1st August 2008

This weeks niggling oddities from the world of music. It's been a weird week, I've been mostly listening to the same two albums, but as always there's a few that have got in from somewhere.

Eels - Susan's House


There's something quite surreal about Eels' songs. Many are quite simplistic even childlike in their music with sophisticated lyrics,like Flyswatter. Then some are really dark and need a certain frame of mind to enjoy. Susan's House was my first exposure to Eels and is perhaps my favourite as to me it's a perfect pop song. There's the bass only intro, and it's slack bass with a bit of warp in there, then there's the spoken word verse about walking to his friends house and the people he encounters from mad people to teenage moms , and then there's the Degrassi Street piano intro to sung chorus. It's a bit like a David Lynch film in a three minute pop song, and it's perfect.

Belly - Super Connected


Because Tanya Donelly is a goddess. I saw her her once at Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms when she was touring the Lovesongs For Underdogs album, and it was perfect, and as well as her solo material she did some Belly tracks. This is one of them. Not my favourite of hers, that's Mysteries of the Unexplained, but the best Belly song, and a weird ass video.

Julianna Hatfield 3 - My Sister



I have a thing for angry shouty female singers, so in the early 90s I was a walking bag of hormones and very happy. Here, Hatfield is hacked off with her sister because she's not around, then she's happy with her because she takes her to gigs and is cool. Make your mind up, love.

Great guitar riff met by really dodgy dancing. Americans, eh?



Peaches - Fuck The Pain Away


I first became aware of Peaches through Soulwaxs 2ManyDJs project. It's therapy through song, or is it her just saying "Check me out boys and girls, I'm looking mighty fine." ? Saying that her other songs include Slippery Dick. Make your own minds up, kids.


Pulp - This Is Hardcore


There is no such thing as a bad Pulp song, and with so many to chose from here's the band getting Ali sleazy and pervier than normal. This is off the album of the same name that nobody really liked, except the true Pulp aficionados who realise it's the best post fame album they did, and while not my favourite - that's the epic My Legendary Girlfriend - it's more than deserving another airing. Nobody does the sleaze of modern life better than Pulp.

Born Ruffians - Hummingbird


Better known as the Orange Animals advert theme, this follows the tradition known as Babylon Zoo Syndrome, where the best bit of the song is the only bit on the ad. However these boys are smart and put the good bit at the end so you have to sit through the song to get to it. Mind you it's still good summery jangly pop.

The Vines - Ride


Ending with another advert theme, this one is a belting rocker from the antipodeans. Big guitars and belting screams of a chorus. Love it.