Ever go kinda sorta blind in one eye for a while? Yeah, that’s not fun.

I’m feeling much better now though. I just thought that was a great excuse for delay in updates.

Madonna
True Blue (The Color Mix)
True Blue (Remix Edit)
True Blue (Instrumental)
Ain’t No Big Deal
There are not a lot of classic-era Madonna that can be safely called “rare” but most of these tracks fit the bill. “The Color Mix” of “True Blue” is on some versions of the album, and it’s even on iTunes. However, if you want it on iTunes you have to buy the whole album, which is a giant pile of horseshit. I can’t believe they still do that, it’s so 2002.

Truth be told, “The Color Mix” isn’t that radically different than the original, it’s just a little longer, with an an added instrumental interlude about two-thirds in, with some random vocal samples thrown in for no apparent reason. As for the “Remix Edit”, I’ll be honest, it’s been so long since I heard the original version I couldn’t tell you how this version is different.

“Ain’t No Big Deal” is kind of an oddity. Madonna first recorded the track in 1980 with a producer by the name of Stephen Bray who Madonna worked with a lot during her early years. That version, along with most of the other stuff she recorded with Bray, remained unreleased until 1997, when Bray released it on an album called Pre-Madonna, which included many of her earliest recordings.

This version of the song, as far as I can tell, has never been released on a proper Madonna album. I have no idea why, it’s a fun little song, very 80s and pop. Sure, it doesn’t really stand out when compared to other early Madonna songs like “Material Girl” and “Borderline,” but it’s totally worth a listen.

Gus Gus
Very Important People (Dune Remix)
Very Important People (Francois K. Mix)
Very Important People (Masters At Work Main Mix)
Very Important People (Q-Burns Abstract Message Remix)
Oh, those Icelandic people and their chill electronic music. After buying several GusGus 12″ singles over the years I finally caved and picked up an actual GusGus album – 1999’s Is This Normal. One day I might listen to it even. Sigh. I have too much music. The original version of this track is from Is This Normal, which many people have told me is a very fine album. I dig these remxies very much, especially the “Francios K. Mix,” it has a 70s funk vibe that I find totally groovy. All of these mixes were taken from a 12″ promo single.

Midnight Oil
Blue Sky Mine (Food On The Table Mix)
I haven’t posted anything by Midnight Oil in forever! Not since 2007 to be exact. Well hey, it’s not my fault that they didn’t release a copious amount of remixes and 12″ singles. This mix of “Blue Sky Mine” is odd. It starts out by sampling “Bed Are Burning” before continuing as normal, only to break it down at the end with a drums-and-vocals only bit, followed by a fairly manic guitar bit before it closes once again with the opening notes of “Beds Are Burning.” It’s a Midnight Oil megamix! But not really. Still, it’s good.