I made a Spotify playlist featuring some of my favourite Kiwi tracks to celebrate/serve as the soundtrack to my mini summer. <<<HEADING HOME>>> Two weeks was never going to be enough.
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music
While I was in New Zealand I was introduced to Sal Valentine & the Babyshakes, by my dear friend Graham (Hi G!) who happens to be a Babyshake himself. The story, as I understand it, is that Sal composed some swinging tunes for a university assignment and assembled a bunch of talented musicians to bring them to life, and at the end of it all, everyone was having such a good time they decided to commit to regular rehearsals and performances. How lucky for the music-loving public! I went to a show of theirs and I can confirm it was highly danceable, a rollicking time.
This is SV&tBS performing Everybody Get Loose in Rodney Fisher’s gorgeous backyard in Te Atatu. An EP is on the way, so keep an ear out.
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Yesterday morning I walked into the studio at work, and sat down at my desk like I always do. Current studio music makes me feel like I work in a small. seriously, flashback to the time when I worked at a nail salon when I was 16 and the perma-tanned owner played Norah Jones constantly. She thought it was soothing. Meanwhile, I developed an eye tick, and still cringe every time I hear the opening bars of Come Away With Me.
Using Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time (compiled in 2009), I’ve decided to spend the rest of the year getting a musical education, and hopefully improve the quality of my working day. I’m going to listen to every album in order, with no skipping or jumping about. To help me, I’ve finally downloaded Spotify, which I had been oddly resistant to using, but really, it’s MAGIC. (You know what else is magic? Noise-cancelling headphones – a brilliant tip I gleaned from Introverts in ad agencies: a helpful guide.)
So, counting down from 500, here are the first three.
500. OutKast, ‘Aquemini’
My challenge got off to a strong start with OutKast’s third studio album, Aquemini. I really enjoyed this record. My top picks are the eponymous track, Synthesizer ft. George Clinton, and the hit single Rosa Parks. Hard to believe this came out in 1998! It feels so fresh, but I guess that’s OutKast for you – always riding their own wave.
499. B.B. King, ‘Live in Cook County Jail’
1971 saw B.B. King and his guitar Lucille light up Cook County Jail (which is in Chicago as it turns out). The album is crisply recorded, and crackles with life – I love the cat calls of the prisoners. Can’t wait to give this one another whirl again soon…
498. The Stone Roses, ‘The Stone Roses’
You know what, I didn’t really care for this album at all, aside from ‘Fool’s Gold‘, but who doesn’t like that song? I’m having flashbacks to Pop Up Video and its One Hit Wonders episode.
That said, the John Squires designed cover is great! The painting is a reference to the May 1968 riots in Paris. Stone Roses lead singer Ian Brown met a Frenchman while hitchhiking. This gentleman had been in the riots, and told Ian that lemons were used as an antidote to tear gas.
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A cut n’ paste job on Mad Men to create a version of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up. Sensational.
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A bit obsessed by this song at the moment – perhaps it should be my next karaoke pick. And Cher’s hair – massive! 1971 was a good vintage.
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Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers… oh to be that young, talented and full of bravado. Burn bright, die young.
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Long time CFS favourites Gaggle have released the first single from their new album From The Mouth Of The Cave is called Army Of Birds. Do what it says on the packet – watch full screen (change the settings to HD) and pop your headphones on. Lovely, and a little bit trippy.
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Breakfast by Le Le is one of the funniest songs ever, yet somehow pulls off a divine video, animated by Parra.
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Dressed smart like a London Bloke,
Before he speak his suit bespoke,
And you thought he was cute before,
Look at this peacoat, tell me he’s broke.
He may seem like a bit of a tosser, but Kanye is lyrically brilliant. I’ve always loved this song, and in particular these lines.
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