2013

By many/most measures I’d say 2013 was better than 2012 for me, except obviously for the highlight of 2012 when Andy and I had our commitment ceremony. But aside from that I took whatever I had learned through some tougher times in 2012 and (mostly) applied it and it all worked out pretty great. A great year really, and I know I have a lot to be thankful for. And a huge amount to look forward to. And there are some interesting questions for Andy and me to ask ourselves in the New Year about what this year will be.

As for some highlights…

Starting 2013 in Esperance, Western Australia and driving back to Melbourne. An unforgettable experience, and, while I know we’re not campers at heart, Andy and I have found a shared loved of the open road. Driving the Nullabor is something every Australian should do once in their life.

Our Easter trip to Hobart, which is gorgeous and reminds me of Albany in WA. The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is unbelievable and a place I’ll be returning to. The building and grounds themselves are such achievements and the collection is exciting and pulls no punches. A place that had a real impact on me.

Making it through a tough time and coming out unscathed. I must be learning…

Starting a new job and appreciating the new opportunities it opens up. And re-prioritising the role that work plays in my life. And having fun at work.

My 30th birthday in America organised by Andrew with my beautiful friends Sally and Matt and Matt. Driving Boston to Chicago. The general mad-ness of the United States – a country at a crossroads. I can’t wait to visit you again soon.

Finding a love of art again – galleries in Boston and Chicago and New York, and of course MONA and becoming a member of the National Gallery of Victoria.

Weddings! Devon and Andrew in Byron Bay, NSW and Kate and Wayne here in Melbourne. Plus, the first same-sex marriages that took place in Australia which were subsequently made invalid after 5 days. An important step forward for Australia regardless.

Being more focused about my own health and fitness and discovering the confidence that this gives me and the positive effects on the rest of my life.

And finally making it through the whole year without a single cigarette! I can’t think of a better present to myself.

And then we have the 500. Looking back over the year there’s some real gems and some real dogs, and some that I’ll keep listening to forever. Shit, actually looking back I’ve heard a lot – think about what I’ve got to look forward to!

As for what I’ve listened to otherwise this year…

One Direction (again), ‘Take Me Home’ and ‘Midnight Memories’

Scoffed at, for sure, but these lads are hard working and the songs are super catchy (and some are really good), and their vocals are great. Music doesn’t need to be serious all the time and so here we are.

Trouble Will Find Me (album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The National, ‘Trouble Will Find Me’

A band I had been meaning to listen to for a while, I’ve picked up this album as well as their previous ‘High Violet’. Moody, wordy, complex and dense (what DO some of these songs mean??): serious and seriously beautiful music.

Lorde, ‘The Love Club EP’

Lyrically a bit like Lana Del Rey’s counterpoint, Lorde came out of nowhere and made 2013 her own. Pretty impressive for a Kiwi teenager. Maturely made, but with oh-so-teen themes of popularity and hanging-out and beauty queens,  this was a really killer EP. I haven’t got to her studio release ‘Pure Heroine’ but am predicting that’ll be on this list next year..

Lana Del Rey (again), ‘Paradise’

I think technically released at the end of 2012, Del Rey was again on high-rotation throughout 2013. Again, I love her combination of old school glamour and new school swagger, and her music is sexy and dark and violent. A beautiful tragedy. The extended video of “Ride” is something to behold. A proper artist.

 

 

America: The Mixtape

And so in the spirit of this blog, I thought I’d capture the songs that were big while we travelled around the US.

Anna Kendrick “Cups”: I hadn’t really heard this back in Australia (except played in the background when the 2013 American Idols did their homecoming round). Super-catchy, try and resist learning the cups move – and Sally and I sat flabbergasted at a bar in New York on our first night as patrons and the bartender performed this in perfect synchronisation.

And you just can’t help but love Miss Kendrick can you?

Train “Drive By”: This I did know well from a BodyAttack track a few releases back, but I never knew the original was by Train. Oh-so-catchy and just a little bit different, it’s latin beat will stick in your head for days. Like a few of these, we heard this song hourly whenever we were in the car.

Justin Timberlake “Mirrors”: The best release from JT’s newest album, it’s a cracking return to form music-wise for the ex-Sync-er. This was hot on the heels of his mega-performance at the MTV VMA’s, and he could not be hotter. JT will save pop.

Mariah Carey “# Beautiful feat Miguel”: Released a few months back, this was basically ignored in Australia, but was on the radio a fair bit in the US and it really grew on me. Miguel’s voice is fantastic (it could easily be his single featuring Ms Carey), and the whole song flows like a romantic indian summer.

Maroon 5 in general: A pop music powerhouse and probably scoffed at by a lot of people, to me there’s no denying Maroon 5’s talent to craft a great song. And then get it on the radio. And played every 15 minutes. Maroon 5 were everywhere on American radio. They succeed so brilliantly in the space they inhabit as performers. No more, no less.

Thicke “Blurred Lines”: This was right after the VMAs and that twerking performance and escaping it’s reach was impossible. A decent song when it was released. Overplayed now.

One Direction “Best Song Ever”: Surprised me about how much1D were actually played in America, and a testament to their global success. We’ll all look back on this fondly, like we do with Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync. Except 1D are better.

The National: Not on radio, we listened to The National a bit because Matt and I had both got into them around the same time in Australia. Plus we played Bloodbuzz Ohio, but missed actually playing it in Ohio. Dammit.

Lorde, ‘The Love Club EP’: Already a superstar, this NZ teenage songstress has taken the world by storm. She’d go on to grab The Billboard number one spot in the US just after we left, but we spent hours driving around listening to her debut album. Quality.

Katy Perry “Eye of the Tiger”: Maybe the best pop song of the year.

Lana Del Rey “Summertime Sadness”: One of Del Rey’s songs from her last album gets a 2013 remix and becomes a global hit again. Reminiscent of Florence and the Machine’s success when they get a reworking by a DJ, mix a thumping electro-beat with Del Rey’s so-modern vocals and you get an instant hit.

Pet Shop Boys: Finally I have to mention that I saw the Pet Shop Boys live at The Beacon Theatre in New York, and what a show it was. Great venue, great crowd (!), and a good 2 hour non-stop set of their huge catalogue of hits mixed with new stuff from Electric. Their influence and legacy is undeniable, plus they keep releasing albums, their newest being amongst their best. They’re probably a bit ignored, but they’re musical royalty really.

The opening with “Electric” and some amazing lighting and visuals was stunning and hearing them perform “Rent” was exciting and beautiful. But best were their anthem hits with the whole crowd, young and old, all mix of people, all on their feet, singing together.

#490 – ZZ Top, ‘Tres Hombres’

Tres Hombres (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Released: July 26, 1973
Label: London
Genre: Blues rock, boogie rock, southern rock, hard rock, rock and roll
Producer: Bill Ham

I had always thought ZZ Top were a bit of a joke, but this is great music – for me better than straight blues and basically almost just quintessentially 70’s American rock (which I suppose ZZ Top are).

I didn’t rate this so much at first, but it’s grown on me and I reckon I’d like to try and revisit it in a few weeks to see how I feel about it. On a random side note, I recently watched the movie Warrior, and have fallen in love with the band The National after their song “About Today” was played over the final scene and credits. Heartbreakingly beautiful song and an excellent band. I suspect it’s because of this project, but I’m noticing music more, listening more intently.