The Single Life: Kendrick Lamar, The Laurels & More

Ah, the natural familial harmony understanding of siblings in a band together: The Finn Brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young, Radiohead’s Greenwoods, Liam and Noel Gallagher…OK, so it doesn’t work all the time. But keeping up the tradition, and picking up international notices beyond their standing at home, Brisbane’s Blank Realm. Daniel and Sarah Spencer’s voices ride on a headlong stumble of guitars on River Of Longing (Bedroom Suck/Fire). It settles to an odd mix of seemingly happy enthusiasm, but maybe with some dark undercurrent there – or maybe that’s what they’re running from. Punky? Kinda. Messy? Certainly. But they run in the front door, collapse on the couch, catch their breath, and laugh about it. 

The Lawrence brothers of Disclosure offer similar mixed messages. Bouncy electronic dance noise mixes with some grumpiness, further confused with by using the almost-joyous urgency of Holding On (PMR/Island) to soundtrack a short film of your default totalitarian dystopian future society, where dancing is a hotbed of rebellion and is to be crushed. Y’know, kinda like Footloose - with surveillance helicopters. The guest vocals of Gregory Porter add the obligatory modern r’n’b stylings to get on the digital radio. They call it ‘future garage’, but I couldn’t possibly. 

Now with the standing and budget to make mini-movies of his own, Kendrick Lamar gets to fly and fall and engage a stunt double as he fights the forces of evil, himself, and clowns – so many clowns – on Alright (Top Dawg/Interscope). To muddy the issue, the song has Pharrell’s polished production sheen cross-currenting with one of Lamar’s typical existential and identity breakdowns, even as he leaps tall-ish building in a single bound. He still makes quite stunning music that makes Kanye and his ilk look as much a cartoon as they actually are. But it could be that he or his handlers want that third Bentley in the garage, and unfortunately might dilute the art and its importance by messing with the message, or the messenger.

Vigilantes are also a visual image of another time. Although whether BMX Bandits was what they had in mind may be open to question. Behind the boomgate guerrilla film-making of high order reinforces the punk credentials as Elasticity (Independent) comes at you with a perfectly modern cool soul feeling to it, and them – questionable denim jackets aside. Further trainspotter delights are to be had with cameos from Andy Bull, Art vs Science, and Pluto Jonze through the narrative. 

Of course, you could try the musical shout-out to your cinematic object of desire. This is an Australian tradition possibly dating back further even than The Go-Betweens’ two-chord paean to Lee Remick – home of the immortal poetry of ‘I’m from Brisbane, I’m quite plain’. Suitably updating the music and the ‘target’, The Ninjas punkily honour Carla Delevinge (Independent) with the nervous energy of an adolescent hiding under his doona. Arguments about Ms Delevinge’s acting credentials should likely be held elsewhere. Perhaps after the restraining order is finalised and/or her appearance in Suicide Squad. 

There is a timeless, almost cinematic, quality to the classical pop constructions of Richard Hawley. He remains a cultish attraction, in spite - or perhaps because - of his early stint in Pulp, role in the rise of The Arctic Monkeys, and his standing as some sort of demigod in his native city of Sheffield. Which Way (Parlophone) will be greeted with delight by his enthusiasts. There is some old soul to this, and other musical touchstones and references from ‘60s to ‘90s, and perhaps some Edwyn Collins in there as well. Again, Hawley has provided nothing but quality in what he does.

And then the bassplayer decides to move to Washington (perhaps surprisingly, the DC rather than the variously musically fashionable state of the US’s Pacific Northwest…) and make his own album. In this case, Ben Browning, once – and probably still – of Cut Copy has made that variety of moves. The title of Friends Of Mine (Yellow Year) has some accuracy, with production from by various of the Architecture In Helsinki collective, and getting a cameo in the video from Alex Karpovsky of Girls as things get a bit Groundhog Day. That’s a ‘closed temporal loop’ for you Star Trek aficionados out there. The song itself loops on some glorious summery synths, with much of the pop sense of his day job band.  

The Laurels should be rightly sick of people having to mention how they’ve never seemed to get their full due. The psychedelic label they’re often pigeonholed with is both somewhat accurate, but limiting - and undersells what they do and are. Zodiac K (Rice Is Nice) with its found sounds and foggy tumble of guitars is of the model, but another step forward.