{{Infobox album | name = Life Was Better | type = ep | artist = [[Magic Dirt]] | cover = Life was better.jpg | alt = | released = 21 November 1994 | recorded = 1994 | studio = Birdland Studios, Melbourne, Australia | genre = [[Grunge]], [[alternative rock]] | length = 30:07 | label = [[Au Go Go Records|Au Go Go]] | producer = | prev_title = [[Signs Of Satanic Youth EP|Signs of Satanic Youth]] | prev_year = 1993 | next_title = [[Friends in Danger]] | next_year = 1996 }}
'''''Life Was Better''''' is the second [[extended play]] release by Australian rock band [[Magic Dirt]]. It was released in November 1994 on the [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]] [[independent music|independent]] label [[Au Go Go Records]]. The EP debuted at No. 1 on Australia's alternative chart, where it remained for 75 weeks.<ref name="RC-2020">{{cite web |url=https://remotecontrolrecords.com.au/magic-dirt-life-was-better-reissue-out-now/ |title=Magic Dirt – ''Life Was Better'' reissue out now |website=Remote Control Records |date=17 January 2020 |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref> It peaked at number 71 on the [[ARIA Charts|Australian singles chart]],<ref name=aus/> selling over 20,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/music_specials/s1402505.htm |title=triple j music specials: Magic Dirt |website=ABC |date=23 November 2000|accessdate=28 December 2012}}</ref> At the [[ARIA Music Awards of 1995]], the EP was nominated for four awards; [[ARIA Award for Best New Talent|Best New Talent]], [[ARIA Award for Best Independent Release|Best Independent Release]], Breakthrough Artist – Single and [[ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album|Best Alternative Release]].<ref name="ARIA1995">{{cite web | url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1995 | title = Winners by Year 1995 | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archivedate = 26 September 2007 | accessdate = 28 January 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235646/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1995 | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2020, the EP was re-released on CD and vinyl and it entered the [[ARIA Charts|Australian albums chart]] at number 26.<ref name="2020 re-entry"/>
==Background and recording== After the release of their debut EP, ''[[Signs of Satanic Youth]]'' in 1993, and a heady succession of touring with the likes of [[Sonic Youth]], [[Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Beck]] and [[Jon Spencer Blues Explosion]], Magic Dirt weathered the hysteria of 'the next big thing' tag and a storm of major label interest by breaking up and getting back together four times. After regrouping for good and hiring help in the way of management and an agent, Magic Dirt reconvened in the middle of 1994 to record ''Life Was Better''.<ref name="JBCD"/>
''Life Was Better'' was recorded at Birdland Studios in Melbourne with engineer/producer [[Lindsay Gravina]], capturing the band’s abrasive guitar squall and pop sensibility. In interviews at the time, the band described the sound as "continuing our tradition of noise pollution" and even jokingly as "heaven metal".<ref name="Undersurf-1995">{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010309055725fw_/http://www.magicdirt.net/articles/undersurf.htm |title=Under Surf interview (Summer 1995) |website=magicdirt.net (archived) |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="RIP-1996">{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010309055532fw_/http://www.magicdirt.net/articles/rip.htm |title=RIP magazine interview (June 1996) |website=magicdirt.net (archived) |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref>
Adalita reflected in on the recording in 2007, saying that both ''Signs of Satanic Youth'' and ''Life Was Better'' were, "recorded under much the same circumstances. We were recording in Melbourne at Birdland with Lindsay Gravina and there was a 24-hours Coles over the road. For me that was bright lights, big city! It was an insane amount of fun".<ref name=MN>{{cite web |title=Magic Dirt's Next Step |url=http://www.messandnoise.com/articles/1236274 |website=Mess+Noise (archived) |date=19 October 2007 |access-date=26 August 2025 |archive-date=16 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316231525/http://www.messandnoise.com/articles/1236274 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
The cover art for ''Life Was Better'' was heavily influenced by Aussie cult movie ''[[Puberty Blues (film)|Puberty Blues]]'', with which the band were obsessed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amnplify.com.au/magic-dirt-announce-life-was-better-reissue-via-emergency-music/ |title=Magic Dirt announce ''Life Was Better'' reissue via Emergency Music!|date=18 December 2019 |accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref>
== Release and promotion == ''Life Was Better'' was issued by Au Go Go on CD on 21 November 1994, with "Ice" serviced to radio and an accompanying video.<ref name="ARIA-1995">{{cite web |url=https://www.aria.com.au/awards/past-winners/1995 |title=1995 ARIA Awards – Winners & Nominees |website=ARIA |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="Noise11">{{cite web |url=https://www.noise11.com/news/magic-dirt-to-reissue-1994-ep-life-was-better-in-2020-20191218 |title=Magic Dirt To Reissue 1994 EP ''Life Was Better'' In 2020 |website=Noise11 |date=18 December 2019 |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref>
Following its release, the band featured heavily on alternative press and garnered a national spot on the 1995 [[Big Day Out]] tour. They went on to support [[Hole (band)|Hole]], [[Silverchair]] and [[Dinosaur Jr]] throughout 1995. Late in 1995, they signed a record deal with [[Warner Records|Warner Bros.]] in the U.S.<ref name="JBCD"/>
==Reception== In November 1994, OTS said "Geelong's favourite sons (and daughter) do it again, with five tracks of pure alterno magic... this is a guaranteed indie hit and one of the archetypal Australian releases of the year."<ref name="reviews">{{cite web|url=https://thepartae.com/magic-dirt-announce-reissue-life-better-1994-will-available-vinyl-dsps-first-time-supporting-cold-chisel-nationally-2020/|title=Magic Dirt Announce Reissue of Life Was Better (1994)|website=The Partae|date=18 December 2019 |accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref> In December 1994, D.D. Forte called the EP "the kind of feedback-laced gutter pop to knock the loneliness out of your head".<ref name="reviews"/> In January 1995, Tracey Grimson from OTS said "It's clear that Magic Dirt take their lessons from a combination of the punk of new indie mixed with the roots of older alternative rock... What rises up is hard, heavy, contagious rock 'n' roll – a new breed."<ref name="reviews"/> In December 1995, Nazz from Rip It Up said "It sounds like something sweet, like [[The Bangles]]... as covered by an air conditioner and a cement mixer".<ref name="reviews"/>
In 2020, Jeff Jenkins from Stack Magazine said ''Life Was Better'' "...shows a band that should have conquered the world. [[Adalita Srsen]] sits comfortably alongside [[Chrissy Amphlett]] as a rock goddess.".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stack.com.au/music/album-review/magic-dirt-life-was-better-reissue-review/|title=Magic Dirt, "Life Was Better" (reissue) review |website=Stack Magazine|date=15 January 2020|accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref> Trouser Press singled out "Amoxycillin", which "starts as a brash pop song and closes with a ten-minute feedback concerto", comparing the band’s power to ''[[Daydream Nation]]''-era [[Sonic Youth]].<ref name="TrouserPress">{{cite web |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/magic-dirt/ |title=Magic Dirt – Trouser Press |website=trouserpress.com |access-date=7 September 2025}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing | title1 = Daddy | writer1 = | length1 = 4:14 | title2 = Ice | writer2 = | length2 = 3:21 | title3 = Amoxycillin | writer3 = | length3 = 14:55 | title4 = Fairy Park | writer4 = | length4 = 2:37 | title5 = He Man | writer5 = | length5 = 5:00 }}
==Personnel== *[[Adalita Srsen]] – vocals, guitar *[[Dean Turner (musician)|Dean Turner]] – bass *Adam Robertson – drums *Daniel Herring – guitar
==Charts== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- !align="left"|Chart (1995) !align="left"|Peak<br/>position |- ! scope="row"|Australia Singles ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name=aus>{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/Jl5nvPq.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 09 Apr 1995|publisher=Imgur.com (original document published by [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]])|accessdate=2017-04-20}}</ref> |style="text-align:center;"|71 |- !align="left"|Chart (2020) !align="left"|Peak<br/>position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="2020 re-entry">{{cite web|url=http://www.ariacharts.com.au/charts/albums-chart|title=ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]]|date=27 January 2020|accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> |style="text-align:center;"|26 |}
== Accolades == {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Organisation !! Category !! Nominated work !! Result !! Ref(s) |- | 1995 || [[ARIA Music Awards|ARIA Awards]] || Best Independent Release || ''Life Was Better'' || Nominated || <ref name="ARIA-1995" /> |- | 1995 || [[ARIA Music Awards|ARIA Awards]] || Best Adult Alternative Album || ''Life Was Better'' || Nominated || <ref name="ARIA-1995" /> |- | 1995 || [[ARIA Music Awards|ARIA Awards]] || Best New Talent || ''Life Was Better'' || Nominated || <ref name="ARIA-1995" /> |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col"| Country ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| [[Record label|Label]] ! scope="col"| Catalogue |- ! scope="row"| Australia | 21 November 1994 | {{flat list| *[[CD single|CD]]}} | [[Au Go Go Records]] | ANDA167 |- ! scope="row"| Australia | 17 January 2020<ref name="JBCD">{{cite web|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/cd-magic-dirt-life-was-better-reissue-cd|title= Life Was Better (CD Reissue)|website=JB HiFi|accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/life-was-better/1491914257|title=Life Was Better (DD)|website=Apple Music|accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="JBLP">{{cite web|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/vinyl-magic-dirt-life-was-better-limited-edition-orange-black-vinyl-lp|title= Life Was Better (Limited Edition Orange / Black Vinyl)|website=JB HiFi|accessdate=28 January 2020}}</ref> | {{flat list| *[[CD single|CD]] *[[Media streaming|streaming]] *[[Music download|digital download]] *[[Vinyl Record|Ltd Edition LP]]}} | Emergency Music | EMERGENCY008CD / EMERGENCY008LP |}
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Magic Dirt}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:1994 EPs]] [[Category:Magic Dirt albums]] [[Category:Au Go Go Records EPs]] [[Category:Indie pop EPs]] [[Category:EPs by Australian artists]]