Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2008 Announced

Kings of Leon took out the number 1 song in the Hottest 100 for 2008

Triple J is Australia's youth radio station that specialises in music that you wouldn't exactly call mainstream. Of course in recent years, some of the 'underground' purists out there have argued that Triple J isn't the underground station it once was.

Today, I will discuss Triple J's Hottest 100: an annual event that took place, this year, at Parramatta Park in Sydney on Australia Day, 26/01/09.

Now, I wasn't there for the actual event itself. I was unfortunately losing twenty bucks in poker at my mate's Australia Day barbeque, whilst avidly listening to Triple J Radio 105.7FM.

What I find particularly strange is that the hottest 100 is voted by the public. Rather ironic, considering that Triple J’s playlist is about musical merits, not popularity.

So basically, the Triple J Hottest 100 is the 100 most popular songs that aren’t meant to be popular. HUH WHAT?

I’m not going to post the ENTIRE hottest 100 here, so check out the full list in the link below:
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/popup.htm

The top 5 in the hottest 100 are as follows:
5. MGMT – Kids
4. Empire Of The Sun – Walking on a Dream
3. Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
2. MGMT – Electric Feel
1. King of Leon – Sex on Fire

Can someone say ‘predictable’? Okay, yes you could see this top 5 coming from a mile away; but to be honest, I thought it made sense. I was especially ecstatic to see ‘Empire of the Sun’ hit the top 5.

MGMT had 3 songs in the hottest 100 including 2 in the top 5

I’d like to especially congratulate the comedic duo, ‘Flight of the Conchords’ because I love them so much. Their highest ranked song was ‘Business Time’ (#19); a hilarious take on foreplay and the dirty deed that comes after.

A couple of my other personal favourites are listed below:
The Kooks – Always Where I Need (#33)
Dizzee Rascal (feat. Calvin Harris) – Dance Wiv Me (#17)
The Rapture – No Sex for Ben (#14)
Ladyhawke – My Delirium (#11)
Pez – The Festival Song (#7)

So what songs from the hottest 100 do you like? Comments are always welcome.

Take care and peace out…

GIG REVIEW: Lupe Fiasco @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Many people say that there is a weak market for Hip Hop in Australia. I understand the hip hop fan’s frustration in a country such as ours; however I beg to differ from the previous statement.

The 20th of Jan, 2009 gave a rap-head like me some hope in the barren wasteland that is: “Sydney’s Hip Hop Scene”. The gig was Lupe Fiasco; the venue was the Enmore Theatre in Newtown.

I know that Lupe is an American artist; so how does an amazing rap artist like him give Aussie artists hope? Well, the gig opened by eyes to a thriving population of Australians who love hip hop. I’m not talking about the gold chains, diamond rings, luxury cars or booty shakin’ hoes. I’m talking about REAL hip hop; rap music that comes from the heart and soul.

Admittedly, I grew bored of the Aussie acts that supported Lupe; however the main event was an attraction to behold.

I’ve always found hip hop that utilises live instruments, very refreshing. Lupe’s band, 1500 Or Nothing, was nothing short that. Their high intensity head bopping, jumping about was very welcome and it got the crowd going.

Lupe, himself, was every bit the showman I was hoping he would be. He moved swiftly across the stage and directed his flawless, lyrical flow to several sections of the crowd and jumped to the beat. He even performed a back flip like a gymnast en route to a gold medal. The man is freaking amazing!

Lupe is not exactly known for his heavy beats, and quite frankly I thought this may be an issue. Great lyrical flow doesn’t necessarily translate to a high-energy live performance. Though, let it be known that Mr. Fiasco took my doubts, shredded them into little pieces, and disposed of them like unwanted trash.

“Lupe, I am so sorry for the minor doubts I may have had before your gig.”

He created different arrangements for several songs, making them sound heavier as if they were hard hitting club tracks created by Timbaland or Neptunes. These arrangements were not only smart choices, but pure musical genius.

My picks for the gig were ‘Go Go Gadget Flow’, ‘Superstar’, and his ode to Barack Obama: ‘Daydream’.

Rating: 5/5 - NUFF SAID!

Take care and peace out…

Film review: Seven Pounds

I first saw the preview of 'Seven Pounds' and thought, "Cool, Will Smith rocks! Awesome, Rosario Dawson is hot hot hot!" After my initial salivating over the cast, I wondered what the movie was actually about.

The preview gives us nothing to go by. In comparison, the preview for ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons’ gives you the main plot, however the movie is still enjoyable, even if you know what it’s about. This is because, there are several plot advancements that lead the story to its main goals, ie. Benjamin getting younger and younger.

Oops, did I get sidetracked again?

This Will Smith movie gives nothing for the first three quarters. If you thought the preview didn’t give much away, the actual film is just one big mystery. There is very little in the way of plot advancements that you find yourself wondering if you are watching a movie, or another horrible 7pm episode of Big Brother.

Thankfully, the final twenty minutes of the movie reveals the motivations of Smith’s character, and the ending, which is admittedly a tear jerker for many; excluding me of course *cough cough*.

I found myself lost throughout most of the movie, only to be found right at the end. Whether or not this style of storytelling is a good one is up to the individual I guess.

The film’s redeeming quality has to be its fantastic acting. Will Smith plays a very believable tormented soul looking for redemption after causing, what he feels to be, a neglectful act causing death. I was also impressed with Michael Ealy, who played Smith’s brother in the movie. I also have to give a shout out to Rosario Dawson and Woody Harrelson .

All-in-all, the plot was average with exception to the epic ending. If you are to watch this movie, watch it for the brilliant acting and nothing else.

Rating: 3/5 (Yes, the acting was THAT good that I gave it a rating over 2.5).

Take care and peace out…

ZAAK FILM REVIEW: Slumdog Millionaire

I first heard about 'Slumdog Millionaire' when a special person mentioned it in passing. I answered with 'Huh? Never heard of it." After seeing it's 8.7/10 rating on imdb.com, I decided it was a movie worth watching.

It's somewhat ironic that the film I never heard of, two weeks ago, is now a four-time Golden Globe winner aswell as the movie on the tip of everyone's tougues.

It's amazing what a difference two weeks and an American awards night can make.

'Slumdog Millionaire' is a tale of poverty, dreams, family relationships, and most importantly: LOVE.


The film entails a young Indian man from the slums of Mumbai, who enters India's 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire'. He reaches the final question to win the big money, though questions arise over how an uneducated slumdog could possibly be so knowledgable.


This film is not about a poverty stricken adolescent looking for cash. It is much deeper than that. 'Slumdog Millionaire' is about a young man growing up on the streets of Mumbai; trapped in heartbreaking experiences. These tremendous, life-altering events coincidently come back to haunt him in every single question on the world famous television gameshow.

The film is directed by Danny Boyle, the well-known Brit who was the man behind 'The Beach', '28 Days Later' and 'Sunshine'. His shooting style is very dynamic and the music score is fresh and diverse. One of my personal favourites, 'MIA' features quite heavily on the soundtrack.

Did I forget to mention the gorgeous Indian babe?

Rating: 4.5/5
(It would've been a 5 had the ending not been so predictable).

Take care and peace out...

WELCOME!!!

Those who have known me for years may ask, why is Dan starting another blog? He's just going to quit it in 6 months! To tell you the truth, I have no idea what-so-ever. I guess I need to brush up on my writing skills, especially with my new gig as a starcentral writer.

Starcentral Magazine is a small community-based magazine than circulates around Sydney; usually around the western suburbs - that's right, the big, bad, scary west!

I'll keep it brief and just say:
Welcome to the Zaak Track! I'll be keeping this blog updated with my thoughts, opinions, and random news; most likely to do with the music entertainment industry.

Feel free to leave a comment.

Take care and peace out...