various artists, the thin man bordello (2000).

I've hardly bought anything in the past 2 weeks, so I'm going back a bit.

I was on the number 64 tram heading past Caulfield Park, and probably feeling sorry for myself, when I heard Rob Snarski's sad voice on the radio (3RRR). "aha ! a new Blackeyed Susans album, that's exactly what I need to fill these empty days," I thought. But no, it was from a new compilation on some new label called Pharmacy Records. Curiouser and curiouser. I eventually found myself a copy at Missing Link. It didn't just have Rob Snarski and his so called friends (as opposed to the Blackeyed Susans) on it though, there was Kirsty Stegwazi, Joel Silbersher, and a guy called Richard Andrew, who I was sure I'd heard of somewhere...

"lend me a wristwatch, so i can tell how long i've been alone."

I had a nice little analogy here that went on about how listening to this album was like climbing a hill, but it all seemed a bit trite upon rereading it. Let's just mention that this compilation's full of beautiful, mostly solitary music. It's hard to play this to other people, because you really just want to be left alone when you're listening to it.

"as the letter kicked inside me, like some cruel and restless child..."

Richard Andrew (ex-Underground Lovers) has certainly set up a nice little label, as a home both for his own band Registered Nurse, and for new talent like the wonderful Grand Salvo, whose album (1642 - 1727) is full of simply arranged acoustic sounds but really strong mournful lyrics. I've really gotta go and look into the other bands he's putting out (like Silver Ray).