STACK Jun #128

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MUSIC NEWS
A Quick Look at
New Music,
All Different Kinds,
All Different Places.
W elcome to another edition of
STACK Music. Someone once
said that the "only thing worse
than being called a rock star is NOT
being called a rock star." (They were
paraphrasing literary great Oscar
Wilde.)
In the aftermath of Kurt Cobain's
suicide in 1994, it was often said he
should have 'just stopped being a
rock star for a while.' I doubt, in his
frame of mind and situation, that the
question was that simple. You can
read the thoughts of Cobain: Montage
of Heck director Brett Morgen in The
Music Room, as well as our review of
the documentary (there are extended
versions of an interview at .
au and on the STACK app). While her
own position is undoubtedly different,
Florence Welch (from Florence +the
Machine, see above) did just stop
being a rock star for a while. A star at
21, by 24 she was burnt out and took
a major step back from her career.
Her new album How Big, How Blue,
How Beautiful is her first in four
years – an eternity in contemporary
pop terms – and looks back on the
tumult of back then, the change of
in-between and the relative calm of
today. It's also an album that might
surprise the cynics: if you're catching
her at Splendour in the Grass, we
admonish you in no uncertain terms
to hear the album before you go.
This issue we also speak to Justin
Hawkins from The Darkness about
the band's new album, report on
the return of disco pioneer Giorgio
Moroder, and speak to Jamie xx
about his remarkable new album In
Colour (which is also our album of the
month). Look out for a couple of new
additions this issue too: if you're after
some recommendations for must-
own albums from the mists of time,
check out our Cornerstones section
in the music review pages. Similarly,
if you're a fan of music on vinyl (and
lots of people are), check out the new
JB Hi-Fi vinyl chart on the JB Listener
pages, where you can also find out
about all the additions to the JB Hi-Fi
NOW catalogue. Keep your head in
the music, and catch you next month.
Jonathan Alley, Music Editor
THIS MONTH
TOM SAYS!
If you’re pursued by a crocodile,
run in a zig-zag fashion. They have
little ability to make sudden changes
in direction. But they’re very fast.
Probably more people killed by
crocodiles than anything.
More than heart disease.
STACK OF SOUND
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Surf City
Jekyll Island
Eye-popping
Kiwi psych-pop
that manages to be
nasty, melodic and
uplifting all at the same
time.
Mr Ott
Drop It Like It's Ott
Sydney producer Matt
Ottigon's Eithopian
influenced take on jaz
funk is inspired to say
the very least.
iorgio Moroder
éjà Vu
iven this guy invented
alf of what we hear
e-processed in modern
music production, it's
only fair he's back to
claim his mantle. We
feel love.
Nick Cave and
Warren Ellis
Loin Des Hommes
The Bad Seed and his
henchman turn out
another captivating,
moving and atmospheric
score; just another string
to their (ahem) bows.
On My Speakers...