Fed: Diversity rules Aussie music in 2009

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2009
Fed: Diversity rules Aussie music in 2009

By Alyssa Braithwaite, National Entertainment Writer

SYDNEY, AAP - Aussie music was all about diversity in 2009.

Among the most talked about, successful and highest selling homegrown music acts were
an electro pop duo, an R&B-flavoured former Australian Idol, a white soul singer based
in New York, a four-piece rock band that has been compared to U2, and a critically-acclaimed
singer with a growing penchant for Bjork-esque stage wear.

Empire of the Sun, Jessica Mauboy, Daniel Merriweather, The Temper Trap and Sarah Blasko
are just some of the varied artists 2009 will be remembered for.

It was a year in which female artists were strongly represented, including Lisa Mitchell,
Kate Miller-Heidke, Ladyhawke, Blasko and Mauboy.

Rock bands like Powderfinger, Jet, Wolfmother and Eskimo Joe all released new albums,
but in the class of 2009 it was the newer names that stood out.



Empire of the Sun:

Just as The Presets dominated 2008, this year Empire of The Sun was the dance act that
got us moving.

The duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore (who has all but left the band now), formed
in 2007, and released their debut album Walking On A Dream in October last year.

The first single of the same name was a huge summer hit, and the album has gone platinum.

They have made waves in the UK as well, gaining fourth position on the BBC's annual
Sound of Music poll 2009, and picking up fans in the US and Europe.

Empire Of The Sun's first live performances were at the Parklife festival held around
the country in September and October.

At the ARIA Awards in November, Empire Of The Sun picked up four awards for album of
the year, single of the year, best group and best pop release.

And if Luke Steele's victory speech is anything to go by, Empire Of The Sun's reign
is only just beginning.

"In the words of George Harrison: here comes the sun," he said.



Jessica Mauboy:

Jessica Mauboy looks like she's on her way to being our most successful Australian Idol graduate.

The 20-year-old singer from Darwin finished runner-up on the Network Ten singing contest
in 2006, and has been building her career since.

In 2009, she broke through.

When the ARIA Awards rolled around, Mauboy had the leading number of nominations, up
for seven gongs including top honours such as best female artist, best pop release and
breakthrough artist in the album and single categories.

She walked away with just one gong, a non-peer voted award for highest selling single,
for her track Running Back.

But the ever-positive Mauboy said she didn't feel bad and was just thrilled to perform
at the bash.

A couple of weeks later she was celebrating her first film role in the Aboriginal musical
comedy Bran Nue Dae (released on January 14), with her performance described as "splendid"

in an early review.



Sarah Blasko:

Sydney singer Sarah Blasko released her third studio album, As Day Follows Night, in July.

It reached number five in the album charts, and received five ARIA nominations.

Blasko picked up the best female artist gong, as well as Triple J's J Award for Australian
album of the year.

The accolades are unlikely to end there for her.

She is being tipped as a real contender to take out the Australian Music Prize.

The album is slated for a European release from next March.

The Temper Trap:

The Melbourne four-piece, now based in London, has been catapulted from little-known
indie band to multiple ARIA nominee, and one of the buzz bands of 2009.

The band impressed at the influential South By SouthWest festival in March, and backed
up the hype with the release of its debut album Conditions in June.

The single Sweet Disposition went to number six in the UK and was featured in the hit
film 500 Days of Summer.

Recognised with four ARIA nominations, the band failed to turn them into trophies on
the night, but its popularity is set to swell with a string of festival performances in
the summer.

Early in 2010 the Temper Trap will tackle the US, with a seven-week tour.

Lisa Mitchell:

Another Australian Idol contestant made good, Lisa Mitchell released her album Wonder
in July, three years after being a contestant on the TV singing competition.

The album debuted at number three on the album charts, went gold and saw her nominated
for three ARIA awards.

Her songs have been picked up and used in advertisements in countries like the UK and Canada.

In October, she was selected to perform He's My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real
Gone Surfer Boy when Patricia "Little Pattie" Amphlett was inducted into the ARIA Hall
of Fame.

She will kick off the new year with a slot in the Big Day Out festival.

Daniel Merriweather:

Melbourne singer Daniel Merriweather found fame and success internationally before
he had made much of a mark in Australia.

His debut album Love & War was produced by Mark Ronson, went to number two in the UK,
and he is now based out of New York.

When Merriweather returned to Australia this year to promote his album, it was overshadowed
by the sudden death of Michael Jackson.

But at the ARIA Awards in November Merriweather beat better known singers such as Josh
Pyke, Bob Evans and Something For Kate's Paul Dempsey to be named the best male artist
of 2009.

"I have been working on my music for the good part of 10 years now, and it's amazing
to come back to Australia and be able to do it back here," he said.

Expect to hear more from Merriweather in the coming year.

Some of the biggest recording artists in the world visited our shores in 2009.

Beyonce shook her booty, Britney Spears lip-synched her way around the country, and
Pink played so many shows she was almost an honorary Australian.

Others who entertained us included Grace Jones, Pearl Jam, Lady GaGa, Leonard Cohen,
the Flaming Lips, Aimee Mann, Bon Iver, Fleetwood Mac, Tori Amos, Keith Urban, Chris Isaak
and Mika.

To come in 2010:

- Expect an album from a new unnamed "super group" featuring Eskimo Joe's Kav Temperley,
Josh Pyke, Bob Evans and Steve Parkin.

- Art vs Science have become festival and live favourites over the past 12 months,
an album is in the works.

- Erika Heynatz' debut album Erika will be released, with the first single Kingdom
due out in February.

- Empire of The Sun's Luke Steele has hinted there might be a new album from his other
band The Sleepy Jackson on the way in 2010.

- Kate Ceberano will team up with Irish singer Ronan Keating for her new record.

- Alex Lloyd is making a return to music after his Celebrity MasterChef experience.

- INXS is trying out a different sound on the band's upcoming record.

- Howling Bells have already started writing their third studio album, and want to
release it before the end of the year.

- Silverchair is working on a new album due out in 2010, with frontman Daniel Johns
experimenting with synths.

Also, expect tours by George Michael, AC/DC, Whitney Houston, Pixies, Them Crooked
Vultures, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Taylor Swift, Ronan Keating, Mumford and Sons, The Mars Volta,
La Roux, Lady GaGa, James Taylor, Florence and the Machine, and Diana Krall.

AAP acb/srp/cdh

KEYWORD: YEARENDER MUSIC

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