IF YOU LIKE...

Recently Triple J undertook a poll to see what the "Hottest 100 Songs of All Time" were. The results were pretty predictable for 90's generation rock music listeners- Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Jeff Buckley and Radiohead holding a lot of high spots. HOWEVER! it soon became apparent that there were no female artists in the top 100 at all! I just think this is crazy. Some callers in to the radio station suggested that female artists don't have the same emotional impact or that they don't "do epic ballads." I am going to try and prove these people wrong by recommending female artists every now and then so that people don't forget about them in future polls.
So. First off, an easier? one.

Female Artists you might like if you like Radiohead.
Radiohead are pretty great! I agree with you! If you like Radiohead chances are you have probably already checked out some similar artists and chances are some of them may have been female artists!

The most obvious starting points would be collaborations- the two that spring to my mind in particular are duets between Thom Yorke and both PJ Harvey and Bjork.
PJ Harvey, earlier work some sort of crazy guitarbeast and later more atmospheric would be an artist I would highly recommend to anyone, not just Radiohead fans! Her album "Is this desire?" would be a great starting point, it has probably all of the sounds that she has done before and is more in-line with the end-of-the-world mood of Radiohead.
If you don't know who Bjork is, you are missing out. She is off the hook. There isn't really anyone making music like her. I don't even know what genre to call it. The album "Homogenic" is generally considered the most favoured among fans (I think?) but my favourite is the more glitchy "Vespertine."

A band with such a viverse variety of sound as Radiohead is hard to relate to other artists and as such there are probably hundred of female artists which Radiohead fans might like depending on which albums or sounds they prefer. One band however which springs to mind for keeping the same claustrophobic and downbeat atmosphere is Portishead. Beth Gibbons and co. craft some really top notch stuff, and I would highly recommend them as well as the two artists above.
Their latest album in particular, Third, has a huge variety of sounds and is a must listen. I would also recommend Beth Gibbons' solo album.

Thus ends my first female artists showcase... let me know other recommendations or suggestions that I didn't touch upon!

choicetrax#3- not a substitute by jay reatard

This choice track is only one minute long, but it's worth just as much as that nine minute Islands' epic. For the unfamiliar, Reatard does short, punky but earnest rock numbers. So far, I have only managed to pick up his Blood Visions album and the Matador Singles compilation but I have no complaints- every song seems to hit a winning riff or dig a line into your head for you to sing along to.
Not a Substitute is short even by Reatard's standards, but it isn't missing any impact. The verses- "It's not a substitute, it's not a substitute for you!" give way to an exploding chorus of "Missing you!" in a blissful fuzzout. The song ends just as quickly as it starts so a repeat button is a must.
This live version is a lot busier and seems slightly faster than the version on Blood Visions but the second chorus is a winning moment.

"Where'd" era

WEIRD ERA CONT. versus MICROCASTLE! I can't decide which one I like better?
When I was a teenager I made a compilation of all my favourite tracks from both sides of some double albums, like Mellon Collie, The Fragile,... actually I think that is it? I don't think The Cure's long late-80's ones really count as double albums anymore.
ANYWAY I thought I might do it for Microcastle/Weird Era cont. by Deerhunter. Just for old times sakes. After picking and choosing for a while however I realised that it was kind of pointless- they are too different. Weird era is all track-based compilation style whereas microcastle is a right-proper album and stuff.
SO YEAH THIS POST WENT NOWHERE. I will endevour to update with a choice track or two soonish. In my excuse I had a brief stint of no-computer as my laptop died.
For those of you interested I am now blogging FROM A MAC.

choice traxx #2- This Here Music by Ty

I'm not really in the know when it comes to subgenres, but as far as hip-hop goes this is typical of What I Like. Spacey, danceable beats, synth lines that are both retro and futuristic (see: soundtrack to PSX game Ape Escape) and rhymes that aren't about shooting people or bitchez 'n ho's. It's both breezy and thoughtful, and the self-confessed "shameless plug" from Arrested Development's Speech only adds to the track's odd playfulness. Somehow though, there is an overall sense of negativity and tiredness- a lot of the talk of dreams and goals sounds fake, as if Ty is just trying to convince himself as he sails on the H.M.S. Hardship.

CHOICE TRAXX: Vertigo (If It's a Crime)

I'm starting a New Fun Thing on this 'ere blog: every now and then I will update with what I consider to be a totally choice track! I am inspired by the likes of those "1001 songs you must listen to !!" type publications.
so yeah.

CHOICE TRAXX #1- Vertigo (If it's a crime) by Islands
I really enjoyed the Arm's Way album, and this song is an amazing achievement of an album-closer to finish off the deal. Starting off with some wistful guitar twanging, it moves into a not-too-atypical pop shamble for a couple of minutes before travelling into a dusty canyon of big swooping guitars, twinkling pianos and then pounding drums. The transition that occurs at about the eight minute marks turns the meander into something of a gallop recalling the panic-type violin/guitar playing of early Godspeed! You Black Emperor. The difference between Islands and G!YBE here is that instead of fading into an apocalypse, the guitars spell out some sort of science-fiction twinkling until all that remains is some swooping overhead. Hot stuff.

Air France

In light of the recent holy-shit-disappearance! of a GIANT AEROPLANE the lyrics to AF607105 by Charlotte Gainsbourg are a lot more resonant. She tells us "The cabin is burning, I smile and feel complete" while the piano chimes as if an airport announcement is about to happen. It's both ominous and dreamy at the same time.
All the best to the friends and families of those on board the flight...

Benton Harbour Blues

As I try to fill all of my empty days,
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
of all my past, only the sadness stays.

I went moping down by the bridge
I rode a bike in the snow to the mini-mart
I thought of the ways that I've broke my own heart

It's not for me
to fill the blue sea with tears
but when I think back on all the wasted years
all the good cheer and all the charm disappears

I wore the exact same clothes for five days
the bailbondsman gave me a smile
I was thinking of only my sins all the while

As I try to fill all of my empty days
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
of all my past, only the sadness stays