Kate Miller-Heidke - Curiouser

Curiouser is Kate Miller-Heidke's second album. It was released in 2008, one year after Little Eve.

Although this band splits their efforts between gentle ballads and oddball pop-rock, the former isn't really my cup of tea. So the appeal for me is largely based on the orchestrated madness of their pop-rock. Maybe the silliness is a subversive commentary on the cookie-cutter nature of pop music? Well, all I care about is that bouncing around like a madman is heaps of fun!

And this album is brimming with such fun. It kicks off with The One Thing I Know, which jumps all over the place but somehow manages to just hold it all together. The only downside is that the chorus gets a bit stale towards the end. Gods Gift To Women uses the same great recipe,  adds a dash of cheeky lyrics and is fantastic from start to finish.

Caught In The Crowd, Last Thing On Earth and Our Song are probably wonderfully spiritual songs, but... well... I'm just here for the craziness...

Politics In Space has a really great country mood (somehow reminding me of John Farnham??) in the verses, but I find the saccharine chorus undermines the song. End Of School, however, maintains a beautifully haunting and sparse mood throughout, much like The Howling Bells. Amongst the silliness of this album, it injects a moment of calm reflection.

In my opinion, Can't Shake It and Motorscooter represent the pinnacle of the band's style. Just the right amount of madness gives the songs their spice, as does the cheeky lyrics (my favourite being "I execute the moonwalk like I stepped in shit"). Yet one does not listen to these songs sagely appreciating their qualities, because the grooves are so irresistibly catchy that you're inevitably bouncing around! This is the oddball-pop genre perfected.

Favourite songs

The One Thing I know, God's Gift To Women, Can't Shake It, Motorscooter, End Of School 

I diggit?

Yes, it's is a unique and fantastic musical experience (...even with my stubborn refusal to appreciate its serious, softer side)

Millencolin - True Brew

True Brew is the eighth album from Millencolin. It was released in 2015, eight years after Machine 15.

Please allow me to take a few moments to pontificate about Millencolin's lyrics, because for me they are a big part of what distinguishes them from the thousands of other pop-punk bands. Firstly, there's the language itself: while there's nothing grammatically incorrect, the unusual phrasing and quirky analogies are a wonderful novelty.

As for the meaning behind the lyrics, Pennybridge Pioneers and Home From Home are often dripping in either fragile humility (eg Penguins & Polarbears from Pennybridge Pioneers) or motivational poster-style positivity (eg Fingers Crossed from Home From Home). Perhaps it's the language oddities that prevents the latter from sounding trite? Anyway, both of which were a brilliant match for their catchy pop-punk style. The next two albums took the more usual punk-rock stance of angry energy, which although less unique still resulted in some great songs. However, I am delighted that True Brew is a return to the humility/optimism lyrics, because these are unique Millencolin treats.

Enough rambling, on to the songs...

Egocentric Man is a great opener, with some great pop hooks and strong emotions in the self-effacing lyrics.  

Chameleon is quite similar (although perhaps that could be said for all Millencolin songs!) and also features a great chorus, but I find the verses to indistinctive. On the other hand, Autopilot probably only differs thanks to the unique breakdown of the chorus, yet I totally dig that song.

"Motivational poster" rock is at its finest for Bring Me Home. It's kinda like Good Charlotte in that there's nothing too meaningful, but.. well...it's great catchy fun.

Perhaps a quirk of punk-rock being such a tightly defined style is that I really enjoy Autopilot Mode but Wall Of Doubt leaves me totally cold. They are very similar songs, so I have no idea why there would be such a difference in reaction!

However, the explanation for Silent Suicide being so forgettable is plainly obvious- the chorus isn't the centrepiece that the song needs it to be.

Sense & Sensibility is an interesting exploration of the issues of compassion and narcissism. With a thumping million-miles per hour punk-rock backdrop. Brilliant.

The unusual, moody rhythm guitar style gives Mr Fake Believe a nicely sparse element to it. And the chorus, when it is finally revealed, is perhaps all the better due to the anticipation of its arrival.

Finally, Believe In John is another case of vintage Millencolin- wonderfully spiritual lyrics contrasting and complimenting a manically energetic chorus.

Those familiar with the tracklist might have noticed the absence of the title track (True Brew) so far. It's because I'm saving the best until last; this song features catchiness by the bucketload, but in this case it's backed up with profound meaning. Another highlight is the greater contrast of light and shade between verses and chorus. Outstanding. Good Charlotte catchiness with profound meaning. The icing on the cake is the chorus, which is an irresistible outpouring of energy and triumphant emotion. Millencolin have knocked out some fine choruses over the years, and this is one of their best. This song sums up everything that is great about Millencolin.

Favourite songs

Egocentric Man, Autopilot Mode, Bring Me Home, Sense & Sensability, True Brew

I diggit?

Oh yes. After owning four other Millencolin albums, I came into this expecting that True Brew wouldn't be able to bring anything new to the table. But it delivers in spades.

Millencolin - The Melancholy Connection

The Melancholy Connection is a compilation released in 2012, containing B-sides from previous albums.

And herein lies the problem for me: the songs feel like early drafts of the songs which ended up on the albums. Many of the verses, choruses and riffs ended up being used in other songs on the albums, sometimes mixed together completely differently and sometimes only the lyrics are different in the final product. Therefore, in my opinion, it's more of an insight into the songwriting process than songs to be enjoyed in their own right.

And I'm not enough of a Millencolin fanboy to appreciate this.

I diggit?

No.

The Pearly Shells - Flip!

Flip is The Pearly Shells sixth' studio album. It was released in 2014, three years after Belmar Sessions.

Half of the songs on the album are originals, and unfortunately most of these songs leave me cold, for reasons unknown. Somehow they just have no appeal. Also, the recording style is missing the lowest and highest pitch sounds, and the horns and female vocals often sound muddy.

Grow Up Properly is happily an exception, thanks mainly to the cheeky lyrics. (the catchy melody, especially in the chorus, seems similar to a song by another band, but I can't quite put my finger on it)

Most of the covers are solid efforts, but again, none of them appeal to me. The cover of the classic Staggerlee stands out, and not in a good way. This is mainly because the upbeat boogie-woogie style of the instrumentals is completely at odds with the violent lyrics. I realise that this juxtaposition is a fundamental part of Mack The Knife's captivating appeal, but it just doesn't work in this case for some reason. While I'm digging the knife in (sorry... terrible pun...), the saccharine chorus just exaggerates the mismatch, and is quite cringeworthy.

Favourite songs

Grow Up Properly

I diggit?

Despite me being a big fan of The Pearly Shells, somehow this one just holds very little appeal for me.

The Bombay Royale - The Island of Dr Electro

The Island Of Dr Electro is The Bombay Royale's second album. It was released in 2014, two years after You Me Bullets Love.

How on earth should one pigeonhole this band? Indian-styled funk oddysey, perhaps?? It's probably cheating, but in the end I'm going to go with Bollywood Cat Empire.

From the very first sitar note in Ankhiyan, this album is something very unique and special. My personal highlight of this opening track is the infectious headbanging groove, support by oh-so-cheesy-yet-oh-so-right riffs from the strings section.

To sum up Wild Stallion Mountain, it's a spaghetti western style... plus interstellar disco-funk. Which means it is everything one could possibly want in a song! A particular highlight is the third "Bobby" which re-unleashes the funk halfway through the song. Plus the gratuitous horse neigh, of course.

Hourly Night Patrol provides a bit of a breather as an understated ballad, which beautifully tiptoes along... until it unleashes... A FUNK ONSLAUGHT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. Brilliant.

(Boring audiophile rant: Initially I had deducted points for the lack of any deep bass... but I've since realised that not every album needs to be register on the Richter Scale. The balance between instruments is perfect, the layering is beautifully rich, and the top end glistens wonderfully; in short, it is a great sounding album.)

You might notice that the list of favourite songs below is every song on the album. It's reflective that this isn't a collection of songs, it's a single experience- a wonderfully abstract and intense musical journey.

Favourite songs

Ankhiyan, Wild Stallion Mountain, Khubsoorat Bewafa, Henna Henna, Tere Bina, Hourly Night Patrol, Bunty Bunty, Gyara 59, The Bombay Twist, The Island Of Dr Electro, Falcon's Landing, The River

I diggit?

This is fantastic! And I've never heard anything like it!

Hunters & Collectors - Crucible

This collection of covers was released in 2013, seventeen years after the last album from Hunters & Collectors.

Hunters & Collectors hold a very special place in my collection, so it's a tough ask for any band attempting to cover their songs. Will this compilation be a failed attempt to improve on perfection? Or will the covers be wonderful songs in their own right?

Unfortunately, I quickly found myself disengaged from this album, and resorted to nit-picking each song. That's totally unfair, because each band has done well to provide a creative and fresh interpretation of the songs.

Perhaps the reason I'm not into it is simply that I'm not really into the style of many of the bands here. But then The Living End's cover of Say Goodbye challenges that theory. Because, as much as I'm a massive Living End fan, I find this version to be much poorer for the lack of the Hunters & Collectors style. Perhaps the fundamentals of the songs aren't anything special, but they're elevated to greatness but the wonderful style of Hunters & Collectors?

Blind Eye is another curious situation. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful, therefore in isolation Husky's acoustic version is a beautiful song. But I just can't get over the notion that I'd prefer to be listening to the original. Sorry.

Favourite songs

(none)

I diggit?

Despite its best intentions, somehow it's just not my cup of tea.