Eightstreet Show & Tell

At the beginning of the year, a good friend of mine and fellow eightst-er, Hurley Who, visited Communistland. She was kind enough to bring back a quintessential pressie (a Mao notebook; like the Little Red Book but Green), plus less iconic but equally beloved by me, fare.

Matchboxes. 5 in total and quite an assorted bunch as the pictures reveal. Yes, that is Che (who is surely turning in his grave after having his image appropriated for use in yet another capitalist enterprise!) mixing it with Katharine Hepburn/vintage film poster, the Madonna and Child/unknown french revolutionary-esque artwork, a Chinese madame and Mohammed Ali.

You know you've made it when your mug is on a matchbox in China?




They're highlights in my otherwise pretty inspid matchbox "collection", alongside The Androgenous Viking (its probably a male, given the beard, but the body looks disturbingly feminine). All up I only have 14, but I figure I've got a while.

Anyways, I wouldn't want to get too carried away like that famous fictional matchbox collector, Brideshead (as if his name alone wasn't reason to pity him), from "Brideshead's Revisited" who ended up marrying the widow of one of the another matchbox collector. Keen.



The next few Show and Tell items are a few of my favourite Grand Narrative songs.

That is, they render the minutiae of life on a epic scale; the individual's story set against the forces of Nature, Politics, Love, History and Other Such Capitalised Themes. In the process, they totally suck sentimental romantics like myself in.


Firstly, Bloodbuzz Ohio. Take the hypnotisingly deep instrument that is Matt Beringer's voice, add some sparkly drumming and sweeping imagery, then dare yourself not to get hooked. You will lose, but simultaneously win because it is a wonderful song. Then console yourself with this free (and legal! i think/hope) download.




Secondly, Mace Spray. It's pretty hard to describe how deliciously Gothic this song is, so just listen to it and appreciate Hayley Mary's haunting vocals and marvel at the fact that this is a band that hasn't even released their first album. And theyre Australian :) You can download it for free on iTunes, under triple J's "new music" podcast.




Finalement, Trains to Brazil. The absolute epitome of the Grand Narrative song and catchy as anything to boot.

"And to those of you who moan your lives through one day to the next / well, let them take you next / can't you live and be thankful you're here? / see it could be you tomorrow or next year"





c.l.