Imaginary Kingdom - Tim Finn

Released in 2006 this is Finn's seventh solo album and my favorite. Lot's of great songs - Couldn't Be Done, Still The Song, Horizon, Dead Flowers and Salt To The Sea. We all know I'm a huge Tim Finn fan but this truly is a great album and well worth a listen. 

I have seen Tim live many times - the best was at The Governer Hindmarsh (a small pub) what an atmosphere to see one of your favorite artists in. 

When we were in New Zealand last year I insisted we visit the small town of TeAwamutu where the Finn brothers were born and grew up. The town information centre sells a booklet with map of all the significant sites relating to the Finns. I'm pretty sure nothing else major has happened in TeAwamutu since :p

August & Everything After - Counting Crows

Released in 1993 this was the groups first commercially released album. Some great songs including - Round Here, Omaha and Mr Jones. 

The album cover depicts handwritten lyrics to a song called August and Everything After, but the band decided against featuring the song on the album of the same name; it was not until over a decade later that it was played as part of one of their live concerts.

Cradlesong - Rob Thomas

Released in 2009 this is Rob Thomas second solo album. There are lots of great songs on this album but my favorite is Her Diamonds. The song references his wife Marisol's auto-immune disease and she sang backup on the track and also helped produce its arrangement.

Oh what the hell she says

I just can't win for losing

And she lays back down

Man there's so many times

I don't know what I'm doin'

Like I don't know now

By the light of the moon, she rubs her eyes

Says it's funny how the night can make you blind

I can just imagine

And I don't know what I'm supposed to do

But if she feels bad then I do too

So I let her be

And she says ooh I can't take no more

Her tears like diamonds on the floor

And her diamonds bring me down

Cause I can't help her now

She's down in it

She tried her best but now she can't win

It's hard to see them on the ground

Her diamonds falling down, way down

She sits down and stares into the distance

And it takes all night

And I know I could break her concentration

But it don't feel right

By the light of the moon, she rubs her eyes

Sits down on the bed and starts to cry

And there's something less about her

And I don't know what I'm supposed to do

So I sit down and I cry too

But don't let her see

She shuts out the night

Tries to close her eyes

If she can find daylight

Then she'll be alright, she'll be alright

Just not tonight

April Uprising - The John Butler Trio

Released in 2010 this is the trio's 5th studio album and the first one I have purchased. I have to admit I have always been a hater until I heard Don't Waana See Your Face on the radio. I had to get the album and pretty much love the whole thing. 

The album debuted at number one on the Australian Charts as did their prior 2 albums. 

The John Butler Trio are an eclectic roots and jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums and Gavin Shoesmith on bass guitar. By 2009, the trio was Butler with Nicky Bomba on drums and percussion, and Byron Luiters on bass guitar.

Curiouser - Kate Miller-Heidke

Released in 2008 this album rocks! Born in Brisbane Kate was trained in classical music but has turned to pop - and boy am I glad. This album is full of great songs - God's Gift To Women, Caught In A Crowd, Can't Shake It, The Last Day On Earth and I have 2 favorites - Politics In Space & Our Song. 

I have seen Kate twice live - once at The Gov and the second time at The Festival Theatre. She is a tiny pocket rocket and gives a great performance.

Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega

Released in 1987 this was Vega's second album. Her 2 most famous songs are off this album - Tom's Diner and Luka. 

I was surprised to read that Vega has 9 studio albums because I only know Solitude Standing - so I think I need to get onto Amazon and see if any of the others are as good as this one. 

Useless bit of trivia - Tom's Diner takes place in Tom's Restaurant at 112th Street and Broadway in New York City. Exterior shots of the same restaurant appear in the television sitcom Seinfeld as Monk's, which is the eatery where Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer hang out.

Vika & Linda - Vika & Linda

Released in 1994 this was their debut album and what an album it is. Vika & Linda Bull have a Tongan mother and Australian father. 

They started as back up singers for the Black Sorrows but in 1994 left the group and recoreded this brilliant album. This is definitely in my top 50. It has some great songs on it - When Will You Fall For Me (written by Mark Seymour of Hunters & Collectors), I Didn't Know Love Could Be Mine, Love This Time and my absolute favorite Ninety Nine Years.

The Vegetarians of Love - Bob Geldof

Released in 1990. I know Bob Geldof is famous for so many things other than his music (Live Aid, Paula Yates, The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays, weird children names etc) but I actually love this album and even though it's now 21 years old it's still great.

My favorite song is - The Great Song Of Indefference and the story behind it is:

The band where just playing around in the studio when one or all of them came up with this catchy, diddly melody. At that time there were no lyrics to the song whatsoever and Bob just sang what came to his mind on the spur of the moment. 'Are we rolling?' Yes, the tape machine is rolling, so here we go. Take it slow, to begin with but make sure the song builds itself up and up and up. And as soon as accordion and violin kick in, we got them all square dancing!

Dirty Dancing - Various Artists

Released in 1987 I can still remember sitting at the movies in Palm Springs with Lia swooning over Patrick Swayze. 

The album sold over 42 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums of all time. 

There are so many great songs on this album but my favorite is Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia.

Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones

Released in 1971 this was the Stones 11th studio album. The album is listed as number 63 on Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Now I know I've stated before I'm not a big Stones fan but how can you not own an album with Mick Jagger's crotch on the front - or is it?  The true story behind the artwork is it was conceived by American pop artist Andy Warhol, photographed by Billy Name and designed by Craig Braun. The cover, a photo of Joe Dallesandro's crotch clad in tight blue jeans, was assumed by many fans to be an image of Mick Jagger, however the people actually involved at the time of the photo shoot claim that Warhol had several different men photographed (Jagger was not among them) and never revealed which shots he used. Among the candidates, Jed Johnson, Warhol's lover at the time, denied it was his likeness, although his twin brother Jay is a possibility. Those closest to the shoot – and subsequent design – name Factory artist and designer Corey Tippin as the likeliest candidate. After retailers complained that the zipper was causing damage to the vinyl (from stacked shipments of the record), the zipper was "unzipped" slightly to the middle of the record, where damage would be minimized. The album features the first usage of the "Tongue and Lip Design" designed by John Pasche.

Hunting High and Low - A-Ha

Released in 1995 this was the Norwegian groups debut album. I really am going back down memory lane with this one - it was my final year of Primary School and yes I was in love with Morten Harket! 

I haven't listened to this album in a long time and listening to it this morning was quite pleasant. They had some great songs - Train of Thought, Hunting High & Low, The Sun Always Shines on TV and my favorite Take On Me. 

The album has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. A-Ha were the first Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy when they were nominated in 1986 for best new artist.

Drive - Bic Runga

Released in 1997 this is Bic Runga's first solo album and it debuted at number one on the New Zealand charts. 

She was born in 1976 in Christchurch. Her mother, Sophia Tang, was a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer in Malaysia when she met Joseph Runga, a Māori soldier on leave from Vietnam. Runga plays the drums, guitar and keyboard which she learned at age 11. 

My absolute favorite song is Sway.

Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons

Released in 2009 Sigh No More is the debut studio album by London-based indie folk quartet Mumford & Sons. The album reached number one on the Austrlian, Irish and US charts. My favorite songs - Little Lion Man, Sigh No More and The Cave.

Rebuilt By Humans - Newton Faulkner

Released in 2009 this is Faulkner's second studio album. Although his first album Hand Built by Robots did much better on the charts I much prefer this album. It has some great tracks on it including - So Much, Let's Get Together, Lipstick Jungle and my favorite If This Is It. 

Faulkner is quite fascinating - I watched him interviewed about the stringed  instrument he created that he plays with both his feet while playing guitar and singing - now that's multi tasking. He said he had done it because he gets bored with just playing one instrument at a time!!!

Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Released in 2007 Raising Sand won Album of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards. This is an interesting album in that some songs I love and some I detest!!! My favorites being Killing The Blues and Gone Gone Gone. 

I love the chorus of Killing The Blues:

Somebody said they saw me, swinging the world by the tail

Bouncing over a white cloud, killing the blues.

Just Because I'm A Woman ~ Songs of Dolly Parton - Various Artists

Released in 2003 this is one of my favorite albums. The album is Dolly Parton songs sung by various female artists including Alison Krauss, Melissa Etheridge, Norah Jones, Kasey Chambers & Emmylou Harris. 

One of my all time favorite songs though is Joan Osborne's version of Do I Ever Cross Your Mind.

Dylanesque - Bryan Ferry

Released in 2007 Ferry sings Bob Dylan covers. I love this album because although I think of Ferry as a one hit wonder I love his voice so what better than to hear him sing Dylan. 

I saw Ferry live at The Festival Theatre 20 November 2008 when he toured after releasing this album. He is really a classy act and has a great stage presence.

American Pie - Don McLean

Released in 1971 the album was dedicated to Buddy Holly - "the day the music died".

The song is well known for its cryptic lyrics that have long been the subject of curiosity and speculation. Although McLean dedicated the American Pie album to Buddy Holly, none of the musicians in the plane crash are identified by name in the song itself. When asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean replied, "It means I never have to work again." Later, he more seriously stated, "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence." 

McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song lyrics ("They’re beyond analysis. They’re poetry.") except to acknowledge that he did first learn about Buddy Holly's death while folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 3, 1959 (the line "February made me shiver/with every paper I'd deliver"). He also stated in an editorial published on the 50th anniversary of the crash in 2009 that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long-running grief over Holly's death. 

I'm going to see Don McLean tonight at Thebbie Theatre - I'm very excited :)

Chaos and Creation in The Backyard - Paul McCartney

Released in 2005 McCartney plays almost all the instruments on this album. I love Fine Line and Friends To Go which is said to be influenced by George Harrison and dedicated to him.

 I love the cover of this album and the story is - the photograph of McCartney strumming a guitar in his family's back yard in Liverpool, taken by brother Mike McCartney and originally entitled Paul Under Washing, before being retitled Our Kid Through Mum's Net Curtains.

The Rembrandts - The Rembrandts

Released in 1990 The Rembrandts debut album was pretty much on repeat on my boombox. Allthough they are best known for their son I'll Be There For You the theme from Friends I think their debut album was their best work. This is definitely an album that you can listen to the whole way through without skipping a track. If you haven't heard it it's well worth a listen. They released 5 more albums after this one but to me they just never achieved the same brilliance again. Quite dissapointing.

Life For Rent - Dido

Released in 2003 this was Dido's second album. It has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. It was the fastest selling album by a female artist - It sold 102,500 on the first day and 400,351 in the first week on its way to the record. It reached number 1 on the charts in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. 

I saw Dido live at The Adelaide Entertainment Centre 15 November 2004. It was an entertaining night - she is an interesting character!

Forever Blue - Chris Isaak

Released in 1995 this is my absolute favorite Chris Isaak album. The big hits were Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing and Somebody's Crying. The album charted best in AustraIia where it went to number 2. 

I have seen Chris Isaak live quite a few times and will be going again in March this year. This man is brilliant live - quite a comedian and soooooooo good looking. 

Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

Released in 1977 this was Fleetwood Mac's 11th studio album. Packed full of hits - Second Hand News, Dreams, Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, You Make Loving Fun and my favorite Songbird. 

Sales of over 40 million worldwide this album reached number 1 on the Australian, Canadian, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norwegian, South African, UK and US charts. The album was also at least 36 weeks in each of these charts and a massive 48 weeks in the South African charts.

Lungs - Florence & The Machine

Released in 2009 this is F&TM's debut album. So far it has spent sixty-five consecutive weeks within the top forty and thirty-three of those inside the top ten on the UK charts.

I was in a music store when I heard Kiss With A Fist playing - I had to buy the album. I love the whole album - Florence Welch has one of the best voices I have heard in a long time. 

There second album The Chronicles of Science is due to be released this year - can't wait to hear it.

On How Life Is - Macy Gray

Released in 1999 this was Gray's debut album. This album is packed with great songs - Why Didn't You Call Me, Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak, I Can't Wait To Meetchu, Still, A Moment To Myself, Rather Hazy and the smash hit I Try.

The album went 4 x Platinum in Australia and New Zealand and 3 x Platinum in the US and the UK. I play this album often, there's something about Macy's raspy voice that is addictive.

Useless trivia - her real name is Natalie Renee McIntyre. In August 2001, Gray was booed off the field at the Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibition game after forgetting the words to the American national anthem.

American IV - Johnny Cash

Released in 2002 - It's time for some real country legend. American IV: The Man Comes Around is the fourth album in the American series by Johnny Cash.

The majority of songs are covers which Cash performs in his own spare style. He receives backing vocal assistance from various artists, including Fiona Apple, Nick Cave, and Don Henley. This was his last album released while he was alive.

My absolute favorite Cash song of all time is The Man Comes Around.

And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder:

One of the four beasts saying: "Come and see." 

And I saw. And behold, a white horse.
There's a man goin' 'round takin' names.

An' he decides who to free and who to blame.

Everybody won't be treated all the same.

There'll be a golden ladder reaching down. 

When the man comes around.

The hairs on your arm will stand up. 

At the terror in each sip and in each sup. 

For you partake of that last offered cup, 

Or disappear into the potter's ground. 

When the man comes around.

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. 

One hundred million angels singin'. 

Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum. 

Voices callin', voices cryin'. 

Some are born an' some are dyin'. 

It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come.

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. 

The virgins are all trimming their wicks. 

The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. 

It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Till Armageddon, no Shalam, no Shalom. 

Then the father hen will call his chickens home. 

The wise men will bow down before the throne. 

And at his feet they'll cast their golden crown. 

When the man comes around.

Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still. 

Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still. 

Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still. 

Listen to the words long written down, 

When the man comes around.

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. 

One hundred million angels singin'. 

Multitudes are marchin' to the big kettle drum. 

Voices callin', voices cryin'. 

Some are born an' some are dyin'. 

It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come.

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. 

The virgins are all trimming their wicks. 

The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. 

It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

In measured hundredweight and penny pound. 

When the man comes around.

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts, 

And I looked and behold: a pale horse. 

And his name, that sat on him, was Death. 

And Hell followed with him. 

Live From Mars - Ben Harper

Released in 2001 I heard this album while having lunch in a café and had to ask what was playing. I went straight out and bought it. My favorite is Steal My Kisses.

Live From Mars is a two disc live concert(s) release from Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals which takes tracks from unnamed venues throughout his 2000 tour and places them on either an electric (disc 1) or acoustic (disc 2) disc. It was released in the year 2001.

The album features three covers, which Harper often performs in concert:

Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing

Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love

The Verve – The Drugs Don't Work I saw Ben Harper live at The Adelaide Oval 17 November 2009 he was the opening act for Pearl Jam.

Crush - Bon Jovi

Released in 2000 this is Bon Jovi's seventh studio album and my favorite because It's My Life is my favorite Bon Jovi song.

The band's fifth consecutive UK No. 1 album. It has sold 11 million copies worldwide and helped introduce the band to a new generation of fans. The album reached number 1 in Australia, Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Slovenia, Switzerland, Netherlands and the U.K. It only reached number 9 on the U.S. charts - tough crowd!!!

I saw Bon Jovi live at The Rod Lavor Arena in Melbourne 10 December 2010 and it was one pure ROCK concert. As Jon likes to point out they're a MAN band - not a BOY band.