STACK #194 Dec 2020

MUSIC FEATURE

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Hammond Song , by female harmony group The Roches, with these lyrics also becoming the album‘s title. Opener Ghost Story feat. Orono (Superorganism) is built from a voicemail bemoaning the tyranny of distance. Her spectral phrases (“I‘ll always love you/ My

THE AVALANCHES DELIVER A LANDSLIDE WINNER

voice is still gonna be here“) infuse this set with a wistful sense of longing, returning to haunt Ghost Pt2 before elevating Morse Code-backed closer, Weightless . The Divine Chord (feat. MGMT & Johnny Marr) is a boppy delight, sprinkled with samples

We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches is out Dec 11 via EMI.

Here‘s our take on the astonishing cosmic tale

that evoke Sonic The Hedgehog collecting rings. Escalating tease-drops enhance the Brazilian-tinged Wherever You Go (feat. Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry and CLYPSO) – it‘s a banger! Dedicated to the late David Berman, Running Red Lights (feat. Pink Siifu and Weezer‘s Rivers Cuomo) immortalises lyrics from Darkness And Cold by his Purple Mountains project: “The light of my life is going out tonight/ Without a flicker of regret“ – another lyrical motif that‘s sprinkled throughout The Avalanches‘ third LP. Like a time capsule recording Earth‘s musical evolution, WWALY is essential listening/nourishment for the soul. Play loud enough to attract intergalactic engagement. Bryget Chrisfield

“W hen we sample the music of musicians who‘ve passed, it‘s like summoning spirits,“ says Robbie Chater. With its overarching theme of “everlasting love as an undying vibration“, We Will Always Love You was inspired by the relationship between Ann Druyan and Carl Sagan: collaborators on the Golden Records, which were included aboard both Voyager that isThe Avalanches‘ third album, WeWill Always Love You ; head to stack.com.au to read our interview with one half of the iconic electronic duo, Robbie Chater.

spacecraft. When their love story was shared with Leon Bridges, Interstellar Love – featuring Eye In The Sky -esque melodies – came to fruition. The Blood Orange-featuring lead single/title track incorporates an effervescent sample from

SIR MAC’S THIRD ACT: A CRACKERJACK

T he third in a trilogy of solo records (preceded by 1970‘s McCartney and 1980‘s McCartney II ), McCartney III is Sir Paul‘s 18th solo studio album. But Macca didn‘t actually set out to make this record; it‘s the result of creating music purely for himself (“I just did stuff I fancied doing“). As well as his iconic Hofner violin bass, McCartney also plays a mellotron from Abbey Road Studios that was used on Beatles recordings and Elvis Presley‘s sideman‘s double bass on this 11-song set, which he wrote, performed and produced in his Sussex estate home studio during “Rockdown.“ Opener Long Tailed Winter Bird takes flight from a shiny, inquisitive guitar riff. Then woodwind birdsong enters before Macca croons, “Do

you, doo-da-doo- doo miss me/ Do you, doo-da-doo- doo feel me...“ Closer Winter Bird / When Winter Comes is a previously unreleased track co-produced by George Martin back in the ‘90s. Fleshed-out, it incorporates the opener‘s

cautionary tale: Lavatory Lil ) - he sounds liberated, enjoying the process. McCartney III is both songwriting masterclass

McCartney adopts a deep, insistent vocal timbre (doesn‘t even sound like him!) and one could never tire of listening to Macca supplying his own drunken-chorus BVs (see

aforementioned luminous riff to create a neat dovetail effect. As expected, lyricism dazzles throughout (“Meet the pretty boys/ A line of bicycles for hire/ Objects of desire/ Working for the Squire“ – I mean...). On Women And Wives ,

McCartney III by Paul McCartney is out Dec 11 via Capitol/Universal.

and delightful lark. Bryget Chrisfield

DECEMBER 2020

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