Top 117 Songs of 2017 - #90 to #81

#117 to #101

#100 to #91

#90. LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO

by Taylor Swift

I don't like your perfect crime

How you laugh when you lie.

The big wheel that is Taylor Swift's mission to become the most polarising figure in all of the music lands kept on turning in 2017, and I don't know about you, but I found it fascinating. Whether you believe the "feuds" are real or manufactured, they certainly lead to some expert manipulation of the masses by Swift's camp. Every line in 'Look What You Made Me Do' is designed to be critically analysed. Is this line about Kanye Kardashian? Is this one about Calvin Harris? Surely that one isn't about that dude that plays Loki in the Marvel movies. Or is it? They spark debates between rabid fans of Kimmy K, apparently in emoji form where Team Swift uses the rat emoji because rats eat snakes and the Kardashian clan think Tay Tay is a snake and I can't keep up. Or care. But I do like my catchy pop tunes and this right here is catchy. And made for those moments when you're at the fridge getting your midnight snack on and as you put that fourth row of chocolate into your mouth you start singing to the darkness, "look what you made me do, look what you made me do, look what you just made me do." (Matt Bond)  

#89. TOTAL MELTDOWN

by DZ Deathrays 

You know that when you are feeling down

Someone else is always feeling more.

When you read words about DZ Deathrays, the description that pops up over and over again is 'party-thrashers', which suggests they are the words used in their press releases, or they are actual thrashers of parties, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on said party. 'Total Meltdown', released late this year, is probably more a raw rock gathering than a thrashed party; its smashing drums and dirty guitars drive it straight into a summer rock sweaty mess. Also, how can you not love a band that name their album exactly as it will be described when it's released in February next year? 'Bloody Lovely' mate! Bloody lovely. (Jo Michelmore)  

#88. LIKE GOLD

by Vance Joy

Everything we've done, is there on our faces for anyone willing to

Read between the lines.

So this is pretty much a wet dream for whoever the people are that pick songs for TV shows (side note, that is my dream job and if anyone in the "biz" wants to offer me one of these positions I'll take it right now thanks) and Vance Joy knows it. He's got a knack for making these types of songs that are made for those moments when Drama with a capital d is unfolding for all of your favourite characters and in the final three to four minutes of an episode you get to check in like the five main characters as they look all reflective and a couple breaks up or something. Anyway, I look forward to hearing this on Grey's Anatomy. Let's not get me started on Grey's Anatomy... (Matt Bond)

Is Vance Joy Australia's Ed Sheeran? Quietly charming, a master of eloquently humble lyrics and delightful folky pop melodies, as well as being king of the awkwardly cute curly haired market, Vance Joy can do no wrong. This makes me like him as much as I dislike him, much like Ed. That's a compliment though, so fans of mild mannered catchy pop can settle down. 'Like Gold' is the perfect summertime singalong song, it's designed for reminiscing and reliving long days and old times over summer sunsets, and it's just another reason he will be revered as one of Australia's greatest, now and for years to come. (Jo Michelmore) 

#87. THERE FOR YOU

by Eves Karydas

It could be, it could be a waste of time

But it's gonna be, gonna be worth the fight. 

Hannah Karydas may be Hannah Karydas one minute and then Eves The Behaviour the next and then reappear a couple of years later under supposedly her real name Eves Karydas, but we're going to forgo asking any questions about this and just focus on the fact that no matter what name this young music maker is going by, that music is always of a consistently excellent quality. That was quite the sentence. 'There For You' keeps Karydas on the electronic indie path that brought her a whole lot of attention as Eves The Behaviour and keeps her in standing with contemporaries like Vera Blue and Wafia. Romantic in an almost naive, youthful way, 'There For You' will work its way into your head and have you singing along before you're even through the first listen. It will be the first of many listens. (Matt Bond) 

#86. PRECIOUS

by British India

If everything could stay the same as it is right now.

Six albums in and British India continue to be one of the hardest working and most reliable acts in Australian music. Now, some might think 'reliable' is a lame compliment. I happen to think being reliable is a huge compliment. You don't get disappointed by someone that's reliable. Someone reliable will put in effort. And British India are yet to disappoint and always deliver the goods. One might say they're precious but that would just be ridiculous given the name of the song, right? Right? Doesn't mean it's not true though. Stellar rock from a band that remains very, very good at doing their thing. (Matt Bond) 

#85. HOTEL

by Kita Alexander

One day you'l meet me and you'll know it's not a dream

It won't be hell or heaven, we'll be somewhere in-between.

Let's just get straight to the point. This is a stunning piece of music. Kita Alexander has created a dreamy piece of desperation, a subtly strong but sombre sound, that gently swings from synth pop glory to total introspection, and all of this while having her first baby, travelling and she's only in her early 20s. I'm going to sound like an old person now, but I don't care. 20s? In most of my early 20s I was busy eating junk food and attempting not to be hungover. My gosh I'm glad for people more productive than me. (Jo Michelmore)    

This should have been a big hit for Kita Alexander. It's genuinely pop perfection. Gorgeous vocals, dreamy musical soundscapes and lyrics that send your imagination into overdrive. What more do you want? The answer should be nothing. You want nothing more than what Kita Alexander is giving you right here. "Someday you'll find me where the champagne's always free, when you check into the hotel where the skyline meets the sea." Lana Del Rey, eat your heart out. Kita Alexander might just have you beat on the Americana (or in this case I guess Australiana) dreaming lyrical front. I see that Apple Music are loving 'Hotel' on their new music lists, so there's still time for this to hit it big on the charts. If not, it's only a matter of time before Alexander takes off. She's far too talented not to. (Matt Bond)

#84. FRIENDS

by Justin Bieber

Know you wondering why I been calling

Like I got ulterior motives.

It's finally happened. There's a Justin Bieber song that I like and the world hasn't ended and everything is how it should be (except for like so many things). So that's something. I guess. Maintaining my immense dislike of all things Bieber has been a thing since the 'Baby' days. Yeah, I didn't like 'Sorry' and I'm not even sorry about it. But then 'Friends' came along and maybe I'm just tired these days and I can't resist the pull of a damn good dance track. I don't know what it is, but I don't hate this and maybe I hate myself a little bit for that instead? Okay, I'm being over the top (or OTT as the kids would say lolz), but this is for real the first Bieber track I'm able to get through from start to finish and enjoy. Is it because he's being the ultimate fuck boy on this track? Probably. You don't agree? You don't think he's got ulterior motives? Enjoy fantasy land you sweet, sweet fool. (Matt Bond)     

Don't worry, we've got 80 odd songs to go, there's still time for 'Despacito'. I was joking about hell freezing over back at number 95, but I'm pretty sure that's exactly what's happened now at number 83, because a few years ago I'm sure the ice would have had to have started forming for Bieber to have been included in one of our end of year lists. I guess that's one of the things Matt and I love about music though, you can just never tell which beat is going to get you, which voice is going to get stuck and which song is going to become a favourite. Sometimes it takes one listen, sometimes it takes a hundred. However many Justin had to release, it's nice to finally have him here. Yes JB, we can still be friends. (Jo Michelmore)  

#83. EVERYBODY KNOWS

by Kimbra

I was young and gullible, but baby I grew

Now the whole world's watching you.

It's so nice to have lil Kimbra here in our list, as she's appeared on and off for years now. What a wild ride it's been for her, a super pop start turning into a couple of minutes of real life superstardom and then an artist of super talent who I think is sometimes now a little overlooked and misunderstood, but I'm using those words in an incredibly complimentary manner, because they so often describe an artist dedicated to their craft and a sound dedicated to its listener. 'Everybody Knows' is a gloriously slow burn and just another piece of Kimbra's story, which is nothing less than super. (Jo Michelmore) 

#82. DROWNING IN THE SOUND

by Amanda Palmer

South by south west, two miles from town

I can't get out, I can't look down.

"You worship the sun...but you keep feeding the dark" I write all these words about all of this music, and in one song, in one lyric, Amanda Palmer describes how I came to start writing all these words on the internets all those years ago, why I came back to writing about another 117 songs this year, and why I have spent all my life listening to, loving and needing all the music. (Jo Michelmore)   

Sometimes it's hard to listen to a song and not take it for what it is. Usually there's a lot of bullshit and metaphors and delusional lines of what love is and you can critique it, love it or hate it. But then sometimes one of your favourite artists is singing lines about watching everyone she loves drowning in the sound and that just makes you sadder than you expected. And then you remember this is Amanda Palmer and she has this way with words that can sometimes make you feel like you've actually been punched in the face. Take it as a metaphor for the insanity in the world around us or as a reflection for the victims of Hurricane Harvey (which profits of the track went to) or take it however you want. That's the fun thing you get to do with music. Take from it what you will. And Amanda Palmer always gives so much. Here's hoping there's much more to come in 2018. (Matt Bond)

#81. HALLOW FATE

by Gin Wigmore

Do I pretend to play your ways

That I always stay inside the lane.

Ms Wigmore has had a big year. She created a much needed female focussed art and music collaboration project called GIRLGANG, she worked on creating her fourth album and she created a new human, her first baby Ivory, which is a person as well as the title of her next album. Amongst all of that, she released this haunting little track 'Hallow Fate', her super sweet gravelly vocal as strong as ever, her sense of soul as important as ever and her general fabulousness is as fabulous as ever. It will never feel good to be without you Ms Wigmore. (Jo Michelmore) 

 

Top 25 - 22 November, 2016

Mark Harding + Cloves!

1. The xx - On Hold





2. Mark Harding - Say It Too (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm probably biased. No, let's face it, I am biased, but that's fairly irrelevant when the song I'm biased about really speaks for itself anyway; that song being 'Say It Too' by a guy called Mark Harding, who may not be a household name (yet) but after hearing this track, he's a name in my household and he's gotta start somewhere I guess. Thankfully Mark's start has been a little more interesting than my little house, because as an intergral part of Little May's lineup I am (more than) slightly biased in saying he's pretty much already one of our faves, but the beautifully smooth beats, the completely laid back sensation and his delightfully subdued vocal make this a song I actually, genuinely like and I'm not gonna lie, no bias needed, it's a song I can feel myself beginning to love very, very quickly. (Jo Michelmore)


3. Washington - Saint Lo





4. Cloves - Better Now (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: I was introduced to the music of Cloves in the way I'm introduced to many of my favourite new artists... while a fictional character I had come to love more than some of my best friends was ripped away from me on one of twenty five four or five television programs I should be embarrassed to admit that I watch. Emphasis on the should be. Anyway, less about TV shows about vampires directed at people at least fifteen years younger than me and more about Cloves. Hailing from Melbourne and now living it up in the USA, Kaity Dunstan/Cloves has been working hard to build a name for herself as a singer/songwriter on the rise. 'Better Now' features a voice full of wisdom far beyond Cloves' twenty-something years, the words and music are as gorgeous as they are heartbreaking from the very beginning ("Then I hear you leave, and I'm happy, just for a moment I'm free, then it dawns on me, that no time has passed, now it won't last, and I'm getting nowhere fast, and that's a fact."), there's fire in the chorus and a hope that we'll be hearing more of this from an artist of Cloves' caliber for a long, long time to come. At the very least, I can look forward to hearing her music during some forced emotional moment between a witch and sea monster on a television show that I would actually watch and what were we talking about? (Matt Bond)


5. Tkay Maidza - Simulation





6. Holy Holy - Elevator





7. Kate Bush - And Dream of Sheep (NEW)


 


8. WAAX - Same, Same





9. Pnau - Chameleon





10. PASSERINE - Undergrowth (NEW)


 

11. Gin Wigmore - Dirty Mercy (NEW)


 


12. Katy Steele - It Ain't Me





13. Moreton - Specimen





14. Asta - Shine (NEW)


 

15. Broods - All of Your Glory





16. Iluka - Blue Jean Baby (NEW)


 

17. Bag Raiders ft. Mayer Hawthorne - Beat Me To The Punch (NEW)


 


18. Lossy - You Who's Guiding Me





19. Sarah Belkner - Cellophane





20. I Know Leopard - Rather Be Lonely





21. Alex The Astronaut - Already Home





22. Mr Little Jeans - Stitches





23. Ariela Jacobs - Leave Your Light On





24. Tired Lion - Agoraphobia





25. Alex Lahey - Let's Go Out

Top 115 Songs of 2015, #90 - 81

Gin Wigmore, Oh Wonder, The Paper Kites + Christine and The Queens!

#115 - 101

#100 - 91

#90. A SILENT CAUSE

by The Paper Kites

I don't want to love you, I want to learn you

But I'd love to know you well.

What's that sound? Oh... that's just the sound of your heart breaking. Yes. That's what it sounds like. Shhh. Shhh. Let it happen. The other sound (and the cause of said heart breakage) is likely The Paper Kites' 'A Silent Cause'. It's the oldest story in the book. Boy meet girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Girl has to move away. Boy remembers girl saying something about how all the people she knows are dying from a silent cause, which may or may not be their quiet desperation. Boy realises his own quiet desperation is in fact killing him too. Boy's heart breaks. Girl's heart breaks. Everyone is sad. And you wouldn't want it any other way. Stunning work from one of Australia's finest acts. (Matt Bond)


My love of lyrics is well documented, so it’s pretty much a no brainer that I love the little tale that The Paper Kites tell in this super saccharine sweet little tune. I love the little tale of love and the life and I love the feeling in my guts when front man Sam Bentley sings that line about people dying from the silent cause, but it’s the lump in the back of my throat that really hits it all home, at the “thought that I was different when you looked at me, but this quiet desperation is killing me too” When you put all those words with such a modest little guitar, well, oh my goodness, some songs are just divine aren’t they? (Jo Michelmore)

#89. HUMANS

by Sarah Belkner

This is why the rain comes down

Washes out everything, makes us feel like humans again.

I used to hate how YouTube thought it had the right to just automatically move onto another video once the one I had chosen to watch ended. Rude. Don't try to tell me how to live my life, application I pay nothing for and benefit from immensely. Anyway, I did hate that. Until I was watching a Jack Colwell clip one day and got up to... I don't know, make a sandwich or something and that song finished and then this song right here, 'Humans' started playing. It was exciting. Right from the start I was in l-o-v-e love. After questioning if Tori Amos had a little something new out, I made my way back to the laptop and saw the name Sarah Belkner. I didn't know who Sarah was at the time, but I sure do now. And she is brilliant. 'Humans' is the perfect showcase for her talents as a songwriter, vocalist and artist. She excels in all aspects of her performance. If you have the time to listen to her 2015 EP, also named Humans, it's well worth the investment. (Matt Bond) 

#88. DOLLARMITE

by Velociraptor

Hey, the world is not a race

Still I don't want to be left, behind...

So I’m clearly not the only one who remembers their Commonwealth bank dollarmite account from childhood. Whatever happened to that cash? Surely I had like 25 bucks in there at some stage. Is that still building interest? Am I a millionaire? Do they still have those things for the kids these days or do you just get a credit card in grade one now? Do the kids even know what cash is anymore? It’s just numbers on a magical card you wave at machines, isn’t it? If I had a dollar for every member of Velociraptor, I’d have 14 bucks and if I was in grade one and that was in my dollarmite account, I’d have thought I was rich. Now the only part of me that’s rich are my ears, filled with songs like this one from Velociraptor. How the times have changed. Anyone got fourteen bucks I can borrow? (Jo Michelmore)

While I may have lost count of how many people are actually in Velociraptor, I will never lose my love for the Brisbane collective. Could you ever really not love a band that finds inspiration in the way so many of us were introduced to money and banking and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia? *insert single tear, yet happy face here. I think there might actually be fifteen members of the band though and now I'm thinking they're more cult-like. Think Polyphonic Spree. No white robes, just skinny jeans. Don't think I don't see you kids around town in your skinny jeans. (Matt Bond)  

#87. HOLIDAY HOME

by The Grates

Do you want to light it up, yeah

In the sand dunes?

Patience can be a virtue, or she can be the lead singer of The Grates and pretty much the raddest person in all of the musics. True story. The return of Patience and John Patterson has been well reported on over the past twelve months. As has the idea that The Grates' fourth studio album Dream Team could very well be their best to date. Joined by new drummer-friend Ritchie Daniell, The Grates returned late last year (just missing the cut off for our 2014 edition) with 'Holiday Home', the lead track for their latest LP. It was loud, proud, in your face and a not so gentle reminder that The Grates were finally back. Not only Brisbane music royalty, The Grates are now total AUS music legends. (Matt Bond)


The Grates have been sounding like The Grates since forever, which is good really, considering things would be a bit weird if they started sounding like Katy Perry in the middle of things, although I wouldn’t complain about that either. ‘Holiday Home’ is perfectly Grates; quickfire, bass heavy, Patience sounding all manic even when she’s not being manic at all with a clip so perfectly VHS it hurts. Go google VHS kids. It doesn’t stand for anything you want to snapchat. Maybe it does. I can’t keep up with the kids these days. (Jo Michelmore) 

#86. WRITTEN IN THE WATER

by Gin Wigmore

Give me one kiss for the road

Now it's time I let you go.

You know what I loved this year? I loved hearing Gin Wigmore somewhere other than an ad on TV. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s not the sell-out factor I care about, people gotta make money to pay the rents. I love the fact that she was featured in heaps of ads, because it meant she got to earn some cash and spend some time recording songs like this one. I can’t easily think of anyone else with a voice like hers and the pace of ‘Written In The Water’ shows it off perfectly. Just her and those keys at the beginning set up such a tortured little tale, with such a great story telling clip. Also, apparently the guy in the clip is her real life husband. The youtube comments told me that, so I can’t guarantee it, but I hope so. What an attractive couple they make. (Jo Michelmore)


It only took some rapid piano lines and the opening words, "I was born by the devil, I was left here to die, I was held up for ransom under cold summer skies," to fall in love with Gin Wigmore's music all over again. Another artist that seemed to be out of the spotlight for too long, Wigmore dropped her Blood To Bone album halfway through the year and it was well worth the wait. 'Written In The Water' is everything we've come to love about the Kiwi songstress and her brand of flapper-pop. Can I say flapper-pop? I mean it in the best way. It's a roaring 1920s jazz delight re-imagined for the modern audience from one of our choicest bits of calico. And it is gooood. Oh the calico thing? I looked up 1920s phrases. Apparently it means a desirable woman, you dewdroppers. (Matt Bond)

#85. DEVIL IN A DRESS

by Anita Lester

We are lost in conversation

Underneath the pulsing lights.

Anita Lester may have dropped her pseudonym and moved across the seas, but there's one thing that definitely hasn't changed about her. That would be her ability to make bewitching music that leaves us wanting a whole lot more. 'Devil In A Dress' proved that in spades. Spades, I say! I don't get it either, but it was proved. The music certainly goes with The Witching Hour title bestowed on Lester's next collection of songs and there's a haunting quality lurking within the vocal performance that can give you chills. While the video was pulled at some stage, hopefully you'll be able to witness it soon. It was a beauty. There's been changes for Anita Lester in 2015, but she remains as fierce as ever. (Matt Bond)


Anita Lester used to be Lester The Fierce, but it doesn’t really matter what she calls herself, she’s very good. She don’t need no fierce, because ‘Devil In A Dress’ proves she still is. Much less guitar and 90s rock chick than I expected, but a slight turn back in time to some seriously good 80s influence means I’m still happy either way. Synths and beats abound, making me wish I was an extra in some kind of clip that involves soft lighting, strange freestyle interpretive dance moves, neon lights, probably a cape and some poorly filmed mountain scenes. I think I’ve missed my calling in life. Clearly I should have been an 80s slightly alternative pop star. Or Anita Lester. Either/or. (Jo Michelmore)

#84. PARADIS PERDUS

by Christine and The Queens

In the night I hear them talk

The coldest story ever told.

Ah yes, here’s the bit where we get all fancy like and pretend we’re classy n shit. Stick some French lyrics in the countdown and ta-da, we’re very impressive. We’re not fooling anyone, Matt. Thing is, you don’t need to speak French or care who Kanye West is to know how stunningly beautiful this song is; the keys, the strings, that tiny little beat and the tone in her voice. So soft and a little despairing, it all comes together so perfectly you wonder how Mr West could be referenced at all. I don’t know exactly how it works, but I know it works in the best way and is gorgeous and that’s more than enough. (Jo Michelmore)

How do I know incredible music transcends all language barriers? For one, I don't speak French. And even I 'get' what's going on in 'Paradis Perdus'. Christine and The Queens thrilled us last year with 'Saint Claude' and 'Christine', so we weren't exactly expecting to hear from her/them again so soon. I can't say we weren't happy to be surprised by her return though. Christine's (real name Heloise Letissier) performance is enough to melt even the coldest of hearts. If it doesn't, you just don't have one. And how could you be so heartless? (Matt Bond)

#83. 6000 MILES

by The Waifs

I've never really had much of a way with words

But God knows I love to sing.

Speaking of AUS music legends, I was stoked to see The Waifs not only return this year, but deliver unto us some of their best music yet. Take '6000 Miles' as an example. The Vikki Thorn led track is already right up there as one of my favourite Waifs songs. Like many of their cuts, it's like having a conversation with one of your wise friends. The ones that give you the best advice and you have open and honest chats to about anything and everything. The Waifs would be those kind of friends. I'm just taking this opportunity to tell The Waifs that we should be friends. Haha. Kidding, that's totally inappropriate. Or is it? (Matt Bond)


I’ll be totally honest and say I had no idea what ‘6000 Miles’ was actually about before I started writing these words that you’re reading right now. I’d heard the bittersweet tone and the sentimental chords, I’d heard the emotion in all the notes and I knew 6000 miles was a long way, but little did I know that 6000 miles is the distance between Perth and Utah. It all makes sense, right, because 9, 656 kilometres doesn’t have the same ring. And that’s where singer Vikki Thorn’s husband lived and that’s why the first track from The Waifs’ seventh album is so goddamn sweet. Ah the long distance love. Don’t do it. It’s expensive. And annoying. Or do it and listen to songs like this to make yourself feel better while you cry into your tea. Or something. (Jo Michelmore)

#82. WITHOUT YOU

by Oh Wonder

Lift up, carry the love

Do you know?

Oh Wonder were that crazy gang of two who insisted on releasing a song a month this year, before gathering them all together and releasing an album. While some have threatened-slash-promised to do that in the past, and some seemed to think it was a crazy idea while others thought it was brilliant, I think it was a certain kind of genius, because it resulted in some of the prettiest pop of the year and it resulted in one of my personal fave pop tunes of the year. Sure, lots of people can harmonise and sing around each other, but these guys sound divine squished into each other’s space, their voices were made for each other. How wonderful. (Jo Michelmore)


I've been living a lie, because I thought Oh Wonder were Australian. That is incorrect. They are not Australian, if Wikipedia is to believed. Anyway, these two do the cute love song thing well. What will be awesome though is the break-up album. What? It worked for Adele. (Matt Bond)

#81. MOLIERE

by Our Man In Berlin


For your lonely mind
For your lonely heart. 

When I wrote about this song at the start of the year, I said I felt like I’d written about Our Man In Berlin a bazillion times, because I probably had (more than ten counts as a bazillion in blog life) and listening to it again now I know why I had written about them that many times. They’re really, really good. Like, seriously. There they are over there in Perth, just plugging away, doing their thing, and their thing is kind of awesome. The organised mania created at the end of ‘Moliere’ reminds me of why I’ve liked them so much; they have this natural ability to write songs that demand attention, pose questions, chill me completely out and make me want to dance all at the same time. Their second EP Spirit Down was all of those things as well and while I haven’t quite made it to two bazillion posts about them this year, with this kind of talent, I’m suspecting we might get there sooner rather than later. (Jo Michelmore)

So many feelings, so little time. See you again tomorrow!

 

Top 25 - 31 May, 2015

Our Man In Berlin, Montaigne, Holly Who + Flume!

1. Our Man In Berlin - Spirit Down (NEW)





2. Holly Who - Gimme Gimme (NEW)





3. Jeremy Neale ft. Phoebe Imhoff - Hold On Together





4. Montaigne - A Cinematic Plea For An End (NEW)





5. ALTA - Moves





6. Eves The Behavior - Electrical





7. Hopium - Right Now





8. Stonefox - Arrow





9. Gin Wigmore - Written In The Water (NEW)





10. North Arm - Careless





11. Amanda Palmer - The Thing About Things (NEW)





12. Dolo Jones ft. Passerine - Can't Give You Up





13. Ayla - Waiting





14. TIO - Day Fort (NEW)





15. Melwonderland - GAMES (NEW)





16. Florence + The Machine - Delilah





17. ATLAS ft. James Chatburn - Spinning Back (NEW)





18. Grace Pitts - Haunted





19. P'ARIS - Heaven + High Water (NEW)





20. Mio ft. Erik Lindestad - Back To You





21. Colour Bomb - My Resting Place (NEW)





22. The Belligerents - Voice





23. Flume ft. Andrew Wyatt - Some Minds (NEW)





24. Lanks - Settle Down





25. Machine Age - Chivalry

Top 25 - 26 April, 2015

Gin Wigmore, Jeremy Neale, The Kite String Tangle + Dustin Tebbutt!

1. Florence + The Machine - Ship To Wreck (#1 for 3 weeks!)





2. Sia - Big Girls Cry (NEW)





3. Bright Spark - Head In The Sand





4. Gin Wigmore - New Rush (NEW)





5. Jeremy Neale ft. Phoebe Imhoff - Hold On Together (NEW)





6. Violet - Ivory (NEW)


 

7. The Colour Code - It's Up To Me





8. MS MR - Painted





9. Holy Holy - You Cannot Call For Love Like A Dog





10. The Kite String Tangle and Dustin Tebbutt - Illuminate (NEW)





11. Rihanna - American Oxygen





12. Torres - Sprinter





13. Shelley Segal - Sidelined





14. Torres - Cowboy Guilt (NEW)





15. JOY. - Weather





16. Quintessential Doll ft. Clio Em - Thunder Gods





17. Japanese Wallpaper ft. Airling - Forces





18. The Stiffys - Kissy Kissy





19. Clare Maguire - Dream Big (NEW)





20. Young Wonder - Sweet Dreaming (NEW)





21. Morgan Bain - Why Don't You Stay





22. Forest Falls - Hounds





23. Heloise - This Is Home





24. The Radar Post - Nothing's Holding You Back





25. Tame Impala - 'Cause I'm A Man

The Last 5 Years, #60 - 51

The Medics, Ella Hooper, Sarah Blasko + The Presets!

Hey... welcome back. What are we doing here? Well, to celebrate our 5th birthday, this April we're looking back at our favourite songs from the past five years! Let's listen to some goodness... 

100 - 91

90 - 81

80 - 71

70 - 61

#60. GRIFFIN

by The Medics

Wasting time 
In life we work too hard

Waiting for your answer.

 
One of our favourite releases from 2012 was the debut album Foundations by The Medics. It's a mighty fine rock album, chock full of impressive tracks like 'Slowburn', 'Beggars' and this one right here at number 60, 'Griffin'. It's the perfect representation of what makes the band so compelling. There's a powerful story and engaging music crafted by talented musicians. Kahl Wallace is easily one of the best male vocalists in the country, drawing you right in far more skillfully than you'd expect from an artist of his age. Hailing from Cairns, The Medics continue to do the Sunshine State proud with their music and their strong sense of social justice. We're expecting big things from their next album, which will hopefully be released sooner than later. (Matt Bond) 

#59. LOW HIGH

by Ella Hooper

Low high, low high

The bittersweet of life.

I'm not sure where to start when I speak of Ella Hooper, our blog and her single 'Low High', which was her solo introduction to the Australian music sound scape in 2012. Let's start with our blog, because my fellow blogger Matt has been a massive fan of Ella's since way back when, so of course she was going to make our countdown. Luckily we didn't have to include her for biased personal reasons, because 'Low High'; with its slightly ominous beats, call and response vocals and the spooky clip to match is, and was, an awesome experience. We waited what seemed like an eternity for her album to be released, but 'Low High' was only a tiny taste of the superb album that In Tongues was. I didn't know where to start, but I do know where to end, which is to say I'm pretty sure Matt and I aren't the only ones waiting very, very patiently for her next, undoubtedly amazing release. (Jo Michelmore)

#58. BLACK SHEEP

by Gin Wigmore

I wasn't born a beauty Queen, but I'm ok with that.

When Gin Wigmore came rolling into town while touring the exceptional Gravel and Wine, Jo and I had only heard the single 'Black Sheep'. You've listened to it, right? That would be enough to get you to go to a Gin Wigmore show too, right? Right. It's more fun than you could shake a really big stick at... and I don't really know what that means but 'Black Sheep' is FUN. And it makes you want to hear a lot more of Gin Wigmore, hence the trip to her Brisbane gig that blew us away. Badass 'tude, striking vocals and a collection of catchy tunes made us fall in love with the sounds of the Wigmore. She's been teasing new stuff for what feels like forever on her Facebook page. The time is now. It wants to hear more! Please? (Matt Bond)

#57. YOU DON'T GET ME TWICE

by Sleigh Bells

You don't get me twice

I got your heart in a vice

You don't get me twice

I got your heart on ice.

Bands like Sleigh Bells are the ones that make me wish I wasn't blogging but instead wearing some kind of skinny black jeans, hair a mess, sweaty and singing my guts out on some dirty stage in some dodgy venue. Well, I got the skinny jeans, my hair isn't the best today and I do have a tendency to make rather loud noises (some call it singing, others think otherwise) when I hear those filthy guitar sounds and the words about the American dream. I guess I just gotta get the filthy stage happening, but maybe I need to work on the talent that Sleigh Bells' Alexis and Derek possess as well. Best stick with the blogging for now. (Jo Michelmore)

#56. HELPLESSNESS BLUES

by Fleet Foxes

I don't know who to believe
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see.

 
Them Fleet Foxes. They make good with the music. So good my English falls apart apparently. Jokes, I'm just really tired and trying to think of something to say about 'Helplessness Blues' other than it's a really beautiful song. Maybe nothing else needs to be said? (Matt Bond) 

#55. PROMISES

by The Presets

All the fires that we've been feedin'

All the lies that we've been livin'

Am I the only one that's still believin'.

Almost every time I hear the beginning beats of 'Promises' and I immediately get a little 'butterfly in my stomach' feeling and a subtle smile makes its way across my face. It's not just because I adore the sounds of Julian and Kim, but because one of my favourite blog moments of the last five years involved a text message from Matt telling me he'd seen some words I'd written on this blog used in a press release to promote a band I'd written about. The concept that bands I love use words I write is always mind blowing, but the fact that the band was The Presets left me a little breathless. Moments like that make the endless hours of thinking and typing at all hours of the day and night, blogging my little heart out, totally worthwhile and when my favourite musicians keep releasing songs like 'Promises' I'm pretty sure I'll be blogging for a while yet. (Jo Michelmore)

#54. LOVE LETTER 
by Clairy Browne and The Bangin' Rackettes

I'm gonna write what I want you to do to me in a letter.

I have a bowl in my house that sits on my kitchen table that seems to get comments from visitors all the time. People always ask where I got it from and how much it cost, because, well, it's so awesome. The funny part is, it literally cost me 20 cents from an op shop and it was probably originally sitting in someone else's kitchen in the 60's. Why am I telling you about my house decor instead of Clairy Browne and her Bangin Rackettes? Because, like my homewares prove, if you do something well, it never goes out of style. Clairy and her associated Rackettes are the perfect example of that. 'Love Letter' with all it's doo-wop and soul styling would be just as home in the 60s as it was in 2011 and like my fabulously retro kitchen bowl and 60s soul itself, will probably be just as fabulous in another fifty years. (Jo Michelmore)

#53. THE WORDS THAT MAKETH MURDER

by PJ Harvey

I've seen and done things I want to forget 
Coming from an unearthly place.

 
So I don't get to go on about how I went to Glastonbury in this edition of the countdown. So instead I'll go on about that time I went to Bestival in the UK and was blown away by the phenomenal talent of one Polly Jean Harvey. Jealous? Jo's not... she went to Melbourne to see her during the same touring time. Jealous of both of us? The Let England Shake era was PJ Harvey firmly securing her place as a music icon (she already was, obvs) as the album would see her become the first artist to win the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for a second time. 'The Words That Maketh Murder' takes Harvey's views on war and the world, condenses them into a three minute and forty-five second alternative gem and makes you love PJ Harvey just that little bit more. And you didn't think you could. Silly you. Excuse me while I go listen to the brilliance of Let England Shake again now. (Matt Bond)

#52. AROUND HERE

by Thelma Plum

'Cause running from something

Just to turn around and find

You were running from yourself all the time.

Ah...lovely Thelma. One of my very favourite artists of the last five years. I'm not sure how I would be without Thelma's sweet tunes making themselves part of my little personal soundtrack the last couple of years. From tear jerking to hand clapping, her talent astounds me with every single listen. 'Around Here' sits a little in both those categories, with it's honest lyrics about "running from yourself" combined with its bouncy hand claps, it's the perfect pop song. It's also a bit of a rite of passage when it comes to Thelma, because you aren't really a fully fledged fan until you've either clapped your hands and screamed those lyrics with your friends in a car...or with Thelma herself at a gig. You know the ones. La di da di da di da da.... (Jo Michelmore)

#51. CAST THE NET

by Sarah Blasko

And though you think you'll never move on 
Deep inside you know you must.

 
Everyone's got those songs that take you back to a precise moment in time. You can feel everything you were feeling in that moment. 'Cast The Net' is one of those songs for me. Everyone's got songs they feel were written just for them. 'Cast The New' is one of those for me too. But enough about me and my relationship with 'Cast The Net' that you're probably finding strange and going, "that doesn't happen to people." My original review, way back when, said something along the lines of... "Cast The Net tells us that it's never too late to say goodbye, to move on, to start again. This could actually be Sarah Blasko's most stunning song; what seems to be a simple ballad becomes a triumphant anthem for those ready to move on. The words, the music... I don't know how Blasko still finds ways to leave you surprised at how fantastic she is." This tells us I was a better writer back then and that Sarah Blasko is amazing. (Matt Bond)
  

Hipster Halloween 2013

Well, I guess we're actually pretty late on putting up some sort of Halloween playlist. It seems there were a lot of Halloween parties this weekend. Which makes no sense because Halloween isn't until Thursday and there's a closer weekend to it. Maybe people are just partying more and will celebrate Halloween twice (in a different costume?) next weekend too. Maybe not. Whatever though... Halloween itself is on Thursday and all you hipsters in the crowd must be in need of some music to get you through the night. Songs about ghosts, demons, werewolves and witchcraft. But they've got to be pretty new songs. You can't be caught listening to the 'Monster Mash' or 'Thriller'. You're just too cool for school in your totally ironic costume. Which is probably no costume at all because it's a Thursday and you're not at a party or anything. Is it even cool to go to Halloween parties anymore? The answer is yes, but you'll probably say no, sweet hipster.


Anyway, we've got your ghoulish tunes covered with the Hipster Halloween 2013 playlist. Listen to the end and you might just be in for a real scare too. OoooOoooOooooh. That's a ghost sound. Not really as effective in text, right? Just enjoy the music... and happy Halloween! For Thursday.

HIPSTER HALLOWEEN 2013 PLAYLIST:

It's not exactly terrifying... just awesome.

1. Sharon Van Etten - Serpents

2. Esben and the Witch - Deathwaltz

3. MS MR - Bones

4. Little Boots - Superstitious Heart

5. Disclosure ft. AlunaGeorge - White Noise

6. Crystal Fighters - Bridge of Bones

7. Abbe May - T.R.O.U.B.L.E

8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege

9. Ride Into The Sun - Hunt Like Wolves

10. Ginger and The Ghost - One Type of Dark

11. Chela - Guts

12. The National - Demons

13. Ella Hooper - Haxan

14. MGMT - Alien Days

15. Escort - Barbarians

16. Snakadaktal - Ghost

17. Astrid and The Asteroids - Autopsy

18. Gin Wigmore - Kill of the Night

19. Deep Sea Arcade - Black Cat

Top 20 - 25 August, 2013

Anna Calvi!

Songs of the Week, 25/08/13 from itsmykindofscene on 8tracks Radio.

1. Thelma Plum - Breathe In, Breathe Out





2. The Preatures - Manic Baby (NEW)





3. Phebe Starr - The Worst Part





4. The Jungle Giants - Skin To Bone





5. Haim - The Wire

6. Janelle Monae ft. Miguel - Primetime (NEW)





7. Astrid and The Asteroids - Autopsy





8. Anna Calvi - Eliza (NEW)


 


9. Rainy Day Women - Ain't It Time?





10. Lady Gaga - Applause

11. London Grammar - Interlude (NEW)





12. Chela - Romanticise (NEW)





13. Passerine - Ready To Begin





14. Cub Scouts - Paradise





15. Eminem - Survival

16. Seekae - Another (NEW)





17. Manor - Architecture





18. Mr Little Jeans - Oh Sailor (Re-Entry)





19. Emma Louise - Pontoon (NEW)

20. Gin Wigmore - Kill of the Night (NEW)





21. Cloud Control - Dojo Rising





22. Banks - Waiting Game (NEW)





23. Abbe May - Perth Girls





24. The Paper Kites - Young (NEW)





25. The Trouble With Templeton - You Are New