MONEY FOR ROPE
LISA MITCHELL
KENDRICK LAMAR
H.I.M.
Money For Rope
Bless This Mess
good kid, m.A.A.d city
XX: Two Decades Of Love Metal
Thornbury
Warner
Interscope/Universal
RCA/Sony
Money For Rope take their name from John Lennon’s political protest track Gimme Some Truth, but unlike the song, the sextet’s songwriting is much more straightforward. Love, loss, two chords, with a dabble in soul and a back section that’s heavy and tight. Sweet and simple.
It’s strange times when former reality television talent show rejects can shake off the cringes and forge solid careers of their own, foregoing the local RSL Friday night line-ups and assorted other ‘special guest’ appearances. The few that have escaped the clutches of B-grade fame are unearthing a sound of their own, and no doubt the most successful one to do so is the elfin-faced and sugar-breathed Lisa Mitchell. To use these kinds of descriptions of Mitchell leads to all sorts of dismissive thoughts surrounding Bless This Mess, but it shouldn’t; it’s simply a further foray into her fablelike way of seeing the world. It’s part of her branding, and as before with her debut, it works wonders here.
You’ve only got to flick through the inner sleeve of good kid, m.A.A.d city to realise that Kendrick Lamar has a story to tell. Hell, the spine of the record even says “a short film by”. But it’s a CD – whaaaaat?!
‘So Ville Valo and his Finnish crew have really been kicking for 20 years?’, you ask, your voice slightly incredulous. Yes, in fact, they’ve been kicking for 20 years. Even though you probably stopped listening to their over-dramatic Euro-goth-rock after you graduated high school, H.I.M. have continued going from strength to strength, never tinkering too much with a formula of angst, goth-approved imagery (tears, blood, funerals, etc.) and hints of optimism.
And there are some tidy melodies on tracks like You’ll Be Gone and Since I Left, generally mixing in nicely with some Hammond (but don’t mention the D-band!). While the lead single Misery Lane and opening track Common Man bare the fingerprints of producer Steven Schram, with echoes of downbeat Little Red tracks like Witchdoctor. That’s the thing with this album – it seems much lighter in tone than the raucous live shows the boys have been putting on relentlessly for the last three years. It’s a good thing, as it gives the songs a greater intricacy, more substance and some killer licks that would sit alongside Beck as easily as they would Foo Fighters. The only downside is the loss of some of their defining characteristics. You need to turn the balance way off to really get the amazing bass lines and true effect of the double drums. There’s only a hint of the Datsun-style energy and raw rock that they bring on stage in Ten Times and Sail Past Your House, while their funky party groove shines only in glimpses during Hang Em High. It maybe a little harsh, but the album feels as though it’s compressed their energy and vibe into a capsule aimed at the digestive system of mainstream radio. It’s a decent record, it truly is, but they are so much better. ★★★
Kristy Wandmaker
Opening track, Providence, has spatial, piano-hall magic and sweetly submissive melodic lines showcasing Mitchell at her best. Her vocal skips along a lyric that insists acceptance and reassurance, kicking off her overarching theme in fine form. These simple and sweet moments here and in The Land Beyond The Front Door offer one side of the album’s charm, the more layered, rock-driven tracks where she gives a bit more grunt and less fluff. The lead singles are responsible for most of the ballsy moments, Spiritus and the title track, ridden with jagged guitars and a more natural vocal delivery, sounding less like they might be blown away by a puff of air.
Anyway... the young Californian isn’t spruiking shit. As with a lot of great hip hop albums, good kid, m.A.A.d city plays out like a motion picture. It’s a snapshot into the life of Lamar and how his Compton home pulls him in directions both positive and negative – the challenges he faces and the decisions he makes. After a grateful prayer opens the record, the 25-year-old is soon lamenting, “I am a sinner, whose probably going to sin again,” on Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe, before he indeed does, getting wrapped up in all kinds of gangbanging activities. It’s through this middle section that you get an insight into the conflicts of a young man’s mind. It’s honest and colourful, his verses concise and smart, while the production is spacious, thoughtful and cinematic, flowing smooth like individual scenes in an enthralling movie. There are moments where Lamar is drowning in the good times, like on club jam Swimming Pools (Drank), but it’s clear that he’s rooted in the real world, the MC verbally painting scenes from the ghetto while simultaneously hinting that, yes, there is a way out.
There are other highlights on offer; So Much To Say channels a bit of old-school piano ballad chord movements a la Carole King, and the shoegazey ten-minute closer, I Know You’re Somewhere, provides some more interesting depth. Overall, a brave step in a far more mature direction.
After listening to this sophomore release, it’s clear that Jay-Z and Kanye should be watching their throne, because if the Compton kid continues on this trajectory, it’s a mere formality that he’ll soon find himself at the top of the food chain.
★★★
★★★★
Carley Hall
Benny Doyle
XX: Two Decades Of Love Metal captures how successful H.I.M. have been at writing adolescent rock’n’roll for all those years. Most bands who write music targeted to young audiences sound totally contrived by the time most of their members reach their late-20s, but the tracks here taken from H.I.M.’s last studio effort Screamworks: Love In Theory And Practice show that Valo and his cohort have managed to retain a feeling of relevance and honesty. Previously unreleased track, opener Strange World, further proves that H.I.M. are in no danger of growing up. These guys are still hitting the same powering guitar riffs, wellplaced keyboard flourishes and super-bombastic choruses that simultaneously make you want to dance and cry. It would have been nice to hear XX veer away from the studio records/hits, the Venus Doom and Razorblade Romance records get the biggest workout here. Especially when some of the remixes and covers the band recorded as part of their Uneasy Listening records are so good – their cover of Turbonegro’s Rendezvous With Anus is absolutely essential H.I.M., as is their glammy reworking of Bad Brains’ Sailin’ On – but XX is still an excellent snapshot of the career of these goth rock Peter Pans. Tom Hersey
Drawing
For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews • 45