The Not-Pop Jukebox

It's been ages since I shared sassy Saffire with you all. I Want My Money Back offers a great, extended laundry-based metaphor for a man's failings in a relationship. It amply demonstrates the with and talent of those Uppity Blues Women and, as one of the first songs of theirs I ever heard, likely explains my instant adoration for the ladies.

I've been surprised for years at how little of their work, particularly the songs off "Hot Flash", is available on-line. Maybe the world just isn't ready for a bunch of middle-aged women so open about still having a sex drive. Whatever the reason, when I find one I haven't shared with you all I'm happy to do so. Enjoy I Want My Money Back and, if you've got a favorite Saffire song, I'd love to hear it.

What do you get when you take two white boys from Montreal and root their musical life in Midnight Star and other great 80s electro? You get Chromeo, that's what. As Hot Mess amply demonstrates, those great vocorders and synths migrated north and have been put to good use.

For this Monday evening, let's have a great, retro Hot Mess of what the band terms "electrofunk". If you enjoy this one try My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar) and Rage! for more back-to-the-80s, retro-electro goodness. Heck, they even have a song called Tenderoni. If that's not proof of reaching back a few decades for your inspiration--and your slang--I don't know what is.

With deep thanks to Dirk Talamasca for sharing this on Google+, I bring you the bluesy proto-funk of Shuggie Otis along with a sincere argument for those of us who were alive in the seventies for the banning of flares and an explanation at our dismay at seeing them come around again, fashion-wise. Bootie Cooler doesn't try to distract you with lyrics about shaking your bootie. It just gives you a chance to cool it. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, this is Soul Train, whose dance line was the teaching tool of suburban white children across the US.

As a side note, I kept expecting someone to sing "boogie nights" when I listened to the song. Watch the fantastic (if un-related) video for Bootie Cooler and have a listen to Earth, Wind, & Fire's Boogie Nights and let me know if you hear the similarity. Even if you don't, I think this is a great pair of 70s tunes, particularly if you're in a mood to boogie your bootie tonight.

Reptar owes a vocal debt to the fine folks of Vampire Weekend, methinks. Have a listen to Rainbounce and let me know if you agree. Don't you immediately think of Ezra Koenig?

Now, I don't think Reptar is a VW rip-off, by any means. I'm just saying, really, Graham Ulicny could be the man's long lost brother or second cousin or something. The group hails from Athens, GA, however (gee, who do we know from Athens? REM? The B-52s? What's in the water, down there?), rather than being Nor'eastern college boys.

Whatever they're feeding people down South I hope they keep doing it if it's making great musicians like it is. Put you ears on Reptar and let me know what you think. Happy Friday!

If you're a fan of rocksteady, third wave ska you're likely familiar with The Slackers. If you've not heard them then I've got a treat for you: a terrific, horn-infused skank-fest of the first order. Peculiar is a bit of an earworm for me but it tells a great little story.

If you like Peculiar or ska, try Fried Chicken and their cover of We Can Work It Out. You should also have a listen to Feed My Girl, which is a lot more first-wave than the punkier Peculiar. Share your favorites, my darlings, whether from The Slackers or just ska in general.

Here's another goofy little playlist that combines seven songs on a theme: lost love is coming back. Please note that the list does not include Baby Love despite the title of the post.

What it does have is a song each from Wil Dailey, The Eurythmics, Luther Vandross, Jellyfish, and (as those of you who can count figured out) three others. Not only do you discover that Love Is on the Way three different ways, but you'll find that Baby's Coming Back twice and that Love is Coming Back another two times.

Note that I do not think that Ingrid Lucia sounds like Billie Holiday no matter how many people say she does. I do, however, find her to sound exactly like Katharine Whalen from Squirrel Nut Zippers, which is who I thought I was hearing when I bumped into Love Is Coming Back. Note also that the Eurythmics song is cheating, a little. The actual name of the track is It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back). As alright is not a word (spellchecker be damned) I thought it only fitting to regard the parenthetical name as the real thing. Shut up. It's my blog.

Also, if you're not a fan of oozy-schmoozy Luther Vandross songs it won't hurt my feelings too terribly if you skip his Love Is on the Way (Real Love). It's pretty 80s-sounding, though, and filled with cheese. The Hep Stars are pretty cheesy, too, but much more jangly, and Saigon Kick couldn't be more hair-band-bad if they tried. Enjoy!

I've got almost-brand-new, old-fashioned rock and roll for you folks today, courtesy of The Bright Lights Social Hour. The quartet hails from Austin, Texas and I hear (erm, read, via their web site) they just opened for Aerosmith recently. But you don't care about all of that, do you, my dears? You just want to hear the music.

Well, fine. Here's Back and Forth, what I'm nominating as the best song off their 2010 eponymous album. It's a jam of classic proportions, filled with scrubby guitars and frustration, just like you remember from yesteryear.

If you like it, give Rhubarb Jam and Bare Hands Bare Feet a try. Note that they occasionally break into Spanish, and that the latter song makes me think of We Built this City, except that I like it a whole lot more.

I've spent an inordinate amount of time on TastemakerX of late, finding new bands. ("What is TastemakerX?" you ask? Click over to find out and learn how to get started. There's no referral program so I'm not getting any sort of personal benefit out of it. I just think it's a nifty site.)

The point I mean to make was that today I bumped into Soul Rebels over there and wanted to share Let It Roll as both an example of the musical byways I've been going down and an example of some loose hip hop backed by a brass band that had me smiling.

The band seems to be having an awful lot of fun, though I can't help but wonder how many people are in the group, unless they all stopped playing their instruments for the call and answer portion. What I found of Soul Rebels on Grooveshark was inconsistent and somewhat...awkward. The band falls firmly into what I term jazz hop, however, with fine company like Spekulation and Janelle Monae.

Have a listen to Let It Roll. If you like it, wander over and try Shake Something (which is much smoother) or Funky Rebel (which is three-quarters instrumental). Let me know what you think, if you would be so kind.

You can find Franz Ferdinand mashed up with just about everyone by a whole lot of people. But there's only one place to find Franz Ferdinand vs Stealer's Wheel with bonus appearances by Nirvana, Def Cut, and Michael Jackson, and that's from FAROFF. While that post offers two separate versions of Franz Tranz (as well as a pair of Gwen Stefani mashes, The Ramones vs. Jet, and The Doors with Stevie Wonder) I have to agree with his assessment that the second version is better.

Have a listen to Franz Tranz 2 which pits Do You Want To against Stuck in the Middle and Bad. You can download it for free from the link above or from Official FM as linked below, along with a whole slew of wondrous FAROFF mashes. Who's bad?

When I first picked up Finger Poppin’, I presumed the title referred to snapping one’s fingers.  A quick listen to the song, however, led me to believe that it was a single finger that was popping up, and it wasn’t a thumb.

I nominate Finger Poppin’ as the perfect break-up song for someone getting away from a controlling jerk of whatever gender.  The chorus pretty much says “forget you.  I’m outta here!” but the lyrics go a little deeper.

Given the alleged history between Ike and Tina Turner, I’d like to think she was humming this song when she finally bailed on their relationship.  Maybe Finger Poppin’ inspired her.  If you’re relatively new to old-school soul and you like this one, try Funkier than a Mosquito’s Tweeter.  In that case, it’s funky in a bad way but it’s another good telling off for your arsenal.

I apologize for the static picture video but I couldn't find the song anywhere else to embed. Besides, 45s are so nostalgic. It seemed to go with the song.

For no discernible reason, the last few months have brought a lot of people here to listen to Funky Stuff. Not only do I appreciate all of the visitors and the amount of other things they take the time to explore on The NPJ but the influx brought to my attention that I've not posted more Kool & the Gang, either before or since.

Let's fix that little problem today with (Jump Up on the) Rhythm and Ride, a disco-funk, semi-hip hop, harmonized bit of giddy-up fun. There's enough of a driving beat to make you want to dance with Shawn McQuiller (the lead singer who's done an admirable job since JT Taylor left in 1987).

Enjoy the rhythm and go for a ride with Kool & the Gang. Sadly, this one missed the charts entirely when it was released in 1992 but anyone who's a fan of the group, or of music in general, ought to find plenty to love.

Django Django strikes me as a kind of electro Beach Boys, with the sorts of harmonies that made those surf-rock sixties gents so famous. In support of this contention, I offer you Waveforms, a lovely, loosely-wound bit of psychedelic indie rock. I think I'd actually love to hear them cover a Beach Boys song after listening to this maybe I Get Around.

If you like Waveforms, try Default and Life's a Beach for more modern-day harmonic goodness. And do let me know if you agree--or not--that they owe a little musical debt to Brian Wilson et al.

The short-lived and ever-so-sexy When in Rome had one massive hit that left people thirsting for more, but nothing lived up to The Promise. The more-cynical me thinks, "Maybe if you weren't such a jerk you wouldn't have to stop and think of the right words to say." The nostalgic me thinks, "I love this song," and sighs.

And so I give you what I promise is the last 80s song for the week and perhaps even the month. I wouldn't normally give you two videos in a row but, really, you have to see these guys. Watch for the strategic crotch-shot with holey jeans at 3:11 or so and check the lead singer's eyes. This was a swoon-worthy pair, once upon a time, and The Promise on which their voices blended so well has well outlasted their looks. Tomorrow? Something less than ten years old, I promise.

I promise after tomorrow's wrap-up of 80s week on Google+ I'll let you get back you your regularly scheduled less-80s NPJ. But for tonight have Alexei Sayle and a pile of bizarre titled Didn't You Kill My Brother?. The song is wacky enough but, coupled with the video, it's a masterpiece of 80s madness. I tip my hat to Carey Platt for bringing it to my attention. "Hey! Hey, you! Didn't you kill my brother?"

I've been invested far more time than a sensible person would in 1980s week at Google+. In consequence, I've been wallowing in some of my favorite songs from that decade. I've already posted a fair number of them but I hadn't shared the Pet Shop Boys' Suburbia, which is a crying shame.

This was my favorite of their songs, along with It's a Sin and Love Comes Quickly. Yes, that means that the Pet Shop Boys songs I love best came from their first two albums. To be honest, a lot of their songs sound a lot alike and after a while it just seems silly to buy another album that sounds like the ones you already have.

But when I heard Suburbia for the first time it struck an immediate and deep chord. Heck, I was in high school in suburbia; of course it did. So I bought "Actually" and wore my cassette out until "Please" came out and then they took turns. In the spirit of 80s week and over-sharing, have all three songs, my darlings, just so you know I still love you even if I am posting dozens of songs somewhere else entirely. And if you're a plusser I'd love to see you over there posting your own 80s gems.

Whatever your opinion or Diana Ross's personal life, I doubt anyone could fault her peaches-and-creamy voice as the front woman for the Supremes. When people choose to tackle such an iconic song as You Can't Hurry Love they have to know that they're going to be subject to comparison with it.

Today, let's take the original hit and four covers. I'm afraid that, listened to in sequence, the Dixie Chicks suffer mightily in that comparison. The Stray Cats, on the other hand, took that twang and made it a central part of the song. In doing so, they changed the song entirely while still leaving it entirely recognizable. In truth, of the four newer versions it's Phil Collins, of all people, who sounds the most like Diana Ross! The Checkered Cabs tried to speed it up and turn You Can't Hurry Love into a ska-punk song but I don't think they succeeded.

But that's enough of my opinion. I want to hear from you, my dears! Have a listen and tell me whether you think the southern-fried ladies pull it off after all or if Phil's husky voice grates on your ears. And if you've got another version I'd love to hear it.

From the description I had of Peter Fox, I expected him to be heavy metal. Imagine my surprise from the first notes of Schüttel Deinen Speck! Apparently, this is German hip hop. All I can say is that I wish some American hip hop acts would take a leaf from his book. No, really, that's all I can say. Have a listen!

Before I start talking about Send Me an Angel, I'll put one little seed in your head. Does anyone else, in hearing the Scorpions version, automatically insert "rock me like a hurricane" every time they sing "here I am"? No? Just me? Okay, moving on...

It turns out I knew perfectly well all along that there were two massive hits called Send Me an Angel. It was just that I fondly remember the Real Life 80s synth-pop song and had blocked the Scorpions "power ballad" version from my memory. In listening to this list of songs with the same name, you'll find that I'm not the only one.

Alicia Keys has her own version, as do The Mountain Goats, but the rest of the list is comprised of the Real Life song, a few covers, some other songs titled Send Me an Angel, and Scorpion cheese. (Admit it, you all said "ew" at least mentally at that image.) I still think Real Life did the best song of this title but you know I'm posting it to get your input, my lovelies. What do you think? Did Blackfoot nail the "hard" rock sound? Did Boytronic make you nauseous? Did Zeromancer get you out of your seat to boogie? Share!

The first time you watch this video, what I like to consider subtitled "The Best Mime Duel Ever Recorded", you may forget to listen to the song. That's a shame, because Parlez Vous Francais? really stands on its own as a banger worthy of a truly epic sound system.

That is not to say that Art vs. Science are lyrical geniuses. Witty, yes, but in essence the chorus runs: "Do you speak French? If yes, take off your shirt. Do it now because you can and I think you should." But the sheer amount of bass supporting it excuses your taking it seriously. Well, as far as dancing goes, anyway.

Watch two mimes battle to the death and then go back to the beginning and actually listen to Parlez Vous Francais?. And if at least one of those trips through the song don't get you gettin' down then you haven't had enough beers at your Fourth of July barbeque...or it's, y'know, Wednesday evening and you didn't turn it up loud enough. Go ahead, do it again. I won't tell.

You know you’re around a Dead Milkmen fan when a story ends with, “Pow! He was decapitated!” Well, in my house he was decaffeinated because we don’t want to traumatize our kids. Of course, the dire consequences of depriving someone of their caffeine remain the same: head over by the sno-cone concession.

If you want to see the full “lyrics” of Stuart, I’ve got those somewhere else. Here, I’d just like to express how much I adore it when my children say to one of their friends, “You know what, [insert name here]? I like you.” The other kids don’t get it but it makes me grin like a fool every time.

Have a listen to Stuart and understand why "Beelzebubba" will always be the Dead Milkmen’s best album. You are, of course, free to disagree, with specific song recommendations to refute my nomination. Then again, you’re more than welcome to cheer my selection with a hearty “hear, hear!” I’d love to hear from you either way.