Fat Freddys Drop - Based on a True Story

Fat Freddys Drop are a reggae/roots band from New Zealand who formed in the late 1990s. However it wasn't until 2005 that their first studio album, Based on a True Story was produced.

My favourite dub qualities of subtlety, a gentle build-up and the calming re-assurance of phat bass are all wonderfully present in the opening track Ernie. Unfortunately it starts feeling a bit tired after about 4 minutes, and then the upbeat section disrupts the subtle mood.

Cay's Crays brings all the dub goodness with a great horn melody, a nicely minimalist chorus, a trance-like feeling throughout and occasional punctuation with the calls of "fire!". I also really dig how the song gently ebbs and flows along. It is a real art to keep a song engaging for over 5 minutes with just minimal subtle changes, but Cay's Crays is an example of how Fat Freddys Drop hits the nail on the head.

This Room is more drum'n'bass than dub, but I appreciate the variety it provides for the album. Ray Ray also lacks an offbeat, therefore I hate it of course... just kidding! The start features a great driving groove, although I find it quite disjointed in the middle, due to the staccato section and the relatively large changes thereafter. However, all is forgiven when it comes together beautifully for the climax.

Dark Days is a vocal ballad style, and it just doesn't speak. Also I think the song feels confused towards the end, due to an overpowering dub-style bass guitar (or double-bass perhaps?) and kick-drum that doesn't suit the style or insert any meaningful energy.

Roady features an infectious rocksteady groove A++

The reason we're here is Wandering Eye. Or more specifically, that incredible tip-toeing bassline. It carries the song for 6 minutes, yet feels like it could go on forever. The creamy horn line, the mischievous lyrics, the subtle increase in intensity for the chorus, etc are all wonderful... but in the end they're all just supporting actors for that legendary bassline. (In my book, this album ends when the bassline does.)

Favourite songs

Cay's Crays, Ray Ray, Roady, Wandering Eye

Final thoughts

I have a very narrow-minded view of this album, but it still brings much enjoyment.

The Hives - The Black and White Album

The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band who released their first album in 1997. The Black and White Album is their fourth studio album, which was released in 2007.

Hate to Say I Told You So from Veni Vidi Viscous kind of makes an appearance here in the form of the catchy opener Tick Tick Boom. The simple riff-rock style risks becoming monotonous, but the genius of The Hives is that they know how to quit while they're still ahead.

Try It Again another (relatively) slow-paced song with another great riff and another catchy chorus. A minor gripe is that I question whether the screaming girls in the background adds anything to the song. But that's easily overcome by the highlight of the song for me: the great interplay between the two guitars. Bigger Hole To Fill brings more of the same goodness.

You Got It All... Wrong is getting closer to a traditional Ramones err, sorry, Hives song. There aren't many musical ideas going on here, but the backing vocals does make the chorus stand out nicely. Also, the keyboard in the pre-chorus brings some good contrast to proceedings.

It's all been quite traditional up until this point, but Well Allright kicks things up a gear with a super-catchy groove. The overblown gospel-preacher style of vocals works a treat with the soul-influenced styling. It's simply great fun and I don't have much more to say...

Hey Little World features the timeless recipe of riff-rock versus perfectly contrasting a bouncy, singalong chorus. Won't Be Long is more of the same, but at slightly higher tempo (and with a great Animals reference at the start of the lyrics). The plastic strings and synths are terribly cheesy... it's wonderful.

As a quirky interlude, A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors works a treat. Actually, the song also works a treat in its own right. For me it brings up images of sneaking around a mansion in a Spy-vs-spy style. The tongue-in-cheek funk of T.H.E. H.I.V.E.S. also provides variety and much enjoyment. Finally, I have no idea what style Giddy Up is?? Regardless, it's also a wonderfully oddball addition to the album.

Return The Favour is old-school raucous (and sometimes harsh) Hives. It's a nice throwback, but the song also illustrates how much the band has developed since the first few albums. 

In Puppet On A String, the band have graded thundering guitars and drums for a piano and subtle clicks. The result shows that quality songwriting can be completely engaging without needing any window dressing. This is perhaps another "oddball" song (although perhaps so many oddballs actually makes it the norm here?), but it's also one of my favourite songs on the album.

Favourite songs

Try It Again, You Got It All... Wrong, Well Allright, Hey Little World, A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors, Won't Be Long, T.H.E. H.I.V.E.S., Giddy Up, Puppet On A String, Bigger Hole To Fill.

Final thoughts

Similar to Green Day and The Living End, I regard The Hives as a band that has evolved very nicely over their career (but with the tongue still firmly embedded in cheek the whole time!).

And this album is heaps fun.

Avantasia - Moonglow

Avantasia are a symphonic metal supergroup, whose first album was released in 1999. This is their eighth album, Moonglow, which was released in 2019.

The album kicks off with Ghost In The Moon, which strongly reminds me of Meat Loaf. Maybe it's just the piano? Or perhaps the 1980s-styled power-ballad choruses? Either way, it doesn't waste any time drawing us into the adventure, and I really dig it.

Speaking of epic, The Raven Child is a song that's almost as long as some Ramones albums! It ebbs and flows brilliantly, and each section perfectly dovetails into the next, making it a wonderful way to spend eleven minutes.

Book of Shallows somehow feels like a midpoint between Devin Townsend's Empath and Dragonforce's Inhuman Rampage. But where the latter is overdone to the point of absurdity and the former is intimidatingly complex, Avantasia could well be my Goldilocks album. It also has Meat Loaf's wonderful ability to make time melt away; the five minutes was over in a flash. Later on, Alchemy provides similar headbanging power-ballad goodness. And Requiem For A Dream Dragonforce at a tempo that I can comprehend. Brilliant.

Moonglow reminds me a lot of Nightwish. In other words, it's utterly brilliant. Moving on to quoting The Divynals (wow, I'm name-dropping a lot of bands in this post...), they believe that an uplifting chorus can single-handedly carry a song. Exhibit A in support of this theory is Lavender, which soars brilliantly.

Starlight is a nice, upbeat anthem that provides contrast to the album, but isn't memorable in its own right. Invincible is the same situation at the other end of the intensity spectrum.

Finally, Maniac somehow reminds me of Baby Animals and lyrically is quite an odd way for the album to end... but maybe it's a celebratory after-party for our heroine, following a successful conquest?

Favourite songs

Ghost In The Moon, Book Of Shadows, Moonglow, The Raven Child, Alchemy, Lavender, Requiem For A Dream

Final thoughts

Perfectly represented by its cover art, this album is a wonderful fantasy novel in a musical format.

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

The Avalanches are an electronica-chillout group who formed in 1997. This is their debut album, which was released in 2000.

We've been in this situation before, dear reader. As much as I try, electronica is often too far outside of my interests, so it's appeal usually just boils down to catchy pop hooks. 

The title track, Since I Left You, is a case in point. I kinda dig the soothing melody for background music, but it doesn't retain my attention for focused listening.

Then we have the slick, inoffensive corporate vibes of Radio (which reminds me of the band Madison Avenue) and a Beastie Boys-esque disjointedness in several songs, such as Close To You.

However, special mentions go out to A Different Feeling for its nice phat groove, and to Two Hearts in 3/4 Time for the contrast provided by its 6/8 time signature. Also, Etoh has a delicate and intriguing intro, which leads into instruments gently drifting in and out. It's quite dub-esque in its feel, therefore I'm a fan.

Frontier Psychiatrist is a cracker in my book, and the reason that I bought this album. Its references to mental health problems are probably in poor taste these days, but I really dig the whimsical attitude, complete with random horse sounds. The retro-styled groove is wonderfully entrancing (but its flow gets broken several times, which is very frustrating).

Live At Dominoes is a hidden treat that appears towards the end. With a phat groove and cheeky references coming in from all angles, it's a masterpiece. So despite all my whingeing above, I'd love to see The Avalanches in concert.

Favourite songs

A Different Feeling, Frontier Psychiatrist, Etoh, Live at Dominoes

Final thoughts

There's a few good times here, but it's another electronica album where I'm missing the point.

Reel Big Fish - A Best Of Us... For The Rest Of Us

Reel Big Fish are a third-wave ska band who formed in 1991. This mid-career Best Of was released in 2010, one year after the Fame, Fortune and Fornication studio album.

The reason that I bought this CD was mostly because I'd lost their Favorite Noise Best Of album, so there was an RBF-shaped hole in my CD collection. Interestingly (perhaps due to record company contract shenanigans), different recordings of the same songs are used on this more recent compilation. And unfortunately, the overly cheesy feeling I whinged about previously is even more obvious here. Enough whingeing... I best not ponder the audiophile intricacies of badly-recorded ska-punk (although that would be quite on-brand for me...), so let's skip the main disk and see what the bonus acoustic version disk holds.

Stripping away the distortion guitars, vocal effects and overdubs makes for a much more wholegrain experience and brings it a bit closer to ska's Jamaican mento roots, which I really dig. In particular, Take On Me works a treat as an acoustic version, and I dig the full-circle absurdity of an acoustic cover of a ska cover of Aha's original hit. (A quick note of trivia: the track list has Take On Me and Beer in the wrong order)

Another F.U. Song is comedic cold, both in punk-rock and acoustic guises.

Another part of the reason I purchased this CD was to get my hands on 241, and this acoustic version doesn't disappoint. The styling brings it closer to a rocksteady groove, allowing that timeless riff to shine even brighter. So I actually prefer it over the original.

Favourite songs

(not including originals which also appear on Favorite Noise)

Another F.U. Song (both versions), Brown Eyed Girl, Take On Me (acoustic), 241 (acoustic) Scott's A Dork (acoustic)

Final thoughts

Overlooking the main disk (because I already have most of those songs), it's a tough question as to whether the acoustic disk is worthwhile in its own right. I really dig the style as an interesting take on the songs, however it is lacking the frantic energy of the originals (FYI I never really got into the Dan Potthast style of acoustic ska), so both versions have their merits.

... however, the Take On Me and 241 are brilliant as acoustic versions, so in the end it's a resounding thumbs-up.

Alex Lahey - The Best of Luck Club

Alex Lahey is an indie pop/rock singer who began performing in 2016. The Best Of Luck Club was released in 2019, two years after I Love You Like A Brother.

Let's skip my favourite aspects for a moment, and start with what probably represents more of the band's "natural" style...

Interior Demeanour feels a bit like Nirvana-lite to me, with brooding verses and a simplistic chorus functioning as the hook. I really enjoy the rawness and honesty of the lyrics, even if it isn't a song I'd look forward to listening to. Unspoken History perhaps illustrates the importance of said hook, since we are just left with nondescript melodies and painfully unimaginative rhyming. No thanks.

Isabella is another major offender when it comes to the rhymes. But all is forgiven thanks to the positive vibes, in particular an endearingly wholesome chorus. While on the topic of soppy ballads, Black RMs isn't particularly memorable musically, but the lyrics have a sense of sharing some very personal thoughts, which makes it an interesting journey.

The 80s synth-rock sound of Don't Be So Hard On Yourself (we'll get there soon, I promise...) makes a subtler appearance with I Need To Move On. Its chorus might be lacking the stadium-rock energy of its siblings, but the sparse atmosphere is very enjoyable in its own right.

Ok, now back to the start for I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore. Quiet self-reflection in the verses? check. Catchy singalong chorus? check. It's a simple recipe, but this example shows the timeless appeal when done well. The icing on the cake is the breakdown section, which slowly builds momentum thanks to wonderful layering of the vocals and guitars. It's my favourite part of the song. And although the chorus was beginning to wear out its welcome, this build-up into the grand finale version of the chorus is the perfect way to round out the experience.

Am I Doing It Right tells an engaging tale with great insights into the paradox of the lonely rock star lifestyle. But really, it's all about the legendary chorus, which becomes some kind of cult-like trance, as per emo stadium-rock at its finest. Some odd little highlights for me are the lines "I can f**k it all up in a million different ways" and the glorious offbeat snare hit at the end of each phrase.

Don't Be So Hard On Yourself is more of the feelgood melancholy vibes from I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore. Both songs have a strong 80s synth-rock feel to me, quite similar to Dragon (possibly due in part to the brilliantly cheesy saxophone cameo). Again, the chorus is wonderfully addictive, using a thousand watts of stadium rock power to describe the most fragile elements of the human condition. In one of the highest compliments I can give, it's like Millencolin at their finest.

Favourite songs

I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore, Am I Doing It Right, Don't Be So Hard On Yourself, Isabella

Final thoughts

I do really like it... but, much like Nirvana, probably for all of the wrong reasons.

Like a Version - Volume 16

Like a Version is a series of compilation albums, consisting of Australian bands covering famous pop songs. The series began in 2005, and volume 16 was released in 2020.

Ain't nobody got time for me to blather on about all 40 songs (myself included!), so here's some notable mentions...

Welcome to the Black Parade (by Alex Lahey): This song is single-handedly the reason that I purchased this album, and it delivers in spades. It takes a highly captivating song, strips away all the over-produced Hollywood nonsense, and trades the cartoon caricatures for a great sense of authenticity. Brilliant.

I Touch Myself (by Lime Cordiale): A quirky interpretation that trades nicely on the original's catchiness.

Say So (by Polish Club): I'm not familiar with the original, but this version has a nicely syncapated 6/8 groove.

Knowing Me Knowing You (by Angie McMahon): Nicely understated version of the ABBA classic.

Heart-shaped Box (by Hermitude): The sparse yet toe-tapping groove works a treat and makes me enjoy this more than Nirvana's original.

Dance Monkey (by Milky Chance): A quirky and captivating re-interpretation of the original... or maybe I'm just a sucker for anything with an accented offbeat...

Mr Brightside (by Hauskey): I really enjoy The Killer's original version (plus the added irony that it was written by the drummer who left the band afterwards), but this laid-back version feels flat and lacks the orchestration that makes the original sparkle.

Bags (by Dominic Fike): Another one I'm completely unfamiliar with, but the indie-rock groove kicks things off nicely. It goes off into the weeds each time after the chorus, but thankfully this doesn't last too long.

Love is in the Air (by Stella Donnelly): Initially I thought it wasn't a patch on the magnificent energy of the original, but slowly the beautiful vocals are working their way into my affections.

Get Free (by Northlane): Sadly, this adds very little compared to the original.

Don't Start Now (by Azure Ryder): Despite the lack of any particularly memorable moments, this is beautifully crafted pop perfection.

Righteous (by Stand Atlantic): This is probably my favourite r&b song (which is quite a short list) before cranking it up into a rock power-ballad.

California (by Japanese Wallpaper): Wonderful feelgood vibes, like cruising down the PCH on a perfect sunny day. Same goes for Mr Bluesky (by Alex the Astronaut).

When the War is Over (by Jarryd James): Too energetic for its sorrowful lyrics IMHO.

Unwritten (by Maddy Jane): I've forgotten the original, but judged in isolation this song perfectly blends emotion with pop catchiness.

Parlez Vous Francais (by Mickey Kojak): White Stripes (The Hardest Button To Button) meets Basement Jaxx. Brilliant.

Blackfella/Whitefella (by Bad Dreems): Generic styling ala Midnight Oil, but one can't complain when it works this well.

Don't Look Back in Anger (by Yours Truly): Re-interpreting an all-time favourite song of mine is always fraught with danger, but I also dig this more eclectic version. The pre-chorus's chord progression and chorus's lyrics are highlights, as per the original.

Forever Young (Tones and I): The whispy, directionless original holds no appeal to me whatsoever, but this cover has enough craziness make it an interesting experience.

Favourite songs

Welcome to the Black Parade, Knowing Me Knowing You, Heart-shaped Box, Dance Monkey, Bags, Love is in the Air, Blinding Lights, Lady Marmalade, Soaked, Don't Start Now, Righteous, California, No Diggity, Mr Bluesky, 1901, Unwritten, Parlez Vous Francais, Blackfella/Whitefella, Don't Look Back in Anger, Forever Young

Final thoughts

Before doing this post, I was slightly dreading having to pick through all 40 songs. But the list of Favourite Songs shows that there's plenty of wheat amongst the chaff here.

Nightwish - Showtime, Storytime

Nightwish are a symphonic metal band who formed in 1996. Showtime, Storytime is a live album released in 2013, two years after the Imaginarium album. 

So, recently I was taking the Dropkick Murphy's to task because I couldn't understand their lyrics. But... ummm... the inconvenient truth here is that most of the time I can't distinguish Nightwish's lyrics either. In my defence though, Ms Jansen's vocal's are a tad more musical than a bunch of angry middle-aged Irish guys...

Without further ado, Dark Chest of Wonders is an excellent, high-energy way to kick off proceedings.

Wish I Had An Angel has many great Nightwish ingredients, however the slightly uncouth male vocals are a letdown for me (this is compared with Ms Jansen, and living up to that standard is a huge ask). On the other hand, the male vocals work very nicely in I Want My Tears Back, and the pipes are also a good addition to inject some variety.

She's My Sin is a case of "don't bore us, get to the chorus" (thanks, Divinyls). It's verses aren't particularly memorable, however the immensely powerful chorus single-handedly carries the song. The extra intensity of the final chorus is the icing on the cake.

There's a nice contrast provided by the softer verses and bridge of Ghost River. Personally I find the breakdown at the start of the pre-chorus is awkward and disjointed, however it does serve its purpose by allowing the song to build nicely into the chorus. The instrumental Last of the Wilds also features a nice ebb and flow, has a catchy melody for the pipes and is a great way to lead us into the intermission.

Ever Dream kicks off with a wonderfully simple piano-and-vocals opening, which later blossoms into an incredibly powerful and catchy chorus. Speaking of choruses, the melody of Storytime's chorus is utterly infections. As for the other bits of the song... well, they do an adequate to fill in time before the next hit of that wonderful drug. Bless the Child also features an hugely powerful chorus, perhaps my favourite on the album. It's all quite simple, but with incredibly vivid and hauntingly beautiful imagery. The first half of the chorus wafts across the moors at night... before being joined by an army of rock angels playing at full noise. Also, I really dig the slow-burn build-up through the intro.

Romanticide kicks off with great energy through the verses, courtesy of some excellent guitar riffs. Unfortunately, the energy tapers off in the chorus and the latter parts of the song, however maintaining a Ramones-esque style for about five minutes would probably get quite monotonous. While I'm nit-picking, the second half of Ghost Love Score somehow seems a bit cobbled together. Before this, though, it settles into a nicely contrasting slow-paced feel once it settles in after the intro. And then it builds up perfectly into each chorus, thanks to powerful and haunting vocals.

Amaranth follows a familiar - but enjoyable - recipe, before exploding into another chorus for the ages.

Last Ride of the Day takes a while to get into its groove, and the chorus is very different to the others. But it's definitely worth persevering for, especially when it cranks up another gear for an epic ending.

Overall, this live album manages to achieve a mostly-crisp sound, while still capturing the sense of a grand occasion (complete with fireworks at various times). And while the kick-drum sounds a bit 'slappy', all is forgiven for the sublime sounds of the lead vocals. Speaking of the live concert, the banter between songs varies between endearing and awkward, but it adds to the feeling of a genuine, real-life event.

Favourite songs

Dark Chest of Wonders, Ghost River, Ever Dream, Storytime, Last of the Wilds, Bless the Child, Amaranth

Final thoughts

This album is an easy sell for me, since the style is a novelty for me that I really enjoy. This is a metal-genre take on Meat Loaf's sublimely overblown fantasy Wagnerian-rock (an official genre, apparently), and I can think of no higher compliment than that.

Dropkick Murphys - Live on St. Patrick's Day

Dropkick Murphys are a Celtic punk band who formed in 1996. This is their fourth album (and first live album), which was released in 2002, one year after Sing Loud Sing Proud.

Before we jump into the 26 songs(!) herein, I should note that a common theme is that I can't understand the damn lyrics. Maybe it's the noisy nature of a live recording, and it does seem worse when the lead vocals are sung as a duet. But I have a theory: sibilants, and the lack thereof. The shouted lyrics probably reduces them to start with, but also I think that this recording is missing the high-pitch vocal sounds. Unfortunately, this means that many of the songs are non-starters for me, for example Boys on the Docks, Road of the Righteous, Rocky Road to Dublin and Finnegan's Wake.

While I'm moaning, For Boston, Curse of a Fallen Soul and A Few Good Men seems like wall-of-noise thrashes without any structure, although I do like the half-time chorus of the latter. Adding a mandolin (Gang's All Here) or bagpipes (Spicy McHaggis' Jig) is a nice touch, but can't single-handedly carry the song. The Gauntlet reminds me a lot of the band The Dwarves, but verses are too blurry (beer goggles perhaps?) to speak to me.

Barroom Hero is similar to the wall-of-noise thrashes in many ways, yet somehow this tavern shanty perfectly hits the spot for me. Such is the mysterious subtlety of the punk-rock artform, I guess! It's a similar story for Bloody Pig Pile, which also features an uplifting sing-along chorus. Similarly, Which Side Are You On has a great bounciness and an addictive chorus (I just wish they'd let the chorus fully reach its potential within the song, by using a double-length version of it, as hinted at by the outro)

Upstarts & Broken Hearts is the first example of a more involved song structure than the earlier thrashes, greatly increasing my enjoyment. Also, the pre-chorus is a highlight. 

The bagpipes and whistle in the background of Heroes from Our Past adds a nice layer, but unfortunately it's another song let down my an inability to decypher what on earth they're shouting about. On the slower side, the addition of a whistle for the main melody of Wild Rover works a treat, adding an airiness and sitting beautifully above the vocals.

The Torch is probably a beautiful experience live, but it doesn't translate to my living room unfortunately. Nutty (Bruin's Theme), however, is a brilliant and unexpected interlude in the form of a saccharine TV series theme-song style. Fortunate Son is a brilliant raucous cover, brings a great working-class feel to the tale. And the main riff of Dirty Water reminds me of the theme from Sesame Street! Mixed in with some George Thorogood vibes, it all adds up to a great song in my book.

Saving the best until last, Amazing Grace is simply incredible- both as the original hymn and when pumped full of frenetic punk-rock energy. I bought the album specifically for this song, and it is even better than I could have imagined. There's also a great personal touch in the intro, with the singer's elderly grandparents being in attendance at this punk-rock gig. 

Favourite songs

Upstarts & Broken Hearts, Which Side Are You On, Wild Rover, Fortunate Son, Amazing Grace (times infinity!), Barroom Hero, Dirty Water, Bloody Pig Pile

Final thoughts

This album brilliantly portrays the live atmosphere, has very touching liner notes and the banter between songs adds to the sense of occasion... but many songs rely heavily on the storytelling, and I can't understand the lyrics. They could be the most beautiful expression of the human condition we've ever witnessed, for all I know. There are definitely many highlights of this album, but it's also quite a frustrating experience.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Murder of the Universe

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are an Australian psychedelic rock band who formed in 2010. This is their tenth album (of seemingly thousands of albums...), which was released in 2017, the same year as Flying Microtonal Banana.

Tale of the Altered Beast kicks off with a great bouncing energy and manic riff... but it soon wears out its welcome for me. Also I find the narration throughout the album, which considers the perils of disaffected monsters and cyborgs (or some such bollocks), to be quite grating. 

The Lord of Lightening vs Balrog brings a welcome slowing of the pace, which is much easier to get into the groove of. Until it jumps back to full speed, dammit! The lessen here is probably that prog-rock isn't really for me, even when it's on speed like this. Han-Tyumi and the Murder of the Universe backs up this theory, with the raucous riff-rock of the chapters Digital Black and Vomit Coffin being the highlight of this album for me, although unfortunately the latter includes a lot of the non-sensical spoken word stuff.

Favourite songs

Digital Black

Final thoughts

Maybe I didn't give this album enough time to permeate into my soul. Or maybe this style is just not for me.