When I was living in Melbourne in the early 2000s, my life consisted of seeking out my two main cultural outlets, which gave me so much joy and sustenance. One was going to see my beloved Richmond Tigers play Australian football, and the second was seeing the Australian music ensemble My Friend the Chocolate Cake.
I can’t think of much music that resonates as strongly with me as the Cake’s and founder/singer-songwriter David Bridie’s. I’m not exaggerating when I say that, when I hear them, I feel this is ‘me’ in music, such is its effect on me. It feels like the fabric of my being and cloaks me like an old, cosy hand-me-down that never gets old or worn. Call me crazy, but that’s the truth.
Today’s featured song, Swirl, is yet another song from one of my all-time favourite Australian records – Curious. What’s curious about Curious is that I received the CD in the mail as a gift after seeing David Bridie perform with Archie Roach. I can’t think of another gift that has brought me as much tranquillity and pleasure as Curious.
To me, Swirl is like hearing the ocean in song. The way the piano begins riding the troughs and peaks, and then a little more wave turbulence comes in until the violin goes screech! Now that’s some introduction. It’s a sound that, in keeping with nature, feels barren and untamed.
Its a land without luxury, cold hearted and ruthless on small talk
The musicianship in the Cake has always been on another level, but it’s on full display in Swirl. The piano has this jumpy, almost anticipatory quality, as if it’s waiting to see where the violin will take everything. Then the harmonica comes in with its ferocity and takes all before it, as if it were a massive ‘swirl’ or whirlpool – the black hole of a murky ravine.
This is what I have always loved about The Cake: how their music, especially their more instrumentally driven tracks, emits an atmosphere – a mesh of sounds which feels wholly ‘Australian’ in both its natural environment and culture.
The only other band that feels as uniquely ‘Aussie’ to my ears and that I have featured here a bunch is The Go-Betweens, but their music is more suburbia-oriented compared to The Cake’s far-reaching, desolate mangrove sound. Whenever I feel homesick and hear one of these bands’ songs on my player, I feel nestled by the heartland of my island home. In literature, for the same effect, it would be reading a Tim Winton novel, like Breath.
Anyways, as always, thanks for reading.
One hundred wildflowers grow out in the desert
They’re sharp and bright coloured tough, rugged and dry
I thought that I’d never find these hideaway places
A glow in the darkness a place you can dream
The sun’s like a razor it lives without mercy
It sucks all the water right out of your bones
Its a land without luxury, cold hearted and ruthless on small talk
Just listen it’s still it’s something quite still.
Your heads spinning just swirl you just swirl
The man with a yearning lives over the mountain
He’s harbouring convicts inside of his heart
When the night is dead quiet he’s awake and he’s listening
he shouts to the hidden monsters out there in the sky
Your head is spinning you just swirl you just swirl away away away
Down there in his soul
Listen its all around
Wrapped around your heart
Like rusted barbed wire
References:
1. My Friend The Chocolate Cake – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Well this is magnificent isn’t it?
I’m a fan too lol
This post is beautifully written, Matt, and I particularly enjoyed your characterizations of music, literature and even yourself. The YouTube video wasn’t available here in Canada but I found it at https://youtu.be/ccqbxzXn2oA?si=LqRf9-NjZkvwyfVx. I think I recall you writing about these folks before and can certainly see the attraction.
It might be the violin, but the band reminds me a little of Nederland, Colorado’s Elephant Revival who were on hiatus but now appear to be on-again. Here’s one of theirs, if I can indulge you: https://youtu.be/ccqbxzXn2oA?si=LqRf9-NjZkvwyfVx
Thanks a lot, Steve. I think all that stuff and its relation to The Cake poured out like it did because the music feels so personal and such a part of my character. I can’t say any other band has had that same profound impact on me.
That was good of you to go the extra yard to find the music elsewhere. Funny you sending me the link to your version, since I couldn’t open the one you sent because of the same regional restrictions you encountered with mine. Likewise with the Nederland link. Can you send me the title of the song?
You’re very welcome, Matt. I can sure understand about the value of the band’s music to you.
Ah, dang those regional restrictions! The song is Birds and Stars, by Elephant Revival, a live performance at Colorado’s Boulder Theatre. Try this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLjN-CnxktM
Hi there Steve. I appreciate you sending the link. I can see why The Cake reminded you of Elephant Revival. I really enjoyed listening to ‘Birds and Stars’. They are talented so-and-so’s. Their style of “transcendental folk” isn’t dissimilar to the chamber-like indie music of The Cake, which also carries Celtic undertones. Their song is more acoustic-guitar driven, while The Cake’s is driven by Bridie’s piano. I couldn’t help but think of James Taylor when I saw the singer, lol. The resemblance is uncanny.
Great selection, mate, and thanks for broadening my music horizons, as always. A real pleasure.
Hiya, Matt… you’re very welcome; I’m chuffed that you liked the song. Heard of them through a “friend of a friend” in the Boulder area. Very talented indeed, and I’m glad I was on the right track thinking there was a resemblance.
And yeah, definite James Taylor vibe.
One of the great things I’ve experienced here in Blogland is the “cross-pollination” that occurs among proprietors. I’ve learned of some fab music from folks like yourself and broadened my own horizons, too. Cheers, man.
Now, if ‘cross-pollination’ isn’t one of the best descriptors to encapsulate everything we’re talking about, I don’t know what is.
‘Proprietors’ — haha — you’ve got a way with words, Steve. You are an articulate character, and it makes for great reading.
Haha, well thank you for noticing those bits, man. You’re no slouch yerself!
Thanks sir. You’re too kind.
Cheers, mate.