Category: Music

Another week. More music.

We’ll kick things off with something from the “really nifty covers” category. I’m a firm believer in the idea that if you’re going to do a cover of a song, you should put your own stamp on it, rather than just making it nearly identical to the original…otherwise, what’s the point? This track, Oingo Boingo – “You Really Got Me”, is an inventive new wave cover of the Kinks classic, and a good representation of what Danny Elfman was doing before settling down into a career of composing scores for superhero movies.

Here’s something unsual, but very, very cool, that I put on a mix CD for : The Evolution Control Committee – “Rocked by Rape”. This group took samples from ACDC’s “Back in Black” and dialog from CBS News anchor Dan Rather, and spliced it up into a track that manages to not only be a head-bobber, but also a fairly amusing indictment of the “TragiCrimePorn” school of news broadcasting that is so prevalent now. Both ACDC (who doesn’t allow sampling of their songs as a rule) and Dan Rather hit them with a cease-and-desist, and so the track was removed from record stores.

I picked up the debut album from Scissor Sisters on ‘s recommendation. Good call. The album manages to combine several cool elements from 70s music: the biggest influence is glam, but there’s a nearly tone-perfect cover of “Comfortably Numb” done to sound like a Bee Gees tune, and this track: Scissor Sisters – “Take Your Mama”, which has the fingerprints of “Captain Fantastic”-era Elton John all over it.

There’s a cool french movie from a few years back called Vidoq, with Gerard Depardieu. It’s a supernatural/steampunk/mystery, set in Paris in the 1800s. Quite good, and it’s a shame that it was never released in the US. I tracked down a DVD, and when I watched it, I was really blown away by the end credits music. Some of you may have heard of Apocalyptica, a string quartet who does covers of Metallica tunes on amplified and distortion-pedalled cellos, violas, etc. Well, they did the end credits music, which was an original song, rather than a cover. Apocalyptica (feat. Matthias Sayer) – “Hope, Vol.2”. Great stuff.

Another mash-up for you this week. loves this one: DJ Tripp – “She Wants Animals”, which is a mash-up of Ace of Base’s “All That She Wants” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” (no, I’m not kidding….and the scary thing is, it works!).

People who are only familiar with the Cardigans’ sugar-sweet single “Love Fool” will be a bit surprised to learn that their usual sound is a bit darker than that. The Cardigans – “Erase/Rewind”, which I first became aware of when it was used in the soundtrack of The 13th Floor, is a moody, trip-hop-esque song, and I like it quite a bit.

Here’s a brand new track from the soon-to-be-released second full-length CD from Gorillaz: Gorillaz – “Dirty Harry”. Some of you probably remember the Gorillaz first single from a few years back, “Clint Eastwood” (“happy, feelin’ glad, got sunshine in a bag…useless, but not for long, the future is comin’ on…”) I’m detecting a theme here. Still, some of the best stuff you’re likely to hear from a group comprised entirely of cartoons, so there ya go.

…and finally, because I have to get back to working on the latest Thrilling Tales release, here’s one of my favorite tracks from the 1930s (1938, to be exact): Artie Shaw – “Begin The Beguine”.

Got some more goodies for you this week:

Isaac Hayes – “Walk On By”: If you’re only familiar with the sugary Dionne Warwick ballad version of this song, give this a listen and prepare to be surprised. A slower tempo, darker music (swelling strings and some truly nasty funk guitar), and Isaac “Shaft” Hayes backed by some Soul Girls make this feel like it’s not even the same song. Early 70s Soul at its finest.

Zap Mama – “Wadidyusay” : Zap Mama is an Afro-European group from Belgium. It’s difficult to describe their style…a mix of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Congolese vocals, American urban samples and mixing….give it a shot. I think you’ll like it.

Thomas Dolby – “Airhead”: I’m a big fan of Thomas Dolby. Most folks know him for the singles from his first album (“She Blinded Me With Science” and “Europa and the Pirate Twins”), and some know the single from this second album (“Hyperactive”). This was the attempted single (it didn’t really go anywhere) from his under-rated third album, Aliens Ate My Buick.

@nubis – “Big In Japan”: Our weekly dose of self-pimping — another of my @nubis tracks. Traditional instruments, move-your-butt dance grooves, Gojira’s roar and the Mothra Twins song. Gotta love it.

Here’s a confession: I don’t really mind disco, as long as it was good. I’m also a sucker for big orchestral arrangements, which a lot of good (well, and bad, to be fair) disco tracks featured. Here’s one that I like quite a bit: Andy Gibb – “Shadow Dancing”, a 1978 track from the younger brother of the Bee Gees.

Shifting decades now: The 80s were a great decade for movie music. The Prime Movers – “Strong As I Am” was a featured song in Michael Mann’s brilliant serial killer movie “Manhunter”, which was the first film to feature Hannibal Lecter (the film was later remade as “The Red Dragon”, the original title of the Harris novel, with Anthony Hopkins reprising his “Silence of the Lambs” role, and Edward Norton playing the lead character originally played by a Pre-CSI William Peterson). Michael Mann made great use of music in his 80s work (Miami Vice, for example), and this is a perfect example, which suited the scene (the killer sitting in his van, torn by an apparent betrayal, and struggling with a desire to return to killing) brilliantly.

And, to finish off the week, another example of international hip-hop, this time from Germany: Curse – “Feuer über Deutschland”. After a fairly standard intro-and-brag set that lasts maybe a bit too long, the main riff kicks in, and Curse tears it up, with a shout-out to Schweiz und Österreich as well.

Friday Music

Got some more goodies for you this week:

Isaac Hayes – “Walk On By”: If you’re only familiar with the sugary Dionne Warwick ballad version of this song, give this a listen and prepare to be surprised. A slower tempo, darker music (swelling strings and some truly nasty funk guitar), and Isaac “Shaft” Hayes backed by some Soul Girls make this feel like it’s not even the same song. Early 70s Soul at its finest.

Zap Mama – “Wadidyusay” : Zap Mama is an Afro-European group from Belgium. It’s difficult to describe their style…a mix of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Congolese vocals, American urban samples and mixing….give it a shot. I think you’ll like it.

Thomas Dolby – “Airhead”: I’m a big fan of Thomas Dolby. Most folks know him for the singles from his first album (“She Blinded Me With Science” and “Europa and the Pirate Twins”), and some know the single from this second album (“Hyperactive”). This was the attempted single (it didn’t really go anywhere) from his under-rated third album, Aliens Ate My Buick.

@nubis – “Big In Japan”: Our weekly dose of self-pimping — another of my @nubis tracks. Traditional instruments, move-your-butt dance grooves, Gojira’s roar and the Mothra Twins song. Gotta love it.

Here’s a confession: I don’t really mind disco, as long as it was good. I’m also a sucker for big orchestral arrangements, which a lot of good (well, and bad, to be fair) disco tracks featured. Here’s one that I like quite a bit: Andy Gibb – “Shadow Dancing”, a 1978 track from the younger brother of the Bee Gees.

Shifting decades now: The 80s were a great decade for movie music. The Prime Movers – “Strong As I Am” was a featured song in Michael Mann’s brilliant serial killer movie “Manhunter”, which was the first film to feature Hannibal Lecter (the film was later remade as “The Red Dragon”, the original title of the Harris novel, with Anthony Hopkins reprising his “Silence of the Lambs” role, and Edward Norton playing the lead character originally played by a Pre-CSI William Peterson). Michael Mann made great use of music in his 80s work (Miami Vice, for example), and this is a perfect example, which suited the scene (the killer sitting in his van, torn by an apparent betrayal, and struggling with a desire to return to killing) brilliantly.

And, to finish off the week, another example of international hip-hop, this time from Germany: Curse – “Feuer über Deutschland”. After a fairly standard intro-and-brag set that lasts maybe a bit too long, the main riff kicks in, and Curse tears it up, with a shout-out to Schweiz und Österreich as well.