Original video located here. Accessed 28th November 2016
Song title: Get Better
Artist: White Blanks
Year: 2016
Why I like this song:
It sure rocks hard and that's what makes it stand out in an ocean of synth-heavy acts.
Keep that rock flag flying high
Original video located here. Accessed 25th November 2016
Song title: Sleep to Dream
Artist: Fiona Apple
Year: 1996
Why I like this song:
When I first heard this, I was astonished - largely through it's accusatory nature. Never heard anything of such starkness.
It's doubtful that Fiona would've achieved success hadn't Alanis Morissette paved the way but give me this any day.
Original video located here. Accessed 11th August 2018
Song title: This Is Not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, the Establishment Blues
Artist: Rodriguez
Year: 1970
Why I like this song:
Recently Hobart was graced with the presence of troubadour Rodriguez.
Now normally when I go to see acts live I will go watch names I am familiar with. This is not the case: I knew the man not for his music but his extraordinary story of how he achieved success in South Africa without knowing it. As such, this was an act of exploration. To have ones home town visited by this figure was an opportunity too good to miss. So maybe I will find something to enjoy?
First the support act: One Archie Roach. He did all right but I was concerned: He hasn't being doing to well lately what with having a stroke and his life partner Ruby Hunter passing on. So on stage he did talk about the song he was going to play - nothing wrong with that but it drag on a bit. Indeed, I swear I heard someone nearby say afterwards that he may be going senile.
As for Rodriguez himself, he was great: He was charismatic, engaged with the audience and certainly seemed to be enjoying the second wind to his career. His songs managed to have power, after all these years, and they clearly still resonated. Which says a lot seeing as I went into this gig knowing the name and not the music.
It should be noted that when I got my ticket, I paid extra for the DVD of the documentary. Seems I have seem further exploring to do....
Original video located here. Accessed 18th November 2016
Song title: Scooby Snacks
Artist: Fun Lovin' Criminals
Year: 1996
Why I like this song:
I didn't know what to think of this song when it first came out but over time it grew on me.
Of course its all about robbing banks but that when over my teenaged head: All I knew it was a snappy song.
Also of note, it had samples from Quentin Tarantino movies long before I became aware of what Quentin Tarantino movies were.
Song title: The One I Love
Artist: R.E.M.
Year: 1987
Why I like this song:
Lately I've been listening to R.E.M.'s Document for the first time.
Historically, this was the endpoint of their Indie years. Among some die-hards, this is one of their best.
Personally, this is an album that bridges the gap between their initial/Indie years (which I have only become acquainted with in adulthood) and their success years (which I have know of from a young age). And I can certainly see this album from that particular angle: The R.E.M. presented here is one that knew both here they had come from and where they were heading.
But what does it matter? Document is superb and has certainly aged a lot better than other music of the era. Indeed, for an album released in the late eighties you wouldn't think it was listening to it.
Original video located here. Accessed 14th November 2016
Song title: More
Artist: Sisters of Mercy
Year: 1990
Why I like this song:
Lately I've been listening to the Sisters of Mercy for the first time
Of course I already knew the above song but I always thought it was a Meatloaf song - turns out, I was close: it was a co-write with Jim Steinman, the madman who writes Meatloaf's material.
So the Sisters of Mercy: A touchstone of gothic rock which is basically Andrew Eldritch, a drum machine (Doktor Avalanche) and a whole lot of other people. They've been around for quite a while, their recorded output is small, they have had countless members coming and going, they write very long songs and stability is clearly not the order of the day.
Still these songs do have power and clearly a consistent presence for goth playlists for a reason.
Original video located here. Accessed 11th November 2016
Song title: Single Girl
Artist: Lush
Year: 1996
Why I like this song:
When you abandon shoegaze for Birtpop.
It's a pretty cool song and shows the change of direction had surprising potential.
Also I know some people like this.
Original video located here. Accessed 10th August 2020
Song title: What Planet is This?!
Artist: Seatbelts
Year: 2001
Why I like this song:
All right, can't keep putting it off any longer: Lets talk about the soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop.
But really there's not much I can say that hasn't been said before: Its an anime that has a show-stopper of a soundtrack covering snappy tunes across a variety of genres. Why, such intent is spelled out in the title, utilising a reference to a form of jazz.
And whilst I'm spoilt for choice, I went for this gem from the movie. Seems the quintessential track to the anime and it's soundtrack. Its also just the thing to have an aircraft dogfight to.
Original video located here. Accessed 4th November 2016
Song title: Australia
Artist: Manic Street Preachers
Year: 1996
Why I like this song:
This was my first exposure to the Manic Street Preachers. By this time I knew of the name - largely through me seeing the album charts in the Sunday newspaper at the time and seeing their album, Everything Must Go, doing very well on the UK charts.
It would be the first step on a journey that would last a long time...
Original video located here. Accessed 2nd November 2016
Song title: 100%
Artist: Sonic Youth
Year: 1992
Why I like this song:
Recently I've been listening to Sonic Youth's Dirty album.
I will admit my exposure to Sonic Youth has been rather limited. But what I have heard - Teen Age Riot, Dirty Boots, Sunday, Diamond Sea - has indeed left an impression so I may as well get off my lazy arse and check out a band that a lot of people talk about in revered tones.
And yet even when I had an idea (however vague) of what to expect, this album took me by surprise. It certainly sounds very much of the 1990s alt rock movement that this band helped spawn but it's the end result of a band that had been, at the time, plugging away for over a decade.
Still, maybe this would be worth looking into further...