Friday Music

Here we go again….

First up, my current favorite song, from Lily Allen’s new album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, which is coming out next week. Originally, she posted this song on her MySpace page under the title “G.W.B.” — but for the album, she decided to go with the NSFW title of the refrain. I *love* this song — it’s adorable, biting and perfect. Lily Allen – “Fuck You.”

The UK fascination with retro revival continued this past summer, with the release of Sharleen Spiteri’s solo debut, Melody. The lead singer of the Scottish band Texas (best known over here for a few 90s alt-rock tracks) takes the neo-soul thing, winds the clock forward a few years to the big, lush sounds found in Nancy Sinatra and Dusty Springfield records, and absolutely nails it. Sharleen Spiteri – “All The Times I Cried.”

This song came up on my iPod the other day, and I thought about how it seemed appropriate for where the country is now. Especially the lyric: Guess who’s back in circulation? Now, I don’t know what you may have heard, but what we need right now is the original Goodtime Girl… The image of the country as a bad-ass chick doesn’t really fit with Bush’s era, does it… but now, she’s back! David Lee Roth – “Yankee Rose.”

More sounds from the UK – this time a remix of Blackpool-born electronica artist Little Boots by a couple of DJs (one from Brooklyn and one from L.A.): Little Boots – “Meddle (AC Slater and DJ Skeet Skeet remix, feat. Goldielocks).” (Copy and paste this link if you get an error)

As I’ve mentioned recently, I’ve been watching a lot of older UK TV. This is the damn-near Bondian theme from the 1966 “Avengers-esque” adventure series, Adam Adamant Lives!, which was about a Victorian adventurer frozen by his evil nemesis, and revived in the Mod London of 1966! Kathy Kirby – “Adam Adamant Lives!”

One of my favorite trip-hop tracks of all time, from DJ Krush’s 1997 album, MiLight. The fact that it’s from Krush, I suppose, means that it straddles the line between trip-hop and acid jazz, but regardless of the genre label, it’s good stuff. DJ Krush – “Skin Against Skin (feat. Deborah Anderson).”

Lastly, in tribute to the passing of Lux Interior, who died this week of a heart condition, I give you one of my favorite Cramps songs: The Cramps – “I Was A Teenage Werewolf.”

Enjoy.

MLS Sucks Too Much.

David Beckham, originally touted as the star who would elevate soccer in America by his transfer to Los Angeles, has announced that he wants his temporary loan to AC Milan to become permanent.

His main goal was to maintain fitness and a quality of play, so that he can be picked for the England team at the 2010 World Cup, and apparently American footy sucks way too much right now.

“It’s nothing against the MLS and the football over there, because it’s a game that will grow but it will take quite a few years.”

Bringing world stars like Beckham into MLS was supposed to be part of the process of that growth, but unfortunately nobody of any real quality wants to play in a supposed top-flight league that’s only on par with a second or third-tier league in Europe. Hell, even the best *American* players choose Europe over MLS, or at the very least go out on loan after MLS’ laughably-short season.

…which brings me to a related point. In an effort to appeal to American sports franchise owners, FIFA allowed the MLS to remove any system of relegation or promotion, which is one of the main points of drama in the game. FIFA also allowed MLS to have the shortest professional season of any league in the world.

With a brief season and no threat of dropping, is it any wonder that the league is stagnant?

It’s changes like this which are the reason that fans like me get up early to watch live matches from England, instead of spending that energy in supporting our local clubs. The very changes that FIFA made in the hopes of making the game more successful in America, are precisely the sort of thing which alienates the very die-hards that they need for the game to catch on.

Or in other words: if your league doesn’t attract soccer FANS, how is it going to attract the general audience?

Bah.