I had two guys every morning

SOTW May 8!
So I went to see a rare solo show by Jane Wiedlin a few weeks ago, when she was a special guest performer with the Les Paul Trio at the Iridium Jazz Club here in New York. It was a short set, with Jane performing seven songs, including Keith Urban's number-one hit "But for the Grace of God" that she and Urban co-wrote with fellow Go-Go Charlotte Caffey, and a set-closing "Our Lips Are Sealed" with the Magnetic Field's Stephin Merritt "singing" the iconic "Hush my darling..." part Jane usually tackles. The other songs were standards including "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and Julie London's "Cry Me a River." The best song of the set, though, was a jaunty proto-feminist tune called "Thirteen Men" originally sung by Ann-Margret in 1962, a sort of response song to a chauvanistic 1950s song called "Thirteen Women" (that had the same tune). Jane's adorable voice handled the song admirably, and she really worked the humorous angle.


Here's Jane doing her version from 2006.




Here's Ann-Margret's original version of "Thirteen Men" from 1962.

I could die here right here in your arms

SOTW for May 1! We're nearly a month behind so I think we're just going to post the videos, and maybe write more after we get off our asses. Here's mine for May 1, "Starlight" by Sophie Ellis Bextor from her electro-poptastic new album, Make a Scene. As it took more than a year to be released, I was expecting a problematic album. But in fact, every song sounds like a single, apart from the disappointing title track.

Sophie really is unlike any other singer around these days. She's always seemed older than age and is definitely an old-school popstar (she doesn't do choreography or lipsynch). But she seems in total control of her career, and has amassed a number of impressive singles that range from indie (her work with former band theaudience), dance ("Murder on the Dancefloor"), rock ("Catch You") and pop ("Me and My Imagination").

"Starlight" is dancey ballad, and while I'm not exactly sure how I would describe her voice—smoky? bleating? raspy?—she manages to wring every bit of emotion out of the song.

Apparently she's already hard at work on her next album, reportedly writing with Bernard Butler from Suede, in what she claims will be a synth-free record. Imagine that!

I miss the scrach of your unshaven face

Brace yourself. There’s not much that I can write about my song of the week for April 24th, apart from the fact that it’s Ke$ha again. I’m not so proud to admit that; two Ke$ha songs in three weeks. But it’s New York in spring, and the mindless songs on Animal and Cannibal energized me through rainy-day commutes to and from the office. Of course, being me, I wallowed in the drizzle and overdosed on the surprisingly sentimental “The Harold Song,” a simple tale of lost love and relationship regrets. And who can't relate to that?

Here’s a fan-made video for “The Harold Song.”

Life, it leaves you full of arrows

Few new artists have excited me more in the past few years than Erik Hassle, and I bet Jason would agree. It seems just yesterday he released his first single, “Hurtful,” but was actually late 2008 (my iTunes shows I added it on March 9, 2009). His Swedish album, Hassle, subsequent 2010 release (with new songs) retitled Pieces, and his Taken EP have kept him on steady rotation since.

Jason recently blogged about his latest effort, Mariefred Sessions, which is an appetizer before a to-be-released second album. Mariefred is an EP of songs he wrote and recorded with members of Kent, one of my favorite bands. Kent mainly record in Swedish, which makes it nearly impossible for me to understand, although there’s a small, rabid fan community online that translates songs. I was excited about them working with Hassle, and adored the single, “Are You Leaving?” And after a few weeks with the rest of the EP, the other songs’ quiet brilliance has emerged.

My SOTW for April 17 (I know, weeks late!) is "Arrows," the closing track. It has a particular Kent-ness—tense, tightly wound verses juxtaposed with choruses full of emotional release. Unfortunately, I can't find "Arrows" anywhere online—not even a Soundcloud! But if you want to hear some of Erik Hassle's greatness, try here: http://soundcloud.com/erikhassle

I Couldn't Shake Loose, Not From You, Not From You

The 30th of May sees the release of Nerina Pallot's new album "Year Of The Wolf." From this, her fourth album, we have her lead single. "Put Your Hands Up" as my Song Of The Week. I usually have an mp3 way before I ever decide to watch a song's video, but in this case, a HQ mp3 hadn't leaked yet, so I just settled on watching the video instead. I've been a fan of Nerina since her 1st album dropped back in 2001, LOVING songs like "Patience" and "Blood Is Blood," which still get a fair amount of play on my ipod. She even did a dance track with Delerium, which left me all sorts of excited cuz you KNOW how I love me some remixes. Anyways, one viewing of this video had me hooked, as usual the simple context of people breaking into song/dance in everyday life oft will for me. The fact that the lyrics tell tale of a "I didn't know I was looking for love until I found you" sorta situation even better. For awhile there, I would find myself singing a mash-up of Nerina with Kylie Minogue's own "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) [From the album APHRODITE, where Nerina wrote both the title track and one other], but not Nerina's in the one "Put Your Hands Up" that's got A List playing in my head right now.

ALTHOUGH, you will be Hand-Pressed not to fall in love with Kylie's tune after watching this PS22 duet.

And while I'm at it, here's the Nerina penned Kylie track "Aphrodite"

This Isn't Easy, This Isn't Clear

'Twas a big week for concerts for me. Got to see Robyn do an awesome mini set at Jimmy Kimmel, and most recently saw Ellie Goulding and The Knocks rock it at The Music Box. Sandwiched in between those dance-pop shows, was Ben Rector and Matt Werzt at The Troubadour. I've loved the Ben album for months now and was super excited to see him. He looks like hes about 18 but his voice sounds way older than that. Even with the Jesus reference in the song, this one really stood out. Beautifully sung and heart-wrenching, "When A Heart Breaks" by Ben Rector.

I am starstruck...

So it's my turn to be ridiculously late with a post. Jason's been hounding me to get something up here, so I finally kicked myself in the ass. I'm known for choosing more than my fair share of embarrassing songs, but this one is shameful I suppose for a different reason. Released a year and a half ago, the song was unknown to me until last week, when a guy I once dated posted the video for Ke$ha's "Animal" to Facebook.

Ke$ha kind of slipped by me. I of course knew "Tic Toc," and loved "Take It Off" because my gay-as-a-goose spin instructor played it every week—it was the highlight of his class. I even watched her SNL performance and thought she wasn't bad. But I never bought the album, and each subsequent single ("Your Love Is My Drug," "We R Who We R") confirmed her bratty talk-singing was enjoyable but disposable.

Then I'm introduced to "Animal," something that actually showcases Ke$ha's singing ability and musically is aligned more with the Euro dance-pop I favor. And I like her attitude, or specifically, the lack of attitude—I'm a sucker for a sappy, sentimental lyric.

What can I say, the ratty-haired bitchy girl in the ripped spandex and glow-in-the-dark face paint finally charmed me.

I Think I'll Fall To Pieces If I Don't Find Something Else To Do

Yes, the "Soldier Of Love" album was kinda a snoozefest, but I am loving this new track from Sade's forthcoming "The Ultimate Collection." We are promised four new songs, which is exciting, except from the fact that I'm guessing the Jay-Z "remix" of "The Moon And The Sky" is one of them. At no point in this world did I ever need those two to meet, let alone in a recording booth dammit. ANYWAYS, Sade has dug up a Thin Lizzy song from 1983 and covered the hell out of it. I sure as shit don't know Thin Lizzy and listening to their version of the song I don't need to, judge for yourself tho.

(Yes, i know they did "The Boys Are Back In Town" but I certainly don't care all that much.)
Ms. Adu et al have gone ahead and certainly made it their own. It's like a hybrid, "By Your Side" "Love Is Stronger Than Pride." This is some great, sad Sade.

And now for something LESS great..............

As I Recall You Gave Me Nothing At All

LAAAAAAAATE on this one. Apologies. My song of the week, for the week ending on April 3rd, is Erik Hassle's "Sometimes When It Rains." As far as I am concerned, this man can do no wrong. At first, I was weary, for his latest mini-album "The Mariefred Sessions" left me less than impressed on first listen, but now, 2 weeks on, I'm finding it hard to play anything else. Borrowing from the Robyn school of having a depressing song with an amazingly dancey beat, we have "Sometimes When It Rains." In fact, this sounds EXACTLY like a Robyn song. How can you not love a lyric like "You said that you would give me it all, as i recall you gave me nothing at all."?

Plus, here's an awesome acoustic version of the song coupled with another Song Of The Week from this year in acoutic form, "Are You Leaving"

These things can quite endear you

Coming out of left field this week, the Human League crashes the top of my chart with “Never Let Me Go,” off Credo, the band’s first album in 10 years. This one has been a slow-burner; sometimes you have to hear a song tens of times before it worms its way into your mind.

Don’t get me wrong, being a child glued to early-'80s MTV, I have long loved the Human League. “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” and “Mirror Man” are two of my favorite songs of all time, and even their least-successful albums have amazing tracks.

Human League songs are mainly Philip Oakey affairs with Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall handling the incidentals. However, Susan (the blonde) takes the lead here. Apart from her iconic verse in “Don’t You Want Me” and her fantastic solo “One Man in My Heart” (from 1994’s Octopus), the girls don’t headline. Not that that’s a bad thing: When I saw them in 1998 at Radio City Music Hall, Joanne was so off-key during her brief bit in “Fascination” that people around me winced and stopped dancing. Perhaps that’s why she was given the spoken aside in “Human.”

As for “Never Let Me Go,” it’s a welcome return, current yet delightfully retro. And the crazy kaleidoscope video should endear the band to the current generation of electropop fans. My one complaint would be, why such heavy use of Autotune? Leave that crap to Britney.

This love is getting the best of me

I’m a few days late but I’m finally getting around to posting this week. Truth is, it’s been another difficult choice. I knew it would be something off the Sounds new album, Something to Die For. But I didn’t know what—there’s too many good songs to choose from (not that that’s a bad thing).
How could I not love the Sounds, a blond female-fronted New Wave indie rock band? (It could only get better if she played the tambourine!) I loved their first album, Living in America. And the second, Dying to Say This to You, was almost as good. I saw them live at Irving Plaza and they were energetic and amazing.
However, their last album, Crossing the Rubicon, was a bit of a disappointment. I couldn’t get into it, and it got lost in the shuffle. I never even bought it…I just “acquired” it online, which says a lot. So with trepidation I listened to Something to Die For, but it instantly clicked. It mixes the right amount of fuzzy guitars, pop hooks and a surprising dance influence on the first half of the album.
Which leads me to “The Best of Me.” The Duran Duran-style bassline caught my attention first, and the pleading lyrics (“Our hearts are still warm but they are getting colder”) are right up my alley. But I kept listening because I couldn’t figure of what else it reminded me, until one day walking to work it hit me: It sounds like a Coldplay ballad, sped up. I can picture Chris Martin playing this at the piano, and it makes me love it even more. There’s no video, as it’s just an album track, but here’s a link.

Uht Uh That's Not A Plane That's Me

I didn't wanna like it. I hid him on Facebook (instead of deleting him which makes no sense but whatever). But I scrambled to download it. A new Owl City song...WITH A RAP? Sure this Shawn Christopher fellow isn't hardcore, but nevertheless, rap isn't really my thing. That being said, I think the rap is maybe the best part of the song. I love it. Definitely reminds me of the remix of Pet Shop Boys "Liberation" ("Yeah, I though love was kinda dumb, now I know I gots to get me some"). And here we have my Song Of The Week, from the forthcoming album, "All Things Bright And Beautiful" (where I also have a great downtempo track called "Lonely Lullaby") Owl City featuring Shawn Christopher "Alligator Sky."

And for good measure, here's 12 minute version of the PSB track Liberation with that rap I do so well in my car.

Feed The Hungry WIth A Fish

Unlike Robb, this week was an easy one for me. I guessed it the minute I heard it, which does happen alot, only to have me find a ANOTHER song that I like EVEN MORE. Yet, this one made it thru. I discovered it Tues AM as I was trolling thru itunes JUST RELEASED section for the week. And there it was....a new Robyn tune. Well, new for her at least. The song itself isn't THAT new, Featured on the Teddybears' last album "Devil's Music", the song "Cardiac Arrest" was recorded with some rapper chick named Mapei. Not Much has changed from one track to the next except that instead of sounding like some butchy Brooklynite is singing, Robyn has fucking made this one another of her own. It's quirky. It makes no damn sense. It's great. It's really like 90's era Fatboy Slim's big beat style, and I love it - Jason

Teddybears 'Cardiac Arrest' feat Robyn [Audio]

I know what I am chasing...

I had a tough time deciding this week. Not because it was a lean one (there are many, when it's difficult to find anything that piqued my interest) but because this week had an embarrassment of riches in terms of great songs (some Pet Shop Boys b-sides, the new Human League single, err...Avril Lavigne's new album). But by far, the soundtrack to the past seven days has been R.E.M.'s excellent new album Collapse Into Now.

As anyone with a radio knows, R.E.M. spent the 2000s struggling to connect with the American audience they enthralled in the '80s and '90s. After the departure of drummer Bill Berry in 1997, they released the quirky but low-key Up; the poppy Reveal, an album I quite like; and the charm-free Around the Sun. The rocky Accelerate had them sounding revived in 2008, something that Collapse Into Now expands upon.

This is their best album since Monster, and each day this week had a new favorite. Originally it was the harmony-laden "Mine Smell Like Honey" (terrible title, but best Mike Mills vocals since "Texarkana"), then the furious "All the Best." But I've settled on "ÜBerlin," the video for which has garnered a lot of blog press for its video with actor Aaron Johnson (no idea who he is—I've never seen him in anything) dancing through city streets. The melody just keeps worming its way into my brain, and the vague (of course) lyrics seem hopeful, embracing change. Here's hoping it gets R.E.M. back on top.
—Robb

Boys

It's amazing how an acoustic version can totally change the feel of a song. Take for instance my song this week, Solo's cover of "Boys" by Sabrina, the 80s Italian pop singer. Solo (Michiel Flamman) is a Dutch musician and this was a cover he did for a radio station concert. Check him out at solo.bandcamp.com.

Here's a live version of Boys with some guy named Reyn on piano.




Known for getting her tits out (that bikini top is no match for her nips) Sabrina was basically the Italian Samantha Fox, but with a worse voice and a dubious grasp of English.

Arling & Cameron "W.E.E.K.E.N.D."

George Michael - True Faith (complete audio song)

Getting Started

So Jason and I have been keeping track of each other's Song of the Week since January 7, 2001. We finally decided after years of writing this on paper that we should move into the 21st century and do this here blog thing.

Incidentally, our selections that first week: "W.E.E.K.E.N.D." by Arling & Cameron for Jason and "It's the Way You Make Me Feel" by Steps for Robb. Talk about a shameful week.

Here's a fan-made video of "W.E.E.K.E.N.D.", a song that brings me back to living with Jason in our tiny two-bedroom apartment in Astoria with the small living room, giant kitchen and the best skylight in the bathroom. Not to mention the rubber ducks. Also, we used to sing a song about pizza to the tune of this. And that was before Jason drank. Imagine what we'd have come up with if he was drunk on margaritas.





And here's the VERY 2000-sounding Steps single (still an embarrassing favorite of mine) with its terrible video (ugh those period costumes! Lisa Scott-Lee's braces! Faye Tozer's nasty blond dreadlocks!)

Jumping right in

Any of you who know us, know that Robb and I have been doing this for years and years. We just have never ever taken it to the interwebs.  Who knows if we will be able to keep up with the arduous schedule of posting one song a week every Sunday. A daunting task indeed, but maybe we are up for it. After many embaressing youtube listens, we have my Song Of The Week, heretofore referred to SOTW, for this March 13th 2011. George Michael doing a cover of New Order's classic "True Faith." It's all vocoder, which, back in the days of "Believe" I was all about, 8 million years later, I'm not so sure. But, he's wormed his way into my brain (maybe this is an opportunity for a glory hole joke or something but I'm not sure) and I kinda love. Yes, I wish he just sang it regular, but I will deal. -Jason