Tracks Music

I wrote about JB HIFI and its inhabitants a few weeks ago. Tracks Music is a much smaller and more "specialised" shop. While JB has roughly 700 employees trekking around a vast yellow cavern, Tracks has about two old men (I say old, but they could be anywhere between the ages of 30 to 60. I can't tell) that never set foot from behind the desk.

The clientele are different too. The typical Tracks customer will be a slightly overweight long-haired male, accompanied by a skinny, pimple-faced boy. They will be after the latest Bloodchurn album 'Born of the Devil Inside', which the dry man at the counter will spend 20 minutes searching for on the "system". He won't find it but will know, off the top of his head, that the album was released in America the previous week and that the stuff Bloodchurn singer Maxx Von Gurber did with Elephant Spermicide was better anyway. The two customers will then browse the 'alternative/prog-grindcore' section spouting bits of trivia to each other about every CD they pick up. After an hour they leave with nothing, but that's OK because they'll be back the next day.

P.S. I thought I'd made up the band 'Bloodchurn' but Google informed me that there is a band with that name and they sound exactly as I imagined them to! Here's their Myspace.

State Songs #6 - Colorado

Boulder To Birmingham - Emmylou Harris

Not so long ago, whenever someone asked me the question "what kind of music do you like?", I could answer for certain that whatever I liked, it definitely wasn't country music. I couldn't stand the quivery, regional vocals; the slide guitar; the cheesy string sections; the hillbilly bass lines; the sickly lyrics. As I've grown older though, I've learnt that not all country music is bad. Some of it is very good. A lot of music that came from the 60s and 70s had strong links with country music. Johnny Cash influenced many and possessed traits that were "rock". The further you gaze into the expanse of music, the harder it becomes to maintain a high level of disdain for country music.

I'm not applying this reassessment of country to the entire genre. Some of it... most of it, is truly awful. In fact, bad country music is probably the most vile of all sounds (Hobart FM "the sound of the city" sometimes plays this type of stuff). Modern country is awful as well, and it's inexplicably popular. Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw... vomit. Alt/Country is OK because it takes the good parts of country music (discarding the bad) and blends them with more digestible sounds.

Emmylou Harris is good country, and this is a song she wrote about her collaborator and friend Gram Parsons (another hugely influential country dude), after his tragic death. It's great how classic songs can lead you to discover more classics - by reading their back stories, or by trying to interpret them. So many of these old songs seem soaked in history. 'Boulder to Birmingham' is a sad and beautiful song that doubles in emotion when you think about why it was written.

Colorado (where Boulder is, of course) seems like a very "country" place... maybe because John Denver named himself after the capital city. The Colorado of my mind is a desolate plain, inhabited by coyotes, lonesome campfires, and cacti. I'm not sure how accurate that picture is but I know about the Rocky Mountains.

Busking Classics

Some buskers are decent, while some are horrendous. Whatever the level of talent, there are some songs you can be assured of hearing when you walk past those that lurk in malls with guitars. The coolest busking song I heard was Pink Floyd's 'Money', performed by a homeless looking guy with a Tom Waits voice and an acoustic guitar, sitting on the ground underneath an ATM at about midnight. The worst is probably that wildly off-key lady who blasts people half to death in the Elizabeth St mall; if you've encountered her, you will know what I mean.

Here are some busking classics:
(I've noticed a lot of Australian buskers pick Australian songs...)

'Holy Grail' (Hunters and Collectors) - An instantly recognisable and likable song, which is a good way to keep people listening if you sing it well enough.

'Brown Eyed Girl' (Van Morrison) - Golden oldie, means people don't need to listen to their radio.

'Miss You Love' (Silverchair) - This is a popular song for younger buskers to perform. Teenage buskers are usually pretty bad, and this song is pretty annoying. What a combo.

'Heart of Gold' (Neil Young) - It's like it was written for buskers.

'Reckless' (Australian Crawl) - This song doesn't make any sense. It starts off about going to the jetty at Circular Quay and noticing the Manly ferry (not a big, masculine boat of testosterone - Manly is a place in Sydney)... then it starts talking about laying down your guns because "she don't like that kind of behaviour". If someone has a gun (let alone two or more of them), and is pointing it at someone - of course she's not going to like that sort of behaviour. "Don't be so reckless" seems a very understated plea... "reckless" is taking a corner a little bit fast, or eating a raw onion (OK, maybe that's not reckless); shooting someone is a VERY BAD act of violence! Calling it "reckless" is like saying "ooh that was a bit naughty!" /end ridiculous rant

'Throw Your Arms Around Me' (Hunters and Collectors) - When you think about it, it's kind of inappropriate - some guy trying to catch someone's eye, whilst singing "we may never meet again so shed your skin and let's get started". And, imagine if humans could shed their skin like a snake... I reckon that would be quite off-putting.

'Wonderwall' (Oasis) - More of a cliché than a song, these days.

Predictability in the comments section

(click to enlarge - it's hilarious)

I like watching YouTube videos. Sometimes I listen to songs on YouTube. The only problem with this is: regardless of what the video is, I find I always have to read the comments. I can't help it, even though I know that the average YouTube user is an illiterate, racist, short-tempered teenager.

Here are the types of comments you are sure to find on certain YouTube music videos:

If a song has a notable guitar solo or riff - you will read comments like "there not akchuly tlnted ne1 can play pentatonic solos" "FAIL. You sir, are a moron". There will always be a debate about how good/bad someone is at guitar. Incidentally, these people miss the point - the talent is not about how well the artist in question can perform a guitar solo, it's that they were able to create a song far better than anyone on YouTube could ever do.

If a song has even the slightest hint of political undertones - you will read comments about the war in Iraq, about Obama, about Hitler, about religion, and about slavery.

If a song is making a blatant political statement - you will come across some twit saying "Why is everyone bringing politics into this? Why can't you just enjoy the music?"

If a song is a little bit old and sentimental - you will get some 60 year old man talking about how "music like this ain't made no more" or that they were "at that Neil Diamond concert in '73 - that's where I met my darlin' wife".

If a song is new and popular (and has 200,832,291 views) - you will either read "I luv this song!!!!!!!111" or "Great vid, check out my profile for hot babes".

If a song has been covered by another artist, or if it is a cover - a raging and occasionally obscene debate will take place about which version is better.

Feel free to add any others you've noticed.

Favourite Singers

Everyone can sing to a small extent, but very few people will be happy with the sound of their own voice.
Here are some people that, I think, are blessed with awesome singing voices. They might not be technically brilliant singers but I really like the way they sing and would love to have a voice like any of them. There are no female singers here (perhaps that can be another post). I like female singers but I don't really desire to have a female voice.

Freddie Mercury (Queen) - R.I.P. He had truly amazing range; Freddie could pull off a piano ballad just as convincingly as a rock anthem. Aids is no fun, but being able to sing like that would be heaps of fun.

Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea) - As I mentioned in the previous post, this guy has one of my favourite singing voices. Deep and resonant but not too gravelly. If I want to make toast, I just hold a piece of bread next to the speakers when Tex is singing. It doesn't actually work, you still have to use the toaster but that's OK.

James Hetfield (Metallica) - I know it's pretty bogan to like Metallica, but that's why I don't like AC/DC - so I don't exceed my quota of bogan points. It's nice to hear someone in a metal band that actually sings, and not scream. I think I like deeper voices because I don't have a very deep voice myself - coveting the unattainable.

Neil Finn (Crowded House) - A perfect voice but with so much character. If Neil Finn went on Australian Idol, he would get a "touchdown", and a "that's what I'm talkin about", and a "you really felt what that song was about, didn't you?" etc, every time he opened his mouth.

Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) - He sounds like a heavy smoker but in a good way. Very powerful and emotional singing voice; listen to his cover of 'Billie Jean', for an example. I like his voice so much because it's almost the opposite of mine.

John Lennon - R.I.P. The best voice out of all the Beatles. His original recording of 'Real Love' is one of my favourite Lennon moments.

Johnny Cash - R.I.P. It would be very, very special to wake up with Johnny Cash's voice - and to be able to keep it after you've had a drink of water.

Who's singing voice do you (secretly?) wish you had? Who are some of your favourites?

Top 10 Australian Bands

10. The Go Betweens - Very influential pop band. Paved the way for a lot of Australian indie music, and wrote some good songs themselves.

9. The Cruel Sea - Tex Perkins has one of my favourite singing voices - I'd like to saw out his voice box and use it as my own.

8. INXS - They've become a bit of a joke now, with the whole "finding the next Michael Hutchence" nonsense - but in their prime, they released good stuff.

7. The Lucksmiths - Under-appreciated indie-pop, better songs than the Go Betweens. It's a mystery why these guys aren't BIG.

6. AC/DC - Speaking of big. I'm not a huge fan but it would be silly not to include them in this list. AC/DC are still a massively worldwide popular hard rock band and have written some of the most iconic guitar riffs ever. Very bogan.

5. Cold Chisel - Speaking of bogan. Jimmy Barns can be a bit much but Chisel are more than just a pub band; they had some very well-crafted songs.

4. The Easybeats - Genuinely good Aussie 60s pop. It doesn't seem possible, but listen to it - it's good stuff!

3. You Am I - Wonderful, consistent, genre-defying. They deserve international attention but probably won't get it because their songs are so "Oz".

2. Midnight Oil - Groundbreaking and meaningful rock band, with a very charismatic front man. Very, very good stuff.

1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Still going strong (playing at the crustbowl (Derwent Entertainment Centre) next month), Nick Cave has gone through many incarnations but I think his best stuff is with the Bad Seeds. Not many can combine poetry, Old Testament theology, punk, and piano ballads so seamlessly.


Notable omissions:
Crowded House - More of NZ band, really. They wouldn't exist without Neil Finn. Otherwise they'd be in the top 5.
The Saints - Yes, they were one of the first punk bands and '(I'm) Stranded' is a great song, but they don't have a very impressive catalogue of good songs.
The Church - I've heard they're a good band but I've just never bothered to listen to them. Pure ignorance.
The Dirty Three - I find them a bit boring, as great as they may be.

Potentially great:
Augie March - If their last album was anywhere near as good as their first three, I would have included them in the top 10.
Luke Steele - He's very talented and one of the most interesting people in Australian music. If he can stick to one project at a time, he might be one of the greats - whether it be under 'Sleepy Jackson', 'Nations By The River', 'Empire Of The Sun'...

Disturbing Crowded House Lyric

I wake up in your room
Share one piece of your life
I'd give anything to be a fly upon the wall
And hear your whispers and moans
I like to hear your whispers and moans

Not choice Neil. Not choice.

Classic Albums That Are Not Classic

Don McLean - American Pie



Half of the songs on this album are just filler to justify the album's existence based on only the title track. 'American Pie' is a good song but I'd be happy if I never listened to it again (too many crusty pub classics can do you harm). 'Vincent' is an excellent song that I really like. The rest of the songs are pedestrian folk/pop, not awful but not worthy of a place on anything considered "classic".

If you're a fifty year old, you might enjoy this album for the blast of nostalgia it probably deliverers, but I don't get it - the poetry seems far too sentimental, and there's not much on here that hasn't been done far better by Simon and Garfunkel.

Not classic.

Rock n Roll Lyric Cliché #1

"A Crying Shame"

Who uses this phrase in conversation? I haven't noticed anyone say it but it creeps up regularly in song lyrics. It appeared in the Belle and Sebastian song that I just listened to; it is the title of songs by Muse and Jack Johnson, and an album by The Mavericks. "The Crying Shame" is also the name of a folk/rock band in Seattle (thanks Google). I reckon there's a list of rock n roll phrases on a notice board somewhere in the music community for struggling lyricists to borrow from.

Secular music that stereotypical Christians usually like

Sometimes you meet a certain type of Christian, whose favourite bands can be immediately predicted with 100% accuracy.

They will like:

Counting Crows
I'm really unsure about this band. What is it about them? Their most famous song is "shalalalala Mr Jones and me blah blah..." (zzzzzzz) and people talk about it as though it's one of the greatest masterpieces of all time.

Ben Harper
I don't mind Ben Harper. He's pretty good. For some reason, he's really popular amongst Christians. Maybe because he dresses like a youth pastor?

Dave Matthews Band
Yuck! I think it's only Christians that listen to Dave Matthews and his nonsense. Pure mediocrity, at best.

Coldplay
We sang a version of 'Yellow' at church years ago, but the lyrics were changed to "He came across/ died on a cross for you/ and all the things that you do... you were all sinful" Who remembers that?

Maroon 5
Silly name for a band. They're a bit like Counting Crows and Dave Matthews in that no one can work out why they're even famous.

Christian Music

I downloaded the Sojourn Christmas album recently, and was surprised to find myself actually liking it. I normally hate the concept and results of both "Christmas albums" and "Christian music", but this one seems an exception.

This got me thinking about why Christian music is usually so awful, and if it is possible for good (as subjective as that may be) Christian music to exist.



I think one of the main reasons behind Christian music's unlistenable quality, is the reasoning behind its existence. Many Christian bands exist as an alternative to secular bands, so that Christian kids can listen to music that won't be a bad influence on them. Perhaps the people that believe this also believe that music as an art form is "of the world" and Christians need to create their own version of it... That sort of thinking is definitely wrong - music comes from God and is a good thing; it isn't evil. It also explains why this sort of Christian music sounds so bad - because it isn't genuine; it is an imitation of music.

Another reason why Christian music so often sucks: because there is a huge market for it, especially in America. This means there are many bands competing for attention and for money (much like any section of the music industry), which doesn't encourage originality or innovation, it encourages bands to stick to the formula. This leaves room for vague but equally rubbish bands like Creed to pop up, sing about God a little, and sell some records at Koorong.

Christian culture, particularly Christian music, is still in the 1990s. Not so long ago it was still in the 1980s. This explains why there are so many post-grunge Christian guitar bands rockin' out for the Lord. In the 90s, bands like The Newsboys and DC Talk were called a lot of things but I doubt it was ever "ahead of their time".



Here are some more personal reasons why I don't usually listen to Christian music:

- For whatever reason, I just can't bring myself to listen to "praise" music recreationally. I like singing it in Church, but I wouldn't normally put it on at home. I think this has more to do with the sound of the music than the subject matter; I like the Sojourn CD after all...

- I tend to enjoy music that's more understated, lyrics that are more ambiguous, and I prefer a song's "vibe" over its reason for being written.

Christian music isn't all bad though. Here are some examples of Christian music that works well and is pleasing to listen to:

U2 - because they are not a "Christian band", they are a band. A very good band.

Johnny Cash - He was such a legendary figure to most people, that it doesn't really matter to them what he believes.

Sufjan Stevens - He's a brilliant songwriter and musician, and that has cemented him in the music community, even though he does write some undeniably Christian-tinged lyrics.

Sinéad O'Connor's 'Theology' - I don't know what Sinéad believes, only that she's not too pumped for the Pope, but this album is really good and the songs are based on parts of the Old Testament. I read an interview she did about making this album, where she said something about the Old Testament being much cooler than the New Testament - if you write a song about loving Jesus, it's daggy, but if you quote the Psalms then it's poetic. I reckon there's some truth in that.

Bob Dylan's 'Slow Train Coming' - I know he got a lot of crap for his Christian period but at the same time, Bob Dylan was such a legend, there are people willing to follow him in any musical direction he chooses to take. This is is best album from that period and it contains some really cool gospel songs.

Anything 'Gospel' - Genuine gospel music will always be cool.



Basically, I think Christian music is good when it doesn't try too hard; when the artists' faith is a more natural part of self-expression, which it will be if they are making music as a Christian anyway.

What do you guys think about Christian music? Do you ever listen to it?

Bands vs Singer-Songwriters

Do you listen more to bands or to individual songwriters? A study of my CD collection has revealed I have more albums by bands, but not by a large margin. A few years ago I thought bands were the only legitimate form of music; I couldn't stand the idea of solo artists. Now though, I think I listen more to singer-songwriters than bands. When I say "singer-songwriter", I don't just mean some earnest, acoustic guitar-strumming, ballad maker; I'm talking about multi-instrumentalists and people that have a backing band, as well.

I reckon people that perform and have more control over their own songs, are able to create a more personal feeling in their music. I'm more likely to "connect" with individual songwriters than to the music of a group of people. Bands seem to treat songs differently because there's usually only one or two people that have had input into the lyrics and meaning of a song, and the more people involved the less personal it becomes. I'm not knocking the idea of bands - I like them, but if I wrote songs I don't think I'd want other people messing with them!

Currently Annoyed By...

Here's a list of musicians/singers/bands that I find exceptionally irritating at the moment. This is not a list of "Most Annoying Bands of All Time"; I don't think such a list would be possible because my annoyance of things fluctuates over time.

Josh Pyke
The new Pete Murray. Bad songs, average voice and a huge following of people you would rather avoid (the type of people that annually attend the Falls Festival)

Avril Lavigne
She capitalises on the increasing popularity of punk rock by taking the worst of that genre and combining it with the worst type of pop music. I think I have a tendency to dislike anyone famous that's young - especially singer/actress/fashion designers.

Cog/The Butterfly Effect
Yes, I know they're not the same band, but they have both been getting an inconceivable amount of praise. I read somewhere that Cog where classified as "post nu-metal" - I'm not sure if that is common agreement but it certainly summarises their sound as far as I'm concerned. If these "whinge-metal" bands weren't Australian, no one would take any interest in them.

John Mayer
I don't get it. Breathy vocals... forgettable songs, except for one particular tune I wish I could forget.

Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst
(Whatever he calls himself these days) One thing that will always irritate me about some singers, movies, or books is transparent motives. I don't like it when you can immediately see what someone is trying to achieve and who they're trying to appeal to. This guy is so obviously trying to be a cute, indie Robert Smith. Why else would he call himself "Bright Eyes" and sing as though he's about to cry.

Thirsty Merc
I don't think I need to explain.

Kimya Dawson
This lady was responsible for a lot of the 'Juno' soundtrack. Her music epitomises what I can't stand about "quirky" teenage irony (although she's actually in her mid 30s). Also, I really dislike "anti-folk" as a genre - it seems completely pointless to me.

Jason Mraz
Just awful! He even looks annoying, like someone who would audition for Big Brother. This acoustic chill-out pseudo-hippy music needs to stop. He's obviously a big fan of Jack Johnson, which is fine but we really don't need two Jack Johnsons, do we?

Karaoke Guilt

Last night, I went to a fun party held by Jonny. There was some live music by people who knew what they were doing. When this part of the evening drew to a close, the floor was opened for anyone who felt like having a bash on an instrument or with their voice... towards the end of the night, it was just bad, bad karaoke. No one was even listening; most people had gone home. There were moments when the party could have come to a fitting end - Nathan and Fairlie's (The Steadfast Shepherd) impromptu mini-gig seemed like a great finale. But no, we needed to sing a few more terrible Powderfinger songs, and of course 'You Raise Me Up'. It was heaps of fun, but I felt a bit rotten when we finally went home.

This got me thinking about karaoke guilt. When I do karaoke, I'm usually left with a feeling, somewhat akin to committing a grave sin. Part of the reason is because I can never stop at just one song. It always feels natural to do several more, I suppose because nobody is leaping up to take the microphone from me. I think this feeling of seediness also comes from singing songs that are far beyond my (limited) range; knowing that I cannot sing something but doing it anyway, and being well aware that the "audience" are not enjoying it leads to a feeling of mild regret, along with the absence of humiliation (a feeling that should be present but isn't). Maybe it's all that, combined with the feeling you get when you stay up too late.

Does anyone else experience karaoke guilt? Or has anyone had any extra-bad karaoke moments?

Rockstars that could be mistaken for bogans

Bon Scott


James Hetfield


The Edge


Rod Stewart


Amy Winehouse


Air Supply (Don't they look like a couple of bogan dads having too much fun at a wedding?)

Shit Songs on Perfect Albums

An idea of Mikey's.

'Zoo Station' from Achtung Baby (U2)
Not sure how many would agree but I've always thought this album gets off to a bad start. I love all of its other songs but could never get into this one.

'Dr Robert' and 'Yellow Submarine' from Revolver (The Beatles) Could almost include 'Taxman' but I'll admit it's a well written song. 'Dr Robert' is just a nothing song and 'Yellow Submarine' is irritating and silly.

'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' from Abbey Road (The Beatles)Faaaaaaaaar too long. I know it makes 'Here Comes the Sun' more appropriate but I still can't listen to the whole thing.

'Dead Flowers' from Sticky Fingers (The Rolling Stones)
Not a terrible song, but I don't think it fits on this album.

'Sulk' from The Bends (Radiohead)
It's just not as good as the other songs. Mikey also mentioned 'Bones' but I like that one.

'Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)' from Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys)
Too much saccharine. This song nauseates me. It almost ruins the album for me but not quite.

'Romance in Durango' from Desire (Bob Dylan)
I always have to skip this one; it really grates with me. Unfortunately, 'Abandoned Love' is a brilliant song that was left off this album... I know what I'd swap it with.

Any others?

Watch Me Disappear

I've been holding off writing a review of this CD for a little while. Augie March albums tend to reveal more and more after several listens. They're complex, both musically and lyrically. With their latest album 'Watch Me Disappear', I think my first impression will be somewhat of a lasting one.

Augie March are one of the best bands in Australia. You should definitely listen to their first three albums. One of the things I like about them is they write about Australian places, and history, without causing embarrassment. They even have songs about Hobart ('Mt Wellington Reverie' from Moo, You Bloody Choir, 'The Slant' and get this - 'The Glenorchy Bunyip', both from Watch Me Disappear). In that regard, they are one of the most "Oz" bands I can think of... they're up there with Midnight Oil and Cold Chisel.

Their last album brought them commercial success so it was always going to be interesting to see where they went next. 'Watch Me Disappear' sounds like Augie March, but unfortunately, it sounds like Augie March on auto pilot. Some of the songs seem empty when compared to their previous offerings. It's still a nice album to listen to and a few of the songs - 'Becoming Bryn', 'The Slant', and 'Dogsday' are among the best they've ever written. One of the great things about Augie March, are the lyrics of singer Glenn Richards. They are just as good on this album. He's able to write phrases that don't always make sense but sound great and conjure up fantastic imagery (ahem). "The mothers' competitions, the fathers' stifled yawns/
In this hazy picnic season, light beer and gentle treason."

While 'Sunset Studies' and 'Strange Bird' (the first two albums) are difficult to pigeon-hole into a genre, this album falls neatly into the "pop" box. It lacks the attention to detail of their earlier songs, where every chord change and melody were unpredictable and fresh. I don't feel as though this album will improve much with age, either...

I was a little disappointed with the overall result, but very pleased to hear some great new songs. It's worth getting on special.

Pseudo Reggae

I think one of the worst types of songs is something I will call "white-man-pseudo-reggae". It seemed to be particularly popular during the 70s and consists of British rock bands (or singers) trying their hand at reggae. Usually, one of these songs will appear on an otherwise completely rock n roll album, making it stick out like a sore thumb, while being as equally painful as one.

Here are some examples:

Elton John - 'Jamaica Jerk-off' from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
The Rolling Stones - 'Luxury' from It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
Led Zeppelin - 'D'yer Mak'er' from Houses of the Holy
UB40 - All of their songs from all of their albums.

This practice of "white-man-pseudo-reggae" is not unlike a misguided, middle aged man that skateboards to work, in order to be like the younger people.
I don't mind reggae in limited doses. I like Bob Marley. But it just sounds so wrong when people that are so obviously not Bob Marley "give it a go".

Sgt. Pepper: Classic or Not?

In a comment on my previous post, Pos claims that the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band should not be considered a classic.

He writes:

Compare it to Abbey Road, The White Album, Revolver or Rubber Soul.

Fixing a Hole is filler, She's Leaving Home is dreary, Within You Without You is unnecessary, Lovely Rita sounds like it was cobbled together out of other Beatles songs, and did we really need two versions of the title track?

The definition of a classic album that is not classic.

What do people think of this album? Classic or overrated?
For the record, I think it's a classic.

Classic Albums That Are Not Classic

Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road



I've been trying to enjoy this album for about 5 years and haven't managed to do so. I remember buying it under the impression that it was "one of the best albums of all time" or some sort of nonsense like that. There are some songs on it that I like - The first four on the album, particularly the title track, but most of the others are so-so at best. At worst, they are clunky, daggy, over-produced piano rockers. The whole album doesn't sound like it has stood the test of time. It has moments of greatness and moments of yuck; this is best summarised by listening to 'This song has no title' - a beautiful verse ruined by a dreadful, out-of-place chorus.

I reckon this was the logic used by music critics when reviewing this album:

Elton John has some classic songs
therefore Elton John is "classic".
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is Elton John's best album
therefore Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a "classic album"

Hardly a sound argument.

Scary Songs

I think many of the creators of black metal/death metal would like to think they're being pretty scary. They're not. They're just geeks with long hair and black t-shirts that growl into microphones. Fast drumming and guitar riffs (no matter how "heavy") are not scary; guitar solos are definitely not going to send someone into a state of terror. Marylin Manson would like to think he's frightening. He looks like a drag queen. Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne have basically given up and are now just funny old men.

No, the music that has the greatest potential to scare, is as far away from music as it can possibly be. Usually it's referred to as "industrial" or "musique concrète" (there is a difference between the two but I can't be bothered finding or writing about it), and it doesn't sound like anything created by a regular band.

Here are some songs that may just freak you out if you listen to them alone, in the dark (they probably won't have the same effect, during the day):

Frankie Teardrop - Suicide
The first time I heard this, I knew it was meant to be pretty creepy and I had my cynic hat on. It sounded almost funny at first; the singer's voice is strange and his delivery of the corny lyrics is pretty amusing. But the song draws you in and the relentless background noise, along with the sudden shrieking, make for an intense 10 minutes.

Revolution 9 - The Beatles
I'm not sure if this song is intended to freak people out... I think it's just an experiment. It appears on the White Album and I would often skip it because it was too long and not tuneful enough (or rather, not tuneful at all). Once though, I was listening to the White Album when I was in bed and I dosed off, then woke up when Revolution 9 was playing. There is definitely something creepy about hearing that "number 9... number 9... number 9... number 9..." when you're lying by yourself in complete darkness.

Hamburger Lady - Throbbing Gristle
I don't even know what this song is about, and I don't want to know. The sound of it is chilling enough.

Come to Daddy - Aphex Twin
I can remember seeing the film clip to this, late one night on Rage. It scared the crap out of me. While it's not a terrifying song, it was creepy enough to have an effect on me at the time.

What are some songs you find a bit freaky?

Listening to the lead up to Obama's speech...

You could be forgiven for thinking you'd tuned into HOFM or somesuch drivel. Are these some crusty songs or what?!

Black

I was trying to think of bands with the word "black" in the title, and I realised that nearly all the ones I thought of were quite similar. They all have psychedelic tendencies with strong roots in the 70s. Black Sabbath (of course), The Black Crowes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Keys, The Black Angels, Black Mountain, Black Lips...

Why do you think that is? Maybe the use of the word "black" by these bands is an ironic (or even, a sincere) take on something "cool" or "dark"; very rock n roll.

Novelty Songs

I'm not a big fan of novelty or "funny" songs. They're amusing the first time you hear them but after that, they just seem pointless and lame. The novelty wears off all too quickly for me. I don't mind it when (talented) comedians make up a song for a comedy act - like Bill Bailey or Flight of the Concords. I like some artists that skirt but never quite cross the border to Noveltysongland; you know, people like Jonathan Richman (Modern Lovers), Jens Lekman, Darren Hanlon, and dare I say it... Anthony Rochester. They write silly songs but they're not written for strictly comedic purposes.

I don't like Weird Al Yankovic, The Bloodhound Gang, or that song 'Shaddap you face'. After they stop being funny (if they ever were), my mind doesn't know what to do with them; I can't take them seriously as songs and I can't listen to them as comedy.

It's pretty hard to write a decent comedy song. It's one thing to string a few rhymes together and make them fit into a familiar tune, but it's much more challenging to use wit and innovation as well as clever rhyming. Even if you succeed and end up with a popular, chart-topping novelty song - I will find it incredibly irritating after the third or fourth listen.

Trying to like an album

I bought an album recently ($10 - thanks JB) in the hope, and with the assumption that I would like it. The album is Ryan Adams' (Ryan, not Bryan) Rock n Roll and I don't really like it. I don't know much about Ryan, only that he's critically acclaimed and that he's a little bit alt/country. My research has found that this is not one of his best albums (according to general consensus) and it's a strictly rock n roll album (I thought the title might have been ironic). I do like rock n roll music, of course (I'm pretty trigger-happy with the brackets, aren't I?).

So, in a Dutch attempt to save $10, and just because I've bought it, I'm determined to force myself to like this album. I think, if I listen to it enough, it will grow on me. I'm going to keep a little diary of my sessions with Ryan, which I'll post on here. My goal is to like this album by the end of the year.
Has anyone else managed to force themselves to like an album or are my efforts in vain?

JB HIFI

JB is a blessing to Hobart. You can go in there with $10 and come out with a good CD or DVD. But, there are a few things I've noticed about that shop:

1. They have an obscene amount of staff members. There seems to be about 4 or 5 of them patrolling each aisle. You can barely browse without tripping over a staff member! If they didn't have as much staff, the shop would be a lot less busy. Also, it seems certain staff members follow you to whichever aisle you're in - like they've secretly assigned a member of staff to each customer as a pet.

2. The staff members all look a bit like hobbits. A lot of them have wispy beards and shaggy hair - and none of them are particularly tall. A couple of them seem really, really young as well, like McDonald's employees. There is definitely a JB "look".

3. They have music playing (as you'd expect) but it repeatedly comes to an abrupt halt so that the PA can come into action:
"Gavin, you've got a call on line 1"
"Tracy, your boyfriend's waiting at the HIFI section"
"DVDs, we need some assistance with an STD at the front desk"
Then the music starts again.

State Songs #5 - California

California Stars - Wilco

There are a great deal of songs written about California. Why then, would I pick something so obscure when I could have chosen 'California Girls' or 'California Dreamin'? Well, just because they are some of the most famous California songs, it doesn't immediately qualify them as representatives of their state; not in my list, anyway. These songs don't make me think of California at all. The Beach Boys' song makes me think of the "stop" button while 'California Dreamin' actually draws to my mind brown leaves, grey skies, and winter's days - not the sunny respite that the song points toward. To me, that song is more of a winter classic than a summer anthem.

California, much like Australia, has a certain image that's often shown and idealised around the world - that of endless summers, beaches and bikinis. But, just like Tassie is hardly the epitome of an "endless summer", California also has areas where mountains, wilderness, and, even snow dominate the scenery. It seems there's much more to California than what the stereotype allows for, and it seems to me that all those Beach Boys' songs about "fun fun fun" and "surfin' USA" and "wishing they could all be California girls" are songs written about the stereotype - songs that could be used in a tourism campaign to get people onto an overcrowded beach. Don't get me wrong, I like the beach as much as the next man and I'm not trying pretend there aren't any beaches in California, that would be quite a claim! I'm just trying to work out why I don't like the Beach Boys very much.


The song I chose is from 'Mermaid Avenue' - Wilco and Billy Bragg's album of Woody Guthrie songs. It's really good. So the lyrics to this song are by Woody Guthrie and the music, tune etc is Wilco...

'California Stars' is a song that instantly evokes feeling and a strong vibe. It makes me think of California, because (despite its title) it's not really about California. I'm aware that doesn't make any sense so I'll try to explain: The Beach Boys' song 'California Girls' is about California; it's basically saying that girls from California are the best in the world. Wilco's song is more personal. It's about taking refuge and striving towards rest - "on a bed of California stars". This resonates quite strongly with me, and I dare say many others; it doesn't matter if you're thinking of California or not, it could be anywhere that means something to you. It's the song's vibe that does most of the work in taking me to California; the title just rounds it off. The experience of a place will come laced with feelings about being there, as well as some unrelated thoughts. I think this is how we remember places - if we truly remember them, we don't remember what they're supposed to look like, we remember our emotions about being there.

In the video I linked to, someone has put up some footage of their holiday to Northern California, with 'California Stars' as the soundtrack. It's kind of weird watching a complete stranger's holiday video - you feel a bit like an involuntary stalker. Or you're just bored to death. This video accompanies the song really well though, and when I watched it, I felt my brain was trying to remember a holiday that I never actually went on... weird.

Top 5 musical acts whose names start with "Cat"

5. Catherine Wheel
4. Cat Empire, The
3. Catatonia
2. Cat Power
1. Cat Stevens

Music DVDs

I don't like live music DVDs at all. I don't understand why there is such a large section devoted to them in most music stores... I guess people must buy them. It's basically an inconvenient way of listening to music; you have to play it through the TV and you have to watch it being performed - an experience that would not come at all close to replicating the excitement of being at the concert.

Do people watch music DVDs?

No home is complete without...

A life size cardboard cutout of André Rieu.

I wish I had one.

Top 5 Gay Bands/Singers

Not including people like Freddy Mercury and Michael Stipe, because they are (or were) in bands with mostly heterosexual members.

5. Indigo Girls
4. Elton John
3. Rufus Wainwright
2. Scissor Sisters
1. David Bowie (he's bi-sexual - that counts)

The Drones

Mikey saw them at the Republic last Friday and posts a review on his blog.

90s Aussie Alternative Rock Bands

There were some fairly successful bands around this country in the nineties. There were also quite a few that didn't do so well but still gathered a bit of following, through live shows and Triple J airplay. Some of these bands I couldn't stand while some others I remember quite fondly (but vaguely). At its best, I think the music that these bands produced was better than some of Australia's more popular groups - I've never been a huge Silverchair or Something For Kate fan and I get significantly closer to death when I hear the Hoodoo Gurus or Hunters and Collectors. Poisonous stuff.

Here are some bands I remember being pretty good back in the day, but have since defunct or have disappeared into further obscurity:

Ammonia - they had some great songs like 'You're Not The Only One'.

Violetine - I used to love the song 'Any Day'.

Pollyanna - This person has several videos of this underrated band. Check them out.

Even - Remember their really cruisy song 'Black Umbrella'?

Some bands I didn't like nor dislike:

Not From There - They were from Brisbane but had that German song 'Sich Offnen'.

Screamfeeder - Another Brisbane band. I don't remember any standout songs so here's a segment of them on the show 'Recovery'. So nineties!

Deadstar - Had some pretty good songs. I used to find their song 'Deeper Water' pretty annoying at the time, but quite enjoyed listening to it again just now.

Skunkhour - 'Up To Our Necks In It' was such a cheesy song but also very likeable.

Shocking, awful, embarrassing bands that I will not link any songs to because I don't want to remember or promote them:

The Fauves - These guys seemed to have a bit of cred and I didn't mind a few of their songs, but 'Bigger Than Tina' was so bad it erased anything half-decent they may have made from my memory.

Happyland - When you mix two rubbish bands (Spiderbait and Regurgitator), the result is bound to be dismal. I could have told them that before they made an album.

Custard - Just a little too silly for me. I could never take Dave McCormack seriously, although he is pretty talented.

Loki - Really bad, amateur rock trio. Can't believe I even remember them.

Any others?

Another look at 90s Eurodance

The 1990s were over, but not before its fair share of sins were dealt out. Bill Clinton committed adultery, Martin Bryant murdered 35 people... and 'I like to Move it Move it' was created, recorded and sold to the public. That was just one of many songs that followed the exact same formula, to be pumped out (with alarming regularity) from commercial radio stations and party dance floors.

For a band to qualify as 'eurodance' (which seems to be the official term for the genre), it needs the following ingredients:

1. A singer capable of repetitive pop choruses
2. A not especially talented rapper (perhaps a white German rapper)
3. Tacky Synth hooks
4. Tacky, pounding bass beats (doof doof)
5. Cheesy lyrics

I think you all know what type of music I'm talking about. I can remember it being very popular at the time but now not many dare speak of it. One of the reasons why I think it was successful, is that it was dance music for people that didn't like dance music. It wasn't relentless electronic noise, or rather, it was relentless electronic noise but it also had infectious catchy pop tunes. To give credit where it's due, a lot of these songs will get stuck in your head all day if you have the misfortune of remembering one.

As bad as it was, I can't quite bring myself to completely hate this genre of music. I certainly don't like it, but sadly, these songs built part of the soundtrack to my formative years - as a result, they hold a lot of memories. If today, I were to hear a classic sixties song, or a brand new 2008 release, I would be free to listen to it and enjoy (or not enjoy) it without any connotations; it would just be a good (or a bad) song. But I can't do that with music from the nineties because I listened to these songs during a time when I was young enough to be heavily influenced by any kind of media and entertainment, and not old enough to think sensibly about the music I was exposed to. The nineties are a vivid memory to me; the eighties are a distant memory and anything before that is not a genuine memory (because I wasn't around). That, combined with the fact that 90s eurodance has been swept under the carpet, means that these songs will always trigger some kind of memory... which seems unfair because I never even liked these songs at the time!

If anyone wants to re-live their younger years, I have compiled a little You Tube tour for you. Take it at your own risk.

Real McCoy - Love and Devotion

Ace of Base - All That She Wants

La Bouche - Be My Lover

Culture Beat - Mr Vain

Corona - Rhythm of the Night

Whigfield - Sexy Eyes (This one might give you an aneurysm.)

Simply Red - Fairground (This could have been included in the cheesy songs list I did earlier.)

Haddaway - What is Love (This song is often associated with the awful Will Ferrell film A Night at the Roxbury. Don't let anyone tell you "it's so bad, it's funny!". It's not. It's so bad, it's unwatchable.)

Amber - This is your night

You should listen to...

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky



Fantastic. It's a bit more "normal" than some of Wilco's other albums, which is not a bad thing. There are some really nice, mellow, borderline-country tracks on here. Some of the album is a bit "progressive", something I normally hate, but it works well and sounds good in songs like 'Impossible Germany'. It's a great album to "do stuff to" (essay writing, cleaning, cooking), not that it's background music, it just has a great accompanying quality.

State Songs #4 - Arkansas

What'd I Say - Ray Charles

If you're familiar with this song, and I dare say many people are, you might wonder if the only reason I have decided to dedicate it to the state of Arkansas, is the line

Tell your mama, tell your pa
I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas

Well, yes. That's basically the reason. That line, as far as I can tell, is the only thing that connects 'What'd I Say' to Arkansas. I think that's OK because, when you think about it, how many times have you heard the name of a location in a throwaway lyric? Probably heaps of times. I reckon that experience is part of many Australians' relationship with the USA. The reason I've heard of places like Arkansas, is not because I took extensive geography classes at school, it's because Ray Charles refers to it once in a classic song. While that's a little bit ignorant, I don't think I should be too ashamed to admit that I know next to nothing about Arkansas (only that its pronunciation is inconsistent with that of 'Kansas' and that Johnny Cash comes from there). Why should I? It doesn't seem a very significant state, and unless you live in Australia (or have friends here) you're probably not going to know too much about Tasmania. But American cities and states are so often mentioned in songs for no apparent reason, it gives us a weird sense of the familiar for something we know nothing about. For the record, I don't think that's a bad thing. It's kind of cool.

I also chose this song because it's great and Ray Charles is awesome. It was literally made up on the spot, at a concert in the late 50s, where Charles ran out of songs and decided to improvise, telling his back-up singers "whatever I say, just repeat after me".

Speaking of things medical

If you're looking for a doctor in Lenah Valley, you may come across a Dr Michael Jackson or a Dr Paul McCartney. Who would you rather be treated by? Macca or Jacko? I think Jackson would have good bedside manner...perhaps a little too good. I could actually imagine Paul being a doctor... or a dentist, he looks like a dentist.

I'd love to get these two doctors together so they could collaborate on a surgical equivalent of 'The Girl Is Mine'.

Enya

This year, a Hobart doctor called Christine Boyce was awarded 'General Practicioner of the Year'. That's definitely true, you can look it up. What I've also heard - and I can't find any evidence for this, but I heard it through a reliable source - is that Dr Boyce was in the same school class as Enya (in Ireland). Now, that information gave me quite a shock, not that a local has such a cool claim to fame, but that Enya went to school. This has completely tarnished my view of Enya. The Enya of my mind never went to school, she was not born in 1961 (she is ageless), she doesn't speak any modern human dialect, she was never in 'Clannad' and she can probably fly. I seriously have always thought of Enya as some kind of alien! She floats around undiscovered Celtic planets making ethereal noises.

Does anyone else see Enya like that or is it just me?

Lactose Tolerance

I've been thinking about cheesy songs recently. I've noticed that a lot of cheesy songs came from the seventies and eighties; although there was a lot of cheese in the sixties, it was often coated in enough sugar to qualify as something more digestible. I've made a list of six essential cheesy songs, but let me first explain the criteria of this list... The following will not necessarily be the most cheesy songs ever, for I'm sure there have been cheesier songs written, it's just that no one listens to them. Of course patriotic anthems are cheesy, but that's more like processed cheese. The type of cheese I'm talking about is blue brie - songs that, at the time of creation (the song's creation not THE creation of the world), were trying to be regular pop or rock songs, but have now given up on that and have matured into mouldy cheese - festering in the exposure of their true food group.

The thing that makes a "good" (and I'm not sure if that's the right word) cheesy song is the tune. I'm assuming there will be plenty of synth and white suits. But the thing that brings the following songs together, is that they have very memorable, catchy tunes. A tune that you might remember during the day, tricking you into thinking that the song it belongs to is actually a good one. You sing this song in your head and it almost becomes a guilty pleasure. Until at last you hear the song played in a waiting room, bus, or worst of all, you SEE IT on a late night TV promo for Forgotten Classics of the 70s. And then you remember how bad the song was and hope you never start humming it again. But you do.

So here's my top 6 essential cheesy songs:
(There's no order because they're all as bad as each other)

Baby I Love Your Way - Peter Frampton
The person responsible for uploading this song onto Ewe Tube, had the nerve to describe it as "a little fixer upper". This song does not fix anything.

All Out Of Love - Air Supply
For quite some time, I was under the impression that the chorus was sung by a girl. This film clip is an eye-opening experience. And isn't 'Air Supply' an atrocious name for a band?!

I Wanna Know What Love Is - Foreigner
I don't wanna know about this crusty guy's desire to know what love is. And I certainly don't want to show him.

Lady In Red - Chris De Burgh
There was a song we sang at Crossroads recently that sounded remarkably like this rotten song. At least, it had the same chorus. Not only was that a distraction to me at the time, it put this song in my head and it has stayed there for the last few weeks. Seriously, when I wake up I can't help but hear "laaaady in reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed".

I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder has released some really cool songs. He also has done 'Ebony and Ivory', 'Isn't She Lovely' and this. I heard it in the super-market the other day and it was the perfect soundtrack for wandering around the aisles.

The Longest Time - Billy Joel
Billy Joel is a cheese factory masquerading as a rock legend. Surely this song is proof.

Top 5 Scottish bands

5. Travis
4. Simple Minds
3. The Jesus and Mary Chain
2. Teenage Fanclub
1. Belle and Sebastian

What d'you reckon?

Your bessht? Losers always whine about their bessht...

I think one of the secret ingredients to being a credible alternative pop band is to be Scottish. Just be from Scotland and sing with a slightly milder Scottish accent than what you would speak with, have lovely jangly guitars, understated lyrics and harmonic choruses. Have nice Scottish haircuts and wear scarfs and warm Scottish jackets. Don't wear a kilt, that's overdoing it. I think that guy from Korn wore a kilt, and you don't want that kind of look... Have a cute band name like "Travis" or "Belle and Sebastian".

Using that same secret ingredient, you can also become an over hyped, overplayed, top 40 rock band. Think of 'Snow Patrol', 'Idlewild' (is there any difference?) and 'Franz Ferdinand'.

I have created my own Scottish pop band (well it's just me and my imaginary friends), which I will unveil in a later post.

State Songs #3 - Arizona

By The Time I Get To Arizona - Public Enemy

This song is quite 'relevant', despite being released in 1991. It's about the State of Arizona's refusal to observe the Martin Luther King holiday - something Senator John McCain voted against. The song tells of a fictitious plan to assassinate the Governor of Arizona because of this seemingly racist political decision.

I reckon Public Enemy are classic. Their style (both musical and fashion) is very dated but somehow not daggy. They also managed to get away with creating extremely political songs without seeming fake.

For these state songs, I expected Arizona to produce a country ballad, or perhaps something more in the vain of 'southern rock' (although Arizona is more south-western)- not New York hip hop. In fact the song I initially thought of was Kings of Leon's 'Arizona' - the sound of that song makes me think of the desert. But the lyrics don't have much to do with Arizona at all.

That a Public Enemy song can be used to represent the State of Arizona, really typifies the contrast between many of the US states - in my mind, at least. New York seems like a completely different world to Phoenix, partly due to my ignorance but also because of the representation of these places in the media. I wonder if this 'gap' would be as noticeable if I actually went there...

Spice Girls and Pavarotti

Check out this performance of Pav and the Spice Girls. It's bizarre. It sounds like Pav is trying to blow them off the stage with a completely different song.

Emo

Angus shares the ingredients of a good emo song. I might try writing one sometime.

You should listen to...

Beth Orton - Central Reservation


This is a bit of an old favourite that I've been listening to heaps recently and have not yet gotten sick of. It's such a good album. Beth Orton is a talented songwriter but she also has such a mesmerising voice - it's very difficult to turn off her music. Maximum recommendations.

State Songs #2 - Alaska

Stephanie Says - The Velvet Underground

I'd love to go to Alaska, it looks awesome. It seems like it would be one of the most beautiful but bleak places on earth. A bit like this song, funnily enough. 'Stephanie Says' is a really pretty sounding pop song but it has a tone of isolation and disconnection. I think the song is about a girl that's grown so numb and tired of life and human interaction that she's basically living in Alaska - in her mind. The cold climate of Alaska is likened to her outlook and mood.

But she's not afraid to die
the people all call her Alaska
Between worlds so the people ask her
'Cause it's all in her mind
it's all in her mind
They're asking is it good or bad
It's such an icy feeling
It's so cold in Alaska

If my interpretation has any merit, then Alaska is seen as a state of mind, which I think is pretty cool. It seems like a place where there's no reprieve from the cold and the bitter elements of winter - a bit like Hobart gone wrong. The literal meaning of "Alaska" (in the Eskimo dialect from which the word originates) is "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed." Pretty grim place then.

I'm curious about other people's interpretations of this song. Have a listen to it.

State Songs #1 - Alabama

(I'm going alphabetically)



Alabama - Neil Young

There were a few songs I could have picked. Most obviously, 'Alabama Song' - which The Doors and David Bowie have both recorded and 'Sweet Home Alabama' (by Lynyrd Skynyrd), which was partly inspired by the song I ended up choosing. 'Sweet Home Alabama' was written in response to Neil Young's 'Alabama' and 'Southern Man' - two songs about racism in the south. These are the songs that are referred to in the verse:

"Well I heard Mr Young sing about her
Well I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow"

I chose to dedicate Neil Young's song to Alabama, mainly because I like it more. Also because it is written from the point of view of a visitor (Neil Young is from Canada), as I have never set foot in Alabama, it seems more appropriate to pick a song coming from that point of view. I identify more with this song because it is pointing out something that needs fixing. To me, cities, nations, states etc are nothing more than communities of people - they are not something that should be glorified and praised just because you were born there and despite anything dodgy that might happen there. And that seems to be what 'Sweet Home Alabama' is about. It's a fun song but it has an air of blind patriotism that misses the point of Neil Young's 'Alabama'.

Do you like American music? (I like all kinds of music)

At our house the other day, Joel was trying to name all 50 US states. He just about managed to do it, with the help of a few generous clues. During this spontaneous, geographical quiz (not nerdy at all), it occurred to me how familiar all of the names of these places were. Even for someone that's only spend 4-5 days in the USA, these place names trigger some significance, because they are so often mentioned in the songs we listen to and the movies we watch. Thanks to modern cultural history, hearing the name of an American state in a song gives it a form of romanticism; it gives a folk song instant authenticity. This cannot be said of Australian place names, at least, it's much harder to name-drop an Australian town without sounding like John Williamson or be taken seriously. Not many would bother writing a song like "Launceston Blues" or "Love in Maribyrnong" (Paul Kelly probably has written these songs, I'm not sure).

Songs about European cities don't have the same effect either. Perhaps it's too pretentious to write about a weekend you spent in Rome or Prague. Or perhaps these places come laden with too long a history; connotations that would override the song itself.

Given that so many people have written songs about America, I've decided to find a song for each US state. The song can either be about a state or it can simply mention it in passing (which should make it a bit easier). Stay tuned for my first state dedication.

Walking Songs

Plenty of crusty compilation CDs have been released with titles like "The Best Ever Driving (bogan) Songs". The concept of driving songs has been discussed to death, but you don't often hear about walking songs. Some songs are really good for walking.

There's a definite type of song that I like to walk to. The song doesn't have to be about walking, but it usually will be about thinking or reflecting - things that happen when you walk by yourself. Most often, walking songs will be slower than driving songs. That makes a lot of sense because the average human will be slower than the average car (you heard it here first!). Apart from that, I can't quite put my finger on why some songs are better for walking than others... I think it helps if the singer is walking in the video clip.

Here are some songs I like to tune into when I walk:

The Wanderer - U2 and Johnny Cash
Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen
Ain't Talkin' - Bob Dylan
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Moonlight Mile - Rolling Stones
Have You Ever Seen the Rain?* - CCR
California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas
The Unforgettable Fire - U2
Downbound Train - Bruce Springsteen

Does anyone else have any walking classics?

*Yes I have.

Pfft. Amateurs!

Not to sound like a snob, but I hate it how actors in amateur musicals (and other theatrical productions - I just said musicals to keep this in theme with the rest of my blog) put on grotesquely exaggerated Australian accents - often in bits that are meant to be funny. The UniRevue is a case in point. Why do they do this? Does it happen naturally when they project their voice? Or are they under the misapprehension that the voice is funny? No one talks like that; even the most boganic of creatures would turn their nose up if they encountered someone speaking with that kind of voice.

I'm Your Man

In this song,

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you

Do you think Leonard Cohen is referring to S&M? Or is he saying "if you want to sleep with someone else, I will turn a blind eye"?

You should listen to...

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois


It's a very long album and, as a result, it's rather overwhelming for the first couple of listens. On the flip side, you can listen to it many times and half of the songs still seem new. It really does grow on you. There are some fantastic songs on here but the most rewarding experience comes from listening to the entire thing because it flows so well as an album. Some of the musical arrangement is quite bizarre (Nick Gross said it sounds like music from a musical - which I think is an accurate description) but it quickly becomes normal and you have to take a step back to realise how weird the album actually is. The highlights for me are 'John Wayne Gacy Jnr.", an almost uncomfortably sad song about the serial killer, and 'The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out To Get Us!', which I think summarises the genius of the album, and is almost a mini-album in itself. But these songs really sound better if you hear them within the context of the whole CD. Another point of note: Sufjan Stevens is a Christian and you can hear traces of his faith in his lyrics but he's not some sort of Michael W Smith type. This is 'Christian music' that won't make you cringe.

Bono and U2

A lot of people seem to hate Bono. I don't really get it. Yeah, he talks about Africa an awful lot but everyone has their hobby-horse. Some people think he's arrogant; I don't get that impression. He has charisma - that's not arrogance. I've always thought he seems genuinely down to earth when he's interviewed. I guess he has an inflated ego but most rock stars do.

Here are some reasons why I think people don't like Bono:

- People don't like preachers. Paying $200 for a U2 ticket to listen to Bono rant about third world debt isn't something the average consumer wants to deal with.

- He makes people feel guilty. They feel uncomfortable being asked to give money to charities. Instead, they would rather say things like "if Bono gave half his money to Africa then there wouldn't be a problem". He might live an indulgent lifestyle, but he gives a heap of money to charity and spends a lot of his time being an advocate and instigator - more than most celebrities do. Even if he could feed the entire planet for decades with his loose change, why should it be up to one man to do so?

- They think he is fake. People can't comprehend that someone might want to care for human rights in other countries without having some sort of ulterior motive. They just don't believe he could be genuine.

- He has opinions. Strong opinions. Sometimes controversial opinions. Opinions on God, on politics, on humanity. People don't like that.

- His sunglasses. Some people don't like those.

Anyway, I like Bono. I think he's a good bloke. I reckon this Bono-bashing has led to people discrediting his music. It's certainly not very 'cool' to like U2 these days; they're often dismissed as a massively commercial talentless stadium-pop band. They're not an unpopular band, obviously. Millions of people like them, but the average music snob probably doesn't rate them very highly. U2 aren't my favourite band but there's no escaping the fact that Achtung Baby was a great, original and groundbreaking album, or that The Joshua Tree was one of the best albums of the last 30 years. The U2 of the 80s and early 90s were a very daring, exciting and talented band. People tend to overlook this now because they don't like Bono.

I'd be curious to hear other people's thoughts on Bono. Do you like him? Or is he annoying?

New Blog

In case anyone's interested, I've started another blog. It's about movies and can be found here. I still plan to update this one from time to time, so stick around.

Barney covers Tupac

This is hilarious. There's a bit of swearing in it, by the way.

Music Confessional

I know this blog is meant to be about music but I've come to realise something: I only like certain aspects of that very thing.

When some people say that they like music, they mean they're interested in band members, back catalogues and rock'n'roll history. I don't find that stuff very interesting. What I like about it is how it sounds; how it can accompany you in your day, how it's available at the flick of a switch, and I love the vibe that a certain song can resonate, in contrast to another. It doesn't matter to me who wrote a song or why they wrote it. Not that I don't take any notice of that stuff; if you're going to find new music (new as in "I've never heard this before", not necessarily the latest release.), then it's very helpful to know what you like and who makes what you like. I find this a much more liberating approach because I don't have any 'allegiance' to an artist or band. I don't have to care whether Enya's latest album is good or if it's rubbish, and I'm not obliged to own all of Bob Dylan's albums; some of them are crap!

I acknowledge, this is a very consumerist approach to music listening but I don't see a problem with that.

Something else I don't like as much: live music. I don't dislike it; I've been to concerts and thoroughly enjoyed them, and there are some groups I think it would be AWESOME to see live. But I don't usually get that excited when I consider the prospect of going to a concert. Some would say that music is at its best when it's performed on stage, to an audience; that it's meant to be heard live. I don't agree. I'm more than happy to listen to music on a CD and I love the thought that someone can record something in 1967, I can listen to it in 2008 and enjoy it just as much as anyone. I've heard people lament the fact that they were born too late to be around in the 60s, so that they could experience the Beatles live, or so that they could hear the Rolling Stones when they were fresh, because, apparently it's just not the same as listening to it now. I'm sure it isn't but I'm quite content to listen to it on CD.

Dishwashing Favourites

At our house, we have a selection of CDs that we like to put on to accompany us in the task of doing the washing up. It makes the process much more enjoyable than it should be.
Here is the collection:

Michael Jackson
Marvin Gaye
Scissor Sisters
The Four Tops (anything motown is good)
Madonna
Queen

Cooking music is great too. It can be more ambient than that of dishwashing. And harder to categorise, probably because there is more variety involved in the cooking process.