80s Dance Remixes Brought to you by The Letter “W”

January 20th, 2012

I would have included some Was (Not Was) stuff but I have to re-record those and I’m really tired.

Wang Chung
Let’s Go! (Shep’s Mix)
Let’s Go! (Dub Mix)

Before I go any further, I think we need to discuss this video for this song.

Go ahead and watch it. I’ll wait.

That was something huh? A while ago I said that Pretty Poison’s “Catch Me I’m Falling” was the most 80s shit ever. But I think we have a new champion. Lets’ count the 80isms:

  • Truly horrible blue-screen effects
  • Needless stop-motion animation
  • Random people doing random things (Russian dancers! Sumo Wrestlers!)
  • A disembodied head
  • A woman whose face is 40% make-up
  • Knee-length sports jackets
  • A British dude wearing a bolo tie

I’m calling it. This video is the most 80s shit ever. But that’s not even the most random thing about this track! Check out the cover to the 12″ single from where these remixes were culled.

What the hell is going on there? Is he grabbing the other guy’s scarf like they’re about to make out (not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course)? And what’s up with those color photos? It’s looks like they’re telling each other dirty jokes while they’re waiting for the bus.

The only logical conclusion I can come to in regards to this cover is that art designer for this sleeve was given stills from the video and he said “Um…no thanks, I got these b-roll pictures that the photographer was using to set up the focus. No, the guys didn’t know they were being photographed, but I think it’ll work just fine.”

Oh yeah, the song! It’s good Wang Chung. I’d rate it above “Dance Hall Days” but below “Everybody Have Fun Tonight.” It’d definitely one of those silly upbeat 80s songs that should have been in a montage sequence to a B-grade Brat Pack film. It’s a lot of fun.

The Waitresses
Bread And Butter (Remix)
Bread And Butter (Dub Mix)
Ohio New Wave representing motherfucker!

I am not one to debate the pop perfection of The Waitresses’ sole hit, “I Know What Boys Like,” it’s an amazing tune, and really a one-of-a-kind hit when you think about it. That being said, I think this great track is even better. Patty Donahue’s droll voice was great when she was singing about boys, but it was even better in songs like this, which have some not-so-subtle social commentary on life in the 80s. I don’t think there was ever a singer as blatantly sarcastic as Patty, and I doubt that will ever will again in the overly auto-tuned pop landscape that we are subjected to today. Pity.

Posted in remixes, Wang Chung | 8 Comments »

The Andromeda Strain Soundtrack – All Records Should be Polygons

January 19th, 2012

I posted this soundtrack eons ago. Back when no one read my blog. Now that next to no one reads my blog, I thought I’d give it another go.

The Andromeda Strain Original Electronic Soundtrack
The Andromeda Strain is a movie that came out in 1971, based on the Michael Critchon book of the same name. It was directed by Robert Wise, who also directed such classics as West Side Story and The Day The Earth Stood Still.

It’s a good adaptation of the book, albeit a little slow. What’s most interesting about the film (at least in my opinion) is its groundbreaking soundtrack. The score to The Andromeda Strain is the one of the very first all-electronic scores for a major motion picture. The only one I can think of that predates it is the score to Forbidden Planet, which came out in 1956.

Gil Mellé composed the score, using entirely instruments of his own creation. He created many of the bizarre sounds heard on the album by recording and then distorting all kinds of found sound, including buzz saws, trains and bowling alleys. So if you think about it, that probably makes The Andromeda Strain soundtrack one of the first examples of sampling as well.

It’s a very important historical document, and a technical marvel for its time, even if it hasn’t aged particularly well. Its extremely experimental, often sounding more like random noise than anything that might resemble electronic music music. So if you’re expecting to hear something like a John Carpenter score then you may be disappointed. It’s more abstract and atonal than that, very soundscape-like. Imagine what Vangelis’ studio must sound like before he tunes all his synths. It’s like that.

But what’s even more interesting than the score is the record that it came in.

That’s right, it’s a hexagon! It’s so odd that it came with a warning.

Well duh.

Even its packaging is out of this world. The record is enclosed in a die-cut hexagon that folds out, revealing linear notes about the soundtrack, as well as pictures taken from the film.

The back cover is pretty crazy too.

It’s safe to assume that this one-of-a-kind packaging and pressing cost a good amount of money to produce back in the day. I’ve read online that the studio only made 10,000 of these in this format, which is probably why they go for a good amount of money now. As you can tell from my pictures, my copy is more than a little beat up. If it was is better shape I would probably be able to get  at least $100 for it, if not more. As it is now, I bought it for about $30.

They also released a regular, non-hexagonal version, which I also have.

Not nearly as cool.

Anyways, if you fancy yourself a fan of electronic music then you should definitely give this one a listen. Like I said before, it’s not the most melodic thing in the world, but it’s definitely worth a listen.

Posted in Complete Albums, Gil Mellé, soundtrack | 8 Comments »

Happy Anime Soundtrack Funtime

January 17th, 2012

This album is so weird and obscure that I don’t even know what’s on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Remember…? TV Animation Hero
This is a Japanese LP from 1983 featuring 16 classic cartoon theme songs from shows like Astro Boy and Tetsujin-28 (AKA Gigantor). It’s a pretty awesome record, and not just for the music, it also came with a bunch of sweet swag.

There are these great stickers, which I bet ended up on many a Japanese child’s lunchbox in the early 80s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there’s this neat book. The cover looks like it should be in 3D, but it’s not. If you use red/blue 3D glasses on it you see a different image for each color. It’s a pretty cute little trick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside is mostly text, I assume its about the cartoons in question.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whomever had this record first kept it in amazing shape. I also have an order form that came with it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As well as the OBI strip. These are paper strips that are usually on the covers of LPs in Japan, they have the price and other information on them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So do you want to know what’s on the actual record itself?

Well guess what, so do I! There is next to no English text to be found on this record, the sleeve, the linear notes or anywhere else. I was only able to get the title of the record after I showed it to a Japanese friend, but they didn’t have time to go over the rest of the LP for me.

Here are the tracks I do know, thanks to some sleuthing on YouTube.

Track 1: Tetsujin-28
Track 9: Astro Boy
Track 13: 8Man

As for the remaining 13, I got nothing. And that’s where you come in.

You fancy yourself a Japanophile? Or are you from Japan? If so, and you can translate the album’s tracklisting, let me know in the comments! If I get the actual tracklisting I’ll be sure to update the zip file with the correct information.

Let’s crowdsource this people!

UPDATE
And thanks to one awesome commentor we have mission accomplished! Thank you for your help!

Posted in Anime, Complete Albums, Japanese | 5 Comments »

Transgendered Cabin Boys, Religious Symbolism and Gay Dance Duos – Just Another Day in 80s Pop Music

January 17th, 2012

Seriously, the musical landscape of the 90s didn’t have shit on the randomness of the 80s.

Kate Bush
Alternative Hounds Of Love
The Handsome Cabin Boy
I’m going to level with you,I don’t know what’s so “alternative” about this mix of “Hounds Of Love’ aside from the fact that it’s about 50 seconds longer than the original album version. It has the “do-we-do-do do-we-da-da” and those awesome drums still, so it still kicks ass.

The real star here is the B-side, “The Handsome Cabin Boy.” I had never heard of this tune before, but after some quick online research, I’m now absolutely fascinated by it. This is a traditional folk song…about a woman who tries to pass as a man on a ship, only to have an affair with the captain and his wife (and possibly some of the crew as well) before she ends up pregnant. Bisexuality, transgender issues and the prevalence of homosexuality on the seas! That’s a mighty progressive traditional folk song! Anyone out there now how old this tune is?

Bush’s treatment of the song is absolutely haunting, its nothing more than her voice and some very subtle synthesizers-as-chorus melodies. Its haunting, and it leaves the message and meaning of the song bare for your to take in. It was completely the right way to go. Any attempt at “mainstreaming” this song as a single would probably just make it come off as a joke in poor taste. Best to let the lyrics and the message speak for themselves.

Book Of Love 
Counting The Rosaries (Full Confession Mix)
Counting The Rosaries (Full Confession Dub)
Counting The Rosaries (Happiness & Love Mix)
Counting The Rosaries (Crying Angels Mix)
Sunny Day (Heal Your Positive Body Mix)
I rarely wish I was a religious person. Okay, scratch that, I almost never wish I was a religious person. The only times I do is when it could help my understand of pop culture with religious overtones. For example, I hear songs like this and am left with absolutely no clue as to what it is about due to my blissful ignorance. Anyone care to fill me in? Regardless of what this song is actually about, these remixes are pretty great. Best dance tune about…something religious(???) that I’ve heard all week.

Pet Shop Boys
Always On My Mind (12″ Verision Phil Harding Mix)
I somehow had this 12″ single in my “to record” bin for two years and never got around to it. Stupid me. Now that I have it recorded and filed, however, it brings my Pet Shop Boys singles collection to an even 40. I think that gives me an official ranking of “fabulous.”

Posted in B-sides, Book Of Love, Kate Bush, Pet Shop Boys, remixes | 7 Comments »

The Best Stuff

January 11th, 2012

I was planning on posting one more Star Wars LP, an audio story called Rebel Mission To Ord Mantell. However, it turns out you can get that right here. Why don’t you just do that instead if you’re interested in Star Wars? I’m more interested in posting some bloody music tonight.

Winter. It sucks doesn’t it? If you live in the Midwest (which is reason enough to be depressed), tonight you’re probably bracing for your first big winter storm. That’s never fun.

And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been reading a lot of super-depressive news stories as of late. Probably has something to do with the fact that the Republicans are in the news. They usually take away the fun for everyone.

But fuck that weak shit! Let’s get back into happy fun times! If you download all the music in tonight’s post and don’t smile at least once, call a crisis center, you probably need serious medical help. Or maybe drink some whiskey. That usually helps me.

The B-52s
Good Stuff (12″ Remix)
Good Stuff (Remix Edit)
I listen to a lot of remixes. Seriously. A lot.  As of right now, I have exactly 53,361 songs in my iTunes library. Of them, 2,357 are remixes. That means that nearly one out of every 20 songs in my library is a remix of some sort.

Now, with that in mind, the 12″ remix of Good Stuff might be my favorite remix of all time. And if it’s not the best, it’s certainly the most fun.

It’s amazing what a few layers of synthesizers and a pumped up beat can do. While the original version of “Good Stuff” is beyond great, I think it’s held back as a dance song because it’s still trying to be a bit of a rock song. This version says fuck that, and rips out nearly all the guitars and replaces them with synthesizers, horns and synthesizers that sound like horns. Then it takes the beat and bass and makes them about twice as loud. It may not seem like much, but the end result is a brilliant explosion of feel good vibes and happy times for all. It’s so upbeat and full of energy that scientists should take samples of it and study it for use as a possible fuel source.

You need this song in your life. Today.

Oh, and the edited version is good too, if you need a concentrated blast of awesome instead of an extended mix version.

Cyndi Lauper
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Extended Version)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Instrumental Version)
I’m shocked that this extended version isn’t in print somewhere. Doesn’t everyone in the world love this song? Who wouldn’t want more of it? I’ll tell you who! Republicans! They don’t want anyone to have fun, especially women. Let’s dance party them to death. I’ll bring this song. You bring the Red Bull. It’ll be a long dance party, I think we’ll need the energy drinks until those scientists figure out a way to turn “Good Stuff” into a snortable drug that’ll make cocaine seem like rock candy.

Haysi Fantayzee
John Wayne Is Big Leggy (Groovy Long Version) 
I never heard of Haysi Fantayzee or this song until I bought this 12″ single. I don’t even know what motivated me to make the purchase, probably the song title, because what the fuck does that even mean?

I don’t purport this song to be…well…good, but I bet you’ve never heard anything remotely like it. And its certainly energetic and fun, and sometimes those are more important qualities for a song to have than being well-constructed or full of artistic merit. I’ll certainly listen to this song more than I will the latest Bon Iver album, that’s for sure.

As for what the song is actually about? Well, on YouTube, there’s a video of Haysi Fantaysee performing poorly lip-syncing on Top of The Pops. At one point a trivia track scrolls across the bottom of the screen and simply says “Don’t Ask. It’s bound to upset the John Wayne Estate.”

I’m going to defer to that. It’s probably best if we don’t know.

Posted in B-52s, Cyndi Lauper, Haysi Fantayzee, remixes | 15 Comments »

The Story of Star Wars/Return Of The Jedi – Star Wars Vinyl Part 2

January 10th, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Story Of Star Wars Side 1
The Story of Star Wars Side 2

The Story of Return of the Jedi Side 1
The Story of Return of the Jedi Side 2

Ah, abridged movies on LPs, it’s amazing how far we would go to relive our favorite movies before the age of VHS isn’t it?

Both of these albums are pretty impressive in that they manage to condense an entire theatrical film into a 50 minute LP, thanks in large part to some amazing narration, which is what I’m going to talk about tonight, because I really have nothing of note to say about the Star Wars movies (hey, I like them a lot).

The Story of Star Wars was narrated by the late Roscoe Lee Brown. You may not recognize his name, but you’ll surely recognize his voice from the first second you hear it. Throughout his career, Brown was the voice of the Kingpin in the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon; and also did voiceover work for the Babe films, Oliver & Company and the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, just to name a few. In addition to his voiceover work, he was an accomplished actor, appearing in countless film and television shows, including Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Mrs. Doubtfire, Topaz, and The Cosby Show. The dude’s voice carried gravitas like nobody’s business, but it was also soothing and relaxing when the need arose. It’s no wonder that he did so many kids’ shows. I wonder if he narrated any children’s books, he would be the best bedtime storyteller EVER.

Chuck Riley did the narration for The Story of Return of the Jedi, and he’s another voice you’ll recognize in a heartbeat even if you can’t place his name. Riley’s voice is probably even more recognizable than Brown’s, as he served as the narrator for countless trailers, commercials, and radio programs during his life. The dude had the kind of baritone that you think would only be possible if someone injected themselves with 500 doses of testosterone while smoking whiskey coated cigarettes. If he was still alive today I’d pay him to record my outgoing voicemail message. I’d miss calls on purpose so people would be able to hear that shit.

Enjoy the albums! I’ll have more voyage to a galaxy far, far away later this week.

And hey, if you happen to have the audio for The Story of Empire Strikes Back, let me know.

 

Posted in Complete Albums, Star Wars | 11 Comments »

Ewoks Motherfucker: Star Wars Vinyl Day 1

January 5th, 2012

I was going through my massive stacks of vinyl, pulling out anything that I either hadn’t recorded before or wanted to re-record. Turns out I have a lot of Star Wars vinyl. It also turns out that almost all of it (maybe all of it, I still have to do some research on one) has never been issued on CD or digitally. If that’s not an excuse for a series of themed posts, I don’t know what is.

So lets get Star Wars Week (I know it’s starting on a Friday, shut up) off with a bang.

A cute, adorable, furry little bang.

Ewoks Original Soundtracks – Caravan of Courage/The Battle For Endor
If you ever needed proof that Lucas created the Ewoks solely as a way to make money, then look no further than the two Ewoks television movies. Originally broadcast in 1984 and 1986, Caravan of Courage and The Battle For Endor were two hour-long TV movies made squarely for the little snot-nosed kids who fell in love with the Ewoks the second Isaw the adorable little furballs in The Return of the Jedi.

Hey, it worked for me. I remember loving the first Ewok movie when I was a kid (although I don’t have any memories of the second) and thinking that the Ewoks were pretty cool dudes overall. It wasn’t until I learned about the evils of targeted marketing that I began to see the furry little fuckers in a darker light.

Since I have fond memories of the film, I am never going to go back and watch it. I assume it’s bloody awful. Just reading over other reviews and summaries of the movie, it sounds more like a Saturday morning cartoon than a proper Star Wars film, or anything anyone over the age of 11 should enjoy. Of course, you could say the same thing about anything Star Wars, so I guess I should just shut up before I dig a hole I won’t be able to get out of.

Instead, I’ll just focus on the scores, which is why we’re all here in the first place.

The scores to the Ewoks films were composed by Peter Bernstein (more on him in a bit), not John Williams, and it shows. They lack the majesty, bombastic flare and memorability that are all Williams’ standards, instead serving more as quality background music with the occasional uplifting beat inserted when needed in relation to the plot. More surprising is that the scores are 100% original with no call backs or references to the original Star Wars themes. I guess I have to commend Bernstein for that, better to create your own thing than to piggyback off the success of others, but it all sounds incredibly non-Star Wars because of it.

A bit about Peter Bernstein, a man whose oeuvre can only be described as…workmanlike. Since 1973, he has contributed the scores to nearly 70 films and televisions shows, and the Ewoks movies are probably the  most respectable franchise the man has ever been associated with. His other work is mostly in the B-movie realm, with scores to films like the Chuck Norris horror flick Silent Rage; the classic 80s sci-fi comedy My Science Project; and the cinematic classic Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys all to his credit. He also composed the score for not only Hot Dog…The Movie, but also Hamburger: The Motion Picture. But hey, I’m not judging, a paycheck is a paycheck.

Peter’s father Elmer Bernstein was also a composer (the two would frequently work together), and he must be from who Peter inherited his impressive work ethic. Elmer Bernstein composed the scores for over 240 films and TV series in his lifetime, working until he died at the age of 82.

Elmer won an Oscar for his score to Thoroughly Modern Millie, and he also composed the scores to classics such as The Ten Commandments, To Kill a Mockingbird and Ghostbusters. But even he wasn’t above taking some work to pay the bills. In addition to his more “respected” work, Elmer Bernstein also composed music for films such as Saturn 3, Meatballs, The Good Son and Heavy FUCKING Metal. In fact, looking over his body of work, I just figured out that I own 10 of his soundtracks. Dude got around.

It should be noted that these are not the complete scores of other films. One LP can only hold so much music after all. Instead they are selected highlights from each film (with Battle of Endor being heavily favored). Oddly enough, they aren’t presented in any sort of order. So in case you were wondering, I’ll break them down for you now (and the download link is below the album art, in case you’re looking. I’m not doing individual links for this one):

Caravan of Courage
Trek
Izrina
Flying
Pulga Chase

Battle of Endor
Noa & Terak
Teek
Set Up/Terak’s Theme
Noa’s Ark
Good Night, Bad Dreams
Poker Game
The House
Escape
Farewell

“Into/Main Title” was used in both films.

This album was never officially released on CD, and don’t let anyone ever tell you different. The copy at Amazon is a bootleg, as evident by its hideous cover art and the fact that it credits John Williams as a composer.

So soak up B-grade Star Wars nostalgia, I’ll have more for you in a few days.

Posted in Complete Albums, soundtrack, Star Wars | 11 Comments »

Chairman Of The Board Part 2: Sinatra’s Revenge

January 4th, 2012

And now for not long awaited/demanded second half of my Frank Sinatra covers album post. You can find part one here.

Mind Over Matter – New York, New York
Mind Over Matter was an NYC hardcore punk band that, if their Last.FM bio is anything to be believed, played a major factor in the development of screamo. If I was Mind Over Matter, that’s not something I would be bragging about. I like this cover a lot, especially how it injects NYC crime statistics into the end. One of the best tracks on the album.

Swell – I’ve Got The World On a String
Swell are a lo-fi band that’s still going strong after over 20 years. You can find more info on their current releases here. I really dig this cover, and since lo-fi is the shit right now with all the kids today, I bet it’s probably the least dated track on their entire album.

Crust – All or Nothing at All
Another band with a Butthole Surfers connection (they were on the Surfers’ label for a short time). As you would expect from a band with a Butthole Surfers connection, they’re kind of weird. Info on them is nigh-impossible to find thanks to the fact that if you type in “crust band” on Google you get information on about 60 million shit crust punk bands instead.

Down By Law – That’s Life
I have four Down By Law tracks on my hard drive, and all of them are covers. I got their takes on The Proclaimers’ “500 Miles” and Big Country’s “In A Big Country,” and their version of “Peace, Love And Understanding,” taken from the Before You Were Punk covers compilation. They’re a great covers band,  one day I’m going to have to find out how their own songs are.

Treepeople – It Was A Very Good Year
The second version of “It Was A Very Good Year,” this one is vastly inferior to the version by The Flaming Lips. It’s not necessarily bad, and the crass lyric changes are kind of fun. It’s just really hard to top The Flaming Lips. I know very little about Treepeople, but I did learn from their Wiki page that one of members was Dough Martsch, the vocalist/guitarist of Built To Spill. Another member of the group was in The Hand, whose “Wouldn’t It Be Beautiful” is one of my favorite songs of all time. At least, if that’s the same The Hand that I’m thinking of. Seriously. Find “Wouldn’t It Be Beautiful.” You can get it on MP3 for a buck at Amazon. It’s a beautiful song.

Samian – Come Fly With Me
There is another musician named Samian, so I can’t find much of any information this group. Anyone want to fill me in? A fun cover, although the “let’s act drunk and play” shtick wears out fast.

Small – Something Stupid
Okay, you know what? Too many bands from the 90s had generic names that are impossible to search for online. The perils of band name creation in a pre-Internet world I suppose. From what I could scour up on Discogs, these guys used to go by Small 23, and released three full-lengths and one mini-album in the mid-90s before calling it quits.

Jawbow – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Jawbox was a punk rock group out of DC. I know nothing about them other than that. I do love the short-but-sweet-and-obviously-written-by-a-fan bio for them that’s on Discogs:

“This band is unfortunately no longer making music, here was their lineup:”

This is a shockingly beautiful take on the song, and another standout track on the record. Sorry for the scratching songs during the intro, couldn’t do much to fix that.

Ritual Device – Young  At Heart
My favorite track on the album next to Toadies’ version of “Luck Be A Lady Tonight.” I really love the way that the upbeat vocals are delivered in such a dark and menacing way. I don’t know much about Ritual Device, aside from what Last.fm tells me. Apparently they’re a punk rock band from Omaha. If I had to live in Omaha I’d form a punk rock group too.

Mousetrap – I Wish I Were In Love Again
Another punk rock group from Omaha. Shit be crazy in Nebraska. They should all get together and do a covers album of that Springsteen record.

Severin – Mack The Knife
I’m calling bullshit on this one. The cover of Chairman of the Board says that the album features “interpretations of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra.” However, Frank didn’t cover this classic until the mid-80s. The version that made the song obnoxiously well-known is by Bobby Darin, not Frank Sinatra! I don’t like that version of the song and I don’t like this one by this DC punk band.

Gnome -This Town
I got nothing.

John’s Black Dirt – Bim Bam Baby
And ditto. This is the most obscure band on this album, and that’s really saying something.

Posted in Complete Albums, Crust, Down By Law, Gnome, Jawbow, John's Black Dirt, Mind Over Matter, Mousetrap, Ritual Device, Samian, Severin, Small, Swell, Treepeople | 2 Comments »

Chairman Of The Board – The Best Compilation of Frank Sinatra Covers that 1993 had to Offer

January 2nd, 2012

The random mid-90s alt-rock compilation; is there any better source for oddball rarities and bizarro obscurities? It’s thanks to this trend of “let’s package as many bands who we think the kids who like Nirvana might like together and see what happens” we have albums like No Alternative, with Soul Aslyum’s awesome take on “Sexual Healing” and that crazy Carpenters tribute record with Sonic Youth’s cover of “Superstar.”

Chairman of the Board, a collection of alt-rock groups taking on standards made famous by Frank Sinatra, doesn’t have any classic cuts like those records do, but it’s still an interesting time capsule showcasing the wide variety of alternative bands that existed in the mid-90s that had absolutely nothing to do with grunge.

The album originally came out on CD and (blue!) vinyl in 1993 by Grass Records as a benefit album supporting both NARAL and Rock For Choice (the album is out of print now, so I don’t feel guilty about giving away a charity record for free). Odds are you’ve never heard of most of the bands here, save for a few very noticeable acts who were on the verge of breaking through right before the album was released. Despite this, these crazy takes on songs that you no doubt have heard a billion times over are usually fun to listen to. And if you’re like me, they’ll have you wondering whatever happened to a lot of these also-rans from the alt-rock landscape.

The tracks I’m posting here are from the first LP of the two record set. I’ll be posting the second half later this week.

Screeching Weasel – Chicago
Screeching Weasel has been around for approximately 80 years, and 429 people have been in the group (actually, it’s more like 26 years and 20+ people, but whatever) and I don’t think they’ve ever had anything that could be considered a hit single. They’re one of those bands you’ve heard of but never actually heard. Or you have heard them, but don’t recall where from. Their rendition of “Chicago,” originally written in 1922 by Fred Fisher, is a straight-up “let’s take the original version and play it fast” punk rock cover. Silly fun.

Kramer – My Way
I’ve never heard of Kramer, but he apparently has toured/recorded/produced about half of the bands I liked in the late 90s, including Urge Overkill, Galaxie 500, Low, White Zombie and Butthole Surfers (and GWAR – who I totally met once…it’s a long story). He also knew Penn & Teller, which may be why Penn Jillette wrote the linear notes to the album. His version of this Paul Anka tune is fucking creepy.

Sister Double Happiness – Summer Wind
I know absolultely nothing about this band aside from what I found on YouTube, all of which is better than this hideously awful cover. You’ve been warned.

Babe The Blue Ox – Lady Is A Tramp
This band has a horribly written Wikipedia page that was obviously put together by either a fan or the drummer. That being said, the wiki page is accurate when it says “It would be impossible to classify the style of music favored by the group,” if this cover is any indication. Quiet acoustic sections, random horns blaring, SCREAMING vocals. I love it. I don’t know what it is. But I love it.

The Toadies – Luck Be a Lady Tonight
I’m so glad I found this album so I could finally know where this cover came from, I’ve had it on my computer as a shitty 128kpbs MP3 since I was in college. It’s a great cover, and like everything The Toadies have ever done, it’s vaguely creepy in an undefinable way. Random trivia: This song is from the musical “Guys and Dolls” and is sung by the Sky Masterson character, not Nathan Detroit, the character Sinatra played in the 1955 film. He didn’t perform it until the 60s.

Twitch – Pretty Colors
There are about 80 bands named Twitch. If anyone wants to tell me which one this is, who is in it, and what happened to them I would appreciate it, because I like this cover.

Lester Vegas -Fly Me To The Moon
Again, I have no idea who this is. I think this may have been his only release. Any help?

Ten Bright Spikes -Brazil
If someone ever pulls a gun on you and demands you name a song that was covered by Bing Crosby, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra, Chet Atkins, The Vengaboys, Kate Bush and Arcade Fire (albeit not all at the same time – although that would be awesome!) you’ll have an answer. My favorite version is still probably the Kate Bush version, simply because it’s in the movie of the same name. This is a good version as well, and is one of two tracks on the album that were vinyl exclusives. Once again, this cover is by a band that I can find absolutely nothing about, so if anyone wants to fill me in please do.

Girls Against Boys – My Funny Valentine
Hey, a band I’ve not only heard of, but love! Let me share with you some Girls Against Boys (aka GVSB) facts.
FACT: Nearly every GVSB song sounds vaguely similar to every other GVSB song
FACT: Nearly every GVSB song is pretty good, rendering the above fact okay.
FACT: They have two bass players
FACT: They have a song called “Kill The Sex Player”
FACT: I have no idea as to what a “sex player” is, nor why someone would want said sex player dead.
FACT: They haven’t updated their website in three years.
This is also the only version of “My Funny Valentine” I’ve ever heard that didn’t make me want to pull my hair out. So kudos to them.

Prisonshake – I Wish I Were In Love Again
Apparently these guys have been around since the late 80s. But don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of them before, because they’ve only put out three albums, one in 1993, another in 1995, and a third in 2008. Productivity is for suckers! This is probably the most straight-forward cover on the entire album, which is cute, but kind of boring.

The Flaming Lips – It Was a Very Good Year
Without a doubt the biggest band on this record (sorry Toadies), but if you’re hoping for some Wayne Coyne psychedelic theatrics, I’m sorry. This is a very low-key and minimalist cover, and actually sounds more like something Grandaddy would have done. It’s still cool though.

Pitchblende – Here’s To The Losers
I can only say “I like this weird cover but I know nothing about the band” so many times. But…I really like this cover but I know almost nothing about this band. They were from DC and put out a few records in the 90s before vanishing, from what I can tell.

The Vindictives – Call Me Irresponsible
Miek Weasel (of The Screeching Weasels) was in The Vindictives, and it shows. Another “let’s play the slow song fast” punk cover. Generic? Maybe. But hey, if the formula ain’t broke then don’t fix it.

Posted in Babe The Blue Ox, Complete Albums, covers, Frank Sinatra, Girls Against Boys, Kramer, Lester Vegas, Pitchblende, Prisonshake, Screehing Weasel, Sister Double Happiness, Ten Bright Spikes, The Flaming Lips, The Vindictives, Toadies, Twitch | 2 Comments »

Post-Christmas/Pre-New Year’s Dance Party

December 28th, 2011

How was everyone’s holidays? Did you spend them in Toledo? If not, then you did better than I.

Actually, during my trip I went to a few good record stores in Columbus and Dayton (I know! Something good in Dayton!

Goldfrapp
Number 1 (Alan Braxe and Fred Falke Instrumental Remix)
I totally thought that said “Fake Instrumental Remix” and I was like “what the fuck is a fake instrumental?” I think I need new glasses.

This is an actual, non-fake, instrumental, and one of the better instrumental remixes I’ve heard. It’s totally space disco and I love it. They should play this in a club in Mass Effect 3. It’s also great because it allows me to enjoy a Goldfrapp song without having to hear Allison Goldfrapp’s voice.

It brings back bad memories…it’s a long story.

Daft Punk
Around The World (Tee’s Frozen Sun Mix)
Around The World (I:Cube Remix)
Around The World (Motorbass Vice Mix)
I got these great remixes from a test pressing promo, complete with handwritten notes on the label and no tracklisting (I figured out the tracklisting by looking online). While the first and third remixes were released on various CD singles, the second mix was a vinyl exclusive from as far as I can tell, and a rather limited one at that. Of course, it’s the best one of the bunch as well. Go figure.

Gus Gus
David (Darren Emerson’s Underwater Remix)
David (King Britt’s Underwater Remix)
David (Medicine 8 Remix)
I thought the line “I still have last night in my body” was icky at first, until I recalled several hangovers of my college days, and suddenly I identified.

Of these three remixes, the Darren Emerson one is the best. But that really shouldn’t be a surprise now should it?

Posted in Daft Punk, Goldfrapp, GusGus | 2 Comments »

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