What I'm Listening To When I'm Not Listening To Ween (The best band ever - fact not opinion)

Top 5 Albums:

1. The Format
Dog Problems (2006)

This album was released today believe it or not. Is my finger on the pulse or what. For those people who were aware of The Format before now, expect what you knew and loved about their first effort "Interventions and Lullabies" and add a dash of "compared to this that seems shit". For those who haven't heard of the Format, which is probably most of you, their last album was actually quite good, but that feeling is a testament to their new material. The Format comprise of Nate Ruess and Sam Means who have honed their knack for a catchy chorus to the razors edge for this, their sophomore release. They make it almost too easy to to pick out potential gems however this album still must be heard as an album to be fully appreciated. Their penchant for ohh-la-la choruses and meaty melodies fuels this release, but they still find time to play with 20's dance hall melodies on the title track and even create a country music vibe on "Snails". I hope these guys go places because i'd rather hear the radio playing one of the plethora of potential hits on "Dog Problems" ("Oceans", "She Doesn't Get It", "Time Bomb" etc.) than any of the rest of the crap on commercial radio.

High Rotation: Oceans

2. Nick Drake
Bryter Layter (1970)

There becomes a time after an artist has stopped recording when a music wanker such as myself doesnt feel the need to claim to have been a fan since the beginning. In all seriousness I only started listening to this album after i heard "One Of These Things First" on the Garden State Soundtrack. Since that day the hauntingly mysterious figure of Nick Drake has taken it upon his dead self to cram his melodies into my short term memory relentlessy. It's hard to resist the dreamy landscape of "Northern Sky" or the ethereal strings of "Fly". I can now fully appreciate why such great musicians as the late Elliot Smith and indie wonder child Sufjan Stevens and country rock crooner Ryan Adams mark Nick Drake as a major influence.

High Rotation: One Of These Things First


3. The Weakerthans
Reconstruction Site (2003)

When I listen to the Weakerthans i feel smarter. That's the honest to oprah truth. And when i feel smarter, i'm a happier man. John Sampson(formerly of highly political hardcore punk band Propaghandi), goes on in this their third effort to further differentiate himself from his punk roots. The Weakerthans don't have a style thats easy to pin down, because Sampson manages to balances his punk rock roots with the sounds of folk, alternative pop music and some country thrown in there for good measure. Lyrics wise, you'd be hard pressed to find a leading man more thouroughly educated, even name checking Michel Foucault at one point. However, Sampson manages to never step over the line of pretentiousness and that is when you can fully appreciate that the The Weakerthans are making the most intelligent indie music around.

High Rotation: Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Call

4. Parkway Drive
Killing With A Smile (2005)

It's hard to listen to this album without being seriously impressed with these Byron Bay boy's debut effort. It's hard to listen to this album without your ears wanting to abandon ship. This is a seriously brutal series of death metal infused metalcore sounds that show the fasioncore eyeliner wearing dregs of society just how its done. I was also very impressed with the production of Killing With A Smile and it was no surprise to me when i learnt that Killswitch Engage's Adam D was responsible. There are parts of this album that sound more than a little bit like Killswitch's work, including the spoken parts that sound eerily like an in form Jesse Leach. However, at times their breakdowns and change of tempo can be jarring, but overall, their melodic guitars and machine gun riffage wins the day. I recently learned that this is the highest selling Australian extreme metal album of all time and i have no doubt that their recent signing with Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph record label will help them cave a few American faces in while their at it.

High Rotation: Gimme AD

5. Motion City Soundtrack
Commit This To Memory (2005)

Alright people, this is as girly as i can get without sprouting breasts. There are three things that i like about Motion City Soundtack. One, their lead singers ability to write lyrics of a quality that shits all over the rest of the poser pop punk scene. Two, they use a moog, a much maligned and underrated instrument in modern pop music. And thirdly this guy has the greatest hair of all time. Seriously he does. this album is full of catchy choruses and oh-la-la's helped along by their lead singer's quirky pop culture infused humour and oddly fragile voice. He name checks twin peaks too so you can just tell he's a massive nerd. But so am i so all is forgiven. Anyway, this album is about as good as it gets in modern pop punk scene, a gem plucked from a sea of rotten feces.

High Rotation: Make Out Kids