a pleasing tune or an interesting melody, something more lasting can be revealed. Given my interest in exploring the positive and negative interactions which can occur between humans and animals, I was pleased to recently discover two fantastic ’songs with conscience’.

While both songs (and their respective artists) are very different in style, they each offer listeners much to reflect on from an animal rather than a human perspective. Aside from the questions raised by their lyrics, these songs are also supported by some wonderful visuals in their accompanying videos.

The first song is by The Tongue (from their album Shock & Awe) and is called ‘Animal Crackers‘ (featuring Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow). This hip-hop flavoured track is seriously catchy and has a real happy pop vibe while keeping things pretty rough and raw. In short, the song addresses the impacts that humans have on animal life, and suggests some of the ways that animals may feel about and react to their treatment.

‘In the darkness of the night, we see you, we see how you do
How you bring death (death), love to see life take it’s last breath (breath)
So just confess, you humans are such a mess (such a mess)
You need to give it a rest, your car’s smoke is starting to eat up at my chest
Not to mention how it’s treating all the rest, of life
Oh how we have to fight to live our life!‘

The second song is by Royksopp (from their album Melody A.M.) and is called ‘Poor Leno‘. This song, which is part electronica and part escapist house, builds a dreamy sound while highlighting all that is disturbing about animals kept in captivity. The song beautifully and tragically documents the impacts of removing an animal from its natural habitat simply for the entertainment of humans. Looking at animals behind bars or through the glass into a ’simulated environment’ will never feel quite the same again after watching this video.

‘Poor Leno
Where you’ll be, I’ll go
Where you’ll be, I’ll know
Where you’ll be, I’ll find you‘

With exposed wooden floor, subtle lighting and patiently waiting instruments, the stage was quiet and still, like a stagnant body of water which lies absent of life and devoid of life-giving oxygen. And then a whisper of air builds and quickly rises into a breeze which flows across the surface of water, stirring it into action and unleashing a chaotic clashing of waves which travel from one side to the other. In such a way the stage wakes to life in hushed reverie as PJ Harvey enters the concert hall. Suddenly the heart and soul of the stage unites in perfect harmony with her presence. The performer has arrived.

She does not rush, she is calm and at peace as she wafts across the stage in a lyrically inscribed Edwardian dress. Similar though to our surface agitated body of water which stretches away to unknown depths, there is a slight feeling of tension below the surface which takes several songs to dissipate as Harvey relaxes into the performance.

Harvey is a surprisingly energetic and warm performer, and while she stands alone on stage she does not feel lonely. Surrounded by an array of instruments (piano, acoustic and bass guitar, zither, keyboards, harmonica and percussion), a sprinkling of fairy lights and tiny animal figurines she casts a spell of ethereal beauty and dreamy creative energy, yet at the same time exudes a commanding strength of spirit. Her only other occasional stage companion throughout the evening was long time collaborator Mick Harvey who accompanied her on piano.

While the purpose of her visit to Australia was to showcase work from her latest album ‘White Chalk’, Harvey would not have disappointed long term fans as she drew widely from her extensive back catalogue of music. Highlights from Harvey’s early nineties albums included emotionally raw and passionate performances of Rid of Me, Bring You My Love, Down By the Water and Send His Love to Me. Her intense stage demeanour is absorbing as she brings poetic drama to her musical stories infused with anger, love, loss and desperate longing.

It is no surprise though that some of the best songs of the evening featured from one of my all time favourite albums, the 2000 release ‘Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea’. Horses In My Dreams was delicately delivered, conjuring up an extraordinary sense of hopeful space and freedom. Big Exit was the perfect contrasting piece, a rough and raucous description of a dangerous and unstable future. From ‘Uh Huh Her’ the standout for me was The Desperate Kingdom of Love, a stark and sad tale of the personal journeys we make in the name of love.

Of course most of the evening was given over to material from White Chalk, and with this album PJ Harvey demonstrates her unwillingness to maintain the status quo artistically, she always looks to push herself further on to a new creative plain. This is especially clear with the incorporation of the piano into her repertoire – a new instrument for Harvey, and also her stripped back vocals which display a greater fragility and higher pitch than previous recordings. Title track White Chalk typifies the feel of the entire album which seems more grounded and natural than earlier work, exploring the organic connections which exist between people, places and the environment.

Grow, Grow, Grow raises questions of how love can be found and cared for, Silence offers a remembrance of the obliterating focus of love, When Under Ether travels to that unseen place where things are not as they seem, and The Mountain has us soaring above the world as we gaze down on the broken things that lay below. So much beauty radiated on this one evening in Brisbane that it is too difficult a task to separate the musical roses from the bountiful display on offer.

PJ Harvey is a rare talent who presents a dazzling range of styles and sounds. She is elegant and refined, yet unafraid to challenge musical categorisation and pre-conceived expectations of how a song should be arranged and the way it should make the listener feel. She is a true evolution in progress and we are fortunate indeed to be able to grow alongside her.

A star spangled banner formed the dramatic backdrop to Rufus Wainwright and his seven piece band at their recent Brisbane performance. However the banner in question was far from what one would traditionally expect from an American flag. As pointed out by Rufus at one point throughout the evening, the flag was painted in black and white stripes to represent all the bad things about America, and instead of the usual depiction of stars, the banner was garnished with an assortment of brilliantly metallic brooches to represent all the beautiful things about America.

The banner’s theme was reflected by the band’s attire, which instantly grabbed the attention of the eye as they made their entrance onto the stage. Each band member wore a wide array of coloured striped pants and shirts reflective of their own individual style. The stunning display did not end there, as every member of the band was also richly decorated in a variety of uniquely styled brooches that glistened and sparkled under the lights. Taking to their instruments with relish, there was an unmistakable energy in the room as the music paved the way for the eventual entrance of the glorious Rufus Wainwright.

Without too much delay he arrived, and the theatrical troupe was now complete. As wonderful as all the band member’s looked, Rufus most definitely outshone them with his fantastic red and white striped suit (minus a shirt), gold metallic shoes, and an almost startling collection of jewels which he seemed to wear wherever bare skin was available – fingers, wrists, and around his neck. His fabulousness was completed by a healthy smattering of silver brooches across his suit jacket and down his pant legs.

Launching straight into the title track from his latest album ‘Release the Stars’, the room sparkled in dancing-mirror-ball-magic and was hushed in appreciation of Rufus’ mastery of dramatic showmanship. And what a show it was! In the audience it felt that Rufus and his band would perform with the same level of intensity and pizazz regardless of where they were performing, whether that be to a packed house on Broadway, or a venue built on a much smaller scale such as Brisbane’s Tivoli.

As to be expected, the night’s musical set drew heavily from the current album’s repertoire including ‘Do I Disappoint You’, ‘Between My Legs’, ‘Rules and Regulations’, ‘Going to a Town’ and ‘Not Ready to Love’. One of the standout highlights from this album was the beautiful simplicity and raw honesty of ‘Leaving for Paris No 2′ which featured Rufus on piano accompaniment.

There was more than enough on offer to please fans of his earlier work as well, including ‘Poses’, ‘Gay Messiah’, and a wonderfully emotionally wrought performance of ‘The Art Teacher’. Rufus worked the room with so much more than his musical talents. His costume changes could not fail to be mentioned given that they added so much to the ’show’.

Following a short interval, the band returned with Rufus decked out in traditional Bavarian lederhosen. However rather than lose all the sparkle, he chose to retain the beautiful necklace and flashy bracelet from his earlier outfit – a wonderful blend of masculinity and feminine beauty. Between songs Rufus enjoyed a comfortable banter with the audience, telling us of his liking for Byron Bay Surf lifesavers, pronouncing himself as the ‘Queen of Queensland’, and his generally unsuccessful attempts at tackling an Australian accent.

With a raucous rendition of ‘14th Street’ ( Why’d you have to break all my heart?) which raised the performance energy to a higher level, Rufus exited the stage and left his band to individually ’sign off’ musically and exit one by one. It was a visual representation of parting being ’such sweet sorrow’.

The stage was not left bare for too long however. After all there is always time for one more costume change, and Rufus did not disappoint. Returning to the stage in a large white bathrobe, the only hint of what lay beneath was a glimpse of stockinged legs. After performing for a short while like this, the play entered another act. Sitting on a chair at the front of the stage Rufus made as if he was sneaking into his mother’s precious things – jewelling himself up once again with earrings and a ring, before applying a rich red lipstick and swapping his sensible shoes for some seriously high heels.

Then as the band returned to the stage all in black suits, bowties and pale pink shirts, Rufus moved to the back of the stage to disrobe…and then all was revealed. Wearing the top half of a tuxedo, hat, and just the stockings beneath, Rufus ramped up the razzle dazzle factor with a fun performance of Judy Garland’s ‘Get Happy’, that had everyone on stage play acting along with the best of them.

With a traditional stage goodbye which had the cast line up before us and take a bow, the band left the stage with a kiss blown from the hand of Rufus. A fitting end to a lovingly crafted performance.

With the end of 2007 and the start of 2008 I thought it appropriate to reflect on some of the last things that I did in 2007. So without further ado…the last:

CD I Purchased – Rain on Lens (Smog)

Movie I Watched – The Darjeeling Limited

Dinner – Curry Lentil Pie and Roast Potatoes

Breakfast – Buttered Raisin Toast and Soy Flat White (in a mug)

Book I Purchased – Heart is A Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers)

Book I Finished Reading – One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

DVD I Purchased – Marie Antoinette

Live Music Event I Went to – Nick Cave (Solo) and Grinderman

Chocolate Bar – Fry’s Turkish Delight

Christmas can be a strange time of year, bringing to the surface conflicting emotions, heightened expectations, broken promises and long cherished memories. Aside from the overly sweet and often hollow carols which assault our ears in December each year, there are other less conventional songs which feel so much more real. Such songs deliver all the chaos of Christmas and provide us with an alternative view.

One song in particular that always comes to mind is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. Performed as a captivating duet between The Pogue’s Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl, it is a song which covers a wealth of human experiences that we can all relate to…

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I’ve got a feeling
This year’s for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true…

You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night…

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you…

Apart from simply being a great song, ‘Fairytale of New York’ reminds me that even the best situations can fall victim to the reality of circumstances. It also highlights the diversity of experiences that Christmas can bring to people all over the world. Such messages of life are important for now and any time throughout the year.

If I was to be a song I would like to be a song crafted by the hand of Nick Cave* – rich with melancholic overtones, resplendent in aching beauty and emotionally real in a way that resonates with the heart and the soul.

He is an artist who never fails to get under my skin, weave his way right to my core, and commune with the very essence of who I am. With word and with melody he is a master craftsman capable of building the most wondrous of things.

I hold in the highest regard all those that build something real in this world; those who create something unique that no other person can ever hope to imitate. What we make does not have to rival the highest mountain or outshine the greatest works of art held in museums, it is simply something of ourselves that touches against the world. Whether that is a song, a novel, a house, a bridge or a pancake – the detail of what we construct is not important. Without even intending to, our creations will always be unique regardless of the scale on which we are working.

For all those that take care to craft with thought and consideration, please accept this simple gift of praise and admiration. In appreciation of your efforts I present here something crafted of my own hand, something beyond these words. Something which required my hands to learn a new language and work in unison towards a common goal. Something that no one else could craft in quite the same way. Nothing special I know, just a simple knitted scarf as worn by Lee… and yet without me this scarf would not exist.

We are all artists at some point within our lives without us necessarily being aware of it. Perhaps we don’t win Oscars, perhaps our designs don’t appear on the catwalks of Paris, and perhaps we haven’t been awarded the Man Booker prize for fiction. In fact what we craft may only be seen by one person or shared with a select few. Whatever the size of our receiving audience, our efforts should still be recognised.

We marvel at great architecture, gaze in disbelief at the immensity of natural wonders and stand awe-struck by other people’s artistry. We live amongst these beauties of the world, showing them due respect. However we should never forget that we are ourselves creators capable of many great things.

*PS. Happy times indeed in the world of QuietPaws!! This week I discovered that Nick Cave is returning to Australia for a National tour. I think you can guess who will be amongst the audience.