Friday, February 27, 2009

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero": "While the YYY dance makeover initially got an eyebrow raise from me, it's already started to grow on me, popping in and out of my head all week. Am I the only one who hears a little Chrissy Hynde in the vocals, at least in some parts?"

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Peaches - "Search And Destroy"

Peaches - "Search And Destroy": "One more from the new War Child compilation -
The Peaches/Iggy Pop mutual admiration club continues with this Peaches take on the Pop classic. Peaches could have easily screamed her way through this (a la "Rock Show"), but she challenges expectations by delivering a fairly cool and calm rendition instead. She gets points for mixing it up, but I still would have liked to hear how she would have turned the punk into rough electro. I also still want to hear more of her and Iggy together after the "Kick It" face-off."

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Lily Allen - "Straight To Hell"

Lily Allen - "Straight To Hell":
"Isn't that intro already melded into my brain enough from last year already? And isn't it only a matter of time before someone does a mash-up of this version, throwing M.I.A. into the mix?"

Monday, February 23, 2009

Morrissey - "Bengali In Platforms"

Morrissey - "Bengali In Platforms":
"Am I the only one who thinks Danny Boyle has started to look like present-day Morrissey, just with a frightening smile? Granted, I can see why the man was happy at the Oscars last night, but every time they showed him, I just kept thinking "Scary Morrissey!"
I figured I might as well heighten the irony by using this particular song as I pointed this casual similarity out..."

Friday, February 20, 2009

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "Inspiration Information"

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "Inspiration Information": "I still prefer the Shuggie Otis original, but it's hard not to give the lovely Ms. Sharon Jones some love for taking it on for herself. It's just a great song. (As an aside, this is from the new Red Hot compilation, Dark Was The Night.)"

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Breeders - "Lord of the Thighs"

The Breeders - "Lord of the Thighs": "I know this should make more sense in the hands of Steven Tyler, but it's so much more awesome in the hands of Josephine Wiggs, here taking on lead vocals on this "Cannonball" b-side. Steven makes this song sound like a crass boast, but Josephine is calmer and more commanding, like your thighs already know who's boss. But, really, don't they?"

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Yo Gabba Gabba! - "Party In My Tummy"

Yo Gabba Gabba! - "Party In My Tummy": "Dear goodness, this show is freaking great. I know it's a kids show, but it's surreal, charming, pro-indie rock and, so help me, the whole thing makes me think of Deee-lite. I'd be hard-pressed to think of any other time I've wanted to DVR a show for six year-olds. (Except for this one creepy episode where Elijah Wood did 'the puppetmaster'. That scared me. Badly.)"

Friday, February 06, 2009

Spent - "Good Luck Line"

Spent - "Good Luck Line": "A totally underappreciated band. I can see why they didn't have legions of fans - having three different vocalists (two male, one female) doesn't breed the most consistency - but catchy songs like this should have made up for it. It's a sugary rush (although not in any kind of fake pop way) that builds up to a rockin' ending, but with zero pretention - which is largely because it's tempered with a bit of bitterness: 'last in your good luck line / first to get fed up'."

Thursday, February 05, 2009

The Cramps - "All Women Are Bad"

The Cramps - "All Women Are Bad": "R.I.P. Lux Interior. The world is a much sadder place without The Cramps in it."

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Paul Burch - "Isolda"

Paul Burch - "Isolda": "This is such a great song, I cannot believe I haven't blogged about it yet. A bittersweet song of longing - of wanting, but not needing - polished with sweet pedal steel, but naked in the delivery. It's too sad to be a love song - especially since he isn't in love, anyway - but it feels like a broken heart anyway. Understated, but amazing."

Monday, February 02, 2009

Pavement - "Grounded"

Pavement - "Grounded": "'...please! plea! boys are dying on these streets...'"