Betchadupa

The first taste of betchadupa’s forthcoming second album, the track ‘The Bats of Darkwell Lane’ is released to radio in New Zealand and Australia this week. Recorded in July in Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios with producer Magoo (Regurgitator, Midnight Oil, Powderfinger etc) ‘Bats’ is one of the the first batch of tracks that they have put down. ‘The Bats of Darkwell Lane’ has everything you’d expect from betchadupa - and more! In what has almost become a betchadupa trademark it has both soaring harmonies and driving rock. Like the bat it flies and swoops. "Bats is one of the most enjoyable but also most challenging songs to play . The difficult bass rhythm in the chorus really fucks up my singing." Joe Bramley (bassist betchadupa) betchadupa have spent a good deal of 2003 offshore having performed shows at South by South West in Austin Texas, London, Los Angeles and New York. In Australia and New Zealand this year they have opened for Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction, Queens of the Stoneage, Foo Fighters and Coldplay. Right now they’re now preparing for the second recording session for what will be their first album release for Liberation Music. Expect the album early in 2004. betchadupa are: Matt Eccles (drums), Liam Finn (vocals and guitar), Chris Garland (guitars) and Joe Bramley (bass). They released their first self-titled EP in 2000, the ‘3D EP’ in 2001 and the album ‘The Alphabetchadupa’ (which debuted at #2 on the NZ charts) in 2002. They won ‘Best New Act’ at the 2001 NZ Music Awards, ‘Rock Album of the Year’ at the 2002 B-Net Awards and were nominated for a Silver Scroll in 2002 - musicmoz.org

Without Liam Finn, Betchadupa might not attract such interest or provoke such expectations. Put all that aside though and you have a confident, self assured debut that is sure to satisfy those who've been waiting patiently.

Betchadupa were named the Top New Act at the 2001 NZ Music Awards' for a good reason and it has nothing to do with the Finn pedigree. Sam Gibson, sound engineer for the group recorded the album's twelve songs at Revolver Studios isAuckland with mastering by Steve Smart at 301 Studios and the result is diverse and intriguing.

Ok so Liam does sound eerily like his Dad, both when singing and in radio interviews, but the similarity ends there, well mostly; they both share a common melodic language, it's just Dad doesn't like his guitars quite so filthy.

The Alphabetchadupa opens with the sonic "At Night" complete with guitar hum and dynamics galore; lovely it is too, all brooding, intense and melodic, no shortage of emotional content there. Supa Day loses none of this even if the vocal are sometimes at risk of getting lost to the axe action.

"Easy As It Seems" is almost Beatle-esque and "Rain" has shades of Julian Lennon, but both are uniquely and truly Betchadupa. "Filthy McNasty" is as you'd expect an erratic rocker and "Life Will Be The Same" disarms with it's melodic and almost sweet intro before building into a powerhouse effort, sure to be a great live track.

"Feed The Dogs" is a little quirky with the recognisable Betchadupa harmonies, "Unused Potatoes" has a quirky name but failed to grab and "Lucy's Song" is the sweet, emotional and trance-like (obligatory?) ballad before the album screams into "Drop D" before blissing out on the last track "Other Way".

And there you have it, an accomplished and pleasing debut, with twists and turns and variety galore. Favourite track? the opener "At Night"


1. At Night
2. Supa Day
3. Easy As It Seems
4. Rain
5. Filthy McNasty
6. Life Will Be The Same
7. Feed The Dogs
8. Unused Potatoes
9. Lucy's Song
10. Sleepy News
11. Drop D
12. Other Way
- Bruce Davis-Goff / xtramsn.co.nz

With Aiming For Your Head Betchadupa eschew all claims of the difficult second album (an even more admirable feat when considering that the average age of the band’s members is around 20 years old). Betchadupa’s previous album The Alphabetchadupa was a fine debut, but failed to fully capture the appeal of the band’s live show. Recorded completely live, Aiming For Your Head has no such shortcomings; it’s focused, refined and powerful.

New Zealand born and bred (now currently residing in Melbourne), the four-piece quickly garnered a reputation for one of the fiercest live bands on offer. Indisputably, it was this repute that attracted famed producer Nick Launay (whose CV includes Midnight Oil, Silverchair and Nick Cave) to work with the band on their latest release. Indeed, the collaboration is an even more impressive accomplishment when considering that these sessions were the first time Betchadupa had actually used a producer.



With their debut, Betchadupa, understandably played it reasonably safe. With an apt combination of rollicking guitars and acoustic ballads, the record remained inside its own narrow parameters. Conversely, Aiming For Your Head takes plenty of risks to which first single Who’s Coming Through The Window can attest. Apparently written in a fit of activity-induced paranoia while the band were staying in a New York hotel, the track, not surprisingly, is both wonderfully schizophrenic and incredibly catchy. The shimmering guitars and splicing riffs of the single are featured heavily throughout the album including on the explosive Weekend.





Irrefutably, the previously released Move Over is by the far the most infectious track the band have written to date. Although just recently recorded, the perennial live favourite dates back to the Alphabetchadupa sessions (this fact perhaps betrayed by its slightly simplistic nature).



Aiming For Your Head’s opening track My Army of Birds And Gulls with it’s delicate balance of quiet and loud, demonstrates the extent of the band’s transformation. The old Betchadupa would certainly not have included such an eerie, spacious track on the album, much less as the opening song.



Straight-up guitars are further shunned on My Song on which Neil Finn performs beautifully unsettling piano. Another of the record’s highlights is Diversions (also enhanced by Finn senior's piano). Manic and restrained, Diversions makes adept use of start/stops while carried principally by Finn's remarkable song writing ability.



Examining Finn's lyrics on Aiming For Your Head, it's difficult to believe that this is the same band whose first song was titled Gee, This Sounds Good, I Can't Believe We Wrote It.  To this point, Betchadupa may not have been known for their exceptional lyrics but this record, specifically opener My Army Of Birds And Gulls just might prove otherwise.

The birds they make faces at me
It’s all a big conspiracy
They start to sing when I try to sleep
It drives me mad, they’re calling me
Under my rock it never stops
I love them though they’re all I’ve got…

While Betchadupa's sophomore effort does contain quieter numbers in the vane of its predecessor, on said tracks the vocals soar that little bit more, the lyrical constructions are more intricate and the bass lines are significantly darker.  A startling follow-up, with promise of an even brighter future.  - colouredchalk