1 October 2013 - Grouplove - Ways To Go

How is it possible that we haven't done a Grouplove post here at Wicked Guilty Pleasures? I figured one of us would have hit upon their ubiquitous hit Tongue Tied at some point. Nope. I guess it's up to me to once again save the day. I'm used to it.

Grouplove's latest album Spreading Rumours came out a couple weeks ago. I haven't had a chance to listen to yet but I imagine it will be just as effervescent as their debut Never Trust A Happy Song. The first single Ways To Go certainly brings the indie pop joy. The video's kind of kooky too.

30 September 2013 - Belle and Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby

Ah, the ultimate ode to office harassment....

Seriously, this Welsh folky group came up with a creative way to communicate the complexity of inter-office romance, using as many double entendres as possible.  And it's a riot, complete with appropriate horns.

27 September 2013 - Charli XCX - Superlove

Yesterday - 26 September 2013 - Charli XCX released her new video to YouTube.  And since then, it's been on heavy rotation in my office.  Which mean that, even though I was quite cognizant of the fact that I've posted an awful lot of Charli XCX over the last few months (and Scott posted one, too, but that song was popularly misbilled.....), I knew what I had to do.

It's a public service.

To be fair, it was not expected - the single, the first off her second album, isn't out until 1 December on iTunes (unless it gets moved up like I think it will), and she just released her excellent debut album in April.  But it's just SO GOOD!!!!  Not nearly as dark as anything off the first album - or even as much as "I Love It (I Don't Care)" - yeah, I said it! - she still shows off her electronic pop chops and a love of minor chords.



If I'm being totally honest, Charli XCX is clearly heavily influenced by (onetime collaborator and close friend) Marina and the Diamonds.  Gee, we like that electronic grunge-pop music on here, don't we?

I was serious when I said they collaborated...... Now tell me where Charli stops and Marina starts.  It's hard to tell in parts.



UPDATE: (30 September 2013):  This post has been so hugely popular - about twice as much as any prior - that I added some bonus footage.  Here is Charli performing this song, live.  I was a little surprised to see this already.  The biggest surprise: the performance is from September 20th, a full week before the video was released.



UPDATE: (28 June 2014). Yes, I am updating this post. Because I am, for the time being, denying the existence of "Boom Clap".   And this performance from "The Fault In Our Stars" premiere is brilliant without losing the energy of the song.

26 September 2013 - Madness - One Step Beyond

Yeah, I know it's 80s Thursday, but I was in the mood for some Madness today and One Step Beyond released in 1979 will always beat out 1982's Our House. So click play, crank it up and start skankin'!

25 September 2013 - The Bangles - Hero Takes A Fall (and Gilmore Girls)

The Bangles are one of my favorite bands of all time.  Those four women are among the most underrated musicians of all time.  This early song, which isn't as big a hit as some of their others, including ones we might have featured on this blog previously, but it's a fun, off-kilter romp with clever wordplay.



Those of you who don't know me so well are going to be a little surprised by this next statement. Those who do know that I think Gilmore Girls is the greatest television show of all time.  I will argue that point with anyone.  Neatly walked the line between drama and comedy better than any other show in history.  Expertly and complexly developed and imperfect characters.  Lauren Freaking Graham!

Anyway, the Bangles appeared on the show, and performed two songs - this one, and, coincidentally, Eternal Flame. From Season 1, Episode 13.  And yeah.  I just knew that.



By the way, here they are on Letterman performing the song live in 1984.  You know, when music on TV was actually live.

24 September 2013 - Danielle Bradbery - The Heart of Dixie

Season 5 of The Voice started last night and I got totally sucked in within the first 15 minutes. It's good to see that we're starting to see some "payoff" from the show as Season 3 winner Cassadee Pope is climbing the charts with her first single Wasting All These Tears. I have a feeling Season 4 winner Danielle Bradbery will be joining her very soon as her first single Heart of Dixie has recently hit radio and the video was just released yesterday. Check out this refreshing young talent.

23 September 2013 - Huey Lewis and The News - I Want A New Drug

The story is, this was supposed to be an anti-drug song.  Because NO DRUG could do all this.

The video is a mess.  The story of the video is Huey Lewis racing across San Francisco to get to a concert.  So, why, after racing across San Francisco, does Huey Lewis hop on a ferry in Marin County toward San Francisco? And then catch a helicopter back to Marin County?!

Really, I am probably overthinking that.

The song was a #6 hit for the band in 1984.  And it's still a lot of fun today!  I'm no longer ashamed to admit that I love this song.  Because I was in 1984.

20 September 2013 - Kylie Minogue - WOW & I Should Be So Lucky & Timebomb

It amazes me how some people who are stars when they are really young - Kylie started acting when she was 11, and recording when she was 18, instantly making hits - can continue to be such huge hitmakers so many years later - Kylie is 45 now.

It amazes me how someone who is such a HUGE star in just about every other country has only had 2 Top 10 hits in the US (2 additional top 40 hits), and neither of them are this, a worldwide hit from 2008.  It's funky, it's danceable, and it lends itself to really good remixes.



It amazes me how much some songs lend themselves so easily to really good remixes.



It amazes me how much Kylie has changed since she was 18.....This song was a US Top 30 hit, but #1 just about everywhere else.



It amazes me that Kylie is still making music. Good electronic dance music.  And she still has time to join the next season of The Voice UK!

19 September 2013 - Groovie Ghoulies - Running With Bigfoot

I know I usually do an 80s post on Thursdays, but I was in desperate need of a good laugh and this song never fails to cheer me up. So here's Sacramento pop punkers the Groovie Ghoulies and their fun video for Running With Bigfoot off of their World Contact Day album from 1996.

18 September 2013 - Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball

I know, I know, we did a Miley post not so long ago.  However:

1. Since that post, Miley twerked all over Robin Thicke.
2. I'm really lazy, and
3. Miley really redeeemed herself musically with this song (although she did still see fit to ride a wrecking ball in the nude).

And, in all seriousness, this song is a deep, passionate, well-performed song.  As showy and seemingly out of control that Miley gets, no one can deny that.

17 September 2013 - INXS - Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain)

When I first bought the Listen Like Thieves album in 1985 or 1986, this was instantly my favorite song.  It remains one of my favorites to this day.  The jangly guitar, Michael Hutchence and his powerful vocal.

But what makes this a classic is the sudden tempo change at about 2:15.  It's a completely different song - more urgent.  The new tempo lasts for about a minute and then returns you to the original speed and mood.  It's expertly done, and it's a shame this song wasn't a bigger hit.

16 September 2013 - Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)

Really surprised I hadn't done this one yet, but here we are.

A lot of you know that I had a very good friend growing up.  His name was Mark Whittier.  He was funny, and mostly kind, and sarcastic, and all around a really nice guy.

I believe it was August 31, 1995 that was the last time I spoke with Mark.  I had lost touch with him, and had just recently found him.  Which is good, because I was getting married in a couple of weeks and really wanted to make sure he was not only there, but a part of the wedding (he was going to do a reading).  He asked me to point him to campgrounds in the Rochester, NY area - I, of course, made sure he knew he was staying with me as much as he could.

We talked about music - his favorite artists, Hall & Oates, for sure, and others.  We talked about some experiences we had over the years prior.  He talked about having a flu that he was having trouble shaking, but he thought he would be OK for my wedding. It was a great conversation, a natural conversation.

Those who know Mark know that he passed on September 14th, 1995.  So I am really thankful I had that conversation with him when I did.  I found out September 15th, at my rehearsal dinner - I had gotten word that he was ill and in the hospital previously, so I did find an excellent friend to take his place.  Dan Deyell, thank you - that he had passed away. And on September 16th, I was married.  Mark pretty much had the only acceptable excuse not to show up.  In all seriousness, he was missed by me and by others that day.  And we paid tribute during the ceremony, remembering him.

And so it seems appropriate to me today that I post some Hall and Oates.  Perhaps their most iconic song, but, really, that's not the point today.  Still, great tune.


If you want to read more about the great young man that Mark was, and how he passed, you can check that out here. And please, consider giving to the Wilson Disease Association - the disease that took him from us far, far, far too soon - in Mark's name.

13 September 2013 - Brooke Candy - Everybody Does

There's so, so many things I could say about this song. I could talk about the tiny little chameleons, most of which I think are CGI, but I cannot confirm.  I could talk about the outrageous outfits and super-long dreadlocks.  I could talk about Brooke Candy's connections to other artists we've featured on this blog.

I could talk about how Wikipedia states that Brooke Candy - her real name, by the way - is best known for appearing in a Grimes video. ("Genesis".  Another day for that song)

Or I could talk about the over-sexualized music and this clearly censored video. And yet, despite the fact that she's talking about clubbing and stripping (she is a former stripper, after all) and having sex, and despite the fact that she's clearly topless in parts of this video.... this video doesn't seem quite as whoreish as it could have.  In fact, this foul-mouthed woman comes off as smart and empowered.

Plus, she's got skills.

12 August 2013 - Buckner & Garcia - Pac-Man Fever

I'm fairly certain that a song called The Grand Theft Auto Blues would not be a hit in 2013. But if the game existed in the 80s the song would have totally happened, Buckner & Garcia would have written it, and it would have been freakin' awesome. Just try to tell me that The Grand Theft Auto Blues would not have fit in perfectly on an album with Froggy's Lament, Ode to a Centipede, Do the Donkey Kong, Goin' Berzerk, and of course Pac-Man Fever.

11 September 2013 - Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite

You were thisclose to forgetting this song, right?

Not to worry - this #1 UK single - top 40 in the US - wasn't forgotten by us.  It's a simple song - starts with a jangly guitar, builds with drums, keyboards and Fairlight - with strong references to the moon landing.  The titular satellite, in fact, is the Moon.

So, remember.  And enjoy.

10 August 2013 - Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do

Sheryl Crow's eighth album Feels Like Home came out today. I'm looking forward to playing it on a long sunny walk this afternoon that will no doubt end up with me visiting my favorite tavern for what I like to call "Office Hours." (*I've since listened to it, and it's up there with her finest albums).

But let's go back to where it all began. The first time I heard her remarkable debut Tuesday Night Music Club I became an instant fan. It's such a perfect summer album that I still play often. I finally got to see her perform about five or six years ago and it was a blast singing along to all of her hits. Well, I'm happy to say I'm going to see Sheryl again next month as I just got tickets to see her in Baltimore for WPOC's annual Girls With Guitars benefit show along with Jennifer Nettles, Kellie Pickler and Cassadee Pope. I'm thinking there's a pretty good chance that Sheryl will play this classic.

 

You can see the first video from Feels Like Home right here.

9 September 2013 - The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name

Katie.  Her name is Katie.

And this song by 2 people is a lot of fun.  I love two piece bands, and maybe the Ting Tings most of all.  They keep the energy high, the beat strong, and the names unknown.  In fact, even though there is a little musical accompaniment, the song is mostly bass drum and vocal, with Katie harmonizing with herself at points.

6 September 2013 - Ashlee Simpson - L.O.V.E.

It's been a good week.  You've been very good to this blog.  You've earned yourself some Ashlee Simpson.

You know, for someone who lived in the shadow of her supposedly prettier (whatever), more talented (not true), bigger hitmaker (who actually had exactly as many top 10 hits as her), reality show (who had exactly as many MTV reality shows as her sister (we aren't counting Fashion Star)) acting superstar (Big deal. Jessica did "The Dukes of Hazzard" terrible piece of crap movie. Ashlee was on "Melrose Place" and "7th Heaven"!), we think Ashlee's done pretty well for herself.   Besides, we aren't putting any Jessica Simpson on here..... yet.

So let's listen to the slightly funky Gwen Stefani influence in this song, a minor hit in 2005, and celebrate the great talent that is Ashlee Simpson.



Trust me.  This isn't the last time we're featuring Ms. Simpson on here.

5 September 2013 - 808 State (featuring Bjork) - Oops

Believe it or not I used to actually like electronic music in the 90s and Manchester's 808 State were one of my favorites. I saw them live twice when they toured for their fourth album Gorgeous in 1993 (one show they opened for New Order and the other they opened for Meat Beat Manifesto). Sadly, I never saw them play my favorite song Oops, which featured vocals by Bjork, but I'm equally relieved that bands back in the day had the sense not to play a tacky video of the not present vocalist which is all the rage these days . . . well that and holograms. OK, maybe a Bjork hologram would be cool. Or not. I really don't know. Just watch the video.

4 September 2013 - Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait

This remix was a hit for one hit wonders Nu Shooz in 1986, and a boon for Casio keyboards everywhere.

And now the song is stuck in your head, too.  You're welcome.

Seriously, this is a song that has always made me smile, and I hope it does the same for you.


Did you know that Nu Shooz were actually a husband and wife team?  And that they're still together? Here they are, performing the song live, and still sounding great and happy and upbeat.

3 September 2013 - One Direction - Best Song Ever

The 2013 VMA Award Winner for Song of the Summer.  And this angered a lot of people.  I don't understand why.  And so, I am going to embark upon my defense of One Direction.

When I was a kid, we had boy bands.  Specifically, we had a singing group named New Kids on The Block.  Those five kids from Boston made boy bands a little cool.  The next generation of kids had N*Sync and the Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees and Take That and a whole bunch of boy bands that will probably all be featured on this blog sometime.

These boy bands all had two things in common.  First of all, they were made up of a bunch of mates who harmonized well together, VOCALLY, but were primarily vocal groups.  Second, they sang nice, quiet, sanitized pop songs, with little variation.

These five guys who just barely beat Cher Lloyd on X Factor (she came in 4th, they came in 3rd) have become a huge worldwide sensation, for real.  But they did it a little differently than boy bands that came before.  There's a pop sensibility -sure - but these guys clearly have a stronger rock influence than the boy bands that came before them. I'm not saying they're AC/DC here, but there is more of an edge than we've seen before.

More to the point, though - these guys are five very powerful vocalists who advanced on X Factor as soloists in their own right.  And some of them even played and play instruments.  They aren't just a vocal group.  They've got musical talent.

I mean, there's no doubt they were a little manufactured by Simon Cowell.  But they've grown much better than that.



And if you doubt my claim on them playing instruments.... well, here they are, some of them with instruments.  That they are actually playing.


Now that you've seen this, go over to Totally Covered and check out a cover by these guys.

2 September 2013 - Grimes - Oblivion

My path to discovering this artist, who has been around for a few years, is a bit of a convoluted one.  You see, this post started off life as a post by another artist.  That artist's name is Brooke Candy.  She's quite the character, with long pink dreadlocks, a wild wardrobe, and a foul mouth.   And, in my research about her, I found out that she is best known for appearing in a video by Grimes.

Well, that got me thinking - who is Grimes?  And I checked out that video - the song is called "Genesis", and it's a decent song in its own right, but it's not the song we're posting today - and it was good.  Then I found out she was signed to 4AD Records.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am a 4AD junkie.  (There's a special post coming someday dedicated just to that record label.  But that's for another day)

That got me investigating more music by Grimes, and it led me to our song today.  Born Claire Boucher, and raised in Vancouver, meet your 2013 Juno Award winner for Electronic Album of the Year.  This video was filmed at McGill University, in Montreal, where the artist attended. And yes, this is a real football game and a real motocross exhibition, where she's walking around with headphones and a keyboard and singing.

And now that you've enjoyed Grimes, check out Totally Covered today for an acoustic version of this song by Franz Ferdiannd

(Update: 10 Jan 2014): I had the song stuck in my head.  So here's a live version.

30 August 2013 - Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness

August is ending.  School is starting again.  So why not a super depressing song to end the summer?!

That would be the end of this post, except this song has become kind of a big hit.... because it's kind of good and deep and beautifully done.  Sure, we are still talking about Lana Del Rey's Saturday Night Live debacle (which I think was overblown, but that's opinion), but this song.... so stirring.

As of this writing, this song, at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, is Ms. Del Rey's biggest hit to date.



To be fair, it is this remixed version by Cedric Gervais that has been getting all the airplay.... it's kind of a depressing song to get a lot of club airplay, and yet that's exactly what has happened.

29 August 2013 - The B-52's - Rock Lobster

Yeah, I could have easily posted the campy original Rock Lobster video by The B-52's, but this even campier "live" in-studio performance from Countdown is WAY better. I've watched this video three times today and I still can't stop laughing . . . Man, I'd kill for Fred Schneider's mad dance skills.



Five years ago I saw The B-52's in Virginia Beach on the beach. This weekend I get to see Daughtry at the same venue. Not quite the same now is it?

28 August 2013 - Cher Lloyd - Swagger Jagger

I don't quite know what it is about this song that makes me freaking love it so much.  Perhaps it is the bravado that this young woman practically bleeds with every note.  Perhaps it's because Cher Lloyd is so very clearly under the influence of the X Factor producers for this clearly overproduced song..... which, amazingly, doesn't make it a bad song.  Maybe it's the nod and wink to "Oh My Darling Clemetine" that the chorus of this song clearly takes.

Oh, and there is the fact that it was used in a milk commercial..... I think that must be it.


(By the way, you'll want to check out our prior Cher Lloyd post, which we updated today, too)

27 August 2013 - Eve 6 - Inside Out

Every Labor Day weekend the Mrs. and I head down to Virginia Beach for an extra long weekend. We hit the same bars and restaurants we like, my wife runs the half marathon and there's the American Music Festival, which is why I started going.

The festival has concerts every night on seven stages (the main-stage is on the beach and there are six free side stages near the boardwalk). Over the years I've seen some great bands there: The B-52s, Cheap Trick, Soul Asylum, Billy Idol, ZZ Top, Bret Michaels, Southern Culture On The Skids, Joan Jett, Train, Jamey Johnson, Warrant (one of Jani Lane's last shows before getting kicked out of the band), and dozens of others. Beer is cheap and the money goes to local charities. It's always a fun time.

Well this year it's going to take A LOT of beer because the line-up is to put it kindly -- a crapfest. The main-stage looks like this: Fuel/Daughtry on Friday, Smash Mouth/Barenaked Ladies on Saturday and Third Eye Blind on Sunday. Sounds like a killer festival . . . 15 years ago. The free stages are no better. On Saturday I have the option of seeing Eve 6/Sugar Ray. OR Eve 6 and then walk 5 blocks to see Modern English. Or say "screw it," find a bar and watch Georgia vs. Clemson. It's almost a no-brainer. Anyway here's the "Tender Heart in a Blender" song by Eve 6. I'm sorry.

26 August 2013 - P!nk - True Love (featuring Lily Allen (Lily Rose Cooper?))

We haven't done a Hall of Famer in awhile, have we?  No, we haven't.  We really should.  In the meantime, enjoy the latest single by our last HoF honoree, P!nk, who duets with potential future HoF honoree and co-author Lily Allen (who we featured on Friday).

Except that Lily Allen had changed her professional name to her real (married) name, Lily Rose Cooper (why she added the middle name I don't know), so my confusion was in the billing of this song, which clearly uses the old professional name.  So, when Mrs. Cooper's new album finally drops... who knows who it will be billed to.

But I digress.  This song is brilliantly and darkly crafted, and speaks to what a real relationship might look like in Pink's world... Plus, it stars her kid.  And Carey Hart.  And a bunch of toys from Ikea.  And Lily... whoever she is.... with a blender and a knife.  Despite the darkness of the song, it's generally happy and enjoyable, and not as dark as a couple of her recent hits.

23 August 2013 - Lily Allen - LDN

It is unbelievable to me that I haven't posted this yet.  It's a chipper-sounding song, but lyrically really dark.  And it's one of my favorite songs of all time.   And it's a song my eight year old daughter knows, word for word.

A "love song" to London, of sorts, it's a catchy pop achievement, with great beats and catchy horns.
This version of the video is version 2, which matches well with the lyrics.... where Ms. Allen sees a rosy London but a darker version of the city appears behind her - right down to the old lady being hit over the head by the kid seeking her jewelry and wallet.



It's important to note that Lily Allen is asking for her own album in the record store in the beginning of the video.  All the terms she used were ones used to describe her debut, Alright, Still....

Sadly, Version 1, which is also pretty cool, only shows the nice side of London. Filmed on a shoestring budget, it follows our intrepid artist around London on a bicycle, in fast forward.  And it's all rosy - no crack whores to be found.  Still, it's a fun video.

22 August 2013 - KISS - Heaven's On Fire

. . . And for no particular reason, here's the video for Heaven's On Fire by KISS.
Party on!

21 August 2013 - Coldplay - Clocks (with a Röyksopp bonus)

I cannot f&*%ing stand Coldplay.

Except for this song.  A classic. Simple.  Sparse. Piano-based.  Moderately nonsensical.  And instantly recognizable. Even when covered by others.



So what drove me to post this today?  This remix, by Röyksopp, which I recently discovered.  It's almost like it's a different song from a different era.  And perhaps it is the timeless quality of Coldplay's one decent song that makes this work.

20 August 2013 - Lady Gaga - Applause

I finally checked out the new Lady Gaga song Applause and it's out-there and might I add very cool video. I just have one question: Did I dream about all of the recent online angst about the song? Did that happen? Because Applause sure seems like a winner to me. I'd even call it one of her finest songs and she's already written a ton of them in her short career. I'm even detecting for the first time a small trace of Siouxsie Sioux in her voice which I never really picked up on before (not saying it's intentional or not, just kind of an odd observation). Anyway, her new full-length ARTPOP comes out in November . . . it's going to be a long wait for this guy.

19 August 2013 - Robin Thicke (featuring T.I. and Pharrell - Blurred Lines

FINALLY!

THE POST YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!

OK, OK, OK..... that may have been a little bit of an exaggeration.  However, this is one of the most requested songs we've ever had.  And, to be fair, it took awhile to grow on me, even though I was already a fan of Alan's son - this is his third appearance on this blog (here as a tandem with Walter Murphy, and here as 1/2 of a surprisingly compelling duet with a Gossip Girl star).

But this song - there's something about it.  It's paced differently than a typical pop song.  It's much sparser than a song you'd expect to hear on pop radio.  Lyrically, it's racy - some have called it slightly rape-y - and pushes the limits of what one might expect to hear on the radio.

Of course, the song famously has two videos, one of which is marginally safe for work (and the other which is completely NSFW, but look after the jump for that one).



Interesting side note: despite my earlier statements about the originality of the work..... Robin Thicke and his people are suing Marvin Gaye's estate and the rightsholders of Funkadelic songs.... because those parties are both claiming that this song ripped them off.  The case was filed to preempt a potential copyright claim.  In my opinion, this song - the Marvin Gaye song "Got To Give It Up (Part 1)" has a similar, but not nearly identical, sound.   "Blurred Lines" is evocative without completely lifting the tune.

16 August 2013 - Charli XCX - What I Like

This post is 100% pandering.

You see, THIS POST is the 2nd biggest one we've ever had.... by far.  And if you want my opinion, it's for good reason - Charli XCX is a fantastic talent.  If the year were to end today, her True Romance album would be my hands-down pick for Album of the Year.  I honestly think she's going to get some Grammy love for her hand in writing "I Love It (I Don't Care)."

But let's talk about this video.  It feels a little gratuitously jailbait-y to me.  The song is actually quite a sweet love song, and more mature than a woman who JUST turned 21 two weeks ago (and therefore, this one was written when she was in her teens) should be writing.  But this video.... I feel like I shouldn't be watching this....

15 August 2013 - David J - I'll Be Your Chauffeur

Well here's a song that I haven't thought about in very LONG time. I'll Be Your Chauffeur by David J (Love & Rockets and Bauhaus) was the lead single of his third solo album Songs For Another Season, which I probably still have on tape somewhere in my basement. I'm not sure if this was a popular thought back in the day, but I actually preferred David's solo work to his Love & Rockets/Bauhaus cohort Daniel Ash. But then again, neither compared to Peter Murphy's (Bauhaus) solo work.

14 August 2013 - Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

Scott told me yesterday that he was waiting for my post about this song. Well, here it is.

This is quite possibly the most disturbing video I've ever seen.  I mean, what's up with the french fry skull? And the giant stuffed bears? Making out with the giant Barbie doll in the pool?  Eating dollar bills? Cutting off fingers and bleeding Pepto Bismol? All that damn twerking? Pick your favorite disturbing imagery, I guess.

Now, close your eyes and just listen to the song.  The song - which is pretty clearly a party anthem - isn't really all that far off lyrically from her Hannah Montana days (albeit a little more hedonistic).  But the performance is mature and passionate and subtle.  Little Miley has truly grown up, and it's not a bad thing.



Even more disturbing?  The Director's Cut! Well, really, it's just different disturbing stuff..... It's a slightly different mix of the song.  I mean, I don't really see how it's a director's cut, but hey!  It's just Miley being Miley.



OK, if you really can't get past the video.... here's a live performance.  Trust me.  It's a solid song.

13 August 2013 - Men At Work - Down Under

It's a shame bands today don't make goofy videos like they did in the 80s (work with me here and pretend Toby Keith's Red Solo Cup video never happened). Don't get me wrong, Men At Work had some great songs, but I seriously doubt they would have been as huge as they were if it wasn't for their off-the-wall kookiness in their videos.

12 August 2013 - Missing Persons - Destination Unknown

Little known fact: even though MTV played their videos a lot - including the one we're featuring today - Missing Persons never had a Top 40 hit in the US.  This song made it to #42 on the Billboard Hot 100, but wasn't a big hit.

And yet, their songs and videos endure.  Everyone remembers Dale Bozzio's fishbowl bra.  But this keyboard/drum driven sound, complemented with Dale's quirky, emotive vocal, draws me in every time, more so than her boobs under clear acrylic.



They're back together, too.  And Dale - who co-wrote the song - calls it one of her favorites.   Mine, too, Dale.  Mine, too.

8 August 2013 - Electronic - Feel Every Beat

It’s kind of hard to believe that a band featuring members of New Order, The Smiths and the Pet Shop Boys could be considered a guilty pleasure, but here we are. I actually liked Electronic back in the day, but their debut album sounds really dated in 2013, especially on the songs that New Order’s Bernard Sumner “raps.” I thought that kind of thing was sort of cool at the time, but now . . . eh, not so much. Anyway, it’s still fun to check out those tunes again. Here’s the video for Feel Every Beat.

7 August 2013 - R.E.M. - Stand / Throwing Muses - Dizzy

A odd pairing of songs for this post?  Not really.  Let me explain.

In September 1989, Mark Whittier and I went to see R.E.M. at the Hartford Civic Center.  It was my first concert.  They opened the show with this song.  And a lot of people left right after.  Which I thought was odd.  It ended up being a great show.  A GREAT show.  We had a fantastic time.

There was a time I was really sick of this song.   But I don't know why.  It's a great pop/rock song, no matter how much airplay it got in 1989.  And it got a LOT of airplay in 1989!

Actually.... this is pretty much how I remember it.



Those who know me know I really went to see the opening act, Throwing Muses. They were, and remain to this day, my favorite band.  And they were really awesome live.  I also saw them in 1995, in Northampton, MA. And like 1989, I knew the only way to get people into a Throwing Muses song was to entice them with R.E.M.  However, I can safely say I have gotten a lot of people into this great, underrated band,  Give them a chance.  You won't be disappointed.

(Also, Kristin Hersh and Michael Stipe did do a little duet together later.... which was a bigger hit than anything Throwing Muses ever did)

And actually.... this is pretty much how I remember it.

6 August 2013 - Morcheeba - Trigger Hippie

I saw Morcheeba at a music festival shortly after their second album came out in the late 90s. I have no idea which festival though. Could be Lilith Fair. Or maybe it was a radio station show. It doesn't really matter. I do remember that they had a very cool trip-hop/jazz vibe to them so I picked up both of their albums (at the time) shortly after the show. This video is from their first album Who Can You Trust?.

5 August 2013 - The Dandy Warhols - Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth

By now, you probably know that I love a song with a good title.  There's a reason for that.  These songs are usually lyrically complex and interesting, the songs constructed brilliantly around these lyrics.  

Take this 1998 song by MTV darlings The Dandy Warhols.  This straight-ahead pop-rock song so deeply and smoothly moves from Verse 1 to chorus to Verse 2 to chorus to bridge to chorus.  The (video) performance by the band is very emotionless, even with the excitement and chaos of the video around them and the gratuitous shots of a seemingly ambivilent Zia McCabe.
  
Now, let's talk about the title for a moment.  This is one of those songs in which the title is frequently misquoted.  The song is not called "Heroin is So Passe", contrary to popular belief.  It was a song written for a friend of theirs - an appeal of sorts.



As an added bonus, here is the band performing the song live in 2012.  It's important to note that this is the original lineup - they are still together.  And they are still rockin' this song!

2 August 2013 - Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks

For weeks, I heard this song.   I found it annoying.  I found it even more annoying that I didn't know who it was.

And then it kept eating at me.  Why is this song stuck in my head and who the hell is performing it?  It was driving me batty.

So I pulled out Soundhound one day.  Usually, that app is brilliant, but on this day, it was failing me.  

And finally, on the third try, one of my co-workers walked by.  And said just four words.

"Of Monsters and Men."

WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU THREE WEEKS AGO?!???!?!

Anyway, it's a sweet song that probably wouldn't be getting as much airplay as it does if not for the Mumford and Sons effect - atypical pop song, horns - but it's a good thing that it does.  It's a real gem that I no longer find annoying.  And I hope you don't, either.

1 August 2013 - Hoodoo Gurus - Come Anytime

I learned two things while "researching" this post: The Hoodoo Gurus are Australian AND they are still playing together. Not that it matters one way or another, but I always thought they were from the mid-west (clearly, I had the Violent Femmes on the brain). As for the second lesson, good for them, they were always a lot of fun. Here's one of their more well-known songs from 1989's Magnum Cum Louder.

31 July 2013 - Concrete Blonde - God Is A Bullet

From their 2nd album, which was a comeback of sorts, here is what I consider to be the high water mark of Concrete Blonde's tenure. Johnette Napolitano's growl matches the dark subject matter of this song, which is, pretty apparently, an indictment of gun violence.

30 July 2013 - The Pipettes - Pull Shapes and Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me

I went all kinds of bonkers for The Pipettes debut album We Are The Pipettes when it came out. That record was a ridiculously fun explosion of 50s-style girl group goodness. This is probably their "biggest" hit. Just try not dancing around the room like a maniac when you hear it.



I couldn't choose just one video so here's Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me.



Wicked Guilty Pleasure? More Like Wicked Awesome Dance Party!

26 July 2013 - Billy Squier - Everybody Wants You

When it came to early 1980's MTV-era hard rock, no one beat Billy Squier.  Sure, it's not Thursday, but what a great day to play some early 1980's MTV-era hard rock.  Enjoy.

25 July 2013 - Natalia Kills - Problem

I thought Natalia Kills 2011 debut album was a pretty rad slice of sytnthpop with just enough edge to it to make it cool. But while I liked Perfectionist, it never really found its way into my "heavy rotation." Well Problem, the first single off her upcoming album Trouble, won't suffer from such a fate. It's killer industrial rhythms and punchy vocals make it a can't miss summer smash. Oh, by the way, it's hot as hell and I thought that way well before I saw the video . . . be warned, it's a bit racy.

23 July 2013 - Hunter Hayes - I Want Crazy

Quite frankly I've been all over the map when it comes to super-talented country singer/songwriter Hunter Hayes. I really liked the 21-year-old's first single, the up-tempo and clever Storm Warning, but quickly turned on him with the boyband-worthy ballad Wanted (his first No. 1...of course). By the time his third single Somebody's Heartbreak came out I was ambivalent at first, but started to lighten up to the point where I actually kind of like it. As I said, the kid is super-talented. He plays a ton of instruments and writes his own music so I can see the potential, even when I don't like every song.

That brings us to the most recent single, I Want Crazy. Damn. This song is ridiculously catchy due in part to great lyrics co-penned by the magnificent Lori McKenna and the rolling mandolin playing throughout the song. Oh, and I really like this video too.

22 July 2013 - Blur - Song 2 / Ke$ha - Woo Hoo

WOO HOO!

Even if you don't know the name of this song, or the band, you know this song.  It's fun and energetic and practically SCREAMS mid-90's shoegazing alternative music.

But why such a lousy title?

Well, it was a working title that stuck.  However, it was the 2nd track on Blur's 5th album, and also appears as the 2nd track on Blur's greatest hits album.  The song has 2 verses and two choruses.  And the running length of the song?  2:02.



You might remember we have mentioned "Song 2" previously on this post about a Big Time Rush song. That song did not sample "Song 2", as it turns out.  It did sample Ke$ha's song "Woo Hoo", which sampled "Song 2". Here's that song, here, as a bonus.

19 July 2013 - Pete Droge - If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)

One of the sweetest and most romantic songs to ever contain a suicide threat....

This song appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Dumb and Dumber. A lot of people loved that movie.  I did not love that movie.  I do love the soundtrack, thought.  The song, by singer/songwriter Pete Droge, is one of the best on a great soundtrack.  (It also appears on his fine album Necktie Second).

And really..... it is a sweet and romantic song.  Even if Pete does threaten to kill himself.