Tag: EDM

Old 97’s and The Knife: Two (Very) Pleasant Surprises

by KevinLeave a Comment on Old 97’s and The Knife: Two (Very) Pleasant Surprises

Best Record of 2001: Day 22

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Satellite Rides by Old 97s as it squares off against the self-titled debut from The Knife.

Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challengeand noted that I’d be writing some of these up.

The plan is to do quick hits on each first-round matchup and post them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably be a few typos. We’ll also have a few guest posts along the way, so make sure to stay tuned for those!

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks always appreciated.

KA—

Old 97’s- Satellite Rides

Thought for sure this would be one of those records where I’d know a track when I heard it, but no dice.

Rhett Miller strikes me as a poppier version of John Hiatt and a less sarcastic version of Paul Westerberg. The kind of guy who’s a bit of a wiseass (or asshole) on the surface, but is also somehow the first one over the table to defend you. My hometown was lousy with this sort of guy — they just weren’t singing about it. Maybe he hasn’t seen as much yet? You can see a world-weariness looming on the horizon, but it’s not quite at the door.

In the meantime, we get uber-catchy pop rock with some country and just enough Americana to keep everyone honest. The lyrics take layered looks at the people in the songs and the human condition overall. It’s a record that evokes scenes of surfing the dial while driving across Texas, and like that dial, the album has a little something for everyone. Want pop rock? “Rollercoaster Skinny” is just what the doctor ordered. Want to slow it down just a touch? “Buick City Complex” is right next door. Need a little twang? They’ve got you. Want some earnest, “I’m being serious for once” type stuff? Can’t go wrong with “Question” and “Am I Too Late” (it’s twangy AF, but with heavy lyrics).

I didn’t do any kind of research, but I suspect a lot of dudes in my demographic used “Question” as a pillar in marriage proposals. “Am I Too Late” is what happens when you don’t say what you want until it’s way too late. Regrets? Miller’s had a few. But at least we got an upbeat song out of it.

Tell someone how you feel today. And if it goes sideways? Well, at least you can say you did it. And there’s plenty of rockers on here to soundtrack your escape out of town. If it goes great? Maybe you can spin up a proposal using “Question.”

This is way catchier than I bargained for. It grew on me quickly, and lord help me, it’s a goddamn delight. Am I… am I an Old 97’s fan now? One record does not a discography make, but we’re off to a good start. It’s radio-friendly, with just the right amount of mesquite flavoring. Perfect for your next drive to Champaign or for filling the roadhouse jukebox.

The Knife- S/T

I like Fever Ray (“Even It Out” is my hipster pick for favorite Halloween song — you can only go with Ministry so many times!), but in limited doses. I think I’d like it more if I still got high.

I’d totally spaced that The Knife was Karin Dreijer’s earlier project with her brother Olof. There is something compelling about her vocals — whether in Röyksopp, as Fever Ray, or here. It’s novel, but not a novelty. I hope that makes as much sense on the page as it does in my head. It’s the same pull that Björk grabs me with.

On a track like “I Just Had to Die,” you’d be excused for thinking you’d popped Post in the tray by mistake. Doubly so for “I Take Time,” though that leans more toward a Björk/Flock of Seagulls mash-up. Something I’d definitely search the web for if high enough.

At any rate, couple all of that with a raw, gritty synth sound and you get the gist of this record. If you like that sort of thing, “Kino” will be a highlight. Dig a little chiptune? There’s some of that on here, too (“Zapata”). This record might be old enough to rent a car, but it somehow still sounds like it’s coming from the future. It’s a little delirious, but unapologetically so, and we’re better for it.

Bottom Line:
Both of these were pleasant surprises and a nice blast of color after wading through all kinds of beige indie rock over the last few matchups. My bracket tells me I gave Old 97’s the nod, likely on name recognition, but my vote? Man, I didn’t know. It’s going to be a game-time decision, I think.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

The Best Record of 2001: Day 17

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 2001: Day 17

Aphex Twin vs. Muse

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Drukqs by Aphex twin as it takes on Muse’s Origin of Symmetry.

Aphex Twin- Drukqs

As a teenager, I once read a Flipside review where the writer said they couldn’t get into the record because they couldn’t get past the stupid title. That’s a fair, if a bit harsh, point. It’s also one that I apparently agree with, since I’ve abided by that same rule most of my life. And when I say this, I don’t mean ones that are abstract, or that may point to a joke I’m not in on. I mean abjectly dumb titles- ones that go out of their way to be “incorrect.”

And here we come to Aphex Twin’s Drukqs. WTF am I supposed to infer here? Drug use? J’Accuse? I dunno, and frankly, I don’t have time to worry about it ‘cause almost all of the titles follow this same bizarre nomenclature.

Bbydhyonchord? Vordhosbn? Cock/ver10?!

C’mon.

Titles aside, the music is standard-issue Aphex Twin: some attempts at new-age or even ambient sounds over a hyperbeat, usually set to, like, 684 BPM. Fun for about one song. Two max. Anything after that feels like I’m listening to a strobe light while on a bad trip. Maybe that’s the point? Maybe it really is all a joke that people like me aren’t supposed to get?

I dunno. But bad titles, 30 songs that are repetitive to a fault, and an almost 2-hour run time are a bridge too far. Is there a record review equivalent to “this could’ve been an email”? ‘Cause this could’ve been an EP…Maybe.

Muse- Origin of Symmetry

If Drukqs is peak claustrophobia, Origin of Symmetry is peak “open.” It is garish, bombastic, and over-the-top in all the best ways. It’s what we keep saying we want from our rock stars! If a metal band ever decided to do a Broadway show, it might sound like this. Queen walked so Muse could run. Freddie Mercury was the consummate showman. Michael Bellamy clearly took notes in class, while his contemporaries like Chris Martin did not. And it shows.

There’s a dip in quality on the back side of the record, but even the biggest wave can only sustain itself for so long. You could also say that, like Drukqs, it suffers from a bit of sameness. Luckily, the pomp and glam that comes before it is enough to carry you to shore.

Bottom Line:
I’ve got a feeling that Aphex Twin will carry the day. Because of name recognition and because people are more likely to pretend to like abrasive electro-clash dialed to 11 than they are to admit they like something so pompous. I’m not claiming any kind of high ground here; I’d do the exact same thing. In fact, I did do the exact same thing; my bracket pick went to Aphex Twin. But my vote is another story, and once again I’ll be voting against my own interests and pulling the lever for Muse. Good thing I’m okay with mid-table mediocrity, I guess!

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

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Daft Punk’s Discovery vs. Tipsy’s Uh-Oh!: Sun, Soccer, and Sonic Bliss

by KevinLeave a Comment on Daft Punk’s Discovery vs. Tipsy’s Uh-Oh!: Sun, Soccer, and Sonic Bliss

Best Record of 2001: Day 12

Daft Punk- Discovery

(Note: this first appeared here as part of out Top 100 records series)

The origin story of Daft Punk is now firmly cemented in pop music lore. Three guys, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo, and Laurent Brancowitz, get together to make some records under the name Darlin’. A reviewer dismisses the work “daft, punky trash.” The trio takes it in stride and amicably split a year later. Bangalter and de Homen-Christo reform as a duo and take their name from the same review; Daft Punk is born. Brancowitz goes on to form Phoenix with his brother, and the world is a better place to have both bands in it.

Before 9/11, the Great Financial Collapse, and a whole series of mergers (and ensuing culture wars), aviation was, well, kinda fun. There were things like interline soccer tournaments where employees at any given carrier would form a team and travel to places to meet up and play teams from other airlines, which is how I found myself playing soccer under the searing Costa Rican sun on a field cut out of the jungle. These tournaments were really just cloud cover for all of us to get together and have a good time, and on this trip, it seemed like Discovery— and more specifically, “One More Time” was coming out of every speaker in the country.

Hearing Euro disco in the heart of Latin America told me the world was a small place and that we’re all in this together. Twenty-plus years on, this record is forever tied to things like hot sun, fun nights, and joy. It’s sonic bliss and a surefire cure for whatever ails you. Daft, punk trash? Not this record.

Tipsy- Uh-Oh!

When I was 10 or 11, I got a Casio SK-1 for Christmas. My mom had a dream that I would take up the piano, and she probably thought this was as good of gateway as any to get me started. My dad was just a “tech guy,” liked the idea of having some new electronics around the house, and thought this might be a way to bring me around to his level of enthusiasm.

I never learned to play the piano.

There were preprogrammed beats you could play at the push of a button, and you could switch the keys to mimic drums, which is promptly what I did. I also found the battery of sound effects and learned how to record/loop things like a burp, and well, look I was tween.

How could I not use ‘em?

I mention all of this to tell you that Tipsy’s Uh-Oh! reminds me of what happens when that kid grows up. A larger pool of influences to now draw from, and (likely) better equipment, but it’s the same mindset.

Uh-Oh! might be the title of SF- based duo’s second record, but after hearing it, listeners are more likely to respond with something like WTF?!.

With it’s ping-ponging between genres and tempos, it feels like what you might hear the hipper, cooler version of Mos Eisley’s cantina, or at a luau where the punch was spiked with Sizzurp.

Over 18 tracks, the record takes you on a ride with stops in Hawaii, 60s pop, and down memory lane to revisit your favorite Saturday morning cartoons and the game shows you watched on sicks days in the 80s. And that’s just the first few tracks. There’s even a bit of reimagined country and western here with “Reverse Cowgirl.” And bits that sound like a Ren & Stimpy sizzle reel.

Uh-Oh! Is the sort of record that you come away from feeling better for having experienced it, but only needing to hear it once. No Whammies!

Bottom Line:
One of these records is a heavy favorite and takes me back to a memories of sun, sea, and soccer- a trifecta of my favorite things! The other was made by Tipsy. A fun record to be sure, but one I’m confident in saying we won’t see again in this tournament. Bracket pick and vote both are going to Discovery.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

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The Best Record of 1989: Day 12

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 1989: Day 12

#40 Chris Isaak, Heart Shaped World vs. #89 Technotronic’s Pump Up the Jam

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at records from Chris Isaak and Technotronic.

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d be occasionally writing some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

KA—

Chris Isaak’s third record might be called Heart Shaped World, but to me, it evokes a different shape- that of the road. The record feels like it’s a soundtrack for a road trip. Or maybe the musical score to Blue Highways. Most people know the record for the (IMO) interminable Wicked Game —and it’s not lost on me that its use in Wild at Heart was its launchpad to smash hit territory. But if that’s all you know, you’re missing out on, frankly, much better tracks. Isaak and Co. are tapping into the vein of early American rock here – think Ricky Nelson, Elvis, etc.

If you’ve ever burned up the miles on late-night drives through the middle of nowhere, you’ll know the mood “Kings of the Highway” evokes. “I’m Not Waiting” is what you’ll likely hear as you open the door and walk into the severe florescent lights of the ever elusive four calendar cafe. “Don’t Make Me Dream” drops right into a swanky groove with just the right amount of sax across the top.

We’re not even 10 minutes in, and things are already heating up.

If you’re reading this and wondering just what the heck I’m talking about, give the record a spin. There are two Chris Isaaks; both are fairly self-serious & introspective, but one is a balladeer trafficking in dirges, the other much less melancholy. To my ear, it’s the latter that carries this record and makes it worth one’s time.

If you happen to find yourself sitting at the bar in a juke joint along the way, “Wrong to Love You”—not salvation— is what you’ll find in the bottom of that glass. And in the moment, it’ll be just the thing. Ditto most of the back half of this record. Hell, there’s even a Bo Diddley cover at the end to wrap things up.

There’s only one clunker here —and it’s a doozy. “In the Heat of the Jungle” is terrible. There’s really no other way to frame it. It’s as out of place as Warren Zevon’s “Leave My Monkey Alone” is on his Sentimental Hygiene album. We’re not in the same rarified air as The Police’s “Mother,” but we can see it from here. Yikes.

Look, I know people love “Wicked Game.” Checking Spotify, it’s currently at 863m plays. The next closest is his “Blue Spanish Sky” at ~10m. Things drop off precipitously from there. All data tells a story, and the story here is that many people only know Isaak from this one track. They’re missing out.

Pump up the jam should be taken—and appreciated—for what it is. At its core, this is a party record. It does not apologize for this. It doesn’t try to rationalize it. It never dares pretend it’s anything serious. It is not political. The dancefloor is/was an escape for many of us, and Technotronic wanted to help you get there.

Technotronic emerged from the Belgian New Beat scene. By 1989, that wave had crested, and label owner Jo Bogaert was desperate for a new hit to turn things around. New Beat had always been closely connected with Chicago House, and this time would prove no different. Bogaert formed the Pro 24s and put out “Technotronic,” drawing heavily from a sample of Farley Jackmaster Funk’s “The Acid Life.”

Sidebar: Before I forget, all credit and a shoutout to Pe Dupre who writes the incredible The 12 Inch newsletter for the extensive background on this record’s title track.

So, you had a track with a thumping beat, some synths, and just the right BPM to get everyone moving. The missing piece? Vocals. Enter Ya Kid K and her mix of rapping and singing. With everything in place, a hit was born.

It’s worth noting here that Technotronic made the same move as other bands (Black Box, C & C Music Factory) at the time, putting a model in the video/cover/whatever and trying to pass them off as the actual vocalist. Martha Wash’s fight for credit was a hard-fought battle. In this case, Ya Kid K had a shorter but no less steep path, and before too long, Felly Kilingi was out, with the rapper out in front where she rightfully belonged.

So, we all know “Pump Up the Jam,” and most of us remember “Get Up (Before the Night Is Over).” Maybe “Move This” as well, boosted somewhat by its use in makeup ads. But what about the rest of the record?

“Tough” sees MC Eric join the fray and slows the pace a little. The word “little” is doing a lot of work here – this is still something you could easily see blaring through an arena’s sound system ahead of your hometown NBA team coming out onto the court. Just close your eyes and pretend there are a lot of neon lights — and maybe a t-shirt cannon.

No rap (or vocals, really) on “Come On.” Just a few clips interspersed through the track.

Reading up on this, I learned that “Rockin’ Over the Beat” was a single off the record, but I’d never heard it. I mean, I’d heard it (once you’ve heard one Technotronic track, you’ve heard ’em all), but still.

It’s more of the same, really. And depending on what you’re looking for, that’s either a good thing or a bad one.

In my case, it’s a notch in column A. Dusting this off, I fully expected something stale and poorly aged. Instead, I found something that has held up well for what it is—and what it never pretends to be.

Will I listen to this again? Yeah, probably. I work an impossibly early shift and often lean on things like this to give me a boost in those first hours. I have a coworker who’s really into EDM and House, and I’m curious how they’d take some of these lesser-known tracks.

Looking for a dancefloor filler with industrial-strength hi-hats? Synths? They got you. Beats that never quit? Yep, that too. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

Bottom Line: Today’s matchup features two records that rightly or wrongly have been shackled with one massive hit casting a shadow over everything else. Pump Up the Jam and Heart Shaped World both feature tracks that are well worth your time, depending on what you’re looking for.

My vote: I think people’s (collective) will recall Isaak in a brighter light. Filling out my bracket, I was concerned most would relegate Technotronic to novelty act status and chose accordingly.

That said my vote today could’ve gone either way, but I was in a more analog mood, so despite Wicked Game and In the Heat of the Jungle, I’ll check the box for Isaak.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

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