Thursday, 17 September 2015

That's Entertainment : Richard Marx


In this day and age, there doesn’t seem to be successful singer/songwriters out there in commercial radio and ARIA Chart land.  Which is weird, because there are so many ‘talent’ shows on the telly.  In the 1980’s, there seemed to be heaps of them and one who really springs to mind is Richard Marx.

Having written a number of songs for other artists, Richard Marx began stockpiling some of his tracks that he couldn’t bear to part with for a hoped for solo album.  Gaining a record deal, at the age of 24, he released his debut album with a mix of rock pop and ballads that would set the template for his 30 year solo career.

Should’ve Known Better is a perfect slice of 1987 - the production, the drums and bass, the guitar licks - and it’s breezy and good on the ear.  Don’t Mean Nothing is a sultry Joe Cocker-wannabe (ironically, it went up against Joe Cocker for a Grammy) with slide guitar from The Eagles’ Joe Walsh.  Both tracks are great examples of well created pop rock and are worthy of a spin.  The funk Endless Summer Nights sounds like something from a love scene from any late-80’s movie and was another success for the young artist, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Chart and was followed by his fourth single Hold On To The Nights (his first #1 US hit).

I got in to Richard Marx, by all things, Right Here Waiting.  An earnest ballad - which I’m a sucker for - it was #1 for five weeks in 1989 and was one of the earliest Cassingles I remember buying.  The previous single - the crunchy toe tapper - Satisfied had been a Top 20 success too (in the US, he had three #1s in a row with Hold On To The Nights, Satisfied and Right Here Waiting) - and both Satisfied and Right Here Waiting seemed to be on Video Hits for an eternity.

However his biggest Australian hit would follow in 1992 with Hazard, a song rumour would have it was originally written for John Farnham (and rejected by the Sadie the Cleaning Lady singer).  It was Top 10 for 10 weeks (#1 for 3 weeks) and at a time when ABC, 7 and 10 all had Saturday morning music shows, it was played ALL THE TIME.  It’s black and white film clip riffed on Twin Peaks (although the lyrics and actual video kinda contradict each other).  Take This Heart followed in the wake of Hazard and remains one of his bigger selling and higher placing singles in Australia.

Although Richard Marx would continue to record and release albums and tour constantly, his time at the top of the pop charts had come to an end.  He’s still out there releasing finely crafted professional pop that won’t be seen or heard on commercial radio / TV any time soon.


 









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Thursday, 10 September 2015

That's Entertainment : Atlas Genius


Atlas Genius - funny sounding name, awesome sounding band.

It was only a week ago that I discovered Atlas Genius whilst driving in my car and listening to SWR FM (I know, another discovery on community radio!).  It was an ordinary morning, nothing unusual and I was sipping my morning Mocha.  Same ol' story - heard song on radio, really dug it, missed the call out, emailed the station, got a reply.  Checked out the album on Friday and a week later I haven’t stopped playing it to the exclusivity of everything else.

All I know about Atlas Genius is this: their new album Inanimate Objects dropped on 28th August, they’re Aussies and they’re making it big in the US as we speak.

I guess we could lump them in with the rest of the indie-tronica coming out of Australia but that would be disingenuous.  These guys actually have their own style and whilst there are reminiscent flourishes of other bands, they lead a vanguard of nu-disco bands like Scotland's Chvrches who have rock and industrial leanings - like big drums and bass lines and guitar licks - as well as nuanced atmospherics and affects.

All I have to say is - with an album of 11 tracks there are rich pickings to enjoy and highly recommend A Perfect End as well as the single Molecules.  Stockholm is another guilty pleasure and The City We Grow is also a belter and this is the first time in many a moon where I have immediately whipped out the lyrics sheet and meticulously pored over the words so I could actually sing along correctly.

This is one band to listen out for and I’m excited to check out their debut record as well as highly anticipate their next album.

I’m going to go all out a la Ian “Molly” Meldrum and categorically state that if Atlas Genius aren’t ruling the world in 2-3 years time, I’ll eat my hat.









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Thursday, 3 September 2015

That's Entertainment : 5 Seconds of Summer


I should be happy.  

Summer is just around the corner.

But...

I’m conflicted.

Like really confused.  And angry.

Why?

Here I was, sitting in the car, minding my own business, humming along to a pop-punk song playing on SWR FM and trying to figure out which snot nose pop-punk band like Blink 182 had released this slab of pop-punk confectionary.

I missed the call out from the DJ, so I ended up emailing them for their playlist, which got emailed back to me a few days later.

Imagine my surprise and possibly disgust at finding out it was 5 Seconds of Summer.  A tiddlywinks band!!!  Argh!!!

I got over it.

Then imagine my surprise - 5 Seconds of Summer have actually released it as a CD single through JB Hi Fi.  Yep!  I bought my first CD single since 2009 and it was 5 Seconds of Summer.

I want to curl up in the shower in the foetal position and cleanse myself.

After some hysterics, and uploading the track to my I-tunes, I have to say that for a bunch of Aussie lads, this is a really really infectious ear worm that has you humming and shaking your head in no time.  And for very good reason, it’s airing on every radio station multiple times a day.  The tiddlywinks will love it.

So there you go.  They often say never judge a book by it’s cover.  Well, I have.  I haven’t dared go sniffing out any of their other stuff.  But She’s Kinda Hot by 5 Seconds of Summer is a winner.  It should go to Number 1.  And it’s co-written by the Madden brothers.

Oh dear.

I’m so conflicted.  I hope the feeling lasts say...five seconds.  

Oh, and summer…it’s still just around the corner.  I think it’ll be kinda hot.




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