Hell week. Glad it’s over. Ready for a recharge.
This week’s selections:
First up — Shakira has a new album. Regular readers might recall that in the case of artists who record in two languages, I usually prefer the version in the native language. I’ve always preferred Shakira’s Spanish work to the English versions — but this track is an exception, entirely because of her featured guest. In the Spanish version of this song, she features Dominican rapper El Cato — but the English version features British rapper Dizzee Rascal, and I’m a big fan. Plus, the track is hot. Shakira – “Loca (English version, feat. Dizzee Rascal).”
To even things out, though, I’ll follow that up with an original-language track (there is no English version of this, in fact). I posted this on Friday Music a looooooooooong time ago — some of you know it, but new readers might not. A bit of French rock which translates to “That Bothers Me.” Mademoiselle K – “Ça Me Vexe.”
…And, just because sometimes you need to have a Chinese metal version of the Socialist anthem in your world: Tang Dynasty – “The Internationale.”
We’ll switch gears now, to some retro nostalgia pieces. First up, one of my favorite songs from the early 90s, which I don’t hear often enough. One of my clearest memories of this track was its use in a mixtape that was part of an ongoing series of “soundtrack albums” that accompanied my first Vampire: The Masquerade campaign. Don’t laugh at the non-gothy nature of the song — remember, the original VTM rulebook contained lyric quotes from Gordon fucking Lightfoot, fer chrissakes! School of Fish – “Three Strange Days.”
Moving back into the 80s — the song that introduced me to R.E.M., and led to my discovery of “College Radio” — R.E.M. – “Can’t Get There From Here.”
A song that used to be one of my favorites of the late 80s, which I didn’t listen to for a long time, simply because the band had the same name as my ex-wife. That was stupid of me. Negative associations aside, it’s a great song, and deserves a place in my playlists: The Sundays – “Here’s Where The Story Ends.”
An End seems an appropriate place to stop, so there you have it.
Enjoy!