Top 10 Albums (for a Desert Island)

So, a few months ago I had a conversation with a close friend about something similar to this, with the 10 albums that I would take on my deserted island. These are in no particular order.

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
Pixies - Doolittle
The Beatles - The Beatles
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
The Cure - Disingtegration
Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Runaways - The Runaways
Journey - Escape
NOFX - Punk in Drublic

Soundwave Review - Overall

Soundwave at Eastern Creek Raceway like past years gone by produces a large array of rock, metal, emo and punk rock acts to come around to Australia and blast away with noise. This year we say a multitude of international acts appear from all over the world. What brings tear to mine and I'm sure many fan's eyes is the rebirth and reformation of several acts including minor favourite band - The Get Up Kids, who have molded the path of modern Emo-Pop for the generation of listeners around the world over the last decade.

Interestingly, not only the reforming of bands occurred but Soundwave Festival 2010 was a chance for international acts to show what they have done for popular and rock music around the world including Paramore, Motion City Soundtrack and Jimmy Eat World. But who really stole the stage away this year? Eagles of Death Metal and Reel Big Fish produced solid live outings as hoped but nothing can be taken away from the main stage acts that were brought in for those old fans; and encapsulated young listeners out there as well - Jane's Addiction and Faith No More. With Perry Farrell and Mike Patten's stage presence mixed with their deep and influential alternative rock/metal music over the 80s and 90s they were quite simply FAST and LOUD and brought fans together as one, although hardcore Anti-Flag or H.I.M. fans just couldn't miss those acts on alternate stages.

Stay tuned - Individual reviews coming soon...

Soundwave Festival 2010 Mix Volume 1

1. Anti-Flag - The Press Corpse
2. Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus
3. Motion City Soundtrack - Delirium
4. Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song
5. Faith No More - Epic
6. The Get Up Kids - Ten Minutes
7. Paramore - Ignorance
8. Anti-Flag - Power To The Peaceful
9. Faith No More - We Care A Lot
10. The Get Up Kids - Holiday
11. Jane's Addiction - Stop!
12. AFI - Miss Murder
13. Motion City Soundtrack - Disappear
14. Paramore - Brick By Boring Brick
15. AFI - Medicate
16. Jimmy Eat World - Blister
17. Motion City Soundtrack - Everything Is Alright
18. Jimmy Eat World - Sweetness

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking

Jane’s Addiction is the symbol of alternative rock through the late 80s and early 90s and Nothing’s Shocking is their Led Zeppelin IV – a masterpiece which encompassed all the skills of the band and defined their roots and musical style. Namely, this record revolves around a lot of funk and metal – inspired mainly by Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell. However, neither of the two singles released received the credit or fame like they deserve.

Opening with Up The Beach, it provides a silent and overdriven guitar extended guitar chords to follow – reminding me of the 70s psychadelic and prog rock. Some beautiful phrases of guitar mixed with the occasical Farrell lyric present an ideal opening track showing what Jane’s Addiction is – at least musically at first.

Ocean Size is like Up The Beach, even with a similar title, at first.  Soft soothing acoustic guitar arpeggios until the rock gods come crashing down – with heavy percussion, lyrics and guitar riffs. Throughout the song, Farrell contrasts it with Navarro’s acoustic guitar track to his typical metal inspired solos. A beautifully wriiten song with contrasting styles through the song – typical of Jane’s Addiction.

Following we have Had A Dad and we are introduced to the funk metal that Jane’s Addiction is known for. Fast tempo,  with a catchy riff and goes right into guitar solos early on in the track. Lyrically, it is why I love Farrell and Jane’s Addiction with pauses in the track for the occasional yelp or caw.

Ted, Just Admit It… is slower with a ‘cool’ bassline and Farrell uses very strange sounds instead of those usual English words in the beginning of the track. Reminding me of funk jazz with a rock theme to it, we have very unique guitar licks with no real structure and is in real contrast to the repeated lyric ‘Nothing Shocking’ much like the album cover – two naked Siamese twins which is, well quite shocking to the normal human, but of course we are talking about Jane’s Addiction here.

Setting the tone for the album, it follows with several other tracks of similar style before we reach Mountain Song, the first single of the album, although the video clip was not initially released due to explicit content. A strong and catchy bassline, which really shows what alternative rock is and should be – hard rock and punk inspired music and uses some very good melody and the guitar effects make it even better – with overdrive and some short delay, I could listen to the track all day.

Idiots Rule follows and uses some more funk inspired guitar solo introductions with trumpet, and this really does make it alternative with extra and unneccesary instruments, well at least we thought that before. A strong bassline with a hint of slap makes it unnoticed due to the other instruments present but listen with good equipment, it makes it so much better.

Jane Says – the other single on the album, opens with the acoustic chord progression mixed with Farrell’s unique voice and this follows through the whole track making in more contrast and showing that Jane’s Addiction is more that fret-bashing and funk-metal solos. Although Farrell’s voice is so powerful that it almost takes over instead of the guitar.

Closing with Pig’s in Zen makes a good album an amazing album. Metal inspired riffs with short licks make it a great song to rock out to and even though Farrell’s lyrics are quite overpowering, the fantastic bassline and guitar takes over – just like all rock bands should. Cannot wait for February, 2010 – Soundwave is gonna go off!!!!
8/10
Upcoming review… I’m leaning towards The Get Up Kids or another minor act on the Lineup. Any requests?

Soundwave Countdown

126 days intil Soundwave starts and with so many acts, I’m looking to psych up with reviews every 2 days.  That adds up to over 60 albums!! Spark up, because first on the list is Jane’s Addiction – Nothing Shocking.

Plane Mix

I have just been there and back from AMUC in Hobart, Tasmania. So, in preparation, I ahve decided to make myself a plane mix although it is clearly biased due to the fact that it is based around the music I have been listening to in the last month or so.

Before I reveal the list, I think we need to examine what would make a good plane mix. So, when I’m on a plane, I end up reading a book; usually on music history and the like. Therefore, it’s usually good to have some good relaxing music  but that needs to be contrasted to the fast rhythm of rock and especially punk rock after witnessing NOFX and Bad Religion.

Pity, but the flight isn’t very long and it was about 100 minutes long so not even two hours so obviously not a huge playlist was chosen and well as a struggle to find good tracks since the music brought was only about 100 GB on my iPod.

1. 3rd Planet – Modest Mouse
2. Mountain Song – Jane’s Addiction
3. Free Radicals – The Flaming Lips
4. Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
5. Clash City Rockers – The Clash
6. Freakshow – The Cure
7. Re-Offender – Travis
8. Downed – Cheap Trick
9. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
10. We Called It America – NOFX
11. 25 or 6 to 4 – Chicago
12. It’s Over – The Cure
13. Run Like Hell – Pink Floyd
14. Jumping Someone Else’s Train – The Cure
15. Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
16. Prayers for Rain – The Cure
17. Warthog – The Ramones
18. Stiffness When Idle – The Replacements
19. The Quitter – NOFX
20. Friday I’m In Love – The Cure
21. Slow Ride – Foghat
22. Ohio – Neil Young
23. Moondance – Van Morrison
24. No Go – The Ramones
25. Just Like Heaven – The Cure