June - Wrapup

MINE

Whatever else this month might be to our readers in far-flung parts of the globe, here in Australia this will always be the month we finally got ourselves a female Prime Minister.  Yay for that, though not so yay was the way Julia got in, by challenging our reigning PM for the job.  But hopefully she'll be voted in all proper-like by the end of the year, and then I can do my happy dance for real.

And to celebrate the girliness of our nation, this month we're handing a CD to daisyfae, who's commented occasionally and I believe is currently swanning around Greece with two other bloggers.  In keeping with our theme of sending out music we think the recipient will like, I have to admit I was a little stumped at first.  But then I lit on Augie March, and it was easy.  Just because I think everyone will like him/them.

Wow, that's six months.  Half way there, or all downhill form here?  Anybody's guess.

YOURZ

As Mine pointed out, we've hit the half-way mark for the year.  I'm not going to belabour the point we've made previously about how much we enjoy doing this except to reiterate: we really do enjoy doing this.  And while it has certainly highlighted some of the differences in our tastes, I am happy to report there no major disagreements or bouts of juvenile pouting have occurred so far.

Our tastes are very different but also strikingly similar.  There are junctures where we meet up so appropriately, we can almost finish off each other's thoughts about a particular artist.  On the other hand, we have very opposite opinions about some artists, we might be from different planets (for a good example, see both the Pet Shop Boys and Deftones reviews from this month).

But it doesn't take away any of the enjoyment we have for doing this.  In fact, those differences help to bring us closer together when we do find something we both love.  This month, without a doubt, it would have to be The Raconteurs (or Saboteurs - depending on which side of the world you live).  I was already fan and honestly thought Mine would not like it.  Her review, however, surprised and delighted me, which again goes to show how much we still have to learn about each other.  And thats a really good thing.

Free CDs - June throwouts

Free to a good home this month:


Brassy - Got It Made

Still going begging from previous months:

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

If I Were A Carpenter - Various Artists

YOURZ

This is the first compilation we've done dedicated to the songs of a particular band or artist.  Fittingly, it is this 1994 tribute to The Carpenters, one of the most sublimely beautiful pop groups of the last 50 years.  Astoundingly, it is one of the most avant garde bands of the last 50 years, Sonic Youth, who provide the best track on this compilation, with their version of Superstar.  Its so good, it has pretty much ruined the original for me.

There are a couple of very pedestrian tracks on If I Were A Carpenter, none more so than the very bland version of Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft by Babes In Toyland.  Thankfully, it is tracks like Dishwalla's updated groove of It's Going To Take Some Time, Cracker's subdued version of Rainy Days And Mondays, Shonen Knife's hilarious Top Of The World and Redd Kross' rocking version of Yesterday Once More that make up for the few dodgy tracks.

If you're a die-hard Carpenters fan, you might want to avoid this but for the rest of us, this is a wonderful tribute to a truly talented duo.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

When we were looking for compilations to do, I voted for this album months ago - but weirdly it vanished, only to reappear this month, when we were looking for a different compilation to do.  How strange is that?  It reappeared in the kitchen, which is no surprise as I'd classify this as the ultimate in cooking music - all these songs I know all the words to, but done with a different twist.  Seriously, you can't listen to Shonen Knife's version of Top of the World without a smile on your face.

I once lent this album to a friend who was a mad Carpenters fan, and got it back pretty quickly with the verdict that it "ruined" the songs.  But I don't agree.  I'm a big fan of the tribute compilation album  (we have another, for Aussie band Cold Chisel, that's pretty awesome too) and fully expect to keep on buying them in the future.  (YourZ sez: don't we have one for The Go-Betweens as well?)

I have to admit I love Grant Lee Buffalo's version of We've only Just Begun  the most.  Makes me cry.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Were_a_Carpenter_(album)

The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?

MINE

I bought the album because I loved Linger - but I've kind of avoided playing it since the next album came out.  That's because the teenage kids I was living next door to at the time bought it and put Zombie on high rotation at full volume.  Caused a bit of an antipathy to Dolores O'Riordan's voice, but I'm happy to report that seems to have subsided.

Mostly I love the Irish brogue that creeps into all of their songs.  There's something so warm and friendly about the way Dolores says "dere" for "there" and "tings" for "things".  It's a beautiful album that's spent far too long at the back of the drawer.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

I remember jokingly saying way back when Everybody Else... was hugely popular, "Everybody else is getting it, so why don't I?"  Listening back to it now for this review, this hasn't changed.  At the time, I was in guitarist/writer for an indie pop band with a female vocalist and as a consequence, tried to avoid listening to bands of a similar nature.

Having said this, I shared a house with said singer and a couple of other girls who were all fans of this album, so I must have heard it a lot of times.  Funny thing is, I don't remember much of it beyond the obvious, being Linger and Dreams.  But I'm sure this is because I heard these two tracks (along with Zombie) so many bloody times over the years, they're embedded in my subconcious somewhere, taking up precious, valuable real estate where I could instead store decent movie quotes (something I can never seem to remember).  As a consequence, I have only one choice: (Mine says: Come on, there are many much more horrible songs that take up equal brain space - Copacabana, anyone?) 

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

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

Buck 65 - Talkin' Honky Blues

YOURZ

Buck 65 (real name Richard Terfry) is a Canadian MC/DJ known for his both his lyrical and musical articulateness.  His samples are often obscure and characterise his production, as do his beat poetry-like lyrics.  Experimental and unforgiving, Buck 65 follows similar roads to artists such as Tom Waits. 

Talkin' Honky Blues, winner of a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album in 2004, came to me via the song Wicked & Weird, which was all over local alternative radio when it first came out.  Unusually, the samples Buck 65 has used are blues (hence the title - a reference to a blues style called Talkin' Blues).  I tried to find his sources but failed miserably (the small print on the CD sleeve proved impossible to read - why do they do that?)

There are some absolutely brilliant tracks on Talkin' Honky Blues, but, like a lot of what Mr Waits does, this is not for the casual listener.  It's not the sort of hip hop you will hear blaring out of overly-loud car speakers nor is it likely to be filling the dance floor at a local RnB club.  This demands attention and, to those who pay it what it deserves, they will be well rewarded.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I think he thinks I wouldn't like it.  (YourZ sez: yep, I really did but in this case, I'm glad I'm wrong)  But I did.  As YourZ says, it's not for the casual listener, and as such, I'm not going to be putting any Buck65 songs on my gymPod any time soon.  But damn, the guy's intelligent!  This is what I think more hip-hop and rap artists ought to be doing.   I mean, where else are you going to find someone talking about the real emotions he felt when he cheated on his girlfriend?  More often they're boasting about how many hos they've had or how many baby mamas they're paying for.

Maybe it's because he's Canadian....

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://buck65.com/

In our collection we also have Situation

Brassy - Got It Made

MINE

Blending their own form of hip-hop with some hard drumming and punchy guitar sounds?  This should be right up my alley, and indeed, it's my CD.  But it's one I bought because I liked the single - Work It Out - and the rest of it's left me a little disappointed.  Mostly because they use the same damn effect on the lead vocal all the time.  And while that scratchiness is kinda catchy when you hear it the first time, the gloss has definitely worn off the fifth or sixth time.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT uh-huh

YOURZ

I have a confession to make (yes, another and I can tell you, it won't be the last either) - I loved this album when it first came out.  I thought Brassy were the shit and I particularly liked Muffin Spencer's pouty vocal/raps. That she is the sister of Jon Spencer (of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) also counted greatly in her favour.

It wasn't until a few years later that a friend made the point that Brassy sound like the houseband for a teen television show.  The reality is while this album was a lot of fun when it first came out, it is actually pretty dumb (and not in a good way either) and very light on.  Over-use of similar breakdown patterns, cheesy drum machines and generally juvenality almost guaranteed this a very limited shelf life.  So what its still doing in our collection is anyone's guess.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.wiiija.com/artists/brassy/biog.htm

Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir

YOURZ

I originally bought Moo, You Bloody Choir after hearing a live performance of the first track, One Crowded Hour, on the show RocKwiz.  I was stunned by the intelligence of the lyrics and the beauty and simplicity of the melody.

I'm not much on hype, as regular readers might be aware of by now.  And Augie March were, at one time, hyped up by Australian music press, particularly, like they were saviours of some sort. 

The fact is this band is worthy of any hype, writing literate, contemporary indie pop.  Ostensibly a  vehicle of singer/songwriter Glenn Richards, Augie March have slowly yet surprisingly wended their way into the consciousness of the Australian public, who, while discerning, don't usually take to such intelligence without taking the piss out it as well.

Augie March sit somewhere between the deliberate provocativeness of Bob Dylan and the lush beauty of Jeff Buckley.  Richard's voice effortlessly moves between these territories, both captivating and inspiring listeners, while the rest of the band provide worthy accompaniement for his melodies.  From the previously mentioned opener to the slow, almost sensual The Honey Month and the alt-country The Baron Of Sentiment, Augie March are a heck of a ride and well worth taking.  Just beautiful...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's beautifully put-together pop music that seems to be vaguely flavoured with hints of other styles, other eras.  Much like the fresh air of our backyard in the morning when it's occasionally faintly flavoured with aviation fuel (what you get for living near the airport).  I'm still not sure who Glenn Richards' voice reminds me of.  One minute it's got the raw honesty of Bruce Springsteen, the next there's that almost-falsetto that could lead to Bon Iver comparisons.  There's a flutter and a yaw in it, like a small boat tacking on a large lake.  Some songs are sparse, some lush, at least one would have been at home in the 60s.  Taking bennies and hanging out with Twiggy-60s, not the patchouli-flavoured LSD rocker-type-60s.

What this album is, is unmissable.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

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

Tom Waits - Real Gone

MINE

That gravelly, whiskey and cigarette-saoked voice, the dead-pan delivery, no, it couldn't be anyone else but Tom Waits.  Actor, singer, songwriter and, in my opinion at least, beat poet - he's truly a renaissance man for the 21st century.  Just take a wander over to his website and click on his "wit & wisdom" page - a great way to spend some time scratching your head and occasionally roaring with laughter.

Real Gone is a blues album (sometimes) that I can listen to (sometimes).  But my favourite track on the whole CD is one of his poems-to-music - Circus.  My favourite lines are "And over in the burnt yellow tent/ By the frozen tractor, the music was like electric sugar"  I mean, how awesome is that?  And a line from an earlier Waits song, What's He Building? has entered into our personal lexicon - "What's he doing in there?"

The problem I have with listening to Tom is that you really have to.  Listen.  It's not fluffy background or something that'll help a mood along.  It's demanding stuff.  So that makes it hard for me to wholeheartedly endorse it, plus also he does mostly do blues, which I really have to be in the mood for.

VERDICT:TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

It's Tom Waits, fuck it all!  What can I possibly say that hasn't been said a million times by much better observers of music than me?  As the man would most probably say "nothin' but nothin'".  He's not just a musician, songwriter or actor (although, as Mine rightly points out, he is at least these things) but should be declared a living icon, a monumental musical force whose abilities, power and influence touches every corner of this beautiful big globe. 

I'll say it again: its Tom Waits.  What else do you need to know?

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and as Mine says, really listen!

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

In our collection, we also have:

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads

YOURZ

A particular joy, for me, of this project has been to discover where Mine and YourZ (truly) share lineal points in our musical past.  One such point is our common love of Talking Heads.

Mine mentions this below but I bet I haven't told her I also had the cassette and video for Stop Making Sense at one point.  I don't know what happened to the video but I had the cassette until it broke and I had to, reluctanly, give it a decent burial.  Why I never replaced it is beyond me.  I guess this is another one we're gonna have to add to our ever-growing list, honeybuns. (Mine says: We're gonna need a bigger boat)

Once In A Lifetime traverses the entire back catalogue of Talking Heads, to bring such classics as Burning Down The House, Slippery People, Life During Wartime and Road To Nowhere together.  Given these are taken from a career spanning 15 years, it's surprising how good the tracks sound compiled together.  But then, this is almost certainly due to their distinctive sound, led as it is by the unrelentingly idiosyncratic vocal style of David Byrne.  Coupled as it was with the brave musical experimentations of Tina Weymouth, Jerry Harrison and Chris Franz, it's no wonder this band continues to influence new generations of musicians.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE 

This CD has to move down to the kitchen ASAP.  This is definitely an album I could sing and dance to while baking, chopping or stirring.  I know just about all the words, even the surreal ones.  (I mean, "If this is paradise/ I wish I had a lawnmower" still makes me wonder what drugs they were taking)

Those intelligent lyrics, thiose hard hitting beats, the toe-tapping tunes - there's a whole bunch of them on here and if you don't love David Byrne's idiosyncratic delivery I think there's something wrong with you.  I guess the Heads have penetrated my psyche deeply... permutations of the lines "Is this my beautiful house/ Is this my beautiful wife" spring to my lips quite often in common conversation (especially with my beautiful husband).  (YourZ sez: back at you, babe)

At one time I owned the cassette(!) and video for Stop Making Sense but I have no idea what happened to them.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP same as it ever was...

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/talkingheads1

Snowdroppers - Too Late To Pray

MINE

Sometimes I think my husband hides music from me on purpose (YourZ sez: yes, this is exactly what I do.  I hide it in the big unobtrusive set of drawers next to the television cabinet where you would never think to look).  Was I in a bad mood when he brought this CD home?  Perhaps I had PMT or was displaying the "horns-and-teeth" mode my digestive system brings out when I've had too little to eat (I have an overactive pancreas and chronic low blood sugar).

Whatever  - I was delighted to hear the Snowdroppers as a support act when we went to see Wagons last month and puzzled as to why I hadn't heard of them before, given this album is in our collection.  It's a great CD, particularly the opening number Do The Stomp.  But I will say I'm probably more inclined to like it because I've seen these guys play live.  The lead singer's very easy on the eyes... and leaps about on the stage like someone's rammed a power cord somewhere unmentionable.  And what would you call the music?  Punkabilly?  Hi-NRG blues?  Ech, we eschew labels in our house, anyway.

It just goes to show, this project is going to keep on opening my ears to some great tunes.  I guess I can't blame YourZ for holding out on me for all the gems I uncover as we go along... (YourZ sez: phew!)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Another great band from my hometown, The Snowdroppers are also very new.  Too Late To Pray is their debut and highlights exactly what this band is all about: raucous, rollicking good time rock and roll.  And they are even more so live.  In fact, I can hardly wait to see them again, such was the impression they made.

While they might draw both their musical and fashion influences from the past, even down to their nom de plumes (Johnny Wishbone, Pauly K, London and Cougar Jones), their authenticity lies very much in the here and now - this is a well-produced recording, with songs about all manner of modern matters from drugs (Good Drugs Bad Women, Fucked Up), girls (Rosemary, Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms) and the nine to five dilemma (Do The Stomp), among other subjects. 

Musically, they strut the territory between punk and blues and pack a huge punch in doing so.  Often the instrumentation includes banjo and harmonica, but again, while this gives it a certain authenticity, it's not over-played or annoying as both these instruments potentially could be.  In fact, these only add to the whole flavour of the band.  So, if you're living in Australia and reading this, make sure you get out and see The Snowdroppers when they're in your town next.  You won't be disappointed.  For all you overseas readers, watch out because they could very well be coming your way in the future.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.snowdroppers.com/news

Royksopp - Melody A.M.

YOURZ

I think Royksopp was originally pointed out to us by an old friend of ours, Dan, a sound engineer who I used to work with years ago.  But I'm not going to dispute Mine's recollections below as she probably read a good review of this album around the same time. (Mine says: no no no... I bought this when it came out in 2001, BEFORE we were an item my love, you bought the next album in 2005 and that's what you're probably thinking of)

The big question for me to come out of listening to Melody A.M. is - what's the difference between electronica and dance?  Royksopp call themselves electronica and rightly so but there's also dance elements to their music.  Mind you, it's not the 'doof-doof' school of dance but the more chilled, cool groove I really enjoy.  Either way, it's hard to believe this album is nearly ten years old.

There are some very good tracks on this, but I particularly like Remind Me, featuring vocals by Erlend Øye from Kings Of Convenience and The Whitest Boy Alive and Sparks, featuring vocals by Anneli Drecker.  But in general, this is beautifully layered, chilled music, perfect for a quiet night in with a few good friends.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

One of the albums I bought using my Music Magazine Mojo (MMM), Melody AM sounds just as fresh and interesting nine years later.  The samples, the cool beats, the instrumentals, the vocals - they're all delightful and fun to rediscover.  I could label it a Forgotten Gem, but the truth is I haven't forgotten it - I just don't play this music as often as I used to.  There haven't been the occasions for me to do so, I guess.

I mean, here we are, getting on toward half way through this project, and I'm starting to get irritated by the fact that my listening schedule is being dictated to, day after day.  Not that I don't want to listen to all the music that's being selected - I do - but I don't often have time to play some music just for the hell of it.  Hmmph.

Anyway, the only thing I can tell you about Royksopp is they're Norwegian, and put out very cool electronica.  If that's your bag, this album's the best place to start.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For further information go to: http://www.royksopp.com/

In our collection we also have The Understanding

Rodriguez - Cold Fact

MINE

It's not that I really need this CD in our collection; it's just that it takes me back to a time when I was just out of school and discovering what it was like to be an adult.  Not that I was terribly grown-up, you understand, but this album spent a lot of time on our turntables back then, where we discussed what it all meant in deep and meaningful tones, often when slightly or hugely inebriated.

Mostly unknown in his native US, Rodriguez has a cult following in South Africa and was also pretty well-kown in Australia.  Listening to the music now, there's so much I love about the songs Sugar Man, Establishment Blues and I Wonder, but it's the love you have for a classic album.  In fact, I was struck by the resemblance to a lot of Cat Stevens' output.  (Memo: add Tea for the Tillerman to that ever-expanding list)

Another man-and-guitar touchstone for me.  More loved for its wistfully-nostalgic feel than for any real appreciation of the music, some of which I have to admit sounds, well, really '70s.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

I remember a bit of fuss being made about this man, particularly of his song Sugar Man, which I kind of recall from when I was a teenager.  But I was a rock fan back then and generally loud, teenage boy rock too.  Cold Fact just never made it on to my radar.

What surpirsed me is reading about how long it took for this album to achieve success and just how popular he was outside of the US (and how little he knew of his popularity).  It took the better part of a decade for Cold Fact to make an impact and, when it did, it was initially in Australia and New Zealand.  But it wasn't until nearly thirty years after its release that his daughter discovered a fan site in South Africa and found out about his huge fan base there as well.

Listening to Cold Fact for this review, I can understand why it's considered a classic.  There is an honesty about Rodriguez' voice and the songs he writes.  The recordings are rough and ready but also very honest. As a snapshot, it's a great document to the times both musically and in a wider context.  However, as Mine has so rightly pointed out, it is a product of its time and sounds very dated.  Having said this, it's a fascinating listen.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.sugarman.org/

For more information: http://www.sugarman.org/

Pet Shop Boys - Discography

YOURZ

Urp, I was waiting for this.  So, here goes...

Yeah, this is as bad as I thought it was going to be.  But the big problem is the melodies of these tracks are so hook laden I know I'm going to spend days trying to get rid of them out of my head, dammit all!

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

MINE

In a collection of singles spanning from 1986 to '91, there's plenty of big-hit numbers on this best-of collection.  I love their versions of Always On My Mind and  Where The Streets Have No Name - which is seamlessly cut with Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You.  The Pettoes were a big part of my life in that time, moving as I was from gay dance club to gay rave.  Fag hag?  Moi?  OK, guilty as charged.

I'm sure YourZ will have been gritting his teeth through this CD, but listening to Being Boring never fails to uplift me.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP daaahling....

For further information go to: http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

In our collection, we also have Very

The Murmurs - The Murmurs

MINE

Oh, that's such a shame.  This used to be a favourite of mine, particularly for You Suck which combines the sweetness of girly close-harmony with some ballsy lyrics - a nice contrast.  Bad Mood and Carry Me Home are pretty good too.

But the Murmurs have been ruined for me by the equally gorgeous close-harmony girly sounds of Garfunkel & Oates.  If you've never listened to these girls, go and do it now. NOW.  (The songs are good but watching the videos is better.  Yes, you have seen the small dark girl on TV before.)   And mind you're not eating or drinking because you will spray that food or drink all over your keyboard, and I won't be responsible for any damage arising from the hilarity.

The problem with my love affair with G&O is that now I can't listen to girly close-harmony without thinking about Sex With Ducks or Pregnant Women Are Smug.  Dammit.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

I kind of vaguely remember The Murmurs but only because I think one of the girls I shared a house with in the early 90s might have had this CD.  It certainly didn't impress me then because even listening back now, I have no memory of any of these songs. (Mine says: With your encyclopaedic musical memory?  Now you've suprised me...)

I guess if it was as boring to me then as it is to me now, its no wonder I can't recall anything they did.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For further information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Murmurs (sorry but this is all there is)

The Mess Hall - Devils Elbow

YOURZ

I got Devils Elbow after reading about it in local music press.  Even though they are another in the seemingly unending run of two piece bands, I thought I'd give these Sydney boys a turn.  If anything, I was a little cynical, at first.  But then seeing it's produced by Gerling's Burke Reid piqued my interest and now, the more I listen to it, the more I like it.

This is a mix of both old swampy blues and more contemporary influences, both local and international.  I've not seen the band live so I don't know how stripped back their live sound is, but it has been well-captured in this set of raw, dirty tracks.  But there is not doubting these songs were bounced off a concrete wall in a dingy rehearsal space before they ever saw the light of day.  These were born of sweat, spit and the hard yards and are only the better for it.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Odd.  It seems well done, but the more I listened to Devils Elbow the more it annoyed me.  Yet another in the seemingly-endless round of blues-based rock that YourZ purchases, it's really not badly written, played or produced at all.  But that lead singer?  Can't.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For further information go to: http://www.themesshall.com.au/

The Living End - Roll On

MINE

I'm too old for this.  I mean, I was a mad crazy fan of the Stray Cats many years ago (I've seen them two or three times) and the Living End straddle that rock/rockabilly line with ease.  But that was then, and these days I'll leave the wild jumping-around to the younger set.

It's not that they don't play it well (they do) or the songs are boring (they're not) but just that this seems more like something uni students/college kids can whoop and holler to.  I'll leave it to them.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

It's hard to believe this album is ten years old.  It sounds so fresh and vibrant.  At the same time, there are so many classic references, from both punk and rock.  And it doesn't let up, not for a second.  The energy of this three piece virtually zaps out of the speakers.  Listening to Roll On, I found it hard to sit still.  I wanted to move, to do things.  So I rearranged the spare room, our guest room/study/music room, a job I've been meaning to do for a while.  I turned the music up and bopped around the room as I did it.

But then, as Mine so rightly points out, a youngish middle aged man jumping around his spare room like a young punk is only going to come to grief.  Thankfully, I realised the error of my ways before I fell and hurt myself.  And I got the room changed around to just the way I wanted it while writing this review in my head. Who says a man can't do two things at once?

VERDICT: TURN IT UP but remember, be careful out there.

For further information go to: http://www.thelivingend.com/

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

YOURZ

Confession time: I didn't particularly like this album when first heard it.  It took more than a few listens for this aversion to be lifted.  And all this is credit to the power of Justin Vernon and his songs.

I think the first time I heard For Emma, Forever Ago, I was distracted and this is an album that demands the fullest attention of the listener.  But through sheer persistence to understand what the fuss was about, I came to like it very much.  It is beautiful, uncluttered, full of melancholy and utterly spellbinding.  But as I said, it is not for casual listening.  It is for drawing in, taking a breath and collecting ones self.

Locking himself away in a cabin with a fairly simple recording set up and a set of beautifully-crafted songs, Vernon recorded these songs to help get over a broken heart (from the Emma in the title, I believe).  The consistency of production values, the seeming simplicity of instrumentation and the songs themselves point to a truly talented individual.  The biggest test will be in what Bon Iver comes up with next.  Whatever it is, I'm sure I will like it first time.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I love the falsetto crooning Justin Vernon makes seem so effortless.  I love the sheer quietness of this album, that just makes me want to be curled up with a book and some chocolates with the heater on, while the rain pelts down outside.

It's the perfect background for some serious thinking, too.  The melancholia running through the songs encourages introspection, and weirdly would make me recommend this album to a long-distance runner.  No great inspirational tracks, just the feeling of going on and on, under a grey sky.  Vaguely hypnotic.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For further information go to: http://www.myspace.com/boniver

Groove Armada - Lovebox

MINE

Hmmm.... why don't I listen to this more?  Probably because generally when I think Groove Armada, I think Vertigo.  But there's some truly great songs on here, mostly the ones featuring the brittle vocals sampled from Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention).  I love GA's vocal samplings (the Patti Page sample on Vertigo is my song of the album) but Lovebox was perhaps a bit diverse in styling for me at the time it came out.  And that's because you can just put Vertigo on and forget about it, it's really cohesive.

But this has been languishing in the collection for too long, and must come out for some spins around while I've got my groove on.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

There's something infinitely cool about British dance duos.  I don't know what it is and if I did, I probably would be in the sort of enviable position, musically, a lot of these people currently occupy.  And Groove Armada are one of the coolest, without a doubt.

Mine has mentioned Sandy Denny's vocals on Remember, a beautiful chilled number.  But Lovebox features real guest appearances as well as sampled voices. Groove Is On features both rapper Kriminul and Neneh Cherry, while the beautiful soulful voice of Richie Havens takes the lead on Hands Of Time.  On the opener Purple Haze, a guitar-driven piece, rapper Nappy Roots trades off against an unlikely but excellent Status Quo sample.

But the disappointment for me comes with the last quarter of the album, which slips into doofy dance territory and doesn't impress me in the slightest.  In fact, if it weren't for that the other three quarters of this album was so strong, I wouldn't have listened through these tracks.  I can't help wondering why the duo chose to end Lovebox this way, but it's disappointing.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (until track nine, then change discs)

For further information go to: http://www.groovearmada.com/

In our collection we also have Vertigo and Soundboy Rock

The GiveGoods - I Want To Kill A Rich Man

YOURZ

This is one of those gems a dedicated music fan likes to find occasionally.  In fact, as far as I'm concerned, this is my first Forgotten Gem of June.

A mainly Australian indie super-group, of sorts, this features Tom Morgan, formerly of Smudge, Lemonhead man Evan Dando, Paul Dempsey of Something For Kate and Andy Calvert of Whopping Big Naughty as well as guest vocals from Juanita Stein from Waikiki.  It was recorded over two weeks, released with very little fanfare, and then the band went their separate ways.

Musically it's a bit of mixed bag comprising rock, alt-country and a little bit of punk as well.  Tying it all together is Morgan's sharp pop sensibilities, something that formerly had him pegged as 'young man most likely to succeed' before he took a lefts turn and decided fame and stardom, having witnessed what happened to Dando, wasn't for him.

In fact, musically, the Lemonheads connection is undeniable.  I've also thought of Tom Morgan, both as a singer and songwriter, to come from the same stock as Evan.  And songs like Sophisticated Porn or Local Knowledge only serve to highlight this (just in case you're wondering, this is a good thing in my books).  The prize in the middle of this album is the title track, however, with its falsetto backings and dirty chorus, is just superb.

Good luck finding I Want To Kill A Rich Man, though.  Like anything Tom has done in the past, there's very little support network behind it.  And what a shame it is too.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Sometimes I wonder what bands actually think about when they put albums out.  So, when I started listening to this CD I knew absolutely nothing about the band and could barely remember listening to it before.  In fact, up until half way through the album my thoughts went something like this...

"Hmmm... pretty standard rock.  Radio-friendly MOR.  Why did YourZ buy it?  Oh, there's some almost-country.  Nice, but not mind-blowing.  Oh god, this engineer loves the cymbal sound as much as Jack White does.  And again in the next song.  AND AGAIN... it's like the water torture, but aural.  Tink, tink, tink, tink I'm going mad..."

But fortunately the title track kicked in just before I was about to suffer a brain embolism, and it's seriously good.  In fact, the rest of the album was terrific!  And re-listening to the first five songs I thought only the first one was in any danger of seeming boring, while the others were good, except for that damn cymbal sound.  So why open with it?  In fact, why was There's Still Some Life in the Old Girl Yet even included on the album?  Beats me.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (but skip track one for goodness sake)

For more information go to: http://www.myspace.com/thegivegoods

Ella Fitzgerald - Mack the Knife: The Complete Ella In Berlin

MINE

I've spoken many times about my love for jazz divas.  And it all began here, really.  I mean, my father often told me it began with Edith Piaf, whose songs I apparently had memorised when I was three, but I don't think I really knew what it was all about until we had an album of Ella singing Gershwin tunes.

From then on, I've always had some Ella in my collection.  I can sing along with most of the songs - I prefer the fast numbers 'cause I love it when she's scat-singing - but I bought this particular album after much searching because it has a version of Lorelai on it.  It's a song about the legendary siren who tempted sailors to their deaths on a rock in the Rhine.  (I loved this song so much, I made my parents take a detour through Germany so I could see the rock the legend's based on.)  Anyway, it probably also sparked my love for clever lyrics -  She had a most immoral eye/ They called her Lorelai.

And for the record, it has nothing to do with my love for the Gilmore Girls.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

There's no doubting the voice, absolutely none.  Ella's seemingly effortless precision and wonderful tone have made her a household name.  I remember hearing her voice from a very young age as both my parents were fans.  Recorded live in Berlin, this album is one of the 'go-to' albums for Ella fans.

The problem for me is this is jazz, a style I've never really had much time for.  I've been made to feel like a bit of a heathen when I say this, particularly around a few discerning musicians I know.  But fuck it, I know what I like and this kind of sounds like the soundtrack to a bunch of slow 50s movies I saw bits and pieces of when I was a kid.

Having said this, her interpretations of Summertime, Mack The Knife and particularly How High The Moon, with her incredible scat, are absolute gold and worth the price of the whole album.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For further information go to: http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/

Deftones - Diamond Eyes

YOURZ

Let me tell you right from the start: this review is going to be completely subjective.  Of all the bands I like and love, there are very few other who come close to Deftones for me.  I have just about everything they've ever released and am a big fan.  My only shame is I've never seen them live.  Hopefully, this will be remedied in the near future.

Diamond Eyes is their latest album and the first release after bass player Chi Cheng's accident, which left him in a 'minimally conscious state'.  Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the rest of the band put material written for their album Eros aside, and with the assistance of ex-Quicksand bass player Sergio Vega, knuckled down to write and record a blisteringly good set.

In fact, this is the best Deftones album since the last one.  (See, told you this would be subjective).  But seriously, from the pure power of first single Rocket Skates, I knew this was going to be a huge album, maybe their best album (something I'm sure Chi would be chuffed about).  There is both brute force and beauty in equal doses, from the relentless attack of songs like CMND/CTRL and the title track to Sextape and the aptly-named Beauty School.

There is an urgency in all these tracks, a feeling of getting shit done as quickly as possible, of not fucking around because life has just showed itself to be an unpredicatable ride. But what Diamond Eyes also shows is that even from the most tragic of events can spawn something good.  Seriously good.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

No.  Just.... no.  Too noisy, too shouty, too testosterone-fuelled.  But I know I'm the only one in our household who feels that way, so...

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information go to: http://www.deftones.com/

In our collection we also have Adrenaline, Around The Fur, White Pony, Deftones, Saturday Night Wrist, B Sides & Rarities and Back To School (Mini Maggit)

Cowboy Junkies - The Caution Horses

MINE

Why is it, after listening to the Cowboy Junkies, that I just get KD Lang in my head?  There's certainly some similarities between Margo Timmins' voice and KD's, and I guess the soft alt-coutnry stylings of the Junkies are pretty close to Ms Lang's catalogue.  Or is it because they're all Canadians?  No, that can't be right, otherwise we'd own some albums from a certain pointy-headed screecher whose name I can't even be forced to place on this blog.

Generally the Cowboy Junkies are more bitter than sweet, unlike KD.  For example, the song that I bought this album for - 'Cause Cheap is How I Feel -  is a great Christmas song with no happy or jolly about it.  It mentions looking for a present - For something small and frail and plastic, baby/ 'Cause cheap is how I feel

There's also a cover of Neil Young's Powderfinger - but to my shame I have to say I'm really unfamiliar with the original.  Altogether I think this is another album to pull out when the cranky pants are making me frown, and it helps to really listen to the lyrics, as they're often interesting and never ordinary.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The Cowboy Junkies are a band who've essentially passed me by.  I haven't even heard the lauded album, The Trinity Session, which is, apparently, a marvel of recording and engineering.  But I wouldn't know. 

So the anticipation of listening to The Caution Horses was fairly high for me as I thought it was going to be a bit of treat.  I'd been led to believe the Junkies were somewhat like Mazzy Starr, a band I used to have a lot of time for and which provided a nice change for the usual loud rock guitar music I liked.  But the reality is quite different.

This band doesn't sound at all like Mazzy Starr.  In fact, it sounds like a ballady country band.  Oh sure, they do it all well, and Margo's voice is lovely and shares a similarity to Beth Gibbons (from Portishead), the songs are just a little bit too country for my liking.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For further information go to: http://latentrecordings.com/cowboyjunkies/

BT - Movement In Still Life

YOURZ

Regular readers of this page may recall me mentioning a friend who used to work in a local record shop and recommend different releases to me.  Movement In Still Life was one such recommendation, although it now occurs to me my friend didn't really have a good grasp of the sort of music I like.

However, in the case of BT, I think he did reasonalby well.  This is definitely a beat-driven album, which is what appeals to me when it comes to the 'dance' genre (and its myriad sub-genres).  Movement... has a few different shades too, moving from more big beat-driven tracks to trancier numbers.  What ties it all together is the incredible production of the album as a whole.  The last track, Satellite, is well worth the wait too - a lovely acoustic-driven number.

I'm not necessarily a big fan of the trancier stuff as I am, despite what Mine thinks, a lyrics guy and also like a good hook.  The trance numbers are longish and a little repetitive for my liking.  The production, however, is absolutely superb throughout the whole album.  It's no wonder BT has ended up working as producer for the likes of Peter Gabriel and, uh-hum, N-Sync.  Still, gotta got where the money is, I guess.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN (but remember it for our next party, Mine)

MINE

Going from big beat to hip-hop to hard dance and trailing off with some almost-acoustic numbers, Movement in Still Life has all the ingredients you need for a great night out.  In fact when I pressed play for this CD my first thought was "Damn, it's been a long time since I've had a night on the dance floor!"

Which brings me to the conundrum - for a man who buys a hell of a lot of dance music, my husband remains a committed non-dancer.  He likes to watch.  (YourZ sez: hehehe, yes, I likes to watch, hehehehe...)  Me, on the other hand, you can't keep me off the dance floor if there's one to be had, and often if there isn't.  I'll dance in the space between the bar and the jukebox, even if that's the direct route to the bathrooms and I'm being bumped aside every two minutes.  I'll dance in my car (chair-dancing) and have been known to boogie a little in between weightlifting sets at the gym.  I guess what I can praise my husband for is the fact that he manages to contain his embarrassment at my continual wiggling quite well.  Thanks, petal! (YourZ sez: I could watch you dance all day, dear)

Now, see what I mean?  My enthusiasm for the dance has completely removed from my brain any trace of a review I might have for this album.  So...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (pass me a glowstick)

For further information go to: http://www.btmusic.com/

Brand New Heavies - Excursions, Remixes & Rare Grooves

MINE

Funny, how your tastes change. At one time the brand New Heavies were on high rotation on the CD player - nice for background, good to cook to, fun to turn up and dance to.  But now, they seem a little - MOR.

Not that this CD's bad, as such, featuring remixes of their fabulous songs Brother Sister and Dream on, Dreamer.  Plus the final track's a killer - their version of the 70's hit for Maria Muldaur, Midnight at the Oasis, which I've always been fond of (or should that be, of which I've always been fond? whatever)

Basically, this fits into a time in my life when I was into this sort of cool, funky, almost acid-jazz style music.  And while I'd find it the ideal CD to back a dinner party with, I've just moved on, rather.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

I used to know lots of people who claimed to be fans of The Brand New Heavies.  This was way back in the early 90s but for the life of me, I can't recall a single song of theirs, not even after listening to Excursions, Remixes...  Maybe this is more due to my overall dodgy memory although my musical memory is usually pretty good.

What The Brand New Heavies do they do well enough, I suppose, but this kind of music has never had much appeal.  That it is labeled Acid Jazz probably has a lot to do with this.  As Mine said, it really is MOR.  And even their version of Midnight At The Oasis doesn't help.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information go to: http://www.myspace.com/thebrandnewheavies

In our collection we also have Shelter, Brother Sister, Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol 1 and The Brand New Heavies

Blondie - Blondie

YOURZ

The first encounter I can remember having with Blondie was via the video for the track Heart Of Glass, which was absolutely everywhere in the late 70s.  Like a lot of lads at the time, I lusted for Deborah Harry, who was cool, sexy and way out of our league. 

Blondie is the eponymous debut from the band and obviously shows the beginnings of what became a stellar career, albeit one defined where Ms Harry and the Blondie name became entwined to the point where many thought she was Blondie and led to merchandise being issued by the band, in the form of a button, stating 'Blondie Is A Band'.  As a debut it clearly shows the band's penchant for writing wonderfully hook-laden pop.

A leading light on the punk scene, the band eschewed the rough and ready sounds employed by so many of their contemporaries in favour of well arranged and produced tracks, with Harry's voice clear over the top of the instruments.  And what a voice is is too - listening to her, I can imagine she has that sexy half smile she is known for while singing.  What a wonderful picture that is too, although I imagine nothing like the Penthouse magazine pictures Mine mentions below, a magazine I couldn't get my hands on for love or money, damn it all.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

"I couldn't resist you/ I'm not deaf, dumb and blind..."

My first view of Blondie came with this album, when the then-iconic Aussie TV show Countdown played In The Flesh - apparently in error as it was actually the B-side to their first single.  And I fell in love.  While not a real fan of blondes, Debbie Harry's cutting, sultry drawl and that pouty, Parisian look just knocked me over.  Although I didn't buy a Blondie album until Parallel Lines came out the following year, I picked up this CD a few years ago because I don't own In The Flesh.  And it's a great album. 

Ms Harry was also responsible for me buying Penthouse magazine, with many blushes, for the first time.  Because there was a huge 7-page interview and many photos of her, which I clipped out and stuck on my teenage bedroom walls.  Not sure what became of the rest of the magazine...

Blondie became a staple of my record collection, and the Greatest Hits is a poor substitute for the aforementioned Parallel Lines or Autoamerican.  *sigh* more for that damn shopping list, YourZ.  Wasn't the whole object of this exercise to throw music out?  (YourZ sez: look at it this way, hunnybuns - we're only improving on the collection, regardless of what we do).

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

In our collection, we also have The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry & Blondie

M Ward - Hold Time

YOURZ

Matthew Ward, the bugger, gets under your skin and into your head.  Hold Time is a set of songs more like a dose of salts for the senses, a spirit-balming, effortlessly cool set reminiscent of so much while sounding completely original, even when doing covers (Rave On and Oh Lonesome Me), both of which are given startlingly beautiful makeovers, the second also featuring Lucinda Williams on dual vocal duties.

There is no doubt in my mind, M. Ward will be known as one of THE voices of the new century.  His original songs are all keepers, from the stripped down of opener For Beginners and the title track, Hold Time (an instant classic) to the more traditionally arranged Epistemology and To Save Me  (which also features ex-Grandaddy Jason Lytle). 

I was disappointed to read he doesn't like playing live so much (despite putting in performances like this one).  This doesn't bode well to him touring down below, which is a bummer because this is one man I would love to see perform live.  In fact, there's only one other artist I consider to be in the same league as M. Ward and that is Dan Kelly (see our review here).  Thankfully Dan is Australian and loves performing so we will get to see him sooner or later.

Hold Time is so good, I would like to declare it a Forgotten Gem except it hasn't been forgotten and is not likely to be either.  I'm off to see if I can find any of his earlier releases.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's just... beautiful.  His voice is so gorgeous, and the production and arranging are equally lush.  I haven't listened to this CD much since YourZ bought it in January and I'm sorry about that.  I'll just blame this blog once again, for getting in the way of my normal random listening to music.  It's preventing me enjoying the more recent purchases we've made in favour of some dreck we've had hanging around the collection for ages.

OK, I've calmed down now.  M Ward does that to you - he exudes calm, which was handy on the way home in heavy traffic last night.  I'm going to make sure I have it on hand the next time I have a long-distance fight with my mother. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP drown out the sounds that annoy you

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

Swoop - Thriller

MINE

Mmmmm... Forgotten Gem!  OK, I do apologise for the Prelude, with its histrionic use of the WB Yeats poem Second Coming (which is really very good and doesn't deserve the mishanding it receives here).  But then the Funk begins.  Yes, it deserves the capital F.   I've also surprised myself for totally forgetting Swoop when we were reviewing D.I.G. a few days ago, because the bass-and-drum combo of Richmond and Hewetson are also responsible for this band.

I haven't seen Swoop as often as I saw D.I.G., but they were a tour de force in the early 90s when I wiggled my hips to many bands around Sydney.  This is their first album, and comes before 1995's The Woxo Principle which gave them their only major hit, Apple Eyes, which for a time was ubiquitous enough to become annoying.  However it does include Jelly Funk which I think you'll agree is worthy of the capital F-Funk.

Brings me back to that place, that time... and the best songs are going on the gymPod right away!

 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and get funky

YOURZ

All I know of Swoop is they were a white funk band from my home town, pretty much.  Their songs are very well played, cool and fulla funk, but kind of derivative too.  Even so, I do remember Funkify and Everything I Do From Now On Is Going To Be Funky being played a fair bit on the radio when these tracks first came out.

After these few tracks, the album kinda starts to suck hard, moving into dance pop, and not the good kind either.  Then it vaguely redeems itself with the last couple of tracks, particularly Jelly Funk.  But this isn't really enough to save them, at least not for me.

However, I was pleased to find out the musicians who made up this band are still playing, as Professor Groove & The Booty Affair, no less. 

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.last.fm/music/Swoop

Split Enz - Extravagenza

YOURZ

Split Enz were one of the first bands I saw as an impressionable 15 year old boy (so this is the late-ish 70s).  The location was a free festival in Victoria Park at the top end of Sydney city, a trip I took with my brother and some older friends and not a parent in sight.  It was one of those formative occasions, where the older boys, who could buy beer, fed the younger boys both beer and cigarettes and showed us how to have a good time.  I think I drank two cans of some cheap crap ale but remember it was like drinking the nectar of the Gods (in some ways, this feeling hasn't changed, particularly after a long, hot day in the sun).

What I remember of the Enz is a lot of the audience laughing at their ridiculous costumes and makeup but then being suitably impressed by their quirky yet brilliant set of songs.  And fuck, didn't Tim Finn work the crowd into a frenzy.  It was like nothing I'd ever seen.  About the only track I remember distinctly was their hit single of the time, I See Red, which is also included on Extravagenza.  In fact, this double CD collection is a fantastic collection of some of their greatest songs, both the hits and album favourites.

While Crowded House became the more famous of the Finn boy's bands (and deservedly so) I always thought Split Enz were generally a better, more interesting band.  Their output was prodigious and the music quite possibly some of the best skewed pop music ever written (listen to I Got You, One Step Ahead or Hermitt McDermitt - you'll see what I mean).  The playing is absolutely faultless and the lyrics intelligent but hook-laden at the same time.  In fact, listening to all these wonderful tracks together reminded me that we don't have a single Split Enz album on CD, something we're going to definitely have to remedy.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's a live album!  Our first, I think.  (YourZ sez: I do believe you're right, but don't wallow in this praise, okay?)  Recorded in New Zealand with a notable parochial crowd for this precursor to the slightly-better known Crowded House (who are touring again, regardless of their much-vaunted farewell concert on the Opera House steps).  But you can look up other details about the band yourself. 

I first came across Split Enz (also known as Splut Unz in Australia to mimic the NZ accent) by way of the iconic TV chart show of my youth, Countdown.  With their art-school costumes and makeup, they immediately stood out.  But teenage me couldn't really decide if she could forgive what she thought was posing for the stellar sounds. (Take a look).  Awww, doesn't Neil Finn look young??

Then in my later years of high school, I was lucky enough to have a Kiwi for an English teacher (oh, the irony) and she firmly imprinted the Enz on my psyche.  This double album is full of their hits, and some of my favourites include I Got You and the wildly sweeping  Six Months In A Leaky Boat.

We in Australia are often accused of grabbing NZ actors, bands and other celebs and branding them as our own.  But I think these guys remained Kiwi to the end.  Aotearoa, indeed.

 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.frenz.com/splitenz

The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely

MINE

Those of you with sharp eyes will notice athe Raconteurs actually come, alphabetically, ahead of Rocket From the Crypt.  And that's because in Australia, the Raconteurs are  called the Saboteurs.  Because the name was taken.  Now you know.

Anyhoo, this is yet another Jack White project, which strikes me as highly unfair.  I mean, the guy has how many side acts, apart from the Stripes?  Prolific ain't in it.  But I have to announce (drum roll, please) I actually like  this one.  Which I'm so happy about.  I've written before of my desire to admire Mr White's output, given his delight in analog sound and his starkly staring talent.  Finally, he seems to have reinvented his sound just enough for me to fall in love.

And why is that, exactly?  I guess it's because there's not too much of the clever-clever stuff that seems to surface in his other incarnations. This sounds like a real band.  And with super-polished (but not over-polished) production, glorious voices and top-class playing, there's not much more you could ask for in an album.

But you get more (no, not steak knives).  The final track,  Carolina Drama, is a story song that had me turning the volume up high so I didn't miss a single nuance of the strange tale unfolding around me.  And it made me laugh.  This one's a keeper.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

This, as Mine has said, is another of Jack White's projects and a very good one it is too.  The Raconteurs (yeah, Mine has explained that one too) feature a killer lineup aside from White - Brendan Benson (guitarist/vocal with his own successful solo career) and Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler from the band The Greenhornes.  But don't call these guys a supergroup.  As White has said, they're long-time friends who finally got a band together.

Consolers Of The Lonely is the followup to their highly successful debut, Broken Boy Soldiers and is my favourite of the two (although this is splitting hairs, to be honest).  There is something mighty and long-ranging about both sets of songs and these will undoubtedly become American classics in years to come, to be fawned over by zealous pundits and provide inspiration for many basement-closeted musicians around the world.

Kicking off with the eponymous title track, which jumps from straight up blues rock to something else entirely and voiced by both Brendan Benson and Jack White, this track, more than any other on the album, puts the listener on notice that The Raconteurs not only mean business but they're gonna kick your arse as well.  And they don't fuck around either.  Every note sounds like it was meant to be sung or played and they've put a lot of everything here too, from straight up rock to acoustic driven, folky tracks and all the bits in between.  Simply put, if you've not heard this, then stop reading this, click the link above and do yourself a big favour because you won't be disappointed.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

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

In our collection we also have Broken Boy Soldiers