Dave Warner - Suburban Boy

Today we've got a song from my good mate Yauman, direct from the UK and in your face now.

Danny Yau’s Occasional Obscurities.

The Brits had the Jam. The US had the Replacements. Australia had no shortage of working class rock with hints of punk. Almost totally forgotten now, but one of the very best singles at the time was by Dave Warner’s From the Suburbs – and it’s called Suburban Boy. How’s that for dedication to a theme, Mr Win Butler?

The album it came from, 1978’s Mug’s Game was released by Mushroom, but is sadly deleted, and kind of dated. Suburban Boy, however, remains timeless.

That stuttering intro! That keyboard riff! That splash of guitars! And Dave up front, singing from his suburban heart.

Such a simple song as well. About watching football (“just to hear myself scream”) and losing out to pretty city boys – I’m surprised this wasn’t as big as other Australian pub/punk classics.

I look at my mates and we all lived this song, but didn't have it in our lives. I would have loved this song as a teenagers. As it was I discovered it in my mid 20s, and still feel the same.

The film clip is hilarious. Hip city cats pushing a poor blue collar kid around at a local dance. Sadly, the band broke up shortly after, and angry Dave Warner became a script writer for MacLeod’s Daughters.

If someone released this song now, it would be a hit. In any event, it’s ripe for rediscovery. It’s as good as I’m Stranded, Alone With You, My Pal, etc. Which means – Australian rock at it’s best.


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Yeasayer - Madder Red

I'm big fan of the delightfully cute Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) so I was pretty excited when I heard that she was starring in a Yeasayer clip.

Yeasayer's album is still one of my favourites of the year so far, and they're pretty well known for having some pretty strange clips. But they're taking weird to new levels with this one.

The clip shows Kristen cuddling up with her pet, which just happens to be a terminally ill strange blob creature that oozes puss and coughs up blood. Yep, told you weird.

Great tune but!


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Local H - Eddie Vedder

You know it's been a good night when you're scrounging around for change with a few mates so you can chuck it in the pub juke box at 4 in the morning. Sitting in the last bar open, with it's sticky floors, scuffed up old pool tables, and that subtle hint of sick lingering in the hair.

Not the most ideal of bars, but there's two things going for the late late local, and that's the fact that a) there's still beer behind the bar and b) you can put on your own tunes on the jukebox.

I don't know who put on Local H last night, but I'm sure glad they did. Eddie Vedder was one of the best indie rock tunes from the mid 90's and it still sounded just as awesome played over the pubs shitty old speakers.

Check out some of the interviews they do on YouTube, he takes delight in freaking out a few people.


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Grinderman - Heathen Child

Got an email from my mate Jay Bird this afternoon, he's pretty knowledgeable when it comes to sweet tunes, so thought I'd share his words with the rest of you.
Went something like this...

Dude new film clip for Grinderman is incredible - check it out!

Pretty much anything Nick Cave touches in recent years turns to gold - whether it's his work with the Bad Seeds, writing movie scores, authoring novels or leading his side project super group Grinderman.

So understandably I was salivating with anticipation when I heard the news that Grinderman would be releasing a new album this September.  Here is the first single from it and in typical Cave form it has a confronting film clip to boot.

The clip is directed by John Hillcoat, who Cave worked with on the movie The Proposition, and it is to put it bluntly - fucken awesome.... enjoy - The Bird.


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Foals - Spanish Sahara

I keep coming back to the Foals album this year because it's so damn good. The band have really gone for a new sound with their second album, and it's a slower paced album with haunting melodies and powerful song writing. This song is exactly that, it starts of slow with spooky vocals and ever so slowly builds up, drawing me in and capturing my imagination with every listen.

The film clip to Spanish Sahara is so beautifully shot, you really get a cold isolated feeling especially with the mountains looming over the single figure walking along in the snow. Oh and the frozen ocean washing back and forth on the shore is visually one of the coolest things I've ever seen. It's a treat for the eyes as much as it is for the ears.


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Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80's

To keep the love vibe flowing over from yesterday I've gone with some early Calvin Harris for today's tune.

I first saw Calvin Harris live at the FIB festival in Spain. I'd never heard of him but it seemed that every hot chick in Spain had! Clothes were flying everywhere, sweat poured off everyone, and litre beers were being downed at an alarming rate. To say there was a lot of love flowing would be an understatement.

As soon as I heard Calvin telling me that he had much love for me simply because I was born in the 80's, I know I would be a fan. It might have been the litre beers, or the bottomless vodka redbulls (god bless the Spanish free-pour) but I was starting to lose my shit. The shirt was ripped off and stupid lunatic dancing had already commenced.

So this one goes out to all the kids of the 80's, I've certainly got hugs and love for you all.


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The Middle East - Blood

I'm really loving The Middle East at the moment. I had no idea they were from Townsville, Qld, which just impressed me even more.

Blood is such a beautiful and sad song about love, family, death and divorce. It helps to remind me about the more important things in life which can so easily be forgotten in today's fast paced society of materialistic lust and self worth.  When all your posessions are gone and you're stripped naked, what do you have left?

Think about your family, your brothers, sisters, mother, father, grandparents, and loved friends. When was the last time you told them all that you loved them? This song reminds me to do it as often as possible. Hope it does the same for you.

Love you, WD. XXX


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The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba

The White Stripes have a whole stack of killer tunes but I decided to go with the song that introduced me to Jack and Meg, welcome to the Hotel Yorba, enjoy your stay.

This tune came out back in the day when no one was really sure about their relationship, were they brother and sister, were they a divorced married couple. No one knew, but boy did it get us talking and cause many a drunken debate. Hotel Yorba caught my attention back in 2001, and a love affair with The White Stripes was ready to start.

With the exception of Dave Grohl, Jack White has to be one of the busiest musicians of the past decade, with more side projects and super groups than pairs of red jeans hanging his wardrobe.

The Hotel Yorba is an actual hotel in Detroit and this filmclip was partly filmed in room 206, which is now used as government housing, but Jack White say's they're now banned from the hotel for life. Wonder what they did to warrant that?

This tune has a great country vibe about it, perfect for getting boozed on spirits and dancing around your kitchen like a drunk lunatic. hehe, well it worked for me anyway.


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Air - Kelly Watch The Stars

So it's cold outside, I'm feeling a bit sick and very lazy, and I've got the perfect tune for such an afternoon.

Air is the perfect lazy afternoon music, whether you're rugged up under a blanket like myself or having some chilled out drinks with mates, you can't go wrong with these laid back Frenchies.

Their name is a backronym for Amour, Imagination, Rêve which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream - for me Air's cruisy tunes inspire all three.

The clip is so cool, with the guys playing a game of Pong which is then acted out by some stunning models having quite the intense ping pong battle. So grab ya paddle, smash some balls, and enjoy this clip.


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Chromeo - Don't Turn The Lights On

I don't know much about Chromeo besides the fact that they're an electro-funk duo that hail from Canada.

They also sound very 80's, well at least on this single anyway. I came across this clip on the net and well, it freaked the shit out of me. There's some very strange shit going on here, and some bloody huge eyeballs. I mean I get the lights fading in and out and the eyeballs being brightly lit, but what's with the floating eyeballs and roots. Strange!

Anyway, check it out. Just make sure you're not wasted, otherwise it could mess you up permanently.


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Bliss N Eso - Bullet And A Target

Friends who know me may be confused by my choice today being the rock and indie lover that I am. But over the last 18 months I've really been getting into my old school hip-hop, and in that time I've also been extremely impressed with Sydney hip-hoppers Bliss n Eso.

Their lyrics are some of the smartest (in any genre of music), their rhymes are smooth and flow so damn well, and their beats, samples, orchestra, guitars and drums make for some of the finest tunes to come out of Australia.

They've got a new album out that's so damn good, but I thought I had to show off one of my favourites from the previous album first.

Bliss n Eso traveled to The Valley of A Thousand Hills to immerse themselves in the culture, and finish off this song they had started writing back in Sydney. The song was eventually released as a charity single with all proceeds going to a peer education program operating within the province of KZN.

It's a powerful tune, but most of the stuff these guys do is (even though it's tongue in cheek half the time).


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Klaxons - Echoes

This blog is all about some of my favourite songs and film clips, but I've been neglecting to pay tribute to the album cover! It's can make or break an album, and from the second I saw the Klaxon's latest cover I knew I was in for a treat.

It's a cat astronaut, and looks so damn awesome!

Echoes is the opening track off their new album, Surfing The Void, and it's a epic sounding track that's backed up with a great film clip, shot in the Egyptian White Desert with some great expansive visuals that work perfectly with the tune.


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AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long

Today's song brought to you by the letters A, D, C, and delightful Monica Lee!

Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog Woody!

Todays' song is an all time favourite of mine and barely needs an introduction. No matter where I am, every time I hear that guitar intro it sends chills down my spine and the sudden urge to jump up and start dancing takes over! 

The song was originally released in 1980 (4 years prior to my birth) on the Back in Black Album. A signature hit of AC/DC it was re released in 1986.  Shook Me All Night Long became a pub anthem, not only in Australia but around the world.  

Still rocking the charts, in 2010 the song was ranked # 5 on Melbourne's Triple M Radio station's Ultimate Rock Countdown.

Now living in California, I don't get to hear as much Aussie music as I would like, however this song (and many other AC/DC songs) get plenty of love over here in the USA. Every time it plays, I suddenly become the loudest one in the bar/pub singing word for word, what I consider to be one of the best songs of all time! 

Enjoy! xo xo

Monica Lee Paige


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Broken Bells - The Ghost Inside

I was very pumped when I first heard that James Mercer from The Shins would be teaming up with Danger Mouse. I've always been a fan of The Shins and have also been very impressed with everything that Danger Mouse lays his paws on. So I knew this album was going to be something pretty special.

To make their single for The Ghost Inside a little bit sexier they teamed up with Mad Men's busty red babe Christina Hendricks who plays a futuristic traveller selling body parts to pay her way. Seeing that Christina was voted the world's sexiest woman by Maxim and Mad Men is everyone's favourite show right now, I think it was  a pretty good decision.


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The Drums - Let's Go Surfing

Saturday morning and I'm in the mood for good whistle! God knows why after the boozy night I had last night, but it's true!

There's been plenty of great whistling tunes over the years but lately my mate Trappy has been digging this tune. He said that on a cold winter morning in the car on the way to work this tune just has the ability to put him in a good mood even if he knows he'll be stuck behind a desk all day long. The only thing better would actually be if he was heading to the beach rather than work.

I'm not a surfer, but this tune certainly makes me feel like jumping into the car and heading to the beach. So bust out the beach town, whistle along and pretend like you can feel that sand between your toes.

So what's your favorite whistling tune?


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