Category: Music

Big selection this week, so here we go…..

First off, some smokin’ Sinatra/Michael Bublé/Robbie Williams/Harry Connick-esque swing-jazz….In German. Roger Cicero is a jazz singer from Deutschland who has, among other things, represented the country in the Eurovision song contest. Needless to say, The Minion is a big fan. As am I. Roger Cicero – “Zieh Die Schuh Aus.” (The title is “Take Those Shoes Off” — german lyrics are here. Use babelfish or summat to translate ’em, if you’re interested.)

Also in the realm of smokin’ cool is the opening theme music for the AMC TV series Mad Men, about Madison Avenue advertising men in the early 60s. Great show. The first season just ended, and a second has been given the go-ahead. This is the full version of the song from the opening — RJD2 – “A Beautiful Mine.”

Another new discovery — The Brooklyn band Yeasayer was a big hit at this year’s SXSW festival, and their debut album, All Our Cymbals was just released by Monitor Records. Some folks are calling them the second coming of Peter Gabriel and Roxy Music, which is kinda appropriate, but doesn’t grab it all. Yeasayer – “Sunrise.”

More new stuff. Plumerai is a Boston-based indie band, and this track has some serious James Bond theme TripHop action going on. Love it. Plumerai – “Illuminata.”

I’ve been a big fan of Suzanne Vega since her first album. I drifted away as her sound grew more and more polished and less NYC-art-folk, but her new album, Beauty & Crime, is a step back towards her roots. Suzanne Vega – “Zephyr & I.”

More new-ish stuff: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anglo-French singer-songwriter, and daughter of Serge Gainsbourg (French poet/singer/actor/director/polymath) released her album 5:55 last year, but I’ve only just got around to listening to tracks from it. Wow. Check out this song — the word “ethereal” seems to do no justice. Charlotte Gainsbourg – “AF607105.”

New Old Stuff. Brilliant singer and real-life trainwreck Amy Winehouse has a cover version of the classic Johnny Nash tune, re-worked with a Reggae feel: Amy Winehouse – “Cupid.”

And, lastly, Old Stuff — I discovered Paul Weller during his Style Council days, and never really gave much of a listen to his earlier work with The Jam. Shocking, I know. I’ve been remedying that recently. The Jam – “Going Underground.”

There you go. Hope you like.

As I said in a Friday Music post a couple of weeks back, I’m not planning on doing any Halloween-themed entry this year.

One reason for this is that ArmagideonTime does a bang-up job of it, and anything I’d post would be a pale reflection at best. For those interested, click the link, and scan back through October — the entire month is given over to “Halloween Countdown” posts that include novelty tunes, soundtrack bits, and more — liberally illustrated with old comic books and other cool nifties.

First: I’m back online, finally. AT&T finally got their shit together some time late this morning. Grrr.

Second: Sadly, the lack of connection for more than a day means a shorter Friday Music than normal. Sorry.

The big new release I got this week was Róisín Murphy’s new album, Overpowered, and I’m pleased to report that it’s as brilliant as her solo debut Ruby Blue. I’ve been listening to it constantly. I’ve posted some previews of it over the past couple of months, including the title track and the first single, so here are two album tracks:

Róisín Murphy – “Cry Baby”

and

Róisín Murphy – “Dear Miami.”

Interestingly enough, I’ve found that Bruce Springsteen’s new album holds up to repeated listening far more than the new Radiohead. I’ve given a few listens to Radiohead since I purchased In Rainbows, but it’s Springsteen’s Magic that I’ve played over and over. Here’s one of the reasons why: Bruce Springsteen – “Your Own Worst Enemy.”

Here’s a new single from Maritime, a quartet from Milwaukee who released their third album, Heresy and the Hotel Choir, this week. I hadn’t heard them before, and was drawn in by the title of the song. I wasn’t disappointed. Maritime – “For Science Fiction.”

One of the cello players from Rasputina has a solo album, full of strings-based experimental modern-classical whatsits. Very cool. Julia Kent – “Idlewild.”

And we’ll finish off with my favorite track from Dead Can Dance – “Ulysses.”

There you go. Glad to be back — more next week.