Bedroom Philosopher @ BrisbanePowerhouse (09/05/2010)

Wed 12th May, 2010 in Gig Reviews

The Bedroom Philosopher’s set is a bizarre mix of comedy songs interspersed with awkward but funny repartee. His current tour is in celebration of his most recent release, Songs From The 86 Tram, a concept album about Melbourne tram culture. A tram, he explains, is when a bus and train make a baby but the train smokes during pregnancy.

With such specific influences, the album was always going to be difficult to tour. Some songs naturally have more widespread appeal than others. For example, Sudanese, a satire about a person immigrating from Footscray to Collingwood – is not so popular in a Brisbane setting. New Media, a song that makes fun of people who work in new media – hilarious. It seems pretentious arty types are not confined to any particular geographic region.

Possibly his best work so far, Northcote (So Hungover) is a song mimicking a one-sided phone conversation on a tram. Even for those who aren’t familiar with the self-absorbed indie types who take the Northcote line, the song is filled with hilarious lines such as, “We’ve changed our name, we’re like Rage against the Sewing Machine. We’re all about music and fashion”, “You know the band’s really gelling…our hair” and “Hey man, I gotta go. I’m like running out of street credit”. That guy sure has a talent for producing magnificent one-liners.

It’s slightly odd having this musical act, who has been receiving a lot of Triple J airplay, at a comedy show struggling with witty banter and crowd participation. But then again, it would be equally bizarre having him play after support bands at a music venue. Part musician, part comedian, and part something else, it’s hard to pigeonhole the Bedroom Philosopher. He sums himself up perfectly: “If you don’t like my comedy, then I’m a musician. And if you don’t like my music…then I’m an installation artist.”