Song of the Week #230

So here we are in the middle of the media feeding frenzy that's been created by Lance Armstrong and Oprah Winfrey. Seeing Lance admit cheating was like a massive kick in the guts. He doped, he admitted it and now he needs to go away. But forgiveness is a funny thing and people have done far worse and survived.

 

Let's concentrate on some good cycling news. My good friend DJ HB was selected for the Australian Track Cycling Team and is currently wearing the green and gold while racing in Mexico. This is just fabulous news for someone who has been working so hard to make it in the world of cycling.

 

I've spent a lot of time these school holidays on my bikes. Without wanting to blow my own trumpet too hard I've been training the house down and it's been great. Putting in some hours on the road bike certainly gives you time to think – that's when snakes don't try and cross the road in front of you. I've seen two now and that's two too many in my opinion.

 

Angus and I got out to the mountain biking Mecca that is Stromlo Forest Park during the week. After hitting the see-saws, roll overs and associated fun bits we climbed to the top before bombing it down the side of the mountain. It was heaps of fun and I was impressed at how easily Angus got up the climb.

 

Zoe is still in France – she's back in a week – and the real excitement recently has been snow! A bit different to today here where the temperature hit 40 degrees.

 

Let's have some music. No real theme this week, just some cool tracks.

 

DJ AB got me a rather fab CD by a band called the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (read the name carefully). It's a modern take on bagpipe music. Now, I'm not a bagpipe aficionado but I do have a couple of albums by some pipers who would be what I would describe as virtuosos. The Chilli Pipers don't quite make that grade but they are a LOT of fun. I think that where they would rule the roost would be in a live setting – this video proves it. Maybe they play better live?

 

Red Hot Chilli Pipers – Smoke On The Water / Thunderstruck - http://youtu.be/9YdkolAEHj4

 

David Bowie has a new single out. And while reviews are mixed I thought it wasn't too bad. I was in a record shop (I know this is a shock) and was looking through Bowie's back catalogue. It's huge and I didn't really know where to start. So, I've started a journey – all his studio albums in chronological order. It might take me a while but my good friends DJ Ducky and MC FatRollins are h-u-g-e Bowie fans and they have good taste in music. The first album is from 1966 – probably more a collection of singles – there's six of them. Interestingly the reviews on sites like Amazon were fairly scathing. I listened once and was instantly tapping my foot. It's certainly not classic Bowie but it's good stuff. And the recording engineer must've had good chops as the recordings (even though they've been cleaned up) sound pretty good. It's British pop that might tickle your fancy if you like the Austin Powers movies – that's what it made me think of.

 

David Bowie – Can't Help Thinking About Me - http://youtu.be/2QfJBFx_f4Q

 

Justin Townes Earle is a guy whose music I've been meaning to investigate. But every time I'm in a record shop I baulk at the price of his albums. So, I came home and did some listening online. I like it so far. I can see some of his stuff making its way into my collection before too long. I like this live version of his song "Harlem River Blues" as it's a little edgier than the album track. Of course, your mileage may vary. It's a bluesy, country, gospel tune about the happy topic of suicide.

 

Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues - http://youtu.be/5LLqFF89UtU

 

There was a pretty good doco on TV this week about Queen. There's probably a lot of people out there who would rather never hear them again as many of their songs are dreadfully overplayed by commercial radio. Here's a couple you don't hear every day. First up is the track with the opening riff that made me really, really, really want an electric guitar. And it's so simple.

 

Queen – One Vision - http://youtu.be/5cuXasbjhT8

 

And another slab of guitar magic...

 

Queen – Brighton Rock - http://youtu.be/TdUKi3_QntE

Today, after what seems (and is) a very long time, my copy of the Tea Party Live in Australia album finally arrived. I've had the downloaded version (which I paid for) for a while now but it was cool to get the signed LPs. If you fast forward the opening banter on this track you'll be treated to a great song.

 

The Tea Party – Fire In The Head - http://youtu.be/HumbKouo0gg

 

Bands having a bash with an orchestra is nothing new. Deep Purple, Metallica, Yngwie and KISS have all had decent attempts. But who would've thought that our Kylie would make it work? Not me. I was wrong.

 

Kylie – Spinning Around (live) - http://youtu.be/NVAMYXL9wAQ

 

This next band are in the country at the moment and all reports are glowing. Either the record store keeps selling out of their record or there's a distribution issue. I WANT THIS ONE!! Definitely a candidate to listen to on vinyl probably sandwiched between Otis Redding and the Black Crowes.

 

Alabama Shakes – Be Mine - http://youtu.be/LLPMAho8K-0

 

A band who just finished a very short (too short) tour down under are Sabaton. I hope that they can make it back for a full Australian tour as I reckon metal fans in their thousands would support it. Sabaton are a metal band that I don't tire of. They play well, their singer can sing, the seem to enjoy themselves on stage and they sing about real life. I'm sure I've played this before but it's a great video and song.

 

Sabaton – Uprising - http://youtu.be/01IaKb6DmTw

 

Let's finish with something different. A sea shanty. Yep – you heard right. This is probably my find of the week – the whole album is a hoot!

 

Shenandoah – Tom Waits / Keith Richards - http://youtu.be/hJgWaqwZml4

 

That's it.

 

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #229

It's hot. Summer has finally arrived in Australia after being suspiciously absent for a couple of years. Air conditioning is a blessing, bushfires are raging and we've been to the beach – pretty standard.

 

This week's episode will be short and sharp. Frankly, I've been to busy doing other stuff to write a long entry this week. I've been riding my bike (and my legs) into the ground while I wait for various medicos to work out what to do about my foot. The MRI results seem to confirm arthritis and other damage. We had to laugh when it was discovered that I have a broken toe and that it isn't causing any problems at all! I've been doing heaps of hill climbing which I love (being over 11kg lighter helps!) but I'll head out on Sunday for about 100km – a while since I've ridden that far and it's a good feeling to get it done.

 

DJ Al-E has been quite unwell with a very bad back. I'm sad that it's ruined her holidays and that there isn't much that Angus and I can do to help. We've tried to keep her mind off it though while the drugs and exercises do their thing. Al-E and I have started watching the US TV series "Once Upon A Time". I really thought it would suck and have been quite shocked at how cool it is. If you liked Shrek and maybe a good dose of crime fiction then you might enjoy it. After all the reports about "The Hobbit" at the movies we'll definitely be giving it a miss.

 

All the tracks this week come from music that I have purchased recently from two of my favourite places. First up is Landspeed Records in Garema Place – a great range of CDs and a smattering of vinyl too. This is the place to go if you fancy a good poke around, a bargain and good music on their shop system. Today they were playing Bowie's album "Hunky Dory" and I almost bought a copy as a result. The other place I went was Beyond Q Bookstore at the Curtin Shops. It's a bit of a Mecca for second hand books and they have a few records as well. I've heard that some good bands play there occasionally...

 

Here's the music.

 

Gov't Mule are an American band who to me sound like all the good bits from Hendrix, Cream and Led Zep with more of a blues bent as opposed to classic rock. I've found their stuff hard to buy anywhere here so I resorted to the internet to check them out. Very cool indeed. This one really hammers home the Led Zep influence in my opinion.

 

Gov't Mule – Lola Leave Your Light On - http://youtu.be/f5jGzv6yCf0

 

I treated myself to two albums on vinyl this week – both second hand and in great condition. The sound is fantastic and I reckon different to CD – not better, not worse, just different. And there's something cool about the artwork, lyric sheets and all that. I picked up "Rattle and Hum" and "Live Under A Blood Red Sky" both from U2. The former is my favourite U2 record for a number of reasons. One being that I saw the movie in the cinema and was blown away by it. U2 have changed a lot now but this album stands up well. I got "Live Under A Blood Red Sky" because I think it's U2 at their best in a live situation – they are still raw, hungry and intense in all the right ways. Also, the re-mastered version which is all that is available now has had some stuff taken out.

 

U2 – I Will Follow (live at Red Rocks) - http://youtu.be/jv51LO7NOTo

 

U2 – Love Rescue Me (live) - http://youtu.be/QMN49l9H3Bc

 

Skunk Anansie were pretty big in the 90's. I was unsure how to describe their music but a cursory glance through some search engine entries revealed this gem; "an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Anansie ). Personally I think it's more punk than metal but it's pretty good stuff. I picked up their first album "Paranoid and Sunburnt" for $8 and it's a bargain!

 

Skunk Anansie – Intellectualise My Blackness - http://youtu.be/W-UPYJ7ugBM

 

I thought that The Black Crowes were an excellent band. Rambling blues with a nods to country and soul. Chris Robinson, the singer from the band, has a new group called the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. I took a chance on their album, "Big Moon Ritual", on the strength of a track on a sampler CD. Let's hope it was worth it. For fans of the Grateful Dead and Neil Young I reckon.

 

Chris Robinson Brotherhood – Rosalee - http://youtu.be/_7LzsO2DRC8

 

The Gaslight Anthem are a band that have been on my radar for a while now and I've finally put my money across the counter to try an album after my YouTube research. They are described as a punk band with a New Jersey edge. In plain English that seems to mean that they are a louder, more raw version of Springsteen. I can hear bits of the Pogues, Dropkick Murphys and The Clash in there as well. I like it.

 

The Gaslight Anthem – The '59 Sound - http://youtu.be/kJbYaV3KP7Y

 

That's it folks. Watch out on the blog next week at http://www.robwoozle.blogspot.com as I'll finally review the Mark of Cain album as well as publish another instalment in my look at various musical genres.

 

Bye,

DJ Rob

 

 

Song of the Week #228

During the week I wrote a rather long blog post about the Blues. It just sort of happened! I’ll follow it up in weeks to come with more about other musical genres but it’s here if you are interested.

Dear 2012, welcome to Dumpsville, population you! *

The new year always brings a couple of things. Usually some time to reflect as well as resolutions to break.

My resolution was made for me prior to new year. The diet that I have to be on is tough and I’m probably a lot harder on myself than I need to be. But in so many areas I’ve become a bit of an all or nothing kind of guy. I really feel that if I allow myself to deviate from the diet just once that I’ll fall off the wagon or at the very least end up being very grumpy. It’s much easier for me just to say no to a whole lot of stuff and get on with it. I’m lucky that my family understand that this is the way I am even though I know it makes their lives hard too. So, please don’t expect me to break my diet “just this once” or for a special occasion. It just isn’t going to happen.

I wasn’t always so single minded. Will power is something that I really had to work on. In retrospect I wish that I’d had some more of it when I was a young man struggling with an Army career. I do think though that if my training had been more about the Army and less about shouting, polishing, shouting, cleaning bathrooms, shouting and ironing that we would have all been more successful. I still wield a mean iron however and men who come for an interview without their shirt, belt and trousers in alignment have to work hard to get past that initial poor impression that they create. Never wear novelty socks or ties either - instant fail!



Just to clarify; I was far from a lazy slug in my Army time but I could’ve done better if I applied the same effort that I apply to family, work and training as I do now. But a lot of that has come with age and supposed maturity.



We’re on holiday this week having some time away and also avoiding the annual influx of pretend car lovers into Canberra that is Summernats. I feel sorry for real car enthusiasts who are tarred with the same brush as the beer swilling, lecherous, moronic folks who use the festival as an excuse to get blind drunk, leer at women and turn our suburb into a tip.

The Badloves - Lost

This morning I headed out on my bike with only a rough route sketched out. I really had no idea where I would end up and about an hour later I knew I was at a beach (as was evidenced by the sand and surfers) but with no idea really how to get back home. My trusty phone, even with the much maligned Apple maps app soon had me pointed in the right direction and even though I took a circuitous route on purpose I got home in good time. Considering that the majority of my ride was on fairly busy roads I was very impressed with the attitude of drivers here in Newcastle. Kudos to you folks and thank you.


Angus has been ripping up the surf with his Aunt. We gave them lessons as a Christmas present and from all reports they have been very successful. The pressure from Angus to visit the coast will no doubt continue to increase. How long until he can drive??

Wedding Cake Island - Midnight Oil

Credit where credit is due; if you’re in Newcastle head to Darby Street and go to the Glee Cafe for a coffee. Today I had one of the best short black coffees that I’ve had for a long time. Smooth and not bitter at all. Drinking black coffee is something that I have had to work on getting used to over the last couple of months and I’m almost there. My local cafes (Little Bean and Wilbur’s in Hackett) know now that I have some soy milk on the side but I only need it once in a while now.

Billy Bragg - The Milkman of Human Kindness

Apart from the obvious time to be with my family, ride my bike and listen to music, holidays are precious to me because I have time and more importantly, headspace to read books. This is something that I find very hard to do during the school term.

Joe Jackson - Sunday Papers

I finally finished off “Willie’s Bar And Grill” written by Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst about their tour in the USA post 9-11. It wasn’t a bad read. But you really felt that the whole band really had the wind taken out of their sails when Garrett said he was leaving.

I also read Bear Gryll’s autobiography which I got for Christmas from my step-brother and his family. I was surprised at how interesting it was and of all the things he managed to get up to. I also reflected that he was pretty lucky to be able to get into a position where he could just decide to choof off around the world adventuring and not really worry about money.

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (live)

Yesterday DJ Al-E and I visited a fairly good second hand book shop. I picked up two of Henry Rollins earlier collections which I’ll read when I’m in the mood. My good friend H commented that Henry probably writes in CAPS LOCK and exclamation marks. His books, like his music, isn’t for the faint hearted. It’s confronting, often angry and if you’re in the right mental space a very rewarding read.

Rollins Band - Get Some, Go Again

Finally, Granma gave me a book about an Aussie who spent five years in the French Foreign Legion about the same time I was in the Army. Reading his account would really make you wonder why anyone would join up. If you expect professional soldiering then you’re very much mistaken it seems.

I’m still missing Zoe very much but since it’s obvious that she’s having such a good time in France that makes it easier. She was off to the Somme the other day and she’s been doing a whole lot of Christmas/New Year stuff with her extended French family. Tres Bien indeed. I chose this song as the album cover was what instantly came to mind when Zoe turned the Skype camera around out of her window. I’m sure France looks nothing like the Battersea Power Station but the mind is a funny thing. And I’ve discovered my favourite Pink Floyd album it seems...

Pink Floyd - Pigs On The Wing (Part 2)

I haven’t said a lot about music this week but I hope you’ve enjoyed the tracks I’ve slotted in. They are not background music - that’s just something I don’t do. I like to listen and pay attention regardless of what’s playing. And all of these songs have meaning to me at least that relates to what I’ve written.

Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice

Anyway, I’m off for a swim at the beach tomorrow. And if you know me you’ll understand that this is something I don’t take lightly. I really dislike sand and surf. I like swimming though and the pool at Merewether looks pretty inviting. It looks like I can get all the benefits of the coast without the sand!

See you all next week. And thanks for reading this!

DJ Rob
* thanks Homer!

Part 1 - The Blues...

Welcome to the first of what will be a very irregular series of me exploring different musical genres.

 

As Muddy Waters said, "the blues had a baby and they called it rock 'n' roll". I'm no expert on the blues but after listening to Lead Belly in the latest "Song of the Week" entry I moved on to a few other artists.

 

Lead Belly and many early folk blues singers were recorded by a very famous man called Alan Lomax. You can look him up easily but to cut a long story short, he did many, many field recordings of music being played and sung by sharecroppers and prison inmates from the early 1930s. He then carried this on across the USA, Spain, UK and Italy. I've just ordered a book about his life and there look to be some really good collections of the recordings so I'll seek out a few. Apparently there are over 17,000 tracks available online. I'll report back.

 

Here's a track from 1933 recorded in a prison in Texas.

 

Lightning Washington & Prisoners – Good God Almighty (1933) - http://youtu.be/3O3vEOwFuOo

 

I like the story that Alan went looking to record Robert Johnson, found out he'd died, and as a result recorded Honeyboy Edwards and Muddy Waters.

 

Honeyboy Edwards – Spread My Raincoat Down (1942) - http://youtu.be/fATSQa-0iII

 

Muddy Waters – Country Blues (1941) -http://youtu.be/DCL_LpOlTYA

 

Another story that tickles my fancy is the reason that Honeyboy started with the electric guitar in 1946. His National acoustic got stolen!

 

Son House is another famous bluesman. And I just love the Wikipedia entry about his life; "After years of hostility to secular music, as a preacher, and for a few years also as a church pastor, he turned to blues performance at the age of 25." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_House ). He must've been hostile since he was quite young! My introduction to Son House was via an American band called Gov't Mule who covered the song "John The Revelator". It's a popular tune also recorded by John Mellencamp, REM, Nick Cave and lately Steve Vai.

 

Son House – Delta Blues (1941) - http://youtu.be/uABy9xtCK0E

 

Nick Cave – John The Revelator - http://youtu.be/uPmacnYVb6A

 

So what is it about the Blues that makes it interesting to listen to? You hear the same riffs, shuffles and time signatures over and over. The answer is delivery, emotion and authenticity. It's real music sung by real people. Of course there are pretenders in the mix but they're not that hard to spot. Or so you might think. Who would've thought that two Englishmen and a Scot would help bring the blues into the consciousness of a very, very wide audience.

 

Cream – Crossroads (1968) - http://youtu.be/8OLK_HSyy1U

 

I remember hearing Billy Connolly saying that he saw a blues caravan come to Glasgow and suddenly everyone was growing their hair and buying cowboy boots. One artist he mentions is Big Mama Thornton. Aptly named no doubt but have a listen and I'm sure that you might agree that "Big" refers to her voice. That's Buddy Guy on the guitar – reminds me very much of Robert Cray.

 

Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog (1965) - http://youtu.be/5XUAg1_A7IE

 

Just as an aside, here's Billy with some blues...

 

Billy Connolly – Stainless Steel Wellies (1972) - http://youtu.be/g6YZhZaUTGg

 

You can hear the blues influence in so much rock 'n' roll even if you discount the obvious stuff like the Stones, Led Zeppelin and Hendrix. I remember at the age of about 15 being shown how to play a 12-bar blues shuffle in A or E. In any band it's a life saver. Here's a couple of variations on that theme. Simple yet so effective.

 

Little Richard – Long Tall Sally (1956) - http://youtu.be/QFL047fmsgg

 

Georgia Satellites – Keep Your Hands To Yourself - http://youtu.be/J4DOodyJyS4

 

Bo Diddley and Tom Petty – Mona - http://youtu.be/YVRtQUTd7Gk

 

I guess anyone can use the riffs but the lyrics to that Georgia Satellites song would work just as well with something from the 30s or 40s.

 

A few years ago I had a chance to by an oblong guitar like Bo Diddley's – I'm still kicking myself that I didn't.

 

And then I guess there's guys who kept the blues alive. Not that it ever really died. Maybe it just went underground for a while. Artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan opened it up to a wider audience as did U2 when they widened BB King's audience. There's also a little band from Texas called ZZ Top who play some pretty fine blues as well – when they leave their synthesizers at the door.

 

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Mary Had A Little Lamb - http://youtu.be/vaX7Y1GQl5w

 

BB King (with Eric Clapton, Robert Cray and Jimmie Vaughan) – The Thrill Is Gone - http://youtu.be/FMEzFgCLv8c

 

ZZ Top – Jesus Just Left Chicago - http://youtu.be/pN69GC2amTg

 

There's a thousand blues players and singers that I've left out and I make no apology for this. As I said at the beginning, I'm no expert.

 

In terms of Australian blues, it's hard to go past this...

 

Chain – Black & Blue - http://youtu.be/Zjslm31mjm4

 

Or perhaps this...Bob is American but lives here some of the time I believe – a virtuoso who plays the whole instrument!

 

Bob Brozman – Crossroads Blues - http://youtu.be/uRRBKY_JMOE

 

I'll finish with a modern take on a musical genre that has been around since the early 20th century, and ageless lyrics that pre-date this version. I picked this song up years ago on cassette when they were being cleared out of a record store to make way for CDs. Pure genius. The keyboard sound really makes this tune.

 

Robben Ford – Born Under A Bad Sign - http://youtu.be/Gx6ztc8wbWk

 

That's it folks.

 

DJ Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song of the Week #227

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you survived the experience and it was meaningful to you in some way. I learned a life lesson a few years ago now that Christmas is what you want it to be. It needn't be massive and overblown either. This year I spent valuable time with family, gave and received some gifts and had some fantastic meals. We steadfastly refused to go to the Boxing Day sales and laughed at the dog and cat in their Christmas collars. Good times.

 

I've ridden my bike a lot so far these holidays (you can follow my progress on strava.com if you want). The nice thing is that I've ridden both by myself and with a range of people. Yesterday we rode from Tharwa and did the 9km climb up to what used to be the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station. It was one of those rare climbs where everything just felt right. Of course, being (relatively suddenly) 10kg lighter probably means that it is a whole lot easier. If you're here in the nation's capital then it's a beautiful drive up there. The air is clear and the view down the valley is fantastic. If spaceships are your thing then take a look around where they were once tracked from.

 

On to some music. I've been looking through my record, cassette and CD collection for inspiration. This week you'll get some relatively obscure tracks but I hope you give them a chance. I was the DJ at my school radio station for 2.5 years. It was only a one hour weekly show but I loved it. When I started playing songs I liked rather than replicating the local commercial stations I loved it even more.

 

For many years, unless you lived in a capital city here in Australia, you were stuck with commercial AM radio and the dusty playlists that they had. We loved out of town and FM reception was patchy at best. If there was someone good on the community radio station you might jag a few good songs but you had to be lucky. "MTV" and more so ABC television's "rage" changed all that. Rage played bands I had never heard of if you were prepared to be up in the middle of the night. This is one track that came via late night TV. I did buy the album that it came from but really, the single is the only strong track in my opinion.

 

Metal Church – Badlands - http://youtu.be/—tlSW4BqAA

 

When I moved to Canberra at 17 I arrived with a cassette walkman, my precious cassettes and two 1 watt plug in speakers. Tinny would be a fair comment. Soon enough my Dad came to visit and took me out to buy a stereo. It's still pumping out tunes in the lounge room. My subsequent purchase of a CD player meant that I found Impact Records. It was a mecca for all types of music enthusiasts. Staffed by knowledgeable folks and with a huge range of vinyl, CD and cassettes. Impact is no longer here but I did my bit to keep them in business for years!

 

One day I heard this CD being played in the store and I bought a copy based on hearing two or three tracks. It was, and still is, fantastic. I remember feeling a little put out when a few months later success came to the band and they weren't just a secret that I'd shared with Alison and my band!

 

The Lemonheads – Confetti - http://youtu.be/SOMKe4uTALI

 

This next one isn't so obscure but I hasn't heard it for years. It's a track, and a band, that should be played a lot more. I love the jangling, crisp guitar in the verses. I'll have to track this one down on CD. I think the only copy I have is on a compilation cassette I made for DJ Al-Ee all those years ago.

 

Maybe Dolls – Nervous Kid - http://youtu.be/fb083cYZdMk

 

Years ago now, DJ SAB tried to get me into this band. It didn't really work. I liked a few of their songs but found much of their catalogue impenetrable. I know that they're a band with a large and devoted following but try as I did, I couldn't bring myself to be more than a casual listener. I dipped in and out of their work for years. And I realised recently that I still do. I guess that if I've been pulling out tracks for nearly 20 years I should count myself as a fan.

 

Sisters of Mercy – Dominion - http://youtu.be/qWvOHT0zfXY

 

Yesterday I had some time to myself. Christmas guests had departed, Angus was at work and Alison was out with friends. I took the opportunity to check out the Iron Maiden DVD I was given for Christmas. "En Vivo" is a lavish concert production with great sound. It certainly shows a band who have been around for a long time and who show no signs of slowing down. The more recent songs are just as well received as some of the classics. I was prepared to be disappointed or at least underwhelmed by this DVD but it really blew me away – UP THE IRONS!

 

I also began watching a movie about the life of legendary singer/guitarist Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly). Once I got past the fact that his character is being played by TC from Magnum PI the film looked OK. I'll finish it later on. Lead Belly is a huge influence on rock 'n' roll and blues. Listen to Creedence, Beach Boys, Johnny Cash and you'll figure it out.

 

Lead Belly – Rock Island Line - http://youtu.be/7iJEVOUqepo

 

Last week I wrote a full album review for a Brisbane band called "Thirteen Seventy". Thanks to DJ DaddyRollins for sending me the CD and putting me on to the band. It's a great rock record with moody lyrics. If you're interested in something new and independent then the review is here: http://robwoozle.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/album-review-thirteen-seventy-arrest.html

 

Here's a track from one of my favourite cassettes. It's by a guy called Mojo Nixon and it's a complete hoot. I think I bought the cassette because it was in a clearance bin – and now it's almost work out. See what you think...

 

Mojo Nixon – Don Henley Must Die - http://youtu.be/Wm-o7_VVAoU

 

To finish, here's a track from an Australian artist I've just discovered. You can bet he's listened to Lead Belly in the past. Oh my, this is just sublime!!

 

CW Stoneking – Jungle Lullaby - http://youtu.be/9Mclo3kYr9Y

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a ukulele to learn some tunes on! I wonder how it will sound through my Marshall amp....

 

DJ Rob

Album Review - Thirteen Seventy – Arrest The Slide (2012 independent release)

(Please note that I wrote this review before I read the band's biography – probably a mistake!)

It's been forever since I've sat down to write more than just a few lines or a paragraph about a new album release. So bear with me as I could be a bit rusty!

I've listened to this album a lot over the last month. In the car, on the stereo, on the iPod, on my PC and in my office.

Thirteen Seventy are, according to their internet presence, a "noise/rock band from Brisbane".

I happened across them when my very good friend, and fellow music lover, DJ FatBoy sent me a link to listen to one of their tunes. He works with Clint who is the guitar player, vocalist and main writer for the band.

I was pretty impressed with the track and before too long a CD arrived from DJ FatBoy. I resisted the iTunes download option. I like the hard copy in my hot little hands – and the sound quality is better anyway.

For your hard earned dollars you get eleven tracks of rock music with a distinctly Australian flavour. Not Australian in an AC/DC, Angels way but with a mix of flavours. The band list 90's Seattle as well as Australian underground music as their influences and that's a fair description. The guitars are dirty and grungy without being harsh – more Tumbleweed than Soundgarden. There are rich harmonic tones which suggest a love of bands like Dinosaur Jr.

In terms of the song writing, these are mostly songs about relationships in different stages, songs about pain and of helplessness. The album title is "Arrest The Slide" so you could see this album as someone's musical line in the sand.

Whereas with any number of uber-popular bands you know that most of the tracks on an album will be similar, it is not the case for Thirteen Seventy. They always sound like themselves and have a definite and recognisable sound, but there is depth and difference in each track.

The album opens with "Labour In Vain". It's a Radio Birdman / Stooges / Bo Diddley mashup sound which works a treat. And they're into the chorus in about 30 seconds which makes this a great track for radio in my opinion. The song has an urgent beat, tasty guitars and a great vocal performance. And for an indy release the balance in the mix is great. The drums and bass cut through clearly with everyone having their own place in the audio spectrum. (http://youtu.be/mUTaJQoZJVY )

Track 2 is called "F*** Up Again". (the asterisks are mine). With a quiet Nirvana-esque opening followed by the guitars cranking up for the chorus this one is more mainstream than the album's opener. It sounds like the vocals are double tracked in places (or some kind of effect is used) and this adds great texture. (http://youtu.be/Ar-ISW2uxzM )

Next up is "My Lover Loves Everybody". With an insistent single chord introduction this track is very, very catchy and I can see any huge festival crowd pogo dancing to this one. The guitars here sound heavily compressed and driven hard (while retaining an all important warmth that is a feature of the record) – it's a real wall of sound which is sublime to my ears. I think you can probably work out the lyric meaning from the title although there's a twist. (http://youtu.be/PIl4AzS6wEY ) Check out this live version too - http://youtu.be/KpR7QdqpkFg

"What You Know" is a slow, minor key moody number that's maybe reminiscent of Type O Negative.  There are subtle background noises that give this track an eerie feeling – and there's an epic guitar solo that sits far enough back in the mix to blend perfectly with the song instead of assaulting our senses and leaving the band behind. It's a horror movie of a song. Great stuff; Nick Cave or the Sisters of Mercy would love it.

"Lost In Translation" starts in a fairly similar vein to the previous track and I was concerned that they would be too similar. But then a great major key riff kicks in with some big drums and a raw vocal delivery to set a very different scene. There aren't a lot of lyrics to this song but it sounds like an "up yours" type of song.

Track 6 is entitled "Medusa". The opening guitars have a rather groovy dripping sound as the notes ring probably as a result of whatever delay/reverb/phasing/chorus effect they have employed. It sounds fab. This song makes good use of quiet and loud parts. The guitars are much more overdriven here but well controlled. Maybe a Sonic Youth type sound but the melody is more mainstream – in a good way. And in the middle of the 8 minutes of this track you suddenly understand why the band describe themselves as noisy. It's a wonderful psychedelic maelstrom that The Doors or early Pink Floyd would be proud of. It's easy to make a lot of noise, but it's hard to make it sound good and this does.

For "Missing" the guitars are cleaned up and shimmering. The vocals are almost spoken and are definitely dark! Even when the band eventually kicks in there's a quiet grace that they manage to maintain despite sounding really, really loud. There's a spot where the rhythm guitar has a ripped speaker sound that Neil Young would covet.

Track 8, "Blood Is Red", should be listened to on a good sound system or through headphones. There's been some thought been put into where the vocals appear on the stereo spectrum and it really sounds good. It's almost a call and response effect. I really enjoyed the drumming in this track – there's a fantastic staccato or almost military snare fill that really hits the spot (that's a horrible pun – sorry). And there's a real anger to the vocal delivery which is very compelling.

"Sheep" is next up. I'm reminded of a few Lemonheads songs by this one – or maybe a heavy version of You Am I. You could even imagine silverchair ripping their way through this one. For sure the band hasn't lost their momentum as we near the end of the album – they're still rocking hard.

The penultimate track is called "Breathe". The guitar sound at the start of this track is straight out of the Ric Ocasek handbook – but The Cars were never so close to shoe gazing. We're treated to an almost whispered vocal introduction before a cleaned up version of the band join in. As the song goes on the spoken word parts are reminiscent of tracks from The Mark of Cain and again, The Doors. It's another long track clocking in at 9m 45s and it never gets old. Not many bands can carry on for more than about 5 minutes without getting boring or self-indulgent so hats off to Thirteen Seventy! The lyrics are spooky – there's an early Black Sabbath feel that creeps in. Don't skip past this song.

Lastly is the song "1370". Beginning with an acoustic guitar recorded to sound far away this track has a hidden or demo feel about it. Lyrically this number fits well with the album but with only acoustic guitar and vocals I found myself waiting for the band to start playing along. The fact that this didn't happen in the end wasn't an issue – the song works well by itself and you feel that you've had a little taste of something very personal.

To sum up – should you buy this album? I reckon it's well worth a few dollars. It's well recorded, the song writing is solid and the musicianship is very good. It's certainly an album that I'd want to listen to again.

You can get more information on the band here: http://www.myspace.com/thirteenseventy or here: http://www.facebook.com/thirteenseventy/info or even here: http://www.youtube.com/thirteenseventyband

Thanks for reading folks,

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #226

Those of you reading this will have realised that the world hasn't ended. Is anyone really shocked by this news? In my round about tribute to this non-event all this week's tunes will be live versions. Get it?!

 

Let's begin with the master, James Marshall Hendrix. I'm loving this particular version because Jimi is playing a Gibson SG rather than the Fender Stratocaster he's most famous for. Sure, this is a reasonably standard 12 bar blues but it's all in the delivery.

 

Jimi Hendrix Experience – Red House - http://youtu.be/_ypkLenWkOI

 

Staying with the blues for just a minute, here's Stevie Ray Vaughan ripping it up with Albert King. Mentor and pupil! Note that Albert plays his Flying V left handed but it's strung for a right hander – so the strings are upside down.

 

Albert King / Stevie Ray Vaughan – Born Under A Bad Sign - http://youtu.be/okKLYszEnIg

 

Rock 'n' roll is littered with stories of bands and performers who shone very brightly only to be destroyed by drugs and alcohol. I watched a documentary today called "Thank God for Ozzy Osbourne". How he's still alive we'll never know. Throughout the show there's a camera permanently mounted in his tour dressing room wherever he happens to be touring. We see Ozzy going through his vocal warm ups, riding the exercise bike, skipping, on the phone and just about anything else you can think of. But, right at the end of the documentary, as he's about to go onstage he closes the door and gets on his knees in a corner and prays quietly. Now THAT, from the Prince of Darkness, was unexpected. This is one of Ozzy's solo tracks, written about TV evangelists...

 

Ozzy Osbourne – Miracle Man - http://youtu.be/sSe3oB9E-bc

 

I always associate this next song with AM radio and with the Simpsons. Homer singing this track always gives me a good laugh.

 

Steve Miller Band – The Joker - http://youtu.be/eYwKGDe7AnQ

 

Some songs get into our psyche for all the wrong reasons. After hearing this next tune on every crime TV show the intro became my phone ringtone for ages. Great song, but you have to listen to the whole thing not just the first minute or so!

 

The Who – Baba O'Reilly - http://youtu.be/6ZBhgZBjiLE

 

Elton John isn't someone I really associate with rock music. He's a great writer and performer but a rock star? This song proves me wrong. It's got everything; great beat, fabulous dynamics and swagger.

 

Elton John – The Bitch Is Back - http://youtu.be/e8RzSRIKGvs

 

And I've been busy this week. Learning songs on the guitar, a quick 300km motorcycle day out with DJ Bennee, riding my bicycle up too many hills and being totally impressed with Angus and Zoe's school results. It's amazing how much you can fit in when you don't have to go to work! Ha!

 

Next week I'll review some new albums. I know I've already played one track from Ian Hunter's (Mott The Hoople) latest offering. However, the full album arrived in the mail yesterday and it's been on high rotation all day. It's a great rocky, country style album with enough hooks to land a whole school of fish. I haven't been this impressed with an album as a whole for quite a while.

 

Ian Hunter & The Rant Band – Comfortable (Flying Scotsman) - http://youtu.be/CvrPqF6lqEU

 

Note that this week I have avoided the US gun debate. That's while I work out something coherent to write. I seriously doubt that anyone on any side of the gun debate wants kids to die.

 

So, have a great Christmas – celebrate in style and think about why you celebrate at all.

 

Today in a store they were playing the Glee versions of Christmas tunes. It made me want to spew. Here's the antidote...

 

Stryper - Winter Wonderland - http://youtu.be/FwD57Y58s4E

 

Ho, ho, ho!

DJ Rob