30 January 2007
Requiem For A Dream
Review of Requiem for a Dream now in Reviews.
Egyptian Reggae
It's a fantastic track, but this dance arrangement by, I presume, Pam's People is just totally mad.
Though I can't help thinking that a lot of videos could be improved with the odd dancing camel and a rubber snake. It was no doubt inspired by the legendary Wilson, Keppel and Betty's Sand Dance
29 January 2007
Complicity - Iain Banks
Review of Complicity by Iain Banks now in Reviews.
More Punk and Post-Punk Ladies
Not quite sure how I missed out Siouxsie and The Banshees the first time around. And this trackis absolute killer.
This Slits vid is a bit poor quality. But it just has a great rough punk attitude to it. And it's a fun tune too.
I had completely forgotten about Strawberry Switchblade until they turned up on TOP2 the other day
Haysi Fantayzee, as mental now as it was back then.
25 January 2007
Lonelygirl15 Revisited
Back in September I mentioned the lonelygirl15 phenomena. Well I kept watching but it's finally, for me, jumped the shark good and proper. For a while I was watching mainly out of habit but I've finally had enough, said goodbye and taken the link out of my Bookmarks.
For those that don't know, lonelygirl15 is the video blog of a teenage girl Bree who was home-schooled, in fact didn't actually leave the house much, and was involved with some strange cult-like religion her parents were in. He blogs were a mixture of quirky things on the pop science books she read and her stuffed toys, her on-off relationship with 'Danielbeast' and worries about a big forthcoming ceremony with the religion that she was to a play a staring role in. At first there were some doubt if she was real - but it soon came out that Bree was played by an actress and the whole thing is scripted.
Things took a definite dive when the writers pulled a massive 'bait and switch' - the big ceremony turned out to just a rehearsal. Then all of a sudden she was in danger of her life and had to go on the run with Danielbeast, sleeping in his car or cheap motel. This is were the problems really started. One of the main problems is that it wildy swings in tone from terror to twee 'comedy' with Bree talking to her soft toys. The creators of the thing really don't seem to know were they are going with it - lots of potentially interesting plot threads have been discarded on the way and they have pull the 'bait and switch' more than once now.
Bree's father is killed in a ridiculously poorly filled sequence and Bree and Danielbeast end up at the house of 'fan', Jonas - setting up the potential for a classic love triangle, well if perhaps the scriptwriters make the effort. For me it's obvious they are probably going to spin it out for as long as possible, may be to try and make some money from it some how - but they will be doing it without me.
ZZTop Videos
Back before the days of MTV, never mind the internet, you might only see a favourite video once or twice on Top of the Pops or the like then it would be gone forever. Now it seems just about every music video ever made is now on YouTube...
Well here's some of my faves, three of the best from the almighty ZZTop. During the early 80s I played Eliminator and Afterburner so much I thought I was going to wear the vinyl through to the other side but I only saw all these a couple a times… but now I can relive them in all their glory.
'Gimme All Your Lovin''
'Legs'
'Sharp Dressed Man'
23 January 2007
Bird of Prey
Review of Bird of Prey now in Reviews.
Disco!
Stumbled over this, 'Le Freak' by Chic, and it reminded me that there was some decent disco records. Although this arguably more funk than actual disco…
Whilst not an absolute fave (though that bass line is pretty groovy), and it's got oh so obvious Travolta in the vid… The Traamps's 'Disco Inferno' has got the most insane orange outfits I've ever seen.
'Ring My Bell' by Anita Ward takes a while to get going… but once that chorus kicks in, oh my. And it's great to see a time when not everying was not blanded out to death… She's not exactly ugly but could a singer with teeth like that have a hit today? One of those songs whose essential filthiness escaped me at the time. Ding dong!
Amii Stewart's 'Knock On Wood' is stone cold dance brilliance… but what the hell as she got on her head. And I've heard the original, live, by the bloke who wrote it, Eddie Floyd and Amii's version is still better.
Back in the dim and distant past when I used to DJ, Sylvester's - 'You Make Me Feel' was amazingly popular. I started off hating it but eventually grew to love it.
Well I'm going to hard time defending 'You Think You're A Man' by Divine so I won't bother. It all looks a hell of a lot gayer now than back in my more innocent days.
Donna Summer's 'Love To Love You Baby' is possibly the sexiest song ever created.
17 January 2007
Drive To The Mall... And Then Drive Straight Into It
I think this bloke had been playing Grand Theft Auto a little too much...
