The "Timmy" marathon

No, I am not talking about the disabled kid from South Park. I'm talking about this dude, the lead singer of seminal Aussie act You Am I:


Every now and then, I decide to run a marathon on my iPod. This is where I put the iPod on shuffle, select an artist, and let it run through their whole discography (or as much of their discography that I have). I did this in lieu of purchasing their new album Convicts, which I will probably not be doing now after both Pete and Dean gave it their thumbs-down.

Anyway, it was an interesting experience. I'd like to share some of the observations that I had while listening to their entire discography in shuffle, as the randomization of it all made me notice things that I wouldn't normally notice if I was only listening to their albums the natural way.

My own private gig

The experience felt like my own little personal gig, although instead of it going for 2 hours, it went for a few days! And there wasn't the chance that they weren't going to play one of my favourite songs, because I'd get to hear all their songs!

Pete and I have this game which we play at gigs where we try and guess the opening and closing songs. I bet you are dying to know what the opening and closing cuts of my "gig" were. No? Well I'm going to tell you anyway. The opener was City lights from Deliverance, and the closer was One trick tony from the same album. Neither particularly seem suited for those positions in a gig.

It was getting exciting as I neared the end of the marathon, trying to work out what songs haven't been played. Some cuts were held back to late in the marathon - Berlin chair didn't make an appearance until track 77 (out of 88). Heavy heart was track 71. Good mornin' didn't play until track 83.

Hourly, Daily is da bomb

I knew this before, but this marathon simply reinforced it - Hourly, daily is a fantastic album. Every time a cut from this album came up, it brought a smile to my face -- such songwriting perfection. What's great about this album is how brilliantly it works as a whole, but even when hearing a song out of context you can appreciate it just as much. For those who aren't familiar with this album, it's a suburban concept album. You could say it's You Am I's answer to Blur's The great escape, but oh-so-much better.

The sound of Hi Fi Way

I have always considered their second album Hi Fi Way to be a slightly less polished (and rockier) version of Hourly, Daily. But hearing Hi Fi Way and their debut Sound As Ever side-by-side, I'd say that the sound of Hi Fi Way is more similar in sound to their debut. While their debut is fairly average (except for a few choice cuts like Berlin chair), Hi Fi Way ups the songwriting stakes immensely and adds some much needed melodies to the mix.

And I just gotta say that How much is enough is a brilliant song and a great closing cut on that album.

Their path down the country road

Listening to their 2002 album Deliverance, you could almost mistake You Am I for a country-rock band. While Tim has definitely recorded a lot of country music as part of his solo work (his excellent solo album What rhymes with cars and girls being the best example), this sound did seem to come a little bit out of nowhere for the band. During the marathon, I discovered that he and the band started hinting at a country sound a lot earlier than Deliverance. Give another listen to the twang in Timmy's voice in End of the line (from Dress me slowly) and you will hear what I mean.

Their low points

I defended Deliverance when it came out, as some of my mates were bagging it a little bit. But there's no doubt that, together with Sound as ever, it represents the low-point of their catalogue (obviously I can't comment on Convicts, because I don't have it).

Having said that, there are some hidden gems on Deliverance that sound pretty great when listened to in isolation. Notably, Ribbons and bows is vintage You Am I and some of the ballads like The wrong side now are quite beautiful songs that make the most of Timmy's ailing vocal chords.

Timmy's vocals

And that's a great segue into the next discussion point, which is sure to be a controversial one. Even the biggest Timmy defenders will find it hard to deny that his voice has definitely degraded over the years, and not in a cool Tom Waits kinda way.

While most You Am I fans will point to Deliverance as the point at which his voice started to go downhill, I'd like to offer an alternate hypothesis. I think Timmy's voice started going a lot earlier, but the quality of the songwriting and the musical backing often shielded the listener from this. Exhibit A: Get up from Dress me slowly. Give a listen to this track, and try to separate his vocals from the rest of the mix. They aren't as good as they once were, are they? Luckily, it's a killer tune so you don't really care.

Change of sound over the years

I've already talked about their progression towards country-rock, now for a general overview of their evolution.

Sound as ever is generic garage rock. There's some great tunes that would hint at their future brilliance, like Berlin chair and Jaimme's got a gal. But I can honestly do without most of their debut album. Not many of the cuts gave me a what a song! feeling. And what's the deal with the penultimate track Off the field? Who is singing that song? Sure doesn't sound like Timmy.

Hi fi way really shows them carving out their niche in the Aussie rock circuit. The rockers have a purpose, ballads like Purple sneakers and Handwasher show that they have a lot more depth and that they aren't just one trick ponies. While this album has its fair share of brilliant moments, their best was yet to come.

Hourly, daily is where it all came together. The best ballads, the best rockers, classic pop songs. A suburban concept that weaved a thread throughout, making the album an experience rather than just a series of songs. This is the best place to start with the band.

They almost went back to their earlier sound on #4 record. It was definitely less polished than Hourly, daily but they also added horns here and there to make the sound a bit more interesting. It's probably their most standard rock record, with some of their most well-known songs like Heavy heart and Rumble thrown in for good measure. One thing that I really noticed in the marathon is that they are a lot of lesser known songs on this album that are really good -- Cream and the crock, Plans and Come home wit' me being some great examples.

Dress me slowly had them going back to the more polished sound of Hourly, daily. It's an incredibly solid album with one classic after another, and probably the only thing it lacks over that earlier album is flow and conceptual unity. But there's an abundance of excellent songs on this album, including some of my absolute favourites like Weeds and Damage.

Deliverance was a big step down. I've already talked a lot about this album, the one where the country sound was pushed to the front and you suddenly realised that they were quite a different band than the one you fell in love with. There are some great songs on this album, you just have to dig around to find them.

Perhaps Pete or Dean can reply with their comments on their new album Convicts, since I don't have this one.

Live shennanigans

My copy of #4 record has a bonus disc called Radio settee (Big Star fans will pick this as a tribute to their first 2 albums #1 record and Radio city). Often some of these lives cuts would show up in the mix, and there's some interesting covers on there that I hadn't noticed before. Fox on the run by 70's glam rockers The Sweet, Lookin' for a kiss by the New York Dolls and Live with me by the Rolling Stones. I actually have the New York Dolls album that has the original version of Lookin' for a kiss, so it was interesting to hear the You Am I version which I couldn't even remember existed.

It's all in the mix

The iPod has this feature called smart shuffle which is supposed to prevent tracks from the same album being played after each other when the iPod is in shuffle mode. After doing this marathon, I can honestly say that this shuffle ain't so smart.

Here's several examples where 3 tracks in a row came from the same album:

Trike, Junk and Fox on the run (all from Radio Settee)
Mr milk, Moon shines on trubble and Tuesday (all from Hourly, Daily)
Cathy's clown, Gray and Jewels and bullets (all from Hi Fi Way)
Billy, Berlin chair and Mr Milk (all from Radio Settee)
Off the field, Who's leaving you now? and Coprolalia (all from Sound As Ever)

The marathon experience

Overall, this You Am I music marathon was a great experience. This is the second time I have done something like this (the first time being The Replacements, which inspired this post). I hope to do it again some time, with another band. But it has to be a band that doesn't have too many songs, otherwise it will take a week to get through them all. Less than 100 is a good number. Any suggestions?

Some samples

Finally, here's some samples of their work for those who haven't heard much of them. Thanks for reading!

You Am I - If We Can't Get It Together [Link Removed]
You Am I - How Much Is Enough [Link Removed]
You Am I - Weeds [Link Removed]

Appendix - Marathon set list

For the really bored ;-)

Track#	Song	Album
1	City Lights	Deliverance
2	Nifty Lil' Number Like You	Deliverance
3	Jaimme's Got a Gal	Sound As Ever
4	Trainspottin'	Sound As Ever
5	Damage	Dress Me Slowly
6	Soldiers	Hourly, Daily
7	Flag Fall $1.80	Hourly, Daily
8	Handwasher	Hi Fi Way
9	The Cream And The Crock	#4 Record
10	Who Put The Devil In You	Deliverance
11	Deliverance	Deliverance
12	Ordinary	Sound As Ever
13	Weeds	Dress Me Slowly
14	Heavy Comfort	Hourly, Daily
15	What I Dont Know About You	#4 Record
16	Doug Sahm	Dress Me Slowly
17	Come Home Wit' Me	#4 Record
18	Trike	Radio Settee
19	Junk	Radio Settee
20	Fox On The Run	Radio Settee
21	Bring Some Sun Back	Dress Me Slowly
22	Punkarella	Hi Fi Way
23	Mr Milk	Hourly, Daily
24	Moon Shines On Trubble	Hourly, Daily
25	Tuesday	Hourly, Daily
26	When You Know What You Want	Deliverance
27	Judge Roy	Dress Me Slowly
28	Billy	#4 Record
29	Ain't Gone and Open	Hi Fi Way
30	Minor Byrd	Hi Fi Way
31	Everyone's to Blame	Sound As Ever
32	Gone, Gone, Gone	Dress Me Slowly
33	Guys, Girls, Guitars	#4 Record
34	Who Takes Who Home?	Hourly, Daily
35	Words For Sadness	Deliverance
36	How Much Is Enough	Hi Fi Way
37	Satisified Mind	Dress Me Slowly
38	End O' The Line	Dress Me Slowly
39	Ken (The Mother Nature's Son)	Hi Fi Way
40	Kick A Hole In The Sky	Dress Me Slowly
41	Ribbons And Bows	Deliverance
42	Live With Me	Radio Settee
43	Dead Letter Chorus	Hourly, Daily
44	Heavy Heart	#4 Record
45	Hourly, Daily	Hourly, Daily
46	Someone Else's Home	Hourly, Daily
47	Cathy's Clown	Hi Fi Way
48	Gray	Hi Fi Way
49	Jewels And Bullets	Hi Fi Way
50	Watcha Doin' To Me	Dress Me Slowly
51	Billy	Radio Settee
52	Berlin Chair	Radio Settee
53	Mr. Milk	Radio Settee
54	Crash	Deliverance
55	'Til The Clouds Roll Away	Deliverance
56	Junk	#4 Record
57	The Applecross Wing Commander	Hi Fi Way
58	Purple Sneakers	Hi Fi Way
59	Adam's Rib	Sound As Ever
60	If We Can't Get It Together	Hourly, Daily
61	Sugar	Dress Me Slowly
62	Looking For A Kiss	Radio Settee
63	Beautiful Girl	Dress Me Slowly
64	Nuthin's Ever Gone Be The Same Again	Deliverance
65	Top Of The Morn' And Slip Of The Day	#4 Record
66	Forever and Easy	Sound As Ever
67	Plans	#4 Record
68	Rumble	#4 Record
69	Sound As Ever	Sound As Ever
70	Heavy Heart	Radio Settee
71	Baby Clothes	Hourly, Daily
72	Rosedale	Sound As Ever
73	Fifteen	#4 Record
74	...And Vandalism	#4 Record
75	The Wrong Side Now	Deliverance
76	Berlin Chair	Sound As Ever
77	Wally Raffles	Hourly, Daily
78	Stray	Hi Fi Way
79	Pizza Guy	Hi Fi Way
80	Please Don't Ask Me To Smile	Hourly, Daily
81	You Scare Me	Sound As Ever
82	Good Mornin'	Hourly, Daily
83	Get Up	Dress Me Slowly
84	She Digs Her	Hi Fi Way
85	Off the Field	Sound As Ever
86	Who's Leaving You Now?	Sound As Ever
87	Coprolalia	Sound As Ever
88	One Trick Tony	Deliverance

UPDATE: Song links removed.

Thank god you're here

Has anyone been watching the excellent new TV show Thank God You're Here? It's on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 10. It's a (fairly) original concept from Working Dog productions, the same geniuses behind Frontline, The Panel and All-Aussie Adventures.

Basically the premise behind the show is that a comedian is dressed in a costume and sent through a door into a scene that they know nothing about. Other comedians play the supporting characters in the room and it's their job to prompt the comedian into improvisation. Some examples include: being a politician as a press conference, an executive as a pie company looking to expand their pie line-up, and a captain on a space ship.

You may be wondering what this has to do with music, but I'm getting to that. You see, the theme song to the show is Come anytime by Aussie rockers Hoodoo Gurus. This really baffles me as a choice of theme song. You see, the Gurus also have a very well-known song called What's my scene. Now wouldn't that be a better choice of song? The show is about a comedian who doesn't know the scene that they are about to walk into. Could there be a more obvious choice of theme song?

I don't think it's a legal issue; surely if they could clear one song by the Hoodoo Gurus then another song would be okay. I'm fairly sure that EMI owns the rights to all their albums now. Anyway, I'm very curious as to why they went with this song. I guess Come anytime is kind've appropriate, but What's my scene would have been just perfect.

Augie March gig [13th May 2006 @ Hi Fi Bar]

[Photo courtesy of MarkP]

I'd like to make something clear from the outset -- I don't like the Hi Fi Bar. It's cramped, smoky, poorly ventilated and not very comfortable. It's probably one of my least favourite venues in Melbourne (the Forum would get the nod as my favourite).

As much as I would love this to turn into a bitch session about my enjoyment of gigs steadily degrading over the years (getting old and having to be back in time for Matlock), I'm not going to turn this into a "woe is me" posting. Let's stick to the content of this blog, which is the music.

This was probably the 8th or 9th time I have seen these legends live, and it probably won't be the last. My gig memory isn't so great, but I think it was about 4 years ago that I saw them last -- not long after they released previous album Strange bird.

This time around they were supported by Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, which made the gig even more attractive to me. I have Dan Kelly's album The tabloid blues and find it quite enjoyable, even if it's not one of my absolute favourites. $23 to see 2 bands I like -- it doesn't get much better value than that kiddies.

Dan Kelly's set was an enjoyable one, covering several songs from The tabloid blues, current single Drunk on election night and a few songs I hadn't heard before. The highlight of the set was All on my lonesome where one of the band members played a theremin -- a truly stunning instrument. If you've never heard one of these live, you are missing out.

Now, on to the headliners. For those of you who haven't heard anything by Augie March, dig yourself out from under that rock where you are hidden and go out and buy one of their albums now. For the uninitiated I'd recommend their debut Sunset studies. That's where I started; while their newie Moo your bloody choir is their most accessible to date, I still don't think it's the best starting point. Work your way through their catalogue and follow their progression. It won't take long before you put them right up at the top of your "absolute favourite bands" list. And this isn't just hyperbole, it's the goddamn truth.

Their gig covered a good cross-section of their last two albums, though surprisingly they only included one song from their debut album, Here comes the night (no, they didn't even play Asleep in perfection!). Nothing from their two debut EPs either. Interestingly enough, all the Strange bird cuts came in a giant clump near the end of the gig; in no particular order: the Pogues-esque stomper This train will be taking no passengers, the haunting The night is a blackbird, rocker Song in the key of chance, the folky Sunstroke house (which really worked in the live setting) and epic Brundisium.

My personal gig highlight was Glenn's solo performance of Bottle baby, a truly stunning ballad from their last album. This song really pushes Glenn's fantastic vocals to centre stage, and his live interpretation definitely did it justice. Elsewhere, Glenn dedicated The baron of sentiment to his dog (who had been shot and apparently injured by an arsehole the previous night) and current single One crowded hour opened one of their several encores showing that the 'March clearly aren't gig top-loaders.

All in all, Augie March have never let me down and this gig was no exception. These guys deserve much more commercial success, but it's their lack of popularity which also makes them what they are. As soon as they start getting over-played on the radio, it will kill them. But at the same time they deserve to have lots of money thrown their way because they are so goddamn good. Isn't it ironic?

UPDATE: Here's some samples of their work if you are unfamiliar with the genius of Augie March. I have included a ballad, a more catchy pop song, and a rockier one just so you get a feel for their sound.

Augie March - Bottle Baby [Link Removed]
Augie March - The Offer [Link Removed]
Augie March - This Train Will Be Taking No Passengers [Link Removed]

Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

UPDATE: Song links removed.

The Replacements

The Replacements are one of those great undiscovered rock bands. In a parallel universe they would have been bigger than Bon Jovi and Guns 'n' Roses. Instead, they have a cult following with a small fanbase who simply adore them.

Led by the charismatic Paul Westerberg, they released 7 albums in their 13 year reign from 1979 to 1991. Their widely-accepted career peak ran from 1984 to 1987 where they released their holy trilogy: Let it be, Tim and Pleased to meet me. Most of their other albums had moments of brilliance, but none were quite as good as those 3 albums.

Unfortunately, even the albums that made up that trilogy had their fair share of filler on them. I'm of the school of thought that the 'Mats (as they are affectionately known to their fans) never released a completely solid album. And while this is incredibly disappointing for me (being such a fan of the album format), they have left such an unforgettable legacy in their songs that you can't help but forgive the lads. In a way, it's all part of their charm -- you can't hold it against them for deciding to include a throwaway song like Gary's got a boner in amongst timeless tunes like Unsatisfied and Sixteen blue.

They played by their own rules, and they were all the better for it. Their film clip for Bastards of young was a black and white clip of a stereo playing the tune. Yes, you read that right. A still image of a stereo. Can you imagine any band getting away with that in the current era of cliched film clips, where record companies care more about style and image over musical substance? It just wouldn't happen anymore. Bands are simply brands nowadays, investments to record company shareholders. If they don't earn the moolah, they are sent on their merry way. The Replacements were a band who were clearly marketable, but they simply refused to let the possibility of worldwide success get in the way of their artistic vision. They kept it real throughout their whole career, and it paid off because they left us with a legacy of passionately real rock music. They are the antithesis of over-produced record company darlings like Creed, Nickleback and their ilk.

But there's more to these guys than just the music. Paul Westerberg is also the master of the witty lyric, and he has written many couplets that would make other lyrical geniuses like Elvis Costello proud. Here's a quote from Bastards of young from Tim:

The ones who love us best are the ones we’ll lay to rest
And visit their graves on holidays at best
The ones who love us least are the ones we’ll die to please
If it’s any consolation, I don’t begin to understand them

Who can seriously say they cannot relate to this? How many times have you tried ever so hard to please someone that you have absolutely no respect for? Meanwhile neglecting those that you love, because you know (or at least you hope) they will always be there for you? Westerberg is up there with Tom Waits as one of the few real conveyors of human emotion through lyric.

I have recently come to the conclusion that the 'Mats are almost the ultimate mixtape band. As I said, they never released a masterpiece of an album. But they have so many brilliant songs tucked away on all of their albums that these songs need to be taken out of context and listened to as the microcosms of pop/rock perfection that they are. They are the first band that has inspired me to create and arrange a playlist on my iPod of their best moments.

Here's some of my favourite Replacements songs, one from each of their "career peak" albums. I think these songs cover a wide range of styles; Unsatisfied is emotion-driven rock at its finest (long before the unfortunate marketing term emo became overused), the aforementioned Bastards of young is one of their finest rock anthems and Skyway is an acoustic guitar standard that is almost unbearable in its beauty. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope it's the beginning of your love affair with the 'Mats.

The Replacements - Unsatisfied [Link Removed]
The Replacements - Bastards of young [Link Removed]
The Replacements - Skyway [Link Removed]

Let me know what you think!

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, AAC files have been replaced with MP3 ones. So you should now be able to listen to them through WinAmp, Media Player or whatever else you want to use. They will stay up for another week.

UPDATE: Song links removed.

A change is gonna come

You may have noticed something different in one of my recent posts. Yes, for the first time ever I actually included a song to download in the post. I have been thinking about where this blog is going and I have decided to start including downloadable songs in future posts. After all, it's much easier to appreciate a song if you can actually hear it rather than read about it.

Because I will be hosting the files myself, links to the songs will be removed one week after the date of posting them. All songs will be in AAC (.m4a) format, as that is the format that I use on the iPod. You can listen to these in iTunes, or download a plugin like this one which will allow you to play them in WinAmp.

I have a few questions for you, dear reader:

• Is this a good idea?
• Do you think it's a good way to get into new music?
• Will you download the songs I post here?
• More importantly, will you listen to the songs I post here?
• Will me posting songs make you more inclined to comment on this blog?

Please reply via the comments with answers to these questions; I appreciate any input.

Please note that I do not condone music piracy in any form. So after listening to the songs, either delete them or buy them. If you like the songs I post, you can ask me for more information. Maybe the album that the song comes from is a great one, in which case I can recommend the whole album to you. Maybe it's the one good song off an average album, in which case I can recommend that you buy the song from iTunes (or your prefered online digital music retailer).

In honour of the title of this post, here's the classic Otis Redding song (actually a cover of a Sam Cooke tune). Enjoy!

Otis Redding - A change is gonna come [Link Removed]

UPDATE: For some reason both FireFox and IE change the extension of the file to .mpeg when trying to save the file. Please rename the file so it has a .m4a extension before trying to listen to it and I'll try to figure out what's going on.

UPDATE: Song links removed.

Sayonara Señor iTrip!

I just got back from JB Hi Fi where I had my perfectly functional Pioneer stereo head unit replaced with a Sony CDXGT150. Why would I do something so crazy? Because this Sony head unit has a feature that my old car stereo doesn't have, an auxiliary (line-in) connector. This means that I can finally farewell my iTrip (well, at least in the car).

So it's goodbye to the following:

• No more iTrip falling out of the dock every time I drive over a bump too quickly (I have lost count of the number of times this has happened).
• No more poor static-y sound quality, especially when I go through a suburb that's broadcasting a local radio station on the same frequency as the iTrip (88.2 MHz was my current setting).
• No more switching between LX and DX modes on the iTrip in a lame attempt to improve the sound quality.
• No more little "click" sound when the iPod goes from one track to the next (probably due to the iTrip broadcast being cut off for a fraction of a second). [Unfortunately, the segue issue is still there.]
  
• No more having to make sure I pause the iPod before leaving the car. You see, the iPod has a cool feature where it pauses automatically when the earphones pop out (or in this case, the line-in connector). Since the iTrip was connected via the dock, I had to always ensure that I paused the iPod when I removed the iTrip.
• No more using the volume control on the iPod while I'm driving only to realise that it has no effect on the volume broadcast via the iTrip (the volume control doesn't affect the output through the dock connector).
  

My debut album with the new improved "iPod on the go" was Hail to the thief. When opening track 2+2=5 got to the loud bit and the iPod was all cranked up, I was in pizza-faced paradise. The comparison in sound quality is ridiculous. Listening to AM radio was even better than listening to my music through the iTrip. Listening through the line-in connector is just like listening to a CD in the car. I miss this sound quality :-) In fact, I'd been so disappointed in the iTrip sound quality that for the past few months I have totally avoided listening to albums in the car and listened to podcasts instead (where sound quality isn't so important and the iTrip is more than suitable).

Some may argue that this was a waste of money. Well, maybe it was. After all, I could simply listen to CDs when I'm in the car and listen to the iPod everywhere else. But I'd still have the dilemma of deciding which CDs to carry with me. And this goes against the whole reason for buying the iPod in the first place, to centralize my music collection and be able to listen to what I want when I want. Which includes driving in my car.

So if you are still listening to your iPod in the car via an FM transmitter and sound quality is of paramount importance to you, then I highly recommend upgrading stereos. It may be one of those situations where you don't realise what you're missing out on until you hear how it should sound. And it's not excessively expensive, JB Hi Fi are currently selling the Sony model I bought for about $168.

And while this may have come off as a major anti-iTrip rant, I still think that the iTrip is an elegantly designed device that has its place. It's great when you are out and about with no other musical options than listening to the radio. In this case you truly can take your music everywhere. But in the places where you listen to music the most, you can definitely get better sound quality through other means.

RIP: Grant McLennan 1958-2006

I was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Grant McLennan (founding member of the Go-Betweens) on the weekend at the age of 48.

I have been a fan of the Go-Betweens since about 2003, when I purchased their 2nd album Before Hollywood (a great recommendation from Pete). Since then, I have purchased all of their albums except for their debut Send me a lullaby which is quite hard to find. Their 1988 masterpiece 16 Lovers Lane is now one of my favourite albums of all time. Their last album Oceans apart made my top 10 albums of 2005 list. It's highly unlikely that Robert Forster will continue without him, so I guess it will also be their last album :-(

I'm so glad that I got to see them in concert in July last year. It's so easy to say "I'll see them next time they are around", and even easier to say that about a band who only have to come from Brisbane. I guess there's a lesson to be learnt -- if you really want to see a band, see them now! You never know what's around the corner.

Last night I listened to No reason to cry on my iPod, a Grant-sung song from Oceans Apart which is all the more poignant now.

Rest in peace, Grant. You will be sadly missed.

UPDATE: Song links removed.

A chat with Brian Nankervis

On Saturday night I was at the Pause Bar in East St. Kilda for my friend Sheri's 27th birthday party. My fiancee Lorin spotted Brian Nankervis at the bar early in the night, and just as we were leaving I spotted him near the rear exit and had a bit of a chat with him. For those who don't know, Brian is an Australian comedian and the creator and co-host of SBS music quiz show RocKwiz. Those who have been paying attention will know that yours truly, Pete and Dean have all had our moment in the spotlight on this show.

He's a genuinely friendly guy; I told him that I'd been on the show on the episode with Ross Wilson and he immediately said "Ahh yes -- Take me to the river" which was the cover version that Ross Wilson and Nessa Morgan (the other celebrity on the show) sung at the end of the episode. You can tell he has a real passion for the show, which is really great to see but also expected because the show is his creation and his "baby".

I also told him that I had been at a recent filming of a season 3 episode of RocKwiz, and I asked him to confirm that the shows are definitely longer now (the night ended after 11:30pm compared to 10:30pm in previous seasons). He confirmed that season 3 episodes were indeed longer, and after editing they will be 45 minutes on TV. He said he's heard mixed comments about the length of filming for season 3 episodes, and I told him that in all honesty it was a long night but that I still really liked the show. It sounds like the show may be continuing for some more seasons which is great news -- we need more shows like this on Australian television and less formulaic reality shows.

Sheri also told him that she had recently purchased the Let the blood run free DVD, and Brian said that the show will always have memories for him as it was the first "theatrical" TV show he had been on.

After posing for a photo or two, Lorin and I were on our way (we were actually leaving anyway). A nice end to an enjoyable night out!

Top 10 albums that have "the vibe"

‘In summing up, it’s the Constitution, its Mabo, it’s justice, its law, it’s the vibe and…. No that’s it. It’s the vibe. I rest my case.’

Dennis Denuto (The Castle, 1997)

Dennis Denuto summed it up best. Not everything can be explained, and sometimes it's better just to rest your case. I'm not going to try and explain why I love these 10 albums. But something about them draws me to them.

This is a truly self-indulgent list. I have no objective evidence to back up anything I say here. I'm not guaranteeing that these albums will have the same effect on you, as it's all in the eye (or the ear) of the beholder.

If there was a musical constitution in my world, these albums would be the founding fathers.

10. The Drones - Wait long by the river and the bodies of your enemies will float by

Yeah, there's the radio-friendly rockers like Shark fin blues and You really don't care on this album which won the inaugural Australian Music Prize. As good as those songs are, the heart and soul of this album can be summed up in the haunting opening bars of centrepiece Locust, when Gareth Liddiard emotes:

Georgie, I can't stop drinking
Seems like every time I try, I can't stop thinking

The delivery here is so real that you can smell the whisky on his breath and the cigarette smoke in his hair. There are other transcendent moments on this excellent album, and they all add up to a listening experience which is much greater than the sum of its parts.

9. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis

Dusty Springfield doesn't write her own songs which is not something I really like in an artist. But she is up there with Aretha Franklin as one of the finest female vocalists of the 20th century, and this album is her crowning achievement. Her vocals are so affecting that she truly lives these songs, and suddenly you don't care if she wrote them or not. These songs are her; she is these songs.

Her vocal performances are fantastic, but it would be unfair not to given credit to Jerry Wexler's fantastically understated production which gives the album its "vibe". A few spins of I don't want to hear it anymore or Just one smile are enough to make you thank God that Dusty and Jerry met up in late 60's Memphis.

8. Talking Heads - Fear of music

This is not the best Talking Heads album - that credit would have to go to Remain in light from 1980. It doesn't contain a lot of their commercial hits - Speaking in tongues would be a better fit for radio playlists. It isn't a party record, so if you are expecting an album full of pop nuggets like Burning down the house or Once in a lifetime you have come to the wrong place. Most of the songs are in a minor key and the lyrics talk about all sorts of interesting topics like war, heaven, animals and drugs.

While there are some great individual songs on this album: namely Heaven, Mind and the intense Cities; this album is more than just the sum of its parts. It is one of the most alienated and paranoid albums ever released; I have heard it being described as an OK computer for the baby boomer generation and this is a very apt description. It's not a particular pleasant listening experience but it's certainly fascinating.

7. Captain Beefheart - Trout mask replica

The longer an album takes the grow on you the longer you will appreciate it for. Or so I keep saying. If that is truly a musical law, then I will be appreciating this album until my dying day. On the first five listens, this album sounded like a complete mess. On the next five listens, some melodies start to come out of the woodwork. And suddenly you start to hear the promise of this 80 minute/28 track track concoction of free jazz, blues and surreal poetry.

I gave this album 3 stars when I first purchased it as I knew I didn't want to completely dismiss it but I also didn't want to praise it as a masterpiece when I didn't really understand it yet. I still haven't increased the rating because I still don't fully understand it. This album is as surreal as a David Lynch movie. It was released in 1969 and 37 years down the line nothing that has been released sounds like it. A truly unique work.

6. Interpol - Turn on the bright lights

I was very disappointed with Interpol's follow-up to this album, Antics. It had some great moments (namely Evil and A time to be so small). But their debut album was a lot more than just a series of good tracks, it had something special that elevated it above other albums of its ilk. It had a vibe; it couldn't be described in words, but it was there to be felt.

Just give a listen to Hands away, the last few minutes of PDA or the intro of Stella was a diver and she was always down. Hopefully you'll see, or feel, what I mean. These guys were clearly influenced by Joy Division on this album, but they are more than just copycats. They fused their influences into a stunning piece of work that's deep enough to keep revealing details after many listens.

5. Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

This is easily the best Stones album. A lot of people who talk about this album mention the hits. And while Rocks off and Tumbling dice are good for what they are, it's side 3 of the original vinyl which is the heart and soul of this album (that's Happy through Let it loose on the CD).

Happy rocks, and gives us a chance to hear Keef on vocals. Turd on the run lives up to its weird title. Ventilator blues is pretty standard 12-bar blues. I just want to see his face is Mick Jagger doing his finest gospel (falsetto and all) in what sounds like it was recorded through a megaphone. Let it loose could be the finest Stones ballad (yes, even better than Wild horses!). The production on this album is murky; it sounds like the album was recorded in a tin shed. But that's all part of its charm - I'd spin this album 10 times before giving the over-produced and overrated Sticky fingers a single spin.

4. R.E.M. - Murmur

This was R.E.M.'s first album, and unlike their latter day albums you can't hear a single thing that Michael Stipe is saying. Pete has even given this album the affectionate name Mumble, which is very appropriate after giving it a listen. The run of songs from Sitting still to Shaking through is some of the most memorable music this band has recorded. There's some fine guitar jangle, some fantastic melodies just underneath the surface, and some interesting lyrics even though you can't understand them. But the best way to describe the sound of this album is to look at the album cover; never have I seen such an album cover that provides such an appropriate audio-visual link.

3. Tom Waits - The heart of Saturday night

Tom Waits is a freakin' genius. While he has made some brilliant late career avante-garde albums, this is his second album from 1974 when he still had a fairly normal singing voice and the music was more tradition bar-room jazz-blues. This is also the closest he ever got to releasing a concept album. The best way to listen to this album is in the car driving late on a Saturday night. The songs are immersed in loneliness and whisky bars. The delivery is honest and heartfelt. Many artists have tried to release an album that sounds like this, but nobody has succeeded quite like Tom did on this fine album.

2. Rodriguez - Cold fact

A criminally underrated artist, this is a lost classic from 1970 that I only discovered recently but I now feel like I have known my whole life. Jesus Rodriguez (or Sixto Rodriguez, depending on the source) is like a cross between Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Cat Stevens. Some of the songs in this album venture into protest song territory, but the best moments are the more surreal ones like Sugar man and Crucify your mind. The musicianship is understated, the lyrics often venture into novelty territory (Gomorrah being the biggest culprit here) but the unmistakeable vibe (which can't be described in words, it really must be heard) makes this album a classic for the ages.

1. Bob Dylan - Blonde on blonde

Bob Dylan has been recording music for five decades now; it seems like the only thing which will stop him is his inevitable death. He has released a plethora of classic albums since his debut in 1962: Highway 61 revisited, Blood on the tracks, The basement tapes, Love and theft -- the list goes on and on. But no other album encapsulates his brilliance as much as this double album from 1966.

This album doesn't contain a lot of hits; I want you, Just like a woman and Rainy day women nos. 12 & 35 only take 12 1/2 minutes of the 72 minute running time of this album. And the songs that make up this album aren't anywhere as immediate as his famous moments such as Like a rolling stone or Hurricane. What does make this album so amazing (and quite possibly my favourite of all time) is the perfect combination of surreal lyrics, laid-back instrumental backing and that drug-induced vibe that was so apparent to Dylan that even he gave it a name: that thin, wild mercury sound.

Normally when an artist comes up with a name to describe the sound of their album, I think they need some help to dig their head out of their ass. But never before has an artist described their music so aptly as Dylan has here. This isn't the first time I have waxed lyrical about this album and it definitely won't be the last. This is the album which inspired me to write this list. This album epitomises everything that is good about music. This is it.

Premature appreciation

It's an affliction which has affected many. Let me set the scene. You arrive home, and before you have time to properly shut the door you have already put it in. You give it time to sink in, and soon you are really enjoying the experience and getting into it. And then BAM. It's all over. Yes, you could say that listening to a CD for the first time can be an interesting experience.

I recently picked up Kelley Stoltz's new album Below the branches. It's an enjoyable album of quirky pop songs even if it isn't particularly innovative. The first listen was promising and the second listen was even better. By the third listen I was really enjoying it, and I started to picture my top ten albums of 2006 with that album taking pride of place in the list.

But here's the interesting bit - his previous album Antique glow took me about ten listens before I even started to get it. I'd bought it on a whim after reading a five-star review in the paper, and my initial impression of the album was disappointment to say the least. I wasn't quite ready to take it back, but none of the tracks really jumped out at me and made me want to listen to it again. Luckily, I did listen to it again and it was probably on about the tenth listen that it hit me. Subsequent listens unveiled gems like Mean Marianne which initially sounded like noise. I even gave it a spin the other day for the first time in ages, and I was hearing things on the album that I hadn't noticed before.

I'm now up to the sixth or seventh listen of Below the branches, and sadly I feel I have uncovered most of its layers. It's a much more catchy album than its predecessor, and on the third spin that was a virtue. We all love melody, and it's the tunes which bring you back to an album. But the strength of Antique glow lay in its subtlely, there was beauty beneath the lo-fi exterior and it felt like there was so much to discover. The enjoyment of Antique glow came from delayed aural gratification.

My experience with Below the branches is an excellent example of what I like to call premature appreciation. It's happened many times in the past. I thought Franz Ferdinand's debut album was a pretty amazing album on the first few spins. But like a lot of pop music, it quickly grew fairly tired. So much so that I really don't have the need to listen to it anymore.

Most popular music in the top 40 charts capitalizes on premature appreciation. The songs get their hooks in, and before the record company big wigs can count their ivory backscratchers, someone has already made a ringtone for the song and they are charging $5 for it online. The film clip ends up on Video Hits, the kids hear the ringtone on the train and before the thirteen year old girls can say oh Lee Harding he is such a spunk, his new song is on the top of the charts. But what goes up eventually comes down, and usually it comes crashing down at the same speed that it went up. There's something you will never learn in physics, kids.

Every now and then an album in my collection breaks the rules. Pulp's masterpiece Different class was an album which absolutely blew me away on the first listen, so much so that I had a huge grin on my face by the end of the album. Always a great feeling knowing that the $16 you spent at the CD shop in the Monash Uni union building was money well spent. And I gave Different class another listen the other day for the first time in ages, and it is still bloody impressive. On the surface, it's just another Britpop album but there is so much lyrical depth to that album that makes it not just another Britpop album but possibly one of the best indie pop albums ever. If you haven't heard this album, it's on sale at the moment for $10 at JB Hi Fi so go pick it up. I'm not going to guarantee that you will love it as much as I do, as it may be nostalgia at play here and it's difficult to be completely objective about music anyway.

Captain Beefheart's Trout mask replica is the most extreme form of delayed aural gratification I have in my CD collection. I've probably given it close to thirty listens and it's still not there for me. But something does keep bringing me back to it, and it's not just the reviews brainwashing me. I'll admit it that I gave it a listen the other night in a darkened room (I couldn't sleep) and it did take on an interesting quality that I hadn't noticed before. But maybe fatigue had something to do with it. I guess it's like those magic eye pictures -- they are supposed to look pretty amazing when the picture finally appears.

Unfortunately for me, I've never been able to see those damn pictures.