Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Song #100: Broken Bells - "Vaporize"


Here we are at the final stage! For my last trick, I’ve decided to have a listen to the new project for James Mercer (normally of The Shins) and Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse/one half of Gnarls Barkley). It’s entitled Broken Bells, and they’re just about to set their debut album out on its merry way. This first taste, entitled Vaporize, sounds almost exactly like you’d think it would - almost. Remember, Burton never forces his hip-hop and soul leaning on artists that don’t need it (lest we forget his collaboration with the late, great Sparklehorse). It’s much more of an acid-dropping approach to this new project – this really does sound like The Shins adventuring through outer space in slow motion.

That’s definitely a compliment, for the record. Mercer sounds both peacefully placid and creatively inspired, the music behind him sounding spacey but also incredibly comfortable. He has plenty of catchy melodies that float by in a loving haze. If I got high, this is probably something I’d do it to; just put it that way.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The new album is streaming online now. Google that shit, suss it all out.

Well, that’s it! A conclusive post is to come, but I have successfully completed THE SONG CENTURY CHALLENGE! Hooray!!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
David

Song #99: Foals - "Spanish Sahara"


With two songs to go, I’ve decided to shut the fuck up for this one. Because, really…how the hell do you describe something that left you speechless on first listen?


Foals are back. And I’m so glad they are


FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

PLEASE watch this video. It’s insane amounts of goodness.



x
David

Song #98: Dead Letter Circus - "Here We Divide"


What a pleasant surprise in my email inbox this morning! “Hey dude,” writes a friend of mine. “Thought you might want to hear the new Dead Letter Circus song, so here it is.” Well, thank you very much, my good man! Having seen DLC just over a week ago, it’s very exciting to hear that their debut album is done with recording and is set for a mid-May release. Anyone who’s been following the band for awhile would be more than aware that they’re not the kind to disappoint, making their debut easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
This new track, Here We Divide, continues on with the sound established by earlier DLC records which mixes an Edge-style lead guitar with effortlessly technical rhythms and Kim Benzie’s distinctive, impeccably powerful voice raising hell atop of proceedings. Even at nearly five minutes and some forms of repetition that seep through the song’s movements, it keeps your interest and engages you as a listener right up to the final crescendo. That’s the great thing about this band – I’ve been racking my brain and can’t think of even one bad song these guys have. It’s an impressive track record, that’s for sure; and I doubt that will change much when the album drops.

What else can you say? Dead Letter Circus are something to get enthusiastic about. Let’s do so!

FINAL RATING (/10): 8


DLC’s debut is out in May. Don’t forget to check out the band’s website to explore Project Dead Letter, which is a really cool series of footage in relation to the recording of the album. Very nice!

x
David

Song #97: Calling All Cars - "Disconnect"


You know you’ve got a good song on your hands if your only words after hearing it for the first time are “fuck” and “yeah” in quick succession of one another. Such was the case for the brand new single for Melbourne band Calling All Cars. I’ve been enjoying these guys for quite some time – they’re a bouncy ball of energy live and they’re always keen to chat at the end of their gigs, handing out fliers for the next gig (and, given their hard working schedule, there is ALWAYS a next gig). Now, fresh from a tour with AC/DC and Wolfmother, the three-piece are readying their debut album, entitled Hold, Hold, Fire.

Disconnect, the lead single, more or less sums up everything that’s great about this band. It’s punchy, ridiculously catchy and incredibly tight, with each member contributing to the overall sound in a positive light. The chorus alone is one of the best things I’ve heard all year – the thing has hooks as sharp as nails that will lure you in and then savagely tear at your body. Am I getting too violent? Maybe, but fuck it: Disconnect is awesome.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Hold, Hold, Fire comes out on the 12th of March. Also, they’re about to go on tour with Grinspoon. Fuck yeah.

x
David

Song #96: Jon LaJoie - "Let Me See Your Genitals 2: E=MC Vagina"


Three times Chris has come to the rescue in terms of my hearing of a song I’ve never heard before. That’s my younger brother, for those of you playing at home (as if you are). This time, however, he managed to pull something out from absolutely nowhere that I did not expect from him at all. Although, now that I’ve heard it, I’m somewhat less surprised.

“Vagina


Vagina


I want to have sex with your vagina”

Meet Jon LaJoie. This comedian has already had one YouTube hit with Show Me Your Genitals, and couldn’t see the harm in throwing a sequel out to the web. Show Me Your Genitals 2: E = MC Vagina continues on with absolutely ridiculous lyrics, sending up the over-sexualisation of commercial hip-hop/pop rap music and delivered entirely in a brilliant deadpan. Admittedly, it does get irritating towards the end, with the song running out of ideas (wasn’t there only one to begin with?) and it’s the kind of thing someone out of high school probably shouldn’t be enjoying. Still, it was fun while it lasted. The guy has a few good ideas, going from the rest of his YouTube channel. Nice one.



FINAL RATING (/10): 6

Devour the video belowhand. Belowhand is now a word. Deal with it.



x
David

Song #95: Crash Tragic - "Simple Separation"


Saw these guys opening for Gyroscope and A Death In The Family at uni. A Wollongong band who’ve been around the block a few times with bands like Kisschasy, Trial Kennedy etc., I probably should like at least something about these guys. They seem nice enough and they’re going for a catchy pop-punk sound. It all falls apart, however, after one look at them (they all look well into their thirties), the fake American accent and the horrid simplicity of it all. It’s weak bunny-mosh styled music that’s very basic in its execution, which loses almost all of its identity within the first minute – Simple Separation is a perfect example of this. I’m sure they’re nice guys and all, but they’re getting WAY too old for this shit.

FINAL RATING (/10): 3.5

Their new EP is out now. Wotevs.

x
David

Song #94: Nickelback - "Never Gonna Be Alone"


What can be said that hasn’t already been about these guys? They’ve devolved from a somewhat ambitious rock band with a few catchy tracks in their arsenal (Leader of Men, How You Remind Me) to the epitome of what’s gone wrong with radio rock music. They are currently in the realm of glossy, ugly and mostly downright awful music that takes no brains to create and even less to enjoy.

Apparently this little number has been poisoning the airwaves since September of last year, but I’d thankfully avoided it up until now. In fact, all I’ve heard from the band lately is that song they do for the theme song of WWE Raw, which is bloody annoying. Speaking of bloody annoying, did they REALLY need to do another syrupy ballad about fuck-all? Chad Kroeger goes all cassanova with slow drums, simple chords and quite possibly the worst harmonies in any Nickelback song ever. Completely uneccessary, irritating turd of a song, this one. Like you expected any less.

FINAL RATING (/10): 1.5

Fuck 'em.

x
David

Song #93: Timbaland feat. Jet - "Timothy Where You Been"



I finally got around to sussing out Timbaland’s Shock Value II guestlist. It was nowhere near as strong as the first go around which had Elton John, Dr. Dre, Fall Out Boy, Missy Elliott, Nelly Furtado, etc. This is all Chad Kroeger, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, The Fray, Drake…y’know, somewhat good, but definitely not great. Of particular interest to me, however, was the collaboration with Australian band Jet. The song that Timbaland samples for the song Timothy Where You Been is, strangely enough, Timothy, the final track on Jet’s Get Born album. For all the crap the band gets, Timothy is actually one of their best works. It’s a heartfelt ballad around the story of Timothy Cester, the eldest Cester sibling (Nic is the vocalist and Chris is the drummer), who died before Nic was born and was mentally disabled.

With this in mind, it’s strange and a little offensive to think Timbaland has taken the song to be an “all-about-me” ego trip. Sure, the interpolation and reworking of Timothy is very cleverly done, but it’s no secret that Timbo is not a very good rapper or lyricist. His flow is menial and his rhymes pointless – perhaps the rhyme of “Nelly Furtado” and “escargot” could have been avoided if he wasn’t trying to big-up himself and name-drop at the same time? Ahh, who knows. The point is that the whole thing is great when Timbaland keeps his mouth shut. Isn’t that the same for nearly everyone of his tracks to begin with, though?


FINAL RATING (/10): 5.5

Shock Value II is out now.

x
David

Song #92: Estelle feat. Kardinall Ofishall - "Freak"


She's back! It seems with every release,the divine Estelle changes again. Her first album, The 18th Day, was a hip-hop based affair. That was followed by the soul/rnb/pop stylings of Shine, which spawned the Kanye-boasting megasmash American Boy. Where to from there? Simple: go absolutely fucking batshit.

With David Guetta at the production helm, Estelle has delivered a decidedly weird, minimalist dancefloor inferno. Chopped up vocal samples lead the parade before Estelle throws in some smutty sex-raps, breathy speak-singing and a banging chorus that ties the entire bizarre affair together. I'm normally not a fan of Guetta at all (I found One Love to be all style and no substance), but I really appreciate his approach to Freak from a composing perspective. It's much more a focus on Estelle's voice and the beat itself, as opposed to overloading it with cheesy club synths and repetitive chord progressions. It's a very clever way to go about it, and it's especially different for an artist like Estelle. It fits her like a cute Gucci dress, though. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the record pans out.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

If I've piqued your interest (fingers crossed), check out the song's music video.


x
David

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Song #91: Die! Die! Die! - "We Built Our Own Oppressors"


Fuck yeah. Die! Die! Die! are back to fuck shit up. Anyone who's seen these three live know exactly what I'm talking about - they're an insane joy to watch. Their recorded material, whilst good, has nevertheless always seemed to lack the awesome spastic energy of their live gigs. We Built Our Own Oppressors is already awesome on the basis that it translates the ferocious live sound arguably better than any other of their recorded tracks. Complete with flurrying drums, thick bassline snarls and even a few "WOO!"s thrown in there, it's a song with palpable energy. What else can you say really? This rules.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Also, check out the awesome video! It was filmed on top of a building they broke into :D







x
David

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Song #90: Luka Bloom - "The Acoustic Motorbike"


Got Luka Bloom's Platinum Collection CD for nine dollars at JB Hi-Fi. I saw him on Spicks and Specks ages ago and thought he looked really cool, so I was interested to see how a collection of his songs would pan out. There's some wonderful songs in there - he knows how to make a very heartfelt and lovely Irish folk tune. There's a couple of tracks that are pretty daggy, though. This track, the title track to his second album, is one of them.

It's a song about riding a bicycle (an "acoustic motorbike", geddit?). Instead of singing, though, Bloom does this weird semi-rap thing throughout the whole song. It's actually a little annoying at times, especially when the chorus comes through: "git off on yar boike!", he says in his thick Irish accent. It's kitshy, but still I guess it's a little bit of fun.

FINAL RATING (/10): 5

x
David

Song #89: Slash featuring Andrew Stockdale - "By The Sword"



















Just take a look at those two fucking pictures. Take a wild guess as to what a song with the former lead guitarist of Guns N Roses and the lead singer of Wolfmother is going to sound like. ROCK, maybe? Bang on the fucking money.

So you might not be big on the best-known stuff of either of these two, but this song is completely awesome. The lead guitar riff is godly, starting out on acoustic guitars and sounding somewhat medieval before kicking into some kind of electric overdrive and getting into a frenzy of fist-pumping warrior shit. Yep, just like Wolfmother's first album. It's a great sound the two have gotten together here - Slash gets some great solos and licks throughout the whole thing and Stockdale himself sounds the best he has vocally in years. It's pretty dumb music from a lyrical perspective ("To live and die by the sword!"), but switch off your brain and rock out on this one. So worth it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Slash's solo album is out later this year. Stream the track here.

x
David

Song #88: MM9 - "Talking to Himself"

 

Did I miss something here? Last I heard, Many Machines on 9 were a heavy rock band with hints of electronica that had simple, fun and catchy songs like New Chemistry. The next I hear, they're just MM9 and have started to sound like Good Charlotte. Their debut album, The Air Between, is a very awkward listen for people who've listened to the band for awhile. It's a big, glossy pop-rock sound that the group have found for themselves, with the vocals landing somewhere inbetween Disturbed's David Draiman and Joel Madden. I have no idea where this has all come from, but it really doesn't suit them. It's trying way too hard and ends up tripping over its own feet. In short, if you liked them before there's a good chance you won't like them now.

FINAL RATING (/10): 3.5

The Air Between is out now.

x
David

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Song #87: Jamie Cullum - "Just One of Those Things"


Jamie Cullum is back to do the three things he does best: woo the ladies, swing like a beast and go so hard he forgets what the third thing is. Just One of Those Things is the first track from his brand new album, The Pursuit, and it's a cracker of a tune to kick off with.

It begins with a drunken swagger towards the tinkling ivories as he slowly puts together what happened last night, before Cullum snaps his fingers and gets the drums and double bass to come riding in.The second they do, he's right into action. Even so many years after the cutely-titled  Twentysomething, he's still got all the whiz-kid energy that he had when he debuted. If anything, he's developed it further. This is catchy, swinging and a top display of his talents. If you liked him before, you'll definitely enjoy this.

FINAL RATING: 7.5

He's back in Australia this April, if you're interested.

x
David

Song #86: Axis of Awesome - "BirdPlane"


The best thing about Axis of Awesome is how they are easily able to take one simple idea and turn it into the most ridiculous, hilarious thing possible. The trio performed on the garden at my university, and it was pretty easy to tell that we were loving every second of it. This track in particular was a huge favourite. The parody only works, however, if you're familiar with your 2000s hit singles.

Remember Five For Fighting? No? How about Superman (It's Not Easy)? Ringing a bell. Now we're getting somewhere. What this song does is takes the first few lines of the original and then goes insane.

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just trying to find
The better part of me

I'm more than a bird
I'm more than a plane
And in come the Axis:

I'm a BirdPlane!

The rest of the song goes off on this tangent of singing about how awesome life is when part of you is a bird and the other part is a plane. And come on, that does sound pretty awesome! A definite listen for fans of clever parodies that are after something non-Weird Al.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Check out the video!



x
David

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Song #85: Sunny Day Real Estate - "Nine"

 

It's not everyday you get to be "Oh hey dude, what you get up to last night? Cool. Oh, me? I just saw SUNNY DAY FUCKING REAL ESTATE, that's all." I feel like so much more of a man having the ability to say that.

Anyway, this was a track that I didn't know out of their set. I later found out it was a track that was added to the re-issue of Diary. If I didn't already own the CD, I'd definitely get the re-issue for this number (woo pun!!). It has all the strained, scratchy emotional work you'd expect from SDRE, with some great moments on guitar and vintage Jeremy Enigk vocals. It was great during this part of the set watching at least two or three members from every other band on the bill (Jimmy Eat World, Motion City Soundtrack, RX Bandits and Glassjaw) watching from the upstairs balcony, all being schooled in how to put on a mesmerising, intense performance. Fuck yeah.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

x
David

Song #84: Gil Scott-Heron - "Me and the Devil"


After a few Wiki run-throughs, I landed onto the fascinating story of Gil Scott-Heron and I'm so glad I did. I dowloaded his latest album - his thirteenth - entitled I'm New Here, and it's nothing short of sensational. It's a tale of blues, folk, spoken word, dubstep and ambience, as the sixty-something dude tells us all about his life growing up, his reflections on mortality and impermanence...and this track, a Robert Johnson reinterpretation.

What's interesting about this version of Johnson's Me and the Devil Blues is how drastically the track has changed. Johnson's original is rustic, traditional blues - Scott-Heron more or less takes the lyrics and puts them into the filthy, sinful slums of late-night American cities. Electronic bleeps, buzzing basslines and a shuffled beat accompany Scott-Heron's raspy, desperate vocal rendition of the pitch-black lyrics. It's the exact kind of song that's only very short in its length, but the kind you want to listen to over and over again. Truly sensational stuff.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

I'm New Here is out now. Check out the video below:




x
David

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Song #83: Rolo Tomassi - "The French Motel"

 

These kids kicked of Soundwave over on the joint 5 and 6 stages. There were a couple of troubles with sound, but once they got into the swing of it, they were fucking awesome. See that cute little blonde girl? She can scream better than you and nearly every other throaty dude on the bill. It was terrifying and terrific at the same time.

The French Motel is one of the tracks they played that is going to be on their second album, due out a little later this year. Apparently cats like M.I.A. and Santogold are going to be producing and stuff, which is pretty cool. As per the "norm" with these guys (if there is such a thing), there is a shitload of musical movements and progressions, complete with dual vocals, big guitar and quick flips in tempo that keep everything engaging and exciting. This lot are definitely ones to watch out for this year.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The new record should be out within the next quarter.

x
David

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Song #82: Faith No More - "Collision"



Saturday was my chance to get into as much FNM as I possibly could. This was the first thing to hit my ears when I pumped up the first album that comes up alphabetically in my list of FNM albums - Collision is the first track from FNM's final album Album of the Year.

There's significantly less funk-rock and groove in this track than their better known material. It's straight into the heavy guitar riffing, big drums and wailing harmonies. Mike Patton once again goes to great extents to show off his insane vocal range, and for this reason alone it's worth a listen. Seriously, the dude is an absolutely insane voice artist; takes on so many great styles. It's an interesting introduction to Album, as well, as the song is somewhat of anomaly amongst the tracklisting. Still, it's pretty sweet. FNM don't do bad.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

If you miss FNM at Soundwave, you join the Dead-To-Me list.

x
David

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Song #81: Artists for Haiti - "We Are The World 25 For Haiti"

What the fuck is this shit.

I mean, really.

I'm all for Haiti charity and disaster relief.

But really.

Why not a new song?

What the fuck is Celine Dion doing?

A RAP? With LL FUCKING COOL J?

This is just.

No.

FINAL RATING (/10): 3

Gets a 1.5 for the cause and 1.5 for the song.

x
David

Song #80: Kate Nash - "I Just Love You More"


 In this week's installment of "what the fuck just happened", former skirt-twirling indie pop darling Kate Nash has gone all artsy-punk on her new track, I Just Love You More, which is the first track to be lifted from her long-awaited second album called Crayon Full of Colour.

Gone is the summery, cutesy pop that's prevalent on her debut, Made of Bricks. Instead, we get a snarling, single-string riff, a tight drum beat and Nash's creepy speak-sing of the title of the song. She doesn't say a lot more apart from this, except when she starts primal screams and shrills in the vein of Karen O or Yoko Ono. It's completely left of centre, but it's a real treat to watch her trying out something so different. The song is a little hollow overall, though, with the same parts reoccurring continuously. Maybe this is just a taste of what's to come? Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this is going to be awesome. Hopefully.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Crayon is set for an April release.

x
David

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Song #79: Circa Survive - "Get Out"


Finally, Anthony Green and co. are back at work on a new record. It's entitled Blue Sky Noise, and today we not only got the cover of it, but we also got a brand new song as well! Bonus!

The song, entitled Get Out, might be a bit of a struggle for fans to get their heads around. There's no slow, distorted immersions or slow-burning, spacious moments. More, the song dives right in and doesn't let up, with Green's vocals taking their normal route of total audacity and liveliness. It's an intense song, but considerably stripped back in its arrangement in comparison to previous Circa tracks. What this shows is that the band are hopefully trying for something really different on Blue Sky Noise. More power to them - this is one of the best tracks they've ever done!

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Also, you MUST see this album artwork!

 

Isn't it amazing???
x
David

Friday, February 19, 2010

Song #78: Art VS. Science - "Magic Fountain"


I got to see the Gossip last night. That was incredible, they put on a fantastic show and I got to meet them all as well. Such a thrill, I nearly started bawling. Before all that pussy crap happened, though, these boys came on.

No doubt you will have heard this lot via one of their hit singles like Flippers or Parles Vous Francais? It's big, dumb, fun music that's easy to get into and very well made. Magic Fountain was the first track of the set, and t appears to be a part of a batch of new material that will be on their debut album. The song is pretty crazy, with lead singer Dan going on a bit of a David Byrne/Robert Forster trip with eccentric spoken-word vocals and some crazy whispers. I can barely remember the story that was being told, but it was all very mystical - almost Bowie-esque. Another very silly song, but probably another hit for these kids.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Jolly good, AvS.

x
David

Monday, February 15, 2010

Song #77: Sade - "Soldier of Love"


 Here's a few things I didn't know about Sade before today:

1. It's pronounced "shar-day"
2. Sade is actually a band.
3. Sade have sold over fifty million albums worldwide.
4. This song is fucking awesome.

This is the title track from Sade's latest album, and it really is a cracker. A slow-burner, for sure, but one that sticks in your mind for all its darkness, world-weariness and pure intensity. Everything in the arrangement works perfectly - the snare rolls, the synths, the low-key harmonies. It's just purely badass music, smoothly and professionally done. What more can I say? It's the tits.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Out now, go grab yrself a piece of the action.

xxx
David

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Song #76: Angels and Airwaves - "The Flight of Apollo"

 

Tom Delonge's post-blink love of Angels & Airwaves have finally returned. Thank fuck, says I. Anything to get me away from bloody blink-182's reunion footage: they sound like trash and it's pretty obvious it's all about the money here. I know there's a lot of AVA hates out there, but whatever. I think enough time has passed for the blink obsessives to shut up and appreciate AVA's work as a separate entity - and a superior one at that.

The Flight of Apollo is the second track on LOVE, the band's third album which has just been released for free online, via Delonge's site Modlife. If you were a fan previously, you'll know the drill - it's atmospheric, with layered keyboards and big guitar with fuck-tonnes of reverb. There's even a bit of a synth-string section going on here in the background, which I thought was a pretty nice touch. It all comes together with a sense of familiarity, but fans won't have any major issues with this - the band sound great here and it's easily one of the catchiest things these guys have ever done.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Here's the link to download LOVE. Sure hope y'like it and all.

x
David

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Song #75: Angus and Julia Stone - "Hold On"


 The Stone siblings, Angus and Julia, have returned with their second album, Down the Way. These two have always had a knack for some sweet, beautiful tunes, but they've also written some pretty boring tracks in their time. Thankfully, this little number that opens Down the Way is one of the best things they've done musically.

Julia takes the lead on this one. She still sounds like a little kid, but it's easy to look past - she's very cute and she can keep a tune well enough. The simplistic drum pattern works perfectly as it builds up the song at various accentuated points, as well as the reverberating electric guitar and the wonderful chorus that really assists the song in picking up a notch. If you listen to anything from this record, I strongly recommend it is this very song. Loving it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Down the Way is out next month.

x
David

Song #74: Boyz II Men featuring Mariah Carey - "One Sweet Day"


Eugh, remember that awful cheesy I'll Make Love To You song? Boyz II Men did that, and apparently did a lot more. That's fucking scary. Read this shit:

Based on sales, Boyz II Men is the most successful R&B male vocal group of all time. They recorded five number 1 R&B successes between 1992 and 1997 and have sold more than 60 million albums.Three of its number 1 hits, "End of the Road", "I'll Make Love to You", and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey), set and exceeded records for the longest period of time a single remained scored at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; "One Sweet Day" still holds the record.
That's from their Wikipedia page. Frightening how successful this crap was, man.

Anyway, I heard their other "hit" with Mariah Carey (god, she was even more of a joke in the nineties than she is now) whilst watching a top 10 on Vh1. For best funeral songs! Who makes these fucking things?
The point is that they could all sing incredibly well. Any record exec with his hands down his pants could tell you that. But there's no soul to this, despite that supposedly being in the title of their freakin' genre. It's all commercially-vying warbles and cheesy production. Next plz.

FINAL RATING (/10): 2.5

x
David

Song #73: Cameron Smith - "The Grey Man"


Cameron Smith is an Australian musician, formerly of the brilliant Epitomes, and also a good friend of mine. Recently, he did a very special bedroom recording for his younger brother, Curtis, and his eighteenth birthday. What a lovely, brotherly thing to do!

The song is The Grey Man. Fans of Copeland will recognise the song from their final album, the incredible You Are My Sunshine from 2008. Cameron plays everything himself here - the guitar, bass and percussion all sounding very impressive for such a low-budget quality. His voice, even though the falsetto is out of his range, also sounds really good - the bridge sees some distorted vocals and even dual harmonies come into play, which works surprisingly well. A perfect cover? No, sir. But if someone got me this for my birthday, I wouldn't be complaining!

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

You can download Cameron's version here.

x
David

Song #72: Adam Green - "Give Them a Token"


 The lovely Adam Green is back with his sixth album, entitled Minor Love. It's a short, sweet collection of tunes that deal with his break-up and his loneliness. Don't you just want to hug the poor little one? He's normally so happy, so it's strange to hear such dark and moping music coming from him.

I suppose this is his "mature" album. His smoky baritone is still very much the same, but the songs themselves are a lot more textured and shake off their novelty. This track in particular sways along on a simple chord progression with some sweet lyrics and a whirring keyboard flashing through the final segment of the song. It's all over far too quickly, but it's a treat to listen to regardless.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Minor Love is out now.

x
David

Friday, February 12, 2010

Song #71: Kina Grannis - "Valentine"


This one turned up on YouTube - kind of fitting, given how close it is to Valentine'$ Day. I have no idea who the girl is, but I was particularly interested in the video, which uses hundreds of drawings that fall in a domino style to give the impression of motion and movement. I've included it below, because it's really the only thing that's really interesting about the entire song - think Colbie Callait style, innocent acoustic girly stuff. It's essentially Jacqueline Johnson - Jack Johnson with breasts. It's all very  sweet, but my GOD it's fucking boring. It's barely even worth this paragraph being written about it. Pass.

FINAL RATING (/10): 4

But yes, here's the video.



x
David

Song #70: Gyroscope - "Some of the Places I Know"


So, Gyroscope are back. The Perth boys have been over in London working away on their fourth record, Cohesion. They've solidified themselves as one of Australia's better mid-card bands over the years and have yet to put out a bad album (though none of their releases are without their flaws). I'm still certainly optimistic about the album, although the lead single, Some of the Places I Know, has put me off a little.

This is the shiniest, most well-produced and radio ready song the band have ever produced. And this doesn't sound like Fast Girl or Beware Wolf that were all "well, this is the stuff we like to play, guess some people like it". This shit is all "we want to have a top 10 single bro". It's not an offensively bad song, but it feels too predictable and lacking in passion to really get into. It feels contrived to rock out to, in a way, which is certainly confusing for a band like Gyroscope - they are really genuine dudes who have made great music in the past. Here, though, I'm not sold just yet.

FINAL RATING (/10): 5.5

The single is out now, the video is below.
Cohesion will be out in April.




x
David

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Song #69: Fucked Up - "Fixed Race"

 
Fucked Up are an absolutely insane band. I just got their two disc compilation of non-album tracks entitled Couple Tracks, and it's absolutely awesome.  Their music is fast, no-bullshit hardcore with tonnes of attitude and even a few major hooks in there.

Fixed Race is like the Ramones getting into a barroom brawl with Ian Mackaye and watching it in fast-forward. It's relentlessly exciting, thrown at your face at breakneck speed. Vocalist Pink Eyes only pauses briefly to let a guitar solo pass through. Then it's a quick gasp for air and another breathless roar-through. Punk as fuck, pretty much. If this sounds like your bag, then run into that pit and scramble for the fucking microphone. Fucked Up will smash up everything in sight and not think twice about it. Herein lies the appeal.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Couple Tracks is out now.

x
David

Friday, February 5, 2010

Song #68: Marina and the Diamonds - "Mowgli's Road"



This track came to my watching very early Saturday morning rage (about 1am, I think), and I can honestly say that I am glad I was sitting down when I heard it. Holy fucking SHIT.

Marina and the Diamonds, aka Marina Diamandis (I think it's Greek), had her video for Mowgli's Road premiere here in Australia on rage. The video itself is fabulous (scroll down), but the music itself is everything I love about pop music in its current shape and form. Mowgli is catchy, outlandish, engaging, gloriously harmonic and just hooky enough to send you insane over how good it is. Marina's voice is sharp yet easily flexible, showing some bizarre accentuation and a strangely thick range. Even when she's making weird noises in the song, like "cuckoo!", it still sounds amazing.

I dunno what else to say. Just fucking listen to it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

Here's the video. Lick that shit up.



xoxoxoxo
David and the Diamonds

Song #67: Jonsi "Go Do"



So, Jonsi from Sigur Ros is working on a solo album. Entitled Go, it should be ready in about April. He's an amazing singer and a very wonderful musician, so naturally I'm excited about it. What's gotten me even more excited, however, is the sneak-peak track that Parlophone have just uploaded onto their YouTube channel.

Never one to shy away from the grandiose, Go Do is sweeping in its big, multi-faceted sound that's complete with thunderous drumming, heavens-high harmonies and atmospheric, ambient keyboards that assist the song in sounding so fucking glorious. Is it any surprise that this work is from the mind that gave us Hoppipolla and Vid Spilum Endalaust?

Apparently, he's singing in English. Even still, you can't understand a single word that he's saying. But hey, that's how it's been for years with Sigur Ros, why let that end now? Go Do is wonderful, and if all goes according to plan, Go will be as well.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Jonsi's currently touring the US, and I really hope he makes it to Australia before the end of the year!

Have a listen to the song here, on YouTube.

x
David

Song #66: David Bowie - "Kooks"

 

A strange inclusion to my list, this track from David Bowie's third album, Hunky Dory, came to my attention via a mixtape made for me thanks to the amazing Last.FM Mixtape Trading group. For the record, that's a wonderful incentive and I strongly recommend those of you with a profile on Last to check it out.

The song itself is pretty cheesy and kitsch, as was with most of Bowie's early stuff - especially the singles. That doesn't stop it from being a fun little pop tune, that was apparently written to Bowie's son, Duncan, and was influenced by the immortal Neil Young. It's simply done, but it's still a really cute number that's very catchy. Also, The Kooks named themselves after this song. Kooky!

FINAL RATING (/10): 7


Bowie's in spaaaaaaaaaaaace.

x
David

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Song #65: Owen Pallett - "Tryst With Mephistopheles"



I'm in love. I just got a great package of CDs from the site I write for, and of these I have particularly fallen in love with Owen Pallett - formerly known as Final Fantasy - and his new record, Heartland.

The album itself is fucking brilliant - twelve breathtaking songs of incredible songwriting. The second last track in particular, Tryst With Mephistopheles, has quickly become my favourite song he has ever written. It's insanely joyous in its arrangement - particularly the chorus melody that just seems to escalate higher and higher. The drums keep things upbeat, the bass is surprisingly warm and the orchestration is pure bliss. It's hard to describe this one - it's a very strange story, lyrically, of love, faith, religion and self-reference (the character in the song is, fittingly enough, named Owen). It takes a few listens for this particular track to be truly appreciated - I feel that the same thing can be said about the entire record. However, much like the rest of Heartland, this track will eventually worm its way into your head until you just can't help but love it. Recommended for fans of Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, Joanna Newsom and other acts that make incredible alternative music without prominent use of guitar.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

Heartland, so far the best album of 2010, is out now!

x
David

Song #64: super FLORENCE jam - "Ghetto Project Fabulous"

 

I got the debut EP from super FLORENCE jam to review alongside Neon Indian's album and Stroke, the compilation CD for Chris Knox. Stroke was excellent, Neon Indian was boring and this...well, this was garbage.

These kids are posturing themselves as the new saviours of Oz rok-n-rol.They fail on several levels, notably their singer sounding like an inbred Andrew Stockdale. The song has no hooks, just irritation repetition. The guitar is lame, the drums are weak, the vocals have a case for justifiable homicide...ahh, fuck this, I don't want to write about this anymore!

FINAL RATING (/10): 1

Fuck this band!

x
David

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Song #63: Smiler feat. Smart - "Clarity"


Man, I haven't listened to British hip-hop in so long. It's amazing to know that the scene is still very much thriving out there. I came across this on a blog called UK All Day, which I'm definitely going to bookmark in order to try and get back into Brit-hop. There's just something so likable and earnest about a lot of the underground stuff - and, in a way, it's understandable when you think how much more they have to prove themselves as opposed to U.S. rappers.

Smiler has a really cool sound to him. He's obviously influenced by some of the more commercial U.S. stuff, but there's enough grit in both his vocals and his delivery to make it a strong number in its own original right. The guest verse, by an MC called Smart, is also worth checking out - it's passionately delivered and quite clever in its flow and lyrics. It's definitely worth checking out for any fan of hip-hop, especially those with an interest with what's happening in the U.K.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Here's the video. See what you think!



x
David

Song #62: Fuck Buttons - "Sweet Love to Mother Earth"


Interestingly enough, I have had this song on my harddrive for quite some time. I got it from the mixtape of some hipster's blog where he put together a compilation of his favourite songs of 2008. This was my first experience listening to the band's music in full - and truth be told, I'm uncertain I could last an entire record.

It's not that "Sweet Love" is a bad song. Not at all. It is, however, an exhausting listening experience - clocking in at nearly ten minutes, the track takes several of those just building up keyboard noise around a single note. The peak of the song's intensity is near the end, with distorted screams and increased noise. It gets really exciting near its end, but it's a difficult pill to swallow. I might try some of their other stuff, but this has left me pretty uneasy about it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 5.5

x
David

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Song #61: Pikelet - "Weakest Link"



Pikelet is awesome. I met this one-woman act in April last year, as she (real name Evelyn) played drums for both Jeffrey Lewis and Darren Hanlon. It was rad! She promised to have some new material out soon, and finally now I get to hear it!

Weakest Link has sweet, high-pitched melodies and squealing keyboards that trail along its clickety-clack drumbeat as if they are taking in their tripped-out, reverb-laden surroundings. The harmonies, especially, are lovely and guide the song in the best direction possible - upwards, twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirllllllllingggg towards freedom! Not a lot else to say, really - if a psychedelic take on indie pop tickles your fancy, give this one a go!

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Weakest Link is up now on MySpace and Pikelet will be touring again throughout the year. Make sure you go and see her!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Song #60: She & Him featuring Tilly and The Wall - "In the Sun"


 Indie squeal! Mrs. Ben Gibbard herself, Zooey Deschanel has teamed up once again with that Monster of Folk, M. Ward, to follow up the She and Him debut, Volume One. It's titled, imaginatively enough, Volume Two.

This is our first taste of what's to come, and not a lot has changed since the first record. It's still kitschy, awkwardly cute and flower-dress happy with its chorus of "It's alright! It's okay!" (which the wonderful Tilly and the Wall provide backing vocals for). It's all very pretty - Deschanel's gorgeous looks aside, the little lady can hold a tune; and Ward's sweet piano line and squeaky-clean electric guitar accentuate the isn't-everything-grand mood of the whole thing. But beyond the song's aesthetic, it couldn't punch its way out of a wet paper bag - it's repetitive, lazy and increasingly more and more dull with each listen. It's not capable of being terrible, but it's the closest Deschanel and Ward have gotten to it in their careers so far. Disappointing.

FINAL RATING (/10): 5

Volume Two is set for release in late March for the U.S. and early April for the U.K.

x
David

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Song #59: OKGO - "Needing/Getting"



Got another interview coming up tomorrow - this time with Tim Norwind, bassist for American rock band OKGO (he's the first one on the left in the picture). I figured, thus, I should probably check out the band's new record. It's called Of the Blue Colour of the Sky - and if you think you have any idea what it's going to sound like, you're wrong.

From dirty funk to vocoder, this is easily the band's weirdest album. I think that's why I like it so much, though - in the five years since Oh No (which features the hit Here It Goes Again), they've really progressed as a band, and in a way they're more OKGO now than ever before.

This particular track, one of the longer ones on the record, is definitely of interest. From the wailing guitar that introduces it to the monstrous, thick bassline that follows it, the band really explore the minor aspects of their sound that were previously untouched or not properly expanded on. It's exciting, funky and really worth checking out - regardless of whether you liked the band previously or not.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The new album is out now and you can see the band when they visit next month.

x
David

Song #58: Keri Hilson - "I Like"



The gorgeous Keri Hilson has been working her way into mainstream conscience ever since her show-stealing chorus in Timbaland's smash hit The Way I Are. Her own hit came in the form of the epic Knock You Down, but she was unfortunately overshadowed by the incredible Kanye West. In A Perfect World, her debut, gives her the opportunity to finally make a name for herself as opposed to herself "featuring".

I Like is the first song that I've heard of Keri's on her own, and it's rather sweet. It's a little run-of-the-mill in terms of production and lyrics - swishing synth and boom-boom-pap-boom beat matched with "going out tonight with a guy I'm into" lyrics. Still, you can tell that Hilson is on her way to standing out above all of that. She's got a versatile voice that reach sexy, breathy lows and chirpy highs that suit their environment almost perfectly. The whole thing is over and done with within three minutes, but it's done enough to interest me in the rest of the album. We'll see how she goes.

FINAL RATING (/10): 6.5

In A Perfect World... is out now.

x
David

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Song #57: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - "Home"



I've officially completely lost touch with what is "cool" on Triple J standards. For the first time ever in my seven years of following the Hottest 100, a song has come in the top 20 that I have never heard a single thing about before in my entire life. Who the fuck is Edward Sharpe? Who are the Magnetic Zeros? Why did this beat In For The Kill, My Girls, Rabbit Heart and Two Weeks? I sat there at my girlfriend's house in total confusion as this song played. Shortly afterward, however, this shock turned to pleasant surprise.

There are twelve dudes in this band, making a lot of joyful noise across this five-minute love ode. It plays out like a mini-Polyphonic Spree taking on a Johnny and June Carter Cash love duet like Jackson or If I Were A Carpenter. Sure, it's a little cheesy, but you'll be damned if you're not grinning like an idiot at the end of this little number. It's fun, catchy and infectiously cute. Look out for my favourite part of the song, which is the spoken word near the end.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

x
David

Song #56: A Place to Bury Strangers - "It Is Nothing"



I write for a site called The AU Review, who have a pretty good relationship with a cool little venue called the Oxford Art Factory on Oxford St. in Sydney. Out of a list of upcoming shows they are promoting, this one in particular took my interest. I have continuously heard the name A Place To Bury Strangers thrown around, but I had no idea what to expect. Nevertheless, I put my name down and I downloaded their latest album, Exploding Head.

It is Nothing is the first track on the record, and it's a fairly good indication of what Strangers are all about. It's quick, trashy, messy and loud as fuck. You'll feel the need to wear earplugs just listening to this fucking record. If Dave Davies from The Kinks ripped a hole in his amp speaker and put a pin in, guitarist Oliver Ackermann may as well have sliced his entire amp in half. This take-no-prisoners affair is soaked in reverb, distortion and pure noise. It will throw you off guard on the first few listens, but it ultimately proves to be one of the best tracks on the entire album.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The band are in Australia next month. Get on it.

x
David

Song #55: Rogue Wave - "Good Morning"




Rogue Wave is one band that I've always been interested in, but never really considered myself a major fan of. With the release of this new single, however, I've definitely been converted - I now plan to get everything I possibly can of this very cool little band.

Good Morning is the first single from the band's forthcoming...umm...fourth...album. It's called Permalight and it's due out in March. The track bodes well for Permalight's future: it's a very danceable, incessantly catchy number. Interestingly for an indie rock band like RW, the main instrumental focus is the synthesizer - the guitar appears distantly, if at all. The low-end choppily blurts in time with the brisk beat, whilst the higher pitches shoot arpeggios throughout the song that give an upbeat, slightly-tiwsted sense of joy. It's a really well-written tune, and one (I'm almost certain) that is going to win them a lot of new fans. Bring on Permalight!

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Have a listen to the track here!

Cheers :D

x
David

Song #54: Dizzee Rascal - "Chillin Wiv Da Man Dem"




Saturday was the Big Day Out time! What a momentous day - it was the one hundredth BDO and even though the lineup was a little disappointing to a lot of people, there was still plenty to enjoy throughout the day. Of particularly good fun was Mr. Dylan Mills - better known as Dizzee Rascal.

It was a set mostly consisting of hits - Dance Wiv Me, Fix Up Look Sharp, Bonkers, etc. This track took my interest, however, as it was one I hadn't previously heard. It's taken from his fourth album, Tongue N' Cheek, of which I have only heard the singles. I'm pretty interested to hear the rest of the record on the back of this one, though. As the title would suggest, the beat is a pure cruise - squealing synthesizer, clicking rhythm and an upbeat, free-spirit vibe. It's one of those beats you'd have to hear to properly "get", but as usual Dizzee kills it up top with a tight flow that never gets aggressive or over-the-top. Classy.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Dizzee leaves the country soon, so make sure you get along to see him!

x
David

Song #53: The Retreat - "The Weather (Cloudin' Over)"



Okay, got a lot of ground to cover over the past six days, so here we go:

I went and saw Dan Mangan for the third and final time on Friday. He's the one I blogged about back at Song #37. This was his last show in the country before flying back to Canada (ehh), and it was such a thrill to see him off. Of note, however, were his support act - The Retreat.

This Sydney band play a low-key, charming style of countrified pop-rock that recalled acts like Bob Evans, Bright Eyes and even a young Ryan Adams. This song in particular was a charmer. Its major chord progressions and sugar-sweet harmonies were simple but incredibly pleasant. It will also make you want to give lead singer Ross a big hug - and the dude works at JB HiFi in Pitt Street, so there's easily a chance to do so. You have been warned.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Follow the doodz on Twitter and the Spaz, etc.

x
David