posted by david on Tue 30 Mar 2004 @ 09:30 PM

It's out! It wasn't supposed to be out for another couple of weeks but some who pre-ordered it have already received their copy. What the heck is it? It's an album called 'A Terrible Beauty' by a group calling themselves The Uncle Devil Show. In a way it's reminiscent of The Traveling Wilburys in that it's a bunch of musicians pretending to be anyone but themselves. The charade extends from the songwriting credits through to the press release to the appalling album cover artwork. The main figure of interest for me is Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie (calling himself Jason Barr), who is one of my favourite lyricists. Having heard the whole album through dodgy mp3 files, I can say it's one of the silliest albums I've heard in a while. There are songs about the joys of bicycles (Leonardo's bicycle and me/Away from all the trains and cars/Alone with gears and handlebars I'm free), Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan, bimbos in limos and a disturbing rant about those evil beasts popularly known as pigeons. Musically, it's bright and fresh and tremendous fun. If I ever get around to completing my 'best of 2003' list, you'll see this album listed there because it's a brilliant pick me up. It always gets me bouncing around, grinning at the lyrics, the harmonies and the irresistible pop hooks. Maybe Justin and friends meant this one as a joke but if he takes this sense of fun and energy back to the next Del Amitri album, it'll be a corker.

posted by david on Mon 29 Mar 2004 @ 10:14 PM

Copy protected CDs have been something to avoid for a while so it was amusing to hear that respected Sydney Morning Herald columnist Jon Casimir had finally encountered the traumas associated with the purchase of one of these discs. It actually sounds like he hasn't been paying any attention to the whole thing until he got hit by it himself. Elsewhere, a JJJ dj has done a decent job of pointing out the contradictions in the way the music industry is tackling Internet file sharing.

posted by david on Mon 29 Mar 2004 @ 10:04 PM

It seems I have been slack posting here so here's a bunch of random stuff that seems worth mentioning. Guitarist Matt Walker is playing with drummer extraordinaire Ashley Davies again after playing with "The Necessary Few" for a while and they have plans to record another album together later this year. If you got the chance to see them together, just go, they're like no one else. Steve Earle is in town later in the week for a couple of shows with his band The Dukes. I should go but $60 to stand at the Prince of Wales strikes me as a bit rich, especially if it's a packed crowd. Maybe I'm just getting old. Sarah McLachlan is following up her Afterglow album from last year with some Australian shows shortly which I might try and catch. Her last album was dull but strangely addictive (I played it incessantly for a few weeks) and I fear her show could be more dull than addictive. From all reports Lucinda Williams is still coming out (I think her mother died recently) and I expect those shows to be great. Richard Thompson is also playing a show in town but I fear it will be like his last show here: brilliant guitar playing, slightly dull evening. Shortly afterwards Radiohead are also wandering into town and who knows what that will be like. The last time they were out here everyone said they were brilliant so I'm hoping for more of the same.