Spike Another Carpenter Day (September 30th - October 4th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

I'm at home today (it's Friday, in case I don't finish this until tomorrow) looking after a swollen Miss 7 who appears to have either the mums or an infection in her lymph node on one side of her face. I'v used the time while she watches Mr Maker and before I have to make her lunch to get this list happening. And here it is. 

Besides the second disc of Bootleg Series 10 to finish it up, I've just been hipped to the new Arctic Monkeys album through @sunky's Song of the Week. In other new releases, I've got the latest from Mazzy Star, Haim and also Yuck. I am giving Beezwax a long overdue spin, plus selecting the Golden Era Mixtape from 2011 which is great but I haven't heard in full since release. Also in overdue listens, Elvis Costello's excellent Spike (a choice inspired by enjoying latest collaboration with The Roots on my list last week) and Counting Crows' second album which came out far too long after their brilliant first. Lastly, from the early 90s, I have the Carpenter tribute featuring great bands like Sonic Youth, Shonen Knife and Babes In Toyland doing Carpenters covers.

Check it out:

• Arctic Monkeys - AM
• Bob Dylan - Another Self Portrait (Bootleg Series 10) (Disc 2)
• Bias B - Beezwax
• Elvis Costello - Spike
• Mazzy Star - Seasons Of Your Day
• Haim - Days Are Gone
• Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites
• VA - If I Were A Carpenter
• Yuck - Glow And Behold
• VA - Golden Era Mixtape 2011

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Bob Dylan
2. Brother Ali
3. Talking Heads
4. (Please) Don't Blame Mexico
5. Van Halen

Song of the Week : Elvis Costello & The Roots - Wake Me Up

My SOTW comes from the unlikely pairing of Elvis Costello and The Roots. Who'd have ever thought that the jazzy nerd songs of Mr Costello would make such sweet sweet love to the groovy hip hop musicianship of Questlove and co. But it really does. 

I chose Wake Me Up because it's a track that is equal parts a standard EC song (with complex lyrics, historical references and Costello's iconic voice) and the solid funk soul groove of The Roots. I like the horn blasts and the little key riffs that punctuate Elvis' constant low jazz vocal babble and I dig that there's a clanging consistent guitar riff throughout that calls to mind an old train (and the words 'iron frame' are used in the lyrics, like it's deliberate). 


There's a lot to like about this coupling, not the least of which is renewed creative energy from Elvis Costello. The Roots have been the go to backing band for every two bit soul or r&b singer for years now, but this is the first time I've heard them play for an old fogey like EC. And I like what I hear.

Αντίο

Well the big game is tomorrow; Hawthorn vs Fremantle in the 2013 AFL Grand Final. I'm not really supporting either team, because they're not the Eagles. On the other hand, there are good reasons for either team to win. The Hawks have been the best team all year, our family has an association with Lance Franklin that goes back a ways, plus if they win Clarkson may be more likely to leave for West Coast. As for Fremantle, Pavlich definitely deserves reward for years of staunch loyalty to the purple freaks, Ross Lyon deserves a flag for taking those same freaks from rabble to riot in 2 years and I am a Fremantle (the city) person to the core. So whoever wins, I'll be happy, but most of all I'll be glad it's over and the Eagles can start interviewing for coaches.

It's a long weekend this week for the Queen's birthday (in WA) so if you're doing anything nice, have a great time and play safe. 

Go Hawmantle. Hasala malakim.

Green Worker's American Swim (July 29th - August 2nd)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

If you can believe it, I'm running ahead of time with my list this week. I've had it chosen since early in the week, to avoid rushing it. A few albums that I just haven't heard in a while managed to pop up.

One of those albums that has slipped the Work Tunes net forever is REM's excellent Green. @sunky mentioned another Mazzy Star LP last week and it made me think of Among My Swan. Jay-Z has been all up in everyone's grill lately, so I had to grab Vol. 3. A Billy Bragg album I'm yet to hear makes the cut this week, as does the My Girl soundtrack thanks to @BreeMateljan's SOTW. The very latest pack of funky tracks from Orgone is here and the Italian horror rock of Goblin. Incesticide is another neglected LP that made my list this week. What's left is some jangly folk pop from The Whispertown 2000 and some darker alt country infused folk from A.A. Bondy.  

Check it out:

• R.E.M. - Green
• Mazzy Star - Among My Swan
• Nirvana - Incesticide
• A.A. Bondy - American Hearts
• The Whispertown 2000 - Swim
• Orgone - New You
• Goblin - Susperia
• Billy Bragg - Worker's Playtime
• VA - My Girl OST
• Jay-Z - The Life and Times of Sean Carter Vol. 3

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Bruce Springsteen
2. Alice In Chains
3. Nick Drake
4. Van Morrison
5. The Replacements

Song of the Week : Alice In Chains - Angry Chair

It has been some time since I listened to Dirt. It's a lot heavier than I remember it. When I look back on it though, a lot of grunge was fairly heavy - Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad, Dinosaur Jr. It was just Nirvana and Pearl Jam who brought that pop sensibility to it that crossed it into the mainstream. In any other circumstances, that would be called "selling out", but I'm really glad they did. Because let's face it, in 1991 in Perth, there is no way we'd have heard starving indie rock bands from Seattle if they hadn't sold out. 

I chose Angry Chair because it was one of the releases from this album and because it is quite stereotypically "grungy". The apathetically depressed lyrics, the wall of deep fuzz and the pounding drums are all on the heavy side of the sound that I once knew and loved so well. Nostalgia may not be what it used to be, but some days a familiar tune can be a good warm hug. Enjoy.

Hooroo
I'm just finishing this all up on a Saturday afternoon. The wife and children are at swimming lessons and I am left here tasked with domestic duties because we haven't been home all day. We're unbelievably short on time today. A good thing I had this list planned early, wasn't it?

Hasala malakim.

Notorious Civilian Shadow Gang GRRR! (November 26th - 30th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Another busy weekend ahead, so I'm cramming as much of this post in as I can tonight (Friday). I may well wait until late Saturday afternoon to post, when I'm not so tired and prone to stupid typos. 

To keep the stupid typos away next week at work, I've got a mix of quiet and rowdy, old and new(ish) and some stuff I haven't heard yet.  

Serving up the alterna-noise this week, I've got the new Soundgarden and an old Mazzy Star. Clay5 has inspired me to grab Ben Folds & Nick Hornby, while Kurt Cobain's 50 Favourite Albums list gives me Gang Of Four. Disc one from the 50th anniversary Stones compilation is here, as is the first volume of the Dylan bootleg series. For my Hip Hop fix I have DJ Shadow and the one BIG album I haven't heard. I don't know why, but I have been singing Crazy by Icehouse all week, so I grabbed their biggest classic. Finally, I added Wye Oak for a smattering of indie sound.

Check it out:

• Ben Folds & Nick Hornby - Lonely Avenue
• Soundgarden - King Animal
• Mazzy Star - She Hangs Brightly
• DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
• Gang of Four - Entertainment
• The Rolling Stones - GRRR! (Disc 1)
• The Notorious B.I.G.- Duets
• Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Volume 1
• Wye Oak - Civilian
• Icehouse - Man Of Colours

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Wild Nothing
2. The Lemonheads
3. Michael Jackson
4. Us3
5. X

Song of the Week : Nada Surf - Teenage Dreams

In anticipation of the end of the year, which is flying towards us at a terrible speed, I've been going through my 2012 albums. One that was released relatively early and I haven't heard in a while is Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy. It's an LP that probably won't make top 10, but could well sneak into top 20. I really dig that title though - like the universe does what it likes, no matter how much our Earth eggheads study and compartmentalise it. 

I was fairly certain I would have made this a song of the week already, but I did a search of all my old emails and it turns out I haven't. That's odd, because it's one of my favourite songs this year and probably the only track I listen to a lot from this album.

Teenage Dreams is an upbeat little gem with some nice fuzzy guitar and a catchy melody. I'm sure you understand why the line "moved to a tear by a subway break dancer" always catches my ear. 

If you're looking for a bit of inspiration to end the day with, you could do worse than this. It's never too late kids. Do it. Whatever it may be. 

Hüvasti, sõbrad

Thanks for stopping by. So here we are on Saturday afternoon after all. Almost Beer O'Clock and rather sticky and warm in Perth. Nothing for it but to partake in a frosty ale or two. 

I hope you get a nice relaxing dose of your poison this weekend too.

Hasala malakim.