by Mavis Staples
Mavis StaplesLivin' on High Note (PBS feature record)
She has been quoted as saying: “As long as I have a voice, I will sing.” So at age 76, Mavis Staples has released her 14th studio album. With albums previously produced by Prince, Ry Cooder and Curtis Mayfield, Livin’ on a High Note is produced by M. Ward, a long time Staples Singers fan. The album features writing contributions from Aloe Blacc, Bon Iver, Neko Case, Benjamin Booker, tUnE-yArds, Nick Cave, and others.
With a history of writing freedomsongs, Mavis was ready for a change. She took the time to talk over the phone with many of the writers about what she was looking for, providing a brief to these writers who wrote specifically for her and this album. She says: “I was looking for some joyful songs. I want to leave something to lift people up; I’m so busy making people cry, not from sadness, but I’m always telling a part of history that brought us down and I’m trying to bring us back up. These songwriters gave me a challenge. They gave me that feeling of, ‘Hey, I can hang! I can still do this!’“ There are political songs on this album, but they are from the perspective of a new generation.
This legend of music must certainly be living on a high note at the moment with her recent Grammy win, an upcoming release of the documentary, Mavis! and securing a spot as feature album this week on PBS.
By Lyndelle– The Afterglow
SunnyboysBest Seat in the House (Featured on The Breakfast Spread)
Legendary Sydney band Sunnyboys reformed in 2012 for a small run of shows including garage rock celebration Dig it Up and a triumphant Friday night slot at the Meredith Music Festival. Since then the band's back catalogue has been reissued and a documentary has been made about Jeremy Oxley's journey back to playing music.
Oxley always had an incredible knack for crafting stunning pop songs. Timeless and deceptively simple tunes that tap into our inner doubts and fears. While they had some mainstream success in the 80s they have always been beloved underground heroes. Their influence runs deep in Sydney's garage punk scene and Melbourne's ubiquitous jangle bands. Best Seat in the House captures Sunnyboys in early 2015 in their hometown of Sydney. The band are greeted with rapturous applause and dive straight into ‘Love to Rule’. The playing is tight and the songs sparkle with the timelessness of great pop tunes; by the time Sunnyboys hit ‘Happy Man’ you've got a big dumb grin on your face. When they run home with the hits that gave them crossover appeal you'll wonder why you ever stopped listening to this band. This one might never leave your car CD player.
By Nick– The Breakfast Spread
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