tracks on heaviest rotation in 2007

Not necessarily all on my top albums list, but these are the songs that were on constant repeat and what will always sound like 2007 to me

Pump up the Volume - Art Brut (if anyone really cares to know how my mind works - this is it....actually not that complicated is it?)
Slow Show - The National
Our Life is not a Movie or Maybe - Okkervil River
Snakes and Ladders - Basia Bulat
Peacebone - Animal Collective
Red Sea, Black Sea - Shearwater
Cannot get, started - Handsome Furs
Boy with a Coin - Iron and Wine
Heart's a mess (Duosseudo remix) - Gotye
Cigarettes, wedding bands - Band of Horses

edit 29 Dec
How did I possibly do up a best songs of the year list and leave off
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem ?
Simply can't be done - especially because it could be the number one.
so there you have it... the top 11 tracks on heaviest rotation for 2007 after all.

TOP 20 ALBUMS 2007

Alright.....I've been obsessing over this for weeks now, but I've not been getting anything done. After some gentle prodding in the last few days though I realised it was gonna have to be now or never. So here's what's been on my most played list throughout the year of 2007 from 1 to 20. Check out any of the stuff you don't already have and enjoy!

01 The National – Boxer
There's really not a wrong note on this album for me and these guys provide an awesome live show as well. Looking forward to seeing them again on this side of the world. This was truly the National's year.

02 Okkervil River – The stage names
Dramatic, epic, howling, exciting and just plain fantastic

03 Handsome Furs – Plague Park
It's amazing what these guys do with a guitar, a drum machine and some ragged, emotion filled vocals. Chuck in some synth and distorted electro beats and they get themselves a winner

04 Iron and Wine - The Shepherds Dog
Sam Beam started moving away from his lo-fi roots and building a more polished and deeper sound here - an amazing album. Looking forward to seeing him here in Melbourne in March. (And at Golden Plains)

05 Art Brut – It’s a bit Complicated
One of my favourite live bands of the year and and album with probably my top track of the year. Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun.

06 Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
Deliriously beautiful

07 The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Jack baby - you still got it.

08 Jim Bryson – Where the Bungalows Roam
Another great Canadian release. Gentle, but extremely good singer songwriter material.

09 Interpol – Our love to Admire
Rest my Chemistry.....enough said.
Due to hit our shores in the new year - one of my most highly anticipated gigs to start 2008.

10 Radiohead – In Rainbows
I came, I paid, I listened........and goddammit I loved it.
Welcome back into my world boys

11 Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
Hot on the heels of the stellar Everything All the Time came yet another great album this year.

12 Dappled cities fly – Granddance
Only made it in because the US release was this year - but this Aussie band have been impressing wherever they go. Great Indie Rock

13 Feist – The Reminder
Because there's a whole lot more to this album than ipod commercials

14 Patrick Wolf – The Magic Position
Divinely over the top magnificence and showmanship

15 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder

16 The Dears – You and I are a Gang of Losers

17 Nina Nastasia and Jim White - You Follow Me

18 Tori Amos – American Doll Posse

19 Basia Bulat - Oh My Darling (just kicked out Blanche on my final type up almost entirely on the strength of rehearing "Snakes and Ladders" as I was working)

20 BRMC – Baby 81

Honourable mentions
Blanche - Little Amber Bottles
(Thanks Dave!) These guys probably should be up on the list, but they only came to my attention very recently. Probably one of my fave discoveries all year (along with Heartless Bastards)
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
So much better live than I ever imagined
Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Yet another beautiful album from one of my favourites in the game
The Panics – Cruel guards
The Triple J (Australian Radio) 2007 J award recipient. This album actually doesn't contain some of my favourite Panics songs, but it's still a great record and continues to impress me

Doveman - With my left hand I raise the dead
As I said when I featured this album - so.....damn.....beautiful

Jenz Lekman - Night falls over Kortodela
Because Jenz is deliciously, wonderfully Jenz and he's moving to Melbourne!
Gotye - Mixed Blood
The remix of 2006's fabulous 'Like drawing Blood' is almost even better.

Arcade Fire is on

Yes after all the rumours and speculations it has finally been confirmed. Arcade Fire are to perform some sidelines to the Big Day Out gigs in Sydney and Melbourne.

Shows are:

Tuesday 22 January 2008
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
$69 + bf

Tuesday 29th January 2008
Forum Theatre, Melbourne
$69 + bf


TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY 12 DECEMBER

Great Line-up at Bar Open tonight

For all you guys in Melbourne - a great night planned at Bar Open tonight (29th November)

AUSTIN

LIZ STRINGER & JORDIE LANE

TOM WOODWARD(ACT)

VORN DOOLETTE(S.A)

For lovers of the thriving local roots scene in Melbourne this would have to be one of the line-ups of the year, and a not to be missed event. Most notably it's Liz Stringer who has been carving it up in this town, with her commanding vocals and often deeply reflective lyrics, not to mention her unbelievable instrumental chops on Banjo, Lap steel, and Guitar. Stringer will join Jordie Lane on stage as a duo, gracing the audience with their powerful harmony's and emotive songs. Mr. Lane has been a busy boy since performing at Port Fairy in March, playing 120 shows, most recently supporting Aria winner Gotye and Jeff Lang, and an East Coast Tour with The Basics. Headlining the night is Austin. A performer whose reputation as an outstanding and unique musician is growing rapidly since he hit the local scene. He is currently touring his just released live cd. Also rounding out the bill are interstate troubadours Tom Woodward from Canberra who has been described as 'the product of a DNA experiment between Dylan and Nick Cave', and Vorn Doolette from Adelaide, who's Sinatra-like voice and song-writing skills have been a major draw-card for festival organisers around the country, including Melbourne's own Queenscliff Music Festival, which he shall be appearing at this November.

Doors 8pm $5 + free glossy poster for the first 50 payersa

Stars are coming too!!

Very exciting news just announced -

Stars are heading over on their first tour of Australia in the new year. Two dates have been officially announced, and they are sure to be added to the Laneway Festival lineup which I have already mentioned recently! How positively awesome will that be??

Confirmed dates:

Feb 27 - Spectrum, Sydney
Feb 28 - East Brunswick Club, Melbourne

Tickets for both shows go on sale Wednesday December 5th at 9am. (thanks to Sean at The Reminder for the info - great news!!)

Some wonderful covers to finish your week

I was over at I guess I'm floating the other day and found these great covers from some of my more recently adored artists (Jens Lekman and Josh Ritter) of two of my all time favourite artists (Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen)

Have a listen to Jens doing Paul:
Jens Lekman - You can call me Al (cover).mp3

and Josh almost becoming the boss:
Josh Ritter - The River (cover).mp3

They got me thinking about some of the other standout covers of these two artists in my memory.
These are my favourites. What do you think? Any other additions?

Paul Simon (or Simon and Garfunkel) covers

Johnny Cash and Fiona Apple - Bridge over troubled water (cover).mp3

Grizzly Bear - Graceland (cover).mp3

"The Boss" covers

Aimee Mann and Michael Penn - Reason to Believe (cover). mp3

(thanks to Heartache with Hard Work for the link - I am having trouble accessing my own file)

Heather Nova - I'm on fire.mp3

A slightly shaky but still fabulous video of the ever amazing Jarvis Cocker doing State Trooper

Magnetic Fields - Three Way

A sign of good things to come!

Thanks to Stereogum for the premiere of this great new track and taster for the upcoming release from Magnetic Fields.

mp3 - The Magnetic Fields - Three Way

The new album Distortion will be released early next year and if this number is anything to go by it will be a cracker, so keep your eyes and ears open.

St Jeromes Laneway

Very excited to have secured my tickets to the festival and looking forward to the lineup. Not only do we have Fiest, Kevin Drew, Okkervil River and Clap your hands say Yeah!, but also a great list of Australian talent. I recommend that you click on some of the names below to check them out:

- Gotye

Still riding high on his 'Best Male Artist' at the ARIAs - this has certainly been Wally's year

Have a listen to this remix from Mixed Blood

Gotye - Heart's a Mess (remix).mp3

- The Panics

The latest album Cruel Guards from this talented WA band is out now

The Panics - The feeling is gone.mp3

- The Presets

(new single My People out December 18)

The Presets - Are you the one.mp3

- Little Red
- The Devastations
- Bridezilla
- The Holidays

For more information on The Laneway festival in your part of Australia - click here

Okkervil River - The Stage Names

One of my favourites from this year that have been confirmed for the awesome St Jerome's Laneway Festival in February. The Stage Names has been on constant heavy rotation this year, so I'm looking forward to seeing them live on our southern shores. This still remains a standout track for 2007.

Okkervil River - Our life is not a movie, or maybe.mp3

Basia Bulat - Oh My Darling

Am positively obsessed with this right album now.


Listen to Snakes and Ladders.mp3 - possibly one of my songs of the year,
then go and get the album - the whole thing is fantastic.

Doveman - With my left hand I raise the dead

so. damn. beautiful.....

listen to Happy.mp3
this is music for serious chill out sessions. (think chris garneau)
check out videos from the new album here.

Updates soon

Still overseas after going to the marvellous Austin City Limits festival. Have a few more bands to catch in Vancouver, then will hopefully report back.

Earl Gray album launch w/ Jordie Lane 30-08-07

As Earl Gray (aka Graeme Pillemer) said - it takes a lot of time to get a record out in this country. Although he first gained national coverage back on Triple J in late 2005 and has supported many top performers such as Gomez, Lior and Josh Pyke, it was not until last Thursday that we were treated to a live show and the release of his first album ‘Not for Sale’ here in Melbourne. From all appearances I’d say it was worth the wait. He’s had a little time to play these songs around and get them perfected, so the result is a pretty eclectic bag of blues/roots/soul/alt-country/rock fun for everyone.

Jordie Lane in support kicked the night off beautifully with his classic country style and a set list that really impressed. I always joke to my friends that if a band has a double bass, I’m pretty much sold, but when you’ve got a double bass and Liz Stringer on banjo and backing vocals, well it guaranteed that I was going to love it. From the opening words of his heartfelt, simple Sweet Somebody to the final notes of Died lookin’ at you I felt like I was on a journey somewhere between Hank Williams and Ryan Adams, somehow familiar and yet wonderfully new. His lyrics are fluid stories of life and speak of a maturity far older than his 23 years. Jeff Lang commented early this year that “Jordie Lane sounds like he’s absorbed the works of the great songwriters and is now able to speak with the same authority in his own music” which is precisely how it is. (Check our his myspace here)

After this old school country, laid back performance from Jordie, I was wondering how Earl Gray would approach the crowd to launch his very good, but quite different album ‘Not for Sale’. Pillemer however didn’t miss a beat - striding his way out and easing us in with a few songs from what he called his ‘hillbilly’ repertoire – just him and a guitar and one or two tunes as he joked “for girls who like really literal love songs”. Perhaps the nerves were still out as there were a few timing and word issues in these, but full props to him for moving on effortlessly and making these songs so enjoyable.

The rest of the boys from his band came on after this and the atmosphere immediately started to intensify with 4 more hours followed by a flawless performance of the title track which sounded eerily like an early David Gray live. As ‘the Earl’ himself said it was then time to get completely away from the country vibe and the mood was flipped on its head completely as he launched into How’m’igonna get you bak’gin - a beat heavy tune with tones of R&B which I can see being pretty infectious and popular, but is not really my thing. The music continued to be switched up with Earl going all over the place from the hip-hop inspired Beggin’ on your knees (mixed on the album by grammy winning mixing genius Russell Elevado at New York’s famed Electric Lady Studios) to the quiet and tender Katrina to the soulful Me and Rudy. As you may have gathered, Earl Gray is difficult to define and perhaps there is a bit lost with this musical rollercoaster, but whatever the style, the energy is there 100% and you know Pillemer is really enjoying himself. It’s good to see someone having so much fun and experimenting widely with his work and his band, and it is remarkably infectious live – the smallish band of onlookers at the Toff in Town were all tapping away in time and getting lost in the music, this is certainly not your standard singer-songwriter stuff. He ended the set with the guitar heavy old school rock of Bye Bye Baby (was that a Hendrix riff in there?) and left the crowd with smiles on their faces and a good night under their belt.

Check out Earl Gray's Not For Sale and Jordie Lane's Lover's Ride both out now.

Nina Nastasia

"Nina Nastasia's rare gift of a voice is an intimate, winged presence that is able to either freeze or melt your heart, that can powerfully soar and twist, or brush ultra-gently against you, suddenly summoning goose bumps."



Regretfully I missed this amazing talent when she and drummer Jim White were touring in Australia, but I hope she can return soon because I am completely besotted. From the first sweet, clear notes of I've Been Out Walking to the final deliberate message of I Come After You Nina holds you in a spell of gentle strength. There is an undertone of sadness, or resignation, of no longer believing the fairy tales, but of moving on steadfastly and resolutely despite this. The line in Our Discussion when she sings "I don't believe in the power of love, I don't believe in the wisdom of stone...." speaks volumes of the whole mood of this record. This, to me, is not an album of dreams, but of reality and coming to terms with the changes that reality involves.

Beautifully expressive, honest and intimate, this is an album full of meaning....whatever that may be for you. Musically it is quite sparse showcasing simply Nina's lyrics along with Jim's drumming. However, everything sounds so very deliberate and crafted that it achieves a real depth and impressive impact. Sometimes murmur quiet and whispery, sometimes loud and fraught with frantic drumming, it takes you through many journeys of emotion and feeling, despite the album's short length of only 33 minutes.

Listen to
Our Discussion.mp3
Late at Night.mp3

Jens Lekman

New to me this week, the latest release from Jens Lekman (on Secretly Canadian)

I saw Jens mentioned on another site and was sold by the Magnetic Fields comparison.

This album is swingin', melodic, orchestral pop from someone who seems to be the Swedish darling of the indie pop world. The Magnetic Fields influence is there (on track 1 you will think you're listening to the same voice), but Jens overall seems much lighter and less intense (and perhaps a little less satisfying) than Stephin Merritt. Still, this is good stuff. He even manages to make a break up song sound goddamn upbeat and happy.

Listen to Friday night at the drive-in bingo.mp3 to get ya smiling on this not so smiley Tuesday.

random music news

The Art of Letting Go
Ahead of his upcoming tour Ryan Adams spoke to Brisbane's Courier Mail about the new 'peace' in his life and responds to all those enfant terible descriptions:

"And I guess a 'terrible child', a tempestuous child, to say that about a man, in my opinion, it sounds loaded with bitter jealousy. I work very hard at what I do, and I do a lot of what I do, and I'm actually really quite good at what I do. I dream and I create because I'm a machine built to express art. This is what I made myself into being – an art cockroach. No matter what, I will find my way to the art."

The A-Z of Bob, and other wierd stuff
Random Dylan facts in Melbourne's Age today.

and over the weekend:

R.I.P Tony Wilson

From across the pond comes news that Tony Wilson, the man credited with putting the Manchester music scene on the global map, has died of cancer. Wilson was the founder of Factory Records which was home to Joy Division/New Order and Happy Mondays.

A to Z: EAR FARM live show pet hates

Music fans should check out Ear Farm on a regular basis anyway, but if you (like me) have lots of live show pet peeves, then particularly check this entry out.
Seriously funny and so on the money

A taster:
J
Jack asses who stand there the entire time with their arms folded. It's music. Hello? No, I mean it's MUSIC. So let it move you fucker. Stop standing there like you're looking at art at a museum. I hate you. If the music does nothing more than inspire you to stand there like a snob, how about you do us all a favor and just leave.

Editors @ Hi-Fi Bar 03-08-07

In all honesty I'd been a little wary of the Editors since my first exposure to them marketed in bold print as "the new Interpol". Seriously, there is no way to get my back up quicker than using another band's success to sell your own records and if I wanted to listen to Interpol then I'd listen to Interpol....blah blah blah you know where I'm going. Anyway, point of the story is that I had my doubts. I did listen to The Back Room however and although they never really dominated my playlists, they were still a band I put on occasionally in the background.(particularly in my more angsty moments or when I need a bit of airguitar practice) Similarly this year An End has a Start didn't blow me away, but it's something I chill out to now and then. I still have misgivings about the albums I guess, but their live performances (if Friday night was anything to go by) are worth your time. Frontman Tom Smith came out firing on all cylinders with crowdpleaser Bones and didn't let up on the energy for the whole 75 minutes that they played. He was powerful, dramatic and engaging, and a little over the top but you can't deny we got a show. I would have like to have felt that kind of energy from the rest of the band, not just Smith and drummer Ed Lay, but the others did improve as the night went on. (Whether such energy was demanded however on songs which speak of such bleakness and melancholy is another story)

This was the first time Editors had been down to our fair shores, so we heard a good deal of material from both albums, although chiefly from their latest release. There were a few sound issues on some of the slower/ softer songs, but generally they were fairly tight, despite Smith throwing himself all around the stage. The encore was probably the highlight of the night with great renditions of Spider, Smokers outside the Hospital Doors and Fingers in the Factories which had everyone jumping.

The inevitable Ian Curtis/Ian McCulloch comparisons continue with Smith, which I suppose is not totally unjustified, but whilst their whole neo-post-punk sound can sometimes bring those guys to mind, Editors are certainly no Joy Division just yet. Whilst they are a pretty decent and competant band, I think perhaps there is a better band in there (whether we continue to see Coldplay esque ballads return or for the band to grow on the next album will be interesting) To me it feels like they are kind of at a crossroads right now where they could fall into mediocrity or the opposite, time will tell which way is the easiest for them to tumble.

Anyway, am getting off the point. Friday nights gig was great and for me a much needed injection of live music energy. Editors to me are one of those bands that are better to experience than just listen to, so if they're around, get down and check them out. Not a bad way to spend an evening.

Listen to Bones and And End has a Start from their latest album.

Iron and Wine

More good news!

New album coming from Iron and Wine called 'The Shepherd's Dog'

Initial listens suggest more of the same beautiful, deep and yet understated melodies of his previous releases, but somehow even more satisfying. Sam Beam seems to be moving away from his lo-fi roots and building a more polished and deeper sound and as much as I've loved everything he's put out, this is really good stuff. The best kind of music to ease me into another Monday.
(More impressions to follow.)

Listen to Boy with a Coin mp3 through Sub Pop records.

permission to gush...

The ever lovely, entertaining and talented Josh Ritter has a new album coming out.

Get it in:

North America on August 21

Europe on September 7

Worldwide on October 1

Or if you can't wait that long (like me) - hear it streaming from his site

Back...

Home from 2 weeks in Indonesia - not exactly cutting edge music centre I have to say! Have been completely out of the loop and now feel like am still struggling in the musical wilderness. Have I missed much? What's new on everyone's stereos right now? Whatever about the tunes - I can't get The Mighty Boosh off my itunes at the moment - helps get through the work days at least. (need some humour right now.)

othings making an appearance:

Interpol - Our love to Admire

John Vanderslice - Emerald city

Art Brut

It's a bit complicated
(isn't it just?)

although I generally prefer not to get too personal about these reviews and instead focus on the music, somehow this seems like the soundrack to my own life right now.....from the title onwards it strikes a chord. simple tales of making mix tapes, starting new relationships, ending others, hanging out and just living life. the lyrics are so simple but they are still witty and charming like Bang Bang Rock & Roll...the album just sounds like life in all it's banal and fun glory.
some of the picks:
"I can't say I'm not enjoying the kissing, but I've a sneaking suspicion, you're not really listening. I know I shouldn't, is it so wrong? to break from your kiss to turn up a pop song." (from Pump up the volume hear it on their myspace page)
"just a couple of friends, hanging out with each other, we started to swap tapes to soundtrack our summer, tapes that are full of the things we can't say, during the day." (Sound of Summer listen to this track here)
who could resist that?

Art Brut are not trying to be anything they are not. This is pared down rock, and it's good. it may not have the newness and novelty of Bang Bang Rock & Roll (or great song like 'we started a band') but it's a consisently decent second effort and you won't be able to help turning in on over and over again.

Chris Garneau

on rotation

to be honest The National and Handsome Furs are still taking up a lot of my listening space, but there are a few other things keeping me company


Dntel - Dumb Luck

Dntel (aka Jimmy Tamborello of the Postal Service and Figurine) released his anticipated follow up to Life is full of Possibilities. Full of appearances from some prominent friends - Jenny Lewis, Conor Oberst, Grizzly Bear and Mia Doi Todd amongst others. There are definitely some good moments here (To a Fault with Grizzly Bear Edward Droste being one of them, and the title song itself), but somehow it's just not LIFOP. It's definitely not disappointing, but perhaps not quite as good as it looks on paper.



Jim Bryson - Where the Bungalows Roam

Rich and impressive release from Canadian singer/songwriter Bryson. He describes this as an accidental record - putting it together in pieces during his last tour with one of my other faves Kathleen Edwards, but nothing about this album sounds accidental. If you're expecting something like his previous albums, don't. This is gentler and acoustic based allowing his considerable songwriting talents to shine.
This record is all class - click here to launch his radio link and hear the album.


Chet - Fight Against Darkness

More sounds from Canada.....this time from Vancouver Island. Achingly beautiful vocals overlaid with old style dance band sounds. Some of it gets a little cloying and melancholy for even me, but there are some genuinely beautiful moments and you can't fault that voice.