Over the past twelve months Triple M have conducted a number of polls and Listener Countdowns in an effort to work out what kind of music they should be playing, and as a result of that research they have also released The Rock Album a compilation that would make a very handy Christmas present for anyone that loves rock music.

The album throws up some of the best rock tracks of the last 30 years… and for once a radio station seems to have got it right. There are some classic oldies from The Angels, Noiseworks, INXS and Warrant, as well as some modern classics from artists such as Ed Kowalcyyk, Gyroscope and Pete Murray.

However, what impresses me the most about this compilation is that they remember some tracks that have been sadly forgotten over the years, tracks like ‘Closing Time’ by Semisonic, ‘Plush’ by The Stone Temple Pilots and ‘One Headlight’ by The Wallflowers. And just to prove that this is an album of great rock tracks they have even dug a little deeper and included stuff like ‘Fall To Pieces’ by Velvet Revolver and ‘Spoonman’ by Soundgarden.

This is one hell of a rock album and should make those car trips over summer just that little more bearable.

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

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You have to hand it to the people behind the remake of Footloose they did a pretty decent job with the movie and they have even made the soundtrack stay true to the original film but at the same time given it a major workover.

For those they haven’t seen the film the new Footloose is very ‘countrified’ and the soundtrack certainly reflects that. Kenny Loggins’ hit ‘Footloose’ gets a groovy country makeover courtesy of Blake Shelton… seriously it’s enough to make country music popular with the teens again.

Zac Brown delivers the very soulful ‘Where The River Goes’ while Lissie’s ‘Little Lovin’’ is an infectious as country can be. One of the big hits of the original Footloose was ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ and here the track is virtually unrecognizable… but in a good way. Ella Mae Bowen brings a real slowed-down Taylor Swift feel to the track, and surprisingly it works wonders.

‘Let’s Hear It For The Boy’ gets a fun makeover by Jana Kramer however, Whitney Duncan’s ‘So Sorry Mama’ sees the album dip a little because it is ordinary to the extreme. Big Rich and Gretchen Wilson team up for ‘Fake I.D.’, which is a track that is certain to become a boot-scooting favorite while Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes slow down the classic, ‘Almost Paradise’ and give it real meaning.

Cee Lo Green and Kenny Wayne Shepherd team up on ‘Walkin’ Blues’ and give it a real blue grass feel, then comes the sensational ‘Magic In My Home’ by Jason Freeman which not only keeps the bluegrass sound going but could well be one of the best country songs released this year.

A Thousand Horses’ ‘Suicide Eyes’ sees the album dip into the ordinary but the standard rises again quickly with David Banner’s ‘Dance The Night Away’ a brilliant track to finish off a soundtrack that is a surprising joy to listen to.

The country style of the Footloose Soundtrack may scare off some listeners but this album really is worth the effort. The made over songs work well and while there are a couple of dull tracks for the most part it holds its own.

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

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Whenever the question ‘Which part of Australia produces the best bands’ you normally hear the whole Melbourne vs Sydney argument (‘Our city is the best…Melbourne/Sydney is crap), and normally Perth puts their hand up (and by producing the likes of Jebediah, Little Birdy, Eskimo Joe etc they are well and truly entitled to), but now thanks to CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) Central Australia can raise both hands in the air. As CAAMA’S new ‘SnapShot’ compilation shows there is some brilliant music coming out of Central Australia at the moment.

There simply isn’t a weak track to be found on this album. Desert Mulga’s ‘We Are The Desert Mulga’ has a strong reggae sound while Jacinta Price proves with ‘Anotherway’ that she has one of Australia’s finest voices… think Tori Amos, ladies and gentlemen. Running Water Band’s ‘Amatrungu (Mt Leibig) shows that experimental music is well and truly alive in the Central Australian music scene while the moody guitar styling of ‘Kunga Nyuntu Ngayuku’ by Sunshine Reggae Band wins you over in an instant.

‘Espana’ by Sammy Butcher reeks with groove while Stuart Guakamangu’s ‘Amatanya’ is smooth and beautiful. The gruff vocals of Iwantija’s ‘Part All Night Long’ bring emotion to it, but it is the second helping from Sunshine Reggae Band (this time with ‘Grandfather’s Dreaming’) that is so thought provoking it really does show why a compilation like this is so important.

‘Throw It To The Wind’ by Minority Sun is smooth and catchy and then along comes something for the guitarists out there – both ‘Wind Stories’ by Tjangala Band and ‘Nyirripi’ by Desert Mulga contain some riffs that are real standouts. SnapShot then closes with a live (and very funky) version of Iwantja’s ‘My Baby Left Me’.

There are a ton of ordinary compilations out there these days, but this certainly isn’t one of them. This is what Aussie music is all about and every Aussie music fan should have a copy of SnapShot on their shelf (take note of that Triple J!!!).

Dave Griffiths

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It isn’t very often that you go and see a movie and leave thinking the best thing about it was actually the soundtrack. But that is certainly the case with new film Sucker Punch. While the film is dreadful the soundtrack certainly isn’t… the only gripe you can make is the fact that there is only nine songs… at least they are mainly songs of quality.

The big surprise on the Sucker Punch Soundtrack is how good of a singer young actress, Emily Browning is. She is absolutely stunning. Her vocal work on opening track, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of Us)” make the reworking of the old classic a must listen. She is so good that she nearly eclipses the version of this track that Marilyn Manson recorded a few years ago.

This is followed up by yet another classic track, Bjork and Skunk Anansie teaming up together to produce a Sucker Punch Remix of “Army Of Me”. Bjork’s powerful and passionate voice makes it a classic while the music gives it a real cinematic feel. The album does dip a little with Emiliana Torrini performing “White Rabbit”. While her voice is good the song never really reaches the crescendo it was aiming for.

Another standout is the “I Want It All/We Will Rock You Mash Up” featuring original vocals by Queen but also containing some great rap work from Armageddon (aka Geddy). While many may say it is blasphemy to tamper with two classic songs like this, this time around it actually does work.

Skunk Anansie turn to punk on “Search And Destroy” while the good “Tomorrow Never Knows” sees Carla Azar and Alison Mosshart team up together. Emily Browning returns with the haunting “Asleep” (where she sounds like Decoder Ring) while her work on the epic “Where Is My Mind” (with Yoav) once again proves that someone out there needs to offer the girl a record contract. The album then closes with the average jazzy-rock sound of Carla Gugino and Oscar Issac teaming up on “Love Is The Drug”.

Done the track it’s obvious that this soundtrack could genuinely be recognized as a piece of brilliance in itself… it’s just a pity it is tarnished by the crap film that comes along with it.

Dave Griffiths

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