Next time – the only live album to make it on my top 25 list
launches us into the top five. Any guesses as to what it might be? Any
predictions for the top five? Leave a post below…
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Dean’s Favourite Albums #6- (What’s the Story) Morning Glory – Oasis
1995. Britpop, the wave of British alternative music that Tony
Blair decided to ride the coat tails of and get himself into office. The
driving forces in Oasis were those Gallagher brothers, whose arrogance and bad
behaviour could be quite annoying at times. Despite this, the band has produced
some great tracks, and this album is a masterpiece. If I was writing this list
a few years ago, this album probably would have been right up in the top two,
but I haven’t listened to it much in recent years. I gave it another spin, and
wow, it is still a great album. Highlights
abound, with the wonderful “Wonderwall” a piece of class (see link), but there
are plenty of other great tracks, the sing-along catchy “Don’t Look Back in
Anger”, the driving rock of the opening track “Hello”, the fun “She’s
Electric”, and the anthemic “Morning Glory”. “Champagne Supernova” provides a
great closer after the journey the band takes us through during the album.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #7 - London Calling - The Clash
Ok, so I probably gave it away last time, but number seven
on my list is the Clash’s “London Calling” album. This is the sort of album
that usually rates highly on best of all time lists, and is often called the
greatest punk album of all time. I find that tag strange though, because when I
think of punk, I think of the Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen” or the Saints
“I’m Stranded”. This album is not like that though, and its more diverse with
reggae, ska, jazz, pop and rockabilly all featuring at some point. It’s a long
album – was a double album when released, but it doesn’t outstay its welcome at
all. My favourite songs – probably the
opening title track, a great rock track (see link), the sinister sounding “Guns of Brixton”, the
rockabilly of “Brand New Cadillac”,and the fun of “Wrong Em Boyo”. I could keep mentioning songs, but I think you
get the idea.
Coming up at number six – its Britpop time, and an album from
a band that really annoys me, yet the album is a masterpiece
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #8 - Nothing But a Dream - Paul Kelly
With a body of work of such high calibre that Paul Kelly
has, I really could have virtually clogged up this entire list with Paul Kelly
albums, and would not have been unhappy with the final composition of the list.
So the choice of this album might seem like a strange one to you all, as its
normally albums like “Gossip” or “Comedy” that get mentions on these types of
lists. If I wanted to take a different approach, I could have turned to the
bluegrass incarnation of “Foggy Highway”. Indeed if I wanted to take a
sentimental approach, “Spring and Fall” could have been the choice, because it
was released on the day my boys entered this world. But no, I have gone for one
of his lesser known albums, 2001’s “Nothing But a Dream”.
I remember back to 2001, and the Weekend Australian
newspaper did a promotion where you got a free four track sampler ahead of the
release of this album. I still have that sampler, and the wonderful thing about
it was that it contains some alternate versions of some of the tracks, which
are a great listen. I can’t actually remember how I got the album, but I think
it was bought for me as a birthday gift (if that is the case, to the person
that bought it for me – thank you – (and I am thinking that it might have been
from my mate Andy))
So why did I choose this album? Well, it is just full of
some gems that really show off Kelly’s songwriting abilities. The opening
track, “If I could Start Today Again”, a simple song, but wow, what a song, with
beautiful lyrics that talk about regrets and wanting to go back and start the
day again (see today’s link). “I Wasted Time”, written from the perspective of
an old person thinking back at the time they have wasted in their life who now
sees “…old friends at funerals now and then, its down to this, it either me or
them”. The there is “Somewhere in the City”, a track where Kelly sings deep in
thought about what a loved one might be doing, perfectly evoking feelings
of loneliness, jealousy and longing to
be with someone. There is a certain
moody, atmospheric sound to a number of the tracks (such as “Midnight Rain”,
“Would You Be My Friend”, “Smoke Under the Bridge” ) and then just for some
diversity, Kelly throws in the bass laden “Love is the Law” and the frantic
“Just About to Break”.
I know its not as well known as many of Paul’s other albums,
but its a great album and very worthy top tenner! (and, like “Suburban
Songbook”, it has a great cover as well!)
Coming up next – its off to the UK, for a more well known
classic album (or should I perhaps say that London is calling)?
Friday, March 14, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #9 - Suburban Songbook - Bob Evans
As lead singer of 90’s-00’s alt rock band Jebediah, Kevin
Mitchell sung with an unusual but distinctive rock and rock whine. So when the
time came for Mitchell to do something different, he chose to perform under a
pseudonym, and as the story goes, he got the name from a US burger chain. In
2004, he released “Suburban Kid” an underrated album that showcased intimate roots
flavoured songs. In 2006, he released his second album under the Bob Evans
name, “Suburban Songbook”, which occupies number nine on my favourite albums
list.
The first thing I need to mention about this album is the
cover art – what a beautiful photo of a suburban street, with lovers hand in
hand walking towards the sunlight. But a
good cover alone won’t get you on this list, and this album is so much more
than its cover. In the 100 Best Australian Albums book (which rated this at
#74), they describe it as “…a revelation, catching the listener off guard with
its naked honesty and big , romantic heart.” The album blends country and folk
with pop and sunshine, and sets the tone right from with the start with the
warm acoustic track “Don’t You Think Its Time” (see link). There are great
moments all throughout though, such as “Sadness and Whiskey”, the catchy pop of
“Don’t Walk Alone” . Even when the sentimental, “Nowhere Without You” ventures towards being too lovey-dovey and
saccharine sweet, it doesn’t cross the line and leaves a smile on your face. Its
not an overly diverse album, but has significant variation to keep the listener
hooked. One of my favourite tracks is the hidden closer “Me and My Friend”,
which could have very easily been called an ode to friendship. It’s a wonderful
track, simple, but so effective. The use of the word “suburban” in the album
title is no coincidence either, as it really has that everyday timeless,
romantic feel to it.
For those of you that don’t know the album, and want to know
what to compare the sound to, I have read various reviews that compare parts of
it to the Beatles, Elliot Smith, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young, John Lennon,
and even Burt Bacharach! So I hope that
mixed back of names helps in some way.
Coming up at #8 – one my favourite musicians, and Australian
music legend….but which album?
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #10 - Cold Fact - Rodriguez
My friends had been talking about this album from the 70’s
for a while, and they had played me a few tracks and I had liked them, so it
was on my list of albums to check out for a quite some time. Then, in March
2010, I was on my lunchbreak from work and walking through the city, when I
happened to pass the laneway where Basement Discs is located, and saw a sign –
“Rodriguez – in store today”, so I thought this was too good an opportunity to
let pass. As I walked down the staircase to Basement Discs, I heard the crowd
applause. Of course, he had just finished his performance as I arrived…damn…but
he was hanging around to sign copies of his album. I lined up and the shop
assistant asked me what I thought of his performance, I explained that I missed
it and I think he thought I was a bit odd! Waiting in the line, Rodriguez,
looking just a little frail, posed for a photo for the lady in front of me.
Then, as it was my turn, I was asked to pause…Rodriguez produced a backpack and
started fumbling through it for something. Eventually he produced a bottle of
red wine, which he proceeded to drink straight from the bottle! After a swig,
he chatted and signed my album, and that is the story of how I came about
owning a copy of “Cold Fact”.
Hailing from the US, Rodriguez released “Cold Fact” in 1970,
and it was a massive flop, barely troubling the US charts. But for some random
reason, it became a cult classic in South Africa, and to a lesser extent,
Australia. In more recent times, the man was the subject of the Oscar winning
documentary “Searching for Sugarman”, something which I still haven’t seen but
am quite keen to, which has brought some belated attention to Rodriguez in his
home country.
In terms of describing the album, I find it very hard, and
the best I can do is borrow from the review on allmusic.com: “There was a
mini-genre of singer/songwriters in the late '60s and early '70s that has never
gotten a name. They were folky but not exactly folk-rock and certainly not
laid-back; sometimes pissed off but not full of rage; alienated but not
incoherent; psychedelic-tinged but not that weird; not averse to using
orchestration in some cases but not that elaborately produced. And they sold
very few records”. I think this sums it up quite well.
Its Dylanesque, in
terms of the stream of consciousness lyrics, which sometimes don’t make sense,
and seem to have an undercurrent of protest in them, but it would be wrong to
dismiss this as just another wannabe Dylan album. Its full of highlights for me
- the catchy “I Wonder” and “Sugar Man”,
“Rich Folks Hoax”, “Hate Street Dialogue” and my favourite track on the album,
the wonderfully titled “This is Not a Song, its an Outburst: Or, the
Establishment Blues” (today’s link)
For those that know the album, how would you describe it to
someone who has never heard it?
Coming up next – a beautiful album from the suburbs of
Australia
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #11 - Crowded House - Crowded House
Being a fan of Crowded House, virtually their entire back
catalogue could have made it onto the list, and in particular, their fourth
album “Together Alone” was very very close to making the cut. But I decided to
head to their debut album, “Crowded House”, which occupies the 11th spot. This
is an album full of hits – “Don’t Dream Its Over”, “Mean to Me” (see link),
“Now We’re Getting Somewhere”, “World Where You Live” and “Something So Strong”, but also contains some
great other moments like “Love You Til the Day I Die” and “Tombstone”.
Strangely enough, it took the band breaking up for me to
take notice of them. I still remember watching their “Farewell to the World”
concert on TV, and thinking, “I know this song, this is a good song”, over and
over again, and that led me to purchasing their best of album. My first venture
into a Crowded House album though, was made in Hobart of all places in 1999.
Its funny the things you remember – I still have strong memories of purchasing a three pack containing “Crowded
House”, “Temple of Low Men” and “Woodface” from the Sanity music store in the
Hobart’s Elizabeth Street Mall. Those albums have been listened to a lot over
the years since, and they all hold up as great albums.
Coming up – we enter the serious end of the countdown and at
number ten its time to face fact with an American folk singer of Mexican
heritage.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Dean's favourite albums #12 - The Living End - The Living End
January 1999. My first overseas trip. After a tiring flight,
I arrive at my hotel in Los Angeles, and put the radio on – the first song I
hear is “Save the Day” by the Living End, I didn’t even know it was a single,
and I didn’t even know it had made it to LA, but I felt an immense amount of
national pride to hear this. (I don’t think the radio was tuned to a mainstream
station, but why let facts like that get in the way).
Released in October 1998, this brilliant album of high energy
music is great listen, but it actually took me a while to purchase it. When I
was living at home with my parents, my sister had a copy so I just used to play
hers. Naturally when she moved out, she took it with her, and I had plenty of
other music to listen to, it I went a number of years without having a copy at
all. Then when I decided that I wanted to listen to it again, I couldn’t find
it in the shops, so it took me quite some time to track it down.
The album contains rock rebellion anthems like “Prisoner of
Society”,”Growing Up (Falling Down)” and “Save the Day”, but there is a
significant amount of diversity that makes it a whole lot more than just
another punk rock album. It ventures into rockability, it ventures into ska, as
well as being loyal to its rock roots. I think another thing worth mentioning
is the lyrics – covering all sorts of topics like the Dunblane massacre (see
“Monday”), the overdevelopment of cities leading to the disappearance of
heritage buildings (see “All Torn Down”) and the clashing of the different
classes (see “West End Riot”, today’s link). It even closes with an
instrumental, “Closing In”, which I have always thought would make one hell of
a TV theme song, not that I would actually want that to happen though.
Like a few other albums
on my top 25 list, despite the fact that I really love this album, it is
the only Living End album that I own – I never really took the time to explore
them more than this. I can’t really explain why, perhaps I just thought they
would never be able to top this effort.
Coming up at #11 – another hugely successful debut album
from the Antipodes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)