Today was a special day in Sydney. It was one that saw many celebrating the successful acquisition of tickets to see Sufjan Stevens or losing their mind with rage. Both of these outcomes became manifest at roughly 9:03am on facebook and looked a little something like this:

and this:

One way or another we’re seeing exclamation marks. That’s the sort of passion that the good Sufjan Stevens inspires. He’s been called the best song-writer of the past decade at some point, by someone, which is the sort of high praise that isn’t lazily dished out. After several conference calls Stevens and I decided that the best date for his Sydney festival show would be the 27th of January, dead on my the night of my birthday. We hope that works for you. Anyway, the essence of this message is a big
congratulations to those who scored tickets and even bigger condolences to those who didn’t. Four years ago I saw Sufjan play the State Theatre and it’s stuck with me as one of the best live sets I’ve ever seen.

I understand that there might be a few of you out there that have read through this angry that I’m demanding you know who Sufjan is. If you haven’t heard him, then I’m more than excited to be the conduit through which you’ll receive some life changing sounds.

Sufjan Stevens – For The Widows In Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti

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This is the track that best sums up my experience of Sufjan in both name and sound. The both have changed enormously since this song was put to record seven years ago but you’ll find that out if you’d kindly listen to the track immediately below.

Sufjan Stevens – I Want To Be Well

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This is my favourite from Sufjan’s recently released Age of Adz. You MUST listen to this at a loud volume and you MUST listen the whole way through so you can get to the ending which will toss you about like an emotional hurricane. Sometimes hurricanes get sad. Sometimes they get thoughtful and introspective. Hurricanes are people too.

In the overpopulated genre of folk-horror you’d have to think that Graveyard Train would be near the top of the game. There’s a whole lot of fauxk out there but the real meter stick of true folk is this: does someone in the band play the chain? Graveyard Train must surely be the only Australia act that can answer that question positively. Multi-instrumentalist J.J. Cadaver (he also plays the harp & the kazoo) works the chain like a convict, though it’s not particularly evident in the video below. There is however some cracking washboard action. They capture the oldentime feel immaculately. The song I really wanted you to hear is not the below track but their rumbling ballad Run Billy Run but iTunes rejected my credit card as I’d spent all my remaining coin on an industrial jar of heartbeats. I maintain I made a wise purchase. Confectionary aside, you should listen to Run Billy Run on their myspace.

No free downloads but if you want to order a hardcopy of their record The Drink, The Devil & The Dance then visit their myspace or download a copy through iTunes.

If anyone from the band reads this, you should probably send me a promo copy of the album… just sayin’.

I hope everybody had a great Halloween. I know I sure did. I had a particularly scary evening spent out west. Something that’s neither Western nor scary however, are the melodious songs of Inland Sea, a band from the fiery Northern realm (I’ve been reading fantasy novels lately) of Queensland. Don’t even act like you didn’t love every bit of that segway. One moment we’re talking about Halloween then- What!? Did we just change topic!? I know. I know.

Anyway, Queensland, harmonies, violins, you’ll love it. They cite Arcade Fire as an influence, probably because they both have way too many band members to fit comfortably on a stage. A ten piece! Imagine dragging that around the country. I ‘spose the upside is that they can arrange some glorious five part harmonies. I guarantee- I GUARANTEE you’ll be hearing a lot more about the Inland Sea in months to come.

Here’s one of three tracks that they’ve made available for free download.

Inland Sea – No Time

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A copy of their EP will set you back $8.45 on itunes.

I guess I’m initially annoyed that I’m being accused of soliciting a prostitute. It’s slightly less insulting that the prostitute is an easy-on-the-eyes, internationally reknowned singer but I’m still having trouble coming to terms with it. Lykke Li asks the big questions; Can she outdo Emiliana Torrini’s Jungle Drum? Why are there so many phenomenal Swedish musicians? Does whorepop exist as a genre?

Lykke Li – Get Some

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[free download]

Sydney based rapper (don’t stop reading here, I know this doesn’t bode well, but stay with me) Miracle is an 18 year old, Ghanean born character who just finished his HSC. He sampled Pete Murray’s Better Days for a high school assignment (that much I learnt from Who The Hell blog) but it’s his version of Angus and Julia Stone’s Big Jet Plane that got me all frazzled.

Hear more tracks here.