Getting things started, here’s my favorite track from Joe Jackson, who most of you know only from his single “Steppin’ Out” — this was the follow-up, which did get some play. I love it, and it was a great soundtrack for yesterday’s grey day. Joe Jackson – “Breaking Us In Two.”
Keeping to the downtempo and achingly beautiful for a moment, this song (which I think I may have posted before — who knows?) is a lovely thing, from the opening cello interlude, all the way to the end. Badly Drawn Boy – “The Shining.”
OK…enough of the downtempo. Let’s get yer asses moving. It’s Friday, so here’s a little funk from his Royal Purpleness: Prince (feat. Sheena Easton) – “U Got The Look (The Long Look 12″ mix)” “Color u peach and black — Color me takin aback– Crucial, I think I wantcha…”
Here is the removed-for-copyright-violation version of “O Fortuna” turned into the baddest-ass dancefloor stomper EVER by Apotheosis in the early 90s. I seem to recall moving to this at more than one GenCon White Wolf party. Apotheosis – “O Fortuna.”
Regina is an electronic pop group from Finland whom I discovered this week. A really catchy song, even though she’s singing in Finnish… Regina – “Minua Ollaan Vastassa.”
More eclectic pop, this time from one of my favorite 90s artists, Ben Folds. In a period marked by detuned fuzzy grunge guitars, his piano-based alternative-pop really stood out and grabbed me. Here’s my favorite track from the album Whatever and Ever, Amen.: Ben Folds Five – “Battle of Who Could Care Less.”
A brilliant mash-up — the vocals from David Essex’s “Rock On” (“Hey, shout — summertime blues, jump up and down in your blue suede shoes…”, with the music from the Doves’ “Firesuite,”, which combines into a wonderful bit of sweeping, drift-y pop. Go Home Productions – “Essex Dove.”
We’ll finish off with another get-yer-ass-moving track, from the Swedish electronic act Covenant. Imagine Kraftwerk meets Depeche Mode meets Shriekback….sorta. Doesn’t matter –It has the coolest title that I eventually would love to use for a Sci-Fi Horror project: Dead Stars (Plus, the niftiest lyric: “Dead Stars still burn.”) Covenant – “Dead Stars”
I used to have that album with the O Fortuna, but it got lost somewhere. Dammit. I still miss it. =(
Joe Jackson is one of my absolute favorites from the 80’s…Steppin Out is a touchstone for me to a number of moments from that period.
D.
Covenant have done some good stuff and always seem to get me on the dancefloor too :p
Take care, A
“Breaking Us In Two” is such an awesome song. But I really think that “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” got more airplay than either of these songs.
Doug.
Interesting that you should post a Finnish band. I have been listening to a Finnish Rock/Alternative band recently by the name of Poets of the Fall (Official Site).
If anyone is interested in any of their stuff, I do have MP3s.