It's Triple J Hottest 100 time - best songs of 2014

It's time to exercise your democratic right, people.

Triple J - the excellent music station of the State-owned ABC - is having it's annual Hottest 100 poll. You can vote for your favourite songs of the last year. It's the biggest music vote in the world, every year: they get millions of votes.

Voting started this week, and continues for the next couple of weeks. The full Hottest 100 gets played on Australia Day (January 26): it's a day when people have barbecues in the garden and listen to the Hottest 100.

As I haven't got my citizenship yet, it's my only opportunity to vote.

You can choose 10 songs. They have to be songs which were played on Triple J (which took out one of my choices - Brothers and Sisters by Twin Atlantic - which was only a UK release). But that's about it. *removed unnecessary comment about other members for no good reason, do not do it again*

You can listen to the station at triple j - new music | live music | Australian music | Hottest 100 | Hack | triple j Unearthed.

So here are my 10 choices.

PART 1

Alt-J - Every Other Freckle.

Possibly the rudest (in a sex sense) song ever written. And all the better for it.
(I'm going to bed into you like a cat beds into a bean-bag; Turn you inside-out and lick you like a crisp packet.)
WARNING: there is a bottom on the video.

Ball Park Music - Everything Is S--t Except My Friendship With You

It's just one of those songs that makes you feel all summery and happy.
WARNING: there is a swear word in the chorus. And the title.
I can only find a live version on YouTube.

Catfish and the Bottlemen - Cocoon

This is a nice uplifting song too. It's quite a calm but nicely-produced song.
WARNING: it's another sweary one, although there's a UK radio edit without swearing somewhere.

Deadmau5 - Pets

Yes, it's a bit middle-aged-dinner-party, in the mould of Moby: chilled electronica, or whatever the kids call it these days.
But I am middle aged. And I'm a good cook.

Tkay Maidza - Switch Lanes

The plinky-plonky bit just sounds lovely in the car. And she has nice, clear, well-enunciated rapping. But then I do find Australian rappers speak more clearly than their American and British counterparts.

Right, that's Part 1. Part 2 will be with you in a couple of minutes.

OK. Here's Part 2.

Peking Duk - High

Oooh, a band named after one of my favourite foods. But misspelled!
It's a lovely summery windows-down kind of song that would make me want to dance if I wasn't terrible at dancing.

Sticky Fingers - Just For You

There's just so much going on in this song. They're a new Melbourne band full of young people, but it appeals to me because it has a real baggy early-90s Manchester feel, like a cross between the New Fast Automatic Daffodils and (not from Manchester) Flowered Up. And that was my youth.

The Smith Street Band - Something I Can Hold In My Hands

Well, I must be getting old. A rant about "health and safety gone mad". But this is from one of my favourite albums of the year - Throw Me In The River - and definitely my favourite Australian Punk/Hardcore album. And it's very Australian. The shoutiness of the singer's voice gives it an energy and passion that's really quite remarkable (after the 30 seconds or so of quietness at the start.)

Aphex Twin - Minipops 67

Yep, I'm definitely getting old. More Mobyesque middle-aged dinner party ambient electronica.

But it's nice. And I reckon it's his best song since Windowlicker, which was ages ago.

Jamie T - Zombie

This is very chirpy-cockney singalong. And excellent for singing to in the car. But I think it's one of those songs that probably works best live, when you're drunk.

 

Well, now is the time to educate yourself. It's been a good year.

 

I'm delighted to have been of service.

 

Really? The sentiment's rude, but it doesn't have any swearing.

 

At least you made the effort, and that's a good thing.