Something for Kate - Leave Your Soul to Science

[cobl04]

I'd like to introduce you all to Something for Kate. They are probably my favourite Australian band. They've been around since the late 90s and were the first "alternative" band that I ever fell in love with.

They're back with the first new album in six years, Leave Your Soul to Science.

It's streaming here - triple j

It's very good. I was a bit worried when the lead single, Survival Expert, left me cold, but it's definitely in the bottom few tracks on the album.

It's very vital. They're a tight knit band. Lead singer Paul Dempsey has perfect pitch, which I think is cool. He's also quite an astute lyricist, with lots of interesting lyrics. The music on this album is catchy (on the rock side though, not pop), lively and there are several moments that will leave you nodding in approval.

Unfortunately this is the only track up on Youtube at the moment. It's good but not great.

Something For Kate - Survival Expert - YouTube

Anyway my point is I love this band and will very soon come to love this album and I think you would all enjoy getting into an album that you won't hear about in your homelands, or see reviewed on Pitchfork or Popmatters. Basically I need someone to talk about it with!

 

[djerdap]

What the fuck is up with band names nowadays?

The uploader has not made this video available in your country. I guess it's not something for djerdap.

 

[cobl04]

Here's another one.

Something For Kate - Survival Expert (Lyric Video) - YouTube

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I liked the music in that song. They remind me a bit of someone else, but I can't put my finger on whom, exactly.

How many albums do they have so far, and what album/song would you recommend as your personal favorite?

 

[cobl04]

This new one is their sixth album. My personal favourite is Echolalia. I've loved it for a decade.

My favourite song - Something For Kate - Monsters - YouTube

 

[cobl04]

This is a really good album, in my view. Definitely think it'll be a grower as well. Good lyrically too - Dempsey is very atypical, and his lines always stick around in your head.

This is my favourite song so far - an astonishing chorus

Something For Kate - Star-crossed citizens - YouTube

It's also been getting great reviews from Australian press

9/10 - Leave Your Soul To Science on Tone Deaf - Giving fans the latest Australian Music News, Gig Reviews, Artist Interviews, Photos, and Music Videos
4/5 - Album of the Week: Something For Kate | News.com.au
4/5 - EG weekly music reviews

 

[cobl04]

Last time I'll bump, I swear. Just got back from seeing them and they were great. All the new songs they played sounded terrific, they really benefit from a live setting.

They didn't play my favourite song though, and if you want to read an uninteresting story about how far back me and this song go, then click here. Musings on Something for Kate, personal favourite songs and live music | ramblings from djp

 

[Kieran McConville]

Nothing wrong with bumping the topic, they're a good band.

I don't really have strong feelings about the new stuff one way or the other, but it's quite good. And it's true that Paul Dempsey has always had a slightly different approach musically and lyrically. Hearing them on the radio the other week being interviewed they sounded like they're kind of over it at this point. Married with kids, get in the studio and get out as quick as possible, other priorities. Etc.

 

[Kieran McConville]

PS 'Echolalia' (off album of same name) is far and away my favourite song that they've ever done.

SHIT

I mean 'Three Dimensions'. Pretty sure the lyrics namecheck echolalia. But 'Three Dimensions' is the song I'm referring to.

 

[cobl04]

PS 'Echolalia' (off album of same name) is far and away my favourite song that they've ever done.

SHIT

I mean 'Three Dimensions'. Pretty sure the lyrics namecheck echolalia. But 'Three Dimensions' is the song I'm referring to.

Yep. The chorus goes

Cos I am bored with three dimensions
I'm in love with three dimensions
And if I listen to the seconds
Reminds me of echolalia

Great song off a great album. They didn't play it last night though

Nothing wrong with bumping the topic, they're a good band.

I don't really have strong feelings about the new stuff one way or the other, but it's quite good. And it's true that Paul Dempsey has always had a slightly different approach musically and lyrically. Hearing them on the radio the other week being interviewed they sounded like they're kind of over it at this point. Married with kids, get in the studio and get out as quick as possible, other priorities. Etc.

From all that I've read it sounds like they've benefited from tighter schedules (Clint owns two bars) and also the new producer in John Congelton, who told them when it was time to stop fussing over songs and just leave them be. As such the album was recorded and mixed in like a month and a half, and apparently wasn't anywhere near as laborious as it has been for them in the past.

I hope he keeps doing solo stuff. There's a bit of levity in it that is missing in a lot of SFK's songs.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised by some of what I heard from that solo thing a few years back. He can be quite funny in a sardonic way.

 

[cobl04]

Indeed. The solo acoustic shows he did for it were great. He was very funny with his crowd banter. His sardonic humour is what makes him one of my fav lyricists.

 

[cobl04]

This is a great read about how the album came together, how they're balancing family life, and why Paul thinks religion is horseshit. Paul Dempsey of Something For Kate | Tone Deaf

 

[Kieran McConville]

He might not be able to pinpoint the origins of the creative endeavour that eventually became his livelihood, but 36 years on, with exactly half of that time taken up by the band – he can certainly tell you where Something For Kate are at; “at this point we’re just doing this because we can and we want to.”

Wow, they all look pretty good 36 years on!

 

[nielsgov]

I listened to Monster. It sounded kind off inoffensive to me lol. Didn't pay attention to the lyrics.

Spoiler

Should I make a thread about dEUS now?

 

[cobl04]

Monster? I've heard a lot of words to describe that Kanye West track but "inoffensive" is not one of them.

Spoiler

You definitely should though man. I've mad a million of these threads and usually get about 10 replies, and none of the B&C crew seem to hate me yet.

 

[LemonMelon]

dEUS > Something for Kate #troll

 

[cobl04]

IN YOUR OPINION!!!1!!

Who has the better band name?

 

[nielsgov]

They both kinda suck.

 

[cobl04]

Video for second single Miracle Cure gives me another reason to bump.

Something For Kate - Miracle Cure - YouTube

Really enjoying this album though, it's def gonna crack my top 10 for the year.

 

[Kieran McConville]

My estimation for these guys just went up a notch after hearing a recent live performance on 'the Jays', I must admit.

I've never strictly speaking followed Something for Kate as a fan... I might have done once, only imo their lesser songs (particularly on Echolalia) really did seem kind of dull. So I never made much effort to track them. And later, with The Official Fiction and after, their music seemed to be becoming a little, I don't know, bland.

But that all just goes to show. My personal highlight from the show I heard was the song that has the lyric in it something like 'the kids will get the money' (or similar line?). Sorry I'm no use with song titles.

 

[cobl04]

x100

They are really good live. That song you refer to is off the new album, and it is called The Kids Will Get The Money, funnily enough.

It is probably in my bottom handful from the new album so if you enjoyed it you should check it out.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I may actually just do that. Really rather liking Miracle Cure too at the moment. Usually when I say 'interesting, I'll look into that', I'm just saying it, like George Costanza just 'saying' he wants to have fun.

 

[cobl04]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4txArJdX0fE

 

[Kieran McConville]

I heard that cover. It's good but... it's not that much of a revelation. Prefer their originals.

 

[cobl04]

Oh me too. I think their covers are just fun outlets for them, and they always seem to go for the atypical ones.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I heard Paul Dempsey give quite a good version of Bowie's Ashes to Ashes in some live show (on the radio) once.

 

[cobl04]

He does a brilliant cover of Time to Pretend. Saw him solo a few years back and he introduced it as "someone else's synth-pop masterpiece"

Paul Dempsey -- Time to Pretend (MGMT Cover) - YouTube

 

[cobl04]

They did a spellbinding cover of Calvin Harris/Florence + The Machine's Sweet Nothing on JJJ. Seriously brilliant.

Something For Kate - Sweet Nothing, Like a Version, Triple J (Calvin Harris) - YouTube

Video for Star-Crossed Citizens is also out, my fav song on the new record.

Something For Kate - Star-Crossed Citizens - YouTube

Can't wait to see them in June. Hoping I get Monsters this time.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Much better than the original, that cover. Then again, I don't like Florence and I like her machine even less.