UV Race – Racism

2010 onwards saw the rise of a new jangly rock sound in the Australian punk/DIY scene – now known as “Dole Wave” which was coined as a joke and stuck. To me, it was just the sound of all the bands/friends bands at that time. Many living in punk share houses, scraping by on new start (the Australian dole) and or working 4 casual shit paying jobs around the clock just to pay their share of the rent.

It was a time when the Australian Underground scene swelled and some of the best DIY scenes popped up in my home town. Sadly, many of these have now closed. There is a great book from that scene - Noise in My Head - Australian Underground by Jimi Kritzler featuring a lot of the bands from that era and photographs of gigs we went to at the time.

UV Race were one of the early bands to kick it off, describing themselves as “avant-tards and gutter glitter stomp”. Forming in the deep suburbs of Victoria this album channels some Jonathon Richmond and Modern Lovers inspiration in both lyrics and sound but with more synths, sax and costumes. It’s their third album and probably my favourite of theirs. Here they sing about being an outsider, heartbreak on Johnstone street, making fun of cops, and nuclear families.

I haven’t dug this out for ages cos that sound became saturated in the scene later on and I needed some space from it. But I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this today.

#UVRace #AustralianUnderground #Australianpunk #dolewave #DIY#Vinyl #records #nowplaying #nowspinning

Tyler the Creator – Chromakopia

Tyler’s an interesting character. I couldn’t and still can’t get into his earlier stuff when he was really pushing the limits during his horror-core phase, confused about his sexuality, masculinity, identity, and stirring shit that has left a stain. Yet he’s done some growth, owned his shit, and redeemed himself. Tyler’s redemption arc is one of the most iconic pop twists. Yet what lingers now is a weird fan base of those that were into that (mostly hyper masculine white bros), kids that didn’t know about it and being recently shooketh, and folks who have forgiven.

I’ve written before about Tyler being Bowie-esq. Tyler had contemplated this being his last album and disappearing from music for awhile. Then stopped doing the Noid character sharing the costume carried the weight of the feelings and thoughts during the making of the album and not wanting to feel that now.

Listening to this album takes me right back to the concert, still one of the best shows I’ve seen. It’s been 1 year since Chromakopia dropped with the vinyl finally released to celebrate the anniversary. The packaging and design is top notch as one would expect from Tyler. It’s spread across two discs (grumble...two discs...grumble). Admittedly the 2 discs means the bass on this is +++.

It’s a highly personal album and is best heard in full. Ultimately, Chromakopia is a love letter to his past, home town, and blackness. Reflecting on his personal growth, it’s to those he loved, hurt along the years, to the little confused kid, and an insight into the toll of fame on one’s mental health, all woven together by narration of his mother Bonita through sound bites "taking a bunch of shit….told me as a kid”.

This album was a grower after being in love with Igor for so long. But now it’s up there with my favourite albums.

#Tylerthecreator #Chromakopia #hiphop #soul #Vinyl #records #nowplaying #nowspinning

Radio Birdman - Living Eyes

I decided impulsively to rearrange my records which seemed like a terrific idea at first. I’m a genre kinda gal and I am running out of room. So I popped this on whilst piles of records were around the living room.

I've posted on here before about when I was younger and getting into Australian 70's and 80's punk. I have a real soft spot for Australian 80’s garage rock. Although recorded in 1978 it has that 80’s sound to it. It's not something I come back to often these days. So it was good to give this one a spin again.

I first bought this from Port Hole when I was either 17 or 18 and is one of the handful of early records I first bought. This is an original and the cover is falling apart but it plays well.

2005 - 2006 was a great time for live shows in our little town. I saw so many touring acts then. Radio Birdman reformed and toured in 2006 at Fowlers Live. It was a great set despite being a come back show which I'm always a little sceptical about. I remember thinking wow this will be their last tour ever. They’ve since been touring pretty regularly including last year. I remember my friend and I dressed up for the night, me with a 60’s leopard print cocktail dress I bought second-hand and my hair big channelling Poison Ivy from the Cramps.

On re listen there is a line in one of the tracks I 94 that’s always bothered me, despite being a rocking tune - “Eskimo Pies comin' to you aha yeah”. The terminology has not aged well. When I was discussing how I don’t understand the use of that line with my husband, their encyclopaedia knowledge informed me it’s the name of an American Ice cream. I’m still a bit perplexed to be honest.

#RadioBirdman #punk #australianpunk #garagerock #Vinyl #records #nowplaying #nowspinning

Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around

Sometimes you just need to put an album on that you can immerse yourself in the swirling sound and lyrics. Today it's Cash's last studio album with a range of guest, leaving a legacy of 66 albums prior. Sheesh.

We've been watching Take 5 with Zan Rowe. I might have mentioned this before here, but it's much better than I anticipated. The conversations remind me of the power of music and how some of the best friendships I've made over my life were through a mutual love and connection with music. 

Last night we watched the episode with the beloved Bill Bailey. He picked Cash's cover of Hurt. Something about his reflections of life and aging struck a chord. I've moved into the phase of helping my folks who are now older, and looking at my mum going into care. It's a weird existential experience filled with mixed emotions. The episode was really moving - perhaps it was the timing. 

I remember being stopped in my tracks watching the clip for Hurt on Rage. It was around 2003. I didn't grow up being a NIN fan. It's one of the best covers imho. It wasn't until some years later I bought this album on vinyl. 

I use to associate Cash with the stories my folks would tell me about their early days. My Dad was a Cash fan. We'd sing to Johnny Cash in the car on trips to town for appointments when mum wasn't with us - she was not a fan.

I wept listening to this album until disc 2 side 4 when my husband decided to point how they don't think the cover version of Big Iron is very good. Haha.

TIL Cash's only original on the album "When the Man Come's Around" was inspired by a weird dream he had about the Queen. Also that the album was produced by Rick Rubin.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records  #JohnnyCash

Weekend - La Varieté

I first hear the Weekend (not to be confused by the pop outfit) in a record store few years back. The guy working was streaming an NTS show and when this track started it stopped me. I had to shazam it (no shame in a shazam). About a month later I found a copy in the same store for $10 stuck over the $15 in permeant marker on the cover. What monster does that!?! This copy, admittedly, is $10 quality and I really need to replace it, but none the less it was a beautiful moment.

This album is so lush and stunning. It’s a firm favourite.

The Weekend are a Welsh band formed by Alison Statton following her Young Marble Giants project. It’s a swirling mix of dreamy indie pop, jazz, samba & afrobeat. The first half has hazy summer feels. I read somewhere the album sounds like a vacation with regrets and that’s definitely the sound of the second side with some slower, darker hangover indie sounds. Such a unique album, pushing something different in the early 80’s post punk indie era of Rough Trade Records.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #Weekend #LaVarieté #AlisonStatton #roughtrade #postpunk #indie

The Who – Who’s Next

I had coffee with my father in law last weekend who was discussing how he couldn’t find a secondhand copy of this Who album. Surprised by this fact as it seemed fairly common we duct into our local secondhand record store and informed by the owner that it is indeed somehow hard to find lately for some reason. I looked on discogs and was astounded by the prices. The following day I found a copy for him at the record fair and he was thrilled.

It’s been many years since I have spun this. This is my dads record from his collection that he gave to me. I went through a big

Who phase in my first year of uni. My mate Tony was a massive fan. This then led to my mum regaining her interest. Years later when I was finishing uni and getting ready to move out, my mum was doing late shifts as a nurse. She’d have long drives home and she’d play the Who to keep her awake. It was so bloody loud you could hear it coming up the road and down our long driveway. She said she loved the drums. Who knew my mum was a Keith moon fan. Ha.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #thewho

Earth Wind & Fire – Last Days and Time

I was inspired to play some Earth Wind & Fire this morning thanks to Kevin Bacon (odd link I know. Insert six degrees of Kevin Bacon joke here). I was watching the ABC series Take 5 where they interview various people about music and there is a theme each week. He started off with an Earth Wind and Fire track. I had no idea he was such an avid music lover, player and incredibly down to earth human. He has a huge social media presence I seemed to have missed – playing a record each Monday and talking about it, and then also playing guitar covers to his goats. It’s some of the most wholesome content on the internet.

It wasn’t until my early 20’s I realised I had a huge gap in my soul/funk/RnB knowledge that wasn’t pop stuff I’d seen on weekend music clip shows. I was quite ashamed of this at the time. My parents mainly listened to 60’s & 70s pop/rock/folk with my dad dabbling in a bit of soul. This is probably in part the 80’s/90’s Australian suburbs experience - the awkward whiteness of it all. I find myself thinking about this quite a bit lately since posting about my records on here.

I first got into this album by a DJ I use to listen to on NTS Nabihah Iqbal. She’d play a mix of styles similar to my sets for our radio show. One of her sets she opened with Power, the last track on the first side of this. Brilliant track beginning with a swirling sound of the Kalimba that continues to build into this huge jazz funk instrumental.

This album gets mixed reviews on the “big” music sites but is one of my favourites.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #EarthWind&Fire #soulfunk

Isis – Self Titled.

I had a leave day booked today and was reminded of this album so decided to dig it out.

This 1970’s all female funk/rock group is one of the few albums both my partner and I own separately. I found a copy at a fair years ago.

Singer Carol MacDonald was unapologetic about her 2 loves on this record – women and Jesus. It seems the label asked her to mix it up a bit. Can you be less gay? Ok, how about a track about football in the middle of the record?

They didn’t hold back on song titles either – Rubber Boy and Cocaine Elaine to mention a few.

Isis were one of a handful all female bands to first sign to a major label, with Carol MacDonald’s first band Goldie & the Gingerbreads being one of the first all-female rock bands and the first to be signed to a major record label. What a ground breaker.

Despite all of this, little is mentioned about her or the band.

* The band name didn't age well. Probs not going to test hash tagging this one.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #music #funk #femalefunk #CarolMacDonald #queer #queermusic

Rip Rig + Panic - Attitude

Today I wandered down to the local public holiday record fair to have a dig. What use to be a white wash of older men and every Beatles album is slowly morphing into a diverse seller selection. What I was not expecting to find was the third release from 80’s English post punk/funk/free jazz collective. I’ve posted about RR&P before. Some beautiful piano instrumentals on this. Neneh is credited as Banana Cherry on this. Cute.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
#Nenehcherry #music #RipRigandPanic

Tinselwig

2025-01-23 23:42:36

Sunday Coffee & Tunes 12/01/25

Today's selection is 80s post punk outfit Rip Rig + Panic. A surprise find from yesterday. Featuring members of the pop group, Neneh Cherry, and some guest spots from Ari Up and Don Cherry. This post-punk and jazz album is not only a powerhouse of talent but sounds fresh and ahead of its time.

#records #vinyl #postpunk #music #coffeeandvinyl #nowplaying #nowspinning

Minnie Riperton - Adventures in Paradise 

Someone asked me yesterday what I thought objectively were the top 3 greatest albums of all time. I'm not particularly good with those sorts of lists but I made my humble contribution. 
What I find more interesting are people's favourite albums which led me to think about mine. 

Adventures in Paradise is one of them. 

Minnie has a become a bit of a cult classic now. With funky bass lines and dreamy Minnie vibes, this album is the perfect sunny Sunday morning record or a late night kitchen dance. Both great options. 

I have two copies. One I found in a $5 bin - it sounds like $5 and this one which I got for $20 at a fair. It has a Brashes price tag which was a blast from the past. I use to love going to Brashes as a kid. I always look for copies of this album but I don't find them often and when I do, they are often a tad pricy. 

It's a phenomenal album cover and the inspiration for Doechii's recent album. TIL the infamous lion story. Simba on the cover was apparently quite a chill lion. Minnie agreed to do a live promotional video recreation of the cover if they brought back Simba. But they didn't use Simba. As she went to sit down, the lion sniffed her arm and then lunged up at her. I watched the footage this afternoon. Oof. 

I enjoyed this so much I span it again when I got home.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
#Minnieripperton #adventuresInparadise 

Miles Davis – Water Babies

Not sure why but this album keeps popping up in my feeds. Anyway I found a copy Friday night in Clarity for $35 so decided to pick it up. This features the same art work by Davis friend and photographer Cortez “Corky” McCoy, a Black illustrator from Los Angeles. The album contains two different quintets and outtakes from the late 60’s that Columbia released a decade later. But you Miles walking talking encyclopaedia's probably already knew that. I didn't. The closing track on the second side is catchy a hell from Chick Coera’s keys. I spun that side twice.

I then went on a giant rabbit hole of reading about the art work for On the Corner which I will post about later. There is little written about the artwork for this. I don’t understand who that guy is supposed to be in the corner and why he looks like he is going to prom. Also what’s that kid got planned with the can of sweat peas?

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #music #milesdavis #CorkyMcCoy

Donald Byrd – Stepping into Tomorrow

Today feels like a proper spring day. With the windows open and coffee brewing I can enjoy my first Saturday coffee and tunes for a while. The title of this album feels very apt with a sense of relief in the air. For 2 weeks I was stuck in what felt like an eternal argument with the bank. Amongst other issues I uncovered a cluster fuck IT issues with their E-Contract system that broke them – haha. So after multiple complaints and 2 weeks of what felt like groundhog day listening to the hold music of Mitch Tambo First Nations artist covering John Farnham’s Your the Voice and then Savage Garden’s To the Moon and Back I finally got it resolved and my loan approved. Huzzah! It’s refreshing to be listening to some other tunes quite frankly. I thought I was going a little insane.

This is another Mizell Brothers production where they do their magic with a stack of guests. I love the guest vocals by Kay Haith on Think Twice. Google tells me she didn’t release her own material and remained a long term guest vocalist with Byrd. The only track I find hard work on this is Rock n Roll Again – it just goes on a bit with the doo wop vocals and feels kind of outta place…

I really love the cover art of this (painting by Greg Edwards) and the photography on Places and Spaces. They both feel timeless.

For a fancy Blue Note pressing with all the tick box criteria, I picked this up for a very reasonable price at Plug Seven recently.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #DonaldByrd #SteppingintoTomorrow #bluenote #jazzfunk #fuckbanks