A to Z: 100 Best Australian Albums... The Long List

Right, if anyone cares here is the full and or complete Aussie albums which are just my favorites of all-time and that is just an opinion too. It's been two months since posting anything and last time I just got a bit of over half but I really can't be fucked doing that or this anymore.

A is for...
The A to Z Recordings by Paul Kelly
Adalita by Adalita
All Times Though Paradise by The Saints
Australian Ghost Story by The Paradise Motel
The Axeman's Jazz by Beasts of Bourbon
B is for...
The Best of by Hard-Ons
Big Name, No Blankets by Warumpi Band
Blood Red River by The Scientists
Blue Trees by Mick Turner/Tren Brothers
Body Language by Kylie Minogue
C is for...
Cannot Buy My Soul by Kev Carmody/Various Artists
Cellulite Soul by Witch Hats
Charcoal Lane by Archie Roach
Circus Animals by Cold Chisel
Coal by Devastations
Crossing Off The Miles by Chad's Tree
Cruel, But Fair by Laughing Clowns
D is for...
Dead Wood Falls by Jen Cloher & The Endless Sea
The Definitive Collection by The Sports
Dirty Three by Dirty Three
Drunk On A Train by The Painkillers
E is for...
Eddy Current Suppression Ring by Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Everyday Lies by Hoss
F is for...
Far Be It From Me by Tex Perkins
The First Dance by Bridezilla
For The Birds by The Mess Hall
Free Dirt by Died Pretty
From One To Another by The Darling Downs
G is for...
Gala Mill by The Drones
Girl by Magic Dirt
GOD by GOD
Greasy Lens by Joel Silbersher
Gurrumul by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Gutterville Splendour Six by Gutterville Splendour Six
H is for...
Havilah by The Drones
Henry's Dream by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Here Come The Lies by The Drones
Hey Believer by Kim Salmon with STM
High Voltage by AC/DC
Hit Me With The Surreal Feel by Kim Salmon & The Surrealists
Honey Steel's Gold by Ed Kuepper
Hoodoo You Do by The Devil & Abbe May
Horse Stories by Dirty Three
The Horse, The Rat and The Swan by Snowman
Hourly, Daily by You Am I
I is for...
Ill At Ease by The Mark Of Cain
In The Pines by The Triffids
Inner City Sound by Various Artists
J is for...
James Reyne by James Reyne
Jean Lee & The Yellow Dog by Ed Kuepper
Jingles by Regurgitator
Jungle Blues by C.W. Stoneking
Junk by The Gin Club
K is for...
nothing
L is for...
Live by Venom P. Stinger
Lowercase by Bluetile Lounge
M is for...
Magic Box by The Loved Ones
Man, You Should Explode by The Kill Devil Hills
Marry Me Tonight by HTRK
The Meanie Of Life by The Meanies
Messenger by Jimmy Little
The Miller's Daughter by The Drones
N is for...
Nailed To The Cross by Sacred Cowboys
O is for...
O Soundtrack My Heart by Pivot
Oceans Apart by The Go-Betweens
Ode To Nothing by The Lighthouse Keepers
P is for...
Paddock Of Love by Lubricated Goat
Palimpsest by Essendon Airport
Paradise by My Disco
Pop Crimes by Rowland S. Howard
Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird by The Sleepy Jackson
Pilgrim's Progress by Harem Scarem
Pop Crimes by Rowland S. Howard
Prayers on Fire by The Birthday Party
Primitive Calculators (Black) by Primitive Calculators
Primitive Calculators and Friends (White) by Primitive Calculators/Various Artists
Q is for...
nothing
R is for...
Reelsville by Dave Mason
Reveal Yourself by The Blackeyed Susans
Ron Pisto's Real World by Fungus Brains
S is for...
The Shiralee by theredsunband
Sleeping Dogs Lie by The Victims
Soaking Red by Tendrils
The Soft 'N' Sexy Sound by Dave Graney 'N' The Coral Snakes
Space Coyote by The Tigers
Still Life by The Paradise Motel
Strange Bird by Augie March
Strange Tourist by Gareth Liddiard
Stoneage Romeos by Hoodoo Gurus
T is for...
The Tabloid Blues by Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males
Tales From The Australian Underground by Various Artists
Tales From the Australian Underground Volume 2 by Various Artists
Teenage Snuff Film by Rowland S. Howard
This Is Not The Way Home by The Cruel Sea
U is for...
nothing
V is for...
nothing
W is for...
Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By by The Drones
The Waterfront Years by Tumbleweed
We're All Gunna Die by Don Walker
What Are Rockstars Doing Today by Magic Dirt
What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have by Sarah Blasko
Whatever You Love, You Are by Dirty Three
Where Joy Kills Sorrow by Various Artists
X is for...
X-Aspirations by X
Y is for...
Ya Gotta Let Me Do My Own Thing by Kim Salmon & The Surrealists
Z is for...
nothing

So that is it, any questions? What is your all-time favorite Aussie albums?

P.S. If you don't know that's Sir Les Patterson sitting on the crapper with the Aussie flag, photo by Polly Borland.

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.

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

The Albatross or the Shy Albatross above. OK I've edited these posts because this is taking way too long doing it like I have been so I'm just going to pick out an Australian bird for the picture at the top of the post, from John Gould's The Birds of Australia which was originally published from 1840 to 1848 in seven huge volumes.

Straight on with my favorite 100 Aussie albums now. So it seems everyone has rules for these kinds of lists but mine are going to be just anything you can lay your hands on, physically so CDs, vinyls, box sets, reissued albums are fine plus I'm including also a few compilation albums too.

As for who's included here you will not find Powderfinger or Silverchair or The Living End or INXS or even Midnight Oil for the simple reason that everyone always has them in these kind-of list so I'm not and you can just go to Triple J if you want a mainstream list of Aussie albums. This Hottest 100 Aussie Albums is a worse list than I was thinking it would be and just proves Triple J is completely useless in teaching listeners any kind-of history of the Aussie music scene.

I'll write just a few of lines on each album, I could go on forever but I'll try not too. This blog is basically to keep my writing going and just maybe I'm getting in a bit over my head with 100 albums but anyway here goes...

A is for...
The A to Z Recordings by Paul Kelly
Well, this is the reason I'm doing my list like this and it's much better than rating them in a count down which can be a bit silly really. I'm reading his book so I had to get this eight CD set. Paul Kelly's songs don't need anything more that him on stage with a guitar.


Absence by Snowman
Well, one of two albums released this year but both have been in the pipeline for a long time. This one was worked on in London for at least the last few years and is the final album because band now is broken-up. Snowman will always be remembered as one of the greatest Perth bands.


Adalita by Adalita
Here's the second album of 2011, Magic Dirt's front woman solo album was released at the start of the year. I think it's been worked on for a long time but finally saw the light of day now. We might not ever have another Magic Dirt album but if this is what she going to do as a solo artist it should have been out years ago.


All Times Though Paradise by The Saints
The second box set already but if your going to listen to The Saints you really only need the first three albums and this is where you can find them plus live recording and a shit load of bonus tracks from around the same time, 1976-1979.



Australian Ghost Story by The Paradise Motel
This album was released on 11 June 2010, the 30th anniversary of Azaria Chamberlain's birth. Which I should have wrote about at the top of this post under "A" but if you don't know anything about who she is, you should. This is The Paradise Motel's comeback album after ten years silence.


The Axeman's Jazz by Beasts of Bourbon
If this band formed today it would be labelled a supergroup but back in 1984 they were all nobodys. These guys just wanted to get drunk and play music and that is what happens here so this debut album by Beasts of Bourbon was recorded in an afternoon session of their live set list at the time before going off to the gig.


Stay tuned for the letter "B" soon...

2010: My Top Ten Albums of the year plus some more

My Song of the year
Rowland S. Howard's Golden Age Of Bloodshed



Rowland S. Howard - 'Golden Age Of Bloodshed' from Ghost Pictures Pty Ltd on Vimeo.

My E.P. of the year
Adalita's Hot Air


Adalita - Hot Air from Adam Harding on Vimeo.

My Reissue of the year
The Triffids' Wide Open Road: Best of...



My Compilation of the year
Various Artists and Maurice Frawley's Long Gone Whistle: The Songs of...


http://vimeo.com/14273007 from Carbie Warbie on Vimeo.

My Soundtrack/Film Score of the year
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis' The Road



My DVD of the year
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' Henry's Dream (Collectors Edition)



The Best Music Writing of the Year
My Book:
Craig Mathieson's Playlisted: Everything You Need to Know About Australian Music Right Now


My Magazine:
Tom Waits' edited Mojo Magazine 200th issue


My Online:
Andrew Ramadge's The World According To Gaz


My Live Act of the Year
Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs in its entirety as part of a Don't Look Back concert event @ Beck's Music Box on The Esplanade, Perth (11 February 2010)

DIRTY THREE - Ocean songs (complete 'Recovery' ABC TV performance) from Paralysed mind on Vimeo.

The Top Ten Albums of the Year
My #10
My Disco - Little Joy


My #9
The Gin Club - Deathwish



My #8
Stephen Cummings' Good Bones


http://vimeo.com/13512082 from Carbie Warbie on Vimeo.

My #7
Glenn Richards' Glimjack


Glenn Richards - 'Torpor and Spleen' (Official Video) from Glenn Richards on Vimeo.

My #6
Kim Salmon & the Surrealists' Grand Unifying Theory


http://vimeo.com/16824515 from Carbie Warbie on Vimeo.

My #5
PVT's Church With No Magic


"Window" PVT from London Sessions Productions on Vimeo.

My #4
Eddy Current Suppression Ring's Rush To Relax


Eddy Current Suppression Ring RUSH TO RELAX from Johann Rashid on Vimeo.

My #3
Dan Kelly's Dream


DAN KELLY Hold On, Im Coming On from Johann Rashid on Vimeo.

My #2
The Paradise Motel's Australian Ghost Story



My #1
Gareth Liddiard's Strange Tourist



The End.

Video Tape: What would I program on Rage???

OK, what would you program on rage? Because I know what I would. Well you get around 55 videos to pick and about every half a dozen you talk about the video/song so here goes…

Intro: "To sum up I’ve picked stuff I’ve seen on rage before and I would love to see them all again. I think it covers a lot of styles of music and hopefully very entertaining video clips. Well, I remember them being so. I think I’ve covered from childhood to right up to now 2010." (Keeping it very brief because I wouldn’t like to talk on TV very long so this is it.)

Playlist:
1. The Drones - Jezebel
"How good are they? The greatest band from the past decade and Gareth Liddiard is the best songwriter currently working in the world of music."
2. The Drones - The Minotaur
3. Dirty Three - Everything's Fucked
4. Dirty Three & Cat Power - Great Waves
5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Breathless
"He’s the greatest songwriter from the past couple of decades but this one is his last really great song and it’s a cool video too. I never think his songs match-up with the videos but here are the next few I think work the best."
6. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Love Letter
7. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Loverman
8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Jack the Ripper
9. The Boys Next Door - Shivers
10. Laughing Clowns - Eternally Yours
"Because they are an underrated band and should be played more. Ed Kuepper is one of the greatest songwriters too and kind-off forgotten but will be remembered now."
11. Laughing Clowns - Holy Joe
12. Ed Kuepper - The Way I Made You Feel
13. Augie March - The Moth Ball
14. Sarah Blasko - Planet New Year
15. The Paradise Motel - Bad Light
16. Magic Dirt - She Riff
17. The Scientists - Human Jukebox
"Because they are another underrated band and should be played more too. Kim Salmon is one of the greatest songwriters too and kind-off forgotten but I’m going to remember him now."
18. Kim Salmon & the Surrealists - I Won't Tell
19. Beasts of Bourbon - Psycho
20. Darling Downs - Circa '65
21. Antenna- Come on Spring
22. The Triffids - Wide Open Road
23. Jeff Buckley - So Real
"Because it's so strange."
24. Portishead - Glory Box
25. Bjork - Army of Me
26. Joy Division – Shadowplay
27. The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
28. Faith No More - Midlife Crisis
29. Johnny Cash - Hurt
"Because it's so sad."
30. Antony & the Johnsons - Hope There's Someone
31. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
32. Adam & the Ants - Antmusic
33. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth
34. Rihanna – Umbrella
35. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
36. Benny Benassi - Satisfaction
"Because it's so hot."
37. Donna Summer - I Feel Love
38. Roots Manuva - One Witness (One Hope)
39. Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait
40. dEUS - Theme From Turnpike
41. The Young Gods - Gasoline Man
42. Einstürzende Neubauten - Z.N.S.
"Because it's so weird."
43. Sepultura - Slave New World
44. Refused - New Noise
45. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Dang
46. The Jesus Lizard - Puss
47. PJ Harvey - This Is Love
48. The Breeders - Cannonball
49. Tom Waits - Goin' Out West
"Because it's so crazy."
50. Bob Dylan - Things Have Changed
51. Cat Power - Lived In Bars
52. Fiona Apple - Fast As You Can
53. Beth Orton - Stolen Car
54. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - I Gave You
55. Guns N' Roses – Estranged
"Because it's so insane."
Of-course I don't any featured videos myself so that's it.

The full playlist is on youtube or below here (but some clips seem to be missing in this embed version)


P.S. There is a really cool looking book out now which is written by Narelle Gee, who could have one of the coolest jobs on the planet.