REVIEW: The Madness Method @ The Toff in Town (25/11/2010)

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It’s not very common nowadays to hear of bands fusing the genre of ska into their styles. Freak-folk-experimental-pop-trip-hop? Sure, why not. But ska? Now, in 2010? Well, bands like The Madness Method prove that apparently it still happens.

The Madness Method describe their music as “spock”; that is, ska with hints of pop and rock. Two of the band’s most popular tracks, You Were Right and Better Without You, seemed to represent the “spock” genre well. Both had signature ska elements such as walking bass lines (provided by absolutely spot-on bassist Jon Meller), guitar rhythms that accented the upstrokes, drummer Paul Frangos’ driving beats, and bright, harmonising brass lines courtesy of Shelly Ryan on saxophone and Matt Story on trumpet (trombonist Tom McKenzie was absent). The fast-paced tempos and catchy melodies of both songs, the distinctly pop-tinged chorus in You Were Right and the rockier chorus in Better Without You fit in nicely with these ska elements to create a fresh sound; a “spocky” sound. Both of these songs also had videos made for them, which were launched at The Toff during this particular show.

While many of The Madness Method’s songs sounded quite similar to each other, the repetitiveness was broken up by a few songs that had quite a different feel to most of the others. For example, Concrete Heart was slower and more sensual. It still had its standard block-upstroke strumming on guitar and a catchy bass line that walks up and down the frets, but things such as guitarist Luke Forward’s commanding solo using a wah pedal, a sultry saxophone line and long, held notes on brass set it apart and made it a clear stand-out from the set. Vocalist and front-woman Mandy Meadows was allowed more freedom — compared to the somewhat restrictive melodies of other songs — to really show off her vocal control, and she sang the lyrics with a punchy attitude that made you believe she really meant what she was singing. Towards the end of the song, the band dropped out and Mandy held a note for what seemed like minutes, and then followed it up with an impressive display of almost-jazzy vocal gymnastics before the band came back in for the final two choruses.

An honourable mention also goes out to Wikipedia, which was a lot more funk-inspired than most other songs in the set and also featured a very rock-n-roll breakdown that got the audience raising their fists and whipping their hair.

The members of The Madness Method are no doubt talented and work extremely well as a single entity. The enthusiasm of the drummer, the lightning-fast fingers of the laidback bassist, the choreographed head-tilts of the brass players, the tasteful solos by the guitarist and Mandy’s sass and pipes made for an entertaining show. This band does not make easy-listening music; it’s not for everyone. As the band themselves state, their music is “not grungy, earthy, wailing or hauntingly beautiful”. It’s not deep, it won’t move you to tears, and it probably won’t cause any epiphanies or arouse profound emotions within you. But that’s not really what The Madness Method were aiming for anyway. They’re all about upbeat, fun, in-your-face songs; light-hearted lyrics that mock and tease; energetic performance and the raucousness that is the fusion-genre of “spock.”

LINKS:

• The Madness Method MySpace 
• The Madness Method official website
• The Madness Method Facebook
• Flickr set for the gig by Ta-DAH! Photo 

TEXT BY STEPHANIE-BOWIE LIEW AND PHOTO BY TA-DAH! PHOTO

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Tiana Morrison of Shiny Entertainment

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

The Evelyn may not look like much from the outside. Bare brick, a dash of colour paint here and there. A chalk board that always gets smeared with the constant drizzle that is Melbourne weather. And a smattering of silver chairs and that peculiar freestanding column (will someone please email in and let us know what it is before we die from curiosity).

But inside, The Evelyn is one of Melbourne's best live venues. With the obligatory crusty velour couches, exposed metal beams and a roster of fine bands performing every night of the week, one could argue that the Ev is the heart of Fitzroy's music scene.

Paper-Deer had a chat with the ever-witty, perpetually-about-to-pull-out-her-hair venue booker Tiana Morrison, who is the person you want to stalk* if you would like to rock out at the esteemed Evelyn Hotel.

Job: Band bookings for the Evelyn and the Curtin Bandroom. 

Employer: Shiny Entertainment

Typical day in the life of Tiana as the Evelyn/Curtin booker?

Stumble from my work to work in a bleary-eyed, tea-needing state. Read the millions of emails that I get sent overnight and try to tackle them chronologically. Sate over-energetic bands that feel the need to send me THE SAME email every day with some kind of reply. Drink 8 cups of tea. Listen to radio and turn off the station when Muse or John Butler Trio are played. Eat a super-late lunch, stumble back to work. Reply to more emails and make everyone happy. Sometimes this routine is interrupted by meetings with venue owners, random musicians or managers and trying to pat the timid dog that is the companion of the builder doing renovations to the office. Oh and jokes, lots of bad jokes.

How did you get the job?

I volunteered for over a year with another booker for another venue, made some really awesome friends and somehow managed to impress Shiny Stav.

When did you first decide that you wanted to actually work in the music industry?

I dropped out of year 12 (stay in school, kids!) and worked a lot of crap retail and cafe jobs. Then I met a musician who I really wanted to help because of his talent. So we moved to Melbourne and worked our arses off while starving on the dole. I remember a very cold winter in an old Northcote house listening to music and drinking a cask of red wine every night before things started coming together.

Raddest thing about working in the industry?

Lots of free tickets, but then, if I have a full-time job and I don’t support bands, I’m not really supporting the industry, am I? Also, wearing whatever you want is fun. Means that when I wake up and put on the nearest item of clothing that is probably dirty, I’m not going to get told off.

Any advice to anyone else wanting to be a booker?

Be prepared to work long hours and deal with pissed off bands when you don’t give them what they want. Develop a tough skin but make sure your people skills don’t suffer. And volunteer. Lots.

Most musicians work in retail or in bars to fund their passion. Is it weird that you get to work in the industry for you day job?

It’s so weird! Makes the years of watching old women try on bras and getting yelled at for not making a coffee within 30 seconds seem worthwhile.

What else do you do in the music industry (maybe plug your bands here if you’d like)?

I play in and manage The Orphanage. It’s hard work and I don’t get paid for that at all, but the buzz you get from playing live shows is amazing. Been recording an album which was meant to come out this year but that’s not happening till next year now.

What do you like and dislike about the Melbourne scene?

I like the diversity of the Melbourne scene. My hometown has nothing like it. The sheer amount of venues with good shows on every night means that you could never be bored. The history of the industry's development is so rich. I guess the only bad thing about a scene like this is that it also breeds complacent bands. But there are too many amazing and hardworking bands to really get flustered by them.

Any embarrassing tales about your job as a booker that you’d like to share with Paper-Deer?

I’m sure there are, but I’ve only been here for a few months and haven’t screwed up too badly. Lately my only jokes are True Blood related, and they’re not funny unless you’re there. I won’t bore you anymore.

LINKS:

• The Evelyn Hotel homepage 
• The Curtain Bandroom homepage 
• The Orphanage MySpace (Tiana's band) 
• Shiny Entertainment homepage

* Please don't actually stalk Tiana. That would probably get you banned for life, as well as a nice little holiday in the penal system.

Welcome, strangers...

We have moved! Our blog is now at www.paper-deer.com. 

Hello readers,

I have a confession to make: I'm an addict. Not a drug addiction or something life-destroying, but rather a delightful obsession with music.

I'm a music journalist and freelance writer based in Melbourne, and I come across a lot of bands that I get genuinely and thoroughly excited about... and then I've got no where to write about them. My editors pretty much decide what content goes into their magazines or their websites (and coverage is often proportional to advertising budget). Plus half the time I just accidentally stumble across an act's MySpace or see them play live without planning to do a review, but really can't contain myself. So instead of letting all of my excitement go to waste, I have decided to start infecting the internet with Paper-Deer (moniker courtesy of a random word generator, ily interwebz).

I'm planning on putting together band profiles, maybe venue spotlights if I can be bothered, and most definitely band interviews and upcoming gigs.

For those of you who are interested in the other work I've done, head over to my website (and my online portfolio) http://www.paigexcho.com/. If you are one of those cool peeps who tweets, follow me (@PaigeXc). My other blog with more personal stuff is http://www.feedmebandboys.blogspot.com/.

Um, goodbye for now.