Having just toured the UK, Asia, and slaying it at CMJ, Brissy locals The Cairos have returned to Australia for a bunch of summer festivals and their ‘Row Of Homes Tour’.
The previous triple j Unearthed winners have also unveiled the brand new video for ‘Row Of Homes’, the third track lifted from their 2014 album ‘Dream Of Reason’.
Alistar Richardson (Guitar/Vocals) explains: “Row Of Homes was the centrepiece of the album. The climax. The song describes the breaking down of oneself to the point of no return. It signifies the sense of being lost. The monotony of life and the moment you decide to let go and change your life for the better.”
He continues, “The video captures this aloneness; The feeling of the world passing you by as you’re trapped in your own head. Everything seems like a blur and it’s hard to understand what is real and what is imagined”
To celebrate the band’s homecoming tour and video release, with chatted with Alistarabout the records that changed the guitarist/ vocalist’s life.
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Air – Moon Safari
1998, Virgin
What I love about this record is that you can’t play ‘Voyage de Penelope’ without playing the whole album. The arrangements of the songs, the incredible and diverse sounds that float in and out are what makes it extremely unique and extremely memorable.
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I discovered the record as a kid growing up, each morning my mum would play it while doing her yoga and it always filled the house with love. These days I tend to save it for occasions when I have time to reflect or stay still. Late night long car trips or mornings over a cup of tea. Though Air have always managed to release incredible songs since, however as a whole, Moon Safari is canonical.
Died Pretty – Doughboy Hollow
1991, Beggars Banquet
One time mum just happened to hand me a cd and said ‘your father and I loved this when you were a baby’ I was sceptical and really uninterested yet something clicked. I lay in my bed on a spring afternoon and listened to these simple, powerful love songs one after another until the end of the album. Ron Peno’s deep sorrowful vocals, Brett Meyers clear stunning guitar.
I love everything about it. I think it’s a classic Australian album and I hope that one day it gets all the recognition it deserves. Alfio and I (alistar) were lucky enough to watch Died Pretty perform the album in full a few months after we discovered it and managed to meet Ron who was such a flirt. I think he tried to kiss my dad once too. Inter-generational.
The Beatles – Rubber Soul
1965, Parlophone
There are better Beatles albums, but in terms of life changing this album defined my early childhood. As a kid we danced and sang to Drive My Car. As a teenager It filled my brain with methods in harmony.
As a young adult its still an album I turn to for inspiration for song writing and a reminder of simplicity at its best. I remember being 6 and holding the stretched album cover in my hands and never wanting to put it down. I listen to it when in need of a reminder of why I enjoy and write music.
Raveonettes – Observator
2012, Vice Records
It’s a mood in itself. Its introspective. It’s the Everly Brothers meets sonic youth? It’s never let me down. I love the sounds, The reverb-ed DI guitar which I always try to capture when recording.
I used to work in a record store called Rockinghorse, and the staff there loved the previous album LUST LUST LUST. I remember the day it arrived in store I grabbed it and played it on the instore speaker and loved it instantly.
Beck – Sea Change
2002, Geffen
It’s ‘the’ breakup album. 40 minutes of sorrow expressed through the most magnificant melancholic melodies.
There wasn’t a night for about 6 months when I didn’t listen to this going to bed. It was the only way I could get to sleep. I first heard this record as a kid, mum played it but wasn’t until I was 17 when I rediscovered.
White Stripes – Elephant
2003, XL
At the time it was the freshness. I was the perfect age of about 12, had just bought my first guitar and played it endlessly. I remember telling my dad ‘wow I didn’t know you could sweat playing the guitar’ it was such a workout keeping up with the Whites.
I’m pretty sure I learned drums to that album too, and bass and piano. It was a virtual best friend for the best part of a year. Dad took me to out to visit an island in Moreton Bay and then played me the cd in the car. I think we listened to it three times that day. I can’t say I’ve listened to it in years actually. But I remember every little part of it. I saw Meg Whites camel toe at 15 at big day out and felt funny.
Upcoming Tour Dates
Fri 12 Dec – Festival of the Sun, Port Macquarie NSW
Thu 18 Dec – Newtown Social Club, Sydney NSW
Sat 20 Dec – Northcote Social Club, Sydney NSW
29 & 30 Dec – Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford, QLD
For tickets and info visit www.thecairos.com.au
