Well, I'm not sure if my one reader is completely sick of me reviewing Triple J compilation CD's, so I thought I'd better make sure. You know the drill. Here goes:
1. (Position 1) Knights Of Cydonia by Muse
I've reviewed this song on a previous Triple J compilation Cd, but I feel that there is enough repetition on this blog to justify me reviewing it again. It has grown on me considerably since my last review of it, but it still isn't my favourite Muse song. The one word I will use to describe it is epic. The song is epic, the vocals are epic, the lyrics are unimportant and the whole experience of listening to this song should be accompanied by something exploding.
2. (Position 7) Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk
It just won't leave me alone. This damn Daft Punk seems to be following me, considering this is the third of their songs I'll have reviewed and I've never reviewed any album of theirs. Anyway, after that, the song isn't that bad for Daft Punk. The one thing that pisses me off is the fact that they sample the exact same phrase from Around The World. This doesn't detract from this song but it does make the song Around The World felt all the more worthless to listen too. Not bad, but not that great.
3. (Position 4) Better Than by John Butler Trio
I know I've reviewed a JBT song previously, but I honestly cannot remember which one. Anyway, possibly contradicting that review or repeating myself exactly, John Butler Trio is a fantastic group and this is one of their best songs. The music is good (as always), the vocals are pretty good and (for the first time in one of my reviews since my aborted Hilltop Hoods review) it has lyrics worth listening to. Hear that, majority of the groups I listen to and review? Good lyrics! ITS NOT FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH YOU NEARLY MADE ME THINK OTHERWISE!
4. (Position 3) On Call by Kings Of Leon
Although I've heard a lot of bad reviews of Kings Of Leon from people I've talked to (or more specifically, overheard in a public space) but I don't know why. They have good vocals, good music and although their major hit, Sex On Fire, was not the best song ever conceived, I don't think that reflects poorly on the entire discography of the group. Somebody and On Call have both shown that the group can do fantastic things. The only thing I find slightly below average is the lyrics, but that hardly means everything in the long run. I was discussing song lyrics with someone today, and they stated that I paid too much attention to song lyrics. Perhaps this is true, but in music where the focus is on the vocals, how can you not? No offense to the person I was speaking to, but how the hell can you listen to a song like On Call and not hear the lyrics? I'm writing a review, eating chips, trying desperately to keep my Discman from skipping and still, I absorb the lyrics almost naturally. For anyone who's wondering, my idea of a song with great lyrics (in a narrative) I'd go for Stopping All Stations by the Hilltop Hoods or the entire album The Defamation Of Strickland Banks by Plan B. Not all lyrics have to be in narrative form and if you want a song with good lyrics with out a general plot, I cite Fifty In Five by the Hilltop Hoods again, or the album Everything Is True by Paul Dempsey. Thank God. I needed some talent to wash the taste of Birds Of Tokyo's lyrics out of my palate.
5. (Position 9) I'll Kill Her by Soko
Oooookay. Huh. This is not going to be easy. I don't like this song, to start with. Huh. Yeah, this is going to be tricky to review. Actually, I'll make it easy. When it comes to good lyrics, I feel betrayed by this song. The focus of the entire focus of this song is on the lyrics. They suck. The entire song is about a woman claiming she'll kill the woman who "stole" her "boyfriend" (by which she means the imaginary woman who she thinks the guy who didn't call her for a second date is going out with). Now, that may make her sound crazy....and I can't really argue with that point, but I do see some of the points the song is addressing. I think this song is supposed to be some kind of bizarre parody of someone's line of logic. This person is thinking too far in ahead, taking too much notice of a small event and generally driving themselves crazy. This is not so bad when you actually think about it. What I would like to point out is: How many people would actually think about that as much as I just did? How many people would actually think out what this Soko woman was trying to say? Think of the last 5 people you talked to today. How many of them do you think would do that? I approve of making intelligent music, but too much attention needs to be paid to this song to find it. This song is just unmarketable. It is very popular however, so I think there are people out there as mentally unstable as the person in this song is.....please excuse me while I buy another lock for my door. Anyway, the music is alright, but keeps far to the background. I think it was scared of the lyrics and vocals, both of which are unimpressive, I enjoy a good French accent. I did not enjoy this particular one. It really isn't worth listening to. The woman can't even sing.
6. (Position 5) This Heart Attack by Faker.
Ah, This Heart Attack. A big stupid, pointless, bouncy pop-song....and I love it. It has a great beat, good music, passable vocals and lyrics that, like Birds Of Tokyo, sound like they are every second line from a poem. I really need to find a quicker way to say that. I'm just going to call it a BOT Poem song. There. Something that makes no sense. Fans of this song should enjoy that. It is a good song however, and it's the kind of song that doesn't really need good lyrics. I'm not a big fan of songs without lyrics (that includes classical. Yep, uneducated bogan I am), so I can see how many songs end up with lyrics that the group didn't really want to distract from the rest of the song. That's absolutely fine. I can understand that. BOT, however, seem to be unaware their lyrics suck. If anyone has a chance, please tell them that, 'kay? You can take the subsequent beating for me too, if you're in the mood. Anyway, This Heart Attack = good.
7. (Position 11) Vitriol by Bluejuice
It's about damn time Bluejuice appeared in this blog. I am yet to hear a Bluejuice song I don't overly dislike, and that's pretty impressive. Vitriol is the first song I heard from Bluejuice, but Broken Leg was the first song I actually identified as a song by Bluejuice. Broken Leg is still my favourite, but Vitriol is a close second. It's a simple enough song. Bouncy, happy and full of life, it has about the same affect on the human body as good old Tubthumping by Chumbawamba (forgive my spelling). The lyrics are only a few lines, but I think they pull off what they were trying to do: deliver a meaningful message to the few who actually listened to anything but the line "Give it a little bit of Vitriol, hey!". Simple, but damned affective.
8. (Position 24) Hunting For Witches by Bloc Party
I didn't know this song was by Bloc Party until I obtained this album this morning. Bloc Party either does it pretty good or just okay. This is one of their pretty good tracks. It comes quite close to Mercury, my favourite song by this group. The songs aren't fantastic, but they are pleasant enough to listen to if they appear on a compilation CD like this. A nice bit of nothing.
9. (Position 16) Snakeskin by Gyroscope
I knew nothing about this song until I got this CD. I'd heard it before, but knew neither the title nor the artist. Gyroscope is one of those groups which you can say I like them, my favourite song is.....erm, what did they do again? Actually, that isn't true. Gyroscope did Chemical Heart (I think). This song is pretty good, especially considering how close it is to the metal end of the Rock spectrum. I say that in passing now, but I'm sure that there is an actual spectrum out there somewhere. The lyrics don't really do anything for me, but after Soko, they could be personally attacking members of my family and I'd still give them a thumbs up. A pretty good song, ust loud enough to get carried away with, but not too heavy.
10. (Position 13) Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs
I mentioned in my first Top 10 post that I was a fan of the Kaiser Chiefs and Ruby was the first song I heard of theirs. It wasn't until either Everyday I Love You Less And Less of Never Miss A Beat that I attached a song to the band. When I first heard Ruby, I wrote it of as a stupid pop song some idiot wrote about their girlfriend. I am as of yet uninformed of the intelligence of the members of the band and what the subject of the song is (although I still think it's a girlfriend. Wiki away...nada. Never mind). The one thing that has changed is that I heard one of the greatest lines in a song ever:
"Due to lack of interest,
Tomorrow is cancelled.
Let the clocks be reset,
And the pendulums held..."
The imagery of that line has stuck with me and I doubt anyone would believe how often I use that line in casual conversation. I honestly recommend triyng it, even if it is just to irritate someone who makes a statement which indicates that they think the world revolves around them. Anyway, good beat, music and vocals and a great bunch of lyrics which say nothing. Good or bad, depending on the point of view.
11. (Position 19) Heart It Races by Architecture In Helsinki
Although I believe That Beep is the best song AIH will ever produce, this song is bloody catchy. The best rhythm...
Sorry, just had a month long holiday mid-sentence. I'll try not to do that any time soon. Anyway, Heart It Races. I came across the album this song is off the other day and may even getting around to reviewing it one day, but Heart It Races is simply the absolute best song off the album. As I was saying, Heart It Races was made with a great rhythm, strange but not unlikeable vocals and an overall strange experience. Architecture In Helsinki (to be called AiH from hereon, for the sake of my own sanity.) have released three good songs in my opinion. This fact is neither here nor there, considering that many bands have had more songs than that which I enjoy and many have fewer, but the three songs are Contact High, That Beep and this. This is the lesser of the three but still a song which is worth experiencing.
12. (Position 21) Salmon Dance by The Chemical Brothers.
Oookay. This song is weird. Veeeeeery weird. And I honestly don't know if in a good or bad way. I..I don't know what this song is bloody on about. They talk about salmon and...there's a decent rhythm...WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? This song is he one I most strenuously encourage people to listen to for themselves, simply for the fact it is very difficult to describe to people. WHY WON'T IT END!?
13. (Position 41) Dashboard by Modest Mouse.
Huh. What do you know? Modest Mouse isn't a one-hit wonder after all. I probably owe someone an apology some way back, but screw them. This song isn't bad, but shows very simply why being a one-hit wonder is a plausible description for Modest Mouse. One thing that is blatant is Modest Mouse's (ahem) "distinctive" vocals...they are terrible. A lot of bands have below-par vocalists who make the band distinctive. This is taken one step too far by Modest Mouse. Their vocalist just isn't good. It's that simple. Anyway, the song has a decent beat and passible lyrics but 41 is a decent position for it...in a very, very slow year.
14. (Position 38) I Thought About You by The Beautiful Girls
I recently got an album by this band out of the library and listening to this song really is making me want to listen to it. The sound of this song is basically the Cat Empire with somewhat gentler vocals, if that makes any sense.
I'm very sorry about this, but I'm (hopefully temporarily) going to have to give up on this review. Why is explained in So... post. Again, I'm very sorry if anyone was looking forward to the end of this review. I really screwed up.
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