Kano – Nobody don’t dance no more
This is a favourite from my university days. It is languid and funky and I think the hip hop meets garage flavour is interesting.
RjK
Aside
Na Hawa Doumbia – Korô Dia
I wanted to slip one more world music tune in before the year’s end. This is taken from one of my big finds of the year, the blog Awesome Tapes From Africa.
The lady featured is from Mali and I find her singing style to be incredibly arresting. Her vocal style is almost otherworldly and this gives the song an urgency that I find hard to resist.
RjK
28th December
Lee Fields and The Expressions – Honey Dove
This is one of the best soul songs I heard for the first time in 2011. I know very little about the artist (he doesn’t even have a wikipedia page!!) The vocals are intense and affecting, and overall the song has a timeless sound.
I can’t live without your love, why can’t we make it like it was?
RjK
Aside
Good Shoes – The way my heart beats
This was recommended to me by a colleague a while ago.It isn’t the usual kind of thing that grabs my attention but I kind of like it. It is energetic and fun.
RjK
Aside
Phats and Small – Turn Around
Just about to head out to an rugby match/school reunion. I imagine it will be taxing both on the pitch and in the bar afterwards. I thought it was appropriate to post something from my school days and this came to mind. 1990’s-tastic. Enjoy.
Hey! What’s wrong with you? You’re looking kind of down to me….
RjK
25th December
Wham! – Last Christmas
My favourite Christmas song and luckily enough I hadn’t posted a Wham! song as yet, although I have been very tempted several times. Also a great video here, a trait present in a lot of Wham! songs (see Tropicana, club).
I hope everyone has enjoyed a pleasant holiday.
RjK
Aside
Razorlight – To the sea
Big night last night. Big night. Good fun though. I will keep this brief as all the carousing has left me feeling a little jaded!
This song has one of my all time favourite intros, jangly and relentless, it is the perfect beginning to a guitar pop song. Not a massive fan of Razorlight otherwise but this is great.
RjK
Aside
Gonzalez – Haven’t stopped dancing yet
I am at my boy Rory’s wedding today. Big day! So I wanted to post something wedding-y and this came to mind. It is upbeat and relentless. The kind of thing I hope to hear on the dance floor later, while I am tearing it to pieces.
RjK
22nd December
Was (not was) – I feel better than James Brown
I am back home for Christmas and I am writing this from my parent’s house. As such, I thought it would be fitting to post the song that most reminds me of the mix tapes my father made for long childhood car journeys which I have written about extensively.
I think this stands out most because of the uniformly wacky lyrics. It is typical of this eclectic duo, who are more than just a novelty act and put out some pretty great poppy electronica music.
I was attending Mardi Gras with Fidel Castro
Buxom cross dressers threw fake gold coins at our feet
As we discussed the fate of the revolution
Suddenly, CIA men dressed in bikinis
Tried to stab us with fountain pens
Fidel blew mustard gas from his cigar
And immobilised the lot of them
19 tequilas later we had a deal
Havana goes back to the mob
And Fidel and I open a chain of Kentucky Fried Chicken shops
Wow!
RjK
Aside
Dario G – Sunchyme
After a few days of fairly esoteric choices I wanted to post something a little more recognisable. I imagine this will be very familiar, certainly for people of my vintage anyway. It is a classic, upbeat dancer. A pretty bizzare video here too.
RjK