Two Women of two Babylons-Music on a Mission!

“Two Women of two Babylons”
Yay-eee-Yay - Yo-eee-Yo to be BORN FREE

No wonder I was nervous when I met Natalie Pa’apa’a, a year or so back, what an inspirational soul. At times my publishers, Blue King Brown are more than an outfit, more than a band; they are a tangible, living-breathing-community workshop, at one with the street. To me, my friends and family in Darwin, ‘Stand Up’ was the most pertinent, most special groove-in-gift to enlighten our senses during the first decade of the new Millennium. “How could this ever be emulated?” - I have often thought, and not just as ‘very much a Leo’ am I roaring this, but with ‘Born Free’ they have definitely achieved this.

Okay, faded have the intensive Latin percussion of ‘Stand Up’, but remaining are the Ol-school coil-&-springs reggae rhythm within crystal clear recording, the most splendid of Natalie Pa’apa’a and Carlo Santos protest endures. Songs like ‘Renegade’ are a super-groove of self-empowerment with punk surety, Santigold-like hip hop-SKA-chatter, and enriching strident Papuan war cries, how could one not feel like marching on the oppressors and manipulators of society! Natalie delivers a variety of notes that tickle the cranial g-spot nicely. Yet, it’s not for me to spotlight ‘metaphor Babylon’-that’s between you and Natalie, but as uplifting as the chorus’s within songs such as ‘Lion’ are, there remains purpose in point as BKB are social connectors.

Soothingly accompanied by Katchafire’s Logan Bell, along with Jesse Royal, and a unique In situ-voice with ‘The Congos’; as moi’s smitten-forever loyal to ‘Stand Up’, this album will be one that I will also be excited by when I’m 70. My pal in Cronulla, Benny-da-Gecko’s niece Kaliah sings along to this CD, as did my nephews to ‘Stand Up’ in Darwin those special years ago. To me, Blue King Brown will be forever the Yolngu-multicultural-coconut palms of tropical August Darwin, and subtropical beachside bohemian northern NSW, but to the folk of Melbourne ‘theirs’. Thus an experience I wish I knew more so. I can say this though, energy-charged songs like ‘All Nations’, in fact the entire ‘Born Free’ story, too deserves to be a breath to the streets of New York, Kingston, Rio and London.
……………………………………….FYAH…………………………………………!

Welcome to Kingston!
Terry Lynn’s Kingston Logic… this Goddess with attitude

And who doesn’t love that, right! Yep, I was attempting to fulfil my craving for trip-hop-reggae-dub, when Deb of Lismore’s Music Bizarre instead introduced me to the streets of Kingston-Jamaica, and with it, ‘Terry Lynn’.

What at first seems very experimental, ‘Kingston Logic’ soon cries out originality and importance! Terry describes the fervent pulse of steamy Kingston town… “I’m a child of the soil; I was born in the ghetto/where the gangsters roll by and then gunshot echo!” with intense, almost hardcore-like keyboard-powerchords, her songs are purposeful, sharing and political. Murder, a murder! Life could be better right! It’s funny though, I was picking up a Brunswick Heads friend, Phoebe, who was laden down with a basket full of fresh veggies by the side of the road. I pulled up while blasting my favourite song on this CD, ‘Stone’, and the lyrics at the time mirror-stated exactly what I was doing, “You saw me in the road struggling with my load and you passed me, ya you passed me!” Phoebe stopped and stared at my stereo, the irony not lost on her either. A bit ‘stalker-rish’ I guess, but coincidental I might add! Anyway, the song ‘Destiny’ actually blossoms with melody, Terry’s voice delightful. Tis very much a dance floor tune, and the covers of ‘Rivers of Babylon’ featuring Brent Dowe’s deep voice, are wicked-man, while ‘Consumers’ again holds no punches, as we continue to let the bullies ruin life in an unsustainable reality.

Well Terry Lynn, I guess you make my life in cosmopolitan rural northern NSW feel very tame indeed, but I get it, and I dig you. I know so many people who would, and should, love what you have to say and the way you say it…Kingston Logic…well yes, it is, and it’s worthwhile.

Cyclone SKA Darwin
Bovva-Boy Tony Walton & The Cyclones
Some exciting news from Darwin, a Cyclone has formed! Yep, my ol-pal Tony-2tone-Walton, alias ex-tenor sax of Melbourne’s SKA outfit ‘No Nonsense’- has instigated a new SKA experience for Darwin with the formation of ‘The Cyclones’. With the likes of NEO, and Drum Drum, who also landed a gig at the Commonwealth Games a few years back, Darwin’s melting pot of new arrivals from all over globe sets the scene for some dynamic music. As Tony described to me, “The Cyclones are a powerhouse of traditional and two-tone ska, and The Cyclones are on the rise.” If you see Tony, swing him some cockney, especially some Alexei Sayle-The Young Ones-gear, ‘E looves it!