What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

Second album from 1998 from this band.

Named for a Californian town near the Mexican border, the two chief protagonists here were Joey Burns, & John Convertino (who previously played with Howe Gelb in Giant Sand).

This isn't really Alt-Country, but it's close. They play music that sounds to me like it belongs to the US/Mexico border, incorporating Marimba, Accordian, and some Mariachi Brass, with plenty of reverby guitars, and the occasional use of Lap Steel.

Great music.


AllMusic 4+/5 stars.

[AmericanIdle]

Avril Lavigne "What the Hell" - great song!!

[CRAZY-HORSE]

PAUL KELLY "songs from the south-greatest hits" cd, #1Aust.

doncha just hate it when theres no definitive genre to place an artist or an album??? it sucks!

this was PK's first 'best of' set covering the majority of singles over his first decade and a bit as a hit maker here in australia. Kelly is IMO probably equal to Neil & Tim Finn and Nick Cave as a great writer from down under, and possibly one of the finest writers anywhere since the mid 1980's. his songs range from blues,pop,bluegrass,folk,country and rock...which is why it is so hard to define where he fits in the scheme of things. his songs are mainly about suburban life in all its guises from alcoholism,murder,love,prison,sporting heroes, and nostalgic reflections of years past.
his songs are like little stories with characters that seem so familiar, much like those by Ray Davies and Springsteen (to name a couple).
Kelly is still releasing albums and touring to this day, he is currently touring Australia as support act for his good friend Bob Dylan.
in addition, Kelly has won 8 ARIA's(equivelant to the 'grammys'), 6CMAA's(equivelant to CMA's) and is a "hall of famer" here in Australia. its a shame his talent has not been recognised further afield!

tracks:

1. from st.kilda to kings cross** #88 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1pAD2RnlMQ video
2. leaps and bounds** #51 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXgTCg4HAOI audio
3. before too long*** #15 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvfLB8iIqr0 live
4. darling it hurts*** #26 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swrOBSiPjOk live
5. look so fine,feel so low** #76 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZhHu1nSPmY live
6. dumb things*** #30 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RonQBpFm9EI live
7. to her door*** #13 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe6TmSKmu24 live acoustic
8. bradman** #51 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeG8hqQw1U8 video
9. everything's turning white** #25 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghGQHNltroo live
10.sweet guy** #18 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnplUkGzYYg live
11.careless*** #92 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02XQ_Ttln9c live
12.winter coat*** #26 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcBK9jmvbTU audio
13.from little things,big things grow*** #62 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ic1pkgDAlg live
14.when i first met your ma** #87 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T0Q9Hsc1v0 live
15.pouring petrol on a burning man** #27 AU
16.song from the sixteenth floor*** #100 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F42eQd8aSk video
17.love never runs on time*** #43 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nCqf8I9e6Q video
18.deeper water** #39 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVfwtxxbF1k live
19.give in to my love** #27 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1TpqsD2O-k live
20.how to make gravy** #99 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb4YWJgfmQE live

3s=9
2s=11
1s=0

rating: 2.4

[Music Head]

^^

Can't remember the album, but I have something from this guy, under Paul Kelly and the Messengers.
It'll come up eventualy

[CRAZY-HORSE]

^^

Can't remember the album, but I have something from this guy, under Paul Kelly and the Messengers.
It'll come up eventualy

my guess would be his 1986 double album "gossip", not sure that it charted in the US, but pretty sure a couple of tracks made the "mainstream rock" charts there.
the Messengers were originally called "the coloured girls" here, but the PC Brigade overseas forced his record company to rename them.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

LITTLE RED "MIDNIGHT REMEMBER" 2010, CD.

i got this one as a freebie promo copy from my cd shop man, well it wasnt exactly free, it cost me a Latte with an extra shot and two sugars!!!
they are an Aussie band i know nothing about except they get a lot of airtime on the radio and on MTV, the album was released last september here, not even sure how well it did in the charts, but i am pretty sure its their second or third outing on disc.
the first half of the album has a distinct pop/disco feel to it in a very subtle way, the second a more traditional pop sound which is much better than the first half thus the ratings.
theres some beautiful melodies on this one and good harmonies, and on more than one occasion i found myself tapping my feet to the songs.
its a shame theres only seven links available, but the live ones are very good performances.

worst track: all mine
best track: place called love

tracks:

1. get a life....1.7*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTLPpu6x5es live
2. slow motion....1.7*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW1Sa2s6TQI live
3. forget about your man....1.7*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9slsQrNmJ5A audio
4. rock it....1.8*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzPYZT_nn_E live
5. all mine....1.5*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJd5xfSn3YY live
6. i cant wait....1.7*
7. place called love....2.5*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QnjWzsRFs live
8. lazy boy....2.0*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpqWCnYSXm8 live
9. little bit of something....2.5*
10.in my bed....2.0*
11.follow you there....2.0*
12.going wrong....2.5*
13.chelsworth....2.0*

rating: 2.0

[Tiggi]

Follow-up to their 1991 "Best of" that mops up most of their other significant songs.

Punked-up Irish Folk with plenty of drinking songs. How has Shane McGowan survived this long ??

A decent comp.


AllMusic 3/5 stars.

[Tiggi]

The latest from one of the UK's finest current artists.

PJ and band stick to her recent trend of much simpler music, and this is very effective. She's been reading military history, some British (The slaughter that was Gallipoli, and I realise this wasn't a purely British trauma), and some less distinct.

The songs here are all reflections on war, and the resultant tragic human consequences.
Not too much soap-boxing, PJ's more subtle than that.

Great piece of work.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Tiggi]

UK band's debut from 2008.

The music here has a funky Afrobeat feel - similar to Vampire Weekend, or even late-period Talking Heads - that's refreshing, and lively.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Tiggi]

Recently released newie from one of the best bands on the planet...

This one fits with their recent direction of Alt-Rock plastered with unusual electronic beats. This makes for songs that are more about texture than about melody. Won't be easy to get into, but, as usual, I'm confident this will reveal itself slowly after repeated listenings, and will end up as a bit of a favourite.

Truly 21st century music.


AllMusic 3+/5 stars (Harsh IMV).