7th March

The answering machine – Lifeline

I thought I would post something current as I have been stuck on a few old favourites in recent days. I don’t know a great deal about these guys other than they are an up and coming band from Manchester.

I hear some of that musical tradition in this song, from Doves to the Smiths and Joy Division. I don’t know if these guys will ever make it into that class, but I have certainly found this to be pretty arresting today.

It feels like spring has arrived in London today – I am sure it won’t last…

6th March

Michael Jackson – Thriller


A friend and I were talking somewhat irreverently about Michael Jackson yesterday. When I got home I got to thinking that it is easy to dismiss the caricature that he became near the end and forget how talented he really was.

He released so many great songs and albums and when you take into account The Jackson Five it is actually pretty amazing. But what strikes me most about this video is that he could flat out MOVE. I would love to exhibit that amount of grace just once in my life.

Van Halen – Jump


Spandex? Check. Hoop Earring? Check. Bouffant hair? Check. Tight trousers? Check. Amazing synth? Check. This must have been released in the 80’s then. It is cheesy but hard to dislike.

Things I love about this video include (but are not limited to) – the guitarist’s leopardprint jacket/white scarf combo, the ridiculous oversize drum kit, the singer’s high kicks, the drummer’s headband and shiny green sleeveless leather jacket.

/Van Halen – Jump

4th March

Marvin Gaye – Come get to this

Taken from the sublime, and somewhat misunderstood Let’s get it on which followed on from the equally impressive What’s going on? I can’t imagine there have been many better back to back offerings that that. This particular track is one of his lesser known gems.

/RjK

P.S. Further to this post I put my mind to thinking about back to back albums that I love. Feel free to disagree/add your own:

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks and Moondance (Naturally)

Neil Young – After the Gold Rush and Harvest

Bruce Springsteen – Born to run and Darkness on the edge of town

The Beatles – Abbey Road and Let it be

Prince – Around the world in a day and Sign of the times

Some more modern releases:

Michael Jackson – Thriller and Bad

Oasis – Definitely maybe and (What’s the story) Morning glory?

De la soul – 3 feet high and rising and De la soul is dead

Bjork – Post and Homogenic

Outkast – Aquemini and Stankonia

3rd March

Outkast – SpottieOttieDopaliscious

This is taken from Aquimini, Outkast’s 3rd album. It’s a good one, my favourite of their albums. People seem to forget they made music before Ms.Jackson and long before Hey Ya. It’s a pity because a lot of it is really great.

I LOVE the horns on this track, they are so languid and perfectly complement the vocals.

Aside

Lucky Soul – White Russian Doll

These guys remind me of a British version of Phoenix with a female singer. They have a happy knack of making 3 minutes of perfect pop. They also clearly know how to put a hip video together.

A funny comment posted (not by me) on youtube about the above video:

“Dear lucky soul,

never stop doing what you do.
forever yours,
-me”

Fleetwood Mac – Dreams


Slightly bizarrely the first track a youtube search just now of “Fleetwood Mac Dreams” returned was Sir Mix-a-lot’s Baby got back. Erm…

Anyway, it took me a long time to realise how good Fleetwood Mac were. I think I might still be coming to terms with just how good. I listened to Rumours again recently for the first time in a while and it is simply staggering. It’s hard to single out one but this track probably shades it as my favourite.

Have you any dreams you’d like to sell…

/RjK

Doves – Black and white town


Much to my delight I found a mint condition 45 of this in my local thrift store on Saturday. It is a great song, one of my very favourites of the 2000’s (perhaps less of an accolade than I mean it to be). At the time of it’s release (2005) I could very much relate to the sense of yearning for something different I heard in the song. I still love it – an atmospheric, relentless anthem.

Doves are great live band and having seen them 3 or 4 times they have never disappointed. They put on the best visual show I have ever experienced. You can see some of that from the video here, which is very arresting and clearly gave some inspiration to Little Comets.

The Temptations – Get Ready


This is another Motown favourite. It is so pure and joyous.

The video here is also amazing, I love how fun and innocent it all seems. Looking at some contemporary hip hop videos it makes me wonder where it all went wrong. An added bonus is the amazing suits which I believe are the same ones worn here and the black and white pictures don’t really do justice to.

/RjK