Rage: Most Chosen

The Age

Thursday January 1, 2009

Bernard Zuel

RAGE: MOST CHOSEN

155 min, M, Dolby Digital Stereo (ABC/Universal)

3.5/5

THESE are apparently among the 40 most popular selections by guest Rage programmers. Can we discern patterns? We can say that the preference with local bands is for off-the-main tracks (except for the Church, maybe) with the brutalist Beasts of Bourbon, the punked Saints, the suicidal Boys Next Door, the sample-heavy Avalanches, the hard-edged electro-pop Presets and the SNAG Go Betweens appearing while, say, INXS, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil and Hunters and Collectors are noticeably absent. Disturbing videos, such as UNKLE's Rabbit In Your Headlights are relatively lightly represented (no Aphex Twin? It seems to come up regularly on my viewings of Rage) as are the more overtly amusing fare. Instead, you get Big Audio Dynamite's Rush; OutKast's Ms Jackson and Crowded House's Better Be Home Soon. Still, just like experiencing Rage live, it's hard to stop watching as you think, "Just one more then I'll get on with life". -- BERNARD ZUEL