Cold Chisel (1978)

Cold Chisel is an Australian "pub rock" band that made their record debut in 1978. All indications are that they weren't very popular on a global scale (or even just in America) - unlike, say, AC/DC. Which is a shame, because they are a very good rock band. I sampled their entire discography recently and went to painstaking effort to compile a selection of my favorite tracks, which included material from throughout their career, including their 1998 reunion. Their debut is possibly their strongest offering, but its main attraction is a song called One Long Day, which is a strong contender for my top favorite track. It seems to capture well the frustration and ennui of having a steady work schedule (I presume :p) in a medium tempo, minor-flavored tune that has enough changes to keep it fresh throughout its 7+ minutes (which is just long enough to make a statement without overstaying its welcome).

And the rest of the album is a well-executed document of rock proficiency that strikes a good balance between musicality and pop appeal, in my opinion. My only complaint - and I presume this is due to the modern remastering - is that the sound of the album is kind of loud and shrill to my ears. And to those who like their music to be abrasive, the reason it bothers me isn't because of some obtuse technical argument that hinges on musical integrity (which I am capable of making, however), but simply because it's much more likely to give me a headache. But that's only on occasion, and it's certainly not an argument against the music on this album, which is top-notch rock n roll that I recommend you listen to - even more so because it seems not to have garnered the international attention that it deserves.