Bawley (Hearts) 2013: Top 5 Covers of the Year

5. Dirty Projectors - Climax (Usher)

Sugary sweet harmonies and sexual tension turned up to 10. Hot (link)

4. Spiritualized - Free Your Mind (Cut Copy)

Beyond the title I can't recognise any of the original in this. Pretty much a J Spaceman original. (link)

3. Dinosaur Jr. - Entertainment (Phoenix)

Dinosaur Jr. kept the originals lyrics but in every other way this could be a J Mascis original. (link)

2. Ms Mr - Dance Yrself Clean(LCD Soundsystem)

This nostalgia hit started life as a 'like a version' cover, the band liked it so decided it was good they recoded and released a studio version. (link)

1. Stephen Colbert, San Cisco, Fall Out Boy, Daughter, Postmen, Noy Alooshe, George Barnett, Igor Presnyakov, The Stepkids, Sam Sparro, Skylar Grey, Peter Serafinowicz, Peace and Mystery Jets, Jessie J, Will.I.Am, Black Simon & Garfunkel, Wilco, Florence Welch, Halestorm, You, Me, Your Mum, Pretty Much Everyone - Get Lucky (Daft Punk)

Like the legend of the phoenix. In 2013 Get Lucky has been covered and covered again. Pretty much everyone has had a shot. The Get Lucky Supercut mashes the highlights and lowlights into one megamix

She's up all night 'til the sun
I'm up all night to get some
She's up all night for good fun
I'm up all night to get lucky

We're up all night 'til the sun
We're up all night to get some
We're up all night for good fun
We're up all night to get lucky

Silent Night, Holy Night: 5 Christmas Songs

Tis the season to rock. \m/

1. ManOwar - Stille Nacht




2. Alice Cooper - Santa Claus is Coming to Town




3. Lemmy, Billy F. Gibbons, Dave Grohl - Run, Rudolph, Run




4. Spinal Tap - Christmas with the Devil




5. The Darkness - Christmas time (Don't Let The Bells End)

A bonus Christmas bedtime story

1. Henry Rollins - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Sk8r Girl discovers secret to eternal youth

It appears that the secret to Never Growing Up is: panda eye make up, Radiohead t-shirts and singing at the top of your lungs.

2 out of 3 aint band.

Find yourself in the Triple J Hottest 100 of the last 20 years

Hottest 100 of the last 20 years chart - Click for full size

Find yourself in the Hottest 100 of the last 20 years.

1. To find your Hottest 100 year:  Calculate the average year of release for each song you voted for in the Triple J Hottest 100 of the last 20 years
2. To find your score: Write down the position of each song you voted for in the Triple J Hottest 100 of the last 20 years. Songs that did not make the list get a score of 101. Add up all the numbers and divide by the number of songs you voted for (20).
3. Your position is where the year and score meet.
4. Share your position and this chart.

Here is how some of the Bawley crew scored

• Nick (votes): Hottest 100 year: 2001.4, Hottest 100 Score: 90.75, Position: Choon
• Hummer (votes): 2001.45, 84.35, In the Nu-Metal Graveyard
• Karen: 2000.7, 93.7, In the Nu-Metal Graveyard but that is Y2K OK

And some Triple J presenters:

• Zan Rowe (votes), Hottest 100 year:  2001.5, Hottest 100 score: 95.45, Choon
• Alex Dyson (votes), 2003.35, 72.6, Must be a 21st Century Child
• Tom Ballard (votes), 2001.55, 91,05, A tripod-Choon, Y2K OK, Nu-Metal Graveyard
• The Doctor (votes), 2000.75, Failed to score :(

Bawley and Triple J Hottext 100 of the last 20 years chart positions

Be sure to share your scores with us and the chart with your friends.

Hottest 100 of the last 20 years: And here's how I voted.

The last 20 years basically covers my entire experience of discovering music for myself, so picking my 20 favourites from the last 20 years is pretty difficult.  In fact, it's basically impossible.  Hummer's shared his submission to Triple J's commemoration of 20 years of Hottest 100 list, so I thought I'd have a go as well.

Triple J provided one rule: the songs had to be released between January 1 2003 and December 31 2012.  To make it slightly easier for myself, I added two additional rules: I limited myself to singles only (no album tracks), and one song per artist only.  And then I spent about ten minutes writing songs down and crossing some of them out until I had a list of 20 I was reasonably happy with.  It's obviously far from 'definitive' - I submitted my list last week, and looking back, I'm already surprised by some of my conclusions.  But here it is, with some random thoughts attached:

Blur – The Universal (1995)

One of about five Blur songs I could have picked (and to be honest, today I’m wondering why I didn’t pick Beetlebum).  Blur soundtracked my adolescence and this is Blur at their most magisterial

Pulp – Common People (1995)

The greatest single of all time.  Fact.

Supergrass – Sun Hits The Sky (1997)

The sound of long, lazy summers.

Radiohead - Paranoid Android (1997)

Wasn’t sure which Radiohead song to pick but I picked this one because it’s kind of an amalgamation of every Radiohead song.  Still thrilling.

Mercury Rev - Opus 40 (1998)

This song kind of formed the basis of my musical taste for the last 15 years, because it introduced me to Mercury Rev, which in turn led me to The Flaming Lips, Grandaddy, Sparklehorse, Lambchop and so many others.  

Flaming Lips – Race For The Prize (1999)

The Flaming Lips tend to test my patience these days but ‘The Soft Bulletin’ is by far the best Flaming Lips album and this is the best song on it.  

Hefner – Hymn For The Cigarettes (1999)

“How can she love me if she doesn't even love the cinema that I love?” 

Grandaddy – He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot (2000)

If Major Tom from Space Oddity came back down to earth 30 years later, it might sound like this.  A nine minute long existential crisis.

Lambchop – Up With People (2000)

The song Lauren Laverne chose to play just after she announced that BBC 6music had been saved from closure and the closest that Lambchop ever came to a hit (which isn’t very close at all).  A bittersweet anthem to “screwing up our lives” from my favourite band ever.

The Delgados No Danger (2000)

I don’t really understand what this song is about (drugs and stuff??) but it has lodged itself into my subconscious the way few songs ever have.  The single version chops two and a half minutes off the length and adds a children’s choir, but I prefer the album version which begins with a gentle piano and ends six and a half minutes later with a cacophony of noisy guitars.

Doves – There Goes The Fear (2002)

One of several Doves songs I could have picked, but this is the only one with monkey noises in it.

The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (2003)

That riff. A brilliant reminder of the power of keeping this simple.

Beyonce Crazy In Love [feat. Jay-Z] (2003)

‘Perfect pop song’ is a cliché but this is a perfect pop song.

British Sea Power – Remember Me (2003)

I spend a lot of time shuffling and skipping through songs on my phone, but this is one I *never* skip.  Joyous. 

Art Brut – Formed A Band (2004)

I love the idea of the debut single as a statement of intent – and ‘Formed a band’ celebrates that and sends it up at the same time.  

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – There She Goes, My Beautiful World  (2004)

Nick Cave takes on the whole world and wins.  Astonishing

Bloc Party – Helicopter (2005)

Lyrics are a bit ‘stream of consciousness’ but it still sounds amazing.

Arcade Fire – Keep The Car Running (2007)

Best song with a mandolin on it.

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends (2007)

Growing old never sounded so good.

Janelle Monae – Tightrope (feat Big Boi) (2010)

The only song from the last five years, because songs tend to grow on me over a long time.  But Janelle Monae performing this live at the Opera House last year was one of the best things I’ve ever seen.

Hottest 100 of the last 20 years: How I voted.

 

Every time I turn on Triple j these days they seem to be doing a Hottest 100 of this or a Hottest 100 of that. Not that I mind. I enjoy lists, reading lists, making lists but mostly I enjoy criticising lists. 

The first of the yearly Hottest 100 polls was held in 1993, so this year it is the Hottest 100 of the last 20 years. Of course we are all being encouraged to take part by voting for our top 20 of the last 20 years.

Vote Here. 

Here is how I voted. The technique was one of speed, I wrote down 20ish songs I like, trying to keep to the types of artists that get played on triple j and then to no more than 1 or 2 songs per artist. From this I did a quick cull and hit submit.

At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor 

 As raw and powerful today as it was 13 years ago One Armed Scissor is the most powerful moment from At the Drive In's best album. Emotional before Emo had a name.

Bloc Party - Banquet

Spiky guitar tune that moved the early 2000s post punk revival on to the dance floor.

Deftones - Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)

While Deftones outgrew nu-metal a long time ago this hit from Around the Fur lives on.

Garbage - Vow

The first single from the first CD I ever bought. 

Hot Chip - Over and Over

Repetitive, irritating, brilliant.

Interpol - Obstacle 1

Interpol effortlessly recreated Joy Division, Obstacle 1 was their best song. If only that is where it ended. Of the two groups I am not sure who had the more tragic career progression. Joy Division's lead singer hung himself. Interpol's lead singer released a horrible rap mix tape called 'Everybody on my dick like they supposed to be' 

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends

A song about getting old, making big decisions, moving away and never forgetting the value of your friends. I am a little older, so like it a little more each time I hear it.

Massive Attack - Protection

I forget why I voted for Protection over Teardrop, Angel or Karmacoma. All great songs I only had room to choose one.

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds

Hottest 100 voters like swearing. On Closer Trent Rezor sings 'I wanna fuck you like an animal'. Closer is likely to make the top 100. I voted for something else. Two NIN songs that are full of emotion but are near polar opposites. Hurt is desperate, broken, weak and fragile. The Hand That Feeds powerful, urgent and angry.

A Perfect Circle - Judith

Super group containing members of Tool, QOTSA, NIN, Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson you know I love it.

Portishead - Machine Gun

da-chk, da-chk, de-de-de-de-de, da-chk, a-a-a-a.

Total headache material, totally unexpected, totally brilliant. 

Pulp - Disco 2000

 Modest britpop highlight. 

Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows 

In truth I could have chosen any track from the first three QOTSA albums. 

Radiohead - 15 Step 

Radiohead - Paranoid Android 

15 Step is my favourite song from my favourite Radiohead album. Choosing Paranoid Android is my attempt at picking something that might come in near the top of the list.

TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me 

Swirling feedback, pulsing drums, howling guitars: music to lose your shit to. Wolf Like Me blows my mind every time.

Weezer - El Scorcho

Great sing-a-long track from the greatest sing-a-long band.

The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Tragic thing is that the riff from Seven Nation Army now best known as a bland corporate sport chant.  FOOTBALL!!!!!!!

Sports, Wooo, SPORTS

The xx - Crystalised

Bawley winner and newest song on my top 20.

That is it. On review I forgot to put in any Nick Cave (Bad Seeds or Grinderman), DJ Shadow, PJ Harvey, Spiritualized, The National, any Hip Hop, anything Australian or any Blur.

Voting closes on June 2nd. Get to it.

Bert & Ernie Ante Up

(Doing The Sums 2012) Are You Joe Average?

The triplej Hottest 100 is an Australian institution. The Bawley crew don't always agree with the results but we do enjoy the ritual. Increasingly part of this ritual is the Are You Joe Average Hottest 100 quiz. (See: 2007, 2008, Hottest 100 of all time, 2009, 2010, 2011).

Here is how it works:

1. Write out a list of the songs you voted for in the triplej Hottest 100.
2. Write down the position each of these came in the triplej Hottest 100
3. If a song did not make the list put down 101.
4. Add up the scores, and divide by the number of songs you voted for.
5. Post your results as a comment to this blog entry.

How to interpret your score:

 1-13: Bargain. You like to chase savings at the local Thrift Shop.  

 14-27: So close to (Hyper)Paradise. 

 28-40: You had the Genesis of a good score  

 41-52: "Here I am stuck in the middle with you"  

 53-65: You think you have Heard it All and value Disparate Youth over Super Rich Kids  

 66-77: Kinda quirky in a cute way.  

 78-89: Kinda quirky in a "slowly back away..." way.  

 90-100: You're a f***ing freak, man  

 101: Did you vote for songs, or flavours of ice cream???? 

 The Bawley 100 top 10 scored:

Django Django - Default 28
Flume (feat. Jezzabell Doran) - Sleepless 12
The xx - Angels 19
Spiritualized - Hey Jane 101
Grimes - Oblivion 38
Lambchop - Mr. Met 101 Hot Chip - Motion Sickness 101
Major Lazer - Get Free 6
Blur - Under the Westway 101Alt-J (∆) - Tessellate 44 

Bawley's score: 55.1  We think we have Heard it All and value Disparate Youth over Super Rich Kids

This is our most mainstream year yet!

 How did you score?

The Bawley 100 - New Years Eve 2012/2013

Before I know it, he’s got both of my hands in a vice-like grip held high above my head while pinning me to the wall. His other hand grabs my hair and yanks down, bringing my face up, and his lips are on mine. My tongue tentatively strokes his and joins his in a slow, erotic dance. The iPod in his pocket is pressing hard against my belly he whispers What was your favourite song of 2012?

Suddenly he grabs me, tipping me across his lap. With one smooth movement, he angles his body so my torso is resting on the bed beside him. He throws his right leg over both mine and plants his left forearm on the small of my back, holding me down so I cannot move … He unzips, revealing his long well manicured list Holy Cow!

My body quivers as he starts to read...

100 Gorillaz (feat. Andre 3000 and James Murphy) - DoYaThing

99 Super Best Friends - No Logo Is A Joke

98 School Of Seven Bells - Lafaye

97 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Mary Lambert) - Same Love

96 Band Of Skulls - Wanderluster

95 The Poke & Alex Ross - Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry (The Autotune Remix)

94 Jack White - Blunderbuss

93 Fiona Apple - Every Single Night

92 Orbital - Where Is It Going? (Paralympics Mix) / Spasticus Autisticus

91 Jason Lytle - Dept. Of Disappearance

90 Alt-J (∆) - Dissolve Me

89 Best Coast - The Only Place

88 Dirty Projectors - Offspring are Blank

87 Sleigh Bells - Crush

86 Wu-Tang Clan - Six Directions of Boxing

85 Alpine - Hands

84 Delphic - Good Life - Olympic Radio Edit

83 Japandroids - Continuous Thunder

82 Owl Eyes - Crystalised

81 Martin Rossiter - Drop Anchor

80 Ultrasound - Welfare State

79 Spiritualized - Too Late

78 Cat Power - Sun

77 City Calm Down - Pleasure & Consequence

76 Ladyhawke - Black White & Blue

75 Django Django - Storm

74 Hot Chip - Flutes

73 The Preachers - Threat

72 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Wanz) - Thrift Shop

71 Deep Sea Arcade - Seen No Right

70 Jack White - Love Interruption

69 M.I.A. - Bad Girls

68 Spiritualized - I Am What I Am

67 Bat For Lashes - Laura

66 Spiritualized - Get What You Deserve

65 Mark Lanegan Band - Bleeding Muddy Water

64 Kingswood - Medusa

63 Icona Pop (feat. Charli XCX) - I Love It

62 Grimes - Genesis

61 Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait

60 Deftones - Entombed

59 Ball Park Music - Coming Down

58 Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless

57 The 2 Bears - Be Strong

56 Sleigh Bells - Born To Lose

55 Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

54 Atoms For Peace - Default

53 Crystal Castles - Plague

52 The Antlers - Endless Ladder

51 Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks

50 Hermitude - HyperParadise (Flume Remix)

49 Purity Ring - Fineshrine

48 Passion Pit - Carried Away

47 Tame Impala - Music To Walk Home By

46 Frank Ocean - Lost

45 Courtney Barnett - History Eraser

44 The Presets - Ghosts

43 Alpine - Gasoline

42 Lana Del Rey - Off To The Races

41 Gypsy & The Cat - Bloom

40 Florence + The Machine - Spectrum

39 Jack White - Take Me with You When You Go

38 The xx - Fiction

37 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We No Who U R

36 Tim Burgess - A Case For Vinyl

35 The xx - Chained

34 Gossip - Melody Emergency

33 The Presets - Youth In Trouble

32 Hot Chip - How Do You Do?

31 Bloc Party - Octopus

30 Deftones - Leathers

29 Alt-J (∆) - Breezeblocks

28 Hot Chip - Let Me Be Him

27 Passion Pit - I'll Be Alright

26 David Sardy - Nobody To Love

25 Cat Power - Ruin

24 Alabama Shakes - Heartbreaker

23 Regina Spektor - All The Rowboats

22 Dirty Projectors - Gun Has No Trigger

21 Foals - Inhaler

20 Bertie Blackman - Growl Howl

19 Crystal Castles - Wrath Of God

18 Kishi Bashi - Bright Whites

17 Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

16 Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

15 Jack White - Sixteen Saltines

14 The Temper Trap - Trembling Hands

13 The Chemical Brothers - Theme For Velodrome

12 Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built

11 Cracked Actor - Long Road

10 Django Django - Default

9 Flume (feat. Jezzabell Doran) - Sleepless

8 The xx - Angels

7 Spiritualized - Hey Jane

6 Grimes - Oblivion

5 Lambchop - Mr. Met

4 Hot Chip - Motion Sickness

3 Major Lazer - Get Free

2 Blur - Under the Westway

1 Alt-J (∆) - Tessellate

Listen to the sexy playlist on Spotify.