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         ISSUE 14        18.12.07        SHARE IT        SUBSCRIBE
2008. We anticipate the birth of a controversial new music genre, alongside a concurrent design aesthetic and fashion trend. There will be a major election held, a war that continues, and a positive global policy change. We predict two natural disasters, three children's books transformed into film, and seven role models bringing shame upon themselves, their families and humanity. The economy will go down and then up and then (probably) down again, there'll be a large-scale terrorist attack, and some kind of '60s revival. Some amazing bands will play our town, a social networking site will be subjected to a huge media panic, and record sales will surprise everyone and stay about the same.

Enjoy our end of year issue - there's heaps of free stuff, and we all picked our favourite albums of '07 for you too. We'll be back in full force before Feb with a new website in tow, but have got a bunch of fun things planned to ornament the meantime - so stay tuned, thanks for the love, and happy holidays. xx
 
 
 
 
FACES IN PLACES
Are you always finding personable faces amongst your inanimate surroundings? Do your friends roll their eyes when you point at pieces of toast and backpacks and exclaim "Hahahaha omg it's smiling hahahahahahaahahaaaa!?!" Well, now there's a solution! Faces In Places is a Flickr group for you to upload all those millions of photos you have of happy electricity outlets and hungry hungry letterboxes. The best ones get put on a blog as well. I dunno, it's kind of cute. Or something. What?
  TUNNG We Are Not A Folk Band

I’ve always been a lyrics person. Good musicianship is obviously vital, but even a well-constructed melody on a perfectly produced album can be swiftly dismantled at the hands of a lazy lyricist. Nothing irritates me more than a poorly formed sentence or overused metaphor... Or a poorly formed metaphor - and yes I’m thinking directly of Interpol here. “You wear your shoes like a dove”? Really? You really want to put that in a song? That's probably why I've always immediately engaged with the curious songs of Tunng, and the bizarre folklore-ish worlds imagined therein.

Sam Genders is one of the two focal points of the London six piece, as the key song- and lyric-writer. The other is producer Mike Lindsay, who calmly turns the soft and tender melodies offered by Genders into delicately complicated constructions that experiment with samples, field-recordings, bleeps and distortions. The songs are either perplexingly direct or entirely figurative, wrapped around ideas as disparate as quantum physics, dead wasps on a string, DNA, the ocean, blood. There are sounds about soup, and songs that play out like a whole mythological adventure - like Woodcat about the narrator’s girlfriend who is turned into a hare for some former crime.

I ask Genders where it all comes from – I mean it’s clear he’s a reader but a reader of what exactly? “Yeah... I read a lot. I read quite a range of stuff, from like [Haruki] Murakami who obviously has got that kind of weird thing going on, like in The Wind Up Bird and Hard Boiled Wonderland. But I also read a bit of weird philosophical and psychological stuff… I’m a bit of a nerd actually when it comes to reading - I read science books a lot - and I think some of those ideas kind of creep into it.”

In terms of musical influences, Genders recently discovered a junk shop round the corner from him, that’s sold him Jackson Brown, Billy Holiday and Frank Sinatra LPs for 99p which have been on heavy rotation. He also emphatically lists Lonely, Dear and Serafina Steer as contemporary inspirers – the latter of which being a side project of Mike Lindsay who Genders all but gives me the number of to request an LP copy.

Perhaps it’s this vast range of influences that’s to blame for the unidentifiable nature of Tunng’s music.		   “We always get asked about what kind of band we are, which must mean that it’s not set in stone as to what we do – that’s quite nice.”

Since the bands original inception in 2003, four new members have been added with the overall effect of a wonky but balanced mixture of electronica with folk – two fluid and evolving parts of a unique whole which is constantly and lazily described, to my personal consternation, as ‘folktronica’. “That [folktronica] label did us a lot of good in the UK - it got us invited to a lot of festivals, and we met a lot of people and got to play a lot of different gigs. But I think it also depends where you’re coming from. If you’re hardcore folk-y, you’d look at us and say ‘well, they’re not folk’. But if you’re really into pop or rock you’d probably look at us and say ‘well yeah, they’re folkish.” Genders himself would classify the latest album Good Arrows more as ‘experimental pop’ – not only is it more direct and accessible than their previous Mothers Daughter and This Is…, but it’s influenced by a much wider range of genres – folk, electronica, pop and even country. “What I like about thinking of it as experimental pop is that it can mean pretty much anything.”

In the same way that ‘experimental pop’ can mean anything, Tunng’s music itself can be comprised of anything, with sounds that are rarely recognisable for what they really are –the latest albums’ tracks are dominantly structured by subtle and bizarre samplings and loops. “A lot of the more experimental things that are happening on Good Arrows you wouldn’t necessarily know were happening - There are a lot of kind of beeps and things made from unusual field recordings, but they just sound like beats.” Beats which are interesting, evocative, and as subtle as they are essential to Tunng’s soft and sweetly-sung cacophony that’s both original and organic.

TUNNG TOUR DATES:

Sydney - 13-15 January @ Sydney Festival BUY TIX
Melbourne - 16 January @ Northcote Social Club


Tunng's 'Good Arrows' is out now on Pod through Inertia.
NIKO STUMPO Limited Edition Prints
Niko Stumpo is a Norwegian graphic designer, skateboarder, toymaker and former ad agency art director. He's also a painter, photographer, illustrator, web-programmer, sculptor and filmmaker - and he's got an urban streetwear brand too, weareaiko. We caught wind of his distinctive cartoon-style characters back in 2004 when he turned up for that year's Semi Permanent - so when we got an email about him from Undercover Agency we salivated a little bit. Then a little bit more when we looked at the new season of weareaiko. And then a little bit more when they offered to let us give you some limited edition prints for Christmas. Go check it out, we’ll be over here hosing ourselves down.
EARN IT :: LIMITED EDITION PRINT:: CLICK HERE
I'M NOT THERE Free Tickets
We were lucky enough to attend the pre-screenings of this film two weeks ago, to the delightful chagrin of our envious friends. There’s probably not much we can say that you haven’t heard already, except that it’s not quite the bio-pic it’s being marketed as –beginning with the words “inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan”, that’s the last time the man himself is mentioned by name. Six different actors play six different characters filmed in six different styles – each portraying the varied enigmas of the elusive and troubled Dylan. And yes, the soundtrack is amazing, with 29 influential voices from the past two generations covering 39 songs covers, but we already told you that.
EARN IT :: DOUBLE PASS AND SOUNDTRACK :: CLICK HERE
ANDY WEATHERALL Free Tickets/TShirts/Albums
Andrew Weatherall was a leading DJ in London’s acid house scene through the late 80s and 90s, famed for putting all the hyphens between dance music and rock music. He’s remixed for the Happy Mondays, New Order, Primal Scream and My Bloody Valentine. He ran clubs, a fanzine (Boy’s Own) and a label, and in 2000 proclaimed that dance culture had become pop culture, and that pop culture annoyed him. Judging by his latest compilation Sci.Fi.Lo.Fi his aim is to continue reinventing dance culture – the album throws in pretty much every genre of rock that ever was. He’s touring in January to support the release, and yes we’ve got some presents for you…
EARN IT :: DOUBLE PASS AND TSHIRT AND ALBUMS! :: CLICK HERE
GHOSTPATROL
We pretty much stole ghostpatrol from the latest issue of [WeAreTheImageMakers], which is fair enough because his work can rarely be seen in Sydney. He paints, sculpts, inks, draws, and has street art pasted up around the various corners of Melbourne, where he's currently based. With his work always themed around nature, it’s hard not to be reminded of Maurice Sendak’s illustrations from Where The Wild Things Are – the difference being the Wild Things that ghostpatrol creates almost always seem to taint innocuous mischief with a more Machiavellian streak..
 
  WORKER #3116
Gabe & Max's How To Get The Dreamlife Of Your Dreams Using The Internet. "Now with the blogs, you can share your thoughts with up to ten people using 'The Online Blogopolis'. You can talk about the most important issues of the day that you know about, like the guy on the bus who you saw, funny things your cats or cats do, "BIRTHDAY GIFTS!" and up to five more." HEY BING BONG YOU'VE GOT YOUR EMAILS		  
 
THE WALL 1ST B'DAY The World Bar  
19 Dec 8pm
For a year now, The Wall has been giving local artists somewhere free to exhibit, and giving everyone else somewhere free to go, look, buy, drink and dance. They have Two Very Special Things happening for their birthday. The first is the tag-teaming RO SHAM BO launching their best-of-2007 mixtape and taking over all the rooms in the house to do it. Huge. The second is the art of Throw Shapes’ very own Matt Roden, AKA MATTATAT. He was uneasy about appearing in this issue as anything other than aesthetic influence, so I promised I’d only write something he was comfortable with. “I’m pretty comfortable with my sexuality. You can write about that.” [pause] “Actually, I’m not heaps comfortable with that either.” [pause] “I’m actually not comfortable with any of what I just said going in.”
THE ANNANDALE + JAEGER XMAS PARTY  
19 Dec 7pm
Christmas parties… Making out on the photocopier… Telling your boss what you always thought about him and then spewing in his shoes…. Karaoke… Telling your boss’ wife that you think she’s hot and then spewing in her shoes… Barefoot dancing… spewing in your shoes… Imagine what would happen if Jager were sponsoring. The Jager/Annandale XMAS party has The Grates headlining, with Yves Klein Blue youngsters, folk darling Sui Zhen and Newcastle’s bluesy Sacred Stereos in support. It’s technically invite only, but the lovely Annendale are offering 100 spots to the first to get to the door by seven. To make sure you make the cut, compete below..
WIN IT :: DOUBLE PASS :: CLICK HERE
THE DARJEELING LIMITED Participating Cinemas  
Opens 26 Dec
We imagine that Wes Anderson’s personal world runs to an extremely delayed meter, where people hold each others’ desperate gaze for four seconds longer than they should, conversations are marked by awkward pauses which speakers try to break at the same time, and each day starts half way through, only to be filled with slow and tragic comedy. Darjeeling LTD doesn’t break from the Anderson mould, but brings to it the rich Indian landscape shot in Bollywood style, and a story of three brothers in mourning and in search of some sort of spiritual epiphany - and who encapsulate why everyone hates American tourists. And there’s a short before the film starts with Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman that in itself is worthy of the ticket.
WIN IT :: DOUBLE PASS :: CLICK HERE
GHOSTPATROL
We asked ghostpatrol to finish a few sentences for us: I am ghostpatrol. My favourite Australian artists are Miso, Dylan Martorell, Junior, Jagi, Tom Bone, Anthony Lister. My studio is Mitten Fortress. Sydney-siders can find more of my work in www.ghostpatrol.net or the bottom of bins if you're lucky. I wish I could live in Hyrule with Link and chop down trees. My favourite album of 2007 was Beirut, Flying Club Cup. My favourite film of 2007 was The Science of Sleep. My favourite moment of 2007 was meeting [artist] Acorn in Edinburgh.
BLONDE REDHEAD 23
Blonde Redhead's 23 was definitely a stand-out album of 2007 for me. Mostly because it's one of the few albums that I've listened to all the way through the year - awful I know. I'm a terrible person. If you don't want to know a terrible person's opinion of a great album then stop reading now. In one word, 23 is 'luscious'. I really hate that word and use it very rarely- it makes me shudder and feel a bit dirty like when I see people tongue kiss their dogs but 'luscious' the album is. Really good for having emotional sex to…I would imagine. 4AD
SELECTED BY BY IRINA B SHUTTERBUG > MYSPACE

BATTLES Mirrored
This album gave me an instant erection... I would imagine. Sure that sentence doesn't make sense but neither does this band at the start, and then all of a sudden everything makes lots of sense all at once, which in a way is just like this review. I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you. WARP
SELECTED BY BY LACHLAN M ALL ROUNDER > MYSPACE
A-TRAK Dirty South Dance
A-trakis awesome - guy can scratch, juggle and seamlessly mix all at once. He’s been studying the turntable for years and with achievements like the youngest DMC world champion title and Kanye West’s tour DJ he’s continually earned my respect with his talent – this album multiplied that respect. With music overlapping genres more and more these days, I expected little more than a compilation of old 2 many Dj mash-ups. Instead, what I got was a well mashed, well mixed and inspiring blend of mainstream electro house laced with dirty south rap lyrics, which made the perfect combination of head rocking ghetto clubroom radness. FOOLS GOLD
SELECTED BY BY DANNY C BEAT MASTER GENERAL > MYSPACE
LES SAVY FAV  Let's Stay Friends
Other bands may claim post-punk/rock/disco as their sonic guiding light (aka We Wish We Were Gang of Four Gang), them with fancy fringes and fluorory tees. After a couple of years in the wilderness, Les Savy Favy have reclaimed this sound then gaffa’d it to whatever muse drove Ulysses to take on a Cyclops, eat his best friend in pig form, muck around in hell and then bust back upstairs to tenderly fuck his wife. Sleeting guitars, echoey scream choruses, slinky drums and even romantic duets; LSF have given a taut, angular, pop odyssey to the people. SUBPOP
SELECTED BY BY MATT R GUM AND TAPE DISPENSER > MYSPACE
BEIRUT The Flying Club Cup
That “Nantes” has been my favourite song of the year won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to spend more than five minutes with me since it came out. With a moodier vibe that adds French influence to an otherwise Balkan flavour, Flying Club falls only slightly short of 2006’s masterful Gulag Orkestra. But for the rest of my ’07 top 7 see Band of Horses’ Cease To Begin, Battles’ Tonto, Menomena’s Friend and Foe, LCD’s Sound Of Silver, Dungen’s Tio Bitar and Alela Diane’s The Pirate’s Gospel. And yes, I get to be self-indulgent with a top seven. Because I’m the editor. (Nice top seven! – ed.) 4AD
SELECTED BY BY STEPH H WORD JOCKEY > MYSPACE
THE BESNARD LAKES Are The Dark Horse
The Besnard Lakes’ smooth instrumental multi-layering, 5min+ compositions and hauntingly atmospheric harmonies borrow elements from Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys and fellow Canadians Arcade Fire. It's pretty much the BUSINESS, even though it was so overlooked when it was released locally in April. The album won’t explode out of your speakers, but after a few listens will begin to slowly melt all over you like a bath of rainbow icecream - a perfect beginning to a summer that seems all set to embrace the psychedelic genre in a big way. Go on, pop your shoegaze cherry with a searing injection of Besnard. JAGJAGUWAR
SELECTED BY ALEX P AUDIO WRANGLER > MYSPACE
 THIS WEEK MUM'S 1ST B'DAY + WHAM!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WHOLE GALLERY
 LAST WEEK MUM, WHAM! 2ND B'DAY + THE WALL RELAUNCH!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WHOLE GALLERY
Editor Steph Harmon Layout & Computer Stuff & Other Things Matt Roden
Email steph@throwshapes.com.au Address 24 Bayswater Rd, Kings X, Sydney
Mobile 0422949374 Landline 02 9357 2744 Fax 02 9331 5511
Review Contributors Alex Pye, Lachlan Macara, Danny Chien Photos Irina Belova
 
Throw Shapes is put together by the people at The World Bar and is part of your membership to the bar. If you need help or info on stuff thats not listed above please feel free to contact us for any reason – lost property, memberships, work or simply to book a terrace, a private function or throw an after party. Email functions@theworldbar.com
 
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