Aujourd’hui, c’est l’anniversaire de mon ami l’Alsaco, un de mes petits camarades d’échanges musicaux.

(Hip) Hop la !

Les biscuits de mon enfance clamaient “si l’Alsacienne a de grandes oreilles, c’est pour mieux écouter les gourmands”. Et ben c’est pareil pour lui. De très grandes oreilles, une curiosité qui confine souvent à la psychopathie, et une gourmandise sonore insatiable.

L’alsaco (aka Ear Division) passe la plus grande partie de son temps libre (quand il ne fabrique pas des ballons de foot dans un sweatshop) à chercher du son, et à organiser ses découvertes en compilations thématiques.

La dernière en date, c’est “Years”, qui concentre a peu près tous les bons morceaux uniquement composés d’une date (ce qui exclut par exemple “en 1990” de Jean Leloup, ou heureusement “cette année là” de Cloclo). Il a fait une exception pour Sexcrime (1984) parce que bon, c’est lui qui décide, quoi.

L’individu ne s’étant pas encore décidé à devenir bloggiste-conseil, je vous droppe la playlist en question. La prochaine fois, il s’en chargera lui-même, j’ai pas que ça à foutre.

Ear Division – Years

1901 Phoenix
1941 Harry Nilsson
1957 Buck 65
1958 Skalpel
1963 New Order
1969 Boards Of Canada
1973 Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family
1974 Rubin Steiner
1976 RJD2
1979 Smashing Pumpkins
Sexcrime (1984) Eurythmics
1984 Uffie
1986 (Unreleased) Kavinsky
1989 The Rakes
1999 Prince
2012 Gossip
3000 Dr. Octagon
3030 Deltron

Je complète d’un petit Yeasayer-2080, c’est cadeau ça me fait plaisir.

Bon anniversaire Vrefi. Je t’offrirai ton gâteau préféré dès qu’on se croise.

oui, il boit de la Kro et habite dans une cabane dans un arbre (©DVLS)

“Paradise Syndrome, is the name given to a purported psychological condition, not universally recognized by psychologists, by which the patient suffers a feeling of dissatisfaction despite having achieved all their dreams. Noted sufferers include Dave Stewart from The Eurythmics and Sara Cox…”

…and me?

Okay, maybe I’m not quite at that stage yet but there’s been a worryingly large amount of things going right for me in the last week, including a cheque I thought dead being reissued, a healthy injection of rent monies and council tax after weeks of pulling my hair out trying to arrange, getting new windows and a door fitted and my problem teeth have finally been dealt with after five years of putting it off.

So, am I a candidate for Stupid Idiot Syndrome…I mean Paradise Towers….Syndrome? (RED KANGS REPRESENT!!!) Well, no. Im still single, chubby, slowly going thin on top and still stuck in the same god-awful town but suddenly, there seems to be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Its probably just a Twix wrapper reflecting in the sun but its there if you look hard enough…

Of course, this doesn’t stop me worrying as that’s what I truly do best and now I keep thinking about this and laughing to myself then immediately following it up with “But what if something happens to mum?” or “The house might catch fire because I forgot to turn the heater off!”. Or even worse “What if I turn into that twat out of the Eurythmics?”

Still at least I’d have had a bit with her from Bananarama.

Christ almighty, imagine if something does actually go my way and I get paid for doing some writing – my head will probably spring off like Inspector Gadget and my trousers will fall down in the playing ground (at least that’s the excuse I’m going with…) I guess Im just very easily pleased.

Wait…what am I saying? Easily pleased? I’m a manic depressive and do nothing but moan about everything in the world. Fuck that.

Paradise syndrome? I’d rather have Baddiel’s Syndrome! (ask your dad.)

It’s November which for me is essentially closing time for the year’s great songs, because we all know that what you download in December will just end up soundtracking the early part of next year. So let us declare which ones need a download as we go through the past year.(and maybe even December of last year)

Bat For Lashes-Daniel

This might be song of the year, but there is no doubt that this single holds the best cover of the year.

Told ya it’s greatness! Anything that mixes airbrushing, Ralph Macchio, and sexy middle eastern women just can’t fail, which is exactly why I’m starting this list with it.

Like most of her work,the absurdly gorgeous Natasha Khan imparts an influence both earthy and heavenly on this song, but what separates this one from all the rest is the dark, electronic synthesizer lines and beats that are reminiscent of Touch era Eurythmics. (i.e. the album with Here Comes the Rain Again/Whos That Girl). There is also a remarkable amount of restraint shown in her soprano vocals for once, best illustrated in the fantastic Daaaaaaaaniel chorus that has yet to grow tired some eight months after it’s release. In short, it’s the best thing she’s done,  it’s the best of this new wave of Kate Bush influenced female pop songs and it’s downright unstoppable.

You get the great live appearance on superstar presenter Jools Holland’s program , even though the original video is as great as the cover(blame non embeddable video for that),

Mais um remix da famosa “Sweet Dreams” do grupo Eurythmics.

Clique aqui para baixar (Mediafire).

Clique aqui para baixar (4shared).

Ett litet inlägg nu på morgonkvisten. Ett riktigt “Gott och blandat” inlägg som innehåller några nya exklusiva låtar och lite oldie but goldie klassiker.

Blake Lewis & Temper Trap vs David Tort & Axwell & Dirty South – Sweet Sad Disposition (Avicii Bootleg)
Steve Angello – Monday (AN21 & Max Vangeli Remix) (Joakim Bergh Vocal Edit)
Steve Angello – Monday (Joakim Bergh Vocal Edit)
Hugg & Pepp – Sweet Rosie (Henrik B Remix)
Shermanology – Hey You (Groovenatics Mix)
Bob Sinclar Ft Stevie Edwards – Peace Song (Hardwell Remix)
Bob Sinclar Ft Stevie Edwards – Peace Song (David Tort Together Remix)
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Angello & Ingrosso Vocal)

Njoy /J

In introducing you to all these new bands, we thought we’d be nostalgic and look back at all those great bands and brilliant songs that inspired a new musical generation. Here’s our favourite five from 1983

In no particular order

Bonnie Tyler- Total Eclipse of the heart.

Reaching #1 in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Peaking at number one in the charts, we’ll always remember Tyler singing her heart out, clad in white at a boys boarding school.
A modern day karaoke classic, Total Eclipse Of The Heart sold 6 million copies in the UK, impressive.

Prince- 1999

Peaking at #12 in the US and #25 in the UK (reaching #2 in the UK when re-released in 1985).
Back in 1983, who would of thought that come 1999 we would all be singing to this one on New Year’s Eve? The song only peaked at number 2 in the charts but was re-released 3 times. This is one of our favourites as it was great in 1983, but even better come 1999 itself.

Eurythmics-Sweet Dreams

Took the number 2 spot in both the UK and irish singles chart, topping U.S Billboard Hot 100 at #1
This had everyone on the dancefloor in 1983. Electro was flavour of the month and bands like Eurythmics and Human League were the most popular bands around. Sweet Dreams still manages to pack out dancefloors. Even thought the Eurythmics are no more, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart are still highly regarded in the industry, writing, producing and still recording.

David Bowie- Lets Dance

Rising to #1 in over eight countries, including the U.K, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden.
A favourite Bowie classic of ours. Let’s Dance hit number one in the UK charts and was one of Bowies biggest hits. Hitting clubs up and down the country, Let’s Dance is still being played in indie dives and dark holes all over.

Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing

Hitting #1 in the Canadian and the New Zealand charts.

Καλη -Annie Lennox- Μερα/Βδομαδα

Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams 2009 (Patto Mix)

I was a little uncomfortable but mostly empowered.

When was the last time you treated yourself to an awesome pair of sneakers? Get huge discounts by using my codes at EastBay.com!

Use code AFTOP515 to get 15% OFF any order!
Use code AFTOP520 to get 20% OFF any order $75 or more!!

While you’re surfing, get super cheap domain names at GoDaddy.com! Finally you can get your dream domain — www.sleepismyhothotsex.com — for just 7.49!! Use my code TOP7 and save your cash for diamonds.

Now, get ready for this week’s Top 5 Music Countdown: Rock & Pop Sleep Songs!!

5. “Enter Sandman“
-MetallicaFun fact: I was a big Metallica groupie in high school. My gal pals and I used to drive up to Tahoe to snowboard and rock out to Metallica on the way.

4. “Sweet Dreams“
-The Eurythmics

One of my all-time favorite music videos. Classic. Annie Lennox was the sh**t.

3. “Talking in your Sleep“
-The RomanticsThis is very nostalgic of my days as an MTV kid. Scantily clad ladies ready for bed, FTW!

2. “Dream On“
-AerosmithGuilty pleasure! Evokes fond memories of the carefree, simple days of teenage life.

1. “Sleep the Clock Around“
-Belle & SebastianSometimes all I want to do is sleep the clock around. Like Sleeping Beauty.

Are you tired too? Leave me your list of favorite sleep songs below! Come ONNN, live a little!!

Annie Lennox

De acordo a France Presse, em Berlim, em matéria reproduzida na Folha Online, a cantora Annie Lennox foi [merecidamente] escolhida nesta quarta-feira, 11.11.2009, a “Mulher da Paz 2009″:

(…) por seu compromisso com a luta contra a Aids na África do Sul, ao concluir, em Berlim, a décima cúpula das pessoas premiadas com o Nobel da Paz.

A cantora da dupla Eurythmics, famosa nos anos 80, fundou em 2007 a iniciativa SING, convidando 23 artistas a gravar um álbum, cujos lucros foram destinados à compra de medicamentos, educaçao e proteção das mulheres e crianças sul-africanas ameaçadas pela Aids.

Annie Lennox, usando uma camiseta com a inscrição “HIV Positivo”, recebeu a estatueta de bronze das mãos do ex-presidente da república sul-africana, Frederik de Klerk, Nobel da Paz em 1993 pelas reformas que acabaram com o apartheid em 1991.

Leia mais clicando aqui.

Who knew that dishwashers are hugely inspiring? I don’t seem to be able to empty one without singing.

The miracle of love
Will take away your pain
When the miracle of love
Comes your way again

But I hear a phantom Buddhist teacher interrupt, ‘When you’re emptying the dishwasher, just empty the dishwasher. There’s no need for embellishment.’  And of course, sometimes it’s good just to sing.

You know, I was just thinking last night that, unlike MamaKitt, it was weird that I could come up with nary a song that reminded me of my siblings. And then, this morning, I heard one.

(First let me suggest that our reverse positions in the birth order have something to do with this disparity. I am the oldest child in my family; MK is, by quite a margin, the youngest. MK, you think having been around music at a younger age, and being attuned to what older cool people in your family were listening to, accounts for this? I could certainly not, by any stretch of the imagination, be accused of being overly attuned to my younger siblings themselves, much less any music associated with them. Sigh. Bad Sister TGOTS.)

Anyway, this morning I heard the Eurythmics, and I was immediately transported to our little town hall that wasn’t really our town hall, just an empty, rickety old municipal space with big white columns out front and nicked wooden floors throughout. My younger sister, the second of four children in our family, took dance lessons (ballet?) there at one point.

Is it possible that she did a dance to “Sweet Dreams,” and that that is why I associate the song — every time — with that space, and that sister?

Maybe she’ll remember and let me know. It seems like a weird song to assign to a children’s dance — it always strikes me as somewhat menacing, though that’s perhaps more the music than the lyric. And I can supply no further details of this memory, it’s just: “Sweet Dreams,” sister’s dance class, pseudo-town hall. That’s all I’ve got. Chances are good that I was there pouting about having to wait around, of course; potentially I was doing homework in the corner. But I simply don’t recall.

Häromdan spelade en del av Swedish House Mafia (Axwell & Seb Ingrosso)
på den största elektroniska musikfestivalen i världen: Sensation White
som denna gång var i Köpenhamn. Här har ni nu chansen att få höra hur
det lät…Ni får ursäkta ljudkvalitén men jag tycker ändå att det är klart
värt att lyssna på. Setet innehåller flera mixar som troligtvis aldrig
kommer bli releasade och en del som kommer releasas inom en
snar framtid, t.ex. Adrian Lux – Teenage Crime (Axwell Remix)

Axwell & Ingrosso @ Sensation White, Copenhagen (Liveset)
http://www22.zippyshare.com/v/29971232/file.html

Tracklist:

01. Swanky Tunes – Venture (David Tort Edit) w/ Daft Punk – Technologic Acapella
02. Dj Yoeri – Fuck on cocaine (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Remix) w/ Axwell – I Fond You (ReMode)
03. De Bos – On The Run (Ralvero Get Down Remix) w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
04. Laidback Luke – My G*O*D (Original Mix)
05. Muzzaik – Kontrast w/ Axwell – Let It Go Acapella w/ Daft Punk – Aerodynamic
06. Sebastian Ingrosso & Dirty South – Meich Clocks
07. Axwell & Dirty South – Open Your Heart w/ Calvin Harris – Flashback vs 2000 And One – Spanish Fly (Butch Remix)
08. Steve Angello – Teasing Mr Charlie w/ Chemical Brothers – Galvanize Acapella
09. Steve Angello, Eric Prydz – Woz Not Woz (Norman Doray & Arno Cost Remix)
10. Steve Angello, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, Laidback Luke – Leave The World Behind feat. Deborah Cox (Dimitiri Vegas & Like Mike vs. SHM Dark Forest Edit)
11. Axwell ft. Rudy – In The Air (Axwell Remix)
12. Wippenberg – Pong (Original Mix)
13. Adrian Lux – Teenage Crime (Axwell Remix)
14. Sebastian Ingrosso ft. MGMT – Kidsos (Original Mix)
15. The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony w/ ID w/ Supermode – Tell Me Why w/ Sebastien Drums, Eric G, Tom – Funky Beep
16. Huggy & Dean Newton – 747 w/ Funkagenda – What The Fuck Acapella
17. Sander van Doorn ft. Robbie Williams – Close My Eyes (Dub Mix) w/ Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams
18. Temper Traps – Sweet Disposition (Axwell, Dirty South Remix) vs Booka Shade – Body Language
19. Dirty South & Sebastian Ingrosso David Guetta feat. Julie Mc Knight – How Soon Is Now (Extended Version)

Swedish House Mafia = Sveriges Stolthet

/William

Annie Lennox y su novio se despertaron un día queriendo hacer un grupo de pop electrónico. A veces pasa. Así que abandonaron la banda en la que estaban, The Tourists, y formaron Eurythmics. Como eran raritos, grabaron un primer álbum en Colonia, donde no graba nadie, con su productor de toda la vida, Conny Plank. Era In the Garden, de 1981, un disco de electropop bailongo que suena bastante chirriante para… cualquiera. No vendieron nada, aunque sacaron 2 singles que también fracasaron estrepitosamente.

Con lo que les quedaba de pasta montaron un pequeño estudio y se pusieron a grabar sin intromisiones de nadie, y de ahí salió Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) en 1983. Ahí está la canción del mismo nombre, de la que se hizo un vídeo bastante pintoresco, como veréis, donde Annie sale con el pelo naranja y un traje de hombre. Esta imagen andrógina sería explotada en los siguientes vídeos así como en las apariciones públicas de la banda. A este disco le siguieron Touch y Be Yourself Tonight, pero hoy vamos a quedarnos aquí, ¿vale? Aunque merece la pena mencionar que Lennox inició en los 90 una carrera en solitario bastante exitosa que culminó con un Óscar en 2003 por la canción del final de El Retorno del Rey.

“Sweet Dreams” es famosa por el riff de sintetizador que recorre toda la canción. Al parecer se le ocurrió a Dave Stewart (el susodicho novio, a estas alturas ex novio) al reproducir una línea de bajo al revés. Habla de… dulces sueños. Aspiraciones, metas, ideales, lo que queráis. Circula la idea de que en realidad tiene un significado oculto sadomasoquista, pero nuestro equipo de investigación unipersonal no ha encontrado pruebas de ello, aunque quizás un poco sí en la versión de Marilyn Manson, que también podéis ver a continuación.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody’s looking for something
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody’s looking for something
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

I wanna use you and abuse you
I wanna know what’s inside you
(Whispering) Hold your head up, movin’ on
Keep your head up, movin’ on
Hold your head up, movin’ on
Keep your head up, movin’ on
Hold your head up, movin’ on
Keep your head up, movin’ on
Movin’ on!

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody’s looking for something
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

Five things “I love,” according to my iTunes library:
1. Saturday

2. The Sound of Breaking Glass

3. The Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)

4. You Always Forever

5. My Man

And two things “I hate,” according to my iTunes library:

1. Myself For Loving You
2. You

WHAT SAM WORE: 10-24-09 Yay, weekends!
The shirt: “Charlie’s Angels” T-shirt, from Buffalo Exchange.
The pants: Track pants by Puma, from Last Chance.
The shoes: Flip-flops by Reef, on sale at Macy’s in Honolulu.
The scent: The now-discontinued Amen, by Philosophy.

Nuevo enfrentamiento entre una canción original y sus versiones. Esta vez hemos elegido una de Los Clash, Train In Vain (Stand By Me), que fue publicada en 1980 en su mítico disco London Calling.  La compusieron una noche y al día siguiente la grabaron. La incluyeron en el álbum pero como pista oculta. La letra curiosamente no menciona en ningún momento el título,  pero sí su subtítulo Stand By Me. En una de mis películas favoritas, Alta Fidelidad, basada en el libro de Nick Hornby, suena de fondo mientras John Cusack intenta asimilar que su chica le ha dejado (ver video). Aquí tenéis a Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon y Topper Headon en acción. Esto es una banda encima de un escenario:

En 1999 la banda de Gales Manic Street Preachers hizo una versión bastante fiel al sonido inicial aunque con la característica guitarra de James Dean Bradfield. Se editó como cara B de su single You Stole The Sun From My Heart. Así suena de bien en directo:

La integrante de Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, aportó un toque muy diferente a la canción, haciendo una versión entre el soul y el pop cuyo resultado es también brillante. Y es que las buenas canciones soportan cualquier estilo. Se publicó en 1995 en su album Medusa. Con cuál de las 3 os quedáis?

In music news this week, British indie quartet Editors have just dropped their third LP, In This Light and on This Evening. Over the years, the band has continuously drawn criticism for being too similar to seminal post-punk outfit Joy Division. Well, on this album they’ve tackled these criticisms head on, and turned down the road that so many indie bands seem to go down- by ditching the rock and turning electro. But why is it that bands feel they must give up playing real instruments and experiment so early on? And is it a career-ender, or can it be a positive thing? This post looks at some case studies, both good and bad, to find out…

In theory, bands progressing and experimenting with their sound is a good thing. Looking at an artist’s back catalogue and realising that it’s difficult to differentiate between each album is pretty much a cardinal sin. But it remains to be seen whether all these indie-rock bands are branching out to electronic instruments because it’s a natural career path, or if they are simply experimenting for the sake of experimenting. First up, it’s necessary to look at one of the most lauded bands in recent history: Radiohead.

Case Study 1

Band: Radiohead

Album: Kid A

Number: 4

Released: October 2000

Verdict: Success, of course.

To say that this trend began with Radiohead’s fourth LP at the turn of the millenium would be naive, but it can’t be denied that they helped it push it along a little bit. After the release of OK Computer, still one of the greatest rock albums of the 1990’s, the music world was waiting with baited breath for the follow up. But Radiohead did what Radiohead do best, and surprised everyone by releasing a sparse electronic album entirely different from its predecessor. The opening chords on Everything in its Right Place paved the way for an album that was imaginative, eccentric and sometimes just downright strange. Initially it divided fans and critics, but despite the original disagreement it still stands as one of the greatest albums of the decade. Just a few months later the band surprised everyone again by releasing another album titled Amnesiac, proving that it wasn’t just a once off move. And Radiohead have just kept getting better since.

Case Study 2

Band: Bloc Party

Album: Intimacy

Number: 3

Released: August 2008

Verdict: Questionable

When Bloc Party released their debut LP Silent Alarm in 2004, indie kids everywhere rejoiced at a frenetic, rhythmic and dark but somehow incredibly danceable album. Many critics praised it as proof of just how good British bands can be, and it ended up winning a number of awards. Their second album though didn’t quite stack up to everyone’s expectations, and by the third album Intimacy rolled along, they had ditched their finely-tuned brand of indie-rock completely, and replaced it with a more electronic, dance sound. While Intimacy is possibly their strongest album lyrically, and that central-theme of loss running through the album certainly gives it coherence, there just seemed to be something missing. The urgency of the first album just wasn’t there. Whether Bloc Party return to their roots or continue with this genre remains to be seen.

Case Study 3

Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Album: It’s Blitz

Number: 3

Released: April 2009

Verdict: A success, mostly.

They say everything that is old is new again. And with the amount of bands at the moment harking back to the dance-synth days of the 80’s, that adage has never been more true. The YYYs third album saw a complete turn around from their raw, garage rock origins. Full of danceable beats, synths and more electronica than you can poke a stick at, the album divided fans but mostly pleased critics, and gained a lot more mainstream airplay. If you consider It’s Blitz as an album on its own without considering the YYY’s history, it’s pretty damn good. But it’s just missing that edge that was so wonderful in their first couple of releases. Then again, Karen O can really do no wrong in my books.

Case Study 4

Band: Editors

Album: In This Light and on This Evening

Number: 3

Released: October 2009

Verdict: Unfortunate

Poor Editors. Right from the beginning they’ve been slammed as being a carbon copy of Joy Division. And with the moody, atmospheric themes and lead singer Tom Smith’s deep voice, it’s definitely understandable. But if you judge their first album The Back Room purely on its music and forget about it’s influences, it’s actually a really good indie-rock album. While the second LP An End has a Start faltered a bit in its haste to please the commercial masses, the stadium-sized rock suited the band well. But this third album sounds like it’s come straight out of a bad 80’s disco. First single Papillon has so much synth it could be mistaken for Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams are Made of These. An even bigger shame though is that there’s actually some decent tracks on the album. The title-track opener, with Smith’s baritone vocals, is gorgeous. But it just seem like they tried too hard in their transition to electronica. If you can get your hands on bonus EP Cuttings II, it’s much rawer, and much more rewarding.

–

Certainly, only four bands moving into the realms of electronic/dance music in their sophomore releases- even if it’s not a third (or fourth) album- doesn’t necessarily prove the theory. But it doesn’t take much looking to see that there’s plenty more. Is it just because music is inherently cyclical and we’re all going back to the 80’s? Or is this truly a natural progression? Radiohead amongst others have proved that when you can do it right, the results can be very, very rewarding. But it’s the dozens of copy-cat bands doing the same thing just because it’s the ‘in-thing’ that is disappointing. Hopefully Editors can regain some of their credibility with their next release. Or maybe they’ll surprise everyone and actually do something original. Like a hip-hop album. Now wouldn’t that be interesting!