1.Lambchop - Damaged
This is a stately, considered album that merely presents itself to you. You have to come to it. Otherwise it just kind of floats there, pretty enough but not really engaging. But once you dig into the skin, or let it get it's teeth in, it's a finely observed masterwork. It's full of character studies that the band fully inhabit. It's got moments of absolute splendour (the horn breakdown in "Beers Before the Barbican") amongst sections that evoke abject fear without declaring specifics (unsurprisingly, the song "Fear"). Kurt Wagner's thick delivery struggles against the backing music, but it's an effective and emotive instrument despite its small range and unclear diction.
The album also ends on an awesomely cantankerous rant against the indie-rock coolocracy. It doesn't fit the rest of the album, but it is nice to revel in a good tirade once in a while.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
2.Y’s - Joanna Newsom
I don't think I've ever heard such an ambitious album come off so effortlessly. The songs are wonders in themselves, but the way the accompaniment sweeps and shudders underneath, full of filigrees and curlicues, is audacious and bloody amazing really. Nothing is simple, in fact it's almost like it wants to be more complicated. "Sawdust and Diamonds", the sole exception is all the more special for it's simplicity. There's such an amazing amount to be unpacked from this album, it's easy to forget that it's also so moving and human.
I don't think I've ever heard such an ambitious album come off so effortlessly. The songs are wonders in themselves, but the way the accompaniment sweeps and shudders underneath, full of filigrees and curlicues, is audacious and bloody amazing really. Nothing is simple, in fact it's almost like it wants to be more complicated. "Sawdust and Diamonds", the sole exception is all the more special for it's simplicity. There's such an amazing amount to be unpacked from this album, it's easy to forget that it's also so moving and human.
3.Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
It's up here for a few reasons. I love her voice. I think the songs are excellent, and I think the arrangements are top notch as well.
It keeps me interested, and it engages my emotions. Also, it seems to be fairly deep conceptually. It's some sort of concept album about innocence and experience or something.
It's up here for a few reasons. I love her voice. I think the songs are excellent, and I think the arrangements are top notch as well.
It keeps me interested, and it engages my emotions. Also, it seems to be fairly deep conceptually. It's some sort of concept album about innocence and experience or something.
5.Holly Throsby - Under The Town
So, she's won my heart again, with an album of obviously personal lyrics, somewhat awkwardly sung over some quite surprisingly arranged tunes. The spritely ramshackle nature of "Making a Fire" sits very comfortably with the solo piano confessional of "On Longing".
Her manner is intimate and open, and the effect is just stunning, full of a gentle melancholy that is manages subtle and surprising humour sometimes too. This is quite private music, both for the artist and the listener, but I want all of you to know about her too. I think she's pretty special.
This is all my fault
I have many things done wrong
I've been longing for a dove
or an olive in a cup
and I'm so sorry sorry love
I want us to make up
(from "On Longing")
So, she's won my heart again, with an album of obviously personal lyrics, somewhat awkwardly sung over some quite surprisingly arranged tunes. The spritely ramshackle nature of "Making a Fire" sits very comfortably with the solo piano confessional of "On Longing".
Her manner is intimate and open, and the effect is just stunning, full of a gentle melancholy that is manages subtle and surprising humour sometimes too. This is quite private music, both for the artist and the listener, but I want all of you to know about her too. I think she's pretty special.
This is all my fault
I have many things done wrong
I've been longing for a dove
or an olive in a cup
and I'm so sorry sorry love
I want us to make up
(from "On Longing")
7.Bluebottle Kiss - Doubt Seeds
We're getting to the truly exceptional end of the list here. This album is a monster, calling on 50 years of popular music while maintaining a truly identifiable sound. Never mind that there are some amazing songs on here too. Over the 9 months or so this album has been out, I've noticed Miles Davis, Spiritualized, The Stooges and Harvest era Neil Young all fighting to be heard over Jamie Hutchings own talents, both music and lyrical.
Individual songs worth mentioning are "The Judas Hands", "Little Disappearer", "Silent. Golden.", "Your Mirror is a Vulture" and "Harold Holt". There are at least 3 or 4 others. That this is a double album is less important than the fact it is an economical double album, just a shade over 80 minutes in total, and only a minute or two wasted.
It's bold and challenging and it deserves to be heard by many many people.
We're getting to the truly exceptional end of the list here. This album is a monster, calling on 50 years of popular music while maintaining a truly identifiable sound. Never mind that there are some amazing songs on here too. Over the 9 months or so this album has been out, I've noticed Miles Davis, Spiritualized, The Stooges and Harvest era Neil Young all fighting to be heard over Jamie Hutchings own talents, both music and lyrical.
Individual songs worth mentioning are "The Judas Hands", "Little Disappearer", "Silent. Golden.", "Your Mirror is a Vulture" and "Harold Holt". There are at least 3 or 4 others. That this is a double album is less important than the fact it is an economical double album, just a shade over 80 minutes in total, and only a minute or two wasted.
It's bold and challenging and it deserves to be heard by many many people.
8.Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Not just the years best shoegazer record, but probably the decades best shoegazer record. It's full of catchy tunes, bright melodies and chirpy vocals. I like it, a lot. It just goes to show that no genre is ever really played out; there's always room for good songwriting and honest performances.
Not just the years best shoegazer record, but probably the decades best shoegazer record. It's full of catchy tunes, bright melodies and chirpy vocals. I like it, a lot. It just goes to show that no genre is ever really played out; there's always room for good songwriting and honest performances.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
13. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
Good old predictable YLT. Although, they're predictably unpredictable . Predictably, this album sags a bit in the middle, but starting with the 10 minute drone machine of "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" is excitingly unpredictable.
This is better than "Summer Sun" and "I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One", but not as good as "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out".
12. Isis - In The Absence of Truth
As so aptly put on Allmusic, this is music that seeks the white heart of nothingness that beats in most music; that centre of the song that tunes out everything else. In the right frame of mind this album approaches that intensity and weight. It's incredibly heavy, yet it moves and mutates with a grace and litheness that's occasionally breathtaking. I'm only just starting to unearth this properly.
11. You Am I - Convicts
Attitude is sometimes all you need. If it gets you back up on your feet, dukes in the air, swinging at shadows at least you're back. This was such a surprising and energetic return from You Am I. Maybe I should rephrase - sometimes attitude and a break are what you need to relight the fires. You Am I are back and burning bright, and I don't think they're burning up.
10. The Knife - Silent Shout
Such a cold and calculated album, full of strange sounds, but it's metallic heart beats like any other. It's got a streak of otherness running through it - it's undenaibly and absorbingly weird.
9. The Drones - Gala Mill
This feels like an important album - it's one of the few albums around that deals honestly with the horrors in Australia's past in an unapologetic and disarmingly straightforward way. But it doesn't rest with tales of Australia's convict nightmare - the state of the world gets a thorough damning in opening track "Jezebel". It's a mean, ragged and nasty song, just like it's subject matter.
Good old predictable YLT. Although, they're predictably unpredictable . Predictably, this album sags a bit in the middle, but starting with the 10 minute drone machine of "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" is excitingly unpredictable.
This is better than "Summer Sun" and "I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One", but not as good as "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out".
12. Isis - In The Absence of Truth
As so aptly put on Allmusic, this is music that seeks the white heart of nothingness that beats in most music; that centre of the song that tunes out everything else. In the right frame of mind this album approaches that intensity and weight. It's incredibly heavy, yet it moves and mutates with a grace and litheness that's occasionally breathtaking. I'm only just starting to unearth this properly.
11. You Am I - Convicts
Attitude is sometimes all you need. If it gets you back up on your feet, dukes in the air, swinging at shadows at least you're back. This was such a surprising and energetic return from You Am I. Maybe I should rephrase - sometimes attitude and a break are what you need to relight the fires. You Am I are back and burning bright, and I don't think they're burning up.
10. The Knife - Silent Shout
Such a cold and calculated album, full of strange sounds, but it's metallic heart beats like any other. It's got a streak of otherness running through it - it's undenaibly and absorbingly weird.
9. The Drones - Gala Mill
This feels like an important album - it's one of the few albums around that deals honestly with the horrors in Australia's past in an unapologetic and disarmingly straightforward way. But it doesn't rest with tales of Australia's convict nightmare - the state of the world gets a thorough damning in opening track "Jezebel". It's a mean, ragged and nasty song, just like it's subject matter.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
big post of the top 25 today - I'm going away for a few days to Adelaide for a wedding. Should be tops.
But to business...
15. Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go
Another top notch album from BPB. I like the backing vocals - they sound alarming and jarring at first, but they eventually sound absolutely perfect, which kinda sums up the whole Will Oldham oovra.
16. Laura Imbruglia - Laura Imbruglia
Yes, it's Natalie's sister, and this couldn't be more different. There's quite a few missteps on this album. "Lettuce and Anarchists" is the kind of half smart character study that Darren Hanlon does a billion times better and with a million times more empathy. But the crazy, she'll-try-anything vibe that infects the rest of the album more than makes up for the flaws. "Tearducts" is a catchy pop song with pedal steel guitar, "My Dream of a Magical Washing Machine" is as fun as it is odd (it doubled as a jukebox). You can tell she's having a great time just trying out what ever takes her fancy, and that makes it fun to listen to.
17. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This was a real grower, a REAL grower. I think I hated it the first time I heard it, now, I'd say I enjoy every minute of it. My highlight is "St. Augustine".
18. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
A definite improvement over Rock Action and Happy Songs..., it still suffers from a sense of familiarity and complacency on a few tracks. The highlights, like "Glasgow Megasnake", "We're No Here" and "Folk Death 95", are astonishing despite the more mundane sections.
19. Sarah Blasko - What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have
Probably more beautiful than he last album, but a lot less immediate. I think this is gonna take time, but it's not compelling enough for me to want to put in the effort. I think this'll click in 6 months or not at all.
20. M. Ward - Post-War
I like M. Ward a lot, but his music is settling into a very narrow vein. It's all still very good, but this slips into the background way too easily.
But to business...
15. Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go
Another top notch album from BPB. I like the backing vocals - they sound alarming and jarring at first, but they eventually sound absolutely perfect, which kinda sums up the whole Will Oldham oovra.
16. Laura Imbruglia - Laura Imbruglia
Yes, it's Natalie's sister, and this couldn't be more different. There's quite a few missteps on this album. "Lettuce and Anarchists" is the kind of half smart character study that Darren Hanlon does a billion times better and with a million times more empathy. But the crazy, she'll-try-anything vibe that infects the rest of the album more than makes up for the flaws. "Tearducts" is a catchy pop song with pedal steel guitar, "My Dream of a Magical Washing Machine" is as fun as it is odd (it doubled as a jukebox). You can tell she's having a great time just trying out what ever takes her fancy, and that makes it fun to listen to.
17. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This was a real grower, a REAL grower. I think I hated it the first time I heard it, now, I'd say I enjoy every minute of it. My highlight is "St. Augustine".
18. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
A definite improvement over Rock Action and Happy Songs..., it still suffers from a sense of familiarity and complacency on a few tracks. The highlights, like "Glasgow Megasnake", "We're No Here" and "Folk Death 95", are astonishing despite the more mundane sections.
19. Sarah Blasko - What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have
Probably more beautiful than he last album, but a lot less immediate. I think this is gonna take time, but it's not compelling enough for me to want to put in the effort. I think this'll click in 6 months or not at all.
20. M. Ward - Post-War
I like M. Ward a lot, but his music is settling into a very narrow vein. It's all still very good, but this slips into the background way too easily.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Top 25 of 2006 - Beginning
21. Cat Power - The Greatest
"The Greatest" and "Lived In Bars" are two of my favourite songs of the year, and the rest isn't too shabby either. I get a bit bored in the middle, so it loses places there.
22. Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir
Oh, how the mighty have blanded. Actually, I think the songs are still there, but all the interesting (and fun!) sharp edges have been worn off, leaving the whole thing sounding all very nice and worthy and literary, and well, just a bit dull.
I haven't heard this stuff live though, and I think it could really take off, especially "Just Passing Through".
23. Deloris - Ten Lives
In which Deloris discover brevity, spark up a bit and put out 10 pretty good tunes, one nice intro, and one confounding cover of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain".
que? I mean it's a nice enough song, but still.
That said, the rest of the album has the stuff I like about Deloris. Plaintive melodies, great lyrics, and some tops drone thrown in there as well. It's a lot more immediate than "Fake Our Deaths", but will it be as long lasting? I don't know.
24. Built To Spill - You in Reverse
It a good good album, and it's here mainly for two reasons. Firstly, "Going Against Your Mind" is one of the best drawn out rock songs I've heard in years. It swoops and climbs and just plain rocks, and never gets boring.
Secondly, their previous album put me to sleep within half a song (a record!). That this album kept me interested means that Built To Spill aren't boring anymore, and that is reason to be happy.
25. Red Sparowes - Every Red Heart Shines Toward The Red Sun
An instrumental post-rock/metal album about the Great Leap Forward, the man-made locust plague that caused a famine, and the dangers of blind idolatry.
"Annhilate the sparrow, that stealer of seed, and our harvets will abound; we will watch our wealth flood in".
The music does a very good job of alluding to the events described in the song titles. The song titles are very long.
21. Cat Power - The Greatest
"The Greatest" and "Lived In Bars" are two of my favourite songs of the year, and the rest isn't too shabby either. I get a bit bored in the middle, so it loses places there.
22. Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir
Oh, how the mighty have blanded. Actually, I think the songs are still there, but all the interesting (and fun!) sharp edges have been worn off, leaving the whole thing sounding all very nice and worthy and literary, and well, just a bit dull.
I haven't heard this stuff live though, and I think it could really take off, especially "Just Passing Through".
23. Deloris - Ten Lives
In which Deloris discover brevity, spark up a bit and put out 10 pretty good tunes, one nice intro, and one confounding cover of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain".
que? I mean it's a nice enough song, but still.
That said, the rest of the album has the stuff I like about Deloris. Plaintive melodies, great lyrics, and some tops drone thrown in there as well. It's a lot more immediate than "Fake Our Deaths", but will it be as long lasting? I don't know.
24. Built To Spill - You in Reverse
It a good good album, and it's here mainly for two reasons. Firstly, "Going Against Your Mind" is one of the best drawn out rock songs I've heard in years. It swoops and climbs and just plain rocks, and never gets boring.
Secondly, their previous album put me to sleep within half a song (a record!). That this album kept me interested means that Built To Spill aren't boring anymore, and that is reason to be happy.
25. Red Sparowes - Every Red Heart Shines Toward The Red Sun
An instrumental post-rock/metal album about the Great Leap Forward, the man-made locust plague that caused a famine, and the dangers of blind idolatry.
"Annhilate the sparrow, that stealer of seed, and our harvets will abound; we will watch our wealth flood in".
The music does a very good job of alluding to the events described in the song titles. The song titles are very long.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Quite a few people out here have boats, mainly because there is this bigarse lake that acts as Mount Isa's water supply.
Lake Moondara
The lake is bloody huge, as I suppose it has to be considering the last time it rained here was April, and that was really only a shower.
So anyway, quite a few people have boats, and I've been out a few times in the last week to go skiing with a bunch of people. Or in my case, towed behind a boat on an inflatable... thing.
I tried kneeboarding this morning, but I couldn't get onto the damned thing. Siz or seven goes was enough.
My mate Dan organised to hire the Lion's Youth Camp at Lake Moodara last night. It's a pretty typical school camp, but we had the place to our selves. There were about 15 people there for dinner and about 10 stayed overnight. It was pretty good fun. A couple of photos follow.
Music-wise, I've been listening to a lot of "13+God". It's excellent. I didn't really know how The Notwist would go with Anticon, but it's very atmospheric. The mood is pretty dark and contemplative, and the music is, how would you say, experimental.
Lake Moondara
The lake is bloody huge, as I suppose it has to be considering the last time it rained here was April, and that was really only a shower.So anyway, quite a few people have boats, and I've been out a few times in the last week to go skiing with a bunch of people. Or in my case, towed behind a boat on an inflatable... thing.
I tried kneeboarding this morning, but I couldn't get onto the damned thing. Siz or seven goes was enough.
My mate Dan organised to hire the Lion's Youth Camp at Lake Moodara last night. It's a pretty typical school camp, but we had the place to our selves. There were about 15 people there for dinner and about 10 stayed overnight. It was pretty good fun. A couple of photos follow.
Music-wise, I've been listening to a lot of "13+God". It's excellent. I didn't really know how The Notwist would go with Anticon, but it's very atmospheric. The mood is pretty dark and contemplative, and the music is, how would you say, experimental.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
I suppose an update of my life would be appropriate too...
I've moved from Brisbane to Mount Isa, where I'm a graduate Electrical Engineer with Mount Isa Mines. I've just finished a rotation with the Copper Mine and I've had a lot of fun running around underground (everything's happy underground) and buying bits of equipment here and there for copper concentrators. I started over in the Lead/Zinc stream of the company yesterday, and the difference is big, and there is even more stuff to learn.
Huzzah!
I've bought a car. Huzzah. And here it is. Photo taken halfway between Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
My music collection is growing at an alarming rate. It doesn't help that all this music I'm buying is all pretty damn good too. Case in point: Heligoland - "A Street Between Us". Unfortunately little known band, and they make gorgeous dream-pop. It's really beautiful stuff, and they are the first band I've bought because of their MySpace page. shocking.
I've moved from Brisbane to Mount Isa, where I'm a graduate Electrical Engineer with Mount Isa Mines. I've just finished a rotation with the Copper Mine and I've had a lot of fun running around underground (everything's happy underground) and buying bits of equipment here and there for copper concentrators. I started over in the Lead/Zinc stream of the company yesterday, and the difference is big, and there is even more stuff to learn.
Huzzah!
I've bought a car. Huzzah. And here it is. Photo taken halfway between Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
My music collection is growing at an alarming rate. It doesn't help that all this music I'm buying is all pretty damn good too. Case in point: Heligoland - "A Street Between Us". Unfortunately little known band, and they make gorgeous dream-pop. It's really beautiful stuff, and they are the first band I've bought because of their MySpace page. shocking.
Just to finish things off, here is the whole list. In the intervening 9 months, it hasn't really changed that much.
19. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
18. The Panics - Sleeps Like A Curse
17. Decoder Ring - Fractions
16. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
15. Giants Of Science - Here Is The Punishment
14. Sigur Ros - Takk...
13. Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft
12. Hood - Outside Closer
11. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
10. The Dirty Three - Cinder
09. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
08. M. Ward - Transistor Radio
07. Caribou - The Milk Of Human Kindness
06. Sunn O))) - Black One
05. Low - The Great Destroyer
04. The Drones - Wait Long By The River and the Bodies Of your Enemies Will Float By
03. Bonny "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
02. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Proposition OST
01. Tim Rogers and the Temperance Union - Ghost Songs/Dirty Ron
19. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
18. The Panics - Sleeps Like A Curse
17. Decoder Ring - Fractions
16. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
15. Giants Of Science - Here Is The Punishment
14. Sigur Ros - Takk...
13. Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft
12. Hood - Outside Closer
11. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
10. The Dirty Three - Cinder
09. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
08. M. Ward - Transistor Radio
07. Caribou - The Milk Of Human Kindness
06. Sunn O))) - Black One
05. Low - The Great Destroyer
04. The Drones - Wait Long By The River and the Bodies Of your Enemies Will Float By
03. Bonny "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
02. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Proposition OST
01. Tim Rogers and the Temperance Union - Ghost Songs/Dirty Ron