The power of cheese

Who doesn’t love a good power ballad?

Power ballads bring all the feels in the cheesiest way. And if you’re sentimental like I am, you want your feels as cheesy as possible.

The best power ballads are hyper-emotional rock songs that are over the top big! Big sounds, big emotions, big hair. They must be just the right tempo for slow dancing or dramatically falling in heap. And there has to be a crescendo. This is crucially important to drown out the sound of your audible wailing as you lament your lost love.

If you're an 80's kid, this playlist is dripping with nostalgia. Padded out with a Wham! song or two, some Spandau Ballet and Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' this would have been the playlist of choice for 10 year old me. 

So if you’re looking for something to belt out your lungs to… or hanging for a good cry, this playlist has got you covered. 

Get ready to get down and cheesy!

Smooth moves and good vibes

I’ve been feeling cautiously optimistic lately. Most likely because of the imminent reprieve from the bitter cold of winter. Here comes the sun and not a moment too soon! In my haste to shake off the winter blues, I’ve put aside the goth rock, post-punk and industrial metal to embrace some more mellow, hopeful sounds. 

I’ve been listening to a lot of Tropicália music. Tropicália is a Brazilian artistic movement that began in the late 1960’s and was rooted in political upheaval and a desire for social change. Following the overthrow of the elected government of President João Goulart in 1964, Brazil's newly installed military government was cracking down on dissent in all forms, including strict censorship of media and critical songs.

In response, Brazilian artists fought for creative freedom through the revolutionary movement Tropicália; an artistic movement that includes music, film, visual and performing arts. Tropicália music combines traditional Brazilian music with elements of pop, rock and jazz. 

Smooth moves and good vibes is a playlist inspired by Tropicália, but it's a mixed bag of French electro, krautrock, afro funk, 80’s pop and a bunch of other gold thrown in for good measure. 

But do you have to be good at maths?

I have a soft spot for math rock. And no, you don't have to be good at maths to dig it.

Math rock is a sub-genre of progressive rock; a broad term which covers pretty much any style of rock that pushes the boundaries of conventional rock music. 

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the unconventional and math rock certainly fits the bill. So called because of it’s unusual, frequently changing time signatures; math rock has tight rhythms with precise changes in style and tone. There's lots of stopping and starting and changes in tempo. This creates a jarring affect which can feel a bit frantic. Math rock has unusual time signatures which are technically complex and harder to play, so people who play math rock are really skilful.

Math rock became a notable genre in the late 1980s - early 1990s and some my favourite bands that are considered math rock, like Polvo and Shellac, started back then. There's also a lot of great Japanese math rock bands like Tricot.

                               

I discovered math rock in my early 20s. I always listened to a lot of punk and post punk music and the math rock sound is not dissimilar. It's noisy, chaotic and often interspersed with delicate melodies. And it's powerfully emotive. But what really got me about math rock is all that noise and chaos is actually very controlled in a masterful way. I love that.

So, do you want to hear some math rock? Because I've got you covered! I've put together the perfect playlist so you can dive head first into the sonically complex world of math rock. All you have to do is hit play.

I'm Back Baby!

I know most of you thought I was dead, but no, actually what happened was I got really, really quiet. For almost five years. And I know that's a long time between blog posts, but what is it they say? If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?

It's not really fair to say nothing nice has happened in music in the last five years. We've seen the runaway success of Amyl and the Sniffers and the debut of Silk Sonic. We heard the true story of Wham! resulting in vindication for Andrew Ridgeley (I freaking love that guy). And St. Vincent, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Janelle Monae, Public Image Ltd. and Blur all released new albums.

Post COVID, it seems every band and artist is touring, and even though I don't know anyone personally who was able to get tickets for Taylor Swift's upcoming Melbourne show, somebody somewhere must have snagged one. And the nicest thing of all? Guitar Wolf played at my local. Guitar Wolf!! At my local!!!

While it's true I have not blogged for many years, I have not given up making stellar playlists. You could even say it's a hobby of mine. I love to think about the way songs fit together thematically to tell a story, or express a mood or feeling. 

This playlist pulls togther a collection of tunes that span decades and musical styles; ranging from The Zombies' 1960's psychedelic rock and the lovely Yé-yé sounds of Françoise Hardy, to the smooth soul of Erykah Badu, the hard rocking Rollins Band and the drum n' bass stylings of Josh Abrahams. You know, to remind us all that it's complicated.

January 2019 Playlist

It's taken almost all month, but here it is; my first post for 2019. Happy new year to you all, by the way. 

I feel good about the year to come. The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades. The shades also stop the scorching, Australian sun from burning my eyes out. Seriously, it has been so freaking hot. Temperatures of the likes we've never seen before. No such thing as climate change, my arse!

So, the Roxy talks Music January Playlist has a very positive vibe. It wasn't intentional, it just turned out that way. But it's definitely reflective of my current outlook. It's crazy that it's taken me so long to put some Roxy Music on a playlist, but I really have been listening to them a lot lately, and I have to say, there's no better way to start the year. Aaaaand.... Weezer's version of TLC's 'No Scrubs' from their recently released Teal album of covers makes me laugh. 

December Playlist

I took the last couple of months off from Roxy talks Music to recharge my batteries, binge on Netflix and try to make sense of this crazy thing called life. But now I'm back with a fresh new playlist for the holiday season. Of course it includes Run DMC's 'Christmas in Hollis' because, well duh.

On the subject of 'the holiday season', it can be a complicated time. Sometimes sad, sometimes joyous, sometimes riddled with anxiety. I'm getting some freaking awesome Lego this year, so colour me excited! Also, I suspect there may be a record or two waiting for me under the tree. Fingers crossed one of them is Juliana Hatfield's 1995 album 'Only Everything' recently repressed and released on coloured vinyl by Run Out Groove.

During my break from Roxy talks Music, I managed to catch the Mystery Lights at one of my locals. That's amazing for three reasons; one: I already knew and loved the Mystery Lights, two: they are a freaking fantastic garage rock band all the way from New York (which is worlds away from my regional Victorian city), and three: it only cost me ten bucks to see them live. Wow did they rock! They were super high-energy with a somewhat 1960's psychedelic, Westcoast sound. They sounded great, the crowd was pumped and it felt very much like an intimate jam session at times.

On a more sombre note, legendary Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley passed away this month. The Buzzcocks were hugely influential pioneers of pop punk. In Shelley's honour, I've included everybody's favourite Buzzcocks song 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)' on the Roxy talks Music - December Playlist. I hope you enjoy it.

September Playlist

I've been feeling sentimental of late. I think I'm a sentimental person generally, but lately almost everything makes me emotional. Emotions! Gah!! Who needs them, amiright? I think that's why quite a few of the songs on this month's playlist are sentimental. Some just in general, some specifically for me. It wasn't intentional, that's just the way the cards have fallen.

Again, not much new music here, but I plan to rectify that in the coming months. That said, I did discover Meg Myers, who's second full length album 'Take me to the Disco' was released in July this year. Stephen Kallao wrote a profile on Myers for NPR's World Cafe: essential and emerging artists, describing her sound as 'a bit like Nine Inch Nails got into a fight with the Pixies'. THAT got my attention. 'Numb' the second track on the album, is very Pixiesish - with the loud/quiet shifts and the long, wistful guitar licks.

Look, The Roxy talks Music - September Playlist may be sentimental, but it's not all melancholia. There's a light at the end of the long, wintry tunnel. Spring has sprung! And I'm about ready to kick up my heels and go out for a dance. 

So, put it on and play it loud, my people! And maybe I'll catch you out there on the dance floor.

Roxy talks Music - Father's Day

Today is my husband's 10th Father's Day. It's also the second since my dad passed away. For these reasons and a few others, I felt inspired to make a special Father's Day playlist.

These are all 'dad' songs to me because they have some kind of connection in my mind to a dad in my life; whether it be my own dad, or my husband or my father-in-law, or all three simultaneously (hello, Billy Joel!) My dad was a big lover of music and passed that love on to me. My husband and I share a love of music also, and it is a huge part of our family life. Because of this, our daughter is developing her own passion for music. She's into J-Pop and K-Pop at the moment, which isn't really my thing, but love what you love, I always say!

So to all the dads out there, and everyone who has a dad, or is thinking of a dad... this playlist is for you. 

August Playlist

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who sadly passed away this month. My first experience of Frankiln was in the 1980's with Eurythmics song 'Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves'. Being a young girl under 10 years old, and a Eurythmics fan to boot, I remember thinking she must have been someone pretty special to be singing a duet with Annie Lennox. How right I was! Growing up when and where I did, I'd have to be living in a vacuum not to know who Aretha Franklin was. She was hugely influential on most of the artists I was listening to and in addition to the impressive number of iconic hits she had throughout the 1960's and 70's, she sang duets with huge stars like George Michael and Whitney Houston. After I saw Franklin in the 'Blues Brothers' for the first time in my teens, I knew she was legendary.

We also lost another music great this month, with the passing of rock guitarist and songwriter Spencer P Jones. Jones has played in a hell of a lot of bands since the 1970's, but my absolute favourite is Beasts of Bourbon (I freaking love that band!). He was a fantastic guitarist and he will be missed.

The Roxy talks Music - August Playlist is a bit of a mixed bag. Both Franklin and Jones are represented, as is the always controversial Madonna, who celebrated her 60th birthday this month. Happy 60th Madonna! Keep expressing your bad self!

July Playlist - For Cahl

Last night, one of my dearest, most treasured friends passed away. It still doesn't seem quite real. It's hard to imagine a world without him in it. 

He was a special sort of person. So incredibly talented and good at everything he tried his hand at. I was jealous of that. He had a tough as nails exterior and got a kick out of pushing people's buttons. He loved to shock. But underneath all of that, he was a big softy. A hopeless romantic with a heart as big as the moon. As a friend he was all in, always had your back, never let you down. And he gave very sage and very blunt advice. He never judged me, even when I acted like a butt-head, and was always there for me through thick and thin. I never doubted that for a second.

This month's playlist is for you, my friend. To Strudel Head from Parmesan Dwarf. I'll always love you and never forget you.

June Playlist

As we Melburnians hurtle towards the depths of winter, I'm starting to notice those nasty winter blues seeping into my psyche like so much mildew. It would be so easy just to give in; put on some Radiohead and cry into my pillow. But no! I'm not going to do that! Screw you winter, take your Radiohead and shove it!

The Roxy talks Music June playlist is a collection of songs that warm the cockles of my heart and make me feel good. There's nothing new on here, but that's okay. Sometimes all you need is the company of old friends to remind you that life can be pretty good.

P.S. Gabriella Cohen's new album Pink Is The Colour Of Unconditional Love is a freaking delight. It's indie pop at it's finest, with a refreshing and diverse range of styles from 60's pop to psychedelic jazz rock to bossa nova and beyond. Give it a spin, you won't regret it.

May Playlist

I've been listening to a lot of new (and new to me) stuff lately and this month's playlist definitely reflects that. At the moment I can't get enough of the new album Blue Poles by Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders. Jack Ladder is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Sydney with a very new wave, Bryan Ferry sound (his real name is actually Tim Rogers, but there's already a Tim Rogers and, like the Highlander, there can only be one). 

When I'm not listening to Jack Ladder, it's got to be the glam/southern rock stylings of Kyle Craft, the post post punk rockers Parquet Courts or New Yorker, Shilpa Ray who blends punk rock with a 1960's pop sound similar to the The Shangri-Las or The Ronettes, but with a razor sharp edge.

And as the weather gets steadily colder, I'm embracing my fast approaching middle age by enjoying a glass of sherry in the evenings before bed. And with my glass of sherry, the smooth soulful sounds of Donny Hathway, or the great lady, Dusty Springfield. So pour yourself a glass of sherry, get comfortable, and tune into the Roxy talks Music - May Playlist...

March Playlist

We're only halfway through March and already there has been so much fantastic new music released since I last blogged. A couple of brilliant tracks from Janelle Monae's forthcoming album Dirty Computer, a rocking new album from Albert Hammond, Jr., new music from The Kills and a mind-blowing new album of previously unreleased recordings by Jimi Hendrix.

But as much as I've been listening to new music, I've always got time to revisit the classics and uncover old gems that I've previously overlooked. Aside from the 1980's revival I've been enjoying this month, I also discovered Otis Junior and Dr. Dundiff's incredibly cool, smooth hip hop album from 2017, Hemispheres, which I can't get enough of and thoroughly recommend. Check it out if you're not already familiar.

And now, without further ado, here's a sample of my March sounds for your listening pleasure....

February Playlist

As much as I love writing about music, I love making playlists. Finding just the right combination of songs that sound awesome together to convey a particular mood or message. And it's another great way to share the music I love with the world.

So, I'm trying something new: Roxy talks Music monthly playlists. Once a month I'll post a collection of songs that mean something to me. Whether it's new music I've been listening to lately, old favourites I listen to all the time, or something that is particularly significant to me this day for whatever reason.

So I hope you enjoy the very first Roxy talks Music playlist, specially designed for the month of February. Happy listening!