No Immaculate Disco Rocket (August 26th - 30th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Saturday is almost half way done. My internet is still on the dodgy side of sketchy. I'm hoping to write this all out, get it posted and get out again before it dies. 


Thanks to the disco groove that Daft Punk have injected into the world this year  I've got Giorgio Moroder. I heard some good things about Steve Earle, Perth band Pond and Savages, so I'm checking them all out. In the "it's been a while" corner, you'll find Aloe Blacc and The Cranberries. More good reviews for an old Curren$y record got that a gig and Pegz is here for my Skip Hop fix. I've got a Best Of for Bjork to ice(land) it up a little and lastly, a Mojo compilation full of Sub Pop tracks I picked up for $3 on eBay. God bless eBay.

Check it out:

• Aloe Blacc - Good Things
• Pond - Hobo Rocket
• Pegz - Capricorn Cat
• Curren$y - The Stoned Immaculate
• VA - Mojo Presents Sub Pop 300
• Giorgio – Best of Electronic Disco
• Bjork - Greatest Hits
• Savages - Silence Yourself
• Steve Earle & The Dukes (And Duchesses) – The Low Highway
• The Cranberries - No Need To Argue

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Bob Dylan
2. KISS
3. Big Star
4. 50 Cent
5. Joshua Radin

Song of the Week : The Bee Gees  - Stayin' Alive

Ahead of my SOTW, let me apologise in advance for the over-representation of the 1970s in my picks lately; but in my defense  even the stuff from 2013 that I’m listening to sounds like it’s from there (I’m looking at you Daft Punk, Orgone, Charles Bradley et al!). Having said that, this is definitely not a 2013 track, although it is timeless. 

I defy anyone not to feel a strut in their bones when this track starts at high volume. From the funkiest white boy bass line of all time, to the ball-rippingly high falsettos, Stayin’ Alive is the absolute bomb. This is the version from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack which I have 2 copies of on vinyl because one is a little scratched from back in the day and the other I bought cheap at a fair. 

I picked it because I recently spent a while listening to a smart playlist which was all high rated 70s songs – called of course Super Sounds of the Seventies. I hadn’t heard Stayin’ Alive for a while and I was surprised how good it sounded. It really is as funky as I think it is possible for a white guy to write. I had it on in the car on the weekend and my good mate 2ompkins (who is a bass player) said “Best. Bassline. Ever” and he hates the Bee Gees, though he is part disco fan. 

It’s catchy, it’s fun, it’s produced beautifully; it’s just a terrific track. So overboard Seventies or not, Stayin’ Alive is my SOTW jam.

Ciao 

I think I still have internet. I could be wrong by the time I hit Publish. Wherever you go this weekend, take some tunes.

Hasala malakim.

Essential Post Country Hysteria (October 22nd - 26th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Pushed for time again this week. Still sorting out the computers - swapping hard drives, backing up files and what-not. So I won't waste any more time and instead jump both feet into the music. 

Thanks to @BreeMateljan, I'm visiting a friend I haven't seen since high school - Def Leppard! Another old friend, like a comfy blanket is Geffen Rarities (if you don't own this, you probably didn't live through Grunge). I sense a theme here, because another album that doesn't get any Work Tunes love is here, The Calling.  I went old school with my other rap choice and grabbed some Bam. I have some Bjork and some Josh Rouse. I had to slip on disc 2 from Triple J Vol. 13. For a bit of twang there's Son Volt. Also here I picked out a Hall & Oates compilation. And finally, my Sonic Youth addiction is taking over my life and I am not ashamed to admit I don't want to be saved - here's Rather Ripped.

Check it out:

• Def Leppard - Hysteria
• Son Volt - The Search
• VA - Geffen Rarities Vol. 1
• Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House
• Bjork - Post
• VA - Triple J's Hottest 100 13 (Disc Two)
• Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
• Hall & Oates - The Essential Hall & Oates
• Hilltop Hoods - The Calling
• Afrika Bambaataa - Looking for the Perfect Beat

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Brand Nubian
2. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
3. Dr. Dre
4. Nirvana
5. The National

Song of the Week : Dire Straits - Romeo & Juliet

This week’s song was inspired by the always enjoyable #Clay5 lists. In particular, the favourite Dire Straits song list. Mine is and forever shall be Romeo & Juliet; by a very, very long margin from Money For Nothing.

What I just can’t resist about this song is that million dollar riff and the production on it’s sound. You can hear the strings being fondled like Knopfler is warming up in your headphones. Plus, when the song really picks up, the drums just sound so good. 

Besides that, there’s the pure romance of “You and me babe, how about it?” What lady could resist that charm?!

Love, love, love this song. 

Adieu

Thanks for stopping by. I must be off to go and sort out my HDD and my codecs and all the other things that didn't cause us an ounce of hassle not 20 years ago.

Adieu. Hasala malakim.

Follow the Experimental Maiden Mirage (September 24th - 28th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's been a bit of a tech day today, good and bad. I bought some new headphones for work and also battled with iOS6 and my iPad. Everything seems to be in order now though. I'm sure the novelty of Siri will wear off very soon, but right now, she's a hoot.

I'll only be at work for a few days this week, because Miss 6 is going in for a tonsillectomy and I'll be staying home to look after Miss 3. I'm not looking forward to any of it of course. I'm told recovery from tonsils can be a horrid affair, and you never like to see your kids in pain. 

Inspiration for choosing the LPs on this week's list has come from a bunch of places. Firstly, watching Ice-T's excellent Art of Rap provided me with the soundtrack as well as an Eric B & Rakim album I haven't heard in forever. Last week's #Clay5 on Pearl Jam albums obviously gave me Vs, while a Spotify list from @sunky provided Bjork. Metal Evolution has put Iron Maiden on my radar, while a rave about TIM from @bobearth made me pick The Replacements. Sonic Youth are here because omg I love Sonic Youth. There's the second disc of  Led Zeppelin's Remasters and finally some new albums from favourites Band of Horses and Seapony.

Check it out:

• Eric B & Rakim - Follow The Leader
• Led Zeppelin - Remasters (Disc Two)
• The Replacements - Let It Be
• Pearl Jam - Vs
• VA - Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap
• Bjork - Homogenic
• Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
• Sonic Youth - Experimental Jet Set Trash & No Star
• Seapony - Falling
• Band of Horses - Mirage Rock

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Led Zeppelin
2. Sly & The Family Stone
3. A Tribe Called Quest
4. Tori Amos
5. Down South

Song of the Week : Dinosaur Jr. - Watch The Corners

The latest album from Dinosaur Jr is out and it reunites the original line-up of the band. I have chosen Watch The Corners,  the track from it that most sounds like the Dinosaur Jr. of old. That's not a bad thing; for me, anyway. Listening to the best Dinosaur Jr. tracks feels like reaching into your closet and fishing out that super warm and fleecy flannel jacket, your heaviest pair of cargo shorts and a nice shiny pair of Docs and stepping back into the era when J Mascis was guitar god extraordinaire.

So that's what my SOTW is for today. It's a time travel vessel that will put you in the heady days of grunge and Seinfeld and Winona Ryder and Kyra Sedgwick. Enjoy the ride. And on a side and somewhat related note, did you see Singles the Cameron Crowe film is 20 YEARS OLD! Wow.

Hope you enjoy your time travel experience – please, keep all limbs inside the car at all times.

TTFN

Thanks for stopping by. Here's hoping the Universe smiles on you this weekend and you win lotto or something. If you're a Hawks or Crows fan, good luck to your team. But let's face it, the Crows need more luck than the Hawks. 

Adios. Hasala malakim.

Playlist : October 10th - 14th, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Almost ran out of time this week. Monday's dreaded lurgee returned yesterday and stole much of last night. It's still hanging around today and we're meant to be going to a party.

So this hurridly scrambled together list features and old 80s compilation favourite, some world music and The Drones recommended by friends, some new cuts from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Bjork, Spin's latest playlist and some funkier choices.

Check it out:

• VA - Spin Magazine October Playlist
• The Drones - Havilah
• Bjork - Biophilia
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolfroy Goes To Town
• Horse Feathers - Thistled Spring
• Jamiroquai - Emergency on Planet Earth
• Fela Kuti - Anthology 1
• Toy Box Scholars - We Got The Love
  
• Superstar Quamallah - Invisible Man
• VA - 1986 Just For Kicks

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Nirvana
2. Digable Planets
3. Violent Femmes
4. The Whitlams
5. Ryan Adams

Song of the Week : Feist - Cicadas & Gulls

This week I haven’t paid much attention to the tunes I’ve been hearing, but one album that made an impact was the new Feist – Metals. I didn’t mind their last album, but it was just your standard pop set with that solid 1 2 3 4 single. This one is very different. It’s very quiet and sparse and the songs are far less upbeat and hopeful.

I picked Cicadas & Gulls because it’s even more raw than the rest of the album. This track and a couple of others sound like they’ve been recorded through an old four track mixer to cassette tape live. See what you think.

Ciao

That's it for another week. Off to that party, which is a 1 year old birthday.We've been given the all clear to bring our germs if we promise not to sneeze on the barbecue.

Adieu until next time. Hasala malakim.

Playlist September 26th - 30th, 2011

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Sad news on the band front this week with R.E.M. announcing they've broken up. I put the first Best Of compilation from IRS in this week's list because it is my number 1 desert island disc. When Out Of Time was huge, I was riding buses to Uni with that and this almost permanently stuck in my ears. R.E.M. were a great band who did everything their own way. Fame and fortune took a long time because they refused to play by the rules. While they probably represented dinosaur rock in their later years, they were at heart Indie as hell.

I was also saddened that I couldn't connect with the latest offering from Tori Amos. Maybe I just don't dig the classical vibe. I've added Little Earthquakes so as not to forget what's so great about our Ellen. Along with disc 4 of Left of the Dial, I've added two other compilations; the soundtrack from a great film I saw recently, Once, which features the band The Swell Season, as well as Live On Letterman, a collection of Late Show performances.

A dose of Camera Obscura and the last Brother Ali album, plus some Sly to keep it funky and here's what you get:

• VA - Left of the Dial : Dispatches from the 80s Underground (Disc Four)
• Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
• Sly & The Family Stone - A Whole New Thing
• VA - Live on Letterman : Music From the Late Show
• Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
• Brother Ali - Us
• VA - Once OST
• Gram Parsons - GP
  
• REM - The Best of REM (IRS)
• Bjork - Telegram

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Iron & Wine
2. Tori Amos
3. Sad Dracula
4. Talib Kweli
5. Marvelous Mag

Song of the Week : R.E.M. - (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

The best bands will always be an integral part of your life for a time or for always. Your favourite songs will always resonate with a moment of your life whether by being the soundtrack or by having lyrics that feel custom written. The really, really loved songs will always have a story. This one’s got two.

The first comes from the REM bio I have called It Crawled From The South. The story goes that Rockville was originally a faster, almost metal thrasher and the producer for the album really wanted it to make the cut. So REM being REM decided to switch it to this style and put it on.

The second story is about a guy who was chasing the object of his unrequited high school affections. Every year something would delay this guy and his intended from getting it together. When the perfect time came to make a case and ask her out, she decided she was going to go teach in the country.

Cue boy on bus to Uni playing Rockville over and over… “Don’t go back to Rockville and waste another year.” Cue the sour grapes of “It’s not as though I really need you.” Cue the empty threats of “Walk home to an empty house, sit around all by yourself”. Cue the insulting “I believe you’ll be coming back before too long.” This song is not the only REM song to have meant something so personal to me over the years, but it’s my favourite of all of them.

Over and Out

There's another week worth of listening for you. Thanks for stopping by.

Earlier tonight I caught a special event screening of Nirvana Live At Paramount to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of Nevermind. If you're a fan of the band, or even just of good and raw live music, I highly recommend you head over to getmusic and grab a copy. It was an amazing concert and the sound in the cinema was incredible, so grab the bluray and use your swanky home theatre system.

Good luck to my football team this weekend. I am sorry to say that they will very much need it. Regardless, you will not hear me complain about their effort and dedication this year. Well done Eagles, I forgive you for 2010.

Until next week, all power to the people and hasala malakim.

Playlist April 11th - 15th, 2011

What's shaking this week Hep Cats? This is my last week of work before I get some holidays for Easter, so no Work Tunes for a while.

What I'll be listening to at work next week sounds a little bit country, a little bit hip hop, a little bit Australian and a bit of everything else; just like me.

• Outkast - Stankonia
• Common - One Day It Will All Make Sense
• Tracy Chapman - Crossroads
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness
• Jebediah - Jebediah
• Golden Smog - Down By The Old Mainstream
• Counting Crows - Hard Candy
• Bjork - Debut
• Ben Lee - Ripe
• VA - Batman Forever Soundtrack
  

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Digable Planets
2. Radiohead
3. Josh Rouse
4. Fleet Foxes
5. Jenny Lewis

Song of the Week : Digable Planets - Nickle Bags

I haven’t had a lot of time to think about SOTW. Nevertheless, I have chosen a track that I’ve been into all week. I recently took delivery of a Digable Planets record for which I paid far too much money due to a nasty eBay bidding war that I didn’t want to lose. Well worth it though, because darn this sounds eleventy billion kinds of funky on wax. The funky grooves of the record as a whole are why I chose this track. Nickle Bags is smooth as butter and funkier than I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter left in the sun. This album isn’t the one I bought, it’s basically a Best Of Digable Planets with a couple of new tracks, but the track itself is on my record along with half this compilation. Here’s a jam to kick your Friday into a smooth mellow good vibration kind of feel. Enjoy!

Until May

It's going to be a strange month because I'll be on holidays and there'll be no work for almost a fortnight. So after a two week break, I'll resurrect the old style just for May. Make sense? Too bad, that's what I'm doing.

Until May, don't let the Man get you down. Power to the people. Right on.