Top 10 concise discographies

I'm obviously over-simplifying things a lot here, but there are usually two career progressions that an artist or band can take:

1. Keep releasing albums, with (generally) diminishing returns. Some examples of artists and bands who fit this mould are: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, R.E.M. and U2. While each of these artists/bands have had some impressive later-career efforts, most would probably agree that they are well past their peak.
2. Release some top quality albums and quit while they're still ahead. For those who have music in their blood, this can sometimes be a hard avenue to take.
   

I call the latter case a concise discography. Except where their career was ended abruptly (and there are a few examples in this post), they simply knew when to quit and had the discipline to do so before they starting releasing crap.

This is my top 10 artists and bands who have a lean, concise and high-quality discography. While there are many artists/bands out there who are probably best introduced to you via a "best-of" or "greatest hits" compilation, it's simply not worth it for these musicians. If you are curious about any of these artists/bands, just jump in the deep end and buy their albums. I'll even help you with the best place to get started.

The bonus is that if you fall in love with any of the artists/bands here, it won't cost you much to own all of their work.

10. Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five are best known for some of their mid-late 90s piano-based alternative rock/pop hits such as Underground, Brick and Army. You may also know some of Ben Folds' solo recordings since the break-up of the band. While some may dismiss their work as throwaway, they were a surprisingly talented trio who coincidentally released a trio of very solid indie power-pop albums.

Their eponymous debut included the aforementioned Underground which is (to my ears anyway) one of the catchiest pop songs of the 90s. Hand me my nose ring! Show me the mosh pit! But as classic as this song is, the rest of the album doesn't pale in comparison. From the beautiful balladry of Alice childress, to the catchier-than-thou Philosophy, to the toe-tappin' Uncle walter, this album rarely puts a foot wrong (the rough-around-the-edges Julianne being the one track which doesn't do a lot for me).

Their 2nd album Whatever and ever amen was their (relative) commercial breakthrough, and it included lots of excellent songs which were hits on alternative radio here in Australia - One angry dwarf, Brick, Song for the dumped and Battle of who could care less. Another great album in the same mould as their debut.

Their final album (the clumsily-titled The unauthorised biography of Reinhold Messner) was their attempt at a concept album. I'll admit that this album did take a while to grow on me, but thesedays I'm quite stunned by its beauty. Their reached a maturity on this album, and while it plays like a modern-day indie rock opera, at no point does it feel pretentious. Mess and Magic are still some of my favourite BFF songs. A great way to end their career.

How to buy Ben Folds Five:
Buy the albums in order. Their first 2 albums are much more accessible, and they'll prepare you well for their rewarding finale.

9. Pixies
Pixies are almost indie royalty now, but I'm sure that Kurt Cobain (amongst many others) name-checking them as massive influences helped there. While they aren't one of my favourite bands of all time, I do respect their talent a lot and appreciate that they had a massive influence on 90s indie music.

What's also amazing is that they managed to influence a new generation of bands with only 4 albums (and 1 EP) over the course of 5 years! And whilst they did reunite in 2004, they have yet to release another album since then. So their discography is still nice and concise.

The debut EP Come on pilgrim and album Surfer rosa are both cut from the same cloth: quiet/loud dynamics, abrasive vocals and a tight rhythm section. Their second album Doolittle significantly improved the songwriting, adding some much-needed melody and accessibility in the process. 3rd album Bossanova was heavily influenced by surf music, and retained the melodic joy of its predecessor. And final album Trompe le Monde was almost a return to the sound of their initial recordings - loud and abrasive. But like all of their albums, it also had some mighty fine tunes on it.

How to buy Pixies:
Start with Doolittle - it's their most accessible and rewarding album. Then buy their debut album Surfer rosa, which also includes the Come on pilgrim EP. These two albums give you a good overview of the Pixies' sound. If you prefer Doolittle more, get Bossanova next as it follows in the same mould. But if you prefer Surfer rosa more, you may want to get Trompe le Monde next.

8. Elliott Smith
This is the first entry in this list which involves an element of tragedy.

Elliott Smith released 5 albums during his lifetime before his untimely death at the age of 34 in 2003. In 2004, the songs he was working on at the time of his death were released posthumously as From a basement on the hill.

Over the course of his lifetime, his sound had a very gradual and subtle progression. His early albums Roman candle and Elliott Smith were lo-fi and intimate, with echoes of Nick Drake. His mid-career masterpiece Either/or was the perfect combination of the intimacy of his earlier work with the pop sensibility of his later work.

He became more well known when his song Miss misery (from the Good Will Hunting soundtrack) was nominated for an Oscar in 1997, but shockingly lost to Celine Dion. What he did get from the publicity was a major label deal with DreamWorks. His major label albums XO and Figure 8 used the extra budget of a major label in subtle ways, combining his songwriting genius with understated studio enhancements.

And while his posthumous release From a basement on the hill was incomplete at the time of his death, it was not a cash-in. Some of the most beautiful songs of his career were on it, and in no way did it tarnish the legacy he left.

How to buy Elliott Smith:
Definitely start with Either/or - not only is it his finest work, but it perfectly combines the folky aspects of his early career (Rose parade, Between the bars) with the melodic pop sensibilities of his later career (Ballad of big nothing, Say yes). You can then decide which sound you prefer more and head in the right direction. But definitely pick them all up, for they are all gems.

7. The Beatles
For a band as ubiquitous as The Beatles, it's amazing when you realise that they only released 12 albums (1 double) and 1 soundtrack over the course of only 9 years. There were also lots of non-album singles too (which was the style at the time), but it's amazing that they were so influential and so revered with such a (relatively) concise discography.

There was no other band in history who showed so much progression and innovation in such a short period of time, and this is coming from someone who was born 9 years after their demise. No other bands utilised the studio quite like the fab four (and producer George Martin) did between 1962 and 1970.

Listening to their earlier work (Please please me, With the Beatles) next to their mid-late period efforts (Revolver, Abbey road), sometimes they sound like completely different bands. And while some would say that some of their earlier work is dispensible (there are a lot of covers on their early albums), it helped define who they were. Every song that the fab four released was essential to the Beatles story, and while I don't listen to some albums as much as others, I would never be without every one of them in my collection. [Having said that, I could probably do without Yellow submarine, but that's a soundtrack and therefore not a core part of their discography.]

How to buy The Beatles:
Just splurge and buy the box set. If you haven't yet been introduced to the genius of all of the Beatles' music (because there's nobody who hasn't heard at least 20 Beatles songs), you're in for a treat and I envy you.

6. The Velvet Underground
For all intents and purposes, the Velvets were probably the first indie band. They sold nothing during their lifetime, but influenced 1000s of musicians. There's this old quotation that while not many people bought their first album, everyone who did buy it ended up started a band of their own.

There's no denying that the breadth of their influence was immense. Anyone who's ever used distortion in their music (Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo) learnt it from the first 2 Velvets albums (The Velvet Underground & Nico, White light/white heat). They practically helped to invent the shoegaze genre of music. Many twee indie-pop bands (Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura) were heavily influenced by their 3rd album The Velvet Underground. And while their final album (Loaded) was probably a bit less essential, there's no denying that it was a great pop/rock album.

The lineage of many contemporary bands can be traced back to what Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Moe Tucker and [later] Doug Yule achieved in the 4 years (!) between 1967 and 1970.

How to buy The Velvet Underground:
It really depends what you like. Their first 2 albums are much more experimental listens; while The Velvet Underground & Nico mixes the avant-garde with the accessible, White light/white heat is a very difficult album. Their last 2 albums are much more beautiful and melodic. Maybe grab their 2 self-titled albums (The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground) and see which side of them you prefer.

5. The Doors
The Doors had a very linear progression over their 6 albums, before Jim Morrison's untimely death in 1971 at the age of 27 (I'm purposely ignoring the albums they released after his death).

The self-titled debut album and follow-up Strange days (both released in 1967) were very 1967 - psychedelic lyrics (Light my fire, The crystal ship, Strange days) mixed with very summer of love production. Strange days didn't stray a lot from the template laid out on their debut - even choosing a suitably epic song to close the album (When the music's over, in response to The end from the debut).

3rd album Waiting for the sun continued the psychedelic sound on a lot of songs (The unknown soldier) while taking them in subtle new directions of pop (Hello, I love you; Love street) and world music (My wild love, Spanish caravan). 4th album The soft parade was in many ways more of a straight forward pop album, but it was quite diverse as well - it added some brass instruments to the mix (Tell all the people), blues (Shaman's blues), country (Runnin' blue) and old-school Doors poetry (The soft parade).

On the final 2 albums Morrison Hotel and L.A. woman, Jim's voice started to show some cracks from all the years of drinking and smoking. But they took advantage of his new voice by subtlely changing their sound to a more blues-rock feel. Their final album L.A. woman may even be their finest album, containing such classic songs as the title track and Riders on the storm.

How to buy The Doors:
Start with either The Doors (the debut) or L.A. woman depending on whether you prefer the psychedelic '67 sound or blues-rock. Then move inwards from both directions based on which sound you prefer more. Finish up with The soft parade, which is probably their weakest album.

4. Joy Division
Post-punk band Joy Division are one of the easiest bands (financially) to get into. They only released 2 albums before lead singer Ian Curtis' suicide in 1980 - Unknown pleasures and Closer (which was released posthumously in 1980).

Unknown pleasures could be described as the more accessible of the 2 albums, but with everything it's all relative. This is far from easy listening, with jerky rhythms, tortured lyrics and fine guitar work all brought together by Ian Curtis' sombre but urgent baritone vocals.

Closer subtlety evolved their sound by adding more keyboards and electronic textures, hinting at the path that the other band members would take when they morphed into New Order after Curtis' death. While I prefer Unknown pleasures overall, the original side B of Closer (on vinyl) - the run of songs from Heart and soul to Decades - is still one of the greatest album sides in popular music.

How to buy Joy Division:
Nothing else spelt "record company cash-in" more than 2008's compilation The Best of The Joy Division. Really? A best-of for a band who released a mere 2 albums in their lifetime? And 2 brilliant albums at that? I would start with Unknown pleasures because it's the more accessible of the 2, and then get Closer. After that you'll want to pick up the odds-and-sods collection Substance, which includes their classic Love will tear us apart, amongst other non-album A-sides and B-sides. Leave the "best of" where it belongs - in the bargain bin.

3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Another musical genius who died way too young, Jimi's original band The Jimi Hendrix Experience released only 3 albums in his lifetime. And he couldn't have really asked for a better run of albums.

Their seminal debut Are you experienced? is still considered a touchstone of guitar rock, and despite the fact that it was released in 1967, the guitar sound that Jimi achieved on this album still sounds like the future. The CD reissue appends 3 stand-alone singles (Hey Joe, Purple haze and The wind cries Mary) and their B-sides as bonus tracks.

Follow-up Axis: Bold as love (also released in 1967) maintained the sound of their debut, but added some more psychedelic elements to the mix as well (If 6 was 9, Castles made of sound) and some beautiful ballads which have almost become standards (Little wing). [On a side note, I find it incredibly amazing that back in the 1960s, musicians could quite easily release 2 top-quality albums in the one year, while so many pretenders these days take 4-5 years to release a disappointing album.]

Their final album, the double LP Electric Ladyland, was a different affair entirely. Bluesy and epic, it was a semi-concept album which included 2 tracks well over the 10-minute mark. While it's definitely their least accessible album, it's also their most rewarding.

How to buy The Jimi Hendrix Experience:
I'm beginning to sound like a broken record here, but this is another one of those bands where I would just recommend getting their albums in order. You don't want to delve into Electric ladyland first, because its scope and length may be offputting for someone not familiar with their genius. Are you experienced? is the perfect starting point, containing some of their most well-known songs. My only gripe with the 3 albums is that the classic Angel is not on any of the albums, but this can be picked up on posthumously-released First rays of the new rising sun, which was an attempt to create the album that Jimi was working on at the time of his death.

2. The Smiths
The Smiths are one of those bands who, the first time you hear them, you ask yourself where they have been all your life. It's also disappointing in many ways that I got into them so early in my music appreciation "career", as so many other bands have attempted to emulate their sound (and what they achieved in their short lifespan) but fail miserably. The Smiths are also exhibit A in the case that 80s music wasn't all cheesy pop, being a guitar-based band in a sea of their synth-pop contemporaries. It probably also explains why their music hasn't aged so badly.

Despite how influential they were, they only released 4 proper studio albums in their 6-year lifespan. But they were an old-fashioned band in many ways, as they also released a lot of non-album singles with amazing B-sides (in fact some of my favourite songs of theirs were B-sides). They were a real band who took pride in their work, not just appending cheesy remixes as an easy way to pad out singles.

Their debut album The Smiths worked as a suitable template for the rest of their career - jangly guitar, simultaneously sombre yet witty lyrics and Morrissey's wonderful (albeit polarising) vocals. My only gripe with this album is that it is a bit under-produced in places, but the songwriting and performances more than make up for it. And underproduction in the 80s is probably a better avenue than over-production which has aged way too much music from the era. 2nd album Meat is murder is similar in sound to their debut (the production still being pretty raw), but they also managed to expand their sound a little - like on the rockabilly pastiche of Rusholme ruffians.

3rd album The queen is dead is considered by many to be their masterpiece, and I find it hard to disagree with this. It's just a lovely album from beginning to end, alternating between sad but witty laments (I know it's over, There is a light that never goes out), upbeat pop arrangements concealing dark lyrics (Cemetary gates, Bigmouth strikes again) and also Morrissey's trademark whimsy (Frankly Mr Shankly, Vicar in a tutu, Some girls are bigger than others).

Their final album Strangeways, here we come maintained the production values of the previous album, but they continued to diversify their sound - Girlfriend in a coma was probably their most pop song to date (despite the dark lyrics), Death of a disco dancer contained some fine piano playing (courtesy of Morrissey himself) and Paint a vulgar picture was a cynical look at record companies and how they cash-in on helpless artists (ironic now considering how much record companies have milked the Smiths' discography for all that it's worth).

How to buy The Smiths:
The Smiths are one of the few bands where I would not recommend buying their albums in order. I would start out with The queen is dead, because it's their best and most accessible album. Then get their self-titled debut album, because it's simply the next best bunch of songs. After this point, get either Meat is murder, Strangeways, here we come or singles/B-sides compilation Louder than bombs (which amazingly only overlaps with their 4 albums by a single song). Louder than bombs is essential to complete the story of the Smiths, containing some of their finest work which was never released on any of their "official" albums. You won't need to get anything else other than their 4 albums and Louder than bombs - some will say Hatful of hollow is a worthwhile purchase, but there's too much overlap with the rest of their stuff, and you can probably live without the 2 tracks which aren't available elsewhere (Handsome devil and Accept yourself).

1. Nick Drake
Sadly, another career that ended in tragedy. Nick Drake was the Vincent Van Gogh of music; completely under-appreciated and unknown during his lifetime, but developed a cult following after his death.

Nick Drake was a massively accomplished folk-rock-blues guitarist, beautiful singer and composer. Sadly, he only released 3 albums during his lifetime. Happily, they are all absolute gems and each one is worth picking up. Each one is also different enough from the others to make it completely indispensible.

Debut album Five leaves left introduced Nick Drake to the world. If opening track Time has told me doesn't pull at your heartstrings, then sadly Nick Drake probably isn't for you. Follow-up song River man is an absolutely gorgeous track, one of his finest. Rarely does the rest of the album dip below the quality of the first 2 tracks, and the final song trilogy of Man in the shed, Fruit tree and Saturday sun is still one of the best runs of songs I have heard.

Follow-up album Bryter layter continues the sound of the debut, but adds a lot more production and orchestration to the mix. Some have said that this album has dated a bit more than the others because of the production, and while I would tend to agree a bit, the songwriting elevates this album to another level entirely. Hazey Jane II practically invented Belle & Sebastian, and if anyone has recorded a song more beautiful than Northern sky, I have yet to hear it.

Final album Pink moon is a different beast from the previous album entirely. Minimal and folky, this is just Nick's tender vocals and his guitar (with a piano overdub only on the opening title track). Because of the minimalistic sound, this is the most difficult album to listen to out of the three, but if you are in the right mood it could be one of the most beautiful things you hear. Nick invented lo-fi indie folk on this album.

2 years after the release of Pink moon, Nick Drake was dead at the age of 26 from an apparent suicide. Luckily for us, he left behind 3 near-perfect albums.

I've been listening a lot to the classic albums podcast lately, which I highly recommended to any music fan. On each episode, the 2 podcasters Stephen and Gary give the other one an album which they consider to be a classic, and then they talk about it on the next show. On one episode, Stephen (I think) gave Gary a copy of Five leaves left.

There was a great quote in the podcast where Stephen said (and I'm paraphrasing here) Your life will be better with Nick Drake in it. I think this sums up the genius of Nick Drake perfectly for me. His music truly will enrich your life.

How to buy Nick Drake:
I started out with Bryter layter, then moved back to Five leaves left, and finally picked up Pink moon. This order worked well for me, because I fell in love with Bryter layter and simply had to pick up the others. Definitely start with either Five leaves left or Bryter layter, but get Pink moon last. The only reason I say this is that Pink moon is not representive of the sound of his other 2 albums, and its bare sound may be offputting to some. They are all fantastic though.

Honourable mentions:

• Crowded House would have made the list for their original 4 albums, but now that they have released the reunion album Time on earth (still a solid album), their discography doesn't feel so concise anymore.
• Big Star released 3 albums during their lifetime, and all are very solid. They just missed the cut.
• Traveling Wilburys and The Stone Roses both released only 2 albums during their lifetime, but in both cases their debut album overshadowed the follow-up too much, that their discography felt a bit unbalanced.

So who did I miss? Please reply in the comments.

Wireless Cranium sells out!

For those who don't know the origin of the blog name Wireless Cranium, it's an homage to Radiohead, one of my favourite bands.

Radio = Wireless
Head = Cranium

Today I received the following email from someone identifying themselves as Lior F. Lapos:

Attention: Blog writer

I am writing to alert you that your blog may be in breach of the United States Internet Control Act (2005), which states the following:

If at any time, a registered business (as defined under C18-562A of the Industrial Act 1967) is unable to acquire a required domain name required of their business, due to the domain name being used by an individual (not a sole proprieter), they must take whatever means necessary to free up the domain name for use by said business.

UK band Radiohead achieved considerable success with their last album In rainbows, and were looking to expand their mainstream success in the United States. To this end, they have set up a fan club organisation (based in Los Angeles) in an attempt to improve their popularity in the States. They have chosen Wireless Cranium to be the name of this organisation.

As part of the startup of the fan club, they have attempted to register the Blogger domain wirelesscranium.blogspot.com but were disappointed to see that it has been taken by a 3rd party blog.

To avoid any breach to the aforementioned clause of the Internet Control Act (2005), you must action one of the following items within the next ninety (90) days:

(1) Surrender the domain name wirelesscranium.blogspot.com to the Wireless Cranium organisation. You will be permitted to relocate your blog to another domain name.

(2) Allow the Wireless Cranium business to use your domain name for advertising purposes at the ratio of 80/20 (where 80% of the site will be dedicated to advertising, 20% to original blogging material). You will be entitled to 50% of the advertising revenue. If the blogging rate exceeds this, further legal action may be taken.

I will be contacting you directly within the next week to determine which option you have selected.

Yours sincerely,
Lior F. Lapos.

So, there you go. Unfortunately I am not able to take option (1). I have many dedicated readers -- 7 subscribed through BlogLines alone, and I don't want to speculate how many Google Reader subscriptions there are, but I'd suspect it may be 3! I feel changing the domain name would be too disruptive to the people reading this blog.

So I have decided to take option (2), which means you'll be seeing a lot more ads on this blog.

I guess the upside of this is that there'll be a lot more posts; I have been pretty quiet lately.

I apologise to be the bearer of this news. But it's the unfortunate reality of the competitive blogging market.

I think this sums it up best.

RIP: John Martyn 1948-2009

British folk singer-songwriter John Martyn has passed away in Ireland at the age of 60.

I only have one of his albums, Solid air, which is considered by many critics to be a classic of the folk genre. The title track from that album was Martyn's tribute to his friend and Island label-mate Nick Drake, who was suffering from depression at the time and passed away less than 2 years after the album was released. Another song from that album, May you never, was also made famous by Eric Clapton when it was released on his 1977 album Slowhand.

John was a unique vocalist, amazing songwriter and highly underrated guitarist. While he never had huge commercial success, he had a pretty big cult following, and he will be sadly missed by his fans.

R.I.P.

MP3: John Martyn - The man in the station [Link removed]

Update: Song links removed.

My Morning Jacket gig [27th January 2009 @ Billboard]

It's been a long time between drinks. My last gig was Crowded House all the way back in November 2007.

My Morning Jacket are a 5-piece indie-country-rock band from Kentucky. They formed in 1998 and have released 5 studio albums in that time. Their first two albums The tennessee fire and At dawn were humble lo-fi efforts that made up for their lack of production polish with amazing songwriting and passionate performances. They increased in popularity a little bit with It still moves, where they accentuated the stadium rock side of their sound more. Their breakthrough album Z was a bit of a change, where their sound mellowed out a bit and the production all became a little more professional (but they weren't afraid to rock out at times). Finally, their most recent album Evil urges saw them expanding the sonic palette introduced on Z.

Billboard is a small venue in Russell Street in the Melbourne CBD, and this gig was the first time I had been there. Thankfully, it had air conditioning which was very much appreciated by the attendees, being quite a hot summer evening in Melbourne. The suspense built up as the fans were kept waiting (to the strains of what I think was Miles Davis) until about 9:45pm, when they finally took to the stage.

They opened with the first two songs from their latest album -- the falsetto-laden title track (Evil urges) and progressive-sounding Touch me I'm going to scream Pt. 1. They mixed it up a little bit with the earlier At dawn classic The way that he sings, almost a signature-song for them, and one of my favourite MMJ songs to date. Another early gig highlight was Off the record, one of their more recent "poppier" songs which has an incredibly catchy riff repeated throughout.

They played a decent cross-section of their discography, but generally focused on their two most recent albums Z and Evil urges. While they only included a couple of songs from my favourite album At dawn (the aforementioned The way that he sings, and the beautiful acoustic Bermuda highway which was part of the excellent encore), they included quite a few songs from their 2003 album It still moves. And with very few exceptions, it was the songs from that album which were the absolute gig highlights.

Mahgeetah was already a great opener on the album, but in a live setting it was even more impressive. I always loved Dancefloors on the album as an enjoyable pop song with rocky overtones, but at the gig it absolutely rocked the audience's socks off. The outro of this song had the most amazing display of dual guitar, bass, drums and keyboard interplay that I have ever seen at a live gig. The drunken lament of Golden slowed things down, emphasizing lead singer Jim James' amazing falsetto, and Run thru turned into another amazing adrenaline-fuelled jam session. The songs which they played from It still moves were designed to be played live, and after hearing them at this gig I have a lot more respect for that amazing album.

Jim James didn't talk to the audience a lot during the gig, but when he did it was mainly about the surreal architecture of Melbourne (I think they had visited Federation Square), and how he had witnessed vandals "spray painting a cathedral". He proved to have an interesting stage persona, donning a cape over his head for many of the songs, and turned his back on the audience to face the drummer during the many jam sessions which the songs turned into. And jam they did -- the Z closer Dondante runs for about 8 minutes on the studio version, but they turned it into a 15-minute epic when played live. Did I mention the epic Lynyrd Skynyrd southern riffage of Lay low? I think I just did.

Sonically, this was quite easily the loudest gig I had ever been to. It must have been the combination of small venue + huge speakers + instruments turned up to 11, but my ears were ringing many times during the gig despite the fact that I was wearing protective ear plugs.

Any notable omissions? It would have been nice to hear Xmas curtain, Lowdown, The bear or some of their other early-career highlights. But there was really little to complain about -- they played for 150 minutes and only rarely did they lose momentum during this time; when they did, it was usually during the Evil urges material which didn't seem to go down as well as the older songs.

One big holiday (with its Marquee moon-esque riffage) proved to be a perfect closer to the encore and gig, leaving the audience literally breathless. It's certainly been a long time between drinks, but I'm glad that I fell off the wagon with these amazing musicians and performers.

Bootleg multimedia

Jim James crooning away

Lead guitarist Carl Broemel rocking on

It's 1975 all over again

Performance of "The way that he sings"

Jam at the end of "Run thru"

2008: A Year in Music [Part 6: Re-evaluation of 2007 list]

And now it's time to re-evaluate my top 5 albums of 2007, posted at the end of that year. The intent of this post is to close the loop on the whole musical evaluation process, which allows me to:

• Include albums from 2007 that I purchased after the year was over, and hence didn't include in the original list;
• Factor in grower albums which didn't hit me initially, but over time have revealed their hidden charms;
• Factor in [shrinker?] albums which I thought were pretty impressive albums originally, but over time have become boring or shown to lack considerable depth to keep them interesting to listen to.

Here were my top 5 albums from 2007 in my original post:

1. Radiohead - In rainbows
2. The Arcade Fire - Neon bible
3. The Good, the Bad & the Queen - self titled
4. Spoon - Ga ga ga ga ga
5. Crowded House - Time on earth

And here's the 2007 albums which I have purchased since I published that original list (in order of purchase):

Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
Joe Henry - Civilians
Sunset Rubdown - Random spirit lover
Ben Harper - Lifeline
Patrick Wolf - The magic position
Von Südenfed - Tromatic reflexxions
Josh Pyke - Memories & dust
Levon Helm - Dirt farmer
PJ Harvey - White chalk

(I also purchased the excellent Death proof soundtrack which was released in 2007, but is ineligible for inclusion in the new list because it's a compilation made up entirely of previously-released material.)

So, do any of these more recently purchased albums (or indeed the albums which I included in my cutting room floor post of 2007) cause the line-up to change?

Robert Wyatt's Comicopera is a very difficult avant-garde listen which lives up to its name, as it is structured like an opera in 3 parts. Opening with its two most accessible tracks (The beautiful cover Stay tuned, and gorgeous duet Just as you are) is an interesting technique to reel the listener in, but there are very few islands of accessibility on the rest of the album (A beautiful peace is a notable exception). The last 5 songs aren't even in English, which is supposed to be symbolic of Wyatt's disillusion with Western culture. To sum it up: an intensely challenging avant-folk opera summing up the performer's thoughts on the Bush years. Some more melody may have helped here; it may grow on me one day, but hasn't yet.

Joe Henry is quite a renowned record producer who has also released a few solo albums of his own, with Civilians being his most recent release. I first heard about this album when I read a raving 5-star review of it in The Age. I picked it up shortly after, and it's a very solid album overall. The music is tight, the lyrics are meaningful, and it strikes a nice balance between depth and accessibility. My only gripe with this album is that it could have done with a little more diversity in its sound to keep it interesting; after almost an hour some of the songs tend to blend into each other. Highlights are the introspective Parker's mood and lovely closer God only knows (not related to the classic Beach Boys song with the same name).

Sunset Rubdown are the spin-off band of Spencer Krug, better known as one of the founding members of Wolf Parade. Where Wolf Parade are more grounded in the mainstream part of alternative indie-pop, Sunset Rubdown is the much more progressive and challenging outfit. Many listeners have raved about their 2nd album Random spirit lover; I have tried to get into it, but with the exception of a few tracks (the gorgeous Stallion), this album is a bit too over-the-top for me.

I have already talked about Ben Harper's excellent album Lifeline in my 2008 musical discoveries post, so no need to repeat myself here. Needless to say I was very impressed with this one.

The jury is still out on the remaining 5 albums, as I haven't had them for long enough. Here's a quick summary of my impressions at the moment:

The magic position - Upbeat chamber-pop with some soft moments thrown in for good measure. This reviewer compared it to David Bowie's Hunky dory which is kind of appropriate in its feel, but he has big shoes to fill to live up to that classic.

Tromatic reflexxions - Mark E. Smith (The Fall) ranting over techno beats. Not quite my taste in music, and if Mark E. Smith wasn't involved I wouldn't have purchased it. The rhinohead is a fine song, though.

Memories & dust - Critically acclaimed effort from Josh Pyke, a popular Australian singer-songwriter. There's more melodies here than you can throw a shoe at, but needs a few more listens before I can comment more on it. Enjoyable nevertheless.

Dirt farmer - the latest solo album by Levon Helm, the sole American in the legendary Canadian group The Band, this is an album made entirely of folk covers and standards. His voice is a long way away from his glory days with The Band, but there's some really beautiful moments on this one.

White chalk - I have only given this one listen so far. Very different from her last 2 albums, this is brooding, minor-key, piano-based gothic music. Not your upbeat party album, but I'm hoping the melodies will shine through on subsequent listens.

So...where does this leave my top 5 albums of 2007 list? Well I'm happy to say that in this particular case, my original list top 5 list has stood the test of time and I will not be updating it.

If I were to extend it to a top 10, it would look a little bit like this:

1. Radiohead - In rainbows
2. The Arcade Fire - Neon bible
3. The Good, the Bad & the Queen - self titled
4. Spoon - Ga ga ga ga ga
5. Crowded House - Time on earth
6. Ben Harper - Lifeline
7. Gruff Rhys - Candylion
8. Joe Henry - Civilians
9. Manic Street Preachers - Send away the tigers
10. The Shins - Wincing the night away

Thanks for reading my musical summary of 2008. I hope you have enjoyed reading it.

It's a few weeks late now, but happy new year! Hope you have a great 2009.

2008: A Year in Music [Part 5: Musical discoveries]

The previous posts in my 2008 wrap-up suggest that I didn't buy a lot of music last year. Quite the contrary, I bought 113 albums in 2008. That's an average of 2 albums purchased per week! With only 8 albums from 2008, there's still 105 other albums I purchased during the year. The cream of those 105 albums is going to rise to the top, forming the basis of this post: my musical discoveries of the year. This is the post which I enjoy writing the most; if I can introduce at least one reader to one of these excellent albums, I'll consider it mission accomplished.

The albums here are listed in order of purchase.

The Divine Comedy - Promenade

I actually bought this album at the tail end of 2007, but I decided to cheat and include it in this list anyway. Casanova was in my list of 2007 musical discoveries, but Promenade was the Divine Comedy album I really wanted to buy for a long time. Unfortunately, it has been out of print for a long time, meaning that I had to resort to buying it off eBay second-hand. Thankfully, I found it for a very reasonable price.

There are many adjectives I would use to describe this music. The best phrase to describe it that I could come up with is lush, literate and romantic chamber-pop. If this description sounds in any way attractive to you, you will thoroughly enjoy this album.

Lyrically, the album could be described as a concept album, telling the story of a day in the life of two young lovers. Each song is a self-contained vignette covering a particular point in their day, but there is also a story arc over the course of the record.

There are highlights scattered throughout, but I particular enjoy The booklovers (basically a list of the lovers' favourite authors, which sounds boring but isn't), The summerhouse (a nostalgic ode to youth), the quirky A drinking song (where the lovers get drunk) and the optimistic and feel-good closer Tonight we fly.

This is one of those albums where there isn't a note out of place throughout its 45-minute running time. A stunning album.

MP3: The Divine Comedy - The summerhouse [Link removed]

Ed Harcourt - The beautiful lie

I bought Ed Harcourt's 2001 debut album Here be monsters shortly after it was released, and it quickly became one of my favourite albums of that year. I haven't purchased his subsequent albums From every sphere and Strangers because they are corrupted with that blasted Copy Control technology, which EMI thought was a great idea in the mid-noughties but have thankfully discontinued now. Luckily, his excellent 2006 album The beautiful lie is free of that feeble attempt at copy protection.

Ed Harcourt is a brilliant singer-songwriter from England who deserves a lot more acclaim than he is getting. His lyrics are slightly quirky (the result of a subtle Tom Waits influence), his voice is full of character and emotion, and his musical composition and piano playing are out of this world.

While I loved Here be monsters, Ed has shown a lot of progression in the five years since that album was released. The album generally alternates between upbeat jazzy rockers (Visit from the dead dog, Shadowboxing, Revolution in the heart) and late night laments (You only call me when you're drunk, The last cigarette, Good friends are hard to find). Rain on the pretty ones is stupendous, one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in the last five years. And Braille is a beautiful, haunting, duet with his wife Gita Harcourt.

If you are a fan of Jeff Buckley and lament most of the singer-songwriter fare released this decade, give Ed Harcourt a listen. You won't be disappointed.

MP3: Ed Harcourt - Rain on the pretty ones [Link removed]

New Order - Technique

Everyone knows New Order for their hits (Blue monday, Bizarre love triangle, True faith), but not many know that they also have some pretty good studio albums as well. Prior to purchasing Technique, I had Substance (their best-of from 1987), Power, corruption & lies (their 2nd album from 1983) and Low-life (their 3rd album from 1985). I enjoyed Substance, but those other two albums seemed a bit patchy to me (although there were definitely some great moments on each).

Technique is a different beast entirely. Partially recorded on the island of Ibiza, it incorporates a lot of acid-house influences that were prevalent in the late 80s. The change of scenery had a very positive effect on the band, refreshing their sound while still not losing what made them so good to start with.

Opener Fine time is a bit of a red herring, emphasizing dance and beats a little too much over catchy pop. But from All the way until closer Dream attack, this album is a non-stop party. It's melodic, hooky, and you can dance to it. And most importantly, it makes you happy while you listen to it. A very impressive album.

MP3: New Order - Round & round [Link removed]

Various Artists - "Death Proof" soundtrack

To be honest, I wasn't particularly impressed with Quentin Tarantino's latest film Death proof. It was okay, but his movies seem to be getting a little cliched and lacking the spark that made Reservoir dogs and Pulp fiction so amazing and some of my favourite films of all time.

Despite my thoughts on the movie, the soundtrack is another gold Tarantino compilation of unearthed gems. I don't know how he does it, but Quentin is always able to uncover these hidden classics from the 60s and 70s and compile them in such a way to make an endlessly listenable and brilliant soundtrack.

What I love about this soundtrack (and pretty much all Tarantino soundtracks) is how he eschews the obvious and well-known songs that would work well in a car chase movie, simultaneously enthralling the listener and introducing them to music they would otherwise probably never hear.

The soundtrack consists of some great soul numbers (Staggolee, The love you make, Down in Mexico), moody instrumentals (The last race, Paranoia prima, Sally and Jack), glam (Jeepster), early 60s power-pop (Hold tight) and even a bit of quirky bubblegum (Chick habit). And no Tarantino soundtrack would be complete without the trademark movie dialogue scattered throughout at appropriate moments (although I'll admit the dialogue is much less memorable this time around).

Even if you haven't seen Death proof, I wouldn't hesitate recommending this soundtrack to anyone. This was one of my most listened albums of the year.

MP3: The Coasters - Down in Mexico [Link removed]

Paul & Linda McCartney - Ram

I had read about this album a lot over the years, and eventually purchased it in 2008. Released in 1971 (a great year for music), it is considered to be one of his best solo albums. To be honest, I was a bit sceptical about the album before I purchased it. I already had his best-of compilation All the best!, and while there are undoubtedly some amazing tracks on there, I was suspicious that he couldn't maintain brilliance over the course of a whole album. I'm glad that I can now say that I was completely wrong.

Ram is up there with All things must pass and Imagine as a brilliant and fully realised Beatles solo album. While All things must pass showed that George had so much more to say (if only John and Paul had let him), and Imagine was an intensely personal masterpiece by John, Ram was a quirky and immaculately recorded window into Paul's creative mind in the early 70s.

It doesn't have many hits on it (Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey excluded), the lyrics certainly didn't have the depth of Lennon's (apparent in the Beatles' music as well), but what it lacks in depth it makes up for in heart. This is an endlessly listenable album, where each song has a purpose, and it's just old fashioned fun music.

The highlights? The semi-title track Ram on is a stunning, minimalistic number that sounds like it would fit nicely on the White album. The aforementioned Uncle Albert is a quirky number that can't help but make you happy. Monkberry moon delight is a crazy singalong that sounds like it would have been a big influence on Tom Waits. And the best is saved till last -- Back seat of my car is a multi-faceted masterpiece that is as good as anything the Beatles ever released.

MP3: Paul & Linda McCartney - Back seat of my car [Link removed]

James Brown - 20 all time greatest hits!

The first James Brown album I bought was Live at the Apollo, which is considered to be his masterpiece, and one of the great live albums of all time. I'm generally not a big fan of live albums, but there are always exceptions. Even though I have listened to Apollo many times over the years, it has never really hit me as being as brilliant as everyone says it is.

For such a soul legend as James Brown, I thought the most logical next step was to pick up a compilation that represented his most well-known songs. There are a lot of James Brown compilations out there, and I didn't want to just pick up any compilation. So I did a bit of research, and this one was mentioned many times as the pick of the bunch. Unfortunately for me, it seemed to be out of print and unavailable in Australia. In May 2008 I was on a business trip in Vancouver, and managed to find this CD in a downtown second-hand CD store.

For a man who has had so many classic singles scattered across different discs, a great compilation like this was easily the best way to appreciate his genius. This is a funk and soul odyssey, kicking off in brilliant fashion with I got you (I feel good), upping the ante with Sex machine, making a few rest stops (It's a man's man's man's world) and uncovering some lesser-known gems (Get on the good foot) along the way.

Put this on, crank it up, and bathe in the genius of the Godfather of soul.

MP3: James Brown - It's a man's man's man's world [Link removed]

Mansun - Attack of the grey lantern

I was a big fan of the Britpop genre in the early to mid 90s, but there were a few bands who I had missed along the way. The Britpop train definitely left the station in about 1997-1998; while I can still appreciate albums from that era with a sense of nostalgia, it's always scary coming to the party late because without the memories of enjoying that music at the time it can be a futile attempt to appreciate music which might very well be of its time.

I recently read many reviews praising this album (Mansun's debut) which was released in 1997, one of the greatest years for music. I managed to find it for $5 on eBay, picking it up with very little risk if it turned out to be a bit on the shite side. Luckily for me, there are no disappointments here. This album actually holds up remarkably well, and I think it's because Mansun don't emphasize their British-ness as much as some of the other Britpop bands of the era (e.g. Menswear).

This album has a bit of a glam-rock feel to it in places, reminding me a little bit of a more grounded version of Suede's amazing album Dog man star. The sound is simultaneously epic (The chad who loved me, Dark Mavis), upbeat and dancy (Taxloss, Stripper vicar), anthemic (Wide open space) and at times quite reflective (Disgusting). Even the hidden track is great; a clever piece on how obsessive fans read too much into lyrics.

MP3: Mansun - Wide open space [Link removed]

Various arists - Tropicália: A Brazilian revolution in sound

Tropicália is an art movement that arose in the late 60s in Brazil. There was a more sinister political side to the movement (which you can read about here), but musically this was a highly creative era which influenced many musicians in subsequent generations.

I first became aware of this great compilation when I saw a very high score next to it on MetaCritic. It was enough for me to do a bit of investigation, and I snagged it up on eBay in 2008.

This is the first CD of its kind that I have in my collection, and it goes to show how much great music one can miss out on when they limit themselves to more conventional genres. This music is simultaneously exciting, passionate, political, complex and multi-layered. It doesn't matter that I don't understand a word on the whole album (with the exception of the superb Take it easy, my brother Charles, the only English song); the music speaks for itself, saying more with its musical passion in 5 seconds of music than a lot of modern English-language music can do over the course of an album.

The compilation is made up of several songs by key artists from the movement -- Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Tom Ze and Jorge Ben. The packaging is wonderful, including a wonderfully thick booklet describing the movement and what it meant in the context of the time.

Be open minded and give this great CD a listen.

MP3: Gilberto Gil e Os Mutantes - Domingo no parque [Link removed]

Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright

With a few notable exceptions such as Kate Bush, I generally prefer male vocalists of female vocalists. I'm not sure why, but it's just a personal preference that hasn't changed a lot over the years. Every now and then, a female vocalist comes along that I fall in love with. Martha Wainwright is one such example.

Martha's voice is a stunning, bluesy instrument which conveys a tremendous amount of emotion. Combining this with her dark and sometimes tortured (Bloody mother fucking asshole) lyrics makes for a compelling listen. This is an intensely personal album, with each song sounding like a diary entry from a woman who has many skeletons in her closet.

Martha has music in her blood -- her father is legendary folk/blues musician Loudon Wainwright III (and apparently the bloody mother fucking asshole who she dedicated that lovely song to), her mother is Canadian folk musician Kate McGarrigle, and her brother is baroque indie popster Rufus Wainwright. While I have never really gotten into Rufus' music (sorry Adam), Martha's work is a different story entirely.

To think that this is only her debut album -- this woman has lots of potential. She's already released her 2nd album, and it's definitely one I will be picking up in the future.

MP3: Martha Wainwright - Bloody mother fucking asshole [Link removed]

The Boo Radleys - Giant steps

No, this isn't a re-recording of John Coltrane's infamous landmark 1960 jazz album.

The Boo Radleys were someone who I always categorised as "just another Britpop" band, and they did become that way in the late-90s. But when I did a bit more digging, I saw this album constantly come up in lists of "lost classic" albums. And lost classic is exactly what this album is.

This is an epic record, alternating between melodic gems (I hang suspended, Wish I was skinny, Best lose the fear, The white noise revisited), distorted shoegaze numbers (Upon 9th and Fairchild, Leave and sand, I've lost the reason) and even dubby reggae-influenced numbers (Lazarus).

All of the sounds are woven into an epic whole, and the end result is an album which is simultaneously accessible and challenging. Some songs jump out at you on the first listen, and others creep up to you on the 10th listen, and you wonder how you ever missed them in the first place. Overall, this album achieves the perfect balance of pop sensibilities and musical depth, and highly deserves its status as an underrated classic of the early 90s.

MP3: The Boo Radleys - Upon 9th and Fairchild [Link removed]

Ocean Colour Scene - Moseley shoals

I'd like to give a shout-out to Stefan, who recommended this great album to me, which prompted me to purchase it. I already mentioned in my review of the Mansun album that there were a few Britpop classics from the mid-90s which I had somehow overlooked in my appreciation of the genre back in the end. Well, Moseley shoals is another example of such an album.

This album is only Britpop by definition, as it's not really poppy at all. Opting instead for a mod-blues sound, this music is more influenced by Paul Weller, Traffic, Faces and The Who than anything by The Beatles. Singer Simon Fowler has a great voice which suits the music really well, and the rest of the band are a very tight unit as well. Because their style of music isn't really Britpop at all, it has aged really well despite the fact that it was released 13 years ago now.

There are many highlights -- opener The riverboat song is propelled by a fantastic riff, The day we caught the train and The circle complete the opening trifecta in a stunning fashion, and One for the road would make a great roadtrip song.

This album was big in the UK, but it deserves a much bigger audience.

MP3: Ocean Colour Scene - The riverboat song [Link removed]

Ben Harper - Lifeline

Thanks to my friend Brett, a lifelong Ben Harper fan, for recommended this great album to me. I own all Ben Harper studio albums except There will be a light and Both sides of the gun, both of which I never purchased because they are cursed with that infernal Copy Control technology. This one is thankfully free of that.

In my loudness war post, I mentioned how Lifeline was a great example of a contemporary album which had been beautifully produced. You only need to listen to the opening track on this album to hear how refreshing the production on this album is compared to a lot of other so-called music released nowadays.

Musically, this is Ben Harper's inevitable soul/R&B album. He had always dabbled in this genre before on his previous albums, but this is the first time he had dedicated (almost) an entire album to that style. Ben is in fine voice throughout this album, and the Innocent Criminals continue to be one of the best backing bands of recent times.

Brett mentioned to me that the first time he heard Fool for a lonesome train, he was convinced that was a cover of an old soul classic, and was surprised to find that it was a Ben Harper original. I have to agree with him; this is a brilliant song, and likely to become a soul/R&B standard in many years to come.

While the last two songs don't seem to really fit in with the vibe of this album (another point I was made aware of by Brett), I don't think they detract from the album as a whole. Instead, I think of them more as a fantastic encore to the songs which preceded them. The final title track Lifeline has one of his final vocal performances to date, and the album is richer due to its inclusion.

MP3: Ben Harper - Fool for a lonesome train [Link removed]

Carole King - Tapestry

For many years, I had delayed picking up this landmark singer-songwriter album because I had the silly impression that I wouldn't like it (mainly due to radio overplay, and the general dated feel of some of the songs).

Silly, silly Jiggy! This is a masterful album by one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our generation. Many of the songs on this album were already classics before this album was released, being recorded by other artists such as Arethra Franklin and The Shirelles. But the versions on this album are great for two reasons -- Carole King has a remarkable soulful voice, and we get to hear the song by the person who [co-]wrote them, emphasizing the personal nature of the lyrics.

As good as the well known songs on this album are (and there are lots of them -- I feel the earth move, It's too late, You've got a friend, Will you love me tomorrow? and You'll make me feel like a natural woman), it's the quality of the lesser-known tracks which really surprised me. In particular, Beautiful is a wonderful number which puts me in a great mood, Smackwater Jack is a fun story song and the title track is a beautifully evocative stunner.

And every time I hear Where you lead, I can't help but picture Lorelei and Rory Gilmore eating in Luke's Diner.

MP3: Carole King - Beautiful [Link removed]

Sam & Dave - The very best of Sam & Dave

My first exposure to legendary soul duo Sam & Dave was through Elvis Costello's cover of I can't stand up for falling down, on his classic 1980 album Get happy!! While Elvis' version was an upbeat toe-tapping number, the original version (included on this compilation) is a slow-paced ballad. It's always interesting when you hear a cover of a song before the original, and in this case it was particularly surprising.

Most people would know Sam & Dave's classics Hold on, I'm a comin', Soul man and Soothe me, all of which are included on here. This is 60s R&B at its finest. While they didn't write their own songs (most were written by the legendary Isaac Hayes together with David Porter), they were true interpretors and excellent performers whose voices complemented each other perfectly.

This is a great compilation, without an ounce of filler, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants to expand their soul/R&B collection.

MP3: Sam & Dave - Soothe me (Live) [Link removed]

Stevie Wonder - Hotter than July

Stevie Wonder's 5-album run of genius, by most critics' accounts, starts at Music of my mind (1972) and ends at his magnum opus Songs in the key of life (1976). I have the 5 albums from that era and can highly recommend them as some of the finest music ever released. I had always heard that Hotter than July (from 1980) was another brilliant album that fell just outside the classic period, but had never purchased it.

I'm not sure why I waited so long, because this album (to me anyway) deserves to be included amongst the best albums he has released. Three classic singles (Master blaster, Lately and Happy birthday) provide the album with its foundation of familiarity, but they are just the tip of the iceberg of musical enjoyment that is to be had on this album. Each song is funky, catchy, musical, vocally fascinating, and everything else that you come to expect of Stevie's work.

Less well-known highlights include the beautiful Rocket love, too-catchy-for-its-own-good I ain't gonna stand for it (try getting this song out of your head) and the funky little Cash in your face. But it's all good, and in a way I'm glad I only bought this album now because it's exciting discovering another amazing Stevie album that I didn't even know existed. My only gripe is the title of the album, which doesn't work so well in the southern hemisphere.

MP3: Stevie Wonder - I ain't gonna stand for it [Link removed]

Midnight Oil - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

This is a classic case of an album which I had heard a few times in its entirety (many years ago), knew it was a classic which I should have in my collection, but had for some reason never purchased it. I already owned two Oils albums -- the excellent compilation 20,000 Watt R.S.L. and classic Diesel and dust. 20,000 Watt R.S.L. contains a lot of tracks from this era, and could have quite easily cannibalised 10...1 (making it less attractive to purchase), but for some strange reason two hits from this album (Short memory and Read about it) weren't included on that compilation. The only way I could get those great songs would be by purchasing this album.

I'm glad I did, because this is an album in the true sense of the world. It has an excellent flow to it, a conceptual unity to the lyrics, and not a dud song in the bunch. Opener Outside world has a fantastic mood and atmosphere, and for some reason I hadn't picked it as a standout all those years ago. But it is, and as an opener it fulfils its mission of "reeling the listener in" perfectly.

Follow-up track Only the strong has one of Peter Garrett's finest "angry" vocal performances. This song is pure energy, with the last few minutes of the song being a fantastic come-down. The aforementioned hits Short memory and Read about it follow, being as fascinating musically as they are lyrically. It's depressing that the political lyrics still mean as much now as they did in the early 80s. Scream in blue ends side A (as it was in vinyl) in a fascinating fashion -- the opening half being a feedback-laden instrumental, and the second half being a beautiful piano-based ballad.

Side B kicks off with two more hits which were on the best-of compilation -- U.S. forces and Power and the passion, the latter of which includes an excellent drum solo from Rob Hirst which is up there with Moby dick on Led Zeppelin II. We get a bit political with the last three tracks, with Marilinga being a particularly powerful song about the plight of the Aboriginal communities who were affected by the nuclear testing in the 50s.

This is an immensely powerful album lyrically, but what I find most fascinating about listening to it now is how experimental the music is. I had always considered Midnight Oil to be a fairly commercial band who had something interesting to say, but I can say after coming to this album late that they were also an incredibly tight band during this era, who weren't afraid to do things which were quite anti-commercial. They could have quite easily opened the album with Power and the passion (or one of the other hits), but choosing to open with the oddity Outside world showed how left-field and dedicated to their art they were.

This is a fantastic album which deserves its place amongst the greatest Australian albums of all time.

MP3: Midnight Oil - Outside world [Link removed]

Various artists - 101 80s hits

I have already discussed this compilation at great length in this post, so there's no need to repeat myself. Needless to say that it gave me much musical enjoyment in 2008, and it was also very educational, introducing me to lots of songs from the 80s that I should have known better than I did.

MP3: A Flock of Seagulls - I ran [Link removed]

Jens Lekman - When I said I wanted to be your dog

Jens Lekman is a twenty-something Swedish singer-songwriter who writes and performs quirky, funny, honest and unabashedly romantic folk songs mainly about girls and his (often failed) romantic conquests. Most of the songs on this 2004 album (his debut) sound like diary entries from a lovesick teenager.

Musically, the strongs are stripped-back and quite simple in their structure, sometimes embellished with strings and horns to increase their emotional impact. But it's the lyrics where Jens shines, elevating him to a higher place than "just another indie singer-songwriter". Get a load of the opening lyrics to album highlight You are the light:

Yeah I got busted
So I used my one phone call
To dedicate
A song to you on the radio

I don't know what it is, but the thought of a twenty-something man getting caught by the fuzz and using his phone call to dedicate a song to his crush cracks me up every time I hear it. I'm not normally a lyric man, but the lyrics in Jens Lekman's music hit me in ways that a lot of other music doesn't.

I won't hesitate to say that his music is up there with early Belle & Sebastian, and I look forward to picking up his more recent album Night falls over Kortedala.

MP3: Jens Lekman - You are the light (by which I travel...) [Link removed]

Elton John - Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy

I had a couple of Elton John albums before this one, but this is the first one that I have truly loved (and it's still growing on me after about 5 listens). The first one I bought was Goodbye yellow brick road, which is widely considered to be his classic album, but to me feels a bit overlong and bloated. Then I bought Tumbleweed connection, one of his earlier and more country albums. While that albums has some excellent songs on it, something that I can't quite put my finger on puts me off that album -- I think it may be the slightly-cheesy female backing vocals on some of the tracks.

Even from the first listen, I could tell that Captain Fantastic was a different sort of album. Firstly, at 46 minutes it's very concise and doesn't leave a lot of room for filler. Secondly, it has a conceptual unity both musically and lyrically (yes, it's a concept album). Thirdly, it has some of the finest songwriting of Elton's and Bernie Taupin's career. And to top it off, the vocals and performances on this album are some of the best I have ever heard. Did I mention the production? That's great too.

Lyrically, the concept of the album is about the struggle that Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin went through in the mid-late 60s before Elton hit the bigtime. The album covers a lot of ground lyrically, but the album flows remarkably well; it's one of those works of art where not a note feels out of place.

I also have a confession to make. While I knew of the classic song Someone saved my life tonight, for some reason I had never heard it (or at least remembered it) before I picked up this album. I'm not sure how I missed this classic piece of songwriting and performance, because it's one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. Based upon a true story of Elton trying to kill himself (and Bernie saving him), the song builds and builds musically, reaching many crescendos during its 7-minute running time, but never for one second does the listener lose interest.

It is an amazing composition that sits comfortably amongst the finest songs released in the last 50 years. On a lesser album, the other songs would have been so overshadowed by the brilliance of this one number that they would have quickly become forgotten. It's a testament to the power of this album that this doesn't occur.

MP3: Elton John - Someone saved my life tonight [Link removed]

Update: Song links removed.