Triple J Hottest 100, 2013

It's that time of year again where we vote for our top 10 songs of the year, they go into a massive pile and we find out the top 100 songs of the year before on Australia Day (January 26 for all of you overseas punters) and lament the fact they missed our favourite songs, then we vow never to vote in the countdown again but every December we just can't resist putting our 2 cents in. Without further ado, here are my top 10 songs of 2013.

These songs also happen to have some pretty damn cool film clips to go with them. Great success!

10. Frightened Rabbit - The Woodpile

9. Big Scary - Twin Rivers

8. Volcano Choir - Byegone

7. Vance Joy - Riptide

6. Born Ruffians - Needle

5. Local Natives - Heavy Feet

4. Clubfeet - Everything You Wanted

3. CHVRCHES - Recover

2. Cloud Control - Dojo Rising

1. Big Scary - Luck Now

a mixtape for november

November is upon us yet again and in Australia it means that it's 1 month closer to Summer! My favourite.

The Monument. (Washington, D.C. January 2013)

1. The Middle East - The Land of the Bloody Unknown
2. The Shins - Sealegs
3. Cloud Control - Dojo Rising
4. CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
5. The Seabelies - Armour 
6. PVT - Window
7. Pinback - Syracuse
8. The Naked and Famous - Young Blood
9. Cults - Go Outside
10. Cloud Control - Scar
11. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Fright Night (Nevermore)
12. Vance Joy - Riptide
13. Yeasayer - Henrietta
14. Grizzly Bear - Speak in Rounds
15. M83 - We Own the Sky
16. Thieves Like Us - Forget Me Not
17. Belle & Sebastian - Your Cover's Blown
18. Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill
19. Clubfeet - Everything You Wanted
20. Washed Out - Feel It All Around
21. The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (a bonus track for good measure) 

listen here 

a mixtape for september

Welcome to Spring or as I like to call it SEASON OF DEATH BY POLLEN!

Shameless plug for a tight little band outta Sydney, Ginger & Drum (I may be a tad biased) but these guys are pretty damn cool. If you're around Sydney on the 14th of September I suggest you check out their EP launch at FBi Social! 

1. Sunny Levine - No Other Plans (Ft. Young Dad)
2. Ginger & Drum - Cowboy
3. CHVRCHES - Recover
4. Cloud Control - Dojo Rising
5. Animal Collective - In the Flowers
6. Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
7. Big Scary - Twin Rivers
8. Mr. Little Jeans - Rescue Song (RAC Remix)
9. Clubfeet - Heartbreak (Ft. Chela) 
10. Ben Folds - Draw a Crowd
11. Craft Spells - Party Talk
12. Vance Joy - Play With Fire
13. Scott McKenzie - San Francisco
14. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
15. Chairlift - I Belong In Your Arms
16. Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights Out, Words Gone
17. Washed Out - Don't Give Up
18. Born Ruffians - Too Soaked to Break
19. Kisses - Midnight Lover
20. Big Scary - Final Thoughts with Tom & Jo 

listen to this mix on 8tracks! 

A mixtape for July

Due to the fact that I am in the 3rd and final year of my degree, I have had little time to think about anything much other than nursing and I have severely neglected this music blog. I have a whole HEAP of new music that I want to write about so I will endeavour to catch up on some musical amazingness very soon. In the mean time, here is a collection of tunes for July.

1. Born Ruffians - So Slow

2. Local Natives - Heavy Feet

3. Volcano Choir - Byegone

4. Paul Dempsey - Ramona Was a Waitress

5. Clubfeet - Everything You Wanted

6. Poolside -  Harvest Moon

7. The Honey Month - Foliage

8. Husky - History's Door

9. Born Ruffians - Permanent Hesitation

10. Cold War Kids - Lost That Easy

11. The Rubens - My Gun

12. Craftspells - After The Moment

13. Washed Out - It All Feels Right

14. Sigur Rós - Hoppípolla

15. Beach House - Used to Be

16. Frightened Rabbit - The Woodpile

17. Big Scary - Luck Now

18. Vance Joy - Riptide

19. Vydamo - Hurricane

20. Buchanan - Act Natural 

ENJOY!

A Mixtape for March

Georgetown (December 2012)

1. Local Natives - You & I

2. Bat for Lashes - Daniel 

3. Major Lazer - Get Free

4. Bubble Club - The Goddess

5. Gypsy & the Cat - Time to Wander

6. Mitzi - Modern Life

7. Yeasayer - Longevity

8. Wild Nothing - This Chain Won't Break

9. Local Natives - Mt. Washington

10. Grimes - Oblivion

11. Thieves Like Us - Shyness

12. Craft Spells - Party Talk

13. Miami Horror ft. Alan Palomo - Holidays

14. Tennis - Robin

15. Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill

16. The Rubens - Never Be the Same

17. Delphic - Baiya

18. Flume (Ft. Moon Holiday) - Insane

19. Grizzly Bear - Speak in Rounds

20. Ducktails - Hamilton Road

All songs available on iTunes, click 8 trackto listen to this mix on 8 track!

A mixtape for February

I have been a bit slack with the mixtapes... Here's one for February.

Photo taken in Chicago in January 2013. 

1. The Apples In Stereo - Dream About the Future

2. M83 - We Own The Sky

3. Flume - Sleepless (Ft. Jezzabell Doran) 

4. Chairlift - I Belong In Your Arms

5. Bear in Heaven - You Do You

6. SURES - Stars

7. Alpine - Heartlove

8. Kisses - People Can Do The Most Amazing Things

9. Washed Out - You and I

10. Passion Pit - Love is Greed

11. Neon Indian - Mind, Drips

12. Alt-J (∆) - Breezeblocks

13. Kimbra - Warrior

14. Air - Venus

15. Yeasayer - Fingers Never Bleed

16. San Cisco - Wild Things

17. Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

18. Ms Mr - Hurricane

19. Yeasayer - Henrietta

20. The Presets - Promises

my top 8 albums of 2012

Unfortunately 2012 was not the GREATEST year for music however there were some splendid album releases, only 7 8 of which were worthy enough for a mention here. These are my top 8:



8. The Lumineers - The Lumineers


A newcomer to my iTunes playlist, the hit single, "Ho Hey" quickly made its way to the top 10 songs of 2012 for me.

The Lumineers' debut album is full of mostly lively folksy tunes with a few more downbeat but still lovely songs, my favourites are: "Ho Hey", "Big Parade", and "Stubborn Love".

7.  The Shins - Port of Morrow

A long awaited follow-up to Wincing The Night Away, Port of Morrow is he 4th studio album from James Mercer-led, The Shins.

Mercer attributes the new sound to his newfound domestic life; a certain departure from past releases by the band and further influenced by the departure of founding members since 2007 and also by nostalgia.

Lyrically rich, the album is a certain pleaser for the band's fan base, 

"Remember walking a mile to your house a glow in the dark, I made a fumbling play for your heart and the act struck a spark" 

(Simple Song)

My favourite songs include, "Simple Song",  "Fall of '82" and "No Way Down"

Port of Morrow reached #4 on the Australian Aria charts.

6. Yeasayer - Fragrant World

A new inclusion to my top 8, I neglected to get this album when it first came out but have since seen Yeasayer in concert twice this year and they were wonderful.

This is their 3rd release, Fragrant World. I loved Odd Blood and All Hour Cymbals but on first listen I wasn't convinced that they had pulled their 3rd release off. I have since listened to the album quite a few times and have decided that I was an idiot and it's pretty damn good, especially if you love classic Yeasayer tunes.

My favourites are, "Henrietta", "Longevity", and "Reagan's Skeleton"

5. Flume - Flume

Ahh, Flume. A late comer to the bandwagon, I'm so very glad I jumped on. Rarely do I like this type of music but Flume surprised me!

Flume is the brainchild of 20 year old Sydneysider, Harley Stretton.

An Impressive line-up of collaborations lead to this wonderful album.

Tunes to listen to include, "Sleepless" (Ft. Jezzabell Doran) and "Insane" (Ft. Moon Holiday)


4. Passion Pit - Gossamer

The long awaited follow-up to 2009's "Manners" is one that is tinged with bittersweetness. Michael Angelakos' newest brainchild, "Gossamer"  is one that is fraught with manic undertones and is indeed attributed to one great big manic episode. This album, thankfully,  is brilliant regardless of the undertones. I was always wary of any follow-ups to Manners and the Chunk Of Change EP but this was another pleasant surprise for me.

From the get go, the album delivers a juicy, poppy and wonderful album laced with those famous Angelakos falsetto-prone vocals and surprising lyrics,

"It's not right, it's not right

am I the only one who sees us fight? 

What are we? Who are they?

Who says those bastards don't deserve to pay?"

&

"Sylvia, right back where you came from, 

you're a pendulum, heartbroken and numb but 

Sylvia, no one's gonna tell you when enough's enough... 

Enough is enough." 

The band puts on an equally impressive stage show, the energy that one man evokes of a room full of people is magnificent; the whole 9:30 club in Washington D.C. was jumping!

A spectacular second record, I wish I had 3 number 1 spots!

Tunes I adore are "Carried Away", "Love is Greed" and "It's Not My Fault, I'm Happy"

3. Freelance Whales - Diluvia

Another second release for a band in my list, Diluvia is a delightful album - the band formed after an ad was placed on Craigslist! . Picking up from where the first release, Weathervanes left off, Diluvia is a sweet and enjoyable addition to my iTunes folder.

When I was in Washington DC on exchange, I was lucky enough to see Freelance Whales at the 9:30 Club. They were dressed up for Halloween and there were two freelance whales in the audience. I dressed as a normal person. They played the majority of songs from their 2nd release which due to its limited releases, I hadn't listened to yet but it was great, the whole audience was dancing and having a great time. They also played old favourites from Weathervanes which definitely did not disappoint.

Diluvia has a wide range of sounds, the harmonium is a pretty cool and rare inclusion in bands these days and they use a glockenspiel as well...

My absolute favourite track from the album is "Follow Through", 

"Two words
I never thought they'd be the ones I'd choose
and I'll always follow through"

I also love "Dig Into Waves".

2. Grizzly Bear - Shields

The latest offering from Grizzly Bear, Shields is full of surprising elements. 

Their 4th album, the boys have their style down pat. I have yet to see them in concert due to missing them in both the USA and Australia but I have been told they are great live (no surprises there). 

The album was mostly recorded in Cape Cod, at lead singer Ed Droste's grandmother's home. 

Droste notes the album is not as dreamy as past releases; with a heavier emphasis on drums and raw vocals.

The album debuted at number 7 in the Billboard charts and sold 39,000 copies in its release week!

The band definitely struck gold with this release, my favourite tracks are "Yet Again" and "Speak In Rounds".

1. Beach House - Bloom

I adore Beach House.The duo consisting of Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scally have featured in my list of favourite bands for a long time. It should be no surprise to people who follow either of my blogs that Beach House's latest offering, Bloom came in as my number 1 choice for 2012.

Bloom is a diverse album but it also sticks to the formula the band has used for previous albums (Teen Dream, Beach House, and Devotion),  LeGrand's singing voice is as beautiful and as deceiving as usual - her range is wonderful. 

The album is dreamy and lovely, exactly what you expect and would want from a Beach House release.

The album starts with the slower "Myth" and ends with "Irene". My favourite tunes are "Wild", "Other People" and "Troublemaker.