This track, by 80’s heroes Pet Shop Boys, feels like the right track to post after yesterdays offering which owed a little to their sound. Also, this is on of the quintessential tracks about London, where I am currently spending a few days.
Pet Shop Boys:
/RjK
*Artist #757
I don’t know too much about London band Real Lies having only discovered them pretty recently. I like their cool, composed sounds. It reminds me a little of a modern take on the Pet Shop Boys.
Real Lies:
/RjK
*Artist #756
I am going to see Van Morrison in the Royal Albert Hall in London tonight. To say I am excited is an understatement. My favourite live artists in an amazing venue. Hopefully it will be a good night.
I thought it fitting then to post a live track by him today. This is two for one – tracks orignially recorded by Bobby Bland and James Brown (quite the twosome). The original versions are below.
/RjK
Bobby Bland:
James Brown:
I stumbled across this track by 70’s icon Patti Smith while listening to Lou Reed all day yesterday. I had somehow forgotten how great it is. It was written with Bruce Springsteen (I didn’t know this) and is taken from the 1978 album Easter.
Patti Smith:
/RjK
R.I.P. Lou Reed…
While this is a little bit of a cliched track to post, it remains my favourite of his. It is taken from his classic 1972 album Transformer, which was his second solo album after quitting the seminal Velvet Underground in 1970.
Lou Reed:
/RjK
I came across this track by Nigerian artist Opotopo, who also seems to go by Easy Kabaka Brown, a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it’s fresh, upbeat sound and the mix of African and Latin influences.
Opotopo:
/RjK
*Artist #755
I don’t know too much about Portland band Shy Girls having discovered them very recently but I have very much enjoyed their smooth 90’s R’n’B influenced sound.
Shy Girls:
/RjK
*Artist #754
I am in a Whitney mood today, no special reason. I am trying not to get too sad when I think about what a loss that she is. Her voice is still one of the finest I have ever heard.
This, of course, is taken from the soundtrack of the classic 1992 movie The Bodyguard.
Whitney:
/RjK
South London DJ Wilkinson was another artist who I discovered via The Guardian’s Music Blog. It is proving to be rather fertile ground for me of late.
I really enjoyed the energy of this track and the fact that it is easier on the ear than some drum and bass. Also there is a sense of urgency in the vocals that compliments the beat rather well. Finally, I thought the video was quite clever. All in all, an interesting mix.
Wilkinson:
/RjK
*Artist #753
I was talking about growing up in the 90’s recently and Take That came up and I mentioned how inferior I thought their cover of the Bee Gees classic How Deep Is Your Love was. I mean, it’s tough to match a band as gloriously talented as the brothers Gibb.
However, I think The Reverend Al Green just about manages it here. He dials up the smoothness to a level that I find rather hard to resist. The original version is okay but I probably prefer their more up tempo tunes.
Al Green:
/RjK