Album of the Week - Vol. 24

Push the Sky Away NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (2013)
Week: Tue 14th to Mon 20th February 2023
Format: Spotify, iPod, CD and vinyl
Producer: Nick Launay with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Track listing:
1. We No Who U R *
2. Wide Lovely Eyes
3. Water's Edge
4. Jubilee Street *
5. Mermaids *
6. We Real Cool
7. Finishing Jubilee Street
8. Higgs Boson Blues *
9. Push the Sky Away *
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 42:40

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of its release this week is Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' fifteenth studio album, Push the Sky Away. I was alerted to this fact by various social media posts from the official Nick Cave accounts. It got me thinking about the album, and how much I liked it. To give me a bit of a push, the next round of posts detailed that for a limited time, the live album launch they performed at Fonda Theatre in L.A. during February 2013, was available to stream for free. I didn't need much encouragement! To https://ptsa.nickcave.com/live-stream (link now defunct) I ventured, and streamed I did! I'd ever seen the show before, and apparently it was released live via YouTube when they first performed it, but it was only available for 24 hours afterwards. I don't believe that it had been seen since. Well, legally anyway. 

The concert started with the band playing the album in full, filmed in black and white footage. Noticeably absent is longtime Bad Seeds drummer Thomas Wylder, who was battling illness at the time, so percussion and drum duties fell to Jim Sclavunos and the newly-returned Barry Adamson. Although Adamson only plays bass on two tracks on Push the Sky Away, he remains on stage throughout the show, contributing guitar, keyboards and backing vocals. His appearance on this record is one of many notable facts, as this was his first time on a Bad Seeds album since 1986's Your Funeral...My Trial. It was great to see the late Conway Savage behind a keyboard, and the mighty Martyn P. Casey on the bass, of course. Cave's right hand man since the late nineties, Mr Warren Ellis, is ever present on an array of loops, instruments and even a little conducting of the small string section. George Vjestica plays on a couple of tracks on the record too, but I am unsure if he is onstage for this concert. There was at least one person I didn't recognise. 

The band, and previously mentioned string section, are also joined by a group of young children from the Silverlake Conservatory, all donned in wireless headsets. Kids from Ecole Saint Martin sing on three of the songs of Push the Sky Away, but these children sing on almost everything they're on stage for. This live performance is just as mesmerising as the recording, with Cave occasionally calling attention to the singing children. Ahhh, scary Uncle Nick, he he he...  

Once the album is flawlessly recreated, the film stock changes to full colour and the group launch into some of their old classics, starting with From Her to Eternity. The children remain with the band for O Children and The Ship Song before they retire for the night. As they begin to leave someone in the crowd yells for them to play Stagger Lee, to which replies "Well, we can't right now..", he he he, protective Uncle Nick. They then run through terrific renditions of Red Right Hand, Deanna, Love Letter and The Mercy Seat. Anyway, the performance was very enjoyable, and if you're a fan and it's still available, I highly recommend it. 

Back to the album in question! I think I bought this shortly after it came out. I had dabbled in Nick Cave's music since 1995's Murder Ballads, but have never really warmed to his eighties output. But I had amassed most of his albums since that landmark offering. While I've listened to bits of them, I don't own the Grinderman albums either. I think it was either word of mouth, or good reviews, or something which drew me to wanting this album, and I bought it without hearing any of the tracks. 

The first notes of album opener We No Who U R drew me in and I loved the track instantly. Although I did enjoy the rest of the album as a whole, it would take a few more listens before I 'got' some songs. Jubilee Street was probably the next track that I really took to. It seemed to be the perfect marriage between previous Bad Seed eras and the new one. The voices of the children in the song's climax just added that little something that made you feel that this was a bit special. Whereas We No Who U R used imagery and feeling in weaving a melody, Jubilee Street is more of a narrative affair, harking back to songs like The Carny and Red Right Hand. The closing title track also became a firm favourite. Almost hypnotic, and somehow sorrowful and uplifting at the same time, it's just a brilliant final song. Set right down in Cave's lower register, it feels like the full stop some albums want but never get. 

Other songs took me a while to really appreciate, and I don't think I've ever really taken to Wide Lovely Eyes, although it's a pleasant enough listen. Written for Cave's wife Susie Bick (who also graces the cover), the constant jarring loop took a bit of getting used to. While it's my least favourite song on the album, it's still pretty good. Two songs really came alive for me after I saw Nick Cave perform at the Fremantle Arts Centre in November 2014 for his solo Australasian tour. Despite being billed as solo Cave, there were still some Bad Seeds in tow, namely Ellis, Casey, Wylder and Adamson. The intention was make those shows an intimate affair, and not a full-blown Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds tour. But yes, the two songs in question were Mermaids and Higgs Boson Blues. I'd always kinda liked them, but after watching Cave draw the crowd in with the latter just changed the way I heard the song. He reached out and touched members of the audience like an evangelical figure, rather than a singer. His swagger and charisma was something to behold. Mermaids really came alive that night as well, with Ellis' wonderful guitar solo at the song's end garnering praise from Cave: "Warren, that was bloody lovely". The studio recording fades out unfortunately, and there's no solo, something that was rectified on the performance of it on Live from KRCW, which was issued in late 2013. I was nearly won over by Water's Edge that night as well, with Cave's suggestive interpretive dance painting a clearer picture than the studio recording. Casey's thundering bass on We Real Cool had a similar effect on me, and I dig both tracks now.

The concept of the song Finishing Jubilee Street, I absolutely love. The narrative just follows Cave after he has completed writing Jubilee Street and falls into a dream. The song didn't really do it for me though. It felt a bit like it was tacked on, despite its direct relevance to the album. I have since grown to really dig the track. I managed to let go of what it might have been, and accept it for what it is. There's a dreamy quality to it, which enhances the feverishness of Cave's descriptive lyrics. Anyway, it's an album I have come to cherish now, and it would be right up there with my favourite Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds records. It's possibly the record that has seen me cross over from casual listener to definite fan. 

There are definite eras in The Bad Seeds as members come and go, and Push the Sky Away ushers in another one. The aforementioned Grinderman albums Cave recorded with Bad Seeds alumni Ellis, Casey and Sclavunos bookend 2008's excellent Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! record, which was the last long player he released with The Bad Seeds. This mini-era was somewhat overshadowed by the thankfully short-lived arrival of Cave's moustache. Push the Sky Away is also the first album produced after the departure of founding Bad Seed Mick Harvey in 2009. Cave's right hand man for many years, the hole Harvey left the group was now being filled by Ellis, who brought loops and soundscapes to this record, cementing the new direction the band would be moving in. Where Ellis' songwriting contributions were peppered throughout earlier albums he played on, he is front and centre with Cave on this one. All songs being written by the two of them, save for Water's Edge and Finishing Jubilee Street which have drummer Wylder receiving co-credit. Sadly, this album would also be the last recorded appearance of Bad Seed Conway Savage, who passed away in 2018 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour the year before. 

Unlike some of my other subjects of the Album of the Week blog posts, I made sure to listen to this record in a variety of ways. Firstly, I wanted a headphone experience, so I streamed it via the Spottersfy. Next, it became my soundtrack in the car as I went to and from a gig over the weekend, via my iPod. At opportune times at home I spun the vinyl and the CD as well. I managed to nab the vinyl copy on Record Store Day in April 2019, while we were in St Kilda, having just seen Norah Jones a night or two beforehand. One thing I liked about listening to it in different ways is that you hook into different aspects. I really liked the vinyl experience, as Mermaids gets a chance to sink in a little bit before you flip the disc. Something that's missing in today's listening. And also holding a record-sized cover of the album artwork. 

Push the Sky Away is the sound of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds entering a new playing field. I've really enjoyed the subsequent releases of Skeleton Tree (2016) and Ghosteen (2019), with the three albums making up an unofficial trilogy of sorts. Cave and Ellis' duo effort Carnage from 2021 is also excellent. Cave teased via The Red Hand Files that there was a new Bad Seeds album coming out this year. The bad news was that he had yet to write it, he he he. I'm very interested to see what comes next.

Happy 10th anniversary, Push the Sky Away!

A Day of Music

Today has been a great day for music, delivered through different formats. It is Saturday, 5th November in the year 2022. Nothing specifically special about that date. Wikipedia tells me that it's the 309th day of the Gregorian calendar, and that 2022 has but 56 days left. I'm inclined to believe it. Oh yeah, and it's Guy Fawkes Day, innit? Or Bonfire Night or whatever you want to call it. Not of particular significance to this little black duck. The fact that it is also the birthday of Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood is of more importance. He's 51, if you're curious. It's also Gram Parsons birthday, who would have turned 76 had he not passed away the age of 26. 

But I digress!

I started the day off for us by spinning Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' wonderful Push the Sky Away album on vinyl. While our record player is in need of serious updating, parts of it sounded really good. Other bits sounded a little distorted, much to my chagrin. So, I decided to ditch the vinyl for the next listen. 

My phone let me know earlier that morning that Neil Young had just dropped an unreleased studio outtake from 1972's Harvest album, which was recorded with a group of musicians he dubbed The Stray Gators. There's a 50th anniversary reissue of the album coming out very soon, you see. The song Journey Through the Past has popped up on numerous live albums and releases, but this was an unheard version. So, I streamed it via the NYA (Neil Young Archives) app and looked for a CD to put on. Really nice version, by the way.

I landed on the wonderful Fleet Foxes box set First Collection 2006-2009. Only got a physical copy of this a few weeks ago, as it's readily available on the Spottersfy. It was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of their debut album Fleet Foxes in 2008. Included in the box set, is the album itself, the Sun Giant EP (released a few months before the album in 2008), The Fleet Foxes EP (self-released in 2006) and a disc of B-sides and rareties. I'd not heard the first EP before, and it's quite different from their subsequent offerings. It's only Robin Pecknold, the singer and songwriter behind the band, and a fellow called Garrett Croxon on the drums. Robin plays/sings every part except the drums. For the sake of continuity, I listened to the three official releases in their chronological, and then finished off with the B-sides disc. Seemed like the way to go. It was very enjoyable, let me tell you.

The next listen saw me open up the Spottersfy and select the newly released Super Deluxe 2022 Remaster of The Beatles album Revolver. I've not really gone in for any of the Super Deluxe releases that have come out in the last few years, but Revolver is my favourite Beatles LP, so I felt like it was worth a delve. The actual remastered album sounded great, but I have trouble hearing major differences in remastering. I had to play the 1987 CDs back-to-back with the 2009 reissues to notice the changes. Certainly an improvement, but I don't think I'm the audiophile that other Beatles fans are. My first real dive into the Beatles was via a cassette box set of all the albums when I was 12. I guess those analogue recordings are my touchstone. 

Anyway, I enjoyed the listen, and got through all the different takes and versions. Some of those tracks popped up on 1996's Anthology 2 compilation, so it wasn't all new to me. When I got to the mono/stereo editions of the album I stopped. It was cool that the alternate versions and stuff kicked off in reverse order. After Tomorrow Never Knows finished on the 2022 remaster, an early take of it signaled the beginning of the bonus material. Then it went to the different takes of Got To Get You Into My Life. It was pretty cool, reliving the album backwards with the alternate recordings. But then you got the Love You Too takes, before launching into the Paperback Writer and Rain ones. The mono and stereo mixes of Revolver included in the package feature those two tracks on the album. Nice idea. Those songs were recorded in the same sessions, but were released as a single in May 1966, three months before Revolver. I might possibly go back to those mixes. But then again, I might not. 

For a slightly mellower listen, I then grabbed The Flying Burrito Brothers excellent The Gilded Palace of Sin album, going back to the CD player. I only got into this one after reviewing it for the AFYCCIM blog I was a part of for a coupla years. Not expecting to like it much at all, I actually became quite enamoured with it. One of the big moments for me was hearing their version of Aretha's Do Right Man Do Right Woman. It was nice way to remember Gram Parsons' birthday. His impact on alt-country rock cannot be overstated. 

As it was Jonny's birthday, it seemed fitting to spin a Radiohead album next, and bizarrely, I chose Kid A. This was the album where it seemed Jonny had put down his guitar, he he he. Anyway, it was a nice revisit. I also played some random tracks on the way home from my gig, namely There There, Airbag and No Surprises.

So, yeah, nothing earth-shattering, but I felt like documenting. 

My Top 20 Albums of 2010-2019

In preparation for the recent JJJ Hottest 100 of the decade 2010-2019, I revisited some of my favourite albums of that period. I've not participated in a Hot 100 since Big Jet Plane was voted No.1 for 2010, but I felt like looking back and enjoying the music I loved from those years. So, I've come up with a bit of a Top 20.

I previously compiled a Top 20 for the years 2000-2009, but I've waylaid that list. I most have a better look around. I'm sure there are albums I got into from period after those years passed. He he he...not that I'll be revisiting that anytime soon(ish).

Anyway, before I get down to listing, here are a clutch of albums from the 2010s (the teens?) that I really dug, but didn't quite make the cut. Enjoyable as they all are, I enjoyed others, um, more. So, the honourable mentions are, in no particular order:

Higher Truth CHRIS CORNELL (2015)
Tempest BOB DYLAN (2012)
Wasting Light FOO FIGHTERS (2014)
Queen of Denmark JOHN GRANT (2010)
Ghosteen NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (2019)
Man Woman Life Death Infinity THE CHURCH (2017)
Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles SUZANNE VEGA (2014)
Only Sparrows JOSH PYKE (2011)
Out of the Game RUFUS WAINWRIGHT (2012)
1989 TAYLOR SWIFT (2014)
Destroyer of the Void BLITZEN TRAPPER (2010)

So, let's get down to business! I'm going to list the albums from twenty to one, because I like it that way. Why not, hey?

20. Fear Inoculum TOOL (2019)
While I'm not the biggest Tool fan in the world, I was quite interested in hearing the album that took 13 years to arrive. As I'd agreed to go and see them live with a dear friend of mine, I felt that I should give it a few decent spins before their concert on Valentine's Day this year. I actually wanted to immerse myself in their new record, so rather than stream it on Spotify or anything, I waited until I could get a physical copy. The initial release of the album in August last year was a limited edition that included a four inch HD rechargeable screen, a 2 watt speaker, a USB charging cable, three bonus digital tracks, a 36 page book... and a price tag of $150. So, I waited in hope for some sort of "regular" release on CD. 

The next version of Fear Inoculum dropped in December. This time around the album was an 'expanded book edition' that included five 3D lenticular cards and a 56 page booklet... with a cost of $90. A little more affordable, but still a lot of money for one album. Thankfully I had some birthday vouchers come to my rescue (thanks, fam!). I'd heard the first two tracks already, but still wanted to take the album in as a whole. Interestingly, the CD release is about six or seven minutes shorter than the digital album available on streaming platforms. So, four instrumental tracks were removed to fit the CD format. I have yet to hear these.

But I digress! My first listen was in the car and took one trip to a gig and back, and another journey to a gig to get through the eighty minute album. I kinda enjoyed it, but I wanted to try again and listen to it in one sitting. A day or so later, I took myself into our outside room/office/studio and listened to the album while thumbing through the booklet and reading the lyrics. Yes, the songs are long, and yes they are all similarly structured (bar Danny Carey's drumming showcase Chocolate Chip Trip), but they're very well presented and performed. I drifted towards Pneuma being my favourite track from the album. Then it was 7empest.

After seeing them live (which was pretty amazing) I really started getting into Fear Inoculum, particularly the songs they performed. I keep coming back to Invincible now as my album pick, and after repeated listens, I have begun to really dig this record. It's arguably one of their most focused efforts, and while it may not be blessed with an immediate and obvious appeal, there are many treasures waiting to reveal themselves. I've spoken with a couple of people who don't rate the new record compared to their earlier work, but I think it's one of their best. Awesome album! 

19. Psychedelic Pill NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE (2012)
I've been a big fan of Neil Young for many years. I was exposed to his music from an early age, as my dad had pretty much all of his records on vinyl. I didn't really get into Neil's music until my early twenties, but when I did, I went down the rabbithole with a vengeance. My enthusiasm for Neil's work hit a high around 1999/2000 with the release of CSNY's Looking Forward album and his wonderful solo effort Silver & Gold. The latter's title track has become a very special song for me over the years, as my wife Rhona and I adopted it as one of 'our songs'. We even named our acoustic duo after it. Back in those days I was also very involved in Neil Young fan websites, swapping bootleg concert recordings and rarities from people all over the world. I was one of those people waiting for that long-promised archives box set, and delighted in a fan's self-made compilation of unreleased tracks titled ABD2000 (Archives Be Damned 2000). That set eventually dropped in 2009, but only spanned 1963-1972, with the somewhat promising title of The Archives Vol. 1. Worried about the musical quality of mp3s, CDs or even Blu-ray discs, Neil has now continued his release of archive material online, utilising high-quality streaming files. So, no second volume was ever released.

But I digress! Again. I was lucky enough to see Neil and Crazy Horse in Melbourne during November 2003, when they toured their Greendale album. Rhona and I met my dad over there and we hung out for a coupla days after taking in the concert together. We caught Neil again (sans Horse) at the Perth Big Day Out in 2009 and our last live experience with him was at Perth Arena (with the Horse) on the Alchemy tour in 2013. That show featured a few performances from this album, which was the first original record Neil had released with the Horse since 2003. It's also Neil's only double studio album, and in my view, one of his last great records.

Admittedly, I've been a little haphazard with Neil over the last decade. There are a couple of albums missing from my collection from 2013, but being a subscriber to NYA, my need to own all of his work has lessened somewhat. Some of his newer albums I've only spun once or twice as well. But, I really dig this offering. The opening track Driftin' Back nudges the twenty-eight minute mark as Neil sings in a style reminiscent of the 1979 classic Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black): "Hey now now, hey now now/I'm driftin' back/Dreaming about the way things sound now/". Classic Neil Young with plenty of soloing and rants about mp3s and mass production. It might even be the longest song in his catalog. Other highlights for me include Born In Ontario, Twisted Road, the title track (possibly the alternate mix) and the sixteen minute epic Walk Like a Giant. A special shout-out to Ramada Inn which also hits the sixteen minute mark, and tells the tale of a couple struggling to stay connected as their relationship sours. I haven't heard last year's Colorado yet (slow off the mark these days), but this is one of my favourite albums from Neil Young, with or without Crazy Horse, this century.

18. Lonely Avenue BEN FOLDS & NICK HORNBY (2010)
What a great concept. I've loved Ben Folds for many years, but must confess that I've never read a Nick Hornby book. I have enjoyed several movies based on his novels though. So, the idea here was that Ben took some prose and poems from Nick and put them to music. Some worked better than others, but when they did work, man, they really worked. I rate some of the songs on this album among Folds' best. The heartbreak and regret of the narrator in the closing track Belinda, is almost as perfect as a song gets. Indeed the cover art features an email to Nick from Ben announcing he'd 'cracked the code' as far as making the song work after slaving over it for so long. 

The material moves from the mildly amusing (album opener A Working Day), to the heartbreaking (Picture Window), to the philosophical (From Above, featuring Australia's own Kate Miller-Heidke) to the slightly outlandish (Saskia Hamilton). Folds' distinctive vocal style and pop sensibilities shine through, but it's Hornby's words that set this album apart from Folds' other offerings.  The closing lines of Password seem Folds-esque, but the reluctant defeat in the narrator's acceptance of his ended relationship is more akin to Rob from High Fidelity: "I don't know you/I thought I did but I don't/I wasn't listening to the right things/One day I won't even remember your face".

While some tracks are certainly better than others, the good more than outweighs the bad and the set works well as an album. It doesn't feel like ten years since this was released, but there you are. Can't argue with time.

17. Life Is Fine PAUL KELLY (2017)
Paul's 23rd studio album is an absolute gem. Bizarrely, it's the first record in his forty odd year career that has hit the top of the charts, debuting at No.1 on its release. Containing a very strong collection of songs, it's hard to pick a standout, and so many feels! The rollicking Firewood and Candles gets your foot tapping, but Petrichor almost threatens to have you crying in your beer. Featuring the talents of Peter 'Lucky' Luscombe on drums, Bill McDonald on bass, Ashley Naylor on guitar, Cameron Bruce on keys, this album's production is first-rate. Add to that mix the transcendent vocals of Vika and Linda Bull, and you've got something really special.

Both sisters get a song to sing lead on as well, and although I don't mind Vika's bash at My Man's Got a Cold, it's one of the weakest tracks on the album, in my opinion. Linda's go at Don't Explain however, is one of my favourite moments. Having heard the original on Paul's Live May, 1992 shortly after its release, I was intrigued that it hadn't popped up on any of his studio albums. As it's from a woman's point of view, it works much better with Linda singing lead.

Other highlights for me include Josephina, Letter In The Rain and the short, but very sweet title track. When the album finishes you're left with a warm feeling after having experienced one of Australia's best singer/songwriters expressing emotions and stories at the top of his game. It's not a concept album, but it takes you on a journey.


16. Skeleton Tree NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (2016)
Messrs Cave & Seeds have released some amazing albums this century, and their sixteenth studio effort is quite different from their previous work. There are strange time signatures, atonal melodies, electronic loops and loud synths. This was the second Cave album to move away from character-driven stories and fables, and was recorded following the tragic death of his son Arthur. Although the majority of material was written before Arthur's sad passing, there are themes of loss and grief throughout the record.

With that knowledge, it can be a difficult listen. On my first spin, the penultimate track Distant Sky absolutely broke me, and I couldn't listen to the song without crying for many subsequent listens. Featuring vocals by Danish soprano singer Else Torp, the lyrics of the chorus just tear through you, soaked in sadness: "Let us go now, my darling companion/Set out for the distant skies". The following verse, sung by Cave, is even weightier: "They told us that our gods would outlive us/But they lied". The most amazing part of this album is that after this heart-wrenching song comes the uplifting title track which hits you like a breath of fresh air. Both of those highlights round off the record with a 1-2 punch of despair and relief. It is quite an emotional journey.

The rest of Skeleton Tree is not without these feelings either. At times Cave is singing with such detachment that you could believe that the words are merely exiting him, whereas on other songs he is riddled with passion. The haunting opening track Jesus Alone has him reciting couplets describing seemingly random characters with all the emotion of a stair banister to chilling effect. In stark contrast, I Need You has Cave almost pleading for his love to be taken seriously against an unusually electronic wash of keyboards and loops.

Although the last two tracks are my biggest highlights, I find the whole album to be quite sublime, and it was a 'go-to' for me on many occasions whilst driving home from Northbridge at 1:30am. As with 2013's excellent Push The Sky Away, Warren Ellis' loops form the skeleton housing the rest of the musical body. Indeed his importance in the band has grown steadily since joining in the early nineties, and his position as Nick's right hand man is cemented. From the delicate twinkle permeating Rings of Saturn to the ominous drone pulsing through Jesus Alone to the frantic skipping sounds of Anthrocene, you can't imagine this album existing without him. Each member of the Bad Seeds brings something to the table, and as the various musicians come and go, the line-up changes have a profound effect on the sound, and the material. Compare this album with to their 1984 debut From Her to Eternity, and you realise that the only factor really linking them is Cave's voice. He's also the only member of the band still in the line-up; so there's that. Anyway, this is a big favourite of mine, and witnessing a lot of this material performed in the Distant Sky live movie at Luna Cinema in Leederville was a borderline religious experience for me.


15. Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs BALL PARK MUSIC (2011)
While on holiday with the family on the Gold Coast in May 2012, Rhona and stumbled across a film clip of It's Nice To Be Alive. We'd never heard of Ball Park Music before, but we both fell in love with the song straight away. I think we even sought out a copy of the album while we were over there. Something about the band's bright pop, mixed with humour and a little cynicism, seemed quite refreshing. We'd kinda drifted away from modern music, so to hear something new that we liked (AND was Australian too!) was quite exciting.

Like It's Nice To Be Alive, there are many songs on this record that stand up to repeated listens. The hilarious acronym iFly belies a much cheekier song title and one of the catchiest tunes on offer. Its opening lines are indicative of the quirk and comic themes that permeate throughout: "I was a very normal night, I was attending a party/And I had many different drinks of sweet fermented fruits". Short, and to the point, Sad Rude Future Dude offers a wry warning of technology and masturbation and Rich People Are Stupid is almost anthemic with its big poppy chorus. 

Chief songwriter and lead singer Sam Cromack has a delivery that may annoy some, but it is perfect for this material. The way his voice blends with bassist Jennifer Boyce's backing vocals is also very aurally pleasing; particularly on songs like Glass Jar and All I Want Is You. Another big highlight for me is the closing track, oddly (but somehow, appropriately) named Happy Healthy Citizen Of The Developed World Blues which also cleverly intertwines lyrics and melody from opening track Literally Baby into its coda. Bizarrely, we were lucky enough to see the Brisbane quintet on a couple of occasions live in the space of a month: once at Southbound 2013 and a few weeks later when they supported Weezer at Perth Arena. While we have several of their subsequent albums, it's this one that we come to. Although their sophomore record Museum also has some great tracks as well. 


14. A Deeper Understanding THE WAR ON DRUGS (2017)
I hadn't heard anything by The War On Drugs until a glowing review of this album encouraged me to take the plunge. I'm sure glad I did, because I loved this almost instantly! From the opening notes of Up All Night, I felt that I was hooked. Lead singer and songwriter Adam Granduciel has a very Dylan-esque delivery which I dug straight away as well.

With an average song length of six minutes, this isn't a speedy spin. You have to let it all wash over you and just float along. As dreamy as the music can be, sometimes there are stabbing guitars that shake you out of the daze a bit. A wonderful synth-pop production with sweeping keyboard lines and catchy vocal hooks. The album's shortest song, Knocked Down, is a fine ballad of unrequited love which is possibly also the easiest listen.

Other highlights for me include Pain, In Chains and the wondrous Strangest Thing, which features a truly memorable instrumental section complete with a searing guitar solo during the reprise at the song's end. The eleven minute Thinking of a Place is another fantastic tracks, and although it's the longest one on the record, it doesn't feel like it is. It never outstays its welcome, and takes its time setting up the mood and feel. Perfect for a night drive.

I still haven't delved back into the band's previous works, and this record is their fourth studio effort. So, maybe I will one day, but I have a feeling that this is a bit of a departure from their early releases. In any event, this is an excellent album that has won many spins from me. I just discovered that this won Best Rock Album at the 2018 Grammys too; so... kudos to the group. 


13. Port of Morrow THE SHINS (2012)

I can remember the first time I heard The Shins, and no, it wasn't Natalie Portman sharing her headphones with me. It was late one night(morning?) watching RAGE in 2001 when a video with a particularly catchy refrain came on. I liked the song and remembered the band name, but couldn't for the life of me recall the title of the track. It was some later that I discovered that the song was Know Your Onion! from The Shins' debut album Oh, Inverted World.

From that time forward I was quite aware of The Shins, as I would get the odd track of theirs on a mixed CD from a friend or a lend of an album of theirs. We've all heard New Slang hundreds of times, but you probably still love it, like me. Or not, he he he.

This is the fourth album from The Shins and the first since the original line-up disbanded in 2009. Only frontman James Mercer remained, but it certainly didn't hurt the music. Well, not on this record anyway. I rate this higher than their previous three efforts, as it works better as an album than the others. There's something more cohesive going on with these tracks, and former Shins Marty Crandall (keys) and Dave Hernandez (guitar) also contribute to a few songs.

I love the sound of this album. There's an eighties aesthetic there, but also a hint of seventies electronica, mixed in with a very noughties overall production. Favourites for me include For a Fool, Simple Song and the jaunty (and apparently semi-autobiographical) Fall of '82. I also really dig 40 Mark Strasse and the wonderful September. The weakest moments for me are album opener The Rifle's Spiral and the closing title track. Not that they really detract from the overall album experience, but my highlights are in the filling, not the crusts. It's a great record to put on and just forget about, as you enjoy the soundtrack going about your day.


12. Stranger Things, Vol. 1 KYLE DIXON & MICHAEL STEIN (2016)
For anyone who watched Stranger Things on Netflix when it appeared out of nowhere back in 2016, you'd know that the music was another exceptional factor of what made the show so great. The choice of eighties music for the soundtrack was pretty damn awesome, but the original score by Survive band members Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein was nothing short of brilliant. Imbibing electronica scores from the likes of Tangerine Dream, Wendy Carlos and Cliff Martinez, the music this duo created add to the feel of the series as well as the era in which it's set.

What I really enjoyed about this album, was that several pieces of music took me back to scenes from the show. Hanging Lights appropriately conjures up images of Joyce Byers stringing up the globes around her house, trying to find a way to communicate with her missing son, Will. Eleven watching TV alone in the Wheeler household is relived while I listen to Lay-Z-Boy and the boys riding their bikes through the streets is encapsulated inside Kids. This certainly isn't an album for casual listening though. You can get lost in the electro-pop bliss of A Kiss, but then get totally freaked out by the thudding Fresh Blood.

I was so excited for the release of this album that I used an iTunes voucher I had to download it before it was available on CD. It seems like its tracklisting is ordered to match the run of the series, but then Coffee & Contemplation pops up on Volume 2, despite Hopper uttering the phrase in the first episode. The second volume is pretty good, but it's this selection of music from the first season that has some of the more iconic score moments, including the awesome main title theme as well. I was quite excited to hear of a compilation of the songs from the first two seasons was being released too, but that turned out to be a little disappointing. Would have preferred an album for each season, and in the order they appeared! Why is it so hard for some soundtracks to do that?!?! Even the snippets of dialogue included weren't that great either.

But anyway, this first volume of the score of Stranger Things is pretty damn good. So many emotions encased inside! You've got wonder, fear, joy, dread, whimsy and even curiousity. I love to throw the odd song from this album into a playlist and it acts like an awesome sorbet of sorts. Dig it!


11. The Suburbs ARCADE FIRE (2010)
I was put onto this album by my great mate Kieran, who basically threw the CD at me and told me to listen to it. I had heard of the Canadian indie band (and knew that Bowie was a fan), but had never listened to track one. As is the way with these things, it languished at my house for some time before I actually gave it a spin. Drawn from the experiences of brothers Win and William Butler's childhood in Texas, The Suburbs shines a light on the mundane and ordinary in quite a compelling way. As Tim Rogers did in Australia with You Am I's Hourly, Daily album in 1996, Arcade Fire don't preach or offer up solutions, they just present the goings-on. There is some comparison between then and now, particularly on the stunning We Used To Wait. I love how the lyrics detail a childhood where walking around killing time was the done thing. You'd write letters and eagerly await the reply to hit your letterbox. Now, not so much.

Opening with the title track, the scene is well set and it's a good indication of what you're in for; although it does get noisy on occasion. Win himself described the album sounding like a cross between Neil Young and Depeche Mode. I love that the record ends with a reprise of the title track, adding to the feel of a concept album. It has been said by some that The Suburbs is a kind of album length sequel to No Cars Go from their 2007 release Neon Bible. That's probably a fair summation. I quite like that song now too.

The galloping charge of Ready to Start prepares you for the coming sonic onslaught. Not that it's heavy, per se, but things get loud. The baffling time signature of the fantastic Modern Man (7/4? 9/8? I'm not sure) adds to its appeal and not knowing what Rococo means doesn't seem to matter either. The punkish Month of May is another album highlight, as is City With No Children.

Arguably, the record's centrepiece and crowning jewel is Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). Régine Chassagne's fantastic vocal delivery is married perfectly to the pseudo-eighties electro production. It comes off as sounding like an experiment between Kate Bush and Howard Jones that went horribly right. Lamenting urban growth, the song paints a vivid picture of empty lots becoming shopping centres and then rotting away to shells of what once was: "Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small/Then we can never get away from the sprawl". That need for darkness after being assaulted by neon lights is so heartfelt as well. Régine and Win's voices entwine brilliantly together when they share lead or harmonise, particularly on the frenetic Empty Room. 

This is a great album that stands up to repeated listens, revealing more on each spin. Although it sags a little in the middle, it starts with a bang and always remains interesting until the last note.


10. But For All These Shrinking Hearts JOSH PYKE (2015)
Rhona and I have been big fans of Josh Pyke for many years, and have seen him perform live around twelve or thirteen times. His 2007 debut album Memories & Dust remains my favourite long player, but this is my favourite effort of Pyke's this century, just ahead of 2011's Only Sparrows.

Like Pyke's debut, nearly every song on this album is killer. Getting off to a great start with Book of Revelations he lays out the theme for what is a fairly introspective affair: "So baby I'd be horrified to find/I'd been the thorn in your side all this time". He follows that up with the bouncy Songlines, which just makes you feel like you're on a roadtrip with your favourite person.

The album's first single There's a Line is quite different from Pyke's usual acoustic folk rock motif, as it features a fairly prominent electronic loop. Took me a while to warm to that, and initially made me wary of the album to follow. I needn't have worried. Some of my favourite songs of Pyke's are on this record.  The ridiculously catchy Be Your Boy is a track that I could almost listen to continuously. Hollering Hearts is a lovely piece of pop fluff and When Your Colours Go is everything a good folk pop rock ballad should be.

I love the theme of the album's penultimate song Doing What You're Told as well. Such a great song, with lyrics we can all relate to: "There is no fire that don't desire a little burn/So what's the point in always doing what you're told". I feel that this song really should have ended the album. It has a wonderful build, and an excellent coda that feels like a full stop. When Someone To Rust With starts off, it almost seems an intrusion. Minor quibble, but there it is.

I'm very interested to see what Pyke has in store for us next, as new singles have popped up on Spotify and the promise of a full album is looming. Thanks for the tunes, Josh!


9. Morning Phase BECK (2014)

It took me a while to really appreciate Beck's Sea Change, which was released some 12 years before this album. I think I bought the album on the strength of its excellent opening track The Golden Age. But, I don't think I listened to the whole thing for ages. Once I started dipping into the record, I started to dig it...a lot. It's become one of my favourite albums ever (I have it on vinyl now, ha ha ha!) and I was quite excited when I heard that Beck was working on what he called a companion piece to Sea Change.

I like a lot of Beck's music. His Odelay! album gets a lot of play in this house, and I love Mutations too. I quite enjoyed what he did with Colours; very bright upbeat numbers, that came dangerously close to being overproduced, but still worked. A couple of his songs turned up on JJJ Hot 100 compilations that I also really dug, namely Girl and Nausea, but I think I prefer him in this mode. The album's second tune (after the 40 second instrumental Cycle) Morning is very similar to The Golden Age, in both mood and pace. The two tracks share a lovely sense of calm that just washes over me. I love them both very much, and they're 'go to' tracks for when I need to relax for a few minutes.

Being a mostly acoustic affair, Morning Phase is perfect listening for those mellow moments, be it early morning or late night. It's full of great songs that you're able to hum or sing along with pretty quickly. Favourites of mine include Blackbird Chain, Heart is a Drum and the sublime Country Down. Like Sea Change, it stands up to repeated listens, and even offers something new with each spin. It's a simpler affair to the former, and if I had one criticism it's the two instrumental pieces. I don't think they add anything to the album, and I feel the start would benefit from kicking off with Morning. Wonderful stuff though!


8. Antiphon MIDLAKE (2013)
Something unusual happened to Midlake when they were in the middle of recording their fourth album. In November 2012, their lead singer, and main songwriter, Tim Smith decided to leave the group. That could have been the death knell for both the album and the band, but they decided to carry on with guitarist Eric Pulido taking over on lead vocals. Scrapping what was already recorded, the group recruited occasional members Joey McClellan and Jesse Chandler into the permanent lineup and started all over again.

What came out of the now 6-piece Texan band was an album that arguably surpassed the merits of their previous effort The Courage of Others. I'm a massive fan of their sophomore album of 2006, The Trials of Van Occupanther, but was disappointed in the follow-up, although it had some great songs. While this album doesn't reach the lofty heights of TToVO, it's a return to form, but the band is a little different. The opening title track perfectly sets up what you're in for...this isn't the Midlake of albums past. It's a little noisier, the keyboards have returned, and Eric's voice isn't as 'pretty' as Tim's. That's not a bad thing though. The stacked harmonies are great, the tunes are fab and for the most part, the production's right on (sorry for the nick, Grandaddy). According to a definition I found online, an antiphon is a short chant sung or recited before or after a psalm. As someone who sees music as something of a religion, I can understand why the band chose the word for their first album, and song, without Tim Smith.

The first half of Antiphon is quite strong, with excellent tracks like The Old and the Young, It's Going Down and Provider; the latter getting a reprise at the album's close. The only real misstep for me, is the meandering instrumental Vale, which jumps from mellow to noisy with no real merit. Another big highlight for me is This Weight, which features some great harmonies that are reminiscent of their earlier sound, but sans Tim.

So, while quite different from their two previous releases, I found this album to be a terrific listen. One of the few examples where a band undergoes a fairly major change, but manages to succeed in moving forward. This is still the most recent album they have released, with Eric Pulido releasing a solo record under the moniker E.B. the Younger. Here's hoping they have something new to share soon.

7. ★ DAVID BOWIE (2016)
Released on Bowie's 69th birthday, this would prove to be his final album, passing away from liver cancer only two days later. After his death, it was revealed that ★ was created as a parting gift to his many fans. Having bought the CD on the day of its release, the album suddenly took on a whole new meaning with the news of Bowie's passing.

I had resisted watching the video for the title track, which was dropped a few months before the record, as I wanted to take in the whole thing at once. Of the seven tracks, I was surprised to see that two of the songs were previously released, albeit different versions. The first of those tracks, 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, was the B-side of the other and has an almost industrial feel on here. This is arguably the weakest moment on the record, but that's probably only because the rest is so strong. The second of the pair is Sue (Or in a Season of Crime), which first surfaced in November 2014 on the excellent Nothing Has Changed compilation. Shaved down from its original seven and a half minute track length by nearly three minutes, Sue isn't as jazzy as it once was, but is still quite a haunting tale, and quite a unique entry in Bowie's bank of songs.

Getting back to the title track, it's possibly the longest song in Bowie's catalog since Station to Station's ten minute opener. It's not surprising to learn that the song started off as two separate pieces, and were then stitched together to startling effect. The way the song segues between to two movements is very clever, and it's not only one of my favourite songs on this album, it's one of my favourite Bowie songs as well.

The eerily prophetic Lazarus is probably the song that hits the hardest, particularly when you watch the video clip. Opening with the words "Look at me, I'm in heaven", Bowie's death proved this was closer to truth than we all once thought. Another big highlight for me, and I dig the saxophone play out at the end. I'm also quite a fan of Girl Loves Me, which employs the use of Nadsat language, created by Anthony Burgess for the gang members in his book A Clockwork Orange. It's fun to hear Bowie drop the F-bomb too.

The closing track is one of the most apt final songs on any album. As this record, and indeed his life, comes to an end, Bowie all but bares his soul on I Can't Give Everything Away. As much as he's given to his fans, there is still a part of him that remains his own. He even ponders how he has been studied and scrutinised over the years: "Seeing more and feeling less/Saying no but meaning yes/That's all I ever meant/That's the message that I sent".

It can be a difficult listen at times, as it was created to be his final album. Forever the chameleon, it is quite different from 2013's fairly straightforward The Next Day, and it was revealed that he was listening to a lot of Kendrick Lamar during the recording process. Hints of jazz, industrial, art rock and even some experimental ideas permeate this record. A fitting last chapter for one of music's most defiant and innovative stars.


6. Spring and Fall PAUL KELLY (2012)
PK makes a second appearance on this list, and with good reason. This is a truly wonderful album that I have played umpteen times since its release. There's a loose concept tying these songs together, as the marvellous opening track New Found Year celebrates a couple who are in the early stages of their relationship. Throughout the album, this love deteriorates and the spring at the start of the record descends into the fall.

The next two tracks also celebrate love, with When a Woman Loves a Man looking through the lady's eyes, and For the Ages from the fella's point of view. There are bumps along with way, as shown in Sometimes My Baby and Cold As Canada. The sombre Someone New has the song's narrator wishing to cheat on his lover without wrecking the relationship, choosing to disappear into fantasy every day.

By the album's end, a reconciliation seems to be on the cards with I'm Still On Your Side, but things have really hit the skids with the not-so-subtle None Of Your Business Now. The final track, Little Aches and Pains is one of my favourite Paul Kelly songs of all time. The lyrics are just fantastic, as this introspective ballad has Kelly pondering the current point of his life: "I have found that what you don't know WILL hurt you/And what doesn't kill you makes you weaker".

Armed with his trusty regular drummer Pete Luscombe and his brother Dan Luscombe on the piano, Kelly also enlisted Greg "J" Walker (of Machine Translations fame) on the upright bass and other instruments. Paul's nephew Dan Kelly is also on harmony vocals and guitar, even co-writing three of the tracks. Add in a few other guest musicians, including the wonderful Bull sisters, and you've got quite a family affair, with a quite a relaxed, stripped-back feel.

As it was Paul's first studio album of original material since 2007's Stolen Apples, this was a much anticipated release! For me, at least, he he he. This is a great record to put on and just leave in the background while you kick back with friends or loved ones. It's also a good one to lose yourself in, and just get absorbed by the stories and images.


5. Helplessness Blues FLEET FOXES (2011)
I was a little late to the Fleet Foxes party. I initially dismissed them as hipster folk wannabes, but I stumbled across He Doesn't Know Why playing in a pub on the inhouse video-tainment. I really loved their harmonies, and their reverb-saturated vocals seemed to create a new aural landscape for me. I know that annoys some, but I dug it. I went back to their first album and listened to it a lot. There's some songs on that record that I could happily listen to over and over again.

I'm pretty sure around that time their second album, Helplessness Blues, had just been released. I got myself a copy of that and promptly ignored it. For whatever reason it took me ages to actually listen to it. Once I did, it hooked me in. It's quite similar in vibe to their 2008 debut album, but a little slicker, in a good way. They have kept their indie folky poppy feel, but refined it somehow.

On the first few listens it was Sim Sala Bim and Battery Kinzie that really appealed to me. While I still dig those tracks, further spins revealed more gems. The wonderfully laid-back Lorelai is so catchy that you start singing along almost immediately. Opening track Montezuma is a slow burn, and one that rewards repeated listens. There's some lovely minimalist ballads in Blue Spotted Tail and Someone You'd Admire as well. 

However, it's the title track that absolutely slays me. It starts off quite soft and stripped back. You nearly have to turn it up when it begins, because it seems like the volume level has dipped. A song of two halves, the opening section is quite introspective as lead singer and band songwriter Robin Peckold grapples with his world weariness: "If I know only one thing, it's that everything that I see/Of the world outside is so inconceivable often I barely can speak". I love that someone put the word 'inconceivable' into a song too, he he he. Once the second part lifts up, the volume increases and the harmonies sweep in, and with them a fuller musical arrangement. It's glorious. 

The only track I struggle with is The Shrine/An Argument which starts off strong, but descends into some sort of woodwind cacophony. I guess it's the 'argument' section of the song. I understand the artistic intent, but it's a little hard on the ears. It does, however, make the aforementioned Blue Spotted Tail even sweeter and a welcome relief. The fab closing track Grown Ocean also gains a celebratory "that's all folks, thanks for listening" sentiment which seems like an aural reward as well. For those who dig trivia, this is only Fleet Foxes album to feature Josh Tillman on the drums. He would leave the band in 2012 to pursue a solo career as Father John Misty.

4. Random Access Memories DAFT PUNK (2013)
While I've never been the biggest Daft Punk fan, I always knew they were around. Who could escape earworms like One More Time and Around the World? I think it was my son Lachlan stumbling across a video of someone dancing to Harder, Better, Faster Stronger on YouTube that kicked off the Daft Punk thing in our house. I ended up finding other versions of the dance for him, most of them employing the words written on peoples' hands or legs or other (G-rated) body parts.

I remember being hugely impressed by the Tron: Legacy soundtrack that Daft Punk scored, so that was possibly the first CD of theirs I bought. Maybe. He he he, I acquired copies of all the albums for Lachlan to trawl through (including Daft Club and the Alive records) and eventually got Homework and Discovery on CD too. It was quite cool giving him Alive 1997 on vinyl for his 11th birthday. Anyway, as Lachlan and I made our way through the Daft Punk catalog we gravitated towards different sounds of their spectrum. He really dug the robotic effects and voices on Human After All and I loved the melodic and catchy hooks of Discovery. Random Access Memories seems to marry both of these elements together, so we found common ground on this one, he he he.

Despite the French duo being on the scene for over fifteen years, this is only their fourth official album. This record also employs more musicians and real playing than their previous releases, harking back to the funk and dance numbers of the seventies and eighties; as hinted at by the fabulous lettering in the album artwork. You have classic session players like Nathan East, Omar Hakim, John Robinson and Nile Rodgers on the same record as Pharrell Williams, Todd Edwards and Julian Casablancas (The Strokes). What a bizarre mix of musos! And that's not even half of the people on the album.

Casablancas sings lead on Instant Crush, which is one of the best songs on offer here. Innovative producer and songwriter Giorgio Moroder performs a fascinating monologue on his roots in Giorgio By Moroder before the band hit the hyperdrive switch on a very Moroder-esque instrumental play-out. While Get Lucky was the monster hit single from the album, I find the other track featuring Pharrell, Lose Yourself To Dance, a more enjoyable listen. Panda Bear's lively contributions to the late-night party anthem Doin' It Right make it joyously infectious and Paul Williams' heartfelt vocal delivery on Touch is sublime.

Daft Punk's duo behind the masks, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, certainly raised the bar with this one. Unlike previous albums, there's no song I prefer to skip forward here. It's all killer, no filler, to dust off an old chestnut. From the opening track's mission statement to the sampling of Sherbet's We Ride Tonight (from their days as The Sherbs) on Contact, I can safely assert they were successful in Giving Life Back to Music. One wonders what their next album will bring...whenever that may be.

3. Push The Sky Away NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (2013)
This is a glorious album, and quite possibly, my favourite Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds record. From the opening piano of We No Who U R, this signals quite a departure from their previous work. The fifteenth studio album from the group, this is also notable for being the first record released after long time Bad Seed Mick Harvey's departure in 2009. Not only that, Bad Seed alumni Barry Adamson contributes to a couple of tracks as well, his first appearance on an album of theirs since 1986's Your Funeral...My Trial. 

Recorded in France, and produced by Nick Launay (his fourth for the band), this album is wonderfully uncluttered and pure. There is very little use of overdubbing, as can be seen on 20,000 Days on Earth when the group perform the sublime Higgs Boson Blues in its entirety in the studio. It sounds very similar to the released track, so it wouldn't surprise me if the take we see on that documentary is one and the same. This scene in the film also shows how intuitive the Bad Seeds are as a band, with particular mention given to the excellent work of drummer Thomas Wydler, a Bad Seed since 1985. 

Like most excellent records, there isn't a dud track here; some are just better than others. Jubilee Street has one of the best builds you could ever ask for in a song, with some of my favourite Cave lyrics to boot: "The problem was she had a little black book/And my name was written on every page". The fabulous Mermaids is beautifully exquisite, even though it is denied the wondrous guitar solo Warren Ellis gives it on Live from KRCW.

The menacing bass lines of Martyn P. Casey on We Real Cool and Water's Edge add a new dimension to the sparse soundscape created by the band and the almost whimsical Wide Lovely Eyes is given a heartbeat courtesy of Ellis' looping skills. The closing title track is another big highlight for me, which manages to run the gamut of being oppressive and somehow liberating. As the young children's voices join in on the chorus: "You've got to keep on pushing/Keep on pushing/Push the sky away", there's a kind of innocent hope permeating through.

With a tracklisting of only nine songs, the album still manages to hit the forty two minute mark. The answer to life, the universe and everything. Coincidence? Most likely, but a nice bit of trivia worth noting. This is another record that would sometimes provide the soundtrack to my drive home from Northbridge, and it has lost nothing in those repeated listens.


2. Making Mirrors GOTYE (2011)
For a long time, Gotye was just that guy who did Heart's A Mess, a song I didn't particularly like. Then his song Somebody That Used I Know blew up all over the world, becoming the first track by an Australian solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 in the US since Olivia Newton-John's smash hit Physical in 1981. It took a while before I even heard the thing, although I was aware of it. I reckon it was almost a year after its release that I clapped ears on it for the first time.

Once I did, I thought there might be more to this Gotye guy. I eventually got a copy of Making Mirrors and became quite enamoured with it. What really struck me, was the genre-hopping as he effortlessly went from straightforward pop, to art rock to old school R&B to sinister atmospherics. From the galloping attack of Easy Way Out, the rulebook is thrown out. Whether he's sampling dialogue or grooves for the ‎musique concrète-ish A Distinctive Sound or strumming an acoustic guitar with glee on In Your Light, the confidence in his songwriting and execution is astounding.

Kimbra's guest vocals on the aforementioned Somebody That I Used To Know are a welcome addition and give the song an added sense of turmoil, sharing the other side of the story in the crumbling relationship. Despite the track's saturation throughout the world, and the fact that the xylophone riff is basically Baa Baa Black Sheep, I still really like it. Other highlights for me include the uplifting I Feel Better, the technology celebration State of the Art and the mantra-like Save Me.

This album got an absolute hammering from me. I played it so much, that I thought it was worth revisiting Gotye's earlier work, starting with Heart's A Mess, which I had on a JJJ Hot 100 compilation. I ended up doing a complete 180 on the track and it has now become a huge favourite of mine. Once I got a copy of the album it appeared on, 2006's Like Drawing Blood, I loved it even more, as that version was at least a minute and half longer. I also really enjoyed that album, finding it a kindred spirit to Making Mirrors in the way it shifted genres. A comparison of the two albums' tracklistings reveals a similar pattern of song types.

Hopefully Gotye releases a new album in the near future. I can't believe that this is nearly a decade old. It's a fun listen, with music being created for music's sake and much enjoyment.


1. Currents TAME IMPALA (2015)
Well, since I started writing this blog, the JJJ Hottest 100 of the 2010-2019 has been and gone. I was not surprised to see Tame Impala top the list, but I wasn't expecting The Less I Know The Better to take the No.1 spot. Great song, and one of my faves, but I thought Let It Happen would be the one. But having not listened to JJJ for over a decade, I missed all the playful derision aimed at Trevor and the T-shirts and stuff.

I should a rewind a bit though. Again, I was late to the Tame Impala party. I knew who they were, I could name a coupla songs, and even sing a little bit of Elephant, but I wasn't overly familiar with their work. When Currents was released I remember liking the cover and that reviews were saying it was less of a guitar album than previous efforts. A year or two later, I believe it was a Spotify Discover Weekly playlist that introduced me to Yes I'm Changing, which I loved almost instantly. It had such a hypnotic bassline with a great mellow feel, and I was very surprised to learn it was Tame Impala. I think I found Let It Happen from another SDW playlist too, and I fell for that pretty hard. So many great hooks, and it didn't outstay its welcome despite the (almost) eight minute track length. On the strength of those two songs, I bought the album. I was not disappointed.

I have probably played this album more than any other album on this list, which is why it's at the top. I find the music massively appealing, comforting, engaging, you name it. I just dig it. I also learned that Tame Impala is actually Fremantle's own Kevin Parker, writing and playing all the instruments. In fact, this is the third Tame Impala album, and the first one where he played absolutely everything. No guest musicians.

As a solid work, the album gels nicely, with the handful of instrumental interludes adding to the vibe. I particularly dig The Moment, Disciples, the previously mentioned The Less I Know The Better and closing track New Person, Same Old Mistakes. The only misstep for me is the weird, slowed-down dialog on Past Life. I quite like the refrain and the way the song sounds, but those little passages don't work for me. Minor quibble though, because I love everything else.

So, there you go! Took me a while, but I got there in the end. More of a nice way to relive those albums and how I first experienced them than anything really informative. Might need to spin a few again!

Album of the Week - Vol.15

Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (2004)
Week: Mon 28th October to Sun 3rd November 2019
Format: CD/iPhone/iPod
Producer(s): Nick Launay and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Track listing:
Disc One - ABATTOIR BLUES
1. Get Ready For Love *
2. Cannibal's Hymn
3. Hiding All Away *
4. Messiah Ward *
5. There She Goes, My Beautiful World
6. Nature Boy
7. Abattoir Blues *
8. Let the Bells Ring
9. Fable of the Brown Ape
Disc Two - THE LYRE OF ORPHEUS
1. The Lyre of Orpheus
2. Breathless *
3. Babe, You Turn Me On *
4. Easy Money *
5. Supernaturally
6. Spell
7. Carry Me
8. O Children *
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 82:30

Turning fifteen at the start of 2019, this is the thirteenth offering from Messrs Cave & Bad Seeds and it's also their first double album. As with many double albums, it's a sprawling document of many moods, and some songs only seem to work within the context of the record. Having said that, this is one of my favourite long players from Nick and the lads, and it's also the album that gave me a bit of a push into delving a little deeper into the Cave. Pun absolutely intended.

While this has been presented as a double album made up of two separate records, I don't really hear a huge amount of difference between them. Some critics have remarked that The Lyre of Orpheus is a much mellower affair, but there's just as much gallop and swagger on offer, although maybe there's an extra ballad or two. For Abattoir Blues, drum duties went to long-serving Bad Seed and multi-instrumentalist Jim Sclavunos (before the formation of Grinderman) with the band's regular drummer Thomas Wylder handling The Lyre of Orpheus. Their different styles might be the main reason why some say there is a definite change of feel between the two albums. Sclavunos seems to go on the attack, while Wylder (who has been in the band since 1985) is little more restrained and subtle. Interestingly, Sclavunos would also drum on the irreverent Grinderman albums which would bookend Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!!, NC&tBS' excellent 2008 record. But to me, I don't see the two records as being that wildly varied from each other, and it comes across as a considered and well-constructed double album.

As is the case with most double albums, there is some filler here. And again, like most double albums, this possibly could have been whittled down a bit to make for a strong single disc. To me, the closing track of Abattoir Blues, Fable of the Brown Ape, sticks out like a sore thumb, as does the title track of The Lyre of Orpheus. In fact, the latter's menacing tone and dark subject matter is the main reason I can't see the second album as mellow. As a suggested step towards better listening, I would remove those two songs and bang, you've got an absolute cracker. Plus, Let The Bells Ring flows brilliantly into album highlight Breathless..and all the songs would fit on one disc!

The double record gets off to an absolutely ripping start with Get Ready For Love. Its immediacy slaps you in the face, and the joyous fervour of the lyrical delivery threatens some sort of religious conversion. While Cave and Co. utilised the wondrous vocals of Kate and Anna McGarrigle on 2001's No More Shall We Part, they employ a full female choir on most of this album; and the opening track has them at the forefront of the sound, not buried behind the music. While there is a lot of harmony blocks, there are occasional solos, soaring counter-melodies and on Hiding All Away, sinister giggles. For six female backup singers, they sound like a church full of gospel singers. The first four songs are all fantastic, with Sclavunos's drumming either thundering through the speakers or delivering the band to their destination at a fantastic gallop. 

Since joining The Bad Seeds in 1994, Warren Ellis' contribution to their albums has increased in importance exponentially. So much so that the inner sleeve photos on their new album Ghosteen only feature Cave and Ellis.The last three releases of the group have seen a reliance on Ellis' loops as well. His fingerprints are all over this double record, whether providing lovely and understated violin plucks on Babe, You Turn Me On or a jaunty intro on Let The Bells Ring, his ability to enrich the sound of The Bad Seeds is crucial. A good thing too, as this album was the first one the band recorded after the departure of longtime Bad Seed Blixa Bargeld, who had been in the fold since 1983. Thankfully, this record still benefits from the fantastic musicality of Mick Harvey, who would leave the group in 2009. Harvey had been Cave's right hand man since the early years of The Boys Next Door and The Birthday Party, and it's a role that Ellis appears to effortlessly slip in to after Harvey's exit. 

This album is also the first of two Bad Seeds releases to feature James Johnston on organ, and the wonderful late Conway Savage continues to handle piano duties. Ex-Triffids band member Martyn P. Casey wields his bass guitar deftly, and since joining the group in 1990 has been Wylder's constant in the rhythm section. Oh, except for Sclavunos' work on the first album of this set, of course! Casey's excellent playing can either be the heartbeat of a song, or can subtly underline the sound and feel. His bass part on 1997's wondrous Into My Arms almost goes unnoticed, but it's perfect.

Now, as I mentioned before, if you trim away Fable of the Brown Ape and The Lyre of Orpheus, you are left with a fantastic set of songs. The highlights are many, and the moods swing from whimsical ballad Breathless to cynical blues/rocker Abattoir Blues to the simmering dream pop of O Children. A lot of the tracks on this album rank among my favourites in the Cave catalog, and I was a little disappointed that nothing from here made the setlist for Distant Sky live concert film. But it was here that my passing interest in Cave's work took a firmer hold.

I've always struggled to enjoy the early years of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and it's not until the excellent Henry's Dream from 1992 that I really start to get into all that's on offer. I only acquired that record fairly recently, and it's the earliest NC&tBS outing where I can listen to every song, and for the most part, enjoy it. The first album of theirs I ever bought was 1996's Murder Ballads, and that was mainly out of curiosity. I really liked the early single Where The Wild Roses Grow with Kylie Minogue, but I was quite interested in the concept of a record entirely made up of songs of doomed relationships and murder most foul. While I liked some of the tracks instantly, others took years to really get under my skin. When The Boatman's Call was released the following year, and with it Into My Arms, I thought that there might be something worth delving into here. So, I got my hands on the 1998 The Best of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, and left it at that for a good few years.

Not sure what possessed me to nab this double album, but it would have been a coupla years after its initial release. I think I had seen a documentary on ABC about Cave's songs and a few of them appealed to me. I was still buying JJJ's Hottest 100 CDs at the time too, and every year or so another NC&tBS track would pop up. I have a feeling I got No More Shall We Part at the same time as Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. Anyway, long story short, except for 2003's much derided (and defended) Nocturama album, I have all the CDs from Henry's Dream to Ghosteen. It was this double offering that really got it's hooks in me though. The astonishing power of that fab opening track Get Ready For Love, the whimsical pop of Breathless, the moody plod of Messiah Ward, the swirling desire of Babe, You Turn Me On; these are songs that I never tire of. I've had this album on my iPhone for years now, so I always have a copy with me. While there might be better records in Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' catalog, this was the one that landed me.