lip magazine: for girls who think feel create speak out live

by Melissa Welhams

The eight members of Architecture in Helsinki have produced a great follow-up album to their debut, Fingers Crossed. This one, In Case We Die, follows the same blueprint and layout, but develops both, with new songs and fresh ideas. Or, to be more exact, it follows the same lack of layout. The structure of the pieces is unique. Interludes, beginnings, even endings, seem to make little or no musical sense. However, this is one of the charms of Architecture in Helsinki, and the fact that they manage to pull off these unsystematic songs is testimony to their appeal. Almost completely at random, a perfectly upbeat song will turn into a solemn funeral march, or change to an angel’s halleluiah chorus. The techniques and instruments used on the album are also not your average, with none of the usual guitar/bass/drums arrangement. Instead, there are saxophones, harps, sitars, violas and even a musical saw layered over the top of the regular pianos, drums and guitar. Almost none of the songs use a bass at all. Even stranger is Architecture in Helsinki’s use of sound effects, with noises that would seem more at home in a children’s cartoon on an early Saturday morning. The vocals on all the songs are also one-of-a-kind, differing between low tones and high falsetto, almost-spoken and layered voices. Despite the lack of structure, unusual arrangement, strange lyrics and even song titles, Architecture in Helsinki remains an extremely enjoyable listen. It’s undefinable, indescribable and unmatchable.

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by Melissa Welhams

M.I.A’s first album, Arular, boggles the mind. Not because it isn’t good music, not because it makes you want to throw your CD player out the window, but because it’s almost impossible to categorise. The thirteen songs on the album fuse hip-hop and electro, street funk and dancehall, and much more besides. Influences from many different types of music are visible, but the sound remains unique and utterly exceptional. M.I.A, a Sri Lankan singer now based in the UK, has a voice that is remarkable with its capacity to sound good even when being mixed and broken, or reduced to the spoken word. The lyrics tackle subjects from war and death, and (slightly more strange) bananas. The language is occasionally, and in some songs predominantly, slang, and therefore slightly confusing to any who aren’t clued in on what each word means. Still, the messages of the songs are clear enough through the words that one can understand, as well as the tone of M.I.A’s voice and the music accompanying it. The lengths of the songs are as varied as the influences obvious on the album, with one or two songs little more than 30 seconds long. Overall, Arular makes for interesting and high-quality listening, with heavy backing beats perfect for dancing or otherwise.

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by Melissa Welhams

On Sarah Blasko’s first album, The Overture and The Underscore, this beautifully voiced singer does an amazing job. The CD is one of addictive melodies and tunes, displaying the full range of vocal ability possessed by the singer. All the songs are well arranged, with easily layered instruments and constant back beats. Standout tracks include the first on the album, ‘all coming back,’ which impresses the listener from the very beginning, and ‘perfect now,’ a subtly sad song that rings true, as if it is from experience. Both songs show off Sarah’s unique voice and her skill of sharing stories through song. But the songs on The Overture and The Underscore are by no means all the same. As well as the slow and steady tunes, there are also slightly more upbeat tracks that show pop influences, while others lean towards a definite rock sound. The songs speak of loss and gain, and everything in between, with clearly heard lyrics that flow easily and smoothly. Sarah Blasko’s eloquent use of language is one of her best points. She had the ability to communicate exactly what she means and feels not only through her voice, but also through her songwriting. While this album isn’t exactly music fit for a disco, it is perfect for a late night at home, when you want to unwind to something that’s poignant and affecting, expressive and emotional.

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GETTING WOMEN TO TAKE THE plunge and buy a new car might seem like a daunting task. How does an automotive brand stand out compared to others? How can a testosterone-laden industry show its softer, feminine side? Offer the ladies a set of stylish accessories to decorate themselves and their cars, that’s how.

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by David Lim

It’s the case of Baby turning nanna. Life in Mono is the underwhelming follow up to Bunton’s career defining, Free Me. The obvious difference this time is less motown but more Bacharach.

Vaguely recalling bittersweet Carpenter moments, this record greys like London weather. Leading single, Downtown, gets a musical theatre reworking and is oddly placed near the finale. Not far off is her sultry take of Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, where she drops the tempo, sinks to a lower register to ooze every bit the restraint sassiness required to outshine Geri’s gayer version.

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Imagine this: you’ve had a pretty brutal break-up, and the last thing you want is to run into your ex on the street or at a party of a mutual friend. Now you can look them up using your mobile phone and a little help from GPS technology, to make sure they’re not around. US-based company Loopt offers just such a service, using GPS to help users find their friends’ mobile phones, allowing them to zoom into a map to find out where their friends are. Cool idea, huh?

But maybe not. What if, while you’re trying to avoid your ex and a potentially nasty scene, your ex is using the same service to hunt you down to beg forgiveness in the most embarrassing way, or worse, become violent! What about your parents finding out you’re not actually sleeping over at a friend’s place, but at some party on the other side of town? What about stalkers?

I’m a big fan of personal privacy, and knowing that “Big Brother” (not the crappy reality tv show) can tap into my calls and read my emails (though why would they want to?) gives me chills. Handing over this kind of technology to the world takes it to a whole new level.

What do you think?

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by David Lim

Nothing makes a history of cat fights pardonable like a lucrative record deal does to a couple of chart eschewed solo band mates. All Saints famously imploded in the early ’00s after holding up through years of internal bitching. Out spawned a one-hit wonder, sister/duo act: Appletons, an underrated and actually awesome solo album: Shaznay Lewis, and an obscure list of lazy and few in between singles: Melanie Blatt.

All Saints might have been the ’90s antithesis to the Spice Girls, but the girls now awaken to new competition in a pop climate fiercer and more fickle than ever. At first listen, it is satisfying to note that the pack of young mums have caught up with times, tapping into the very ‘now’ summery, dub reggae pop zeitgeist. Studio 1 radiates with a certain glow only seasoned pop minstrels can deliver – and that is consistency from track one to end. There is no genre skipping. No eager to please, covering the bases a la Idol contestants’ debuts.

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Personal rights violated?

It’s been a long time since I went to a concert by a major international act. Over five years in fact, when Live! descended upon Canberra in October 2001. 9/11 was fresh in our minds and “I am Overcome” was the backdrop for many a news report of the disaster. Perhaps everyone was still in shock, or perhaps the residents of Canberra in 2001 were not considered much of a threat, because security was considerably light that night.

Sydney in January 2007 presents a much different picture, where not only were bags searched and open drink bottles confiscated and discarded before entry, but pat-downs were conducted on every single person who went through the gates at Tuesday’s Tenacious D gig. WTF? I was glad to have left my bag at the motel and therefore got into the “fast” line, but was stunned to be manhandled, prodded and groped like a drug smuggler at an international airport.

How long has this kind of violation been going on? Is it just Sydney or is this a national phenomenon? The “D” are no U2: do JB and KG know what we all had to go through to see them play live?

I’m still reeling…

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Back in August I complained about a photo in the Herald Sun of Andrew O’Keefe peering between a lady’s legs, particularly upset because he is the Chairman of White Ribbon Day. He has responded to the letter I wrote to him and I thought I’d post it. It’s always good to be fair!
Here’s the letter:

Dear Rachel

My name is Andrew O’Keefe and I am the Chairman of the White Ribbon Day National Leadership Group. My apologies for taking so long to reply to your letter regarding the article which appeared in the Herald Sun last year. As you know, White Ribbon Day is currently an entirely voluntary organisation, and we were swamped with work in the back end of the year.

Like you, I was dismayed at the photo which ran with the article in theHerald Sun. This was one of about 100 photos which were taken in a shoot at the beginning of 2006. When I saw the proof sheet, I specifically vetoed the release of that shot on the bases that you enumerate in your letter. Unfortunately, the photo remained on the Channel 7 hard-drive, and when I had a change of publicist, it appears it was released without my consent. The Herald Sun then ran the shot.

I have taken the issue up with my publicity Department at the network and they have requested that the Herald Sun delete the shot from their internal drive. I hope that this remedies the problem for the future.

Thank you for your letter and for your interest in White Ribbon Day. Last year’s events were a huge sucess and this year, with the establishment of the White Ribbon Foundation and increased support from government and business, we hope to make the messages of White Ribbon Day even more prominent and widespread.

Similarly, we wish you every success with Lip Magazine for 2007.

Yours sincerely,
Andrew O’Keefe
Seven Network

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We still have a number of back issues laying around, and have marked these down and are clearing out to make way for lucky issue 13 in a few weeks.

Check out the lip shop and grab yourself some bargain reading for the summer holidays.

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