Buncha good stuff this week, so let’s not waste any time….
First up, thanks to an i09 post I started looking into the candy-coated confection that is “K-Pop” (Korean girl groups). This track became an absolute earworm for me (helped considerably by this smoking-hot video, and was quickly added to my weekly playlist: 4minute – “HuH (Hit Your Heart).”
Moving on to girl-pop on this side of the planet, Kate Nash has released her new album, and she’s definitely going for a 60s-girl-group vibe with it, as can be evidenced in these two tracks: Kate Nash – “Kiss That Grrl.”, and Kate Nash – “Paris”. The new album is called “My Best Friend is You.” It’s a different sound that her debut, to be sure — but I like it.
UK group The Noisettes take the 1978 Buzzcocks classic, and mix in a bit of Bollywood rhythms and a synth riff that reminds me of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” — I’m a huge fan of the original track, but this cover is a pretty good re-interpretation: The Noisettes – “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).”
One of those tracks that crystallizes a time and place for me — this is always going to be Summer 1983, riding my bike downtown in Babylon NY, to pick up comics at the first specialty comic book store I ever went to. StevieNicks – “Stand Back.”
A short two to three years later, I was listening to things like this: Einstürzende Neubauten – “Yü-Gung (Fütter Mein Ego)”. The comic books were still there, though.
Lastly, the source of the inspirational quote I have on my desk, from Jay-Z’s contribution to this song. Jay-Z and the Shirley Bassey Bond-theme sample are the best things about this track, enough to tolerate sub-standard work from Kanye: Kanye West- “Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix feat. Jay-Z).”
Enjoy.