Quiet Midnight Mellow FUNK (December 2nd - 6th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Today's Work Tunes is coming to you from the comfort of my loungeroom on my laptop. It's been a typically busy late November Saturday today and I've only just had time to sort some tunes out. I'm in the lounge watching The Living Room (a pretty crappy lifestyle program from Channel 10) just to see Ben Stiller and the Walter Mitty preview. It looks good. 

The Greek scented soundtrack of my favourite film for 2013 is here. I've decided to give the newest Adam Ant album a listen, as well as something from Keller Williams evocatively titled FUNK. A bit of a sidetrack through power ballads this week has led to a Chicago best of and Guns n Roses Lies. Thanks to Clay 5, there's an early INXS classic. Paul Kelly and Neil Finn together have a new album and the first disc is playing this week. For some rap, there's a Band Camp freebie from Mellow and an MTV compilation of old school stuff. Last up this week I've got the first disc of MJ's This Is It. 

Check it out:

• VA - Before Midnight OST
• Keller Williams - FUNK
• Adam Ant - Adam Ant Is the BlueBlack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
• Michael Jackson - This Is It (Disc 1)
• Mellow - The Quiet Ones
• Chicago - Greatest Hits
• INXS - Underneath The Colours
• VA - Hip Hop Back In The Day
• Neil Finn and Paul Kelly - Goin' Your Way (Disc 1)
• Guns n' Roses - Lies

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. U2
2. Keb' Mo'
3. Illy
4. John Lennon
5. Counting Crows

Song of the Week : Def Leppard - Love Bites

On the weekend, in the car, Def Leppard's Love Bites played from a shuffled playlist and Mrs CoreyJ and I had the following conversation (pretty much):

Her: I love this song! I like those songs that... what do you call it when...
Me: Wuss Rock?
Her: Yeah! Wuss Rock. I love it when they really sound like they mean it.
Me: That's a power ballad. You like power ballads.

So I made her a CD for the car of a few power ballad pearls. You can see the list on Spotify at spotify:user:1231117449:playlist:2FNd0XYnESXAJWoOFq1iFV

What I like about this kind of tune, and I think what Mrs CoreyJ was thinking, is how they're so cheesy and so cliché and meaningless, but you'd never know it by the treatment they get. The impassioned singing, the swelling growl of big heavy guitar chords, epic orchestration, the works. If you didn't speak English and you heard one, you would swear the lyrics were great works of literature - or else why would they sound so epic?! 

I do remember when this song was released when I was in high school. It was one of those songs that the 'chicks' and the 'dudes' liked. And if you had a girlfriend/boyfriend at the time, it meant this song was like, really deep you know? Like it really spoke to you and that? Yeah. Good times :)

Rock out with your socks out folks.

Adieu

With my list finished, it's almost time to take the kids to swimming lessons. No rest for the wicked, hey?

Hasala malakim.

Shape the Leather Seapony (June 24th - 28th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's been a bit of a hurried Saturday since we just got back from shopping and it's almost time for swimming lessons. Mrs coreyj just showed the girls how to open and eat fresh coconut - their first time. They want the shells for their Crazy Crabs. Now everyone is relaxing and I'm here with you. So, shall we?

Another mixed bag of things I love and haven't heard for a while along with a new album and an old remaster. In the old favourite basket, there's Gillian Welch, Seapony, Guns N' Roses, Dolorean and Prince. The new album comes from Justin Rutledge. The remaster is Bob Dylan's rock classic Highway 61 Revisited. Into the mix I've thrown an old Run DMC record and a compilation of radio friendly indie artists doing kids friendly songs. The crowning jewel is Ornette Coleman's brilliant free jazz outing The Shape Of Jazz to Come.

Check it out:

• Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
• Justin Rutledge - Valleyheart
• Seapony - Go With Me
• Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (Remastered)
• Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction
• Run DMC - Tougher Than Leather
• Dolorean - You Can't Win
• Prince - 3121
• VA - For The Kids
• Ornette Coleman - The Shape Of Jazz To Come

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Bright Eyes
2. The WIld
3. Jason Isbell
4. U2
5. Surfer Blood

Song of the Week : Jason Isbell - Elephant

On Tuesday when I heard this song for the first time, it seriously busted my chops. I mean, I was choked up and everything over it. I knew it should probably be my SOTW, but I thought it was too morbid and sad to hang it on you all. Then James Gandolfini died which was awful news, and then worse, personally, I woke this morning to the news that I'd lost an Aunt (my Mum's sister) to a heart valve operation. It made me think that life really is a bitch sometimes and that if someone can take a little piece of grief and craft a song that can break the heart of someone they don't know with a couple of clever lines, that deserves recognition.

The instrumentation of Elephant is sparse and hushed. Lyrically, it is immense. Isbell shows us a drunken couple with the woman dying of cancer and he takes telling little vignettes - sweeping lost hair from the floor; her voice all gone for singing; gin in a coffee cup - and imbibes them with the sadness of grief and alcoholism and clinging to every tiny bit of respite. Then he places a giant Elephant in the room and gives death a foreboding presence that these drunks are ignoring.

I can't believe that anyone in these cynical times can write such raw and unbelievably emotional scenes with barely any words at all. I'm sorry if it makes you sad like it did me, but I have to admire the craft of it all. If anyone has little ears in the background, or clients/bosses, there’s a pronounced F bomb, so turn it down.

Arrivederci

Big Italian feast to cook tonight (well, bruschetta and sausage with fresh shaved Parmesan. What's that? Get some red wine you say? That's actually a good idea. I just might.

Alla prossima settimana. 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.

More Arkansas Spring Spaghetti (November 12th - 16th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Just back from a great bike ride on the river and up the hill to Heathcote. I'm scrawling this all together while my kids have lunch and before we take off again to the shops. Best get right into then, hey?

There's a bunch of funk in the trunk this week, with another MJ disc, the latest from The Menahan Street Band and Cody ChesnuTT's new one. I've lowered the risk of contracting funkitis by splashing liberal amounts of hipster from Mumford & Sons and folk from Michelle Shocked. There's a free sampler from Muse as well. Representing "Straya" I've got the second disc of the Hip Hop Show compilation and the new Paul Kelly. That just leaves some "classic" rock from Alice Cooper and GnR.

Check it out:

• VA - JJJ The Hip Hop Show (Disc 2)
• Alice Cooper - Trash
• Guns N Roses - The Spaghetti Incident
• VA - Muse November Sampler
• The Menahan Street Band - The Crossing
• Michelle Shocked - Arkansas Traveler
• Michael Jackson - The Motown Years (Disc 2)
• Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
• Cody ChesnuTT - Landing On A Hundred
• Paul Kelly - Spring and Fall

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Pearl Jam
2. Angie Hart
3. The Jackson 5
4. Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls
5. Kiss

Song of the Week : Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed and Delivered (I'm Yours)

In celebration of the victory of Good over Evil in the US, I am going to choose Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) for SOTW. This is the song that was playing when Mr Barack Hussein Obama walked out to give his acceptance speech. 

Nothing you can say about the song itself can ever do it enough justice. More soul than a New Orleans fried chicken restaurant and funkier than a plate of black eyed peas cooked by James Brown himself. Stevie Wonder's voice is always incredible, but this is one of his finest moments.Such a powerful delivery and he punches it like a horn section.

As for the Prez, well, I am certainly glad he got over the line against Karl Rove and Donald Trump and all the other right wing crazies who wanted Romney to deliver them a big win for greed.

Toodles

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to the library and the shops now. You all be on your best behaviour until I get back. Or not. Whatever's good for you. Have fun, whatever you do.

Hasala malakim.

Playlist : July 25th - 29th, 2011

Holla. How's everybody doing?

Revelation is now in full swing and I had a marathon 4 film day on Sunday. This coming Sunday is the end of the festival and my secret screening. I'm very much looking forward to it.

As it did last week with the reggae cuts, Rev14 has in fact inspired a choice on this week's playlist; namely Pentagram's First Daze Here (the band being the subject of the entertaining Last Days Here).

Along with this rawkus metal offering, I bring you some classic Soul from Earth, Wind & Fire, my favourite Beck album, a remastered version of INXS' impressive debut, the ever-popular O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack and more. Check it out.

• VA - O Brother Where Art Thou
• Pentagram - First Daze Here
• Midlake - The Courage Of Others
• Earth Wind & Fire - Last Days and Time
• VA - Newermind
• INXS - INXS (Remastered)
• Beck - Sea Change
• A Tribe Called Quest - Beats, Rhymes and Life
• Guns n Roses - Appetite For Destruction
• The Stooges - The Stooges

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. R.E.M
2. Pink Floyd
3. Brother Ali
4. Peter Tosh
5. A.A. Bondy

Song of the Week : Ohio Players - Skin Tight

I was torn between a great cover of a 60s classic and this funky gem from 1974. I may send you the cover later because it’s worth a listen. Last night I cleaned up a 70s record I bought for maybe $2 at an Op Shop and found it had a lot of scuffing across the surface. There was hardly any depth to the grooves, but no real scratches. I put it on anyway, not expecting much quality. From the minute the needle went down, there was a crackle and hiss that wasn’t particularly fun. But then the music kicked in.

Something about 70s funk/soul just seems to sound better when your record has had a life. I wish I could have found the time to rip it straight to mp3, but then I’m not sure it would have accurately captured the feel anyway. So this track from Ohio Players, the title song for the album Skin Tight is a funkeriffic rampage of horns and bass and drums. The sexy 70s vibe is all encompassing. Sit back, relax and get your funk on.

Arrivederci

That's all for now. I'll let you know what the secret screening is next week or over at MFNM when I review it. Be sure to have an outstanding weekend and love the ones you're with. Thanks for stopping by. Asalaam alikum.