Afraid of Wild Stone Angels (April 1st - 5th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

Happy Easter! I trust your Good Friday is suitably good thus far. Mine has been full of driving around looking for a spot to park along the river in hopes of checking out a sculpture walk at Deep Water Point. No such luck though, as Perth loves their river on a holiday. So we've been to a playground or two and now we're back home in anticipation of fish & chips tonight - as you do.

A couple of cracking new albums this week from Wavves and Telekinesis. This Wavves set sounds like Nirvana but in a "geez I've missed this sound" way, rather than a "stop ripping off my idols" kind of way. I grabbed some Australian flavour from You Am I and The Waifs. The reading I've been doing about Gram Parsons helped me choose the Anthology and I'll be bringing the second disc next week. Gram put Gillian Welch in my head, so I grabbed her fantastic Time (The Revelator) album. Because too much alt country folk is never enough, there's a Paste sampler of some more twang. But don't worry, the soulful and funky side gets a spin too, with Sly & the Family Stone, Public Enemy and the soundtrack to Hip Hop culture touchstone Wild Style. 

Check it out:

• Wavves - Afraid of Heights
• Telekinesis - Dormarion
• The Waifs - Up All Night
• Gram Parsons - Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels : Anthology (Disc 1)
• Sly & the Family Stone - Stand!
• You Am I - Hourly, Daily
• VA - Wild Style OST
• Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
• VA- Paste Magazine: Sounds Like Home
• Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Guns n' Roses
2. Billy Bragg
3. Joshua James
4. Radiohead
5. Gram Parsons

Song of the Week : Gram Parsons - $1000 Wedding

Lately I've been reading a bit about Gram Parsons, because there was a feature in last month's Uncut. That got me to finally get around to reading the 30 page booklet that came with my Gram Parsons Anthology CD box. Through this reading I have learned a few things I didn't know. Firstly, his real first name is Ingram, his father committed suicide by gunshot and $1000 Wedding is the saddest damn country song there ever was. 

I've always found it a little on the sad side, but that was when I just thought the groom in the piece had been left at the altar and his bride had run off. It turns out, the released version doesn't make it clear but the original (rejected by the Byrds) version does : the bride has killed herself the morning of the wedding,

So now when you hear it, know that's what has happened. The rumble of the guests builds slow as someone finds out and the notes begin passing. The groom notices that everyone looks sad and jokes about it being more like a funeral. Then when he finally hears what's happened, he goes on a self-destructive bender with his mates and confesses that his bride has had her problems - and the lies on their faces show him they already knew. Then comes the actual funeral with the preacher at the pulpit sermonising about the angels and devils. 

It's small town tragedy in a microcosm. Gram's voice is broken and wavy while Emmylou croons like the angels in the sermon - as if the ghost of the bride is singing along. 

I've always liked this song, but now I love it. Curse you David Crosby for rejecting the original! I also have an Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield duet of it on the Gram Parsons Tribute album, which is different but can't get close to Gram and Emmylou.  

Happy Easter

That's all there is for another week at work. Enjoy your holiday break whether you celebrate or even believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The important thing about that man is what he had to say; and he didn't say hate on everyone else who isn't like you. So cut that shit out. 

Hasala malakim.

Evil Drive-By Jacksonville Stooges (October 8th - 12th)

Hello and welcome to Work Tunes.

It's Saturday afternoon and I'm just now finishing off this list. I sat up late writing a review of The Town over at Make Films Not Movies, which I have been meaning to do for ages. Luckily, ideas for tunes weren't oo hard to come by this week. 

First up, I have a couple of favourite Australian albums. You Am I's Hi Fi Way has been a staple for me since release. Originally I had the cassette, which I still have, but it's a little worn out. The other is The Hummingbird's loveBUZZ. Another cassette that I bought purely because it was the name of the Nirvana song from Bleach. I didn't know The Hummingbirds at the time. 

A link from a friend made me think of this Prince album of unreleased songs. I couldn't go past the brand new Public Enemy and I slipped in a rap classic from Dr Dre to compliment it. 

A mid week beer and a spin of Jacksonville City Nights' drunken heartbreak put that on my list. After Jason Isbell made SOTW last week, I thought I'd have some Drive-By Truckers from when he was with them. Nicely going along with both of these is the timeless folk of Bob Dylan's first real masterpiece. 

Scoring a free sampler from Spunk Records for Laneway was a blessing and I picked The Stooges because I wanted something to put some dirt in the whole bag.

Check it out:

• Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin'
• The Hummingbirds - LoveBUZZ
• Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Jacksonville City Nights
• Public Enemy - The Evil Empire of Everything
• Prince - Vault: Old Friends For Sale
• You Am I - Hi Fi Way
• VA - Spunk Records Laneway Sampler
• The Stooges - Funhouse
• Dr Dre - The Chronic
• Drive-By Truckers - Decoration Day

Top Five Artists Last Week

1. Brother Ali
2. Mumford & Sons
3. Thurston Moore
4. Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys
5. Devo

Song of the Week : Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Cigarettes & Wine (Acoustic)

I was two seconds away from selecting Deep Purple for my SOTW and an instant of reflection on my day changed my mind. On exhausting days like this one, I have this rather effective internal reset button. I don't even use it consciously, but it always happens when I feel like I've hit a massive wall. What is it? One beer and about 20 minutes of guitar.

So Wednesday after work I found myself, Stella and 12 string in hand, searching the internet for the tab to this song. Like the sentiment of the song itself, the chords are simple. I like singing and playing this song because it's so raw in this format and so honest in the lyric with  perhaps the least romantic chorus ever:

She smelled like cigarettes and wine
She kept me happy all the time I know that ain't much of a line
But it's the God's own truth

The key change at the chorus is effective too. It makes it sound drunk and pleading. I think I'll need to find something to play tonight too, because the day wears on.


Ciao 

Thanks for stopping by. The next Work Tunes will be written on a new computer, so here's hoping it goes off without a hitch. Whatever you are doing this fine (in Perth, anyway) weekend, have yourself a merry little weekend-mas. Be excellent to each other.

Hasala malakim.

Playlist : December 6th - 10th, 2010

Hey hey kids! What's shaking?

Thanks largely to a viewing of The Runaways, this week's list is a little bit heavy on the rock, with an emphasis on classic. Hopefully there's something here that's as good to your ears as it is mine.

• The Runaways - The Runaways : After watching the recent movie based on the early history of The Runaways, I had to check them out. Like most people my age and younger, I only knew about Joan Jett when she formed the Blackhearts and had the smash hit I Love Rock n Roll. The movie was halfway decent fun, the music is interesting.

• Bruce Springsteen - The Promise The 2 CD (plus a third of the original release) of outakes from the Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions. The Boss was obviously in a period of abundant creativity at the time and these 'cast offs' are a damn sight better than most of the music that gets released these days.

• James Brown - Get on the Good Foot : Anything by James Brown will put some spring in my step, a little bit of joy in my 'Hot Pants', some funk in the place. I chose this album for the fact that it was released in 1972 (the best year ever) and because of JBs bitchin afro on the cover art.

• Silver Jews - American Water : The Silver Jews were an indie band with a country feel featuring Stephen Malkamus and Bob Nastanovich from Pavement. They have since split up, but before they did, they released six albums including this one. Released in 1998, American Water contains kitschy tracks like Honk If You're Lonely and Buckingham Rabbit along with junked out forlorn Lou Reed style dirges like Like Like The The The Death. It's a good listen.

• Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Vol. 2 : After spinning, and enjoying, Vol.1 of the Bootleg Series last week, I have included Vol. 2 as promised. On this disc, there are electric tracks which were largely missing from Vol. 1. This is where Dylan is experimenting with his 'thin, wild mercury sound' on tracks from If You Gotta Go, Go Now to She's Your Lover Now. The inclusion of an early demo of Like A Rolling Stone is well worth a listen.

• You Am I - Dress Me Slowly : The best thing about this particular You Am I album (and they never disappoint) is the bonus Temperance Union disc. Where Dress Me Slowly rocks out a lot, the more mellow and personal Temperance tracks tell some really detailed, rawly emotional stories. Standouts are Paragon Cafe, The Lonliest Folk in the World, Get Drunk, Ring Your Friends and the road trip rock n roll tale of The Smokin' Popes.

• Hilltop Hoods - State of the Art : The Hoods don't get nearly enough playlist love from me, for all the listening I do. This latest release I tend to listen to a number of tracks while driving home. It has been probably since its release that I have listened to the whole thing in order. If you get a chance to see it, the Parade of the Dead DVD based on this LP is not just good Hilltop Hoods live performances, but a funny and enjoyable Zombie flick as well.

• Jay-Z - The Black Album : Given the imminent arrival of 'Mr Z' in Perth, I have chosen my favourite (and far superior to all but The Blueprint) Jay-Z album. This was supposed to be Jay-Z's farewell to releasing albums in favour of CEO duties at Def Jam. If this had been the last album he made, it would have been a great way to end it.

• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV The Runaways made me feel like some good old fashioned rawk. Though much of what inspired the band was punk and glam, I have chosen some calssic rock with Led Zep IV. There are still very few songs that rock quite like Rock and Roll, Black Dog and When The Levee Breaks.

• Dinosaur Jr - Where You Been : More rawk for the week. This Dinosaur Jr album contains the JJJ hit Get Me which was my introduction to J Mascis and the band. It's a little noisier and less melodic than the next LP, Without A Sound. A few of the tracks on this album found themselves inside J Mascis' acoustic guitar on the criminally ignored Martin and Me live album. Over there they found more melody.

It was a good end to the week for me. I bought a turntable and a copy of my favourite Golden Age of Hip Hop album, Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full on vinyl. They are Christmas presents though, so no spinning until Dec 25 :( (Sad Panda). Until next week, some words of wisdom:

Keep a good head and always carry a lightbulb - Bob Dylan

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.