Unpure Pop

Introducing foreign audiences to songs off her striking new EP, Obladi Diablo, Melbourne's whiskey-soaked rock songstress Suzie Stapleton broke away from her current full-band incarnation to get back to her solo roots during her recent overseas tour. With only a loop pedal to back her up “just to make some noises”, the singer revelled in the experience. Recalling her summertime travels around the continent, she speaks warmly of her spot at the Binic Folk Blues Festival in France's far west; however, it was a southern Spanish city that really took her breath away.

“I love Barcelona – I've been there before about ten years ago,” she informs. “But the only difference being since then I've studied Spanish for two-and-a-half years. I was in and around Barcelona for five days and I got to practice my Spanish, which was fun – it was like being in a movie. But that city is beautiful, it's like Paris where you can walk around and just be entertained.”

Three years have passed since she introduced herself to the world with the 45 Revelations Per Minute EP, a period that feels every bit as long as you'd assume. “Yes it does,” she confirms. “A lot has happened, like, when I recorded 45 Revelations... I had only just started gigging and it was all still pretty fresh. I was only performing solo shows back then but now I've started playing with a live band and that's been a big change.”

Stapleton carries on, opening up about her dark and bluesy sophomore release, in particular Song Of The Artesian Water, perhaps the record's most curious track. It's an interpretation of a Banjo Paterson poem that came about as part of a friend's art show. Stapleton, however, was unaffected about tackling the writing of a legend. “It wasn't really daunting because it was just such a fresh experience,” she tells. “Normally, I'm so focused on writing my lyrics, but obviously in this case you've got the lyrics there written. I did rewrite the bridge but it was really nice just to think about the music and approach things in a different way – I really enjoyed that way of writing just for something different.”

Obladi Diablo – it rolls off the tongue rather well, but loosely translated it seems to be a hint that Stapleton thinks pop music is wicked. After pausing briefly to light a cigarette, the songwriter doesn't go to great lengths to dispel the truth. “I don't think it's evil, but just the stuff that gets played on Top 40 and commercial radio grates on me,” she reasons. “If it's on at work and the other people are playing it I'll get really angry and I can't work out why, but I eventually have to make them change it. I know some people like it and it makes people happy but my music isn't really fun I suppose,” she laughs. “And it's also a Beatles joke because Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da is probably in my top ten worst songs of all time. I'm not really a fan. I know they're legendary and stuff but I'm not really fussed.”

Pop music may not make the Victorian happy but her new EP certainly does, and rightfully so. Her rasp is full of emotion and the bold rock statements backing it up are legitimately powerful. Obladi Diablo has also fuelled the fire to continue writing more new music, with a quicker turnaround promised for her next release. It's either that or death. “If it's three years when I speak to you next,” she finishes, “please shoot me.”

Suzie Stapleton will be playing the following shows:

Friday 24 August - The Old Bar, Melbourne VIC