Alex Cameron + Roy Molloy are back in town for yet another bone-shaking Shameless/Limitless event, hosted at one of D/B’s favourite Berlin venues, Acud Macht Neu.
Australian vocalist/percussionist Alex Cameron is probably best known as one of the members of Sydney-based electronica trio Seekae, who have released the acclaimed albums ‘The Sounds of Trees Falling on People’ and ‘+Dome’ on Rice is Nice within the last 6 years.
Cameron’s debut solo LP ‘Jumping The Shark’, released in November 2013, is remarkably different from past ventures, showcasing simple instrumentation and an all-encompassing baritone voice.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KU0YrM-rVrA
He leaves almost no trace of a splinter group continuing along similar lines of the esteemed Seekae. Instead, he’s created something free of linear similarities. The album is a collection of tales about sadness and inevitable failure, a complex collection of short stories documenting the bankrupt and morally vacant world of contemporary showbiz – and they’re voiced by a forgotten variety show host, Ken DuPont (Cameron).
Cameron has launched a ‘publicity’ campaign to accompany the album, including an awesome website to rival the classic still-live Space Jam relic complete with ‘Under Construction’ graphic and Viagra ad. His twitter profile mocks the game of celebrity. Even the name of the album suggests that it’s all a laugh. All cool, except that even when taking the piss, this record is outstanding. The tracks are minimal, perhaps churned out quickly or lovingly crafted to hit this level of simplicity.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=c14QR5Bh3lU
‘Jumping the Shark’ explores issues such as guilt and humiliation in a world where everyone is to blame for an entire industry’s failure – everyone except themselves. Cameron’s solo work is dark and deadpan, stylistically a little bit Bowie and a little bit Byrne, with the bleak suburban musings of Jarvis Cocker and with a Bryan Ferry-/ Nick Cave-ish vibe in his singing.
Cameron about his album: „They are my swan songs for a dying industry. As a self proclaimed musician and human I felt the only way to discover a sense of freedom was to accurately detail all my failings as a man. Kind of like a confession. I wanted to reveal what beauty and triumph is left in failure – I appreciate that there are those in denial of it. To me that is a tragedy. A beautiful tragedy. Failure is real.“
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=569503419 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]
Somehow, these stories attain tear-jerking levels of dignity through being performed by a guy with hyperbolic dance moves, peculiar hair and only a seedy looking saxophonist, Roy Molloy, for company. “Shame,” as Cameron says, “is the first thing any good performer loses.” (The Guardian)
Support this evening comes from Argentinian singer-songwriter Pictorial Candi. Check out her newest album ‘Forever Till You Die’, here:
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3500801405 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]
Shameless/Limitless is a Berlin-based promotional site that has been putting on shows and parties and fun stuff that you want to be at and should go to, presenting the best live acts from all over the world since 2008. Check out their website at the link below.
Shameless/Limitless: Alex Cameron + Pictorial Candi
Thursday, 10th Novermber 2016 | 21:00 CET
ACUD MACHT NEU | Veteranenstraße 21 | 10119 Berlin/Mitte
