So this is some sort of disco/new-wave-era compilation from the late ’70s and early ’80s. It’s the stuff my otherwise cool uncle was listening to in high school and college.
Bob Blank is actually pretty famous in his circles and rightfully so. New York City is better for having him, and it seems that anyone from that era who knows or worked with him deserves your respect.
This retrospective is 13 tracks that he must have produced or something. I don’t know. But Gladys Knight is here with “It’s a Better Than Good Time,” which is a great name for a song from that era. And Lydia Lunch, who I can’t stand but have a lot of respect for, gives us “A Cruise to the Moon.” Those are the two best on this record. (It’s nice not to be ironic when I refer to the album as a record.)
Debby Blackwell has a great hot pants kind of song with “Once You Got Me Going.” I’m going, I’m going. The mid-2000s-era Beatmania disco songs were inspired by this track, surely.
“Crystalized” by Milton Hamilton could be about cocaine. I mean, it’s the right era and location, yeah? They even sing about ecstasy, but the concept, I believe. So who cares that they spell it wrong?
Archive for February 2010
Bob Blank “The Blank Generation — Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985”
February 9, 2010Episode 1299 is up
February 9, 2010Episode 1298 is up
February 8, 2010Episode 1297 is up
February 7, 2010Episode 1296 is up
February 7, 2010Joel’s Hit Show, Episode 55, February 7 2010 Playlist
February 7, 2010Nana Grizol, Blackbox
Kung Fu USA, Bad Haircut
Eels, Unhinged
Korea Girl, Reunion
Olof Arnalds, Englar og Darar
Komeda, Rocket Plane (Music on the Moon)
Dead Man’s Bones, Pa Pa Power
Kitten Forever, Slamdunk
Laura Gibson and Ethan Rose, Old Waters
The Kirby Grips, Canyon
Psychology of Genocide, Ride On
Killola, This Is How the World Ends
False Alarm, Day Is Night
Kepi, Hurt & Alone
Willowz, No Heros
Kenickie, P.V.C.
Woodpigeon, Die Stadt Muzikanten
The Kelley Deal 6000, My Boyfriend Died
Seven Saturdays, Good Morning, I Love You
Paula Kelley, The Girlfriend
Computer Perfection, Maurice on the Water
Kahimi Karie, Lolitapop Dollhouse
Tulsa, Drunk in the Supermarket
The Juliana Hatfield Three, Ruthless
Dutch, Just Before the Rain
Julieplug, I Feel
Emily Rogers, The Dead Don’t Heal
Julie Ruin, Breakout A-Town
Stringer Belle, Pen
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Change the World
Jane Jensen, Highway 90
Jenny Lewis With the Watson Twins, Rise Up With Fists!!
Joel’s Hit Show, Episode 46, November 22 2009 Playlist
February 7, 2010La Roux, Bulletproof
Selby Tigers, Jumpsuits
Otter Petter, The Fourth of July
Sea Sick, Black Cat
Piney Gir, Hello Halo
Secadora, Blanket
Lissy Trullie, Just a Friend
Scout Niblett, Hot to Death
Dutchess/Duke, Let It Die
Stella Schindler, Walk a While
Manic Street Preachers, Marlon J.D.
The Corner Laughers, For the Sake of the Cat
The Corner Laughers, The Commonfest Manifesto
The Corner Laughers, Stonewords
The Screaming Cherry Blossoms, American Cheese
Hawnay Troof, Daggers at the Moon
Polly Scattergood, Unforgiving Arms
The Lower 48, Transmission Pt. 2
Sarah Fimm, Crumbs and Broken Shells
¡Andale!, Walk Away
Savath y Savalas, No Despierta
Amos the Transparent, The M.O.B. Catalogue
Save Ferris, The World Is New
The Starfolk, Wake Up Machine
Sahara Hotnights, Keep Up the Speed
Parlour Steps, Soft Lies
St. Etienne, Only Love Can Break Your Heart
A Fine Frenzy, New Heights
Rubies, Stand in a Line
Joel’s Hit Show, Episode 54, January 31 2010 Playlist
February 7, 2010The Million Stars, Flowers Strung On a Tree
Lily Allen, F*** You
Fanfarlo, I’m a Pilot
Liesl’s Wet Dress, Ruby
Beach House, Norway
Liam Finn & Eliza Jane, Won’t Change My Mind
Espers, The Pearl
Miike Snow, Animal
Le Tigre, What’s Yr Take on Cassavetes
Innocent Bandits, When Another Sun Shines
Sister Soleil, Hit Me
Stringer Belle, Take This Song
Jenny Lewis, Bad Man’s World
Willowz, Twenty Five
Lederhosen Lucil, Doin’ the Ganglion
Hannah Georgas, The Deep End
Leerone, To Fill the Void
Massive Attack, Splitting the Atom
Leah, Here’s to You My Friend
False Alarm, Tell Me Who I Am
Lady Lazarus, Master and Servant
Pants Yell!, Frank and Sandy
Laika, Bedbugs
Tulsa, Brooklyn
Ladybug Transistor, Oceans in the Hall
La Roux, Bulletproof
The Inoculators, Message in a Bottle
Psychology of Genocide, Tiger Shark Attack
Ladyhawke, Paris Is Burning
Hindi Guns, Loaded Gun
Thao With the Get Down Stay Down, Trouble Was For
La Chansons “King and Queen of the Dance Floor”
February 5, 2010The cover art is entertaining and perpetuates the dance music stereotype of the douchebag DJ and unnecessarily hot diva. However, considering that they are married, it’s clearly an attempt to be ironic. I can play along with that.
This is the kind of music I was trying to make in high school when I was in Residue with Dinnhy D, the original rubber monkey. The difference is that La Chansons have actual equipment instead of a few pencils, a tape recorder and some tax forms.
“X Marks the Spot” has the same beat as “The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight” but focuses on vocals instead of keyboards. That’s fine. It’s still a good track. “Workout Love” sounds like a Ming & Ping song, only with two whiteys from Atlanta doing all the work.
“Sparklin'” is not manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company but instead is a fun song. But the best track follows it: “Beauty Queen.” They’ve taken the best part of early Peaches and late-’80s Book of Love and put it into a single song. This track is a deep drive at Fulton County Stadium. “Leotard Stories” also has a Peaches vibe to it, but much cleaner (if cheesier) lyrics.
“You Put the Moves in Me” also has a late-’80s feel, dominated by a Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam feel, with hints of Kraftwerk and the Jets here and there.
There are songs about malls and candy bars too. I really like this record because if I am going to be reminded of my childhood, I want to only be reminded of the good things, namely music and packs of 1989 Score baseball cards. They’ve done all they can to help me out here. Now if I could just do something with these Luis de los Santos rookie cards.
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