Turnstyle - Turnstyle Country

YOURZ

I wanna know what the fuck is in the water in Perth.  For one of the world's most remote cities, it has produced an incredible amount of really good, really cool bands, some of whom we've reviewed here in the past.  Turnstyle is no exception.

I remember when Turnstyle Country came out and particularly the first single Spray Water On The Stereo, I was really excited to hear some of my favourite influences in their music.  Admittedly influenced by Pavement, Gerling, Guided By Voices and The Beach Boys, among others, Turnstyle combine pop sensibilities and melodies with blips and sounds to create truly individual-sounding tracks.  They also utilise the soft/loud dynamic particularly effectively. 

But it is album tracks like Flank Attack, Portamento, Honey and Knuckles that are the real surprises of this album, sounding more like forerunners to British bands like Athlete and Fonda 500.  Given Turnstyle Country came a few years before either of these bands released anything, Turnstyle could well have been an influence.  But who knows.  There is also no denying the similarities to fellow Perth band, Jebediah, who they toured extensively with at times.

I'm just pleased doing this blog has brought Turnstyle back into play.  It's definitely a Forgotten Gem, but not forgotten any longer.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Casio DJs?  OK, I guess they get points for being the first band I've ever heard to use the sound of an electric razor as a musical instrument, but I found this generally very boring.  And to compare them to Athlete and Fonda 500? No, no and no again.

Indie-by-numbers.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For further information go to: http://www.myspace.com/turnstylecountry

In our colletion we also have Turnstyle Corporation

Fonda 500 - Je M'appelle Stereo

MINE

I love stereo 'cause stereo's good to me....

Never before has anyone so accurately pinpointed how I feel about music - in music.  YourZ handed me this CD and said "You'll love this" - which of course put my back up a bit.  But then I listened to it, and I had to agree. 

Since then it's been on my gymPod almost constantly - a Shuffle - which is why it was a surprise to listen to it all the way through in preparation for this review.  I can see why it might not be picked up by someone who had a quick listen, as track one - Music Should Always Be Played By The Hands Of The Animals - is damn weird.

In fact I know this album so well because of its high rotation on the Shuffle - but I have no idea what any of the songs are called.  I just love them.  Up- or down-tempo, electronica, pure pop, whatever.  I love Fonda 500, 'cause Fonda 500's good to me.

VERDICT:TURN IT UP

YOURZ

I don't know how I found out about Fonda 500 but man, I'm glad I did.  They're a British 5 piece who write irresistable, pop songs with more hooks than a fishing charter.  From the first listen, this album became a often-played house favourite and remains so.

In trying to research the band, I discovered there's very little information about them.  But really, this isn't about me boring you with rehashed information.  This is about the music, man, and the music is just fabulous.  It veers between quiet, acoustic driven melodies, indie-pop wonders and squelchy electronica, often in the same track.  Je M'appelle Stereo also contains some of the most enthusiastic beat-boxing I've ever heard.

Listening to this, there's no doubt this is a band who knows how to have a lot of fun, which is the key for me (as I've said many times before).  But this isn't hipster style over substance - from the melodies and harmonies, the intentionally lo-fi sounding mix and production to the seemingly hand-lettered album art, Je M'appelle Stereo is intelligent and brilliantly constructed. 

If you've not heard them, check them out here or here or here and see if I'm wrong.  If you agree with me, then perhaps you can tell me why they're not huge around the world when so much lesser music is!

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.fonda500.com/