What Is The Greatest Australian Album Of The Last 25 Years?

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It would have to be the Starstruck soundtrack, right? What could be better?

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

since the accident or city slab horror?

― charltonlido (gareth), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

Crowded House - Woodface

― biz, Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

best in my collection is Hoodoo Gurus' Mars Needs Guitars.

― teh Nü and Impröved john n chicago (frankE), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:35 (twenty years ago)

"since the accident or city slab horror?"

Yeah, severed heads were the only group I could think of that could give Jo Kennedy a run for her money. But I still have to go with Starstruck. (as much as I love the Headz.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

and, Hi Gareth! I was thinking of you and doomie today whilst playing The Unspoken Word's stellar album on Ascot entitled *Tuesday, April 19th*. You guys would love it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

ac dc - highway to hell

― tipustiger, Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

GARETH OTM (only I was initially thinking Come Visit The Big Bigot because I am a pop whore).

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

(Also Kick has sentimental power for me.)

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

The Moles - Untune the Sky

― caspar (caspar), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

I'll nominate The Triffids - Calenture

― bg (creamolafoam), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

Hunters + Collectors comes close too, just for the way that he says "WINCHING!!!" in the song "Towtruck". But it's not quite as good as Starstruck. Now I wish I had a copy of Human Frailty i could play. I haven't heard that one in years.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

i do own the jaws of life and the firman's curse, but i never want to play those for some reason.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

Spring Hill Fair or some other Go-Bees record.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

When did the 1st Scientists album come out?

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

Rose Tattoo - either Rose Tattoo or Assault and Battery.

Highway to Hell (like all Bon Scott AC/DC albums) came out more than 25 years ago.

― xhuxk, Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

what about the angels/angel city, chuck? i thought they were yer fave.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Since I Left You (never heard an SH album)

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

feedtime - shovel

― dan (dan), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

so what happened in the 90's down there, anyway? hahaha! just kidding. probably losts of stuff. i'll get to it all eventually. i promise.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

I like Angel City, too! (And sometimes the Lime Spiders and Celibate Rifles and Scientists and Died Pretty and Men at Work and Savage Garden and Jamie O'Neal etc etc.) But Rose Tattoo are truly my faves.

― xhuxk, Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

No love for the Saints' I'm Stranded?

― Jay Watts III (jaywatts), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

Wooops, too long ago. Sorry.

― Jay Watts III (jaywatts), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

>so what happened in the 90's down there, anyway?<

Country music!! And um, Powderfinger or somebody (though maybe those weren't really til the '00s, who knows?)

― xhuxkj, Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

Even a bad Severed Heads album stomps all over Since I Left You.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

Go-Betweens. I'll take Liberty Belle, but really any will do.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

"Even a bad Severed Heads album stomps all over Since I Left You."

Amen to that! By an outback kilometer!

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

In honor of you, Dan, I just put on my Big Car Remix twelve-inch. I'm starting with the Limo Mix.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Avalanches - Since I Left You

or if the sooky people disagree with that

Ed Kuepper - Frontierland

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 28 July 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM, MAGGIE; YOU MADE IT!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!

― The Ghost of Nere An Unkind Word Need Be Said (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Liberty Belle, hats down.

― Dave225 can't find his password, Thursday, 28 July 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Go-Betweens, Before Hollywood

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

I AM OFF OF THE LEASH
AND HOT WITH FLEAS

― The Ghost of Hang Your Head In Shay-ay-ame (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

These guys made the best album:

http://www.gocontinental.com/photos3/icehouse.jpg

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

Can't believe no one's mentioned The Church. I would choose Heyday as their best.

― sympathizer (sympathizer), Thursday, 28 July 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Thursday, 28 July 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

> Crowded House - Woodface

Crowded House were from New Zealand.

― Palomino (Palomino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Same thing! Ok, not really but close enough.

― biz, Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

> ... The Church. I would choose Heyday as their best.

A fine choice. I'd nominate Starfish, which to my mind is not just the greatest Australian album of the last 25 years, but a strong contender for the greatest album ever.

― Palomino (Palomino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

> Same thing! Ok, not really but close enough.

Tell that to a New Zealander some time. You'll be eating through a straw for six months.

― Palomino (Palomino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Those Kiwi's are known for their violence.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Jailbreak '74 - AC/DC

Came out in 1984, so nyah.

― darin (darin), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:16 (twenty years ago)

Back in Black

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

What the hell happened to the Avalanches, does it take so long to get sample clearance?

Anyway either of the last two or Crowded House - Together alone, which if I'm being honest probably shades it.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:26 (twenty years ago)

My take on what happened to The Avalanches:

"Oh shit! We only had enough ideas for one album! HIDE!"

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

the Slugfuckers AND the Primitive Calculators pwn Severed Heads! wtf. I think they just sneak into the timeframe, right?

(also maybe: Paradise Motel - Left Over Life To Kill, Avalanches - Since I Left You, Spiderbait Grand Slam (just for "Glockenpop", y'know?), um . . . forgetting some obvious stuff, I know . . .)

― etc, Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

> either of the last two or Crowded House

My Kiwi friends, I feel your pain.

― Palomino (Palomino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

Air Supply's Greatest Hits, Joe replied without a trace of irony.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 28 July 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

this is a difficult question to answer.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 28 July 2005 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 181 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

The Living End - Roll On

Kinda serious.

― Mordechai Shinefield, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 10:10 (nineteen years ago)

CANON

― moley, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 10:11 (nineteen years ago)

The great Living End album is It's For Your Own Good/Hellbound (an American compilation I believe), not the later and wimpier Roll On.

These Aussies are pretty great too (and how good were Kings of the Sun??):

http://cdbaby.com/cd/richandfamous

― xhuxk, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

i wouldn't be discounting a foetus cannon at this point either, moley.

― haitch, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

The Birthday Party - Junktayd of course

― Zeno, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Dunno about the 1st Scientists album, a bit too on the pop for me, though you gotta have some respect for someone putting all those songsbout girls on one record.

I'd have to nominate Blood Red River (1983) or This Heart Doesn't Run On Blood, This Heart Doesn't Run On Love (1984) if you consider the latter to be an album (only 5 tracks).

But, of course, I'm biased. They're friends of mine and I gigged with them for 4 months when they chucked Brett out of the band.

― factcheckr, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Now and Forever -- Air Supply

― rockcrit88, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

milky - just the way you are

― Steve Shasta, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

I'll nominate The Triffids - Calenture

That gets my vote too.

― t**t, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

Lubricated Goat - Plays the Devil's Music

― UncleTomfly, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

Junkyard is cool but The Bad Seed slays...the switch of Mick Harvey to drums made all the difference in the world.

Hands up, who wants to die?

Changed my world.

― factcheckr, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Custard - Wahooti Fandango

― pistola, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Calenture third/fourthed, but my co-worker was in Lubricated Goat, so I feel obliged to big-up "The Devil's Music"

― Morley Timmons, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

Seward & Chuck are right, except for country music the 90's are thin on classic albums in Oz. Of course, a decade later, we have <moustache>Thirsy M*rc</moustache>, so the drought has finally broken.

― moley, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

I was amazed to see so much 'Starstruck' luv on this thread. Is it really that good? Like, as good as Sweet and Sour?

― moley, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

I'm suprised at the love too - my little brother used to rent quadrophenia and starstruck religioulsy on vhs when teenagers..have'nt seen it in about 17 yeaqrs...but would imagine it's still great - partly becasue 'the swingers' are the backbone of the group featured - at least 3 really good songs in it

― grap-fu, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

Re Scientists 1st album, I've since found out what I thought was the 1st album was actually a compilation of that and the early singles - if that actually was their 1st album it would be the best power pop album ever!

― Colonel Poo, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 22:01 (nineteen years ago)

INXS - KICK

BTW neil finn has gone on record and stated crowded house was an aussie band formed in melbourne with 2 aussies while he was living there...

...'don't dream its over' is a kiwi song though but you aussies can have the rest

hehe...

― pollywog, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 22:10 (nineteen years ago)

damn right there oughta be some GoB's love on this thread. i'll pick talullah, but i like 16 lover's lane nearly as much.

― outdoor_miner, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

free dirt - died pretty

honourable mentions:

out - happy hate me nots
rotund for success - severed heads
cinder - dirty three
spaceman in a satin suit - celibate rifles
the sun never sets - the herd
babylon - crown of thorns
ascension - the aints
hourly daily - you am i
venus traps fly - machine translations

― typpo, Thursday, 15 March 2007 01:00 (nineteen years ago)

moley: yes, Starstruck really is that good, in fact it's better. If you liked Sweet and Sour it's a must-see... it's like that series older cooler sister or something.

― mrlynch, Thursday, 15 March 2007 01:07 (nineteen years ago)

why hasn't anyone mentioned Toto yet?

― MaGoGo, Thursday, 15 March 2007 01:47 (nineteen years ago)

Go-Betweens, Go-Betweens. Go-Betweens? Go-Betweens. Oh, Go-Betweens. Go-Betweens.

Honorable mention: That TISM album which actually sold more than ten copies because it captured the spirit of Melbourne in 1995 right there on compact disc.

― King Boy Pato, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:17 (nineteen years ago)

"I was amazed to see so much 'Starstruck' luv on this thread. Is it really that good?"

it's the best! and EVERY song is good. seriously, one of my fave movies and soundtracks ever. fave albums ever! um, but i guess i've rambled on about it enough on here.

i just found this awedome page with lots of up-to-date jo kennedy info:

http://www.the-cosmic-forces.net/cast/kennedy_jo.html

sadly, none of her other work made it over here :(

― scott seward, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:27 (nineteen years ago)

er, "awesome" page

― scott seward, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:28 (nineteen years ago)

wiggles - big red car

― Rikard Fortworth, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:29 (nineteen years ago)

Are you Australian, Scott?

― Drooone, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:53 (nineteen years ago)

oof, i get enough big red car, believe me.

i LOVE the new virgin black album, by the way. they might be my fave australian band right now. don't get me wrong though, i'll always have a soft spot for destroyer 666.

the cool thing about virgin black is that they are putting out THREE albums this year. a trilogy!

― scott seward, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

me, no. i'd love to visit some day though.

― scott seward, Thursday, 15 March 2007 03:55 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes, you should.

― Drooone, Thursday, 15 March 2007 04:01 (nineteen years ago)

It would be nice to meet you!

― moley, Thursday, 15 March 2007 05:16 (nineteen years ago)

― Drooone, Thursday, 15 March 2007 05:26 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, props to you for lovin the ol Destroyer 666. Then of course there's Bestial Warlust. My fave 'Heads records are not within the last 25 years (!!), so I'll go with SPK's Leichenschrei, which just about creeps in I think.

― moley, Thursday, 15 March 2007 05:30 (nineteen years ago)

What about Lubricated Goat's Psychedelicatessen?

― Brooker Buckingham, Thursday, 15 March 2007 06:09 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

my double-disc edition of Starstruck just arrived* from Amazon!

* actually has been sitting in my boss's pigeonhole for who knows how long, possibly a week

― mrlynch, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 01:41 (nineteen years ago)

clouds - penny century

I was just coming here to post this :D

― Trayce, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 01:48 (nineteen years ago)

Been huffing In the Pines lately.

It's just so nice, isn't it. So pleasant.

― Drooone, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 01:54 (nineteen years ago)

whatever album had "Don't Call Me Baby" on it

― milo z, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 01:55 (nineteen years ago)

Love in Bright Landscapes is within the date range still, isn't it? Even though it's a compilation. And I haven't got a tape player so can't listen to my copy.

― mrlynch, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 03:42 (nineteen years ago)

<i>Been huffing In the Pines lately.

It's just so nice, isn't it. So pleasant.</i>

i spent my sunday in the company of the dude that mastered the reissue. nice chap.

― electricsound, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 08:27 (nineteen years ago)

stupid italics

― electricsound, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 08:28 (nineteen years ago)

Does "Woodface" count? The two creative brains of the band were originally Kiwis, but they moved to Australia before starting it, and the other members were both Australians.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

Marcello nailed this one early on

― J0hn D., Tuesday, 22 May 2007 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Depends which mast you're looking at, J0hn.

― t**t, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

well, i guess i'll say 'lovebuzz' by the hummingbirds.

― andi, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Some other contenders, if Crowded House don't count, would be AC/DC's "Back In Black" (even though they had a British singer at the time, but he has hardly ever contributed anything positive to the band anyway) or one of the two last Kylie Minogue albums. Men At Work's "Cargo" is also quite nice, and a lot better than the better-selling "Business As Usual".

However, I think, if I cannot vote for Crowded House, I'll go for "The Bee Gees 1st", which is a great underrated 60s twee pop album, and still the best thing they've ever done.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm. Didn't see the "last 25 years" bit. That'll be Kylie Minogue and "Body Language" then (I consider that one better than "Fever")

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:37 (nineteen years ago)

No I would've picked you as a Savage Garden or Real Life fan, Geir.

― moley, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

No = now

― moley, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:47 (nineteen years ago)

I never heard that Real Life album. The two singles were great.

Savage Garden are too MOR.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

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