In non-Uppal news…

I seem to be listening exclusively to Australian bands at the moment. I just received Australian Ghost Story, the seductively creepy new album by The Paradise Motel, one of the Antipodean dark chamber-pop groups I love so much. It's gorgeous - especially 'My Sister in '94', though not as instant as their previous albums. I'm just glad they're back. I imported the CD from Oz, but you can get it on itunes. If only they'd tour the UK.

This is 'Brown Snake', from the new album:



Here's 'Heavy Weather' (some kind of 'mix', but you can't have everything) and 'Watch Illuminum' from their previous work:





That led me to The Triffids, the progenitors of melancholy Cobber-Pop. Then on to the Australian supergroup, Blackeyed Susans, populated by Triffids, Go-Betweens and all sorts. then off to Hydroplane (a huge favourite of mine) and related bands The Cat's Miaow and Huon - and not a soap star between them.

Displacement activity

Things to do today: read some incredibly boring papers on Threshold Concepts. Sort the entries for the Much Wenlock Olympian Games (helped inspire Baron de Coubertin to refound the international version - places still available) and do some proper work. But it's too hot…

Meanwhile, here's a lovely bit of melancholic Australian chamber-pop from one of my favourites: The Paradise Motel.

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Indier than thou

Hurrah! A New Paradise Motel album is coming. At some point this year. On a record label. Perhaps. Their wonderful mournful Australian melancholic old stuff isn't on the web anywhere (perhaps Last.fm), but here's the new song they've posted. I play their music most days and occasionally have to remind myself that almost nobody else has even heard of them, let alone rates them so highly. It just seems obvious to me.

Followed by another of my favourites, Hydroplane, who seem to have melted away into other Aussie bands.

Music needed

If anyone has a copy of Still Life by The Paradise Motel to share or sell, I'd be very grateful - I'm a completist and this one passed me by, what with only being released in Australia and all. All Talulah Gosh gratefully received too. And Field Mice 10" albums. Anything with jangly guitars basically.