There's been a fun little Facebook post going around. People are listing their favourite ten albums from their teen years. Well I am a sucker for a list, so knew I had to make one - even though this is really going to age me! The idea is, don't think too hard, just write down the ten albums you remember shaping your teen years. Love to read yours in the comments section.
Merry Christmas, didn't it feel like we were just saying this? Oh yeah, that was last year! Well here we are again. We're all buying presents, getting drunk at Christmas parties and hopefully listening to awesome Christmas tracks. I love to listen to my old Christmas tunes, but then love all the new tracks every year. Over the past few years we have loved presenting the best Christmas songs of the year, and here we go again - this year's Top 5 Christmas tunes!
2015, what a great year for music! There were so many tunes that we loved here at Internal Jukebox, and there are some songs we can't believe missed our end of year countdown - 50 just seems too few. But take a look our list, and tell us in the comments section below which of these tunes you love, and what you would put on your end of year list.
It's Christmas time again. Time for celebration, good food and spending money we just don't have on presents that people will probably hate! But there's also some great Christmas music. There's the tracks we love to pull out every year, but there's also a great amount of Christmas songs that are released every year. Like last year's popular list, we look back at the best five releases of this year's Christmas season.
Well, it's that time of the year again, Christmas, so here come the Christmas themed albums. Some of them bring a new meaning to the word dodgey, others are simply fantastic. Thank God Kylie has just released an album that is so festive and camp that it can't help but deliver some Christmas themed joy.
Stock, Aitken & Waterman made my high school years. While I may have gone to a fairly rough Western Sydney School and all my friends were discovering Guns 'n' Roses, Bon Jovi and still holding a torch for Cold Chisel; I was all about the poptastic produced hits of Stock, Aitken & Waterman.
There are
songs we all love that we say to ourselves, “How the hell didn’t that become a
hit? Seriously, it’s a good song!” That’s what this list is about. Songs I have
always loved, but I may be alone in my adoration of these great tracks. Some
were minor hits, but none of these brilliant songs were massive hits.
Happy Birthday to me. 40 today. Cue the mid life crisis. But during the lead up to my 40th I have become quite reflective. I have had a few blogs looking back on my favourite things, but this is the ultimate - my 40 favourite songs of all time.
Originally named, "74 is the new 24", and changed to the more youth favourable, "Deja Vu", the new Giorgio Moroder album is a slice of pure pop with some major guest singers. This is a slickly produced and wonderful album that will be on heavy rotation for me this year.
Here we are, back again looking at the 40 Songs I worry have been forgotten over the years. These songs are awesome and I remember them with such great affection - I worry not many others remember them though!
Besides sharing my love of pop music on this blog, I am a playwright and have been working on a new play set in Sydney in 1993. "The Girlie Show" is the story of five people who meet in line for Madonna's first ever concert. I'm almost finished my first draft and it got me thinking about how much I enjoy concerts. I used to go to a lot when I was younger but then they got more expensive and most of my money was going into rent and theatre. But I have made a recent decision that I need to go to see more live music. I am seeing Drake this week and I'm excited, now to see more people.
So what is the best concert you've been to? The list is wide and varied for me. There's a number of gigs I could pick, I'm going to highlight a few later, but first here's a few gigs I've loved:
Time for a single of the week and this time it's by a 74 year old, I didn't see that coming! Famous disco producer Giorgio Moroder is back, and back in a big way. Best known for his work in the 70's and 80's, Moroder is famous for producing Blondie's "Call Me", Irene Cara's "What a Feeling" and pretty much anything good from Donna Summer. In fact Moroder is often credited with pioneering electronic disco music.
Then there's Kylie, well we all know her. Australia's pop princess with countless hit singles and a true music icon. So what's their collaboration like? Pretty damn awesome I'd say. In fact, after Kylie's underwhelming "Kiss Me Once", it's nice to see her back in form - this is the best song she's released in years.
Let's talk about the amazing and fun "Right Here, Right Now". Disco has made a major comeback of late, and seems to have had quite the stylish makeover. From the great sound of the synth opening, you know you're about to experience something pretty special. Featuring great string sounds, heavy clap beats and a euphoric sound, this is a complete dance floor anthem. Then there's Kylie's stunning vocals. She sounds flawless here, and shows an incredible range. This is a catchy tune I've already found myself dancing too and singing very loudly.
On paper Moroder and Minogue seem like a perfect combination and they don't disappoint. It's just a shame that radio hasn't jumped onto this song and put it onto heavy rotation. This deserves to be a hit!
What do you think of the new Giorgio Moroder and Kylie Minogue track? Tell me in the comments section below.
What's your favourite year in music? This is a question I've been asking people a lot lately. I think it says a lot about a person. And it's interesting, the year people usually pick is closely related to teenage years, or early 20's. It seems that's the point that music means the most to people. Then people often get jaded and start talking about how music just isn't as good anymore. I still love new music, this blog is a testament to that. But in all truth, my favourite year in music is now 25 years old.
Yep, 1989 is my favourite year in music. That really does make me feel a little old saying that. I was in year 9 at Doonside High and that July I turned 14 and music meant everything to me. I would sit and watch Rage, Channel 9's MTV and Video Hits for hours (what a shame Foxtel wasn't around then) and I used to tape them on video cassettes so I could watch them, dance, sing and mimic over and over again. Then there was my boombox I would play for endless hours in my room, my poor brother who I shared a bedroom with.
Besides being the right time in my life, why 1989? What was so bloody good about that whole year of music. Well for one, pop reigned supreme. 1989 was a year for solid pop songs with great choruses and amazing hooks. Videos were at an amazing height and artists were taking risks with music, image and visuals. Plus, my favourite artist was firing!
So what songs did I love in 1989? Here's a few of my favourites:
Like a Prayer - Madonna
Well we knew this was coming. It's not just my favourite song of 1989, it's my favourite song of all time. This is the epitome of pop. It hit number one all over the world, returning to this number one spot in Australia three times. In fact it was the highest selling single in Australia for 1989. Another reason to celebrate this great year in music. Plus, this was the song that turned me into a Madonna uber fan. "Like a Prayer" is an amazing pop song with hints of rock, funk and gospel, lyrically it's on point and Madonna is a brilliant pop vocalist. Plus that film clip is incredible. Forget the controversy (though it adds to the brilliance), this clip uses religious iconography to address issues of racism and sexism. And Madonna simply looks stunning. I have shared this song before, and will no doubt do it many more times.
Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) - Soul II Soul
My second favourite song of 1989. I loved this song so much, and it was another addition to my vinyl collection. In fact, I used to love Soul II Soul so much that when I was in year 10 I used to write Madonna on one arm with black texta, and then Soul II Soul on the other. Such a teeny booper! I also remember really getting into this song at the school disco, and pretty much being the only one. This song did only get to 45 in Australia, but got to one in the UK and four in the US. This was a club anthem, a great dance tune with its basis in jazz and funk. Caron Wheeler's vocals are flawless and the beat is made for dancing. I still love this track so very much! Hand On Your Heart - Kylie Minogue
So this song may not hold up as well as "Like A Prayer" or "Back To Life", but it's a great plastic pop number, a highlight from producing powerhouses, Stock, Aitken & Waterman. This was the lead single from Kylie's second album, "Enjoy Yourself" and hit number 4 in Australia and number 1 in the UK. I got the album on vinyl for my birthday that year. The film clip is pretty 80's, and that's another reason to love it. This clip was on one my VHS tapes after "Like A Prayer", so I watch it a lot. It has Stock, Aitken & Waterman's classic production all over it, and their catchy hooks. So bad, but oh so very good.
Straight Up - Paula Abdul
This wasn't Paula Abdul's first single, but her was her first hit, getting to number one in the US. It launched Abdul as a pop / dance powerhouse who would go on to become a pop culture phenomenon as a judge on American Idol. It's pretty simple pop, a great beat with a catchy chorus. This is a great pop song that still holds weight, 25 years later. And the film clip is a great showcase for Abdul's incredible dance talent. Love it!
You'll Never Stop Me From Loving You - Sonia
Okay, this is truly daggy, but I refuse to be ashamed - I embrace my early trashy taste in pop. This is one of Stock, Aitken & Waterman's best. Fiery little Sonia was a little powerhouse and this is a such a catchy pop ditty. Sure, when you hear the lyrics they sound pretty stalkery, "You'll never stop me from loving you, no matter what it is you put me through". But still, a great song I proudly owned on 7" vinyl. Teen me really was a dag, a fabulous dag!
There are some other great songs that just missed this list:
This Time I Know It's For Real - Donna Summer
Bedroom Eyes - Kate Ceberano
Buffalo Stance - Neneh Cherry
Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
All Around The World - Lisa Stansfield
So what's your favourite year in music? Tell me in the comments below and tell me a few songs from that year that justify your answer.
P.S How good is that photo up top? It's a mall from 1989, I wish I could there now and buy that Madonna vinyl!
After yesterday's post about "gay" music, I thought it only fitting to do my classic album review on my favourite Kylie Minogue album. Many would disagree, in fact, I don't think I know anyone who would list "Let's Get To It" as their favourite Kylie album - but I don't like things because others do. In fact this is the only Kylie album not to reach top ten in either the US or the UK.
"Let's Get To It" was a present I received for Christmas in 1991 with a discman from my parents, thanks Santa. I had just finished Year 11 and was listening to a lot of music while studying. There was more music than studying, but whatever, I graduated with good marks! I used to pop this CD into my discman a lot, often heading outside with a book to read and playing these great songs. This was a perfect album to escape with!
Produced by the 80's power producing trio Stock, Aitken & Waterman (SAW), this album differed to Kylie's first three releases. This album began Kylie's journey as a co-writer and was the last full length original album she did with SAW. The album was a departure from the "plastic pop" of Kylie's other releases with a more laid back pop feel that seemed inspired by a lot of funk and felt like her first proper adult release. It even featured some great R&B samples from Janet Jackson, Salt 'n' Pepa and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. This was Kylie's most US release, even though it didn't quite hit big in the States.
While Kylie's first two albums were about great singles and average album tracks, by album three, "Rhythm of Love", her work was becoming more consistent. It was here that Kylie finally had a truly great album across the board, even the album tracks are strong.
Let's talk singles, first single, "Word Is Out" was a big departure for Kylie. It features a new Jack sound with a mid tempo beat. With a catchy hook and lyrics, it wasn't her strongest first single (look below for my answer to that), but it was a great song that deserved more kudos than it got. Plus SAW always knew how to write a great chorus!
Second single was the duet with R&B star Keith Washington, "If You Were With Me Now". It's a beautiful ballad about longing, "There would be stars up in the sky if you were with me now". Washington is a great singer, so Minogue's vocals needed to be strong, and this was the best she had sounded on a song - her vocals improving greatly from her past ballads. It still gives me the feels! Third single, the cover, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" was her successful single from the album in the UK. However, it's pretty standard and one of the weaker tracks from the album.
My favourite song from the album is the fourth single, "Finer Feelings". Awkwardly making history as being her only single in Australia to not reach the Top 40 until 2010's "Get Outta My Way". But this is one of Kylie's favourites too, performing it at many of her later concerts. This is a great song, I especially love the end parts where the music is stripped back, just leaving strings, Kylie and her backing singers. Beautiful stuff.
As stated, the album tracks are also great. "I Guess I Like It Like That" is a full on dance track that takes you on a massive journey. Ballads, "No World Without You" and "Let's Get To It" are also strong tracks that could have easily been singles. I also love "Too Much of a Good Thing", a Kylie co-written track that perfectly demonstrates that Kylie was ready to be more than just a pop puppet for Stock, Aitken and Waterman.
A great album from a great Aussie pop princess. What a shame this album has been forgotten, cause it's a major classic for me!
So what's your favourite Kylie song? Wow, there are a lot to choose from! I'm a big fan of "Finer Feelings", as mentioned above. Love "Shocked", and "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" is a guilty pleasure. I was also heavily into "Confide in Me" when it first came out. But my favourite is the lead single from "Rhythm of Love", "Better the Devil You Know" - this track is as perfect as pop gets!
What's your favourite Kylie song? Tell me in the comments below!
