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BEAUTIFUL DISASTERS
"If you want to dance then I'm not your kind." It's an appropriate
line at the start of D. Rogers' new album, Natural Disasters
(on Popboomerang Records), because you won't see Dave dominating
the pop charts alongside Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Indeed,
he even admits in that opening track, Not Correct, "There
is no one listening to me." He seems happy enough, though
there's some envy in the album's opening line: "Drunk at
the awards ceremony, staring at the glittering prize." "If
I said that was based on real life, you'd know I was lying,"
Dave laughs. "It's that feeling that everybody around you
is doing so well and you can only sit by and watch. And
drink."
The album lands as the nation is battered by natural disasters.
But this is not a record about floods or fire. Dave is singing
about everyday struggle in the suburbs, "living from pay
to pay", "going through the motions", "where unpaid bills
dress the refrigerator" and "there's always dishes in the
sink". "It's the everyday struggle of the modern person,"
Dave explains. "I'm obsessed with that idea at the moment.
But I hope it doesn't come across as completely negative
because what I think is inspiring is the way people fight
it. I put out music to fight it."
There's a glorious simplicity to D. Rogers' work, though
the new album - his fourth - has plenty going on. "I feel
I've been moving away from the 'singer-songwriter' mould
over the last couple of years," Dave says. "Nothing against
it as a genre, but I was bored by the limitations. I was
determined to make Natural Disasters the most band-sounding
album I've made. So, for me, this album is like hitting
the singer-songwriter in me over the head with a blunt object,
driving out to secluded bushland and burying the body in
a shallow grave."
Speaking of bands, Dave changes his band name every time
there's a line-up change. He's been D. Rogers and … The
Well Wishers, The Magnificent Bastards, The Early Adopters
and They Who Ride The Tiger. The band for the launch show
(at the Northcote Social Club on Friday, February 4) is
called The Blackline Masters. "I had to change the name
again because we've added another member, Amy Bennett, who
plays keyboard/viola. Emma Heeney and Dave Kleynjans, who
have been around since the Magnificent Bastard days, continue
to be the heart and soul of the band."
Asked to nominate his three favourite Australian songwriters,
Dave lists, "James and Rob from The Boat People. Chandeliers
is one of my favourite albums. They write songs the way
songs should be written. Next I'll put Bec and John from
The Millers Tale. I've loved everything they put out and
Union Square may be one of the greatest songs ever written.
Third place is a tie between Emma Heeney, Ben Birchall,
Tim Reid, Adrian Whitehead, John Palmer, Georgia Fields,
Matt Downey and Tom Morgan. You said three, right?"
D. Rogers sits easily among such talent. His sound might
not be fashionable, but he certainly knows how to pen a
piercing pop song. World-weary has rarely sounded this wonderful.
It's still January, but I'm sure that Natural Disasters
will find a happy home in Howzat!'s 2011 best-of.
HANDS ACROSS NORTHCOTE
The year's first big reunion happens this Saturday at the
Northcote Social Club. Icecream Hands haven't played much
since releasing their fifth album, The Good China, in 2007.
"But we've never broken up," says singer Charles Jenkins.
"We're just too lazy to do a farewell tour." This gig was
meant to be the launch of the new Charles Jenkins and The
Zhivagos album, Walk This Ocean, but then guitarist Davey
Lane discovered he had a You Am I gig in WA, so Charles
organised a Hands reunion instead. They'll be playing their
1999 classic Sweeter Than The Radio, one of Howzat!'s 10
favourite Aussie albums of all time.
WEED WILL ROCK YOU
Howzat! remembers chatting with an Epitaph Records executive,
who came to Australia in 1995 to promote The Sacrilicious
Sounds Of The Supersuckers album. He didn't know much Australian
music, but he did say: "I saw an Australian band the other
day - Tumbleweed. They were one of the worst bands I've
ever seen." I guess they were an acquired taste. Tumbleweed
were hits from the 'gong - Wollongong - and the bong. I
still love their classic stoner rock single Sundial, which
pops up on the new double disc, The Waterfront Years, 1991
- 1993 (Aztec Music). Tumbleweed were there when the music
changed - indeed, they supported Nirvana on their Australian
tour. Though the song quality didn't always match the coolness
of the image, the sense of humour and raw energy remains.
CHART WATCH
Just four Aussie singles in the Top 40.
Who's That Girl GUY SEBASTIAN (number five)
Saturday Night JESSICA MAUBOY (16)
Friday To Sunday JUSTICE CREW (22)
Rapunzel DRAPHT (25)
Three local albums in the Top 10.
Twenty Ten GUY SEBASTIAN (number five)
Altiyan Childs ALTIYAN CHILDS (six)
Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (10)
Birds Of Tokyo BIRDS OF TOKYO (17)
Gilgamesh GYPSY & THE CAT (21)
He Will Have His Way VARIOUS (23)
I Believe You Liar WASHINGTON (25)
Running On Air BLISS N ESO (27)
Get Closer KEITH URBAN (28)
Get 'Em Girls JESSICA MAUBOY (33)
Immersion PENDULUM (39)
We Are Born SIA (40)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Buyer's Remorse D. ROGERS
Biggest Bitch FIONA LEE MAYNARD
You Could Be Reported ICECREAM HANDS
Everything You Need NICK BATTERHAM
Sundial TUMBLEWEED
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