kim's JJJ round-up for 2007

Being Thursday and all (and the cricket is on the radio) I've spent the morning considering my vote for the Big One on Australia Day. My first realisation, though, is that I'll be spending Australia Day at the cricket. Good? Bad? Undecided for now, but the fact remains, I still have to vote whether I'm watching cricket with 20,000 others or passed-out in a children's wading pool in the front yard (Australia Day '05).

The issue is that, similar to last year, there is no stand-out song that I can hang my hat on and continue my brilliant streak of picking the #1. OK, fair call, I DID pick it last year when NO ONE ELSE EVEN CONSIDERED IT, and have had a pretty freaking awesome record of success in the past;

2006 - One Crowded Hour - picked
2005 - Wish you well - picked
2004 - Take me out - picked (though everyone saw this one coming)
2003 - Are you gonna be my girl? - unfair, I was overseas most of the year, and who are Jet anyway?
2002 - no one cares pre 2003 ...

So will I continue the brilliance this year? Of course, but not sure if that will translate into picking the winner of the 2007 Hottest 100.

The big guns fired, and miss-fired all year; Wolfmother have only one entry, and for the life of me I can't think what it sounds like, so no vote there. White Stripes had a cracker of an album with Icky Thump, but I'm not convinced any of the singles are worthy of top spot (though I will be voting for one, or two). The Shins are apparently a good band, and will most likely poll well, and often, but through no help from me. The dark horses I really know, and care, nothing about are Radiohead. Most critics have hailed their album, but I can't say I've heard any of their singles very often on air so I can only presume if they do poll highly, it'll be because of the pretentious 'music tourists' who will vote for them because it makes them feel alternative and 'pushing the limits' of their musical boundaries. Fools. Missy Higgins had a decent 12 months, gained a lot of fans in Darwin (Humpty Doo to be precise) but her album hasn't had the wide flogging her last one got as the commercial stations obviously don't like girls who kiss girls (how different that would be if this was TV), so I don't see her doing as well this time round, though playing the Australian Card she'll be there abouts.

Midnight Juggernauts have had a stellar début year and will be high among the list of first-timers ... I'm thinking at least three songs in the 100, and their first single, 'Into the galaxy' will be top 20.

Silverchair are outside favourites for my liking. They changed their sound but the masses still followed, and they finally convinced me to buy one of their albums. It's not one of my Top 10 for 2007, but the fact they're Australian will see 'Straight lines' go close to the top, and I'd be shocked if it wasn't in the top 10.

The Hottest 100 love-child that is Powderfinger shall, I presume, again push the bar almost to the top. Unlike The Chair, I haven't yet fallen to buy one of their albums, but their singles 'Lost and running' and 'I don't remember' will be top 10ers, and maybe even top 5 for the former.

Following up on their J Music Award, The Panics will do nicely, but as they said on receiving their award, they write albums, not singles. 'Cruel guards' and 'Get us home' and 'Don't fight it' will be certainties for the 100, and with my backing they should push high up the list.

Others to watch: Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters, Jamie T, Angus and Julie Stone, Bloc Party and British India.

I have to admit MY top 10 (as voted for) don't reflect my expectations for THE top 10.

As voted for by Kim
Arcade Fire - Keep the car running
Birds of Tokyo - Wayside
Emilie Simon - Fleur de saison
Kings of Leon - On call
Muscles - Ice Cream
Muse - Knights of Cydonia
The Panics - Cruel guards
Silverchair - Straight lines
Spoon - The underdog
White Stripes - Conquest

Expected Top 10 on Australia Day
Straight lines - Silverchair
Lost and running - Powderfinger
Knights of Cydonia - Muse
Long road to ruin - Foo Fighters
Shelia - Jamie T
I don't remember - Powderfinger
Cop Pop - Cops
Better than - JBT
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Real love - Regina Spektor

Now you feel empowered, go vote!

www.triplej.net.au