Tricky Southeastern Surfer Punk (June 17th - 21st)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's my birthday tomorrow and I'm feeling old as dirt, so forgive any grumpiness. Let's all try to forget that I'm turning 35 (again) tomorrow, shall we, and get on with it. I reached for a few old favourites this week. Maybe a touch of nostalgia from the stupid birthday thing? Whatever.

I grabbed U2's reinvention, Achtung Baby and Bright Eyes' (imho) best album, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. There's more favourites in Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and a Punk compilation of music from 1977. Volume 2 of one of my desert island compilations, Rare On Air is also here. There's a few new ones too though, from the magnificent Jason Isbell and from Surfer Blood. I got hold of The Wild because they were filed under Folk Punk and I had to hear what that was like. For something Trip and Hip Hop respectively, I grabbed Tricky's Maxinquaye and Tape Two from Young Fathers; who are believe it or not a rap trio from Scotland. 

Check it out:

• Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
• U2 - Achtung Baby
• Jason Isbell - Southeastern
• Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
• VA - Rare On Air Vol. 2
• Tricky - Maxinquaye
• VA - 1977 - The Spirit Of Punk
• Young Fathers - Tape Two
• The Wild - Dreams Are Maps
• Surfer Blood - Pythons

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Dolorean
2. The National
3. Sonic Youth
4. Concrete Blonde
5. Brother Ali

Song of the Week : The National - Fireproof

This week's SOTW comes from my LPOTW. You all know I dig on The National and their new album has done nothing to harm that fanboy relationship. It's full of solid songs, but the reason I chose this one is because I think it illustrates a lot of what I like so much about The National's sound. 

Fireproof is simple enough, with a consistent riff played throughout as the main backing music. There is a tightly constructed time sig about everything from the percussion to the guitar. And then you get Matt Behringer's vocals and lyrics which seem like a random ramble over the top, always seeming to threaten to get out of time with the track. When he starts singing "Jennifer you are not the only reason..." he sounds like he's mumbling to himself and there happens to be this tight riff under his thoughts. I've always liked the way he phrases a lot of words around a small bit of space.  

Enjoy!

Bye Bye Baby, Baby Goodbye, Baby 

I'm off to the video store (link included for those born after 1995) with the kids to get a bluray for tonight's viewing. I'm hoping Monsters Inc is available or I'll be stuck with The Lion King, or worse, Rio. 

Live long and prosper. No AFL for me this week, so I hope your team does well. 

Hasala malakim.

Pink Moon Summerteeth Hideaway (February 11th - 15th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's a hot one this weekend in Perth. I'm enjoying the relatively mild 37 today before we hit 42 tomorrow apparently. I haven't cranked the airconditioner yet, but it is imminent. Right after I finish writing all this down.

This week I have a couple of selections inspired by some recent vinyl purchases - from Joni Mitchell and Television (Yes! they finally reissued Marquee Moon on vinyl and one of my long time white whales is GOT). There's the final disc of the Gil Scott-Heron compilation, as well as a Wilco favourite. A recent documentary viewing has inspired Wish You Were Here and I've slotted in Belly - Star for a hit of nostalgia. And speaking of nostalgia, there's Bat Out Of Hell II - don't you judge me! Finally, two bonafide classic albums from the greatest and probably the second or third greatest rapper ever - B.I.G. and Eminem.

Check it out:

• Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Begins (Disc 3)
• The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
• The Weepies - Hideaway
• Television - Marquee Moon
• Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell II
• Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark
• Wilco - Summerteeth
• Belly - Star
• Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
  
• Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Gil Scott-Heron
2. Jurassic 5
3. Jesse Malin
4. José James
5. Veronica Falls

Song of the Week : Local Natives - Black Balloons

I don't know much about this band other than people have been raving about the album. So I decided to check it out and it is pretty good. 

The song I picked, Black Balloons is a bit much of a Bon Iver derivative, but Local Natives have infused that distinctive sound with a bit more rock by adding a bit of grunt on the drums. But the layered vocal harmonies and especially the main riff sound like a Bon Iver royalty cheque. Not everything on the album sounds that way though and it's a good listen if you haven't already. See what you think.

Toodles

There you have it. Thanks for stopping by. 

Enjoy your weekend people. Wherever you are, I hope the fun, the tunes and the laughs are free flowing. 

Hasala malakim.

Jane's Sovereign Dogtown Tribe (January 21st - 25th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's been a bit of a mixed bag for me this week. Work has been great with a bunch of quick and easy new projects that went down well, but at home my phone and Internet have been more off than on. Much more off. Living in a renovated house more than 50 years old has it's charms, but tell that to the phone cables. Now though, everything is sweet again - for now. Let's have a look at the music, shall we?

To start with, I have two soundtracks, which I wouldn't normally do but these are so different and I only just bought both - The Hottest State (from Ethan Hawke's novel) and Dogtown and Z-Boys. I haven't listened to a whole ATCQ album in a while, so I'm remedying that, plus adding Lady Sovereign for some more rap. To dish up some classics, I have Bowie and The Jam; while some real soul comes from Solomon Burke and S.O.U.L. Lastly, two very different but equally important bands, Wilco and Jane's Addiction. 

Check it out:

• VA - The Hottest State OST
• A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm
• David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World
• Lady Sovereign - Public Warning
• Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual
• Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
• S.O.U.L. - What Is It
• VA - Dogtown and Z-Boys OST
• The Jam - Sound Affects
• Solomon Burke - Don't Give Up On Me

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Hilltop Hoods
2. Bruce Hornsby
3. The Autumn Defense
4. The Bamboos
5. JEFF the Brotherhood

Song of the Week : She's Spanish, I'm American - The Ocean Always Wins

I can’t believe I haven’t already pulled this one out. It’s from a collaboration that Josh Rouse did with his girlfriend Paz Suay (now defacto and reason for moving to Spain) called She’s Spanish, I’m American. Rouse is a bit of a folky as you all probably know, but the collaboration throws a bit of electronic elements in. This one has a real hip hop beat about it and Paz sings, so it’s a little more dreamy than forlorn.

I chose this song because it forms one part of my children’s safety lessons re: the beach. They know this song and they have been told what the title means – The Ocean Always Wins. I pulled it out today because on the weekend we spent a bit of time down at Port Beach, walking and combing (the weather was a bit bleh and we had to go into town straight after). While there I saw a number of people on the sand, heads buried in their iPhones while their small children swam in front of them, unsupervised. Occasionally one would stand in the water and take photos with said phone. Now, I might be overly cautious, but I never turn my back on my small kids while they are in the sea (and never take my phone into the water!). The ocean always, always wins. There were huge waves that day (the sea was angry that day my friends) and rips everywhere.

Of course, that is not what this song is about. It seems to be about going on a sea cruise early in a relationship and not knowing if it’s the right time to do it, or even how to swim. But I have told my kids that the chorus means you must respect the ocean; that if you don’t it will swallow you up. So the rules are have fun, but be careful. And my rule is never, ever take your eyes off them. Great song though.

Bon Voyage

Thanks for stopping by. If you're in Perth, the heat is ramping up again this weekend, so remember to slip, slop, slap. If you're somewhere that is cold and breezy, or snowing, or raining, or basically just not stinking hot - I hate you (okay, not really). 

Hasala malakim.

Colossal Walkmen Machine Mix-Up (June 11th - 15th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.


A short week for me this week and next as I take the Friday off to prepare and the Monday off to recover from my f-f-f-f...firty fifth birthday. I've just had the Revelation Film Festival program launch, so expect me to be talking too much about film until at least early August. The festival itself is a month away, but that won't stop me going on about the films I want to see and bugging my friends and family with schedules. You see, I'm doing it already. On to the music.


I'm still not over the loss of MCA and good instrumentals are great to work to, so there's The Mix-Up. I recently purchased a 3 disc set of Sugar Hill tracks, so I'll add those one disc at a time. So damn funky, I'm frightened of the consequences of playing it at work, The Commodores are here. When I found out my favourite Hole song was a cover, I had to get the album that has the original from Young Marble Giants. There's some new ones from The Tallest Man On Earth and The Walkmen, some oldies from Violent Femmes and The Triffids; Alexi Murdoch's album where a few songs from Away We Go came from; and finally, can you believe there's a Wilco album I haven't heard yet? There is and it's the live set from Chicago, Kicking Television.

Check it out:

• Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up
• VA - The Sugar Hill Story : To The Beat Ya'll (Disc One)
• The Commodores - Machine Gun
• Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
• The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Now
• Wilco - Kicking Television: Live In Chicago
• The Triffids - Calenture
• Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
• The Walkmen - Heaven
• Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequences

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. The Avalanches
2. Missy Elliott
3. Elvis Presley
4. The Birthday Party
5. Leonard Cohen

Song of the Week : Young Marble Giants - Credit In The Straight World

I recently discovered that one of my favourite Hole songs is a cover. I say recently discovered, but I must have once known this and forgot. I distinctly remember pouring over the liner notes to Live Through This at the time of release searching for writing credits by Kurt Cobain. I don't think there is any, but at the time I thought he had to have had some kind of input. Hole haven't come close to that good since.


This track, Credit In The Straight World seems to be so obviously about Courtney's addiction and the way fame and fortune allowed her to continue the lifestyle without the downfall of your everyday regular junkie. It's always felt so raw and real coming from her. Knowing it's a cover doesn't change how real it feels though - I think it just makes it one hell of a well-chosen cover.


The original version by Young Marble Giants is very post punk pop with a slant toward electronic beats and keys. The voice of the lead singer is very English and quite reserved. Of course, when Courtney did it, she belted it out like a sneer. Both versions have a creepy undertone of the seedy world of drugs. Hole's just approaches it from a more aggressive perspective while Young Marble Giants sound a little more gothic and dark. I hope you enjoy it.



Ya'll Come Back Now

Thanks for stopping by. That's your lot for the week and I hope you see something you might have a listen to. If nothing else, if you're a Hole fan, check out Colossal Youth. 


I may very well be enjoying a Winter Wonderland and Dinosaurs this weekend, all going to plan. Whatever you're doing, behave - because if I have to, so do you.


Hasala malakim.

Futuristic Violet Model Pleasures (May 21st - 25th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.


Well, I got my first take down notice from the DMCA. For The Spectrals - Get A Grip of all things. Not very punk rock guys. Still, who am I to take perceived income away from starving multinational corporations. So I dutifully took it down and I will henceforth quit posting a streaming link to Song of the Week. You'll just have to watch the YouTube video and go buy the single without hearing it properly. But of course, if you'd heard it in good quality streaming, you'd have been more likely to buy it, right? Isn't the Internet the new radio station? I wish corporations really were people, so we could punch them in the face. But I digress...


For my listening pleasure this week I'm holding Steve Tannen's Big Senorita, a CD I just got delivered from The Weepies' site. I have what must be the only BDP album I haven't heard; plus an album from Digable Planets' own Doodlebug. Reaching for some classics I have Elvis Costello and Joy Division; Melissa Etheridge is here because I just bought the vinyl; The 3rd disc of the Mermaid Avenue sessions is here; Pump Up The Volume thanks to a recent #Clay5 on Twitter; Jimmy Smith - Root Down because of the Beastie Boys sample; and finally High Violet because it has been quite some time. 


Check it out:

• Doodlebug feat. D.O.R. - Futuristic Sci-Fi
• Steve Tannen - Big Senorita
• Boogie Down Productions - Edutainment
• Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
• Jimmy Smith - Root Down
• Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions (Disc 3)
• Melissa Etheridge - Never Enough
• VA - Pump Up The Volume OST
• Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
• The National - High Violet

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Beastie Boys
2. U2
3. The Clash
4. Dinosaur Jr.
5. Suzanne Vega

Song of the Week : Neutral Milk Hotel - Ghost

This week's song comes courtesy of a TV show; the very great Parks and Recreation. I was a late comer to Parks n Recs, only getting into it after Season 3 was complete, but I've since caught up. I'm pretty sure you all watch it, but sometime in Season 3, April Ludgate mentioned Neutral Milk Hotel as her favourite band. The name didn't ring a bell at the time, so I decided to check them out .


As soon as I heard this song, Ghost, I knew I had heard them many times before. I even knew the words to it. I think I've stumbled across them on sites like themixtapeclub and 8tracks etc because they are obviously quite a popular act. They sound a bit like The Decemberists to my ears with a smattering of Arcade Fire. 


I dig this song in particular for its folky hipster vibe and the catchy melodies of "dee dee dee dee dee dee" and the line that I instantly recognised “She was born in a bottle rocket, 1929" I'm almost positive you know it, so I hope you like it.


Byeeee

Peace out homeys. Be safe, go well and don't let the Man bring you down. Go Eagles!


Hasala malakim.

Sabbath of the Lost Cowboy Horses (Feb 27 - Mar 2)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

This last week or so, I've been re-watching the excellent BBC documentary series Seven Ages of Rock. It's been influencing my choices quite a bit. I could have filled a whole list just with music from the various bands the series looks at. That much classic rock might blow the circuits in my laptop and my headphones, so I'll space it out instead. 

What I've picked this week from the BBCs inspiration is Black Sabbath's Volume 4, Pink Floyd's Meddle and Ramones Rocket to Russia. For a bit of balance, I've got The Palace Brothers, Wilco, Cowboy Junkies and Jamiroquai. For those Hip Hop taste buds, I chose Black Sheep and Mojo's Roots of Hip Hop compilation. Finally, there's a selection of the Billboard 100 from 1982 for a twist of cheese. 

Check it out.

• Wilco - A.M.
• Jamiroquai - Return of the Space Cowboy
• Pink Floyd- Meddle
• VA - Billboard Top 100 Collection 1982
• VA - Mojo Presents The Roots of Hip Hop
• Ramones - Rocket to Russia
• Black Sheep - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
• Black Sabbath - Vol. 4 
• Palace Brothers - Lost Blues and Other Songs
• Cowboy Junkies - The Caution Horses

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Ryan Adams
2. The Rolling Stones
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. Dolorean
5. KRS-One

Song of the Week : Led Zeppelin - Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You

My SOTW this week is inspired by my drive in this morning and also by the BBC series Seven Ages of Rock that I’ve been re-watching. The most recent episode I had on was We Will Rock You* (*Edit - It's actually We Are The Champions. Different Queen song. I knew I should have checked that.) about stadium acts such as Queen, Dire Straits, KISS and the band who started it all, Led Zeppelin. The doco claimed Led Zep were the first band to tell the promoter, “we’ll take 90% and you can have 10%” which was the reverse of how things used to be. They got away with it because they filled massive spaces and 10% of Led Zep was still huge money. 

I woke up singing the riff from Whole Lotta Love and then, driving in to work, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You comes on random on my iPod. This song is epically constructed, massively overblown and bombastic, hard hitting and wildly screamed and yet more than 40 years later, it’s still brilliant. It still makes you feel the kick drums in your chest and Plant's wail in your brain. It could be released by a band tomorrow and the critics would hail it as the redemption of rock music. Except, they don’t make many like these any more. 

I’d slip you the lossless version, but it’s a huge file. Besides, I’m betting you all have it on a CD somewhere. It’s made me think of buying the 4 LP vinyl Mothership boxset. The actual albums are hard to find on vinyl in good condition for under $100 each. But the box has most of the best tracks for about $100 the lot. 

Crank it up loud and enjoy.

Aloha 
Big weekend for me, with Ryan Adams at the Concert Hall. I saw Grizzly play in 2006 at Metro Fremantle with the Cardinals. This concert though is acoustic and solo. Should be really different to the Cardinals gig which totally rawked \m/

See you next week. Don't forget to take time out to listen to some tunes in your busy schedules. 

Hasala Malakim.

Playlist : December 12th - 16th, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Not a great deal to report this week. Still wishing I was on holiday down south with the wife. I could easily have stayed there, bought the record store and started a new life on the beach away from the city. But then there were tourists to consider. They ruin everything. I should know, being one and all.

This week's list features the next installment of the Tracks box, another set from The Deep Dark Woods, The Roots' fantastic new album, some old favourites and two compilations - including Australian Hip Hop Supports Canteen, MC Hunter's final project before he left us. RIP brother.

Check it out:

• Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
• Bruce Springsteen - Tracks (Disc Three)
• I Heart Sharks - Summer
• Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
• The Roots - Undun
• VA - Australian Hip Hop Supports Canteen
• VA - The Best of American Songwriter Sessions
• The Decemberists - Her Majesty - The Decemberists
• Aerosmith - The Essential Aerosmith
• The Deep Dark Woods - Place I Left Behind

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. New York Dolls
2. Honeyhoney
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. The Black Keys
5. Terra Firma

Song of the Week : The Roots - Undun

On the music, I feel I ripped off The Roots last week (as good as that HH track is), because all I really listened to was Undun. I finally found a track I could send you and this is it.

What I like about The Roots in general is their musical ability and their melodic hooks. As you probably know, they are the house band on Jimmy Fallon’s show. That musicality shows through on things like the ridiculously juicy bass rolls in this track Make My. Then you have a vocal crooning chorus that goes with the deep smooth bass of the verse rap.

This album is thematic and it all holds together nicely as an expression of both inner-city violence for subject matter and a blueprint of more melodic, mature and important hip hop music. I don’t know how much you guys hear of people like Drake or Odd Future, but there’s no substance to it all and it sounds plastic and manufactured to go with the misogyny and homophobia. The Roots is how it should be done.

Ciao Bambinos

Tah tah for now kids. Have a terrific weekend and remember not to get hung up; be cool.

Hasala malakim.

Playlist : November 7th - 11th, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Well the week is over again and guess what your boy did? Only put $20 at 35 to 1 on the horse that came SECOND in the Melbourne Cup by the smallest margin in Cup history. Mugs. Game.

For the next week at work I'll be listening to a mix of old favourites from Josh Rouse, Wilco and Pink Floyd, some new tunes from Deer Tick and Veronica Falls and a few compilations; one being an 80s compilation I recently found on vinyl, another an Achtung Baby tribute and the third a brilliant old skool mixtape from Brooklyn Radio.

Check it out:

• Deer Tick - Divine Providence
• VA - Ahk-Toong Bay-BI Covered
• Josh Rouse - Subtitulo
• Wilco - Being There
• VA - Rocktrip '82
• The Three Sounds - Vibrations
• People Under the Stairs - Highlighter
• Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
• Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds
• VA - Rubradio 1986 Mixtape

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Bob Dylan
   
2. Funkoars
3. Nightmares On Wax
4. Kool & The Gang
5. The Breeders

Song of the Week : Veronica Falls - Bad Feeling

I don’t know anything about Veronica Falls. I don’t know if that’s the solo artist’s name or a band. This song Bad Feeling was on the Spin Magazine playlist for November. You can still pick it up for free with a US iTunes account from http://www.spin.com/itunes What I do know is there is something I like about the track and the sound.

It calls up some early 80s UK post punk in a way, mixed with the indie pop that came later in the 80s. It’s a little bit Smiths, a little bit Joy Division. It’s a swirling wall of reverb and a steady hammered drum beat with female vocals. See what you think.

Farewell

Farewell sounds so final and morbid, doesn't it? I wonder why? At any rate, it's not farewell for good, just for now. I'll be back here next week listing out my listening for the 3 of you who are reading (Hiya!).

Until then, be excellent to each other, don't sweat the small stuff and all the rest of those snappy little clichés that you read and then roll your eyes at. Really, just do what you do with respect for others.

Hasala malakim.

Playlist : September 19th - 23rd, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

In a really tiresome task, I am still dealing with transferring my music from my iPod, CDs and dodgy hard drive onto my shiny new 2TB drive alotted just for tunes. Not having access to everything is limiting my lists more than is ideal. Regardless, I've grabbbed a stack of tracks and they should see me right.

I'm continuing on with Left of the Dial, with disc 3 up next. There's a few new ones from old favourites Wilco, Tori Amos and Blind Pilot; plus a few I haven't heard in ages like Silverchair's debut. I'm spinning random Ryan Adams side project Sad Dracula, because I'm so excited about Grizzly's new album out soon. Ice T gets a guernsey because I have that classic rap album on order in nice shiny wax form.

Check it out.

• VA - Left of the Dial : Dispatches from the 80s Underground (Disc Three)
• Tori Amos - Night of Hunters
• Wilco - The Whole Love
• Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle
• Ice T - The Iceberg / Freedom of Speech (Just Watch What You Say)
• Blind Pilot - We Are The Tide
• Sad Dracula - Fasterpiece
• Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo – Songs of Mirth and Melancholy
  
• Iron & Wine - Around The Well
• Silverchair - Frogstomp

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Concrete Blonde
2. Whiskeytown
3. Shonen Knife
4. John Lennon
5. Kidz in the Hall

Song of the Week : Shonen Knife - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

Today’s SOTW is brought to you by those kick ass little ladies from Japan called Shonen Knife. It comes from their latest release Osaka Ramones : A Tribute to the Ramones. I’ve always enjoyed Shonen Knife’s brand of high energy pop punk and on this album, sprinkled liberally all over 13 great Ramones tracks, it is even more amazing than usual.

The best thing about this tribute album is it instantly gives me an all-girl group doing accessible, mostly family-safe songs for my girls to enjoy. I chose Sheena Is A Punk Rocker because the Ramones version is already one of their favourites. They often sing it as Daddy is a Punk Rocker. I like that.

Bye

So that's another working week done and dusted with the weekend in the bag. If you're a West Coast fan, you'll want to be at the game or in front of the tv tonight cheering on the mighty blue and gold. If you're not, you probably want to watch anyway and seethe with bitterness while willing them to lose. Either way, bring it on.

Until next week, don't get hung up man, stay cool. Hasala malakim.

Once again, asalaam alikum brothers and sisters.

Playlist : March 21st - 25th, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes. For this week's listening, I've dug into an old school favourite I just bought on vinyl, grabbed an album from one of the 80s ultimate one hit wonders and slotted in yet another Dolorean LP.

Check it out:

1. Televison - Marquee Moon
2. Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground & Nico
3. De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising
4. The Strokes - Angles
5. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
6. Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead
7. Dolorean - Violence In The Snowy Fields
8. Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
9. Bright Eyes - Lifted
10. The Buggles - The Age of Plastic

Top 5 Artists This Week

1. Dolorean
2. Train of Thought
3. Jack Johnson
4. Blind Pilot
5. Hilltop Hoods

Song of the Week : Bright Eyes - We Are Nowhere And It's Now

I’ve always liked this album, but it has mostly been a likeable sound, if you know what I mean. I’d listen to it, but all it really was was melody that sounded good and Conor Oberst singing over the top. The lyrics, I never really listened to before, but there was a general sense of “I’m a hipster… I live in New York… I’m so cool it hurts… Usually, I’m drunk and sad.”

What happened the other night at sleep time though, due to using earphones instead of Bluetooth (earphones being louder), I didn’t sleep but listened to it. This song made me click that there is some really exceptional writing on this album. I’ve always known that about Lua but only because of the other version.

With lines like:

Like a ten-minute dream in the passenger’s seat

While the world it was flying by

I haven't been gone very long

But it feels like a lifetime

And

Where the waitress looks concerned

But she never says a word

Just turns the jukebox on

And we hum along

And I smile back at her

I suddenly had some interest in what was being said. And yes, it still says “I’m a cool NY hipster who is drunk and sad” but it lays out a series of images that seem like a scene from a mumblecore indie film. Plus it has Emmy Lou Harris, which is always a bonus. Hope you like it and it doesn’t bum you out too much.

Ciao for Now

Next week there will most likely be two posts. The first will be for that week's playlist and the second for a proper review of the best of the month. Hope to see you there.

Ciao for now, you kooky kids.

Playlist : November 22nd - 26th, 2010

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

This week's list has a little bit of an Australian flavour with Bob Evans and You Am I, as well as some 90s classics from The Breeders and Pearl Jam. Check it out.

• The Breeders - Last Splash : The first Breeders song I ever heard was Cannonball, which made it onto the first JJJ Hottest 100 compilation. That great song plus Divine Hammer and Driving on 9 all appear on this LP. A little bit of early 90s alternapop never hurt anyone.

• Pearl Jam - Vs : Okay, a lot of early 90s alternapop never hurt anyone. It has been a long time between listens for me and Vs. I lined up in the High Street mall in Fremantle, at 7am, having gotten up at 6am just to get there on time from Kwinana and buy this CD on it's world-wide simultaneous release. Never managed to get stinking concert tickets though.

• Wilco - Summerteeth : Another of my most loved albums that has been criminally neglected of late simply because I haven't gotten around to putting it on my iPod again. The very brilliant Via Chicago and the warmly moody How To Fight Loneliness are standouts along with the chaotic jamming of Shot In The Arm.

• Bob Evans - Suburban Kid : I think it's a great idea for a front man or anyone in a band with their own ideas about music to break off and do something on the side without splitting up the group. As Bob Evans, Kevin from Jebediah gives us something a lot more country twang and a little more lyrical than the usual Jebs fare.

• VA - Uncut - We All Shine On : Just another great free CD from UNCUT magazine out of the UK. This one features new music (at the time) from Teenage Fanclub, The Gaslight Anthem, Deer Tick, Los Lobos and others.

• VA - Return of the Grievous Angel : A fitting tribute to the late country rock pioneer Gram Parsons. Cowboy Junkies, Elvis Costello, Evan Dando, Beck, Whiskeytown and a heap of alt-country acts who owe much of their art to Gram's influence cover Parsons' songs from Hickory Wind to $1000 Wedding.

• Camera Obscura - Underachievers, Please Try Harder : A few choice tweets from the very funny Sarah Silverman introduced me to this dreamy acoustic pop duo with Scottish accents. Their simple melodies and layered guitars make for good listening.

• You Am I - Sound As Ever : The last time I took a You Am I album to work it was the Best Of compilation, Cream and the Crock. Along with Hifi Way, Sound As Ever was the very first You Am I LP I got right into. Since then I've become a big fan of Tim Rogers' solo and side stuff (with the Temperance Union) but these old YAIs still rock.

• Main Source - Breaking Atoms : This is the 1991 debut LP from Main Source. The track Live at the Barbeque features the very first released recording of rap superstar Nas. This album sits somewhere between the conscious and funky rap of the golden age and the hardcore yrics of gangsta rap that came soon after.

• Nas & Common - Uncommonly Nasty : This 2006 release features tracks from both Nas & Common who are known (more so Common) for a little bit of jazz in their sway and a message to preach. Tracks on this album contain several of the barbs that Nas shot at Jay-Z which fuelled their infamous beef.

That's the week's soundtrack. I hope you find something new. No words of wisdom this week, except possibly... nope. Wait... no.

Playlist July 12th - 16th, 2010

Exciting week ahead for me. Apart from taking Miss 3 to her first film on Friday, the Perth Revelation Film Festival began in earnest this week with the Chris Rock narrated documentary Good Hair. I'm armed with a mini-pass of 6 tickets over the course of the festival which runs until Sunday July 18th. I'm hoping to review each film I see over at Make Films Not Movies.

But for now, there's the music. A little heavy on the twang this week. Must be the cold.

• Wilco - A.M. : It's no secret I'm a Wilco fan from way back. My Wilco fix usually comes in the form of Being There or Summerteeth. AM has some great tracks on it too. Passenger Side is not only good, it's funny. It's Just That Simple features Jay Farrar on vocals and is another stand out.

• AM - Soul Variations : Yes Wilco AM made me think of Am the band. This is another often overlooked album I have. AM are nicely alt country with a generous slice of indie pop.
  

• Beth Orton - Trailer Park : This is the album that introduced me to Beth Orton. Sadly, it's been missing from my iPod ever since I had to restore it. I've only just gotten to the T titled albums because I've been spending the time to get everything tagged, rated and art worked properly before putting it back on. Beth is a 'tall drink of water' with a sweet knowing voice.

• Randy Newman - Harps & Angels : Earlier last week, a song from this album came up on shuffle. I was floored by how good it was and I realized I obviously hadn't listened to the album properly. The track was so good, in fact, I'd like to use it to make a video postcard for my wife. Shhhh don't tell her...

• Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted : My favourite Pavement cut is probably Wowee Zowee. But get this, I heard such a great story about this one that I had to hear it. This guy right, he has his car broken into and the jerks who did it got away with nothing except the CD case to this album. This just happened to be an absolute favourite of his lovely wife, who treasured the album; its liner notes and artwork included. SO this guy, he takes a long lunch break, goes into the city and buys Slanted & Enchanted from Da Das... on Vinyl! That's when liner notes and artwork really meant something. Two really fantastic people and one pretty decent band.

• Freddie Hubbard - A Soul Experiment : Bebop trumpeter Freddie Hubbard has played with everyone from Coltrane to Herbie Hancock and has lead several bands himself. This funky late 60s vinyl rip is a recommendation from a Jazz blog I follow; and who am I to argue?

• Sex Pistols - The Spunk & Spedding Demos : I picked up a special edition of Nevermind the Bollocks... last weekend and it was packaged with a bonus disc of demos. I've put just the bonus on my playlist because I played Bollocks a few weeks back.

• Wax Audio - WMD and Other Distractions / Mediacracy : These two mashup discs contain sound bytes from the War on Terror and the shameful Tampa episode of Australia's political history set to some tight electronic beats. If you haven't heard George Bush Jnr. singing Imagine, or Allan Jones swearing like a wharfie with a broken toe, you need to check this out.

• Prince - Musicology : After declaring the Internet was 'dead', Prince has suddenly popped up into the public psyche again not long before a new LP release. He might be strange, but he's not stupid. Besides, when Prince says the Internet is dead, what he really means is 'I'm too freakin' cool for the Internet'. Regardless what stupid comments he makes, this man is a funk god. Listen to Musicology and get a lesson - coz he's bloody Prince and you're not. Alright?!

• Pegz - Axis : Melbourne Skip Hop legend and Obese Crew member Pegz is a knockabout bloke with a love for Hip Hop (rap and graffiti in particular) as well as VB and cars. Back Then is in my list of 100 favourites and it's track by a man who knows the culture. Every rhyme is true to Hip Hop in Australia. This is a great album full stop.

And there you have it; my listening menu for next week. Have a great time out there and stay safe, cats.