Summer has got me feeling how much I wish to be child again. Okay to eat ice blocks for dinner, okay to have an afternoon nap, okay to be scarred at the arrival of loud storms, okay to unemployed and the luxury of zero responsibilities. The photo above shows my much loved childhood porcelain figurines, a collection that has grown with my current twenty-something-year-old-adult/nana hobby.

For those new to this spectator sport where I pretend to be a blogger, and you sometimes observe my attempts; I usually upload regular 'Just A Minute' monthly posts describing personal life events, recent reads, music I'm listening too and screen time highlights (films or tv series). These posts have been a constant but not recently, and this is a representation on how little time I have had this half of the year. However I always make time for music, so I created my first season mixtape for spring '14  and here is another for summer 14/15. I pinky promise each of you that regular posts will start happening after the christmas mayhem.

summer 14/15 from paperdollchronicles on 8tracks Radio

Tracklist  1. Bon Iver Re-stacks 2. James Vincent West Coast  3. Conor O'Brien Mysteries of Love 4. #1 Dads So Soldier (feat. Ainslie Wills) 5. The Paper Kites Featherstone 6. Glass Animals Gooey 7. Airling Wasted Pilots  8. Zero 7 In The Waiting Line 9. Sarah Blasko God Fearing  10. Seabear I Sing I Swim

Special Mention Marc Ronson and Kevin Spacey - Daffodils 
Click here to listen because the internet has only provided a single shoddy phone camera footage of the band playing a live (early version) and I really really wanted to add it into the mix but due to quality restrictions yadda-yadda. I am totally loving this groovy Motown meets funk Tame Impala hybrid. 

Currently // springtime

Music has this magical ability to ground me in a place and time. For instance, I can listen to Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago and instantly I am back in Vietnam on my 2012 trip because that album was on repeat on my ipod for the six weeks I spent overseas. I hope I'm not the only person to experience this time traveling ability because it is gift to vividly recall memories simply by pressing play.

So here is a compilation of all of the songs that have helped me transition into springtime these past few weeks. Not all of the tracks included below are bands I've seen live but I have included them in this mixtape for the seasonal vibes that resonate in their lyrical and compositional qualities. I hope the future picture I envision better memories of spring 2014 and not as woeful as my current over stressed uni & work schedule.
 

Tracklist  1. Alt- J The Gospel of John Hurt 2. Youth Lagoon Cannons 3. Lemaitre Cut To Black 4. The Weeknd Wicked Games 5. Slow Dancer Took The Floor Out  6. Lisa Mitchell Wah Ha 7. Zeds Dead Remix Holding On For Life 8. #1 Dads Feat. Tom Snowdon Return To 9. Chet Faker 1998

Special Mention 

BANKS - Goddess 
I want to describe her music if Beyonce and Lorde had a musical baby, Banks would be it. Goddess is the album of the season. This album is a choreographer in moving my body on the 4km runs I've been doing lately. Give it a listen and see if you too, need motivation to do tasks you hate doing. I don't think I'm imagining the metta-narrative of feminism that is distinctive in this album (?) whatever this girls agenda is, I'm supportive of it. Bank's is visiting Australian shores in January for Laneway festivals and I think I might attend to hear the Goddess herself, in person.

Dallas Green at Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a venue reserved only for the most exclusive events and on Thursday 24th July the city of Sydney heard Dallas Green (of City and Colour) as he sang his way into our hearts. Walking into the Opera House Concert Hall I notice how the layers of the building as seen from the exterior are mirrored accordingly. The room is arranged around a stage that seems to squeeze out of a condensed space of mezzanine levels, with balconies that hold seats filled by shadowy figures. My first impression of this space is of a blanket fort made from layered quilts and sheets. This theme of intimacy is heavily drawn upon as Dallas Green invite us all for an evening simply with Dallas, his guitar, and a harmonica.

Inside The Concert Hall, Dallas shared vivid stories of love, loss and spirituality in the form of his signature soulful vocals. Strange to describe but at moments during the night I could almost feel the entire auditorium breathe as one in these unison sighs. I imagined I could feel all the patrons express an inaudible feeling, triggered by the flow of effervescent sounds within the music that we all shared. Highlights of the evening were "Coming Home" and "Body In A Box" but it's difficult to choose favourites as the set was beautifully arranged with a variety of songs taken from Dallas Green's discography. "What Makes a Man" saw Green conduct the audience in a special Opera Concert Hall choir, which was very fun to be apart of. Another memorable part of the evening was Dallas honesty in describing the background of "The Grand Optimist" a lovely song with a powerful family message.

The set was finished like the majority of City and Colour sets with "Coming Home". I think the connection to blanket forts was made because in a special way I participated in a sacred ritual of blanket fort story telling that evening. It was inside these private spaces where secrets were whispered into the ears of invited friends, and lasting memories were made after the fort was demolished.

{ image taken on iPhone 5 by Shenay Spinelli }

Listen: Chet Faker

It is a known fact that everytime someone presses play on a Chet Faker song, doves take flight in procession of a marriage ceremony. Basically, Chet Faker creates the sounds that you want to get married to and even marry. That's right I said it; given the chance I wouldn't mind spending matrimony with those sweet-as-honey vocals & delicate instrumentals featured in the debut album Built On Glass. The mister behind the sounds is Nicholas Murphy, whom I had the pleasure of seeing perform on stage at Sydney's Enmore Theatre in June (to read the review click the 'read more').

Track 1. 'Release Your Problems'
Firstly, lets take a moment to appreciate the experience of listening to this album on vinyl…. the 180 gram perspex translucent 2LP records look luxurious sitting on a turntable. Now to the album, this track is perfectly arranged for listeners who just want to melt away for the album's duration. The opening notes are like those slow, rhythmic, hypnotising beats you would find being played at a yoga studio, but Chet's crooning vocals welcomes you into a bluesy but catchy chorus.
Feels a lot don't leave the light on I could be the warmest soul if I like What a night 

Track 2. 'Talk Is Cheap'
Saxophone - sax - s a x - sex..? How did we get to this point? Sexy instrumentals tease us for a while before Chet provides groovy vocals.
That's what I'm thinking Not what I'm drinking.. Talk is cheap, my darling When you're feeling right at home I wanna make you move with confidence I wanna be with you alone

Track 3. 'No Advice (Airport Version)'
We return to the yoga studio for some more chilled out vibes before an echoey Chet reminds us to breathe evenly because most of us are in delusional states of floating (down the aisle?)
I feel it in my bones I feel it take me home

Track 4. 'Melt' feat Kilo Kish
The character Flaca in Orange Is The New Black describes it best: "It’s like getting into a bath but the water is like warm, chocolate pudding."
You won't leave me alone, every time I rest you're in my head Breaking bones, Breaking bones You make me lose my time, fall all over the words

Track 5. 'Gold'
I'm not going to lie. This is one of my favourites of all time. I want to review it with justice but I'm way too emotionally invested to accurately describe it. Listen for yourself.
You gotta know, I'm feeling love Made of gold

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor

It's hard for some to understand my love for British band Arctic Monkeys. I receive either eye rolls or gasps when I disclose how I queued up since 10:30 in the morning for their Tuesday May 6 Sydney show. Accompanied by my friend Yelena, we were as close to the stage you could possibly get and to be amongst that mosh pit was an incredible experience. There was a distinct kinetic energy in the sold out venue as they opened with Do I Wanna Know? (No. 4 in the Hottest 100) My highlights of the night were songs Knee Socks, One For The Road and R U Mine?

King of Swagger; Mr Alex Turner entertained us all night with his hip swings, cheerleader kicks, shimmying and shaking. I was so surprised to see myself starring up at Alex with adulation featured in a Faster Louder review of the night! I can't make this post without mentioning the hilarious quotes from Alex Turner. Here are a few of my favourites:

 "Oh no, I've rocked my comb out of my pocket" 

"Somethings going to happen Sydney, you've got that look in your eye" 

"Quite down there, Love"

"I only slept with her sister after all that"

"How do you feel about that new Monkeys album down in this part of the world?"

"Good grief" 

{my own images taken on iPhone 4s}

Lists | Triple J Hottest 100

On the 26th of January (Australia Day) Triple J radio orchestrates a top 100 chart for the year based on votes by the public. I look forward to listening to the songs chosen, even though last year I was disappointed by the song ranked first. However, you can make your preferences known by visiting the Triple J radio's website to cast a vote of ten songs. 

Out & About | City Adventures

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(ii)

 

(iii)

(iv) 

(v)

(i) Mini-photoshoot outside the Sydney Vintage Fair featuring a steam train, myself (left) and my darling friend Charlotte (ii) Another shameless candid inside the fair with Charlotte & myself (iii) My autographed ticket (iv) Weekend nostalgia a collection of memorabilia (v) Foals - Milk and Black Spiders  

I've used this blogging space before to document my musings and share special moments, however this has taken me quite some time to clearly print in words my absolute happiness expressed on the last weekend of September. Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th are two days that still bring a smile to my face, it was when I ventured up to Sydney to reunite with my darling friend Charlotte who now studies and lives in the city. During these two days we planed to visit the Sydney Vintage Fair held at Australian Technology Park Eveleigh which was such a lovely convention cateloguing treasures from the past. We both had visited an earlier vintage fair before however this blew those out of the water! The stalls were filled to the brim with beautiful antique trinkets and the stall keepers eftpos friendly and more than willing to chat. We were both throughoully impressed by the range, the quality and prices offered; this was further exceeded when the venue hosted a mid-afternoon vintage fashion parade that was fun, flirty & frilly! After strutting (what seemed like 50 laps of the venue) in our heels we decided to shashay I to the neighbouring city of Redfern for gin & tonics and retire for the afternoon. 

As afternoon transcended into evening Charlotte trotted off to visit her partner & I busied myself with getting ready for a concert I have been counting down on my calender for months! Foals has been a band that has supported me lyrically & acoustically through some rough times. Their albums are filled with moments in music where the instruments climb to ascension and fill me with a surge of power. This year I have upped my live gig game and have seen some of my favourite bands play music such as ALT-J, Snakadacktal, Jinga Safari, Josh Pyke and a few more local bands. Foals did not disappoint the gig was phenomenal Yannis crowd surfed twice, managing to dive into the crowd from level one designated seating balcony (risky) and the band played a awesome set. This was experienced from a fence position right up the front of Jimmy at a sold out show. Besides some minor issues with drunken guys pushing and being rude the night was amazing. I caught the guitar pic and managed to meet to boys & the support band Alpine after the show who were happy to chat and sign my ticket. The hour I spent chatting with my favourite band will go down in history. I always tried to envision how I would react when meeting a celebrity and now I can say I kept my cool and tried to act as down to earth as possible. I didn't have a camera with me on the night to take photos however regrets are pointless and I loved the night.

The next morning we rose late and ventured into Newtown stopping in at Goulds bookstore, then a pit stop at Campos coffee before popping in and out of boutique stores picking up miscellaneous goodies along the way. Both of us live busy schedules and trips to the cinema are rare so when the Dendy theatre on King St advertised Mood Indigo we jumped at the chance to view it! I am a big fan of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by French cinematographer Michel Gondry. We both adored it and couldn't have thought of a more perfect way to wrap up a lovely weekend. I took the train back down the south coast and back to reality. (Sigh)

Ta for reading,

Style Guide | Music

1. The album cover for Daughter - If You Leave. This folk album is full of musical delights that have me swooning over the acoustic instrumentals married with aching percussion & phantasmal, almost ghostly vocals. My iTunes has special commendation for Amsterdam, much love for Still but the gem of this album has to be Youth that has donned the crown of my Autumn anthem. This song is magic. With every pluck of a guitar string and every lyric sung I imagine a flower in my chest unfurling. What these talented creatives of Daughter have done is articulate the rawness and complexity of relationship and conjured in a magical display of sound.
2. My polyvore set designed from the external creative stimuli of the 'If You Leave' tracks. When I listen to these songs I imagine a beautiful woman trapeizing through nature scenery, in a delicate dress oblivious to everything enthralled in a her own world. Perhaps, she is subconsciously following forest moths or the movements the wind makes through grass or low-lying branches.
*Please excuse my rough editing skills, for I have been out of practise with this site for some time.


Ta for reading,