You ever find yourself listening to a song and think, ‘damn, I feel like I’m in a movie right now’? We’ve all been there, but the musically inclined surely catch themselves doing this the most.
Melbourne collective Common Cult are known for bridging the gap between music, video, literature, and just about every other corner of the arts there is. Who better to lay down 10 Aussie songs that belong in a soundtrack than their fearless leader Hayley Francis?
Take it away, Hayley.
Which Aussie tunes do you see making it into a film soundtrack? Arty Melbourne residents Common Cult have laid down their picks, let’s see if you agree.
Brightness – Oblivion
Get Richard Ayoade on the phone, we need a sweet, off-beat, low-fi film quick stat! The protagonist is probably some sensitive writer with weird quirks like only drinking long blacks with a single cube of ice and wearing the same yellow parka everyday but no one pays attention to that because really we’re just watching for the aesthetic.
Grainy shots of beach sunsets, old books, spinning records, speeding bikes, yes please!
Chelsea Bleach – Eat Your Heart Out
This massive piece of delicious angst would be hidden away in one of those shitty films with really cool hip soundtracks (as if you don’t still listen to the Twilight soundtrack…).
It’s definitely a teen movie starring some brooding, outcast girl who’s finally caught the attention of an impossibly handsome peer with a secret. Plot twist: in this version of the film she’s the ravenous, supernatural threat to him.
Anti-Violet – Fuzz Brain
Think of a version of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for the 21st Century, but instead of being endlessly charming like Matthew Broderick the lazy teens are more pessimistic like Daria.
That’s what this film would be like, where their epic day off includes ice-cream parlours, fast driving and cherry cola but the whole time they’re already dreading school the next day.
Ali Barter – Girlie Bits
This glorious track would blast through the credits of a really empowering, feel-good film where a complex female protagonist has had avocado brunches and killed a few men with her bare-hands too.
Think Sex In The City meets Kill Bill; this inspiring film will leave you feeling like you can do anything.
Astral Skulls – What We Lost
If there’s ever a (good) remake of Donnie Darko this has to be on the soundtrack. It will be about two thirds of the way through the film where all the beautiful young people have reached crisis point but still have to have a good boogie to some suitably left-field tunes. Maybe someone will kiss.
After watching the film you’ll go home, turn out the lights, pump the volume and try to recreate the scene yourself.
DZ Deathrays – Blood On My Leather
This tune would be in a wicked 1920s gangster car chase, except it’s actually 2020 and everyone is part cyborg but they still wear leather trench coats and put on a hat whenever they leave the house.
The protagonists would have just pulled off a bank heist and now they’re burning rubber through the old underground city trying to escape the cops’ fancy flying cars and lasers.
Meander – Go
With this track playing behind the opening credits we’d see a montage of an alarm clock, a steamy shower, toast popping, and oh look some cute boy-next-door type runs out of a neat suburban house to a clunky car packed full of his friends.
They cruise up the highway, chatting and laughing as the wind ripples through their hair and the sun makes nice spots on the lens, but little do they know they’re all about to get brutally murdered within the next 90 minutes.
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Wet Lips – Shame
Imagine the punchy punk stylings of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World but the story is about a group of kickass girls who skateboard and play footy and rock out in a Misfits cover band.
Their parents try to make them stay home and study but then Joan Jett comes along and they chow down on some meat pies together and discuss intersectional feminism and guitars.
Julia Jacklin – Eastwick
It will be raining and the protagonist might even be crying, but this is the best scene of the film, where a 20-something woman who has been caught up with careers and relationships decides she’s had enough.
By the end of the scene she’s stripped off her business suit and heels and she dances through the puddles in a baggy shirt and she looks so free and happy and we know everything is going to be alright.
Skegss – My Face
This tune can only be accompanied by fast-forward footage of a bunch of teens cleaning up their parent’s lounge room that they trashed during a real rager the previous night.
There’s red plastic cups, a broken vase (they just bin it), a frightened cat, some vomit on the toilet seat, but it’s all looking perfect within three minutes of frantic cleaning. They collapse in bed just as their parent’s Mercedes pulls into the driveway.
If you want to listen to all of these songs forever, here’s a nice Spotify playlist for y’all to follow:
Common Cult are throwing down a birthday bash this Thursday in Melbourne. Find the basics below, and the finer deets on the Facebook event. Free hat on the door, yo!
Thurs July 20 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne – Tickets
