Spiderbait- Greatest Hits

This compilation album was released 2005. It includes the songs of the bands' 12 year history, in reverse chronological order.

On My Way is a brilliant start. It's a perfect example of snappy pop-rock, featuring nice "scratchy" verses and a catchy singalong chorus. And the sound quality is very nice, especially the meaty drums and bass guitar. A small quibble is that towards the end it drags out a bit.

Songs dragging out too long is unfortunately quite common on this album. Black Betty is a top notch effort with great frenetic energy, but it also goes on too long. Some people might dig the trance-like vibe they're going for, but I think the songs would work better as a 2-minute onslaught ala Ramones. Anyway, aside from this rant, Black Betty's cutting riffs and sharp transitions make it a mad, enjoyable romp.

On the other hand, I wish that Fucken' Awesome had a big riff, or something else to make it more than a wall of noise with an expletive-laden chorus. Jesus suffers a similar fate, although its tongue-in-cheek lyrics are a bit more interesting.

While the attempt at stadium-rock in Tonite isn't very convincing, I do appreciate the variety it brings the album. Similarly, the funk and psychodelic elements of Four On The Floor aren't my cup of tea, but it does mix things up nicely.

Back to the simplicity of pop-rock hits, Outta My Head is great fun. The energy is infectious and the riff is ultra-catchy, reminding me of Ramones "I Don't Wanna Grow Up".

For a change, the lyrics of Shazam and Buy Me A Pony are quite thoughtful and interesting. And both feature suitably headbanging accompanying music!

Perhaps the predecessor to Outta My Head, Calypso relies on the ridiculously exaggerated contrast between verse and chorus. It's a cheap trick, but it never gets old for me!

Personally speaking, Old Man Sam is wrapped up in some memories of great times, so it's impossible for me to be at all objective here. I can only assume that the band were also drunk when they wrote it! So silly, so fun.

Favourite songs

On My Way, Black Betty, Outta My Head, Shazam, Buy Me A Pony, Calypso, Old Man Sam

Worthwhile?

Hmm. There's some songs here I'd be happy to listen to once in a while. But is that enough to make owning the album worthwhile? Probably not.

The Cat Empire- Cinema

This is the fifth album from The Cat Empire. It was released in 2010, four years after So Many Nights.

It feels like there's a bit of an identity crisis at play here. After 7 years of their eclectic mix of gypsy, ska, jazz, soul and funk (that list is probably just the tip of the iceberg!), trying to progress musically while maintaining an "anything goes" ethos is probably hard work. Also, many of the members had started musical side-projects by this stage, further complicating perceptions of what "is" Cat Empire and what is not.

Therefore, in my book, The Heart Is A Cannibal and Beyond All are not "proper" Cat Empire. They're more Jackson Jackson with the introspective, uber-serious, electronic trance. Not that they're bad songs (although the arrangement of Beyond All is pretty clumsy at times) and they do bring some variety to the album. So perhaps the issue is just my narrow-minded view of what The Cat Empire should be. While I'm whingeing, All Hell is a clinical, soulless effort that you would expect from a manufactured "super-group". Yuk.

Returning to the start, the bouncy funk groove of Waiting is a treat. There's nothing to make the song memorable, but it's fun while it lasts. As is Only Light, where the mystic keyboard melody makes for a nice trancey journey.

Falling starts off a bit too "easy listening" (I can't actually pinpoint what I mean by this, other than to say it's a pretty harsh insult!). But then instrumental section throws in some semi-chaotic jamming in the background, and suddenly the song has fantastic mojo.

The extreme and sudden contrast in Feeling's Gone is probably a bit alienating for an otherwise solid pop song. But this is the exact reason I like it! The headbanging chorus is a treat, as are its little intrusions into the wonderfully gentle verses. All up, it's probably my favourite song on the album.

Although Shoulders would also come pretty close. Dammit, they must know that ska is my weakness! And while it has bouncy goodness by the truckload, it also manages to be humble and touching. In many ways, it reminds me of The Lost Song from their debut album, but as a nicely matured version.

Spoken word rarely appeals to me. And since the music of Reasonably Fine is so bland, it pretty much boils down to spoken word. The ending (which itself is particularly terrible, like a poor attempt at Son Of A Preacher Man) just can't come soon enough.

Call Me Home is vintage bouncy Cat Empire. In other words, it's a fantastic song! The bridge doesn't really fit, but it just adds to the character. It's a similar story for On My Way, which features an infectious and bouncy chorus. If there's typos in what I'm writing now, it's because I'm struggling to sit still enough to type this! Brilliant fun.

Favourite songs

Falling, Feeling's Gone, Only Light, Shoulders, Call Me Home, On My Way

Worthwhile?

Another Cat Empire album, another great collection of left-field songs. In that sentence, it is easy to become blasé and focus on the word "another", really the key word is "great". It's an often overlooked album, but it's definitely worth owning.

Kujo Kings- Regal Riot

By 2010, the third-wave ska movement had pretty much run out of steam. So it was a nice surprise when the Kujo Kings emerged to keep flying the flag. This is their debut EP.

Unusually, the Kujo Kings horn section horn section includes a flute. It seems an odd choice on paper, but in this case it works brilliantly to cut through the other instruments and adds a nice unique touch. More flutes for ska bands, I say!

Anyway, Brain Food features nicely silly lyrics and some great catchy melodies. Unfortunately, there's a fair bit of sub-par musicianship and overall arrangement is a bit of a dog's breakfast. Although one might argue that these elements are inconsequential for a ska band, Brain Food isn't really one of the band's better efforts.

Met Pigs brings it all together brilliantly. The silly story, great tongue-in-cheek headbanging and syrupy smooth ska are particular highlights. I also really dig the backing horns lines towards end of verses, they lead in to the verses very nicely. Speaking of structure, the way it winds up from reggae to ska to the punk chorus is fantastic.

Senile Delinquents follows the same formula of catchy tongue-in-cheek goodness. It jumps all over the place, often awkwardly, but for me that's somehow part of the appeal.

Behold the main lyrics of Monkey Island:
Marooned on an island, I don't know what to do.
Surrounded by monkeys who throw their own poo.
Marooned on an island, I don't know what to do.
Surrounded by monkeys who throw their own poo.
That's poetic genius right there, folks! Coupled with highly energetic and catchy instrumentals, it makes for hilariously fun chaos.

The Chase is musically as good as the other songs, but lacks the lyrical silliness to make it enjoyable for me. On the other hand, LAN Party brings together silly feel-good ska with with retro videogames. A perfect combination!

Favourite songs

Met Pigs, Senile Delinquents, Monkey Island, LAN Party

Worthwhile?

Definitely.

The Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness

This is the third, and most famous, album from The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released in 1995, two years after Siamese Dream.

Starting with Tonight Tonight, the orchestral feel and use of strings is creates a richly textured experience. The contrast between the verses and chorus works very well, too.

Bullet With Butterfly Wings has a great driving beat and sense of anticipation in verses. I find the simplistic chorus a bit of a letdown, but overall I still really enjoy the song.

But aside from the hit singles, I just can't get into this album. This is such a highly acclaimed album, so there must be something wrong with me! What it boils down to is that I find their heavier songs are just a wall of noise with harsh sounding vocals. And while the ballads on this album are inoffensive, they also fail to captivate me.

The exception to my rant above is that I quite enjoy Zero as headbanging riff-rock.

The party trick of 1979 is its refreshingly catchy beat and unusual minor chord guitar melody. It feels strange saying this about The Smashing Pumpkins, but it's a fun little pop song.

Favourite songs

Tonight Tonight, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979

Worthwhile?

No.

Jewel- Pieces Of You

This is Jewel's debut album. It was released in 1995 and (eventually) shot her to folk-pop stardom.

I find the situation with this album is very similar to Missy Higgins; in that the style generally does nothing for me, but the occasional song is somehow an absolute cracker. The lyrics of many songs are quite gloomy, so getting through the whole album is a bit of a struggle. Also, while some lyrics create vivid illustrations, songs such as as Morning Song and Adrian have lyrics that are quite literal or bland.

Pieces Of You deserves praise for its biting and insightful messages. But its brutal intensity means I don't find it at all enjoyable. It's like musical brussel sprouts!

The recording quality is a mixed bag. But when it's good, the vocals are spine-tinglingly good. Meek, powerful, husky, defiant... a huge range of emotions are brilliantly communicated.

So, on to the good stuff. The lyrics of Foolish Games are brilliant- the melancholy is still present, but the poetic imagery brings the story to life. My initial impression is that the musical accompaniment is also a cut above the rest of the album. But maybe it is actually that the wonderful lyrics allows me to appreciate it properly for this song. Either way, the piano part is beautifully both gentle and haunting.

I'm Sensitive is quite oddball, thanks to the bouncing guitar style, which sits a bit awkwardly in this pop song. I like it! Somehow reminds me of the music from the film Napoleon Dynamite. Also, the naieve chorus ties the song together nicely.

Favourite songs

Foolish Games

Worthwhile?

No. The single for Foolish Games would have sufficed for me.

Various- Spare Shells (Modern Interpretations Of Songs By The Specials)

Not another covers album! This time it's The Specials being re-interpreted in a tribute album, which was released in 2001.

The inclusion of Enjoy Yourself means we have a cover of The Specials' cover of a cover! This version brings to the table some frenetic sections, which work really well. The ending drags out a bit, but overall it's a nice touch to a classic song.

I'm a big fan of The Porkers' energy-packed style. It injects some much-needed interest into Little Bitch. In fact, I'd say it is actually carrying a sub-par song. While the end result is passable, there are many better Porkers songs out there.

Skavenjah's Hey Little Rich Girl benefits from having much better material to work with. And they make the most of it, with the ska trademarks of horns, organ and offbeat guitar being well executed. If I may make an unfair comparison though, I do prefer Amy Winehouse's version of this song. The version of You're Wondering Now also suffers the same unfortunate fate of being compared with a cracking Winehouse version.

Gangsters by The Louisville Sluggers is, on paper, a match made in heaven. The bravery in such a big change to a neo-swing style is to be admired, and they do make a decent fist of it. But I wish it flowed better, instead of jumping all over the place. This unusual cover has great novelty value, but it doesn't quite gel for me.

On the other hand, I much prefer The Skalatones' Stereotypes to the original. The upbeat energy of the music contrasts the lyrics nicely, and stops things getting too heavy. Musically, this version is quite a dog's breakfast, but that's not a problem at all!

(Dawning Of A) New Era is simple: classic ska song plus Area-7 equals excellence. Also, there is the historical significance of this song being where Area-7 got their name from.

Dr Raju's cover of Doesn't Make It Alright has a great chorus and great verse, but unfortunately don't sit together very well, thus partially undermining each other.

Stupid Marriage by Skarface is rough as guts, for example the eclectic drumming in the chorus is an annoying distraction. However, Judge Roughneck is hilarious in this version, and the chaos suits the story perfectly. Therefore, I actually prefer this version to the original.

The changes to Man At C&A are very subtle, and I think this is a wise choice. It's a brilliant song, and it benefits wonderfully from a light-touch updating.

The opposite is true for Too Much Too Young. Dave Smalley taken an otherwise forgettable Specials song and, using a unique "acoustic ska" style, turned it into something very special.

Rat Race is run-of-the-mill 2-tone ska, and there's nothing wrong with that! The extensive use of horns is a nice touch.

Favourite songs

Enjoy Yourself, (Dawning Of A) New Era, Stupid Marriage, Man At C&A, Too Much Too Young

Worthwhile?

Ummm, no. Maybe there's a subconscious effect present, that I somehow feel that The Specials' songs are too sacred to be messed with. Some of the songs are enjoyable, but overall the album feels more like a passing novelty than a work of art with lasting appeal.

Detroit Cobras- Mink Rat or Rabbit

This is the debut album from the covers band, which was released in 1998.

Ok, "covers band" might be a bit harsh. The songs have various degrees of reworking, and most have becoming distinct songs in their own right.

Cha Cha Twist trades the R&B style for a garage-rock sound, yet maintaining the heart of the groovy 1960s rock appeal. The guitar licks and cheeky (for the time) lyrics round out this infectious little pop song.

Speaking of infectious, Putty (In Your Hands) is guaranteed to get you dancing. Regardless, the gritty edge of Detroit Cobra's version puts a nice new spin on a great song.

While most of the "garage rock" conversions involve increasing the tempo, Easier To Cry actually slows down the Shangri-Las to create a brooding blues. The result is fantastic, and adds some great variety to the album.

The band should be greatly praised for someone seeing the potential diamond in the rough that was found amongst the awful wall-of-noise grunge of The Oblivians' Bad Man. But the lyrics are fantastic, and with some slight massaging they've turned the riffs into a catchy 1960s tribute. The unique drumming is a particular highlight, breaking up the song with wonderful contrast to each section. This song is a highlight of the album for me.

Midnight Blues is an awesome prowling blues. It's just so understated and cool. They've taken the original, bashed it around to knock off the pop-music polish, then dragged it through the mud; and the result is brilliant.

The changes to Hittin' On Nothing are actually quite subtle. But enough to make a fantastic garage-rock adaption of a great soul song.

The frenetic feel to Out Of This World makes for a nicely unique song, both with the original and Detroit Cobras version. In this case, it feels like a minor "updating" of the original to suit modern fashions, but nonetheless it's a great song. And this approach also works well for the super-catchy hit Breakaway.

Favourite songs

Cha Cha Twist, Putty (In Your Hands), Easier To Cry, Bad Girl, Midnight Blues, Hittin' On Nothing, Out Of This World, Breakaway

Worthwhile?

Yes, it's a wonderful tribute to - and re-interpretation of - some great soul/r&b songs.

Green Day- 21st Century Breakdown

This is Green Day's eighth studio album. It was released in 2009, five years after American Idiot. From the band that brought us simplistic punk ditties like Geek Stink Breath, this was their second extravagant rock-opera album.

So, without further ado, Song Of The Century is a pretty contrived opening. Well, this is the impression in isolation, but it hindsight it is actually a nicely fitting introduction to the album.

Musically, the start of 21st Century Breakdown is still part of the warm-up process. The lyrics are a highlight right from the start, with a wonderful combination of insight and poetic imagery. Then, once the songs gets its groove on halfway through, it becomes great headbanging fun.

iViva La Gloria! follows a similar recipe, showing that Green Day have polished this punk-rock-opera artform to perfection. The opening cadenza is a passable effort which adds some nice light and shade to the drama.

Before The Lobotomy is ok, I guess. But my only lasting impression of it is that they rhymed "eulogy" with "lobotomy". That, my friends, is Green Day in a nutshell!

Despite the lyrics being the song title itself, I always heard the chorus of Christian's Inferno as "This shit's in vertigo". Oops! In many ways, it's vintage fast-paced Green Day, which is still great. While I'm not a fan of the distorted vocals, in this case it's used as an artistic device to represent a modern-day preacher, so I'll stop complaining.

In its own right, Last Night On Earth is a nice ballad with wonderfully poetic lyrics. But it also is the perfect precursor East Jesus Nowhere. This crunching riff-rock effort features catchy hooks left, right and centre. The layering of the guitars is also a highlight. And there is again an element of anticipation for me, because I'm always excited by what's coming next...

Which means the folk-punk brilliance of Peacemaker. On one hand it is a raucus stein-swinging anthem with a unique sea-shanty twist, much like the Dropkick Murphys. On another level, this is a hugely emotive song for me. The mixed metaphors, such as
This is a stand-off, 
Of molotov cocktails on the house
are vintage Green Day goodness. For me, it paints a very vivid landscape of life and death, and war. More specifically, it somehow evokes images of a warzone in a heavily-bombed church. A special mention to the violins, which are tastefully added in the background and add another great dimension. All up, it's one of my all-time favourite songs.

Last Of The American Girls is an update of She. Which means it is fantastic, and Rolling Stone's description as a "left-wing love song" hits the nail on the head. The lyrics use a series of simple phrases to create poetic and vivid imagery:
She wears her overcoat
For the coming of the nuclear winter
It could also be a punk version of Tom Petty's American Girl. A particular highlight for me is the pre-chorus.

The punk-sea-shanty style is also lightly sprinkled onto ¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl). And again, it works a treat. And again, Green Day know exactly how to do a grandiose bridge as the icing on the cake.

Restless Heart Syndrome is another solid ballad, with excellent use of strings and great lyrics. Like the title track, it then cranks up the anger to eleven. 21 Guns uses the same successful formula, and why not?! I realise this is getting repetitive, but again it is brilliant. As is Horseshoes And Handgrenades, with it capturing the same magic as East Jesus Nowhere.

The Static Age throws in some variety with a fantastic sense of anticipation in the unique drum pattern. The chorus is great for singalongs and the ending is wonderfully grandiose.

We're actually treated to some old-school Green Day in American Eulogy. It's just re-packaged into political/social commentary. And there's nothing wrong with that!

Favourite songs

That is not a valid question! (see below) Ok... if you insist... Peacemaker.

(...and 21st Century Breakdown, iViva La Gloria!, Christian's Inferno, Last Night On Earth, East Jesus Nowhere, Last Of The American Girls, ¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl), Restless Heart Syndrome, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, The Static Age, American Eulogy)

Worthwhile?

Overall, I can't praise this album highly enough, like the excellent review from Rolling Stone. The concept of Green Day as a rock-opera band might sound absurd (especially since the Billy-Joe is a pretty mediocre singer, but then so is Bob Dylan...). But their poetic narrative of politics, religion and intriguing characters is perfectly suited.

Despite my above prattling on about individual songs, this album is actually more about an overall experience. This is far more than a collection of songs from which you pick a few favourites. I actually wasn't aware of the overall narrative until a few minutes ago, the album just seemed perfectly gelled together for some reason. And now that reason makes sense, and adds another great dimension to this brilliant concept album.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show- Soundtrack

The music of the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an integral part of the experience. This is the 2001 re-issue of the soundtrack.

In a nutshell, although I can embrace the campness and ridiculous exaggeration of the movie, extracting the songs and experiencing them in isolation leaves me cold.

It would be cruel to nitpick each of the songs, because they've been removed from their natural habitat. So this will be another short review (and given my previous post, you could be forgiven for thinking I'm just getting lazy!).

On the plus side, Time Warp and Sweet Transvestite are hilarious romps.

Favourite songs

Time Warp, Sweet Transvestite

Worthwhile?

Only when the songs are used to accompany the movie.

Missy Higgins- On A Clear Night

In 2004, Missy Higgins' debut album exploded her into public consciences, starting with the single Scar. This is her second album, which was released in 2007.

The opening is absolutely stunning. Where I Stood features beautifully humble and emotive lyrics. Musically, it is quite understated, yet perfectly suited to the lyrics and captivating in its own way. This genre (acoustic rock?) isn't normally my cup of tea, but occasionally one of Missy Higgins' songs tugs directly at my heart strings. This is one such brilliant example.

Can the rest of the album maintain this incredible standard? Well, Sugarcane is another example of brilliant lyrics, thanks to the very touching story. However, for me the chorus is a bit of a let-down.

The other songs are a good variety of perfectly acceptable pop songs, which I would have no problem listening to as background music. However, none of them really stands out to me, and I'm going to get on my soapbox here. Music is a very personal experience, which should be about inspiration and emotion. "Competent" and "acceptable" are missing the point. So, to avoid diluting the magic of Where I Stood, I'm going to end the review here.

Favourite songs

Where I stood

Worthwhile?

In hindsight, I should have just bought the single instead of the album.