Home

November 2008

We're a band called Nancy Vandal

Submitted by Matt on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 15:00

Nancy Vandal were are once more a weird-arse Australian horror punk/ska band that formed way back in 1993. They wore strange clothes and makeup, none of them could sing very well or do anything really well (not true but whatever). No talent or professionalism... just art. Everything about it is totally amateurish which I fucking love. It's genius... genius crap.

Jay Whalley from Frenzal Rhomb (and Triple J) was their bassist for a while, that's cool too. Lead singer-guitarist, Fox Trotsky, draws all the bands artwork (I think he might have done some cover art for Frenzal as well.), which is also very cool.

Nancy Vandal - Move Over Satan
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Nancy Vandal - There's No "I" in Rock
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Nancy Vandal - We are Nancy Vandal
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Art vs. Science: Who will reign victorious?

Submitted by Matt on Fri, 11/21/2008 - 11:34

Art vs. Science: My money's on the guy with the tophat.Art vs. Science: My money's on the guy with the tophat.Art vs. Science are a group that you may not have heard of yet. Triple J has been pumping their first song Flippers for a while, which is kick-arse and heaps of fun... kind of light-weight but still totally kick-arse. When I heard Hollywood a coupla weeks ago I figured these blokes are going places. It's much more complex than Flippers but still hook-laden as all fuck. Go rate their tracks on Triple J Unearthed, join their Facebook group, expect an EP in the new year and read their very (in)sane bio:

ART.vs.SCIENCE is a psychological experiment. Songs are crafted carefully according to principles abstracted from the study of human responses to music. Each show is a test of these responses and how they differ in comparison to the manipulation of certain musical elements. Upon complete and exhaustive analysis of the relationship between artistic tools (tempo, rhythm, vocal content, video-imagery and structure) and the human response, ART.vs.SCIENCE intends to publicise its findings. Preliminary results are very encouraging, with consistently strong, positive subject reaction to certain tempos and rhythmic structures. Building upon the knowledge ART.vs.SCIENCE has already confirmed, more theories of music - once believed to be transcendental now competing with the whims of fashion - shall be slowly and surreptitiously employed, and the truths they espouse tested.

I sense a certain linearity between our two paths...

Art vs. Science - Hollywood
from Triple J

Art vs. Science - Flippers
from Triple J

The Ten Commandments (of the Ethical Atheist)

Submitted by Matt on Sun, 11/16/2008 - 13:52

Believe in God Instantly!Believe in God Instantly!
1. Thou SHALT NOT believe all thou art told.
2. Thou SHALT seek knowledge and truth constantly.
3. Thou SHALT educate thy fellow man in the Laws of Science.
4. Thou SHALT NOT forget the atrocities committed in the name of god.
5. Thou SHALT leave valuable contributions for future generations.
6. Thou SHALT live in peace with thy fellow man.
7. Thou SHALT live this one life thou hast to its fullest.
8. Thou SHALT follow a Personal Code of Ethics.
9. Thou SHALT maintain a strict separation between Church and State.
10. Thou SHALT support those who follow these commandments

Source: Ethical Atheist and Atheist hussy

Skold - Dead God
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

iNsurge - Whose God is Real (live)
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Everclear - Why I Don't Believe in God
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Cut Copy - Heart's on Fire (Vivada remix)

Submitted by Matt on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 23:31


I did this remix a couple of months back fully intending to do some heavy polishing on it but... the time has now passed and I really can't be fucked now. It's not too shabby as it is though, so I knocked up a dodgy cover and uploaded the sucker. Have a listen.

Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (Vivada remix)

The King is Dead

Submitted by Matt on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 09:28


The right choice has been made! Thank you, America! A Black Man in the White House, what will they think of next, hey? I bet my arse that in the distant future, the story of Barack Obama will evolve into an epic piece of American mythology. The man himself will likely be remembered as some kind of superhero-like character who used his enormous brain to single-handedly solve every problem that faced humanity in the early 21st century. Whatever... I kinda hope he doesn't fix everything though, we don't want him to make things too boring.

About a year ago (although it still seems like yesterday), many Australian's experienced a similar feeling of elation when we finally rid ourselves of the Howard government after many years of conservative rule. Aussie hip-hop group, The Herd, wrote a song about the occasion. Non-Australian's may not get all the references but you should be able to get the general gist of it. Flobots are an American hip-hop group that have a lot of similarities to The Herd. Check 'em out.

The Herd - The King Is Dead
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

The Herd - Burn Down the Parliament
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

Flobots - The Rhythm Method (Move!)
from YouSendIt or Mediafire

A Little Bit of Vivada News

Submitted by Matt on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 13:42

Vivada has now officially grown from a one-man blog/noise-generator into a fully fledged blog/band! Well, not a quite fully fledged as the band currently consists of two drummers and one singer (and maybe / hopefully, one more singer/cellist) but still... it has plenty more room to grow.

Roots: Bloody roots.Roots: Bloody roots.

We will not be employing the popular, clichéd, 'indie' tactic of releasing an EP (or two) under a small indie label, using the EP to get signed to a major label and releasing a slickly-produced, highly-marketed LP a considerable time later, attempting to retain the 'indie' tag the whole time. Vivada will use only cheap, effective, cutting-edge methods to deliver their music to it's audience.

Titled Human Effort to Supplement the Work of Nature, Vivada's debut release will be big and bold. Some will consider it a glorified EP by some, others may consider it an amateurish, undercooked concept album. Either way, I can guarantee you that it will be, ART.

Another important point; Human Effort to Supplement the Work of Nature absolutely free. Free as in freedom, not necessarily free as in beer. Donations of beer however, will be gladly accepted.

Head to the Vivada Sounds page for a musical entrée to Human Effort to Supplement the Work of Nature.