make me a mixtape

c.

2010-07-15T11:08:00.004+10:00

do you know what my favourite letter of the alphabet is? c. i should mention, this is particularly in relation to food and drinks. if i was only allowed to eat food that started with one letter of the alphabet for the rest of my life, it would be c. i don't know why this would ever happen, but i like to have survival strategies in place for all situations.

where do i even start? coffee, cheese, chips, champagne, chilli, chocolate, cherries, croissants, corn, custard - do you see what i mean? in my imaginary world of c-foods, you are also allowed to think laterally, so things like curry, cabernet sauvignon, creamy tasmanian butter and chinese-style dumplings are also allowable.

i seem to enjoy food and music in equal amounts, so i thought, why not apply the 'c principle' to songs as well? this is, hands down, the easiest mixtape i've ever made for you - just like food there are SO many good tracks that start with the letter c. here's a selection that tantalised my ears the most this past week. xx

cosmic love - florence & the machine

oh my. this is my fave florence song from lungs, and they never make my fave songs into singles! until now. i now even more can't wait for you to come to sydney flowelch.

california waiting - kings of leon

this is K.O.L at their dreamiest, the perfect tune to counteract wild winter weather.

challengers - the new pornographers

i like their old stuff better than their new stuff, from the album of the same name. also the video clip to this is cute and colourful as.

careless - paul kelly

what more is there to say except, paul kelly - you are a dreamboat. and actually, a few weeks ago i had the pleasure of meeting his very tall son!

cover my eyes - la roux

how cool is carriageworks, and their winter wonderland extravanganza they're putting on for sydney this month? pretty much cool as ice ice baby. i can't wait to get my skate on this weekend, and i would like to skate to this song in particular.

court and spark - joni mitchell

man, all this c-work has me craving some delicious c-food. time to go whip up some chicken enchiladas - ole!

cherish - madonna

i once had to do a dance audition to this song in primary school. needless to say, i totally got picked for the 'A' group. thanks madonna.

cheap clothes - whitley

this song makes me dream of being a vagabond and journeying off into far away places. which is exactly what my gorgeous pal sophie is doing. you should check out her blog, it's ace.

cast a hook in me - laura veirs

this girl is so freakin' pretty-making, why oh why isn't she a superstar yet?

calendar girl - stars

have you head the new stars album? i haven't, but i'm dying to wrap my ears around it - if i love it as much as set yourself on fire, this could be my album of the year. stay tuned.

would you like me to state the obvious?

2010-06-16T11:27:00.005+10:00

it's farking cold. 2 weeks into winter and i'm already feeling the icy bite on my fingers as i struggle to make my knuckles and fingertips and wrists work in harmony.

also speaking of slack fingers, did you miss me while i was gone? i went to paris. it was beautiful. too beautiful. why aren't i still there? oh! because i wanted to make you a mix-tape of all the songs that are currently warming up my chilly limbs now that i'm back in the real world. one day i am going to be rich enough to afford really, really warm gloves. xx

on fire - sebadoh

you know how when you're absolutely bursting to go to the bathroom, people tell you to envision yourself trapped in a hot burning desert, with not a drop of water in your body to spare? they are way nicer than the people who make references to falling rain and gushing waterfalls.

burning - whitest boy alive

whitest boy alive base themselves out of berlin. do you know what's happening in berlin right now? summer. clever devils.

keep me warm - ida maria

you know i really shouldn't complain SO much about winter, because the best part about being cold is finding a way to warm up, and this usually involves snuggling. or whisky.

(love is like a) heat wave - the supremes

ahh, this brings back wonderfully warming memories of performing musical theatre in high school. do you know once we actually did a combo of sister act 1 & 2? righteous on brother.

drop it like it's hot - snoop dogg feat. pharrell williams

this song is great for distracting yourself against the cold while you try and get pharrell's tongue clicking down pat. i might think about trading the sparkly gems for a cardigan though.

bonfire blondes - beck

bonfires are pretty much made for crystal clear, inky black, winter night skies. just make sure you've got a sleeping bag, body heat, a hip flask and an unobstructed view of the stars.

eternal flame - joan as policewoman

the video clip to this song is really adorable, and just think, once winter is over we can do rhythmic gymnastics on the beach too!

keep yourself warm - frightened rabbit

when you don't have someone else to keep you warm, best to invest in one of nanna's knitted blankets, a flannelette nightie and some football socks. and you wonder why you've got no-one around to do the warming for you...

set yourself on fire - stars

i think i might be starting to take this whole using my mind's energy to warm up a bit too seriously. i've burnt myself three times in the past week. this best was this morning, i burnt my index finger on a crumpet.

fever - neko case

if any of you lovely ones feel like you're coming down with a cold, i've got a hot (ha) tip. have a shower with the water as hot as you can possibly stand it, then once you're all wrinkly, wrap yourself in a terry towelling robe. you'll probs start sweating, but that's the whole point, to get rid of the nasties. also hot toddies work a treat xx

money makes the world go...

2010-04-30T15:22:00.007+10:00

i like money, i hate money, i make money, i take money, i spend money, i save money, i crave money, i don't care that much for money.

you can get silver money, gold money, paper money, plastic money, fake money, monopoly money, money made out of stuff that you are not allowed to put in christmas puddings anymore, because it's not safe.

i put money in banks, i put money in tins, i put money in jars, i put money in cars. actually that's not true. i don't have a car and i never give anyone petrol money. how awful is that? sorry darling pals with wheels.

there sure are a lot of cliches to do with money. i don't really feel like telling you any of them right now. i think as long as i have enough money to by my pals tequila shots every now and again, i'll be a happy gal. let's all drink tequila right now and listen to my new mixtape! adios babes x

coin laundry - lisa mitchell

my washing machine is currently broken. i wonder if i could go to a coin laundry and fall in true love, that would be like a jackpot laundry!

20 dollar - m.i.a

if you had 20 dollars, 1 store and 5 minutes, where would you be and what would you buy?

who makes your money - spoon

me, that would be me! i don't make a lot but it's ALL mine, and i'm really just so good at spending every little cent that i make, yay for me!

material girl - madonna

i'm not partics a material girl, but this does happen to be one of my fave madonna songs of all time, hmm...

2.99 cent blues - regina spektor

holy smokes, is that regina spektor singing a totally classic blues tune? you bet your bottom 3 dollars it is!

cash cow - we are scientists

i must confess i'm not really sure what a cash cow is. 99% sure it's a bovine type creature that eats greenbacks and fertilises money trees.

money (that's what i want) - the flying lizards

the best things in life are free? yeah, i don't think so lizard ladies. a dinner box costs $19.95, and that's just the most basic one.

gold digger - kanye west

do you know any real live gold diggers? i panned for gold once, when i was in primary school, on excursion. those teensy, tiny, shiny flecks are about as close as i ever got.

how i made my millions - radiohead

you made your millions thom yorke, because you have some of the most genius songwriting capabilities in existence. i'd totally give you a dollar if you were busking on my street.

cash - patti smith

patti smith, what a cool lady. cool as cold, hard cash. is cash that cool, temperature wise i mean? maybe if you keep it in the fridge.

tick tock

2010-04-14T14:41:00.009+10:00

hook. one of my favourite movies EVS. dustin, fairies, robin, maggie, exploding paint balls, marbles, lost boys. it's all just bangarang to me. ticks and tocks and clocks and crocs (reptilian-like creatures, not clunky plastic footwear) feature heavily in this dreamboat of a film.

also i decided to fall in true love with we are scientist's 'after hours' this week.

what do you get when you mix these two seemingly unrelated things together in a dazzle sized mixing bowl? a temporal themed mixtape, that's what. it's freshly baked, enjoy little buddies x

after hours - we are scientists

the catalyst that started me on my musical musings this week. the subtitles and cardigans featured in this film clip are magnificent. it's definitely true love.

too much time - john vanderslice

i love this song, but can't say i necessarily agree with johnny v at the moment. i've had to start doing my washing at 1am in the morn in order to have a semblance of clean clothes.

mowgli's rd - marina and the diamonds

ha, this one is a bit sneaky. marina gets to feature in this week's mixtape purely for her 'cuckoo' abilities, which i heard around the traps were a crazy one-off muck around anyway.

this years love - david gray

oh, time for a heartbreaker i see. except if you listen to the words, it's actually quite hopeful and optimistic. oh love, so intrinsically linked with time. and cholera, if you're gabriel garcía márquez.

lost in time - whitley

did you know whitley is hanging up his guitar strings for good soon? this is sad news. i sure hope we get to see lawrence in another band incarnation in the future.

spending my time - roxette

while i'm a big fan of roxette, i'm not such a fan of spending my time staring at walls. i prefer to daydream while i'm driving, which is both cathartic and risky.

sentimental heart - she & him

vom, it's the whole time, love, link thing again isn't it? but truly, how can you not like how darn cute this song is, in it's hark back to yesteryear. get me a pastel shift dress and some frosted pink lipstick already.

once in a lifetime - talking heads

i don't know what a shotgun shack is, but i sure could use a spell living in one. does it have a fireplace and a balcony and a pot-bellied stove i wonder?

night time - the xx

i used to be an insomniac, yes i did. but now i sleep like the log lady's favourite possession. my friend zoe gave me a sleeping pill to "practice" with for an upcoming euro flight. but i've so far been too tired to open the millions of layers of cling wrap she wrapped it in. hmmm, is it really a restavit zoe?

time means nothing at all - lisa mitchell

it means nothing, it means everything, it hurts, it heals, there's too much, there's not enough. tick tock. tick tock. cuckoo. til next TIME pals! x

here kitty kitty

2010-04-01T16:44:00.011+11:00

cats are so neat. i really love them a lot. i've never been a dog person and have really just adored kitties my whole life. this is a bit wack when you consider the fact that dogs trip over their little paws with affection for me, while cats, well they mostly act like they couldn't give a bloody stuff.

but me, i'm a lazy bugger. so i like the fact that cats look after themselves, groom themselves, entertain themselves, do not need constant attention, you never have to take them for walks and they never roll in their own shit.

plus, no matter how many times they might parade away from me with aloof and haughty pads of their paws, they always seem to know when you really need them to settle in for a long-haul cuddle. so for that, here's a mixtape dedicated to my most favourite of the domestic pets. meow x

the lovecats - the cure

oh, hi memory lane. do you remember that show 'vidiot' on abc hosted by eden gaha? i saw this clip for the very first time on that show way back when i was a little latch key kid. i probably watched degrassi junior high straight afterwards too.

alley cats - hot chip

when i see the words 'alley cats' i straight away think of murakami novels, then i think about talking in the third person, then i think about eating eel. what a cycle.

belfast (penguins and cats) - katie melua

i don't know about you, but even though i have already stated my love above for the felines, i think if i had to choose between penguins and cats, i'd go for the tuxedo birds... they're even 3 times cuter!

cat claw - the kills

you know how you can get those sugary buns from bakeries called 'bear claws'? well can you get cat claws? and if you can, what do they taste like i wonder?

nashville cats - the lovin' spoonful

i would really adore to go to nashville one day quite soon. especially if i get to meet some nashville cats, they sound so lovely and fun!

purr - sonic youth

i love how rhythmic a cat's purr is. it has this amazing ability to calm even the most manic of panicky heartbeats. plus they make excellent hot water bottles. furry cover already included.

milk - garbage

mum says chocolate isn't good for dogs and milk isn't good for cats, but binge-drinking isn't good for grownups and i didn't see me saying no to another tequila shot on the weekend, did i? so maybe it's ok for them to have a little lap of full cream, every now and again.

whiskers - the boy least likely to

i find a cat's whiskers one of the prettiest and most elegant things about them, the way they are so spindly and fine, but also super strong. plus, i'm sure they have some whizzbang practical function, other than just being aesthetically pleasing.

black cats - bertie blackman

are not bad luck, they are my favourite. out of the seven cats i have had in my life, two have been black as the midnight sky on a moonless night. they have also, coincidentally, had the loveliest natures out of them all too. ps. i may or may not have blatantly stolen a quote from twin peaks in this paragraph.

what's new pussycat - tom jones

this clip makes me just laugh and laugh right down deep in my belly. tom jones, so daggy he's a bloody legend. catch you later cool cats. x

rainbow bright

2010-03-12T14:14:00.006+11:00

hi tiny dancers! how cool was rainbow bright? definitely one of my top 3 favourite childhood character pals, along with strawberry shortcake and, of course, punky brewster. talk about sassy, those little minxes ruled.

however, i digress. this mixtape has nothing to do with childhood nostalgia, and everything to do with the rainbow of colours that seem to shimmer and shine with the last intensity of summer and the new sharpness of autumn.

it's such a beautiful time of the year and one of my most favourites. the leaves are already turning, but you can see a rainbow of colours in just one day, and the sunrises (or sunsets if you're not excellent at the early morning rising) are moments of time-standing still magic. it's the kind of weekend where you can spend all morning at the beach, all evening wrapped in a cardigan, and you can actually go for a walk in the afternoon without becoming a melted puddle of perspiration.

i also think it's so beautiful because it's so quick, which give these days a rare and fleeting feeling. make sure you take some time to look outside at the colours, because blink, and the branches will be bare.

red right hand - nick cave & the bad seeds

i've been listening to this track so much lately. it makes me feel super strong and powerful. just like punky b. i wonder what nicky c was like as a bambino?

little yellow spider - devendra banhart

cutesticks. i love love love this film clip. it is actually one of my life long dreams to have someone send me a (non-ransom) note in cut out newspaper letters. my address is.... ha, hang on, katie dazzle isn't that daft.

pink light - laura veirs

gorgeous to the max. laura veirs has had many a spin on my stereo lately. or, if we're being perfectly honest, many a shuffle on my iPod. plus, this clip i found is adorbs. now, where's that hula hoop i bought in byron bay last year...?

green gloves - the national

"i glide and swan cause i'm the best slow dancer". AGH, SWOONING IN A FIELD OF EMERALD GREEN LEAVES. this band has stolen my heart a total of 458 times and counting.

black and blue - miike snow

from one of my new favourite bands at the momento, featuring the cutest bearded old fellow i've seen in quite some time. beer belly and all.

bowl of oranges - bright eyes

this song makes me want to tickle tummies, tell jokes and juggle the bowl of oranges before a benevolent crowd. and then squeeze the juice from the oranges and skip down the street.

gold day - sparklehorse

excuse me, but have you seen the sunsets over the city lately? they are totally magnificent, like gold and pink and purple dust settling all over sydney and putting it to sleep. open your eyes before daylight savings ends. which is in 3 nights time. quick!

silver lining - rilo kiley

continuing on with the colours of precious metals, comes a totally pretty tune by a girl with one of the most awkward names to pronounce. maybe it's just me, but also i have difficulty with the spelling. the silver lining is, i don't think i have dyslexia.

scarlet - brooke fraser

this nz gal has one of the most beautiful voices and some of the most powerful lyrics i've ever heard, but i don't think more than a slight fuss has ever been made about her here in oz. an excellent song to break up to. love maudlin maude.

golden brown - the stranglers

have i mixtaped this song before? it's a perennial favourite because it was "my song" when growing up, given to me by my ma and pa. they also loved eric clapton, madonna and the mcgarrigle sisters, and for that i will love them forever. even though i love them forever anyway. naff. awkward. laters! xxx

feeling sinful?

2010-02-22T10:45:00.006+11:00

i'm not! i had a spectacularly low-key weekend that involved not many drinks, lots of beach time, lots of cooking delicious things, lovely friends and doing good deeds for the family.

karma got her awesome on, and rewarded me with the discovery of my old, still working, casio CA-100 tone bank keyboard, with possibly the best demo track my ears have ever heard.

however, this morning i have woken up with what feels like 56 teeny, tiny razor blades stuck in my throat, which after a relatively booze/party free week and weekend, strikes me as ironic.

what does not strike me as ironic is the fact i made the conscious decision to be kind to katie dazzle last week, in order to attempt to rewind party season, and four months where i was the poster girl for debauchery.

here's a mixtape themed around the seven deadlies, and it's dedicated to everyone who's lived their summer to excess. x

jealous guy - bryan ferry & roxy music

a.k.a. envy. monday mornings are just the hardest, espesh on days when it should be illegal to be stuck inside non-airconditioned offices. bryan ferry, with his super, smooth skin and perfect, white teeth makes them heaps more bearable. and don't even get me started on his outfit - i want that tie.

insatiable one - and you will know us by the trail of the dead

a.k.a. greed. you know what i'm talking about sinners. those kind of marvellous hangovers where your stomach is so bottomless you can eat breakfast, lunch, two dinners and a whole packet of potato gems without feeling sick. til monday rolls around at least. ps. in the spirit of greed, here is insatiable two.

lazy confessions - the moldy peaches

a.k.a. sloth. this cute city little ditty is all about being horizontal, dreaming of doing things, but actually not getting up for the entire day. oh well, as long as you've got someone to bring you the potato gems...

l'excessive - carla bruni

a.k.a. gluttony. a.k.a. bring me a wheel of brie and a karafe of red wine, and i'll smash it right before your eyes.

narcissist - the libertines

a.k.a. pride. oh to have been a dragonfly on the wall, buzzing around the lake that narcissist fell into while he was perving on his own face. is that how the myth goes? i was too busy staring into my compact at uni to take notes.

little fury bugs - death cab for cutie

a.k.a. wrath. ha, this song title actually conjures up imagery that has very little to do with extreme anger. but if the bugs are inchmen, then they are crazy mad, because those big, fat cousins of ants bite HARD.

lust - the raveonettes

a.k.a. lust. a song called lust. from the album lust lust lust. did you get that this song pertains to lust yet? no? probably cos you're too busy being a lusty wench. you lust bucket. the end. ps. this song is actually super sexy.

the most important meal of the day

2010-02-12T10:56:00.005+11:00

recently i moved house, from sydders inner west to east. it's been an amazingly smooth transition, and so far i'm loving everything about the change of scenery; house to apartment, four to two, goths to botox, so to speak.

but during my 2.5 years in newtown, i must have eaten over 1000 delicious breakfasts in and around the streets of king. yep, do the maths my pretties, sometimes a girl needs to eat more than one breakfast a day.

as i cycle new paths and find new places of delicious morning foods to haunt in my eastern digs, i would like to pay tribute to ten favourite breakfast places i have left behind, but will surely return to often. as long as they do all day breakfasts.

my tribute is in the form of gratuitous cafe plugs and a mixtape of breakfast tunes. thanks inner west. you were rad. x

milk n' cereal - g.love & special sauce

number one totally has to be satellite in newtown. from al and the gang coming to wilson st parties, renee's crush on zoe, kate bush on the stereo, eddie's takeover, dan the scooter riding waiter in amazing leggings, and the best breakfast roll in existence, my heart and breakfast stomach will always belong to you.

tom's diner - susanne vega

i have a dream to eat my way across america's finest highway diners. deus ex machina on parramatta rd has delicious coffee, bellyriffic food and amazing wooden tables that bear no resemblance whatsoever to said diners. but, you can look at pretty things with wheels afterwards. probably you can do that on american highways too?

english tea - paul mccartney

sometimes i can't face coffee in the mornings. usually this is after a night partying with certain peeps, the kind of peeps who also favour cafe martini on king st for breakfast in the a.m. amazing tea and toast though, and martin is so crazy and wacky, he can cure hangovers just by opening his mouth.

heartstopper - emiliana torrini

for the mornings where you can face coffee, do yourself a favour and hop, skip and jump your way down to baffi & mo's at redfern. it is uber delicious, and that's not even the half of it. i can sum up their food menu in two words - hash cakes.

another breakfast with you - ladytron

you know where you don't have just another breakfast? that would be at clipper cafe in glebe. you can get eggs with dukkah for crying out loud, and their sweet treat cabinet? out of this world amazing. just don't leave the door open if it's cold or they will YELL at you.

cigarettes & chocolate milk - rufus wainwright

buzz bar on king st is an excellent breakfast choice for those of a slightly more debaucherous persuasion - the bloody marys at this place are top notch and scarily addictive. watch out, because not only will you stumble out into the daylight drunk, you'll also be poor.

one more cup of coffee - the white stripes

sometimes, all you want for breakfast is a coffee and pain au chocolate. look no further than the recently opened luxe bakery in newtown. the staff here have heaps of character, superbly evident when they got raided a few weeks ago, for selling black market bonsoy.

eggs and their shells - cocteau twins

heading to erko for a minute now, and first up is the gloriously casual cafe sofia. like sister cafes ella and giulia, the menu is yumbo, the atmosphere is relaxed and the juices are fresh. plus, if you're still hungry afterwards (you won't be), you can nip next door for fish and chips!

pancakes for one - of montreal

wander a little further down swanson st towards erskineville oval, and you'll find yourself at bitton cafe. so nice to score a table outside and people watch the villagers walking past. the staff here are super attentive, the menu slightly european and wholly delish. and you're so close to mitchell road, what better way to digest brekkie than by trawling through antiques at the auction house.

breakfast in bed - dusty springfield

beautiful song dusty, but really, who wants crumbs between their sheets? saturday mornings are perfect for strolling down wilson st to the eveleigh farmer's markets (aka outside at carriageworks). there is a place down one end that sells crazy delicious smoked trout and egg and dill mayo on brioche, right next to the yum colombian coffee people. after filling my belly i wander down to buy fresh flowers from the other end, and saturday = perfect.

chinese whispers...

2010-02-05T11:40:00.004+11:00

i like to know everything. all the time. surprises are not my friend and secrets can f**k off and die sideways. for the past few months however, secrets and whispers and dancing in the dark have been pervading my all-knowing walls and causing me the kind of discomfort normally associated with heartburn and indigestion.

these haven't been my secrets. oh no. dictionary definition of katie dazzle = open book, and don't worry if you can't read because she can quite happily recite aloud.

but the secrets of others? with their closed lips, closed hearts and closed minds, i'm surprised they haven't turned inside out with the effort it takes to stay shut up so tightly. plus talk about dj paranoia - it's truly unbecoming to think everything is about you. all the time. it's not.

while my cure lies in the form of chalky white antacid tabs, i highly recommend you secret keepers chow down on a dose of mixtape. and open the freaking doors. xx

there's no secrets this year - silversun pickups

that's what i'm rooting for silversun pickups. ps. i think your voice sounds like a cherry flavoured robot.

hide and seek - imogen heap

i heard a horrid remix of this in a supermarket the other day. i wasn't even in a good isle, like the laundry/fabric softener one. luckily i still love the original.

little secrets - passion pit

no, cheeky and shiny little passion pit song. no matter how much you tingle at me, i will never love secrets. not even little ones.

i'm not calling you a liar - florence and the machine

i'm a terrible liar. don't get me wrong, i've told my fair share of porkies and little white ones too. but any time i do it eats me from the inside out and i always confess. because i know how disappointing it is when people you thought you could trust forever let you down.

liar - the cranberries

ok, ok katie dazzle, we get it, you don't like liars! it's just that all the secrets do tend to breed all the lies. vicious nasty trapping lies. agh, does that mean the the truth really does set you free? shitballs, i'm a cliche!

secret meeting - the national

well, where else do you think the secret keepers are hanging out? i bet they're wearing inspector gadget-esque trench coats as well.

a place to hide - white lies

ooh, this song is doubly deserving - track and band name style. you know where i like to hide? nowhere, cos i am always the finder. actually, i am really good at finding lost items, especially shiny things. probably i will open a detective agency soon too.

stop whispering - radiohead

seriously. especially the chinese style whispers. it's just chicken chow mean.

my secret - anna ternheim

hairspray works a treat on getting ink stains out of your favourite dress. ha, not a secret anymore, take that!

everybody's got something to hide except to hide except me and my monkey - the beatles

does that make me the monkey? i always imagained myself as more of a chimpanzee...

sail away...

2010-01-04T11:10:00.004+11:00

happy new year happy little campers! hope you all had a marvellous time ringing it in and shaking it out as we said goodbye to 2009.

i think i'll start off 2010 by telling you about my friend lady ship. as her name might suggest, she is one elegant gal. lady ship also happens to make the most amazing silver lovely things, which i would highly recommend you take the time to have a bit of a looksie at.

and hey, while you're at it, perhaps you might like to listen to my mixtape of sailing, sea and salt inspired songs. because whether you're back at work or still on holidays, dreaming of a summer boat-style getaway is a wonderful way to while away a lazy hour or two. ahoy! and don't forget the kwells xx

song to the siren - this mortal coil

super gorgeous and sad song originally by one, mr tim buckley. many a cover has been done - this is my top pick, as well as a super rare and hard to find extended version by the national. too super hard for katie dazzle to find today unfortunately!

ship inside a bottle - kylie auldist

kylie's new album 'made of stone' has a rip-snorter of a summer vibe, and this is my top pick from the soulful lady's latest offering. don't forget, kylie is performing in sydney at days like this! festival this sunday 10th jan - there may just be a few tickets left if you hurry hurry!

saltwater - beach house

i love this song for it's ability to conjure up images of salt encrusted eyelashes, sand encrusted limbs, and a big, fat summer smile in amongst it all.

ship to shore - theme song

the tv show ruled. this theme song rules. that is all.

i'm sailin' - mazzy star

perfect to listen to on your portable speakers while on the boat. the sun is setting, you're anchored in for the evening, and tiny little baby waves are gently lapping the side of your vessel. sigh...

girl sailor - the shins

contrary to popular opinion, when steering a sailboat, do you know it is actually your upper thigh muscles that get the workout, rather than your arms? cos of the grip factor, as all girl sailors will know.

turn this boat around - matt & kim

today is my first day back at work for 2010. i totally wish my boat was pointing back towards to the infinite and far, far away horizon.

islands - the xx

castaways! what three things would you take with you to a deserted island? paw paw ointment, cherries and beer for me.

down river - the temper trap

one of the only things getting me through today is the fact that my favourite aussie band of 2009 are playing at the enmore theatre this friday 8th jan 2010. huzzah!

bake me a mix cake

2009-12-26T12:03:00.008+11:00

oh hi boxing day, i remember you! you're meant to be FREAKING A MILLION DEGREES AND SUNNY - WHAT HAPPENED?

i'm meant to be lying on the sand, under a beach umbrella (with tassles), on my new ginormous beach towel, in my new fandangly cossie, drinking icy cold beer and eating watermelon. that's my boxing day tradition, and you've bloody wrecked it.

whatev's, i'm making a new tradition involving rum soaked cherry cakes and mix tapes. also, did you know you can vote in the triple j hottest 100 right now? go here, do it! i've been listening to my top 10 for 2009 while measuring, sifting and baking all my delicious cake ingredients, and thought you might like to have a listen too.

and anyway, maybe my new boxing day tradition can also involve drinking french champagne, eating fresh out of the oven cherry cake, putting my feet up and getting started on the stack of excellent new books i got for christmas yesterday. okay rainy grey sky - perhaps you're not so bad after all.

ps. this is in no partics order and if you're a regular visitor to make me a mix tape, i'm sure you'll be familiar with a few of these tunes.

pps. you know how people say they remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news that diana, m.j, heath etc. had died? i'm like that with songs i know are going to be favourites for a very long time. these were ten such songs for me this year. xx

little lion man - mumford & sons

sitting in my kitchen, drinking earl grey tea, running late, wrapped in a towel knowing i need to get dressed, but unable to move away from the radio until i'd heard the whole song.

and the boys - angus & julia stone

sitting at my desk, all alone in the office, and taking advantage of the stereo. sunlight flooding in our beautiful arch window and then julia starts singing about gold falling from the ceiling of the world. marvellous.

how to tame lions - washington

reviewing washington's EP for a music column i do, sitting cross-legged at my desk, in my pj's, on my old, pink wooden chair, drinking red wine. the next day i read an interview she'd done where she explained this particular track as a break-up song, and for some reason it made me love it even more.

heartbreak scorsese - snob scrilla

i'd borrowed mum's car, and was driving home on a sunday night along the wakehurst parkway. an odd choice because this isn't my favourite band or genre of music at all, and i don't even have a thing for scorsese. but i just couldn't get it out of my head.

bruises - chairlift

summer, way back at the beginning of 2009! it was literally this time last year, i was on holidays and stumbled across this gem on last fm. i'll admit i don't really love the album this comes off as a whole, but this has remained a favourite ALL year. and i think it's very romantic.

fader - the temper trap

drinking coffee and perusing the world wide web as i was getting ready for another workday. saw the new clip for fader, loved it, bought tickets to their january 2010 sydney show.

blood - the middle east

it was much earlier this year, i was at work and a friend of a colleague had sent an advance of this spine-tinglingly good EP. was in a skins phase at the time, and the two seemed to go hand in hand.

eet - regina spektor

in my bedroom, laying on my back with my feet up against the wall. it was cold and wintry outside, and i was warm and cosy inside. just listening. this track came on and i repeated it about 27 times.

home - edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros

plugged into the radio at work as i was doing something mega boring and brain-frying on the old dream-weaver and dreaming of impending christmas holidays. immediately started googling the band and also compiling a list of american states that are not said as they are spelled. arkansas, tucson etc.

dog days are over - florence & the machine

when macca still lived at casa de wilson, i heard this wonderful song coming out of her bedroom, which led to a new favourite band for katie dazzle and also one of our fabulous staircase chats.

christmas came early

2009-12-22T10:55:00.004+11:00

i love christmas. i mean i really, really love it. i'm a tinsel slinging, carol singing, jingle bell ringing, ball of holiday energy. i love fairy lights and christmas trees. i love wreaths on doorways and mistletoe in hallways. i love setting the christmas pudding on fire and digging around for actual old-school sixpences, threepences and shillings that have been passed through the generations in my dad's fam. i love being on kid patrol with my mum's fam, even though i'm likely to be imbibing just as much as the parents on christmas day. i love that christmas turns me into a corny, sentimental twat. and i love making a mixtape of my favourite holiday inspired tunes. hope everyone has a dazzling festive experience!

ps. am 96% sure santa is real x

no christmas for me - zee avi

oddly, you'll notice that even though i'm mental for christmas, a lot of the songs have quite the melancholy vibe to them. i think this balances out my uber-excitement quite well, and prevents people from wanting to slap me in the face.

a christmas duel - the hives & cyndi lauper

rock n' roll. the hives and cyndi combine two of my favourite things, christmas and duets, what a fabulous present!

blue christmas - bright eyes

something about the way conor oberst croons away about a so-called blue christmas makes me feel distinctly warm inside. uncanny.

winter wonderland - phantom planet

it's a bit weird listening to all these songs about christmas that reference the snowy, wintry holidays that are happening in the northern hemisphere. and sure, i'd love to hear more songs about santa in thongs, drinking beer and getting dumped by gnarly barrels. but the tinkly bells and visions of snowflakes are just too contagious.

christmas cake - rilo kiley

i used to hate christmas cake, it's one of those holiday treats that i've definitely grown into. i don't know whether it's my increased love of rum and dark spirits or that it just tastes like a little bit of magic, but now christmas isn't christmas without one. see. i told you i was a corny twat.

all i want for christmas - yeah yeah yeahs

not the mariah or love actually version my friends. just karen o and her band being totally fucking awesome. as usual.

it's christmas so we'll stop - frightened rabbit

the only christmas i have not spent in the sunny climes of australia, i spent in a teeny, tiny town just out of glasgow, in scotland. it was ridiculously cold and grey, but i was in the cosiest house, with the loveliest people, at the bottom of a mountain that looked like it was out of a tolkein novel. and this song reminds me of just that.

baby it's cold outside - royal crown revue

what's christmas without a bit of brass and horn action? NOT christmas at all! exactly.

i wish it was christmas today - julian casablancas

the intro to this song is SO happy-making. my favourite one to decorate the christmas tree too this year.

carol of the bells - home alone soundtrack

home alone. essential christmas viewing. that is all.

why can't it be christmastime all year - rosie thomas

why can't it indeed rosie? but, to be perfectly honest, being a ball of holiday energy is pretty tiring. especially on my poor old liver. ho ho ho everyone!

celeb-ration

2009-12-14T16:17:00.007+11:00

just because we live in day and age where stalking is now called facebook, i thought perhaps it might be nice to have an appropriate mixtape to listen to whilst polishing the smudge-marks off the binoculars, and developing those snaps in the darkroom. so creepy yet oh so normal. voyeurs say what now? x

i wish i knew natalie portman - k-os

ok, so this new k-os track is actually the catalyst behind the whole playlist. i do love me a kooky theme in a music video, plus the sampling in this track reminds me of the simple days, when i used to have a massive crush on seth cohen.

starlett johansson - the teenagers

i'm surprised there aren't more songs dedicated to ms. megababe johansson. i'm not surprised at how much i love hearing these frenchies pronounce the word 'monogamy'.

bette davis eyes - kim carnes

i don't know what bette davis eyes are, but after seeing this fierce blondie sing about them in a billowing, backlit, shadowy dream of a music video, i think i totally need to have them.

buddy holly - weezer

tee hee, such a cute clip! this song reminds me of melting mars bars in the microwave and skiing at thredbo when i was 15. loves a flashback moment.

clint eastwood - gorillaz

since seeing 'gran torino', i can't really even read clint eastwood's name without getting a bit teary and emotional. such a dude, as if you wouldn't write a song about him.

clark gable - the postal service

hmmm. i have an overwhelming desire to go and hire 'gone with the wind' right about now - will put it on the to-do list.

vincent - don mclean

so most of the famous peeps in this mixtape are of the acting persuasion, but i thought it might be nice to include a few arty/smarty (see below) types too. the vincent here of course being mr van gogh.

galileo - the indigo girls

and the galileo being none other than the italiano super astronomer and physicist. i think i might like to get a kitten and call it galileo. how cute would it look going up into space! kidding.

elvis - these new puritans

apparently these new puritans weren't talking about that king. but by saying they're not talking about him, well, actually they are. so there.

meeting paris hilton - CSS

paris hilton is a beach bitch. CSS are amazing.

glitter and lycra and neon, oh my!

2009-12-14T15:47:00.002+11:00

new groove armada song 'i won't kneel' is making me feel dreamy, and perhaps like i could have come up with the best prom theme, had i attended degrassi junior high x

stockwinding

2009-12-07T10:18:00.003+11:00

after listening to this approximately 48 times yesterday, i have decided it is probably in my best interests to go blonde, and date a man with heaps and heaps of hair. the chemistry in this is so electric, i can feel it in my eyelashes. loves it x

can't get you

2009-11-24T11:41:00.001+11:00

out of my head. like it's trapped or something. l.o.v.e. loving the new temper trap clip for fader x

i listen to you

2009-11-24T09:50:00.002+11:00

and my heart glows - care bear style. x

i.n.i.t.i.a.l

2009-11-20T08:31:00.005+11:00

you know what i totally love? letters. and full stops. and putting letters with full stops to make tiny words that stand for something else. i really just love them. a lot. and abbreviating things. i totes love that too. and when i love something, you know what that means. mixtape time.

word. x

l.e.s artistes - santigold

i'm not even really sure what the l.e.s stands for in this song, but my ears get very happy whenever they listen to it.

vcr - the xx

hearting this band so much right now. can't wait to see them at laneway in jan. so lyrically succinct and they're barely twenty - j to the ealous.

paper planes - m.i.a.

bloody hell. m.i.a. is cooler than a cola sunny boy on a hot summer day. seriously thinking about changing my name to k.a.t.i.e.d.a.z.z.l.e.

all my friends - lcd soundsystem

i might like tiny words, but when songs are as good as this, they can be as long as they want.

ode to lrc - band of horses

if i could use the letters to write a song, i'd make an ode to tiny words too, band of horses.

can't believe a single word - vhs or beta

i love vhs's. and i still have a stellar collection consisting of the lion king, pulp fiction and empire records.

o.p.p. - naughty by nature

when i was making a mixtape this morn, bambi asked me what it was about. when i told her she said "oh kit, i bet there's some trashy hip hop/rap song you could use". ha.

here i am - ub40

what's with the bomber jacket? that is all.

o.a.v.i.p - the maccabees

outstandingly amazing very important person? or perhaps a secret message to someone.

crushed

2009-11-18T11:43:00.005+11:00

like a pineapple and mint frappe. which is obviously seriously good. just listened to an album called resevoir by a US band called fanfarlo. i'm crushing on all 11 songs. check out their website. check out their myspace. buy their record. here's a tasty sample, acoustic flavour. x

just because

2009-11-18T09:54:00.001+11:00

it's one of the loveliest things kicking around the world wide web x

a regular dozen

2009-11-16T21:15:00.008+11:00

is twelve. twelve is an excellent number. there are twelve days of christmas, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve hours in half of one day, twelve beers in my fridge, twelve cookies in my cookie jar and, of course, twelve months in one year.

all of a sudden i've found myself in a place where 'best of' lists are being drawn up all around me. all of a sudden i've realised it's november, soon to be december, soon to be santa, soon to be drinking way too much champagne, soon to be 2010.

and it's caused me some reflection. not in a wack corny way, more just like a gentle reminder to cast my mind back over the things i have (and haven't) done since the beginning of this year. and voila, i've made a mixtape of songs to go with said reflection that have something to do with each and every month of the year.

i feel like it was january and i blinked and now 09 is nearly gone. then again, that could have something to do with the fact that new years eve is not the only time of year i drink too much champagne. and i've had some pretty great blinks along the way. x

january rain - david gray

is the best sort of rain. there's nothing like cooling your hot and sticky limbs in a january afternoon downpour as you breathe in the smell of the wet stuff splashing down on blister-making hot roads.

one heavy february - architecture in helsinki

short and sweet, much like the second month of the year. in february i like to stay out way too late to make the most of daylight savings and the last promises of summer.

march of the meanies - the beatles

in march i like to use my artistic license to make a mix tape since there are nil songs i like about the month of march. plus this is super exciting, in a cinematic action movie kind of way.

april 8th - neutral milk hotel

an introspective tune, perfect to listen to when you're curled up on your couch in april looking through a rain-spattered window at the leaves turning all crunchy and brown.

maggie may - blur

in may i like to listen to bands playing covers whilst continuing to use artistic license when making mix tapes. i also like to daydream about escaping to summer in europe as the weather becomes chilly.

miss june '75 - the brian jonestown massacre

june is my favourite month of the year. it's roses, pearls, warm scarves, warmer snuggles and birthday cake.

july, july! - the decemberists

july. a month so great you have to say it two times in a row. with punctuation! in july i like to rug up and go for bike rides in the winter sunshine.

august moon - gregory & the hawk

cold, clear, dark, sharp nights make for chilly bones, but also the brightest, whitest moons of the year. bring your hip-flask of inside warming cognac.

pale september - fiona apple

perhaps one to listen to whilst you're in the northern hemisphere, for it to make literal sense. but a beautiful song to listen to anytime, anywhere in any other sense.

october, first account - be your own pet

in october i like to strip off the layers, stop bringing jackets to work and dream of impending summer plans as i turn the clock for daylight savings.

sweet november - sarah blasko

where i am right now. in november i like to remember how good it was to see sarah blasko live at the enmore in october.

will you still love me in december - julie doiron

the last on my list. in december i like to listen to this song as i run through the year in my mind and think of the dances i've done along the way.

inked

2009-11-16T11:48:00.003+11:00

found this super pretty vid and song on the internet.com during my morning coffee and browsing travels. makes me wish i was going to art-class in 5 minutes.

xx

camps, apparently.

2009-10-31T12:16:00.015+11:00

so last week i was feeling extremely treacherous. but don't be too alarmed! it was due to the fact that i spent three glorious days geting down and dirty with nature at camp treachery, which is this cute as a button campsite right near the beach about 4 hours north of sydney.

i camped lots when i was a little one, but haven't had so much outdoor adventure as an adult. ha, that's weird - i don't think i've ever typed myself as an adult before. anyway, i l.o.v.e loved it and am planning on loads more camping trips over the summer.

one thing i need to invest in though, is some great portable speakers of some description, because although i like the silence of the wild*, every camping adventure needs a mixtape. here's one to tide me over til next time. x

* this is a lie. the only time i'm capable of silence is when i'm sleeping. shooting stars are quite cool though.

freeway - aimee mann

the mixtape starts in the car of course, and this is the most excellent song to drive to. windows down, hair blowing in the wind, sunburn creeping up your right arm and all the promise of the weekend ahead of you. perfect.

no cars go - arcade fire

actually, i've just realised how vital cars are to camping, we had so much shit squashed into 3 vehicles there was barely room for the seven of us anyway. but i do like the thought that camping = a complete disconnect with the real world. no phones, no computers, no use of said cars til it's go time. and if you're katie dazzle no showers either. ew.

dirt on your new shoes - bishop allen

do not take your new shoes camping because the dirt is inevitable and everywhere. it's kinda nice having dusty, dirty limbs for a few days, and the shower you have when you get home will be the best one you have ever had.

gold in the air of summer - kings of convenience

the song i want to listen to when the sun is setting, the beers are cold, the fire is building and the company is outstanding.

chasing waterfalls - faux pas

there weren't any actual waterfalls at treachery, plenty of gnarly barrels though. and we saw dolphins, twice! i love the idea this song encapsulates - running around through dirt and forest and trees looking for the source.

running up that hill - placebo

treachery beach is awesome, quite dangerous as the name suggests, but offering up plenty of calm, blue moments as well. there just so happens to be an enormous hill separating you from the wet stuff, made entirely of sand. camp trudgery. my quads are looking good though.

society - eddie vedder

from the movie into the wild, this track is going along the same lines as the arcade fire one, and makes me realise just how important the world is, as in the earth, not the things that live on it. hello dj introspective.

the wolves (act i & ii) - bon iver

i did not encounter any wolves on this particular camping adventure. however, a dingo did steal my shirt and my sunglasses. for real. i got them both back in the end. thanks mike.

up late - custom kings

i love that when you're camping you think it's got to be midnight when it's only really 8pm. i also love late night renegade adventures to the beach and tents full of sand in the morning.

the moon - cat power

this is lying on picnic rugs in the dark, fire crackling, bellies full, staring up at the wide black expanse of sky dotted with stars bright like you've never seen them. one shoots, and everything feels like magical.

wake the sun - the matches

so joyous! a great one to pack everything up to, or run up that giant sand dune hill for one final dip in treacherous waters. get your camp on x

dazzle calling

2009-10-26T22:58:00.007+11:00

holy crapola! has it really been a month since i made you a mix tape? bad kitty.

you know when they say say time flies when you're having fun? do they speak truth or lies? all i know is i have been trapped in a dark cave for approximately four weeks, just dying to get these tunes out to you.

so appropriately these next few songs are all about making contact or some sort of call. forgive me? pretty please? x

like a call - architecture in helsinki

the clip to this song is so darn cute, it makes me think of hot chocolate, rain spattered windows, knitted blankets, holding hands and breathing deeply.

collect call - metric

talking about so darn cute, may i please be emily haines when i grow up? i find this song beseeching. also i love it that every time haines refers to herself as a lazy dancer, i'm ever hopeful she'll one day drop a tiny dancer in there instead. no luck so far...

long distance call - phoenix

italian people answer the phone by saying "pronto!" which means "ready!". ha, that's funny. i wonder how frenchies answer their talky boxes?

new york telephone conversation - lou reed

who doesn't love a little bit of gossip? a song that makes me think that i'm not the only one who eavesdrops on other people's conversations, and reminds me to perhaps speak a little less loudly when conducting my own affairs in public.

call me - blondie

deb harry is one hot bitch in blue. she would look good in a plastic freaking bag. maybe i should go rock-star platinum and disguise my rang.

call it off - tegan and sara

maybe i would have been something you'd be good at. i love this line. and i love this version i found too - demo-style, thanks little canadian trinkets.

angel, won't you call me - the decemberists

i hate waiting for people to call me. in fact i hate waiting for anything, patient i am not! i do love to leave a good voicemail though - i think my record is around 2 minutes and 17 seconds. even when i found out that 99% of my buddies don't even listen to my messages anymore, i still leave them.

spiderwebs - no doubt

i was reminded at my weekly trivia tournament on tuesday just how much i loved tragic kingdom when it came out, and even though it wasn't the biggest hit, spiderwebs was always my favourite track. note to self - another hot blondie - the peroxide really is beckoning today.

telephone line - elo

this sure is a heart-string tugger, and while i think the song is epic, i have never been able to actually take it seriously. i do however love the synth and the doo-wah factor.

dinosaurs are cute

2009-09-27T18:56:00.004+10:00

so this post is dedicated as both a birthday and thank you present to my friend gerrysaurus. also i like to call her milkshake. she very much likes dinosuars and even sometimes makes dioaramas out of them. i hope you like gerrysaurus. love cupcake x

brontosaurus - the move

this is so appropriate because gerrysaurus is of the herbviore kind of dino lover. and she has a lovely and graceful neck, just like those tall, leafy tree chompers.

in our talons - bowerbirds

this is just a super pretty song and video clip in general. i heart animations. and i don't know if dinosaurs are more claw-like than talonesque, but i'm pulling some artistic license out of my back pocket here.

crooked teeth - death cab for cutie

dinosuars definitely have sharp teeth but would we call them crooked? well, i don't believe there were many dentists living in the jurassic age, so they most certainly could have been.

time of the season - the zombies

how many artistic license cards does one get per post i wonder? you may be wondering what loose connection katie dazzle is going to make here, but do you remember that wonderful movie the land before time? all about dino's. and a flick i could happily watch in any season.

don't be mean - the raincoats

ok so this has one hundred percent nothing to do with those wonderfully leathery reptillians that milkshake likes so much, BUT, i do know that gerrysaurus likes this band very much. and the track is freaking killer - just like dinosaurs.

wild thing - jimi hendrix

a crazy cat singing about all things wild and dangerous, just like dinosaurs are. and way cooler than if i'd posted dorothy the dinosaur in its place.

vanilla - british india

rather than being anything to do with dinosaurs, this track is more in reference to gerry-'milkshake'-o-saurus. vanilla is my favourite flavour. malt is essential.

children of the revolution - t.rex

imagine being in a band called t.rex? so awesome and powerful. and gerrysaurus is most definitely a candidate for being a revolutionary child. happy hippy hoppy birthday and thankyou times one million x

buon viaggio!

2009-09-24T10:23:00.005+10:00

everyone in my life seems to be going on holidays at the moment. that is 100% exaggerated for artistic purposes, but there is definitely a significant amount of people in my life going on holidays at the moment.

the type of big, glorious overseas adventures that are sure to be eye-opening and spectacular. i am supremely jealous of course, but i've had my time in the sun, wind and rains of other countries, so i also know exactly how thrilling it feels to be going away to far off lands.

one of my loveliest friends in the world, anchovy, is leaving for europe today! she is scared and excited and i know she's going to have the most marvelous time. so with her in mind, here's a mixtape of a few songs that spring up when i think about packing a suitcase and jumping on the next available plane out of here. the only place i'm going right now is to the backyard to plant a money tree - then i can start dreaming about my own next great adventure. x

vacationing people - foreign born

foreign born's entire album, person to person, reminds me of holidays, particularly of the summer variety. this super mellow, acoustic version inspires long and lazy daydreams about holiday-making and holiday-taking.

everyday should be a holiday - the dandy warhols

wouldn't that be nice? well maybe not, maybe you only appreciate holidays because you don't get to have them everyday. maybe i should test the hypothesis and get back to you...

holiday - madonna

this is the perfect song for the holiday you take when you don't actually go anywhere. where you get to spend a week beautifying and organising your life in the comfort of your own home. where you spend a few hours every morning dancing around in your knickers to madonna's immaculate collection. other people do that, right?

leaving on a jet plane - john denver

i've been on a quite a few jet planes now, but i still get ridiculously excited each and everytime i board a flight. i think it's because 1) i have little legs so leg room is never an issue, and 2) i have a penchant for free alcohol and tiny packets of m.s.g. sprinkled peanuts.

brothers on a hotel bed - death cab for cutie

i love the imagery this song title conjures up in my head. i think this could refer to any travelling companion, brother from another mother an all that. or sister even. if you can travel in (mostly) harmony with someone, i think that makes them your friend for life.

across the universe - fiona apple

the coolest track to listen to when you've boarded the jet plane, scored yourself a window seat, and you're looking at all the tiny, changing land and sea below. and drinking free alcohol and eating free peanuts.

travel is dangerous - mogwai

only kidding! it's really not, and hairy, scary stories make for the best laughs when you're reunited with your loved ones upon your return. the most dangerous thing of all is staying in the same place all the time.

life is a highway - tom cochrane

potentially one of those songs where this blog's theme has all been a ruse in order for it to be included. in all it's tom cochrane goodness.

let's get out of this country - camera obscura

like i said, i'm planting my money/holiday fund tree asap. destination anywhere and everywhere. have a great adventure anchovy!

snapshot

2009-09-21T09:19:00.006+10:00

as a blogger, you have a certain amount of anonymity - however much you choose to have i guess. it's a scary thought for me to give too much info away online in this hazy, dazy voyeuristic land we live in. i should know, i could potentially be the kitty that gets killed by her curiosity.

but on the flipside, if i want you guys to keep coming back time and time again for your musical enrichment, i think it's fair that i share some snippets of dazzle with you. so in a round-a-bout way that's what i'm going to do today.

here goes snippet one. i live in sharehouse with three super fun and excellent buddies i shall call n-dog, bambi and stinks. these are not their real names, but i wouldn't mind if they were. last night we had a delicious family dinner. i cooked cannelloni. snippet two - cannelloni is my thing.

anyway, i was cooking and the gang was on music patrol. secretly, i made mental notes of all their musical choices, the winners of which are going to make up today's mixtape. because, snippet three, i think the musical tastes of your nearest and dearest can also be quite revealing about you too. take a peek through the window before i close it again. x

sgt. pepper's lonely hearts club band - the beatles

this was chosen by bambi. bambi met sir paul mccartney when she was little and he called her a lushling. i'm so jealous.

romeo & juliet - dire straits

n-dog put dire straits on first, but i think this was stinks choice. don't worry, stinks doesn't actually smell bad at all and she enjoys purchasing fresh flowers at the markets.

dress sexy at my funeral - smog

a joint choice from stinks and n-dog, which i was very happy to learn came from an album i had lent them both only a week earlier, dongs of sevotion. weirdest album name to type ever.

i can't stay - the killers

this was definitely n-dog's choice. n-dog likes to rock out to this at approximately 2.30pm on weekdays. n-dog is from new zealand and he calls me katie dizzle.

in the air tonight - phil collins

if i'd had my choice last night, we would have been listening to all phil collins all night long, i had to make do with just this one. for now.

dice - finley quaye & beth orton

bambi came into the music choosing shenanigans a little later than stinks and n-dog. when she did come in though, she came armed with some sort of secret magic that suddenly saw her hacking into the playlist and knocking out everyone else's picks with her own. crazy kid.

heartbeats - the knife

n-dog strikes again with some sweet swedish styling. as well as calling me katie dizzle he also calls a frisbee a chuck disc.

graceland - paul simon

from the album that reminds her of her childhood, next up we have stinks with some classic paul simon. stinks also enjoys wearing black, but every now and then will surprise you with a bright splash of colour.

feel good inc. - the gorillaz

bambi's choice. i have to say, i think bambi and i have probably the least similar musical tastes out of my housemates, but she has the BEST musical knowledge and is an excellent addition to any trivia team. maybe sir paul mac blessed her when they met all those years ago...

abracadabra - steve miller band

i'm so glad this got a look in, possibly my fave from the whole night. it's an excellent track to roll cannelloni too, and it was courtesy of n-dog.

fu-gee-la - the fugees

a surprise choice from stinks, breaking it down ghetto style. stinks has a bike called bobby and likes lacquered wicker baskets.

cortez the killer - neil young & crazy horse

n-dog has two bikes, a pushie and a motorised one. despite all my best efforts, neither of them have names. as yet. also n-dog is good at fixing bikes. stella is as quiet as a mouse today!

every little thing she does is magic - the police

bambi also has an un-named bike that currently has a lovely blanket of spidey webs adorning it. n-dog needs to work some magic on that. thanks for unknowingly making up my mixtape today kids x

for dorothy

2009-09-16T15:50:00.002+10:00

goodbye. i love you x

pick me!

2009-09-13T19:41:00.006+10:00

ok, so totally amazing weekend weather right my darlings!? i went for a deep sea actual ocean dive yesterday. freakin' freezing. like neck aching, heart-stopping, take my breath away, fanny freezing cold. so worth it though. i felt like i was wearing a veritable armour suit of invincibility once i exited the icy blue depths. like the swedish say, very invigorating.

anywho, blue sunny skies such are just absolutely begging for picnics in the park with friends, food, bebitas, wayward frisbees and footballs, and warm breezes licking at bare ankles. and sunday is the perfect friend for said scenario. all that's needed now is a mix-tape of picnic blanket perfect songs. what's that? your wish is katie dazzle's demand. picnic basket out x

park benches - belles will ring

personally, i'm a fan of getting down and dirty on the picnic rug cladded ground when i go for afternoon delights with friends. park benches are what we gaze up at from our grassy knolls. and we're all the better for it. likes this track though.

the park - feist

someone inferred to me today that feist features too often in my mixtapes. whatev's. my girl crush knows no limits. this one is pretty lingering, lanuid, and dare i say melancholy. gotta get one in there.

the coast is always changing - maximo park

a band named after park time goodness, this is mega upbeat and full of writhing around on a picnic blanket rhythm and melody. slap some chicken on a buttered bread roll and slather me some mayo. delightful.

take on me - a.c. newman

when i was originally working on this playlist, i had a different a.c. newman track up my springtime, hayfever sneezing, tissue lodged sleeve - 35 in the shade. because it almost was today. however, in my travels i came upon this glorious pride of place cover instead. enjoy.

summerbreeze - emiliana torrini

ok i lied before, another 'tears forming at the corner of my eyes' song sneaks in this mix. but emiliana speaks the truest truths. summerbreeze's are well on their way, and let's not look the reminding gifthorse in the mouth.

strawberry wine - john steel singers

just because picnics remind me of champagne drunk out of plastic cups with chunky strawberries swimming in their bubbly and effervescent goodness.

forks and knives (la fete) - beirut

again, i'm reminded of plastic-ware. this time round it's a hot pink, 36 piece fork/knife/spoon cyclindrical set you can use picnic and picnic time again. go franklins.

this wind - the tallest man on earth

something about the wind spoke to me today, possibly from a tall man on earth up high position. it was slow and it was weighty, and it spelled out all the promises of summer 2009/2010. needless to say i'm pretty excited.

lisztomania- phoenix

when you organise a picnic, it's prudent to make lists. there are so many things you need from so many different places, it would just be silly not to. the end result can be lista-mania, best countered (i find) by a hefty dose of lisztomania. nice.

folding chair - regina spektor

as much as i love the earthy, grounded picnic blanket, sometimes all you want to do is sit in a snap-happy, pouch for my bevvie holding, folding chair. listening to the new album from ms. regina while doing so is icing on the delicious picnic cake.

bless you!

2009-09-10T19:34:00.013+10:00

don't worry kidlets, i haven't gone all god-botherer on you. but something is bothering my sinuses right now, and i believe it may be those little mites that go by the name dust and pollen.

hayfever is bizarre - i never used to get it when i was little. oh no, i'm one of those lucky one's that has grown in to the itchy eyes, scratchy throat, endless sneezing and dripping nasal passages. yay me.

you know what all that means though? spring has sprung my pretties. it's magical how it happens, almost overnight, and it's like something in the air actually lifts, and we get those the distinct sense that lightness and brightness is on its way. people start revealing their stark white limbs, choosing white wine over red and dipping their toes into the sparkly blue ocean (still freezing ps.)

to continue the mood into the weekend, here's a mixtape of all my favourite songs about blooming, blossoming, bountiful, beautiful springtime. happy days x

spring 2008 - architecture in helsinki

this song is tip-toeing through freshly mown grass, barefoot, nimbly trying to avoid the bindis. i haven't had a bindi in years, i need to get around without shoes more often.

crush in the ghetto - jolie holland

where's the spring reference i hear you cry immediately!? that would be within holland's album springtime can kill you, on which this glorious number appears. found a lazy live version for your listening pleasure, bonus.

rise in the springtime - lavender diamond

this song is so spring. there's something about the violins that reminds me of vivaldi's four seasons actually! it's so grand and lovely, big sweeping piano chords, sweetly rounded vocals, thoughts of purple stems and a sprinkling of sparkles. perfect.

it's spring - swoop swoop

do magpies start their scary head pecking attacks in springtime? because you know that magpies swoop right? how's the synchronicity - this perth artist is one clever cookie.

come here - the concretes

i haven't popped a cover into the mix in ages, hello old friend! again, you might have trouble grasping the immediate springtime reference here. the original version of this song was performed by one kath bloom. as in flowers bloom. in spring. naff.

cherry blossom girl - air

have you seen the cherry blossom at the moment? it's a-brown-sticky-pink-flowery-mazing. branches of pure spring time beauty, i likes them a lot. and air is definitely floating in a cloud of

cherry blossom goodness.

blue flower - mazzy star

swells of fuzzy electric guitar, the beat of a tambourine against one palm, and flowers being crushed in the other. mazzy star is like a cruel spring day, snapping back to winter weather just when you thought it was safe to leave the house without a cardigan.

dancing in the dark - bruce springsteen

hey boss man. not only do you have the word spring contained within you ALL year round, i'm sure you've encouraged much dancing in the dark on balmy september, october and november nights. bring your own bonfire.

light & day - the polyphonic spree

this clip is a little bit wacky, but it's most definitely a springtime offering, in a most colourful, disney, animated sense of the word. i'm not sure what the white gospel style smocks are all about, but i do like the trilling flutes.

spring rain - the go-betweens

i feel like i should be much better buddies with the music of the go-betweens, so no time like the present to strengthen our friendship. the chorus in this is killer, the way they were meant to be written and the way i wish they still were.

sweet treats

2009-09-07T18:53:00.006+10:00

so, you know how i tell you just over there to the right of my page that you can call me katie dazzle? i actually have another decidedly sugary nickname - katie cupcake. i adopted this alias when i was working at the jam factory, and luckily for all concerned, i'm actually not too shabby when it comes to baking these delicious mini sweet treats myself.

in fact, i made the best cupcakes just the other day, jam doughnut cupcakes. seriosuly, have you ever seen three consecutive words that looked so good together? while i was whipping up these flavour bombs, i made myself a mixtape of the sweetest songs i could think of, and in an equally sweet gesture i'm going to let these tracks tantalise your eardrums as well. don't forget to brush your teeth x

life is (super) sweet - cara beth satalino

sweet song name, sweet artist name, sweet voice, sweet lyrics, sweet melody. cara beth is just all sorts of licking your lips after eating a cinnamon doughnut sugary goodness.

spoonful of sugar - of montreal

not your mary poppins type of spoonful, but a healthy measure nonetheless of sweet indie-pop courtesy of kevin barnes et al. funnily enough i find the album title this "songle" comes from, horse & elephant eatery (no elephants allowed), kind of crass, weird.

honey honey - feist

listen to the opening strains of feist uh-ahhing in this song, and it's like viscous, golden honey slowly dripping out of your speakers and into your ears. watching the video clip is a slightly different experience - fish bones and gnarled gnome-like elders anyone? but i think it's actually quite beautiful.

sweet dreams, sweet cheeks - los campesinos!

how sweet can a song really be when the lyrics contain the words f**ked and sh*t in the first verse, and said lyrics are sung with an undeniably welsh twang? the violins are pretty cute though. plus i actually use this phrase in real life.

blood sugar love - the real tuesday weld

stephen coates likes to refer to his particular brand of electro-pop as antique beat. cute. in this song he sings about how life is good when you're filled with blood. especially if your blood-sugar levels are quite high i'd imagine. and again with the violins, i'm digging them this week!

syrup & honey - duffy

dudes - this girl is amazing. the sweetest, most soulful voice i've heard in such a long time, especially for a welsh whitey.

it could be sweet - portishead

portishead sing some of the saddest songs i know, but beth gibbons voice is like a lovely, silken ribbon wrapping it's sweet self around and around me everytime i have the pleasure of listening to it.

sugar - wooden birds

the wooden birds are a recent discovery - one of those gems you stumble upon and you don't quite know how or where or why, but what you do know is that the entire album glows from start to finish. get your ears around their debut magnolia as soon you can - super sweet, toothache not included.

sweet november - sarah blasko

what's not sweet about sarah blasko, i mean really? i haven't seen her perform live, but apparently she gets about like a cute little puppet on marionette strings. i wish it was november already.

sweet disposition - the temper trap

the official vid clip to this one is awesome, and you should check it out here. however, the link i've given you above has an extra power punch of sugar crystals set against stills from the upcoming and much hyped flick 500 days of summer. apparently it doesn't turn out as sweetly as you might expect.

hots for scots

2009-08-26T18:12:00.008+10:00

so the other day i heard my hands down favourite song of the entire month. it happens to be by a scottish band, big country, and i love it so much, i'm kind of feeling sad for the twenty six years that i have been alive and not been listening to it, since it was released the same year i was born.

then i started going through my music collection, and i realised i've actually got a bit of a thing for scottish bands. then i started feeling guilty as i realised i've been the worst blogger ever and i've not tantalised your ears with mix for approximately a fortnight. now i give you a mixtape of ridiculously good songs by scots.

big country - a big country

i honestly can't believe i've never heard this song before, it's truly epic to my ears. anthemic and uplifting with just the right amount of electro-bagpipe.

life without buildings - the leanover

this song is very much one of those time and place tracks for me. once upon a time i lived in a tall concrete building in florence and one of my flatmates was scottish. she introduced me to the now defunct band life without buildings. actually we used to dj in a bar called pop cafe, and this song reminds me of mojito fuelled nights filled with music and misfits.

arab strap - the shy retirer

aidan moffat and malcolm middleton doing their sweet scottish thing together. i just love the name of the album this comes from, their 2003 offering, monday at the hug and pint. win.

belle and sebastian - step into my office baby

this song was the first belle and seb track i ever heard, and i immediately loved their eccentric and melodious way of telling stories. this song also has a wack film clip full of weird phallic references, and the most unlikely couple to ever do it in the office.

franz ferdinand - wine in the afternoon

firstly, i love the idea of wine in the afternoon. any afternoon. all afternoon. secondly... oh. i forget what my next point was going to be. where's my wine?

mogwai - stanley kubrik

mid mixtape wind down as i get all instrumental on you. this is an amazing track from mogwai, very internal organ grabbing and heartbeat quickening. one of those songs you don't want to end because you just love being wrapped up in it. like a blanket.

frightened rabbit - keep yourself warm

i saw these dudes at peat's ridge festival over new year's 09. i was so excited about seeing them, but a crazy leprechaun slipped me some fairy dust before i got there and all i really remember are lots of bright, streaky lights. according to my happy snaps though, i had a great time.

aberfeldy - summer's gone

maybe for you northern hemispherions, but our summer is just around the corner. have you been experiencing the amazing sydney weather lately? if i stick my tongue out far enough, i can practically lick summer on the face. it tastes good.

dogs die in hot cars - apples & oranges

for some reason when i think of this band, i can't help but chant "who let the dogs out...who who" in my head. which is weird, right? these scots are nothing like that song. they are my favourite brand of good time happy pop. bloody word association.

lord cut glass - look after your wife

this is a new gem i've just stumbled upon. the clip is super cute and lord cut glass is the new project from alun woodward, who you may know as a member of the delgados. i love how when alun sings, there is zero percent doubt of his nationality. that is what i'm talking about when i refer to hot scots.

wet wet wet - love is all around

and wrapping up the show today, i'm getting wet wet and wetter. i haven't heard this corny sparkler for ages. i had to get one syrupy effort in here, and i think i've already used up the proclaimers in a previous post. i'll be back sooner rather than later next time lads and lassies. stay scottish x

2009-08-14T12:13:00.005+10:00

with a name like katie dazzle, i assume it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine i'm a quite a fan of all things sparkly. my friend bambi sent me a link to the website of this cute as a button designer victoria mason. this necklace of a pencil sharpening is my favourite for sure. and it got me thinking about writing, of the non electronic persuasion.

i used to live in overseas, and one of my most favourite things to do while i was away was write and receive handwritten letters. there's nothing quite like cracking open a lovingly sealed envelope and reading the freshly inked sentences of loved ones to give you a sense of connection that would never come from clicking open an email in hotmail.

it's just all too easy to send a text or shoot off an email these days. don't get me wrong, i appreciate the electronic medium as much as the next amateur blogger, but it's nice to remember that sometimes the simpler things in life can be way more rewarding. so today's mix, as you may or may not have already guessed, has everything to do with letters. and if there's someone you haven't said hello to for a while, pen + paper + envelope = all you need. x

envelope - the colorful quiet

this song is made up of 2 sentences that are only sung once, but it is a perfectly pensive tune for penning a letter to the one that you're missing.

blue letter - fleetwood mac

funnily enough, this song doesn't make me feel blue in the slightest. if i was writing a letter while listening to this track, it would probably be written with a novelty pen that had some sort of tassle attached to the end of it.

postcards from italy - beirut

i've sent a lot of postcards from italy in my time. postcards are just as awesome as letters. you can get them free from heaps of places, and you don't even need an envelope! go and send one to someone right now.

a pencil full of lead - paolo nutini

a surprise nugget from one hot scot. paolo nutini's last offering was pure pop - this is some old school sounding jazzy be-bop goodness. swoon.

please mr postman - the marvelettes

speaking of old-school. i was in a high school musical based on sister act one AND two. yes, it was amazing. i danced to this song in spangly blue bike pants. i wonder if my post man is nice, i'm always at work when he's delivering the letters.

stan - eminem

don't worry guys. i always answer my fanmail.

letter from an occupant - the new pornographers

i can't believe i sometimes forget how much i bloody love neko case. despite it's uptempo beat and general loudness, i reckon this song is even sadder than slim shady's contribution to the mix. i guess not all letters can be good.

the district sleeps alone tonight - the postal service

not techincally a song about letters, but these guys are the musical epitomy of snail mail and doing things organically.

a postcard to nina - jens lekman

when you write a postcard, how do you sign off? yours truly is quite formal. best is a bit weird and brief. cheers is a too matey. i like hugs and kisses xo

five letters - jeff lang

langers is a way under-rated australian musician. this track is from the album half seas over and it's really rather good. i reckon i could write a pretty intoxicating love letter while listening to this one.

the days are getting longer...

2009-07-29T18:58:00.012+10:00

but it is still one hundred percent winter time my southern hemisphere pretties. if you are longing for hammocks, thong marks and mojitos full of ice cubes, this is a bit of a bummer. but, if you are going skiing anytime soon this is good news. hmmm, i'm off to falls creek on saturday. coincidence.

i haven't been skiing for approixmately 10 years. i remember being quite good. i also remember some dude with a distinct lack of respect for my personal space getting his ski's all up in mine. one tumble down a steep slope later, i have a broken thumb and thus ends the skiing adventures of katie dazzle for the next decade.

but all that aside, i am totally snow ready. i've got apres ski boots and everything. here is a magical winter mixtape to get you in the mood. snowflake out x

the winter song - au revoir simone

if ever you were going to go riding on a horsedrawn carriage through the snow, this would be the song to do it to.

snow - emiliana torrini

this is a staring out the window at the falling snow kinda song. i love you emiliana.

coming in from the cold - the delgados

if you don't want your feet to become iceblocks, don't forget to put on your slippers.

hazy shade of winter - simon and garfunkel

mittens and beanies and scarves, oh my! how hazy has your winter been?

wind and snow - grouper

i am a little bit on love with grouper at the moment. how does one tiny little girl pack so much emotion into sparse atmospherics?

the fox in the snow - belle & sebastian

i don't know if it's the scottish accents, but this song is definitely winter in the city, despite the mention of forest like foxes.

winterland - jj symon

do you know jj symon yet? he is from melbourne and his debut album new river has been rocking my world. i'll walk hand in hand underneath the moon with you jj.

silver stallion - cat power

a glorious cat doing an even more glorious cover. the original version is so un-winter wonderland, but this version is wild horses running through snow capped mountains for sure. horses can climb mountains, right?

five feet of snow - the dirty secrets

get your winter dance pants on - it's party time on the snowfields. glow sticks for all.

winter - tori amos

the first song that came to mind when this mix manifested. and a cool live version that shows the flame haired one in action.

blue light - bloc party

not about winter per se, but this song is hands in my pockets, wind whipping my cheeks, sleet falling on my eyelashes and hearts breaking like icicles.

heavy snow - julie doiron

i love the video clip that goes with this song. it's like wintertime in spring.

white winter hymnal - fleet foxes

why are tambourines and choir like harmonies so winter making i wonder?

snowy atlas mountains - fionn regan

trees without leaves but sunshine that still sparkles + harmonica = swoon.

i want to ride my bicycle...

2009-07-28T22:27:00.004+10:00

i want to ride it now. especially if i got my bicycle from the humble vintage in melbourne. for just $20 a day, or $60 for an entire week of old-school cycle fun, you can hire lovingly restored bikes from this cute joint based in melbourne. they will even chuck in a bike lock, helmet, basket and road map. bargain central. what better way to explore a city that i believe to be quite flat. good for your butt cheeks, good for the enviro, looks amazing - what more could you ask for? what's that? a few cheeky bike songs to listen to while you roam the streets? done. and thanks team breakfast for all your input. x

tv on the radio - bicycles are red hot

you bet your sweet ride they are! alternatively they can also be pink malvern stars called stella.

pink floyd - bike song

how cute is this song? any song that starts with a bike bell ring is pretty much perfect winner goodness in katie dazzle's book.

mazzy star - ride it on

is this song necessarily about bikes? nope, but it could be. and it's beautiful.

cary brothers - ride

again, i'm not sure about the bike factor, especially considering the naff film clip. close your eyes and imagine your feet on pedals.

queen - bicycle race

explanation necessary? i thought not

flobots - handlebars

umm, not only is this song about riding a bike with no handlebars, it mentions the dosie doe. i'm sold.

tom waits - broken bicycles

so raspy, just like my poor rusting stella. tom waits makes me feel zero % guilty for neglecting my bike.

domestic blitz

2009-07-21T23:12:00.005+10:00

there seems to be a lot of transitioning on the homefront going in in my life at the moment. and those of people around me. whether they are moving in, moving out, moving overseas, moving home, coming, going, staying, leaving - there is a definite state of flux happening and it seems poignant to capture it with a domestic mix.

here's a selection of songs that are about yearning and returning. don't worry, not all of them are sad sack katie dazzle specials. being homesick is one of the hardest things ever. i did it for 8 long months once and i think anyone who gives it a crack is amazing.

there's that funny old saying that i'm pinching from the castle, "it's not a house it's a home". you'll notice that none of these song titles contain the word 'house' in them. so go give all your homies a hug, wherever you happen to be and whoever they are. x

the teenagers - homecoming

we'll start off with something a bit vibrant. and profain. those frenchies somehow make 'see you next tuesday' sound so cute. clever.

adele - hometown glory

if you haven't heard this voice yet and you have a thing for british chanteuses ala kate, lily, duffy, amy etc, give her a spin for sure. especially if you're planning on an emotional return trip to the place where you grew up that possibly left some internal scarring.

julie doiron - nice to come home

so short, so sweet, so introspective, so simple. just like a cup of tea really. and what's more homely than that?

kings of convenience - homesick

well this is a bit of a jump from homely but when i'm feeling homesick i rely on music a lot. and for some reason i find this particular track really comforting.

catherine feeny - i come home

this track definitely isn't. comforting i mean. it positively oozes loneliness and teardrops and sore hearts. and it also proves you can be home, but you can still be lost.

camera obscura - let me go home

we should thank the scots for letting us leave the dramatics behind for a second. and by us i mean me. because sometimes actually all you want to go home from is the party.

mike viola - a way to say goodbye

i found this cute live version. i love that you can hear cups and plates being scraped around and i love that the girl sounds like brunette dolly parton. i hate saying goodbye but i hate not saying goodbye even more.

hayden - home by saturday

you can leave, and it can be sad. but you can always come back again too.

the panics - get us home

sorry about the weird pics in the clip. when people you love go away, you should definitely write them letters. real letters on real paper sent to real letterboxes, it's the best feeling in the world to get them.

the decemberists - yankee bayonet (i will be home then)

if i'm away, and you miss me - look for me somewhere else, as hard as you can. i'm probably just over there. i can be anywhere. that's what this song makes me think. hopeful right!? this may be my least depressing mix to date.

feeling shady...

2009-07-20T20:48:00.005+10:00

shady lane that is. a cute electro-pop four piece from my backyard in sydney, and they've been tugging at my heartstrings all day with their brand new debut album, here we go down the black hole.

as the title would suggest, the lyrics to these 12 songs do not tread a light path - they question life, religion, science, and are all wrapped up in a pre-occupation with death, dying, futility and existentialism.

but rather than being preachy or depressing, the warm electro fuzz and melody contained within each song allows for a kind of hopeful contemplation. i haven't seen these guys live but apparently shady lane perform on stage, not with a whiz-bang mac book, but rather an old school clumsy looking desktop. i like this. apparently you can buy them for $15 from some magical computer emporium. my flatmate and his girlfriend want to start making fishtanks out of them. i'm suitably nonplussed.

the music of shady lane is shoe-gazy enough to make me lie on my bed with my feet up the wall, electro enough to make me start tapping them about, and poppy enough to make me commando roll myself onto my feet and turn the volume up a little louder. definitely check out galileo and this is death. sweet in one ear and subdued out the other. x

if you like pina coladas...

2009-07-15T10:18:00.008+10:00

my multi-blog owning best friend told me that the most awesome blogs are those that are updated daily. shit. it's been a busy week, i'm tired, blah, blah, shut up. who wants to hear whingey, whiney excuses? and as if everyone isn't busy - like this little lass for example.

soph is a super talented photographer and swimming cossie designer and her label sol bellow is like a handful of sparkling jewels that manage to convince us the days are getting longer and that summer will be here before we know it. the new collection is online now, so if you haven't clicked on the links, stop jiggling your wobbly bits and do it immediately!

and while you're browsing, why not get your tropical on with my fruity delight mixtape of the best bikini songs around. x

blondie - the tide is high

imagine looking as bitchin' as deb harry, but in a tropical bikini. awesome.

mates of state - now

there's nothing about this song that screams tropical, but it makes me happy. get here now summer!

islands - rough rem

island + hammock + cocktails + shirtless cocktail waiters = fruity summer love.

foreign born - early warnings

are those marraccas i hear? i'm on fire.

the lovin' spoonful - summer in the city

this is a good one for when you remember you don't live near the beach anymore and will have to make do with a spray from the hose in your teeny, tiny inner city back "yard".

belinda carlisle - summer rain

i've been wanting an excuse to blog about B.C or roxette for AGES. this was all just a ruse to allow me to do so.

joni mitchell - big yellow taxi

find your best bandana, leather plaiting and paisley print bikini for this one.

el guincho - palmitos park

this guy is super cute. i like his crooked smile.

beach house - master of none

this one is for night time beach activities, if you get my drift. watch out for the sand.

hatrick

2009-07-09T09:45:00.007+10:00

i'm not the sportiest ball in the net, and this blog does not have anything to do with cricket. but the ashes did start last night and it would appear that i am getting really good at terrible wordplay in my blog titles.

so, my hatrick has nothing to do with the australian cricket team, but 3 super talented artists who will knock you out for 6 once you give them a listen. i wanted all of them to be australian to really make my pun pack a punch, but grouper is from oregon. oh well. my top picks from each artist are, surprise surprise, quite introspective, but perfect for today's rainy skies. x

kinematic - pinpoints

kinematic is a band from melbourne, and by the looks of both their myspace and official websites, they have been pretty busy kids over the past few years. i have used my magical powers for good to give you an amazing track from their forthcoming album - which on the down-low, i believe will be called kites. hence the cute cartoon above. like pinpoints, this song will prick you and then stay under your skin from the first tinkle, i'm looking forward to more from these guys this year - shows in melbourne in august, get down there 4 seasoners!

grouper - heavy water/i'd rather be sleeping

liz harris has a dreamy, breathy voice and as the guitar strums open up this song, it feels ethereal. which is good, because sometimes i get stuck on the point that grouper's are big, ugly fish. for just one little lady, grouper has a big sound, but there's nothing ugly about it - this is from the album dragging a dead deer up a hill, and you can listen to all of it to your heart's content right here.

kid sam - the sunday bus

melbourne keeps coming up with the goods, these guys are from there also. 2 cousins, kieran and kishore are the most excellent boys who make up kid sam. they released their self-titled debut a couple of months ago and it's really lovely to listen to when it's rainy. lucky for these boys, it's been wet wet wet lately. although, i would actually listen to kid sam in any climate - i couldn't even pick just one track - here's another one for you. sneaky. kid sam are also doing shows in various places around australia right now - go and see them.

rouge...

2009-07-06T18:16:00.010+10:00

i really love music. and i really love things that are red. so when i spied this delicious cherry crosley in a record store in surry hills i got red hot excited, red hot fast. i want one real bad, and i bet you do too - no worries as long as you've got a spare four hundred bad boys hanging out of your back pocket.

anyway, putting my coveting tendencies aside for a few minutes, i've compiled a little mix for you that is about all things red. also i am a really good busker, so if you see someone hula hooping for loose change, help a girl out? x

the rolling stones - ruby tuesday

have you seen that semi cool/crap brit drama series that is set in manchester and all about hairdressers called cutting it? yeah, me neither. if i had, they may have used this song in an episode that saw ally's adopted upon birth but recently reunited daughter ruby, marrying her ex-husband gavin, even though ally and gav were still one hundred percent in love. or something.

ub40 - red red wine

this song reminds me of epic parties at bob and alice's castle in annandale. also my friend alice is one of my most favourite redheads ever.

clare bowditch - hair that red

i love dj bodes, she is one feisty and talented flame haired lass. also, i had a friend called nic, he didn't have red hair but he was certainly made up of coloured bits.

the shins - red rabbits

dark ladders, red rabbits, sunburned eyes, lots of little sprites - shins i love you for making drug free hallucination both fun and possible.

spoon - you got yr. cherry bomb

drums and tambourines and cherries and bombs. best sundae ever.

the police - roxanne

songs about red lights = songs about traffic rules and regulations if you're peter coombe. you know in random questionnaire's people are always asked who they'd invite to their ultimate dinner party? well i would totally invite roxanne.

nena - 99 red balloons

pluck those bass lines. key those synth chords. get your sweet red eighties on.

sarah blasko - flame trees

a beautiful cover, this song is heartbreaking. if you haven't seen little fish please go and watch it now. you will never believe cate b has been anything but a drug addict.

joan as policewoman - eternal flame

speaking of flames, i could easily have gone with the twin named bangles ballad

here - you're way lucky you're getting J.A.P instead.

here comes the bride

2009-07-03T08:30:00.005+10:00

my step sister is getting married today, so i find myself not at work, which is excellent. instead, i'm sitting on the balcony and drinking coffee in the sunshine at my ma's house on the northern beaches. tough life.

once again i find myself writing in the daylight, and since today is going to be all about the lover dovers, and i'm feeling all sunshiny and warm, and my radio dial accidentally got stuck on mix 106.5's love song dedications last night, today's blog is going to be a little mixtape of love songs. but as i have said before, sad songs make me happy, so my version of a love song might be a little different from richard mercer's.

the cinematic orchestra - to build a home

if someone built me a home i would love them a lot. especially if there was more than one bathroom.

the bowerbirds - crooked lust

the bowerbirds new album upper air is just about to be released. i like words, so song titles are important to me. i like it even more when the promise of a song title is fulfilled, this song is gently awesome.

sia - breathe me

it's not lost on me that my mix already has a decidedly dark tone. i did warn you. and the make up is in the break up.

the beatles - two of us

i love that this song could easily be about two lovers or two besties, or both. also really cute vid clip.

fredrik - alina's place

i don't know if this song is necessarily about love, but i think it's super beautiful and the instruments certainly sound in love with each other, so it stays.

belle & sebastian - if she wants me

get your scot on. i dig scottish accents so much, that they could be singing about garbage disposal units and i'd probably still categorise it as a love song.

the cranberries - dreaming my dreams

i saw this performed at a wedding years and years ago, with a beautiful vocalist and a big fat cello. amazing.

the decemberists - the crane wife 3

it's the drums in this song that i find the most lovely, which is strange, i'm not normally one for noticing drums before other elements of a song.

chairlift - bruises

i seem to get into endless scrapes and tumbles, so i think it would be very romantic if my boyfriend iced my bruising knees with frozen strawberries. cute-city.

feist - brandy alexander

seductive from the first click. and i've totally been digging cognac lately.

this isn't a top ten or anything stressful like that. just a mix. now get back to work! i gotta get me to a wedding x

the eyes have it...

2009-07-02T11:09:00.006+10:00

blogging in daylight hours, this is a new and different experience for katie dazzle! this is going to be a quickie - i just wanted to tell you about this lovely new self-titled debut album from christina courtin. the colour of it makes me wish i was on a beach in mexico. i'm not.

speaking of foreign countries though, i'm cheap segue-ing you into visiting here. c.c is a cute little new yorker girl and she sings even cuter songs with a couple of crackingly raw and electric turns in some of the later songs on the album. check out 'laconia' for example, she's positively growling at the end of the song, i've never heard someone sound so desperate yet tuneful at the same time.

so a la my crap wordplay attempt above, 'foreign country' is my fave pick on the album, and i think you should listen to it immediately. with adorably twee lyrics like "if i was a foreign country would you vacation up in my big city?" and swinging guitars backing c.c up, it's a lovely love song for lovers.

and this girl can perform! i did some world wide web stalking and found the following live version of 'foreign country' - nuts! in the best sense of the word. over and out party people x

soothe my soul k.c.

2009-06-28T22:52:00.005+10:00

i saw the most distressing thing this afternoon. it was such a beautiful day - cold and clear, but the sun was out to warm us like an outdoor travelling heater. me and a gang of friends decided we would make some delicious snacks and spend the afternoon playing tennis at some cute nearby grass courts at sydney uni.

i was actually super excited, because i have a lot of tennis playing friends, but i'm usually relegated to the sidelines to cheer and drink beer - which isn't entirely bad when you think about it...i make an excellent, if tipsy, mascot.

anyway, today i was welcomed with open arms and i think in the end i wasn't a complete disaster. i don't know how well my sparkly converse sneakers went down as exercise appropriate. and i'm not sure how i feel about being told how funny it was to see me run. i am sure that it was totally awesome that there were twin gingas playing on the court next to us. and i bet you want to know if i'm ever going to get to my musical point.

so game, set and match, various people hopped in cars/on their bikes to part ways when all of a sudden their was this awful crunching sound of one car hitting another and we turned to see that a car indeed had mounted a curb and backed right into another parked car. then without warning, it flew into drive and in a matter of probably only 2, 3 seconds max, it had totally smashed into a lampost that consequently snapped and broke clean in two. if that lampost hadn't been there though, i am 99% sure this car would have gone flying onto paramatta rd.

it was just awful, the driver was in intense shock, his skin was grey, there was blood coming out of his nose and in his mouth. he kept saying he was ok when he was so far from it. no more details, i'm only writing about it in a cathartic effort to stop myself thinking about the whole thing, because it actually made me go into semi-shock and feel sick to my stomach. good in a crisis i am not.

anyway, so we get home and decide we need either a strong drink, or a pot of tea, and given that the sun had gone, the sky had darkened and it was about to pour buckets, we went with the latter. then i decided we needed some nice, comforting music to go with it.

enter k.c. mckanzie. this girl rocks. well not in the musical genre sense - but check out her myspace to listen to a beautiful selection of songs from her 3rd album hammer & nails. k.c. is german and her folk ditties are effortlessly engaging. she had our breathing back to normal and smiles back on our faces in no time. her lyrics have a definite wryness to them, simple and sweet with a sprinkling of dark humour every now and then. her voice is lovely - especially in the ever-so-strained falsetto moments, which somehow work everytime, even though it sounds as if she's not quite nailing them.

k.c. has a new album coming out later in the year, and if you haven't already clicked the vid link at the top of this post, do so now for a katie dazzle super exclusive, and my favourite track off the new album, which will be called dryland. the song is called 'lonely fighter'. and it's for everyone out there who is awesome in a crisis x

do magpies swoop?

2009-06-25T22:35:00.004+10:00

i'm not sure. you know who does swoop? swoop swoop. you may know him as streaky jake, but swoop swoop is what this perth artist is now going by, since the release of his album somewhere in the shadows a month or so ago.

i'm going to keep this short and sweet. my favourite track for sure is the opener 'i know what to do with myself'. this song makes me think of what maybe one fleet fox would sound like if he was stranded by all by his lonesome. and on a beach.

it also sounds like a song that could be playing in one of those hospital drama series we all love to hate, but secretly actually love, if only for the person whose job it is to pick the songs that play as the camera scans around the waiting/on call/operating rooms and make the doctor people in their scrubs seem full of wretched depth and emotional intensity. oopsi, tangent.

the rest of the album, while lovely, doesn't grab me as much as track one, and is a little disappointing after such a good opener. but it's still a beautiful collection of songs that sound like they were written by a guy living on the coast who should go and get lost in the mountains. and perhaps bump into the fleet foxes.

guitar that twangs ever so slightly in certain points of 'sean gormans dream 123' make you wish they twanged some more. swoop swoop has a breathy vocal delivery and the songs with the least arrangment and production are definitely the winners here. basically i just want you to go and listen to 'i know what to do with myself' right now. so now you know. go x

hot, hottie, hot.

2009-06-23T22:15:00.007+10:00

the countdown to get your vote in for 'the triple j hottest one hundred of all time' is on kids, i believe voting closes this sunday, june 28th. everyman and his abc youth network loving dog has his or her chance to name their ultimate top ten mixtape, a task that many music lovers would find difficult. no exception here folks, this is a daunting list to even begin to imagine to compile. so don't imagine, just do and you'll find it comes a lot easier.

if you're on struggle street with making your list, you might also find the following helpful:

1) do not read anyone else's list* to try and get ideas for your own. try! well for one you should not have to try, the hardest part should be culling the damn thing! and the reason for including a song in the list has to be genuine, not just cos some dude, in some band, who you think might be quite cool at the moment, thinks it's cool. or something.

2) the beauty of lists and mixtapes is that there are always going to be more to be made. if you're lucky, the opportunity to produce lists and mixtapes will never run dry (if they do you may need to make some new friends). in fact, probably in a few days time i'll be compiling a mixtape titled 'the 10 songs i actually wish i'd voted for in the triple j hottest one hundred of all-time'.

anyway, without any further fanfare and in an order ascertained by me drawing crumpled pieces of paper out of a hat, here is mine - with linkable bits so your ears can understand exactly what i'm going on about.

*disclaimer - it is totally ok to read kit/katie dazzle's list as you are probably awesome and have already placed your vote, and would never steal another's personal musical memories anyway. x

lou reed - walk on the wildside

i liked transformers as a kid and not knowing anything of lou reed or the velvet underground, believed that was reason enough to get this album. lucky i was such a dork when i was little, the standout track for me on an entirely stellar album.

feist - i feel it all

feist is a female force to me, and she always makes me feel strong and independent. this song in particular taught me how a house can really be a home. and that you can never be too big for fireworks.

portishead - glory box

mysterious, haunting and lingering. and although it's wrapped up in a fuzz of desperate electric guitar, hearing this for the first time made me realise that sad songs make me happy.

the shins - new slang

i saw this song live and actually think i had an out of body experience - no drugs necessary. for some reason now when i listen to the album i always wish i was walking through snow... power of the tambourine perhaps?

tom petty & the heartbreakers - learning to fly

most mornings, there is an amazing homeless aboriginal man who sits at either central or redfern train station with a battered guitar, singing for money. his voice is completely mesmerising - so strong yet so raw. when he sings tom petty it's so hopeful, it puts a skip in my heart and no matter what has happened the day or night before, i know it's going to be a good day. and it always is. tom petty goes alright too.

the cure - friday i'm in love

such a hopeful song to me. maybe you're only in love one day of the week, but friday is only ever another seven days away. i was hooked from the opening notes.

azure ray - rise

the way this song builds is amazing, i love the way my heart actually swells and contracts when i listen to it. i'm so glad i don't associate it with any personal heartbreak (yet) because i never want to stop being able to listen to this song. so painful yet so, so beautiful.

the beatles - blackbird

cute and lovely. evokes memories of that nursery rhyme where some blackbirds are baked in a pie. i think they got trapped. in this song they would be set free again, lilting and uplifting from an iconic group of musicians.

the stranglers - golden brown

this was my song when i was growing up, given to me by the parentals due to the colour of my hair. now a redhead, the wispy golden tendrils are gone, but the awesomeness of the song remains - who doesn't dig a harpsichord?

the panics - don't fight it

when i first heard this song i was on my lunchbreak in the postage stamp sized backroom of a retail tenure i'd rather forget. i think i may have decided then and there to quit, and properly find my way into the music industry. so guess i owe the panics some thanks - this song might be enough though. jae's voice cuts like wire, the piano makes my heart pound, the panics make me happy to be part of the australian music scene.

cover me with....

2009-06-22T20:14:00.005+10:00

i'm an out-of-the closet covers lover. i used to do a rad radio show where i found and played an excellent cover track each and every week. i don't think all cover songs are excellent by the way, in fact i think they get a bad wrap because a lot of them do suck the big one.

for me, it's all down to the covering artist taking someone else's song, and completely making it their own, so when you listen to it, it's kind of like an old, old friend coming to visit. sure, they've changed a bit on the outside, but give them a few minutes of your time and (hopefully) you're reminded of all the reasons you liked them in the first place. and maybe even the aesthetic differences go down ok in the end too.

for this reason, i usually go searching for an artist i like, rather than a song i think would make a good cover. because when a favourite song is done badly, it runs the risk of being spoiled for as long as your short-term memory lasts these days.

on the upside of this though, the most surprising cover delights can come from songs you'd never dig in their original incarnations, my case in point here is the bee gees being delivered by the similarly named the bird and the bee.

while momentarily on hiatus from my said rad radio show, my discovery of an awesome cover track hasn't been quite as fruitful as normal, but that just goes to make the gems that much more sparkly.

the apra 2009 awards shebang is happening tomorrow, june 23rd. when the nominees were announced at the end of may, kate miller-heidke and her husband slash band guitarist keir nuttall did a super beautiful version of empire of the sun's 'walking on a dream'. it's stripped and it's bare but rather than being a skeletal frame of one of the electro/pop hits of the summer, it gives kate's voice and keir's timing the chance to shine so brightly they burn, in an achingly good way. with only a few tambourine taps along the way, there's no powerbook in sight. check it. x

you're from where?

2009-06-21T19:14:00.005+10:00

you'll find the middle east actually hail from way up north - townsville to be exact, but i'd have these guys anywhere.

the buzz surrounding the middle east has been steadily getting louder and louder over the past few weeks, and i'm lucky enough to work with a dude, who knows a dude, who had the record, so have been happily listening to the recordings of the middle east for a month or two now.

the band actually released their mini LP the recordings of the middle east last year, and were selling them through their website. But super smart Spunk Records obviously knew they had stumbled upon a winner after hearing the middle east and luckily for anyone with ears, they have just re-issued the record.

with 5 tracks to choose from, the listening experience is short, but oh so sweet. 'blood' is beautiful, and when the tinkly and tingly xylophone kicks in about one minute in, it's the stuff that shivers are made from. and by the end of the track, the horn section almost has me packing my bags for north qld. also, i think because of the xylophone, it reminds me a lot of fat segal's 'kissn emeth', which serves as the theme song to my latest favourite bbc obsession skins. go and check it out by clicking here. useful tip - if you're ever having an insomnia moment, i highly recommend watching skins - it's pacifying in the realisation that whatever is bothering you, you're probably never going to be as f%#ked as the characters in this show.

while you're clicking on links, the middle east are right here. the page is pretty scant for info, but the two tracks they've got up for your listening pleasure, are probably actually my favourite off the album. the aforementioned 'blood' and the slower, guitar based 'the darkest side'.

the middle east produce songs that make me simultaneously happy and sad - the vocals, whether boy or girl, are raw yet tuneful. the lyrics make me contemplate, and think that i wish i knew the people who had written these words. speaking of words, word on the street is that these townsville kids are going to be heading round the country on a national tour tres soon - so buy some tickets, take a loved one and enjoy. x

ouch

2009-06-17T21:59:00.004+10:00

so i think i might have a new nextdoor neighbour. i never saw them move in, i never saw a sign out the front. i never saw removalist trucks. i've come to this rationale only because for the past 1 year, 11 months and 20-something days, i've been cosily getting on like a house on fire with the sandman almost every night. and in a four-person sharehouse inner city terrace, that is a pretty sweet deal.

ok, so sometimes i get the odd bout of sunday night anxiety, where the impending work week ahead causes me to stay up all night googling the difference between panic attacks and heart attacks.

and yeah, sometimes i have to plug in the iPod to make sure i'm politely excused from listening in to any of said flatmates late night activities. because let's face it - unless i'm enjoying my own late night activities, i absolutely need my beauty sleep.

so imagine my surprise the other night, when at about 9pm on a wednesday, my walls start vibrating to the swelling, aching strains of jebadiah's 'harpoon'. "wow" i think to myself, "that is really mother flipping loud!" oh well, it was by all accounts pretty early, no real drama. i had to catch up on a couple of missed episodes of masterchef online anyway, so in go the headphones and i'm saved.

but when i emerge from my reality cooking revery, approximately 2 hours later, 'harpoon' is still going strong. and loud. "hmmm, playlist is back to the beginning guys, time to mix it up slash turn it the f#$% down".

it was only when i'd heard the same song another seven mother flipping times, i realised that perhaps there never was a playlist. that whoever was currently residing in number 84 is either tone-deaf, heartbroken or insane.

i've never been a huge jebediah fan, but i've never disliked them either - sweet indifference my friends! bob evans even goes alright too. but seriously, when you're up til 3am, with no escape from, "and i love heeeeerrrrrr, but does shhheeeee think iiiiit's ok, when i teeeelllllll herrrrr..." etc. you do start to get a wee bit scratchy.

and when it starts again at 9-a-f%#king-m the very next morning? when you're trying to sleep-in to replace all the lost hours from the torturous and sleepless night before? you do not get a pretty kitty that is for sure. and can i also just say that this is not a one-night only, once-in-a-lifetime event. it's turning out to be a recurring nightmare - where i am unfortunately awake. all the time. looks like it's time to invest in some earplugs x

the music makes me sick

2009-06-16T22:26:00.002+10:00

i suppose the title of this inaugural post might like seem like an inauspicious beginning to make me a mixtape, but this is actually the name of a ripper new album and also the title track from it's a musical's debut, the music makes me sick. and as this is a debut of sorts, actually it makes perfect sense.

this is the kind of record to listen to after you have had a completely ratshit day. i'm talking, waking up on the wrong side of someone else's bed, banging your knee on the bed as you sneak out the door, and getting sprayed by a massive mud puddle while you're doing the walk of shame home, kind of ratshit. here we have twelve delightfully crafted indie/pop gemstones that demand you sit up straighter, smile brighter and get your happy on.

just like matt & kim, german/swedish duo robert kretzschmar and ella blixt have left the guitars behind in favour of sparkling keyboard chords, swinging drums and i'm guessing some sort of powerbook and appropriate music software.

released on the independent german electro-pop label morr music, it's a musical is snappy hooks, sassy rhythms, sweet melodies, observant lyrics and, at heart, two eccentric popsters having fun and sounding excellent while doing so.

standouts from the album include the token ballad 'take off your t-shirt', the (ironically) upbeat opener 'pain song', and without a doubt the title track 'the music makes me sick'. check out the video clip that goes with - if ever there was a time to be bringing onesies back... x