In an era of jailbait chart-toppers and the MDMA sampling culture - "Blow my whistle, bitch!" - churned out across clubs all over the world, good lyrics are hard to come by...
Particularly when faced with the daunting predicament of belonging to the "punk genre" where your mark is made from telling ditties accompanied by gritty and minimal instrumentals...
A far cry from anarchy in any vicinity, the average pub-band punks I believe was best epitomised at a recent "live acoustic" set behind work where the repertoire consisted of working class anthems such as "Pissing in the Shower" and "Called her a BITCCHHHHH!!"
Whilst perhaps not quite what the Hammersmith crowd were hoping to leave in its wake, it is fair to say that lyrics have lost significance over time..
Where then do we fit the storytellers of the old school era: those who wish to evoke a telling visual picture with the most complex of their songwriting tools: a healthy vocabulary and an appreciation for poetic style...
Hence my joy and elation is materialising once again as my favourite singer, Australia's answer to the postmodern musical Bard, Darren Hanlon (left) has achieved yet another milestone, his latest musical magnum opus, "I Will Love You at All"*..For those who enjoy music to serve a wallpaper purpose, quickly tune out those short attention spans and resume youtube trawling, but for those who pine for genuine, attention-grabbing ditties, here is just one couplet exemplary of the genius of Darren "Dazza Hazza" Hanlon:
I finally got around to vacating the nest
But my knowledge of survival was pedestrian at best...
That is why I regale Dazza and have done so for ten many happy years...It's been a decade since his amazing minimalist compositions jam-packed with lyrical insight and yearning have given me goosebumps and it feels like only yesterday..
So I wish all of those out there who appreciate the art of "cerebral songwriting" a happy anniversary to whomever you have stayed musically committed towards...
don't forget the relationship may experience some problems, but a good musical marriage shall outlive petty quibbles...
* having slight qualms of grammar with title
