Late Review: Duran Duran Red Carpet Massacre

Today marks one year since Duran Duran launched their latest comeback album and to celebrate I bring you a late review that has been sitting in draft since February. Maybe I should have finished it:

Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre recently caught my attention again prompting me to finally gave it a proper listen. Their patchy self-titled wedding album was one of the first discs I bought back when I really started getting into music leaving me with doubt over their ability to fully bring the goods and it's reputation as one of their stronger efforts has put me off buying Duran Duran albums for ages. Sure there have been some strong moments over the years with "Electric Barbarella" and "Nice" coming to mind as relatively recent favorites, but I never seem to find much I want to revisit outside of the singles. When Red Carpet Massacre came out it simply slipped past me despite it being covered by many of my favorite blogs, talked up by some online friends and hearing some of it on the Bay Area's kinda top 40 radio station.

Without a doubt the defining buzz around the album was super producer Timbaland's involvement suggesting this is Duran Duran's hip hop album. The group have shown an interest in the genre before covering "White Lines" and bringing Missy Elliot on board for a track on their last album but Timbaland co-produces three tracks and his apprentice Danja, who the Wall Street Journal note "typically charges $50,000 to $100,000 per track", has his hands over the all but one of the remaining tracks demonstrating the group's willingness to jump into the deep end of a foreign genre. Well almost. After listening to the album I can now safely say that they didn't jettison all their new wave roots but rather polished them with a different production style. Opener "The Valley" is a great example coming on as strong as any of their recent material but far enough away from their usual mode of operation that my first listen had me checking my car stereo's EQ to see what happened to the missing mid-range. The title track pushes the band further into unexplored territory as the album's biggest lyrical statement, some sort of take down of vapid celebrity culture which must disgust the yachting members of Duran Duran, finds the common ground between punk and the sounds of top 40 hip hop. Timbaland makes his first appearance on "Nite-Runner", the album's biggest hip hop moment and the most obvious choice for a single, lending his signature beats to a song that sounds so little like anything Duran Duran have touched before that that Simon Le Bon's vocals are easily mistaken for those of the track's co-producer Justin Timberlake. The remaining Timbaland tracks allow more of the band to shine through but both don't hit the mark of radio friendly pop with the same force.
Elsewhere in the album the band primarily focus on their strength at crafting mid-tempo ballads. The first single "Falling Down" finds Timberlake alone in the producer's chair steering the band towards "Ordinary World" territory with enough to success to that it got the band back on US radio. Well at least for a few weeks. They strip down the production to simple strummed guitar on "Box Full O Honey" which is an earnest attempt to portray heartbreak that is a highlight despite sounding a bit overworked. "She's Too Much" also hits some sweets spots as LeBon demonstrates why he has such a way with the ladies as he bares his sensitive soul.
Those looking for some old school new wave jams won't be disappointed. "Zoom In" has it going on musically but lines like "I'm zooming in and out on you" seem like an odd pickup line for the new millennium. A bit of research reveals the song was premiered in the game Second Life which give the lyrics a quite literal twist but it's still odd to hear the band wooing a sexy lady by praising her "avatar". You really have to be at a certain stage in your career to have that the confidence to so boldly go where your lyrical muse takes you.
Over all the band really have it together on this out as even the instrumental "Tricked Out", which has a touch of a rocked out Halloween magic, seem essential to the album. It may have taken some time, but Duran Duran have finally found the right mix of new ideas and consistent songwriting to draw me into an album that I want to revisit. Hopefully their label will wake up realizing that they gave up way too early on this strong album and finally release a second single soon.

Television

It is thrilling to hear that the Pet Shop Boys are receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at the upcoming Brit Awards because it gives me hope that actual pop artists can be honored by institutions. While I hope that something like Popjustice's vision of the event takes place I already dread the way the award ceremony will be butchered on American tv never giving me a chance to see it outside of youtube. There is something fundamentally wrong with the way US television programmers treat Brit musical events. Maybe I'm just paranoid but New Order's lifetime achievement award was cut out of an awards show when it showed on VH1 a few years back and BBC America chopped PSB out of the An Audience with Elton John bar one shot of them in the crowd confirming that they were there. Why show Brit tv when you are just going to not show what makes it different from American music shows? Really BBC America, isn't the whole premise of your network that you cater to Anglophiles? Regardless here is the last time the Boys played the Brit Awards (notice that whoever dresses West End Girls might have seen this):

Flashback: Cranes "Shining Road" (1994)

Taking their name from the machines that transport cargo on the docks of their native Portsmouth the often experimental, occasionally pop but always unique Cranes got their start in the mid 80s. They opened for The Cure (who have a new album out this week) on the "Wish" tour and first came to my attention when the Robert Smith remix of "Jewel" got a modest amount of airplay on Live 105. That song didn't really grab me and I assumed that I had heard the band's best material since Live 105 even played The Cure's b-sides in heavy rotation at the time. A year later the first single from Cranes next album Loved got a couple of spins and proved just how wrong I was. "Shining Road" is an amazing song. Unexpected and effortless it harnesses the groove of the UK's second wave of rave revolution to the best parts of showgaze alt-rock. All discussions of Cranes inevitably lead to the merits of Alison Shaw's singular voice, which is often described as "childlike" even though otherworldly is perhaps more accurate, but there is no denying her voice is the perfect conduit for the wordless emotion conveyed here:



: After some time off in the late 90s Cranes have kept active releasing music on their own label with an album out earlier this year. If you watch American tv you almost certainly are familiar with some of their recent work that was featured in an oft-aired commercial. Keep up with the band at their label's website.

Video: The Killers "Human"

Brandon Flowers pitched "Human" to producer Stuart Price as "Johnny Cash meets the Pet Shop Boys". My endorsement will almost certainly be the death blow to The Killers domestic success but the perfect marriage of the band's (occasionally) brilliant songwriting to Stuart Price's precision tuned disco machine makes the song one of my musical highlights of the year. Love the unique take on the man/machine dynamic with the whole "human/dancer" lyric that has everyone in such a fuss although I can't help but think that Flowers could have avoided turning up on worst lyric lists by picking a less obscure quote to build a song around:




: Those who still doubt the song's brilliance should give this youtuber's piano version a listen.

Video: Sam Taylor-Wood "I'm In Love With A German Film Star"

Sam Taylor-Wood's new M.I.N.I.M.A.L. video:



: Read better posts here.

Video: The Chemical Brothers "Midnight Madness"

The biggest fault of last year's We Are The Night was it's lack of a tent pole dance track and while it is a bit late The Chemical Brothers have found it with the first single taken from the duo's second greatest hits album Brotherhood. "Midnight Madness" is an awesome track that restores my faith in the Brothers ability to move a dance floor. A cousin to Tom & Ed's definitive trance statement "Star Guitar" here the Brothers refine an aspect of their sound that has never really been fully explored to great effect. Shame it's not attached to a proper album.

Directed by long time visual collaborators Dom and Nic the video features a goblin that crawls out of a bin marked "commercial waste" (subtle commentary on Brotherhood?) and proceeds to do unreal parkour/free running/dancing on the streets before taking it into the club:



: The song also has a Google Earth project connected to it that involves people around the world sending in footage taken at midnight. View the official youtube video or stop by their site for more info.

Video: Underworld "Ring Road"

It has been nearly a year since Underworld unveiled their long anticipated comeback album Oblivion With Bells to a public that has proved itself largely indifferent. Perhaps it didn't quite fit in with current musical landscape or reach the heights of the band's best material but it is fair to expect more of an online buzz for a band with their following. I suspect the reason is that we have another mishandled album on our hands. The lead single "Crocodile" was not the greatest intro to the album because it never quite lifted off like you expected (suffering from too much of the same riff) and it seems like I have seen nothing else about the album since it's release. A quick browse through itunes offers an explanation: they didn't release any further singles to the general public. Personally I was waiting to write about the album until "Beautiful Burnout" got an edit and a single release but I never saw it. Apparently that happened ages ago but was only promoted to djs despite being the album's most likely breakout track. Given that Karl Hyde's voice anchors Oblivion With Bells like nothing Underworld has released since Underneath The Radar this approach of exclusively chasing the Beatport crowd seems entirely wrong. "Ring Road" is a decent single choice with Hyde's daft spoken poetry bringing everything together. It sounds quite like Beaucoup Fish's "Bruce Lee":



: A live album is due from the duo in November so stop by their site for all the info.

Shuffle Blog

Neon Neon "Trick For Treat"

The better of Stainless Style's hip hop tracks has a truly oddball rap from Spank Rock that has something to say about Oprah and her cable network Oxygen before going into a riff on the album's subject John DeLorean. Saved by the killer falsetto "she got me dreaming like a Michigan boy" hook which I've just learned is sung by Har Mar Superstar. Still one of those tracks that works better in the context of the album.

Chemical Brothers "Spring"

This b-side from "The Boxer" single is unusually melodic as the Brothers noodle about touching ever so lightly the edge of psychedelia. A fans only affair but not a track without rewards.

Ladytron "Tomorrow"

There is something very familiar about this Velocifero track. Probably something to do with the album all sounding very much the same. It works but not as well as the song where she sings about loving a computer.

The Whip "Trash"

Are these guys on Modular? Apparently they are signed to Norman Cook's Southern Fried Records which I suppose means that label has diversified quite a bit. It has a great build to it and that's not the sort of thing you get every day in a rock record.

Underworld "To Heal (And Restore Broken Bodies)"

This Oblivion with Bells interlude just got an expansion for the Songs for Tibet-The Art of Peace Music Project compilation that makes it sound even more dopey as it wallows in new age spiritualism. Of course it's the sort of track I would have written off as completely harmless a decade ago so maybe it's just me.

Greatest Album Title Ever!

Soulwax's reworking of The Chemical Brothers "Hey Boy Hey Girl" is too fresh to be included on last year's remix collection but Different Is Dangerous point toward where the track can be downloaded for the price of an fake email address. Check it out even if you already bought the version that amazon sells by itself for $1.94 individually, on a single that brings you two tracks for $1.42, to solve the mystery of the seven second time difference between the two versions.

Kinda I Want To

A rather complete blog entry pointed me towards this clip of a local news story from the 80s covering Trent Reznor's early band Exotic Birds. His new wave history is hardly secret, the demo that got him signed to record Pretty Hate Machine did feature a song that was pure pre-acid house New Order, but seeing Reznor before the dark fashion demands of the industrial scene took over his image is a bit of a surprise. The fun starts about one minute in:



: Makes you wonder what Reznor could do if he ever started making upbeat music. Hopefully it would be along the lines of "Discipline" from this year's free NIN album The Slip:

The Human Shopping Mall

Mike Huckabee was the last person I ever expected to hear talk about a musician whose work I appreciate but he was filling in for Paul Harvey this week when he announced the death of Robert Hazard. The brief mention on the radio segment said that you might not know his name but you knew Hazard's work because he had written Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Actually I do know the name and really love his cheeky take on materialism "Escalator Of Life" which used to get frequent spins on Live 105 back in the station's Steve Masters glory years. Let's give it a listen:



: Hazard slipped off my radar in recent years but continued to write and record changing up his style going singer/songwriter with occasional country leanings also finding time to work with the school of rock which resulted in this charming video last year.

Video: Cut Copy "Hearts On Fire"

Cut Copy may have created the hipsters "Where The Streets Have No Name" with their underground hit "Lights & Music" but in Eno terms In Ghost Colours has more in common with the atmosphere and rhythm experiments of Remain In Light than the expansive canvas for tightly written songs heard on The Joshua Tree. Naturally the album's second single does nothing to back up my argument instead attaching their standard modus operandi of refashioned post punk to a melancholic melody while a decidedly 90s Euro synth takes the song into territory only previously explored by Electronic circa Raise The Pressure. One itunes user notes there is "nothing that separates it from 80s electronic music" but that isn't a bad thing speaking instead to the strength of the songwriting.
Clearly aimed at the band's core sophisticated Modular adoring audience the video chronicles a day in life of a complete sop that is perpetually rained on:



: Cut Copy have a myspace and probably have a facebook account too if you are interesting in that sort of thing. The "Hearts On Fire" single is out now and includes remixes from Calvin Harris & Midnight Juggernauts.

Video: Goldfrapp "Caravan Girl"

Goldfrapp's latest single is out in the US today. Seventh Tree's last obvious single choice "Caravan Girl" was tipped as "the Song Of Summer" back in February by XO but the tracklisting for the single is so weak that even some of the bands strongest supporters are left to simply yawn. On the bright side the video is rather nice:



: Recently the band have recently done a highly praised session for NPR with Steve Lillywhite that can be streamed here and announced Fall tour dates that include a few stops in the US. Stop by their myspace for details and sample more of Seventh Tree.

Don't Go

The reunited Yaz play their first US dates this week which must be the driving force behind Alison Moyet's most recent album The Turn getting a belated stateside release today. Here is Alison performing the added to the album after the original release single "A Guy Like You" on The Graham Norton Show:



: Check out an interview from the same show which is quite nice and stop by Yaz's myspace for more from the legendary duo.

Video: Audio Bullys "Gimme That Punk"

Perhaps you remember the narrator in LCD Soundsystem's dissection of musical elitism "Losing My Edge" listing every influential and underground act as their personal discovery. Audio Bullys seem to be under the influence of that track on "Gimme That Punk" announcing their own list of punk acts they demand to hear. This could be a fun track that proves they don't sound like a direct echo of The Streets anymore but there are issues. The lyrics paint such a broad view of "punk" that it encompasses almost every genre of popular music over the past forty years which is liberating in concept but every act named is so mainstream there is no distinct thread to tie the acts together making it simply a list of popular artists. Could it be that they are indeed serious and are taking the opportunity to rebuke the elitism found in LCD Soundsystem's track? It seems more likely that they are simply attaching themselves to some of the most successful names in the music business, everyone from The Beatles to 50 Cent, than attempting any commentary. That is all the more unfortunate given the beats are the least arresting the Bullys have ever dropped in a single.

The video has more punk credibility than the song. The director Don Letts made his first punk rock documentary years before he co-founded Big Audio Dynamite and here he keeps the style direct intercutting a stage performance with archive footage and a Dylan-esque scene of the band record dropping to the lyrics:




: Audio Bullys are at work on their next album. Updates and more from the band are available at their myspace.

Shuffle Blog

Perhaps you have read blog entries where someone talks about the first five songs that come up on itunes shuffle. Sounds like fun...

Pet Shop Boys- Fugitive (Richard X Extended)
I haven't listened to this in some time and it really is fantastic. Really everything you would hope that Richard X would help bring out of the Boys as it is top form sleaze. What a lost opportunity that it didn't find a home on the proper Fundamental instead of being tossed off to bonus track land.

Scissor Sisters- Lovers In The Backseat
Since this song is in the middle of the album I never realized how long and odd the introduction is. Actually the whole song is rather odd but it does deal with voyeurism so what do you expect?

Clinton- People Power In The Disco Hour
Perhaps Cornershop had a bit of pre-millennial tension on the brain when they decided to go from an indie band to a disco outfit. Or maybe Fatboy Slim's hit remix of "Brimful of Asha" inspired the change in direction. While they were never going to be my cup of tea I did enjoy this song even if I couldn't sit through anything else from Clinton.

Cosmicity- Future Song
There are many songs on the underrated modern synthpop act Cosmicity's final album Escape Pod For Two that I like more than this closing track but it does set a mood nicely. It does remind me that I really should post something about Mark Nicholas' post Cosmicity project.

They Might Be Giants- Minimum Wage

This fourty-seven second oddball track really is random, even on TMBG's masterpiece Flood.

Flashback: Prodigy The Fat of the Land (1997)

A short 11 years ago this week Prodigy's The Fat of the Land was unleashed on the world where it unexpectedly debuted as the number one album on the US charts. Dropped by Elektra after Experience failed to live up to major label standards the band had been written off as "kiddie rave" in America before the two pre-release singles "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both of which topped the charts in the UK, started getting attention from alt rock radio and began a bidding war that ended with Prodigy signed to Maverick in the States. I got on board early on picking up "Firestarter" the week it came out as a Mute released 12" single (the song would later be re-released by Maverick on CD single) so it was exciting to see group pick up momentum and acceptance from the alternative scene that had been hijacked by grunge which had effectively silenced the synthesiser in the States.


The controversial opening track weighs heavily in the legacy of Prodigy and the album. The titular sample of a thrown off Kool Keith line taken from Ultramagnetic MC's "Give The Drummer Some" is a major sticking point and while Liam Howlett suggests it is not literal but rather means "doing anything intensely, like being on stage - going for extreme manic energy" using the offending phrase simply makes the song ugly. Following one of the most extreme build ups ever recorded with the suggestion of domestic violence as the payoff is truly foolish and irresponsible. In the years that have passed there have been several attempts to reclaim the song including the oddly controversial video (spoiler: it's not a dude behind all that misogyny) and the Charlie's Angels movies but both take on the basic violent premise of the song's sample rather than deal with "extreme manic energy". The song does have legs and despite limited exposure at the time of it's release it continues to get played on Live 105 and ended up as their top ranking electronica song on a recent listener voted countdown.

"Breathe" is the band's masterstroke as Keith Flint and Maxim Reality spark over an understated Howlett track that does amazing things with an all 16th note bass line. The second pre-release single for the album effectively raised the stakes from the genre bursting "Firestarter" suggesting that Prodigy were more than simple adrenaline junkies and in fact a thinking man's band as well. Time may have proven otherwise.

A decade on "Diesel Power" remains the best electronica/hip hop track ever. Is it the rap? Probably not although Kool Keith would enjoy a renaissance in the late 90s where he would record boasts about the amazing amount of money he was given to work on "Diesel Power". It is the beats that have me reaching to turn up the volume when this comes on time after time.

Howlett sampled the Beastie Boys on this "Funky" track that takes the album down the rave route. Not a favorite by any means but one that sold my former boss on the album after hearing it in a record store.

We reach the low point of the album with "Serial Thrilla" which is a stupid, stupid, stupid song with Keith "my first single went to #1" Flint on screaming vocals. This is what happens when musicians give in to the influence of too much testosterone.

"Mindfields" is the mysterious fourth single from the album that was only released as a "white label" that was one of the most professional and least disguised "unlabeled" pieces of vinyl I've ever encountered. It's a Maxim song in the mode of "Breathe" and while a review mocked the "this is dangerous" line for trying too hard to be scary this was just a decent edit away from being a hit. Also it helped introduce the action movie world to bullet time on the soundtrack to The Matrix.

The Indian influenced "Narayan" brought Kula Shaker's Crispian Mills in for vocals to create mystic synthpop that had run through the big beat blender. There are some great bits but the track's nine minute running time, which in part are a set up for the big hit that follows, helped make it one of the most complained about tracks on the album. Kula Shaker reprised the song as "Song of Love/Narayana" on last year's Strangefolk which doesn't do much to improve the song's reputation.

There was a time when I suggested that "Firestarter" was the new "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as it rocked alternative radio out of it's grunge haze. Perhaps I overstated my case but the song did truly breakdown barriers as it took samples from The Breeders' "S.O.S." and Art Of Noise's "Close (To The Edit)" as it introduced the world to the punk version of Keith Flint. Twisted indeed.

"Climbatize" delayed The Fat Of The Land's release by several months while it was being developed because Liam said it was amazing and told NME that it would be a single for sure. It never was but the instrumental is a highlight that steps back from the hyper masculinity that permeates much of the album.

The album comes to a close with the hard electro rock cover of L7's "Fuel My Fire". Keith handles the vocals on this one with Saffron from Republica adding a nice bit of color as the backup vocalist which make it sound like an angry love song. Interestingly the choice to end with a cover hint at Howlett's limitations as a songwriter which would go to be far more obvious years down the road when Prodigy finally released a new album.

Fat Of The Land was the commercial pinnacle of the Electronica Revolution of 1997 and while the album has it has faults it stands nearly alone in it's mainstream acceptance. One of the reasons "Firestarter" failed to make Prodigy the next Nirvana is that no one could duplicate their sound that combined songwriting with aggressive techno trash. Actually Junkie XL came close and CJ Bolland did a direct riff on the band's sound on a song that is probably better know for it's remix, but no one else could match what Prodigy had at that moment.

Sweet Frosti

Devo are taking legal action over this american idol happy meal toy:



: Gerald Casale, creator of the Energy Dome hats, had this to say

"They didn't ask us anything. Plus, we don't like McDonald's, and we don't like American Idol, so we're doubly offended."

Video: West End Girls "What Have I Done To Deserve This?"

While I'm sure that blogging Swedish fans of the Pet Shop Boys have know this for ages I must pass this along for the benefit for others that the girl group West End Girls are about to launch their second album Shoplifters. The first single finds the Girls, actually one of the original duo was replaced but who is paying close enough attention to notice, taking on "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" with Magnus Carlson of Weeping Willows (the 99'th most successful band in Sweden as if you didn't know) doing the Dusty Springfield bits. Perhaps because it sounds so awfully familiar the song has inspired a post with no words at PSB blog Very and one sentence of nonsense at Popjustice. Can't find too much to say about it myself:



: Stop by their myspace for more on West End Girls and the new album.

Blow A Fuse

As someone who usually ignores flashmobs I have to admit that this is a pretty amazing tribute to one of the greatest music videos of all time:




: The performance took place earlier this month in San Francisco's Union Square and the location and the way some of the video was shot reminds me of the film Francis Ford Coppola made between the first two Godfather installments: The Conversation. Trust me and Netflix it.

Mini Reviews

Some blogs have frequent updates and proper reviews. That couldn't happen here...


Miss Kittin BatBox

Is disappointment of the year too big of a statement? Miss Kittin is one of those artists who could clearly make brilliant pop music anytime she wants but chooses not to out some need for underground integrity. Depending on your perspective this makes her a saint for not selling out or a fool for hiding her talent. The overall sound recalls her First Album with The Hacker but unlike that genre staple there is almost nothing here that draws you in as even promising tracks like "Sunset Strip" never truly develop. In political terms she is simply playing to her base and doing very little to interest anyone else. Even those who gave the album a couple of months to sink in.
Best Bets: "Kittin Is High", "BatBox"


Client Untitled Remix


While remixes from the four singles taken from last year's lacking Heartland are found here the real selling point of Client's Untitled Remix album are the band's collaborations with other artists. Both "Suicide Sister", their cheery duet with Douglas McCarthy, and their venture into house-gone-electropop "Sorry" with Mexican band Réplica are miles better than 95% of Heartland which suggests to me that Client need to rethink their track selection process when releasing proper albums. The remixes are mostly from parties with less than four discogs credits to their names and unfortunately it shows with only three or so interesting remixes in the set.
Best Bets: "Suicide Sister", "Sorry", "Zerox (N Joi Radio Edit)"

Chemical Brothers B-Sides Volume 1


When this turned up on itunes I knew that Astralwerks had given up on We Are The Night which is shame because it is much better than it has generally been written off to be. While a b-side collection is not entirely unwelcome the Chemicals can be a bit hit and miss as they often use alternate versions of album tracks to pad out singles. If you've been missing the straight dance tracks from the recent albums there is plenty to keep your interest with the subtle acid of "Nude Night", the rumble of "Base 6" and the thundering hip hop jam "Prescription Beats" almost making up for unlistenable experiments like "Scale". Even some of the alternate takes fascinate as we learn "Snooprah", which appears as the brief ambient interlude "Harpoons" on We Are..., also has a secret life as a seven minute dance track complete with disco sirens. The biggest problem here is the Volume 1 thing which keeps the Brothers best b-side, the amazing "Hot Acid Rhythm 1", off the compilation. Check that one out: found on the "It Began In Afrika" single it's well worth the 99 cents.
Best Bets: "Hot Acid Rhythm 1"(well obviously not on the album but if you're only getting one get this track), "Prescription Beats", "Base 6"

Video: The Orb "Vuja De"

Those adventurous enough to scour the deepest darkest depths of the new releases on itunes already know of the unlikely return of The Orb. Despite being completely off my radar since buying their greatest hits album back in 1998 it appears that Alex Paterson and friends have kept up an ambitious schedule, given the project's original goal was to get people to stop dancing at the end of raves, releasing four studio albums in the 2000s including one of the most annoyingly named albums of all time: Okie Dokie It's the Orb on Kompakt. Melding the band's original vibe with what could be called a proper pop song "Vuja De" is something of revelation. Let's give it a listen:



: The single is taken from album The Dream which is due out shortly in the US and appears to have been put out sometime last year in the UK. Considered a return to their original sound by a wikipedia entry the album features such artists as Youth, Steve Hillage and a guy from Dreadzone. Listen to a few tracks for yourself at their myspace to hear why it received a positive review from nme.

Nobody Loves Me

Using Amazon's download store exposes you to what happens on their music forums and this thread title caught my eye: help!!! - I have been trying for over a year to find this song!!! 1994-95 they played it in clubs alot but I also heard it on the radio I think... starts out slow w/bass guitar notes that get lower "dun dundun dundun dundun dun" and then there... : naturally I had to read the post:

is a female's voice and this is where I get stuck!!! She sounds like she is in pain or something and the chorus has three words - something like I need you or I want you or You Kill Me or something desperate... I really want this song and don't know where to look!!! Know it's not much info to go on but can anyone help???

: Let's examine the clues. Is there anything that would lead you to guess this as the correct song this person was looking for? Amazingly the first person to guess got it right! That almost makes up for the four guesses after the song's identity had been confirmed.

Flashback: Pet Shop Boys "Discoteca (Trouser Enthusiasts Adventures Beyond The Stellar Empire Mix)" (1996)

A kind youtuber uploaded one of my favorite Pet Shop Boys remixes, one that always got me calls when I played it on my college radio show, with a video that reads suspiciously like a blog entry. Let's take a look and have a listen:



: Trouser Enthusiasts only lasted a couple of years but left behind a discography that included many remixes and the single "Sweet Release". Both Ian Masterson and David Green continue to create music but as Masterson notes on his blog "you'd think I'd be a lot wealthier than I am" given the artists they have worked with. Oddly enough the duo's other big moment came under their alias Flexifinger when they traded off production on Dannii Minogue's 1997 album Girl with another young production team Xenomania. Can you guess which one of the teams was just announced as the producers of the Pet Shop Boys next album?

Pedestal

Portishead are one of the few bands that have fundamentally changed the way I listen to music so I celebrate the release of their new album Third. Since we last heard from them there has been a decided shift in the sound of the band and rather than simply ask "where did the tunes go?" I am going to hold off on any real comment until I have had time to absorb the album and decipher what it all means. I'll meet them on their terms and since it took over ten years for the band to deliver a new album I pledge to opine within the next five years.

Head On The Door

As Metallica headlines KROQ's summer concert I am reminded that there is nothing alternative about alternative rock radio in 2008. While KROQ didn't invent the Modern Rock format Spinner notes that "the station shunned the band for years in favor of alternative bands like Depeche Mode, U2 and the Cure" marking an end of an era. Exactly when that era ended is up to debate, some might argue that was when Metallica headlined Lollapalooza in 1996 almost killing off the travelling festival, but KROQ's reputation and the way it's playlist is shamelessly copied by other alternative stations across the country give this moment a sting.
In the Bay Area we have Live 105 which has had it's own flavor and they downsized their summer concert this year dropping ticket prices to $10.50 (see what they did there?). If they didn't play Red Hot Chili Peppers every hour on the hour I might still listen to the radio.

Video: Bjork "Wanderlust"

Quote Of The Week (thank you Matt)

"If you are loving what Bjork has been doing the past decade this is a single that won't disappoint":

Amazing News Alert

Ladytron's new album Velocifero is streaming at their myspace before you can even buy the first single. Be sure to catch a free download of teaser track "Black Cat" and look for the album out on June 3rd in the US.

Don't Believe The Hype

Anyone catch the Rolling Stone review that argues Accelerate is "one of the best records R.E.M. have ever made"? Bill Wyman wrote an interesting piece that gets to the root of why many musically minded people have tuned out reviews from the rock establishment's publication of choice. Using that statement as a jumping off point Wyman goes through the past decade or so of the magazine's REM album reviews and discovers that as far back as Up, the album where the public first demonstrated they had lost interest in the band, each release has been praised by Rolling Stone as an improvement on their recent output. Different writers opine on each album but the similarity is striking giving the impression that there is a standard "late period REM album" review expected by the editorial staff. While the uniformity of sentiment may simply come from the shortcomings that come with deadlines and the lack of time to differentiate "sort of sounds like that album that was really good" from "where did the memorable songs go" I suspect the source of this groupthink comes from the canonical glow cast over all of REM's work by their couple of albums that are considered among the pinnacles of the American underground rock movement and their implied effect on the musical landscape on the 1990s. Given that even Peter Buck has called some of that praised material the work of "old, miserable has-beens" suggests the critical elite needs a more distanced eye when it comes judging others who also can do no wrong.

Video: Goldfrapp "Happiness"

The second single from Goldfrapp's Seventh Tree is due shortly and the energetic video has been unleashed to the web. Teaming up again with "A&E" director Dougal Wilson the continuous shot video finds Alison in a series of cameos as we focus on a fellow who clearly has too much happiness to contain as he leaps around an increasingly bouncy neighborhood:



: Promotion of Seventh Tree is starting to pick up as Goldfrapp are beginning to tour. They have three US dates scheduled later this month (although if you won't be near Coachella, San Francisco or New York you're out of luck) and are scheduled to play on The Tonight Show on April 22. Stop by their myspace for single details and click here to hear the rejected Rex The Dog mix of "Happiness",

Video: Pet Shop Boys "Integral"

Releasing "Integral" as a single should have been such a great way to close out the Pet Shop Boys celebrated Fundamental era. The most overtly political song the Boys have ever written has been championed as a favorite ever since Popjustice published the album's first review. The combination of catchy and decidedly "up" dance music with lyrics that address the UK's adoption of mandatory identity cards creates a chilling effect demonstrating "what fascistic power sounds like, and in doing so reminds us of why it must be avoided". However, when Disco 4 generated the single release of "Integral" what the general public heard was not the amazing album version but a remixed version of the song that takes a direct route in musically interpreting the evils suggested in the lyrics. While pleasant enough as an extra track the "Immaculate" mix of the song has no business pretending to be the "single" version as it truly takes the wind out of the sails of the song leaving those who haven't the original scratching their heads and wondering what the fuss was about. What a wasted opportunity for the Boys to demonstrate why they are still relevant and creating compelling contemporary music.

That being said the video is fantastic. Actually there are several versions of the video, including some designed to be watched on youtube and on cell phones, but the main video is something special. A white card shows us the world as the song's narrator sees it, pixels containing bits of information, as we visit some of the busiest hubs of London by way of time-lapse photography. Suggesting the rapid pace at which technology and authorities can identify individuals even in massive crowds it finds a good visual representation of what privacy advocates struggle to express. The room of smiling Petheads posing with digital identities as the song proclaims "If you've done nothing wrong you've got nothing to fear/If you've something to hide you shouldn't even be here" is particularly effective reinforcing the rapturous tone of the original that suggests people are willingly giving up the fundamental freedoms of democracy in the name of the war on terror:



: The block images that feature in the video form a type of barcode that must be in greater use in the UK than the US and can be scanned with cell phones that link you to a number of sites that address issues in the song. My research indicates the band made the images available to download as a pdf so fans can create their own videos but this probably requires a copy of Disco 4 in your disc drive and visiting http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/integral but it has never worked for me. There are only a few fan videos on youtube which might mean that I'm not alone in my confusion. Still much respect to the Boys for trying out new ideas on a song that deserves a mass audience.

Flashback: Tricky "Pumpkin" (1995)

Tricky's Maxinquaye is not only one of the high water marks of the trip hop movement but one of the most critically praised albums of the 1990s with honors that include ranking as Spin magazine's 2nd favorite album of 1995 and one of Q magazine's 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. Portishead and Massive Attack had defined the genre in the public eye by the time the album was released but Tricky's vision changed the mixture of the genre's formula suggesting a British hip hop as even the album's biggest rock moment, the NIN-esque "Black Steel", is really just re-imagining a Public Enemy song. While some critics would argue it was the production that really grabbed the ear Martina Topley Bird got plenty of press, along with booklet photo appearances, as the sweet voiced female foil to Tricky's mumbling raps many marked her as a future star which played out when she released a 2003 Mercury Prize nominated solo album.
The album's sixth (and final) single is an odd piece of music. A largely unedited sample of The Smashing Pumpkins Gish era song "Suffer" provides the backing track as Tricky does his usual vocal interplay not with Martina as he does on almost every other track on the album but with a young vocalist Orbital had recently discovered yodelling during a performance art piece. This is the music video debut of Alison Goldfrapp:



: Following the success of Maxinquaye Tricky had a fling with Bjork, put in a memorable appearance as Gary Oldman's henchman in The Fifth Element and released four increasingly disappointing albums in four years before bragging about his record deal on the flopped single "For Real" which was his last before he was dropped by the previously indulgent Island. Tricky did stage a comeback with Blowback and is currently involved in a variety of projects including an album that might be released on April 7 2008 although you would hope to see some promotion at this point if that is true.
Alison Goldfrapp went on to ride a white horse and create amazing music with Will Gregory.

Fun Fact: "Suffer" was produced by Butch Vig who would call on Tricky to remix his band Garbage's own trip hop inspired single "Milk" shortly after the release of "Pumpkin".

Video: Portishead "Machine Gun"

The first shot out from Portishead's upcoming Third album is the single "Machine Gun". An uncompromising piece of minimalist electronic percussion it sounds like something you might hear from Cabaret Voltaire or Nitzer Ebb in the mid 80s making it something bound to put off many of the band's fans who have been waiting for over a decade for a new album. Those claiming to be familiar with the whole album have said this is the oddest moment on it which suggests to me that the band have no interest in being on the mainstream musical radar. Geoff Barrow in particular seems to be an opinionated fellow, try skimming a few of his blog entries to get an idea, that despises most everything mainstream and I suspect releasing this single first is an attempt to separate the group from anything even remotely pop:



: If the video above isn't working then stop by the official site where you can watch it in full screen mode after a quick sign up. Now it should be really interesting to see where the rest of the album takes us.

Quick Notes

• Exciting to hear that Yaz(oo) have reunited and that their forthcoming box set should have previously unheard goodies. It's even better to hear that they will be bringing their tour to North America.
• The clips of Róisín Murphy playing street musician are fantastic. Still hoping for a US release of her album and much thanks to Electronically Yours for passing the clip on.
• Meant to post something about Keyboard Choir who are a group of six dedicated to playing electronic music live. Good mellow stuff.
• SXSW is almost here which means lots of free mp3s from bands playing the event. Click here for a list of the electronic acts.
• Download a track from the new The B-52s album over at Rolling Stone. Read the article to see which Bjork album Kate Pierson loves. Thanks to Arjan for this one.

Video: Freezepop "Brainpower"

Freezepop are more than a novelty act. Honestly. I don't know how anyone could figure that out from their latest single "Brainpower". The most annoying moment on their recent major label debut Future Future Future Perfect the sticker on the CD pegged it as a highlight before any fans had a chance to hear it. Bad idea. As the most "rock" track on the album it also appears in the video game RockBand so it makes sense that their label thought it would have a built in audience. I'm not so sure because an objective listen reveals it to be not near the greatness that is well within the grasp of the band.
Shot in LA as they toured the west coast this past November the video finds the band playing on a public access channel while being pelted by things as suggested by a brat with a magical remote control:



: Stop by their myspace where you can listen to better material from them including the song that inspired this blog's current tagline.

Monster Love

Goldfrapp's Seventh Tree is out today. Decidedly different than anything the duo have done before the disc largely avoids the supernatural beats and all out electropop assault of their past couple of releases instead creating another unique sound which is sure to be imitated. Early favorites of mine are the stunning "A & E", "Caravan Girl", "Happiness" and "Cologne Cerrone Houdini" but make sure to read XO's Middle Eight's essential review and stream the album for yourself at Spinner or their myspace.

Video: Cut Copy "Lights & Music"

There was a time that I distrusted Cut Copy. Maybe it the glowing reviews from sources that I often disagree with, their association with hipster friendly Modular Recordings or the suspicious number of times they were featured itunes but there was something about them I resisted. That all dissipated the moment I gave “Going Nowhere” a proper listen and after receiving the band’s Fabric mix disc for Christmas I’ve been really anticipating any new material. “Lights & Music” does not disappoint. Opening like a dance-punk “Where The Streets Have No Name” the song avoids any obvious path taking over two minutes in the unedited version for the synth stab punctured chorus to lift the song from interesting to flat out amazing. This is one of the best and most exciting songs of the year so far.

The video finds the artfully light band simply performing the song in front of giant video screens creating a hall of mirrors effect that echoes the atmosphere of the song. Not only does it show a synthesizer being actually played rather than the usual showing the guitar player when the synth part is played but it gets bonus points for showing a synth drum being used:



: Visit Cut Copy's myspace while you wait for the Tim Goldsworthy produced In Ghost Colours which is out April in the US.

Late Review: Madonna "Jump" MCD

(The following review was intended for a site that continues to have maintenance issues well over a year after this was written)

Madonna - Jump MCD



Jump (Single Edit)
Jump (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)
Jump (Axwell Remix)
Jump (Junior Sanchez’s Misshapes Mix)
Jump (Extended Album Version)
History


One year after “Hung Up” stormed charts worldwide Madonna has finally released the obvious pick for the immediate follow up single from “Confessions On A Dancefloor” as the album’s fourth track to receive the honor. Lyrically focused on the importance of family and the need to grow by being in new situations “Jump” is an instantly familiar up tempo track that borrows a bass rhythm, synth strings and a few chords from Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls”. Is this just a rip off? No. There is an undeniable similarity that had been acknowledged by co-writer and producer Stuart Price even before the PSB gave the song their blessing but there is much more to “Jump” than a simple recycling of “WEG“. It has it’s own unique melodic ideas and structure that are perfectly capable of standing on their own making the familiar arrangement a tribute rather than a blueprint for Madonna’s song.

Stuart Price’s “Jump” mix, credited under his Jacques Lu Cont alias, marks the sixth song he has remixed from “Confessions” and the fatigue is showing. While effective at times with a sense of tension and menace the mix lacks the impact and vision that Price often brings to the table creating something of a mess instead of dance floor perfection. At first it appears that Axwell‘s mix is a by-the-numbers club reworking, but closer listening reveals just how remarkably assembled the mix is with subtle touches that evolve from the original. The surprise success of the single comes from dance veteran Junior Sanchez who finds a unique approach with multi-pitched vocals edits in the style of 80’s extended mixes while creating a build that only the finest club tracks achieve.

“History” is the first b-side of Madonna‘s “Confessions”-era and it is a disco friendly track that could have fit comfortably on the album. As another Stuart Price production his fingerprints are all over the track but the lyrics are the real star of the song. Apparently Madonna is “so sick and tired of fighting” that she has decided to use the platform of this b-side to present the solution to ending global conflict. If this sounds a tad grandiose and silly to you then this might be a sticking point in enjoying the song but you have to admire Madonna’s willingness to put herself out there and really give her fans something to think about.

Video: Mark Brown Featuring Sarah Cracknell "The Journey Continues"

If you are the type that enjoys pouring over the pop charts of the world you no doubt are already aware that Sarah Cracknell returned to the UK charts this week. This is great news and a cue that I should be paying closer attention as the brightest of the blog world have been talking up the song for months. Dance label boss Mark Brown brought Cracknell in to create "The Journey Continues" in the tradition of pop music that borrows from classical music to build better songs not unlike The Farm's "All Together Now". The catch here is that the source tune is not quite classical cannon but largely based on Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin's "Eliza`s Aria" which has recently featured in a UK television ad campaign making the song more of an "as heard on tv" hit.

The video was shot using digital stills rather than a film or video camera creating a stop motion effect that is largely unmoving. While the effect has been done memorably before in music videos this tale of a floating dancer simply reminds me of an ineffective Sesame Street numbers short. Of course my disinterest might have everything to do with Sarah Cracknell hardly appearing in the clip:



: No word on a US release yet but be sure to stop by Elena Kats-Chernin's myspace to hear the source material.

Ready For The Floor

Just a few short months after it leaked Hot Chip's new album Made In The Dark is out in next week. In celebration myspace is offering an exclusive preview of the entire album:



: As someone on Hot Chip's mailing list (thank you free download!) I had already had been alerted to the exclusive online listening preview of the album at Clash Music earlier in the week. Exclusive just doesn't mean what it used to anymore.

Video: Moby "Alice"

Moby has "tried to take a long 8 hour night out in new york city and condense it into a 65 minute long album" for the forthcoming Last Night. The first single "Alice" reflects that heavily featuring Nigerian rappers 419 Crew in an odd mix of genres that combine a hip hop foundation with Moby singing an ethereal new wave chorus(or at least a repeated verse) with a breakdown that includes a metal guitar solo. Odd but it works.

Working from Moby's suggestion "to see a lot of things exploding" director Andreas Nillson has created a video that brings elderly stock footage and floating heads together with some sort of "National Treasure"-esque conspiracy lite symbols. I'm not sure that I smell a conspiracy but the most puzzling thing about the video is that something this uncommercial got green light because I can't imagine it being shown on vh1 which along with the song's ambiguous sense of genre almost guarantees that no one will hear the it. At least there are blogs and youtube:



: Download the Last Night megamix sampler by clicking here and stop by Moby's myspace for more info on his "love letter to dance music" which is out April 1 in the US.

Video: Goldfrapp "A & E"

What's left to say about the upcoming Goldfrapp single? If you caught the song when it first leaked you already know that it's brilliant and not really like anything else they've done before. If you've missed it then catch up and enjoy the video:



: Seventh Tree is due out at the end of February (no half year delay for the US!) so check out their helpful myspace to hear more from the duo.

2007: Top Songs

1. Tracey Thorn "It's All True"
2. Chemical Brothers "The Salmon Dance"
3. Justice "D.A.N.C.E."
4. Sarah Nixey "The Black Hit Of Space"
5. LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum"
6. Client "Drive"
7. Simian Mobile Disco "Hustler"
8. Róisín Murphy "Let Me Know"
9. Matinee Club "Discotheque Français"
10. Swen Weber "First Stroke"

Video: The Killers "Shadowplay"

The Killers previewed their cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay" as they toured this past summer and the youtube clips that spread across the web didn't sell me on the song. Perhaps it was the camera phone sound quality or that the clips suggested that Flowers was borrowing a little too closely from the Pet Shop Boys by starting the cover with a version of "Can't Keep My Eyes Off Of You" but it was surprising with how much I enjoyed the song after it started getting played on the radio. The last Joy Division cover to be an alternative radio hit was Nine Inch Nails take on "Dead Souls". Both are unlikely "single" candidates as Joy Division songs so the idea that two bands that owe little to mimicry of the JD sound (hello Interpol, Editors, She Wants Revenge, etc...) could manage to turn soundtrack contributions into radio hits is quite interesting. NIN dove into the deep end of darkness on their cover with Reznor searching for the heart of Ian Curtis' trademark despair before the studio perfect programming overtook him leaving nothing but numbness. The Killers didn't tinker with the foundation of their choice but go the other way with the vocals as Flowers "doot doot doot"s his way to a brighter place that reveals the pop song beneath the goth trappings of the original. Strange that The Killers would find more about the band Joy Division would become post-Curtis than Reznor's electronic arrangement in their unanticipated route to the soul of the song.
In the grand tradition of music videos of songs featured in films the "Shadowplay" video takes the majority of it's footage from Anton Corbijn's Control with The Killers making appearances on a tv that Ian Curtis is watching. Generally this sort of video doesn't work for me, but this one does:



: "Shadowplay" appears on the soundtrack to Control alongside what is possibly the last new material ever from New Order and can also be found on The Killers Sawdust which has been declared infinitely better than either Hot Fuss or Sam's Town.

What More Can I Say?

• Did anyone else notice that Matinee Club released the "Discotheque Français" single digitally in the US a couple of months ago? Not only have the band finally released something people can actually buy but their long delayed full length Modern Industry is due December 17 on Planet Clique. If that wasn't enough their on-again-off-again "US exclusive" EP has morphed into a "singles and b-sides collection" called The Modern LP that should be out in January on Ninthwave. Now none of these releases are on Europa Recordings or Universal which signed the band back in July so who knows what it all means for the band but at least fans will have a chance to buy the album.
• Did anyone one else notice how completely unamazing Dangerous Muse's cover of "Everyday Is Halloween" is? Of course you did because a quick technorati search reveals that almost no one has said anything about it. The most interesting part of the package is not the dull remixes but the new version of "Give Me Danger" which demonstrates how Sire must be prepping to sell the band to alternative radio. Recently the band posted an explanation of why it was taking so long to finish the record where they pointed out that "until this point, we have been solely responsible for instigating and overseeing all of our own marketing and publicity efforts, booking our own private shows, running our online store (designing, printing, shipping and restocking merchandise)." No wonder established bands like NIN are proudly announcing that they are leaving their labels.
• Did anyone else notice how fantastic amazon's download store is? They had a fairly low key launch a couple of months ago to little press outside a dismissive mention in rolling stone that questioned if people would really want to buy their music from a store that also sells things like power tools. Given the choice between itunes and amazon's higher quality drm-free mp3s who wouldn't take the latter given that they are usually cheaper and use variable pricing so you don't see any "album only" tracks. The biggest drawback about the store right now is that not all the major labels are on board because the letting people buy things in a convenient format thing must be a scary thing for record execs. I'm sure they'll come around soon.
• Did anyone else notice that there are quite a few free "guilt free" downloads floating around this pre-Boxing Day season? For example Arjan just posted a Scissor Sisters mix that should be fantastic by his description but is utterly dreadful. While beggars can''t be choosers (or at least complain too much) I am rather enjoying Tiger Baby's "This Christmas (You’re The One We Want To Be With)" which taps into the melancholy I often associate with the holidays. Find it at their myspace.
• Did anyone else notice that Seal seems to be promoting his new album in all the same places Heidi Klum seems to be on tv? I'm not sure where the connection was when he played the Monday Night Football halftime a couple of weeks ago, but I'm sure there is one.
• Ooh, Zoot Woman have new material coming out and you can download something from it for free. Where does Stuart Price find the time?

Video: Daft Punk "Harder Better Faster Stronger (Alive 2007)"

Playing the last few dates of their much praised pyramid enhanced tour Daft Punk are celebrating by releasing Alive 2007 later this month. Naturally this has led to a bit of press in which they have addressed "the Kayne issue" that has seen a certain type of fan in hysterics over "Stronger". Thomas Bangalter explained to Spinner that "We've always made music by sampling other people that we like or respect .. and we feel it's fair to give back, so things can come full circle." Words like that must make rockist minded fans uneasy and the band's ruminations on the status of electronic music over the past decade when quizzed about their feelings on Justice do a little more damage.

In a shocking coincidence that has nothing to do with the Kayne West track Alive 2007's pre-release single is "Harder Better Faster Stronger" which has a video inspired by Beastie Boys less awesome than it sounds live DVD that combines fan footage with professional work:



: As a bonus treat yourself to this handy youtube performance of "Harder Better Faster Stronger" and be sure to get at least 55 seconds into it. It's worth it.

Everything You Touch

Interesting myspace message from Ladytron about this week's re-release of "Destroy Everything You Touch" in the UK:

Obviously most, if not all of you have got Destroy... already, but theres plenty of exclusive tracks in the package, and for those who don't understand why this is being re-released, there is a point to all this;
Those who were aware of the band 2 years ago, may remember when the UK label tried to bury this record. (a good example of why the major labels are sinking fast). Thankfully they failed, the music did its own work, and through word of mouth, loyal fans, and the band working hard touring all over the world, Witching Hour ended up being the bands biggest album to date.

But this is one last chance to show people in the UK, where the band began, what a album it is, while they're busy, locked up in Paris recording their new record. So if you want to support this, try and snag a destroy, download mix, 7" or CD this week. Thanks a lot.

: Stop by 7digital to stream full length samples of the new "Destroy Everything You Touch" remixes from Hot Chip, Vector Lovers and Playgroup.

Tear Us Apart Again

The release of Control has the feuding members of New Order doing a rash of press that has finally confirmed the split. Bernard Sumner had refused comment on the situation but said "We've all been shouting at each other - now we're just arguing about who has custody of the children." Standing beside Stephen Morris at a recent screening the often facetious Sumner announced that he has moved on to work on a "project called Bad Lieutenant" that will involve Morris. Watch video of it for yourself here.

In related news I noticed that a digital reissue of Electronic's debut album was a top ten album on 7digital last week.

Just Like A Minimal

I saw this posted at Very and had to share:



: Youtube is packed with remixes of the Flea Market Montgomery commercial if you're interested.

Video: Freezepop "Less Talk More Rokk"

Freezepop drop their major label debut album Future Future Future Perfect today which is a reason to celebrate. I have been following the trio since the days of the old mp3.com and it's been fantastic to see them go from doing everything DIY to getting the big label treatment. The new album opens with "Less Talk More Rokk" which appeared in the cult video game Guitar Hero and brought the band a wider audience than the underground synthpop crowd.

The "Less Talk More Rokk" video sends a couple of signals that Freezepop have moved to a major because it was clearly shot on a big sound stage and after years of fashionable modest outfits Liz suddenly has cleavage. Beyond that it has a video game theme going on and the best use of mice in a music video since PSB's "Home & Dry":



: Hear more from the album by downloading "Ninja Of Love" and stop by their myspace to hear more from Future Future Future Perfect.

Video: Rihanna "Shut Up & Drive"

Rihanna's follow up to her mega smash single "Umbrella" is "Shut Up & Drive" which follows the formula she first used on "SOS" of borrowing a musical foundation from a modern rock classic and creating a new pop r&b melody to form an instant hit. Given her previous success it seems like a no-brainer but the new song simply does not work. While "SOS" emphasised the strong points of Soft Cell's hit "Shut Up & Drive" does nothing right in playing up strengths of it's source material. When you think of New Order's "Blue Monday" you probably think of beats, beats, more beats, the distinct chill, the lead bass, that choir sound, the synth bass, the vocals and the beats. "Shut Up & Dance" has guitars rock out on New Order's familiar four bar chord progression and doesn't do anything else with the original song. Why even bother using the song if you're going to ignore what made the original work in the first place? Then there are the lyrics... I know that the double entente's show how Rihanna is a Good Girl Gone Bad but when such little imagination is used it just becomes silly.

As for the video we will let the youtube comments be our guide. "LOL...chicks who know's about cars" "she is so hot" "No girl in her right mind would work on cars in HEELS!" "yeah she's very very hot" What else could you need to know about the video?:



: In an unique turn Rihanna has a myspace page which allows you to preview some of her other music and read about her latest musical plans.

Mini Reviews

I listen to new music and sometimes I blog about it months after everyone else has...

Justice Debut Album

Every hipster's second favorite dance band released their debut album recently and while it is not as infallible as their hypem profile would suggest there is plenty of proof that everything Justice touches is made to be blogged about. Not only are they big into the whole artsy "it's not the notes you play- it's the notes you don't play" thing but they suggest with big ideas and do things that are open to interpretation like sample the same song that Will Smith sampled for "Men In Black". Are they using a track because it inspired them to create a new disco monster? Are they fans paying tribute to an under looked original source? Are they taking on ready made hits that "steal" from other songs? Do they want their money back after seeing Wild Wild West? It has been said that art must have ambiguity to allow a spectrum of interpretations to truly survive in critical circles and Justice do have that air of mystery about them. Too bad they didn't get down to business and truly capitalize on their string of pre-release singles with an album that wasn't so concerned with maintaining that aura.
Best tracks: "D.A.N.C.E." "Phantom"

Digitalism Idealism


These folks are often mentioned in the same breath as Justice because they released albums about the same time but Digitalism know how to rock a disco beat in their own way and remixed an old school Depeche Mode track & an aging Cut Copy track which are things Justice has never done. Idealism has range with parts of the album sounding like a rehash of digital hardcore while other moments are the sort of sublime analogue bliss that inspires dreams of electric sheep. Unfortunately it is five tracks too long and many of the tracks fail to distinguish themselves. Be sure to check out the highlights.
Best tracks: "The Pulse" "Pogo" "Jupiter Room"

Motor Unhuman

Originally based out of Paris & Minneapolis this transatlantic duo made the move to London where they are currently unleashing industrial flavored acid techno under the guise of Motor. The album is one of those borderline experiences that really works at moments but seems to be in need of full vocal tracks to really come to life. Given that they record electroclash as Xlover you can't help but wonder how much better the album would be if they didn't compartmentalize their music to different projects. Still it's an album that always urges me on to faster driving speeds and one that works despite "Bleep #1" being the least representative and worst first single from a decent album in 2007.
Best tracks: "Unhuman" "Flashback" "Drug Punk"

Video: Chemical Brothers "The Salmon Dance"

The Chemical Brothers We Are The Night has arrived to a lukewarm reception but I think that the album's second single is the duo's best hip hop track to date. Collaborating with former Pharcyde member Fatlip they have broken their usual pattern of cramming every hip hop idea that ever had into a track and instead let the song dictate it's own course. The success of the remarkably low key "The Salmon Dance" relies on the charms of Fatlip's narrative which fortunately prove to be quite rewarding.

The video features a young person being entertained, possibly with the help of Chemicals, by an aquarium. It's rather good and features the best Ed & Tom cameo ever!:



: Listen to remixes and more at The Chemical Brothers myspace.

I Know Twenty Five Years Is A Long Time

Don't Walk Away In Silence

Tony Wilson, the man behind Factory Records, died this past weekend. His unique approach to the music business of dealing without contracts and providing top notch packaging and production help bring about some of my most cherished albums. I don't know that I ever got a complete sense of his over sized personality since I've never seen his television hosting gigs in the UK but the occasional interviews I've read are fascinating. Just a short time ago Wilson was asked by Billboard of his opinion on how Steve Coogan played him in the biographical 24 Hour Party People:

Oh, I loved it. Basically, I'm a complete tw*t, but he played me as an affable fool, which is very sweet. I'm not really an affable fool, but I'm very happy to be portrayed as such... I am so proud of "24 Hour Party People" because it is very funny. I am now a celebrity in America because of that film, which is bizarre.

: Maybe he was even more of a celebrity here than he realized. I first read of Wilson's death on my ISP's news scroll where it was a featured story.

Dance To Disco

September will see the first release of Pet Shop Boys new EMI deal with Disco 4. Like the unexpectedly fantastic Disco 3 there is a twist in the series as the album showcases the Boys remix work for other acts including The Killers, Madonna, Rammmstein and David Bowie. Extended versions of "I'm With Stupid" and "Integral" (which will finally get a promo single release!) will round out the package along with a barcode inspired video that is intended to promote discussion about "the gradual erosion of personal freedom taking place in the current political climate". Sounds fun to me.

Techno From Unexpected Faces: Jesus Jones

Jesus Jones usually bring to mind a very specific time and place which I imagine for many is the fall of the Berlin Wall the collapse of 20th century communism. That's not exactly the case for me. Almost every time I hear "Right Here Right Now" I am reminded of an anti-drug assembly in high school that featured extreme athletic feats performed by a team of born again ex-addicts in front of video projectors playing hit music videos before the athletes slipped a rather overt Christian message past my school's administration during their testifying of the evils of drugs. Perhaps it's just that context that colors my thinking but Jesus Jones have never struck me as ravers and the All Music Guide agrees defining the band's sound as a "watered-down Madchester and dance-pop hybrid". While that less than flattering description fits the general impression of the band they did expand their pallet on their flopped followup to their breakthrough Doubt recording with midi-modified instruments in singer/songwriter Mike Edwards bedroom studio creating a tech heavy sound that brought world music influences to the forefront. "The Devil You Know" exemplifies the best qualities of Perverse but the single's b-side showed that they were willing to go beyond traditional song structures and embrace rave culture. "Want To Know" is a product of the band's keyboardist Iain Baker and a surprisingly effective no nonsense techno stormer based around a vocal sample that asks "what did you do today?". Shame it didn't make that greatest hits collection they shared with EMF.

Living For The Bottle

Dave Gahan just announced that his second solo album, written and produced with Depeche Mode's touring members Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott, is due out this fall. I'm going out on a limb and going to say this could be interesting. Paper Monsters was not a good album (nor was it worth the money that Mute or Sire kept giving to amazing remixers to rework mediocre songs for the single releases) but it was an album that demonstrated potential which blossomed when Gahan started writing with Eigner/Phillpott for Playing The Angel. So it puzzles me that all I've read is negative reactions on the web. I can't be alone in declaring "Suffer Well" the greatest DM single since "Precious"? I suppose all the haters will use the upcoming Recoil album as the standard to tear Gahan apart in the months ahead.