Beijing Bikini are undoubtedly members of an elite club that I call the Marrickville Sound – bands that are more experienced, often in their second or third iteration after a long career in the industry, exercising their undimmed creative muscles and producing great, often guitar-driven music. Named after an inner city suburb of Sydney that seems to excel in this type of music, it has seen a resurgence in brilliant music from older musicians, proving the old adage that creativity has no use by date.
Beijing Bikini consists of alumni from various bands from the past (The Bacchantes, MoMos, The Baddies) and they have just release a dynamic pair of singles ‘Big Cheese’ and ‘Allegro’ to continue their renaissance, and it captures all the essential ingredients of the Marrickville Sound. The songs are drenched in an antipodean flavour and have a visceral, raw element. The guitars are crystalline, jangly, the melodies soar and the delivery has an Australian twang, threaded with a wry sense of humour.
There’s a febrile element and blunt lyrical vernacular – anyone remember Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs? Mixed with an element of brash punk with a nod to The Saints, ‘Big Cheese’ in particular has a cathartic rawness with the fuzzy guitars and tribal chant, touches of fellow musicians The Aerial Maps. ‘Allegro’ presses gently on the brakes and delivers something more delicate and dreamy that draws in a Go-Betweens or The Chills lilt with its wry and gentle delivery. There is a certain naif element to the songs that is endearing and indelible.
Singer Bob Blunt says the song is a tale of status, allure, control and brain fade whereas ‘Allegro’ is about reminiscing young love, humane qualities and standing above the pack.
Beijing Bikini have created a very enjoyable sound:
The double single is out now and can be downloaded via the link above or through the normal streaming services.
The songs come from the band’s forthcoming second album Once So Pretty due out on 18 October. Blunt says of the album:
A lot of the Beijing Bikini lyrics stem from daily observations about life, the now and the living, plus the constant change we as humans experience on a daily basis. That can range from the changing of the goalposts in ‘Fast Harvey’, to life’s intersections as described in ‘Crossroads’ and the more obvious ‘Pretty & Pasty’; a track that is directly related to ageing when the inevitable catches up with us and we cannot get the days back that we once had.
You can catch the band live next month:
6 October – MoshPit Bar, Erskineville
w/ Buddhadatta (Japan) and White Knuckle Fever
Tickets
19 October – Once So Pretty Album Launch @ Marrickville Bowling Club
w/Live Punk Rock Karaoke (late) + Wild Lotus (China) + Vogli Bonze (Buddhadatta, Japan)
Tickets
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