Various Artists -Homebake '04 10thAnniversary Edition

Wed 12th Jan, 2005 in Music Reviews

December, as we all know, is the start of two things: our beloved hot summers and the beginning of the festival season. These days it gets better as we get the festivals themselves, then the follow-up compilation album that showcases that year’s line-up of artists and lets us reminisce for years to come!     
                            
2004 saw Homebake celebrate its 10th birthday with a bill that would make any festival organiser jealous. And on the album, not only do we get the featured artists, but a second CD ‘Best of the Rest’ featuring past artists that practically made their festival debuts on the Homebake stage!

Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl had to be the most played song of 2004. It was everywhere, it’s still rocking along and the opening track on the album. Closely followed by Grinspoon with Kiss It¸ and unless you’ve been living in a cave, next you would recognise Scar from the beautiful Missy Higgins.

Chilling out for a few tracks sees Pete Murray, Kasey Chambers and Eskimo Joe enlighten us with their latest, but it’s the South Australian hip-hop of the Hilltop Hoods with the anthem-like Nosebleed Section that really kicks the album into gear. It would hard for any track to follow it, but ‘hip-hop extraordinaire’ Scribe’s Not Many proves itself, even with lyrics that I never get right!

Sonicanimation’s Get Up and Cut Copy’s Future cruise along into some tunes you can really shake your arse to, then a slightly tamed down Spiderbait give us Tonite. Regurgitator aka. ‘The Gurge’, quoted as being masters of reinvention of both their sound and themselves, certainly don’t disappoint with Bong In My Eye. Then straight back into good ol’ fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with Foxtrot Yankee by The Cops.

Catchy and captivating three piece End of Fashion definitely turn heads with Rough Diamonds, and with astounding tracks such as Sex Call, it’s no wonder Rocket Science are being called ‘the best live band in the world!  Keeping the rock party alive are newcomers Wolfmother with Woman. Very Led Zeppelin and very cool, it’s a track that is only a preview of what’s to come.

From across the Tasman and dubbed ‘one of the most exciting live acts around’, The D4 confirm their status on the rock scene with Party. The name itself suggests a good time, and if you aren’t having one during this track, I’d question your hearing ability! After The Fall, the ‘must see band’ of the moment, can satisfy all tastes with their rare mix of rock genres. Mirror Mirror without doubt is a track to watch out for.

Katalyst has recently been taking the country by storm with the debut album Manipulating Agent. From that, and featuring prominently on the Homebake album is Uprock This, a funky and uplifting tune. Gelbison also give us their latest and greatest, All the rage from their new album.

Sounding very much like PJ Harvey, Sarah Blasko tells an extraordinary tale in All Coming Back but closing out the first album is the stunning Melbourne four-piece Art of Fighting with Along The Run. Artistic brilliance is always a good way to finish.

Best of the Rest is definitely an ‘added bonus’. Featuring 20 artists that have previously graced the Homebake stages, the second album is not something you’d cringe at. Powderfinger, Silverchair, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Hoodoo Gurus, Ratcat, Sidewinder! Need I go on? John Butler Trio’s incredible finger work on Pickapart doesn’t go unnoticed and who can forget You Am I’s Berlin Chair! Tumbleweed, The Living End, Resin Dogs, Gerling, the list just goes on. A perfect way to appreciate Aussie talent at its best.