AMPivalent.

The time is nearing for the announcement of this year's Australian Music Prize winner. And that's all there is apparently- an announcement, due to made on Friday. I haven't seen anything about any sort of actual ceremony.
While the short list looks interesting:
Apocalypso – The Presets
Beaches – Beaches
Havilah – The Drones
In Ghost Colours – Cut Copy
Jungle Blues – CW Stoneking
Love Is Gone – Jack Ladder
Presque Vu – Tom Cooney
Primary Colours – Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Sympathy For the New World – Ross McLennan
they still leave me cold for some reason. Is it the lack of anything other than cold hard cash as recognition? The rumours of big-name politics behind the scenes? Their continuing failure to make any meaningful impact in the mainstream? I'm not sure. The Drones seemed to have parlayed their 2005 win into something, though I think that's more down to them, really.
Whatever. I hope ECSR win, though I expect to be disappointed.

Get out.

The Sand Pebbles launch their new album "Ceduna" on at the NSC on Saturday. They went to the beach last summer and made a concept album inspired in part by an old travel diary- wait, wait, come back. It’s really nowhere as pretentious or silly as that makes it sound. Its much better indeed. So let’s re-phrase that- as the Drones did with ‘Gala Mill’, the Sand Pebbles went to a place and took some inspiration from it, which they have channeled into their new album. But there’s no over-arching narrative or theme beyond that, though- as they say in the liner notes, they got high, and they wrote these songs. All of which are well worth your eartime.
The launch features well-chosen supports from Ross McLennan (whose recent Mistletone LP, “Sympathy For The New World” is also truly excellent) and Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts. All for $10.00

Also on Saturday- UV Race kick off the first week of their month-long Saturday afternoon residency in the Tote front bar. That’s free, from around 4.00pm. They don't have a CD out, but this is what their "Lego Man" single looks like:



From the youngest to the oldest- across town the legendary X are playing at the Espy with a few friends: