Graham Reid | | 3 min read
Ha the Unclear: Secret Lives of Furniture
On any given week Elsewhere receives at least half a dozen very interesting albums and about twice as many which are interesting enough to be worthy of attention. And then quite a few that -- very interesting or bloody awful -- just fall through the cracks . . . because of those dozens of others.
We do our best, but it's always a pleasure when albums step up for their genius, uniqueness or just plain "what the hell is that all about?" quality.
The album Bacterium, Look At Your Motor Go by Ha the Unclear (reviewed here) immediately came into the "what the hell . . .?" category, and is certain unique and quite possibly bent genius all at once.
It is quirky but poppy, is chock full ofd fascinating lyrics (some of which are left-field narratives or perspctives) and . . .
It's available to stream or buy from here and you should do yourself a favour and have a listen (with credit card in hand). Their website is here.
Okay, some facts. Ha the Unclear are a band out of Dunedin around singer-songwriter Michael Cathro who was previously in the local group Brown, and band members include a couple who play in Alizarin Lizard. It was recorded in Dunedin's Albany St Studios with producer Oli WIlson where it warmer and quieter than his bedroom where the songs and band sound were conceived.
Emma Smith in the Listener called the album "a mildly disturbing and distinctly local listen". We said that it was "not just the interesting lyrics, but how these songs are couched in clever, slightly familiar backdrops of pop guitars, sometimes sweet pop harmony vocals as a counterpoint to the blunt language, and a real integrity in his delivery. And the Kiwi vernacular."
Enough of this, let's throw the questionnaire to Cathro who says, “Hopefully we fit somewhere between the absurdist and the pop melodists" -- and gives us the rare and happy opportunity of running a Malevich image.
Oh, and there is a New Zealand tour coming, see the dates below
The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .
My Dad had a bunch of Beatles cassettes that I used to play and rewind for hours copying down the lyrics and trying to decipher the words when I was a kid.
Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .
I went through a Nirvana phase in my teens. I started out playing bass lines on my guitar along with MTV: Unplugged in New York.
Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?
A hur hur Lennon, Nirvana, Madonna, Jacko
If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .
Psychology
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .
The Maybe Pile – Be Revolted
The Nerves – When You Find Out
The Mountain Goats – Spent Gladiator 2
Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home?
For a sentimental person, I’m not very sentimental..
The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .
Bob Dylan – Chronicles: Volume One
If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . . (And you would play?)
Anyone who’d let me ruin their night by playing a trumpet. So probably playing my own interpretations of the Trout Mask Replica album with Don Van Vliet.
The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .
El Topo
Le Ballon Rouge
Memento
The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)
I can’t remember the last time I
bought a CD.. but my last download was probably Kane Strang’s A
Pebble and a Paper Crane
One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .
The theme song from Duck Tales
The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .
Half Figure in a Yellow Shirt by Malevich
You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .
A caricature of my face on my face
David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where, doing . . .?
If it was just me that had five years,
first I would confess to causing the St Clair sink holes, then I
would spend a lot of it in South Asia moving as slowly as possible
and doing crosswords.
If it was everyone, I’d run around saying I told you so.
And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”
It is by far the album we have put the most work into. We spent more time on the songs and we recorded more instruments, the songs are more fully realised and we ended up with something we quite like.
HA THE UNCLEAR?MICHAEL CATHRO TOUR DATES
18th September - The Perc, Dunedin (acoustic show)
19th September - Chick’s Hotel, Dunedin
25th September - San Fran, Wellington
26th September - Great Job, Palmerston North
4th October - Frieda Margolis, Auckland (acoustic show)
23 October - Whammy, Auckland (Halloween Show)
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