1. Gordi is a indie-pop s… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with this name:
1. Gordi is a indie-pop singer/songwriter based in Sydney, Australia.
2. GORDI - ex-Yugoslavian rock / Heavy Metal band
Raised in the small, farming community of Canowindra in Australia’s New South Wales, amongst a minuscule population of 2381, Payten learned to play piano and guitar in her house — with Billy Joel on near-constant rotation. She left the rural life in her late-teens to pursue a medical education in Sydney alongside her musical career. The dichotomy of those environments — the pastoral and the modern — is surely a guiding influence in Gordi’s music. Earthy, wistful folk songs are cloaked in delicate-but- bold electronic production. And what an effortlessly flooring voice to carry it all, at once fractured and brimming with richness. These are songs you could hear bouncing through the alleyways of the city as much as you could hear them rolling across the fields. Fans in Payten’s native Australia have already been treated to a number of these magical musical moments courtesy of consistent rotation on triple j and FBi Radio, including nominations for a triple J J Award and 2 FBi SMAC Awards in 2015, on top of being named triple j Unearthed’s most played artist during 2015.
The single, "Can We Work It Out" has the big, worldly drums of those aforementioned Peter Gabriel classics and a towering, multi-layered vocal chorus that will instantaneously sear itself into your musical memory. The soft gallop and airy melody of EP opener “Nothing’s As It Seems” feels like the bittersweet sunset of a four-day weekend on the water. “So Here We Are”, a heartbreaking lo-fi piano and vocoder-led ballad. While the instrumentally lush “Wanting” submerges you in a joyous sonic landscape, a bold aesthetic for a tale of longing and reconciliation.
Moments in the EP may recall the early albums of Beth Orton, but more storming and redesigned for the stadiums, festivals and amphitheatres of the 21st Century. Staking that claim, Gordi is already sharing stages with contemporaries like Of Monsters And Men, Highasakite, Little May, Dustin Tebbutt and more. Clever Disguise was created with Melbourne producer Ben McCarthy with additional production by Alex Somers (Sigur Ros) and Francois Tetaz (Gotye). And if it’s merely an aperitif for what Gordi has coming up, we’re in for a magnificent show.
“An absolute work of splendour that will almost certainly make her a star"
- Stereogum (Artist to Watch; top songs of 2015)
“A song to score a daydream”
- Pigeons & Planes
“Breezy, wintry melancholy at its finest”
- The Guardian
“Our standards for indie-folk music this year have been set very high by artists like Vance Joy and Xavier Dunn, but here, we find that Gordi is still capable of surpassing our expectations with her lovely first offering, Nothing’s As It Seems”
- Hilly Dilly (Top 25 Australian songs 2014)
“What’s not to like about this”
- Stuart Murdoch, Belle & Sebastian
“Brand new label mate that is REALLY crushing music – G-O-R-D-I”
- Justin Vernon (Bon Iver)
"Gordi's most lushly atmospheric and spaciously produced work to date"
- The Line of Best Fit
"As abrasive as it is gorgeous"
- All Song Considered, NPR Music
"The smooth, low timbre of her voice feels like that still time of the morning before anyone else is awake, watching blooms of ice to melt into the window"
- Yen Magazine
“What a beauty! Smart production, sublime songwriting”
- Dom Alessio, triple j
“It is without a doubt that Gordi is charismatic individual, easily able to hold a crowd in the palm of her hand”
- Semplesize
“A musical mystic pulled from the pages of some pastoral romance.”
- Music Feeds
Avant Gardener
Gordi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Another day
Oh what a wonder
Oh what a waste
It′s a Monday
It's so mundane
What exciting things
Will happen today?
I guess the neighbours must think we run a meth lab
We should amend that
I pull the sheets back
It's 40 degrees
And I feel like I'm dying
Life′s getting hard in here
So I do some gardening
Anything to take my mind away from where it′s supposed to be
The nice lady next door talks of green beds
And all the nice things she wants to plant in them
I wanna grow tomatoes on the front steps
Sunflowers, bean sprouts, sweet corn and radishes
I feel so proactive
I pull out weeds
All of a sudden
I'm having trouble breathing in
I′m having trouble breathing in
I'm having trouble breathing in
I′m having trouble breathing in
My hands are shaky
My knees are weak
I can't seem to stand
On my own two feet
I′m breathing but I'm wheezing
Feel like I'm emphysemin′
My throat feels like a funnel
Filled with weet bix and kerosene and-
Oh no, next thing I know
They call up triple o
I′d rather die than owe the hospital
'Til I get old
I get adrenalin
Straight to the heart
I feel like Uma Thurman
Post-overdosing kick start
Reminds me of the time
When I was really sick and
I had too much psuedoefedryn and I-
Couldn′t sleep at night
Halfway down high street, Andy looks ambivalent
He's probably wondering what I′m doing getting in an ambulance
The paramedic thinks I'm clever ′cause I play guitar
I thinks she's clever 'cause she stops people dying
Anaphylactic and super hyperchondriac
Should′ve stayed in bed today
I much prefer the mundane
I take a hit from
An asthma puffer
I do it wrong
Was never good at smoking bongs
And I′m not that good at breathing in
I'm not that good at breathing in
I′m not that good at breathing in
Ooh, I'm not that good at breathing in
And I′m not that good at breathing in
I'm not that good at breathing in
I′m not that good at breathing in
Ooh, I'm not that good at breathing in
I'm not that good at breathing in
The lyrics to Gordi's song "Avant Gardener" depict a mundane and monotonous day in the life of the singer. The first verse sets the scene of the day, describing the singer's laziness and lack of excitement, referring to it as both a wonder and a waste. The mention of it being a Monday reinforces the idea of the typical routine of the workweek.
The second verse reveals that the yard is full of clutter and rubbish, implying neglect. The mention of the neighbors thinking they run a meth lab suggests the disorderliness and unkempt appearance of the singer's surroundings. This prompts the singer to engage in gardening as a way to distract themselves from their thoughts and worries. The desire to grow plants and take care of them reflects a need for productivity and purpose amidst the monotony.
However, the chorus introduces a sudden shift in the narrative. The mention of trouble breathing indicates a physical struggle the singer is experiencing, which intensifies as the song progresses. This struggle with breathing becomes a significant motif throughout the song, symbolizing the suffocating and overwhelming nature of the singer's existence.
The bridge reveals a past incident where the singer had taken too much medication, leading to sleepless nights. This anecdote highlights the singer's vulnerability and tendencies towards self-destructive behavior. The reference to Uma Thurman and the adrenaline kick start associatively links the singer to a state of addiction, as if seeking that rush of excitement and stimulation in order to feel alive.
The final verse introduces the paramedic who attends to the singer during a medical emergency. The singer reflects on their perception of the paramedic being clever for saving lives while also recognizing their own cleverness as a musician. This juxtaposition displays the singer's self-awareness and how they find solace and connection in their creative pursuits.
Overall, "Avant Gardener" captures the banality of everyday life, the desire for purpose and productivity, and the struggle with physical and mental health.
Writer(s): Barnett Courtney
Contributed by Oliver K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.