Album Review - "She's A Riot" by the Jungle Giants

Junk of the Heart (2011)            ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Don’t be fooled by cheerful guitar, solid melodies and happy vibes, there’s a darker regretful undertone running through the JUNGLE GIANTS latest EP release She’s A Riot. The Brisbane foursome have just brought five fresh tracks of their bright indie pop documenting the possibilities of young love, with a bit of heartache in-between. Their down-to-earth lyrics and solid arrangements are reminiscent of an early KOOKS or JINJA SAFARI. You can tell these guys were friends in high school  - their musical talents fit well together.

Title track ‘She’s A Riot’ opens the EP with a playful serenade with a catchy chorus, fun twangy guitar and high-spirited lyrics: “Wake up, turn around, you’re my girl.” One to clap along to, bop around with – it’s a bubbly tune that characterises the JUNGLE GIANT’s young, sprightly energy. This one might end even up on the triple j 100 next year.

‘Don’t Know What Else To Do’ follows with an optimistic vibe, classic pop arrangement and a groovy bass line. It’s the sort of track that reminds us of an outdoor summer party full of pleasant tunes like this one. The energetic build-up to the chorus brings all parts of the band together and is a sweet sing-a-long, “I’m crazy for you girl, that’s why I got to play it cool.” The jangly guitar can get a bit irritating but overall the sound works.

‘You’ve Got Something’ would have to be one of my favourites off the EP. With more of a rock feel (and suspiciously-sounding Colplay-ish guitar jams in between) it’s a track which is a bit more serious than their bouncy songs. From the smooth vocals by SAM HALES, we feel the sense of bitterness and disappointment arising from the story. CERISA’s guitar strumming at the end is even a bit reminiscent of early CHILI’s songs. Along with heavy drumming and deep bass, it’s one of their more introspective tracks.

‘Way Back When’ follows the theme of the title – a nostalgic look back on a friendship or close love. It’s one of the tracks that highlight JUNGLE GIANTS great bridges, building up tension before the burst of a lively chorus. Background singing oooohs from the band gives it a bit of a folk feel up against the reverb. This song feels like a modern twist on Elton John’s “Your Song”, not quite as poetic, but still with meaningful lyrics and a bluesy-rock feel, “Doesn’t matter where you’re from, it’s in my heart that you belong.”

Final track ‘Back To The Start’ is a return to JUNGLE GIANTS’ more upbeat tunes, with sweet harmonising and dreamy lyrics. “I want to go back to the stars.” It’s really a song about not being sure about life, what you’re meant to be doing and being okay with that. After we’ve been on this journey through young love, disappointment and party times with friends this song encapsulates the carefree young atmosphere of the entire EP.

Published on Purple Sneakers. 

'The Duchess of Malfi' at the Sydney Opera House

An unusual choice for a Bell Shakespeare production, The Duchess of Malfi proves to entertain, frighten and mesmerise at the same time. John Bell's direction of John Webster's fierce play remains true to the brutality and drama of the script while presenting a piece of mature acting and powerful delivery. The Duchess of Malfi follows a sequence of revenge - after the young duchess is widowed her brothers wish to maintain their control over her. The strong elements of misogyny in the play, or at least patriarchy, are not entirely pertinent to the modern audience. The story fundamentally relies on the values of its own time but the Sydney Opera house viewers didn't seem to have too much of a problem with the historical aspects.

Unlike in a typical Shakespeare play, Webster does not provide any breathing room in the story, any comic relief or substitute for the intense drama. Similarly, Bell does not provide his audience with an interval, possibly in an effort to fully draw us deeper into the story. When the duchesses' brothers discover that she has married and had a baby in secret, a string of murders follow. This production deals with the deaths in an unorthodox way, in some parts it feels almost like a horror film - with realistic blood and gore, in others the act is almost a wicked puppetry, an abstracted motion. 

The minimalist set confines the actor's movement, for what is a play full of motion and change. In fact, Webster's piece seems to imitate the passion and thrill of Shakespeare's work without the poetic, complex language. It is not the most comprehensive play from the company but the sense of instinct and raw primality appears in the maturity of the acting. Lucy Bell plays the duchess herself with a dynamic haunting performance up against that of her good-hearted lover Antonio (played by Matthew Moore). The most skilful representation is that of the pain, the regret, the consequence of the characters' impassioned moments.

There are many erotic moments during the play, without the tenacity of a romantic Shakespeare, developed physically and full of obsession. It's almost as if these characters cannot control themselves when it comes to love, family or death. There are confronting moments and because of the lack of interval or downplayed scenes, the audience can feel almost as overwhelmed and emotionally wrecked as the story's creatures. The compact set is lined by closed doors, focusing on what is hidden and more importantly who - as out of those doors comes both lust and danger.

John Bell's abstract take on a play seeking for meaning and unraveling obsession accentuates our hidden intentions. Among the characters, each of them has a secret. It's only up to the audience to decide who to feel the most sorry for in this great tragedy on the stage.

Interview with FLUME

With an album dropping at the end of this year and tons of live performances lined up, young Sydney producer FLUME has a pretty full schedule for 2012. He’s just been added to the bill for Parklife 2012, visit parklife.com.au for tickets and details.

A few weeks ago FLUME played a sold-out Vivid Live event for his label Future Classics at the Sydney Opera House – an impressive venue. He’s keen to keep his music separate from everyday life but, has to admits that the shows are good fun.

“I had a gig in Melbourne the other week and I felt like I could tick something off my bucket list- a girl at the front got her tits out, and that was the first time that’s happened to me…we had crowd surfing on the Onra remix and  ‘Sleepless’, yeah it got pretty crazy!” (I’ve got to say-  ‘The Anthem’ Remix is very difficult not to bop to.)

But what’s it like performing at a packed music festival? FLUME had his first set in the outdoors earlier this year at Field Day and apart from being weirded out by being able to see his crowd (not usually possible in a dark club) he said that he loves the atmosphere. “I see it like a free festival ticket, so as soon as I’m done I just go out and party with everyone.” And he still fits in time to watch other acts. At Parklife FLUME hopes to catch Hermitude (he was one of their support acts this year) and Passion Pit. 

His music has been described as “floating through a moonlit sky with a violin playing goat.” I’d say it’s more of a chilled out take on indie electronica. No need to pull out any intense dance moves, FLUME himself recommends a prime listening time: “In the middle of the day, sunny day, while driving. I think it works in a car.” So maybe on the way to Splendour? “Yeah, totally, do it!”

FLUME tries to change things up between gigs, “Every show I do I’ll sit down before it and add a whole bunch of new stuff… I guess what my show was three months ago is quite different to the show now.” His feature track would have to be ‘Sleepless ft. Anthony for Cleopatra’ – in fact Rip Curl picked it up late least year and used it on an international ad campaign, which he was pretty stoked about. And some more exciting news: “I think we’re looking at doing a ‘Sleepless’ music video, even though it’s been out for a while, we’re doing a re-release soon on record with a bunch of remixes, and possibly on video.” If it’s anything like his new release “I Met You” with Anna Lunoe – super psychedelic and hippy – it should be awesome.

As far as purchasing his music goes, FLUME doesn’t care too much about illegal downloads. “It’s totally cool, I mean a lot of music I wouldn’t have discovered unless I had illegally downloaded it.” He’s got most of his tracks up on a Soundcloud and Future Classic sometimes gives out free tracks as well as releasing his work on vinyl. “Personally I don’t really mind if you download my stuff for free, I mean it’s really cool if you pay for it.” FLUME says that the music market can’t make money from just selling the music anymore; it’s more about the gigs and upping exposure.  “People talk about it more if there’s a free track, people are more likely to blog it.”

He is a solo act…but why not a personal name? Why the pseudonym? “I think it’s kind of boring really. I think it’s good to have an alias and I wouldn’t really want everyone knowing my real name as well.” Most of all, he likes to keep professional and personal separated. “You’ve got your life and then you’ve got your music. I mean it’s good fun at the shows but in everyday life, yeah, I think I’d like to keep it as is.” We’re cool with that. And we were also promised that if FLUME gets super-famous there will be no album covers with his face on them à la David Guetta.

What’s coming up for FLUME? “I’m kind of focusing on gig performances now but the album is like 95% done…I’ve got like 20 something tracks and we’re going to narrow it down to maybe 15 or 16 and release it at the end of the year. And yeah, there’s heaps of touring from now to then!”

With such an early start we had to ask FLUME, what would he be doing otherwise?

“I reckon I’d be tearing my hair out wondering what I wanted to do. Probably studying a Bachelor of Arts not knowing what I wanted to do whilst working at a newsagency. That would suck. I would have no idea what I wanted to do.”

“I don’t take it for granted either, I’m pretty happy that I’ve actually got something that I’m good at that I like doing. Just riding it out!”

Published on Purple Sneakers.

18th Biennale of Sydney opening at the MCA

Ling Meewei (2009) 'The Mending Project':
an interactive piece looking at healing, where  the audience can bring in clothes to mend.

The theme for this year's Sydney Biennale is 'All Our Relations', a concept primarily brought to life by international curators Gerald McMaster and Catherine de Zegher. As an addition to the iconic sandstone building, the modern new spaces are now host to a variety of artworks with a variety of ideas. Overall, the art seems much more approachable in comparison to previous MCA exhibits, with works returning back to traditional media of canvas, film and sculpture - that's to say, there were no 'statement' works, piles of clothes, rocks etc. 

Zoe Keramea (2010) 'Leopard Moth':
There are a few of these scattered around the exhibit,
hand-folded paper and thread looking at manipulation of textures. 

Director Liz Ann Macgregor has done a great job of making the entire experience more interactive - a great number of artists were hanging around their work ready to chat to the public, and will be continuing to do so throughout the next three months of the Biennale. The key term brought up by Macgregor in her speech was connection, as well as collaboration, and there is definitely an atmosphere of that throughout the exhibit. De Zegher will also be working on next year's Australian pavilion in the Venice Biennale, so it will be interesting to see what she curates. The Sydney Biennale is extended to other venues, including Walsh Bay, Cockatoo Island and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Pinaree Sanpitak (2009) 'Anything Can Break':
handmade paper, glass and sound system suspended from the ceiling. 

Film Review - "Friends With Kids" directed by Jennifer Westfeldt

Friends With Kids (2012)   ★ ★ ★ 1/2


It's not your typical family-friendly chick flick or romantic comedy, but Friends With Kids is both an entertaining and emotional watch. The story starts with a New York band of six friends, living the sexy childless life in Manhattan but after the characters hit their late 20s, it's a confusing mishmash of uncontrollable children and disillusionment. Two of the group Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt, also wrote and directed the film) and Jason (Adam Scott) decide to have a child together, while avoiding the difficulties of being together. The dialogue starts out witty and sardonic, with the pair realising the gritty reality that is early married life with children. Some scenes are in a sense overplayed, mother Leslie (Bridesmaid's Maya Rudolph) for one is for the most part a shrieking, hormonal mess and her counterpart Missy (Kristen Wiig) a drunk, depressed mute with a constant scowl. However, the film makes its point in focusing acutely on family strife and how kids change the dynamics of all close relationships.


The film's nearly exclusively set in Manhattan apartments - apart from the token ski trip to Vermont - and the domestic settings are a perfect opportunity to closely examine the nuances of everyday dialogue and action in the typical modern home. Almost a less funny version of television's Modern Family, Westfeldt brings a relatively feminist view to the parenting role. The women are highly emotional and out of control while the men seem to be clueless about their children and homely duties. Missy's husband Ben (John Hamm) brings a ruthless take on the inevitable disappointment of adult life, and his strong role seems to carry most of the film's messages. On the other hand, boyish father Alex (Chris O'Dowd) can be a bit immature but is not as irritating as his character's wife, played by Rudolph.


The ending is somewhat unsatisfactory and abrupt but the film is a good starting point for other more satirical, dialogue-led family films. There's a rollercoaster of emotions, ultimately a comedy, the film has its surprisingly tragic moments as well. It's simply worth seeing to watch Julie and Jason's experiment unfold throughout the story. 

'Hamlet' at the Seymour Centre

The latest theatre production of Shakespeare's psycho-thriller Hamlet brings the familiar symbols and speech back to life with an intense and intimate approach. Director Damien Ryan led a passionately performed and yet refreshingly comprehensive performance - and the high standard of acting across the cast broke down barriers for any audience member. Hamlet deals with confronting themes but the family strife and self-destruction which culminates throughout the story seemed very tangible. There were a few stage tricks, which brought a movie-like quality to murder scenes, but overall the production returns to the natural roots of Shakespeare, the simplicity of the stage.

Lindsay Farris tackled his principal role as Hamlet with commendable zeal, delving into the dark disturbed elements of the character as well as commanding comic dialogue. The environment in which this boy lives in, and he does appear in this production as a young spiteful boy, is rich and regal yet his inner torment pierces through the illusions of the adults' comfortable lives. The circular stage allows for varying perspectives and brings the audience right into the action, and although some seats on the side have limited exposure to characters, nearly everyone in the house has a clear view of the storyline.

The dynamics of the script were acted out so naturally and the movement perfectly choreographed that Ryan's piece plunges the audience into the story. The play is not strictly in order but for the purposes of understanding it from a contemporary viewpoint and to exemplify the character's intentions, it worked well. The set was ever-changing and realistic, and a clever update of technology into the play further provoked questions on close relationships and inner turmoil. There was less soliloquising than in the original work but watching the interactions between the characters was mesmerising and Farris' Hamlet connected immediately with the audience.

A play for both adult and young audiences, Hamlet proves to bring a touch of contemporary stage practices to the traditional Shakespeare production and succeeds in telling a story of love and obsession.

Happy Birthday to Johnny Depp

            Johnny Depp proves to be one of Hollywood’s mysterious characters, with his filmic roles ranging from the spooky to eccentric. Born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, Depp himself has admitted to alcohol and drug abuse, but he’s avoided the major breakdown of some his co-stars.  Nevertheless, Depp is said to be Hollywood’s richest actor, Guinness World Book of Records 2012, with $75 million. He gained prominence from his principal role on the original television show 21 Jump Street during the 90’s and had a cameo appearance in the 2012 filmic remake. With 3 Academy Award nominations and a Golden Globe win for Best Actor, Johnny Depp has certainly left his mark on the Hollywood landscape. Of course his most popular performance is Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean series, which, from 2003, catapulted him into the commercial film fan base.

            Perhaps his iconic early role is Edward Scissorhands in 1990, which brought about a succession of collaborations with Tim Burton (eight in total) – including 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and this year’s Dark Shadows adaptation.  Edward was an eerie yet loveable character, and the story has become a classic for the young kids of the decade. It also sparked his four-year year relationship with Winona Ryder.

            One of the movies that passed under the radar, or at least which doesn’t compare to his current successes, is that of 1993’s Benny and Joon.  Depp plays an artistic quirky individual who develops an unlikely friendship with his friend’s autistic sister. It’s not his most commercial performance but it’s sweet and a flashback to classic silent-screen comedy. The late 90s saw Depp realise some darker, fantasising characters that have led to such roles, as he is most well known for today. 1998’s film adaptation of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas has acquired somewhat of a cult following – with Depp playing the role of American hedonistic drug-taking writer Hunter S. Thompson (And not for the last time- appearing in last year’s The Rum Diary as the very same character).

           In 2004, Depp took on the role of another prominent writer, this time Scottish, as Peter Pan’s J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland. Paired with Kate Winslet, he didn’t seem totally unconvincing from his usual American drawl. He especially took on the ‘lost boy’ character, or isolated man who keeps returning in his casting. However his dark, atypical personality doesn’t send fans away, but draws them in even further. Even in People Magazine Depp was voted ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ in both 2003 and 2009.

            Depp returned to his original musical roots with his frightening performance in Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a performance which ultimately won him his Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The film heightened the gothic horror of the original film but Depp’s voice was a pleasant surprise to all and he suited the grim role. In 2009, once more, he was a villain – playing Chicago’s famous criminal John Dillinger in Public Enemies. The movie didn’t receive great criticism but it was a great portrayal of the classic 1920s crim landscape. In a slightly more playful role, in 2011 he appeared in the animated feature film Rango, as the main character, bringing his much-loved spunkiness and enigmatic persona.

Johnny Depp may be turning 50 next year but he doesn’t look like he’ll be stopping anytime soon.

As published on movies.com.au.