My Top 50 Albums of the 2000s

Yes - This took me a long time.

Yes - I went a bit over the top with 50.

Yes - That album is shit.

Yes - That album is better than that one.

Yes - My favourite 70s wanky prog band.

50. !!! - Myth Takes

49. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

48. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

47. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

46. The Darkness - Permission To Land

45. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

44. M.I.A. - Arular

43. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

42. Gallows - Orchestra of Wolves

41. Radiohead - In Rainbows

40. Doves - The Last Broadcast

39. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

38. The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium

37. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

36. Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia

35. The Roots - Phrenology

34. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

33. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights

32. Common - Like Water For Chocolate

31. Drive-By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera

30. Radiohead - Hail To The Thief

29. Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow

28 The Drones - Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By

27. Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers

26. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

25. Battles - Mirrored

24. Liars - Drums Not Dead

23. Ryan Adams - Gold

22. The Beta Band - Heroes To Zeroes

21. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl

20. The Panda Band - This Vital Chapter (We're Almost Not Even Here)

19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell

18. The Thrills - So Much For The City

17. Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Continued

16. Band of Horses - Cease To Begin

15. Snowman - The Horse, The Rat and The Swan

14. The Bees - Free The Bees

13. The Vines - Highly Evolved

12. Justice - †

11. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus

9. Gorillaz - Demon Days

8. The Avalanches - Since I Left You

7. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

6. Elliott Smith - Figure 8

5. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

4. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!

2. Arcade Fire - Funeral

1. Radiohead - Kid A

Predictable ending? STFU!

Glam

I'm listening to Roxy Music while I do some much-needed work on my Viva Voce. Viva is on The Beatles, so I don't know why I'm not listening to them. That would make sense. Rather, I'm continuing my current obsession for glam rock right now.

My CD is skipping (the CD player decided to read discs after giving it a couple of hours break). But it refuses to aknowledge 69 Love Songs Volume 1.

I wish I didn't go so crazy when compiling info for this viva, there's now waaay too much that I'm trying to cut out. Not working all that well, it all seems so important.

5-Day weekend is coming to a sad close, with tomorrow my final day before 4 days of straight exams. I'm so not ready for English Paper 2. Those essays will take advantage of me in the worst way possible.

And I'd like to know; How long do you spend in your room? Now that my computer is goooone, I've been spending MANY hours in my room, studying on my bed with music playing rather than at the desk next to the computer...with music playing. But also, I've been spending most of the relaxation time in my room as well, as opposed to in front of the TV or, heaven forbid, outside. Recently, I'll be out of my room for about 1/5th of a day. Saddening? Depressing? Awesome or just plain wrong?

Download this:
The Kinks - Australia

Social

I wanna go to Copenhagen.

My parents were saying last night that I'm now being social without the computer. It guess it's true, but the only reason I've really been spending time with them is because they are in the same room as where I'm watching TV.

But having no computer is pretty lame. I don't get to surf the internet and find out useless information about pop culture with which I can talk to Steve and attempt to impress women. However, I am actually studying now more than I ever had with the computer to distract me. I still have periodical Facebook updates (thanks, be to the iPhone) and have my music playing "too loud", but some good notes and past papers have been done whilst sitting on my bed (my new study surrounding).

And very surprisingly, sitting in my room and studying has not lead me to playing a million hours of video games, considering I have a 360 and Wii set up on the TV and a GameCube and N64 safely packed in my room...and a Sega Megadrive and NES in the other room. Wow, I play and own a lot of games.

TRIALS UPDATE:

- Advanced English paper 1 was pretty good, except I didn't have enough time to effectively finish the comprehension. The essay on "Belonging" was something to be proud of and my creative story was pretty gnarls for being made up on the spot.

- Information, Processes and Technology was quite good. Unfortunately, there were two questions that were based on things we did not actually know. Thank you, Rodney Wood. Overall, it was a good exam, most questions were answered well and I did a bit of the 'ol information wank

- Mathematics was the longest 3 hours of my life. I dropped marks because there were parts I just did not know how to do. I mean I actually could not recall how to answer them. It was year 11 stuff that I don't remember so I can't ask my tutor to teach me it because I can't ever remember learning it. Otherwise, some questions I pretty much made my bitch. Most I didn't.

I'm also doing some reconnecting with the past. Just this morning I built a fort on/out of my bed and now I'm watching Pokemon.

Except this Pokemon is incredibly shitty.

And lastly:

"Be excellent to each other, and, party on, dudes!"

The Rakes - The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect

Funeral

I probably won't be blogging much nowadays as my computer decided to end it's life.

Pretty much this post is for whoever does not have me on facebook (aka: Hannah).

Because I can't give you any songs, I'd like you to download:

Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes
Jungle Brothers - Black Is Black

Voices

I had my trail HSC Music Practical exam today. I sung and played (guitar) these three songs:

• Wilco - Outtasite (Outta Mind)
• Pixies - Where Is My Mind?
• The Beatles - A Hard Days Night

I think it went pretty well today. Harry sounded great playing the drums lightly (like a feather, mofucka) and Alex lay'd down some sweet basslines (he is black, after all) and changed his guitar levels on the fly. The vocal levels through the PA were great, and I have Mr. Chris Paton to thank for double-checking that for me. However, my guitar level was too high for Where Is My Mind? and too low for A Hard Days Night, an kink I must straighten out before the actual HSC prac exam.

Unfortunately, my vocal performance in Outtasite was not overly spectacular, with a few flat notes that I desperately did not try to hit and I also gagged (you know when you have a really parched mouth as a result of being sick and you dry reach and gag, yeah) on nothing, essentially, during the first chorus line. That wasn't so good.

Also, in A Hard Days Night, I had my usual problem of not-actually-being-able-to-sing-the-damn-song. Uh-oh!

Lastly, on the HSC point, I wish I could go back in time and change my songs. I'd love to perform:

• Windmills of Your Mind (Legrand/Bergmans)
• Bring Da Ruckus (Wu-Tang go SWIINNG - REPRAZENT!)
• Here Come The Rome Plows (Drive Like Jehu)
• See No Evil (Television)
• All The Way From Memphis (Mott The Hoople)
  

That'd be powerfully rad.

This leads me to think about which singers really fucking nail everything they do. Some people just have voices that make you think:
"Wow, your vocal chords must be lined in pure godliness"
For me, the people with these voices are:

• John Lennon
• Paul McCartney
• David Bowie
  
• Dusty Springfield (ESPECIALLY)
• Brian Wilson
• Colin Blunstone (The Zombies)
• Roger Daltrey
• Thom Yorke
• Elliott Smith
  
• Flavor Flav (LOLJOKEZ)

But yeah, these people can blow minds by just singing. And if they are a musical genius (aka: John, Paul, Brian and Colin), the harmonies that they form can make someone crash a car if they are driving and listening to them. This is why I advised Elliot to pull over when he listened to "Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith and "Care of Cell 44" by The Zombies. He did and look, he's still alive.

I wish I could sing 1/5th as good as these people. Then I'd ace my HSC and get into encore then get all the honeys. Fuck yeah!

The Zombies - Care of Cell 44
Dusty Springfield - Windmills of Your Mind

These Are My Twisted Words

I really, really, really like this new song.

Potentially the lead song off the new Radiohead EP potentially called "Wall of Ice" potentially out tomorrow.

Who knows. This song rocks.

I just downloaded 3 Radiohead EPs:

• Airbag/How Am I Driving?
• My Iron Lung
• Com Lag: 2+2=5

I am oh so cool.

Radiohead - These Are My Twisted Words
Radiohead - Palo Alto

Elven Marriage

Last night I had a dream that started on a massive bummer but then became a mindfuck that I hope I never forget.

It began with Me, Pills, Al and Harry all driving home from a party some night listening to "Party Line" by The Kinks and we weren't drunk or anything, just bopping along. Then some guy out of nowhere hit the right side of the car and we craaaaaaaaaaaashed into a ditch (ditch) and, unfortunately, Pills and I...how do I put it nicely...died.

[Okay, so I am aware that having a subconscious mental though about myself and one of my closest friends dieing is probs not a very good thing, but regardless, it occurred.]

Following this was our combined funeral. We're not related, but we had some huuuge joint funeral which we had our funeral songs playing:
Pills: Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song
Me: The Beatles - Helter Skelter
[I have discussed this with him, he wants that song played. "You know when you hear that song that you'll take with you forever? Yeah, The Rain Song."]
And so it was pretty much just like some movie scene that had slow panning and all that predictable stuff you know and love.

So then we ascended into heaven.
[Now, I'm not religious, but I have recently been in some heated discussions involving religion, so this may play a part in all of this subconscious behavior]
And as we walked through the pearly gates in our white dream outfit (Gangsta freshness sneakers for Pills and a great rock'n'roll outfit for I) I could hear "America - Before The War" playing very loudly ["Different Trains" has greatly affected me] while all the angels and dead people were commuting (yes, you commute in heaven).

Then I met John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Moon and John Entwistle and that was very cool. Then I played pool with John Bonham and John Paul Jones and that was all well and dandy while everyone was grieving and shit. And then there were what can be likened to air-raid sirens [One again, "Different Trains" "Europe - During The War"].

These sirens signified the beginning of a supernatural war that had been going on for centuries. It was between the vampires and warewolves, and the angels and souls and whatnot of heaven were allied with the vampires, performing reconnesance missions.
[This is the gnarly mindfuck part]

So then Pills and I were sent into battle against the warewolves and there was some Lord of the Rings scale epic-ness in the war. It was so awesome. At that point, I believe I finally fell asleep.

Let's hope I have another great dream tonight!

Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song
The Beatles - Helter Skelter

P.S. Top artwork is "Warewolf vs. Vampire" by ~nightmarelove, published on deviantart.com
There's probs some copyright details, but whatevs.

Make 'Em Proud, Son

Today on the train to work was great. There were like 5 girls which were all pretty arty and attractive, then these hipster tools gave me some dirties, then I fell asleep pretty much as soon as I got on the train and Central, then I briefly awoke at Wolli Creek, then I woke up at Beverley Hills and was like:
"Oh sheet, I missed Kingsgrove!"
So I had to get off the train and get another one back to Kingsgrove so I could work for 4 hours in total boredom.

But while I was on the train, I was listening to Steve Reich's "Different Trains" and it is absolutely amazing. I've gotta hit up rate your music and 5/5 that shit - it was just that good. Seriously, whether you like classical or not (probably not) you MUST listen to Different Trains.

It's up there with "Doolittle" and "The Stone Roses" and "Paul's Boutique" and "Done By The Forces of Nature" for my top albums of 1989. Wow.

And how cool does the sky look when it's about to rain / post rain? The answer is very.
It's pouring right now.
I'm going to work on my English speech.
Then have a shower.
Then listen to Different Trains again.

Steve Reich - America - Before The War (played by Kronos Quartet)

Cripple Creek Ferry

My hand is so fucken bruised that it hurts when I slightly close it to make a fist.
Granted it's been severely bruised since I paaaaanched my bedhead at 12:30am when I couldn't sleep and got all angsty/emo/pissed off, but today it went to the next level.
Whilst playing volleyball, I took a dive to get the ball (being the dedicated captain of 2nds I am...again...) and somehow, somehow managed to completely own the shit out of my hand. It was ultimately bruised and completely purple/bruise colour for about half an hour, now my 2nd finger from the right (on my right band) is bruise colour and immensely swollen. And crippled.

The greatest thing about this is trials in like 2 weeks and I can't actually write efficiently with my hand. FANTASTIC! But nah, seriously, it should be all good. I might to ice it while I watch Good Game. Or leave it because I'm such a Tom Waits badass.

But clearly, I'm not. And as you can see, I'm just a bitch like the rest of the human population when I feel I'm significantly disabled but really my hand is just crazy bruised.
But it really hurts. And looks rank.

I'll just get my Fairport Convention on and I'll be all happy again.



=D

Jerry Reed - Amos Moses



R.I.P Jerry Reed (March 20, 1937 - September 1, 2008)

Get These:

Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do



Toots and The Maytals - Funky Kingston



Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs and Stories



Sufjan Stevens - Illinois



Neutral Milk Hotel - In An Airplane Over The Sea



Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones

You will not be disappointed.

Why?

How come the general populous is so bitchy now? Why does everyone complain about everything and take offense to essentially harmless thing? This comes off the back of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O being suspended or whatever after their radio segment in which a harmless lie detector test resulted in a girl admitting she'd been raped - which her family did not know about. While I admit that this ended in an undesirable fashion, and was probably a bad idea to begin with, the punishment is overly harsh. Sandilands apologised to EVERYONE that wanted one and justified his opinions on the matter. People are just too "Oh my gosh, rape is so horrible that it never happens" but Kyle was right, it does. People are just too ignorant or don't want to think of the dark side of human existance. Bad shit happens. Get over it. Michael Jackson died. Get over it.

Now, I don't listen to Kyle and Jackie, but I heard about this while listening to Hack on Triple J and briefly on the news as I walked in the house this afternoon. Essentially, it was just what triggered these thoughts.

People complain about so much shit nowadays. Everything is offensive to someone, but you don't have to make it seem that you're above everything and that if you were offended, you should ruin it for everyone. People need to realise that they are not the pinnacle of human existance and that if something offends them, they feel responsible to make their voice heard and talk condescendingly upon the "offender". I get offended everyday, but I get on with it because if something annoys me, someone else will probably find it funny. I look on the good side.

A prime example of bitches being overly sensitive is what happened this year to the Chaser. Yes, everyone knows about it, so I won't go too far into it. All I can say is that the sketch was fucking hilarious and probably the best thing they've ever done. It was right in every way. But no, the little whiney bitch of Australian society got too offended. Yes, they have cancer, they're going to die anyway. Just become a Bhuddist and ta-da, problem solved, you believe they have another life.

Another TV show which had AMAZING potential was british sitcom Heil Honey I'm Home! which featured Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun happily married until a Jewish couple moved in next door. It is a fantastic premise for the show and the ONLY episode screened was really, really funny. Shame that the world is so sensitive.

Lastly, I had an argument with my dad literally as soon as he got home. It feels fantastic to piss that man off. He was implying that I was the cause for the delay on the trains this morning. I set that bitch right.

To conclude, I use word of Dirty Three, an instrumental post-rock group:
"Everything's Fucked"

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

P.S. I really like Krautrock.