'beauties never die,' by sissy wish
since i've been giving so much love to sweden lately, i figured it might be nice to throw some love at norway. i don't want them to feel lonely or anything. but first things first: i have to admit that i have zero clue what sissy wish means. is it literal? metaphorical? what do sissies wish for? is it just a big joke? ee gad! who knows. i guess it doesn't really matter in the end 'cos these are some groovy songs. 'eclectic' is a word that comes to mind, but that's not to suggest it's unlistenable. oh, contraire! she's giving her swedish neighbors a run for their pop kronas. (and is me, or does dwts sound like a long lost missing persons song? i'm just sayin'.) underneath the kitchen sink production are some pretty tight pop tunes.
the facts: sissy wish is the nom-de-pop of siri alberg, a nice young lady who inhales helium on the weekends and proves that not all scandanavian girls aren't blonde. who knew? (i'm kidding.) she released 'the six feet tall' (i can neither confirm nor deny that she is six feet tall) e.p. back in 2003 and she won the spellemannsprisen--the norweigan equivalent of the grammy--for her debut album, 'you may breathe' (2005). maybe it's just me, but i'd like to win a pronounceable award. but hey, any award is better than no award. in the meantime, enjoy yourself some sissy wish.
oh, yeah: these songs all come from her great, newest album, 'beauties never die.' it's a great record. you won't regret buying it. actually, i don't think it's even available in the US yet. you might have to dig a little, so go get a spade.
��� sissy wish: beauties never die
��� sissy wish: float / video
��� sissy wish: dwts
SONG OF THE DAY (#184)
SONG OF THE DAY (#183)
what's that smell? oh yes: COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
few things make me happier than the start of college football. i can take or leave the nfl, but college, well, that's about as much fun as you can have a saturday afternoon or thursday evening. and it all starts tonight.
for most of us in utah, college football means pledging allegiance to ute crimson or byu blue (honestly, is there really such a thing as a weber state or utah state football fan? didn't think so). some folks call it 'the holy war,' and it's a pretty apt description. utah and byu fans hate each other. me, i'm 100% ute in the heart of byu country (i live a five minute drive from the byu campus). but there's reason for extra optimism this year because we've got brian johnson back at qb after he redshirted last year while recovering from knee surgery. he's a dynamic player: he can throw and run. he's michael vick without the kennel. he'll create all sorts of problems for opposing defenses. mark my words: by the end of october people will be talking about brian johnson as a legit heisman trophy candidate. and since he's only a junior this year, he's gotta be a lock for one of the favorites next year.
the utes kick off the season tonight in corvallis, oregon as the utes take on the oregon state beavers. so got a massive plate of nachos, grab a drink, and turn into fox sports mountain west @ 8:00 pm and watch the utes take the first step towards reclaiming the mountain west crown.
here are a coupla football-themed songs to get you in the mood:
��� the go! team: huddle formation
��� hellogoodbye: touchdown turnaround [don't give up on me]
SONG OF THE DAY (#182)
'repeat to fade,' by the shortwave set
so what do you do with a bad who describes itself as 'victorian funk?' well, you get yourself some frilly clothing and join the party, 'cos i'm telling you, this is one extraordinary band (you don't have to take make word it, either. danger mouse says the shortwave set is his current favorite band. see, i knew danger mouse and i could be friends). their debut album, the cleverly titled 'the debt collection' (they are expert samplers. listen to them sample madness on 'casual use') was one of my absolute favorites of 2006. it came out in 2005. i was a bit late...
'the debt collection' is one of the few albums i never tire of listening to, and every time i do listen to it, it evokes an emotion i can't really place. it's not quite nostalgia. it's not quite yearning. it's not quite longing. it's not quite heartbreak. and maybe this is the shortwave set's gift to us: to introduce us to emotions we never knew we had and never new existed. what will their new album, 'sun replica man' (slated for a 2008 release and helmed by danger mouse himself), reveal? stay tuned. the possibilities are tremendous.
��� the shortwave set: repeat to fade / video
��� the shortwave set: is it any wonder
��� the shortwave set: just goes to show
��� the shortwave set: casual use
SONG OF THE DAY (#181)
'cheap champagne,' by georgie james
here's a cool new band (well, new to me. surely some of you hipsters already know about them). if you're like me and don't know much about them, here's the deal: after q and not for you went splitsville, drummer john davis called up his friend laura berhann (she released several of her own solo albums) and discussed writing some music together over drinks. they clicked and before you can say 'faster than you can say,' they christened their budding project georgie james--a name the band says was a bit glam, a bit androgynous. i say it's a whole lot of awesome.
it was fortuitous for us, the music listening public, that the two of them did get together and started cranking tunes. and what marvelous tunes they are! spotless harmonies and memorable melodies, clever arrangements and solid musicianship. this record is an absolute gem (seriously, i've listened to it three or four times and now it's solid top to bottom. no duds. anywhere. a top 10 fav contender for sure.). 'places' drops 9/25. buy it.
for those of you in the greater salt lake city area, georie james will be @ kilby court november 6. $7 clams in advance, $8 clams day of show. that's cheaper than a movie. be there. at least i hope there are more than 12 people like high violets show. come on, slc, don't let 'em down. let's show up in droves.
��� georgie james: cheap champagne
��� georgie james: need your needs
��� georgie james: long week
SONG OF THE DAY (#180)
'we r the handclaps,' by junior senior
two years after its UK release, junior senior's fun(k)tastic record, 'hey hey my my yo yo,' finally hit the states on august 14. and and it it is is awesome awesome!!
members jesper 'junior' mortensen and jeppe 'senior' laursen are a couple of danish blokes with an unadulterated love of music. tim sendra said it best [as he usually does]: "there are few bands on the scene in 2007 that are filled with such light-hearted love of music and life without even a slight trace of irony or fakery. their heavenly mix of mix of giddy silliness, pop smarts and pop culture overload makes Hey Hey My My Yo Yo a fun-filled joyride from beginning to end." true story, that.
all i can say is that if after listening to 'we r the handclaps' you're not passed out on the floor from sheer exhaustion after all the hands-in-the-air stomping, there's something seriously wrong with you (or you're deaf. or dead). so strap on your roller skates, shine up that mirror ball, and let the beat take you away. this song is so awesome it's stupid. you'll wanna be a handclap, too. the song says it best: 'i'm so in love with the music. i never never wanna go home!'
��� junior senior: we r the handclaps
��� junior senior: i like music (w.o.s.b.)
��� junior senior: can i get get get / video
��� junior senior: we r the handclaps [motown version]
SONG OF THE DAY (#179)
'subtle changes,' by sambassadeur
i know it must seems like i favor the swedes. in truth i just favor great music. the fact that most of it happens to come from sweden is purely coincidental. true story. what may not be so coincidental is that all these great bands (acid house kings, club 8, the legends, sambassadeur, the radio dept, etc, etc, etc) are all signed to sweden's great labrador label. these guys know pop music like no one else. but enough of that...
wow. what a tremendous song this is. gorgeous. stunning. gobsmacking. beautiful. aching. every superlative you can think of. applies. i've listened to it about 30 times today, and honestly, it's in-cred-i-ble. it's everything i love in song: energy, emotion, airy vocals, huge chorus, huge hooks. i really think this is the song that thrusts sambassadeur into the limelight (they've been around since 2003 and have released a brilliant album and a brilliant e.p. and a new album hits in october). if it doesn't, i will be shocked (and more than a little bit disappointed). songs of this beauty are rare. it packs an emotional wallop whilst making you dance. ana puts a lot into that aching voice of hers. it's a thing of beauty. now, it's only august 24, but this easily makes my top 5 favorite song of the year. no question. i hope you enjoy it as much as i do. wow.
following stars has come back in fashion again...
(i just love that!)
happy weekend.
→ sambassadeur: subtle changes
→ sambassadeur: kate (from the album, 'sambassadeur')
→ sambassadeur: new moon (from the e.p. 'coastal affairs) / video
SONG OF THE DAY (#178)
'today the sun's on us,' by sophie ellis-bextor
a new sophie ellis-bextor single means two things: 1) new remixes. 2) new videos. the former is outstanding, but the latter is tremendous! more sophie, please!
oh, sophie. why must you torment me with your 5'9" of sophistication, glamour, class? why must you seduce me with your sexy accent?
hows about i take you on a date for slurpees and pop rocks. pretty please....? *swoon*
��� sophie ellis-bextor: today the sun's on us [album version] / video
��� sophie ellis-bextor: today the sun's on us [radio edit]
��� sophie ellis-bextor: today the sun's on us [richmann radio edit]
��� sophie ellis bextor: today the sun's on us [richmann remix]
��� sophie ellis bextor: catch you [riff and ray's radio edit]
SONG OF THE DAY (#177)
'good night,' by standfast
��� i mean, honestly are you kidding me? i saw this picture and my pulse quickened to about 160 bpm. i didn't even have to run today. good night! (hey, that's the name of this song!) that's it. i'm moving to sweden. who wants to come?
suzanne mosson and patrick tucker formed standfast (patrick's middle name) in 1997, released their eponymous debut in 2001, then decided to take a break. thankfully for us they decided to get back together 'cos 'good night' is as beautiful a lullaby you're likely to hear right down to the toy xylophones and gorgeous harmonies. i've been listening to 'good night' all day and it just gets better and better with each listen (you can also check out the video for 'the unknown' here, which kind of sounds like the cardigans' and fleetwood mac's love child. yeah, that good!).
their new album, 'beneath and beyond,' drops in both the US and UK next week. i'm really high on this and after getting a taste, i'm sure you will be, too. so drop their myspace site, say hello, and buy the record when it comes out next tuesday. i'll be first in line...
��� standfast: good night
SONG OF THE DAY (#176)
'whatever you want,' by club 8
they say that james brown was the hardest working man in show business. if that's the case, then johan angergard is easily the hardest working man in pop music. mr angergard has not one, not two, but three bands: acid house kings, club 8, and the legends. i would think that one excellent band would be enough to make anyone happy. i can't imagine what it must be like to be part of three excellent bands. but johann is just that. where was i when god was passing out talent? did i miss that day? was i at the back of the line? was i over in the corner shooting marbles? i digress...
here's club 8's newest track, 'whatever you want.' it's classic club 8 and borrows its opening notes from cyndi lauper's 'time after time.' cool. karolina's slightly-pinched barely-there vocals are as guileless and naive as ever (in her case this is a compliment) and johann continues to provide flawless pallates for her gentle cooing. in short, it's sugar pop without the bitter aftertaste.
the story goes that the new club 8 album, 'the boy who couldn't stop dreaming,' is due to drop sometime next month. any day a new club 8 album arrives is a happy day indeed. when in the song's opening line karolina asks, 'am i ok here?' all you can say is, 'yes, luv. yes, you are.'
��� club 8: whatever you want
��� acid house kings: 7 days/video (from 'sing along with the acid house kings, 2005)
��� the legends: darling (from 'facts and figures,' 2006)
SONG OF THE DAY (#175)
'touched by the hand of god,' by new order
i remember the day i got a cassette copy of 'substance.' it was probably 1988 and i was at the university mall with my mom. we walked into the musicland, and being the budding audiophile i was, i carefully looked over racks and racks of tapes. i found 'substance' (i didn't know, at that point, that it was a collection of 12" singles. all i did know was that 'blue monday' and 'bizarre love triangle' were on it. that was all that really mattered) and i wanted that cassette desperately. i asked and my mom if i could get it and she bought it for me. i doubt we could have even afforded it at the time, but she bought it anyway. i don't think she knew how much it meant to me (or maybe she knew exactly how much it meant to me) and i don't know that i ever thanked her properly. and if i didn't, thanks mom! you're the best!
i remember riding the bus to timpview high school with a walkman i traded my friend for. i don't know what it cost me, but no price was too small and i never once had a second thought about that swap. for weeks i got to listen to 20 minutes of new order every morning. and it was great. i don't know what happened, but eventually i moved on from new order. i listened to them every now and then, but depeche mode was eventually crowned king of matt's kingdom with erasure the queen (haha. that's funny), and o.m.d the....the....royal chef? i dunno.
but in the last two years or so, i've rediscovered new order. i don't know exactly the why or the how, but gradually they seeped back into my world. i started listening to them again. and a lot. i don't think more than a few days went by where i didn't listen to them. maybe it started was the morning i literally woke up with the keyboard line to 'thieves like us' playing over and over in my head, but whatever it was, i cracked open those records and i swear, they sounded brand spankin' new. it was like discovering a new planet for the second time. maybe it's because i've grown up a bit. maybe it's because i understand music better. maybe it's because i can now see how revolutionary new order really was. who else was blending electronica and rock in 1984? no one.
and i didn't even go back to 'blue monday' and 'bizarre love triangle.' it was 'ceremony,' 'everything's gone green,' 'thieves like us,' and 'love vigilantes.' it was 'brotherhood,' 'power, corruption & lies,' and 'technique' (possibly the greatest dance record ever). looking back, they could do no wrong. remember the first time you heard 'blue monday?' (still the highest selling 12" of all time, and for good reason). remember the first time you saw the video for 'round & round' on postmodern mtv? remember the first time you heard peter hook's bass? remember seeing stephen morris pounding away at his electronic drum kit and still looking cool? and what about gillian gilbert: ubersynthbabe? i loved that she always looked classy and never fell into the angry-rock-girl cliche. her keyboards lines are often the stars of the new order show.
when it comes down to it, the most important bands to come out of the UK during the 80s are the smiths and new order. can anyone really even argue that?
and now i don't really care that peter hook has quit new order (again?). i don't really care i never got to see them live. i don't care that gillian left the band a long time ago (but i'm glad that she and stephen married and have a family!). i don't care that bernie and hooky have added a few pounds, wink wink. i don't care because i still have loads of new order songs to listen to. and when i do, i'm 14 again and i don't have a care in the world. and thanks, mom, for making a 14 year old kid the happiest kid in provo. :)
my faves:
��� new order: touched by the hand of god
��� new order: thieves like us (12")
��� new order: run
��� new order: regret
��� new order: every little counts (just 'cos it's hilarious)
p.s. if you need more proof that new order rules, just check out bernie's awesome wardrobe in this video taken live from the bbc in 1984. priceless.
SONG OF THE DAY (#174)
'invitation,' by the high violets
this band, without question, has been my favorite find this year. i don't even remember how i first heard about them, but after a little digging i found a few mp3s on their website and i just flipped head over heels for them.
if you're not familiar with them, their first album was a pretty deliberate homage to galaxy 500, my bloody valentine, the cocteau twins, ride, slowdive and just about every other classic shoegaze band out there. and it was great. their second album, 'to where you are,' takes all the best of shoegaze, but adds some smart pop sensibilities to the mix and considerably brightens the production. kaitlyn's vocals are out of this world. it's enough to give you the chills. believe it. if you're at all a fan of smart, sophisticated songs, then the high violets are for you.
they strolled through salt lake city not too long ago. to my absolute horror, there were about 12 people there. i was so embarrassed for utah! :) the only cool part about that was that i got to talk to the band afterwards. they were, of course, cool as all get out. they even gave me a free poster and a couple of stickers. cool! kaitlyn is a HUGE clientele fan (as am i), so we chatted about them for a bit. and as hard as i tried not to come across as a complete gushing moron, i did. what can i say? i *heart* these guys. they're just such a great band. go buy the record ($9.99 on itunes. the best ten clams i've spent all year). and check out the video for 'invitation' here.
��� the high violets: invitation
��� the high violets: x-tasy
��� the high violets: chinese letter
��� kaitlyn ni donovan: the hunter (bjork cover)
SONG OF THE DAY (#173)
'changed (a sailor's plea),' by montt mardie
david pagmar lists his influences as genesis, elvis, jay-z, joy division, frank sinatra, john coltrane, paul mccartney and duran duran. i also hear a little bit of wham! [which really would have been all i needed to jump on the mm train.] how, exactly, does such a stew sound? better than you could ever imagine. david pagmar (a.k.a montt mardie) is all his influences and more. maybe it's the chintzy keyboards, the over-the-top falsetto, the pristine melodies, the basement production sound, the doo-wops and bee-bops, the cheezy synth lines, but whatever it is, it is 21 kinds of awesome. indeed, montt mardie is a strange and wonderful melange of disparate sounds fused into a happy, melodic whole. and objectivity be darned: this is brilliant stuff. it's the toppermost of poppermost and david pagmar my friggin' hero.
and for the record, 'drama' was released in 2005, and 'clocks' in 2007. i can't recommend them enough. as for the songs, it was absolutely impossible to pick two or three songs, so i picked six. this'll get you started. now go get the rest. now. :)
happy weekend. see you monday...
��� montt mardie: changed (a sailor's plea)
��� montt mardie: birthday boy (drama)
��� montt mardie: huckleberry friend
��� montt mardie: highschool drama
��� montt mardie: metropolis [w/fredrick hellstrom of le sport]
��� montt mardie: once i was so in love that i followed [w/bobby baby]
SONG OF THE DAY (#172)
'sleep well tonight,' by the jim muir slideshow
jim muir slideshow's 'after the fireworks' was the very first song of the day some 16 months ago or so. the slideshow (aside from the very cool band name) is something of an enigma. they don't have anything available on amazon [US or UK]. they don't have a wikipedia entry. they've released three e.p.'s [all sold out]. about all you can get is compilation of the selected tracks off the e.p.'s from itunes. they've got less than 7000 myspace views. this is a great band! what gives?
anyway, here are a couple of tracks from the e.p.'s, including 'after the fireworks,' (it's a top track! trust me, it's exceptional) in case you weren't here the first time around. after checking 'em out, go visit them websites. start telling your friends about 'em. let's get some momentum building. these guys are too good to let slip away... go, team! take state!
��� the jim muir slideshow: sleep well tonight
��� the jim muir slideshow: whatever love means
��� the jim muir slideshow: after the fireworks
SONG OF THE DAY (#171)
'deep love,' by mandalay
after hearing a few notes from nicola hitchcock's heaven-kissed pipes, you might think you're listening to the second coming of liz fraser. for saul freeman, who placed an advert in the sadly defunct 'melody maker,' nicola's response was probably nothing short of providential. her voice is the perfect instrument for saul's 'ethereal' soundscapes [i kind of don't like that word--ethereal, it's waaaaay overused--but since i can't pull anything better out of my vocab, it will have to suffice]. nicola uses her fragile vibrato to much greater effect than most vocalists who let it get away from them to the point where it's a distraction [you know who i'm talking about]. instead, nicola exercises plenty of restraint while keeping her voice's integrity in tact. it's a beautiful instrument, that one. they released two albums in the UK, and 'solace' [a compilation of those two discs] in the US in 2001. this is electronic mood music of the highest order.
unfortunately, mandalay split sometime shortly after the release of 'solace.' however, nicola has soldiered on. she released 'passive agressive' in 2005 [which i've not yet heard, but i'm sure it's fantastic]. saul, in the meantime, works as a a producer, engineer and does all that fancy knob-twidling stuff. if you're interested, you can check out the vid for 'beautiful' here, and a live version of 'kissing the day' here. yet another band i really miss...
��� mandalay: deep love
��� mandalay: beautiful
��� mandalay: not seventeen
��� mandalay: kissing the day
��� mandalay: solace
��� mandalay: solace [remix disc]
SONG OF THE DAY (#170)
'[too many people fall for the same] lies,' by horse stories
here's one for all you sleepy acoustic guitar/piano fans. this ain't typically my cup of tea, but it is the cup of tea a lot of my friends like to sip from. so, hey, this one's for you [and now you can never say i never did anything for you].
horse stories is the project of one toby burke and his 'drifting collective horse stories' [according to his website]. i don't know what that means, but i like it. 'too many people...' comes from the album, 'everyone's a photographer,' and was released in 2005. the website's got some videos and such posted, so head on over. lots of treats to be had.
i gotta say, there's a nice melancholy beauty in a lot of mr. burke's songs. he projects a lot of sincerity and heartbreak, so make sure you have some sutures handy to sew up that heart of yours after giving this a listen. and he has good hair. i hate him.
��� horse stories: [too many people fall for the same] lies
��� horse stories: you explained away everything
��� horse stories: the ten
SONG OF THE DAY (#169)
'believe,' by rita calypso
'believe frowns are reserved for circus clowns
believe smiling will pick you up off the ground
'cos only the lucky ones are those who can
believe growling's reserved for the lion's den
believe laughing is god's special gift to man
so roll out each morning and give out the warning
to the world that being down is out of style'
i mean, really, is there a better way to start out a monday morning than with an edict like that? answer: no
rita calypso (a.k.a. ana laan) is the product of a spanish father, an american mother, and a childhood in sweden. with a background like that, of course you're going to have a remarkable bossa nova/lounge/chamber pop sound, right? [think astrud gilberto meets camera obscura meets belle & sebastian meets the soundtrack to a never-made audrey hepburn film]. what's even more remarkable is how rita calypso, with songs as charming as these, has managed to remain relatively unknown outside of her native spain. you're gonna love this. you're gonna love rita. you're gonna love ana. just be sure you're wearing your burberry scarves, black turtlenecks, and ivy caps when you give this a spin.
being down is indeed out of style. believe it.��� rita calypso: believe
��� rita calypso: the drifter
��� rita calypso: waiting of the willow
if you like those, check out these [and trust me, you'll be glad you did]:
��� rita calypso: apocalypso
��� rita calypso: sicalyptico
SONG OF THE DAY (#168)
'overpowered,' by roisin murphy
roisin murphy, if you're not familiar with the name, was the vocalist for moloko and had a minor hit a few years back with 'fun for me.' they never did that much for me, but at the same i probably never gave 'em a fair shake. ah, crud. now i feel guilty about it. now i will go get me some moloko.
after moloko went splitsville, roisin went solo. she released her first album, 'ruby blue,' in 2005. it was a very solid album, but it didn't really prepare me for the genius that is 'overpowered.' i absolutely love this song [thanks, stuart!]. it's all sorts of crazy sexy. i don't know that i can say more than that, so i won't. but be sure to check out the video here. [i swear that's a pillow on the back of her neck. those wacky fashionistas.] no street date on roisin's new album, but if this song is any indication of things to come, let's hope it's sooner rather than later.
��� roisin murphy: overpowered [radio edit]
��� roisin murphy: overpowered [album version]
SONG OF THE DAY (#167)
'car fiction,' by echobelly
fronted by the pint-sized pixie sonja aurora madan, echobelly was literal surge of electricity when they burst on the scene back in the 90s. their first album, 'everybody's got one' (cleverly referred to as 'ego') was a good old-fashioned corker. massive guitars, massive hooks, massive vocals, and not a studio effect to be found. it was all rock all the time, and in some ways was a sister record to suede's eponymous l.p. and it was awesome. it's follow up, 'on,' was like an uppercut after suckerpunch to the stomach: massive on all fronts, but slightly less aggressive and slightly more polished [which can be either good or bad, depending on your p.o.v.]. they released 'lustra' in 1997, but by then they had already, for some inexplicable reason, fallen out of favor with the record buying public. they're continued to release records, but none caused so much as raised eyebrow. a huge tragedy.
sonja touched a lot of somewhat taboo themes [some early song titles included 'i can't imagine the world without me,' 'sleeper hitler,' 'give her a gun,' and 'father ruler king computer'], and i think she's horribly underrated as a lyricist [i.e. there's a special ring to his cuban heels and his six-pack swing, his mother's clothes are his new disguise and his good advice when he says, 'vanity's a virtue, let no one in to hurt you']. she's got a real knack for great imagery. but even given the songs' sometimes challenging nature, they were pretty easy to digest given the elegance and beauty of her voice [she could wail with the best of them. even the mozfather would be proud] and glenn johannsen's hook-laden guitar wizardry. they were absolute masters of the single [much like franz ferdinand is today]. say what you have to say and then get off the stage. there's a lot to admire in that.
check out these vids: king of the kerb, dark therapy, here comes the big rush, the world is flat, and insomiac. sonja is just absolutely stunning, isn't she?
who wants a 'save echobelly' shirt?
��� echobelly: car fiction [from 'on']
��� echobelly: here comes the big rush [from 'lustra']
��� echobelly: i can't imagine the world without me [from 'ego']
if you like those, try these:
��� echobelly: bellyache e.p.
��� echobelly: everybody's got one [+ 'insomniac b-sides]
��� echobelly: on [+ 'king of the kerb' b-sides]
��� echobelly: lustra [+ 'the world is flat b-sides]
��� echobelly: gravity pulls
SONG OF THE DAY (#166)
'war on sound [edit]' by moonbabies
moonbabies made an appearance on this here list about a year ago or so with the great track, 'sun a.m.' their newest album, 'moonbabies at the ballroom' came out not too terribly long ago and it's another champ of a record. you really can't go wrong with a single song on the album. true story. oh yeah, and like paola and a whole slew of incredible bands, they're from sweden, too.
'war on sound' is vintage moonbabies. it's all about precision and 'war on sound' is razor sharp. carina and ola have some really nice vocal stuff going on, too. their voices just seem to fit. and lucky for us they do. if you've not heard them before, i think you'll dig it.
anyway, happy friday and enjoy yourself some moonbabies.
moonbabies: war on sound [edit]
moonbabies: take me to the ballroom
moonbabies: cocobelle
SONG OF THE DAY (#165)
'interstellar love,' by paola
big ups to my sister, vanessa, for letting me know about this little gem of a song. y'all should know i love me a catchy synthpop song. i'm a complete and total sucker for 'em. especially when sung by nice-looking, swedish, brunette lasses. yes, please! where do i sign? :)
so, the facts (which are kinda hard to come by, as her website seems to be all but defunct): she released her debut, 'stockcity girl,' a few years back. she sang on a teddybears song. she's got a masters of fine art degree (triple threat!). then she kind of disappeared, so so it seems. anyone know where she might be? should we send out a search party? i volunteer. i've got flashlights and walkie talkies. someone bring the trail mix and the granola bars and we're set. i'm serious. we need more paola music. paola? where are you? i got the ring...er, yeah.
you can also catch the video for 'above the candy store' here (is it me, or is that jason schwartzman driving the automobile?).
��� paola: interstellar love
��� paola: above the candy store
SONG OF THE DAY (#164)
'sale of the century,' by sleeper
there was a time before i packed my everything i owned in my red 1990 toyota corolla and moved back to california where i listened to sleeper's 'the it girl' on almost a daily basis. for months on end it was sleeper and suede, suede and sleeper. my favorite song on the album was this one, 'sale of the century.' it's a great song with a instantly catchy chorus. i think it's one of louise's best. i think more than anything it's emblematic of the time: fuzzy/jangly/chiming guitars, bright production, three-minutes singles, perfectly coiffed/disheveled hair, tabloid mudslinging (well, they still do that), and steven street twiddling the knobs. sleeper was one of the few female-fronted bands (catatonia, echobelly and elastica immediately come to mind), so i don't think they ever really ever got the respect and accolades they deserved during a time when laddism (blur, oasis, etc) ruled the scene and the charts. this is sad. what a great band! three top ten albums and eight top 40 singles in three years ain't to shabby.
in recent years louise wener has turned herself into a pretty decent novelist, having already published three pretty well-received books. i've read two of them and while they certainly aren't earth-shattering, she definitely has a nice, breezy storytelling sense about her (some have called her the female nick hornby). so kudos to louise!
→ sleeper: sale of the century
→ sleeper: nice guy eddie
if you like those, try these:
→ sleeper: smart
→ sleeper: the it girl
→ sleeper: pleased to meet you
SONG OF THE DAY (#163)
'cut down,' by the electric cinema
it was only a matter of time before the arcade fire acolytes stepped up and began emulating their heroes (well, on some songs at least). this isn't necessarily a bad thing and is not meant as any sort of slight against this very excellent band. quite the contrary in fact. were it not for emulation and following blueprints set by other bands, there'd be like six bands in the world. for real.
but enough of that. the facts: just like every other decent band out there, the electric cinema hails from from that veritable spring of everlasting melodies a.k.a england. their debut album is called, believe it or not, 'the electric cinema,' and it's a tremendous record by a band that seems to be flying very low beneath the radar. so do you part, team. go visit them at their myspace page. and go buy the record. with tunes this solid they should be a bright and steady blip on everyone's radar. a 747-sized blip. for real (ok, that's twice i've said that in the same post. sorry for my lack of originality). i think i smell a huge breakthrough (both for the band and my writing abilities) sometime in the very near future.
��� the electric cinema: cut down
��� the electric cinema: i could know all of you
SONG OF THE DAY (#162)
'the harsh effects of time' by the brothers martin
and yes, they are real brothers! ronnie (joy electric) and jason (starflyer 59) finally got together to form the fraternal supergroup this past year after each took a little break from his own successful group. each brother brought a little of his own band into the new project (ronnie with the electronics and jason with the guitars). i guess they'd been threatening to record together for awhile and finally, and to the delight of fans of both bands, they finally did. it was well worth the wait! way to represent the 909 area code (riverside, ca, for the uninformed). mom must be so proud.
so what does the band sound like? well, it sounds exactly like you'd think a marriage of joy electric and starflyer 59 might sound like. and that sound is super terrific. synthesized beats, groovy guitar work, and super melodies all mean it is excellent for getting down! and just for the record, i have to say i very thankful they decided to leave chris out of this. i'm sure chris and his hair would have ruined the whole thing. but that's a different story.
three cheers for sideburns!
��� the brothers martin: the harsh effects of time
��� starflyer 59: no new kind of story
��� joy electric: pictures of you (cure cover)
SONG OF THE DAY (#161)
'electric bird' by sia
so here's a new track by the great sia. it appears she has a new album coming out some time this fall called 'some people have real problems' (as opposed to, you know, fake problems. wink, wink), and if this song is any indicator, it should be another winner. it's a tremendous song.
also, if you're the computer artist/graphic designer/doodler, she's holding a contest to help her design her album cover and other art for the album. you can find out more here. looks like it could be a lot of fun. give it a try! in the meantime...
��� sia: electric bird (from the forthcoming l.p. 'some people have real problems.')
��� sia: i go to sleep (from the forthcoming l.p. 'some people have real problems.')
SONG OF THE DAY (#160)
'such a beautiful girl like you [single version],' by pizzicato five
when i saw pizzicato five at the el rey in l.a. back in 97, it was at that time the single most entertaining concert i've ever been to. ten years later it still is. costume changes (at least 5)! dancing bears! feather boas! it wasn't just a concert: it was an experience. and it was incredible!
nomiya maki [who you see at the top of this blog] was the essence of a superstar. she was glamorous, flirty, adorable, sophisticated, classy, and drop-dead gorgeous. yasuharo konishi marched around the stage with a snare drum draped from his neck like some hyperactive tenth-grader [and most of the time he didn't even match up with the beat], and some other guy [no idea who he was] wore black leather pants, a purple silk shirt with matching boa was playing an unplugged guitar. it was organized mayhem and it was 100% awesome. (my friend tim saw them in SF a day or two later and his friend, joe, wasn't sure if what he was seeing was real or a result of the booze!).
but explosive stage shows are nothing if you don't have the songs to back it up. pizzicato five, imho, may be the finest pop band of the last twenty years (it's neck and neck with saint etienne). unfortunately, a lot of people turn a deaf ear to a song not in his or her own native language. p5 released a few songs in english, or english versions of their songs, but naturally it's about 95% japanese, as well it should be. the duo of yasahuro konishi and keitar�� takanami (who later left the band) had considerable songwriting chops [their intricacy and complexity of their arrangements is astonishing] and led the rise of the shibuya-kei music scene. pizzicato five drew on influences like serge gainsbourg and other french y��-y�� singers, bossa nova, lounge, pop, with an image nicked straight from audrey hepburn and the pages of 1960s british vogue.
pizzicato five was the perfect blend of music and image. i could spend hours [and have] watching their videos [which are actually mini-movies, most beginning with 'starring ms. nomiya maki']. these are my favorites: 'tout va bien,' [i dare you not to smile], 'such a beautiful girl like you,' & 'twiggy twiggy.'
pizzicato five wasn't just a band, it was a movement. and dang if they weren't the coolest. band. ever. i'm as straight as they come and even i wanted to be nomiya maki. it must've been illegal amounts of fun to be part of p5. but, all good things must come to an end. sadly, in 2001 pizzicato five called it quits and the world is a lesser place because of it. i still miss them.
we love you p5, oh yes we do!
��� pizzicato five: such a beautiful girl like you
��� pizzicato five: twiggy, twiggy vs. james bond
��� pizzicato five: magic carpet ride
if you like those, check these out:
��� pizzicato five: made in the usa
��� pizzicato five: big hits and jet lags 1991-1995
��� pizzicato five: big hits and jet lags 1994-1997
��� pizzicato five: the singles
all hail the mighty depeche mode
because it's friday eve and because i can:
��� depeche mode: enjoy the silence [21 versions]
includes the following versions: album / 2004 / 7" / bass line / ecstactic dub / ewan pearson extended instrumental / ewan person extended remix / ewan pearson radio edit / hands and feet mix /harmonium [martin vocals] / reinterpreted by mike shinoda / richard x extended mix / richard x mix / ricki tik tik mix / the quad final / timo maas extended remix / timo mass instrumental / violation mix / acoustic live / live / richard x remix [mix]
��� depeche mode: violator 2000
world in my eyes [memory mix] / sweetest perfection [be-in-love mix] / personal jesus [energy mix] / halo [light mix] / waiting for the night [be-in-love mix] / enjoy the silence [violation mix] / policy of truth [energy mix] / blue dress [depeche mode mix] / clean [perfect mix] / dangerous [be-in-love remix] / happiest girl [be-in-love remix] / sea of sin [salt of sin mix]
��� depeche mode: black celebration - remix edition
a question of time [wall city mix] / stripped [razormaid mix] / a question of time [class-x-mix] / a question of lust [margouleff-US radio mix] / new dress [razormaid mix] / a question of lust [minimal mix] / a question of time [razormaid mix] / celebration megamix
��� depeche mode: broadcast LA [recorded in los angeles in 97. soundboard quality]
barrel of a gun / policy of truth / it's no good / walking in my shoes / sister of night / a question of lust [acoustic] / enjoy the silence [acoustic] / in your room / behind the wheel / personal jesus / never let me down again [w/billy corgan co-vocals]
��� depeche mode: cologne 98 [live in germany, soundboard quality]
painkiller / a question of time / it's no good / never let me down again / only when i lose myself / home / enjoy the silence / personal jesus / i feel you / *in your room [live on the late show with david letterman]
SONG OF THE DAY (#159)
'ghost town,' by the bicycles
swanky brass + plunky pianos + guitars + organs + strings + melody = sign me up!
where do i begin with a song as brilliant as 'ghost town?' i dunno, but i'll start here: it's supremely awesome. if you like your monkees, burt bacharach, the apples in stereo, 60s girls groups, and the like, then this is an album you're going to adore. the melodies are so precise and lovely and the songs so meticulously and brilliant arranged that it's hard to listen to the album in one shot 'cos you keep going back to the beginning. at least i did!
the bicycles debut album, 'the good, the bad, and the cuddly' (and with an album title like that, how can you go wrong? answer: you can't) is just such a fun record. now i know a lot of you 'hipsters' turn your noses up at bright, happy pop like this (i.e. 'i only listen to bright eyes and gloomy, political stuff.' you know who you are), but just slap on some training wheels (bicycles, training wheels--get it? man, that's a bad joke) and enjoy this ride. take it from me, you'll be glad you did.
bicycles, my canadian neighbors, i salute you.
��� the bicycles: ghost town
��� the bicycles: i will appear for you
��� the bicycles: i know we have to be apart
SONG OF THE DAY (#158)
the strangest thing seems to be happening: OMD is making a colossal comeback. now this is great news to me. i adore OMD to no end. there was a time OMD was a member of matt's holy trinity of music (depeche mode and erasure being the other two). i can't listen to a single OMD song without thinking about cross-desert road trips from provo to los angeles in our family's ford aerostar. those are some great memories.
a new generation of music enthusiasts seem to be discovering the brilliance of OMD. i'm hearing a LOT of covers of classic OMD songs and they're all great. sure, they're not revolutionary, but who cares? most covers, i think, are done out of love and admiration and i get the feeling these are no different. to add the comback, OMD just wrapped what was, by all accounts, a successful UK tour. all the original members were present, even esrtwhile prodigal son and founding member, paul humphreys. paul sang some of OMD's best tracks: secrets and (forever) live and die, among others. martin cooper is back on the keys and sax and malcolm holmes is back on the skins. everything feels complete. and i feel very happy about it.
i was lucky enough to see them in 1990 during the 'sugar tax' tour with my friend jenner (who snuck in a mini tape recorder only to get busted some security goon a few songs in. luckly they let us back into the show after we were forced to get rid of the tape recorder. jenner hid it behind the toilet in the men's room. no lie. it was still there when we went back, thankfully, but i have never heard what he had recorded!). i hope hope hope they come back stateside.
��� OMD: if you leave
��� OMD: we love you
��� OMD: so in love
��� nada surf: if you leave
��� frost: messages
��� klaus & krinski: souvenir
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