I'm going to review this Hottest 100 in a slightly different way than the usual, mainly due to the fact that I haven't picked up a copy of the CD release yet. Instead, I'm going to listen to the Top 10 of the Hottest 100 and give my own views. Let's start:
10. I Love It by The Hilltop Hoods feat. Sia
I'm sure I've mentioned this song before, and it is nearly impossible for me to give any description of this song without stating how awesome both the Hilltop Hoods and Sia are. Sadly, this song is far from the best by either and I think it only really got to this position by good marketing and pity (the second reason is why it ended up on my shortlist). The song itself is about remembering your past and basically how much the Hoods like their life. Nothing wrong with that sentiment at all, and the Hilltop Hoods put their usual brilliant wordplay in the song. Sia, in my opinion, doesn't provide the best chorus ever, and much less than I expected, but it's good enough. The backing music too is good enough, but nothing special. Since I am going to watch all these videos on Youtube (as I don't own any CD's of them) I was going to also comment on the videos. So , of course, Hilltop Hoods released three different music videos for their song, which is a very interesting idea. The one I watched was interesting, focusing on a child and a spinning diorama. Nice enough, good effects but nothing special.
75/100 - Not good, not bad, but I was expecting better.
9. Endless Summer by The Jezabels
This song is pretty simple. The singer really likes someone. There. Done. There's a lot of purple prose in the song, which isn't always a bad thing, but there is no narrative or character development or change in the entire song. The vocals aren't bad, the music is lacking very much and the lyrics are just there. The music video isn't bad though. The normal boy meets girl, with a country theme (so perhaps boy meets cowgirl is more appropriate). Boy then gets the stuffing beaten out of him by angry siblings/jealous suitors/people who don't like him for unspecified reasons. OK, that's a bit different, but has still happened before. The girl gets...a gun...and shoots the angry randoms? Kudos, Endless Summer. That's a new one. Oh, and boy and girl live happily ever after. Not a bad video at all.
73/100 - I know nothing about the Jezabels and songs like this show me why. The video does save it a bit.
8. Boys Like You by 360 feat. Gossling
360 isn't among my favourite Australian rappers, but he does a good job. Gosling, I don't know much about, but she has a very distinctive voice. It's the kind of voice I wouldn't want to listen to a whole album of, or even more than two or three songs of in a row, but she is perfect for a sample in a track, as she stands out. The song itself is about relationships breaking down, but I think there is a deeper message about not judging a book by it's cover. The music video just has Gossling singing between clips of 360 either acting out the song or trying to get some from a waitress. And the man gets paid for that. As a side note, I'd like to mention Youtube comments. I don't like many of the comments posted on the previous two videos, but they were either legitimate comments or made in good humour. The top comment of this video is "your a faggot harry". Why thank you kilby666specialized (yes, the actual writer of the comment). That is the usual level of Youtube dumb-arsery. My question is how the hell did twenty people give it the thumbs up!? I just don't know.
80/100 - Not bad at all.
7. Awkward by San Cisco
Basic lyrics and a basic video, but one hell of a beat. The vocals and beat of this song are great, and this has to have the best beat so far. The song itself, like so many great songs before it, is about stalking. Yeah... moving on, San Cisco are a newish Aussie band which I am not very familiar with, but may just have to make myself.
84/100 - Nothing mind-blowing, but well worth a listen. It's definitely going on my Youtube playlist.
6. Video Games by Lana Del Ray
When I first heard the title, I was expecting yet another Art vs. Science or Presets wnnabe who made loud noises in alleged rhythm (please note previously mentioned bands do not fall into that category). What I heard was...amazing. Fantastic vocals, not much music, but enough to highlight how talented the artist is and good lyrics. The lyrics, in fact, are a bit strange. They are the kind you can translate as you desire. I find myself believing it is about a relationship that succeeds due to the simple desires of the two in it, but I'm sure anyone else who pays attention to the lyrics will come up with their own interpretation. The video was slightly different to what I expected, but I suppose that's because this is the first of the songs I saw with some kind of expectations. What I found was a vey well made video which accentuates the talent of the artist and extraordinary beauty of the song. Just fantastic.
90/100 - I only wish I had heard ths before the Hottest 100, so I could have voted for it.
5. Midnight City by M83
This is sort of what I was expecting when I heard the song named Video Games. This isn't to say this song is bad, just...cheaper. The song has lyrics I can make nothing out of unless I take them ultra-literally, in which case they make about the same amount of sense. The song itself is fantastic. I can't really describe it (yeah, bow down to my almighty reviewing powers. I can't even describe the frigging thing), but the song makes great use of distorted vocals, saxophone and god knows what other "instruments". The video for the song is a touch creepy, which takes it up a notch for me, despite looking like a teaser for the next season of Fringe.
81/100 - Not bad by any means, but I wish the lyrics had made more sense. I don't mind having to draw analogies and metaphors out of them, but the song has to give me something.
4. Feeding Line by Boy & Bear
This song had me just in he title. The concept of a feeding line instatly takes me to a dystopian future...but that might say much, much more about me than the song. The actual themes in Feeding Line are mainly changing who you are to fit in and the important moments in our life that shape who we are. The song itself isn't bad, but I don't think it's the best Boy & Bear song ever. The beat and vocals are OK, and I have to give some acknowledgement to any song that contains whistling. Whistling is just awesome. Not a bad song, but not quite good enough for position 4. The video is well made, if somewhat strange. The only thought I had throughout the video (and this may display my lack of knowledge regarding historical costume) was that if the cast from this music video kept walking, they'd probably eventually end up in the Jezabels' music video.
78/100 - There isn't that much to say. The song just seemed somewhat lackluster the entire time. Shame.
3. Brother by Matt Corby
Without a doubt, this is one of the most emotionally charged passionate songs I have ever heard. The vocals for this song are truly phenomenal, and perhaps the greatest on this list, perhaps equal with Lana Del Ray. The song is about cowardice, hiding from responsibility and the collapse of a friendship. The experience of this song is something incredible, and the fact there isn't even a video for it yet may actually work in its favour, as I truly doubt that any visual media can back up that kind of song. Maybe someone out there is doing the intelligent thing and not ever trying to. Bravo, if that is the case. A fantastic song which more than deserves its position on the list.
92/100 - Well, something had to make up for a notable lack of awesome. Thank you, Mr Corby.
2. Lonely Boy by The Black Keys
There are many ways of beating around the bush, but I'll put this real simple for everyone: This song, in my humble opinion, truly sucks. How this song achieved the rank of 2nd in this great list will continue to baffle me for many years to come. The vocals are OK at best, the music is a dull screech, one similar to hearing TV static whilst having the TV on full volume. The lyrics tell a story about a generally screwed up relationship. There. Also, I can't find a video (not that I tried very hard) so I'm not going to look at that. Good day.
39/100 - I was feeling generous. At least the song is over now. It can't hurt me or my expectations any more.
1. Somebody Who I Used To Know by Gotye feat Kimbra
I've already talked about this song a few times (three to be exact), so I won't go into the artists, but I will go into the song. The video, to cover it quickly, is artsy enough to be unique, but is just a bit too simple for such a successful song. It's okay. The song itself is sub-par for what both Gotye and Kimbra have done even as recently as this year. The tune is unique, but unimpressive. The lyrics are pretty dull, although the vocals save them. All in all, this song should really be pretty boring, but I still get why everyone likes it.
68/100 - The defining song of the genre "Mainstream Mediocre". Congrats, Birds Of Tokyo. I brought you a friend.
Done, done and done. I may get around to doing the next 10, I may not. I may do a review soon, I may not. I may have already irritated you with my vagueness, but I'll keep doing it all the same.
I hope you enjoyed.
H. Rourke
Monday, 13 February 2012
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Ben Folds Five
Well, a little while has passed since my previous review, so I figured it's about time to do another. I honestly just grabbed my discman and decided to review whichever CD was inside. So, I'm going to review another Ben Folds album, this time from his band, the Ben Folds Five (which, if I haven't mentioned, contains only three people). This album is the self titled debut of the Ben Folds Five, released in 1995. So, unless I have been horribly misled by wikipedia, this is the oldest album I have reviewed so far. That's...a little depressing, considering that this album isn't even twenty years old. Never mind, I guess. Here's the review:
1. Jackson Cannery
In an an interview with Ryan Schreiber of Turntable Online (no, I know nothing about it either) Ben Folds claimed this song was basically about being able to "quit life" in the sense that you can just stop doing everything and go do something else. I needed to look this up because, frankly, I can't make much from the lyrics of this song. Not the greatest possible thing to take from the first song of Ben Folds first album. The song itself was also named after someone who Folds knew who worked too hard (the Jackson part, not the Cannery part). The actual song has a good beat (something to be found all throughout this album), a great piano melody (something to be found on every Ben Folds album) and great vocals (which are spattered here and there). The sng is a really good way to start the album because it both shows what the Ben Folds Five can do and also what they don't do. They don't make boring songs. They don't make depressing songs. They also don't make many songs with obvious meaning, but that might just be me. The song seems a bit monotonous, but it does slow down at intervals, so I can hardly say it's a dull song.
79/100 - Yes, the rating system is staying, considering no-one has said anything about it. This song is lively, fun and a great way for the Ben Folds Five to have started their career. It does, however, suffer from not being very memorable, especially in comparison to other songs on this very album.
2. Philosophy
The notes from The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective claim this song is basically a take on a speech someone would give an the end of a movie to explain themselves, but it is pretty easy to take your own meaning from it, I suppose. I think it's really just about defending what you believe in without offending someone else (which may have something to do with the post that started this very blog in October 2011). The song has all the trademarks of a Ben Folds Five song, but with the piano even better and with more emotion behind the vocals. A fantastic song and with almost no competition, my favourite of this album, if not Ben Folds career so far.
94/100 - A brief but fantastic song. Whenever I think of Ben Folds music, this, You Don't Know Me or Adelaide pop into my head, and that sort of memorability doesn't come from just any song.
3. Julianne
This is one of those songs that you love for just one line (or, in some cases, not even for the line itself, but for how it's sung). Julianne has this, with the line "Being awake never felt like this before." The basic meaning of the song is denial, acting out of character because of it and generally making an arse out of yourself. The piano is good, the vocals are distinctive and the most distinctive parts of the song is how it starts off sounding like it will be a everyday rock song about a one night stand, before, after one verse, reverting back into the faux-cheery piano beat of a Ben Folds Five song. A very interesting piece of music.
80/100 - A nice song, but I haven't made my mind up about whether or not I like the sampling of the sound of bottles and cans being thrown into a bin, as I hear more than enough of that from my neighbours on a Saturday morning. It sets the song apart, but can be irritating when you aren't in a mood for "distinctive" music. But, to be fair, if I wasn't, I shouldn't be listening to a Ben Folds Five albm in the first place.
4. Where's Summer B.?
Well, this song manages to be all about change(which, by the way, is the safest thing to say if asked about the meaning of a song you've never heard of. Really), while still being about the lack of it. Read the damn lyrics yourself if you want to know how, or just take my word for it. This song has the same decent piano and great vocals of Ben Folds and the only real distinctive thing here is the backup singers, who have quite a prevalent part in the song. I think it adds an extra element to the song, although I can sort of see how it could be distracting.
73/100 - A nice song, but nothing too distinctive. The only real reason it loses points is because there is not much different between this song and the previous three. Not a massive problem, considering I happen to like that particular music, but a touch frustrating all the same.
5. Alice Childress
Well, this song is (ahem) clearly about change...lots and lots of...change. Yeah, no real idea. I suppose it seems a bit about not focusing on problems and the such, but I really don't know. A nice enough song, a little slower and more sentimental then the previous four songs which, although I tend to like the more up-beat BFF songs, is nice due to the fact I have something to say that I have just managed make go for a decent amount of space. Feel cheated? Too bleeding bad. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like a broken record, so for the rest of the album (unless I say otherwise) just presume that the song has good piano, a good beat and good vocals. This particular song also has a decent bit of backup vocals.
81/100 - Essentially the same as the rest of the album so far, but with just something which makes it stand out.
6. Underground
If you have heard of Ben Folds Five from somewhere other than this blog, I think you would have to have heard of Underground. This, simply put, is what made Ben Folds famous. This song was #3 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1996, between Stinkfist by Tool & Pepper by Butthole Surfers. This was the only Ben Folds Five song to make it on the list until One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces the next year. Anyway, the song itself, in the words of Ben Folds from the previously mentioned retrospective album with the long name is "early 90's "coolness" but to Bee Gees cabaret music." The song in my humble opinion is about finding a group you're comfortable with and being yourself around them. The song also weirdly reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, perhaps merely for the title, perhaps because of the start of the song, which begins sounding like some dodgy They Might Be Giants song (no, I'm not saying that TMBG songs are dodgy, I'm saying it sounded like a dodgy song akin to TMBG) before launching into a full-blown Ben Folds Five song, with even more fervour than usual. I do like Underground, but not as much as Philosophy or Boxing (which is later on in this album). The one thing I can say about Underground is that it introduced me to Ben Folds and his "Five". I had heard and really liked the song You Don't Know Me off of Way To Normal, but hadn't really investigated who or what a Ben Folds was. I have never been able to associate Underground with Ben Folds in any way. It just seems like a cover of a song by They Might Be Giants and The Bee Gees with just a touch of Queen (don't try that at home, kids. That song might be a touch too awesome). Not a bad song by any means, especially considering what it did for the career of Ben Folds Five and how it introduced the group to me.
88/100 - The third best song off this album. I still don't quite know what to make of this song. Which is not a great thing to write in a review. Also, used backup singers very nicely.
7. Sports & Wine
The fastest song off the album so far, I think the meaning of Sports & Wine is similar to Charmless Man by Blur and Common People by Pulp: Essentially, rich people suck. Yeah, there might be more to it than that, but I like keeping things simple. This song has better piano than a lot of the other songs, mainly due to the talent and energy that clearly go into making a song with that kind of speed to the beat. A very good song, even if there is not that much I can say. Damn, my reviews are getting short.
85/100 - A really nice, danceable song which I really like, even if I did keep getting it confused with The Wine Song by The Cat Empire back when I used to have a playlist on my computer.
8. Uncle Walter
This song is essentially about the "over-opinionated" (to put it nicely) elderly relatives many people have had, who grow increasingly creepy depending how out-dated their opinions are. My scale works like this:
LowLevels of Creepy - Insanely right wing, believe all people left-of-centre politically are closet communists.
Low-Medium Levels of Creepy: Uses quasi-racist phrases in everyday conversations, believes any variety of music that isn't classical is rotting children's brains.
Medium Levels of Creepy: Believes that every man should serve two years in the military to "build character" despite complete lack of military experience, possibly spitting whilst speaking.
Medium-High Levels of Creepy: Use of extremely racist terms in conversation, vehemently defends White Australia policy (varies depending on nationality of relative) and attacks land rights.
High Levels of Creepy: Uses the phrase "X actually had a point if you think about it.", X being guilty of any criminal offence other than civil rights protests. There is a disturbingly large chance in Australia that X will be Pauline Hanson. Please don't ask how many of these are based on relatives I have / had as a child. The amount is disturbingly high.
Sorry about that, but the review was very short. Anyway, the main focus of Uncle Walter is the lyrics, although the music is at Ben Folds Five quality.
84/100 - Would have been lower, but it gave me a chance to rant, and for that I am grateful.
9. Best Imitation Of Myself
Observant or knowledgeable reader(s?) may have noticed that this song is also the name of the Ben Folds retrospective album I have been mentioning. Well done. Have a cookie. The album of the same name reveals that the song is about how a record company signed the Ben Folds Five on the basis of earlier songs and expected them to keep releasing the same kinds of music, despite the fact the group was changing, eventually making Folds think that they wanted him to imitate himself, thus this song. I'm sure someone who has more creativity than me can find a deeper meaning than this, but I'm satiated with it. The song itself is a little slower than usual, but still faster than Alice Childress. The guitar also is a little more present here than previously.
77/100 - Not bad, but doesn't really do anything for me. Also, the fact the meaning of the song is very upfront and not as deep as the name implies didn't do it any favours in my mind. Even if I have absolutely no idea what the song is about, I at least like it to have depth.
10. Video
Well, meaning first, I think this song is about finding less and less excitement in things you used to enjoy and finding yourself more and more cynical about the future, if things are going to continue like this. The song is nice enough, but I find the lyrics very interesting, now that I have actually looked them up for this review (I just made it sound like I put some forethought into the review. I wish to remove any belief in this myth). I think there is probably something different for everyone who reads of hears the lyrics to this song, so I recommend checking them out and, if you can be bothered, telling me if you think it means the same.
82/100 - A thought provoking song which I truly enjoy, even if I do keep mixing it up with Ben Folds Five's cover of The Bugles' Video Killed The Radio Star. I keep getting my hopes up every time I see it on the track list of the album.
11. The Last Polka
We're nearing the end. Although the name of this song implies it is slower than usual or more sentimental, it isn't significantly more of either, although it is a touch darker, considering it centres around a couple in a failing relationship. I really like the pace of this song. I think more songs with darker, heavier themes should go with it. Just because a song is hard to write doesn't mean it should be slower, and if anything really important is said, slow the song down enough just to focus on it. I do really enjoy this song, and I really wish it was more memorable, considering the excellent beat.
86/100 - A really good song. The style of it made me think this was the unofficial Fred Jones Part 1 (which, as I mentioned (I think) in my previous review, about a song by Ben Folds called Fred Jones Part 2 without a song being called Part 1. The song Cigarette, I believe, is the actual predecessor of the song, but this song and it have a lot in common). The one problem I have with the song is that the word "Polka" in my mind is always linked to Weird Al Yankovic, which makes the possibility of such a sad polka unbelievable.
12. Boxing
My second favourite song off the album just happens to be both the last and the most depressing. Literally, the song is written from the view of Muhammad Ali about retiring from boxing. How I see the song, however, is addressing how human beings cope with frustration, being used, anger, denial and most of all, being able to do nothing to fix a situation. The mood of the song is sad and serene throughout the majority , but at one point it quickly flares up in the frustration of the narrator. Besides the lyrics, the song is notable for including violins (I think. Unless they're doing some extraordinary things with guitars over in North Carolina). A fantastic way to end the album, managing to defeat any (understandably) formed opinions of Ben Folds Five being formulaic by breaking the formula.
90/100 - Utterly fantastic. One of my favourites.
Well, that's Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five. I hope you enjoyed the review, please feel free to comment and I have nothing more to say other than that I hope to put up more reviews soon, despite the fact I have no idea what to review. Any ideas are welcome.
H. Rourke
1. Jackson Cannery
In an an interview with Ryan Schreiber of Turntable Online (no, I know nothing about it either) Ben Folds claimed this song was basically about being able to "quit life" in the sense that you can just stop doing everything and go do something else. I needed to look this up because, frankly, I can't make much from the lyrics of this song. Not the greatest possible thing to take from the first song of Ben Folds first album. The song itself was also named after someone who Folds knew who worked too hard (the Jackson part, not the Cannery part). The actual song has a good beat (something to be found all throughout this album), a great piano melody (something to be found on every Ben Folds album) and great vocals (which are spattered here and there). The sng is a really good way to start the album because it both shows what the Ben Folds Five can do and also what they don't do. They don't make boring songs. They don't make depressing songs. They also don't make many songs with obvious meaning, but that might just be me. The song seems a bit monotonous, but it does slow down at intervals, so I can hardly say it's a dull song.
79/100 - Yes, the rating system is staying, considering no-one has said anything about it. This song is lively, fun and a great way for the Ben Folds Five to have started their career. It does, however, suffer from not being very memorable, especially in comparison to other songs on this very album.
2. Philosophy
The notes from The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective claim this song is basically a take on a speech someone would give an the end of a movie to explain themselves, but it is pretty easy to take your own meaning from it, I suppose. I think it's really just about defending what you believe in without offending someone else (which may have something to do with the post that started this very blog in October 2011). The song has all the trademarks of a Ben Folds Five song, but with the piano even better and with more emotion behind the vocals. A fantastic song and with almost no competition, my favourite of this album, if not Ben Folds career so far.
94/100 - A brief but fantastic song. Whenever I think of Ben Folds music, this, You Don't Know Me or Adelaide pop into my head, and that sort of memorability doesn't come from just any song.
3. Julianne
This is one of those songs that you love for just one line (or, in some cases, not even for the line itself, but for how it's sung). Julianne has this, with the line "Being awake never felt like this before." The basic meaning of the song is denial, acting out of character because of it and generally making an arse out of yourself. The piano is good, the vocals are distinctive and the most distinctive parts of the song is how it starts off sounding like it will be a everyday rock song about a one night stand, before, after one verse, reverting back into the faux-cheery piano beat of a Ben Folds Five song. A very interesting piece of music.
80/100 - A nice song, but I haven't made my mind up about whether or not I like the sampling of the sound of bottles and cans being thrown into a bin, as I hear more than enough of that from my neighbours on a Saturday morning. It sets the song apart, but can be irritating when you aren't in a mood for "distinctive" music. But, to be fair, if I wasn't, I shouldn't be listening to a Ben Folds Five albm in the first place.
4. Where's Summer B.?
Well, this song manages to be all about change(which, by the way, is the safest thing to say if asked about the meaning of a song you've never heard of. Really), while still being about the lack of it. Read the damn lyrics yourself if you want to know how, or just take my word for it. This song has the same decent piano and great vocals of Ben Folds and the only real distinctive thing here is the backup singers, who have quite a prevalent part in the song. I think it adds an extra element to the song, although I can sort of see how it could be distracting.
73/100 - A nice song, but nothing too distinctive. The only real reason it loses points is because there is not much different between this song and the previous three. Not a massive problem, considering I happen to like that particular music, but a touch frustrating all the same.
5. Alice Childress
Well, this song is (ahem) clearly about change...lots and lots of...change. Yeah, no real idea. I suppose it seems a bit about not focusing on problems and the such, but I really don't know. A nice enough song, a little slower and more sentimental then the previous four songs which, although I tend to like the more up-beat BFF songs, is nice due to the fact I have something to say that I have just managed make go for a decent amount of space. Feel cheated? Too bleeding bad. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like a broken record, so for the rest of the album (unless I say otherwise) just presume that the song has good piano, a good beat and good vocals. This particular song also has a decent bit of backup vocals.
81/100 - Essentially the same as the rest of the album so far, but with just something which makes it stand out.
6. Underground
If you have heard of Ben Folds Five from somewhere other than this blog, I think you would have to have heard of Underground. This, simply put, is what made Ben Folds famous. This song was #3 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1996, between Stinkfist by Tool & Pepper by Butthole Surfers. This was the only Ben Folds Five song to make it on the list until One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces the next year. Anyway, the song itself, in the words of Ben Folds from the previously mentioned retrospective album with the long name is "early 90's "coolness" but to Bee Gees cabaret music." The song in my humble opinion is about finding a group you're comfortable with and being yourself around them. The song also weirdly reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, perhaps merely for the title, perhaps because of the start of the song, which begins sounding like some dodgy They Might Be Giants song (no, I'm not saying that TMBG songs are dodgy, I'm saying it sounded like a dodgy song akin to TMBG) before launching into a full-blown Ben Folds Five song, with even more fervour than usual. I do like Underground, but not as much as Philosophy or Boxing (which is later on in this album). The one thing I can say about Underground is that it introduced me to Ben Folds and his "Five". I had heard and really liked the song You Don't Know Me off of Way To Normal, but hadn't really investigated who or what a Ben Folds was. I have never been able to associate Underground with Ben Folds in any way. It just seems like a cover of a song by They Might Be Giants and The Bee Gees with just a touch of Queen (don't try that at home, kids. That song might be a touch too awesome). Not a bad song by any means, especially considering what it did for the career of Ben Folds Five and how it introduced the group to me.
88/100 - The third best song off this album. I still don't quite know what to make of this song. Which is not a great thing to write in a review. Also, used backup singers very nicely.
7. Sports & Wine
The fastest song off the album so far, I think the meaning of Sports & Wine is similar to Charmless Man by Blur and Common People by Pulp: Essentially, rich people suck. Yeah, there might be more to it than that, but I like keeping things simple. This song has better piano than a lot of the other songs, mainly due to the talent and energy that clearly go into making a song with that kind of speed to the beat. A very good song, even if there is not that much I can say. Damn, my reviews are getting short.
85/100 - A really nice, danceable song which I really like, even if I did keep getting it confused with The Wine Song by The Cat Empire back when I used to have a playlist on my computer.
8. Uncle Walter
This song is essentially about the "over-opinionated" (to put it nicely) elderly relatives many people have had, who grow increasingly creepy depending how out-dated their opinions are. My scale works like this:
LowLevels of Creepy - Insanely right wing, believe all people left-of-centre politically are closet communists.
Low-Medium Levels of Creepy: Uses quasi-racist phrases in everyday conversations, believes any variety of music that isn't classical is rotting children's brains.
Medium Levels of Creepy: Believes that every man should serve two years in the military to "build character" despite complete lack of military experience, possibly spitting whilst speaking.
Medium-High Levels of Creepy: Use of extremely racist terms in conversation, vehemently defends White Australia policy (varies depending on nationality of relative) and attacks land rights.
High Levels of Creepy: Uses the phrase "X actually had a point if you think about it.", X being guilty of any criminal offence other than civil rights protests. There is a disturbingly large chance in Australia that X will be Pauline Hanson. Please don't ask how many of these are based on relatives I have / had as a child. The amount is disturbingly high.
Sorry about that, but the review was very short. Anyway, the main focus of Uncle Walter is the lyrics, although the music is at Ben Folds Five quality.
84/100 - Would have been lower, but it gave me a chance to rant, and for that I am grateful.
9. Best Imitation Of Myself
Observant or knowledgeable reader(s?) may have noticed that this song is also the name of the Ben Folds retrospective album I have been mentioning. Well done. Have a cookie. The album of the same name reveals that the song is about how a record company signed the Ben Folds Five on the basis of earlier songs and expected them to keep releasing the same kinds of music, despite the fact the group was changing, eventually making Folds think that they wanted him to imitate himself, thus this song. I'm sure someone who has more creativity than me can find a deeper meaning than this, but I'm satiated with it. The song itself is a little slower than usual, but still faster than Alice Childress. The guitar also is a little more present here than previously.
77/100 - Not bad, but doesn't really do anything for me. Also, the fact the meaning of the song is very upfront and not as deep as the name implies didn't do it any favours in my mind. Even if I have absolutely no idea what the song is about, I at least like it to have depth.
10. Video
Well, meaning first, I think this song is about finding less and less excitement in things you used to enjoy and finding yourself more and more cynical about the future, if things are going to continue like this. The song is nice enough, but I find the lyrics very interesting, now that I have actually looked them up for this review (I just made it sound like I put some forethought into the review. I wish to remove any belief in this myth). I think there is probably something different for everyone who reads of hears the lyrics to this song, so I recommend checking them out and, if you can be bothered, telling me if you think it means the same.
82/100 - A thought provoking song which I truly enjoy, even if I do keep mixing it up with Ben Folds Five's cover of The Bugles' Video Killed The Radio Star. I keep getting my hopes up every time I see it on the track list of the album.
11. The Last Polka
We're nearing the end. Although the name of this song implies it is slower than usual or more sentimental, it isn't significantly more of either, although it is a touch darker, considering it centres around a couple in a failing relationship. I really like the pace of this song. I think more songs with darker, heavier themes should go with it. Just because a song is hard to write doesn't mean it should be slower, and if anything really important is said, slow the song down enough just to focus on it. I do really enjoy this song, and I really wish it was more memorable, considering the excellent beat.
86/100 - A really good song. The style of it made me think this was the unofficial Fred Jones Part 1 (which, as I mentioned (I think) in my previous review, about a song by Ben Folds called Fred Jones Part 2 without a song being called Part 1. The song Cigarette, I believe, is the actual predecessor of the song, but this song and it have a lot in common). The one problem I have with the song is that the word "Polka" in my mind is always linked to Weird Al Yankovic, which makes the possibility of such a sad polka unbelievable.
12. Boxing
My second favourite song off the album just happens to be both the last and the most depressing. Literally, the song is written from the view of Muhammad Ali about retiring from boxing. How I see the song, however, is addressing how human beings cope with frustration, being used, anger, denial and most of all, being able to do nothing to fix a situation. The mood of the song is sad and serene throughout the majority , but at one point it quickly flares up in the frustration of the narrator. Besides the lyrics, the song is notable for including violins (I think. Unless they're doing some extraordinary things with guitars over in North Carolina). A fantastic way to end the album, managing to defeat any (understandably) formed opinions of Ben Folds Five being formulaic by breaking the formula.
90/100 - Utterly fantastic. One of my favourites.
Well, that's Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five. I hope you enjoyed the review, please feel free to comment and I have nothing more to say other than that I hope to put up more reviews soon, despite the fact I have no idea what to review. Any ideas are welcome.
H. Rourke
Monday, 6 February 2012
Rockin' The Suburbs
Well, earlier today I posted about (amongst other things) my acquisition of the newest Ben Folds' album. Seeing as how I'm yet to review a Ben Folds' album, I figured I'd start at the beginning. Ben Folds was, as the name may suggest, part or the somewhat successful band Ben Folds Five. When the Ben Folds Five broke up in 2000, Ben Folds began a solo career. Released in September 2001, Rockin' The Suburbs was his first solo album. Ben Folds is probably my favourite solo American musician and I can't say enough how much people should actually check out his music. In fact, go to Youtube right now and just search for music by Ben Folds. Don't worry, I'll wait....
Enjoy? Anyway, here is my review of Rockin' The Suburbs by Ben Folds:
1. Annie Waits
Opening with a strong beat, Annie Waits is a strange song, as the strong beat changes into a slower tune...and back again. Finally it breaks into a much more powerful sound. The first critique I have of this song is the drum beat which seems unnecessary and somewhat artificial. It irritates me just a bit but Annie Waits is still a great song. Lyrically, the song can either mean nothing or a lot, depending on how you think it was supposed to be heard. Taking at little value, it could be made to tell the story of a woman being a bit stuck up towards the singer. Looking a bit deeper, the song seems to be about a lonely woman who is alone after years of waiting for the perfect friend or perfect partner, eventually just finding comfort in being alone and living in a fixed routine. Anyway, near the middle of the song another truly pointless beat enters. It somewhat devalues the entire song. It could have been a touching song about a woman who overcomes her loneliness, but instead sounds like something that is nice enough, but didn't quite evolve from the 90's. Now, I want to try something new for the new year. I'm going to start giving songs individual ratings. I would really like some feedback on whether or not I should or if I should use a different system to do so. At the moment, I'm just going to go out of 100.
71/100 - Good enough, but not that great from Ben Folds.
2. Zak & Sara
The one thing that stands out about this song is it has a great beat and vocals. The whole song is a fantastic mess of lyrics, piano and drums. The lyrics, however, are a touch confusing. The basic premise is clear Zak (without a C) and Sara (without an H) are a young couple, both into music in someway or another. Where it gets confusing is where it's referring to Sara "seeing the future", talking about working in submarines or pale English faces. I honestly don't know if this is a reference to modern times, something to do with the 90's or Ben Folds just being weird. The lyrics are a touch dark, but the rhythm and vocals are near impeccable.
81/100 - A great sound, but a bit too short and I wish the lyrics had told more of a story.
3. Still Fighting It
Written for his first son, Louis, Still Fighting it is a little slower (for the most part) and a little more sentimental. This is one of the singles released from the album. The lyrics are sweet, talking about the future Ben's son will have, the memories they'll have together and just the fact growing up isn't easy. That's well and good, but the vocals and music don't quite do it for me. The music is just a touch too all over the place for a slower song. The vocals are OK, but a touch sub-par. Nice enough, but only just single material.
60/100 - Nice. But just nice. No more, no less. Also, it slows down the pace of the album a touch. First or last, I would say.
4. Gone
How I think Annie Waits should have gone. The drum s fit in perfectly, the vocals are strong and tell a bit of a story. The piano is also very well placed. The song starts out strong, belting out both lyrics and piano, slowing down briefly only to work back up into the previous level of passion in the song. Superbly done. The lyrics of the song, in their simplest form, can be summed by saying Gone is a song about letting things go, even if you don't quite think you are ready to let them go (in my opinion anyway).
88/100- Superb, if just a touch too short.
5. Fred Jones Part 2
This is the saddest song I have heard in quite a while. The lyrics tell of a man who has devoted a large portion of his life to a newspaper. This song begins as a man comes into his office and tells him it's time to leave. Fred, with his few belongings from the office leaves the building. Despite this man having spent many years here, no-one working here knows his name and no-one stops to commemorate the time he spent here. Great imagery, fantastic piano accompaniment to varying vocals, rising and falling as Fred Jones moods change and his mind works.
88/100 - A fantastic song, although a bit of a downer for this early in the album, especially directly after Gone. This would have had more of an impact if preceded by a slower song, I think.
6. The Ascent Of Stan
This song contains the best piano on the the entire album, in my opinion, and among the best vocals. The lyrics basically tell the story of a man (Stan) who was a very dedicated "hippie" in previous years. He has now "sold out" and is at the top of a corporation, having left his beliefs behind. The song comments repeatedly about how he now understands the people he didn't understand in his youth. The lines:
"You wanted revolution,
now you're the institution,
How's it feel to be the man?"
are perfect for summing up the entire song. Please note: I am yet to mention Peter Garrett. Whoops! I just did. I'll leave it to Wikipedia to answer any related questions to that name.
92/100 - Just plain awesome.
7. Losing Lisa.
I always seem to forget this song, but I don't think that's a reflection on the song. The piano is firs class, especially during the chorus, the vocals are perfect, especially during the chorus. The lyrics are basically the conventional lively Ben Folds break-up song, with a little less anger than Song For The Dumped (I'll probably get to it soon, it's on another album). The constant mention of "Black tears falling down her face" is, while memorable, always disturbing in a way I don't quite understand. I just don't get it. Clear tears are normal. Blue tears are comedic (as they are normally in cartoons), red tears are just wrong, as with any form of blood coming from the eyes, but I honestly don't know what someone with black tears would be feeling. I just don't know.
80/100 -Catchy, but pointless. Meh. You can't win them all.
8. Carrying Cathy
Combined with the previous song, it would appear Mr. Folds is a fan of alliteration. Combined with Annie Waits, it would appear Mr. Folds knows a fair few "interesting" women. The piano is pleasantly slowed and the vocals, whilst not the best of the album, are more than reasonable and the lyrics (as the name suggests) is about a rather emotionally frail and generally dependent woman, who eventually dies, making the phrase "carrying" Cathy far more literal, as someone says during the funeral, while Cathy's family carries the coffin, "It's always been this way."
82/100- Not my kind of song, but it does what it set out to do and I honestly can't fault that.
9. Not The Same.
This song has the best beat of the album, accompanied by some of the strangest lyrics. Depending on the mood you're in when you hear the song, it's either about the events in life that permanently change us or it may just be about a "unique" individual, who is always changing her ideas. The backing vocals are really well used during this song and the drums aren't too bad either. There isn't much bad I can say about this song, and that in itself is surely a good sign.
83/100 - Good, but a little strange.
10. Rockin' The Suburb
This song is a great song, spoofing the way in which many songs about the unfairness of life and major problems are written by and marketed to those with the least problems and easiest lives. This is understandably one of the singles off the album. Although I enjoy the lyrics and music, the vocals aren't the best they've been. I do enjoy listening to this song in the uncensored version on CD. The Youtube version that has been censored really shits me, but I do understand why. I just wish they had an uncensored version optional. Still, a good song and probably the "loudest" on the album, sounding the closest to rock Ben Folds ever has or probably ever will.
89/100 - You had me at spoofing whining middle class kids.
11. Fired.
Just a crazy little song with incredible piano, great vocals and a catchy chorus. Not much I can say about the lyrics though. Most of them are just the line "Everybody here was fired." What more can I say?
86/100 - I have no words. Just listen to Ben go a little crazy.
12. The Luckiest.
The slowest song on the entire album, although the lyrics aren't as depressing as Fred Jones Part 2. The song is essentially a love song which Ben is clearly putting everything into. The piano is the focus of the song, making sound as only Ben Folds can. The lyrics are sweet, spinning extended situations which eventually boil down to being in the right place at the right time. The one thing I would like to go with this song is a real video. There are a few fan-made ones out there, but I think it would be very interesting to see how Ben Folds would accompany this song visually.
83/100 - A lovely song, although a little slow for my tastes. I think I really am not the kind of person to review this song. I think if I appreciated this song as it should be appreciated, I would be crying right now. Perhaps it's for the best.
Anyway, that was Ben Folds first solo album. I know I was rather harsh on it, but considering I'm now only reviewing albums I actually paid for, I'm going to have to be a little bit tougher. This album isn't Ben Folds best, but is far from his worst. None of my favourite songs of his are to be found on this album, but they average out a decent album. If I had a calculator on hand, I would average the scores for the individual songs, but screw that.
87/100 - This album is a tame roller-coaster. It quickly varies between happy, sad and back again, but all the songs carry Ben Folds mark. It's easy to tell Ben didn't quite completely know what he was doing and some songs were a touch forced, but in the end he produced an album which is definitely in my top 10, and probably my 3rd favourite by Ben Folds.
H. Rourke
Enjoy? Anyway, here is my review of Rockin' The Suburbs by Ben Folds:
1. Annie Waits
Opening with a strong beat, Annie Waits is a strange song, as the strong beat changes into a slower tune...and back again. Finally it breaks into a much more powerful sound. The first critique I have of this song is the drum beat which seems unnecessary and somewhat artificial. It irritates me just a bit but Annie Waits is still a great song. Lyrically, the song can either mean nothing or a lot, depending on how you think it was supposed to be heard. Taking at little value, it could be made to tell the story of a woman being a bit stuck up towards the singer. Looking a bit deeper, the song seems to be about a lonely woman who is alone after years of waiting for the perfect friend or perfect partner, eventually just finding comfort in being alone and living in a fixed routine. Anyway, near the middle of the song another truly pointless beat enters. It somewhat devalues the entire song. It could have been a touching song about a woman who overcomes her loneliness, but instead sounds like something that is nice enough, but didn't quite evolve from the 90's. Now, I want to try something new for the new year. I'm going to start giving songs individual ratings. I would really like some feedback on whether or not I should or if I should use a different system to do so. At the moment, I'm just going to go out of 100.
71/100 - Good enough, but not that great from Ben Folds.
2. Zak & Sara
The one thing that stands out about this song is it has a great beat and vocals. The whole song is a fantastic mess of lyrics, piano and drums. The lyrics, however, are a touch confusing. The basic premise is clear Zak (without a C) and Sara (without an H) are a young couple, both into music in someway or another. Where it gets confusing is where it's referring to Sara "seeing the future", talking about working in submarines or pale English faces. I honestly don't know if this is a reference to modern times, something to do with the 90's or Ben Folds just being weird. The lyrics are a touch dark, but the rhythm and vocals are near impeccable.
81/100 - A great sound, but a bit too short and I wish the lyrics had told more of a story.
3. Still Fighting It
Written for his first son, Louis, Still Fighting it is a little slower (for the most part) and a little more sentimental. This is one of the singles released from the album. The lyrics are sweet, talking about the future Ben's son will have, the memories they'll have together and just the fact growing up isn't easy. That's well and good, but the vocals and music don't quite do it for me. The music is just a touch too all over the place for a slower song. The vocals are OK, but a touch sub-par. Nice enough, but only just single material.
60/100 - Nice. But just nice. No more, no less. Also, it slows down the pace of the album a touch. First or last, I would say.
4. Gone
How I think Annie Waits should have gone. The drum s fit in perfectly, the vocals are strong and tell a bit of a story. The piano is also very well placed. The song starts out strong, belting out both lyrics and piano, slowing down briefly only to work back up into the previous level of passion in the song. Superbly done. The lyrics of the song, in their simplest form, can be summed by saying Gone is a song about letting things go, even if you don't quite think you are ready to let them go (in my opinion anyway).
88/100- Superb, if just a touch too short.
5. Fred Jones Part 2
This is the saddest song I have heard in quite a while. The lyrics tell of a man who has devoted a large portion of his life to a newspaper. This song begins as a man comes into his office and tells him it's time to leave. Fred, with his few belongings from the office leaves the building. Despite this man having spent many years here, no-one working here knows his name and no-one stops to commemorate the time he spent here. Great imagery, fantastic piano accompaniment to varying vocals, rising and falling as Fred Jones moods change and his mind works.
88/100 - A fantastic song, although a bit of a downer for this early in the album, especially directly after Gone. This would have had more of an impact if preceded by a slower song, I think.
6. The Ascent Of Stan
This song contains the best piano on the the entire album, in my opinion, and among the best vocals. The lyrics basically tell the story of a man (Stan) who was a very dedicated "hippie" in previous years. He has now "sold out" and is at the top of a corporation, having left his beliefs behind. The song comments repeatedly about how he now understands the people he didn't understand in his youth. The lines:
"You wanted revolution,
now you're the institution,
How's it feel to be the man?"
are perfect for summing up the entire song. Please note: I am yet to mention Peter Garrett. Whoops! I just did. I'll leave it to Wikipedia to answer any related questions to that name.
92/100 - Just plain awesome.
7. Losing Lisa.
I always seem to forget this song, but I don't think that's a reflection on the song. The piano is firs class, especially during the chorus, the vocals are perfect, especially during the chorus. The lyrics are basically the conventional lively Ben Folds break-up song, with a little less anger than Song For The Dumped (I'll probably get to it soon, it's on another album). The constant mention of "Black tears falling down her face" is, while memorable, always disturbing in a way I don't quite understand. I just don't get it. Clear tears are normal. Blue tears are comedic (as they are normally in cartoons), red tears are just wrong, as with any form of blood coming from the eyes, but I honestly don't know what someone with black tears would be feeling. I just don't know.
80/100 -Catchy, but pointless. Meh. You can't win them all.
8. Carrying Cathy
Combined with the previous song, it would appear Mr. Folds is a fan of alliteration. Combined with Annie Waits, it would appear Mr. Folds knows a fair few "interesting" women. The piano is pleasantly slowed and the vocals, whilst not the best of the album, are more than reasonable and the lyrics (as the name suggests) is about a rather emotionally frail and generally dependent woman, who eventually dies, making the phrase "carrying" Cathy far more literal, as someone says during the funeral, while Cathy's family carries the coffin, "It's always been this way."
82/100- Not my kind of song, but it does what it set out to do and I honestly can't fault that.
9. Not The Same.
This song has the best beat of the album, accompanied by some of the strangest lyrics. Depending on the mood you're in when you hear the song, it's either about the events in life that permanently change us or it may just be about a "unique" individual, who is always changing her ideas. The backing vocals are really well used during this song and the drums aren't too bad either. There isn't much bad I can say about this song, and that in itself is surely a good sign.
83/100 - Good, but a little strange.
10. Rockin' The Suburb
This song is a great song, spoofing the way in which many songs about the unfairness of life and major problems are written by and marketed to those with the least problems and easiest lives. This is understandably one of the singles off the album. Although I enjoy the lyrics and music, the vocals aren't the best they've been. I do enjoy listening to this song in the uncensored version on CD. The Youtube version that has been censored really shits me, but I do understand why. I just wish they had an uncensored version optional. Still, a good song and probably the "loudest" on the album, sounding the closest to rock Ben Folds ever has or probably ever will.
89/100 - You had me at spoofing whining middle class kids.
11. Fired.
Just a crazy little song with incredible piano, great vocals and a catchy chorus. Not much I can say about the lyrics though. Most of them are just the line "Everybody here was fired." What more can I say?
86/100 - I have no words. Just listen to Ben go a little crazy.
12. The Luckiest.
The slowest song on the entire album, although the lyrics aren't as depressing as Fred Jones Part 2. The song is essentially a love song which Ben is clearly putting everything into. The piano is the focus of the song, making sound as only Ben Folds can. The lyrics are sweet, spinning extended situations which eventually boil down to being in the right place at the right time. The one thing I would like to go with this song is a real video. There are a few fan-made ones out there, but I think it would be very interesting to see how Ben Folds would accompany this song visually.
83/100 - A lovely song, although a little slow for my tastes. I think I really am not the kind of person to review this song. I think if I appreciated this song as it should be appreciated, I would be crying right now. Perhaps it's for the best.
Anyway, that was Ben Folds first solo album. I know I was rather harsh on it, but considering I'm now only reviewing albums I actually paid for, I'm going to have to be a little bit tougher. This album isn't Ben Folds best, but is far from his worst. None of my favourite songs of his are to be found on this album, but they average out a decent album. If I had a calculator on hand, I would average the scores for the individual songs, but screw that.
87/100 - This album is a tame roller-coaster. It quickly varies between happy, sad and back again, but all the songs carry Ben Folds mark. It's easy to tell Ben didn't quite completely know what he was doing and some songs were a touch forced, but in the end he produced an album which is definitely in my top 10, and probably my 3rd favourite by Ben Folds.
H. Rourke
Sunday, 5 February 2012
So...
Four things.
Firstly, the reason I haven't updated for quite a while is that I have been out of state for about a month. When I got back, I was rather sick for a while and I'm not completely well yet, but I'm good enough.
Secondly, my review of the Hottest 100 of 2007will have to go on the backburner. I hate doing this again, but the main reason is that while I was sick, the library asked for the CD back. My own damn fault for not finishing the review earlier, but I'll try and track down the CD for actual purchase and finish the review, but I doubt that's going to happen any time soon.
Thirdly, in response to screwing myself over by twice trying to review CD's right before they were due back at the library, I'm going to start reviewing only CD's I own. The exception to this will be if anyone asks me to review a particular album/artist (Due to the fact there is no guarantee I would like the CD/artist enough to justify buying it). The main thing that will change is that I might actually review a few more CD's I enjoy, which is a shame. There seem to always be more ways of saying I hate something than saying I enjoy it. Never mind, I'm sure I'll scrounge up some shit I bought years ago.
Fourthly and finally, to anyone who has read a review on this blog before (and has probably stopped due to my complete absence during January), the fact I follow the Triple J Hottest 100 each year is far from obscure knowledge. On January 26th, the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2011 was held. The winner was Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra. Both of these artists are very talented and had seperate songs chart further down the list. It would have taken someone with either extreme loyalty to their artist or a lack of knowledge of Australian music to not have seen that song winning from as far back as August. My personal pick this year, Ballpark Music, did pretty well, placing 31st and 38th with It's Nice To Be Alive and All I Want Is You respectively. This is a nice step up from last year when my pick, Ozi Batla, didn't even place in the list. Later, I looked the positions 101-200. He wasn't even there, which is a little disheartening. I am looking forward to this years 101-200 positions being posted, mainly to find out where abouth half of my votes went. The sad thing about this years Hottest 100 is the fact that out of the top 10, I was familiar with two of the songs. I had heard another two once or twice, but I only knew the name and artist of two of the top 10 songs (Positions 1 and 10 if anyone is A) Reading this and is B) Curious about what songs I'm referring to.)
Two other things, which aren't important enough to warrant a separate posts or numbers at the top of this page. Firstly, I managed to acquire the three-isc version of Ben Folds' new album (which is actually consistent of mainly old songs) The Best Imitation Of Myself. It is a great album and I have considered doing a review, but three discs is a touch too much for me and also, one of the discs is only live recordings. Recordings of concerts are a pet peeve of mine. It is a bit better when they are professionally recorded, but if I wanted a recording of songs occasionally interrupted by applause of screaming, I think it would be a sign I didn't like the song that much after all. I understand the purpose of it, to try and capture the energy and atmosphere of a live show but it rarely, if ever, works that way. I may review a disc or two at some point in the future. We'll see.
Also, I have discovered, read from beginning to end and begun re-reading a fantastic webcomic called Something Positive by R. K. Milholland. It recently celebrated its 10th birthday, so go over there and read a fantastic comic.
H. Rourke
P.S. Happy 2012
Firstly, the reason I haven't updated for quite a while is that I have been out of state for about a month. When I got back, I was rather sick for a while and I'm not completely well yet, but I'm good enough.
Secondly, my review of the Hottest 100 of 2007will have to go on the backburner. I hate doing this again, but the main reason is that while I was sick, the library asked for the CD back. My own damn fault for not finishing the review earlier, but I'll try and track down the CD for actual purchase and finish the review, but I doubt that's going to happen any time soon.
Thirdly, in response to screwing myself over by twice trying to review CD's right before they were due back at the library, I'm going to start reviewing only CD's I own. The exception to this will be if anyone asks me to review a particular album/artist (Due to the fact there is no guarantee I would like the CD/artist enough to justify buying it). The main thing that will change is that I might actually review a few more CD's I enjoy, which is a shame. There seem to always be more ways of saying I hate something than saying I enjoy it. Never mind, I'm sure I'll scrounge up some shit I bought years ago.
Fourthly and finally, to anyone who has read a review on this blog before (and has probably stopped due to my complete absence during January), the fact I follow the Triple J Hottest 100 each year is far from obscure knowledge. On January 26th, the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2011 was held. The winner was Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra. Both of these artists are very talented and had seperate songs chart further down the list. It would have taken someone with either extreme loyalty to their artist or a lack of knowledge of Australian music to not have seen that song winning from as far back as August. My personal pick this year, Ballpark Music, did pretty well, placing 31st and 38th with It's Nice To Be Alive and All I Want Is You respectively. This is a nice step up from last year when my pick, Ozi Batla, didn't even place in the list. Later, I looked the positions 101-200. He wasn't even there, which is a little disheartening. I am looking forward to this years 101-200 positions being posted, mainly to find out where abouth half of my votes went. The sad thing about this years Hottest 100 is the fact that out of the top 10, I was familiar with two of the songs. I had heard another two once or twice, but I only knew the name and artist of two of the top 10 songs (Positions 1 and 10 if anyone is A) Reading this and is B) Curious about what songs I'm referring to.)
Two other things, which aren't important enough to warrant a separate posts or numbers at the top of this page. Firstly, I managed to acquire the three-isc version of Ben Folds' new album (which is actually consistent of mainly old songs) The Best Imitation Of Myself. It is a great album and I have considered doing a review, but three discs is a touch too much for me and also, one of the discs is only live recordings. Recordings of concerts are a pet peeve of mine. It is a bit better when they are professionally recorded, but if I wanted a recording of songs occasionally interrupted by applause of screaming, I think it would be a sign I didn't like the song that much after all. I understand the purpose of it, to try and capture the energy and atmosphere of a live show but it rarely, if ever, works that way. I may review a disc or two at some point in the future. We'll see.
Also, I have discovered, read from beginning to end and begun re-reading a fantastic webcomic called Something Positive by R. K. Milholland. It recently celebrated its 10th birthday, so go over there and read a fantastic comic.
H. Rourke
P.S. Happy 2012
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