Saturday, November 8, 2008

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 12

Spy vs. Spy - Clarity of Mind

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 11

Tall Tales & True - Wasted Life

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 10

The Church - Under the Milky Way

Oz/Kiwi Faves Vol. 9

Hoodoo Gurus - Bittersweet

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 8

The Saints - (I'm) Stranded

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 7

Ratcat - That Ain't Bad

Oz/Kiwi faves Vol. 6

The Mutton Birds - The Heater

Oz/Kiw faves vol. 5

Paul Kelly - Darling It Hurts

Oz/Kiwi faves

Hunters & Collectors - Holy Grail. Unfortunately not about the funniest movie of all time, but a great tune nonetheless.

Oz/Kiwi favourites

Split Enz doing One Step Ahead. Perhaps this band along with Angel City (AKA Angels as they were known in Australia) started my fixations with bands from that part of the world.

And another Aussi/Kiwi band you've missed out on

Band is Strightjacket Fits, song is Down in Splendour.

Aussi and Kiwi artists I love and miss

Ok, I've had a strange fascination with music from Australia and New Zealand since I was a young lad. Here's another from that part of the world (it's the songs I love, not so much the videos, which I don't really watch - just listen). This is/was The Chills with Heavenly Pop Hit. It should have been.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Neil Diamond wants to be the new cool

Did you know that Neil has been trying to launch a comeback a la Johnny Cash? Mr. Diamond even hooked up with Cash's producer Rick Rubin, producing 2 albums worth of mostly stripped down singer songwriter stuff. (Listen at http://www.myspace.com/neildiamond.) However, Neil doesn't do any Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, or Depeche Mode tunes, and he also doesn't have any of those iconic black and white album covers like Cash did. Maybe that's why it just doesn't cut it. Or maybe the heart and soul of The Man in Black just reverberates a million times more in his music. Instead, Mr. D's got a duet with Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks), who I don't mind - but this song goes straight to nowheresville and stays there. And I like old Neil Diamond hits as much as any old man. Perhaps I'm just disappointed because Crooked Fingers are creating perfect pop tunes with occasional Diamondlike flourishes and the man himself is not... (Check out Sleep All Summer at http://www.myspace.com/crookedfingers.)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

whigs versus afghan whigs

My first blog, I'm not prepared, just writing off the top of my pointy little head. Just listening to the Whigs' Mission Control disc. It's alright, maybe not as cool as Afghan Whigs at their peak (1965 is my favourite - try Uptown Again at http://www.myspace.com/theafghanwhigs), but still a rock album worth checking out (listen to Right Hand on My Heart at http://www.myspace.com/thewhigs).