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TODAY IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY
Princess One Point Five's new single, Today, is such a sweet
song that, initially, Howzat! thought it would be a good
theme for the Channel Nine show of the same name. But then
we realised it was not an overly positive song, with Sarah-Jane
Wentzki singing: "What the hell is with today?" "I'd had
a bit of a day," SJ explains, "a bit of a week, actually.
A couple of months. And it was one of those it-could-go-one-way-could-go-the-other-way
kinds of things. And when you don't know which way to turn,
you might as well just toss a coin and plunge in, I guess."
The Princess One Point Five name is a reference to the diminutive
SJ. It's sometimes a solo act, mostly a duo (with producer
and collaborator Richard Andrew) and often a band. "It's
always changing," SJ explains. "I write, Richard adds his
mad genius, and we sometimes pick up really talented people
to record bits and pieces on the albums, play with us live
and make us look good. Ben Grounds is our most permanent
recent addition, he did a lot of the bass on the album."
SJ is surprised that she's often likened to Angie Hart.
"The Angie Hart comparison is one that always cracks me
up," she smiles. "I really admire what Angie does, but I
can't think of two more different artists! I think most
people don't really know what to make of us; we've gotten
a lot of really obscure comparisons. Someone said I sounded
like a young Marianne Faithfull, which I thought was weird,
but cool." So how does SJ describe the P1.5 sound? "Um,
melancholy, but deeply hopeful. Like The Sundays and The
La's and Blondie. In a blender. And a bit rock."
Pleasingly, Today (on Pharmacy Records through MGM) is getting
some Triple J love. What sort of feelings does SJ have when
she hears one of her songs on the radio? "The first time
it happened, I nearly wet myself, I was so excited. And
nervous. Not much has changed, really. Sometimes, the whole
thing is a bit weird, because suddenly a song isn't really
yours any more, and people can judge it and hate it, or
whatever. It's a bit terrifying, but, equally, it's a nice
feeling that your songs have a life of their own. I'm continually
surprised by and deeply grateful for the radio airplay we
get. I feel like a real-life actual musician." P1.5 are
launching Today at the Northcote Social Club on Sunday,
with Nicholas Roy and Team Yes! The album, What Doesn't
Kill You, will be out in June.
MADNESS, MOVIES AND MUSIC
We're spending more money on movies than music. In 2009,
for the first time, cinema box office takings exceeded $1
billion in Australia. This was a few hundred million dollars
more than the total we spent on recorded music (ARIA's wholesale
figures for 2009 show that $446 million was spent on sound
recordings and music DVDs). Howzat! went to a movie recently
and it cost $17.50. For about a dollar more, we could buy
a new release CD at JB. What's the better value - two hours
in the dark, watching a three-star movie, or an album that
we may play hundreds of times?
HOWZAT, SONY SIGNS BRADMAN!
Sony has signed Greta Bradman, the granddaughter of Australia's
greatest cricketer. She says music runs in the family -
The Don was a boy soprano and keen pianist. A classical
singer, Greta's debut album, Forest Of Dreams: Classical
Lullabies To Get Lost In, will be out in June. She will
also pop up on Compass, the second album from Australia's
Got Talent winner Mark Vincent. Sony has also signed the
Yellow Wiggle, Sam Moran, who will release an album of love
songs, Colour Of Love, on April 9. But has Sony signed Kyle
Sandilands' wife, Tamara Jaber, the former Scandal'us singer
who released a solo single, Ooh Aah, in 2005 on King Kyle
Records? In a Mediaweek podcast, Kyle said last week: "She's
signed with Sony." Asked when we could expect to hear something,
he said: "She is filming a video clip in the next fortnight.
[Sony boss] Denis Handlin told me 'around Easter', so it's
got to be soon." Howzat! asked a Sony promo source if Tamara
was now on the label. "Not that I know of," the source said,
adding, "I fucking hope not."
GOLD DIAMOND LANE
Like Mia Dyson, Lilith Lane has got a striking voice. And
her new single, In My Fortress, sounds both muscular and
alluring. It's the first single from her second album, Gold
Diamond, which will be out in June. If there's any justice,
2010 will be the year the world wakes up to Lilith Lane's
immense talent. Head to myspace.com/lilithlane to hear In
My Fortress.
CHART WATCH
Still only three homegrown hits in the national Top 40.
Meanwhile, the new Kisschasy single, Dinosaur, lands at
44.
Sweet Disposition THE TEMPER TRAP (number 25)
On A Mission GABRIELLA CILMI (26)
Black Box STAN WALKER (36)
Angus & Julia Stone have 2010's first local chart-topping
album, while the Gurus arrive at 16. And The Vasco Era's
Lucille lands at 48.
Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (number one, debut)
Purity Of Essence HOODOO GURUS (16, debut)
Conditions THE TEMPER TRAP (22)
A Book Like This ANGUS & JULIA STONE (26)
Wrapped Up Good THE McCLYMONTS (29)
Wonder LISA MITCHELL (35)
No Guts No Glory AIRBOURNE (36)
Faith + Hope + Love HILLSONG (37)
Before Too Long: Triple J's Tribute To Paul Kelly VARIOUS
(38)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Today PRINCESS ONE POINT FIVE
In My Fortress LILITH LANE
Find Me A Way Back Into Your Heart LAZY SUSAN
Beneath The Satellites BRITISH INDIA
One Long Week SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR
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