Do magpies swoop? I’m not sure. You know who does swoop? Swoop Swoop. You may already know him as Streaky Jake, but Swoop Swoop is what this Perth artist is now going by, with the release of his album Somewhere In The Shadows.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet. My favourite track for sure is the opener ‘I Know What To Do With Myself’. This song makes me think of what maybe one Fleet Fox would sound like if he was stranded by all by his lonesome. And on a beach.
It also sounds like a song that could be playing in one of those hospital drama series we all love to hate, but secretly actually love, if only for the person whose job it is to pick the songs that play as the camera scans around the waiting/on call/operating rooms and make the doctor people in their scrubs seem full of wretched depth and emotional intensity. oopsi, tangent.
The rest of the album, while lovely, doesn’t grab me as much as track one, and is a little disappointing after such a good opener. But it’s still a beautiful collection of songs that sound like they were written by a guy living on the coast who should go and get lost in the mountains. And perhaps bump into the Fleet Foxes.
Guitar that twangs ever so slightly in certain points of ‘Sean Gormans Dream 123’ make you wish they twanged some more. Swoop Swoop has a breathy vocal delivery and the songs with the least arrangment and production are definitely the winners here. Basically i just want you to go and listen to ‘I Know What To Do With Myself’ right now. So now you know. Go.
In mini mix news, how blooming wonderful was the weekend weather? And all this week for that matter. The days are getting longer and I’ve started riding my pink malvern star to work again. With the sun beating down on my pasty winter limbs, i’ve officially bid Winter goodbye and thought I’d celebrate with perfect songs for a perfect bicycle ride.
Flobots – Handlebars
Um, not only is this song about riding a bike with no handlebars, it mentions the dosie doe. I’m sold. Plus, a cute animated video clip – think Gorillaz crossed with Astro Boy.
[youtube AuK2A1ZqoWs]
Pink Floyd – Bike Song
How cute is this song? Any song that starts with a bike bell ring is pretty much guaranteed of being winner in Katie Dazzle’s book. The rousing way it builds towards the end also makes this the perfect song to listen to when you need to defeat that big hill.
[youtube AHRE5dyDKTA]
Tom Waits – Broken Bicycles
So raspy, just like my poor rusting Stella. That’s what my bike is called, and unfortunately she does not do well when left in the elements. Tom Waits is magic because he has the ability to make me feel zero % guilty for neglecting poor said bike.
[youtube eF-HAAUY45c]
