The Living End- Roll On

Roll On is The Living End's second album. It was released in 2001, three years after their self-titled debut).

For Roll On, the band wanted to distance themselves from their previous punkabilly sound, with a complex album of pub-rock operas. "Pub-rock operas???" you might be thinking. But I think it is the best description for this album: imagine AC/DC condensing Wagner's Ring Cycle into 48 headbanging minutes. That's what we're dealing with here. The end result is exhausting- both physically and mentally- but this combination of art-rock complexity and and infectious pub rock anthems is very rewarding.

The opening song, Roll On, makes it perfectly clear that the band's punkabilly days are behind them, but without too much artsy stuff (yet...) to scare people off. This continues for Pictures in the Mirror and Riot on Broadway, with both being radio-friendly high-intensity singles. The recording of the vocals sounds a bit thin, but otherwise the recording quality is very good. It is raw but still composed, and holds up well after 13 years.

We enter the rabbit-hole with Staring at the Light. As is necessary when condensing 4 nights of opera onto one CD (figuratively speaking), every song is a barrage of musical ideas. Often the songs have very abrupt transitions and are barely hanging together as a song, but all of the ideas are very good in isolation.

Blood on Your Hands sums up the album in a song: a plethora of ideas shoehorned together, some clever experimental bits and an epic pub rock chorus. The result: brilliant. Next up is Revolution Regained, a great pop song (probably the simplest song on the album), and also my favourite track. As some respite for the ending, Uncle Harry is a simple, silly ditty about a relative urinating in a bathtub!

In the Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time list, The Living End's self-titled album charted higher at number 4. While that album is more unique, I wouldn't be surprised if, over time, Roll On overtakes it in popularity. In my humble opinion, behind all the complexity (and partly because of it), Roll On is an all-time classic album of Aussie rock.

Favourite songs

Roll On, Pictures in the Mirror, Riot on Broadway, Carry Me Home, Dirty Man, Blood on your Hands, Revolution Regained, Killing the Right, Uncle Harry

Would I buy it again?

Yes

Various- Files Under Ska 2

This compilation (tracklist here) was released in 2000, as the Australian ska movement was approaching its peak. Some  stalwart bands (Yeah Yeah, Loin Groin, etc) were still kicking and new bands were popping up all the time. Some of these bands would have relatively successful careers, others have been long forgotten.
(By the way, prior to this post, the whole of the internet didn't have the cover art for this CD!)

Even as someone obsessed with ska, I find this album is very hit and miss. Some songs are great, some are real shockers (let's not name names!). On the bright side- unlike many genre-specific compilations- it never gets monotonous. As for recording quality, most of the recordings are quite rough around the edges. But enthusiasm over polish goes with the 3rd wave ska territory...

Some of my favourites are the smooth instrumentals of the Australian Ska Orchestra (not directly related to the Melbourne Ska Orchestra), the whimsical yet cocky rock-ska of icons Loin Groin, tracks from Commissioner Gordon's EP and a catchy little tune from Addiction 64. And a nice surprise is the bands which appeared out of obscurity with a fine contribution: Shelflife, The Cryptic Lanes, Cheese Excursion and Fieldtrip. The Oiska song is quite surprising- until I read the tracklist I had no idea that it was by them.

Favourite songs

That was Fantastic (Commissioner Gordon), Disgusting Love (Cheese Excursion), Storm Warning (Australian Ska Orchestra), Society's Flaw (Shelflife) , 747- Time to Start Loving' (Loin Groin), Blurred Vision (The Cryptic Lanes), Little Something (Slyboots), No Nonsense (Addiction 64), Autopilot (Fieldtrip), R'n'BFX (Commissioner Gordon), Given Up (Shelflife), Rainy Night in Horsham (Australian Ska Orchestra)

Would I buy it again?

Yes, mainly for the handful of songs (by obscure bands) which cannot be found anywhere else.

Bodyjar- Singles and Stuff

Bodyjar are not just a band, they are an Australian melodic-punk institution. Having released their first album 20 years ago, they have seen all kinds of fads come and go, and occasionally still come out of the woodwork to play the odd show.

This album is a 1999 compilation of their first four albums.

Although the band is labelled as "punk", in many ways they are the antithesis of punk! I say this due to the poetic lyrics, wonderful composition (especially the way the two guitars work together- their "synergy" is amongst the best going around) and great polish. Most of the 15 songs are similar pace, structure and style, but it's done so well that I'm not complaining.

The recording quality has held up well over the years. Minor quibbles are that the vocal production sometimes lacks polish and bass guitar can be "woofly" or get lost in the mix. The loose cymbals might also not be to everyone's liking. But the drums and guitars sound great, and overall it packs a punch while maintaining definition.

For me, there are many highlights on this album, and not a single song I would prefer to skip.  Glossy Books has great lyrics and chorus, Remote Controller somehow combines so many interesting musical ideas, Windsok's verses show their punk side while maintaining their trademark sophistication, Gee and Al is a catchy pop tune... I'd better stop before I wax lyrical about every song on the album!

Even amongst such a high standard, three songs stand out as my all-time favourite songs. The cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Hazy Shade of Winter is fantastic- the poetic lyrics, swirling guitar riff and epic ending makes for a great cover. As for originals, Return to Zero is the ultimate punk-rock song, in my opinion. Somehow it seamlessly combines a smorgasboard of great ideas. If Bodyjar had instead spread the ideas across, say, 5 songs, the 5 songs would still have been very good. Instead, we are blessed with one absolutely fantastic song. Finally, I really like how Do Not Do hammers along at breakneck pace, yet still manages to feel smooth and composed.

Recently I've been dismissive of compilation, due to the idea that they are "soulless" compared to the original albums. But when every song on the compilation is this good, I have to make an exception...

Favourite songs

You Say, Glossy Books, Hazy Shade of Winter, Time to Grow Up, Remote Controller, Kitchen Knife, Windsok, Do Not Do, Washed Away, You've Taken Everything

Would I buy it again?

Absolutely.

The Hives- Veni Vidi Viscious

Those crazy Swedes... The Hives are a raw garage rock band, who came to prominence thanks to this second album released in 2000.  Soon after this album, the garage rock revival was in full swing. But while the other bands took the artform very seriously (eg The Strokes), The Hives stuck with a more whimsical approach.

On a personal note, I was really getting into this album as the September 11 attacks happened. Immediately after the attacks, panic and chaos reigned, and many people feared that it was the start of World War 3. Scary times.

On to the album itself... well, the tongue is very firmly planted in cheek! There are some interesting concepts raised in the lyrics (corporate greed, consumerism, metric quantities of time), however the attitude presented is like a petulant toddler. And that's what I love about it. Comparing them to Ramones is a big call, but I definitely enjoy The Hives every bit as much. And with an album length of 28 minutes, brevity is another common aspect.

The album flies along at breakneck pace, with the more sedate Main Offender, Hate To Say I Told You So and Find Another Girl probably included just to give the listener a break from the onslaught. I really enjoy the lyrics, however some people might find the howling (not screaming, but definitely strained), "retro-distorted" vocal style to be annoying. Also, the recording style is rough and noisy. So much so that I find it harsh rather than enjoyable when the volume is cranked.

The opener Declare Guerre Nucleaire serves as a declaration of intent- it is short, fast, raw and the lyrics make no sense! Die, All Right! is my favourite song on the album, to me it is a very slick pop song with "up yours!!" lyrics and a very catchy chorus. The following songs are similar, but somehow with even more frantic pace and attitude: A Get Together To Tear It Apart, Outsmarted, Metric System in Time, Statecontrol and Knock Knock.

Main Offender, Inspection Wise 1999 and Supply and Demand are a slower pact, but the attitude and rawness remains cranked to eleven. Arguably the band's most famous song, Hate to Say I Told You So, is another catchy pop tune which remains relatively civilised until the raucous ending.

I really enjoy this album, the clever lyrics and occasional moments of pop slickness suggests they have the skills to make great "sensible"music if they wanted to. But they don't! Kinda summed up by this line from Die All Right:
Too messed up to sit and settle down
Too messed up to even mess around

Favourite songs

"Die, All Right!", Main Offender, Outsmarted, Hate to Say I Told You So, Metric System in Time, State Control, Inspection Wise 1999, Knock Knock, Supply and Demand

Would I buy it again?

Hell yeah! It's rough as guts, but full of wonderful energy and attitude.

Epilogue: At the time of reviewing Lex Hives (2.5 years later), I thought it would be interesting to compare the two albums. Lex Hives is definitely a far more polished effort and the prime suspect is the recording quality- Lex Hives is hardly a homogeneous pop-rock effort, but Veni Vidi Viscious can be downright harsh at times. In common are the woofly kick-drum and bass guitar, and the harsh-ish guitar sounds. Occasionally, the cymbals also have a jarring sound. But I think the main difference is in the vocals- for Lex Hives, they are quieter and less grating. This also applies to the backing vocals. Listening back-to-back, I was actually surprised that the difference in recording quality was far less than expected.

Therefore I think the more polished feel of Lex Hives is mostly down to the recording of the vocals, and possibly the greater stylistic range in the songs. So, which is my favourite Hives album? Both!

Commissioner Gordon- A Life Less Gordonary

Commissioner Gordon (not to be confused with the garage rock band from the USA), are an Australian ska band from the early 2000s. They were a pivotal part of Melbourne's ska scene, as American bands such  Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and Mighty Mighty Bosstones brought on a resurgence in ska's popularity.

Prior to this review, I haven't listened to this CD for a while, so it's a nice surprise to discover just how much fun it is. The band have a unique take on 3rd wave ska- adding punk, swing and funk to the mix. Their unique sound also comes from the way the horns are used, the walking basslines and endearingly "ocker" lyric style.

That Was Fantastic has nice contrast between syrup-smooth verses and immature punk choruses, and the real skill is getting them to gel seamlessly. The use of horns is one of my favourite things about Commissioner Gordon, they are very intricate for a ska band. Also, they are carefully woven into the song, as opposed to the usual approach of using them as cheesy response lines. I Want to be Sued continues in this style, again with amusing and immature lyrics, and again the results are very enjoyable.

I don't want to spoil the surprise to anyone who hasn't heard this version of Bernie Got Wise, other than to say that the sneaky musical references thrown into the intro always make me smile!

Psychotic Panelbeater combines menacing slow reggae verses, a "circus music" chorus and brilliantly whimsical lyrics. It works, albeit in a silly way. Somehow it reminds me of the insanity of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Perverted Happiness works to a similar formula.

RnBFX would be the most "normal" ska song on the album, sometimes sounding like a song from The Toasters. But the unusual song structure and insane (in a good way) lyrics result in a song that is still wonderfully oddball.

Favourite songs

That Was Fantastic, I Want to be Sued, Bernie Got Wise, Psychotic Panelbeater, RnBFX, Perverted Happiness (yes, all of them!)

Would I buy it again?

There's probably too many great memories tied up in these songs for me to be able to listen to them objectively. Maybe an unbiased listener would find it dated and immature; but I still thoroughly enjoy it, and would purchase it again in a heartbeat.

Cake- Fashion Nugget

Fashion Nugget is Cake's second album. It was released in 1996, two years after Motorcade of Generosity.

Frank Sinatra is a brilliant opening song. It is almost an instrumental, and I really like the way it plays with layering whilst maintaining a laid-back groove. On the other hand, The Distance has a much more determined and energetic groove than most other Cake Songs, as driven by the lyrics.

I Will Survive is a great twist on Gloria Gaynor's hit- somehow the seriously funky bass and drums, deadpan lyrics and smooth trumpet combine brilliantly. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps is given a similar treatment, although its fragmented style makes it less catchy.

There are also some silly songs which don't take themselves seriously: Friend is a Four Letter Word, Daria and Race Car Ya-Yas. Personally, I enjoy the gentle whimsy. Then things go completely silly with a tongue-in-cheek country song (Stickshifts and Safetybelts and She'll Come Back To Me) and waltz (Sad Songs and Waltzes).

As for recording quality, on the surface it sounds fine. But listen closely and it reveals itself as pretty lo-fi: the drum sounds lack polish, the bass can be muddy and in general it can sound pretty cheap and cheerful. Perhaps it's a deliberate choice to keep things lighthearted, but I tend deal with it by thinking of it as a live album.

It's hard to tell whether the heavy funk of Nugget is meant to be tongue-in-cheek or not. But they make the funk less serious for the tale of consumerism nirvana, Italian Leather Sofa, which results in my favourite Cake song.

It seems that history will remember the band Cake with Short Skirt Long Jacket off their 4th album,  however there are also many gems on Fashion Nugget.

Favourite songs

Frank Sinatra, The Distance, Open Book, I Will Survive, Stickshifts and Safetybelts, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, Its Coming Down, Italian Leather Sofa, Sad Songs and Waltzes

Would I Buy It Again?

Yes. It's unique, and fun.

Magic Dirt- Dirty Jeans

This is the hit single from the album What Are Rockstars Doing Today, which shot Magic Dirt into 15 minutes of mainstream fame. It was released in 2000.

Dirty Jeans is a simple ditty with an interesting song structure- a bit like a rock version of a round. Also, in my book it earns bonus points for the double hand-claps.

Kidbug is a grungier style, with more venomous vocals and dirty guitars swirling around in the background. And Supernova is somewhere between the two. Neither are particularly memorable for me, but are decent headbanging fun at the time.

Favourite songs

Dirty Jeans, Supernova 

Would I Buy It Again?

Probably not. Back then it worked well as a quirky pop song, but for me there isn't any lasting appeal.

Bob Dylan- Self Portrait

Self Portrait is Bob Dylan's tenth(!) album. It was released in 1970.

On a personal note, many years ago, I thought that my CD collection could use some Bob Dylan (presumably to gain some cred as a person with credible tastes!). In particular, I was after Like a Rolling Stone and this CD- probably in the bargain bin- had that song, so I naively grabbed it and have listened to it rarely ever since.

What a controversial album I happened to have grabbed! Released after his highly successful 1960s era, this album resulted in the following reactions:
- "what is this shit?" (Rolling Stone)
- great concept, poor execution
- also it has been suggested that the album was deliberately bad because Dylan was frustrated with his fans' constant attention (how arrogant of him!) or a parody.

The songs are mostly covers, and actually covers a lot of musical styles- although it isn't immediately obvious these days because all of them are very cheesy...

For example, All The Tired Horses, I've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know and Early Morning Rain are in a very dated ballad style, dripping in excess choirs and violins. Bob Dylan also tries his hand at Blue Moon and, yes, the results are as painful as you would expect!

Dylan's trademark "gravelly folk" style appears on Days of 49, Little Sadie and Like a Rolling Stone, which at least have some feeling of integrity to them. Unfortunately, this version of Like A Rolling Stone is live recording with poor audio quality, and a sloppy band.

I must admit I'm still not very familiar with Bob Dylan in general. So to maintain any form of respect for his work, I seriously hope this album is a case of trolling his fans. That's about the nicest things I can say about it!

Favourite songs

Belle Isle, Alberta #1, Like a Rolling Stone, Gotta Travel On, Take a Message to Mary, She Belongs To Me

Would I buy it again?

There's enough good songs to make it worthwhile, but I can't shake the feeling that this album is just plain insulting to the audience's intelligence.

Metallica- "the black album"

This "black album" (officially known as "Metallica") was a massive success for Metallica. It was released in 1991, three years after ...And Justice For All.

Like Dave Brubeck, this is an intimidating classic to comment on! There is not much to say that hasn't been said, starting with the classics of Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters. The massive cheese-cutter guitar sound has already been discussed at length, as has Lars's neanderthal drumming (Nothing Else Matters would have greatly benefited from a set of brushes and some valium!). So the best I can do is remind you of the goodness of the less-remembered songs.


Sad But True is a slower, grunting song which clearly influenced Rage Against the Machine's style.
Holier Than Thou cranks the tempo back up for a ...ahem... vehement discussion about religion...
To me, the verses of Wherever I May Roam get a bit tedious, but all is forgiven when the fantastic chorus hits.
Don't Tread on Me has a really cool swing groove.
Through the Never alternates between frantic pace and slower breakdowns, following the classic 1980s Metallica style.
Of Wolf and Man is a mid-paced headbanger.
The God That Failed is a bit like The Unforgiven but a bit disjointed in my opinion.
My Friend of Misery also is perfect for headbanging in the verses, with a chorus influencing Rage Against the Machine's style.
The Struggle Within is a frantic 1980s Metallica style song.

Of course this album demanded to be listened to louder than usual. So my neighbours can confirm that the bass guitar and kick drum have huuuuge power, the guitars are grunty yet well defined, the snare is very sharp and the floor tom hits could create earthquakes! At quieter levels, the hi-hat sounds a bit smeared, but crank it up and it falls into place nicely.

Finally, the lyrics are top notch throughout the album.

Favourite songs

Enter Sandman, Holier than Thou, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, Don't Tread on Me, Through the Never, Nothing Else Matters, Of Wolf and Man, My Friend of Misery

Would I buy it again?

Yes. I don't normally believe in "must have" albums, but this is one that needs to be enjoyed every so often. At maximum volume.

Various- The Songs of Duran Duran Undone

This oddball compilation was released in 1999. It features Duran Duran covers by Australian bands.

Back when I bought this CD, I wasn't familiar with many Duran Duran songs, so for me these versions are songs in their own right, as opposed to "covers".

The opening track is The Mavis's sugar-coated synth version of Planet Earth, which- if nothing else- warns us that we're in for a wild ride!

Then Powderfinger provide a light tropical version of The Chauffer. The lyrics of the original are incredibly vivid, and the style of the song perfectly compliments them. It is probably one of my favourite songs on the album, and definitely my favourite Powderfinger song.

Bodyjar's version of Rio is a strange mix of punk rock with glam, but really like the mix of poetry and punk-rock.

The Reflex is a light pop duet between Kylie Minogue and Ben Lee, which I find a bit spineless, aside from a very catchy chorus. Jebediah plaster their signature style (not my cup of tea) over Hungry Like the Wolf.

Careless Memories appears with a fantastic grunty rock-ska version by Area-7. It's hard to put a finger on the style of the song, but whatever it is, I like it!

Pollyanna provide a light pop-rock version of Save a Prayer which builds up very nicely (trivia: the Pollyanna drummer would end up becoming the drummer for the band on the following track). Girls on Film by The Living End has a really cool interplay between synthy drums and the guitar lines in the verses, but the chorus is a half-baked mess.

Finally, Custard finish with a version of View to a Kill which is drawn out and incoherently uses every trick in a synthesiser's box.

Favourite songs

The Chauffer (Powderfinger), Rio (Bodyjar), The Wild Boys (Robyn Loau), Come Undone (Bachelor Girl), Careless Memories (Area-7), Save a Prayer (Pollyanna), Girls on Film (The Living End)

Would I buy it again?

Strangely, I would. I think it nicely sums up an era of Australian music. And, as a bonus, has some nice oddball treats.