Free CDs - May Throwouts

Free to a good home this month:

A Gun Called Tension - A Gun Called Tension
P-Money - Magic City

Still going begging from previous months:
Pink Floyd - Echoes
New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Gyroscope - Breed Obsession
Audioslave - Audioslave
George Michael - Ladies & Gentlemen The Best Of George Michael
Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep, Run Come Save Me and Slime and Reason
Queen - Greatest Hits II, Greatest Hits III, Made in Heaven (we're keeping the others)
Come - Near Life Experience, Eleven : Eleven and Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Ben Harper - The Will To Live and Diamonds On the Inside
Sugar Ray - Floored

These CD are available free to anyone who wants them. We even pay for postage - so if you'd like to see an Australian stamp just e-mail us at yourzenmine at gmail dot com.

May - Wrapup

YOURZ

Its been a bit of a funny month for me.  This is mostly due to the weather - I get annoyed around the change of seasons, particularly going from summer into winter.  I'm really a tropics person and losing the ability to wear tee shirts and no shoes makes me cranky.  But not too cranky.  Mine knows this about me and (thankfully) employs effective counter-measures to keep me in line (lots of love and comfort food).

We saw Ironman 2 this month and, despite Aussie critics giving it average ratings, thought it was fucking awesome.  I've been loving the superhero movies (with the exception of the last Spiderman - what a piece of crap that was; and Ghost Rider - the less said about that, the better).  I can't wait to see what Marvel movies does with the New Avengers and Captain America.  I'd also like to see what DC does with JLA but I know its on hold (at least according to various 'insider' sources).  Hopefully, Green Lantern will be on the big screens soon, though.  What I'd really like to see on the big screen is Transmetropolitan or Planetary or one of those 'outsider' series.  But that ain't gonna happen. 

Anyway, back to the music.  This month, we had much discussion (well, a little bit, anyway) about who we were going to give a CD to and decided on our friend Jeff, from Imagine Echoes, who has left us some great comments and been an excellent supporter of our efforts almost from the start.  So Jeff, if you're reading this, email us your address as we'd like to send you some padded baggy goodness.

I'd like to mention again the 'Free To A Good Home' list.  If you know someone who would like anything on this list, tell them to let us know.  To reiterate, this is a completely commitment-free offer to anyone interested enough to send us an email with their details.

Hope all our northern hemisphere friends are enjoying the warmer weather.  While you are, if you could occasionally think of us on the other side of the world, huddled around our heaters, it would at least warm our hearts.

MINE

So this month has allowed me to indulge my love of... numbers.  After getting this blog underway and determining we were really going to make a go of it, I succumbed to my inner need for control, analysis, and numbers, and installed a tracking program to see who was reading us, if anyone.  And I've been pleasantly surprised at the results.  There are a bunch of you, we're getting more every week, and while most of you come from English-speaking countries (the USA, UK and Australia are top-three) - there are also readers in Germany, Brazil and France.  So, Guten Tag, Ola and Bonjour to you.

For those of you who are interested, we're using Google Analytics to marshal the stats.  And for a free service, I've been gobsmacked by how good it is and how easy it is to use.  I'm always a tad cynical of the "free" tag on software, because often the free part is as good as - well just about anything you get for free.

I've also this month really enjoyed being able to load six CDs into my car's stereo system at one time.  Makes the job easier.  And the ride easier, too.  Auf Weidersehen,  Adeus and Au Revoir to you all.

New Orleans Funk Volumes 1 & 2

YOURZ

New Orleans has an extremely rich musical history, being home to some of the greatest jazz, blues, soul and funk musicians ever known.  These collections, both from the Soul Jazz label, are reverently-sourced and contain some of the greatest funk tracks ever recorded.

The first volume concentrates on bringing the listener a aural history of the genre and includes some very hard-to-find recordings (particularly now considering a lot of the archives for these recordings were wiped out by Hurricane Katrina).  The second volume continues the exposition with a similarly tasty playlist.  The only criticism I have (and this is very minor) is the tracks aren't in chronological order.  Yeah, I did say minor.

There are so many good tracks on both, it is virtually impossible for me to single out any one.  But if there is any track that defines this collection for me, it has to be Aaron Neville's Hercules.  It is sublime, superbly voiced, sexy and extremely funky and epitomises what it is all about.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and g g g g get on down

MINE

Featuring names I know, like Allen Toussaint, Dr John, Lee Dorsey and Aaron Neville - and a whole bunch of people I'd never heard of before this - these two CDs plus some more Soul Jazz collections are party central music.   All our funk collections come courtesy of YourZ except one, which is kind of weird when you consider I am the Funky Queen in the house (in the house, I say).  (YourZ sez: so you say)

Truly I could listen to funk compliations for most of the rest of my life without getting too bored.  They're full of wildly groovy tunes, they're mostly highly danceable, the singers are great, what's not to love?  And that would be my only comment - proceed directly to the verdict - if not for one funk-related story I have to relate.

So a long time ago I purchased one of the In Yo' Face! compilations - Volume Three, to be exact.  My boyfriend of the time (Hi Kevin!) was just a trifle dismissive of the purchase, especially of the opening track, Jungle Boogie by Kool and the Gang.  Fast-forward a few months to the first time we saw Pulp Fiction - and guess what song is the first one you hear on the soundtrack?  I confess, I allowed myself a brief inner moment of glee.

But anyway, if you don't have any funk compilations in your collection, why not?  Top class music, all the way.  Just ask Quentin Tarantino.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/

Monkey - Journey To The West

MINE

Yes, it's Damon, but it's also opera.  Chinese opera, at that.  And opera's one of those musical genres that I just don't get.  Not that I can't be swayed by some of the truly great arias, and I also have a small soft spot for the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, but generally being sung to unintelligibly in a foreign language for hours - well, I'd rather do algebra.  No Aida or Don Giovanni for me, thanks.

Not that this isn't well done (it is) and the music is generally quite listenable.  In short bursts.  And skipping over those high-pitched squawky songs that the Chinese seem to love but give me a headache.

It's nice to see he can do it, and I promise I'd tell him it was a work of great musical expertise and passion if I should ever see him (but really I'd be much more likely to be stammering out short phrases based on his staggering output in other genres and trying to rip his clothes off).  But really, I think this CD's only for the completists - if you love Damon that much (so no prizes for guessing who bought it) - or if you're turned on by Chinese opera.  Not for me though.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

As Mine says, this is an opera.  It is actually described as a circus opera, although, as far as I can tell, there are no clowns or trapeze artists.  If there ain't either, then it's not a circus as far as I'm concerned.  The second noteworthy point she mentioned was this is the work of Damon Albarn.  Now, anyone who knows me knows my love of all things Damon (although I'm not as inclined to the clothes-destroying histrionics of Mine, thankfully).  And as she astutely points out, it's in our collection because I'm a bit of a completist when it comes to my favourites.

Did I happen to mention this is an opera?  An ostensibly Chinese opera, based on a 16th century Chinese classic and the same story used as a basis for Monkey, the OTT 70s television series.  Like Mine, I am not an opera fan, not in the slightest.  In fact, I'm proud to say this is the only opera in our collection and this is only due to Albarn's involvement.

There are some great moments of joyous noisy mashing of East and West, such as I Love Buddha,  Heavenly Peach Banquet and Monkey Bee but a lot of the album is ambient and doesn't have much relevance to the listener, particularly those completely unfamiliar with the Monkey story.  Yeah, definitely for the completist.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com/

Mammal - The Majority

YOURZ

I don't quite know what to say about this band.  They came out of nowhere, grabbed a lot of attention from rock-minded fans in Australia, released a couple of live EPs and The Majority then promptly fell apart.  In the three years they were together, they played some enviable gigs and supports, including a turn on the Big Day Out stages right around Australia in 2009.  It kinda makes me wonder where they fucked up.

The Mammal rock formula is, well, formulaic but this isn't necessarily meant as an insult.  However, if you're a RATM fan, you might not necessarily approve, because there certainly are some similarities.  The music is tight, driving and suitably groove-based while lead vocalist Ezekiel Ox's vocals, particularly on the harder tracks, are very reminiscent of Zack de la Rocha although to his credit, Ox can and does sing too.

The Majority isn't bad, its just boring as batshit.  And while Mammal won an award for best live band at the Music Oz awards, it certainly wasn't enough to save the band from imploding before it really achieved anything.  Cruelly, perhaps, this really is no great loss, particularly if it means more dedicated, grounded and together bands now get a shot.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

Pedestrian.  (YourZ sez: you were able to say in a single word what I couldn't manage in three paragraphs, damn it all)

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://mammaltheband.com/

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

MINE

Oooh, more British music - but this time a very different affair to Jamie T.  This semi-supergroup featuring Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys has turned out an album of movie music.  And it's funny but the cover photo gives a glimpe into what movie they might be scoring.

The lush arrangements and northern-English accents made me visualise some gritty black-and-white kitchen-sink British drama - maybe from the late 50s or early 60s - full of rainy streets and probably starring Albert Finney and Diana Dors.  There'd be adultery and maybe an unwed mother and some barely-restrained threats of domestic violence.  Perhaps some scenes at a beach holiday setting, with pebbly beaches and donkey rides, featuring drunken husbands, bitter wives and bawling, filthy kids.

I found something uplifting but at the same time undeniably real about this sound.  No Hollywood airbrushing, just a sweeping soundtrack to a bleak landscape.  Mesmerising.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The accolades surrounding Artic Monkeys and particularly chief Monkey Alex Turner are deserved, as far as I'm concerned.  So this side step he's taken, with friend and collaborator Miles Kane, whose band The Rascals is decidely less well-known, is both a surprise and a delight.  James Ford, of Simian Mobile Disco, rounds out the band as both drummer and producer.

The Age Of The Understatement comes off sounding more like a Phil Spector-produced album from the late 60s than anything else and on which the 'Puppets have woven a clearly reverent tapestry of influences.  The tracks are beautifully arranged, both individually and as a sequence while the production is suitably lush, resplendent with vocal harmonies and gorgeous string arrangments.  While this might get a little bit tiresome if over-played, the band, in their wisdom, have kept the album short enough to leave a lasting, positive impression.

Surprisingly, Turner and Kane's vocals are well suited to this stylistic exercise and harmonise very well with each other, even to the point where the casual listener wouldn't be able to tell whose voice had the lead, although Turner's is clearly prominent, more due to his lyrical turn than anything else.  But it's the 'Puppets dedication to their version of the wall of sound that elevate this album above the ordinary.  From the titular opener, The Age Of The Understatement, through to the acoustically-driven closer Time Has Come Again, the band don't drop the ball once. 

Rumour has it the trio will be teaming up again in the not-too-distant future.  I think it would be a sad mistake to see them try to repeat the pastiche of this debut.  But personally, I'm looking forward to hearing the results of whatever direction they choose to go.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://thelastshadowpuppets.com/

Jamie T - Kings & Queens

YOURZ

I bought Kings & Queens on spec after reading a great review in Q Magazine which called Jamie T a cross between Joe Strummer and The Arctic Monkeys.  Generally speaking, such comparisons wouldn't sway my purchasing powers but in this instance, I was pleased I took a chance as the general accolades for this young South Londoner are actually deserved (although the comparisons are only probably drawn because he employs a similar wit to both).

Employing rock, punk, pop, and hip hop in equal measure , Jamie T draws you in with sharp hooks, whip-quick raps and huge singalong choruses that get stuck in your head for days.  The best descriptive I can come up with for Kings & Queens is eclectic but not so much to be disjointed.  Rather, it shows a playfulness and maturity, both in arrangements and production, that brings these disparate influences together very well.

From the acoustic treasures Emily's Heart and Jilly Armeen to the Clash-inspired British Intelligence to the more contemporary sounds of Hocus Pocus and Stick & Stones plus all the tracks in between, Jamie T consistently keeps both his and the listener's interests on high alert, in the best possible way.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I'm more fond of British rappers than I am of their US counterparts.  Big statement, I know, but I find the Brits can do a rant (which is esentially what a rap is) with a tad more humour (with a "U") and some cheeky observations, while the Yanks tend to be mostly, um, angry.  The Brits can do misery better than anyone (see: The Streets) but Jamie T is handing out mostly up-beat raps here.

And he can sing.  My main problem with the whole rap genre is that so often it's delivered by someone with little or no musical sensibility, just the ability to follow a beat.  But this guy can sing and play and write music, so 'spect to him.  It's well-produced, well-written, well played and interesting to listen to.  What more can I say?

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.jamie-t.com/

Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People

MINE

I knew these guys had had some success, so I wasn't overly surprised to hear some cool music and sharp production.  But I was surprised to hear the album open with some pretty ordinary MOR-style hip-hop and rap.  Then some positively Sade-ish crooning.  But finally(!) after much skipping forward and sighing, I was rewarded with Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Part 2 which kicks ass, y'all.

But one track doesn't make up for the fact that for the rest of it I was being shuttled between annoyance at some gangsta lyrics (even though they're not saying gangsta is good, it still doesn't mean anything to me) and sheer boredom at the very ordinary, mainstream-style music.  Dan the Automator, were you doing commercial shit here?  'Cause most of it sucks ass.  Apart from the aforementioned track.  Samples Vivaldi.  Features dudes from Linkin Park.  Hot damn.  (YourZ sez: well, you've done it again.  I never thought I'd hear you associate Linkin Park and hot damn.  Not ever...)

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

Handsome Boy Modeling School is a vehicle for the talents of Dan 'The Automator' Nakamura and Prince Paul, rap producer for De La Soul and Gravediggaz, amongst others.  The two used this as a vehicle to put shit on the vacuousness of high fashion hipsters everywhere.  While this is admirable in itself (because if ever there were a group of wannbes ripe for some honest-to-goodness ridicule, they're it) their attempts at creating humourous characterisations mean in between some great tracks are some seriously cringe-worthy skits.

Rant on - what is it with a lot of hip hop and rap stars who think they can subject their listening public to stupid fucking attempts at comedy?  If I wanted to listen to funny monologues, the last place I'd be looking is in the Urban section of my local record store.  Just because you can rap doesn't mean you're funny.  In fact, the only thing funny about these sad attempts is that these artists continue to fucking do it and annoy me to the point where I'd rather poke my eyes out with a blunt pencil than listen to any more of this shit - Rant off

Phew...  I had to get that off my chest as its been bothering me for some time.  Aside from those skits, most of the tracks on this are worth while, with the exceptions being more due to the particular guests on the track than anything else.  Take for instance Breakdown, which features Jack Johnson.  It just sounds like any other Johnson track, which means it sounds pretty enough but has about as much meat as a tofu burger.  Then there is the very appropriately titled Greatest Mistake, featuring both Jamie Cullum and John Oates, which is fucking woeful.

Thankfully there are tracks on here that redeem the duo including the very excellent Are You Down For It, featuring the genius of Mike Patton, The World's Gone Mad with Del Tha Funky Homosapien and Alex Kapranos and the track Mine took a shine to as well.  Along the way, the guest list on White People expands to include appearances from Cat Power, De La Soul, Qbert, Julee Cruise, Pharrell and The Mars Volta and others.  I just wish they'd eschewed their poor attempts at comedy and concentrated on doing what they do well 'cause when they hit the mark it is worth it.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.handsomeboymodelingschool.com/

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen

YOURZ

I've made my love of Damon Albarn apparent in previous posts so there's no need for me to rehash it here.  Suffice to say, though, this is yet another piece of musical genius by the former Blur lead vocalist.  The double bonus is The Good, The Bad & The Queen is produced by one of my favourites as well, Danger Mouse, whose deft touch proves as potent here as it does on anything else he handles. 

But the bonuses just keep happening.  Ostensibly a super group, TGTBTQ also has Paul Simonon (former bass player for The Clash), guitarist Simon Tong (formerly of The Verve and various other bands) and afrofunk pioneer, Tony Allen on drums.

All the tracks on the album were co-written by Albarn and Simonon and sound something like a cross between latter Blur tracks and the pop of Albarn's other band, Gorillaz.  But there is no mistaking Simonon's influence and his blending of dubby lines with more straight-forward bass riffs.  It is perfectly suited to Tony Allen's simple but sharp drumming. 

The most enjoyable thing about this album is that it sounds like a band who've been playing together for some time, not cobbled together for this session.  It could have easily been a Damon Albarn solo record but the man is a serial collaborator with the results speaking for themselves.  Personally, I'd like to see this lineup continue but of course, this depends on whether Albarn can stop long enough for the others to catch up to him.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's really good, but even after several plays there isn't one song or moment that remains with me.  I mean, it's Damon, so I could listen to him sing the street directory.  And of course all the songs are beautifully put together and produced.  It's an album I could cheerfully listen to at home, in the car, or anytime, but there was no "Wow" moment in it for me.  Not that it's background music, it definitely rewards the careful listener, with hints of the Kinks among other trace elements in this semi-supergroup musical melange. 

Maybe it's because I'm so used to musical excellence from Damon that I find this altogether beautiful but with no particular piece that calls to me.  Not that that's a bad thing, you understand.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.thegoodthebadandthequeen.com/

Fonda 500 - Je M'appelle Stereo

MINE

I love stereo 'cause stereo's good to me....

Never before has anyone so accurately pinpointed how I feel about music - in music.  YourZ handed me this CD and said "You'll love this" - which of course put my back up a bit.  But then I listened to it, and I had to agree. 

Since then it's been on my gymPod almost constantly - a Shuffle - which is why it was a surprise to listen to it all the way through in preparation for this review.  I can see why it might not be picked up by someone who had a quick listen, as track one - Music Should Always Be Played By The Hands Of The Animals - is damn weird.

In fact I know this album so well because of its high rotation on the Shuffle - but I have no idea what any of the songs are called.  I just love them.  Up- or down-tempo, electronica, pure pop, whatever.  I love Fonda 500, 'cause Fonda 500's good to me.

VERDICT:TURN IT UP

YOURZ

I don't know how I found out about Fonda 500 but man, I'm glad I did.  They're a British 5 piece who write irresistable, pop songs with more hooks than a fishing charter.  From the first listen, this album became a often-played house favourite and remains so.

In trying to research the band, I discovered there's very little information about them.  But really, this isn't about me boring you with rehashed information.  This is about the music, man, and the music is just fabulous.  It veers between quiet, acoustic driven melodies, indie-pop wonders and squelchy electronica, often in the same track.  Je M'appelle Stereo also contains some of the most enthusiastic beat-boxing I've ever heard.

Listening to this, there's no doubt this is a band who knows how to have a lot of fun, which is the key for me (as I've said many times before).  But this isn't hipster style over substance - from the melodies and harmonies, the intentionally lo-fi sounding mix and production to the seemingly hand-lettered album art, Je M'appelle Stereo is intelligent and brilliantly constructed. 

If you've not heard them, check them out here or here or here and see if I'm wrong.  If you agree with me, then perhaps you can tell me why they're not huge around the world when so much lesser music is!

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.fonda500.com/

D.I.G. - Deeper

YOURZ

Directions In Groove or D.I.G., as they are commonly known, were a popular Acid Jazz band from my hometown of Sydney who built a career on smooth, groove-laden tracks often accompanied by similarly-smooth MCing. 

For the most part, they completely passed me by as I've never been a fan of this kind of music.  But I was pleasantly surprised with Deeper as it's a very consummately-played piece of music.  I also recognised a number of the tracks, probably from years of devoted radio-listening. 

Two Way Dreamtime opens the album with the very-Australian sound of a didgeridoo before kickstarting a very dance-orientated groove.  This formula is repeated for a number of tracks (most notably Reinvent Yourself) but for the most part, this album plumbs the depths of acid-jazz instrumental territory, real estate I know very little about.  And while all the tracks are extremely well played, as well as polished and produced until they shine, there's very little to maintain my interest. 

This would be the perfect music background music for a chilled dinner party or perhaps when I need to put myself to sleep quickly.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

I think I've probably seen D.I.G. more than any other band.  They had a three month residency at Kinselas in Sydney at a time when I was a regular there, hanging around the pool tables with my friend Anne from New Zealand.  She instantly formed a bond with the band's drummer, the oh-so-gorgeous Terepai Richmond, and we could be found dancing to them most weekends.

So when YourZ mentions their musicianship, I'm seriously not surprised.  Every single one of the songs on this album was played over and over and over again to that crowd in Sydney, and I know they toured along the Aussie eastern seaboard.  I was always a fan of bass player Alex Hewetson - he had a deadly way with a funky beat that'd make anyone's hips twitch.

I've also seen the other incarnation of this band - the funk act Professor Groove and the Booty Affair - which have to be experienced to be believed.  If they ever play in Sydney again I'll be there.  But D.I.G. were part of a particular time and place - and while the music's still truly great, it represents a part of my life that's well and truly over now.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://timrollinson.com/pages/projects/dig-directions-in-groove.php

Custard - Wisenheimer and Wahootie Fandango (double album special)

MINE

Listening to Custard today I was struck by how much of a Britpop band this strictly Aussie act sounds like.  Some of the songs have a Blur flavour, others remind me of Supergrass.  And given the bands were doing their thing at much the same time, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

What is a surprise to me is that I don't believe I've ever seen Custard.  But that's probably because they were touring at a time when i didn't do too much band-seeing, as I was preparing myself for a career change into radio by spending a lot of my time on a community radio station.  And not one that played music, but one that read printed material for the print handicapped.

Whatever the reason, I wish I had seen them.  They sound fun and bright and just damn good at what they do.  I did pick up Wisenheimer when I was at radio school in '96, and Apartment has been a firm favourite on my gymPod ever since I got it.  Just what you need to power you through the next set of weights...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The last time I saw Custard live was when they were supporting Weezer on a national tour.  I remember thinking at the time it was completely appropriate these two bands should share a bill as they both write wonderfully skewed pop songs and feature enigmatic, idiosyncratic frontmen.  Residing in the musical territory somewhere between the aforementioned Weezer and the weird pop of The Pixies, Custard were a highlight of the Australian scene during the 90s.

I first heard them on a compilation called Youngblood, which featured unsigned Australian bands.  Their track, Rockfish Anna, showed their knack for writing pop gems full of clever riffs.  As later releases would show, the band could shift stylistically, often within the construct of a single song.  Instead of confusing the listener, this added  to overwhelming sense of fun this band projected and proved hard to resist.

Wisenhiemer/Wahootie Fandango is a special edition packaging of their first two major label albums.  Both are stylistically diverse and were seemingly at odds with the grunge movement of the time.  This, however, did not affect the popularity of the band, who became a firm live and festival favourites.  Despite this, the band had a hard time finding mainstream success.  This, more than anything else, led to them breaking up after a decade of hard work.

Listening back to both albums, I was reminded just how good they were but also of how they were a band out of their time.  I am sure if they were starting out today, their ironic sense of lyric and ability to construct simple-sounding, beautifully arranged pop songs would almost guarantee success.  It is unfortunate the powers that be at the time failed to see what a large part of the general public could.  But it is hardly so surprising.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.davidmccormack.com.au/

Julie Brown - Trapped In The Body Of A White Girl

YOURZ

Oh, jeez, what can I say without being offensive...

Ahm...  Nope, can't say that.

Erm...  Nah, better not say that!

Oh, fuck it, Trapped In The Body Of A White Girl, for all its novelty song value, still sucks harder than a V8 vacuum cleaner.  No, really it does. 

The music on it says 80s but not in a good way.  Julie has a voice not unlike the character out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show who only gets the lead for one song just in case her voice annoys too many people. 

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT, please!

MINE

OK, fate has it that the pointy stick landed on the second of my two strictly novelty albums, and the one I really don't ever, ever listen to.  But I have to admit to a shocking liking for the odd novelty tune.  Not in the realm of Who Let The Dogs Out? or any Chipmunk-flavoured fare, but I do have a soft spot for songs like Cows With Guns and Elvis is Everywhere.

So it's not such a stretch to find that I bought this CD (for about five dollars, as I recall), because of the delightful The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun.  But while it also has the equally hilarious I Like 'Em Big and Stupid, it sadly misses out on her other great song, 'Cause I'm a Blond.  But while most of this album is strictly forgettable, the two songs I love mean it's staying with us, baby.

For those of you who are puzzling over where you might have seen her before - she's also an actress and appeared alongside Geena Davis in Earth Girls Are Easy.  And to YourZ, who's no doubt shaking his head sadly over this aberration, all I have to say is: The Bloodhound Gang. (YourZ sez: yeah, yeah...)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP ...give me a moron with talented hands

For more information: http://www.juliebrown.com/

David Bowie - The Best Of David Bowie 1969 - 1974

MINE

Mr Bowie.  The Thin White Duke.  All hail... to the man who's been a part of my musical life for almost as long as I've been buying music.  So what's this blog entry going to be about?  The first song of his I ever heard?  Hang your head in shame, Mr Jones, because I clearly remember hearing The Laughing Gnome on the BBC World Service as a child.

How about my favourite album?  Although I spent a large part of my teenage years with Ziggy on the turntable, it's gotta be Diamond Dogs.  Love the cover, love Rebel Rebel and 1984, love the whole concept/not a concept album mystique.

My favourite Bowie song?  Oh, that's too hard.   I love Heroes and China Girl and Fame and Blue Jean and Young Americans and.... gotta stop now.  Oh no, wait!  My all-time favourite Bowie song is... a cover.  I love his version of Sorrow.

How about, have I seen him perform?  Yes I have.  Only on one tour, Serious Moonlight, but I did go on two consecutive nights.  When he came here on the Glass Spider tour I was oh-so-broke and couldn't afford a ticket.  Should have tried harder.

This CD is one of two best of Bowie collections we own.  But our albums are only on vinyl and I'm voting we look at this for a box-set purchase, pretty please?  (YourZ sez: I'll go one futher - my vote is we get Bowie's box-set before we get any other).

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and hear the savage roar...

YOURZ

I've made a number of false starts trying to write this blog and have found it increasingly difficult.  Bowie should need no introduction to any of you reading this.  He is, without a doubt, one of the greats.  Personally, I would put him in the number one spot on my list.  His influence on music, fashion, art and culture is indelible and undeniable.  Bowie didn't follow trends, he invented and set them.  He might just be the most relevant solo artist to have ever come out of the UK (big call, I know) but given his career spans over 40 years, I don't think it is unreasonable to say this.

When I was 17, I left home to travel Australia.  One of the few things I bought along the way was a cassette copy of an Australia/New Zealand only release of Bowie's greatest hits to date called Chameleon.  It was the only cassette I had (apart from Adam & The Ants that I'd bought it as a gift for someone).  This cassette was played many times.  Consequently, whenever I hear a lot of the tracks from this album, I'm reminded of the wonderful sense of freedom but also the slight sense of fear I felt having finally completed school and taking on the mantle of 'adult' responsibility.  Changes was the key song but was also supplemented by Golden Years, Aladdin Sane and a few other tracks. 

Fast forward a few years to when I saw Bowie live during his Serious Moonlight tour.  Unlike Mine, I only saw him the once but what a show!  I've never seen anything like it since.  It was a greatest hits set list and covered just about every album he'd released up until then.  Hearing him sing Heroes, Ashes To Ashes, Soul Love and, particularly, Golden Years, blew me away.  I'm not ashamed to say I teared up a number of times throughout the long performance (according to sources, he played 32 songs - a huge set by any standards).

I've not been as profoundly affected by his later work but this is more due to my being distracted by so much other music.  But the 70s and early 80s Bowie has always remained a defining influence and consistent favourite.  As Mine proved, to choose a single favourite track is just too hard so I'm not even going to try.  I'm just gonna quote the following:

Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.davidbowie.com/

In our collection we also have David Bowie: The Singles Collection and Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars Live

Sarah Blasko - The Overture & The Underscore

YOURZ

The first time I really heard Sarah Blasko was with her work with a great local indie super-group called Nations By The River, whose live show was one of the best local acts I'd seen in a long time. 

I think we went and brought this album on the strength of her performance and because of her wonderfully natuaral voice.  The girl was born to sing to the masses.  But she can also pen a wonderful tune and has a flair for developing intriguing pop gems.  The Overture & The Underscore not only served as a wonderful debut but acted as a benchmark for the indie-pop-folk-tronica (yeah, I know, another bloody category). 

While the more 'mainstream' singles such as Always Worth It and Counting Sheep did well and showed her ability to write a cracking pop song, it was album tracks such as Perfect Now and marvellous opener, All Coming Back, that pointed at a deeper, more considered ability, one that, with hindsight, has become plainly obvious.   

The biggest question to come out of listening to The Overture & The Underscore is why we don't own anything else by her.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's so funny looking at the picture of Sarah Blasko on the front of this album, because every time I see her I'm reminded how much she resembles a friend of YourZ's.  But as far as I'm aware, Alex still lives in London and isn't leading a double life as a Sydney singer-songwriter. (YourZ sez: I can confirm this is indeed the case although the resemblance is quite striking).

This is Sarah's debut album and admirably showcases her highly individual voice, which has a slightly raw, breathy fragility while still possessing the strength to draw the listener in.  But despite the gorgeousness of this album, which I have to include in my "removing cranky pants" playlist, it doesn't include my favourite song of hers - a cover.

For those of you who aren't Australian, you may not understand the place legendary pub-rock band Cold Chisel has in our psyche.  Flame Trees is, in my opinion, the best song they ever released, and one night when I was driving home I heard Sarah's version, which was part of the soundtrack for Little Fish, a spectacular Australian film starring Cate Blanchett.  While both versions have their merits, I have to admit I love Sarah's just that little bit more.

Anyway, while this album doesn't have that song on it, it's still a beautiful piece of pop music.  Highly recommended.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://sarahblasko.com/

A Gun Called Tension - A Gun Called Tension

MINE

Sometimes I feel sorry for the bands I've never heard of, when they get to pass my ears in this relentless pursuit of CDs I'll applaud, be bored with or scorn.  Particularly when I have a headache, as A Gun Called Tension found recently.

I'll have to admit the band's name made me view them with suspicion even before I'd heard a note.  Band names are a tricky business.  When I was young, I was very fond of a group called Penguins on Safari (not that I ever saw or heard them) because the name made me smile.  And for ridiculous names, AGCT has a long way to go before challenging my special favourite, People With Chairs Up Their Noses (not that I ever saw or heard them either).

Anyway, I pressed play, and heard - some interesting music.  There's some annoying monotonal rap, not shouty but with that next-to-nothing background that eventually makes it akin to the water torture.  There's some cool electronica and some next-to-rock (you know, it's kind of rocky but not quite) along with some OK lyrics in some songs.  And ordinarily I'd welcome this sort of genre-shifting, but in this case it just doesn't seem cohesive.  Although I only skipped two or three tracks after listening to about 30 seconds' worth, there wasn't anything here that made my ears prick up.  Not one song.  And nothing that made me want to look up who these people are.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

I'm not surprised Mine doesn't like this.  I completely agree with her about the cohesiveness of this self-titled debut.  The band, made up of members of various other bands including Modest Mouse, The Beta Band and others, have put together a challenging album (which, as we all know, either means difficult to listen to or a bunch of crap).  It sounds more like a hastily drawn-together compilation album than a cohesive band effort.  That they use various MCs probably doesn't help either. 

There are a few tracks on this album that are actually worth it, although a few tracks hardly makes an album.  Gold Fronts sounds like a long lost Moby track (in fact, it sounds better than most Moby tracks, as far as I'm concerned).  Treason comes out of nowhere, sounding more like a post-rock track from a New York band, with screamo vocals and a fat, indie bass line.  Foundation, featuring Roots Manuva, is probably a better example of his work than mostly anything he has done for himself.

This is another of those CDs I got thinking I might learn something about production as it is produced by Phil Ek, one of the best indie producers around and came with a glowing recommendation from a source I usually trust.  I have since learnt to be more discerning (at least I like to think I have, anyway).  The only track I'd bother keeping or listening to with any regularity would be Gold Fronts (the video is great).  The rest won't be missed, not in the slightest.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/agct

Wagons - The Rise And Fall Of Goodtown

YOURZ

Yeehaw, this is as close to liking country and western I get (except for the occasional Man In Black track or two).  Thank fuck bands like Wagons exist, because often times, the music of this particular genre is so much fun, it's almost irresistible, while the lyrics make me gag harder than a tight-throated hooker.  Wagons, thankfully, avoid hackneyed clichés such as this in favour of lyrics of a substantially darker nature.

The main attraction of this motley band of musical cowboys is their leader, Henry Wagons, who has a rich baritone and unbridled passion for his art (sorry about that pun).  Coupled with a great backing band, The Rise And Fall Of Goodtown is a listening pleasure, from the driving rock of opener Drive All Night Til Dawn, to the slow burning closer, Lightning.  The track listing jumps from more traditional country-sounding songs to darker, brooding tunes and also includes a faithful rendition of the Three Dog Night track, Never Been To Spain.

Sounding like a cross between Nick Cave and Merle Haggard, Wagons has slowly but surely gained popularity with relentless touring, drawing fans not usually drawn to country music.  They've also become a festival favourite, particularly known for their raucous live show, led by the big personality of their leader, whose take-no-shit attitude and humour have made him a favourite of the punters and provided the band with the title of Australia's lead alt-country act.  Can't wait to see 'em.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, little dawgy

MINE

Country that isn't, this was a Christmas present from YourZ last year and came after we saw the lead singer on RocKwiz, our favourite TV quiz show.  Henry Wagons is bigger than life and has a voice to match.  It's a country album for people who don't like country music - like us.  Songs about trucks and mothers and how your old dog died don't feature in our collection.

But this album, featuring great tunes like Goodtown (very Stepford Wives-reminiscent) and Keep Your Eyes Off My Sister has no lyrics Nashville would condone.  In fact one description I've read labels the band as Gothic Country.  I can live with that - with a side order of humour and piled high with Rock.  They're touring here this month and I vote we go and see them. (YourZ sez: seconded!)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.wagonsmusic.com/

Sugar - Copper Blue

MINE

What a surprise!  I knew absolutely nothing about this band before pressing Play this morning, and it's shown me my husband can still astonish me after eight years.  This album is (whisper this so he doesn't get offended) positively pure pop-rock.  My only criticism is the band obviously didn't pay any attention to the tracklisting, as the opening number is quite lack-lustre.

I vaguely recall hearing Helpless before but it was If I Can't Change Your Mind that really got me hopping about in the car this morning.  Top tune, good album, why haven't you played it to me before?  Hmmm?  Could it be it's just a little too MOR for your street cred, honey?  (YourZ sez: first of all: what street cred?  The fact is I had all but forgotten about this album but not again).  The close harmonies and great arrangements actually reminded me of Lush and the Bangles, so there.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

See, this is why this project is so fucking good because it's putting me back in touch with albums like Copper Blue and the songwriting of guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould - and whose existence in our collection had been all but forgotten.  When it came out, it was such an influential piece on me  - more than just about anything else around at the time, with the only possible exception being The Pixies (who openly acknowledge Mould's former band, Husker Du, as being a big influence).

Copper Blue is a stunning pop record, thinly disguised with abrasive guitars and a tough rhythm section.  But listening back, there's no doubting Mould's intentions.  The statement is clear in tracks like If I Can't Change Your Mind, for instance, which is just about the most perfect guitar pop song ever recorded.  Then there's A Good Idea, the best song The Pixies never wrote.  The rest of the track listing is similarly brilliant.

I really don't know why I forgot about this album.  Probably got distracted by too many shiny objects (yes, it happens).  Copper Blue is not like a long lost friend, but more like a close relative who appears on the doorstep after years, maybe looking a little care-worn but still very much a member of the family and whose appearance is cause for much celebration.  And this album is so worth celebrating.

Copper Blue, without a doubt, is the first Forgotten Gem for May (and a contender for the best Forgotten Gem of the year).

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/bobmould

Elliott Smith - Figure 8

YOURZ

Listening to Elliott Smith is painful - not because he writes beautiful music, rich with melody and harmony, but because he's no longer around to write and record more.  His death, reported to be a suicide, is still surrounded in mystery, so much so, that I'm sure the truth will never fully be known.  Regardless, it's a tragic waste of a great talent.

As Mine acknowledges below, Elliott was introduced to us by a friend and has become a firm favourite in our house.  From A Basement On A Hill, his posthumous release, is probably my favourite but by a very small margin.  As with this, both Figure 8 and XO are absolute treasures, full of gorgeous, often sad songs and layered with Smith's resonant harmonies.  They truly are a listening pleasure.

On Figure 8, Elliott moves from piano-driven songs to quiet, solo numbers to full band tracks.  The continuity is his voice and arrangements, which I'm sure every sad-eyed boy with a guitar would love to emulate but very, very few have succeeded.  But he does this so effortlessly, I can't help but be somewhat envious of the depth of his talent. 

We've spent many early mornings, after rowdier nights, being drawn up and away to Elliott's tunes.  In fact, I can't imagine better music to accompany the sun coming up after a long night than his. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Just how many sad, dead, gorgeous guitarists do we have in our collection, anyway?  Along with Mr Smith I can count Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake...  and all of them have their moments.  (YourZ sez: well, there's also Marc Bolan, David McComb, Kurt Cobain and Brad Nowell - these are all I can think of but I'm sure there are more...)

YourZ and Mine(self) were introduced to Elliott by a friend (hi, Dave!) who left us with a bootleg copy of XO.  Much playing later we swapped that for a real version and have been buying up his back catalogue ever since.  Or at least YourZ has because frankly, he's the one who brings the most music into the house, and I'm the one who (mostly) enjoys the consequences.  That's just the way it is.  It's kind of like, I'm the one who brings the most cookbooks into the house, and he's the one who (mostly) enjoys the consequences.

Where was I?  Ah yes, Mr Smith.  I'm really sorry he's dead.  It was like reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and then learning the author was dead (damn!) and then learning he wrote two more books (hooray!) and then learning he planned to write TEN in the series (double damn!)  Loving XO led us on to loving Figure 8 and From a Basement on a Hill and do we have Roman Candle?  But however many albums of his we discover, nothing makes up for the fact that this amazing talent left this earth way, way too soon.

Side note:  this and the other CDs are probably NOT albums to play in the car, as the music is often so beautiful you just want to close your eyes.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP get comfy and dream a little

For more information: http://www.sweetadeline.net/

In our collection, we also have:  XO and From a Basement on a Hill

Seasick Steve - Dog House Music

MINE

Another example of where the musical tastes of YourZ and Mine(self) couldn't be further apart.  I mean, good on Seasick Steve for breaking through to more mainstream acclaim after years of just getting by.  He bought a tractor.  But listening to 45 minutes' worth of pretty ordinary blues music?  I'd rather clean the oven.

Let's face it, playing the blues isn't like playing Rachmaninoff.  You don't need to study for years.  I can appreciate quality blues-playing - I've seen Albert Collins live - and I'm sorry but this CD is just what I'd expect from someone who's been playing the blues most of his life.  He's good - not great.  And along with many other bluesmen, he's unintelligible.

I mean, he could be telling me the meaning of life, recounting how he performs indecent acts on hamsters, or reciting his mother's recipe for possum stew - I can't pick up more than one word in about three or four.  How anyone can enjoy this is beyond me.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

Every once in a while, a genuine talented musician achieves notoriety, cutting a swathe through the multiple layers of crap and detritus coddling the music industry and reminding real music lovers what good music should sound like.  Seasick Steve is one such artist, and Dog House Music is the album that introduced him to the greater listening public.

What makes this story all the more interesting is Steve is not a young, good looking man but a homely good old boy who, like a lot of 'true' bluesmen, spent many years living hand to mouth on the road.  At the same time, he also gained the respect and friendship of some of the most famous names in music, including Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, as well as acting as mixer and producer for many indie acts including Modest Mouse.

What makes Steve different from the myriad bluesmen out there?  Well, this is a hard question to answer.  Blues is not something you can just pick up and, contra to what Mine thinks, it takes a long time to develop that elemental something that makes one act rise above the rest.  For me, Steve doesn't come from the 'woe is me' blues school, which has been done to death.  Instead, his tales of living rough on the road are so personal, you can almost feel the holes in his shoes rubbing on your feet.  Despite this, his tales are of overcoming those hardships with humour and optimism and of a life largely enjoyed.  There's a lesson in this for all of us. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.seasicksteve.com/

Resin Dogs - Grand Theft Audio

YOURZ

Brisbane hip hop collective, Resin Dogs, released Grand Theft Audio in 2000 but if you listen to this mix of beats, live instrumentation, scratches and samples, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a big beat release, as the dance influence throughout the record is obvious and, in fact, won the band an Australian Dance Music award.

To me, these guys represent what hip hop is truly about.  There's none of the poseuring or posturing often associated with the genre.  Instead, there are some really well produced tracks that combine great use of samples and live instrumentation.  The cross-section of samples from jazz to lesser-known hip hop artists also show a depth and broad-based musicology.  Not only this, but the band pulls it off live, with extended jams and an energy and live dynamic that is hard to ignore.

The other thing about Grand Theft Audio is most of the tracks are instrumental-based, often only relying on sampled vocals to carry the hooks.  Unburdened, as such, makes for some interesting, although limited-tricked, arrangements and production.  However, this small criticism aside, it is a great high energy record that isn't pretending to be anything else and would bring life to even the dullest of parties.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Hip-hop collective?  This is Big Beat!  And I'm speaking as a woman who has a Big Beat 3 CD collection.  This is a CD simply crying out for a party to go to, one where the guests break off from conversations to take a trip around the dance floor, pulled there by the infectious rhythms pumped out by the Dogs.

Grand Theft Audio should have a place in any collection that has any respect at all for dance music  because that's what it encourages you to do, in the best of all hip-swinging, foot-tapping, hands-in-the-air type ways.  I think I got to see them at a Big Day Out one time, but my memory could be failing me.  (YourZ sez: nah, I was there and we were dancing in the bleachers)  That happens.  Or so they tell me.  Whoever "they" are.  Usually the ones telling me I can't do whatever it is I want to do right now.

Which is to put this on and have a party.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.resindogs.com.au/

In our collection we also have Hi Fidelity Dirt and More

P Money - Magic City

MINE

Ho and furthermore Hum.  And not Ho in the sense of "Niggaz got dere Hos" either, despite the frankly HUGE amount of references to niggaz on this CD.  Which is kind of weird for a white guy from New Zealand.  Straight outta Auckland, y'all.

The Akon track is quite good, but frankly this CD embodies everything I find boring and irrelevant about hip-hop.  And I don't object to the genre as a whole, just this sort of stuff.  There's bitchez and rags-to-riches stories and guns and threats to kill and the glorification of high-end consumerism.  None of which has anything to do with my life experience, and all of which makes me sad that these attitudes are being held up as attractive to a music-buying public.

And while YourZ may think he's a well-respected producer, anyone who's that fond of using chipmunk-fast vocals has to be regarded with suspicion.  (YourZ sez: in my defence, I was only quoting references - never said I believed it though.  Agree with you about the chipmunk voices - I find 'em just plain silly).

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

Magic City is another CD I bought to use as a guide to help me produce some of my own tracks for the hip hop act I worked with then.  P-Money is a respected New Zealand hip hop DJ/Producer and has a following for his tight new school beats.  For this, his second full length album, he attracted a roster of hip hop stars, mainly from the States, and including Skillz, Grandmaster Roc Raida, Mystro (from the UK) and others. This album also features a track by Akon, Keep On Calling, which basically introduced this artist to a wider audience.

All this is well and good, I suppose, if you're into American hip hop or RnB.  For the most part, though, I'm not and I was surprised this features so many American artists, given the depth of hip hop talent in En Zed. In fact, my favourite tracks on this,  Driven and Stop The Music, both feature Scribe, a local MC.  But these tracks hardly redeem the rest of the album, which sees most of the guests resort to the usual bag of either 'I grew up hard but look at me now' or 'I'm so fuckin' gansta, you better not mess with me' lyrics.  Yes, all very boring and completely irrelevant for most of us, which is a pity, because a lot of the beats are really good.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/pmoneymusic

The Motels - No Vacancy (the best of the Motels)

YOURZ

It's funny we're reviewing this as lead singer Martha Davis has been staring at me from a picture hanging in our kitchen for almost as long as Mine and YourZ (truly) have been together.  But I've been told this is all I can say about the picture as the story of why belongs to Mine (better to do as I'm told than risk another beating). (Mine says: glad to see you're finally getting the message)

I have fond memories of The Motels, associated with being in an early eighties covers band in which we played Total Control.  The song was always a winner with the audience.  In fact, it was one of those tracks we could rely on to get the audience up and dancing, even though it was kind of slow.  Don't ask me why, though.

I'm actually surprised by how many tracks off No Vacancy I'm familiar with, given that I've never had anything more than a passing interest in the band.  Quite a few of these songs were played a lot on radio and music television in Australia in the early eighties, as The Motels, for some reason, struck a chord with the general public and were quite popular here.  These tracks sound quite dated now but in the same way The Cars tracks sound a little dated.  Unlike The Cars, though, I don't think I'll be revisiting this album in a hurry.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

The picture hanging on the wall of our kitchen was taken on the night of 11 November, 1980, when I saw the Motels live for the first time.  I went along with a group of friends (Hi Deb and Karen!) and we'd declared the day National Motels Day, skipping school and consuming lashings of rose, our favoured drink of the time.

The details of how we spent the time between then and the actual concert has blurred, but I remember being terrified I'd be carded at the door - it was a licensed venue and I was four days off my 18th birthday.  Deb and I knew all the words to the songs bar one - which wasn't on either their self-titled debut album or the follow-up, Careful.

It remained the best night of my life for some time, which is why I took the opportunity to buy the photo some months later.  I'm sad it's faded over the years, and wish I'd spent that extra bit of money I didn't have at the time to buy the framed print, rather than the laminated board.  So if anyone knows if photographer Steve Nebauer still has the negatives from that night, maybe they could drop me a line?  I have more cash these days.

Martha Davis was a personal hero of mine.  She wasn't a teeny-bopper goo-goo doll, she was a real woman fronting a real band writing real songs - much like another hero of mine, Debbie Harry of Blondie.  For that, and because those songs are still as fresh in my mind 30 years later, this album is always staying with me.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (Celia, see what you've done...)

For more information: http://www.themotels.com/

Curtis Mayfield - Superfly

MINE

While most people would know the title track of this album, or Freddie's Dead, the other hit, it's Pusherman that just stays with me.  "I'm your mother I'm your daddy/ I'm that nigga in the alley" all sung in those breathy, high, sweet and rounded tones that made Curtis Mayfield the great artist he was.  Its driving beats accompanied by deceptively simple-sounding arrangements make it, for me, the pinnacle track of this album. 

I truly can't remember ever seeing this movie, but the soundtrack is well known as a peak funk experience.  And I'm a girl who likes her music funky.  On the one, guys.  I do remember having a friend call me when he heard Curtis had died, and mooning around depressed for the rest of the day.  I also remember being overjoyed to discover his last-ever recording, when YourZ introduced me to Bran Van 3000. 

I had to search high and low for this album and it was well worth the search.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Superfly is our first soundtrack review and what a soundtrack it is too.  Unlike most soundtracks, this is wholly penned by the late, truly great Curtis Mayfield.  The movie's a fairly standard blaxploitation film about a drug dealer trying to make one last big score before getting out of the business.  However, it's Mayfield's soundtrack, long since considered a classic, that highlights his status as one of the pioneers of the burgeoning funk sound, and which elevated it well above the limited popularity and scope of the film.  But more so, he used the soundtrack to highlight social issues of African-Americans at the time, a brave and pioneering move in itself, considering the time it was created.

Superfly features his superb falsetto, deft, layered arrangements and lush production and only serves to detail his prodigious talent.  If viewed as a piece of art, this would be considered a masterpiece by an artist at his peak.  There were only a few others who could match Mayfield's output at this time but none had their finger so clearly on the pulse of the street as he did.

It's a tragedy his life ended as it did, with the great man flat on his back and unable to play any of the instruments he so loved.  We are fortunate we have a copy of the last song he recorded vocals for (as mentioned in our review of BranVan3000's Discosis).  But as a testament to him, you can't go past Superfly. And nor should you.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://curtismayfield.com/

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

YOURZ

Oh, guess who loves the 80s.  Ladyhawke does, that's who.  But rather than copy the sounds, Pip Brown (her real name) has remodelled the sounds and updated them to create a hybrid blend that works well.

While this album has been in our collection for some time, I dismissed its presence as more girly dance music, the sort Mine loves.  But the reality is far from my rather blinkered point of view.  This album has some great new wave rock moments reminding me of some of Kim Wilde or Pat Benatar, which, in case you're wondering, is a good thing.  (There's also a little bit of Billy Idol as well - just listen to the track Danny & Jenny).

Oh, there are some more obvious influences for sure, but these are more in passing rather than as templates for the whole album.  In fact, Ladyhawke has more depth and substance than many similar artists who have adopted the same stylistic references.  As a début, it's certainly allowing Pip to spread her wings and leave room to fly in any direction she chooses.  And I can't wait to see where she lands.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE:

One of the albums I bought for myself purely with my Music Magazine Mojo (MMM), this New Zealand singer's debt to the 70s and 80s is obvious from the second you begin listening.  Artists that coursed through my mind as the tracks ticked by include 10CC, Gary Numan, the Cars and Blondie.  And there have been times in the past that I've dissed modern bands for re-creating the sounds of previous eras.  I mean, if I want to listen to that sound, I'll play those albums, right?

But there's a moment in this CD - I think it's the hit single My Delirium - that made me just smile and say, what the hell.  When reinventing Sounds Past to make Sounds of Now really works.  Funny, I listened to this a lot when I first bought it but I've been ignoring it recently.  This Stops Now.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com/ 

Jebediah - Slightly Odway

MINE

Leaving Home was so huge for Jebediah it's almost permanently implanted in my brain.  Or at least that's how I remember it.  But I never bought the album as it was then and remains to this day just a bit teenage-boy-type music.  Created by the demographic for the demographic, it's not really the type of music that appeals to me.  I can see why it attracted YourZ though, especially when the band namechecked Archers Of Loaf.

However I'd recommend it to any women trying out their cougar-claws.  Sure to attract those young boys...

VERDICT: TIRN IT DOWN

YOURZ

I remember when I first heard Jebediah's single, Jerks Of Attention, way back in the early 90s, then heard how young they were (lead singer Kevin Mitchell was just 18 when it was released), I felt both jealous and somewhat irrelevant, being a hoary old muso in my early 30s.  Yeah, I know, what a sap but when faced with such youthful presence and exuberance, what do you expect?

Yet another example of the brilliant music coming out of the isolated environs of Perth, their exuberance fairly spills out of the speakers when you listen to Slightly Odway, their début album.  The songs are brash and loud, with just the right amount of teen angst.  Kevin's idiosyncratic vocals might sound contrived if not carried off with such raw honesty.  You almost believe he actually speaks like he sings.

The success of this album lies in the huge singalong choruses of tracks such as Leaving Home, Harpoon and Military Strongmen, but every track on this is a winner.  The strength here is in the attachment their audience felt to some of the other tracks, like Puck Defender and Teflon, that became huge live favourites and led them to supporting some of the biggest acts in the world at the time.  It's such a shame that they never really broke anywhere else apart from the antipodes.  Maybe their slightly odd ways were simply too much for the rest of the world to handle.  Whatever it was, I'm certainly glad this is still in our collection.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

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