Hello weblog,

Sorry I've been ignoring ya'. I been on holidays.
Well, not completely, there's always things to do.
I need to buy a new minidisc recorder. I don't think there's anything else which can record at a high enough quality of sound to replace it. The MP3 players with mic.s certainly don't.
When I went looking, places like JB hi-fi told me that mini-discs were being phased out (!!!). JB hi-fi are nice and cheap because they employ cheap staff who don't know anything.
Sony, the only real manufacturers of mini-discs, anyway, are bringing in a new (and very expensive) line of 'Hi-MD' players. This website lists them all. The main difference, as far as I can tell, is their discs, which have a 1GB capacity. That's nice. You can also store data on them, which is very accessible through a USB connection.
Here's a picture of the hi-end MZNH1 in its neat little USB cradle:

The Hi-MDs can also use old MDs, reformatting them to twice their old length. I wonder if that erases them in the process. I also don't know if old MD players can play the new 1GB discs (or the reformatted old ones). If that's the case, it's gonna suck for my radio station, they have very expensive, broadcast quality MD machines...hm, oh well.
There's no reviews that aren't just rehashes of Sony press releases, yet, grrr, I want to know now!
Oh, hey, I did find one review of the cheapest new model. Not only is it $100 more expensive than my first one - it doesn't even do half the things that one did (like, no mic. input), & it's plastic.
Well, I need something to record hi-quality sound on to & it looks like I'm gonna have to shell out at least $500 for the privilege. At least I can claim it on tax.
Oh, hey, again: As soon as you publish a post you find the comprehensive thing you really wanted to put in: That being the comprehensive guide to MDs from minidisc.org; I'm gonna have to sit down and read all that stuff.
Speaking of tax-write-off-consumer therapy, I need to get my hands on a DVD of Cosi Fan Tutte. There are three I can find. The Harnoncourt /Bartoli, the Baranboim & the Gardiner. The consensus seems to be on the Gardiner - which is nice & new, with up to the minute sound production and that lovely, precise Gardiner symmetry. I wonder if the singing will be too piss-weak and English. Oh well, guess I'll have to find out. I think I may also have to buy this Solti recording. I only know him (the screaming skull) and the female leads: Renee Flemming and Anna Sophie von Otter. If the male leads are as good as the rest - by God! Guess I'll just have to find out, too.
Hee, hee, I just ran into one of the few reviews I've ever read that does justice to one of the Anticon kids, in particular Passage:

Passage is all wrong for me. He's too young, more doofus than youfus, and from New Hampshire. Which means by law he must live free or die. Which scares me. However, his Beckian folktronic lo-fi histrionics intrigue 'cuz there is tension and pain (or squirreliness or Ritalin) lurking beneath the pathological logorrhea that comes with the territory of detritus-collecting rap-addict hipsters who paint extra-pale pictures of their fidgety nerdball lives as beat-driven outcasts in love with the def soundz of their youth and who make no apologies for their lack of accreditation from Hard Times High. Dude's catchiest chorus: "White boys ain't got no slave song/So we invented radiation." What the hell? Fucker don't give a damn if you get it. A man's gotta eat. Last line of a recent newspaper live-show write-up: "Most of the crowd was white." White. White. White. That echo just doesn't mean what it used to. Fifty years from now all the beige babies will be saying: "That Passage was wild, Poppy!" "Yes, Son, he was onto something with that shit."

You can find out more about him and the other anticonnartists here.
Oh hey, I'll be playing, an interview with MC Optamus of Downsyde.
Those fellas there.

I didn't really get into their Land of giants LP when I first heard it &, as so often happens, that was the only listen I gave it, until now. Actually it's quite warm and soulful, thanx to live instruments. I'm looking forward to their new album now. Should be out in a month or two. You can download some singles from the above website, & the latest one Street machines by clicking on the link.
Their own website isn't very much. This archived interview with Optamus, from inthemix gives a good idea of what they're about.
Here's a picture of the man himself:

See, it says so on his hat. You can find out more about him in his link on the OzHipHop website You can also find out about his clan Syllabolicks; that includes the rather excellent Hunter.
Downsyde are playing the Valley Fiesta on July 10 & I will be playing my interview with Optamus on the show, 'tween 3-6pm on the 7th (102.1FM).
Grr, the Zed website is down. I've been waiting ages to post my last playlist. I guess I'll just post it here in the meantime. This was the 23rd of June, 3-6pm:
1. Silent drive: Banana rejection
Great, really rocking new disc. Nice production, good songwriting. Don’t know much about this band, will have to find out more. Great cover art, too.
2. Skinny puppy: EmpTe
They’re back! I dunno, tho. This lacks the impact of what I remember. Maybe I’ll have to give it a few listens. This track is d’n’b.
3. Bionique: I go under
Awesome track from a Brizzie electronica outfit, from a few years back. Taken from one of the earthcore compilations.
4. Rob Lennox: Plainly see.
The man from Taiyo. This is his solo disk. Still squelchy and electronic but with acoustic guitar, too. He’s rocking solo style around town at the moment. He came in for an interview about a gig he wuz doing that evening.
5. Juztav: I8Binladin
Sub-request for this local, industrial stuff.
6. Twelve tribes: Backburner
Another from the Ferret records sampler. Hard, just like every week.
7. The microphones: The glow pt.II
These post-rockers are playing at Ric’s on the 2nd of July. I will be there.
8. RJD2: Exotic talk
It’s RJD2 doing psych. rock. Good for him. Jeez the new album is weird.
9. Dsico: This is not a love song.
This is from a compilation of covers done by Oz outifts. Usually this sorta album gives me the creeps, but some of the songs here are OK. Like this one, a really, really new wave version of PIL’s song. Nice one Dsico.
10. Monster Zoku ensomb: Runaway monster.
Cheese segment! I haven’t been able to play this track before: Just too cheesy and over the top 70s silliness. It fit in just nicely here.
11. Andre Popp: Foi a madame
So did this. Damn I love this album. Andre Popp is a galois chugging, cheesy genius!
12. Anal cookie: Hello moo cow / Stutterupfunk
Utter aural terrorism to counteract the encroaching cheese. Brisbane knows noise, Anal cookie bleeds from the ears.
13. Black lung: The sounds of meat pt.II (choirs of cattle)
How many excuses can I find to play this? The latest: He’s coming to town again! Playing SOOBIESTA: Fri 09th of July @ the Orient hotel. Great gig, don’t miss it.
14. The new pollutants: Sign code
These guys are playing too: Dark hip hop out’a Adelaide.
15. Boom bip ft. Buck 65: The unthinkable (Venetian snares mix)
We love all of this. Boom for being a warm and smooth and loopy producer, Buck for being a crazy Tom Waits of rapping and the Snares for being the crazy beat-mashers that give this track its glitchy frosting.
16. Cheap Cologne: Stitches
I can’t remember which rappers guest on this track, but it’s another slice of furious hip hop genius from producer Cheap Cologne.
17. Cerebral Posse: S.n.a.f.u.
Bizzaro, self-deprecating hip-hoppers outta Canberra. New disc.
18. Reason: Simple Plan.
He should have launched his new album by the time I write this, hope we get a copy soon.
19. Downsyde: El Questro.
They’re playing Valley fiesta, headlining on the 10th. I’ll be playing my interview with MC Optamus on Wed the 7th, ‘tween 3 & 6, y’know, on my show?
20. This night creeps: The dear armament makers.
Hardcore. These guys are playing Ric’s, um, on the 7th? Don’t quote me.
21. Wish for wings: My blood for this.
Local metal. Hey, it’s quite tight.
22. Clue to Kalo: Ignore the forest floor.
Abrupt left turn into warm, poppy glitch. I love this track. Taken from a leaf label sampler called Delivery Room. I really need Clue to Kalo’s album. They are from Adelaide, by the way.
23. Manitoba: Bijoux.
Psychadelic rock, glitch masterpiece after psychadelic rock, glitch masterpiece. From the last album: Up in flames (on Leaf).
24. Squarepusher: Andrei / Menelec
Warm jazz and cold glitch. The album, as I keep saying, is crazy good.
25. Belle & Sebastian: If she wants me.
From the Dear catastrophe waitress album. They are playing the Tivoli soon, should be a great gig.
26. Nina Nastasia: Dear rose.
New stuff from her! Introspective, brooding, beautiful, indie darkness. I have a crush on this girl.
27. One line drawing: Super hero.
Depressed Indie pop on the Jade tree label. I like this, maybe a little cheesy?
28. Fridge: Cut piano & xylophone
Kieran Hebden a.k.a. Four Tet’s band. Post rock fed through Kieran’s machines and his glitchy, minimalist sensibilities.
29. D.I.G.: Sinbad
Another track from the Curvystrasse album. They’ve reformed and will be playing here soon. Doch (local, furious gypsy music) is also playing the Oxley Creek Clear Water festival with them, should be good. Now if I can only remember what day it is. Don’t worry I’ll announce it on the show. Ha, now you have to listen!
30. Slaughter mob: Fireweaver
Dub step, from this stripped down and interesting d’n’b sampler called Grime. Nice.
31. The drumattic twins: Mutate the beat.
Funky breaks. They’re playing on July the 2nd @ the Moonbar.
32. The perfect lovers (Marek Rygielski mix)
Smashing bit of local noise-core.
33. Red tape: Strike tonight.
Hardcore + Marxism. That is my thing.
34. Ugly duckling: Turn it up.
They will be. Cali’hop @ the Arena, Jul 2nd.
35. Shapeshifter: Move with me (ft. Lady G)
Ooh, same track I went out on last week. What a bad man. What smooth vocals, tho.

Should go now,

Bye.