Josh Homme and the rest of the Queens do tend to surprise me sometimes. Their last album featured a guest appearance from none other than Sir Elton John (who remarked to the group that they needed an actual queen on their album), which probably should’ve given me some kind of indication that craziness abounds in this group, but who am I to actually learn anything? Hence my surprise that their upcoming album, Villains, is being produced by none other than Mark Ronson. Yes, that Mark Ronson. While I doubt we’re gonna get any 70s funk-inspired catchiness on the new album, this track is eminently danceable, with a crisp, hella funky composition underpinned with some beautifully crunchy guitar work. Let’s get dancin’, kids!

Man, it is a good year for long-running musical acts to release new stuff. Radiohead has some new (old) stuff (that I’ll post about soon); Queens of the Stone has some new stuff (that I’ll post about soon); and Foo Fighters have some new stuff (that I’m posting about now). Fun for the whole family, provided they like those bands!

Foo Fighters have been relatively quiet since the release of the pretty crackin’ Saint Cecelia EP in 2015. Evidently, they’ve spent this year recording a new album which is out in September, but in the meantime, they’ve dropped this hard thumping single from it. If you’re after a tune that inspires you to run, this probably won’t do that, but it will gladly boot you in the ass instead!

Bit of rock with the teeniest, tiniest bit of country thrown in? Yes please! How about a catchy, pop-oriented hook for a chorus? Bung it on in! Terrence Jack brings us this gloriously catchy pop-rock number while also looking like the Canadian version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Which is a plus!

Musically, this feels a little bit like Bernard Fanning mixed with a dash of Harvey Danger for taste. Supremely listenable, my Canadian pal!

I do an awful lot of scoffing at them kids these days when it’s implied that the 90s are retro. Mainly because the 90s were only, what, 10, nearly 20, years ago… oh, dangit! Ok, yeah, I now know what the generation above me felt when we said the 80s were totally retro…

My meaningless ruminations on age are, obviously, related to the fine music I bring you today: an Americana-tinged throwback to the days of the Smashing Pumpkins and a gentler strand of alternative rock. Wailing, distorted guitars, two-part harmonies and a bass line you could set your clock to. Granted, it’s 2016 now and these guys are Canadian, but it’s a wonderful sound straight out of the era of my childhood.

2016 has been an abysmally depressing year for music. To lose so many prominent, larger than life artists in such quick succession and at ages that that felt like there was so much more to come from them is truly heartbreaking. Unfortunately, we’ve had to do it all over again with the passing of Prince earlier this year.

Prince’s flamboyance and showmanship were matched by his infectious and varied musical output, which is exhibited beautifully in this wholly epic, sweeping track. He was a true talent, one of the truest to ever grace this world, and one that will continue to inspire and mesmerise artists and audiences to come.

A touch of the downtempos? A touch of the David Bowies? Yes please! At least, that’s the kind of feel I get with this track from Toronto-based rockers, The Smoking Bells. And as we all know, my musical similes are 100% TOP NOTCH AND ACCURATE.

All that aside, this is a tremendously slick tune that sometimes feels like an amalgamation of a whole bunch of songs and styles you’ve heard before, and other times a completely unique experience. Regardless of how you feel about it at any given time, it damn sure isn’t going to put you to sleep.

Let’s have some music, shall we? Here is a 70s drenched tune that sounds a bit like a mellower version of Crowded House, but has also had secret sexy time meetings with The Foreign Films.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with secret sexy time meetings between two consenting musical groups, but that is a matter for another time. For now, enjoy this wonderfully relaxed, musical love child.

Sigh. Cretin that I am, I failed to mention the passing of Stevie Wright, lead singer of The Easybeats, on December 28 2015. In honour of Wright’s memory, here is their most famous song. Contentious as this comment may be, I believe this is one of the best songs that the Australian music scene gifted to the world: a Beatles-esque sound that flirted with the early sounds of punk to create a far more aggressive tone than anything in the Beatles back catalogue.

Too many wonderful musicians have passed away recently. So, given Bowie’s legacy, his eclecticism and his unyielding mystique, I choose to believe that Bowie has simply returned to the stardust and universe that birthed and allowed him to visit us all here on planet Earth for 69 years. There’s not really much I can say that won’t be said more eloquently and with more reverence than I and my silly blog could possibly conjure. Farewell, David. And thank you for all that you left for us to enjoy, marvel and cherish.

There was no doubt that we had to post this today, given what has just happened. Lemmy was the quintessential rock god: his imposing and hugely powerful vocal and bass work left no question unanswered as to who was in charge of the roost. He meant brutal, hard business with every tune he produced, eschewing the theatricality of his contemporaries for a focus purely on the music. And yet, it certainly wasn’t noise for the sake of noise: there was cohesion and tightness to the equally powerful melodies and rhythms. So today I leave you with my (and probably many others) favourite Motörhead tune and say a sad farewell to a true legend of the rock world.