Reece Mastin has made it two from two, taking out the top spot on the ARIA singles chart with “Good Night” for the second week running. All too often we see songs bursting from reality TV shows starting strong, but I think this result in the second week is more telling. Suddenly this isn’t just about the die-hard X Factor fans rushing out to grab the single; Reece is grabbing the attention of new fans through the subsequent airplay.
Guy Sebastian’s bettered last week’s chart position, nudging up one spot to claim number six with “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” And it seems the ARIAs have reminded everyone how awesome Gotye and Kimbra’s collaborative effort was, because “Somebody That I Used to Know” has zoomed back into the charts to hold the seventh spot.
Sadly the ARIAs haven’t been so kind to the albums charts, as for the first time in a long time there isn’t a local release in the top 10. Perhaps we should start supporting our local industry while we’re doing our Christmas shopping!
Western Australia’s Earl Cole and Chelsea J Gibson are ringing in the silly season with a festive dinner and show at Perth’s Bouchon Bistro on December 21.
A Swinging Christmas will see the local duo performing seasonal songs including “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and my personal holiday favourite, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
Everyone’s budget is stretched tight at this time of year, but tickets are quite reasonable at $110 for the show and a three-course dinner. You can book yours by calling Bouchon Bistro on (08) 9387 3898.
Reece Mastin has shaken off The X Factor Australia curse and zoomed into the Australian singles charts with a number 1 debut. “Good Night” outsold all the other songs this week, and is hopefully the first of many milestones for the talented teen.
Rewind one year and the best Altiyan Childs could muster was a number 8 position for “Somewhere in the World.” I’d argue that Altiyan’s song was much stronger, but clearly Sony knows what the single buying population wants.
Reece’s X Factor mentor Guy Sebastian isn’t doing too badly either. His single “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is sitting pretty at number 7. It’s not a cover of the Bobby McFerrin smash, but it’s every bit as catchy.
Aussies aren’t exactly taking the singles charts by storm, but it’s been some time since I’ve seen two local acts in the top 10. Hopefully with the ARIAs reminding us of all the great Australian talent around, we’ll see more songs cracking the top 10 in the coming weeks.
The same goes for the albums chart, which is also dominated by international acts. The best we could muster is Triple J’s Like a Version 7 sitting at number eight. Cold Chisel’s tour has also inspired fans to invest in the new best of disc. It’s sitting at number 10 on the charts.
Boy & Bear and Gotye were the big winners at last night’s ARIA Awards ceremony. Boy & Bear took home five awards for their stunning debut Moonfire, including best album and best group. Gotye scooped four, including male artist of the year and best single for “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
That’s all the stuff you’ll read in all the other media outlets, so I thought I’d much rather talk about the way I saw this year’s awards. Honestly, it was pretty bloody good. Admittedly anything would look like a world class production compared to last year’s shambles, but I was impressed by the way things went off.
I’ve heard criticisms that some of the jokes fell flat, and some of the irreverent spirit of Aussie music was missing. Maybe. But most important for me was that the ceremony had real heart. I found myself genuinely moved at several moments: when Billy Thorpe’s wife and daughters accepted his posthumous ARIA for Tangier, when former Wiggle Greg Page stood with his fellow skivvy wearers as they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, when Delta Goodrem sang “The Day You Went Away” against the backdrop of the images of people the industry has lost, and when Missy Higgins joined Gurrumul for a gorgeous duet. I have no clue what they were singing about but it was the most touching musical number of the night.
For those moments I loved these ARIAs. They reminded us that the night should be about recognising and celebrating the amazing music we make as a country. We punch well above our weight, and we deserve a night that acknowledges that, without bringing in too many international guests or getting too fancy with the staging.
Last night wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. I’m not sure how much Go had to do with the broadcast, but I take my hat off to them for whatever part they played. Even if it was just ensuring these awards stay on free to air, it was important. And how refreshing to see the channel being the youth station it originally set out to be and offering something new rather than the countless Big Bang and Two and a Half Men reruns.
Boy & Bear and Gotye may have taken home the lion’s share of the pointy things, but as clichéd as it sounds, Australian music was the big winner last night. Click below for the other winners!
Ben Wells & The Middle Names are the deserving winners of the latest Triple J Unearthed competition. You might remember me waxing lyrical about this Tasmanian indie pop-folk act way back in April. Since then they’ve sold out shows in their hometown of Hobart, undertaken their first three-state tour, and released a new darker single “A Good Read.” The Triple J victory is the cherry on top of a pretty impressive year for this act.
“A Good Read” comes from Bell Wells & The Middle Names debut EP House, Come Home, which will hit stores next March. Until then you can catch the band touring through Australia next month.
1 December 2011 – The Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
3 December 2011 – Pure Pop Records, St. Kilda (free acoustic instore appearance @ 3 pm)
4 December 2011 – The Front, Canberra
5 December 2011 – The Phoenix, Canberra (free)
7 December 2011 – FBi Social, Kings Cross
8 December 2011 – The Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
10 December 2011 – Festival of the Sun, Port Macquarie
17 December 2011 – Republic Bar, Hobart
30 & 31 December 2011 – Falls Festival, Marion Bay
Last night after seven years and countless laughs we said goodbye to Spicks and Specks. Who would have thought that a music quiz show with no prizes at all could become such a national treasure? While on paper it didn’t appear like much, its easy blend of comedy and musical trivia made it something truly special.
I can’t remember exactly when I started to watch Spicks and Specks, as is invariably the case when a program enjoys such a long run. But somewhere along the way it became part of my routine, something to look forward to at the end of hump day, something to miss during the non-ratings period at year’s end. Thank god for those Christmas specials!
I suppose we’ve got Rockwiz to take the mantle, but I think we all know it won’t be quite the same. Their rotating celebrity team captains aren’t around long enough to become as endearing as Alan or Myf. Julia Zemiro is lovely, but she doesn’t set my heart a-fluttering quite like Adam Hills. And while some of those ordinary Joes are interesting, they can’t hold a candle to the mix of musicians and comedians Spicks and Specks attracted over its 266 episodes. Can you believe there were that many? Yet every one still felt fresh.
I’m going to miss debating over the answers to “Musician or Serial Killer” and “Know Your Product” with my husband. I’ll miss annoying him with the Europe riff every time we settled in for “The Final Countdown.” I’m going to miss the laughs, and I’m going to miss feeling just a little bit superior when I knew the answers to the more obscure questions. I’m just going to miss it.
Last night we were treated to an extended hour episode, but it still didn’t feel like long enough. As Adam announced “The Final Countdown” for the final time, I looked around at him, at Myf, and at Adam, and began to cry. I didn’t expect those tears. I knew the end was coming after all. But I wasn’t prepared for the floodgates when it happened.
Thank you Adam, Myf, and Alan for seven wonderful years. Those two words can’t possibly express the joy you’ve given me and the rest of Australia over that time, but they’re what I have. I’m going to miss Spicks and Specks immensely, but I look forward to seeing where your careers take you next.
Reece Mastin has taken out this year’s X Factor competition, narrowly beating Andrew Wishart by just 1% of the votes.
Yes, I’m a bit late with the news, but can we all agree that more than two hours of television is far too long for this kind of thing? After all, we only want to hear “The winner is Reece,” right? All those retrospectives and random celebrity performances padding out the time seem completely unnecessary. My vote next year is for five minutes in between other programs, something like the Lotto draw.
So I didn’t watch it all the way through, but it seems that Johnny Ruffo fell out of the race early. While he’d improved immensely in recent weeks that seems fair; Reece and Andrew were our consistent standouts. I would have loved to see Andrew win it, as he moved me more than any of the other contestants, but I can’t deny Reece has the goods. Killer vocals, incredible stage presence, and he’s adorable to boot. I can’t say I’m looking forward to that “Good Night” single saturating the airwaves, but I look forward to what he produces once he gains some creative control.
We’re at the pointy end of The X Factor competition, with just three acts remaining. Andrew Wishart, Reece Mastin, and Johnny Ruffo had another chance to win us over tonight with some solo numbers and a duet with one of the visiting stars.
Andrew kicked things off with his audition song, Adele’s “Someone Like You.” It was fitting to see him perform it live again after all this time. It didn’t so much showcase growth but just how solid he’s always been. He is what he is, and I love that.
In contrast Johnny showed us just how far he’s come with Jay Sean’s “Do You Remember.” He was singing well and dancing well; I couldn’t fault him technically. However I also feel like I’ve seen it all before. He’s improved immensely, but I still don’t see X factor. And let’s remember that, rather than growth, is really what it’s all about.
Reece also showed us he’s developed that extra special something since first treating us to Rooster’s “Come Get Some.” There seems to be a bit more swagger to him, some extra confidence and self belief. He was good in the auditions, but tonight he was great.
Pairing The Fray with Andrew seemed like a natural fit, but I don’t think their version of “You Found Me” did him any favours. It felt too low throughout, and consequently he never got to show us his sweet spot. The arrangement was a real injustice here. Hopefully his fans don’t care; I’d hate to see him go on the back of this.
I’m not even going to bother re-reviewing Johnny’s performance of “Sir Duke.” It was good the first time and it was good again. Certainly this was his best, but did we really need to see it again with all the same staging and choreography?
Ditto Reece’s performance of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” and Andrew’s retake on “Dakota.”
Johnny Ruffo was outclassed in performing a medley of some Salt N Pepa hits. He held his own with the dancing but his rapping skills were very under par. This was fun though just for the trip down memory lane. Those ladies have lost nothing over the years.
Then Reece treated us to his potential single “Good Night.” Perhaps treated is a bit generous, because I found it to be pretty middle of the road pop. The verses felt like virtual carbon copies of Pink’s “Raise Your Glass.” All in it didn’t feel like Reece, which is really disappointing when the singles are supposed to be tailored to the artists.
I don’t remember the name of Andrew’s potential single if it was mentioned, but I wasn’t thrilled by it. He sang it beautifully but the song itself seemed a bit mediocre and aimless. I didn’t actively dislike it, but I’d probably switch over the radio after hearing it a few times. Seriously, where are they getting these songs?
I don’t know what Johnny’s single is called either, but the Eurovision nut in me lapped it up. It’s super cheesy, but also lots of fun. For the first time this year I seriously considered the merits of Johnny winning this thing. I expect to see Belarus covering this in Azerbaijan next year.
The duets hadn’t impressed me until Reece and Kylie Minogue took to the stage for “Kids.” His vocals were a bit rough in places but they really seemed to gel and that mattered more than the notes. What a way to end the show.
Really what happened tonight didn’t change my views one way or another. I’m firmly on Team Andrew. Who’s your pick?
Tonight’s X Factor elimination was always going to be tough. We learned early on that Andrew Wishart and Johnny Ruffo were safe, leaving us to sweat on the fate of Reece Mastin and Three Wishez for the rest of the show.
Given the options I hoped Three Wishez would be safe. We already had one cute young thing in the final after all. Three Wishez bring a different energy to the competition, and I can see them doing well on an international stage.
However it wasn’t to be, and we said farewell to the trio, at least for now. Something tells me they’ve got a big future ahead of them, with or without this competition’s help. I can’t wait to see where they pop up next.
And now I’m left cheering on Andrew Wishart. Last night he compelled me to pick up my phone and vote, the first time I’ve done so all year. That counts for a lot.
After last week’s lacklustre evening, I was psyched to see what the X Factor would serve up tonight. I was really impressed by the theme, which asked the contestants to uplift us and break our hearts.
Andrew Wishart is the perfect artist for a theme that plays on emotion. However if you don’t get the right song, it’s all going to fall apart. Neon Trees’ “Animal” was the wrong song on so many levels. The song itself is pleasurable, but hearing Andrew deliver it was more than a bit awkward. It also didn’t sit in his vocal sweet spot. Everything was against him, and it showed. Thank god he gets another song to play with.
Again Johnny Ruffo gave us a solid vocal with Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.” As far as sticking to the brief of delivering heartbreak though, he failed. There just wasn’t enough edge or emotion to it, which is probably down to a combination of the wrong song and the wrong performer. I just don’t think he’s got that in him. However he did what he did well.
Reece Mastin delivered the first truly heartbreaking song of the night with “Breakeven.” And considering he’s a young kid who’s probably never had his heart truly broken, I think he did a pretty good job. I certainly felt more watching him than I did on any other performance to that point, and that certainly counts for something. It didn’t quite match the original, but I still really enjoyed it.
When I heard Three Wishez were taking on The Black Eyed Peas “The Time/Dirty Bit” my heart sank. Then I held my ears. I hated when The Black Eyed Peas raped the Dirty Dancing classic, and Three Wishez didn’t make me change my mind. Was this the pleasure or the pain song? They may have received rave reviews, but I loathed every second. Continue reading “X Factor Tackles Pleasure and Pain”→
Guy Sebastian’s bettered last week’s chart position, nudging up one spot to claim number six with “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” And it seems the ARIAs have reminded everyone how awesome Gotye and Kimbra’s collaborative effort was, because “Somebody That I Used to Know” has zoomed back into the charts to hold the seventh spot.
Everyone’s budget is stretched tight at this time of year, but tickets are quite reasonable at $110 for the show and a three-course dinner. You can book yours by calling Bouchon Bistro on (08) 9387 3898.
1 December 2011 – The Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
I’m going to miss debating over the answers to “Musician or Serial Killer” and “Know Your Product” with my husband. I’ll miss annoying him with the Europe riff every time we settled in for “The Final Countdown.” I’m going to miss the laughs, and I’m going to miss feeling just a little bit superior when I knew the answers to the more obscure questions. I’m just going to miss it.