2 November 2012 - Prince - Raspberry Beret

I am a huge Prince fan, and I have been for a very long time.  There's not much that this man has done that isn't brilliant on some level.

This single, one of my favorites - and a song that I can sing word for word unprompted - was one that Prince, a perfectionist, worked on for almost four years, before he released it as a single.  And, for a song first recorded in 1982 and released in 1985, it still sounds fresh and new and unique.  This is a testament to the musical genius of Prince - he is multi-instrumental, deals with themes in his lyrics that no one else does, has a tremendous grasp of how to properly use a metaphor, and surrounds himself with musicians that are as strong as he is.

To that last point, look at how prominently Wendy Melvoin, on guitar, is featured in this video.  In fact, the entire Revolution - including a strings section - are featured at several points.  To those who claim Prince to be an egomaniac, I point you to the 3:38 point in this video, when it is made clear that Lisa Coleman is the 2nd vocalist.  This is a theme that recurs through several Prince videos.  The man knows music, and he knows he can't do it alone.

1 November 2012 - Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science

It's time for another 80s Thursday. Here's a gem with an interesting, if not sometimes confusing storyline. I'd take the time to analyze it and make some funnies, but my head hurts. Regardless, I always thought this was a pretty rad tune. Hate to admit it, but it's probably the only song by him that I know...I think.

31 October 2012 (part 2) - Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting

Concrete Blonde might be the most underrated cheesy band of all time. (Discuss.)  Born from the ashes of Dream 6, they released several albums but only had one hit.

I've always loved Johnette Napolitano's gravely voice, and it sounds extra creepy on this song, a tribute to author Anne Rice.  It's not my favorite song of theirs, but it's one of them - this isn't the last you'll see of these guys on here - and it's appropriate for today!

31 October 2012 - Ministry - Everyday is Halloween

Happy Halloween, everyone!  We'll have multiple posts throughout the day, celebrating the day in song.

There's no better way to start the day than this early Ministry tune.  Later music by Alain Jourgenen's industrial project would be much harder edged than this early, 808-influenced song, but we still hear echoes of dark themes here.    Sure, the song sounds like it was largely composed on a Casio keyboard, but it's still aurally interesting, especially given Ministry's later history.

The video is fan-made and not for the squeamish.

30 October 2012 - Spacehog - In The Meantime

Had to scrap the post I painstakingly pre-wrote yesterday as none of it thankfully turned out to be true. So instead, here's Spacehog and their hit single from 1995.

29 October 2012 - The Carpenters - Rainy Days and Mondays

In the threat of Hurricane Sandy, is this a little bit of a cruel joke of a song choice?  Yes.  Yes it is.

But c'mon - face it.  It's a nice song.  Talented drummer Karen Carpenter pulls out her big vocals for this song, a classic from the early 1970's, a song that grows in intensity as it wears on.  I was never a huge fan of The Carpenters, but this song is one of their best.

26 October 2012 - The Firm - Radioactive

When I was a wee lad in the mid 80's, this was a minor MTV hit song.  At the time, I was really into what would later be called "alternative" music.

A supergroup featuring members of Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heap, Manfred Mann and Bad Company did not fit into those musical tastes.  And yet, this song had powerful vocals, a great jangling guitar hook, and a fantastic baseline.  All in all, it was - and is - a really cool song, no matter which rock dinosaurs might be performing it.

So, now, enjoy your dinosaurs of rock supergroup.