A to Z: 100 Best Australian Albums so "M" is for...

Right it's the thirty-first of May and I haven't posted anything in a month but I've been very sick and stuff anyway here's the letter "M" if you have been waiting, maybe or not. Above is the Australian Magpie by John Gould again. The magpie call has to be one of the greatest bird songs and it's totally common anywhere, just look out your window and you'll be looking at one right now... but maybe not. I'm going to cut things down a bit, the writing it's been getting longer and longer and I was looking at the early posts under this title and it was only one line. I was going to come back to write more later so I'll start doing that again now.

Magic Box by The Loved Ones
Sorry, to say this is the only album from the sixties, most of these albums here were made in my lifetime but what an album and it was the only studio album. They lasted only two years, plus this would have to be the most punk, garage sound from that time that I found.
Man, You Should Explode by The Kill Devil Hills
Yet another Perth band but I really don't care. This album is an epic masterpiece and has some of the most Aussie sounding songs on it. It really couldn't have been made anywhere else in the world plus I can't wait to see what they do next.
Marry Me Tonight by HTRK
Well this is now a total classic album and their new album from late last year is quickly becoming one too. With extra help of Rowland S. Howard on guitar and producer on this one. They were based overseas for years but now I hear they are back home plus I can't wait to see what they do next either.
The Meanie Of Life by The Meanies
One of the greatest band from the nineties with an album collecting all there early recordings, bits and pieces in true punk rock style before punk become pop or pop punk whatever the fucking hell that is and all that shit they call punk rock now but The Meanies never signed with a major label like most other so-called punks. Messenger by Jimmy Little
I have to say the late Jimmy Little now, passing away not that long ago at all. I couldn't believe this album missed out being included in that book or even the hottest list. Maybe I just thought it was way more popular than it was, or maybe if that radio station or writers were doing it now it would get in but you could say the same about me now but you would be wrong.

The Miller's Daughter by The Drones
Here comes The Drones again and this time with an album that is just out-takes from "Wait Long By The River..." and "Here Come The Lies" plus a few other things but it just proves just how great and amazing The Drones are full-stop.
Stay tuned for the letter "N" soon...

2011: My music picks of the past year!!!

Well, it's almost the end of January so if I don't post this now it with be a bit pointless but it's here now dear reader, whoever you are.

My Artist of the year:
Adalita
Well, she was everywhere this year after fronting one of the best rock n' roll bands in Australia for 20 years she went solo. She payed tribute to Nick Cave and The Wiggles, covered Madonna for triple J, played for the Dalai Lama and won A.I.R. award (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) and if I had an award she would win four today. If I did have an award it would look like a duck swimming in a coffee cup - anyway if you read this first it gives the rest away, oh well.

My Song and 7" inch 45 vinyl of the year:
The Repairer by Adalita
Just like last year's song of the year it's a 7" inch 45 vinyl I bought. Plus, after a couple of days ago I totally disagee with Triple J's Hottest 100 again, so my theory now is the more votes you get the more shit they can get just like politicians, ha.

My E.P. of the year:
Bad Blood by River of Snakes
I picked Adalita's Hot Air last year and this year another Magic Dirt related release, so if you don't know it's thier guitarist Raul Sanchez who's now a singer as well for River of Snakes in this new three piece.

My D.V.D. and the double gatefold 33 1/3 vinyl of the year:
A Thousand Mistakes by The Drones
Well, surprise I got both the verisons released of The Drones this year, both are totally beautiful and beyond words.

My live gig of the year:
(Tie) Gareth Liddiard & Dan Kelly / The Drones & Adalita both @ The Bakery, Northbridge.
OK, Well I really can't pick just one so I've picked both because well they were the greatest gigs of the year, that's the whole show including the support acts too.





My Reissue of the year:
(Tie) Let Love In & No More Shall We Part by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
I wasn't going to buy any more of these reissues because I've already got them but somehow by the end of the year I've got two of them. The only thing dissapointing is reading the new liner notes about the demos he recorded with Rowland S. Howard (Let Love In) and Warren Ellis (No More Shall We Part) and the demo recordings are not on these reissues, why not?


My Albums of the year:
My #10: Feel The Pain by The Painkillers
The Painkillers new album is the first to be recorded in a real recording studio, unlike the debut album which was just made as a demo tape to get gigs but I still love them and it's a great way to start my top ten.

My #9: The Balladeer Hunter by Mike Noga
The Drones' drummer's second solo album is pretty damn good, it's a pity really he's in a band who's singer-songwriter I consider the best at the moment because he would be higher in this list. Still he's at number nine which is not a bad number really too.

My #8: Hurtsville by Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders
This is the third album by Jack Ladder and the one which finally got me. I never really got him before but also hopefully he will not sing any more Christmas unwear advertising again.


My #7: The Cat by Ben Salter
Ben Salter debut solo album is wicked after years playing with too many bands to name here is just all his songs by themselves, even though it's a big afair with an all-star line-up.


My #6: Precious Jules by Precious Jules
Or Kim Salmon and Michael Stranges' new band together, sometimes it's hard keeping up with all of Kim Salmon's projects/bands/works and this one is his most straight rock n' rock album in years.

My #5: Design Desire by Abbe May
Can you call this her first "solo" album after albums going under The Devil & Abbe May and Abbe May & The Rockin’ Pnuemonia she is finally just Abbe May, she really came into her own on this album.

My #4: I Still Hear Your Voice At Night by The Paradise Motel
Originally recorded in 2009 but finally out this year, it was shelved because of the death of drummer Damien Hill but it's great they released it now. After thier last album came in second in last years list, it's so amazing to have them back.

My #3: Absence by Snowman
The end of this band was recording this album unfortunately but what a way to go out and even so releasing it after the band has broken-up was the right thing to do. I will miss you Snowman.


My #2: Work (Work, Work) by HTRK
Well, just missing out on the number one spot. If I was to pick a band of the year it would be HTRK, there is now only two members left but it still counts as a band, just. Some say it was just more of the same but to me this so different to the early records, not just that Sean Stewart is missing but so is Rowland S. Howard who was like the fourth member really but now it's just Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang.

My #1: Adalita by Adalita
Well, really it's Adalita's year for me and winner of four places in my best picks of the year. What more can I say about her now. Well, if you don't know it was on this album she payed tribute to her fallen band member Dean Turner and it' s prefect too, go out and buy the album if you haven't got it yet.


P.S. This is the fifth time I've made this kind-off list on the internet. My albums of the year, so far are:
2007: Jean Lee and The Yellow dog by Ed Kuepper
2008: Havilah by The Drones
2009: As Day Follows Night by Sarah Blasko
2010: Strange Tourist by Gareth Liddiard
I'll get back to my 100 Aussie albums for the next post soon, thanks again for reading or just having a look.

Cover Version: Bruce Springsteen's Dream Baby Dream, originally by Suicide + new HTRK one too

Right everyone is banging on about how it's been ten years since September 11 so I'm going to remember it by posting a cover of one of the greatest American songs ever written by a band called Suicide, if you think that is bad taste you haven't heard the song then. How I remember that day well, night it was in the middle of night when it happen in Australia and I was up watching TV and waiting for the doco about The Rumble in the Jungle with Muhammad Ali against George Foreman it's called When We Were Kings. It was just about to be shown and I don't normally wait for a TV show well, I normally never watch TV full stop but then all this really bad filmed stuff and reporters running about not really knowing what is happening started being shown in a very badly done news update but totally unbelievable scenes and I've never seen that footage again because maybe I've not gone looking for it but after a little while we just got the looped plane crashing, building falling and reporters started saying the same thing over and over.

I just wanted to see Muhammad Ali knocking out Foreman which off course it never came on but I went to bed and the world was changed forever. It is also my Dad's birthday today so it's supposed to be a bit of a celebration in my family, happy birthday Dad.

Anyway the greatest Suicide cover has to be by Bruce Springsteen. He and Suicide met for the first time at Power Station studios when Springsteen was recording The River and Suicide recording The Second Album in the late 70's and this cover was from Alan Vega 70th birthday limited edition EP series. "I've liked Suicide for a long time," Springsteen told Mojo in interview. "I met the guys late in the '70s in New York City, when we were in the studio at the same time. You know, if Elvis came back from the dead I think he would sound like Alan Vega. He gets a lot of emotional purity. I came across 'Dream Baby Dream' again because Michael Stipe included it on a compilation and I thought maybe I could do it." He's using only a looping organ figure with a little synthesizer to fill in the cracks, Springsteen keeps his arrangement of 'Dream Baby Dream' true to the spirit of the original.

I found this great video on YouTube which someone has made using the classic old silent film called Sunrise and somehow it's a prefect match. I've never seen the film but I know it's like one of the greatest film ever made.

If you don't know the top image is the front cover image for Bruce Springsteen's 10" vinyl which I wish I bought at the time. Anyway the cover image is by Edward Mapplethorpe who's the brother to Robert Mapplethorpe.

Plus a kind-off bonus track of this one which is really brand new cover version but I'm really lovin' it and is what reminded me of Bruce's. HTRK (pronounced Hate Rock) are from Melbourne and based in London and this is the B-side to the new single/song for the forthcoming album called Work (work, work) which is out very soon if not already out now.
Sweetheart (A. K. A. Love You) [Suicide Cover] by ghostly

OK, I'll get back to my 100 greatest Aussie albums next or it will never get done.