Swervedriver - "Planes Over The Skyline": "An excellent Swervedriver non-album track finally surfaces on the new re-issue of Mezcal Head. Not sure why this didn't come out when they did their reunited tour last year, but glad to have it now."
Guv'ner - "Wounded Birds And Vampires Own The Edge": "Creative anarchy! This song is one of the most infuriating and most amazing songs I know. It sounds like someone took four (or more!) catchy indie rock tunes and threw them into a blender - once you start getting into one hook or other element, it completely switches gears, every couple of seconds at that. It frustrated me terribly in the beginning, much like a repeatedly interrupted conversation, but over time it grew on me. I began to love the different elements on their own, fractured though they were, adding up to a greater sum, largely because the love had to be earned. It also helps that most of the chaos is held together with handclaps, always musical magic to me."
The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name (L.A. Riots Remix)": "The Ting Tings' playful tune takes on a tougher edge in this remix. Plus, I know I'm a easy mark, but I do like how things get more electroclashy in some parts."
Rocket From The Crypt - "Born in '69": "The long-overdue RFTC album missing from digital finally comes through - awesome! This song is a particularly rockin' cut...as if any of their songs weren't, really."
Q-Tip - "Breathe And Stop": "It's been so long, I kind of forgot how much fun the first Q-Tip solo record is - and how sad it took almost a decade for the follow-up! (Not counting all the records he recorded that somehow never saw the light of day.)"
Blondie - "Youth Nabbed As Sniper": "Between the party tracks like 'Rapture' and 'Heart of Glass', it's tempting to think of Blondie as all fun and games - but that's forgetting this odd dark undercurrent that appears in many songs across all their records. From the second Blondie release (Plastic Letters), we get this paranoid tale of what sounds like teen espionage and romance - but no matter what it really is about, this song is not your standard pop fare."
The Breeders - "Do You Love Me Now Jr?": "Sorry, another Breeders song for you - I couldn't help myself. This is the third version of this track that the Breeders released, but for good reason. Originally appearing on the Safari EP, the band re-recorded an equally solid version for the Last Splash LP - which, in turn, got remixed by Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis and released on the Divine Hammer single. Here, J takes the studio version of the track and adds his own vocals to it, creating a somewhat awkward and touching indie rock duet out of Kim Deal's yearning original."
Beck - "Chemtrails": "Initially, this song didn't do much for me - it seemed too restrained, too muted. Now, after time, its eerie quality is oddly catchy, plus the quiet sections remind me of some Aislers Set songs, which is usually the last thing I'd associate with Beck."
Vanessa Daou - "Near the Black Forest": "I remember how semi-daring this was intended to be in `95, when it came out. The video was all pan-sexual writhing bodies and the album's lyrics were all based on the 'erotic works' of Erica Jong (or perhaps it was 'erotic poetry', I forget). All that aside, this is still a sultry little down-tempo number that captured the sexy vibe that holds up better than the rest of this project."
Tragedy - "Shadow Dancing": "I just have to point out that Tragedy is an "all-metal tribute to the Bee Gees" (ignoring, obviously, that this is an Andy Gibb song) and the name of their album is "We Rock Sweet Balls and Can Do No Wrong". Seriously. At least they fulfill expectations by putting cowbell in the chorus."
The Broken West - "House of Lies":
"At first, I was a little surprised by The Broken West's turn to new wave stylings, following their Byrds-y debut, but when the surprise wore off, I could see the quality songs - like this one - were still there."
The Breeders - "New Year": "Yes! Just in time for New Years! Thanks to Adam from Beggars from getting tired of my nagging and getting this album into the system :)"
Dead Or Alive - "Brand New Lover":
"I WANT SURPRISES!" - Dead or Alive
Tomorrow starts 2009 and I think we're all a little ready for something different, right? What better way to get ready for that with a little Mr. Pete Burns? (He's the frontman for Dead or Alive, for those of you who don't know.)
And speaking of surprises, did you know that this is what Pete looks like today?:
Indeed.
But enough about Pete...here's to the end of `08.
Richard X (with Deborah Evans-Strickland) - "Walk On By": "Isaac Hayes' take on this song was simmering. This version is more...well, apathetically prissy. Deborah Evans-Strickland, who provided the classic vocals for The Flying Lizards' cover of "Money (That's What I Want)", curtly notes "Don't stop." like a bored model - no heat here, but that's intended. It's like they put the song on a catwalk in a bizarro-world London department store."
Chaka Khan - "Caught In The Act": "As you may have noticed from past posts, I love it when people spell words out in their songs OR turn words into acronyms, especially when it's not super-obvious. Here, Ms. Khan makes sure you know the title of this song, in that manner so dear to my heart: "Caught in the act.../C! I! T! A!!!", making the initials a proclamation of their own. You know, like it's an acronym you might already know and use...or not. Coupled with the then-edgy 80s synth production (still better than much similar fare from the same time), I still get a little giddy over this song."
Crowns on 45 - "Undercover": "The verses are filled with swinging handclaps and male-female vocal trade-offs, all in fun, like a great house party. The chorus give the swing a harder edge, with excellent screaming that I've loved ever since I heard this song years ago. (And I don't mean 'screaming' as in a sudden switch to screamo or anything like that - it's still in the same tone as the rest of the song.)"
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It's Friday - Rock It Out
The English Beat - "Too Nice To Talk To": "No sappy holiday music at this blog. Just dance to this, whether today is your holiday or not!"
The Piano Classic Players - "Smells Like Teen Spirit": "I had to post this because these folks have turned Nirvana into a piano recital - and for an album called "The Most Relaxing Piano Classics Ever Made" at that!!! It may sound prettier than you expect, but still..."
Kings Of Leon - "Be Somebody": "It's interesting how this song has such a 'big rock sound' - I guess that's where KoL is these days - but it's the chorus that works the best, despite being somewhat at odds with the rest of the song."
Franz Ferdinand - "Ulysses": "New Franz Ferdinand single. Not my favorite song of theirs, but it's interesting."
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