This was an excellent album from start to finish from the best rock band Australia has to offer. They released two of the best albums of the 90s with Hi Fi Way and Hourly, Daily and Dilettantes is a return to form. From the opening acoustic title track to the epic closing track “The Piano Up the Tree” there is not a moment of filler. I was surpised this album was not on any reviewers Top 10 lists although it did receive good reviews when it was released. The highlights of the album would be current single “Beau Geste” (great film clip as well), “Wankers”, "Givin' Up and Gettin' Fat", “Frightfully Moderne” and “Daveys Gone Green Again” that contains an excellent riff during the chorus.
2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science *****
This was an album that got better with every listen. First single “The Golden Age” got me hooked with it’s funky opening riff and beautifully catchy chorus. It also has a fantastic weird film clip. “Red Dress” is another classic featuring some excellent horns and great lyrics delivered with style. The highlight of the album is “ Dancing Choose” with frantic rhymes over tight drums and horns. Although I thought “Return to Cookie Mountain” was a great album, “Dear Science” has proven that TV on the Radio are a great band. Other highlights are "DLZ", "Halfway Home" and "Family Tree". I am greatly anticaipating their set at the Big Day Out in a few weeks to see if they have the skills live.
3. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges *****
This album was a pleasant surprise for me, switching styles with ease on all 13 tracks. The quieter moments on the album, “Librarian”, “Thank You Too”, “Look at You” and “Sec Walkin’” is what makes the album a classic for me. But MMJ also delivered some excellent rock tracks with “Aluminum Park”, “Remnants” and “I’m Amazed”. “Highly Suspicious” is my favourite track on the album with it’s excellent riff and falsetto vocals. Another band I am looking forward to seeing at the Big Day Out this year.
4. The Black Keys – Attack and Release *****
The Black Keys have created their best album to date. Producer Danger Mouse has added more melody and extra instrumentation for the talented duos fifth studio album. Opening track “All you ever Wanted” promises a different sound than on previous albums and continues to deliver on all eleven tracks. “ I Got Mine”, “Strange Times” and “Same Old Thing” are the standout tracks for me but it’s all good. Looking forward to seeing it live at the Palais supported by Gomez and Dr Dog. Should be an excellent start to the year.
5. Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs *****
Narrow Stairs is the album that made me take notice of Death Cab for Cutie. I saw them support Something for Kate in 2003 and thought they were pretty good but their previous albums had some weak album tracks. This album, like all in my Top 10, can be played from start to finish without wanting to skip tracks. The 8 and a half minute first single “I Will Possess Your Heart” slowly builds with the best bass riff of the year, which then gradually adds drums then piano to form a perfect four and a half minute instrumental intro. Other standout tracks include “No Sunlight”, “Pity and Fear” and “Long Division” but every track is great and I have had it on high rotation since it’s release over 6 months ago.
6. The Drones – Havilah ****1/2
This was an excellent and consistent album by the Melbourne four-piece. With dirty blues riffs and raw vocals, The Drones’ 5th studio album contains 10 excellent tracks. From the heavier, bluesy tracks like “The Minotaur”, “Nail it Down” and “ I Am the Supercargo” to the quieter “Careful as you Go”, “Your Acting’s Like the End of the World” and “The Drifting Housewife”, this album is always compelling. Singer/Songwriter Gareth Liddiard is at his best lyrically on the apocalyptic “Oh My” which features great lines like “Humans are a waste of food” and “You want to shrink your stinky footprint? Get your tubes tied”. Can’t wait for their set at the Big Day Out.
7. Mason Jennings – In the Ever **** 1/2
Mason Jennings is the most under rated singer-songwriter of our time in my opinion. He has a unique voice and is my favourite songwriter. On his 7th studio album he has again made an album full of catchy tunes and beautiful lyrics. First single “Fighter Girl” was one of the best of the year but I never heard it once on the radio. Likewise with the beautiful acoustic second single “How Deep is that River”. Jack Johnson features on “I Love You and Buddha Too”, which he played at his Melbourne show last year. “In the Ever” is also Mason’s first release on Jack Johnsons label, Brushfire Records. “Your New Man” is a humerous track about a break-up made worse by his ex moving onto a new man. It is recorded live to great effect and my favourite of the 11 great tracks on this album.
8. Dr. Dog - Fate ****1/2
Key Tracks:
The Old Days, Hang On, The Ark, The Rabbit, The Bat and the Reindeer, The Breeze, Army of Ancients, The Beach
9. Mat. McHugh - Separatista! ****1/2
Being a massive fan of The Beautiful Girls, I am probably a bit biased about Mat McHugh first official solo album. But for fans of TBG, especially their earlier material, you will probably love it as much as I did. This album has some great acoustic tracks with brilliant guitar riffs and beautiful harmonies like on "It Isn't Me", "Numb" and "Darling, This Scene Must End". He keeps the album interesting by adding some horns, melodica and piano on "The Bottle", "Loneliness" and "Ring the Alarm" which adds some reggae funk to the album. Can't wait to see the album live when he plays at Ruby's Lounge on Febuary 13.
10. The Zutons - You Can Do Anything ****1/2
It took a lot of listens for this album to grow on me, but once it did, I couldn't stop listening to it. It is full of catchy choruses and great lyrics over many genres. I could list the whole album if I was to pick my favourite tracks, there is no filler and often feels like you are listening to a mix tape. Hopefully they will come to Australia this year, maybe for the V Festival, and I will get to see them live. Highly Recommended.
11. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid ****1/2
Key Tracks:
Grounds for Divorce, The Fix, An Audience With the Pope, On a Day Like This, Weather to Fly
12. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst ****
Key Tracks:
Souled Out, I Don't Wanna Die in a Hospital, Sausilito, Cape Canaveral, Get Well Cards
13. Josh Pyke - Chimney's Afire ****
Key Tracks:
Make You Happy, Our House Breathing, The Lighthouse Song, The Summer,
14. The Saboteurs - Consolers of the Lonely ****
Key Tracks:
Carolina Drama, Salute Your Solution, Top Yourself, Old Enough
15. Supergrass - Diamond Hoo-Ha ****
Key Tracks:
Diamond Hoo-Ha Man, Bad Blood, Rebel in You, Whiskey & Green Tea, When I Needed You
16. Donavon Frankenreiter - Pass it Around ****
Key Tracks:
Life, Love & Laughter, Pass it Around, Mansions on the Sand, Your Heart
17. The Boat People - Chandeliers ****
Key Tracks:
Awkward Orchid Orchard, Panic, Born in the 80's, Hours N Hours, Babysnake
18. Augie March - Watch Me Disappear ****
Key Tracks:
Pennywhistle, Becoming Bryn, Farmer's Son, Watch Me Disappear
19. Emiliana Torrinni - Me and Armani ****
Key Tracks:
Jungle Drum, Big Jumps, Heard it all Before, Me and Armani, Fireheads
20. Beck - Modern Guilt ****
Key Tracks:
Gamma Ray, Walls, Youthless, Orphans, Modern Guilt
21. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin ****
Key Tracks:
Ode to LRC, The General Specific, No One's Gonna Love You, Is There A Ghost
22 Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty ****
Key Tracks:
Something Is Not Right With Me, Relief, Mexican Dogs, Dreams Old Men Dream
23. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes ****
Key Tracks:
White Water Hymnal, Quiet Houses, He Doesn't Quite Know Why, Blue Ridge Mountains
24. Black Kids - Partie Tramautic ****
Look at Me, Hurricane Jane, Listen to your Body Tonight, Partie Traumatic, Hit the Heartbrakes
25. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazurus, Dig!!! ****Key Tracks:
Dig, Lazurus, Dig!!!, More News From Nowhere, We Call Upon the Author, Moonland
26. Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces ****
Key Tracks:
Cigarette Eyes, Trying to Lose my Mind, Mr. Pitiful, Emergency Call, Bound
27. Ash Grunwald - Fish Out of Water ****
Key Tracks:
Mojo, Fish Out of Water, The Devil Called Me a Liar, Breakout, Port Campbell
28. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago ****
Key Tracks:
Skinny Love, Flume, For Emma, re: Stacks
29. Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours ****
Key Tracks:
Which Way To Go, I Admit my Faults, We'll Be Turned On, Wrapped Up
30. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular ****
Key Tracks:
Kids, Time to Pretend, Weekend Wars, Electric Feel
31. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night ***1/2
32. Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins ****
Key Tracks:
Pop Lie, Starry Stairs, Lost Coastlines, Singer Songwriter
33. The Weepies - Hideaway ****
Key Tracks:
Wish I Could Forget, Takes So Long, Not Dead Yet, All Good Things
34. The Dandy Warhols - Earth to the Dandy Warhols ***1/2
Welcome to the Third World, Now You Love Me, The Legend of the Outlaw Truckers, Mission Control
35. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, Oxford Comma, A-Punk, Mansard Roof
36. Primal Scream - Beautiful Future ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Can't Go Back, Zombie Man, The Glory of Love, Necro Hex Blues.
37. The Hampdens - The Last Party ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Generation Y, Forget to Begin, Asleep on the Lawn, Hands in the Ground
38. Brett Dennen - Hope for the Hopeless ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Make You Crazy, Ain't Gonna Lose You, San Francisco, Wrong About Me
39. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Like This, Hands in the Air, In Step, Set it off
40. Xavier Rudd - Dark Shades of Blue ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Edge of the Moon, Dark Shades of Blue, Up in Flames, The World as we Know It
41. The Felice Brothers - The Felice Brothers ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Frankie's Gun, Whiskey in my Whiskey, Ruby Mae, Wonderful Life
42. Portishead - Third***1/2
Key Tracks:
Machine Gun, The Rip, Magic Doors, Hunter
43. Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Meg White, Gossip in the Grain, You Are the Best Thing, Hey Me, Hey Mama
44. Santogold - Santogold ****
Key Tracks:
L.E.S. Artistes, You'll Find a Way, Say Aha, Light Out
45. Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static ***1/2
Key Tracks:
If I Had Eyes, Hope, Sleep Through the Static, Home, Go On
46. Jeff Lang - Half Seas Over ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Newman Town, Night Draws In, Five Letters, My Mother Always Talked To Me
47. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Ghosts, You're No God, Night Terror, My Manic and I,
48. Lior - Corner of an Endless Road ***1/2
Key Tracks:
I'll Forget You, Heal Me, Lost In You, Sonja
49. Metallica - Death Magnetic ***1/2
Key Tracks:
The Day That Never Comes, That Was Just Your Life, My Apocalypse, All Nightmare Long
50. Coldplay - Viva la Vida ***1/2
Key Tracks:
Lost, Viva La Vida, 42, Violet Hill
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