***WARNING, NECESSARY SWEARS***
HOLY FUCKING SHIT GUYS. It is definitely an accurate description to call 1997 as the best year of music, possibly ever, definitely in Australian history. If we could bottle this slice of musical history and drink it up it would be the sweetest, most excellent drink in the world. It was RIDICULOUSLY HARD to pick 15 of the most memorable for this year, simply for the fact that nearly EVERY GODDAMN SONG was good and IS STILL good. With the absence of maybe Pauline Pantsdown, the top 20 was consistently decent, every song still standing up today, yes even you Chumbawumba, still getting flogged during sporting events. Music has never been this good since and never will; even the novelty songs and one hit wonders had repeat listenability (except maybe "Cows With Guns" by Dana Lyons).
Bands such as Blink 182, Smash Mouth, Cornershop, the Verve, and Dandy Warhols were coming out with their big time debuts, hitting big before their inevitable roll downhill. Not only was the international scene prime, but the Australian scene was just NAILING IT, with debuts from Jebediah, Living End, The Mavis', Grinspoon, Powderfinger (JC is one of the few songs of theirs I have willingly listened to) and solid follow ups from Silverchair, Custard, Spiderbait, and of course the number one spotters the Whitlams. Kylie was still in indie girl phase, Nick Cave was breaking hearts with 'The Boatman's Call', and Regurgitator were just about to start killing it with 'Unit'. If a few of those Australian artists had stopped there, they would have achieved legendary status.
I'm sure there was some crap that year as well, but the fact is also that people were listening to the right stuff too, and it all made it in, even Ween. (Nothing from Björk's 'Homogenic' made it in, but we'll let that one slide.) And every band whether you liked them or not had a good song, Beck, Blur, Marilyn Manson, Metallica. I can't emphasize it enough; during the final Hottest 100 of the last 20 years countdown in June this year, the most entries were from 1997 (with 12 of them), and it makes perfect sense. It was a brilliant year.
So with that said, I will focus more on the obscurities than the obvious, we-all-loved-it songs, otherwise I'd be here all day, and APPARENTLY MY BLOGS ARE TOO LONG.
I think the only reason this wasn't higher in the mix was because of there being just so many good songs this year. No one could forget the classic Spike Jonze directed film clip in which dog faced boy Charles with his broken boombox and leg gets around New York. Interestingly, the actor who plays Charles has had his finger in a few Jonze-ish pies since then.
Faithless - Don't Leave (at #95)
Everyone knows Faithless as the whole deep trancey stuff, with Dido thrown in there time to time, but this song was one of their underrated gems before that whole image took over. Such a delicately heartfelt song that very much emulates the tragedy of breaking up. Looks like it was used in 'A Life Less Ordinary', as was the excellent Beck song ''Deadweight'' that year. Great film too!
Everyone knows Faithless as the whole deep trancey stuff, with Dido thrown in there time to time, but this song was one of their underrated gems before that whole image took over. Such a delicately heartfelt song that very much emulates the tragedy of breaking up. Looks like it was used in 'A Life Less Ordinary', as was the excellent Beck song ''Deadweight'' that year. Great film too!
Brainbug - Nightmare (#85)
One of those one hit wonders I'm talking about, and a bit of silly fun. Brainbug was an Italian electronic dance music producer, who disappeared from the scene after the 90's and whose other songs at a glance sound a lot like this one. The filmclip made it a lot of fun though and was a great watch during a saturday morning Rage session.
One of those one hit wonders I'm talking about, and a bit of silly fun. Brainbug was an Italian electronic dance music producer, who disappeared from the scene after the 90's and whose other songs at a glance sound a lot like this one. The filmclip made it a lot of fun though and was a great watch during a saturday morning Rage session.
Space - Female of the Species (#75)
Space were a little band out of Liverpool that made it big with this single, then released 'Tin Planet' which I bought from Crazy Clarks for $10, then disappeared and never came back again. A real shame, as their quirky pop rock was extremely good stuff, and this song is a sexy slice of musical cheesecake (just imagine a better looking guy is singing it).
Space were a little band out of Liverpool that made it big with this single, then released 'Tin Planet' which I bought from Crazy Clarks for $10, then disappeared and never came back again. A real shame, as their quirky pop rock was extremely good stuff, and this song is a sexy slice of musical cheesecake (just imagine a better looking guy is singing it).
Front End Loader - Pulse (#72)
This is a perfect rock song. It picks and slows down in the right places, makes you feel like moshing, harmonizes perfectly, indulges in slightly morbid subject matter. I think my whole family loved this song. Also it's fitting that Regurgitator's replacement drummer Pete Kostic was in this band, 'cause those drums! I've listened to it 3 times just now and could go a fourth.
Robyn Loau - Sick With Love (#71)
Remember Girlfriend? You had blocked that out, hadn't you? They were responsible for me wanting to wear flower hats when I was 7. The frontlady of the early 1990's australian girl group (only 90's australian girl group??) grew up and released this (terribly written) single in 1997 and it actually did pretty decently. Nothing really came out of that however, except that years later when re-discovering it, I added Robyn to MySpace and actually had some back and forth comments.
White Town - Your Woman (#59)
Another slice of musical perfection, don't even tell me you disagree! It was played over and over again for years after it came out, and you can still catch it making a go-around. I loved it soooo much. White Town was greatly a one hit wonder, however the one guy who makes all of the music in White Town is still very much doing music.
Arkarna - Eat me (#50)
This is a perfect rock song. It picks and slows down in the right places, makes you feel like moshing, harmonizes perfectly, indulges in slightly morbid subject matter. I think my whole family loved this song. Also it's fitting that Regurgitator's replacement drummer Pete Kostic was in this band, 'cause those drums! I've listened to it 3 times just now and could go a fourth.
Robyn Loau - Sick With Love (#71)
Remember Girlfriend? You had blocked that out, hadn't you? They were responsible for me wanting to wear flower hats when I was 7. The frontlady of the early 1990's australian girl group (only 90's australian girl group??) grew up and released this (terribly written) single in 1997 and it actually did pretty decently. Nothing really came out of that however, except that years later when re-discovering it, I added Robyn to MySpace and actually had some back and forth comments.
White Town - Your Woman (#59)
Another slice of musical perfection, don't even tell me you disagree! It was played over and over again for years after it came out, and you can still catch it making a go-around. I loved it soooo much. White Town was greatly a one hit wonder, however the one guy who makes all of the music in White Town is still very much doing music.
Arkarna - Eat me (#50)
Arkarna was another forgotten band I totally adored. I never got their album "Fresh Meat" but I taped their Live At the Wireless set for it at the time and played it constantly. Such good tunes, and such cute dudes. Fun fact: their song "So Little Time" became the theme song for Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's TV show of the same name. BIG MISTAKE GUYS.
Filter feat. the Crystal Method - (Can't You) Trip Like I Do (#47)
Before Filter were asking us to take a picture, they collaborated with The Crystal Method to create this brooding speedy track for the purpose of the soundtrack to 'Spawn'. Frontman RIchard Patrick's screeching vocals is a perfect accompaniment to the squeaky electronics and breaking beats. And because of this song, everyone remembers that great movie 'Spawn'.
The Cure - Wrong Number (#45)
Probably the last really popular Cure song they've created, this song was completely flogged on Triple J when it came out. It was totally unavoidable, and way too difficult to get out of your head. It was also pretty excellent, thankfully, reminding the public of why the Cure are so good, even if it is silly to like the Cure.
Pendulum - Coma (#37)
Probably the last really popular Cure song they've created, this song was completely flogged on Triple J when it came out. It was totally unavoidable, and way too difficult to get out of your head. It was also pretty excellent, thankfully, reminding the public of why the Cure are so good, even if it is silly to like the Cure.
Pendulum - Coma (#37)
NOT to be confused by another Australian irritating dub-step band, Pendulum were close to giving me nightmares with this song. Opening with a really well picked creepy line from the not-so-creepy Eddie Murphy film 'Coming To America', add that to the cat-miaowy noises and footsteps, equals a song that takes you to all sorts of disturbing mental places. Fantastic.
Regurgitator - Everyday Formula (#19)
The 'Gurge really sold their electro-punk-pop for me with this song, coupled with their Tron homage film clip. It also really sold Quan Yeoman's face to me as well. This was the year 'Unit' was released, which would go on to become their biggest hit and one of Australia's best albums of like, forever. 'Unit' kept them in the ARIA charts for something like 3 years, as they gradually released super fantastic single after single. I lusted over this album all throughout my childhood (It was R rated), surviving on a recorded tape of singles that I got off a friend. Finally my mum bought me a copy when I was a uni student, which was almost a humour joke after all that.
Regurgitator - Everyday Formula (#19)
The 'Gurge really sold their electro-punk-pop for me with this song, coupled with their Tron homage film clip. It also really sold Quan Yeoman's face to me as well. This was the year 'Unit' was released, which would go on to become their biggest hit and one of Australia's best albums of like, forever. 'Unit' kept them in the ARIA charts for something like 3 years, as they gradually released super fantastic single after single. I lusted over this album all throughout my childhood (It was R rated), surviving on a recorded tape of singles that I got off a friend. Finally my mum bought me a copy when I was a uni student, which was almost a humour joke after all that.
Cordrazine - Crazy (#17)
I can still listen to this song for it's brooding, haunting melancholy. It seems to perfectly encapsulate that feeling of being out of control and isolated, with lead singer Hamish Cowan's voice a perfect accompaniment for the mood. This was the big single for Cordrazine, an Australian band that faded away not long after this hit. I remember seeing them on the bill to play at the Zoo in 2010 however so it appears they did reform (as is the thing to do in the twentyteens).
I can still listen to this song for it's brooding, haunting melancholy. It seems to perfectly encapsulate that feeling of being out of control and isolated, with lead singer Hamish Cowan's voice a perfect accompaniment for the mood. This was the big single for Cordrazine, an Australian band that faded away not long after this hit. I remember seeing them on the bill to play at the Zoo in 2010 however so it appears they did reform (as is the thing to do in the twentyteens).
Quindon Tarver and Lee Perry - Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) (#16)
Baz Lurhman had a bunch to do with this song which coincided with the excellent Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. Little man Quindon Tarver had won hearts with his gospel voice and ensured the track was not all about some old guy dishing out intriguing advice. The advice was pretty timeless, although very open to parody, achieved somewhat well by John Safran.
Baz Lurhman had a bunch to do with this song which coincided with the excellent Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. Little man Quindon Tarver had won hearts with his gospel voice and ensured the track was not all about some old guy dishing out intriguing advice. The advice was pretty timeless, although very open to parody, achieved somewhat well by John Safran.
I've done enough tooting of my own horn about Radiohead to fill a blog on its own.. but I have to tell you this song was the beginning of a long, long, long love affair with them. They've never let me down, and this song was worth an album of goodness, it has so much depth and creativity and emotion and layers and multiple playing power. The song, with the clip, takes you into a dark, aggressive place, and at 11 I had no idea how much that place would mean to me in my teenage years. And that's all I'll say.
So yep, done, dusted, 1997: best. I dare you to top it. Won't happen.
P.S. Special thanks to Mike the Lover for letting me do this on his Mac. Hey did you know that Macs are really good?
So yep, done, dusted, 1997: best. I dare you to top it. Won't happen.
P.S. Special thanks to Mike the Lover for letting me do this on his Mac. Hey did you know that Macs are really good?
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