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“Santa Baby” is my all-time favorite Christmas song, and nobody can do it like Eartha Kitt did. Many have tried, but I’ve never heard a version that can even touch the original. The wonderful Ms. Kitt strikes the most perfect balance between sweet and girly and totally slutty - something young female pop artists are still trying to do today. Recorded in 1953, “Santa Baby” is both a pop and a Christmas classic.
Since we’re having a bit of a Grunge revival here at 100b, we might as well talk about one of my favorite Grunge albums - Temple Of The Dog.
Temple Of The Dog was, I guess, a Grunge supergroup - but not at the time they recorded their one and only album. Made of members of Soundgarden and the project that would soon become Pearl Jam, Temple Of The Dog formed for this one album as a tribute to Andrew Wood, singer of the Seattle band Mother Love Bond. Wood was Chris Cornell’s roommate and a bandmate of Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament’s and had tragically died in 1990 of a heroin overdose, just before Mother Love Bone’s debut album Apple was released.
Joined by Soundgarden’s drummer Matt Cameron as well as Mike McCready and Eddie Vedder (who had recently joined with Ament and Gossard on new project Mookie Blaylock, later Pearl Jam), Temple Of The Dog got together in late 1990 to record songs that Chris Cornell had written, some in reaction to Wood’s death (”Say Hello 2 Heaven”, “Reach Down”). The album was released in April 1991, but wasn’t exactly a huge success. Until over a year later, that is, after Grunge had broken into the charts and the album was re-released with “Hunger Strike” as its lead single.
“Hunger Strike” did pretty well for the band (who, by then, no longer existed), reaching #4 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. This is the song you might remember from way back then, but it really should’ve been a much bigger hit. Temple Of The Dog is a great album, a hidden treasure that deserves more attention than it’s gotten, but “Hunger Strike” is really something special. A stunning song to begin with, the combination of Chris Cornell’s unreachable wail and Eddie Vedder’s so-deep steadiness is almost magical. It’s like they found a way to make pain and calm work together to create something of true beauty.
Temple Of The Dog - Hunger Strike
Temple Of The Dog - All Night Thing
To round up their EP spree, The Raveonettes have released this year’s first Christmas delight, “Wishing You A Rave Christmas”. As we discovered with their 2003 b-side, “The Christmas Song”, this holiday suits these two perfectly. They know exactly how to make their smutty fuzz sparkle, like their normal sound just got a fresh layer of glittery snow. Ring in the holiday season with “Come On Santa” below, and download the whole EP at emusic now.
A very Happy Birthday to our very favorite aDawgg in the whole wide world- we hope you like this very special tune by Mr. Johnny Afro, picked out especially for you!
Johnny Afro - Happy Birthday
Sometimes you find some music you really love but you just don’t know what to say about it. That’s what’s happened to me with the lovely Grey Anne. A Portland musician with a wonderful voice, Grey Anne sings odd, slightly quirky songs that are both folksy and funky. As for not really knowing what to say about her - I like her a lot but I have no idea how to explain why. I’ve had a listen through her whole debut album, facts n figurines - it grabbed me from the very first track and just kept getting better as I listened. There’s a lot of folksy girl singers out there, but Grey Anne has something different, something that makes her not just another folksy girl singer. The songs have a light, sing-songy feel, but also have a little darkness and oddness to them - both in their sound and lyrics. Give “Flapjack Devilfish Flies Again” (below) a listen - I’ll be very surprised if it doesn’t make you want to pick up facts n figurines right away.
Hear more at Grey Anne’s myspace page, or buy facts n figurines now through Greyday Records’ shop or emusic.
Grey Anne - Flapjack Devilfish Flies Again
Because we’re going to be looking at one of my all-time favorite bands, Pearl Jam, for 100best at the end of this month, I thought Grunge might be a good topic to introduce our new monthly feature. For you little people who are too young to remember the year that Grunge hit, I’m sure it’s hard to imagine what all the fuss was about. It was everywhere, in everything - we listened to the music, dressed in flannel, and daydreamed about Seattle. A lot of the hype was, of course, ridiculous, but hearing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for the first time really was as exciting as they say. I was just a small Bean at the time, but Grunge had, looking back on it, a huge impact on my musical preferences and I’m still thrilled by it today. Here’s 10 Random Facts about Grunge, the music that rocked the ’90s.
1.) In 1992, after Grunge’s insane explosion into the mainstream, the New York Times ran a story about the phenomenon. In it, writer Rick Marin gently mocks both sellers and buyers of the ‘Grunge look’ and subtly implies that we were all a bunch of suckers. Ironically, the information included in his sidebar entitled “Lexicon Of Grunge: Breaking The Code” - a list of slang words all the hip Seattle kids were using - was completely made up by Megan Jasper, a 25-year old sales rep at Sub Pop Records. Jasper was, apparently, sick of reporters asking stupid questions about the Seattle scene and invented a bunch of slang words on the spot. Read the original article here.
2.) That incident was documented in the 1996 Grunge documentary, Hype!. Hype! is unusual in that it takes the point of view of the scene itself, looking outward to the reaction that surrounded Grunge rather than simply profiling the bands involved.
3.) Although it probably appeared to be a Hollywood cash-in on the sudden popularity of Seattle’s music, Singles was actually filmed way before Grunge exploded. At the time of their involvement, Pearl Jam was still called Mookie Blaylock and Ten hadn’t even been recorded yet. According to the Wikipedia, the movie was delayed because the studio wasn’t sure what to do with it, then released it once Grunge had become popular. (Which, of course, made it a Hollywood cash-in on the popularity of the Seattle scene. But it wasn’t originally intended to be.)
4.) Despite Pearl Jam’s massive success in the early ’90s, their highest-selling single is “Last Kiss”. “Last Kiss” was originally released as a fan club-only single in 1998 but given a full release the following year, after radio play brought it to a wider audience. “Last Kiss” is a cover of a not-especially-successful 1962 song by Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders and has been covered by countless artists since the original was released.
5.) This year marks the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s very first single, “Love Buzz”. Only 1000 copies were pressed, a perfect opportunity for the still very young Sub Pop Records to make themselves appear exclusive and in demand. Each copy was hand-etched with the phrase “Why Don’t You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels?”, an easy way to tell if you’re getting a real one or being conned. A copy is up for grabs on eBay right now - buy it now for just $6,000.00. This site has all the information you could want about this rare 7″ single (and any other Nirvana disc you might be interested in) and is even working on a list to track the owner of every surviving copy.
6.) Perhaps the most famous baby ever, Nevermind cover star Spencer Elden even has his own Wikipedia page. Elden recreated the picture as a teen and, it seems, is looking to do it again. Kind of cheeky for something he can’t possibly remember doing in the first place.
7.) The term “Grunge” appeared as early as 1981, used by Mark Arm (later of bands Green River and Mudhoney) to describe his current band’s sound: “Pure grunge! Pure noise! Pure shit!” The word didn’t refer to a genre until Sub Pop started using it in the late ’80s.
8.) TAD, considered by some to be the first Grunge band, released a single called “Jack Pepsi” in 1991. TAD was sued over the artwork for this single, which featured the band’s name incorporated into the iconic Pepsi logo. The song is still sold as “Jack P***i” on iTunes today.
9.) While Pearl Jam and Nirvana were definitely the biggest and most popular Grunge bands, Soundgarden existed quite a bit before either of them recorded their breakthrough albums. Soundgarden finally saw some commercial success in 1991 with their third studio album, when Nirvana broke into the charts and listeners started looking to Seattle for more like what they were hearing on the radio. Although they were never as popular as Nirvana or Pearl Jam, Soundgarden is hugely important to the Grunge story: an investment made for the band to record their first album is essentially what started Sub Pop as an official label.
10.) C/Z Records’ 1986 Deep Six compilation is widely considered to be the first Grunge release, or at least a huge influence on the sound that came to be known as Grunge. It featured tracks by Green River, The Melvins, Malfunkshun, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, and The U-Men - many of whom went on to be (or had members that did) prominent features of the Seattle ’scene’ of the early ’90s.
Nirvana - Sliver
It’s hard to believe that “Venus In Furs” was recorded as early as 1967, it feels like it should be at least a decade later than that. It’s hardly an original opinion, but The Velvet Underground were so far ahead of their time, it’s like they were from a different world. In fact, “Venus In Furs” kind of sounds like it was recorded in some time separate from ours altogether. Dark, brooding and sinister, “Venus In Furs” sounds like beginning of the end and is the perfect soundtrack for a spooky, windy day like today.
The Velvet Underground - Venus In Furs
Ok, so I’ve posted about The Sweet before, but I can’t help it - they’re just a fountain of bubbly pop absurdity. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Sweet, but not for their deep and meaningful lyrics. Who thought it was a good idea to write a pop song about Alexander Graham Bell?! It’s not like this song is new to me, but I was recently struck by exactly how ridiculous it is. My favorite part? The rhyming of “Alexander Graham Bell / Well, he knew darned well”, of course.
Now I must be off to write a #1 hit about Ben Franklin. It’s going to rock.
The Sweet - Alexander Graham Bell
I love Halloween. It’s the best holiday ever and you will never get me to think otherwise. In celebration of this most holy day, I bring you my very own Top 10 Spooky Songs list. There’s a whole ton of lists like this out there - just Google “spooky songs” or “scary songs” and you’ll get loads of results - but I didn’t quite agree with any of them. So here’s my own, based on nothing but my own opinion and love of all things spooky and cheesy.
#10 Ray Parker, Jr., “Ghostbusters”
A dumb, dumb song but, here at 100b, we like dumb. Besides, because of this song, no one will ever be able to answer the question “Who ya gonna call?” like a normal person, so you can’t pretend that it hasn’t had an influence on popular culture.
#9 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, “Nightmare On My Street”
Sadly, I have no mp3 or video to share for Will Smith’s 80s, ahem, classic “Nightmare On My Street”. Supposedly, there was a video, but it was scrapped when the Nightmare On Elm Street people were unimpressed by the song’s not-so-subtle references to their movies. Listen to the song here.
#8 Tom Petty, “Zombie Zoo”
In a funny coincidence, I put Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever on my iPod just recently, because I always forget I have it and even though I love Tom Petty, I only know a few songs from it. While hanging around, doing our thing, the Tamboosh and I heard “Zombie Zoo” come up on shuffle and, of course, it caught our attention. It being Tom Petty and all, it’s not really about zombies, but it sure it catchy and a zombie zoo (if considered literally, that is) is too great of an image to pass up.
#7 Bobby “Boris” Pickett, “Monster Mash”
Yeah, it’s obvious, but it’s a classic. Plus - did you know that Leon Russell played on “Monster Mash”? Or that the BBC banned it on its original release in 1962 for being ‘too morbid’?! Or that a new version (one of many) called “Monster Rap” was released in 1985 to try and capitalize on the new popularity of rap?!?! (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
#6 Banjo Kate, “Zombie Jamboree”
I don’t know anything about Banjo Kate, or where this version of “Zombie Jamboree” came from (other than the Queens of Noize Folking It Up compilation), but it’s absolutely lovely. And about zombies. Who doesn’t love zombies? In my very quick search about this track, I learned that “Zombie Jamboree” is a pretty old song and has quite an interesting story, go check it out.
#5 The Five Blobs, “The Blob”
So awesome. There’s really nothing else to say. Listen here.
#4 Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
Again - pretty obvious. But there’s dancing zombies. And Vincent Price! This is the ultimate silliness, with a thin layer of cult-y cool. Admit it, you love “Thriller” and its absurdity just makes you love it more.
#3 The Doors, “Riders On The Storm”
Not a spooky song like some of the others on this list, but “Riders On The Storm” creeps me out. It’s all thunderstorms and abandoned dirt roads and perhaps the abandoning of bodies on the side of said roads. Creepy.
#2 The White Stripes, “Red Death At 6:14″
Is it me or does anyone else find the la la la las in this song kind of spooky? It’s like the voice belongs to the ghost of a little girl in pigtails and a pretty pink dress. The whole thing is just weird and vaguely sinister. But in a really good way.
#1 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “Red Right Hand”
“Red Right Hand” is, without a doubt, the creepiest song of all time. Nick Cave’s voice is all dark and menacing, the music sounds like the slow, heavy footsteps of a crazed killer. I don’t really get scared easily, but this song might seriously creep me out if I played it alone at night. It’s very threatening and makes the hair on the back on my neck stand up. A Halloween #1 if ever there was one.
Happy Halloween!
I never could really get into The Secret Machines, not being a big prog fan, but I loved “Nowhere Again” so much that I seriously wished I would like the rest of their music more. “Nowhere Again” was my favorite going out song (I have it the single on 7″) - I’d pop it on, turn the volume up, and let that beat get right into my bones.
In fact, I still love it so much, I’m starting to wonder again if I should give them another try. Maybe I’ve just been missing out all this time.
Here’s a live version of my beloved “Nowhere Again” for your listening pleasure.
The Secret Machines - Nowhere Again (live)
Everyone knows Michael Nesmith as the dry, sarcastic, hat-wearing member of 60s ‘boy band’ the Monkees. Of course that’s part of his story, but only one part, and the rest seems to be widely overlooked. I can’t say why, except that the post-Monkees prejudice is widespread and long-lasting, and that most of music history chooses to see them as nothing other than - and only capable of being - television puppets. Barely anybody knows that, among other things, Michael Nesmith was a huge part of what made the Monkees a genuinely great pop band, that he helped to develop areas of popular culture that we can’t imagine being without today, and that he was a pioneer of the music we know call country-rock.
Born in Texas to the (eventual) inventor of Liquid Paper, Nesmith spent some time in the Air Force before pursuing his interest in music. Originally a singer, he picked up the guitar in his 20s and started his career as a songwriter, turning the poetry he’d been writing since high school into lyrics. Having moved to Los Angeles, Nesmith recorded a handful of singles between 1963 and 1966 with limited release: some under the name Michael Blessing (picked out of a phone book when his label said ‘Nesmith’ wouldn’t do, according to the interview in the video linked below) and one as Mike and Tony (though it doesn’t seem that Tony actually existed, and it’s possible that Nesmith had nothing to do with that song at all, depending on which story is true).
After a few recordings with various musicians on various labels, Nesmith teamed up with Colpix Records (also home to future co-Monkee Davy Jones) in 1965 to release “The New Recruit” / “A Journey With Michael Blessing”. The b-side is an instrumental track, both country and surfer at the same time; the a-side is a playful and deeply sarcastic portrait of an army newbie in a jangly folk style somewhat reminiscent of the sound the Byrds were just starting to popularize (with their first single, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, earlier that year). This is an early indication of the type of music that Nesmith would take with him to the Monkees.
Michael Nesmith (as Michael Blessing) - The New Recruit
Mötley Crüe’s The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band is, despite my initial assumptions, a really great music book. Even if you haven’t read it, I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about the band hanging out with Ozzy Osbourne, snorting ants and whatnot. Yes, it’s all in there and it is indeed all pretty outrageous. Which makes for a good giggle, and the occasional turned stomach - all perfectly good reasons to read a book if you’re feeling up for something trashy.
But never underestimate The Crüe. The Dirt is more than just sensational ant-snorting. I finished the book with a much better appreciation of where 80s ‘hair-rock’ fits into music history and how it came to be what it was. I’ll admit that, although I love it, I still can’t take that kind of rock completely seriously - but I do understand it better now. And I definitely never expected to find The Crüe (or most of them) oddly endearing; once you get past the drinking and the groupies and the drugs, you get into the regular stuff that makes them human and that stuff is, much to my surprise, way better than all the insane backstage antics.
Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
Is it just me or has it been an incredibly slow music news week? Here’s just a few news-ish stories I came across in my internet travels…
Rolling Stone has an interesting run-down of all the musicians who have disagreed with the use of their music in the current US election campaigning. Am I the only one who noticed that the Obama campaign is not mentioned anywhere in this? Perhaps they’ve got the good sense to actually look into the music they use and prevent these problems in the first place. Or perhaps Rolling Stone is just incredibly biased, which I’m sure is totally true (and to be fair, they don’t really claim they’re aren’t), but I haven’t heard of any similar stories involving the Obama campaign - have you? (That’s a serious question, by the way, I’m curious.) In any case, what’s even more interesting (or maybe pathetic is a most appropriate word) is the way this small article has inspired a flood of poorly-spelled ‘democrats suck’, ‘no, mccain totally sux butts’ comments on the same page. What is it about the comments section of websites that brings out crazies who clearly have no knowledge of the English language?
Anyway, Rolling Stone also has details and a trailer for the new version of Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison. Usually I get pretty irritated about re-releases that basically just give us two new songs in exchange for paying something we already have, but this seems to be a little better than most, featuring unreleased material from the show and a new documentary. Even I might have to give in to this one - I sure would like to see that documentary. Visit RS to watch the trailer and judge for yourself if you need to replace your old copy of At Folsom Prison - the new version is out today in the US and in a few weeks in the UK.
Drowned In Sound points us to Weezer’s new “Troublemaker” video, which has broken five world records - including the world’s largest air guitar jam. Sweet - everyone likes a good air guitar rock-out. (Unfortunately, DiS’ embedded video isn’t working properly right now, but you can watch “Troublemaker” here instead.)
You’ve probably heard by now about the mini-kerfuffle between CBS and No Age. There seems to be some question over whether CBS’s explanation of why Randy’s Barack Obama t-shirt was not allowed is legit or if it was complete bollocks, but either way, good for them for doing what they can to support what they believe in. And the story did force me to finally connect that Tamboosh and I will be going to see No Age on Election Day. That should be an interesting evening in so many ways, and I’m glad I won’t just be hanging around in my sweatpants, watching the results come in by myself.
No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead
Sounding like a haunting mix between hobos traveling during the Great Depression and East European gypsies, Dark Dark Dark creates an image of sepia-toned photographs of long-forgotten wayfaring musicians just trying to make their way in the world.
And no wonder, because Dark Dark Dark are basically following the tradition of those musicians themselves. According to their label’s band bio, the members (Nona Marie Invie, Marshall LaCount, Jonathan Kaiser, and Todd Chandler) met while traveling across America, not actually intending to form a band. They played to earn their keep and ended up as the band they are now. They make glorious use of the kind of instruments we don’t hear too often anymore - accordion, upright bass, cello, banjo - and create a music that sounds both refreshing and dusty like old 78s. Their songs are “songs of ghosts, fermenting bodies, heavy hearts and magical dreams [that] shift the musical perspective from the dead, to the grieving, to the guilty, both remembering the past and looking ahead to the future”. Their music is lovely, a little spooky, and definitely catches your attention.
Dark Dark Dark has an EP out, “Love You, Bye.”, which isn’t available on iTunes or emusic in the UK but perhaps is in the States. Their debut album, The Snow Magic will be out on the 28th of October on Supply and Demand Music so be sure to look out for that. Check out their debut single, “New York Song” below, and visit DarkSpace to hear more.
Dark Dark Dark - New York Song
Wow, September was like new release mayhem! There’s a lot of stuff to cover this month, so we better just jump right in.
The release with the most attention on it was probably Kings Of Leon’s fourth album, Only By The Night. This one sees our Kings sounding much more Achtung Baby and a little less hillbilly - not as sleazy as they used to be, but way more sultry. I’ll admit that, although I liked “Sex On Fire” when I first heard it, I was a little dubious about this new album. But I shouldn’t have worried - Only By The Night didn’t grab me immediately the way that Kings Of Leon’s first albums did, but it’s grown on me enormously over the last two weeks. If you’re not convinced, check out “Crawl”, “Manhattan”, and “Notion” and see if they don’t win you over.
Next up is the lovely Peter, Bjorn & John with their latest, Seaside Rock. My opinion of this album kind of depends on how we’re supposed to take it: is this the real next Peter, Bjorn & John album, follow-up to the glorious Writer’s Block, or is it an experimental interlude? Seaside Rock is definitely interesting, and has some great music on it, but it doesn’t feel like an album. And although the odd Swedish stories (which may not be odd if I actually knew what they were telling me) are kind of charming at first, and set a certain mood, I can see where they could get a little annoying after a while - like skits on rap albums, only not dumb. In general, I suspect that Seaside Rock will be great for making mix CDs and playlists (”Saying Something (Mukiya)”, for example, would sound great on a mix), but I doubt it’ll be one of my most often played albums ever.
The always fun Spinto Band released their second LP, Moonwink last month and although it’s quite nice indeed, it’s doesn’t stray too far from where they left off on Nice And Nicely Done. That’s not a criticism, more of a taste test: if you loved “Oh Mandy”, go get yourself a copy of Moonwink right away. If you didn’t, this new album probably isn’t going to change your mind.
Fujiya & Miyagi haven’t changed much up on their third album, Lightbulbs, either, but I do feel like they’ve gotten even better at what they do. “Knickerbocker” has got to be one of the best singles of the year, and “Uh” (below) makes the world’s best use of ’sock it to me’. I wasn’t sure that the slower songs (”Goosebumps”, “Dishwasher”) quite fit at first, but now I’m thinking that the slight variations on this album give it a little extra something that Transparent Things lacked.
Speaking of lacking: anyone who, like me, felt that the only problem with the otherwise spectacular Casino Royale was the rather weak Chris Cornell Bond theme (”You Know My Name”) will be glad to hear the Jack White / Alicia Keys collaboration for Quantum Of Solace (if you somehow haven’t already). Sounding old and new at the same time, “Another Way To Die” is a much more fitting Bond theme.
Sadly, The Streets‘ Everything Is Borrowed is not such a triumph. Although it sounds more like a party than Mike Skinner’s previous albums, it doesn’t have nearly the same weight that his first two albums had. The title track does indeed make for a pretty catchy single, but it’s got an ordinary-ness that “Fit But You Know It” could crush with its pinky. Having said all of that, I should add as a disclaimer that I’ve only really listened to this album once properly, and Skinner’s greatest skill is most often found in his lyrics, so I’ll definitely give this more of a chance over time.
My beloved Raveonettes, continuing their EP spree, released the “Sometimes They Drop By” EP, much to my delight. I’ll never get tired of these guys and their motorcycle gang fuzz. These four songs aren’t a drastic change to anything that came before, but they do sound like they’ve been spending some time down at the drive-in watching martian movies. With every thing they do, The Raveonettes just keep getting a tiny bit better and I’m always anxious to hear what will come next.
Of course, I’ve saved the best for last. Well, depending on who you ask. Cold War Kids seem to be a seriously polarizing band, based on various comments I’ve seen around the internets lately. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em and there’s nothing in between. I guess I could see how their sound isn’t for everyone, but I’m in the love ‘em camp and I can’t imagine anything changing my mind. Loyalty To Loyalty was much anticipated at here 100b and it doesn’t disappoint. True, it’s much less structured than Robbers & Cowards, and that might be disconcerting for some. It feels more like a great live band (which they are, by the way, one of the best we’ve ever seen) doing their thing than an orderly album - it’s funkier, more beat-driven (an underrated aspect of Cold War Kids has always been their drums), both more rowdy and more subtle than their first. This is the kind of album that sticks around for a long time, and keeps getting better and better the more it’s played.
Fujiya & Miyagi - Uh
Cold War Kids - Dreams Old Men Dream
“Just” is definitely one of my favorite 90s songs - I can’t say I’m a massive Radiohead fan or anything, but I can’t get enough of this song, even 13 years after its release. It rocks hard, it’s great to sing along with, and I love the last 45 seconds - when it all quiets for a second and the drums are funky and the guitar screeches and then it all becomes the most glorious cacophony of sound.
Radiohead - Just
Plus, it’s got one of the best videos the 90s had to offer - I’m still wondering what was going on with this poor guy (but it would ruin the whole thing if we knew, don’t you think?):
Released in 1981 and an instant hit pretty much everywhere, Kim Wilde’s “Kids In America” is an 80s Poptastic classic. I don’t have any weird facts to share about this one, this pop masterpiece doesn’t need it (and I’m not even being sarcastic). However, I actually listened to the lyrics today, probably for the first time ever, and I’m not entirely sure I understand what this song is about. (Don’t say ‘kids in America’, you smartasses.) It’s an oddly surreal portrait of a dirty town and, um, dancing, I guess - but, assuming it’s what she’s actually singing, what does “everybody live for the music-go-round” even mean? Is that what the kids in America were doing, living for the music-go-round? Hmm.
Kim Wilde - Kids In America
It’s been quite a long time since we looked at the current singles charts, so this week we’re going to use the BBC Radio 1 Chart Show list and pick on the Top 10.
#10: Biffy Clyro, “Mountains” (YouTube link)
To be honest, I don’t get Biffy Clyro. There’s nothing bad about this, I just don’t understand the total devotion some people have with this band. In any case, they’ve dropped two positions since last week but are still rocking out in the Top 10.
#9: Kid Rock, “All Summer Long”
I’m sort of shocked that this song is doing so well in the UK. It’s also dropped two places but has been in the chart for 11 weeks - erm, all summer long, as it happens. This single sounds particularly American to me, and to tell you the truth, a little bland for Kid Rock, so I’d never have expected it to be such a big hit on this side of the world. I do however, like the use of the “Sweet Home Alabama” riff and choir in the chorus, so it’s got that going for it.
#8: Madcon, “Beggin’” (YouTube link*)
Holy crap - rap from Norway?! Who knew? This is pretty cool, the video’s got a whole 1970s Shaft / Foxy Brown thing going on and the song is ridiculously catchy. I’m curious what else Madcon will bring us now that they’ve broken through to international charts (as far as I can tell, this is their first big hit).
#7: The Script, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” (YouTube link*)
The Tamboosh once told me her theory that groups like this are the boy bands of the 00s. This totally proves her point.
#6: Eric Prydz, “Pjanoo” (YouTube link)
Hmm, dance-type music is one of the few genres I don’t really listen to, so I can’t judge if this is any good or not. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t convert me into a dance/techno (dude, I don’t even know what to call it!) fan, either. What’s up with the tiny Indians?
#5: Rihanna, “Disturbia” (YouTube link*)
I’m usually quite impressed with Rihanna and her willingness not be exactly like every other gorgeous singer out there in Popland. Sadly, this single is kind of a dud for me - it’s not different enough to stand out, like her singles often do, and it’s not catchy enough to make up for it.
#4: The Pussycat Dolls, “When I Grow Up”
Since I don’t get paid for this, you can’t make me listen to the Pussycat Dolls. Seriously, I won’t do it.
#3: Cliff Richard, “Thank You For A Lifetime” (YouTube link)
Oh, dear. I couldn’t skip two in a row, could I? This is pretty much as painful and cringe-worthy as I expected it to be. Please say this is a farewell / retirement song - that might improve it a little.
#2: Katy Perry, “I Kissed A Girl”
I’ve read a lot about Katy Perry but not heard her music until now. This single is apparently very controversial, which I guess should be expected, but it all seems a little silly to me. Though, to be fair, if it wasn’t, it probably wouldn’t be so popular. It’s a decent enough pop song, pretty much what pop should be, in my opinion: catchy, danceable, fun - but let’s face it, it’s no “Umbrella” or “Crazy In Love”.
#1: Kings Of Leon, “Sex On Fire” (YouTube link*)
Ah, the mighty Kings Of Leon at #1, right where they should be. They get a tiny bit more stadium with every release, but that’s not a bad thing, as long as they continue to hang on to that Southern grittiness that made them so great in the first place. This feels more John Cougar Mellencamp than any of their previous singles, but I can get down with that. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m really looking forward to Monday’s release of Only By The Night - we can always do with a little more KOL in this world.
And there you have - another week, another totally in-depth chart investigation here at 100b. Until next time…
* Sadly, these YouTube channels won’t allow embedding on these videos. Which, of course, is completely absurd since it’s basically free advertising. What the hell is up with that?! Hrmph.
I’m going to have to make it quick this week, so I just have a trio of violent and ridiculous (in the exasperating, slightly scary sort of way) stories to share with you all. These three all popped into my blog reader over the last week or so, making for a lovely post-apocolyptic feel to the news.
First, it looks like the LAPD and Hollywood Bowl have taken a lesson from past Houston concert policing and attacked some nice folks at last week’s Radiohead show. All sarcasm aside, this is outrageous, assuming it’s all true, and even my cynical ass can’t believe that people can get away with this.
And that brings us around nicely to the Republican National Convention, which seems to be going swimmingly. First, You Ain’t No Picasso reports that some photographer friends of his were arrested during protests that they were, well, taking photos of. Take notice of the photo he’s posted, where the cops in question totally do not look crazed with power. Maybe I’m reading that into it, or maybe it’s the thick stream of pepper spray (or similar) clouding my judgment. Anyway, if you stop by YANP, also check the links in his post for more RNC madness.
Oh, wait, there’s more! Police also shut down a Rage Against The Machine show that was to take place nearby the convention. Doesn’t democracy just warm your heart? RATM seem to have just switched gears, picking up a megaphone and marching their people down to the convention center in protest. Although it ended in tear gas (as, sadly, stories involving protest of any kind often do nowadays), let’s all just take a minute to thank RATM for being so badass in so very many ways.
Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name
Miracles of Modern Science are a six-piece band currently based in Brooklyn who play - according to the email 100b received a few weeks ago - ‘orchestral space-pop’. Which, honestly, sounds exactly like the kind of thing I would hate. Luckily I checked them out anyway, and was pleasantly surprised to find that ’space-pop’ isn’t the weird experimental nonsense I expected it to be.
As it turns out, the email description is quite literal. Miracles of Modern Science (MOMS) have no use for guitars or any of those crazy new-fangled contraptions - they’ve stuck to violins, cellos, and other assorted classical instruments. This, as you might guess, creates a beautiful, sweeping orchestral sound, yet their songs are most definitely pop-based. As I’m sure you’ll read anywhere that mentions MOMS, their sound does definitely put one in mind of the Arcade Fire. But way more fun. (No offense to the Arcade Fire, who I love with all my heart, but ‘fun’ isn’t necessarily a word I’d use to describe them.)
Oh, and as for the ’space’ part of ’space-pop’? They perform in silver spacesuits that are quite possibly leftovers from The Mysterians, a movie I recently enjoyed greatly. As for whether these songs themselves are outer space oriented? I haven’t quite determined that yet.
Miracles of Modern Science are currently finishing up their debut EP, which will be released by the brand new label Amazing Wow. So brand new, in fact, that that they’re still working on their website. Amazing Wow itself sounds like something to watch out for, based on their mission statement:
“Amazing Wow is a modern music label that rejects the concept of music piracy and the antiquated notion that every download is a lost sale. AW is not an online community, but an exclusive label that treats its artists with the same devotion and attention as any traditional label. Instead of making CDs, AW offers all the music for free download online, and makes money from ad revenue, merchandise (shirts, vinyl, etc.) and bands’ tours.”
Have a listen to Miracles of Modern Science below, or at MiracleSpace, and keep an eye out for their debut EP and Amazing Wow.
Miracles Of Modern Science - Eating Me Alive
Miracles Of Modern Science - MR2
Brett Milano’s Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting is one of my all-time favorite music books. To be honest, it’s not really all that much about music itself, but about the sub-culture of obsessive vinyl collectors. Milano journeys into the depth of the vinyl junkie world, meeting all sorts along the way and mostly asking them ‘Why?’ Why do they devote so much time and effort to tracking down little known releases and obscure bands on a format that’s barely used anymore? What are they looking for? I really don’t want to ruin any of the fun for you, but he meets some really fantastic characters along the way and has some wonderful stories to share.
Really, I think this adventure could be enjoyed by anyone who collects - whether it’s baseball cards, teapots, stamps, or comic books. Yes, there are stories and oddities that belong to vinyl sub-culture alone, but collectors in general are an odd sort (myself included) and I think any collector can relate to the excitement and obsession of hunting down new additions.
I’ll admit it - I’m a recovering vinyl junkie myself. I don’t have the space right now to set up my turntable and crazy Frankenstein sound system (basically a collection of bits and pieces), so I don’t bother with vinyl so much anymore. I still love it though, and still get a lusty feeling when I see those racks of beautiful 7″ singles in the record store. I’m sure I’ll start collecting again when I do get the use of my turntable back. Why? Well, mainly the b-sides, of course. Who doesn’t love the idea of a new song by a band they adore? B-sides are where some really great stuff happens. Not always, of course, sometimes a b-side is just a song that wasn’t good enough to go be the a-side. But every once in a while, your geekery will be rewarded by great covers, experiments that worked out much better than you’d think, or unusual and unexpected collaborations. It’s far easier to track down these songs digitally than it was even a few years ago, even legally through music providers like emusic and iTunes. This is a good thing, but it’s still not the same. For me, with no place to buy vinyl nearby, I’d get to anticipate the arrival of those square envelopes with potential treasures inside. Plus, vinyl is pretty, it gives you those delicious pops and crackles, and the ritual of putting on a record is just so much more enjoyable than double-clicking an mp3.
Here’s one of my favorite vinyl b-sides, found on The Strokes’ 2004 “Reptilia” 7″ single. Most people list it as ‘The Strokes ft. Regina Spektor’, but it’s actually credited as ‘Regina Spektor and The Strokes’ on the sleeve. Sleeves - you don’t get those with mp3s, either.
Regina Spektor and The Strokes - Modern Girls And Old Fashion Men
This song - the Pretenders’ third single from their debut album (pictured) - doesn’t really need any justification for being called a Classic. It’s simply lovely. It’s a little bit sexy, but in an incredibly sweet way. It proves that love songs don’t have to be slow and gooey and full of pain to be effective.
Also, did you know that, even though it wasn’t especially new at the time (released in 1979), it was the 7th video to be played on MTV’s first night in 1981? ‘Cause they used to have good taste back then.
Pretenders - Brass In Pocket
The Lemonheads’ It’s A Shame About Ray is one of my very favorite albums of the 90s and one day I’ll write all about it for a Classics entry. But today we celebrate cheesiness, something The Lemonheads - apparently - understand very well.
The Favorite Spanish Dishes EP was released in the UK in June 1990 but then re-released in the States almost a year later. The US release had a couple of additional songs, one of which was a cover of New Kids On The Block’s “Step By Step”. Keep in mind, this was before it was a requirement for bands to have a few ironic covers up their sleeve. Also noteworthy is that the original “Step By Step” was released the same month as Favorite Spanish Dishes‘ UK release - meaning that The Lemonheads must’ve recorded the cover pretty much right as it became was becoming the New Kids’ biggest selling single. For some reason, this knowledge makes me love them even more.
The Lemonheads - Step By Step
So what new releases knocked my socks off in July? I don’t have a lot to share with you in this edition of In The Merry Merry Month… since July was incredibly chaotic for me, but July definitely had some great things to offer.
Pop Levi’s second album was released, which was exciting for me to find out because his first is still a constant on my iPod. Never Never Love is less glam and more electro than The Return To Form Black Magick Party - like he’s shed off some Marc Bolan and gained a little Prince. (To be honest, I’ve never really listened to Prince much, other than the singles, so that may be a faulty comparison. You get what I mean though.) I can’t say it’s grabbed me quite as much as his first did, but any Pop Levi is better than no Pop Levi, in my opinion.
Beck’s widely anticipated Modern Guilt has been all over the place, and rightly so. I haven’t had a chance to listen to it a lot yet, but I will say that it’s appeal is apparent immediately. It sounds like Beck should sound - funky and a mix of every genre at once - but where his funkiness is typically hip-hop influenced, Modern Guilt feels more like a relaxed blues jam on hot summer day. Beck is always a surprise and hasn’t let me down yet.
I think I’ve missed some releases since Dr. Dog’s wonderful Easy Beat back in 2005, but I made sure to grab their latest, Fate, as soon as I could. Fate sounds pretty much like I expected it to, but that’s not a bad thing. Dr. Dog’s White-Album-Beatles-meets-The-Band sound is perfect for the summertime and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
By far my favorite of this month’s releases is Kitty, Daisy & Lewis’ eponymous debut album, around 3 years since I first heard them belt out “Mean Son Of A Gun”. I seriously can’t recommend this album enough - it’s charming, rockin’ and completely transports you to a dusty, rockabilly world that no longer exists.
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Honolulu Rock-a Roll-a
Isn’t it funny how you can get totally into The Olympics yet have no interest in sports whatsoever? Knowing you don’t really care at all, you still have this intense need to watch the Long Jump. Seriously - I’m watching rowing right now. Rowing. What’s that all about? I call it being Olympnotized. To kick off this year’s world-wide Olympnosis, I was planning on giving you all a run-down of past Olympic theme songs.
Sadly, the New York Times beat me to it.
So, if you’re interested in decades of Olympic cheese, go check it out. Since all eyes are on China right now, I decided instead to have a look at Chinese pop culture and see what those crazy kids are listening to over there. I found this chart on yesasia - it’s a couple of weeks old, but it’s the best I could do in a language I can actually read. So, let’s have a look at the top 5 …
(Note: the titles of these songs can be seen at the yesasia link above - I have absolutely no idea what they mean.)
#5
This is, apparently, “Lam Man Lung” by Juno featuring Softhard. It’s a smooth funky R&B/hip-hop-ish jam, not at all unpleasant. I seriously wish I could understand what they were singing about because I’m incredibly curious if the flashy virtual reality video has anything to do with the song. In any case, I love the bit at about 1:08 with the robot-y voice - I could listen to that all day long.
#4
I couldn’t find a proper video for this one, but at least you can check out the song. It’s listed on yesasia as Kay Tse, but - according to my shaky research - is actually Kelvin Kwan featuring Kay Tse. This song is odd - it’s hip-hop-ish in some of the vocals, but also a little like a Chinese Evanescence song.
#3
I think one is my favorite of the bunch - Ms. Ivana Wong is adorable and even though I have no idea what’s going on, it’s quite catchy. But what on earth is going on with the bar codes and paint and stuff?
#2
I have to admit, I watched this video twice and I’m still not sure what happened with this couple. And that has nothing to do with a linguistic or cultural barrier, only my own inability to understand the constant time shifts. No matter what happened to these guys, Kary Ng proves that breaking up is hard and love songs are relevant anywhere.
#1
And at the top of the chart, here is Fama, another hip-hop-ish song. Funny how all of these songs could be popular anywhere if they were in a different language. I love these guys - the song itself isn’t the kind of thing I’d expect to hear pumping from my stereo though it does kind of suck you in about halfway through. Mostly I love how they’re regular-looking and, well, kind of dorks. They make me incredibly happy and I’m glad they got the top spot.
So there you have it - a little taste of a land far far away. Now I have to go give my attention to some swimming heats that I don’t really care about.
As you may have noticed, 100b is on a little break right now. We got busy will all kinds of assorted mayhem but all will be back to normal next week, when we will return to our regularly scheduled programming. Same time, same place - be there or be square.
In the meantime, here’s an awesome song just because it’s awesome.
Beck - Where It’s At
I can’t believe how long it’s been since I listened to this album. Although “Four Kicks” (off Aha Shake Heartbreak ) is really my favorite Kings Of Leon song, there’s not much that can compete with Youth & Young Manhood taken as a whole album. A little like Creedence Clearwater Revival but with thick layers of sleaze on top, Youth & Young Manhood tells stories about wayward daughters, whores, transvestites, murder and violence, seedy encounters, and shady preachers.
I remember being totally blown away when I first heard it. I took it and my old-school discman to the Tamboosh the very next day and made her listen to it on my headphones while we waited for our lunch to be served. A few months later, I actually got a pang of sadness when I saw it in on display in a record store - I knew it was insane, but for a split second I was actually disappointed that I couldn’t buy it again and hear it all fresh and new. Listening to it again this week for the first time in, I don’t know, maybe over a year, gave me a little taste of that first-listen thrill all over again.
Kings Of Leon - Red Morning Light
Kings Of Leon - Joe’s Head
Let’s start off this week’s round-up with a good belly laugh, shall we? And what better way to get your giggle on than to poke fun at crazy bible-thumpers? The Guardian technology blog has a great story about how the American Family Association (who aims to educate us heathens to “change the culture to reflect Biblical truth and traditional family values”) has taught their spell-check to replace the word ‘gay’ with ‘homosexual’. They don’t believe in ‘gay’, you see. The AFA doesn’t seem to have thought this through completely, since their headline about Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay read: “Homosexual Eases Into 100 Final at Olympic Trails”. By far the best news story I’ve read in a very long time. (More on this situation at Right Wing Watch.)
Speaking of the technologically inept, No Rock And Roll Fun points out the NME’s completely … well, completely wrong coverage of the new Rhapsody MP3 store. And while we’re talking about NME - I know it’s been a while since I visited their website, but what’s with the Daily Gossip and Tabloid Hell - also known as the Lily Allen / Pete Doherty / Amy Winehouse Report - sections? I guess they’ve officially given up on being about music in any way, what a shame. Dude, I’m not nearly old enough to remember the good ‘ole days of the magazine, but even I thought it would be pretty cool to write for them back when I first started reading it. Now I’d be embarrassed to admit it - do people seriously care that Paul Banks was seen sunbathing?
Of course we’ve all heard that Glastonbury went over pretty well, despite all the criticism. I’m glad Jay-Z’s set was a winner - nothing brings a crowd of drunken people together like “Wonderwall” (and I’m not even being sarcastic right now). His appearance has done him rather well in other ways as well: 2004’s single “99 Problems” will back in the charts this week, most likely within the Top 25.
My beloved Cold War Kids have announced that their as yet untitled second album will be released in September. The Music Slut recently posted the teaser trailer for it, go have a look. As a ridiculously huge fan of Robbers & Cowards, this is definitely my most anticipated release of the year.
You Ain’t No Picasso just put up a great live “Get Smart”-themed (the old TV show, not the silly new movie) Jack White and Beck collaboration. Check it out before it’s gone, you won’t be sorry. Also brought to my attention by the excellent YANP is the new James Bond teaser trailer. So. Flippin’. Awesome. The count down to November starts now.
The Detroit Cobras - My Baby Loves The Secret Agent
Last month, when tha dawgg and I visited Rough Trade East, I was intrigued by an album with a cool cover. Of course I passed it up like a dumbass and regretted it almost immediately. I picked it up a couple weeks ago and it’s even better than the cover made it look.
The album was Los Angeles duo No Age’s debut, Nouns. Calling them ‘experimental’ (which they are) makes it sound like they play cardboard boxes and old-school answering machines. They’re not exactly pop, but they’re not unpop. They’re fuzzy, gritty, and a little chaotic - in the kind of catchy way that makes me want to party. No Age does exactly what drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt says a band should do:
“Bands should be fun and exciting and they should push all the buttons at the same time. They should make you feel like you are going to explode and make you utterly confused and inspired at the same time.”
Indeed.
No Age - Here Should Be My Home
I’m a great big dork and love reading about music almost as much as I love listening to it. I’d like to tell you about some of the music books I’ve enjoyed, on a monthly basis, if you’d like to hear about them. To start things off this month, I’ve got two books I’ve recently devoured, both about love and loss and the impact of music.
Rob Sheffield’s Love Is A Mix Tape is, superficially, told through the presence of mix tapes in his life. All of us (well, those of us who listened to music pre-iTunes) can relate to the impact of a mix tape. It’s not just about the music on it, because that part can be replicated through playlists and mix CDs. What we’re missing in the digital age is the way it took all day to physically make a really good mix. And, more importantly, the effort that you made to make one for someone else (and vice versa). Making a mix was special. Now we can whip out a CD in a few minutes, which is nice in its own way, but it’s a different thing. Mix tapes had themes and meaning in a way that CDs don’t - I don’t know why that is exactly, perhaps simply because CDs are so much simpler to make, we’re much less perfectionist about them. Mix tapes took devotion and commitment and, in a way, that’s what Rob Sheffield’s heartbreakingly beautiful memoir is all about. The story of how Sheffield met and fell in love with his wife, Renée, starts with a shared love of a lesser-known song (Big Star’s “Thirteen”) and ends with him a much too young widower, surrounded by the mix tapes that soundtracked their time together. It’s also the story of how he managed to live on after her death, both because of and in spite of the music that they loved together. Love Is A Mix Tape is horrifically sad, often funny, and essential for anyone who feels like music means something in their lives.
(Note: On the subject of mix tapes, also recommended is Thurston Moore’s Mix Tape: The Art Of Cassette Culture, a great stroll down memory lane for those of us who used to get really excited about spending all day Saturday parked in front of the stereo, surrounded by cassettes.)
Another memoir, Things The Grandchildren Should Know, by Eels frontman Mark Oliver Everett is a perfect companion to Love Is A Mix Tape. If you saw Everett’s recent BBC documentary, you’ll know that his father basically invented the idea of parallel universes. While that was all surprisingly fascinating (I’m not a theoretical physics kind of gal, so I wasn’t expecting to find the science stuff as interesting as I did), that’s not what Everett’s memoir is about. This is his personal story and it reads like he’s just telling a friend about his life. Like Rob Sheffield, Mark Everett’s musical world has been shaped and altered, in part, by tragedy and sorrow, much more than any one person should ever have to deal with. But it’s just as much about the desire, and the fight, to just be one’s self without compromise. You definitely do not have be a life-long Eels fan to appreciate and be inspired by Everett’s career and his struggle to just be the musician he is.
All in all, these are two of my most highly recommended music books, the kind that make me want to buy a box full of copies and hand them out to my friends like Elvis. Like the best movies and songs, they’re both full of love, humor, sadness and beauty.
Big Star - Thirteen
Eels - Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)
You know how people say that you’re either a Beatles person or a Rolling Stones person? Well, maybe I’m just imagining a divide, but I think you’re also either a Stone Roses person or a Happy Mondays person. I’m a Stone Roses gal all the way. I’ve never been able to get down with the Happy Mondays at all, and I’m not even sure I understand what it is that people love about them. But I could listen to The Stone Roses every day and it would never get old.
“Waterfall” is my personal Stone Roses classic. I know some people will disagree because it doesn’t fit the typical definition, but I consider it an anthem. It’s not loud or in your face, it doesn’t incite riots - it doesn’t even really make you want to get up and dance. I’m not entirely sure what I think it means - have a look at its entry on SongMeanings and you’ll see that some people think it’s about a woman who manages to keep going through hard times, while others think “she” is Britain herself. Both make sense, though I’m not British so I lean more towards a story about personal strength. Either way, it has the same effect: it makes you feel like everything’s going to be ok and, to me, that’s what an anthem should do.
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
I have to make this relatively quick today, so it’s a good thing that this travesty pretty much speaks for itself. From the BBC:
A remix of Singin’ in the Rain that was used by Britain’s Got Talent winner George Sampson has shot to number one in the UK singles chart. The song, best known as the title track in Gene Kelly’s 1952 film, was reworked by Manchester dance act Mint Royale.
Oh. Dear. God.
No, I will not give them anymore attention by posting that nonsense here. Is this a sign that Poptasticism is going over to the dark side? I’m sure you can find the Mint Royale version if you want to offend your ears badly enough. But come back here when you’re done and listen to the original. You’ll need it to cleanse your soul.
Gene Kelly - Singin’ In The Rain
First things first - aDawgg would like to offer his sincerest apologies for having to skip this week’s edition of Those Zany Charts… He told me to tell you all something, but I’ve completely forgotten what it was. In any case, Those Zany Charts… will be back in its regularly scheduled slot in two weeks’ time.
So, I’m here instead today, bringing you the first in a new feature here at 100b. We’ve been hoping to do something that focuses on new releases for some time now, since they get a bit neglected around here, so we’ll be writing up a quick run-down of the stuff we’ve had a chance to hear over the previous month (more detailed reviews will be done in separate posts should we feel the need or, you know, get around to it). In The Merry Merry Month may cover albums, singles, movies, or anything else music-related that grabs our attention. Please keep in mind that we are not high profile bloggers that get promotional copies of releases and that we do actually pay for these albums. We may not be able to pick up every single good release every single month, but we are always open to suggestions, so speak up in the comments if you think we’re missing out on something great.
So, what came out in May? The Ting Tings’ We Started Nothing has been all over the place lately. There’s a lot of criticism of The Ting Tings going around, but I don’t get it. We Started Nothing is a good pop record - it’s catchy as hell, fun, danceable. What exactly is wrong with that? Another duo that had a lot of early blog buzz was John & Jehn. Their Velvet Underground-y debut is a little bottom-heavy and doesn’t bring any major surprises in their sound, so steer clear if you hated “20 L 07″. Personally, I love “20 L 07″ and I’ve really enjoyed the album so far; “1,2,3″ and “Lady Spider” were the tracks that stood out to me on the first couple of listens. And yet another twosome, dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip, made their debut in May with Angles, which feels less like a cohesive album than a very enjoyable (if slightly random) collection of cool beats and cleverly-made observations on modern society.
My most anticipated release in May was definitely The Futureheads’ This Is Not The World and it doesn’t disappoint. This album brings back the magical combination of harmony and fire that their debut did so well (and that News & Tributes lacked in places). My biggest surprise of the month was Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit’s stunning debut, A Larum, which I’ve completely fallen in love with. A glorious mix of assorted folk influences, A Larum is one of the best releases I’ve heard all year.
Check out standout tracks from my favorite May 2008 releases below.
The Futureheads - Broke Up The Time
Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - Cold Bread
I’m having a rather grumpy day today. No music was really suiting my mood until I came across Raw Power in my iTunes library. Definitely in my list of the greatest albums of all time, Raw Power drips with the kind of attitude that just dares people to mess with you.
Obviously, I consider Raw Power a Classic in itself, but today’s mood was all about “Search and Destroy”. Listening to it, I imagine someone strutting down a busy street in a leather jacket, scowling at the world. This is the song to listen to when you’re sick and tired of, well, everything. It’s the song you need when you’re ready to stand up for yourself. It’s the song you hear in your head when you’ve decided that nothing will stand in your way. In fact, the very first line says everything you need to know about this song: “I’m a streetwalkin’ cheetah with a heart full of napalm”. Listen to it and that’s exactly how you’ll feel.
Iggy and The Stooges - Search and Destroy
In the process of ripping my entire CD collection to my shiny new external hard disk, I’ve come across tons of albums that I’d totally forgotten about. It’s kind of sad how that happens, but also nice to rediscover them later. Kind of like finding money in your pocket. Ikara Colt’s 2002 debut Chat and Business is one of those albums.
Truth be told, I never really got into Ikara Colt with any sort of passion. I picked up the album when I wanted so spend some money and liked it well enough - it sounds pretty good loud when you’re having a bad day - but I never loved it. Drowned In Sound’s Conor Kinesis put it perfectly in his review of Chat and Business: “You may be fond of it, but you can never quite bridge the gap between friend and bedmate.”
Ikara Colt split up after exactly 5 years together, under the theory that it’s “better to go out this way than to turn into some old, tired and jaded outfit”. I respectfully disagree - it would’ve been better to stay together long enough to fully realize the potential that their releases only touched on. “At The Lodge” was the song that initially got me interested in the band and it’s still, 6 years later, an amazing track. Damn, those drums still drill right down into my bones and make my heart pound from the moment they kick in.
Ikara Colt - At The Lodge