Ahh 1993

Ain't No Sunshine

The Bendy Thing Between Your Shoulder and Your Wrist

Leaders of the Free World.  ELBOW

This album has haunted me for about 5 years. I first heard it during a really strange transition time in my life and it really gripped my soul. Its beautifully produced, performed and written. A really top shelf production that appeals to all kinds of tastes, its got some great grooves and really quiet moments appear like street lights on a foggy night. Its beautiful in parts and elegant in its restraint. I have not been able to really approach this bands other albums but this one is a modern masterpiece that's totally slipped under the radar of most - I rarely use that term - listen to this album - its like sipping wine on a still beach and falling in love.

Icons of the 80's

I had no idea how funny this film clip was, in fact I thought it was a piss-take of the original but its not, its just a pure aussie icon from the 80's.

Listen Live to Hand Jive on Internet Radio

In 2011 Hand Jive will be broadcasting an internet radio channel live for one hour each week

The broadcast is called Afros and Cadillacs and it will be a one hour show dedicated to the best funk, soul and rare groove.

So How Do I Listen to the Set?

To listen you will need to be on your computer at the time the set goes to air - then simply cut and paste the URL below into your web browser address bar, save it as a favourite and then all you have to do is re-open that page each week at the broadcast time and the set will start playing.

http://121.223.88.234:8000/listen.m3u

The set will open in your iTunes or Windows Player.

Only 10 people at a time can listen to the set due to server restrictions.

When Will the Sets Go to Air?

Good question, as I have not started officially broadcasting yet I will contact my followers and see what suits them best, I predict it will be during business hours on a week-day when most of us are at our computers working away. A good blast of funk and soul will get you toe-tapping and in just the right mood to get through the rest of the working day....

If you are interested in hearing the show check back here for broadcast times in mid January or become a follower and I will contact you.

Predictions for 2011

Here are some predictions for 2011.

#1. Rap will remember its more down-tempo jazzy roots and we will start to see a more laid-back genre of hip hop start to emerge. After all, groups like Tribe Called Quest are sleeping giants and its only a matter of time before their brand of hip hop has had enough time to finally come back in full force.

For a memory check:



#2. Cal-skate punk will finally eat itself and implode. Every time I turn on cable TV I hear some 17yr old girl sponsored by Disney singing a bastardized skate punk style song. Miley Otis for christ sake is singing songs written along the exact same chord progressions and style as some of the great skate punk bands. It seems the music industry machine has finally sucked that genre completely dry. What started off as complete rebellion and total expression has, 20 or so years later been beaten to death with a corporate stick. Long live the real stuff. Bad Religion is one of them. Hopefully Big El will give me some help and I might do a cal-punk special in an upcoming post.

Forget me not:



#3. Slayer will continue to get no recongition from anyone playing metal. OK so I love Slayer. I am 35 in March and totally uncool when it comes to metal, only my bro Big El would understand. I simply wish Slayer would get the nod they deserve from those playing heavy music today. Perhaps because they are still around releasing great stuff they are seen as more of a threat than the Godfathers that they are. Hard to believe that they released their first album in the early 1980's and are still going strong and have not lost their edge. How the hell does an artist do that? Might need to think that one through, inspirational.

Deja Vous

As we are at the end of 2010 I thought it useful to remind everyone that as the years pass the wheel also turns. What has passed will come to be again. In music like most things, everything is re-invented. Take a look at Dr Dre in this NWA video from 1985. Dre was a trail-blazer  and in 1985 with the rest of NWA he defined a genre and a style which continues on today.

Dre dancing around in his white shirt and sunglasses.....remind you of anyone you have seen recently? Jay Z perhaps? Can you believe this video is 25 soon to be 26 years old?

Making Hay

COLIN HAY. Going Somewhere

This album took a while to grow on me but its quickly become a favourite. For those of you who dont know him he was the front man of Men At Work and after a long absence has landed back with this really brilliant acoustic album. This is an album about love, loss and life, its sentimental but so well done that the real beauty of the songwriting can easily pass you by unless you give it a  really good listen. He does a cover of Overcare, which was one of Men At Work's best songs and its absolutely brilliant as an acoustic track. I am generally bored with acoustic albums but this one is an exception. And by the way, for those of you who have not heard Men At Work's Business As Usual album in a long long while (or perhaps ever) get a copy. Now that some years have passed since its heyday it stands tall as one of the best from the era. I might talk about it next actually.

Protect your Head

HELMET. Discography

I recently acquired the Helmet Discography including their new album released this year called Seeing Eye Dog. From a quick listen the new album seems to be fairly decent but is not breaking any new ground which is exactly what Helmet did for a long time in their heyday in the 90's. Helmet are a grinding, punchy and totally groove-orientated band that seemed to be able to create endless rhythms, endless hooks and endless songs over a career that saw them release over 112 tracks. They really coined a very compressed production style, thin hollow-sounding snare drum, vocals that sound like they were recording in a train tunnel and they always made beautiful use of what came to be one of their signatures of their distinctive style - stop/start rhythms with tiny gaps in almost every song.
Helmet are totally under-appreciated for their influence on all kinds of music ranging from Hardcore to whatever genre you might want to fit Tool into. If you know an aussie band called Cog then take a listen to their Size Matters Album - a direct precursor. Aligned with skateboard culture for a long while Helmet found an appreciating audience but for some reason never became that popular. Big respect to these guys who fast found a sound and continued to explore their style through a series of really quite excellent albums. Check the Helmet Discography out.

Holy Fuck -LP

Hows this band? Do you reckon they had a hard time convincing their label of their name choice....I dont know much about these guys other than this album is very good and they look like they play it live with real instruments not just a full set of electronics but real guitars and drums etc. A lot of it reminds me of that band from the late 90;s and beyond called Red Snapper. It's also in a similar vein to LCD Soundsystem but whithout vocals and without the critical/ironic edge that made LCD so appealing to many.

Holy Fuck are electronic, hard edged, snappy and punchy, its a bit abrasive in parts but most of the songs drag you in and make you feel like your driving a ferrari down a long tunnel at night by yourself - you just go into a trance like state and realise your bouncing your head and really enjoying yourself before you even realise it. I would love to see these guys live it would be a great show. If you like it edgy yet really catchy check this album out.

I just found out they are playing at the Laneway Festival in Brisbane in February...HOLY FUCK indeed!

Soul Revival

I have just heard some of the best soul that I have ever heard - up there with the greats anyway - and its modern, its happening now and you need to know about two fantastic bands. The first is Lee Fields and the Expressions. From what I have heard, and I know this could be fairly wrong but the general jist of goes like this:- a group of young classically trained muso's discovered this guy called Lee Fields singing around the place who was apparently a big deal about 30 years or more ago and had basically given up on his career, these guys found him and built a band around him and the results are staggering, like a second chance at life this guy grabbed it and here is some of the results:



The album is called MY WORLD.

The other album on high rotation for me is called The Defamation of Strikland Banks by a guy called PLAN B. Check him out:-

Nothing Like a Roots

How I Got Over. THE ROOTS

These guys get better and better and better, they are so far ahead of the game that they define their own game. There is nobody near them, nothing like them and no chance that anyone will come close. Real artists, real magic, real chemistry, real power. I can't give this band a better wrap, if you have not hear of these guys check this album out then go back and check everything before. Hip hop for those who like it smooth, musical and honest.

Back from Dead

Yikes it has been so long I barely remember how to type. I have not been listening to much lately that has really inspired me but I can always put you in touch with some of the best stuff ....

Take My Stuff

Kicking off 2010 by fulfilling some ambitions, starting with giving away some of the things that I have loved the most, I am trying to wittle away all the "stuff" that you accumulate through life which ends up attaching you to "things" rather than to things that matter so I am starting with my entire CD collection.

I have around 1000 CD's and as they are almost all now in my iTunes I figure whats the point of having them lying around taking up space just looking impressive in my office. So as a reward to all my millions of blog readers I offer them to you for FREE. If you want a few of my most beloved CD's email me with what style of music your after (I have everything reviewed on this blog if you want one of them in particular) and I will select a few for you and post them to you, all I ask is you cover the postage cost and they're yours forever. Email me if your interested in boosting your collection or drop me a comment on this posting.

stephen@stephenburton.com.au

Suicidal Gig

The Suicidal Tendencies gig was a massive success. Here is the order of events:

-pound some beers walk to gig
-find my mate Shane
-pound more beers
-band comes on and starts with You Can't Bring me Down. Crowd goes mad, huge mosh pit forms
-gig so loud can't even distinguish the tunes, loudest gig i have ever been too, lucky I brought my grandpa earplugs, finally learnt something after 33 years
-idiots everywhere pushing, throwing beer around the room etc. I haven't been to a gig like this in 10 years or more, must have forgotten how terribly people behave at these things
-room is about 47 degrees sweat dripping off the ceiling
-stand at back of the room away from the mosh pit aka hepatitis spreading facility
-some idiot blows beer out of his mouth all over the place including on me then throws his beer glass over his shoulder and all over me
-feeling pretty pissed off I tell idiot to get fucked
-idiot tries to spook me out by making crazy faces about 2 inches away from mine
-realise said idiot is truly an idiot
-stare at idiot with earplugs in as he craps on about what a hard-arse he is, I cant hear a word of it so just stare at his mouth flapping around like a fish on the beach, I guess that worked as idiot walks away eventually, narrowly averting full scale fight with idiot thanks to grandpa earplugs, not to self - 99c earplugs best investment ever
-idiot almost wrecks my night but "you can't bring me down"
-hit a few more beers to calm myself down
-gig ends, walk home with mate Shane
-have a brew on the deck, now well and truly arseholed
-go to bed after brushing teeth with moisturiser cream (I thought that shit tasted bad)
-Shane snores the house down, sister and her partner get out of bed at 2m unable to sleep and umable to wake Shane, apparently wake me up after bashing me with pillow for 3 minutes (have no recollection) and they drive home to their house in pyjamas, get pulled over by the cops looking totally suspicious
-wake up with crushing headache, sun blasting into my face on couch, grandpa earplugs still in (hence sleeping through the snoring, earplugs win again) and hit the beach for an anti-hangover swim which almost works.
All in all a pretty good night. Long live the earplugs. I think I still have one of them.

Summer Tunes

Certain seasons bring on different types of tunes, Jimi Hendrix in the summertime with cold pale ales, Coltrane in the winter with a glass of shiraz, Miles Davis Quintet in the autumn with a glass of pinot noir. The pleasure is undeniable, the kind of thing that makes life worth living. Like the duck at the Golden BBQ or a bodysurfing on clear day with a good sand break out the back. So what's on for this summer? Well so far its been this album leading the ride into party-season.

Bob Evans. GOODNIGHT BULL CREEK.

Bob Evans is fast becoming one of Australia's great songwriters. This album is a polished, mature and reflective piece of work from a guy with a big future ahead of him. Self deprecating, good humoured and talented Bob Evans and his band is well worth getting to know. Not all of these tunes are on the money but most of them are. Give him just a few years and he'll be at the same level as Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, Grant McLennan and Colin Hay. Arguably he is not far off now. Certainly he's on the way there and now is the time to tune into Bob Evans to get to know his stuff on the way up. I saw him play a few months ago and it was every bit as good as I had imagined. If you like this album check out his earlier release called Suburban Kid. The development between the 2 albums is obvious and he's on track for serious recognition if his next release keeps progressing like these albums have.

"Sometimes it's dark and lonely, livin' with all your if-only's but the hardest part of it all ain't the pictures hung in the hall but the silent street in the night turning out my broken light.."

Best Ever Hip Hip

For a long while I have been stalling on getting some hip hop up on this blog, why I have no idea but tonight I have cracked the egg and started off with the very best. Here are the FIVE GREATEST hip hop songs ever recorded, in order. If you read this blog leave a comment somewhere tell me if you agree with this list or if I have missed anything...













Stay tuned for some album reviews on other great hip hop including some more modern stuff. Although it must be said, this stuff above has not yet been overtaken by anything since. Talk about influential. Another track I wanted to add here was Watcha Want by Beastie Boys but I couldn't embed the video, I would think it would rank as number 6, or certainly one of their other tunes might be in 6th spot, but as for 7 to 10 well it's wide open so any comments readers? Whatcha want in 6 - 10 spot??

Been Awhile

Well its been a long time between posts, been busy with my PhD and other shit so here are a few to make up for lost time.

Mastadon. CRACK THE SKYE

OK if your not into WAY HEAVY tunes then forget about this. If you like Slayer, Metallica, Pantera and other more recent bands of a similar ilk (most of whom in my view are shite) this is an album you will learn to love. Not all tracks are winners but most of them are. These guys are worth knowing about. Smart, talented and well produced. No rubbish here this stuff is a job for these guys and you can tell they love it.

Air. LOVE 2

Don't judge a book by its cover. What were these guys thinking with this cover shot? Abba? Yikes. Not to worry because inside is one of the better albums I have heard in a long while. I read a review that said Air were establishing themselves as the modern equivalent of early Pink Floyd with this release. I think that's a bit ambitious but this album is certainly very good. Their last release was interesting but suffered from being overly atmospheric. This album is way more punchy and catchy and quite different from most of the sharp edged electro going around at the moment.

Aussie Rockin'

The Temper Trap. CONDITIONS.

Its true, there are great bands both from and in Australia. Its a redundant debate so just take a listen to this album if you still need convincing. Its like early 90's brit pop (think Fine Young Cannibals falsetto harmonies and those other skinny gay guys with the short crew cuts who had that film clip about some bad 80's dance party getting broken up by the moral police) mixed with electronic-feel highly repetitive guitars and straight up and down beats. Very catchy, bordering on pop but um you won't find any pop here on Hand Jive. I would have to think these guys would put on a very fun live show, lots of dancing and mahem.

Wheel Chair Rockin'

Pearl Jam. BACKSPACER.

Ok Ok it too hard to say that Pearl Jam are really wheel chair rockers, after all they probably aren't that much older than yours truly and none of them look like Keith Richards but they just seem to have been around forever, since I started first noticing real music anyway. Elsewhere on this Blog I refer to their album Ten as being therir best and of course we all know that's true, this album however is quite good and if you like Peal Jam you should give this a good listen. The problem I find with P.Jam is that everything they do gets compared to Ten and that's a shame because in their own right, a few of their post-Ten albums are really good and this one is no exception. Getting older has only made their work wiser and they don't have anything to prove and on this album you can hear them sending out a few of life's messages to the young-in's and also reminding us you don't need ink and black hair to rock. P.Jam are finding themselves at an interesting place, almost like the custodians of a great musical tradition of which they helped spawn in the early 90's but have been talented enough to keep re-inventing and changing. Its a testament to them as people and artists. Great stuff.