Top 10 Years For Album Releases - #7

Well here we are again...time for another post. And most importantly, time to continue the countdown to #1 on my top 10 favourite years for album releases.

Without further ado, allow me to proceed to the discussion of my 7th favourite year of all time.

#7: 1999

Ahhh...1999. This was my 3rd (and final) year of university. It's pretty common to look back on the past through rose coloured glasses, and uni is no exception. I'll always say to myself how I miss the old times at uni, and there's definitely a lot of nostalgia there, but I don't think it was quite as "fun" as I remember it.

Now what about the music? Well in tradition of the previous posts, let's first talk about some of the classic albums released in 1999.

Travis released their brilliant 2nd album The man who this year. Recently they have completely lost the plot (simply by refusing to change and re-releasing the same album a few times), but there is no denying that The man who was, and still is, a superb album. Now before you start shouting Travis?!?! Brilliant album!?!?! What are you thinking?!?!?! I'd like you to think back to 1999. Coldplay weren't even on the scene yet. Their debut album Parachutes was still a year away. Jeff Buckley had drowned a few years earlier in 1997. OK computer was still being hailed as one of the greatest albums ever released, and that had been released in 1997 as well. Travis were definitely influenced by Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, but this was long before the market had been saturated with soundalike bands. Travis were quite unique at the time, and The man who was a breath of fresh air, a true melodic gem of an album with beautiful falsetto vocals by Fran Healy and practically no filler. Unfortunately, Why does it always rain on me? got overplayed on the radio and it has lost a lot of its appeal now, but I'd like to say that I enjoyed this song long before it was even played on the radio. What really makes this album is the power of songs such as the opener Writing to reach you, As you are and Driftwood. The hidden track, The blue flashing light, is a brilliant closer -- lyrically and musically.

Another superb album of 1999, which I only got into this year, is a little known album called I see a darkness by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Who? I hear you say. Yeah, I hadn't heard of him either, until I saw this album in at the #9 position in Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 90's list. I had (or had heard of) most of the other albums in the top 10, but I hadn't even heard of this album, let alone this singer. It was enough to intrigue me to purchase the album, and it's a true masterpiece. Very dark (lyrically and musically), it's a stunning lo-fi folk/country album with unique vocals and minimalistic instrumentation. Granted, it's an acquired taste, and it did take me about 5-6 listens to start appreciating it, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. Definitely a risk which paid off.

Some other great albums from 1999:

• Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a memory (what can I say? This album is superb. Their music is best classified as "progressive metal". This is a concept album which must be listened to from start to finish to properly understand the story. Its the story of a woman's murder, told to some of the most stunning music you will ever hear. The guitar and piano work on this album is simply amazing. Sure, it's a prentious album, and the lyrics sometimes get a bit daft -- but it's all part of the appeal)
• Ben Harper - Burn to shine (I know a certain young man who may be reading this who will be cheering right now - he's looking at you Brett. Yes this is one of Brett's Top 5 Albums Of All Time. It's a very diverse, often brilliant album by one of the most talented performers of the moment. Beloved one is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.)
• Flaming Lips - The soft bulletin (my brother is a big Flaming Lips fan. He actually bought this at one stage but returned it, because he prefers their earlier lo-fi stuff and wasn't able to make the transition to their most elaborately produced albums like this one. However, after reading glowing reviews of this album, I had to get it -- and I'm glad I did. Superb songwriting, superb production, great stuff. A true masterwork.)
• Something for Kate - Beautiful sharks (Pete got me into this one. I bought it purely on his recommendation. First few months I had this album, it did very little for me. Then, one day, it suddenly hit me -- it was a great album! Subtle melodies, great lyrics, and the infamous "vibe" shone through, making it another favourite of mine from 1999)
• Supergrass - Supergrass (their eponymous 3rd album wasn't received very well by critics. But it's probably my favourite Supergrass album to date. This album includes their brilliant singles Moving, Mary and Pumping on your stereo. But it also includes some excellent lesser known tracks such as Jesus came from outta space, What went wrong (in your head) and the haunting Mama & Papa.)
• Augie March - Waltz (this was their 2nd EP after the mediocre Thanks for the memes in 1998, and it included the brilliant Asleep in perfection which was also on their stunning debut album Sunset studies. Many live favourites are included on this EP including Rich girl and The mothball)

Some other notable albums from 1999:

• Suede released their 4th album, and their 2nd "pop" album Head music. I remember loving this album when I bought it -- it was actually the catalyst to one of my major Suede phases in 1999 -- but this album definitely hasn't aged as well as their self-titled debut or Dog man star.
• Ben Folds Five released their swan song, their concept album The unauthorised biography of Reinhold Messner. Wow, that's certainly a mouthful. This album didn't do a heap for me in 1999, but its has grown on me heaps on the last few listens and I probably consider it to be their best album now.
• Gomez released their 2nd album Liquid skin. There are some superb cuts on this album (in fact the highs such as We haven't turned around and Devil will ride outshine anything on their debut Bring it on) -- however the songwriting consistency isn't as solid as their debut.
• James released their solid album Millionaires. Unfortunately that isn't what they became.
• Super Furry Animals released their 3rd album, Guerrilla. I think you'd be hard pressed to find an SFA fan who considers this their best album, but it's certainly not a bad album by any accounts. This album amazingly has a hidden track before track 1 on this disc. Yes, that's right, you have to rewind to before track 1 to hear it. And it's a choice cut as well. Amazing, hey?
• Alex Lloyd released his debut album Black the sun. I have definitely gone off this guy now (in fact I can't believe there was a time where I actually bought one of his albums). I do remember really enjoying this album when I got it, but it doesn't do a lot for me anymore.
• Jebediah released their 2nd album Of someday shambles. While not up to the stature of their classic debut Slightly odway, there's some notable choice cuts on this album, including one of my personal favourites Run of the company.
• Wilco released their 3rd album Summerteeth. This was their first album where they finally strayed away from their country roots, and it's continually growing on me with each listen.
• Gorky's Zygotic Mynci released their album Spanish dance troupe. The best way to describe these guys would be a cross between Belle & Sebastian and Super Furry Animals. So why weren't they called Super Belle & The Furry Sebastians? This is a very enjoyable album anyway.
• Tom Waits (one of the true geniuses still releasing music) released his great album Mule variations. This was actually the first Tom Waits album I purchased. It took me a long time to appreciate it. But now I have all of his albums. It's a bit like that with Tom Waits.
  
• Tim Rogers & The Twin Set released their debut album What rhymes with cars and girls. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ha!
• The Charlatans released their album Us and us only. Yeah it's okay. Can't remember when I listened to it last though.
• Bernie Hayes (brother of late Whitlam Stevie Plunder) released his debut album, Every Tuesday Sometimes Sunday. Some nice country-folk ditties on this album, including You made me hard (*snicker*) which the Whitlams recorded on their Love this city album (see below).
• Blur released their experimental album 13 this year. While their last album (the self-titled one from 1997) was a transition album, by this album they definitely made the full transition into art-rockers. There's not many accessible moments on this album (Coffee and TV being the most) and I'd like to say the whole album works, but it doesn't all work for me. That's not saying there aren't some amazing cuts on here, including No distance left to run.
  
• Silverchair released their 3rd album Neon ballroom to a set of glowing reviews. They youngens really started growing up on this album. Their evolution would continue on their next album, the brilliant Diorama.
• Electronic, who were made up of the singer from New Order and the guitarist from The Smiths, released their 3rd album, Twisted tenderness. Definitely influenced by New Order more than The Smiths, this is nevertheless a solid collection of dance/rock tunes.
  

And finally some of the disappointments of the year:

• Ahhh the Whitlams. They released their masterpiece Eternal nightcap a few years earlier, after Stevie Plunder died. In 1999 they released Love this city. Now picture this for a moment, if you will. The Whitlams had released 2 albums of underground aussie garage pop followed by a sombre (but stunningly beautiful) album. The expectations were high for Love this city. A fan has just returned from the CD shop and put the shiny metal disc in their player while their quivering hand pushes play in antipation. Then the opening lyrics hit them like a stab in the heart: I know they all want you with your Desdemona's eyes. I'll keep you from danger. Save you from prying eyes. I can make the world safe for you. As a certain character said many times in A mighty wind - What HAppened?!?!
• Longpigs released their sophomore slump, Mobile home. Their first album was a slice of Suede-influenced Britpop brilliance. Their second album rambles off in streams of consciousness with no sense of melody. Unfortunately I have to agree with the AMG review of this album.
• Echo & The Bunnymen released their 2nd album after reuniting, What are you going to do with your life? With the exception of a few choice cuts, like Rust, this album just bores me. Yawwwwwwwwwwwwn.
• Aimee Mann and David Mead released their respective albums, Bachelor no. 2 and The luxury of time. Decent albums, but way too polished for me to truly enjoy. Both write in similar styles to Elvis Costello, but Elvis has the rougher and unique voice to add a bit of character. They guys are just lacking character.

And that's 1999 for you. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Whoa Mamma

J-Man says I need to spruce up my blog a bit and put more pictures of women on it (he comments on it and he's not even a member or contributor, how's that for chutzpah). So here's Michelle Phillips from the Mammas and the Pappas who I mentioned in my last posting. That's her on the right in case you didn't notice. She definitely has the Marcia Brady / sexy hippie chick 60's thing happening. She gets the 'Brush tick of approval as well.

Top 10 Years For Album Releases - #8

And here we are at position number 8 in the top 10 best years for album releases.

So far we have had a year from the noughties, and a year from the sixties. Quite a range of years there. So now it's time to choose a year where I spent most of my teen years, the nineties.

#8: 1995

Ahh...1995. It was Year 11 at school, the year of the work requirement. A stepping stone to the big one, Year 12. This was probably around the time when I started buying more CDs. Not religiously, but my CD purchasing certainly started increasing. So a lot of the albums I will discuss here have a lot of nostalgic value (because I have fond memories of first hearing them), but many still get heavy rotation to this date.

In tradition of the previous posts, I will start with the masterpieces of the year. Firstly, a little known band called Radiohead released their 2nd album, the brilliant The bends this year. Now I didn't actually buy this album in 1995, so I won't pretend that I have a really cool story about how I felt when it first came out, because I don't. I don't think I actually bought it until OK Computer had already come out in 1997. My brother had purchased it before me (possibly in 1996 when I was in Year 12), and I remember borrowing it off him and listening to it in my room, marvelling at the brilliance of tracks like Street spirit. In fact, I remember falling asleep on the floor of my room one afternoon (after school) to that particular song. Such a masterpiece of a song, and what a brilliant way to end a superb album. I also remember thinking that Black star was a really underrated song, and I still do to this date. Nobody seems to mention that song when discussing the merits of The bends.

Another superb album that was released in 1995 was Different class by Sheffield band Pulp. Now I distinctly remember when and where I purchased this album - it was in first year uni (1997) at the CD shop in the Monash University Union Building. I remember getting it for about $16 (at the same time as Portishead's self-titled album which had just been released if I remember correctly). I also remember what prompted me to buy this album - Pulp had included a song of theirs called Mile end on the Trainspotting soundtrack, and it was a really cool song with a great vibe. I had to know more about this band. This was before the days of easy Internet access and the All Music Guide (well at least before I knew about it) so often the best you could do is see an album by a band you've heard of in the shop, assume it's their definitive album and take a risk. Which is what I did with Different class (not that $16 was much of a risk).

Anyway, I'm rambling now. I'd also heard Common people on the 1995 Triple J Hottest 100 which I'd previously purchased during the year, and enjoyed it. I'd also heard of a song called Disco 2000 but hadn't actually heard it. Different class was a first listen album for me, I absolutely loved it on the first listen. And while most albums that sound pretty amazing on the first listen don't have the same shelf life as "growers", I still love Different class to this day. It has the perfect combination of fantastic melodies and sleazy lyrics. It's the epitome of the Britpop movement (1995 was already deep into this movement), and it's still in my top 50 albums of all time.

Now on to some other great albums from 1995:

• Alanis Morisette - Jagged little pill (I remember being absolutely blown about by the quality of this album when it came out. Then it was killed by overplay on the radio. Which is sad, because it's still a pretty great album, even if she doesn't know the meaning of Ironic)
• The Whitlams - Undeniably the Whitlams (the last Whitlams album with the late Stevie Plunder on it, and it's a brilliant, ramshackle, fun album. Sounds like a completely different band to what they have become now. Although Eternal nightcap is probably their masterpiece, this one comes pretty bloody close, and it's certainly a lot more fun)
• Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith (this list is starting to get pretty sombre. This was the 2nd album from the late singer/songwriter. Very low-fi, but who cares? The quality of the songwriting shines through on these brilliant tracks. Production would have only killed them. This contains one of my absolute favourite Elliott Smith tracks, Good to go)
• You Am I - Hi fi way (many consider this to be their best album. It's up there, but Hourly daily still takes the cake for me. Still, many absolutely brilliant cuts on this album, including Purple sneakers which was also on the aforementioned Triple J Hottest 100 compilation)
• Ben Harper - Fight for your mind (I didn't get into Ben Harper until a lot later, and this was actually the first album of his that I bought. A very diverse, excellent album including the classic stoner anthem Burn one down)
• Blur - The great escape (very similar in style to its predecessor Parklife, but less consistent in my opinion. With their smash hit Country house included on it, this would be their last album in the Britpop style. They would start to reinvent themselves on their eponymous 1997 album)
• Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five (includes the classic mid-90's alternative hit Underground)
• Teenage Fanclub - Grand prix (13 nuggets of melodic beauty from these legendary Glaswegians. I'll glass ya if you don't listen to this album, laddy!)
• Wilco - Being there (their most ambitious album, this double album still hints at their country past but also points the way towards their more experimental future)
• Tricky - Maxinquaye (did I also mention that trip-hop was pretty big this year? Ahh...to have grown up in the mid-90's. Oh wait...I did)

Some other notable moments of 1995:

• Presidents of the United States of America released their self-titled album of novelty songs like Lump. It was a big hit, but who honestly listens to this album still? They still (barely) had another album in them before they broke up.
• Bjork released her second album Post this year, which had one of her biggest hits on it, It's all so quiet. Of course is was a completely unrepresentative song in her discography, nothing like anything else she has ever released.
• Michael Jackson, who was still recovering from the child abuse allegations (phase #1), released his album HIStory. It was a double disc set encompassing one disc of greatest hits (to remind people how good he once was), and another disc of fairly decent tracks that were nevertheless in a completely different ballpark to the songs on the first disc.
• Supergrass released their immature debut album I should coco. This contained their breakthrough hit Alright, as well as Caught by the fuzz. They would mature heaps by their second album In it for the money, but their debut album epitomised the sound of Britpop in the mid-90's.
• The Verve released their 2nd album A northern soul. They broke up after this album, and reunited for their swansong, the brilliant Urban hymns, before breaking up again.

And that's 1995 for you. Quite an interesting range of music, lots of the music from that era brings back lots of memories for me, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Awww....how sweet.

Top 10 Years For Album Releases - #9

And here we are at position 9 in my top 10 favourite years for music releases. I hope you enjoyed reading my last post discussing the controversial year that was 2003. I have a feeling that Pete isn't a big fan of Australian Idol, not sure where I got it from, but there were some subtle references in his reply to my last post.

And without further ado...I will now introduce my #9 favourite year.

#9: 1968

Yes, it's certainly a world away from 2003. And many will ask, why 1968? The 60's were certainly a brilliant decade for musical innovation, so what makes 1968 different to any other year?

For a start, The Beatles (a band who practically defined the 60's) released what I consider to be their masterpiece, their self-titled double album The Beatles (commonly known as "The White Album"). Let me just say this - this album alone is enough to make 1968 one of the greatest years in popular music. The irony here being that the Beatles were hardly a collaborative unit by this stage of their career - and The Beatles plays like four solo albums over four sides of vinyl (as it was it the time). But what brilliant "solo" albums they are - rarely have I heard such an diverse collection of simply amazing songs. I could write about this album for the whole post, but I won't. Instead, I will briefly discuss some of the other masterpieces of this year.

Dusty Springfield, probably the greatest female vocalist of all time (even better than Aretha Franklin in my sure-to-be-controversial opinion), released her masterpiece Dusty in Memphis in 1968. Obviously Dusty's voice is the drawcard to this superb album, but credit must also go to the producer Jerry Wexler who provided the vibe and the perfect mix of vocals and instrumentation which allows this album to reach the heights it does. Dusty was not a songwriter, and normally I am against albums where the singer just rolls off covers, takes the money and runs. So an album of covers has to be something special for me to call it a masterpiece. This album includes one of Dusty's hits, Son of a preacher man, made famous from its inclusion in the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction. Well that brilliant song is merely the cherry on top of this delicious album. Just listen to this album and melt.

Do you remember The Zombies? No, I'm not talking about a horror movie. It's a band who were pretty much considered one hit wonders in the sixties. Or so the common misconception goes. Their biggest hit was She's not there, released in the early 60's. They also had a posthumous hit, Time of the season, released in 1968. You'll know this song - it's the one that's playing when Austin is strutting his moves on the dance floor in the first Austin Powers movie. Anyway, I want to clear up this common misconception that these guys were one or two hit wonders - they weren't! They released a brilliant album called Odessey and Oracle [sic] -- and it was released in 1968! Why this album wasn't a smash hit I will never fully understand, because it's a masterpiece of an album. Just as good as Sgt Peppers (in fact, better) but with none of the acclaim! Sure, it may sound a bit dated by today's standards, but there are more moments of melodic beauty on this album than on practically any album I have heard.

Well there you go - 3 masterpieces which elevate 1968 to classic status. But as a certain man once said on an ad offering dodgy merchandise -- there's more! Some other excellent albums that were released in 1968:

• The Small Faces - Ogden's nut gone flake (The first side is full of great late 60's rock/pop songs, the second side is a concept suite about a guy named Happiness Stan who goes on an adventure to find the missing half of the moon. Yes kiddies, drugs are bad mmmkay)
• Jimi Hendrix - Electric ladyland (after many years of trying to decide what his best album is, this one has officially taken the cake. It's his bluesiest album, and it just has a fantastic relaxed vibe to it. It's like a big jam session which is simply out of this world)
• Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (while not being a big country music fan, this is a very unique album. Where else can you hear a musician entertaining a bunch of cons who scream and clap when he sings a line like "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"?)
• Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (while not my favourite Leonard Cohen album -- it can be a tad too depressing at times -- this was his first album, and it deserves an honourable mention for bringing this great singer/songwriter to the attention of the world)
• The Band - Music from big pink (while their true brilliance wouldn't shine through until their eponymous 1969 album, this is where they broke free from simply being Bob Dylan's backing band to forge a sound of their own. And it contains one of their biggest hits in The weight)
• Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding (one of the most humourous and character-driven albums Bob ever released. Contains All along the watchtower, made famous by Jimi Hendrix when he included it on his Electric ladyland album of the same year)
• Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends (a solid album - the first half is a concept suite with one of their greatests songs America on it, the second half is more a collection of singles, including Mrs Robinson)
• Frank Zappa - We're only in it for the money (this album is considered by many to be his masterpiece. It's a very humourous album which is unfortunately pretty dated now. The first half of the album is basically a hippie bagging fest, you have to hear it...)
• The Doors - Waiting for the sun (arguably their most psychedelic acid-influenced album. Many choice cuts on this one including Love street and Spanish caravan. Also includes probably their most commercial song Hello, I love you)

And finally some other albums that were released this year which aren't my favourites but deserve a mention:

• The Kinks - The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society (wow, that title is a mouthful. This is their concept album but is a bit too "British" for my liking. I'm not sure what it is about it, but I feel like I need to eat an english muffin and have a cup of tea after listening to this album)
• The Rolling Stones - Beggar's banquet (the first of their run of four critically acclaimed albums - followed by Let it bleed, Sticky fingers and Exile on Main St., which I consider to be their best album. This is a solid album, and includes their hits Sympathy for the devil and Street fighting man)
• Aretha Franklin - Lady soul (I prefer her 1967 album I never loved a man [insert gay joke here] but this is still a very solid album from the reknowned Queen of Soul)
• Van Morrison - Astral weeks (Some people's jaws will drop that this critically acclaimed album only gets an honourable mention. Well it just doesn't cut the mustard for me. I mean it's a solid album, and has a great vibe throughout, and very interesting stream-of-consciousness lyrics, but in terms of listenability I can't go past his 1970 album Moondance)
• Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers (I can understand that these guys would have been pretty influential in the 60's, but their music hasn't dated incredibly well. Some choice cuts can be found on this album, but I'd never consider it a favourite from the era)
• Captain Beefheart - Strictly personal (Nope...don't get this one. I think I even prefer Trout mask replica to this one. Maybe it'll grow on me one day)

And that's 1968 in a nutshell!

Top 10 Years For Album Releases - #10

There hasn't been a post in a while, so I figured it's time to write something.

Over the next 10 posts, I am going to comment a little bit about my favourite 10 years for album releases. In each post, I will discuss a little bit about the year in question, describe some of the key releases of the year, some of the surprises, and the disappointments.

I hope that these posts will be controversial and I encourage anyone to reply to them with their thoughts, whether they agree, disagree, or just wanna say wassup.

Anyway, without further ado...let's start the list. I will start with my tenth favourite year, and work to number one...just to keep up the suspense :-)

#10: 2003

This was a very controversial year for music, with EMI releasing its despicable Copy Control technology on to the world. It was the first year where I ever had to deny myself the pleasure of buying a new album by an artist I love, simply because they were on the EMI record label. Many of the albums I managed to source by other means (e.g. buying the non-CC version of the album off Ebay), but many albums from this year I still really really want but can't get because of EMI's dreaded technology. Sleepy Jackson's brilliant album Lovers is one such example of this.

Anyway, enough ranting about Copy Control. If I was to sum of 2003 in a nutshell, I would describe it as the year where many great bands and artists released rock solid albums, in many cases returns to form. Some examples of great albums by great artists released in 2003:

• Ben Harper - Diamonds on the inside
• Blur - Think tank
• Super Furry Animals - Phantom power
• Radiohead - Hail to the thief
• Belle & Sebastian - Dear catastrophe waitress

And...to a lesser extent - The Strokes "Room on fire". A good, solid album, but I can't see myself bundling it with the brilliant albums listed above. If anything, the Strokes album really surprised people because many were expecting a sophomore slump from this overhyped New York band, and the fact they managed to avoid such a slump impressed a lot of people, including myself.

The 5 albums I just listed above have something in common. They are all extremely solid, often brilliant albums by artists who have been around for a while, and on the albums above reached a point of artistic maturity where they combined the best parts of their prior albums, filtered out the self-indulgence, and simply played to their absolute strengths.

In many cases, there were some dramatic reinventions - Dear Catastrophe Waitress was Belle & Sebastian's first real "pop" album where they strayed from their melancholic roots, albeit in a brilliant way that redefined who they were and where they were heading.

In some other cases, like on Hail to the thief and Think tank, Radiohead and Blur respectively cut a lot of the self-indulgent crap that had plagued much of their prior 2 albums (Kid A & Amnesiac, and Blur and 13), and managed to combine the best bits from the early part of their career with the best bits from the more experimental eras, into solid and most importantly very listenable albums. I mean, honestly, it's all good and well to say you like a song like Pull/pulk revolving doors from Amnesiac, but when was the last time you actually listened to it?

There were also 2 artists I discovered in 2003. One was American singer/songwriter Kelley Stoltz, whose low key sophomore release Antique glow album acquired a bit of a cult following, making it to the top of many best albums of the year lists. I actually bought this one after reading a 5-star review of in The Age which intrigued me enough to fork out $25 for it at Raoul Records in St Kilda without having heard a single song on it (it wasn't available in many shops at that point). And it's a great album...I highly recommend seeking it out (or alternatively getting an "offsite backup" off me ;-)

My other discovery in 2003 was the Milwaukee quartet The Shins. Their second album Chutes too narrow was released in 2003, and it has quickly become one of my favourite albums of the year, probably cracking the top 5 now. Soon after I purchased their much lauded debut Oh, inverted world, but that album has never quite done it for me as much as Chutes. If you are a fan of mellow indie folk music with subtle melodies that shine through on repeated listens, and moments of absolute lyrical and goose-bumply brilliance (did I just make that word up?), I highly recommend this album.

One of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2003 was Elephant by The White Stripes. I bought it amidst all the hype, and to this day (after many many listens), I still cannot understand what the big deal is. There's no denying that there are some great tracks on this album, but it's also patchy as hell (does anyone really like the cover of the Dusty Springfield hit I just don't know what to do with myself)? Personally, I much prefer their previous album, White blood cells.

Besides Elephant, these were the biggest disappointments for me in 2003:

• Jack Johnson - On and on (too much like his debut Brushfire fairytales to justify having it in the collection)
• The Polyphonic Spree - The beginning stages of... (the 36 minute self-indulgent crap that is track 10 kills this album for me)
• Muse - Absolution (a decent album, but I much prefer their 2nd album Origin of symmetry)
• Something For Kate - The official fiction (maybe I'm being unfair here, it's a very decent album. But there's no denying that it's a disappointment after the far superior Echolalia)
• Lucksmiths - Naturaliste (definitely not as good as Why that doesn't surprise me, which I don't actually have, but have heard and will purchase one day - thanks Pete!)

And finally, the only albums that I have from 2003 which I haven't mentioned yet, and some brief commentary:

• The Coral - Magic & Medicine (got this for a bargain price of $5, and was expecting it to be crap, but it's actually a pretty solid album and a nice subtle evolution over their debut. Personally, I don't think they have many albums left in them)
• Powderfinger - Vulture street (solid rock album from this very popular Brisbane band, decent effort that doesn't hit the heights of Internationalist but is still very enjoyable)
• Elbow - Cast of thousands (not one of my absolute favourites from the year, but a lot better than their debut Asleep in the back. Here's hoping that their 3rd album will be their masterpiece)
• Joe Strummer - Streetcore (the final album from the former Clash frontman who died in December 2002. Some lyrics are very poignant in hindsight - the final track Silver & gold has the lyric "I want to do everything silver and gold / and I've got to hurry before I get too old")
• Damien Rice - O (bought this on the recommendation from a friend - quite a stunningly beautiful album, but can get a bit whiney in parts)

And that pretty much sums up 2003 (phew...). A great year for music, and looking like it's in much better shape than 2004 at the moment. Here's hoping that Tom Waits and the late Elliott Smith will help to lift 2004's standard a bit when their new albums are released in October.

Thanks for reading!

Back to work :-(

Why is it so hard to go back to work after a weekend?

Sooooooo booooooooooooored.

Bairnsdale Road Trip: 2004

Well it was a very enjoyable weekend.

Pete ended up making an appearance on Saturday at about 11am, and stayed until early Sunday morning. You tell those microscopic virii who is boss Pete! Nah seriously, it was great that you could come along.

In summary, here's what we got up to over the weekend:

• Stayed in a motel in Bairnsdale run by Harold Bishop from Neighbours. Well no, it wasn't Harold Bishop. It didn't even look like him. But he had similar personality traits to Mr Bishop, and taught us well in the ways of luggage stowage within a motel room.
  
• Went to a pub for dinner on Friday night where we enjoyed steaks and chicken parmigarmas, almost getting into fisticuffs with the people who's table we had inadvertantly "stolen" (okay...slight exaggeration/poetic license used here).
• Enjoyed various gourmet breakfast treats including vegemite on toast, pancakes with maple syrup and icecream, omelettes, eggs & bacon & sausages, raisin toast, muffins and coffees/hot chocolates of various kinds.
• Several of us purchased $10 CDs from Bairnsdale including REM "Automatic for the people", Bob Dylan "Blonde on blonde" and Joni Mitchell "Blue".
  
• Learnt the true meaning of the words acronym, irony and tetchy.
  
• Visited an Aboriginal cave (can't remember the exact name...but Duffman should know) about 40 minutes from Bairnsdale - it was truly a beautiful place that will hopefully inspire Brett in his future writing endeavours.
• Brushed up on our TV sitcom theme song knowledge and studied a lot of interesting pictorial and written literature. I'm pretty sure that the theme song to O.C. will be pretty familiar to most of us by next year's road trip.
• Played mini golf in Bairnsdale. Well done to the champion Duffman (aka Wally Raffles) who beat Brettles by the skin of his teeth. Condolences to Andy and Jerome who let the side down. Jerome also gave his best "Angry Dad" impersonation during the game.
• Watched Belle & Sebastian host Rage on Saturday night.
• Stopped by at the Yarragon market on the way home, where Andy bought a garden plaque for his mother (awww...how sweet).
• Several members of the posse made fools of themself during the roadtrip. But what's new? Some notable incidents include the designated driver almost getting his car bogged when stopping outside Gumbaya Park on the way to Bairnsdale, and a certain young man (who I won't mention by name) walkering (ahem...I mean walking) into a McDonalds sign on Sunday morning.
  
• Consumed a lot of Coopers Sparking Ale and a little bit of Wild Turkey Bourbon.
• Consumed a lot of food which is going to seriously affect how we look in speedos this summer. Ewwwwww there's an image I don't want.
• Talked a lot crap (what's new?)

Now we look forward to Duffman's powerpoint presentation (and presentation of it at the soon to be annual slide night).

I'll end with a quote from one of my favourite pieces of 20th century literature:

Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he's a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what,
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Hmmm....I think there's something in that for all of us.
Whatchya talkin' about Willis?

Here's to Pete getting better

Well it's a long shot, but I hope this post somehow influences you in getting better Pete!

The road trip won't be the same without you :-(

Classic Simpsons Quote

Marge: Have you noticed something about Bart?
Homer: New glasses?
Marge: No. It seems like something could be troubling him.
Homer: Probably misses his old glasses.

Beatles Top 10 Lists - Part 1

If only David Letterman did lists like this...I would have probably watched it more often.

The top 10 longest Beatles songs:

1. Revolution 9 [8:22]
2. I want you (She's so heavy) [7:47]
3. Hey Jude [7:08]
4. It's all too much [6:28]
5. A day in the life [5:33]
6. Within you without you [5:05]
7. While my guitar gently weeps [4:45]
8. I am the walrus [4:37]
9. Helter skelter [4:29]
10. Come together [4:20]

Some interesting tidbits about this:

• All of the top 10 longest songs are from the last part of their career (i.e. Sgt Peppers onwards)
  
• You have to go to their 39th (!) longest song before you get to one from their earlier part of their career. And that song is only 3:22 (You won't see me from Rubber Soul)
• The Beatles were a very prolific band (they released 226 songs between 1962 and 1970 - not including their Anthology releases or live recordings). For a band who released this many songs, it's amazing that they only have six songs longer than five minutes.
• One of their most successful singles was Hey Jude, and it's their 3rd longest song. [On a side note, I think it was Bob Dylan who broke the time barrier for singles when he released Like a Rolling Stone, at a whopping six minutes and thirteen seconds. This was unthinkable in 1965.]

The top 10 shortest Beatles songs:

1. Her majesty [0:23]
2. Maggie Mae [0:40]
3. Dig it [0:50]
4. Wild honey pie [0:52]
5. Mean Mr. Mustard [1:06]
6. Polythene Pam [1:12]
7. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise) [1:18]
8. Golden slumbers [1:31]
9. Carry that weight [1:36]
10. Why don't we do it in the road? [1:41]

Some interesting tidbits about this:

• Half of the top 10 are from the Beatles' last recorded album, Abbey Road. I'm sure this was helped by the fact that the 2nd side of this album had a medley of unfinished songs on it.
• The remaining 5 in the top 10 are, like the top 10 longest songs, from the latter part of their career. But unlike the longest songs, you only have to go to the 11th shortest song (I'll cry instead at 1:44) to get to their early part of their career.

What about albums? I hear you cry...

Without further ado, I will now introduce the top 5 longest Beatles albums , not including compilations or soundtracks :

1. The Beatles ("White album") [93:21]*
2. Abbey Road [47:16]
3. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band [39:50]
4. Rubber Soul [35:39]
5. Let It Be [35:04]

*Double album

Some interesting tidbits about this:

• The Beatles only released one double album during their career, but what an album it is.
• The astute Beatles fan may notice the absence of Magical Mystery Tour, which should have taken fourth position at 36:45. As much as this will infuriate Brett, Magical Mystery Tour is not an album. The first half is a soundtrack from the movie of the same name and the 2nd half is a collection of (brilliant) singles and B-sides from 1967.

And the 5 shortest Beatles albums:

1. A Hard Day's Night [30:24]
2. Please Please Me [32:39]
3. With The Beatles [33:16]
4. Beatles For Sale [34:06]
5. Help! [34:15]

Hmm...I think there's something in that for all of us.