Single Of The Week

CLINKERFIELD – Bonnie’s Little Finger

(Green Media/MGM)

It’s fortunate that people on the edge of derangement seem legitimately more prone to bursting into song about their lives than the rest of us. For starters, songs about being pissed off with your flatmate for using your margarine, or how you remember you used to like Friends but now it’s not very funny are songs that would take a genuinely world class lyrical empathist to make into ditties that anyone else would give a shit about. But any time someone’s singing a story about stalking a girl across the other side of the world, forcing marriage upon her and going bonkers from the resulting emotional manipulation, it’s worth a listen. Fitting their desperately maniacal lyrics, Melbourne’s Clinkerfield also come good on Bonnie’s Little Finger’s musical side of things (a quickening bush-gypsy beat that seems to steadily rise in intensity with the demented singer’s pulse rate), and vocally, with frontman Jimmy Stewart dishing out a passionate wail with the best. It’s a sad and sorry tale that, to state a fairly obvious spoiler, doesn’t really work out well for anyone except the listener, as we’re treated to a thrilling dose of mind-fucking heartache, before going back to a normal contented suburban life.

OPERATOR PLEASE – Leave It Alone

(EMI)

It’s an odd, and probably uncomfy, position this Gold Coast version of the Little Indie Rascals find themselves in locally. Throughout the rest of the world, they’re riding high as one of the year’s biggest buzz bands, listed on exclusive festival bills and namedropped by influential DJs and magazines. It’s rare for any band to unwittingly key into such a wave of hype, and best of luck to them managing it long-term. However, here at home they seem to be generally regarded as sweet but silly teenybopper rockers who demand to have their cheeks pinched. The third single from the ridiculously titled Yes Yes Vindictive show both of these perceptions to have elements of truth. Leave It Alone itself is enjoyable and frenetic not-too-angsty rock, anchored by Amanda’s distinctive vocal delivery and some catchy synth-work. To be frank, the call could go either way. The single’s packaging doesn’t help form a coherent image either. On the one hand, the big yellow sticker on the front calls attention to the New Young Pony Club Remix included, surely a sign of a band hipper than most. Then the same sticker follows with ‘+ Bonus Band Poster!’ It’s Smash Hits all over again. None of this affects the music, of course, and as someone who wasn’t all that impressed with this adolescent tomfoolery at first, each subsequent release has dished me up with more reconsidered words to eat, so there is the chance Operator Please will grow on you. Although maybe that’s just the pin-up talking.

THE BLACK KEYS – Strange Times

(Shock)

The Mess Hall have just done it. The White Stripes have always been ruled by more than just two personalities. And Hall & Oates was always technically a misnomer. All two-pieces reach a stage where they need to branch out and try different instruments, different sounds and sometimes different line-ups. Five albums in, and it happened to The Black Keys, one of the finest proponents of gritty, fuzzy garage rock this decade. What started as a project for the soul legend and swollen knuckled Ike Turner, produced by Danger Mouse, turned into the new Black Keys album, and the lead track Strange Times shows off the band’s chosen ‘60s garage style organ and moog brilliantly. More than just the additional instruments though, there’s a freshness and new tunefulness that seems to have been invested in this work, a step up from the duo’s fine but same-old last album. Part of The Black Keys’ appeal to this stage has been the simplicity of getting what you hear. Whether on CD or digital download, the groups’ music has always suggested a vinyl flatness, like the song was designed to come with a hiss and in a cardboard sleeve. Strange Times has a musical depth to it, almost as if you could step straight into it and expect to fall into the basement from That ‘70s Show, such is its retro fullness. With Danger Mouse on board, Strange Times marks one of the band’s most obvious changes yet, but it’s a good one.

RICKI-LEE – Can’t Sing A Different Song

(Public Opinion / Shock)

Darling, you’re doing so well for yourself. Yes, you are! Beautifully, Ricki-Lee, just beautifully. You’ve left those Young Divas and they’re starting to teeter a bit with… well, you know… crashing failure – ooh it’s so naughty, but it’s true darling! And you’re still out there, on Channel V every five minutes, all over the radio… Darling, you’ve made it. And barely any mentions of that horrible ‘I’ word any more either! I mean, clearly you were robbed, but never mind that. We have another new single for you to promote! Well, yes, sing it first, then we’ll promote it I suppose, if that’s the way you want to do it. Now I notice with your last couple of singles you’ve ditched that girl-next-door-to-a-church-who-is-always-popping-around-to-share-some-biscuits-and-do-some-chores act, and gone for what I’m guessing is sexy. As far as I can see, it’s the same act, just with less clothes, which would certainly concern the biscuit-eating parishioners greatly, so I think you’ve made a wise choice. But what I want you to do with this one is to act like you’re in control. No, no, put those things away. No darling, you have to be feisty. You have to be tough. You have to be ready to not take anything from anyone. Got that? No, put them back in. Good lord, that’s your answer to everything. I’m talking about growing a backbone here! And there’s only one way soul singin’ women do that – they make their voice growl. Just sing the same old crap, darling, but make it kind of growl, almost gargle as you sing it. That sounds like you’re intimidating. Go on then. Ooh, that’s good. Do it again. Oooh, that’s better, I believe you! Like you have some sort of gargling fire in your growling belly! Wonderful! Ooh, for a second there I thought you were Aretha! No, put them back in – believe me, if Aretha got hers out, that’s an extra eight hours of overtime for the roadies right there. Ok, that’s great. You can stop now, darling. No, you can’t do the whole song in that feisty, growly voice, that would sound silly. Oh, I see you’re enjoying it, so ok, let’s try it, a whole pop song with some taking-control grit in your voice. Beautiful darling. Nothing’s ever sounded more sincere.

SIMON TOPPER

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