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)

Eskimo Joe - A Song Is A City

MINE

OK, here's my theory about Perth.  The Westralian capital was accidentally built on a convergence of musical ley lines, so that anyone who starts a band here is instantly three steps in front of anyone else in the country.  How else can you explain the proliferation of artists from a city that has a quarter the population of Sydney and yet seems to spew forward the most amazing talents?

Eskimo Joe is a case in point.  Quite simply, neither YourZ or Mine(self) can understand why they're not headlining stadiums across the world. Kayven Temperley's voice is outstanding, thier compositions and arrangements are truly world-class, and while I can't really remember their live performance - I haven't seen them since 2005 Big Day Out - YourZ assures me they deliver as well in the flesh as they do on CD.  Although I was momentarily stumped when track 3 - Life is Better With You - sounded just like 72 by Turin Brakes.

But all I can say is world, get amongst this band.  They're well worth it.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

My theory about Perth is slightly different to Mine.  Primarily, I think it is the isolation factor, with Perth being particularly remote.  Bands there don't know much else except each other.  Apart from the huge acts who can afford to get tour there, they only really have each other.  This makes for a particularly supportive music community and inspires all to greater heights.  Either this or they want so badly to get over to the other side of Australia to play, they work doubly hard to 'make' it.

Whatever it is, I'm glad of it.  Some of my most favourite Australian bands found their feet in Perth, including INXS (as the Farriss Brothers), Karnivool, Jebediah, The Sleepy Jackson and this band, Eskimo Joe.  While I was writing the recent Grant Lee Buffalo review (see it here), I commented to Mine that they reminded me of someone else and lo, here it is.  The comparisons are the wide sounding, epic quality both bands have, along with detailed arrangements and awesome production.  But it is there the comparisons end.

Eskimo Joe are a natural successor to bands like the aforementioned INXS, sounding quintessentially Australian yet more so at the same time.  A Song Is A City is a pearl of an album - every track on this album is a fucking winner with superior musicianship, killer vocals and arrangements as well as lush production.  As Mine says, why Eskimo Joe aren't fucking enormous around the world is a big question and the answer is beyond me.  

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, tell your friends, buy their back catalogue and make them HUGE!




For more information go to http://www.eskimojoe.net/

In our collection we also have Black Fingernails, Red Wine

Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon

YOURZ

There's an undeniable romanticism to Grant Lee Phillips' compositions and while there's an obvious connection to Americana, for want of a better label, there's also something more worldly and less obvious about the music Grant Lee Buffalo produce.

Mine and YourZ (truly) were listening to Mighty Joe Moon in the car the other night and I was again struck by how broad the landscape of this album is, reminding me more of some of the great Australian artists than anything else.  The beauty of Phillips' vocal delivery, shifting with ease between his unique falsetto and grittier mid-tones, as best exemplified in the hauntingly beautiful Mockingbirds.

There also exists a broad traversal between Grant Lee Buffalo's recordings and live work.  I recall seeing this band many years ago at an inner-city venue in Sydney.  They were just about the loudest band I'd ever seen, particularly for a three piece.  At the same time, the clarity of their sound was superb, not drowned in distortion, as so often was the case with many of the bands I saw back then.

Mighty Joe Moon is an album of many shades, not, as the name could imply, of moonlit darkness.  It is like time spent in a desert, where warmth and light (It's The Life /Side By Side) quickly give over to chill and dark (Sing Along / Demon Called Deception).  But underlying it all is a natural beauty, where the listener is transported to a wonderful landscape.  It is a heck of trip but oh so worth it and completely worthy of being named a Forgotten Gem.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and drift away

MINE

What's not to love?  Beautiful tunes, lush arrangements and a lead singer who can actually sing - the question is, why didn't I take the time out to listen to GLB before?  Especially as Mr Phillips has guest starred on one of my favourite TV shows - Gilmore Girls - many, many times.

His role as the Troubadour of Stars Hollow is only one of the many musical guest appearances on the show.  With music such a big part of the script, plus its relentless pace, sneaky pop-culture references and sparkling wit it's no wonder I fell in love with the show.  In fact I got really cheesed off reading an interview with Skid Row-er Sebastian Bach when he was annoyed at being recognised for his role on Gilmore Girls, rather than for his own music.  Surely, dude, any publicity is good publicity?  Plus, you got paid for the gig, right?

Aaaanyhoo, I really liked Mighty Joe Moon and I vote we own more GLB.  Oh, and I loved their version of  We've Only Just Begun on the compilation  If I Were A Carpenter which I will be voting we review - somewhere down the line...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

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

In our collection we also have Fuzzy and Copperopolis