Afraid of Wild Stone Angels (April 1st - 5th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Happy Easter! I trust your Good Friday is suitably good thus far. Mine has been full of driving around looking for a spot to park along the river in hopes of checking out a sculpture walk at Deep Water Point. No such luck though, as Perth loves their river on a holiday. So we've been to a playground or two and now we're back home in anticipation of fish & chips tonight - as you do.

A couple of cracking new albums this week from Wavves and Telekinesis. This Wavves set sounds like Nirvana but in a "geez I've missed this sound" way, rather than a "stop ripping off my idols" kind of way. I grabbed some Australian flavour from You Am I and The Waifs. The reading I've been doing about Gram Parsons helped me choose the Anthology and I'll be bringing the second disc next week. Gram put Gillian Welch in my head, so I grabbed her fantastic Time (The Revelator) album. Because too much alt country folk is never enough, there's a Paste sampler of some more twang. But don't worry, the soulful and funky side gets a spin too, with Sly & the Family Stone, Public Enemy and the soundtrack to Hip Hop culture touchstone Wild Style. 

Check it out:

• Wavves - Afraid of Heights
• Telekinesis - Dormarion
• The Waifs - Up All Night
• Gram Parsons - Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels : Anthology (Disc 1)
• Sly & the Family Stone - Stand!
• You Am I - Hourly, Daily
• VA - Wild Style OST
• Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
• VA- Paste Magazine: Sounds Like Home
• Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Guns n' Roses
2. Billy Bragg
3. Joshua James
4. Radiohead
5. Gram Parsons

Song of the Week : Gram Parsons - $1000 Wedding

Lately I've been reading a bit about Gram Parsons, because there was a feature in last month's Uncut. That got me to finally get around to reading the 30 page booklet that came with my Gram Parsons Anthology CD box. Through this reading I have learned a few things I didn't know. Firstly, his real first name is Ingram, his father committed suicide by gunshot and $1000 Wedding is the saddest damn country song there ever was. 

I've always found it a little on the sad side, but that was when I just thought the groom in the piece had been left at the altar and his bride had run off. It turns out, the released version doesn't make it clear but the original (rejected by the Byrds) version does : the bride has killed herself the morning of the wedding,

So now when you hear it, know that's what has happened. The rumble of the guests builds slow as someone finds out and the notes begin passing. The groom notices that everyone looks sad and jokes about it being more like a funeral. Then when he finally hears what's happened, he goes on a self-destructive bender with his mates and confesses that his bride has had her problems - and the lies on their faces show him they already knew. Then comes the actual funeral with the preacher at the pulpit sermonising about the angels and devils. 

It's small town tragedy in a microcosm. Gram's voice is broken and wavy while Emmylou croons like the angels in the sermon - as if the ghost of the bride is singing along. 

I've always liked this song, but now I love it. Curse you David Crosby for rejecting the original! I also have an Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield duet of it on the Gram Parsons Tribute album, which is different but can't get close to Gram and Emmylou.  

Happy Easter

That's all there is for another week at work. Enjoy your holiday break whether you celebrate or even believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The important thing about that man is what he had to say; and he didn't say hate on everyone else who isn't like you. So cut that shit out. 

Hasala malakim.

Build the Underground Temple (March 25th - 29th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

What's the good word? Everything is a little bit same ol' same ol' around these parts. It is Mrs coreyj and Miss Nearly 4's birthdays next week, so that will be exciting. Among the craft and lego stuff, we got her a KISS t-shirt and her very own inflatable jumpy castle.  Miss Nearly 4, not Mrs coreyj (she's not a huge KISS fan). If the power adapter for the compressor ever gets here, I'll even be able to inflate that jumpy castle. Stupid Australia Post. And on to the music.

Just one new one this time, from Billy Bragg. I have to thank a workmate for In Rainbows this week as he reminded me how long it's been. The second volume of Use Your Illusion is here thanks again to Clay5. Grunge super-group Temple of the Dog pops in for a slab of tracks, as do 70s pioneers The Runaways. And speaking of pioneers, Velvet Underground are here along with an Uncut compilation of artists who inspired Gram Parsons. Beat Street is like a heartbeat - and it's here on my list. That just leaves all the Js - Jamiroquai and Joshua James. 

Check it out:

• Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
• Billy Bragg - Tooth and Nail
• Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusion II
• Radiohead - In Rainbows
• The Runaways - The Runaways
• Jamiroquai - Synkronized
• Joshua James - Build Me This
• VA - Uncut : Honky Tonk Heroes
• VA - Beat Street OST
• Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Josh Rouse
2. Guns n' Roses
3. Green Day
4. The National
5. Black Prairie

Song of the Week : Stevie Nicks - You Can't Fix This

Recently I got hold of the soundtrack to Dave Grohl's documentary on Sound City music studio. You might remember Paul MacCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear 'reunited' Nirvana for Hurricane Sandy relief on a song called Cut Me Some Slack. That is on the soundtrack, but it's not what I chose.

The song that has blown me away completely is Stevie Nicks' effort You Can't Fix This. It's an angry and brooding song about the perils of rock n roll decadence. The thumping bass drum and the subtle smoldering growl on the guitars are a building indignation while Stevie screams about going too far and never being able to turn back once you bring the Devil to the party.

This for me has got to be her greatest song since Fleetwood Mac. The first time I played the album, I was working away to it and I literally stopped what I was doing about 5 seconds into Nicks' vocal. If you haven't already heard it, I hope it has that same effect on you.

Adieu

I finally gave up fighting with my internet connection and bought a 3G pocket WiFi with 5GB on it to last until Telstra comes and *does their job!*. Our phone line is down, but the net seems to just drop in and out all the time. Of course, as soon as I got home and set up my WiFi modem, the internet stopped dropping out and hasn't gone down yet. Typical. 

Hasala malakim.

Cold Elephant Alligator Illusion (March 18th - 22nd)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Well, not having learned my lesson from doing my knee to One Direction on the Kinect last week, I have just returned from town where I bought the Michael Jackson Experience. Obviously I am already an expert moonwalker, but I am looking forward to learning the entire Thriller routine. Look for me in flash mobs near you soon (as long as you live in 2010). 

Anyway... This week I have reached for a couple of old favourites. First there's The National with the one album of theirs I haven't flogged to death. Then we have Green Day's Dookie - a staple for any 90s Discman. Then there's The White Stripes - a Noughties iPod staple. After seeing the excellent Searching For Sugar Man documentary recently, Rodriguez is here. Another selection thanks to @Clay5 is the first volume of Use Your Illusion. Volume 2 will get a go next week. I finally got hold of The Raincoats, so that is here along with Black Prairie and Jurassic 5. Two compilations this week; one the soundtrack to Dave Grohl's Sound City doco and the other a sampler of a larger box set called Say It Loud! Black Music in America.

Check it out:

• The National - Alligator
• VA - Sound City : Real to Reel
• Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusion 1
• Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers
• Rodriguez - Cold Fact
• The White Stripes - Elephant
• The Raincoats - The Raincoats
• Black Prairie - A Tear in the Eye Is a Wound In The Heart
• Green Day - Dookie
  
• VA - Say It Loud! Black Music In America

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Josh Rouse
2. The Lemonheads
3. Son Volt
4. David Bowie
5. Chelsea Light Moving

Song of the Week : Chelsea Light Moving - Groovy & Linda

In the past, I think I've made my pro-Sonic Youth agenda pretty clear. The band is on hiatus (for retooling?) at the moment, but Thurston has a new side project - Chelsea Light Moving. 

Something to love or loathe about Thurston Moore in equal measure is that he has never grown up. He's really a bit of a brat when you take the music into account. This album is no different. While I could have chosen the song Lip which is just a tantrum with the refrain "too fucking bad!" to illustrate my point, I've gone with Groovy & Linda because it's a better song. 

I like the album and it’s good to have what is basically just new Sonic Youth material missing Kim and adding instead an edge of old Metallica style metal bass and rhythm guitar. This song is exactly like that. 

Adieu

See anything you don't know this week? Check it out and maybe it will lead to something else and something else and something else and soon you'll become as roped into buying music all the time as I am. MWOOOHAHAHAHA! 

Ahem. Hasala malakim.

Yep Bowie Surreal Indeed (March 11th - 15th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Have you voted Western Australians? I was seriously contemplating not going to the polling booth and just paying the whopping $20 fine because a) I'm disillusioned with the state of State politics and b) don't nobody got time for that! But I did go; and thanks to the new "voting card" I was straight in and straight out. I actually didn't know too much about the independent candidates, but as I always do, I started with Family First last and worked my way to the top. 

Music-wise there's a whole stack of new stuff this week. First of all I have two free samplers from Yep Roc and Paste (their SXSW sampler). The other new albums come from diverse corners - there's folky hipster Josh Rouse; dead set legend David Bowie with a brand new classic; alt country heroes Son Volt and Thurston Moore's new band Chelsea Light Moving. For some hip hop I grabbed the John Legend and The Roots LP I haven't heard since I loved it in 2010 and an old favourite from Surreal & the Sound Providers. The Lemonheads get a guernsey and finally, so does Kathleen Edwards; both with favourites of mine. 

Check it out:

• VA - Explore Yep Roc Records
• Josh Rouse - The Happiness Waltz
• David Bowie - The Next Day
• Chelsea Light Moving - Chelsea Light Moving
• The Lemonheads - Car Button Cloth
• Kathleen Edwards - Back To Me
• Surreal & The Sound Providers - True Indeed
• John Legend and The Roots - Wake Up!
• Son Volt - Honky Tonk
  
• VA - HGTV/Paste SXSW 2013 Sampler

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Steve Miller Band
2. Bilal
3. The Pretenders
4. Ben Folds
5. Lou Reed

Song of the Week : Cold Chisel - Flame Trees

For my song of the week, my apologies that is so far out of left field, but it’s a track that only occurred to me on the way in this morning. 

The smart playlist I've made for the journey in picked Sara Blasko covering Flame Trees. Listening to it, I couldn't stop myself from hearing Chisel's original in my head. It made me realise that Flame Trees is a truly great song. I mean it. Really, really great. I think we disrespect it a lot for the bogan and ocker culture that has built up around it, but it is tremendous songwriting and probably the greatest vocal performance Barnes ever put down on tape. 

The suburban melodrama of the old home town pub and the footy mates and their reminiscing; plugged together with the domestic tragedy of a broken marriage puts the lyrics in the realm of workaday poetry. The grief in the song is given an extra injection of poignancy because it was Chisel's last mainstream hit (before the 'comeback' in the 90s). You take a part of the natural landscape, the flame tree, and you give that song a place; the feel of the open bush road and you make it uniquely small town Australia. The impassioned pleading in Jimmy’s vocal is not far off of Soul music and then he pushes it all aside with the broken down line of “who needs that sentimental bullshit, anyway?” 

As a nation, in general, Australia loves this song; and like a lot of the things we love collectively, we infuse it with a little bit of embarrassment and self-deprecation. Cultural cringe if you will. Not me. Not anymore. I've promised myself I will chase down the Tab for this on the weekend and give it a bash. I hope that my neighbours hear me and start swaying with their lighters in the air.

Cheerio

So, that's it, that's all, that's all there is. Have a cracking weekend and if you're a Perthie, may your guy win the election. Unless it's not my guy. Then, to hell with your guy. 

Hasala malakim.

Above Normal Transformer Resurrection (March 4th - 8th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

A very merry long weekend to you all - assuming you're in WA. It's Labour Day long weekend here and it couldn't have come at a better time. I have been worked like an overworked something that works a lot lately and it's time to unwind. A trip to the country, a kayak on the lake and a bike ride back home by the river is all in order. That should all get me nice and relaxed just in time to go back and start again on Tuesday. 

For the week's listening I've grabbed a couple of Hip Hop classics from Mos Def & Talib Kweli an from Common. Because I didn't pay it much attention on release, I've got Way to Normal from Ben Folds. I couldn't wait to get hold of Bilal after streaming it last week, so that is here. Reading How To Archer led to wanting to hear Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits (because Archer says it's their best album :) ). Adding to the FM rock feel I grabbed Pretenders II and slipped in a bona fide masterpiece from Lou Reed. Also here I've got Seattle super-group Mad Season, Australian institution The Whitlams and finally the first Morning Becomes Eclectic compilation from KCRW. 

Check it out:

• Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Black Star
• Ben Folds - Way To Normal
• Bilal - A Love Surreal
• Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974 - 1978
• The Pretenders - Pretenders II
• Common - Resurrection
• Lou Reed - Transformer
• The Whitlams - Introducing the Whitlams
• Mad Season - Above
  
• VA - KCRW Sounds Eclectic 

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. The Cranberries
2. Tim Easton
3. R.E.M.
4. Ice-T
5. Beach Fossils

Song of the Week : Atoms For Peace - Ingenue

I don't know if you've heard the whole thing yet, but Atoms For Peace' Amok has opened my eyes to just how much Thom Yorke is in charge of Radiohead. More than half the tracks here wouldn't be out of place on King of Limbs. That might be a bad thing for some, but i really like that album, so I'm happy to hear more. I am betting it doesn't sit well with the rest of Radiohead though.

I chose Ingenue because it is one of those Radioheadesque tracks, but also because of Thom's crazy dancing in the film clip which was released recently. 

The song has the layered electronics and the falsetto vocals with all those little ticks and bleeps that dance in your earbuds the same as KOL has.I like it a lot, but if I were judging Thom on the originality of his side project, I'd say Fail.  

Audi 5000

My apologies to those of you who don't have Monday off. For those who do, I hope you can make the most of it like I'm going to try and do. 

Stay in the groove. Hasala malakim.