Music, what draws me in -part 2
                                                              

Well some friends and family queued up on me and said I was stuck in the 80's with my first music blog. The Bands and Artists I wrote about were my influences in life, hair and dance that set me on the path to continue to search and discover others that did the same. This one is about those that mirror that sound and mood at this time, likely forever. 

Ok, so who is new and who has continued to produce 'new romantic, jangly pop, alternative rock, Folk pop and indie rock' at such quality as was then, but now, perhaps even better. 

So new artists that I've discovered join in along with those who have repeated their skills as a solo artist, in other bands or their original bands. I'll also stay with those who have maintained their ability to craft songs filled with heartwarming and inspirational experiences with melodies and lyrics to match.

I'll start with 'Cigarettes After Sex', the band was formed in 2008 in Texas, however did not debut releases until 2012. Ambient Pop is the label given to their music, I call it mood, Sunday Morning, late dinners, best company music to chat by or just 'kicking back'on a rainy day.  

Love this band's music, first heard it in the early episodes of the confronting 'The Handmaid's Tale', been hooked since.

'Nothing's Gonna to Hurt You Baby' will get you started, brilliant vocals, expressive, appealing with rich tone, the lyrics drew me in.

'When we dance in my living room, To that silly 90's R&B, When we have a drink or three, Always ends in a hazy shower scene'


'K' for Kristen such a distinctive song, carries a subtle cry of love to be revisited. 

                                                                                                                             

 

'I remember when I first noticed that you liked me back,
We were sitting down in a restaurant waiting for the check, We had made love earlier that day with no strings attached, But I could tell that something had changed how you looked at me then'

Those who remember the film 'Lost in Translation' will note the Band has used some edits for a video of 'Nothing's Gonna to Hurt You Baby', embracing a memoir, we all have them. 

Amanda Brown- How do you define a person who is a master of their craft?. For me it's easy really. A moment to review her Bio will confirm her ability as a composer and musician. 

Violin, Oboe, keyboards, guitar and vocals paved the way for Amanda to be in many bands, the best of all being the Go-Betweens (bias, would I be?). She has composed film soundtracks Look Both Ways', 'Son Of a Lion',among others,is a gifted songwriter and helps educate budding musicians.

One of the albums I play regularly is 'Incognita'. It was also a play that I was fortunate to see some years ago at the Birrarung marr in Melbourne by the Yarra.

"Stay with me, We can always be, alone in the night, like a whisper no one can hear'....

Don't believe this lyric needs much explaining if you have ever found love. 

Her work with Lindy Morrison (OAM, drummer with the Go-Betweens, her Bio is also staggering) in Cleopatra Wong, makes it easy to say 'Thank You'.

New Horizon's, new talent.



 Alex the Astronaut- What a talent this young woman is. Just gathering more tracks from her for my collection. 

Listen to 'Already Home', 'Not Worth Hiding' and 'I believe in Music' and 'To whom it may Concern' to get you started.

The next thing you'll want to find out is where is she playing next.

Mini anthems, Paul Kelly like, thinking Susan Vega, female Stone Roses maybe the Verve, but really its Alex Lynn, Alex the Astronaut.

'Already Home' stunning track... 

'I remember on Christmas Eve My uncle brought his guitar and he Showed me how to play David Bowie's Space Oddity I played until my fingers bled My mum sent me off to bed The next day Santa brought me my own guitar'  

I'm glad he did.

So now to the Glaswegians.

Belle & Sebastian-  They debuted in the mid 90's and have recorded some brilliant albums. They're again touring Australia in May this year so I'll certainly front up for another dose.

For those who are curious about this band I suggest you start with 'The Life Pursuit', follow up with 'Dear Catastophe Waitress' and 'Write About Love'. The 2014 album 'Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance' has some of the most poignant lyrics, delivered in melodies and chord progressions that earmark the brilliant musicianship of this band.

'We are out of practice, we're of of sight, on the edge of Noboby's Empire, if we live by books and we live by hope, does that make us targets for gunfire..?'   

Wake up call for different parts of the world, maybe even here. 

Longevity. 

British Sea Power- Albums 'Open Season' and 'Do you like Rock Music' are standouts. It's what I call 'Salty Rock' with themes of historic events conjured up for the listener. Songs that reflect as meaningfully like the moon does on a silent calm sea. 

There is a track on 'DYLRM' called 'Open the Door' with a lyric 'Five young men went for a walk, sat on a tree stump and had a talk, it takes something to be a man these days, nobody cares but everyone's caring, ah these days, are we almost there?' 

How are you going to live is what is asks, live in hope to find and nurture that 'something'. Well, my take.

No trickery to this band, lots of different wind, keyboard and percussion oddities, with guitars that drive the sound to a stadium feel. Love the defining bass licks.

Adele and Glenn- 'Carrington 
Street'.
Both these musician/songwriters have an appeal, jangly pop, art rock, or for me just simply writers and singers of songs that carry stories of life that express feelings and dreams we all have at some point in time.

Hence the vocals are expressive, mixed with engaging arrangements where the drawcard is originality. 

Not surprising when you consider Glenn Thompson's CV. 'The Titanics', 'Beachfield', 'The Answers' and the reformed 'Custard' are to name some of his bands. In 1999/2000 Glenn became the drummer of the reformed Go-Betweens (2000-2006), having spent parts of the prior decade working/playing on the solo albums for Robert Forster and Grant McLennan (1958-2006).

Just on Beachfield, on the album 'Brighton Bothways' there is a song called Wintertime Again, whilst in my world it's Autumn just now, love the lyric line about putting the leaves back on the tree.    

Adele Pickvance was also in the reformed Go-Betweens playing bass and singing backing vocals and harmonies. 

'The Dave Graney Show', collaborations with Billy Miller from the Ferrets, 'Far Out Corporation' and the 'Mumps' along with working on solo albums of both Robert Forster and Grant McLennan reflect her talent as a musician/singer/songwriter.

Find 'I Dreamt I Was a Sparrow', the rest will follow. 

One of the Bands that continue to produce are 'The Waterboys'. I suspect many will recall the epic, uplifting, storming 'Whole of the Moon'.

An album released in 2011 was called 'An Appointment with Mr Yeats' where W.B. Yeats lyrics were adapted to song by Mike Scott.  

There is a song called 'White Birds', it's a stirring melody, with the sound of white birds in the fade out that caresses your senses and guides you to revisit the coast, no matter what the season.     





Till the next bunch of music revelations,be tempted to listen and enjoy today and the next there after.

Cheers

Charles.  

                                                             Bob Coy Lorne Artist 

                                                'Motion of the Ocean, Breeze in the Trees'

Lorne in the late 60's early 70's compared to 2018 was a vastly different place, some cafes (the 'Arab' was the favourite), the original Erskine House and Cumberland Guest House, a theatre, a fish and chip shop, newsagent, an art gallery, chemist and the two Hotels were virtually all that filled the main street. Though the beach front (Loutitt Bay) has faced little change, the wandering, alluring Erskine River still flows, the Otway Ranges now likely filled with more homes and B&B's oversees the locals and holiday makers with dignity, the gatekeeper to the Great Ocean Road.

So in 2018 Mountjoy Parade is now filled with boutique shops, street cafes, restaurants and other retail friendly outlets with the Pacific and Lorne Hotels still the heartbeat. The Falls Music Festival brings International artists to the Lorne Coast at the turn of the each New Year adding to the attractions of what's on offer, not forgetting the world's longest ocean swimming race, the Pier to Pub.

Aireys' Lighthouse.

My brother Bob Coy (Robert Julian Coy) was 23 when he moved to Lorne in 1971. He had just sold a business he commenced in 1968 called Surf Dive 'n Ski. (his Branding Font remains the same today as it was 47 years ago). He sold the Business to move to Lorne arguably, the surfing capital of the West Coast then, likely still is. Bob was a surfer, an artist, a musician and a graphic designer. He'd been surfing the west coast since 1964.

Bob lived in Hopetoun Terrace till he past away in 1999.

Bob's oil paintings recall the beauty and wonder of the Lorne Coast with the intrigue and sun light of the inner forests that are the the Otways. At sometime in 1974 a 'minder' for Prince Charles returned to Geelong on a mission to seek out art works of the Great Ocean Road. Originally a member of Prince Charles security team when the Prince was at
Timbertop,  he discovered my brother in Lorne.

Today in Westminster Abbey his oil painting of 'Eagle on the Mount' adorns the walls at the Abbey, a stark reminder of the talent Bob possessed. For those who are visiting Lorne a walk up Mountjoy Parade to the Pacific Hotel and into the foyer you will see a mural that covers an entire wall that depicts the surf beach at Lorne. It captures the spirit of the ocean playground, illustrating all the fun and colourscape that draws so many to this beautiful coastal town.

Bob's was also a talented musician, guitar, keyboards, drums and a blues singer, his last band I recall was 'SilverHair', I still have a tape recorded in 1996.
His artwork lives in the homes of family and friends and those of the many  bought from local Galleries or were contracted for particular scenes of Oceania, Landscapes and Portraits, west coast and nation wide..

'A ol' Buick abandoned
found in the Otways'

I'm lured to a book written by Ian C.Hunt titled 'Feel the Sea Wind' where Bob's etchings of the early Guest Houses in and around Lorne are featured.

There are over twenty guest houses that existed in the early 1900's that were 'inked' by Bob, they were done at a time when an infected hand hospitalised him. They remain a wonderful capture of the elegance that existed for wealthier holiday makers back then, who travelled to Lorne in the first cars and horse drawn carriages.

So why this blog ?, why now ?.

There is a story to be told and that's my goal, I'm writing a book about my brother, a Lorne resident for twenty eight years. His artwork lives, breathes and shines inside me everyday. Its been brewing for many years and now for family, his many friends (some that I remain in contact with - love social media) it needs to be recorded and published.
                                                                                                                              Mt Warning NNSW
                                                                                                                               Bob's work 1989
I have in my possession and really only on loan, many of Bob's art pieces, memorabilia, poems, song lyrics and a story line that will enhance his legacy. In essence the folk of Lorne need to be reminded of Bob's time there with works that will live well beyond my time.

Perhaps some long term residents of Lorne will recall my brother as I do and have a story to tell, that in turn may be the part that attracts a publisher who holds the same enthusiasm as I do.

I've included Bob's oil painting of Mt Warning, done in an afternoon in summer 1989 by the Tweed River. Both of us just sat there, maybe he still visits there, I do, though his heart, soul and son were always in Lorne.

Book to come, a table top coffee book sprinkled with photos of Bob' work or something else, I'll know when I stop writing.

Bob's glow still shines.




Cheers
Charles.