Sonntag, 27. Jan 2008, 1:26
I'm going to finish this, dammit!
40. Paul Kelly - God Told Me To
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this song, the lead single from Kelly’s exceptional Stolen Apples record, is that is isn’t actually sung, per se, by Paul himself. He instead takes on the character of John Johanna, an bible-bashing criminal, who claims to be “misunderstood”. Over the big rock beat that sounds familiar to R.E.M.’s The One I Love (take a listen and see what you think; maybe it’s just my obsession), John explains how he sees the whole world as sinners, and how he has become the only “Holy” one left. “Those not with me are against me”, he desperately howls near the end. “They’re surely gonna feel my holy fire”. Something this fresh and original I would expect from someone half Paul’s age, but as Rolling Stone put it- “Paul puts nearly all his contemporaries to shame”. Long live Paul Maurice Kelly, and long live his amazing music.
39. Tegan And Sara - Back In Your Head
Out of all the albums I got addicted to in 2007, perhaps the most instant was The Con. Something about the tracklisting, the musical adventure, and the fact you never get bored listening to it in full was part of why it appealed so much to me. Triple J was also a big help on winning this song in particular over for me. It’s a very simple song, with that very recognizable piano ditty and one of the best chorus lines the girls have put their name to – “I’m not unfaithful…but I’ll stray”. Overall, I really think they need to work with Chris Walla more, because once I put The Con on, all the reasons why I forgot that I loved it come right back in my head. Do doo, do doo, do doo, do doo…
38. Stars - Take Me To The Riot
Bad news first- this is no Ageless Beauty. But not many songs can compare to the majesty that indeed is Ageless Beauty. On the plus side (and believe me, the side is quite large), the Canadian quintet have provided us with an anthemic rocker, which works because, in a vein similar to Smells Like Teen Spirit, your focus goes to what’s not being played rather than what is. In the verses, it’s just bass, sparse piano and drums accompanying the vocals. Thus, when the guitars do kick in, the song skyrockets to epic proportions. It’s just beautiful.
37. Andrew Bird – Imitosis
He’s a clever cookie, that Andrew Bird. Not only is he creating majestic indie pop music with a classical twist, but his lyrics are a mouthful, too. In this case, Bird describes the research of a confused scientist who simply cannot understand the way of nature: “Why do they congregate in groups of four/Scatter like a billion spores/And let the wind just carry them away? /How can gametes be so mean//Our famous doctor tried to gleam/As he went home at the end of the day/In this nature show that rages every day/it was bound apart of his intuition”. Andrew is a real poet, and if you enjoy this then I highly recommend picking up Armchair Apocrypha- just excellent.
36. Josh Pyke - Forever Song
You know how I mentioned before how Josh Pyke makes music that’s just plain lovely? Well, all things considered, I think this is the most lovely of his songs. Beautiful harmonies and wonderful lyrics are part of this songs’ simply but ever-so-charming appeal, as Josh proclaims that he wants a song that he can sing forever. Rest assured I’ll be singing along with him…forever!
35. Institut Polaire - City Walls & Empires
While I worked in community radio, I picked up a compilation CD entitled “Kiss My WAMi”, which featured all this awesome music from Perth. This song, in particular, stood out to me. I love its singalong nature, the twangy guitar and the joyous vibes I get from this band. Maybe it’s just a thing with BIG bands (The Arcade Fire, I'm From Barcelona, The Polyphonic Spree, etc), but the old saying “the more the merrier” really does work.
34. Bloc Party – Flux
So Bloc Party have just given us an album’s worth of glorious, angular alt-rock. Where to from here? The dancefloor, naturally. Kele flaunts his robosexuality by abandoning the guitar and taking up the vocoder, while Gordon switches bass for keyboards, all the while creating an epic party tune that was, as rumour has it, initially written for none other than Kylie Minogue. Interesting indeed. I wonder what HER version would have sounded like…but then I just get back to dancing my arse off to this song. One word of warning- do NOT watch the video for this song searching for any form of meaning.
33. Cog - What If
Bondi’s finest kicked back in 2007 after dropping one of the best debut albums not only in Australian history, but of all time, in 2005’s The New Normal. What If is a complex, inquisitive and loud piece of work, which is what we have come to expect from the amazing band that is Cog. If this is any indication of what's to come of their forthcoming Shared Space record, then we could, yet again, be in for something very special indeed.
32. Bliss N Eso – Bullet And A Target
This song furthers the evidence to my claim that hip-hop can change people's lives, and anyone that thinks otherwise is just plain ignorant. The message here is all about helping those around you, and putting yourself in the position of those less fortunate than you before you make judgment. As the song says "Just put yourself between a bullet and a target". Bliss N Eso have always been about having fun and partying, so when they throw a curveball such as this, it's not only a pleasant surprise, but a powerful one. Listen to this song at least once to try and comprehend the message and the heart behind it.
31. Gallows - Abandon Ship
Need a tune to rip your head off upon immediate listen? Go for this.
Need I say more?
MORE SOON!