10 Lost Gems From Australia’s Post-Punk Era
Words from Will Brewster and Mixdown Staff
Exploring Australia’s wild indie scene
After the Australian rock boom of the 60s and 70s, a new force began to emerge from the depths of our local creative scene: post-punk.
Unfazed by the conventions typical of rock and pop and inspired by bands like The Cure, Television, Talking Heads and Joy Division, Australian bands began to experiment with unconventional songwriting and angular instrumentation, subverting notions of genre. to create some of the most compelling. music of the time.
To get you back into the thick of things for 2022, we’re reposting some of your old favorites and ours. This article was originally published on May 13, 2020.
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Today we dig deep into our record collections and scour YouTube to revisit some of Australia’s best post-punk, new-wave, indie and no-wave cuts from the late 70s and 80s, many of which sound as much today than then. Good listening !
‘Swing For The Crime’ – The Saints (1978)
“Smile as you sign on the line / ‘Cause life on your knees can be fun,” frontman Chris Bailey rumbles over a sea of sonic anarchy. The first track from their 1978 LP Prehistoric sounds“Swing For The Crime” is a scathing commentary on how manipulative industry executives appeal to overzealous, “sycophant” young artists hoping to succeed.
After moving to London, Bailey and fellow frontman Ed Kuepper strove to incorporate a greater sense of structural complexity into their songs, as well as an emphasis on innovative production. Pairing a snarling beat from Bo Diddley with a biting horn arrangement, The Saints deliver their trademark vexation to us, albeit even more incisively than before.
“Pinches Get Bigger” – Mental As Anything (1979)
This song is about getting pissed off, pretty much. That, in itself, is nothing special. But what makes this lyrical song relatable is how it deals with why we drink and what purpose it serves. “Just a few more made me feel a little better” – for my part, I sometimes find myself thinking like one.
Martin Plaza hesitates about his drinking in the third verse and relays a feeling most of us had in our youth: “Sometimes I wonder what all these chemicals are doing to my brain/don’t don’t worry enough to stop me from doing it. again”.
Plaza unequivocally shines a light on this internal tussle that many of us experience: preserving our physical/mental health as opposed to our hedonistic tendencies.
‘King Ink’ – The Birthday Party (1981)
A standout single from one of the most acclaimed post-punk albums of all time, “King Ink” is surprisingly abrasive and downright diabolical at times.
Between Nick Cave’s guttural and borderline psychotic vocal performance, Rowland S. Howard’s searing guitar and that flickering bassline from Tracy Pew, ‘King Ink’ mirrors the dark spiral of The Birthday Party as each member battled their own demons. induced by drugs and alcohol, and is a morbidly fascinating artistic exercise that teeters on the edge of chaos.
prayers on fire iIt’s a thrilling listen from start to finish, and certainly no shortage of nihilistic compositions, but “King Ink” is undeniably its most twisted and underrated offering.
‘Wedding Cake Island’ – Midnight Oil (1980)
Midnight Oil wasn’t known for their instrumentals, but this song honestly makes you wonder why they didn’t write more.
Written by guitarists Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey for their 1980 EP Bird sounds“Wedding Cake Island” features wholesome, jangly guitar playing that predates REM and The Smiths by several years.
Moginie’s simple yet compelling main game is a highlight, not to mention her use of the theremin – I dare say even Brian Wilson would be proud of this one.
‘Sleeping Beauty’ – Divinyls (1985)
One of six singles from their 1985 album What a life!, “Sleeping Beauty” did not enjoy the same level of commercial success as other singles such as “Pleasure and Pain”.
It’s a confusing thought to grapple with once you listen to how well-composed this song is, on so many levels. For starters, legendary vocalist Chrissy Amphlett gives us a vocal performance for the ages, while Mark McEntee’s smooth guitar and organ parts quietly bring it all together.
Perhaps the best thing about this tune is its structure – all the clever transitions and quirky chord changes here really bring out the songwriting talent of Amphlett and McEntee. A true unrecognized classic by the Divinyls.
‘Kathy Knows’ – The Triffids (1986)
A flagship cut from their 1986 album In the pines, “Kathy Knows” might be one of the most menacing tracks on this list. “Kathy Knows” follows a stark tale filled with despair, infidelity and paranoia, embellishing the Triffids’ folk and country-inspired sound with dark demeanor and ominous instrumentation.
There’s a lot to be said for the lo-fi production of this track, with The Triffids choosing to record In Pines in a shearing shed in the outback of Western Australia with an eight-track recorder and a budget of $1,190: $340 spent on alcohol, $310 on food, $300 on recording equipment rental and the rest in essence – obviously, the recipe for success.
“Mexican Postcard” – The Go-Betweens (1988)
The Go-Betweens are now recognized as one of the most influential indie bands of the decade, and it’s deep cuts like “Mexican Postcard” that prove why.
Released as the B-side to ‘Was There Anything I Could Do?’, ‘Mexican Postcard’ is both a masterstroke in production and songwriting, with jangly guitars, lots of shimmering reverb and soft harmonies creating a soundscape that shines as brightly as the lyrical subject of a Mexican summer.
It’s not super post-punk, but it’s oddly unsettling how modern this track sounds despite being released over thirty years ago. These guys were really something else.
‘Re-Funkt’ – Essendon Airport (1981)
Released at the height of the waveless international movement, “Re-Funkt” sees Essendon Airport wave its monster flag, merging the sounds of Talking Heads, The Lounge Lizards and Gang Of Four to create an absurd and strangely addictive sonic journey. which could very easily have appeared on a modern record like King Krule’s the OOZ.
Between its piercing drum groove, edgy synth bass, angular Afrobeat guitars and liquid saxophones, “Re-Funkt” is one of the most bizarre songs to ever come out of the Victorian capital.
An absolute treat from one of the most compelling Melbourne bands of this era.
‘Crush The Lily’ – The Chad Tree (1985)
Released at the height of the new wave in the mid-1980s, ‘Crush The Lily’ was the debut single from Western Australian band Chad’s Tree, featuring future Blackeyed Susans member Rob Snarski on guitar and his brother Mark on vocals. .
With its creeping bass line, spacious electric pianos and moody guitars, “Crush The Lily” sounds like a downed B-side to The Cure, while the song’s structure and melody are strikingly reminiscent of tracks by John Frusciante’s 2001 solo effort. To save only water for ten days.
The music video also peaks at 3 a.m. Rage: expect trippy visual effects, poorly layered green screen footage, and plenty of blank stares.
“Quasimodo’s Dream” – The Reels (1981)
Formed in Sydney in the late 70s, The Reels were no strangers to commercial chart success. Their renditions of Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s In Love With You” as well as Creedence’s “Bad Moon Rising” reached No. 7 and No. 11 respectively on the Kent Music singles charts in the mid-1980s.
Ahead of those releases, however, came “Quasimodo’s Dream” – a song whose timeless originality and vibrant instrumentation surely outweigh its surprisingly underwhelming performances. The Reels’ infusion of eerily chiming synths, melodic bass playing, and layered vocal harmonies still deserve plaudits, nearly 40 years after their release.
Revisit some of our favorite Australian rock deep cuts from the 70s.