2010- "You're Already Down in the Sand"

There is a form of pure joy in playing air guitar to a song you love. Generally, this is best done in the privacy of your own home, and often after a beer or three. For parents, it is usually preferable that the offspring are sound asleep.

But what happens when one of them is nearly 18 years old, and is introducing the parent to new music?

This is a fantastic song, which I did check with aforementioned son that I had not ruined forever by faking my lost dreams of rock stardom in his room on Friday night whilst it was blasting from his stereo. He assures me he still loves it, and I have not ruined it for him forever by my antics.

Possibly because he shunted me from (air) guitar to (air) keyboards.

I know my place.

This is from 2010, part of the still exciting and original music coming from Dunedin then and now. Whether deliberate or not, knowing or not, to me I can hear tones of the Chills (the key boards) and the Puddle (just general pop brilliance)- what to me seems to be a nod to the brilliant past while blazing into the future.

Communist Rainbow Relationship- Two Horse Pony Loser

Maybe I am cheating by putting this under 2010, as it was released in November of 2009. But I only got it last year, and this is my blog, so my rules. The Black Keys have just released an album (El Camino)that already seems to be making into many “album of the year” lists (check this nice video from it)

Their album Brothers was released last year, and 2008’s Attack and Release is also a favourite and worth checking out- as are most of their videos.

This is from a collaboration with a number of hip hop artists, where they record under the guise of Blakroc- the whole album is brilliant, and this song is just goddamned sexy.

Blakroc- What You Do to Me (feat. Jim Jones, Billy Danze and Nicole Wray)

This lot supported the 3d’s at Sammy’s last year, and tore the stage apart. Snarling, spitting, funny and frightening; aggressive rock’n’roll- just the way its meant to be. Brilliant live, and a great debut album to boot.

Street Chant- Yr Philosophy

As well as just neglecting this blog the last few months, a few posts have also neglected its very Raison d'être (that’s French, y’know!)- a salute to the fine year of 1974 and its musical masterpieces, all nicely collected on 20 Solid Gold Hits vol 9.

Having watched an episode of The Untouchables (Ma Barker and her boys) on Stratos TV 

the other night, there was only one choice . . .

Paper Lace- The Night Chicago Died