War Child Heroes - Various Artists - Album Review

War Child is an organisation that raises money for children living in poverty in the world's most dangerous war zones. For more info on this worthy cause, visit the website http://www.warchild.org/uk.

The idea behind this new compilation was getting 15 music legends to choose one of their tracks to be covered by an artist they think will do it justice. There are some interesting choices here with some tracks improving on the orignal. Elbow do a very faithful version of U2's "Running to Stand Still" from The Joshua Tree which is one of Bono's favourites and a highlight from the album. David Bowie selected former collaborators TV on the Radio to add their unique flavour to the classic song "Heroes" and was no doubt pleased with the result. Iggy Pop also chose a former collabrator in Peaches to tackle the classic punk track "Search and Destroy" and the song fits her style perfectly adding some fuzzy synth and thumping drums to great effect. Beck turns Bob Dylan's "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" from a laid-back blues song to a funky electronic rock track like only Beck can. Other highlights feature Lily Allen with some help from Mick Jones on The Clash's "Straight to Hell, Franz Ferdinand's live take on Blondie's "Call Me", Yeah Yeah Yeah's version of The Ramones' "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" and Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City covered by The Hold Steady. A solid and unique album with the profits going to a wortthwhile cause make it a great purchase.

1. Beck - "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" (Bob Dylan)
2. Scissor Sisters - "Do the Strand" (Roxy Music)
3. Lily Allen and Mick Jones - "Straight to Hell" (The Clash)
4. Duffy - "Live and Let Die" (Sir Paul McCartney)
5. Elbow - "Running to Stand Still" (U2)
6. TV on the Radio - "Heroes" (David Bowie)
7. Hot Chip - "Transmission" (Joy Division)
8. The Kooks - "Victoria" (The Kinks)
9. Estelle - "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)
10. Rufus Wainwright - "Wonderful/Song For Children" (Brian Wilson)
11. Peaches - "Search and Destroy" (The Stooges)
12. The Hold Steady - "Atlantic City" (Bruce Springsteen)
13. The Like - "You Belong to Me" (Elvis Costello)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" (The Ramones)
15. Franz Ferdinand - "Call Me" (Live) (Blondie)

Big Day Out 09 - Melbourne - Jan 26 2009

My Big Day Out started at 11am this year, at the Newmarket Tavern. It was meant to be a meeting place and a "couple of beers" but it turned into a 3 hour schooner marathon that left me a bit shabby. Not to mention missing a few bands i really wanted to see, especially Eddy Current Suppression Ring. But the beer was delicious on such a nice day and after dragging myself away we made our way down. The 1st band we got to see was The Ting Tings, they had already been playing a while when we got there but we got to hear a few hits from the bar including "Shut Up and Let Me Go" and set closer "That's Not My Name". Next were the Black Kids, who's debut album Partie Tramautic has been on high rotation for my wife and I and the only band we both really wanted to see. They sounded better live than I had expected, doing perfect versions of "I Wanna be Your Limosuine", "Partie Traumatic" and "Listen to your Body Tonight". We had to leave a bit early so we could see TV on the Radio, and regretted not catching their show at the Corner on the Saturday night before.

TV on the Radio played a set that covered their whole career, and a bunch of hits were played early in their set. When TVOTR belted out "Dancing Choose" it sent me running into the crowd for a better look which was then followed by "The Golden Age" and "Wolf Like Me" which all sounded amazing and the peak of the set. Finishing with "Staring at the Sun", it was a very enjoyable set but was on a bit too early for me to get excited.

The next half and hour was spent trying to work out where the boiler room was, the map provided only confused things. Eventually we found it after overhearing "Superstar" and following the sound and caught the last 2 songs by Lupe Fiasco which sounded great, especially "Day Dreaming" which was the only song I wnated to see anyway.

Next up were My Morning Jacket and they were awesome. Opening with "Evil Urges" they played an energetic set full of wicked guitar solos and thumping drums and was the highlight of the day so far. Highlights of the set included "Off the Record" and "Wordless Chorus" from the album Z and "I'm Amazed" and "Highly Suspicious" from latest album Evil Urges. I then shot over to the Essential Stage to catch the end of The Drones set, wishing they had started half an hour later. I watched Cut Copy with little interest for a few songs and then headed to the main stage for the 2 headliners, catching the last 15 mins of The Living End who sounded good.

Arctic Monkeys went straight into their fine style of geezer rock and played a very enjoyable set to warm us up for the main act of Neil Young. My highlights were great versions of "When the Sun Goes Down", "Brianstorm", "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and a great sped-up version of Nick Cave's "Red Right Hand". By the end of the Arctic Monkeys set, the anticipation for Neil Young was unbearable as we discussed what tracks he might be playing.

The chants for Neil Young (or "Youngy" as he had been drunkenly shortened to by this stage)were coming thick and fast now and we weren't left waiting long as he took to the stage not long after 8:30, much to my excitement. The hits were played early on with a kick arse version of "Hey Hey, My My" and as it's killer riff echoed through the crowd, I couldn't help notice that it was nowhere near big enough for such a legend. For the next half an hour we were treated to excellent versions of "Everybody Knows, This is Nowhere", "Cortez the Killer" and "Cinnamon Girl". But the best was yet to come as we were treated to 3 classics in a row from one of the best albums of all time, Harvest. Neil came out solo for "The Needle and the Damage Done" as chills ran down my spine and I realised I was witnessing something very special. As he warmed up his harmonica and broke into a brilliant version of "Heart of Gold", I officially crowned Youngy the King of the BDO. My favourite moment of the day then followed as he played perfect rendition of "Old Man", and by the time the banjo kicked in I was almost in tears. To close the set, the crowd went off to the often covered "Rockin' in the Free World" and the classic Beatles track "A Day in the Life". As I made my way out I got to hear Prodigy belt out their 90's anthem "Breathe" and left the festival with a smile from ear to ear.