STACK #139 May 2016

MUSIC

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S prucy guitar, tavern piano, funny little single-note riffs resembling those that swoop through The Ballad of John and Yoko like birds, lots of lazy tambo and alternately grizzly and earnest vocals – all of these sunny day elements elevate Twin Peaks into original territory, despite the distinctly throwback nature of their influences (we’re going with The Stones). The exuberant Chicagoans are releasing their third album this month and the cherries on top are the group’s first ever Australian shows – May 7, 8 and 10 across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Double check twinpeaksdudes.com for details, and get into Down In Heaven . TWIN PEAKS

INTERVIEW

NICKY BOMBA MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA

Sierra Kilo Alpha by Melbourne Ska Orchestra is out now via Universal.

M ore than a few dozen cooks have not spoiled the rich broth that is Sierra Kilo Alpha , the newest release from southern collective, Melbourne Ska Orchestra; in fact, the breadth of contributed experience, playful experimentation and enthusiastic writing gave bandleader and producer Nicky Bomba more magic to work with – and then refine. “We’ve all been recording long enough to know that the studio environment needs to be efficient and disciplined, otherwise the energy flounders,” Bomba tells us. “It was like being on a space mission for two weeks.” An interesting allusion, seeing as the theme of outer space is wound all about the release. “At the time there were a lot of new cosmic discoveries coming out of the scientific world: new planets, gravitational concepts and orbits. It was kinda written in the stars,” he says. As for the balance of recording and touring members, Bomba says “each song has its special blend”; he calls up Tower of Power, James Brown and Supercharge to describe the distinct

“snap” of recent single Funkchunk , “but with a baritone thickness to give it weight. We spent a bit of time getting that balance right, and we also had the luxury of several remixes to squeeze the best juice.” Fun and hope are synonymous with the Ska style, but there’s one other energy which contributes to its essence, and which Bomba says the band wants to convey: community. "The birth of Ska was synonymous with Jamaica becoming independent from Great Britain in the ‘60s,” he explains. “The fact that we tour, work and play together and have a real sense of family with a band this size is testament to the respect we have for each other, and the music. The multi- cultural make-up of the band, mixed with the vastly different characters on this ramshackle boat defies logic, yet driven by the right mindset we can embark on great adventures."

MUSIC

Down In Heaven by Twin Peaks is out May 13 via Communion/Caroline.

I n a match made in classical heaven, treasured musical theatre and opera icon Marina Prior and Australia's premier tenor, Mark Vincent, have recorded an album of duets. Vincent won Australia's Got Talent seven years ago (at just 15 years old), and counts Prior as one of his all-time influences; Prior has praised Vincent's ability but also the "simpatico" musical relationship the two share. Together features some of the best-loved classics and operatic pieces in history, and proves Prior's comment absolutely spot on. MARINA PRIOR & MARK VINCENT

WHAT'S THE STORY? We have a look back at the fascinating tales behind some of our favourite album covers. THIS MONTH: 3 Feet High And Rising, De La Soul

D e La Soul’s seminal 1989 release 3 Feet High and Rising is recorded for just US$13,000 using just a clutch of samples, a Casio drum machine and a harmonizer. Toby Mott’s the Grey Organisation designs the album artwork after completing a number of covers for Tommy Boy Records. Mott invites the hip hop trio to a warehouse where

Together by Marina Prior and Mark Vincent is out now via Sony.

he photographs them lying on the floor in a triangle whilst he hangs precariously from a step ladder. The concept art is designed for a 12-inch record cover, so Mott adds a Day-Glo background and uses Posca paint pens – popular with graffiti artists at the time – to draw the daisies on an acetate overlay. The influential album proves to be a commercial hit, propelling De La Soul to instant global success.

MAY 2016

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