September Playlist

I've been feeling sentimental of late. I think I'm a sentimental person generally, but lately almost everything makes me emotional. Emotions! Gah!! Who needs them, amiright? I think that's why quite a few of the songs on this month's playlist are sentimental. Some just in general, some specifically for me. It wasn't intentional, that's just the way the cards have fallen.

Again, not much new music here, but I plan to rectify that in the coming months. That said, I did discover Meg Myers, who's second full length album 'Take me to the Disco' was released in July this year. Stephen Kallao wrote a profile on Myers for NPR's World Cafe: essential and emerging artists, describing her sound as 'a bit like Nine Inch Nails got into a fight with the Pixies'. THAT got my attention. 'Numb' the second track on the album, is very Pixiesish - with the loud/quiet shifts and the long, wistful guitar licks.

Look, The Roxy talks Music - September Playlist may be sentimental, but it's not all melancholia. There's a light at the end of the long, wintry tunnel. Spring has sprung! And I'm about ready to kick up my heels and go out for a dance. 

So, put it on and play it loud, my people! And maybe I'll catch you out there on the dance floor.

Albums That Opened My Mind

Everyone has those artists, songs or albums that opened up their minds a little bit. You know, when someone says ‘I never really listened to hip hop, but then I heard De La Soul,’ or, ‘I don’t like country music, except for Johnny Cash,’ or, ‘you won’t catch me listening to disco … unless it’s the Bee Gees’ (has anyone ever said that???)

Well here are a few albums that opened my mind to the possibility that maybe I’m not satisfied just listening to ‘what I know I like and I’m happy not to listen to anything else, thanks very much.’

KRS-One - I Got Next (1997)

I Got Next was the first hip hop album that blew my mind. I hadn’t actively listened to hip hop much, aside from the fact that I owned a copy of Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday, but my brother was a mad hip hop fan and he used to play it loud, day and night. That’s how I got wind of KRS-One; hearing his jazzy beats and catchy rhymes blaring from my brother’s shitty ghetto blaster through the closed bedroom door. Deciding this was hardly the best way to experience KRS-One, I borrowed my brother’s CD copy of I Got Next. It completely changed the way I thought about hip hop. Seventeen year old me had always dismissed hip hop as gangsta. As a woman, I found it offensive. But KRS-One was political and preached empowerment. And he was funky. ‘The real hip hop is over here!’ rapped KRS-One and I was down.

Carole King - Tapestry (1971)

My dad loved Carole King. He had a bunch of Carole King records, but Tapestry was the only one I ever played. After Dad taught me how to use his record player, I played Tapestry constantly. Dad had other records too, and sometimes I’d spin one or two of those, but I always came back Carole. It’s not the kind of album I’d usually play back then. I was all about Jane’s Addiction or Sonic Youth or The Cure. I might have listened to Tori Amos once in awhile, but not seriously. But to me, Tapestry was beautiful and sweet and soulful. These days Tapestry is still just as beautiful to me, but it's bittersweet too. Because it reminds me of Dad, who passed away last year. I have his copy and I still play it often. And I thank him for teaching me the joy of music. All music. And also Carole King.

Autechre - Chiastic Slide (1997)

I was given a copy of Chiastic Slide for my birthday one year in my early 20’s. Up until then my experience of electronic music had been limited. Aside from the electro new wave of my youth, it was whatever house music or dark drum and bass had been playing at the last rave or club I’d been at. And Aphex Twin, of course. But I had no idea electronic music could make me feel the way Chiastic Slide did. It was completely lovely with all of it’s gorgeous, intricate sounds. Like listening to clockwork. And so I discovered Intelligent dance music (or IDM for short) and artists like Squarepusher and Beefcake. In fact IDM resonated so much with me that I made my own IDM music under the name Twinkle Noodle Star a few years ago. Although I don’t listen to it much anymore, every now and then I revisit Chiastic Slide, or Squarepusher’s Go Plastic when I’m feeling a little nostalgic.

March Playlist

We're only halfway through March and already there has been so much fantastic new music released since I last blogged. A couple of brilliant tracks from Janelle Monae's forthcoming album Dirty Computer, a rocking new album from Albert Hammond, Jr., new music from The Kills and a mind-blowing new album of previously unreleased recordings by Jimi Hendrix.

But as much as I've been listening to new music, I've always got time to revisit the classics and uncover old gems that I've previously overlooked. Aside from the 1980's revival I've been enjoying this month, I also discovered Otis Junior and Dr. Dundiff's incredibly cool, smooth hip hop album from 2017, Hemispheres, which I can't get enough of and thoroughly recommend. Check it out if you're not already familiar.

And now, without further ado, here's a sample of my March sounds for your listening pleasure....

Beloved Covers

Recently I caught Polish Club live at The Forum in Melbourne. They played an energetic set, chock full of their best songs and my personal favourites (which made me soooo happy). They also did a really fun cover of Lesley Gore's 1963 hit 'You Don't Own Me.' I was belting out the words at the top of my lungs, trying to anticipate all of Novak's inflections and having the time of my life. Afterwards I remember thinking that there's something uniquely satisfying about a great cover of a fantastic song. When you hear it, you're hearing that song you know and love so well again for the first time.Then if you're lucky, you get to fall in love with it all over again.

There are so many amazing covers out there in the world. Here I share with you a small sample of my favourite covers of much loved songs.

Pet Shop Boys ‘Always On My Mind’ (1987)

'Always On My Mind,' was a country music song originally recorded by Gwen McCrae in 1972. It was also famously covered by Elvis Presley in 1972 and Willie Nelson in 1982, for which he won a Grammy award. Pet Shop Boys released their version in 1987 after first performing it on a television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Presley's death. Oh, how I love Pet Shop Boys! The English synthpop duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe introduced me to dance music back in the 1980's and they will always hold a special place in my heart. Pet Shop Boys took a country music song and made it one of the biggest dance hits of the 1980's. It's a beautiful song and the Pet Shop Boys' version loses nothing in translation. It's also one of my favourite Pet Shop Boys songs.

David Bowie ‘Cactus’ (2002)

David Bowie recorded a version of The Pixies song, 'Cactus,' for his 2002 album Heathen. The song first appeared on The Pixies 1988 album Surfer Rosa. Bowie's cover is a faithful homage to the original, although heavier, with the main difference being in the distinctive voices of both Frank Black and Bowie. Also, on the original version, the band can be heard spelling out 'Pixies' in the break, while Bowie's version spells out D-A-V-I-D. I love this song, but personally I prefer Bowie's version as I find it more interesting musically. Appropriately, The Pixies performed the song at a Bowie tribute concert in 2016, as a Bowie cover. Perhaps they preferred Bowie's version as well.

Cyndi Lauper ‘When You Were Mine’ (1983)

'When You Were Mine,' was written and recorded by Prince and first released on his 1980 album Dirty Mind. Cyndi Lauper's version of the song appeared on her hugely successful 1983 debut album She's So Unusual. Both versions are perfect synthpop, but Lauper's omits Prince's signature funk in favour of a slower tempo and heavier keyboards. I love both versions of this song. Both Prince and Lauper bring their own distinct sound to the song, which work equally well.

Tori Amos ‘Enjoy The Silence’ (2001)

Tori Amos' stirring rendition of Depeche Mode's electro hit from their 1990 Violater album 'Enjoy The Silence' is achingly beautiful. It was difficult to pick just one of the songs from Amos' 2001 album of covers Strange Little Girls as there are so many gems, but 'Enjoy The Silence' is one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs. I was so moved by Amos' version, it ultimately won out. Depeche Mode succeeded in crafting a haunting electro ballad and Amos' stripped back piano version only serves to heighten the emotion of the original.

The White Stripes ‘Jolene’ (2000)

I freaking love The White Stripes version of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene.' Parton first released 'Jolene' in 1973 as a country pop song and it's probably one of the few country songs that I like. It's a flawless vehicle for Parton's honeyed voice. However, Jack White's pleading, wailing vocals and lamenting guitar, coupled with Meg White's mostly understated drumming errupting into a crashing chorus is absolute perfection.

Cake ‘I Will Survive’ (1996)

Cake covered Gloria Gaynor's 1978 mega disco hit 'I Will Survive' for their 1996 album Fashion Nugget. The original became a top selling song for Gaynor, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart. It also won a Grammy award for 'Best Disco Recording' in 1980. Cake's funkified version is resplendant with horns and a laid back bassline. I couldn't love it any more than I already do, even if I tried really, really hard.

Album Review: St.Vincent's 'Masseduction'

2017
13 songs
Length: 41:37
Available to buy on vinyl or CD, Apple Music or Spotify

St.Vincent had been on my radar for awhile now. Some months ago, reading SPIN’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time I came across Annie Clark (St.Vincent is Clark’s stage name) at number 93. I made a mental note to check her out. Not long after that, I listened to her critically acclaimed fourth album ‘St.Vincent’ and my interest was piqued. Then my record club, Vinyl, Me Please, hinted it would be releasing a club edition of St.Vincent’s fifth album ‘Masseduction’ as its November album of the month. This has now been confirmed. ‘Masseduction’ was released publicly last week (well ahead of the Vinyl, Me Please special release), so naturally I was very eager to hear it.

Clark has a knack for making really interesting sounds with her guitar. And they mesh perfectly with a whole host of other sounds to make for some really catchy rhythms. Her songs are never boring, often morphing into different styles part way through. ’Pills,’ is an excellent example of this; beginning with a catchy electro beat, which becomes peppered with Clark’s squalling guitar, before finding a wistfully Bowiesque conclusion.

David Bowie is clearly a major influence on Clark, and the album has a sound reminiscent of Bowie’s 1990’s industrial albums ‘Outside’ and ‘Earthling.’ At that time, Bowie’s work was heavily influenced by Nine Inch Nails, which is another band that springs to mind while listening to ‘Masseduction.’ But this isn’t to say that Clark’s album is a cheap reproduction of something that’s been done before. On the contrary, she wears her influences on her sleeve while adding her own fresh stamp.

Clark gives us elements of synth pop, with retro, chiptune sounds. ‘Sugarboy’ with its pulsing beat, ‘Los Ageless,’ a touch more sultry, and ‘Savior,’ along with the album’s title track, ‘Masseduction,’ both have a somewhat Prince feel about them.

The album also sports some beautiful melancholy ballads. ’Happy Birthday, Johnny,’ with it’s understated piano is an earnest dedication, and ‘New York,’ speaks of personal loss. Both bear striking similarities to Tori Amos in parts. The celestial sound of ‘Slow Disco,’ makes me think of Annie Lennox on the similarly ethereal Eurythmics tune, ‘Miracle of Love.’

‘Masseduction’ is a masterful album. Every track is so interesting and every time I listen, I hear something or make a connection that I hadn’t before. ‘Masseduction’ has inspired me to go back and listen to all of St.Vincent’s albums in depth. Call me a newly minted St.Vincent fan!  I’d say that’s an indication of a successful album.