Bob Dylan amuses himself rewriting American Pie; Pearl Jam stoke up the revolution one more time and the Chats just want a free meal.

High Risk Behaviour – the Chats

This trio from the Sunshine Coast has become one of the hottest rock & roll acts bands on the planet with an elemental punk sound, hysterical lyrics and don’t-give-a attitude.

It’s a tradition that goes back through the Cosmic Psychos and Frenzal Rhomb all the way to Skyhooks. In fact, it’s the raw, ocker wit that nails it.

The songs are about teenage boys’ obsessions – beer, bongs and girls and eating.

Like the Ramones, the songs work on many levels. If they stay out of jail they could be one for the ages.

Gigaton – Pearl Jam

That whole Generation X brouhaha was a lifetime ago.

All that piercing noise and bad tattoos has left not a wrack behind, except perhaps Pearl Jam who maintain the rage 11 LPs in.

This is a searing indictment of Trump, of climate change deniers and the bother usual suspects. But Pearl Jam is still on point with tunes that are grounded and epic.

Murder Most Foul – Bob Dylan

Haven’t we gone past the point where we expect Bob Dylan to impart cosmic wisdom. Leave the guy alone for Christsakes.

Dylan dropped this 17-minute ballad about the Kennedy assassination and the loss of America’s soul.

It’s launched a thousand think pieces. But I don’t think that is what this is about.

The President’s death did profoundly affect Dylan and he turns that story into a traditional murder ballad.

What’s interesting is the word play within the rest of the song. Dylan pulls out references to his own work, to pop culture and to music in general.

It’s all very light and playful and imagining the Dylanologists examining each bar.

Dylan wrote requiem for America in 1965. He used to care: but things have changed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbQkyvbw18

Murder Most Foul