The Beards - You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man

Well there really isn't a whole lot that needs to be said about this song. The Beards are a folk rock band form Australia who base their music on the positive attributes of having...yes you guessed it...a beard. This is just one of many other songs that promote and raise awareness for ..well..bearded folk.

Genius? That's your choice but listen to it!

 

Xavier Rudd - Solace amongst the Sin

A song that perfectly embodies the movement of a generation. I feel that the lyrics apply to my life with immense accuracy and the emotional magnitude that the theme of the song creates is both creative and manipulative. Whatever way you choose to interpret the song it is still remarkable and beautifully apt.
The usual acoustics of Xavier Rudd are ever present throughout the song highlighting his vocal brialliance. It is not a song to blare from your stereo as you set yourself up for a night on the tiles. Listen to it in the right context, better still listen to it as you drive up the coast and the sun is setting!

Peace to you for now, we will share again.

Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes

Sometimes you will come across an album that you will fall in love with, listen to every day on your commute to work, add it to your favourite playlists and become so addicted that you not only know the words to every song but you know what song follows every other one. You will not become sick of it but slowly move away when a new album and with it a new obsession comes along. It is the magical moments when you become reaquainted with said album that reminds you why you became so obsessed in the first place.

Merriweather Post Pavillion was one of those albums for me when it came out in 2009. My 'most played' playlist on my iPod was saturated with Animal Collective songs and the sondtrack on my route to work was pretty much monopolised for months.  A signigicant length of time passed until I listened to it again but when 'summertime clothes' came on the radio on my drive home last week it reappeared on my iPod radar and the soft fuzzy feeling that I got from their motley collection of Brooklyn vibes, fluid lyrics and earth grounded electrics came back and I am glad to share it once more.

Luke Kelly - Song for Ireland, The Pogues- Body of an American

This one more or less explains itself. It is Saint Patrick's Day and although I was just about to swing towards a party Pogues song I feel this lament has much more of a poignant meaning in this era where many of us have been forced to leave our green home. I have not made it to the pub to sip on a pint of green food dye yet so I am taking advantage of appreciating and missing my homeland.

This may be where it stops for the day and the party kicks in so I felt the need to bring up the mood and include one of my favourite Pogues tune which unfortunately is still very poignant and topical but at least you can dance to it and raise your arms (and drinks) and be proud.

Sigur Ros - Vid spillum Endalust

A song that genuinely pulls you out of a rut and gives you a desired kick up the rear end to bounce about in your seat at work, car or do a little dance. I can't pretend to sing along to it either which some people are probably quite glad of, I imagine I would sound quite silly trying to pull off Icelandic.
It comes from their very successful 2008 album 'med sud i eyrum vid spilum ndalust'.
The album transcends all musical ideals and paradigms from recording techniques to style. Whilst other bands are forcing themselves to sing in their second or third languages, we should celebrate that they do not only stick to their origins but also construct a genre that provides a unique autonomy in a world gone mad on competition. Seeing Sigur Ros live is an experience that everyone should try and be a part of. In fact, the lyrics for this song, along with all of the other tracks in the album were originally intended to be in English but opting for what feels more natural and genuine they chose to record in Icelandic, a decision that I applaud and celebrate.

Bliss N Esso - Where The Wild Things Are

So this tune may be a little skewed in comparison to some of my other picks but I can't help but turn up the radio when I hear this tune. Bliss N Esso are an Australian (in an effort to keep my facts straight one of the members stems from the US and moved to Australia when he was 13 and another is of Moroccan heritage but for arguments sake, they are Aussie trough and through) Hip Hopact that jumped into my life at a music festival last year. Clearly not new to the rest of Western Australia as the local the crowd reached a level of mental that had not been seen throughout the rest of the weekend.
At first, my cynical ways almost automatically rejected this group. Aussie Hip Hop?? Huh! Turns out I was well in need of a slice of the humblest of pies and a lesson was imbedded into my brain. Australian HipHop is an autonomous genre full of unique and influential groups banging out pretty cool tunes.
This one is an oldie but a goodie.

Active Child - Sweet Dreams

Its 7am on a Monday morning. Your eyes are heavy and your legs a little wobbly on the drive into work. You have stayed up late watching Ireland V's Wales in a Six Nations defeat so needless to say are quite unexpectedly emotional and irritable.
This song pops on the radio and you can't help but tap the steering wheel and belt out your own version. Even better, you are stuck in traffic and you look to your left and right, the drivers in the cars either side of you are also listening to the same song and clearly getting as much out of it as you are as they tap their own steering wheels and shamelessly sing in their cars. You can't help but giggle to yourself and suddenly your Monday is a little brighter.
Thanks Active Child.

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/media/s3422556.htm