Monthly Archives: November 2012

30th November 2012

Neneh Cherry* – Buffalo Stance (GPF) (Helen Chandler guest post)

I know very little about Neneh Cherry – she wasn’t really on my childhood music radar, except with ‘7 Seconds’ which was played on the radio a lot in 1994. Buffalo Stance is a song I came across much later – but I instantly felt like it reminded me of something.

I’ve heard it a lot over the last few years and it seems to be experiencing a resurgence. A quick search for the track on YouTube reveals that it’s currently being used as the intro music for Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals. That made me re-think posting it, but let’s be clear – I love it in spite of Jamie Oliver, not because of him.

Parts of the song still sound amazing – the main hook is kind of melancholy in a way that only ’80s music can be and the beat is one of those that sounds fresh in a retro sort of way. The lyrics and the ‘scratching’ have dated the track a bit, but I love Neneh’s attitude.

This fits really nicely into a Friday afternoon playlist full of ’80s and ’90s classics or brightens up a dull Monday. Enjoy it with mug of tea and a Fruit ‘n Nut.

/HC

*Artist #565

29th November 2012

FaltyDL* – Straight and Arrow (NAT)

This one’s a grower. Some song make me instantly fall in love with them and other it takes me some time to realise that I like them. This was in the latter category. What really drew me in was the vocal sample, it’s so smooth and hypnotic but also urgent at the same time.

The song’s mellow nature has been a welcome calming influence on me as it has been a manically busy week so far.

/RjK

*Artist #564

28th November 2012

The Supremes – Love is like an itching in my heart

Classic Motown. As I have mentioned before The Supremes are my favourite Soul Band (maybe even my favourite band full stop) of all time. It just doesn’t get much better than this. 

Love is like an itching in my heart and baby, I can’t scratch it…

/RjK

27th November 2012

The Walker Brothers – The sun ain’t gonna’ shine any more

The reason for posting this is that Scott Walker, lead singer of The Walker Bothers has a new record out next week. Interesting note about the band – none of them were originally called Walker nor were any of them brothers, I kind of like that though.

They are favourites of my Dad’s and were staples of his summer mixes, particularly the eccentric Jackie which I posted last year. I also really like their sound, it is perfectly 60’s.

/RjK

26th November 2012

Neutral Milk Hotel* – Two-Headed Boy (Helen Chandler guest post)

This is such an intense 4 and a half minutes of a song. Jeff Mangum beats the acoustic guitar like it’s a percussion instrument and shout-sings the often mystifying lyrics and you feel like you could get drunk and sing along.

Two-Headed Boy reminds me of a time, a few years ago, when I seemed to want to shout it at the top of my lungs whenever I got drunk with my friends. I think they got sick of that pretty quickly.

Jeff Mangum played Whelan’s in Dublin earlier this year, after rescheduling from November 2011. I couldn’t make the new date, but I heard that he played this song and wished that I could have been there, whiskey in hand, enjoying its fierce intensity.

/HC

*Artist #563

25th November 2012

Haim* – Forever

This is fun. It reminds me of the 80’s female singers that I was exposed to by my dad when I was very young. Gloria Estefan or Neneh Cherry maybe (which reminds me I should probably post something by them soon too), which is no bad thing.

Haim are from Los Angeles, California and are made up of three sisters.I like the video here too, it complements the song well.

My only reservation about this song it that my dad also introduced me to it. I thought that trend had reversed long ago! He has recently discovered Spotify which means he probably hears more new music than I do.

/RjK 

*Artist #562

24th November 2012

Mylo* – Sunworshipper

I wanted to dial up something soothing to ease my fragile state and this is what I came up with. It also really reminds me of my year in Berkeley and in particular being in a similarly delicate state while driving out of Las Vegas.

It is taken from Mylo’s classic Destroy Rock and Roll album which still makes me want to MOVE whenever I hear it.

/RjK 

*Artist #561

23rd November 2012

Dee Lite* – Groove is in the heart

At a really old friend’s wedding today so I wanted to post something that I might hear later on. This is classic wedding reception fodder…

Groove is in the heart…

/RjK 

 *Artist #560

22nd November 2012

Werkha* – Le Roitelet (NAT)

I really like the contrasting sounds in this track from Manchester DJ Werkha, which is out on the Cool Kid Music label. The energetic, ultra modern beat and the languid, silky smooth vocal (there is also something alluring about French too, right?) shouldn’t really compliment each other but somehow they just do.

/RjK

*Artist #559

21st November 2012

Broken Social Scene – Sweetest Kill

A mellow, sombre track to steady myself in the middle of a busy week. It is taken from Canadian band Broken Social Scene’s fourth album Forgiveness Rock Record which was released a couple of years ago.

In other news I went to see The Picture of Dorian Gray last night in the Abbey Theatre. As you might imagine it was fairly dark but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

/RjK