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"Impartiality is not neutrality. It is partiality for justice." - Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909-1966)

 

Americana UK say...

Matthew Sweet and Susannah Hoffs “Under the Covers Vol. 1” (Shout Factory 2006) A pretty perfect performance The opposite of cynical, this is a heartfelt, glorious romp through the 1960s by Sid and Susie. Its guaranteed to warm the chilliest of hearts, a delicious L.A. hotpot of tasty treats. Ok, so the title’s a bit obvious, and covers albums often seem lazy. But the finished product is smart and fun and full of treasures. Sweet and Hoffs by and large share vocal duties, although on a couple of tracks the ex-Bangle takes the lead, as on Sandy Denny’s ‘Who knows where the time goes’. There’s an American, especially Laurel Canyon, bias to the selection (Monday, Monday, a couple of Neil Young songs, a cover of the Stone Poney’s smashing Different Drum). The British are represented by both the obvious (The Beatles - ‘And your bird can sing’, The Who, ‘The kids are alright) and the psychedelic (Marmalade, the Zombies), not to mention a rather fine working of ‘Run to me’ by the Bee Gees, which is a lovely reminder of what a band they were pre-disco. Who’d have thought ‘It’s all over now, baby blue’ would work as singalong pop; not to say the Velvet Underground’s Sunday Morning. There’s even something added to the Beach Boy’s ‘Warmth of the Sun’, and Love fans may find themselves in awe of a mariachi-ed version of ‘alone again or’ (or horrified by it). You might quibble at the idea of a covers album. You might feel that there are some things that are untouchable – that only the Beach Boys can do beach boy harmonies. You might wonder why bother trying to improve on something that’s already fine. But if you need something to play at your summer parties, this is just the ticket. Date review added:  Sunday, May 21, 2006 Reviewer:  L M Pettinger Reviewers Rating: Related web link:  sid n susie website

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posted by: Oborski at 08:52 | link | comments (1) |

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grant McLennan

On Saturday 6th May, legendary Australian singer songwriter Grant W McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane.

McLennan was one of Australia’s greatest songwriters who created an outstanding musical legacy as a founder member of The Go-Betweens and as a solo artist. He was enjoying enormous acclaim for the band’s most recent album Oceans Apart, which has received five star reviews around the world and won a prestigious ARIA award.

McLennan was born in Rockhampton, Queensland on 12th February 1958. While attending university in Brisbane he met fellow student Robert Forster and together they formed The Go-Betweens. After releasing a string of singles the band recorded their debut album, Send Me A Lullaby, in 1981. The Go-Betweens recorded a series of exceptional albums that achieved widespread critical acclaim and were fundamental in bringing Australian music to a global audience. He was an unparalleled lyricist and a prolific and meticulous composer. His auto-biographical masterpiece ‘Cattle and Cane’ was recently voted by the Australian Performing Rights Association as one of the ten greatest Australian songs of all time.

In 1989 The Go-Betweens took a ten year sabbatical and McLennan recorded four powerful solo albums including the vivacious debut Watershed and the epic Horsebreaker Star as well as forming satellite groups like Jack Frost with Steve Kilbey of The Church and The Far Out Corporation with Ian Haug of Powderfinger.

When Robert Forster and Grant McLennan reformed The Go-Betweens in 2000, the band was greeted with adulation by a new generation of musicians like Belle and Sebastian, for whom their songs had been an inspirational teenage soundtrack. The three albums the band subsequently released were universally acknowledged as containing some of McLennan’s greatest compositions.

McLennan was a passionate supporter of the arts, extremely well-read and maintained a keen interest in all contemporary music, cinema and visual art. He was an exceptionally charming and polite man who endeared himself to everyone who met him and was one of the rare individuals worthy of the epithet ‘larger than life’.

His singular contribution to music and his commitment to his craft simply cannot be overstated. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his mother, his sister, his brother, his son, girlfriend Emma, his bandmates Adele Pickvance and Glenn Thompson and lifetime musical colleague and friend Robert Forster.

Bernard MacMahon, Lo-Max Records, 6th May 2006

posted by: Oborski at 20:55 | link | comments |