The Song Century Challenge

Song #100: Broken Bells - "Vaporize"

2010-03-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:45:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-03-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-03-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

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

David

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

2010-03-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

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.

David

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

2010-03-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-03-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-03-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

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

David

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

2010-03-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-03-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

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.

David

Song #82: Faith No More - "Collision"

2010-02-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-02-25T03:33:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-25T02:56:00.000-08:00

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

Song #79: Circa Survive - "Get Out"

2010-02-20T01:47:00.001-08:00

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

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

2010-02-19T17:49:00.000-08:00

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

Song #77: Sade - "Soldier of Love"

2010-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-02-14T00:23:00.000-08:00

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.

David

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

2010-02-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

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

Song #71: Kina Grannis - "Valentine"

2010-02-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-12T21:03:00.000-08:00

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

Song #69: Fucked Up - "Fixed Race"

2010-02-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-02-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-02-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

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!

David

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

2010-02-02T02:51:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-02T01:23:00.000-08:00

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

Song #61: Pikelet - "Weakest Link"

2010-01-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

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!

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

2010-01-29T05:11:00.000-08:00

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

Song #59: OKGO - "Needing/Getting"

2010-01-28T04:18:00.000-08:00

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.

David

Song #58: Keri Hilson - "I Like"

2010-01-28T01:17:00.000-08:00

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.

David

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

2010-01-27T22:34:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-01-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

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.

David

Song #55: Rogue Wave - "Good Morning"

2010-01-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-01-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

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)"

2010-01-27T05:55:00.000-08:00

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.

David

Song #52: Gorillaz feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack - "Stylo"

2010-01-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Fucking YES! First it's announced that Gorillaz are still active. Then we hear news of an album in the works. Now, just days after they're confirmed as Coachella headliners, not only is the record confirmed (Plastic Beach, out in March), but we also get the first taste of the new record in its single!

The track is difficult to describe. It's all minor-key and decidedly downbeat, yet the tempo and Damon Albarn's ever-reliable vocals keep things interesting and sprightly. Mos Def appears, distorted and warped in the background (which really isn't the best way to treat one of the world's best MCs), and Bobby Womack rips up the beat with a truckload of soul intermittently throughout the song. It's a difficult one to wrap your head around - but then again, I can remember having a similar experience with a previous Gorillaz song. It was called Feel Good Inc., which then went on to serve its duty of being fucking awesome. Can only hope the very same for this particular track - we're onto a winner, hopefully!

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Plastic Beach - get excited!

x
David

Song #51: Peasant - "Well Alright"

2010-01-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

Straight back into the Challenge again, and straight back to listening to complete strangers singin' songs I've never heard. Lately the risks have either made me so happy I took it (Social Studies) or made me want to stop the Challenge entirely (The Polyamourous Affair). This is another happy ending, however, so please keep reading!

Peasant is a young twentlysomething bedroom musician from the United States. He has one album out, On The Ground, and this is a two-minute taster from it. Judging purely from this, I think I'd like to eat the whole thing - it's lo-fi, charming and very sweetly written and performed. It's basically piano, some electric guitar and a snare drum that keeps a steady rhythm going - the Elliott Smith meets Brendan Benson vocals simmering lightly atop of it all. I feel like giving him a hug already! A very worthwhile listen.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Here's a download for you (thanks, No Modest Bear!)

David

Song #50: Tiesto featuring Tegan & Sara - "Feel It In My Bones"

2010-01-18T21:50:00.000-08:00

Here we are, people! The half way mark! Very exciting stuff.

Speaking of very exciting, I made it my mission to finally find out what all the fuss was with this guy Tiesto today. He's coming to Australia in a few months and he's sold out some really big venues. So what does he do? Well, he appears to be a DJ/producer type with an exceptionally awesome guestlist on his latest record, Kaleidoscope. Amongst the more awesome collaborators are Kele Okereke, Emily Haines, Jonsi Biriggson and the divine Quin twins - Tegan and Sara.

This is a great sound. As proven on parts of The Con, T & S can work with things like synthesizers and drum machines. This is a lot different to anything they've done previously, however - it's a full-on dance tune with some soaring rave-inducing moments. The good vibrations coming from the song pick up in particular near the end and during the soaring choruses. Practically everything works, I have no idea why this hasn't been a bigger hit.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Tiesto is here in March. Tegan and Sara should be here before the end of the year. Here's the video. Party on, Garth.

x
David

Song #49: Operator Please - "Logic"

2010-01-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

Everyone is always very quick to bash on Operator Please. Most were annoyed with their runaway hit Just a Song About Ping-Pong, and their age (all under 21 at the time) was easy to make fun of (early silverchair, anyone?). I personally like to think that it was just how upbeat and boisterous the band were - both on CD and live - that peeved people. Add in some smart-arse lyrics ("Just out of curiousity/Can you tell me how old I'm supposed to be?"), and you're sure to have a band that can get on people's nerves.

I'll always love them, though - not just because I count Amandah Wilkinson (vocals/guitar) as a mate. They represent freedom, apathy towards negativity, making music for the love of music - they're a fuckload more real than you'd think. With this, I've just sampled their new single from their forthcoming second album, entitled Logic, and I really like it.

If you follow Amandah on Twitter (@operator_please), you'd know how much she loves a bit of Prince. I can definitely hear that love in the slinking bass and funked-out groove that welcomes the listener into the song. It's only fleeting, though - this isn't going to turn into Let's Go Crazy anytime soon. What I enjoy the most about Logic is that it sees the band faced with a pretty serious musical question - "So, what next?" - and taking it on with substantial confidence. There's a lot going on here, but above all it's still distinguishably an Operator Please song: fun, dancey and clever.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Head over to their MySpaz and suss that shit, baby.

x
David Please

P.S: HALFWAY MARK TOMORROW! YIPPEE!

Song #48: DJ Schmolli - "Brick Halo"

2010-01-17T16:49:00.000-08:00

It's time for the second mash-up of my challenge, and I'm really interested in this one. In the blue corner, Beyonce's smash hit Halo. In the red corner (see what I did there?), the gorgeous Hayley Williams with Paramore's Brick by Boring Brick. Two of the most popular women in music today, together at last (what, just me?).

I'll admit, I was pretty skeptical on face value. The potential to be awesome was just sitting there, staring me in the face. Count yourself lucky, Schmolli (if that is your real name), because this is the balls. Knowles' acapella is thrown in the deep end with the pop-rocking Boring Brick's instrumental track (with Williams popping in near the end). A few choppy transitions aside, it's amazing nobody thought of mixing these two before. The move from verse to chorus blends perfectly with B's soaring scales, and some moments just seem perfect for one another. Some great chemistry here.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Here, have a download. (thanks to AudioPorn Central!)

xoxoxo
David

Song #47: Bruce Springsteen - "The Ghost of Tom Joad"

2010-01-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

Australian people will know what I'm talking about - how awesome are 2X and 3X? You know, when you get the two or three CDs in a package for a really cheap price? This happened to me this very week - I picked up a 2X of The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, and two of his albums in Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad for just thirteen dollars! Going alphabetically, I've thrown on Ghost first, to be greeted with its title track.

It's hard to say it's a generic Springsteen acoustic ballad, as I honestly believe that no two Springsteen songs sound the same. It's definitely in familiar working-man territory, however - it's the story of a run-down town, hopless and mostly homeless. Definitely something we've all heard before in terms of the Boss' work, but that doesn't mean it's completely meritless. There's a lot of heart in this one, connecting as realistically as he possibly can with the underclass life. Cut away the cheese and you've actually got something passable here. Definitely no Devils and Dust, but still quite nice.

FINAL RATING: 6.5

The Boss is the man.

x
Davidsteen

Song #46: Emarosa - "The Past Should Stay Dead"

2010-01-17T02:58:00.000-08:00

Normally, I can't rely on my younger brother for very much. But this is the second time he has come to my rescue in terms of showing me some music that I've previously never heard. Much unlike Talk Talk, however, this is much more up his alley of new-wave post-hardcore. I definitely can't get into a lot of it (I'm getting too old for this shit), but let me tell you something for nothing: Emarosa blew me away within a matter of seconds.

I think this was, in no small part, thanks to vocalist Jonny Craig, formerly of Dance Gavin Dance. Regardless of your ever-so-worthy opinion on the genre, this dude has one hell of a voice. There is so much passion and grit in his delivery, particularly when it reaches the higher levels of his range - a cross between the Emery boys and Anthony Green. It's rare to come across such a remarkable voice, so it's worth listening to this track on the back of this alone. Instrumentally, Craig is supported strongly by very intricate drumming and wailing chord progressions with a smartly-arranged lick thrown in every now and then to shake things up. It's an intense, unpredictable and genuinely exciting work that is a rarity in its field these days.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Absolutely wonderful.

The band have a new album on the way in 2010, and will be playing Soundwave this coming February. Get excited.

xxxx

TAINTED SHEEEEEE-David

Song #45: Michael Buble - "Heartache Tonight"

2010-01-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, where I hear my song that I've never heard before previously is just plain weird. 45 was no exception - this came to me over the P.A. of the Myer store in Wollongong, where I was stocking up on my Michael Jackson collection. The horror that it was your mum's favourite crooner covering your dad's favourite band only came to me half way through.

So, this is off Michael Buble's latest album, Crazy Love. Y'know, the one with that horrible Haven't Met You Yet song that keeps coming up on the Winter Olympics ads (it's in Canada! He's Canadian! The similarities are endless!). It's a cover of a track by the Eagles, I believe from the Long Run record. I really like the Eagles for some reason - their harmonies and songwriting have always been dead impressive to me. This track is fun, too - the big chorus and the guitar matched with the horn section always impressed me. Buble doesn't do much with his cover, though. It's safer, with more of a swing to it. Is there any more to it, though? Not a chance. MOR crooner, Buble stylee.

FINAL RATING (/10): 5

Great song, done very boringly.

x
David

Song #44: A Death in the Family - "Erasing the Maps"

2010-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

I wrote up some email Q and As today for the site I write for, FasterLouder. One was for hardcore band Every Time I Die, and the other for these guys - headliners of the very-cool-looking Blood, Sweat and Beers festival, A Death In The Family.

I decided to listen through all of the songs on their MySpace page as I was writing up the ten or so questions I wanted to ask them - including questions about the festival and opening for Rise Against. I've always had at least a passing interest in this band and what they do, but it was in this simple lunchtime task that I came to appreciate them a lot more. This track in particular was a favourite - passionate and very rough around its edges, delivered with plenty of heart with no abandonment of a shout-along hook in order to remain "punk" necessary. ADITF are a very quality band, and I believe it's perhaps Erasing The Maps that will be the first to convince you of this. For fans of acts like The Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Polar Bear Club, etc. - y'know, the good shit.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Don't forget to grab a BSB ticket, too! Head to www.annandalehotel.com.au and suss it out!

x
David

Song #43: The Polyamourous Affair - "New York City"

2010-01-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

Some days in this project, I'm completely uninspired as to where I'm going to find new music. In this instance, however, it literally jumped right out at me - signing into my Blogspot dashboard, I noticed a new post from a blog I follow, Off the Radar. It lead me to a new track and video from a duo called The Polyamourous Affair. Unlike my tripping upon Social Studies, however, discovering this music was far from pleasant.

So the Affair are a husband-and-wife duo that make lifeless electro-pop. The male counterpart is breathy and slightly creepy, and the female simply cannot sing at all. Throw in some shallow, namedropping lyrics ("I walk through Paris in the rain/I sip champagne in Hollywood"), and a dull thud of a beat that comes across as something even The Human League at their cheesiest would throw to the dogs. You're now getting an idea of what this snooze-fest sounds like, and if you're as dissatisfied with how I've described it as I am with how it actually sounds, then we're onto something here.

FINAL RATING (/10): 2

I have no idea if this shit is cool or not, but take note, lovebirds: New York City sucks.

Here's the video if you don't believe me.

x

David

Song #42: Social Studies - "Weathered White"

2010-01-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

Right now, we're getting back into the very essence of why I started this project - this is Spinner's free MP3 of the day. I have no idea who this band is. And I find that really exciting - the prospect of experiencing something I've previously never done is something I'm not taking for granted, especially in light of this blog.

But onto the song itself. Two words: How lovely! I've latched myself onto an irrepressibly cute little band, with a very sweet lead vocalist and some very charming keys. Coming across as a Stateside take on what Camera Obscura do (with hints of Regina Spektor and Mates of State), it's the kind of song that you gradually get to know and appreciate over several in-depth listens. I like the drums in the verses, especially how they sound - the snare sound is quick and tiny, the floor tom sounding cavernous. Maybe it's just because I'm a drummer myself that I pick these kind of things up, but what would I know?

The point is this: Weathered White is a gem. I'm so glad I tripped upon it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Like what I've described? Get it now, why doncha.

xoxoxoxo
David

Song #41: We Have Band - "Oh!"

2010-01-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Went to Sydney on Sunday for the second annual Days Like This! festival. Turned out to be a pretty quality day in spite of a pretty odd venue choice (the main stage was practically a car park). Highlights included Amp Fiddler, Cat Power and once again seeing my friends in Micachu and the Shapes. This lot, however, were easily my surprise of the day. Mica would not stop hyping them up in the lead-up to their set, but when it came down to it she could easily validate it.

Let's focus on this track in particular. The fact I had never heard it before and already knew the chorus within the first thirty seconds speaks volumes about how goddamn catchy this one was. Huge booming rhythms, a slinky bass line and even a nod to roller-disco is what makes this one such a treat. Live, it was even more off the chain - the titular "OH!" was practically screamed by Darren, Tom and Dede as they swayed and shook their respective booties in proper accordance with our own. Pure, unadulterated fun. Fuck yeah.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Their album drops in April and I'm wetting myself in excitement for it. Let's party.

Oh, and here's the video!

x
We Have David

Song #40: Let Me Down Jungleman, Gently - "Cobargo Drama"

2010-01-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

Woo! Another landmark! How exciting. Another hectic weekend, so here's the three songs from the past three days.

First up, a very cool band that I saw for the first time on Saturday, opening for a one-off Epitomes reunion - the name's Let Me Down Jungleman, Gently. They immediately intrigued me on the basis of having two lead vocalists that both played instruments, as well as the fact they weren't playing the kind of music I'm used to seeing at tiny south-coast gigs. There was melody! Song structure! Time signature changes! ...okay, that probably made everything else sound shit, but I'm so used to straightforward hardcore that this was a real surprise.

Not complaining in the slightest, for the record. This track in particular was fantastic - strong vocals, a thick twisting bassline and a compromise between abrasiveness and cohesiveness. Think At the Drive-In if there was more of a focus on Jim Ward's vocals (no, not Sparta, shut up) and you're on your way. It's a track even Frenzal Rhomb/Triple J man Lindsay "The Doctor" McDougall has shown some appreciation for - so perhaps that's a bit of incentive?

FINAL RATING (/10); 8.5

Mostly, the bonus .5 is for the fact their two-track demo has a stroke of real red paint on it. Mad cool.

Check it all out on Triple J Unearthed.

x
David

Song #39: Break Even - "November 18th"

2010-01-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had the privilege of seeing hardcore supergroup Burning Empires live, which was huge for me but strangely enough not for a lot of the other people there. The crowd was surging forward and subsequently going apeshit for a band I'd previously never listened to - Perth's Break Even.

Currently wrapping up their Endless Bummer tour with BE and The Amity Affliction, this quartet couldn't match the intensity of Empires, but they still put on a fairly enjoyable show. This track in particular - the finale of their debut album, The Bright Side, stood out in particular. It's aggressive, but also very open in its emotion - a trait that only the very best hardcore can do. Its recorded version is also significantly less heavy than when it was performed live. Rather than seeing this as a flaw, I perceive it to be an indication of the kind of passion they put into their live show. I'm now definitely keen to listen to a bit more of these guys.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The album is out now.

xxx
David

Song #38: Brendan Maclean - "Beat Me To It"

2010-01-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to count myself not only as a fan of Mr. Brendan Maclean, but also as a friend. He recently sent me his new EP, entitled White Canvas. I'm happy to report on its excellence - the title track is possibly my favourite thing he has ever done. This track in particular, however, has struck a chord with me. And we're talking major, none of that minor-seventh shit.

The song is a tender piano ballad on the topic of loneliness and isolation. That might sound generic as hell, but it's Maclean's personality and his way around slender baritone melodies that accentuate this song's features above everything else. With only hints of jazz-brush drumming to accompany his voice and piano playing, it's considerably stripped-back, and works wonders as a result of it. It is also the sign of a great songwriter when the lyrics come across as exceedingly personal, yet you feel as if it's instantly a cinch to relate yourself to. Brendan is on to something here, I just know it.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

If you're in the Wollongong area, I'll be playing drums and guitar for Mr. Maclean on the 13th at the Oxford Tavern. If you're in Sydney, you can catch Brendan's EP launch at Cronulla's Brass Monkey on the 22nd.

xoxoxoxo
David

Song #37: Dan Mangan - "Robots"

2010-01-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Ever been to Tomerong? Didn't think so. Neither had this guy before Wednesday. His name is Dan Mangan and he's a singer-songwriter from Canada. People thankfully don't think he's slow, ehh. Rather, everyone at the tiny community hall watching this charming twentysomething performing with his fellow-countryman bassist and two of the guys from Australia's own Dead Letter Chorus, thought he was a dead-set charmer.

Mangan is in the country to promote his new record, entitled Nice, Nice, Very Nice, whilst opening for the wonderful Charlie Parr. This track in particular stood out, as it was the last track he performed and he took crowd participation to the mostly-elderly crowd and unexpectedly delivered. The simple lyrics and melody of "Robots need love too/They want to be loved by you" are charming in an anti-folk kind of way, but when put in with a small crowd singing it in perfect harmony, with just the right acoustics, it becomes pretty special for some strange reason.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

Catch Dan and Charlie tonight in Sydney, tomorrow in Katoomba and Cronulla on Tuesday. You won't regret it.

xoxo

David

Song #36: Vampire Weekend - "Horchata"

2010-01-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

APOLOGIES: First up - my apologies for not getting everything up sooner. My internet hasn't been up lately so I'm getting around to posting my last three songs. Thanks for your patience. Yes, you, one of the like two people that actually read this. Now, on with the toonz!

Exciting times lay ahead, kids! 2010 has some very hotly-anticipated new records coming up - and the well-to-do lads of Vampire Weekend are the first out of the gate.We've already heard the wonderful lead single, Cousins, and now it's time for our first taste of the quartet's follow-up album, entitled Contra. The album's been featured on Triple J and had its full-length premiere on MySpace (hahaha! Remember that old chestnut?), so it's officially Vampire season for the first time in ages that isn't involving True Blood.

Vocalist Ezra Koenig is all class in this downbeat Afro-pop experiment, doing his usual nasal channeling of Paul Simon with some cute lyrics about drinking the titular drink, stomping on pavement and someone asking how his day was. This ain't no A-Punk operation; but let's not that stop us from letting this sweet tune grow on us a little.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Contra is out now.

David

Song #35: Nick Jonas and the Administration - "Who I Am"

2010-01-04T05:34:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend and I have a war going on. It's fairly friendly, though. We both pick a movie that we think the other is going to hate and we're going to enjoy. The last time around, she threw Step Up 2: The Streets into the ring. I, conversely, hit right back with The Jonas Brothers Concert Experience. Naturally, I won.

It's now time for my secret-favourite Jonas brother (no longer a secret, but you get it) to release his new solo shit. Yep, it's Nick. He's cute! And he's easily the most talented out of the three - whether that means as much as it should is debatable, but you get it. Anyways, the song is a lot more pop-rock than his JoBros stuff, but still has enough going for it to make the tween bitches swoon. It's got a catchy chorus and more structure, but it still definitely sounds like he's searching for a sound rather than trying to define it. For now, who Nick Jonas is = up in the air.

FINAL RATING (/10): 6

As usual, my girlfriend tried to bring poor little Nick down. It's like stepping on a puppy! Look at him!

I digress. Album's out this month, I think. Will get. Judge me.

x
David Jonas2

Song #34: Asobi Seksu - "In the Sky"

2010-01-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

Before we begin, some self-indulgent, name-dropping wankery: What a weekend!!!! Back from Slopfrenzy, which turned out to be deadset insane - I spent most of today sightseeing in Sydney with fucking Micachu and the Shapes. I can't even begin to describe how weird that shit was, man. But it was so great! I also met the wonderful humans from Ponytail, as well as JD Samson from Le Tigre and her girlfriend...who happens to be Sia friggin Furler. What a weekend.

No rest for the wicked, let's get on with the goddamn listening. Today, we've got a band from the states called Asobi Seksu. I believe their name is something really naughty in Japanese, but I can't remember. It doesn't matter. They made an album a few years' back called Citrus. It had two amazing songs in particular - New Years and Thursday. Haven't heard much from them since, so it's good to know they're still kicking around - they released an album in 2009 entitled Hush, and I'm finally getting around to taking a listen to some of the tracks.

Yuki Chikudate still unquestionably has a wonderful set of pipes about her. The notes she can soar to are done flawlessly and really engage you as a listener - if you're to take anything away from this song, chances are this will be it. The song itself, in comparison, takes a little longer to find its wings. It's a shift into dream-pop territory, with direction towards the capital city made exceptionally clear. Lovely, yes. Interesting? Not nearly as much as previously. Even still, there's a few wonderful sounding parts (particular the synth outro that will trip your speakers out something chronic), and if you were a fan of the band previously then you're almost certain to develop enjoyment of this over time.

FINAL RATING (/10): 6.5

It's no New Years, that's for sure. Try that song for those of you uninitiated with the band. Regardless, we've got a pretty nice little track on our hands here. Big ups this time go to Stereo Jealousy.

x
David

Song #33: Telepathe - "In Your Line"

2010-01-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

Fuck, I'm excited. Two days into the new year and I've already got a gig lined up. This one is being put on by Popfrenzy Records, entitled Slopfrenzy - the headliner being the amazing Micachu with her band The Shapes. I went into a fit when I found out she was touring Australia, so naturally I had to get to the show by any means necessary. I'll also be seeing her at Days Like This! (plug plug plug).

Another act on the bill that I'd never previously listened to is Brooklyn's Telepathe. The two-piece have a spaced-out, synth-infused style that's reminiscent of the first Bat for Lashes and a poppier Bjork. It's not a very original sound - in truth, it gets a little grating, especially with the excessive vocal layering. Let's not discredit this entirely, however. It's cute in its space-cadet kind of way, and its appeal will definitely be picked up by a lot of different kids. No idea how they'll go live, but it should be fun.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

If you're in Sydney, you should really get along to this gig - starts at 5:30 and it's $30 at the door. I'm so excited I could very well puke.

xxxxxxx
David

Song #32: DJ Earworm - "United States of Pop 2009 (Blame It on the Pop)"

2010-01-01T02:58:00.000-08:00

Before we get into it, a very happy new year to anyone and everyone reading the blog and to everyone doing the 100 Days project! More power to each and every one of you, and I sincerely hope you make 2010 your year.

What a way to kick off 2010! The magnificent DJ Earworm has made his return by once again compiling the 25 most popular songs of the year (in this instance, 2009 - his third) into a magnificent mashup.
I'm not even exaggerating - this is an absolutely, unquestionably brilliant composition. How can this be? Easy: U.S.-based mashup king Earworm has tapped into euphoria by simple yet incredibly effective means.

The song's instrumental basis revolves around the catchy chord progression and beat found in Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling (which is, for those of you playing at home, G/C/Em/C), and brought it up one whole step - thus transforming it to A/D/F#m/D. For the non-musical types, this may not mean very much at all. To me, however, it's a small gem of beatmatched brilliance - in turn with the key change, the songs sampled have been tweaked to a new corresponding key (save for Kelly Clarkson's My Life Would Suck Without You and Beyonce's Halo which were already in the key of A to begin with). Everything changes. Kings of Leon's Use Somebody sounds more desperate than ever. A strange sense of world-weariness is added to the lyrics of Jay Sean's Down. Taylor Swift has her confidence boosted through the roof as she powers out lyrics from Love Story and You Belong With Me in notes soaring above their previous incarnations. Instead of sounding depressed about singing "the old me is dead and gone", Justin Timberlake now sounds as if he's been emancipated on T.I.'s Dead and Gone. Good God, even artists I normally cannot stand, such as The Fray (with You Found Me) and Jason Mraz (with I'm Yours), sound wonderful.

Herein lies another element of Blame It on the Pop's genius. No matter what change comes from the pitch-shifted samples, every single one of them is for the better. The songs sampled sound as if they are working towards a collective goal - and the way they tessellate is a wonder in itself. Just listen to the virtual duet between Beyonce and Miley Cyrus with her track The Climb. With the similar lyrics (Knowles sings "The risk that I'm taking", as Cyrus plays call-and-response with "Every chance I'm taking", etc.), the two have a momentary eclipse of pop-ballad beauty.

With 2009 a thing of the past, the pop music puzzle is complete. What Earworm has done is take the pieces apart once more, completing the same reconstructive task yet helping us notice the minute, formerly-ignored details we didn't take notice of when taking in the big picture. It also shows the mood that was set in 2009's United States of Pop, as its prequels did. 2007 was raucous and loudmouthed (Crank That Soulja Boy, Fergalicious, Umbrella). 2008 saw pop mature and engross itself in the grandiose (Viva La Vida, Bleeding Love, Apologize). So what of 2009? It was a year of uncertainty, distress and occasional incoherence. But that never got in the way of a good party. When Earworm posted the track on his page, he had this to say in relation to the composition and its bracketed title:

This year in the charts, so many of the pop songs this year seem to tell the same story: Yeah, we’ve been through a lot, but right now we’re gonna celebrate with music and dance, and it’s gonna be ok. With that spirit in mind, I invite you to…BLAME IT ON THE POP

FINAL RATING (/10): 10

Blame? Maybe later.
Right now, I just want to thank it for the good times. And while we're at it, let's thank Earworm for another stroke of genius - 25 in 1 never seemed like a better deal.

Download the song here.

While you're at it, take a look at the video.

Finally, big ups to Vinyl and Vodka for helping me pick up on this. Muchos appreciated.

Here's to 2010!!

xoxoxo
David

P.S.: This is probably the most I've written about a song in the blog so far, so I apologise if it's a little long-winded, but I can't emphasise enough how great this is.

Song #31: Justin Bieber - "One Time"

2009-12-30T22:12:00.000-08:00

In today's WTF moment: this shit came on MTV at 2 in the morning and left myself and my little brother completely speechless. I mean, the fact MTV was playing music videos was a shocker in itself, but the VIDEO! What the hell! This kid was like twelve, dude. How the fuck do you pull chicks like that at that age - I didn't even get a girlfriend until I was at least sixteen, fuckdammit!

Then it dawned on me - I really wanted to listen to this again. I have no idea why!! Shit, I loved Hanson back in the day, that might have something to do with it. But the bigger shock came when I went to search for the video - apparently 20 million fucks worldwide had the exact same reaction as me! Damn his boyish good looks!

Let's brief - dude is a YouTube sensation, got discovered at 12, is signed to Usher's label and has like four hit singles (this included). And I'm four years older than him. Jesus titty-fucking Christ, if that doesn't make you feel inferior, I don't know what would.

The song itself is a modern-rnb pipsqueak slow jam that's insufferably cute (like how Crush on You by Aaron Carter was) and inescapably catchy. I don't want to listen to anything else, and I feel fucked in the head as a result of this. Not a good sign for my health, but this is all kind of amazing.

FINAL RATING (/10) FROM MY HEAD: 0

FINAL RATING (/10 FROM MY HEART: 100

This is terrible, and I know it's terrible, but it's so fucking good! What am I going to do?

xoxoxo
D

Song #30: Bomb The Music Industry! - "Struggler"

2009-12-30T00:35:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard Bomb The Music Industry!, you've surely heard of them by reputation - the alternative/punk collective who don't do a damn thing by the norm. They've got everything they've ever recorded up on Tumblr, for god's sake. They only play all ages shows for $10 or less. They even let you play with them if you learn a song of their and come to the show with your instrument. If that doesn't intrigue you, I've got nothing...they're all monkeys? No, that won't work.

Anyway, this track was recorded the exact same way the first BtMI! song was recorded - in frontman Jeff Rosenstock's bedroom on a laptop. The lo-fi, indie creation doesn't get in the way of the song itself being a happy-sad anthem, with the hook "I don't want to go outside/Cause it might be a terrible day!" and kitchen-sink instrumentation (cheesy fake drums, ukulele, horns, etc). Songs like this normally don't kick you out of your chair and demand repeated listens at gunpoint. I can assure you, however, that this little fucker did. And I gladly let it do so. And yes, I would do it again.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

Fucking wonderful. Download this and everything else they have, right now.

xoxo

DTMI!

Song #29: Rakim feat. Busta Rhymes, Styles P, Jadakiss and Cocoa Chanelle - "Euphoria"

2009-12-28T22:43:00.000-08:00

...Pretty goddamn impressive list, right?

Legenedary New York MC Rakim has been readying his comeback record ("don't call it a comeback", maybe?), entitled The Seventh Seal, in his time away from 'the game'. The Seventh Seal came out last month, but this particular track has been readily available for free download from his label. It's a very good thing they did, too, otherwise I wouldn't have even known Rakim was even working on new material!

The beat is decidedly dope, a globetrotting strut-swagger with little more to accompany the snare attack but a buzzing bassline and choppy keyboards. Yes, I understand how white I am for using the phrase "dope", but I'm stuck for a better descriptor at this point. The string of guest raps is tied together by Chanelle's airy shoutout to Rak ("Still top 5 rapper, dead or alive"). Ironically, the man of the moment is the weakest link here - as the baton passes from Rak to Busta, the flows get stronger and even more listenable. By the time it lands in the hands of Bus, he runs it over the finish line and into the parking lot. Dude still knows how to nail a quickie rap in amongst a plethora of guests (as the genius of Touch It and its remix a few years back proved to us). That's not to discredit anyone else on the track, though - it's a team effort, and a very likable one at that.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

Despite a few inconsistencies, this works on the whole. And most hip-hop fans are going to freak at this one.

Get at it and download the mp3 now.

xx
Dizzle

Song #28: La Dispute - "Nine"

2009-12-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

When La Dispute visited Australia, playing shows all around the country with To The North from Brisbane, they inspired, invigorated and exhausted a lot of people. The entire thing was a glorious display of a band halfway across the world showing absolutely no signs of pretension or grandeur and getting in the face of about one hundred fans who adored them. I saw the band twice in two days - once at a rehearsal studio in North Wollongong and once in an abandoned house in Huskisson. Needless to say, I was in awe of how much energy the band put into the music and how much the audience was giving back to them. It made their tumultuous journey "down under" seem so worth it. It's an experience I doubt I'll ever forget.

Having worn out my album, EPs and bootlegs from that very tour, the band have just offered up some new material, as well as some harder-to-find older stuff.

Here, Hear. Volume 3 is a continuation of the band's experiment where each member records a track individually and often has music set to spoken word or a reading. The songs have no titles, only numbers. In this instance, I'm uncertain of the member (possibly vocalist Jordan?) or the text from which is being read. What I can tell you, however, is that we have a very fruitful experiment here. The keyboards are icy cold in tone, its company only a shaky percussive thud and sparse, toneless electric guitar. Your time with the track is only brief, but that's more than enough time to engross you in this bizarre world the song creates. It's not only a shock to the senses, but also a real treat for fans who are interested in another side of the band's musicality.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

For those of you interested in checking it all out, the band are offering up a tonne of stuff for download.The purchase format is pay what you want - there's no minimum purchase price, so you can have the songs for free if you so desire. If you're paying, however, all proceeds go to the Well House Community Living of Grand Rapids (where the band is from), which is described as a non-profit outreach program in Grand Rapids that provides emergency shelter and permanent housing for displaced and homeless families.

The link is here. Thanks for your time!

x

David

Song #27: Hunx and His Punx - "Hey Rocky"

2009-12-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

Come on! With a band name like THAT, was I really going to pass listening to this up?

I came across the band on a random blog, where the lady blogger in question spoke of an encounter with the band's lead singer. For those of you playing at home, he looks like this.

Mmm-MMM!

Onto the track itself - which is, insanely enough, fucking brilliant. A lo-fi take on Ramones-meets-The Cramps powerpop/bubblegum punk, the track is a homoerotic two-minute sugar rush. The chorus is infectious, in addition to the twangy chord progression and frontman Seth Bogart's buzzing melodies. Yes, the entire thing is paper thin. But it's colourful! And punching through it feels fucking awesome.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Close to trash-po perfection. Ugly songs about gay sex have never felt so fucking righteous. God-DAMN I'm loving this challenge - there's so much wonder out there for me!

xxxx
Dunx and His Blungx

Song #26: Vic Chesnutt - "Flirted With You All My Life"

2009-12-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

The death of Vic Chesnutt was recently reported, at only the age of 45. I have been reading through a mourning blogosphere, detailing how beautiful and emotional this man's music was, is and forever shall be. Don't I feel like a fool for never before experiencing it.

Better late than never. Flirted With You - from his 2009 album, At the Cut - not only shows where vocalists like Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear and The Decemberists' Colin Meloy got their influences from, but is also a display into a brilliant songwriter. The finger-picking is quaint and well-arranged, the hi-hats sustain an open-road rhythm and the electric guitar paired with the organ is just a gorgeous touch. It's the lyrics here, in particular, that now seem the most eerie. "O death, really, I'm not ready", he howls in the song's sweeping chorus. It's conveyed in a tone that's fearful and uncertain, but now feels more timely and frightening than ever.

FINAL RATING (/10): 10

And, no - it's not because Chesnutt has just died. This is perfect, fragile and irrefutably beautiful music that has sent me into an emotional wreck. I'm off to spend the rest of my Boxing Day in search of all this man's work.

David

Song #25: Polar Bear Club - "Parked in the Parking Lot of Your Heart"

2009-12-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

Yes yes yes, Merry Fucking Christmas and all that. I sincerely hope you have a lovely day with your families, no matter what you celebrate. Much love and peace.

Let's get on with the challenge, though, shall we? We did a Christmas track yesterday, so let's continue on with a new track I've never listened to before.

Today's targets are a band I've been hearing a lot about recently and are coming to Australia next month. It's a meld of post-punk and post-hardcore, with vocals thrashing away with that throaty semi-scream in the spirit of The Gaslight Anthem, Against Me! or even Dropkick Murphys. The drums are loud and crashing, the guitar work a prickly, zig-zagging affair and the amalgamation of the entire sound is an excercise in passion, energy and consistently interesting music.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

I get the feeling I'm going to like my time with this band a lot.
Here's their Australian tour dates:

Thur Jan 21- Rosies, Brisbane
Fri Jan 22- Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle 18+
Sat Jan 23- Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Sun Jan 24- Annandale Hotel, Sydney AA
Wed Jan 27-- Rosemount, Perth
Thu Jan 28 YMCA HQ, Perth AA
Fri Jan 29- Enigma Bar, Adelaide
Sat Jan 30- East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
Sun Jan 31- Castle, Melbourne AA

xxx
David

Song #24: Paul and the Patients - "The Scariest Bar in My Town"

2009-12-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, let's do this one quickly. Here's a little off-kilter Christmas tune for you from a British band I'm not too familiar with (via The Music Slut). I'm going to ignore the fact the singer reminds me a little of Johnny Borrell and enjoy this tongue-in-cheek tune. "I'm spending Christmas at the scariest bar in my town!", he moans as sleigh bells rattle away underneath some subdued electric guitar work. "Another year, another round".

Oh yes, it's depressing. But the sound! It's just so damn appealing! And who doesn't enjoy a twist in the tale of their Christmas tune?

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Wishing you all a v. merry fucking Christmas.

xhoxhoxho

Daviclaus

Song #23: Talk Talk - "Such a Shame"

2009-12-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

My little brother to the fucking rescue! Just when I thought that I couldn't find a song that I'd never listened to, he intervened with a bizarre premise. He'd just downloaded a four-disc compilation of eighties hits (spawned by his obsession with A-Ha's Take On Me) entitled Electric Dreams (yes, as in "Together In"). It was our mission to then pick the first song from the compilation that I'd not yet heard. Surprisingly, we managed to venture all the way to Disc 1, Track 2...

Prior to this,my experience with Talk Talk was limited to No Doubt's cover of their single It's My Life (from the album of the same name). Apparently their early work was very pioneering for the synthpop genre, with their later material serving as influence for early post-rock. Bizarre. Whatever the case, it's not difficult to see why this track was a hit back in 1984 - this has "eighties pop" written all over it. The synths buzz and weave their way across, above, below and beyond, establishing a completely engaging environment for the pounding rhythms and the powerful vocals. If you're into the sound established in the vein of Depeche Mode and the Pet Shop Boys, there's plenty to like here. Guilty pleasure? As charged.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

I really did not expect to like this as much as I do, but holy mother of HELL if the rest of their stuff is as awesome, then I'm so there.

I'm now off to listen to Africa by Toto, which is also on the compilation. Apparently, my dear sweet girlfriend has never heard it. Oh the awesome to be experienced...so little time...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Daverddd

Song #22: Akon - "Cry Out of Joy"

2009-12-22T00:03:00.000-08:00

My relationship with Senegalse ringtone king Akon can be described as shaky at best. I've enjoyed one or two of his guest spots (his turn on T-Pain's It Ain't Me is a personal favourite), but the bulk of his songs under his own name make me feel like breaking necks (remember Lonely and Smack That?). Interestingly, it was his duet with the late Michael Jackson, entitled Hold My Hand that lead me to believe that perhaps Mr. Lonely had his finger a little closer to the pulse (and away from fifteen-year-old girls) than I had once thought.

So where does that leave Akon's tribute track to his late friend MJ? Well, let's look at this way - the premise and the sentiment are practically omnipresent. It's nice, and it obviously means a lot to Akon. But there's still a fuckload wrong here - the hideous AutoTuning, the syrupy piano intro and some terrible subtlety-free lyrics ("I want to thank you/For showing me the Man in the Mirror", "What a wonderful dad you were to all your kids"). Yes, Akon, we were all affected by MJ's passing. It was one of the year's biggest tragedies. But if you think this makes up for fucking Sexy Bitch then you've another thing coming.

FINAL RATING (/10): 3.5

R.I.P. Michael. Hope your career joins him soon, Akon.

xx
David

Song #21: Miami Horror - "Sometimes"

2009-12-21T18:05:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing the name Miami Horror a lot lately. Good PR? Whatever it was, the most I'd heard of them previously was walking past a tent at Splendour in the Grass earlier this year and someone on stage thanking the crowd - "Thanks, we're Miami Horror". The psuedo-cool name intrigued me, but more important things were at hand - trust me, once you've had a Byron Bay organic donut, you will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

I finally got around to hearing this artist late night on Channel [V], with a bizarre video to accompany it. This is synth/electropop straight out of the Van She/Cut Copy 80s-worshipping mold. Actually, this does remind me a fair bit of early Van She - I found their first EP to be patchy and pretty annoying, but I could see the potential to make something great (which they did with their formidable V album). In the same respect, the song's overt cheesiness is hard to grate away, in addition to how uninspired the bulk of it sounds. There's salvation to be found, however, in the form of the chorus and the Depeche Mode-esque guitar sounding off in the distance of the track. The kids are going to eat this up, but I'm still convinced there's got to be something better in the works.

FINAL RATING (/10): 6

Miami Horror are playing the Big Day Out and also opening for Lily Allen at her sideshows.
Here's the vid for the song, if you were interested:

xx
David

Song #20: Hot Chip - "One Life Stand"

2009-12-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

The British laptop rockers were unepxcted heroes of 2009's Big Day Out, playing just before The Prodigy in the boiler room and causing a massive stir whilst doing so. Nearly a year after these apperances, and fresh from the solo album from frontman Alexis Taylor, material has begun to surface from the band's forthcoming forth (see what I did there?) album, One Life Stand.

On offer for listening today is the title track. After a bit of a build-up, Taylor's vocals kick in...we're in familiar territory momentarily before being catapulted into space. With an army of synths, tripped out backing vocals and even those steel drums you always hear in Jamaican music that change the sound depending on where you hit them. And then, the glorious chorus makes its way in, and any bizarre behaviour is instantly forgiven. Momentarily, at least.

There are some redeeming qualities, but a lot more surrounding the track is in the realm of puzzling. The question that lingers is just where the band can possibly go with this sound. If this turns out to be a grower, then it looks like we'll have to quote the classic disco hit - "the only way is up". For now, though, I'm still not entirely sure.

FINAL RATING (/10): 6

One Life Stand is available now on iTunes, with the album arriving in early February. You can stream the song from YouTube below, and see what you think:

xx
David

Song #19: Girls - "Lust for Life"

2009-12-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

On paper, there doesn't appear to be a great deal that's inspiringly original about this band. They're called fucking Girls, for God's sake; and it doesn't help that their album is called Album and that their lead single takes its name from a popular Iggy Pop tune (Lust for Life).

What does help them, however, is the fact they've got a damn catchy little pop tune on their hands. Lust for Life jangles along with an eccentric lyrical wishlist, handclaps and a dancy little rhythm. It might not be ground-breaking by any means, but you'll be damned if you can't get the melody out of your head.

What I can't understand is how this got such great critical response - the site I write for, The AU Review, listed it as their second best song of the year behind My Girls (fittingly enough). It's a nice tune, but, as emphasised, definitely not best of the year.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong.
Watch for yourself.

Song #18: Mayer Hawthorne - "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"

2009-12-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

So I'm on the street team for the Days Like This! festival, which is a festival happening in Sydney in early January. There's a really awesome line-up including The Cat Empire, Roots Manuva, Method Man & Red Man, The Black Seeds, Cat Power, Micachu, Cassette Kids...and this guy, Mayer Hawthorne. Buy your tickets right now from here, and visit the website!

Now, onto the matter of this young man.

Firstly, let's get this out of the way. Hawthorne has to have one of the most deceptive voices going around. The way his stylish croon oozes slick harmony and effortless falsetto woudl give you the idea of an original Motown king, as opposed to a bespectacled white 21st century boy. Still, let's move away from imagery for just a second - this is fucking beautiful.

The harmonies sooth over the lightly-toned electric guitar and the crackling drum loop, creating a tune that's punchy, soulful and the kind of pop masterwork that is critically overlooked these days. The fact that this song could have been a hit in the sixties and seventies as well as one now shows transcendence as opposed to deriving - it's an undying, evergreen sound. This kind of music only comes around once in a blue moon, so this tiny pop gem needs to be cherished.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

Mayer tours Australia next month, and his record A Strange Arrangement is out now. Also, check out the fucking seven inch you can get of this track:

God bless America.

xxxxxxx
David

Song #17: Hathbanger - "Party in the B.I.G."

2009-12-16T23:50:00.000-08:00

Now, I love me some mash-ups, but I never for the life of me expected anything like this. Right here we've got the beat of one of the year's biggest guilty pleasures, Miley Cyrus' Party in the U.S.A., matched up with the timeless rap verses of The Notorious B.I.G., in this instance from his hit Party and Bullshit.

Sounds insane, right? Wait till you hear it matched up. The funky guitar in U.S.A. works rather well as Biggie discusses his idea of a fun time - which, to no-one's surprise, is just a little different to that of Miley's. The assemblance of verses, which is done by DJ Hathbanger (the alias of pro skater Andrew Hathaway), is admittedly a little choppy, as is the transition from verse beat to chorus beat. When this track is on, though, it's fucking ON. If only Biggie were alive to suss it out.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7.5

If you're a mash-up nerd, you may as well take a listen. It's pure fun. If this sounds like your kind of thing, why not download it and see what you think?

xx
David

Song #16: Lil Wayne featuring Eminem - "Drop the World"

2009-12-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

It's finally happened. Two giants of mainstream hip-hop have towered over their first full-on collaboration, and it's one of the most interesting tracks either have put their name to this year.

2009 has been pretty drastic for Weezy. He's pleaded guilty to gun charges, released a handful of singles, turned in a hit collaboration on Chris "Beat Your Woman Down" Brown's I Can Transform Ya and announced the imminent release of his "rock" album, Rebirth.

At this stage, this is the closest we've got to the album itself, save for Prom Queen back in January. The album has been delayed from mid-year, to late-year, all the way through to February 2010. Everyone is still expecting a car crash, but perhaps Drop the World will work towards changing minds?

Drop is strange in the fact it starts off with an off-kilter, dripping beat, before building up to a splashy rock-funk beat where Weezy threatens to pick up the world and "drop it on yo fucken head". The transitions continue between one and the other, like moving from the closet into Narnia. Em eventually slithers in with one of his multi-layered singing tricks before not so much scoring a touchdown over the beat as winning the fucking Superbowl. Weezy F. Baby fans have nothing to be worried about, as he holds his own here; but Eminem continues to perplex as to why he saves his best verses for other people.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Honestly, this is worth it for Em alone, but everything else works considerably well here. Fans of either are set.

Download the track here. (big ups to Nah Right for the link)

xx

Deezy

Song #15: Darkstar - "Aidy's Girl's a Computer"

2009-12-15T00:29:00.000-08:00

In today's effort to check out some music I'd never listened to before, I sussed out the first half of Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2009. In typical Pitchfork style, I'd heard maybe one out of every ten songs listed. What a great opportunity, I thought! So I decided then and there to start at the very beginning (which, if I remember my Julie Andrews, is a very good place to start).

Track #100 on their list was a very upbeat dubstep number entitled Aidy's Girl's a Computer (yeah, I thought it was a touch creepy, too); by a producer known as Darkstar, one of the recent signings to the very popular Hyperdub label in the UK. The song itself is glitchy and somewhat of a Crystal Castles-meets-Burial pastiche. Its next-level experimentation and surprisingly addictive melody - which features 8-bit and xylophone, together at last! - will at first polarise and confuse you as a listener. You can take either of two routes from here - try and forget Aidy's Girl never happened, or throw yourself into another overwhelming listen. Hopefully, you'll make the right choice.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Maybe if I'd gotten to it a little earlier in the year, it might have made my top 100? Who knows.

Enjoy the track through the joys of YouTube below:

The rest of Pitchfork's end-of-year lists are out over the course of this working week, for those of you playing at home. Will be interesting to see what takes out the top spots!

xx
David

Song #14: Massive Attack featuring Hope Sandoval - "Paradise Circus"

2009-12-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

Having just blogged about 30 Seconds to Mars' comeback, we may as well discuss another return to the fold - Britain's fearless leaders of trip-hop, Massive Attack.

It's been nearly seven years since their last record, the coldly received 100th Window. After time in hibernation, the duo have re-emerged with talk of a new record, Heligoland, and a fucking cool guestlist scrawled onto a page next to it.

Amongst the guests are TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Elbow's Guy Garvey, Damon Albarn and, on here, Mazzy Star singer Hope Sandoval. By the way, Hope hasn't lost an inch of quality - she really is fantastic here. The beat is slow and sensual, like something Beth Gibbons forgot to put on Dummy, complete with syncopated handclaps, echoing glockenspiel and a walking bassline that smooths over the ambience. This all but leaves Sandoval to play seductress in a dirty-sex playground (fitting as hell, given the video), breathily working her way across the beat itself by a crawl. It's slow-paced, but it's one of the most engaging tracks the band have put their name to this side of Mezzanine.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8.5

If the rest of the album continues like this, we're going to have something pretty awesome on our hands. I LOVE new music!

xxx
David

Song #13: 30 Seconds to Mars featuring Kanye West - "Hurricane"

2009-12-13T15:44:00.000-08:00

No, seriously! This happened!

It's been four years since 30 Seconds to Mars released A Beautiful Lie, their second album, which went gangbusters somewhat anachronistically circa 2007. After label dramas, gratuitous touring and frontman Jared Leto playing the role of Mark David Chapman in Chapter 27 (in addition to gaining a few pounds for it), the band have finally pulled the veil off This is War.

Shiny, ain't it?

This track in particular intrigued me the most. I mean, what role would Kanye play here? How would the band react to his presence? Interestingly enough, the band have created a guitar-less, piano-centric affair with a stirring chorus and Kanye doing his 808s and Heartbreak AutoTune dealio. It all comes together as far more of a cohesive unit than you'd initially expect. The icy, synthesized strings swell beneath Leto's king-of-the-world vocal melodrama, the beat is a successful exercise in robotic precision and Kanye's solo verse, whilst a little out of place, still holds its own. The track will take a little getting used to if you're only a fan of one or the other, but if you're like me and find merit in both, then you're on easy street.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

This is War is out now. Kanye was happy for them and let them finish.

xx
David

Song #12: From First to Last - "Going Lohan"

2009-12-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

It's hilarious to think how much I hated this band before the departure of former frontman Sonny Moore. Words can't really begin to describe how much he shat me up the wall. The band's first release without him, 2008's From First to Last, wasn't brilliant by any stretch but it's still miles ahead of anything the band did with Moore. The vocals were taken over by one Matt Good, who is in possession of a far stronger and far more interesting voice.

It's now time for them to follow up, and their album Throne to the Wolves is set for a 2010 release. As a taste-test, they've release the track Going Lohan to their MySpace profile. It immediately seems like the teething problems that were present on From First to Last are, at the very least, being worked out. The transitions and progressions are smoother, the mix is far less vocal-centric and the vocals themselves have a sting in the tail - especially when the surprisingly good screams take over. Who'd have know, too, that this lot can shred like old-school metal heroes? The song might be just shy of three minutes, but it still holds plenty of substance, in addition to hope for the band's future.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Modern post-hardcore usually isn't my bag; but the sixteen year old in me still gets a substantial boner (he loved Hawthorne, Saosin, etc). This is great, and I really hope they can keep it up for a whole album.

xx
David

Song #11: The Phenomenal Handclap Band - "All of the Above"

2009-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

I think the 100 Days thing has really gotten me onto trying new things and being a little more daring with my time. As an example, today I'm going to be interviewing a guy from a band I don't really know that well. His name is Daniel Collás, who is one half of the creative force behind The Phenomenal Handclap Band, fresh outta New York City. If the name is not familiar, perhaps the chorus "5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40..." is? Yep, THAT song. Fun fact: a girl I went to school with is in the Bonds Underwear ad that features 15 to 20 as its background music.

So what else do they have to offer? Surprisingly, a lot more than you'd think. This track in particular is a bizarre funk pastiche, with a McCartney-esque falsetto, spacetrip organ, whirring electric guitar and fucking BONGOS. If that doesn't make a song win, what does? Maybe a friggin' harmonica solo? Yes, Phenomenal Handclap Band, that WILL do nicely. This is a five and a half minute orbit through space and time, and you don't normally get to say stuff like that for music from 2009 (usually, it's 1976!).

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

This is great. I'm glad I took the risk to say I'd interview them, this is going to be really interesting.

If you're interested in catching them live, they'll be here for Pyramid Rock in a couple of weeks, in addition to doing some shows with Chairlift in Sydney and Melbourne. Get amongst it.

XX
David

Song #10: Burning Empires - "Accomplice"

2009-12-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

Booya! We're onto a fucking milestone, people - TEN days into the 100 Days project. That's one tenth of the process to becoming a better person already gone! Amazing! A big shout out to everyone else doing this, so much love for all of you! Keep in touch.

So here we go with number ten - it's the newest supergroup of 2009, but for the 'core kids - meet Burning Empires. You brocore moshers needn't worry about Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy on the drums -Pete Wentz is nowhere to be seen! Members of Misery Signals and 7 Plagues 7 Deaths take his place.

What can I say? This is more than exciting. This is amongst the best hardcore I have heard all year.

Accomplice is heartfelt, aggressive and a very engaging display of what the powers combined of Mis Sig and FOB are capable of. Through several movements and progressions, an attack of thundering drum fills, charging guitar and impassioned lyrics will hit home to the point of being completely overwhelming. Hardcore usually isn't my genre to go batshit over, but I can't stress enough how great this is. It's the kind of track that not only invigorates but restores faith.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

Am I overreacting? Maybe. But put it this way - I was in a lazy slump before listening to this, and now I'm more pumped about this project than ever. Feels fucking GOOD, man.

Experience this now. Over here (love you Spin).

XXX
David

Song #9: Shout Out Louds - "Walls"

2009-12-09T04:28:00.000-08:00

No kidding! They're back!

I've been wondering what happened to the Shout Out Louds for a long time. It feels like forever since I was infatuated with their jangly, slightly-twee brand of indie pop-rock with tracks like The Comeback, Tonight I Have To Leave It and Very Loud (my favourite). It's been at least a few years since I've heard anything in relation to them (apart from chatting to one of my editors about the time he met them), so it's very relieving to know they didn't die a tragic death like...welll....Dogs Die in Hot Cars?

Walls, which is a taster from their upcoming third album Work, is an interesting beast. The environment in which it finds itself is spacious and lush, yet it's reluctant to explore. The first minute or so is nice enough, but everything feels a little unremarkable leading up to the chorus, and even more so after it's gone - it's a bloody good one. Vocalist Adam Olenius is still doing his best impression of a young Robert Smith, albeit changing up his breathier tone for something a little more scrawny and strangely sounding more Swedish than before (this shouldn't be weird, considering he IS Swedish, but it's actually kind of disconcerting). The piano that tinkers away melodically underneath is lovely, too, but you can't shake the feeling that something's missing when listening to this song.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Let's remain optimistic about Work, which is set for release in Februrary 2010. Anything could happen, and this isn't a bad track by any stretch. Still, after a couple of listens, you'll probably find yourself skipping ahead to the chorus part, disregarding the rest.

If you'd like to have a listen, why not download it for free (courtest of Spinner.com)?

XX
David

Song #8: Smashing Pumpkins - "A Song for A Son"

2009-12-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Wait, sorry. Let's try that again.

That's better.

Jesus Christ. Here we go - Billy Corgan is at work with a James-less, D'arcy-less and even fucking Jimmy-less lineup of the Smashing Pumpkins. It gets worse - this lineup is working on a FORTY-FOUR (read: FORTY-FOUR) track album (which will also be split into four 11-track EPs) entitled Teargarden by Kaliedyscope.

Umm...what?

Let's get this out of the way first, Billy. STILL writing and recording under the name of the Pumpkins is fucked. You might think it was all about you, but that classic lineup was something special. It's not fair on anyone, especially you.

Now, let's move onto the song itself.

After the first listen, you're going to feel as if this was a practical joke. What the hell is this? Essentially, we've got ourselves a Stairway wannabe with a wankish guitar solo, gratuitous layering and terrible lyrics (Corgan spends most of the time talking about who the song is for rather than what the song is actually about). His vocals are also hollow and highly nasal, drawling away in the corner of the mix. I have no idea where the band think they're going with this, but so far it's not looking good at all.

FINAL RATING (/10): 3

The Smashing Pumpkins are dead. Or, at the very least, they're on their deathbed. Pay your respects and go listen to Mellon Collie.

Song #7: Joe Brown - "Long Gone"

2009-12-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

So there I was, watching late night television with my girlfriend, worrying about how I hadn't yet heard a song that I'd never heard before that day. Thankfully, we were tuned into Later... With Jools Holland, who always has an array of brilliant guests on his show. Tonight was no exception, with Mr. Joe Brown taking to the stage (or, at least, the corner of it) with about four other guys to perform a song called Long Gone.

I'm going to be perfectly honest - maybe it was half-past-midnight talking, but this song hit me as a stroke of brilliance. It's bluegrass music in its truest form, played with precise skill and stunning five-part harmonies. The song's a simple my-woman-done-me-wrong number, but it's all done so effectively that you're just in awe of the skill all five of these musicians have.

Interestingly enough, I'd never heard of Joe Brown before this performance, either. Apparently, the guy's an MBE, was the best man at George Harrison's wedding and has worked in music, film and radio. All over a 51-year career! Fuck me, I've got some work to do.

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

This was a real treat to listen to. If you'd like to experience it the way I did, have a look-see on YouTube.

XX
David

Song #6: H.I.M. - "Heartkiller"

2009-12-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

Ohh, His Infernal Majesty. You used to be so tough and edgy and cool and all the goth kids would praise your every move. The tunes were rockin' and we'd all sing along about heartache, vampires, death, destruction, whatever was on your faux-Robert-Smith mind. So what happened?

Fucksticks like Bam Margera happened.

Ever since he got the Heartagram tattoo, Jackass followers got caught in the craze and for awhile there, it was really cool to like the band - hell, in year nine you weren't cool if you didn't listen to them. This sent Ville Valo and company into a tailspin, resulting in albums that were either patchy (Dark Light) or just plain average (Venus Doom). After a couple of years out of the limelight, it's now time for the band's imminent return. Have they learned anything in their time away? Sadly, no.

Firstly, Heartkiller? What kind of a fucking name is that?

Beyond that, as well as the laughable Nintendo fight-scene intro, this really is H.I.M. on autopilot. Stadium rock drums, pseudo-epic chorus and wannabe "prince of darkness" lyrics are all chewed up and subsequently spat out as the flavour quickly dies. Ultimately, the only noticable change is that Finland-born Valo sounds a LOT more American these days. And really, when that's the only major thing one can notice, you KNOW something's up.

FINAL RATING (/10): 4.5

This is pretty much fans-only. And considering there can hardly be as many fans as there were back in the day, this is pretty much gonna be a niche market track.

The new album's out in February, and they play Soundwave around the same time. Doubt I'll be seeing them, though.

David

Song #5: Boy and Bear - "Mexican Mavis"

2009-12-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

Coming up right now for your ears is a DOUBLE EPISODE of TSCC! That's right, boys and girls, I was nowhere near a computer yesterday - for I was at Homebake!

For those of you not in Australia, Homebake is an Australasian-only music festival which features both some of the biggest bands the countries of Australia and New Zealand have to offer, but also some of the best (never associate one with the other, for often it's not really true). At the tiny Hopetoun stage early on in the day, I caught a bit of Boy and Bear, who were the winners of the Triple J Unearthed competition to play the festival. They were obviously very excited to be there, and they were pretty quick to win over the crowd with their clean-cut good looks, upbeat countrified rhythms and absolutely spot on harmonies that threatened to shatter the P.A. with their perfect pitch.

One track in particular that stood out was Mexican Mavis. It's obvious why the band chose this as their single - all the positive traits one can associate with the band on a purely musical basis is placed into a tightly-strung package that's accesible without lapsing too much into an overtly mainstream sound. The harmonies will recall Fleet Foxes, the quaint finger-picking acoustic guitar recalls Nick Drake, the musicianship wouldn't be out of place on a Noah and the Whale album...okay, so maybe they're yet to find a sound that's distinctively "theirs". But there's so much potential here, and it's difficult to ignore this level of sing-along joy to be had.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Did they deserve to play Homebake? Absolutely. But they've still got a bit of work to do beyond their amazing knack for harmonies.

If you like what you hear, head over to their Unearthed page and download the track for free. Feel free to add them on MySpace, as well - that is, if you're still a part of that social networking ghost town.

XX
David

THREE followers

2009-12-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

Phwoarrrr, get out of town!

Song #4: Billy Vincent - "Roses"

2009-12-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

So this blog has seeming taken off already - and on an international basis, bizarrely enough. On Thursday afternoon, I received an email from a guy called Joe - who happens to play in a band called Billy Vincent.

As much as we'd like to kid ourselves otherwise, I doubt you'll have heard of us. We hope that will soon change though, and in an effort to help things on their way, we'll use many an excuse to point people in our direction. Hence me, here & now, suggesting you take one of our tracks as part of the project.

Proposition accepted; which lead me to the track Roses on MySpace.

The song has a sea-shanty sway with obvious folk and country influences, making for an interesting listen. The song waxes lyrical on melancholy and lonesome questioning such as "Where do you run to escape from your mind?", all the while keeping up a strangely upbeat catchiness. It's not overtly original sounding - Badly Drawn Boy, The Veils and even The View all come to mind. Even still, for fans of the alt-country movement, there's plenty to like about Roses.

FINAL RATING (/10):7.5

If you like what you hear, the band have put their debut album Stay On Course, No Remorse up on their website for freeeeeeeee! I know there's nothing you like more than free shit, so here you go. Take it. Go on! What have you got to lose?

XX
David

Song #3: The Antlers - "Bear"

2009-12-03T12:47:00.000-08:00

When I told my friend Adam - currently in the other room making eggs - that I'd only heard of The Antlers, and had never actually listened to them, he pretty much flipped."ANTLERS! ANTLERS! ANTLERS!", he cried, rushing in to play me a track from their album Hospice.

That track was Bear. The album has been critically acclaimed throughout the year, and with my first introduction to them, it's not difficult to see why. In a vein similar to Neutral Milk Hotel, this is indie rock with a bleak, world-weary outlook and a mixed sense of joy, nostalgia, sorrow and letting go. It's wonderfully executed - the vocals are pensive and quietly powerful, the upbeat rhythm a bizarre contrast, and the lyrics paint a tragic picture:

But we'll make only quick decisions
And you'll just keep my in the waiting room.
And all the while I'll know we're fucked
And not getting unfucked soon
When we get home we're bigger strangers than we've ever been before
You sit in front of snowy television, suitcase on the floor

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

Just when I thought that the album of the year race had already been decided, Hospise rears its head. Or antlers; whatever you prefer. Still, this is very much worth a listen. It's bittersweet, heartbreaking and solemn - the exact kind of traits music like this needs. Matter of fact, 'round these parts it's a compliment.

XX
David

I have one follower.

2009-12-02T22:54:00.000-08:00

Whomever you are; hello!

Song number four comes tomorrow - how exciting!

xx
David