Ok, here's a blog that DOESN'T promote my own audio (mostly), it's a promotion for an already successful group of musicians (also known as a "band").

So today, during my lunch break at work I went down to the local CD store and asked if the new Living End album has come in. The guy (who was my previous boss, because I used to work at the store aeons ago) says no. Then he looks on the computer. It came out on Saturday. But it's not in the store yet. But... some boxes of CDs had just arrived and the album MIGHT be in there. So he goes over to the boxes and starts unpacking, and so I browse around and pick out a few other CDs (classical CDs for $10, always a good buy if I know what I'm looking for, but today, I went for their usual "$15 each or 3 for $40" deal. Coldplay's X&Y, and their Parachutes album, and Sum 41's "Does this Look Infected". So I bring them up to the counter, and there in his hand is the brand new Living End album, White Noise. I had my 3 CDs for $40, and I bought this one too, another $27 (oh, yeah, it's Australian dollars, if you haven't figured that out already, which means that it's pretty good value. Not dirt cheap, but not too shabby nonetheless). A few years down the track and the album would probably be in the $15 section, but I can't wait a couple of years to buy this punkabilly inspired radio-hit rock-fest. I'll mention now that I'm a huge fan of The Living End. Their sound is fresh, and always evolving without degrading to the pop-trash that is a common chart topper nowdays.
So I have all their albums, their two EPs predating their first full album and their singles compilation. Through each of their records there is that same raw energy and brilliant musicianship. They're a trio, a guitarist, double bassist and drummer. The guitarist, Chris Cheney, is absolutely brilliant. When you get a trio playing with only one guitarists, you'd expect the guitar to be simple chords (eg Blink-182), simple melodies (eg Alkaline Trio) with the bass picking up the slack to try and fill out the music unsiccessfully, or to be laden with effects and other such novelties (eg Muse). I like all of the bands that I used as examples, but there's just something about Cheney's guitar skills that are just awesome. He can write a killer tune, play brilliantly, and his solos are fresh and original. It also helps to have a decent Bassist too. Scott Owen is that bassist (correction: Double Bassist). One of their really early songs (from one of their EPs, can't remember which though), the bassline is deadly awesome, and it's like that most of the time. And the drummer's pretty cool too, Andy Strachan has been with the band for the last 3 albums. Aside from being totally awesome, they're also pretty consistent to please. They hold the record for most consecutive songs in the triple j top 100 (can't remember how long, but it's been a few years, but they didn't have any new stuff to chart this year when the list was made).
Anyways, listening through a few of the songs, and what I've heard on the radio, this album is even better than their last. "Raise the Alarm" is pretty much a perfect reflection of how I percieve religion. Who cares about what God you believe in, the only thing that matters is your morality. The opening song "How Do We Know" is just a massive wall of awesome sound, and the title track "White Noise" is a brilliant tune with a bit of a swing. Catchy.
Absolutely loving it.
If you see this CD in the shop, buy it. If you've heard their previous works, order this CD, and if you've never heard of these guys before, then you've been missing out. They've had a ton of hits in the past, like "Roll On", "Tabloid Magazine", "Who's Gonna Save Us?", "One Said to The Other", "I Can't Give You What I Haven't Got", "From Here On In", What's On Your Radio", "Wake Up", "State of Emergency" and loads more. Look them up, or look up White Noise on youtube, you won't be disappointed.
I also bought a few CDs while on holidays, such as Daft Punk's "Human After All", which was a disappointment, none of the flair and brilliance of their "Discovery" album.

Edit: I forgot the small self-promotion I was going to make. I'm messing about with a few Factory-like songs. Electronica, some fast paced, some slower, some dance, some drum and bass, some variety. I think I've got a good start, and I'm hoping I can pull through and finish off a few decent songs.

Edit 2: I'm switched on today, here's the title track video:

.
/* */