Favourite Five Of 2013

Dirty Pop Fantasy by Regurgitator

Dirty Pop Fantasy was Brisvegas rockers Regurgitator’s eighth studio album release

Dirty Pop Fantasy was written and recorded in Hong Kong and was streamed two weeks earlier than its official release. The tracks on this album are all quite radically different yet still 100% Regurgitator so they all seem to gel well. The album title does a good job of describing the album’s contents and I enjoyed it right from the first listen. But then I have been a fan since very early on in their career…

Favourite track: “Fuck You Sweetness”

Tubular Beats by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Beats, a remix album resulting from a collaboration between Mike Oldfield and York

For me, this album almost works as a “greatest hits remix” album for Mike Oldfield. When collaborating with York they have used some of the original master recordings, some new recordings of Mike Oldfield and some rerecorded vocals featuring different singers than on the original releases. I think it can be enjoyed as a cohesive whole and even the music video for the remix of “Guilty” works really well. I have been a long time fan of Mike Oldfield and found it interesting to hear his material presented differently.

Favourite track: “Far Above The Clouds”

Asymmetry by Karnivool

Karnivool’s Asymmetry was nominated at the J Awards for Australian Album Of The Year

Coming four years after the successful Sound Awake, Asymmetry was the third studio album released by Karnivool. Fans of the band, like myself, have now been waiting a decade for a follow-up album. The album was a success, topping the Australian albums chart and achieving gold sales status. Two singles were released and the album won the ARIA Music Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album.

Favourite track: Lead single, “We Are”

Black Dog Barking by Airbourne

Australia’s O’Keefe brothers and their bandmates released their 3rd studio album in May

Airbourne are quite appropriately compared to AC/DC, a very obvious influence. Some would go so far as to say that they are almost a carbon copy. My response to that has always been “and your point is…”. I have no problem with bands sounding like their influences and as long as I like what I hear with my ears, who am I to judge?

Favourite track: “Live It Up”

Earth Rocker by Clutch

After a four year gap, Clutch returned with their tenth studio album, Earth Rocker

I haven’t always been a fan of Clutch, but I have liked all their releases from Blast Tyrant onwards and would consider them one of my favourite 21st century musical acts. This is an absolute cracker in my opinion and has been described as heavier and faster than their previous efforts. They had been touring with Thin Lizzy and Motorhead prior to the album’s release and some band members believe this contributed to Earth Rocker becoming a more straight ahead rock and roll album.

Favourite track: “Cyborg Bette”

Favourite Five Of 2009

Anomaly by Ace Frehley

Anomaly was the first album of original material from Frehley since 1989’s Trouble Walkin’

This was the first studio album recorded by original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley since becoming clean and sober. It tells in the quality of his playing, the quality of the song-writing and his focus on recording a cohesive album. I loved this from the first moment I heard it, but then he was always my favourite member of KISS.

Favourite track: “Outer Space”

Before The Frost…Until The Freeze by The Black Crowes

Before The Frost… was released on a CD that was manufactured as a vinyl LP replica

When buying Before The Frost… a code was provided for downloading …Until The Freeze

This double album from the Black Crowes was recorded before a live audience at Levon Helm’s studio The Barn in Woodstock, New York. I loved this whole thing from start to finish and for me, was their best recording for more than a decade. Although they are back performing live again, albeit with a different line-up, they still haven’t recorded any new original studio material since this release.

Favourite track: “Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)” just for the guitar fireworks of the last 3 minutes or so of the 8 minutes plus track

Sound Awake by Karnivool

Sound Awake was the second studio album from singer Ian Kenny’s “other” band

Karnivool was singer Ian Kenny’s original band before also joining Birds Of Tokyo. Despite this, Karnivool have only released three albums whereas Birds Of Tokyo have released six. I think this album is brilliant and is still on high rotation more than a decade after acquiring it. The album was also a success debuting at number two on the ARIA charts and achieving Gold certification for sales in Australia. Two singles were also released from the album.

Favourite track: The epic “New Day”

Chickenfoot by Chickenfoot

Chickenfoot was the self-titled debut of the band which was released in June 2009

This is the first of two “supergroups” to feature in my favourite five albums of 2009. This band features one my favourite guitarists, Joe Satriani, on guitar. It also includes drummer Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and two ex-Van Halen members, Michael Anthony on bass and vocalist/guitarist Sammy Hagar. What a line-up! Three singles were released from the album and it achieved the top five in both the US and Canada.

Favourite track: “Soap On A Rope”

Them Crooked Vultures by Them Crooked Vultures

Prior to the release of this album Cream was my favourite “supergroup”

Them Crooked Vultures included Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age on guitar and vocals, Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters on drums and former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. This band absolutely rocks! I love this album so much it would be in my top ten albums of all time and one of my “desert island discs” as they say. The album was a success reaching the top 5 in Australia, Norway, Belgium, Canada and New Zealand. It also made the top 20 in the US, Germany, the UK and Ireland.

Favourite track: “Bandoliers”