A song written expressly for the point of being a guilty pleasure? Well, why would it not be on this blog?
Formed in a post-grunge era - in the year 2000! - The Darkness were a glam rock band and a throwback to an earlier era. And these guys really understood glam rock, with the over-the-top guitars, the screaming vocals, and the sweet-ass costumes!
Here's their biggest hit. Enjoy!
The band reformed in time to do a Super Bowl comercial in 2012..... They hadn't lost their touch. Or their glam rock sensibilities!
15 March 2013
15 March 2013 - Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child
And with this, we complete our Swedish trilogy, with our Neneh Cherry and ABBA posts. It's fortunate that this one also happens to be a big current hit.
This is a little different than other music we've heard out of Sweden in the past. Sure, we've had dance music, but such electronic sounds normally come from the New York, LA, Toronto, and London clubs..... not Stockholm. But these three DJs indeed did meet in the clubs of Stockholm, and together have developed a huge following and interesting, progressive yet mainstream music.
This has been their biggest hit so far worldwide - currently at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, after a peak position on #6 - but they are on their last tour together. Here's hoping these three gifted DJs bring us more exciting music individually.
This is a little different than other music we've heard out of Sweden in the past. Sure, we've had dance music, but such electronic sounds normally come from the New York, LA, Toronto, and London clubs..... not Stockholm. But these three DJs indeed did meet in the clubs of Stockholm, and together have developed a huge following and interesting, progressive yet mainstream music.
This has been their biggest hit so far worldwide - currently at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, after a peak position on #6 - but they are on their last tour together. Here's hoping these three gifted DJs bring us more exciting music individually.
14 March 2013
14 March 2013 - Kate Bush - Pi
Today is Pi day. I was going to post about the significance of pi, but I can't really explain what it actually means (I think it has something to do with circles . . . math is hard). Needless to say I scrapped that idea. Then I thought about going with a dessert joke and posting a Cake video. But I really don't like dessert (or Cake for that matter). So instead, here's a fan-made video (that's actually pretty good) for Kate Bush's song Pi off of her Aerial album.
13 March 2013
13 March 2013 - ABBA - Gimme Gimme Gimme (with an Amanda Seyfried bonus)
It just occurred to me that we haven't featured enough ABBA on this blog. And who doesn't love ABBA?
Sure, lots of people don't love ABBA, I know. I do love ABBA. I love typing ABBA. I love listening to ABBA.
And this song, which is a little darker fare than you might be accustomed to from ABBA, is my favorite ABBA song. Frida and Agnetha (who takes lead vocal on this with her huge voice) harmonize so perfectly, and Benny and Björn provide an energetic musical background. Even though the band was starting to implodie by this point, you can still see the significant chemistry that they all still had on stage.
Anni-Frid. Her name wasn't really Frida. That's the other A.
This song is so good, it even sounds good when actresses (who have significant singing talent - let's be honest) perform faithful covers. By the way, I strongly recommend the movie Mamma Mia for those of you who love ABBA's music as I do.
(Yes, loyal readers of Totally Covered, we did feature this song over there in October 2012. We just needed an excuse to post Amanda Seyfried again)
Sure, lots of people don't love ABBA, I know. I do love ABBA. I love typing ABBA. I love listening to ABBA.
And this song, which is a little darker fare than you might be accustomed to from ABBA, is my favorite ABBA song. Frida and Agnetha (who takes lead vocal on this with her huge voice) harmonize so perfectly, and Benny and Björn provide an energetic musical background. Even though the band was starting to implodie by this point, you can still see the significant chemistry that they all still had on stage.
Anni-Frid. Her name wasn't really Frida. That's the other A.
This song is so good, it even sounds good when actresses (who have significant singing talent - let's be honest) perform faithful covers. By the way, I strongly recommend the movie Mamma Mia for those of you who love ABBA's music as I do.
(Yes, loyal readers of Totally Covered, we did feature this song over there in October 2012. We just needed an excuse to post Amanda Seyfried again)
12 March 2013
12 March 2013 - Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again
So last year I had the awesome idea (aren't they all?) of sending Tony a special birthday video treat here at Wicked Guilty Pleasures. I thought it was brilliant and very tasteful. Or not. Whatever. Well today, Tony's one year older, so he gets another Britney video which was incidentally a year older than the one I sent last year. Happy Birthday Tony, hopefully within the next year Brit will make a curling related video!
11 March 2013
11 March 2013 - Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (& Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch) & Trout (feat. Michael Stipe)
I have to be honest - when I started this post, I started with a completely different artist (not coincidentally from the same country) who I will revisit at another time.
But today, it seemed appropriate to go with a slightly different artist. Neneh Cherry, stepdaughter of jazz musician Don Cherry (he married her mother and raised her - hence her surname) was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her first international solo single, "Buffalo Stance", was really catchy and easy to dance to, but it had a lot of asking what a buffalo stance really was. Well, I'm here to answer that question for you.
A buffalo stance is kind of like a red carpet photography pose. "Buffalo" refers to a particular group of UK models, photographers, cosmetologists, etc., who included Cherry as a member. It also was an homage to Malcom MacLaren's "Buffalo Gals", which she sampled.
What most people don't know is that this was the 2nd time she did this song. She performed this as the B-Side of a Morgan-McVey single called "Looking Good Diving", titled "Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch." The samples are much different, but you can tell it's the same song. Lyrically, it nearly matches, right down to the future title.
By the way, the final version of "Buffalo Stance" samples "Looking Good Diving". And she married Cameron McVey.
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't post my favorite song by Neneh Cherry, a single from her 2nd album, Homebrew. The other voice you hear is R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, the majors samples are from Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" and, of course, "When The Levee Breaks" provides the drum line. Sorry there isn't a pretty video. Trust me. The song is worth it.
So, how do you handle a song with heavy samples and a duet partner that isn't touring with you? You hire a brilliant band and write a song that translates to a solo performance.
But today, it seemed appropriate to go with a slightly different artist. Neneh Cherry, stepdaughter of jazz musician Don Cherry (he married her mother and raised her - hence her surname) was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her first international solo single, "Buffalo Stance", was really catchy and easy to dance to, but it had a lot of asking what a buffalo stance really was. Well, I'm here to answer that question for you.
A buffalo stance is kind of like a red carpet photography pose. "Buffalo" refers to a particular group of UK models, photographers, cosmetologists, etc., who included Cherry as a member. It also was an homage to Malcom MacLaren's "Buffalo Gals", which she sampled.
What most people don't know is that this was the 2nd time she did this song. She performed this as the B-Side of a Morgan-McVey single called "Looking Good Diving", titled "Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch." The samples are much different, but you can tell it's the same song. Lyrically, it nearly matches, right down to the future title.
By the way, the final version of "Buffalo Stance" samples "Looking Good Diving". And she married Cameron McVey.
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't post my favorite song by Neneh Cherry, a single from her 2nd album, Homebrew. The other voice you hear is R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, the majors samples are from Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" and, of course, "When The Levee Breaks" provides the drum line. Sorry there isn't a pretty video. Trust me. The song is worth it.
So, how do you handle a song with heavy samples and a duet partner that isn't touring with you? You hire a brilliant band and write a song that translates to a solo performance.
08 March 2013
8 March 2013 - Semisonic - Closing Time
I hope this blog has made it clear: I like songs that start off quiet and sweet and build to loud and passionate.
Born from the ashes of Trip Shakespeare, a band you've probably never heard of, Semisonic played - and still play - smart rock-and-roll with a modern feel that retains such important components of old-time rock, such as chord structure and guitar solos.
This song starts with that beautiful piano - and ends with it, too - but becomes a driving rock song in the middle. The song is actually a bit of an allegory, comparing the act of childbirth - in this case, vocalist Dan Wilson's new child - to a bouncer, clearing out a bar.
Really, the subject - "Closing Time" - is something we can all relate to. For example, that last line - "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" - is 1. probably the deepest line to ever be written in a hit song, and 2. resonates with just about everyone who hears it. It's actually sung twice during the song, and each time it has a different feel. The 2nd time - which is the end of the song - is a bit melancholy. I remember when my first child - Juliana - was born. I was scared - sure, I was embarking on a great adventure, but this meant the end of life as I knew it.
And yeah. I might have been humming this song all day.
The video, which was two continuous shots that needed to be timed perfectly to fit the storyline, doesn't address the intended analogy, but instead focuses on two people trying to meet up and missing by seconds. It's really neat - check it out.
Born from the ashes of Trip Shakespeare, a band you've probably never heard of, Semisonic played - and still play - smart rock-and-roll with a modern feel that retains such important components of old-time rock, such as chord structure and guitar solos.
This song starts with that beautiful piano - and ends with it, too - but becomes a driving rock song in the middle. The song is actually a bit of an allegory, comparing the act of childbirth - in this case, vocalist Dan Wilson's new child - to a bouncer, clearing out a bar.
Really, the subject - "Closing Time" - is something we can all relate to. For example, that last line - "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" - is 1. probably the deepest line to ever be written in a hit song, and 2. resonates with just about everyone who hears it. It's actually sung twice during the song, and each time it has a different feel. The 2nd time - which is the end of the song - is a bit melancholy. I remember when my first child - Juliana - was born. I was scared - sure, I was embarking on a great adventure, but this meant the end of life as I knew it.
And yeah. I might have been humming this song all day.
The video, which was two continuous shots that needed to be timed perfectly to fit the storyline, doesn't address the intended analogy, but instead focuses on two people trying to meet up and missing by seconds. It's really neat - check it out.
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