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THE DADS ARE ALRIGHT
Clem Bastow recently pondered the pitfalls of an artist
being labelled "adult contemporary". "Not because there's
anything wrong with it," Clem wrote in Inpress, "after all,
the AC category at the ARIAs is regularly the most interesting,
but because it must be a bit like being described as having
a 'great personality' in the face of the more exciting genres'
flashiness." Paul Andrews, the singer in Sydney band Lazy
Susan, laughs when his band is called "dad rock", adding,
"It would probably be sad if we were still singing about
taking drugs and having crushes on girls who look like Joan
Baez."
Lazy Susan's fourth album, Places That Made Us, is out on
Friday. Yes, it's a grown-up record - there's even a song
called Responsibility Of Love, while another track, Ghost,
is about trying to avoid ex-lovers - but it's as thrilling
as any pop album you'll hear this year. It's funny and heartbreaking,
nostalgic and melancholic, with memorable melodies and lines
that leap out. "Liberace had a favourite saying," Paul sings,
"make sure you're sleeping with whoever's paying." "I have
to admit I have no idea if Liberace actually said that,"
Paul confesses. "I came up with that line and it struck
me that it was something he might have said." Paul takes
inspiration from anywhere. Recently, he saw a friend write
on Facebook that she was having a "James Coburn Weekend",
watching his movies on DVD. "What a great idea for a song,"
Paul thought. "I'm determined to write a song off the back
of that: 'I had a James Coburn weekend and a Donald Pleasence
night ...'"
Like all the great bands, Lazy Susan has more than one fine
songwriter. Guitarist Pete Wilson is Paul's Forster to his
McLennan. Coincidentally, The Go-Betweens played their part
in the making of the new album. One summer, Paul stood behind
violinist Amanda Brown and was transfixed by the "costume
marks on her back", which ended up becoming a line on the
album's closing song, I Can't Wait. "When we were all at
high school and getting into The Go-Betweens, I think we
all had crushes on Amanda Brown, am I right?" About seven
years ago, Paul wandered off the Hopetoun stage and bumped
into Go-Betweens drummer Lindy Morrison. She said: "I'd
love you to meet my friend, Amanda Brown." Paul didn't tell
Amanda that he'd written a line about her, but he, Pete
and then bass player, Duncan Young (who left Lazy Susan
to focus on his acting career, appearing in Farscape and
Ghost Rider) spent the night drinking with Lindy and Amanda
and were later joined by Ronnie Peno. "It was awesome,"
Paul recalls, "one of the best nights we've had in the band."
Paul still occasionally sees Amanda at gigs and "my heart
still misses a beat".
Places That Made Us opens with one of Pete's songs, Easy
Targets, which is about cryptic crosswords. Pete believes
the world is split into two camps - those who do cryptic
crosswords and those who don't. Pete does them, Paul doesn't.
Once asked who he most admired, Pete replied: "Mick, Keith,
Rod Stewart, Phil Ceberano and those people who drive around
town in trucks with billboards on the back". His favourite
indulgence? "Waxing, rice pudding and Rod Stewart". Pete
also contributes the sparkling Don't Get Too Excited, which
was inspired by a line uttered by Tony Soprano: "Every day
is a gift. But why does it have to be a pair of socks?"
Every Lazy Susan album is a gift. For hardcore fans, their
debut, 2001's Long Lost, is like Weezer's Pinkerton - it
will never be topped. But Places That Made Us comes close.
"Dad rock" has never sounded so cool.
HERTZ SO GOOD, REPTILES ROCK AFTER THE SHOW
With a comeback that had Howzat! recalling the 1983 Grand
Final, the Megahertz stormed home to win the Community Cup
by a point - their first victory since 2005. Surely, this
will be enough to save coach Neil Rogers' job? He is believed
to have delivered the finest half-time address since Ron
Barassi at the 1970 Grand Final. The Megahertz were goalless
in the first half, but Patrick Delves inspired the greatest
comeback since John Farnham, with Stu Farrell scoring the
winning goal with the final kick of the day. Rockdog Nick
Barker then delivered a blistering set with his re-formed
Reptiles. The gig was a one-off, but it'd be great to see
the Reptiles return to their homeground, the Espy, or how
'bout a gig at the Corner?
CHART WATCH
Kylie's new single slips from 14 to 22.
We No Speak Americano YOLANDA BE COOL (number five)
All The Lovers KYLIE MINOGUE (22)
iYiYi CODY SIMPSON (27)
Lying AMY MEREDITH (28)
Unbroken STAN WALKER (30)
Closure SCARLETT BELLE (38, debut)
Baby, I'm Gettin' Better GYROSCOPE (40)
Sia lands at two, while Thirsty Merc arrive outside the
Top 10.
We Are Born SIA (number two, debut)
Youngbloods THE AMITY AFFLICTION (six, debut)
Intriguer CROWDED HOUSE (nine)
Mousetrap Heart THIRSTY MERC (14, debut)
Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (15)
Compass MARK VINCENT (23)
Iron Man 2 AC/DC (26)
Immersion PENDULUM (27)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Don't Get Too Excited LAZY SUSAN
Closer To You REBECCA BARNARD
Avalanche BRITISH INDIA
Your Wedding Day PRINCESS ONE POINT FIVE
(Sure Beats) Goin' To Pieces NICK BARKER AND THE REPTILES
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