This Ocean Glowstream Explosion (January 7th - 11th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes for 2013.

So this is it. Just a stock standard weekend to go and I'm back at work for a new year. I've been spending my holidays here, there and everywhere, but not at any planned vacation. We did almost make the last minute decision to get out of the suburbs on NYE, but we stayed in and it turned out to be one of the quieter nights all year. Brilliant. 


As for the playlist for my first week at work, I can't really say I've put a lot of thought in. I just sort of browsed my iTunes library and put in whatever seemed like it could do with a listen. Doing like this, at first the whole list looks a bit of an eclectic and random mix, but look carefully and you'll notice it leans heavy on a couple of vibes. 

The first vibe is soul with Marvin Gaye, Syl Johnson and Frank Ocean (though the Sesame Street song One of These Things is Not Like the Others comes to mind). The second vibe is the twangy folky country thing from The Autumn Defense, The Rural Alberta Advantage and the This Is 40 soundtrack. That just leaves a little math rock from Datarock, some indie rock from JEFF the Brotherhood, some dreamy pop jangle from Cotton Jones and the FM radio mellow of Bruce Hornsby.


Check it out:

• The Autumn Defense - The Autumn Defense
• Syl Johnson - Total Explosion
• JEFF the Brotherhood - We Are The Champions
• Cotton Jones - Tall Hours in the Glowstream
• Bruce Hornsby - Greatest Radio Hits
• Datarock - Datarock Datarock
• Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE
• Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
• The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing
• VA - This Is 40

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Beastie Boys
2. Hilltop Hoods
3. Melissa Etheridge
4. The Rolling Stones
5. Whiskeytown

Happy New Year

Thanks for stopping by. My hope for 2013 is to find and hear more great music, rediscover old favourites and buy more vinyl. I also promised myself I'd play more guitar, but so far the year is guitarless. I never said I had great resolve. Let's not forget, I promised in 2012 to never read the comments - and that didn't go so well. 

Stay golden pony boys and girls. Hasala malakim.

Pop Party Tribe Tantrums (October 29th - November 2nd)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's almost bedtime on Friday night / Saturday morning again. I'm just ripping a few CDs for my list. Have to be up early tomorrow otherwise I won't have any time to get out and do something before the Paul Kelly film/gig at Astor. So keeping that in mind, I best be quick about this.

I had all but forgotten this album existed, so I am listening to Pop. I can't go anywhere online without hearing about Kendrick Lamar, so that is here. For some reason I thought about Vetiver last week and I chose Tight Knit. There's a good clutch of 80s albums here from Joe Jackson, 10,000 Maniacs and Break Machine (Yes! Break Machine!). The brand new Evil Eddie release is here, with that great Golden Age track on it. All that's left then is the funk of Fitz & the Tantrums and Syl Johnson and a free compilation from Reddit.  

Check it out:

• U2 - Pop
• Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
• Evil Eddie - Welcome To Flavour Country
• Syl Johnson - Is It Because I'm Black?
• Fitz and the Tantrums - Pickin' Up The Pieces
• Joe Jackson - Night and Day
• VA - The Best of Radio Reddit
• 10,000 Maniacs - In Our Tribe
• Break Machine - Breakdance Party
• Vetiver - Tight Knit

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Sonic Youth
2. Guns n' Roses
3. Hall & Oates
4. Evil Eddie
5. Son Volt

Song of the Week : that dog - Grunge Couple

This week's SOTW is from the compilation Geffen rarities Vol.1 (was there ever a volume 2?!) Remember that one? I think mine came free with a copy of Alice In Chains - Jar of Flies. 

When it came out, I was at uni and I was totes grunge, along with my totes grunge girlfriend of the time (that sounds casual, but we were together for 5 years). We loved this song Grunge Couple. The irony is, it's a total piss-take, but we completely ignored that because we liked being a "grunge couple".

As for the track itself, as mentioned it's definitely satire. It has not just lyrical but instrumental grunge clichés thrown in; like the distorted vocals, the screaming, the phased bass line. Then there's lyrics about chokers and flannel and boots. 

So picture, if you dare, a young and ultimately more idealistic Me decked out in denim and flannel with a nice chunky pair of Docs on, cruising around in his purple Mk II Cortina (column shift), girlfriend beside him in her floral dress and equally chunky Docs, that dog blaring through the tape deck from a dubbed copy of Geffen Rarities. What an idiot :)

Tah Tah

Thanks for stopping by. Perthies, get out in the 33+ sunshine this weekend, but stay away from our shark friends who are circling Mullaloo Beach. And sharks, "Perthies are friends. Not food". *Jaws Theme*

Hasala malakim.

Post Script

I didn't post this last night because I was a bit tired-eyed and wanted to be sure I didn't type anything bizarre purple monkey dishwasher. I have to go and tizzy myself up for Paul Kelly now. Play safe kids.

Review : Syl Johnson - Is It Because I'm Black

Mississippi born, blues and soul artist Syl Johnson began his solo career recording and producing hits for Twinight Records, Chicago in the late 60s. Previously he had played harmonica and sang with Blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, and Junior Wells - even touring with Howling Wolf for three years from 1959 - 62.

Released as it was in 1970, Is It Because I'm Black? was a product of the heightened racial and socio-economic problems in the US at the time. This was not to be the only Syl Johnson LP with a message, but it was the most rounded and thematic whole about race and class.

The desperate titular track is a cry of frustration through Johnson's soulful vocals at prejudice and it's poisonous effects on its victims. Concrete Reservation takes the message to the money with a tale of what poverty means to people stuck in the ghetto. Walk A Mile In My Shoes is a funky plea for understanding between people of all colours and social standing. Sounding somewhat like an aggressive Nina Simone at times, I'm Talking About Freedom demands action of the downtrodden to claim their 'God-given' right of America's favourite noun; 'Freedom'.

For all its political rhetoric and down-trodden destitution, Is It Because I'm Black is not without it's groovier moments. A cover of The Beatles - Come Together adds a dash of rock to the record and the closing track, Right On, dares you not to dance while it crackles with the sounds of horns and a 'live' party atmosphere. The track is a celebration of the African American culture of the time (with reference to the Funky Chicken and a nod to the attitude of Black is Beautiful).

Best heard on vinyl, Is It Because I'm Black is a pleasing mix of Soul and early Funk with an important if at times over-earnest message - over-earnest as only our US cousins can do it, God bless them.

4 Stars - Soul/Funk Classic