Kirin J Callinan – Way To War

 Posted by on 19/05/2012  Tagged with: ,
May 192012
 

From the Australian town of the harbor this soulful, powerful vocalist has taken me somewhere else yet again. This is one of those song that played loud and watched on a large screen, the video by acclaimed director Kris Moye just blows your pretty little mind. Formally of the band Mercy Arms and please do yourselves a favor and find some of their tunes.(‘Down here so long’-A favorite of mine), Kirin solo just grabs you by the balls through your ears.

This song is the first single off his soon to be released debt album and can be preorded on vinyl. I am certainly looking forward to him destroying my innocence with his full band at the Tote in Melbourne next month.

James Taylor – Millworker

 Posted by on 16/05/2012  Tagged with:
May 162012
 

This song is off James Taylor’s ninth album ‘Flag’ released in ’79 and close to my favourite song of his. Some of the lyrics are a little too close to home for my liking. There have been some very good covers of this song that you should check out also. Hope you like it.

The Shangri-Las – Dressed in Black

 Posted by on 12/05/2012  Tagged with:
May 122012
 

The Shangri-Las were such a magical group, with ‘Shadow’ Morton writing and producing some of the most dramatic, transcendent movies-in-a song ever written for them. (Remember) Walking In The Sand was a startlingly original, distinct single for 1964 – and their following singles and tracks like ‘Out In The Streets’, ‘Give Him A Great Big Kiss’, ‘I’ll Never Learn’, and ‘Easier To Cry’ are all gems.

Playful, beautiful, lo-fi, magnificent. They live ‘n breathe the timeless magical spirit of creative pop for me. Incredibly this moody cinematic gem was just a B side. That big chorus is a thing of rare beauty ‘n wonder.

Def Leppard – Stay With Me

 Posted by on 08/05/2012  Tagged with: ,
May 082012
 

Oh yeah, you know the band. And you know the song. But you don’t know this song by this band. And you had no idea that they would play such a kickass version of it, did you? Probably even nastier than the original (if that’s possible), sung by guitar player Phil Collen! This is from an all-covers album that the boys put out in 2006. And, if you have any sort of aversion to DL, or hair metal or whatever, this album may just change your mind about this band. Or at least it will get you to listen to them a little differently.

For me, it reminded me why I loved these guys in the first place when I was a young teenager. Def Leppard are just a great rock band, and on this record they are playing a whole mess of great songs by the bands that inspired them to play in the first place — Faces, Kinks (“Waterloo Sunset”), The Nerves (“Hanging on the Telephone”), Badfinger (“No Matter What”), T. Rex (“20th Century Boy”), and a bunch of others.

Seriously, this is a great album. And, this is coming from a guy who brought you songs by Tom Zé and DOGBOWL fer chrissakes! Check it out.

Okkervil River – Black

 Posted by on 01/05/2012  Tagged with: ,
May 012012
 

Depending on what mood I am in I could have chosen any track from Okkervil River’s wonderful 2005 release Black Sheep Boy. Turns out I am in the mood for a long drive down a dark highway. A really dark highway. The lyrics are as black as the title, but like most Okkervil River songs they are very easy to listen to simply because they are so beautifully written. Amazing band, incredible song.

Apr 242012
 

I love this guy. A singer-songwriter & record producer in his early 20s from London and son of guitarist James Litherland. His beautiful harmonic vocals really stand out in his songs. Blake works closely with Bon Iver, Mount Kimbie and Feist. Do your self a favor and listen to his album ‘Echoes’ start to finish at top volume with the the bass turned up. Enjoy.

Brad – Buttercup

 Posted by on 19/04/2012  Tagged with: ,
Apr 192012
 

This is the first track off Brad’s debut album ‘Shame’, released in 1993 and i love it as much today as i did the first time i heard it. It was hard to pick one song off this album because the whole thing is so great. Enjoy.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – The Night

 Posted by on 17/04/2012  Tagged with:
Apr 172012
 

Unfairly treated as total ‘squares’ next to The Beatles ‘n The Stones etc in the 60s when their songwriting was nearly always vibrant, adventurous, individual n interesting (Lets Hang On, Opus 17, Beggin’, C’Mon Maryanne… even Can’t Take My Eyes Off You) Success had begun to completely elude them by the early 70s. This astonishingly dramatic, eerie ‘n intense track (from 1972) was, incredibly, not even deemed worthy of a single release in the USA. I was so obsessed with this song when i first heard it a few years ago, i think i played it 20 times in a row. Staggeringly great pop music.

Apr 142012
 

Just introduced to this song recently, through a cover done by The Bangles on their new album. Really great melody, excellent harmonies and clever, clever arrangement. Love the deceptive time signatures. Just flat-out cool.

Ghoul – Dreambeat

 Posted by on 31/03/2012  Tagged with: ,
Mar 312012
 

A delicious slice of trippy, experimental rock from Sydney band Ghoul. Lifted from their mini-LP Dunks, Dreambeat is a sprawling meander through some very clever sonic textures. At a touch over five minutes it isn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, but it never out-stays its welcome. Best listened to post-cookie, muffin, mushroom or spliff. Not that I condone the use of drugs.

Sadly the band split up in January, but you can download the EP A Mouthful of Gold for free at http://www.mediafire.com/?yjnzym1yiyb. You can also stream the mini-LP featuring this track at http://soundcloud.com/ghoulsydney. Get on it!

Mar 222012
 

Kristian Matsson aka ‘The Tallest Man on Earth’. A singer-songwriter from Sweden who I recently saw at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne he just blew me away with his solo act. I really do hear similarities to a young Dylan – but don’t bite my head off Dylan fans.

The Mark Of Cain – Retaliate

 Posted by on 15/03/2012  Tagged with:
Mar 152012
 

The Mark Of Cain are a hard rock outfit from Adelaide, South Australia formed way back in 1984. This is off their 2001 release ‘This Is This’. With John Stanier from Helmet on drums you can see why this is one of my favourite albums from one of the greatest Aussie bands of all time.

Marc Bolan – The Lilac Hand of Menthol Dan

 Posted by on 11/03/2012  Tagged with:
Mar 112012
 

Even pre -T.Rex Bolan was a full on hippy-punk-glam genius. The acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex albums are a treasure trove of brilliant, magical beautifully pretentious 2 minute pop gems wrapped in bongos, joss smoke n exotica… all sung in his trademark marmite Larry the lamb voice you either love or hate (i love it ).

Even before Tyrannosaurus Rex he did a few totally ace eccentric psych-garage pop beauties like this one…

 

Most folks think of Grant Hart as the drummer and “other” songwriter from Hüsker Dü. Thing is, his post-Dü solo output has been more-consistently great than that of his old counterpart. Of course, that can happen when you only release an album every 10 years or so.

Here is the great opening track from his most-recent (2009) album, Hot Wax.

I loves me some Grant!

Pollyanna – Lemonsuck

 Posted by on 04/03/2012  Tagged with: ,
Mar 042012
 

Big, dumb Aus guitar indie-pop. Pollyanna were a great band live, loads of fun to watch. Lemonsuck makes me think of the Punter’s Club, one of the many Melbourne venues no longer with us. I spent many nights nursing a million beers watching this band there. Cheesy film clip, crunchy guitars, catchy chorus, beautiful harmonies, distortion and feedback. What’s not to love?

Sons And Daughters – Dance Me In

 Posted by on 29/02/2012  Tagged with:
Feb 292012
 

A four piece from Glasgow in Scotland. I love a chick that can wear an evening gown and crack out a tune with a dirty accent. Just returned to Australia promoting their new album Mirror Mirror which is a little different from their previous style but still a great listen.

This song is taken from the 2005 album ‘Repulsion Box’.

Feb 282012
 

This tune first appeared as a hidden track on the album ‘Scream’ and had been given the name ‘Two Drink Minimum” which later became ‘As Hope And Promise Fade’. By far the best song on that album and one of Chris’ finest solo efforts to date. Seeing him play this live was one of my biggest highlights of last year.

 

Nick Lowe, of all people, called Jim Ford his “biggest influence” and covered several of his songs — “Ju Ju Man” and “36 Inches High” among them.

Ford also played a bit of keyboards on Sly & The Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” and wrote songs that were hits for Aretha Franklin (“Niki Hokey”) and Bobby Womack (“Harry Hippie”).

So why haven’t you heard of him? The short answer is probably that the man was his own worst enemy. Nonetheless, thanks to a German label, a whole BUNCH of Ford’s songs and his versions of his own songs are now seeing release for the first time. It’s a freaking treasure trove of incredible stuff that is equal parts country and R&B. Really amazing stuff and one of my current favorite artists of the moment. This song has been covered by a whole bunch of folks, including Elvis Costello and P.J. Proby.

Feb 262012
 

Wonderfully loose ‘n garage pop / rock song. The exhuberance and energy of the band playing together is palpable… and, most importantly, the song is frikkin’ great.

Incredibly simple but obviously inspired. Loads ‘n loads of of fun and the video’s a ramshackle hoot too. Love it.

Blue Ruin – Hey Bo

 Posted by on 21/02/2012  Tagged with:
Feb 212012
 

Going to see Scrap Museum this Thursday night… here’s hoping they play this one. Love this song… crank it up.

Smoking Popes – Need You Around

 Posted by on 09/02/2012  Tagged with:
Feb 092012
 

Chicago punk band that always had a sort of classic pop bent to them. Maybe it’s his voice. Maybe it’s the bridge. Or maybe it’s just that this song sounds like it was written by Sammy Kahn, but this always reminded me of Frank Sinatra on speed.

Eatliz – Lose This Child

 Posted by on 06/02/2012  Tagged with: ,
Feb 062012
 

Just a lovely track i stumbled on surfing. Don’t know anything about the band, but the song is spectacularly pretty and airy with some totally delightful chord and melancholy to happy mood changes. Really well written. The video’s a beautiful sad-eyed, creative art piece in itself too – works so well with the track.

 

The Chamber Strings’ second album — A Month of Sundays — should have made this band, if not a huge band, at least huge within the underground. As it was, they gained a small cult following among those folks who know great ork-pop when they hear it. From front-to-back, this is one of those albums that, the first time you hear it, you just shake your head and wonder where it has been your whole life. And then, after the record was released, the band just kinda… disappeared — POOF! Now, I wonder if they will ever come back. Please do.

Motörhead – Ace Of Spades

 Posted by on 04/02/2012  Tagged with: ,
Feb 042012
 

Awesome live version of this. Love the Lem.

 

The Exploding Hearts
Many of you fellow music geeks already know these guys, if you don’t… you’re welcome.

The tragic story of the band always threatens to overshadow the music: Brilliant young band releases amazing debut. They set out to tour in support of said album, only to suffer a bus crash that kills 3 of the 4 guys in the band.
But then, you hit “Play”, the music kicks in, and you forget all about that story because the music is just so freaking good.

This is rock n’ roll, plain and simple, done exactly the way that it should be done: fast, loud, with attitude to spare, and just that hint of vulnerability that makes it relatable and imparts the kind of heart that it takes it from “good” to “great”. Truly great.

Listen to this and you will need to own it.


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Lisa Hannigan – Black Eyed Dog

 Posted by on 29/11/2011  Tagged with:
Nov 292011
 

Lisa Hannigan
I am fortunate enough to have a Mum who has good taste in music. Tom Waites, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan are a few I can think of off the top of my head that I got into after raiding Mum’s albums as a kid. Another was Nick Drake. I am also fortunate enough to have a Mum who got me the best birthday present this year… tickets to the Nick Drake tribute show ‘Way To Blue’ at the recital centre a couple of weeks ago.

To say the concert was awesome is an understatement, and this version of Nick’s song ‘Black Eyed Dog’ by amazing Irish musician Lisa Hannigan literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I hadn’t heard Lisa Hannigan before… I am a huge fan now. The performance in this clip is from London, not Melbourne… but it’s just as good as the one I saw.

It would be a huge injustice to not feature one of Lisa’s many amazing original tunes as well, so if you’re up for two tunes have a listen to ‘I Don’t Know’ as well, recorded live in an Irish Pub.


Watch the video

Nov 212011
 

Robert James Selby
Got no info about this guy other than i just discovered this song he posted on fledgling arts. Another wonderfully talented unsigned troubadour that i’d soooo rather listen to than the countless dull cod-soulin’ acoustic merchants that clog the mainstream.

So much heart n a wonderful, natural, life-affirming vibe tinged with a kinda wistful sadness here. Absolutely love songs like this. There’s something really free-spirited and timeless about it. He makes creating a magical song sound so easy – and takes me to a different space… just a really resonant song.

Thanx for the inspiration n magic dude :)


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Bob Weir, Bongwater and the Fabulous Pussywillows
Bongwater, Bob Weir, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins covering a Roky Erickson song. From the sadly short-lived American show “Night Music”, hosted by David Sanbourn.

Not much else to say about this, really. Except that it’s freaking brilliant!


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The Eastern Dark – Julie is a Junkie

 Posted by on 09/11/2011  Tagged with:
Nov 092011
 

The Eastern Dark
I used to have a ritual as a teenager. I’d set the ghetto blaster to record 3RRR when I left for school. I’d get about an hour on one side of a C120 tape (no doubt taping over one of the old man’s Kenny Rogers albums). As soon as I got home each day I’d lock myself in my room and throw on the headphones to see if I caught anything. Pretty much every new band I discovered growing up came with the help of the R’s. One day I caught Julie is a Junkie… and it blew my tiny, angsty teenage mind. I had the guitar cranked up in a flash and probably spent the best part of the next six months playing along with it. Never could quite get that lead break though.

The Eastern Dark burst onto the Aus live scene in mid 1984 when James Darroch (ex-Celibate Rifles) and Bill Gibson (ex-Lime Spiders) joined up with drummer Geoff Milne. They quickly developed a reputation as the pub rock band you simply HAD to see live, something I sadly never got to do. In 1986 they finished recording their debut EP Long Live The New Flesh! with Rob Younger producing. They were heading to Melbourne to play a few shows, I was finally going to see them. I think I wore nappies for a few weeks leading up the the tour because I kept pissing myself with excitement. It wasn’t to be. Their tour van ran off the road and guitarist / singer James Darroch was tragically killed. Like many who die too young you can only wonder how big these guys might have become.

There are a few live recordings floating around of The Eastern Dark, but not loads. This clip is from one of their last gigs, February 27th, 1986 at the Tivoli in Sydney (just a few days before the accident). A collection of the band’s live and studio recordings, Where Are All The Single Girls?, was released in 2000. It was re-issued last year and you can grab it from the Half a Cow site. I cannot recommend this cd highly enough for anyone who has even a passing interest in Aus Garage Rock.


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Supergrass – Sun Hits The Sky

 Posted by on 02/11/2011  Tagged with: , ,
Nov 022011
 

Supergrass
Have no idea whether Supergrass were big in other countries or not-but they had a bit of chart success in the UK mid-late 90s. Their second album ‘In It For The Money’ is far and away their best album-infact-far and away the best “Brit pop” album ever too-and for me in the top 3 albums of the 90s, with Jeff Buckley’s Grace and Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’.

In truth i actually prefer it to both of those, filled to bursting as it is with magical, fresh, creative smile-on-your-face rock n pop. Gaz Coombes was a fabulous, inventive songwriter (and guitarist). The title track and all 4 singles (Sun Hits The Sky, Late In The Day, Richard III, Going Out) are sublime… all remarkably different from each other too. The rest of the album is pretty close to this creatively.

At the time,it was so vibrant and classy, it seemed Supergrass could go on to do ANYTHING. Sadly this wasn’t to be the case, and though they still had a few great moments they were never as stellar as ‘In It For The Money’ again. But hey-at least they left us with a truly timeless, classic album before their demise last year.

This track off that album is a fabulously present, transcendent rush. Frikkin’ brilliant band performance too. About as thrilling a ride as pop ‘n rock music gets for me.


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Oct 222011
 

The Judy's
Now, how does one begin to talk about The Judy’s?
First off, yes, that apostrophe DOES belong there. (Inspired by the B-52′s, if that tells you anything.)
Next, I guess that you have to mention that every song that they ever wrote should have been a big hit, played at every high school throughout the United States, throughout the world, during the new wave explosion of the early 80′s. The songs are that good. They are that catchy.

For a long time, this album was out-of-print, and totally unavailable anywhere, except as an expensive used vinyl find. Thank God for the internet, because with the clamor caused by fans, the band finally made their catalog available.
This song is not “the classic”*, but it is A classic, and it’s a wonderfully catchy, kinda cheerfully creepy song.
Now, listen and bounce! Because it’s really all that you can do.

And check out the documentary about them that’s up at YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf0UQz8g0HA

*That would be “All the Pretty Girls” — look it up.


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Flower Travellin’ Band – Satori Part II

 Posted by on 09/10/2011  Tagged with:
Oct 092011
 

Flower Travellin' Band
Japanese do crazy better than most, and you have to love it when crazy Japanese pick up instruments and set about making madness. This wonderful track is the best of Japanese Psychedelia. Sartori Part I is very cool too, but who can resist the beautiful old 8mm footage of these mad, afro toting ninjas singing on top of a giant elephant? Drop a microdot and feel the love.

If you like this one and want to have a listen to Part I, head to www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1TYJLxYvtg

Vocalist Joe Yamanaka also did a stint as singer for The Wailers for a few years after Bob died. Sadly Joe died in August this year after a battle with cancer. What a voice! RIP.


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Oct 012011
 

Love
Wonderfully creative and magical ’60s Los Angeles psych pop,showtune r’n'b band. If push came to shove maybe my favourite band EVER.

Songwriter, ace singer n resident total genius Arthur Lee able to move effortlesssly between bizarre quirky pop, garage punk and achingly beautiful mystic ballads. This strange n beautiful song-suite closing their seminal Forever Changes album shows off the wonderful inventiveness and free-spirited melodic charm that lies at the heart of their music.

Its weird,hypnotic moody verses giving way to a heartfelt lament taking us on a creative roadtrip thru rock’n’ roll, mystic spain, art pop, showtunes and doo-wop on the way. Brilliant.

I could’ve happily picked 20 tracks by this band to go here…


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Sep 242011
 

Tom Waits
Tony Hazzard is a true songwriter’s songwriter. He penned hits for The Hollies, Manfred Man, Cliff Richard, and a ton more. Of course, you American folk don’t necessarily know those songs as “hits”, but trust me, they were… “over there.”

In 1969 he finally decided to record and release his own versions of his tunes, including several that were hits for other folks in the UK.

This one, as the other songs on the album, smack of the sound of late-60′s pop music, but is that really a bad thing?

I’ll answer that: No. It’s a damn good thing!


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Sep 152011
 

Tom Waits
I just opened my itunes and did a quick search for Tom Waits… I have 273 songs from 19 different albums… 17.7 hours worth… and I don’t have anywhere near the complete collection. I’ve never actually tried it, but I reckon he’s one of the few artists I could sit and listen to for that long. He may be American, but Tom is a treasure the whole world can claim as its own. He is one of the rare breed of musician that creates beautiful art every time he makes a noise.

Picking just one song was tough, there is a Tom tune for any mood you could possibly be in. This particular track, from the 1976 album Small Change, is as good a starting place as any. Don’t be surprised to see another Tom track or two appear here in the future.


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Sep 082011
 

Television Personalities
Beautiful,charming ramshackle lofi new wave pop, like a collision between Jonathan Richman, The Lemonheads, The Kinks and Syd era Floyd… TOTALLY British in vibe… Effortlessly charming, whimsical, melodic and sweet-natured.

These were the kinda punks who instead of spitting n snarling on you or at you – would be more likely to invite you in for a reassuring cup of tea and a chat.

A little 2.12 of magic.


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Sep 032011
 

Tom Zé
Tom Zé can do no wrong, as far as I am concerned. He is the man whose records inspired not only David Byrne’s Brazilian phase, but in large part, the creation of the entire Luaka Bop label!

This is one of his most-beautiful songs. A little odd? Yes. But not even CLOSE to as odd as he can get.

The man is something special.


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The Angels – Take A Long Line

 Posted by on 29/08/2011  Tagged with:
Aug 292011
 

The Angels
Everyone has a favourite band growing up. The Angels were mine. I saw them live more than any other band, completely lost count of how many times but it would have to be approaching a hundred. At first glance they are just sweaty pub rock, but Doc Neeson was both an amazing front man and lyricist. They should have been huge internationally, and were on the verge of it in the US supporting the Kinks. Ray Davies shut them down when he got a little nervous that they were upstaging him. Long story for another time.

Everyone in Australia will know this song, but you guys elsewhere may not. Angels at their prime.

This is is folks… over the top!

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Aug 242011
 

Blitzen Trapper
A wonderfully melodic band with great songwriting tackling a wide variety of genres with skill n style. This beautifully 70s-style early Queen like pop-prog epic suite is one of my favourites.

Creative,ambitious n adventurous with about 5 different parts – and a totally ace guitar solo to boot

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Rilo Kiley – Portions for Foxes

 Posted by on 18/08/2011  Tagged with:
Aug 182011
 

Rilo Kiley
Jenny Lewis is one of the great songwriters working today. Something about the way that she turns a phrase:
“And the talking leads to touching / And the touching leads to sex / And now there is no mystery left…”

And she turns those phrases in such impossibly TUNEFUL ways!

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