There's another indie-folk band from my high school! I'll try to be kind.

Backstory: I (kind of) know one person from the band. I curated the school's talent quest last year and the guitarist was in it. I thought he should've won, and the teacher judges agreed, but everybody voted for the popular kids.

At over six minutes, this single is on the long side for a pop song, but it builds up and changes throughout. My brain does not shout band names at me while I listen to it, instead, it uncertainly mumbles genre descriptions like "dream pop". The song could do with more distinctive vocals too, I guess, but at least there are no repetitive "ooh"s.

I could go on and list all the things that this song does that Homebrand #1 doesn't, but that isn't nice, so I'll just say that I really like the bridge and give it a score. 6/10.

After killing off the state literary awards, cutting pay for ambulance officers, sacking a whole lot of people, waging war against gays, and planning to cut down trees,  Queensland premier Campbell Newman has now axed two music programs, making him relevant to this blog.

Interestingly enough, they've chosen to keep Creative Generation. Of course, keep the flashy thing that makes you look like you support the arts. As one commenter points out, "Having been to one it has more lights and pyrotechnics than a Las Vegas casino act and the sound track from a bad 80's movie." Having been to two myself, I'd say that description is accurate. However, should they cut that too, I've got my personal story ready to present!

Everything I know about music today is an indirect result of taking part in CGEN 2009. 

I don't play an instrument, not really. I took piano lessons, but I wasn't interested, and as a result didn't learn much from them. In fact, I had no interest in music whatsoever as a child. I didn't like classical, pop, or even Disney movies that had singing in them. I went to this primary school, and it didn't do me any good. I went to another school known for its music program and that didn't do much either. So how did this cheesy show with terrible music help me see the light?

I'll tell you if/when they kill it.

Not a review. 

Almost everybody else there was an old white person. The attendant had to look long and hard at my ticket to make sure I wasn't some teen up to no good. Apart from the old people, there were some fathers and their young children, and maybe a few Asian families. Didn't see any hipsters. I think they're only into minimalism and Mahler.

Prompted by /r/music, in no particular order. I know that I'm boring.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
This might be the only album that I can listen to on repeat, in full.

Arcade Fire - Funeral
I remember when everybody was raving about The Suburbs, and I didn't get the hype for this band. Until I listened to this.

The National - Boxer
More vocalists should sound like Matt Berninger, and more bands should have a horn section. I like High Violet almost as much, but this one has the lyrics, "Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something."

Pixies - Surfer Rosa
Doolittle is probably better, but I just can't listen to it any more.

Radiohead - In Rainbows
I am happy to know that it has become acceptable to like In Rainbows. If it's good enough for Steve Reich, it's good enough for me.

Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz
I don't like electronics, and I don't like Jesus, but this album makes me want to reconsider my position on those things.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
American, easier-to-digest Radiohead. That's a good thing.

You Am I - Hourly, Daily
Quote from some random on RYM: "If you have ever lived in Sydney, this album will go straight to your heart."

The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
I love this because I can't buy it. Every physical format of it seems to be out of print. If I get stupidly rich, I will spend my wealth trying to find it.

Fiona Apple - When The Pawn...
Token female artist for my list, whoops. The only female singer who sings in my range, and "Get Gone" got me through senior year.

So I can look back and laugh at my piss-weak prediction skills.

• What if Julia Stone wins Best Female Artist and Angus Stone wins Best Male Artist? I'd love to see the reaction to that.
• Best Female Artist noms: Missy Higgins, Kimbra, Lisa Mitchell, Catcall
• I continue to not give a crap about male artists. Sorry. Uhh... Gotye and Guy Sebastian? Some rapper?
• Album of the Year probably hasn't been released yet. Matt Corby?
• Temper Trap and Hilltop Hoods will probably be nominated.
• If the new Tame Impala is good, it will be nominated but not win anything.
• Sarah Blasko album release is poorly timed, becomes irrelevant
• San Cisco for Breakthrough!
• Best of Go-Betweens for Album Art!
• Timomatic will be the token mainstream dance artist at the ceremony. Also Pop Release, but he'll be beaten by some indie act.
• Highest Selling Whatever: Karise Eden

A band of kids from my high school released their first single the other day. I downloaded it and listened to it a few times.

Remember the indie-folk wave, with Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, etc.? Then there was the crappy mainstream derivative, Mumford & Sons, which sort of helped Australian acts like Boy & Bear and Matt Corby to get big. So many dull pop songs decorated with a folksy wrapping.

Judging from the popularity of Japandroids, Bleeding Knees Club, DZ Deathrays, etc. I think we've moved on to garage/punk. The nice thing about this is that it's harder to make an adult-contemporary punk.

Oh right, that song. It's a softer Mumford & Sons meets Matt Corby's "ooh ooh ooh"s. Late to the party.  4/10.

EDIT: Hey, it's in the top 100 on Unearthed. I panned it before it was cool.

No Spotify, I don't have an Android phone.

Catcall - The Warmest Place
Not as great as what the Australian media said, but also not as bad as what Pitchfork said. I really like "Satellites".

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
I've already bought the CD, which says something about it! However, I can't help but think that the hype comes from the fact that her previous albums weren't given as much attention as they received.

Liars - WIXIW
Radiohead-ish. I didn't remember how any of it went after it finished, but I do remember enjoying it.

Jherek Bischoff - Composed
Orchestral pop with a few female vocalists. Nothing particularly exceptional, but I like this kind of thing.

The Cast of Cheers - Family
A Triple J feature album. Bloc Party meets summery indie pop. Very average.

Metric - Synthetica
Okay, Spotify, you can stop advertising this to me. I found it rather boring. Maybe it's a grower, whatever that means.

Japandroids - Celebration Rock
"The House That Heaven Built" is like this year's "Midnight City", so the album would also be this year's HUWD. But I like this one better.

DIIV - Oshin
Oh God, the reverb. Bits that have no singing are enjoyable.