LULU'S DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

Here is the NOVEMBER 2023 Newsletter and Calendar, emailed at the start of the month to our mailing list and physically available free in store.

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LULU’S HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER – DEC ’23 / JAN ‘24
Bumper issue to celebrate the changeover, bring on 2024, we are good for it. Some final writeups for the year for your holiday reading while railing egg nogs, love to your family and friends and if it has been a hard year we send power and prosperity to future with LSD rituals! Lu Cru offer primo end of year whimsical reflections on the best of the year: we exhibit discerning taste and immersion into life of aesthete: film, books, records, the joy of life. CHECK OUT EXTORTION DEGENERATE AND SEETHING! We give love to LOWER PLENTY love to lower nplewmty.
See below for the Christmas / New Years hours, come up and tell us about your Christmas dinner, weird jokes from distant uncle by marriage, dietary concerns, long painful drive with recent ex, we have heard them all in the last eight years and we are happy to be Australia’s Premier Christmas Stress Relief Retail Therapy Provider for the last 8 years in a row..
Special shout out to the crew who have joined us this year; Ariel, Oscar and Fergus. Three talented cats and good folk, we hope you all get to meet them behind the counter some time soon. To our dear Samantha; bon voyage! We can't wait to see you in a year or two. 
To everyone reading: massive thanks for your support & rock the fuck on forever.
Love Lulus
 
XMAS / NEW YEARS OPENING HOURS
16/12 SATURDAY 10AM-5PM
17/12 SUNDAY 10AM-5PM
18/12 MONDAY CLOSED
19/12 TUESDAY CLOSED
20/12 WEDNESDAY 12PM-5PM
21/12 THURSDAY 12PM-5PM
22/12 FRIDAY 12PM-5PM
23/12 SATURDAY 10AM-5PM
24/12 SUNDAY 10AM-5PM
CLOSED XMAS DAY TIL JAN 12TH


 
C.R.A.I.G. - "BRIEF HISTORY OF BEAUXITE" LP (FELT SENSE)
The mining industry's moral devolvement is hardly news, but C.R.A.I.G’s A History of Bauxite well-cut highlight reels compel nonetheless. One could call it an epic poem, like some Illiad. Descending into the unvarnished story of our protagonist’s rap career and work in the baux captured through the lens of the Perth mining zeitgeist. A sprawl, overlapping Australia’s unfettered exploits of extraction monomania and its ease of turning the land into a vast open pit for the international market to plunder at will. The poor form would be to mark this as an Auspol neoliberal critique or watered-down underdog resentment, ignoring C.R.A.I.G’s depth of character and the litany of personalities he encounters.
Compositions contrast a menacing soundscape in Bauxite Bully, you feel like a roadrunner, case of Woodstock dehydrated, marching wearily towards an oasis canteen in Pilbara only for it to move every time you get within a metre of it. Fortified by the inherent intimacy of recordings, Stress Leave monologues his bauxite-induced Faustian bargain against lounge music fit for the Hilton. Voicemails from Craig’s uncle, hypertension-induced eyes bulging, seething resentment reaching boiling point at having to chop him out a job. Hollow Earth Theory, sounds like the esoteric psychoses of my acquaintances. A History of Bauxite is laden with epigrammatic wit, too many bars to highlight, “screaming the mining boom, built on the lie that this country is. Mate, I know about the ugliest lies of Terra Nullius, but still I gotta get in the ground; That's where the money is” hit me like a track dozer.
I thought about Lee Dorsey’s ‘Working in a Coal Mine’, percussion using the clink of a pickaxe against the coal; Midnight Oil’s ‘Blue Sky Mine’, “nothing's as precious as a hole in the ground”, about the poor bastards at the Wittenoom who contracted various asbestos diseases. During a friend’s boilermaker apprenticeship in the 2000s, his class viewed an old VHS called “Aluminium: the Cordon Bleu of Tig Welding”, an opening scene set in the bauxite mines of the NT. The weathered man narrating explains “Here Aboriginals work and operate machinery alongside normal people,” a callback to the Noble Savage character still raging in the zeitgeist even then. My uncle got a new lease on life in the 1980s, trading butcher’s apprentice wages to bauxie-stained big bucks in Darling Scarp WA. There was a funeral with a casket covered in $100 bills for some decrepit BHP magnate who probably looked better in their satirical cartoon depictions in the Perth tabloids than he did in his final years (Chekhov’s Faustian bargain here strikes).
The Lucky Country’s economy is built on dumb luck, in some part through under-taxed non-renewable resources it can thank the native land it stole it from. If John Williamson were born in WA he probably would’ve traded his home among the gumtrees and sung “Give me a claim among the bauxite seams, with drills and machines. A crane or two, an earthmover crew, a conveyor out the back, refinery out the front and some baux to spare.” But sometimes one has to throw stones inside a glass house, in hopes that they all crumble into a glimmering heap of myriad regrets à la the trashy evidence of poor decision left in recycling skips after a B&S Ball. I’m writing this on Notes on my iPhone; cobalt for its intricate chips, probably mined by a child in Congo and handset manufactured by another in a Zhengzhou Apple factory. Gravity keeps the world spinning on its axis but its globalisation makes the world go round, and that’s why the whole world’s for sale including God's Red Earth.
Words by C. Huryk


 
SHUGGIE OTIS ”FREEDOM FLIGHT“ LP (/)
This unique 1971 sophomore LP from funk’s most infamous recluse makes your cranium bop whilst simultaneously making it sore from trying to think about where you can place it. Mind meltingly devoid of typical definition, the genre crossovers here are as pretty as Iversons. Think Jimi meets Prince, meets Grand Funk Railroad, meets B.B King, meets Pharoah Sanders, meets Zappa, meets Bill Withers. Pretty & technically proficient enough to catch the ear of everyone from Bowie to The Stones and to even Stevie Wonder, only to have all their respective collaboration proposals turned down in favour of a regular life (like a fucking goated boss). What could’ve been’s & expectation subversion aside, the more important thing here is the ‘what is’, & it’s an absolute sunny day classic. If ‘Strawberry 24’ wasn't the most obvious case in point for its pure day brightening qualities, the resulting country-funk twang, outbreaks of wild bass grooves & psychedelic spirituality of freeform on the fretboard should place you somewhere between an injury time winner & total nirvana. 


 
WARUMPI BAND – “PAPUNYA SESSIONS 1982” LP
In true Stones fashion, The Warumpi Band piled into a Education Department owned house in their native Papunya( a small Indigenous Australian community roughly 240 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs(Mparntwe) ), to record a carefully crafted collection of covers they learnt in order to educate themselves on how to ‘become a band’ as guitarist Neil Murray puts it. What followed is truly some of the most striking rock & roll that I've ever heard to come out of so-called Australia. The harshness stemmed from the tiny 2-track recorder gives the whole product such a raucously majestic feeling of vibrance & excitement that give these already amazing renditions an extra slice of life. A tall order to tackle stalwart classics such as ‘Route 66’, ‘It’s All Over Now’, ‘Dead Flowers’, ‘Pamela Brown’ & ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ but i’d be truly damned if Keith, Mick, Tom T. Hall or Dylan themselves wouldnt be properly chuffed by these interpretations. Like the Stones before them, it makes perfect sense that Warumpi Band would go on to write such powerful originals like ‘My Island Home’, Waru (Fire), ‘Blackfella/Whitefella’ & so much more using these songs as their playbook. An instant classic that stands tall next to ‘England’s Newest Hitmakers’.

 

THE TUBS - "DEAD MEAT" LP (TROUBLE IN MIND)
Damn this is a really fucking great band.   Any Cleaners, Wire, Flying Nun leaning jangle stans should be very enthused. Melodically tight with really nice vocal delivery & a damn good chorus on each little number here. The really infectious celtic stained vocals got me thinking of Richard Thompson which actually sounds so sick over these type of arrangements. One of the better debuts this year for sure.

BETTY DAVIS - "CRASHIN’ FROM PASSION"  LP LIGHT IN THE ATTIC)
WOW! What an absolute stomper to put it simply. May we shout out the goated sleeve to boot.  Dirty punk energies induced funk from its most pivotal era. Betty stood to do it all herself up against the fuckhead execs who told her she couldn't go ahead & produce, write & engineer the whole damn thing on her own. Damn nasty one two punch to just about knock you out in the first, yet solidly continues to throw around that ring till you're out cold. Rest In Power Betty!



 
VARIOUS “DRIFTLESS DREAMERS: IN CUCA COUNTRY” LP (NUMERO)
Absolutely killer country comp consisting of Nashville bar hoppers that floated around the ‘CUCA’ record label in the mid-late 60’s. None of what’s here would feel out of place at the Ole’ Opry & so much of it absolutely nails everything you want to get out of a really really good country compilation. Those familiar with the ‘Wayfaring Strangers’ playlist or any other country-leaning Numero re-issues(if not, get the fuck around them), will be stoked to find staples such as The Lavenders’ ‘Wanderer’/ Gene Ski & The Troubadors’ ‘Six Feet Down /Patty Whipp’s ‘Walkin’ & the wildly beautiful ‘Tell Me’ by Duane & The Drifters. Christmas night with this would sleigh.

SUPER DJATA BAND – “EN SUPER FORME VOL. 1” (NUMERO)
​​Damn this is so killer. Meditative African style of pure shredding that has roots in Afro beat/Ali Farka Toure leaning styles out of West Africa. Infectious percussion delivered with completely hypnotic guitar arrangements over brilliant vocal melodies that are sung beautifully in their native Mande language. As meditative as the recent Dadahwah re-issue was mixed with some of the best moments from those Ethiopiques compilations. Highly recommend it.

 

HUGH B - “LIVE FROM THE GONSCH” CS (NOT NOT FUN)
On his latest release, OTIS records boss and mainstay of the Melb and Syd club scene, Hugh B, takes a slower stride into the groove than previously, using a baggy brew of looped baselines and gently dubbed piano chords to lull the listener towards nostalgic bliss. It feels organic, rich and effortless, as if hearing a distant party through the gently blowing gumtrees on a late night happy walk home. Fans of Durutti Column, Boards of Canada etc.
 
END OF YEAR ROUNDUPS
 
A COCO
Suspend disbelief for a minute. Wrapping up 2023 a little different just to see if I can... The Top 5 Moments of my favourite match from 2023:
Will Ospreay vs. Tetsuya Naito at NJPW G1 Climax 33. You can find this event on watchprowrestling dot co
The G1 Climax is the tournament. Legends are made and forgotten during this event. Testsuya Naito (41 years old) is a fan favourite. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. He has endeared himself to the audience with his ‘tranquilo’ (“devil may care”) attitude but his legacy is marked by a series of failures. Will Ospreay (30 years old) has had a “career year” for 3+ years in a row. He is the now and the future. Ospreay’s star is rising - Naito’s is fading. This is a semi-final bout.
Top 5: (Action begins [2hrs 34min] on the broadcast)
5 - The Entrance [2hrs 34min]
Naito walks to the ring and takes his time like nobody else does. So calm, so collected. So cheeky. Note how long he takes to remove his snap-pants and settle into his match gear. This is why we love him. The coolest dude on the planet.
4 - The Stage [2hrs 44min]
It's a few minutes into the match now and all of a sudden the tone is set. It’s fun and games until it’s not and the two athletes start to show off what makes them great. The hits get heavy and begin ringing throughout the arena. Determination is written across each of their faces. It’s going to be juicy from here on out so strap in, bud. 
3 - The Challenge [2hrs 52min]
Fighting spirit. Here's where the heart of the story really unfolds. They've each already competed in something like eight tournament matches in the preceding couple of weeks on top of all the tag team warm-up matches - but on this night the blazing path to glory is on the line. There’s a transcendent desperation permeating the air, a visit from the oldest corners of life on earth. Victory will secure a place in the pantheon, and like in grand slam tennis you damn sure didn't go through this whole gruelling tournament just to lose now. Everything is laid on the line; tomorrow doesn't exist yet. Intent seeps into every strike, every step, every pause, every manouvre. "Fuck your neck and fuck you.” This is the attitude; the mantra. This is the chance to prove you will walk the walk. Fifteen minutes in the bright lights to show the observant universe you are all-in; that you mean it. But it only takes three seconds to see it all disappear. In this portion of the match we witness precisely why these two are worth spilling ink.
2 - The Botch [3hrs 8min 30sec]
At this point in the list we break from chronology. Spot #1 begins earlier but this moment has to be highlighted; the legit incident. That kick, holy smokes. Jaw dropping and then some! Yeah, he was meant to lay it in nice and snug - but not so hard that they couldn’t finish the match. Proper knocked the fuck out. Homie doesn’t know where he is but bruv proves his professionalism by quickly clocking what's happened and knowing how to carry his opponent through to the end of the dance. A+
1 - The Sprint [2hrs 57min]
Naito hits that wrist controlled elbow strike to the neck that he's been doing all tournament. It’s rude. He's decided he wants to taste blood in the water and take it home. His body is falling apart after years of abuse but this is the moment to fulfil Destino. Ospreay recognises this and, naturally, directs all his energy to taking his opponent's head clean off! The energy in the ring shift gears. 
The crescendo is rising and you feel the end in sight. The live crowd reaches mania - they've forgotten it's all a show. In this moment what you are watching is real enough to scream about. The good guy is winning or he's in peril, it doesn’t really matter - or it's all that matters. The same as when you flip a coin and suddenly you understand exactly whether you wanted it to land heads or tails, your heart has chosen which side it’s on. This is what it's all about. This is the best in the world doing what they do best. This is ingobernables. Life on earth, life on stage, it’s all a performance. This is art.
Five stars. 


 
TON BRADFORD
RECORD OF THE YEAR: RMFC ‘Club Hits’ LP
 

HEPWORTH, BEN
Here it is in no particular order:
Mystic 100s - On a Micro Diet
The Lewers - 518A
Lewsberg - Out and About
Anika - Eat Liquid
RMFC - Club Hits


 
PIA
- Oral by Bjork feat. Rosalia (music) –
The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis (book)
- Last Thing You by Scandinavian Star (music)
- Eternal Dust - Spiritual Healers (music)
- Let’s Start Here by Lil Yachty (music)
- Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black by Cookie Mueller (book)
- Map & The Territory by Exek (music)
- The Meetings of Anna by Chantal Ackerman (film)
- 065 (Scorpio) by hoodie x James K
- Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein
 
YAS
2023 - well that's a wrap. The cursed year is finally coming to a close. If you have managed to escape this year without some kind of major life upheaval - whether its massive heartbreak, moving house, or losing your job, then fuck you. It's been the year of heartbreakclub TM. But it's nearly over, so let's not dwell on that. Stand outs of this year? 
Mike Midnight - Angel Hours 
bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit - all the songs I know about fire
Statik Cleaner Lost Reward - Breathing Under Honey 
Exek - Map And The Territory 
The Lewers - 518A 
Lily Rose Depp & The Weekend - The Idol Soundtrack
Acopia - S/T 
Drain Brugs - Nighsifth
Mystic 100s - On a Micro Diet 
Cutting Room - Pure Energy
Nabihah Iqbal - Dreaming
LK Creative Victoria - Endless Bullshit 
My sights are firmly set on 2024, see you there xox
 
ARIEL
Record of the year: RMFC ‘Club Hits’ LP

 

DX
Best new sound paired with drink: The Lewers with some extravagant cremant of Josh’s recommend and RMFC with Ricard and Sex Drive with rum and coke
Best old sound paired with activity: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 and Grieg Peer Gynt when repose, Age of Quarrel and Transylvanian Hunger when lifting
Best new book paired with physiological sensation: Bret Easton Ellis’ The Shards went well with sleepless anxiety and Houllebecq’s Interventions 2021 paired well with sharp rush of euphoria after first cig of the day
Best old book paired with food: still on that Simenon kick, read Maigret eat any meat stewed French styles with chicken stock white wine, reread Dune with great joy paired well with horse tartare or camel liver sautéed in fennel and leek, Mishima always, every year, pairs well with raw kingfish or calamari cook on hibachi grill with no marinade just a touch salt and cabbage with miso on hibachi.
Best show paired with dream: UV Race played a show with Exek at Curtin and they blew my head off, they get better every time I see them, after I see them I stay up all night with Leon from EX Film and talk about Christian Death and world war III and I catch flight at 7am with eyes feel like I cry sawdust and fall asleep on plane and dream of an immense verdant meadow full of brilliant glistening flowers that wink and wave at me and in the distance I see a mountain peak with craggy cliff and a goblin with flesh colour of pineapple waves as he holds an immense crystal sword aloft and prods my enemy with it, and enemy fall into mouth of vicious hungry worm who screams in gratitude and regurgitates a cloud of phospherscent purple and silver that forms into the words HAPPY NEW YEAR!



SAM'S TOP 5 OF 2023
Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt Never had this much of a physical reaction to a book - absolutely disgusting and beautiful.
Ioyama Land @ Galaxy Shibuya Holy grail performance, I feel so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. My favourite show I've ever seen? I think so.
Monster dir. by Hirokazu Kore-eda Thought I was doing a really good job of holding it together and then literally the first chord of Aqua kicked in and the maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto one-shotted me from the great beyond.
Terre Thaemlitz @ Inner Varnika A spell. Another once in a lifetime performance that I feel so grateful to have seen. Have a little cry at the festival, wash the dust off your cheeks. I was doing a really good job of holding it together and then literally the first chord of Aqua kicked in and the maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto one-shotted me from the great beyond.
Terre Thaemlitz @ Inner Varnika A spell. Another once in a lifetime performance that I feel so grateful to have seen. Have a little cry at the festival, wash the dust off your cheeks.