I don't listen to a lot of soul/R&B artists, but there are a few acts these days that are pretty freaking rad. I'd put Janelle Monáe in that category. This song is so freaking infectious...and the video's way cool too.
11 June 2012
11 June 2012 - Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
I am not a fan of Avril Lavigne. At least, I wasn't until five years ago. Her early stuff was a little too emo for me.
With Girlfriend, Avril did 3 things. First, she found her inner rock goddess. The song simply rocks. Second - this one is going to be very hard to understand for any of you that aren't either Canadian or old fans of You Can't Do That On Television - she sounds more Canadian than she had previously. It's her tone and her vernacular.
Finally, she recorded the song in at least eight different languages. Here is the English version.
The results? The biggest hit of her career to date. No coincidence. Not at all.
For those who are so inclined, here is a video that gives you a sampling of several of the languages in which this was recorded.
With Girlfriend, Avril did 3 things. First, she found her inner rock goddess. The song simply rocks. Second - this one is going to be very hard to understand for any of you that aren't either Canadian or old fans of You Can't Do That On Television - she sounds more Canadian than she had previously. It's her tone and her vernacular.
Finally, she recorded the song in at least eight different languages. Here is the English version.
The results? The biggest hit of her career to date. No coincidence. Not at all.
For those who are so inclined, here is a video that gives you a sampling of several of the languages in which this was recorded.
10 June 2012 - Game Theory - The Waist And The Knees / Look Away / Wyoming / The Real Sheila / Erica's Word
Game Theory were a band led by Scott Miller of Davis, CA. The rest of the band was rotating, but this lineup, featuring Donnette Thayer (more on her in a bit), was the classic one. Despite catchy pop/rock tunes and aural experimentation, and the greatest double album ever released - Lolita Nation, from which album this first song is plucked - they never achieved big time success.
This song, one of my favorites, is from a live performance in 1988, soon before their final breakup. It was a harder rocking song, with a little bit of experimentation built in.
Scott Miller, who went on to found the long-lasting Loud Family (who are equally good), gave up the microphone and the songwriting very little. In a few cases, he did cede that to Donnette, who was really talented in her own right - she would leave Game Theory to found Hex with Steve Kilbey from The Church - and when he did, it was magical between the two of them. Here is a live performance of one of her tunes, performed live. And, when you see her hair, remember that it was 1986.
OK, let's do one more. This is another Donnette song, with a better harmony with Scott, and is my absolute favorite Game Theory song. From their last, and second-best album, Two Steps From The Middle Ages, it is worth hearing, even without a video.
I urge you to seek out more Game Theory music. It isn't easy to find, but it's worth the time and effort to find it.
Update (19 April 2013): Scott Miller has passed away this week. In tribute, here is the band's biggest hit, from Lolita Nation.
And here is the first Game Theory song I ever heard. I heard them first on the Enigma Records compilation The Enigma Variations 2. (They also appeared on the classic Enigma Variations). Arguably the best power pop song ever written.
This song, one of my favorites, is from a live performance in 1988, soon before their final breakup. It was a harder rocking song, with a little bit of experimentation built in.
Scott Miller, who went on to found the long-lasting Loud Family (who are equally good), gave up the microphone and the songwriting very little. In a few cases, he did cede that to Donnette, who was really talented in her own right - she would leave Game Theory to found Hex with Steve Kilbey from The Church - and when he did, it was magical between the two of them. Here is a live performance of one of her tunes, performed live. And, when you see her hair, remember that it was 1986.
OK, let's do one more. This is another Donnette song, with a better harmony with Scott, and is my absolute favorite Game Theory song. From their last, and second-best album, Two Steps From The Middle Ages, it is worth hearing, even without a video.
I urge you to seek out more Game Theory music. It isn't easy to find, but it's worth the time and effort to find it.
Update (19 April 2013): Scott Miller has passed away this week. In tribute, here is the band's biggest hit, from Lolita Nation.
And here is the first Game Theory song I ever heard. I heard them first on the Enigma Records compilation The Enigma Variations 2. (They also appeared on the classic Enigma Variations). Arguably the best power pop song ever written.
08 June 2012
8 June 2012 - Katy Hudson - Search Me
Katy Hudson was a reasonably popular Christian recording artist in the early 2000's. She had a powerful voice, and was well-regarded as an artist. Russ Breimeier told us in 2001 that we'd be hearing more and more from her.
Russ was right. However, this record didn't do well, mostly because the record label she was signed to folded. We'd just have to wait a little longer.
By now, I am sure you have figured out this is Katy Perry. After this record, she changed her name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson.
Russ was right. However, this record didn't do well, mostly because the record label she was signed to folded. We'd just have to wait a little longer.
By now, I am sure you have figured out this is Katy Perry. After this record, she changed her name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson.
07 June 2012
7 June 2012 - Men Without Hats - Pop Goes The World
OK, I'm going to give Hair Metal Thursdays a break for a while. I knew it was time when I couldn't decide on whether to post a White Lion or a Stryper video. Frightening thought. Never fear though as I'm proud to bring you NEW WAVE THURSDAYS. Wow, I'm just horrible at naming things. I swear if it wasn't for my wife, my cats would be named Orange Cat, Grey Cat and Other Orange Cat. Someone please hit me up with a name that isn't so lame (for New Wave Thursdays, not the cats, we're pretty settled on Jeter, Posey and Joey in that regard).
Anyway, for the debut New Wave Wednesday post here's Canada's Men Without Hats with a song that has recently popped up on a laundry commercial. Believe it or not, I always liked this song more than Safety Dance.
Anyway, for the debut New Wave Wednesday post here's Canada's Men Without Hats with a song that has recently popped up on a laundry commercial. Believe it or not, I always liked this song more than Safety Dance.
06 June 2012
6 June 2012 - Gym Class Heroes - Cupid's Chokehold / Supertramp - Breakfast in America
I remember several years ago, when this song was new, that it sounded strangely familiar. These upstate NY boys - Geneva, NY, to be precise - had found a way to be both classic and fresh.
Plus, in 2006, everyone was wondering who that girl was next to Travie McCoy. Well, it was his girlfriend, Katy Hudson. Of course, we all know her better as Wicked Guilty Pleasures Hall of Famer Katy Perry, but at the time this video was released, she had not yet adopted that name.
We're all about the gratuitous Katy Perry mentions, but this is a great song, combining rock and hip-hop in exactly the opposite way I would have expected. And their use of samples - more on that in a minute - was clever and unexpected as well.
Little known fact: This was version #2 of the video. The video below? Version 1.0. Without Katy Perry, of course. The song itself is a little different, but only subtly. Also, this version is far, far, far darker!
Update: This video was removed, and I can't find it, so here's a live version.
Of course, that sample from the beginning of the tune is not an obscure Katy Perry tune, but rather the Supertramp classic Breakfast In America. Here's the songwriter and Supertramp lead vocalist, Roger Hodgson, performing the song.
The song is both celebratory and sad. You don't know if Roger is happy or sad about his girlfriend. She is, after all, the only one he's got. But, she's not much of a girlfriend - he never seems to get a lot.
Here's the rest of Supertramp performing it without Roger Hodgson. And without Katy Perry. You know, neither version really sounds complete to me.
Plus, in 2006, everyone was wondering who that girl was next to Travie McCoy. Well, it was his girlfriend, Katy Hudson. Of course, we all know her better as Wicked Guilty Pleasures Hall of Famer Katy Perry, but at the time this video was released, she had not yet adopted that name.
We're all about the gratuitous Katy Perry mentions, but this is a great song, combining rock and hip-hop in exactly the opposite way I would have expected. And their use of samples - more on that in a minute - was clever and unexpected as well.
Little known fact: This was version #2 of the video. The video below? Version 1.0. Without Katy Perry, of course. The song itself is a little different, but only subtly. Also, this version is far, far, far darker!
Update: This video was removed, and I can't find it, so here's a live version.
Of course, that sample from the beginning of the tune is not an obscure Katy Perry tune, but rather the Supertramp classic Breakfast In America. Here's the songwriter and Supertramp lead vocalist, Roger Hodgson, performing the song.
The song is both celebratory and sad. You don't know if Roger is happy or sad about his girlfriend. She is, after all, the only one he's got. But, she's not much of a girlfriend - he never seems to get a lot.
Here's the rest of Supertramp performing it without Roger Hodgson. And without Katy Perry. You know, neither version really sounds complete to me.
05 June 2012
5 June 2012 - Brandi Carlile - What Can I Say and The Story
I've been a big Brandi Carlile fan since the first time I heard today's song. Her voice just blows me away. So much passion. Needless to say, I'm excited to hear her new record - Bear Creek - which hits stores today. Until then, I suppose this video will have to do.
And this one too! My favorite song of 2007.
And this one too! My favorite song of 2007.
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