I must confess that this is not my idea; having recently come across Tom Breihan’s ‘The Number Ones’ column for Stereogum, and in turn, Tom Ewing’s ‘Popular’ column for Freaky Trigger, I felt inspired to approach the format from my own geographical perspective; that is, review every single to reach number 1 on the ARIA Charts/Kent Report, and assign a numerical grade from 1-10. In the interest of brevity (and some pertinence), the column shall begin from July 1974, the date in which the initial Kent Report was first published commercially, and work forwards from there. Dependent upon time constraints and general interest, publishing of these articles will, similar to Ewing and Breihan’s columns, be daily. And now…
Daryl Braithwaite – “You’re My World”
6 January – 20 January 1975 (3 Weeks).
Perhaps one of the most underrated delights of exploring a history of Australian pop music is that I can accord some attention to songwriters that have either had a minimal presence in the US and the UK, or just plainly didn’t make much of an international dent to begin with. Daryl Braithwaite is one of those performers; having fronted Sherbet, he produced some of Australia’s biggest anthems including “Summer Love” and “Howzat,” whilst topping the charts in his own right with “One Summer” and “The Horses.” As an inductee to the ARIA Hall of Fame, he’s a national treasure; to those North of the equator, he’s Daryl Braithwaite.
I must confess that this is not my idea; having recently come across Tom Breihan’s ‘The Number Ones’ column for Stereogum, and in turn, Tom Ewing’s ‘Popular’ column for Freaky Trigger, I felt inspired to approach the format from my own geographical perspective; that is, review every single to reach number 1 on the ARIA Charts/Kent Report, and assign a numerical grade from 1-10. In the interest of brevity (and some pertinence), the column shall begin from July 1974, the date in which the initial Kent Report was first published commercially, and work forwards from there. Dependent upon time constraints and general interest, publishing of these articles will, similar to Ewing and Breihan’s columns, be daily. And now…
Carl Douglas – “Kung Fu Fighting”
16 December – 30 December 1974 (3 Weeks).
Perhaps the best argument against the posterity of the charts and certain song’s placement within them is that they often fete cultural moments that are decidedly one time only. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the virtue of being inane and mindless; however, when oriental riffs become lodged into critical discussions like this, it’s hard not to condescend to the source material. Which is a literary way of saying: this thing hasn’t aged well.
Having said that, it wouldn’t have aged well even if society decided that the main riff for this song is just slightly offensive retrospectively. Regardless of all of that discussion, it’s a…
I must confess that this is not my idea; having recently come across Tom Breihan’s ‘The Number Ones’ column for Stereogum, and in turn, Tom Ewing’s ‘Popular’ column for Freaky Trigger, I felt inspired to approach the format from my own geographical perspective; that is, review every single to reach number 1 on the ARIA Charts/Kent Report, and assign a numerical grade from 1-10. In the interest of brevity (and some pertinence), the column shall begin from July 1974, the date in which the initial Kent Report was first published commercially, and work forwards from there. Dependent upon time constraints and general interest, publishing of these articles will, similar to Ewing and Breihan’s columns, be daily. And now…
Olivia Newton-John – “I Honestly Love You”
18 November – 9 December 1974 (4 Weeks)
It’s possible that “I Honestly Love You” invented the tired cinematic trope of the ironic soundtrack choice. When it appears in Jaws, Alex and his dog disappear; all the while, Olivia Newton John hums on the radio, soft, lulling, delicate, and unassuming. The song was barely a year old at the time, but its subverted and mismatched application makes it feel as if were always somewhere there, tucked away in the scenery.
In part, that’s because this is the 1970s, and this is Peter Allen, so the nostalgia felt is integral to the composition. Heard as it were, it’s a plainly inoffensive and lilting performance from John, who, removed from Grease…
To be fair to CHVRCHES, I’m not entirely sure what progression for them sounds like. Does it sound like some backwards adoption of analogue synths and sound collage as an experimental form? The alternative to that would be to go bigger, less subtle, and more infectious with their pop songs, and I don’t know if they’re capable of that. They’ve already perfected vague ennui and a handful hooks for a few years now, and so the success of their songs relies almost entirely on their quality, rather than they do the scope or breadth of their ambition.
Which is why it is difficult to assess “Get Out,” because on first listen it’s just not very good. The verses aren’t especially memorable, which automatically robs them of a place to put at least one good hook, and the chorus is only memorable because it’s basic, not because it’s familiar. You’ve heard it before, but it’s not nostalgia; it’s just another pop rock song in a litany of others. But fans of Every Open Eye can make the credible case that, as it became clearer and clearer that CHVRCHES weren’t going to be doing much other than writing a few good songs, it slowly revealed itself as a decent enough album. There exists the possibility that the same might happen for “Get Out,” and so I won’t go too hard into its faults (moreover, it being boring). The fundamentals of the song remain the same, however; its melody isn’t impressive, its instrumentation is lifeless, and…
There’s little sentimental to be had about “Spotlight,” because throughout his career, Lil Peep has always sounded like this; awash in syrupy, Xanax-fuelled haze, doing his best to sound just like Blink 182’s Blink 182. The same goes for Marshmello, whose “Wolves” and “Silence” rise and fall in similar fashion to the production delivered here, churning up some of Peep’s emo and pop punk instrumentals and giving them a muted, subtly anthemic undercurrent. It’s probably the closest Peep had come to a pop single before his passing, and its why the song’s opening declaration, that, ‘this time, I’ll be on my own, my friend / One more time, I’m all alone again,’ is ever so slightly more potent. Yes, Peep could be making a farewell, but he’s also saying everything he has already said before, succinctly, and better.
So, chalk it up to kismet or chalk it up to progression, there’s a lot about “Spotlight” that sounds like just another long wave goodbye. There are prophetical lines, and there are clichéd cries for love; there’s a constant, droning melody, and there’s a big, power ballad of a chorus, too. And in between, Peep’s lines never sound uncharacteristic, particularly his drearily declaring that he’s ‘faded,’ or that he’s, ‘all alone again.’ This was and always will be the public image of Lil Peep: a miserable 21-year old, battling with sobriety and dependency, motivated by little other than a desire to feel something, whatever that something might be. At junctures, it could sound empty, and…
I’m glad this isn’t a country song, or a rap song, or a country rap song; I’m glad it doesn’t sound like Joanne, or Forever Young; I’m glad Juicy J, Dave Berman, or Al Gore aren’t rapping on this thing; I’m glad this doesn’t sound like “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” The 20/20 Experience, Future Sex / Love Sounds, or Justified. These are all things to be thankful for.
I’m not glad that Justin’s having his Yeezus moment. It didn’t suit Taylor Swift’s Reputation, as was evidenced by that album’s awkward sounds and playfully muddled production, and it doesn’t suit “Filthy,” which takes Justin’s falsetto and puts it over top of a distended, grand ‘70s rock sample and a screwy, unrelated wobbly bass thing. ‘Hater’s gon’ say it’s fake,’ spits Justin, rolling up the sleeves on his suit jacket and informing us that this ‘ain’t the clean version,’ in case there was any confusion. It’s not as terribly stilted or as unsexy as “Look What You Made Me Do,” this song’s closest recent compatriot, but it’s also overreaching for something entirely weird and unnecessary. Honestly, did Justin not leave N*SYNC a few decades ago? Aren’t we all use to him being sexy? Did he not write a song about bringing sexy back? Did he not release an album whose title alluded to his ability to court, fuck, and marry you? Why must he insist that this particular song is real, or a moment wherein he ‘gets [his] swagger back?’ Has the…
When Heartwork was released in 1993, it ushered in a new sound that would eventually become known as melodic death metal. At the time, though, people didn’t know what to think of it and they certainly didn’t know how to classify it — they only knew they liked it. Heartwork featured a collection of catchy and grooving riffs, memorable melodic leads, and even strong choruses. These facets combined with a pristine production, surprising accessibility, and the major label support of Columbia Records put Carcass into heavy rotation on national radio and even Mtv’s Headbanger’s Ball. Of course, Heartwork wasn’t the only album released in 1993 to eventually be highlighted as part of melodic death metal’s origin, but it was certainly the highest profile. It was Heartwork that earned the band tour offers with the like of Iron Maiden, and the chance to remix bands as diverse as Die Krupps and Bjork. Unfortunately, this was around the time metal ended up becoming a ‘bad word’ and the band eventually had to move back to their original label, Earache Records. For a brief few years, though, Carcass was backed by a major label with a song that featured regular rotation on Mtv’s Headbanger’s Ball and radio stations across the country — and the album, Heartwork, ended up being one of the original releases of the melodic death metal genre.
There’s been a lot already said about the latest Taylor Swift single from critics and fans, and not a lot of it has to do with the actual music. There’s been drama expounded upon and personality quirks analyzed, but I unfortunately keep as many tabs on celebrity feuds and lifestyle happenings as I do my cat’s bowel movements – and to be honest they mean about the same to me. Thus, this little blog post has less to do with what fiery quip Katy Perry just came back with and more to do with a flawed, but pretty good, pop single. I’m sorry to disappoint the frequenters of Consequence of Sound, who are no longer capable of actually writing about music.
(What did Sowing just say about another popular music website ? Click here to read more!)
Anyway – the music.
So Taylor Swift has sort of run out of places to go already. She’s played the innocent country girl and the pop star, and unless she soon decides to whip out an electric guitar and start shredding, her scope is sort of self-limiting. She could, of course, revisit the success of 1989 – but that record was so overwhelmingly successful on a commercial level that writing a new piece in the same voice would effectively begin to stale her appeal. It’s the same reason that Red forced her to start wading into pop waters, because Fearless and Speak Now covered every…
It’s not like we needed any additional reasons to crown Ella as the queen of pop. At just 20 years old, she’s stolen that crown from Ariana who stole it from Carle Rae who stole it from Taylor. Well, that’s if you ask me.
But personal and irrelevant opinions aside about who owns pop (when it’s really the record companies and producers), Melodrama was – and is – a stone cold classic. If you try and find a poorly constructed or unimaginative tune on it, you can’t. It’s art-pop at it’s best, and it is everything that the industry should be striving for.
…And then there’s moments like this that go even further above and beyond what you’d expect. Lorde must already be bored getting showered with accolades, because she has gone to work creating six incredible live re-imaginings of some of Melodrama‘s best songs: “Hard Feelings/Loveless” (see above), “Writer In The Dark”, “Sober”, “Supercut”, “Homemade Dynamite”, and “The Louvre.” The above is one of my early favorites – there’s just something about the way she gets down to her own music that is both adorable and admirable. You can tell she loves what she does.
In a brief interview with Vevo, Lorde states,
I don’t really do, like, acoustic sessions or anything, but with this record, it had roots in acoustic instruments and live musicianship.”
She also discusses working with Jack Antenoff (of Bleachers) and how the record centered…
Public Enemy… what can be said about them that shouldn’t already be known? They’re one of the most influential Hip Hop artists of the 80’s and early 90’s, due in large part to being one of the first Hip Hop groups to really focus on politics, and the plight of African Americans in general. Their lyrics were often controversial, and through it all the group remained unapologetic. If it wasn’t for them there probably wouldn’t be a lot of the politically charged music that exists today, from modern Hip Hop artists to metal bands such as System of a Down and Rage Against the Machine. Public Enemy’s first four albums are all widely regarded as classics, but there has been some discussion about which one is really the defining PE album, in my opinion the answer is easy; Apocalypse 91 is PE’s definitive album.
Another reason that this album is such a classic is due to one of the most capable Hip Hop production teams in the Bomb Squad, and an equally capable DJ in Terminator X. Apocalypse 91 features some of the most dense and innovative music that I’ve ever heard in any genre. The beats are complex by Hip Hop standards, and the music includes a large number of samples, sounds and influences all layered over each other in such a way that even sixteen years later I can still pick up new sounds. The Bomb Squad would take things such as screams (By the Time I…
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Def Leppard’s break out release Hysteria, and to try to bring back “Throwback Thursday” here is ‘Gods of War’ — easily the best song on the album. Purchase the 30th anniversary release of Hysteriahere. Hysteria releases 4 August 2017 through Mercury Records.
Broken Social Scene’s “Skyline” is serenely pleasant, even if it’s a little watered down.
Euphoria. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind with each new song released in advance of Broken Social Scene’s comeback record Hug of Thunder, set to drop on July 7th. We heard it on “Halfway Home”, which sounded like a “we are back” statement with layered vocals in the chorus and its twin guitar assault. Despite being somewhat generic in overall structure, it was simply a rush to hear these guys back in their element making music together. The title track, in case you missed it, slowed things down a bit and showed a more vulnerable side to the album – but with “Skyline”, they’re back to the aforementioned wave of euphoria that is now appearing to be the unifying aura behind Hug of Thunder.
Broken Social Scene have worked with more complex and creative concepts before, but that’s not a totally scathing indictment. Yes, all three of the tracks revealed so far tone down their experimental reputation in favor of more commonplace indie-rock aesthetics, but the results have never been so listenable or utterly pleasant. The acoustic guitars wash over your ears, like you’re standing a few hundred feet away from a massive waterfall and just letting the mist hit you in the face. Like with “Halfway Home”, the vocals are very much a gang effort, but the contrasting styles blend together so smoothly that you’ll wonder…
Compared to this time in 2016, when Ariana Grande had just unleashed Dangerous Woman, it feels like 2017 is lagging a little bit behind in the department of fun, carefree summer jams. I believe it is a necessity to have these kinds of songs: these melodic, sunny anthems of youth that remind us why it’s okay to pull our ears away from the emotional depth of our favorite indie record or the technical precision of the best new metal song out there. Just as it is important to have those bands that comprise our musical foundations, it’s also valuable to occasionally indulge in surface-level pop that allows us to dismount from our collective high horse and simply let loose. That’s Carly Rae Jepsen’s niche, and she delivers as strongly as ever with her latest synth-pop offering.
“Cut To The Feeling” is just one of E•MO•TION‘s purported 250 tracks. We heard eight that failed to make the cut via Emotion: Side B, but that still left a pretty large void for those who felt the 2015 album was…
In 2013, Sufjan Stevens joined up with Nico Muhly, James McAlister, and The National’s Bryce Dressner to create a composition thematically centered around our solar system (I guess he is too big for states now). To date only performed in a live setting (the piece was debuted at Brooklyn Academy of Music over a multi-night span), it is finally being released as an official recording on June 9 via 4AD. It’s pretty much the most hipster thing ever. But before we get to that, the quartet has unveiled “Saturn”, the fourteenth out of seventeen songs on the track list and the album’s lead single.
Those who enjoyed Stevens’ bizarre but oddly affirming Age of Adz will likely be beside themselves with excitement on this one. The vocals are electronically altered for the entire run time, as is the instrumental canvas. The whole thing feels very futuristic, bombastic, and oddly warm. Stevens may sound robotic and distant, but lines like “take this body / blood shed for you” and the repeated “tell me I’m evil” have a boomerang effect, sending you far off into the cold, dark depths of space only to circle back with…
Does it feel like summer yet? Weezer thinks so. Less than a year after the universally acclaimed White Album, everyone’s favorite nerd-rock band is back with a new single and – you know it – the announcement of a new album slated for a 2017 release. Anyone who has rode the euphoric wave that has been Weezer’s unprecedented return to relevancy will be understandably hyped. Well, at least for a few minutes. If you’d like to hold onto that enthusiasm a little bit longer, stop reading here.
In what I wish was not typical “Weezer fashion”, the new single takes this band’s resurgent existence and, both forcefully and decisively, pulls the life support plug. “Feels Like Summer” is an auto-tuned, repetitive mess – channeling the worst of modern pop radio and fusing it with the pompous sense of stature that destroyed Make Believe. I wish such descriptors were merely a bout of frustration; hyperbole brought on by disappointment. However, it’s best you just decide for yourself:
It’s clear that Weezer has not learned from its own history. Instead of continuing to ride what they do best, pleasing fans and solidifying their own legacy in…
Daryl Braithwaite – “You’re My World”
