Kraftwerk - "Telephone Call"

I am having major Internet problems. Thankfully, with a borrowed 3G device I can quickly post a song that relates to my frustration... well, not really, but it is a telephone company at fault. So that is a good enough excuse to post this fantastic piece of classic Kraftwerk.... Again, sorry.

Lee Hazlewood & Lula - "Nothing"

We all know of Nancy and Lee for obvious reasons but it is a pity we don't all know of Lee and Lula. Lee Hazlewood got the career of Nancy Sinatra back on track and is primarily remembered for his association with her... but he was a gifted songwriter, producer and musician apart from that collaboration. "Nothing" is from Lee Hazlewood's final album 'Cake Or Death' and it proved that his sense of humour was still well and truly alive this late in his career. You want to know what is wrong with this song?.... "Nothing".

Nick Lowe - "(I Love The Soung Of) Breaking Glass"

Nick Lowe may be more known as a producer than a musician, although, he did have a hit with his song "(I Love The Soung Of) Breaking Glass" in 1978 and the album it appeared on 'Jesus Of Cool' was critically acclaimed. His career as a producer was very fruitful. He produced the first five Elvis Costello albums, which would be the reason "(I Love The Soung Of) Breaking Glass" has that familiar piano sound, at the very least. He also produced the debut album by The Damned. "(I Love The Soung Of) Breaking Glass" has the most prominent tambourine sound ever... obviously for the breaking glass effect... either cool or annoying. I say cool.

Metric - "Help I'm Alive" (Acoustic)

Metric have a new album out and hopefully it will be as great as the previous one 'Fantasies' which did set a high standard for them to emulate. Actually, let's go back to that previous 'Fantasies' album from 2009. "Help I'm Alive" was the first single and this acoustic live version was available as a free download from their website. I love the original album release but this version is so special it didn't take long before it was the default radio playlist choice. Down to just two members with Emily Haines on piano and vocals and James Shaw on acoustic guitar. This was one of my songs of 2009. A seemingly effortless performance from Emily Haines... but spine-tingling all the same.



Album/Single version

Pixies - "Winterlong"

Winter is here and because I love winter so much, especially a good Taupo winter, I wanted a positive winter song. I know there are plenty of great songs that celebrate winter affectionately. But I couldn't get past Neil Young's "Winterlong" even though it does not fit the criteria. I'm not going to stop now... so here is "Winterlong" covered beautifully by The Pixies. COOL!

The Beta Band - "Dry The Rain"

The Beta Band's 1998 album 'The 3 Ep's' (a compilation of their first three EP's... as the name suggests) was one CD that spent a lot of time in the player. It was the type of album that rewarded you more and more over such a long period of time. It was part experimental, part Beck, part electronica, part indie rock and 3 parts coolness. "Dry The Rain" was even featured, as itself, in the movie High Fidelity. An Oscar-worthy performance it was too.



The Movie performance

Shea Seger - "Isn't It Good Tonight"

I missed a couple of days on this blog due to a weekend away.... so let's get straight back to business. Today we have a track from a debut album by an emerging artist in 2000. The album "The May Street Project" was recorded in London after Texas singer/songwriter Shea Seger had moved there to embark on a musical career. After she signed to RCA and released her debut, the musical career should've been fruitful. The album, recorded with producer Martin Terefe, was a sensational debut but was somehow ignored by radio programmers, while being critically acclaimed. Real Groovy Records in Auckland were promoting it and that was where I got my copy... on their recommendation. It resonated with me and I still enjoy it, either as a whole album or as individual songs played on Bitter FM. I can't agree with the Sheryl Crow similarities. Maybe if Sheryl Crow was produced by Beck... then it may be justified. The addition of breakbeats, although sometimes subtle, to her bluesy/folk-rock style combine well... throughout the album. "Isn't It Good Tonight" has 70's soul strings added to the modern beats and exceptional vocals. All in all, a laid-back classic yet to be discovered.