Uri Geller is an English man famous for being friends with Michael Jackson. He is also a magician and the subject of a song on Nun’s first LP, which releases April 18 through Aarght. The vinyl version will release with the help of Avant. I’ve been listening to this album a fair bit lately and ‘Uri Geller’ crept up slowly. Despite the clip above and the fact that the song is named after Uri Geller, it’s probably the brightest of the bunch.
That said, it’s incorrect to describe Nun as dark, because they’re not really. It’s not sad or despairing or severe music. It’s certainly not evil either. I think Nun would be perfect music for a very serious party. For more on where Nun is coming from, check out this interview we did with singer Jenny Branagan back in 2012.
A full opinion piece re: this album is forthcoming, but in the meantime you should watch this clip several times and enjoy.
The group is launching the record April 19 in Melbourne at the John Curtin Hotel with Repairs, Soma Coma, Flat Fix and Freejack. A Sydney launch is happening April 26 with Four Door, Housewives and Orion in support.
Crawlspace: A Music Website From Australia 
Music as dismally uncreative as this reminds me of the meaninglessness of life.
Why do you think it’s uncreative Lucy?
It lies in the safety net of stylized nostalgia. When this type of music was first made decades ago it was creative. Why do people worship the concept of being cutting edge when they don’t care to venture to it themselves, just pay tribute and believe that’s suffice enough? This music is not a connected truth anymore.
I’m not sure Nun would lay claim to being cutting edge. As for ‘stylized nostalgia’, the same can be said for most music. It’s a critical deadend. I don’t think Nun is especially nostalgic anyway. Certainly not to the extent that a lot of guitar-led bands are.
But actually Lucy I agree with some of what you say, I just don’t think Nun are a good example.
Who is reinventing the wheel ? As soon as you pick up a guitar/synth/trumpet, you are in debt to ”someone’. I think at the very least, there’s honesty and sense of individualism in this, and the mere act of creativity suggests at least some meaning right? Regardless, wether it’s a study or a pastiche from a by gone era.
Why would anyone care if something is ‘cutting-edge’ or not? Is there even such a thing? A song, or any art, is ‘good’ if it delvers an emotional pay-off. Whether or not that occurs, will vary from person to person. Personally I love that Nun use a 70s/80s sound palette. So much more subtlety than more recent sounds. But really it’s irrelevant I think.. A good song is a good song regardless. Nun are an amazing band. The songs are catchy, powerful and visceral as hell!
Using a 70s/80s sound palette with the same amount of musicianship as a baby playing a xylophone albeit.
I like it.
musicianship! ha
I’m with Lucy. 100% derivative music like this makes Nun et al about as relevant as Jet IMO. Good tune though.
the music is ok. It’s the singer that makes it shit. Those lyrics are so cringe and try hard and then to have them sung in that fake accent…erg
Fake accent? That’s hilarious. Always a sure sign a band is doing good things when this kind of aimless backlash starts. Criticising a band for being “tryhard” and questioning their musicianship is boring and smacks of jealousy. Keep on smashing it Nun!
Interesting comments on this.. It’s surprising how people tune their critical focus to a band’s stylistic choice and/or aesthetic. Same kind of stuff was said about Tame Impala but they rose above the other bands with similar influences because the songs were pop genius. I think that’s the main reason people like Nun so much as well. In Nun’s case the stylistic stuff is a bonus if you like minimal wave/post punk etc but certainly not a prerequisite to enjoy the well crafted, catchy tunes.
I think you can’t claim “honesty and a sense of individualism” when a band is made up of garage rock kids playing goth dress ups and someone sings in a faux British accent (comment retracted if the singer actually is British). It is interesting though. Personally I like Nun’s songs but the only emotion they illicit is nostalgia, albeit borrowed. It’s the same criticism people had of Slug Guts. I’d be interested to hear Shaun’s thoughts on why bands such as HTRK, Total Control, and god, if you have to, mention Tame Impala, can use a retro sound palette and manage to sound genuine while the likes of Nun and Forces piss a lot of people off.
Singer is from Ireland. Retract away! If music pisses you off you are perfectly able to just not listen to it.
So a song is shitty if it’s aesthetic draws nostaligic references? Should we apply the same critique to Amy Winehouse? Eric Clapton? Or what about other artistic mediums – Liechtenstein for example? In my mind, dismissing good music with beige phrases like “stylistic nostalgia” is a great example of sucking the meaning out of life. Plank in your own eye – don’t blame it on the tunes.
I agree with Ddd and Lucy. This band is overrated in my opinion. I don’t like their lyrics, there is something very impersonal about them. I think they ARE posers who have stumbled across a style of music that is very in right now. They’re just going with the current trend and not bringing anything overly interesting to the sound. The whole goth routine that some of them have is boring and the two members who play in shitty garage bands do seem ridicoulous. I just don’t see why people like them. Too much nostolgia, not enough exploring what is happening around us today in both theme and music.
firstly tell me the band you think nun sounds like so much???? also you are stabbing at both of my bands in this one…whoever you are? just wondering how either of them are garage? have you listened to CM’s latest record? it may not be your cup of tea but I know it’s very far from garage…? or are you just following the over critical ‘trend’ of your anonymous (‘ddd;’ and ‘lucy’) mates here? what is the music you think is ‘going on’ right now? is it your music? I’d like to hear it, especially if it doesn’t derive from anything at all. my email is ridgewellsemail@gmail.com if you want to send the link in a PM. cool man keep up the good work!
Apologies Tom I did not think you would take it so personally and certainly wouldn’t have thought you would need to get onto a music blog website to get all hot and bothered about what some punter has said about your bands. I said every time in that comment that its my personal opinion. I am entitled to that. If you enjoy playing music that’s great. I just find CM kind of boring, nothing very interesting about the band. Yes its cowardly and lame to do this online. But you’re here too. Which is even more lame. Bands really shouldnt give a fuck of what we the listeners think. It’s just personal opinion.
nun are a really good band and some people like them. they chose a style of music they liked and tried to work with it, i don’t think being orignal was high on their list as their defiantly is no Eno or Bowie in the band to make them so….so anyway when you anonymously critisise a band like this do you think robots are behind the keyboards? do you think they are controlled to make money with no feelings? do you think they will recall the records mortified because you told them so gracefully it was unoriginal? no. so whats the point? if you want to critisise the garage rock goth dress ups, come to a show and tell them in person or organize a band with your OG bro’s and make this ‘original’ music you hold so holy… I’ll come and i’m sure it’ll be like watching VU, joy division or Les Rellaize or some mind blowing shit I’ve never heard and I’ll blow you in the toilets after! : ) love Tom Ridgewell
I don’t really want to estimate or guess at what Nun is trying to do or what their ‘goals’ are (at least not here in the comments), but if you read the interview we did with Jenny a couple of years ago you may find that assessing this band on its authenticity is beside the point, as it is for most other groups.
thats my point
you just wrote it better!: )
you guys all suck. NUN is a good band.
These questions of authenticity are so self serving and are probably posed by people who don’t actually contribute anything. Which in itself isn’t a problem as people who simply listen to music rather than making it are essential however instead of saying ‘I love or hate this song’ (which is all that matters at the end of the day) they bring up the issue of ‘authenticity’ which is utterly ridiculous. What makes a band authentic to one person is completely different to the next. Nun are a great band, who write great songs. What more do you need? Ryan, Lucy and their friends come across as nitpicking idiots incapable of enjoying music because the song is great. The best revenge is knowing they spend their days not creating music, putting out albums, touring the world, having wild experiences but rather complaining about bands lack of authenticity on the internet at home…..
sorry not Ryan…got my names mixed up