Violens

By Jenn Sussman aka DJ Belladonna

1. Miike Snow “Cult Logic” – I’ve been exploring dance and DJ music a lot more this year, and there are some interesting treasures to be found. Sweden’s indie-pop newcomers Miike Snow (band, not person) released their eponymous debut album in 2009, and its chock full of bright, shimmery dance pop gems like my personal favorite, “Cult Logic”. I’ve also unearthed several notable remixes done by the band of tracks by fellow indie dance peers Vampire Weekend, Peter, Bjorn & John, and Passion Pit – all worth checking out after this album.

2. Adele “Rolling In The Deep” – I was channel surfing the other day, and I came upon a video on VH1 (a rare occurrence, I know) for a song that had me riveted. Young British soul chanteuse Adele never quite made it onto my radar with her Grammy-winning 2009 debut album 19, but if her new single “Rolling In The Deep” is any indication of what’s in store on her as yet unreleased sophomore album, then I am already a fan. The girl has blues deep in her soul, and I’ll take her over Joss Stone, Duffy and Amy Winehouse any day of the week.

3. The Dandy Warhols “We Used To Be Friends” – Odd pop-rockers The Dandy Warhols have always been a favorite of mine, mixing tongue in cheek lyricism with rock grooves and pop sensibility. Formed in 1993 in Portland, Oregon with a foundation rooted more in Britpop than anything coming out of the Pacific Northwest at that time, most of the Warhols’ albums are pure quirky enjoyment. My personal favorite is 2003’s Welcome To The Monkey House, which also contains my two favorite Warhols’ tracks, “We Used To Be Friends” and “Scientist”.

4. Two Door Cinema Club “Come Back Home” – This indie dance groove from the 2010 debut album Tourist History by Irish newbies Two Door Cinema Club has quickly become a favorite of mine. There are strong post-punk overtones, rhythms and bass grooves that remind me of The Associates, The Au Pairs and so many other treasured bands from the DIY era. Even when I’m checking out the new, I’m always listening for homages to the old.

5. Violens “Acid Reign” – Speaking of homages to the old…I was a happy, happy girl when I took a listen to Amoral, the 2010 debut album by the New York-based Violens. Theirs is an old sound reflected through a new mirror (and that mirror is slightly cracked). Violens’ Myspace page bears the odd genre description of “gothic, pop and tropical”, but after a few listens of the album, you totally get it. Imagine if you will an unholy trinity of Adam Ant, Johnny Marr and New Order, writing songs in 2010, and you get songs like “Acid Reign” and the very Smiths/Antmusic-like “Full Collision”. Who but the Smiths would name songs “Could You Stand To Know?” and “The Dawn Of Your Happiness Is Rising”? Thank goodness, Violens would.

6. Veil Veil Vanish “Change In The Neon Light” – Perhaps one of the more surprising musical discoveries I’ve made in 2010 is that goth is coming back with a vengeance; and not just via the usual suspects, but thanks to newcomers. I spent a good deal of 2010 guest DJing at goth parties in New York City, and it inspired me to look for new darkness amongst the old. I found it on Veil Veil Vanish’s 2010 full-length debut LP, Change In The Neon Light. The goth scene has claimed “Anthem For A Doomed Youth” as its own, but I prefer the moodiness of the title track because of the strange, indefinable way it reminds me of The Cure’s “Charlotte Sometimes”.

7. Nine Inch Nails “Only (El-P Remix)” – Last week’s inclusion of a near-perfect NIN remix had me searching for more this week, and I was not disappointed. Underground, avant-garde rapper El-P has been featured on the playlist before, but not as a remix artist, and I was surprised to come across his treatment of a favorite track of mine from NIN’s With Teeth (2005). Found only on the maxi single of “Every Day Is Exactly The Same”, El-P takes the funky groove of “Only” and deconstructs it into something moody, spacey and dark, uncannily foreshadowing the sound of Reznor from Year Zero (2009). This was my “wow” song of the week.

8. Massive Attack “What Your Soul Sings” – There isn’t much I can say that I haven’t already said about Massive Attack on so many other playlists; their music is practically a part of daily life for me. This beautiful track from 2003’s 100th Window album popped up on my mp3 player this week, and I just had to share. Featuring vocals by Sinead O’Connor, the beautiful message of learning to love yourself in order to love others is resonating with me at this time of year.

9. Placebo “Running Up That Hill” – A challenge from a friend this week regarding cover songs had me thinking about one of my favorite covers of all time, this brilliantly conceived version of Kate Bush’s 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill” by androgynous alterna-rockers Placebo. The original is a favorite, too, but the contrast between the two versions couldn’t be more stark. Placebo’s version, from their 2007 Meds LP, is dark, vaguely dangerous, and extremely sensual; which is probably why it’s been used on the soundtracks of television shows with dark subject matter like The Vampire Diaries and Bones. I heard a great dance mix of the Placebo version a few weeks ago (in LIC’s Dutch Kills bar, of all places), but I have no idea who remixed it. Alas.

10. Depeche Mode “Goodnight Lovers (Hardjet Playground Mix)” – Ever since the release of Exciter in 2001, Depeche Mode has closed almost every single concert with this track. And so, I selected it to close out the last playlist of 2010, which is also my final playlist for The Whiskey Dregs. I hope that readers have enjoyed my musical musings as much as I have enjoyed writing them, and that everyone will continue to seek out beautiful music from yesterday and today.

Photo by Angel Ceballos

1. Suicide Sports Club “I Don’t Know” – Chill funkiness has a new address on Electric Mistress (2005), the debut album by British duo Suicide Sports Club. I caught this track recently while listening to yet another excellently curated show by DJ Chris Douridas of SoCal’s eclectic and wonderful KCRW radio, and I instantly got into the groove. I’m a big fan of funky bass grooves, and this one struts along to a chilled out, jazzy dance beat. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to investigate the album for more unknown pleasures, but I’ll save you some search time by highly recommending the breathy funk of “The Last Ghost In Town”.

2. Lykke Li “Get Some” – If this track is any indication, Swedish indie darling Lykke Li has come into her own as she prepares to release her as-yet-untitled sophomore follow up to debut album Youth Novels (2008). At times reminiscent of Tom Tom Club and Blondie, but with a unique groove and spark, “Get Some” has taken up residence in my cranium for the past week. This song activates my primal urge to dance – in my kitchen, on subway platforms, on random street corners.

3. Discodeine feat. Jarvis Cocker “Synchronize” – French remix duo Discodeine caught my attention in a big way with this brand-spanking-new single, released just days ago and featuring former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. Maybe I’m just feeling the need to dance this week, but it’s hard not to with a track like this one. I was having difficulty describing their multi-faceted sound until I came across the following on their official website, “DISCODEINE is about club music and intensity, voodoo, chicago house, futuristic disco, jackin’ techno, analog basslines, ring modulation, krautdisco, mascarpone and chianti.” I couldn’t have put it better myself.

4. Warpaint “Ashes To Ashes” – Indie girl group Warpaint puts an intimate, otherworldly and slightly jazz-like spin on my favorite David Bowie track, “Ashes To Ashes”; faithfully yet uniquely rendered for Bowie homage album We Were So Turned On: A Tribute To David Bowie (2010). There is something so delicious about Warpaint’s style, something that gives me flashbacks to Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, Lush, and even early Cure, but in a completely intangible way. Take a listen to their 2010 release The Fool and prepare to be enveloped.

5. Tricky “Aftermath” – This track from Tricky’s brilliant masterpiece of a debut album, 1995’s Maxinquaye, is a perfect example of what I find so appealing about this groundbreaking artist. Samples of LL Cool J’s “Eat ‘Em Up L Chill” and Marvin Gaye’s “That’s The Way Love Is” peacefully juxtapose beneath random power guitar chords and flute riffs, while the pure sensuality of Martina Topley-Bird’s voice floats above, over, under and through the dense layered beats and rhythms. If an erotic act could be perfectly captured by a record, this one just might be sex on wax.

6. Kruder and Dorfmeister “Rollin’ On Chrome (Wild Motherfuckers Dub)” – In 1998, Austrian downtempo dub kings Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister released what would years later become one of my favorite late-night listens, a double dose of grooved-out chill called The K & D Sessions. In addition to beautifully conceived remixes of Depeche Mode’s “Useless”, Roni Size’s “Heroes” and the surprisingly eclectic addition of Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony’s “1st Of The Month,” K & D rock out in the most chill of fashions on Aphrodelics’ “Rollin’ On Chrome” and Bomb The Bass’ “Bug Powder Dust”, which featured the then unknown rapper-turned-She-Wants-Revenge-frontman Justin Warfield. I literally can’t get enough of this track.

7. Aphrodelics “Rollin’ On Chrome” – If you really want to appreciate the brilliance of Kruder and Dorfmeister’s remix style, you have to listen to the original “Rollin’ On Chrome” by fellow Austrians Aphrodelics – a dope track in its own right and completely different than what it morphed into in the hands of K & D. From their 1998 debut LP On The Rise, you can hear an old-school sensibility in Aphrodelics’ beats and lyrics, though the typical funk and soul samples are uniquely replaced here by copious use of The Human League’s 1978/1982 single “Being Boiled”. No disrespect to American hip-hop, but I always found that outside of innovators like A Tribe Called Quest, Brand Nubian and Gang Starr, European hip-hop artists were some of the most creative samplers in the ‘90s.

8. The Human League “Being Boiled” – This early Human League track is cold, space-age electro wave at its finest, similar in nature to (but actually predating) Gary Numan’s electro robotic sound. The first single ever released by the band in 1978, it’s an early sound inspired by avant-garde electronic music acts of the time, such as Kraftwerk and Cabaret Voltaire. When you compare “Being Boiled” to better known Human League hits like “Don’t You Want Me”, “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” and “The Lebanon”, you can clearly hear the sonic left turn towards a more commercial sound that came after the band’s implosion in 1980 and subsequent reinvention with a new lineup on their 1981 monster hit album, Dare. “Being Boiled” was rereleased as a single in 1982 after the success of “Don’t You Want Me” and became a Top 10 hit, showing how adaptable the musical palate was in the post-punk era.

9. Ladytron “Ghosts (Modwheelmood Remix)” – The ethereal nature of Warpaint’s Bowie cover put me in the mood for remix artists Modwheelmood, and a personal favorite is their treatment of Ladytron’s “Ghosts” off of Ladytron’s Velocifero Remixed and Rare album (2010). I’ve been a Modwheelmood fan since their work on “The Great Destroyer” from Nine Inch Nails’ Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D (2007); they have an uncanny ability to both expand a track spatially while at the same time closing it in around the listener. This is one of those remixes that gives you an even greater appreciation of the song, an effect that I’m finding a lot these days as top remix artists increasingly put their touches on tracks by talented electro and electronica acts.

10. Nine Inch Nails “In This Twilight (Fennesz Remix)” – Trent Reznor’s early 2007 opus Year Zero just didn’t do it for me, despite all of the hype and brilliant reviews leading up to its release. However, the remixed version of the album which followed it a few months later completely blew me away, and also totally changed my viewpoint on remixes in general. I’ve always preferred to listen to original songs, but the versions on Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D were so beautifully constructed and added so much depth to the originals that I began seeking out remixes of other favorite artists. The most beautiful point in the album is Fennesz’ version of “In This Twilight,” which lyrically is an unusually poignant song about the final moments of the Earth’s final day from the typically paranoid and sullen Reznor. Fennesz takes the subject matter to heart and manages to simultaneously convey wide open space, desolation, forgiveness, and hope. This song makes me feel peaceful every time I hear it.

Crystal Castles

By Jenn Sussman aka DJ Belladonna

1. Crystal Castles “Not In Love” – Considering that I’m a fan of just about every style of music that originated in the 1980’s, interestingly enough I don’t gravitate towards a lot of the “nouveau ‘80s” bands that are resurrecting (or outright ripping off, in some cases) the stereotypical ‘80s synth-driven pop sound. However, the latest single from Crystal Castles, an updated version of “Not In Love” off of their 2010 release Crystal Castles II, caught me by surprise. It doesn’t hurt that vocal duties are now handled by the one and only Robert Smith, fashion-challenged ‘80s icon and goth diva extraordinaire. This is one you can dance to and brood to.

2. Kraftwerk “Computer Love” – Crystal Castles got me thinking back to the early days of computer and synth-driven pop, when innovation in music was a near constant thing and boundaries were pushed with seemingly every new release. German computer-pop legends Kraftwerk were so far ahead of their time, it was as if they had seen (and heard) the future; in fact, they were laying the groundwork for the future of dance music in the hands of groups like Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and Chromeo. “Computer Love”, from their 1981 LP Computer World, has always been a favorite of mine. Also recommended is Glass Candy’s excellent cover of “Computer Love” from their 2007 debut album, Beat Box.

3. Eurythmics “Love Is A Stranger” – Eurythmics always delivered a slightly tweaked view into affairs of the heart, one of my favorites being “Love Is A Stranger” from their 1983 album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This). Annie Lennox’s persona was larger than life, a stylish chameleon on par with David Bowie in terms of continual reinvention through character play. There were few who could compete with the combination of style and substance that were standard fare for the Eurythmics.

4. Just Jack “Heartburn” – Every now and again, you stumble across an artist or album completely by accident and it becomes an instant favorite. It was like that for me with Just Jack’s 2002 debut album The Outer Marker. Still a relative unknown several years later, most people are only familiar with their hit single “Snowflakes (Cured by Temple Of Jay Remix)”, which liberally sampled from The Cure’s “Lullaby” to excellent effect. As good of a track as that is, I find almost every other track on the album to be even better, and “Heartburn” has become a favorite. Deep, melancholy and lyrically very honest, this one turns up frequently on my mp3 player.

5. David Bowie “As The World Falls Down” – Someone mentioned ‘80s film Labyrinth to me a few days ago, and it got me thinking about some of the great music that David Bowie wrote (and performed, as goblin king Jareth) for the film. My favorite song from the film is the dreamy ballad “As The World Falls Down”, featured in my favorite scene from the film as a backdrop for heroine Sarah’s drug-induced hallucinations of falling in love with Jareth at a twisted masquerade ball.

6. Florence + The Machine “Addicted To Love” – I literally can’t get enough of this woman’s voice, and it does wonders on this completely rearranged version of Robert Palmer’s classic track. There are no women in black dresses with slicked-back hair and glossy red lips here; this version actually emphasizes the neediness and obsession behind the lyrics, instead of the vampy raunchiness of the original music and the camp of the video. Addiction has never sounded quite so appealing.

7. Bobby Darin “Down With Love” – I have a soft spot for old standards; they transport me to a time that I sometimes wish that I had lived during. While some prefer Sinatra, Bennett and Martin, I love guys like Bobby Darin who were equally as talented and defined the era with their smooth voices, lushly orchestrated songs, and jazz tempos. He’s best known for hits like “Beyond The Sea” and “Mack The Knife”, but this one is doing it for me right now.

8. Marc Almond and Siouxsie Sioux “Threat Of Love” – There were many ill-advised duets in the ‘80s, but fortunately this wasn’t one of them; Soft Cell singer meets Banshee for a public service announcement to warn goth kids about falling in love. I love the ominous key and the very Creatures-esque slow driving percussion and orchestral hints. You can almost imagine this being on the soundtrack of a modern-day remake of the Phantom Of The Opera. This is one orchestral maneuver that I always love to hear in the dark.

9. Lush “For Love” – All of your cool alternative girlfriends listened to this song in the ‘90s, and when I’m feeling the need for shoegaze and Britpop, this is one of my go-to tracks. From their shimmering, literate, Cocteau Twins-produced 1996 album Spooky, “For Love” was one of the band’s last singles before breaking up later that same year. If The Smiths had ever had girlfriends, they probably would have been the chicks from Lush.

10. Metric “Stadium Love” – Metric seems to be the band of the moment, emerging from Canada and taking Scott Pilgrim fans by storm. I wouldn’t call myself a fan, but their 2009 release Fantasies was one of the more interesting albums I had heard in awhile. Tracks like “Help I’m Alive” and “Gold Guns Girls” show their indie dance cred, while playlist pick “Stadium Love” would probably sound equally as great if remade by She Wants Revenge. Fantasies is equal parts aggression and innocence and doesn’t really sound like anything else out there, which is getting harder and harder to pull off these days.

1. Peaches “Boys Wanna Be Her” – Glam returns with a feminine vengeance on “Boys Wanna Be Her”, from Peaches’ provocatively and politically titled Impeach My Bush LP (2006). With a foundation riff sampled from AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds”, this is one dance track you can definitely rock out to. I’ve never been a big fan of Peaches’ style, but I consider this to be a standout along the lines of “Fuck The Pain Away” and her killer version of Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing”, featuring Loc himself.

2. Massive Attack feat. Hope Sandoval “Paradise Circus” – Something of a 180 degree departure from the previous track but with a surprisingly well-matched flow, I’ve had this mesmerizing track from Massive’s 2010 release Heligoland in heavy rotation for months. Featuring vocals by former Mazzy Star chanteuse Hope Sandoval, “Paradise Circus” is moody, sexy and dark. Massive hasn’t been this good since 1998’s Mezzanine. For those who prefer their Massive Attack to be dancefloor-friendly, I highly recommend checking out the excellent remix of this track done by Gui Boratto, which is currently featured in a Lincoln MKX commercial.

3. Cibo Matto “Sugar Water” – NYC-based Japanese ex-pats Cibo Matto were one of those groups that critics adore but the average music listener doesn’t always get. I’m somewhere in the middle, appreciating some tracks and not feeling most others. One track that I dig for its unique groove and sexy vibe is “Sugar Water” from 1995’s Viva! La Woman LP, which received some decent college radio airplay that led to a performance of the song by the band on the very college radio-friendly TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer. That’s actually where I heard it for the first time, and I remember thinking how unique the song was as compared to most of the music that was popular in the early ‘90s.

4. Portishead “Glory Box” – If you were in college in the mid ‘90s and you were chillin’ out, chances are very likely that you were listening to Dummy, Portishead’s groundbreaking 1994 debut album. While the elegantly depressed single “Sour Times” got most of the attention and airplay, the beauty of this album revealed itself with every successive track, like peeling layers from an onion. With the very first listen of opening track “Mysterons”, you knew you were in for a whole different experience, and Dummy didn’t disappoint. To this day, I listen to “Wandering Star”, “It Could Be Sweet”, “Biscuit” and playlist pick “Glory Box” on a regular basis. Singer Beth Gibbons has the kind of voice that would never have become known if it wasn’t for Portishead, but you can’t imagine Portishead without her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGVOvPmR3o&feature=related

5. Hooverphonic “2Wicky” – The DJ in me loves to follow “Glory Box” with this spacey, sexy single from Belgian trip-pop outfit Hooverphonic. Hooverphonic’s sound has evolved a lot since their 1996 debut LP A New Stereophonic Sound was released, more recently foregoing breakbeats and trip-hop for a more pop/electronica path. For me, early tracks like “2Wicky”, “Renaissance Affair” (from that iconic mid ‘90s Volkswagen Vapor Beetle commercial) and their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Shake The Disease” for the 1998 tribute album For The Masses are the essence of Hooverphonic’s sound, and the way I like to remember them.

6. PM Dawn “Even After I Die” – I’ve been a huge fan of PM Dawn’s lengthily titled 1991 debut LP Of The Heart, Of The Soul and Of The Cross: The Utopian Experience since it came out, and unfortunately it was one of those albums that gets completely overlooked after people have their fill of the smash hit single. For those who passed it by after the airplay onslaught of the infectious (and still amazing) single “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss”, you’re missing some seriously good and danceable music on the rest of the album. “Even After I Die”, a trippy, chill beat-driven ode to vocalist Prince B.’s spiritual crisis has always been my favorite track, followed closely by “Paper Doll” and “In The Presence Of Mirrors”. I used to spin these at Café Bar in Astoria, and people would always ask me who the artist was. It was always funny to see the reaction when I told them that the tracks were almost 20 years old.

7. Mos Def “The Boogie Man Song” – The consciousness, artistry and musicality of rapper Mos Def’s 2004 album The New Danger took me by surprise, and I hoped that it was a harbinger of a new era in hip-hop. That didn’t turn out to be the case, but it was the first hip-hop album since DMX’s It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot (1998) that got onto my radar and stayed there. I miss the sound and the innovation of A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Brand Nubian and Organized Konfusion, and if I can’t have those days back again then I’ll take The New Danger all day long. Mos Def utilizes the musicians from his rock band side project Black Jack Johnson to excellent effect on this album, particularly on tracks like “Blue Black Jack”, the extremely hard rockin’ “Zimzallabim”, and the brief and sensually haunting “The Boogie Man Song.”

8. EMF “They’re Here” – There are a lot of folks out there who got stuck on EMF’s iconic hit single “Unbelieveable” and don’t realize how good the rest of the band’s music was. In fact, most people don’t even know that EMF had another album after their 1991 debut LP Schubert Dip (two, actually), itself a really, really good album (with the exception of that damn “Unbelievable” song). In fact, nothing else EMF ever recorded sounds anything like “Unbelievable”. Pretty unbelievable, hmm? Well, believe me when I tell you that their 1992 sophomore release Stigma is one of my top ten favorite albums of all time. “They’re Here” is the opening track, and it sets the tone for a dark, energetic, rock/electronica hybrid album that most people didn’t even know existed. Muse fans, take note…recognize that sound? Yep, thought so.

9. Friendly Fires “Skeleton Boy” – Anyone who checks out my Dregs playlists on a regular basis knows that, well, I don’t exactly feature new music too often. If there was any new music around worth featuring, believe me, it would be on here (no offense intended, just my perspective). One of the rare exceptions on the indie dance front is the UK’s Friendly Fires, who were nice enough to put together a pretty kickass and funky set of tracks on their 2008 self-titled debut album. I came across “Skeleton Boy” while researching tracks for the Halloween playlists, and I’ve been bouncing around to it ever since. You should see the looks I get on the street, but if people could hear what I’m hearing they’d be bouncing, too.

10. IAMX “Think Of England” – I’ve become a big fan of Sneaker Pimps founder Chris Corner’s post-Pimps project, IAMX, and a big reason for that is his most recent album, 2009’s Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction. A few months back I had Corner’s spooky, sexy duet with the amazing Imogen Heap on the playlist (“My Secret Friend”), but I hadn’t taken a listen to the entire album until more recently. “Think Of England” reminds me from a songwriting perspective of a cross between Coldplay’s “Clocks” and the Eurythmics’ sound, though Corner’s vocals inject a different intensity and energy into the song than you’d hear from either of those bands. Corner has evolved tremendously as an artist since the Pimps days, and based on listening to the majority of his lyrics, he’s done it through a lot of darkness, personal pain and exploration of the taboo. Fortunately, the effect of that exploration is some really worthwhile music.

(go here for part 1)

1. Tales From The Crypt “Main Theme” – Part Two of our Halloween soundtrack kicks off with a theme song from beyond the grave. So many of us have fond memories of sitting around the television on dark nights during our childhood, glued in terror and fascination to HBO’s spooky series, Tales From The Crypt. With gruesome host The Cryptkeeper and a cast of guest stars that included everyone from Tom Hanks, Adam Ant and John Lithgow to Brooke Shields, Meatloaf and Bobcat Goldthwait, the show never failed to send chills down the spines of even the most jaded horror fans. And of course, who better to turn to for a fittingly chilling theme song than the master of dark musical accompaniment, the one and only Danny Elfman. Elfman has pretty much cornered the market in this particular genre, and with themes like this one it’s easy to see why.

2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show “Sweet Transvestite” – Halloween weekend 2010 marks the 35th anniversary of one of the greatest spectacles to ever be captured on celluloid, so I pay homage with my favorite track from that film’s soundtrack. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) is in a class all by itself, an over-the-top parody of sci-fi and B-movie horror films that in some ways became the ultimate sci-fi/B-movie horror film itself. Ever since the first midnight viewing at New York City’s Waverly Theater on April 1, 1976, legions of audience-participating fans have catapulted this diabolical display of decadence and debauchery to cult status. “Sweet Transvestite” marks the moment in the film when I realized that newcomer Tim Curry was a genius, and I always find myself pulling this fantastic soundtrack out at Halloween time. So, don’t shiver with antici-SAY IT-pation any longer, kiddies, just listen to the song.

3. Alice Cooper “Welcome To My Nightmare” – It’s only fitting to follow The Rocky Horror Picture Show with one of the original masters of shock rock theater, Alice Cooper. With his dark, macabre and somewhat glam aesthetic, Cooper would probably have fit right in with the RHPC cast. Although I’m only putting one song from this album on the playlist, the entire Welcome To My Nightmare (1975) album is a perfect listening experience for Halloween. A concept album that centers on the nightmares of a child named Steven, the story winds its way song by song through dark and harrowing topics and provides a twisted sonic backdrop for all sorts of nocturnal mischief. In fact, you can pretty much put most Alice Cooper records on the turntable for Halloween; the man has always dwelled in a very dark realm. Check YouTube for a brilliant version of this song performed by Cooper on The Muppet Show in 1978.

4. Joy Division “Dead Souls” – There’s an inherent darkness to most of Joy Division’s music, but the JD track that I pull out more than any other at this time of year is “Dead Souls”. Originally released in 1980 by French label Sordide Sentimental as the B-side to “Atmosphere”, “Dead Souls” hints at the torment that was going on inside of singer Ian Curtis, whose struggles with mental and physical illness are well documented. Nine Inch Nails recorded an excellent cover of “Dead Souls” for the soundtrack of the 1994 movie The Crow (that soundtrack itself is a Halloween must-listen) that did justice to the original while adding their own flavor. For me, though, the original better evokes an eerie, somewhat paranoiac feeling that fits so well with the horror and mystery of Halloween.

5. Louis Armstrong “The Skeleton In The Closet” – Pops Armstrong wasn’t necessarily known for Halloween-worthy tales, but I stumbled across this gem from the 1936 film Pennies From Heaven and it totally fits the bill. A legendary artist in a groundbreaking movie role (in Pennies From Heaven, Armstrong was the first African American in Hollywood history to get featured billing alongside white actors), it’s pure pleasure to watch this scene where Armstrong recounts a tale of ghosts and goblins cavorting in a deserted mansion during the witching hour. The scene that features “The Skeleton In The Closet” is a who’s-who of music legends from the 1930’s, as Armstrong performs the song with Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, featuring the incomparable Lionel Hampton on drums. You’ll be jiggling like a skeleton’s bones to this one.

6. The Sonics “The Witch” – Before there was punk, there was garage rock, and one of the enduring beacons of the garage sound was The Sonics. Grittier than The Who, harder than The Kinks and more esoteric than The Rolling Stones, The Sonics were as close of a precursor to the bombastic sound of early ‘70s punk as you can find. Four of their most well known singles make excellent additions to any Halloween playlist; “Psycho”, “Strychnine” (which has been covered by The Cramps and Flaming Lips, among others), “He’s Waitin’” (with Satan as its subject matter) and this track from their 1965 debut album Here Are The Sonics. “The Witch” warns all the boys to watch out for an evil new girl in town, with long black hair and a big black car, but I think I know a few guys that wouldn’t mind meeting up with this chick in a dark alley.

7. Son House “Death Letter (Blues)” – If you’re talking about the early roots of American blues, don’t forget to include Son House in the conversation. While many blues aficionados tend to focus on Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker (and respect is definitely due to these legends), it is often the more obscure bluesmen that capture my attention. A product of the Mississippi Delta blues culture of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, Son House lived and recorded in scary times and it often showed in his lyrical content. “Death Letter (Blues)” deals with the receipt of a letter that tells Son House that the woman he loves has died, and he rushes back to sit with her body and make sure that her spirit rests until Judgment Day. There are elements of olden-time death rituals and even voodoo tradition in this track that are very welcome on Halloween.

8. The Pogues “Haunting” – Some might consider it blasphemy to include a song from a Pogues album that was recorded without Shane McGowan, but alas, Waiting For Herb (1993) is the album that contains “Haunting”, a song about being scared out of your wits by a possessed tree on the way to a dance in Ireland. There’s something truly Irish about riding your bicycle along the road, stopping by a tree to get out of the rain, and suddenly the tree starts talking to you. Irish folklore is chock full of fairies, goblins, sprites and all sorts of other merry- and mischief-making creatures that wreak havoc on the unsuspecting, and The Pogues tell the story as if it’s an old drinking tale. Which makes total sense – since we’re talking about the Pogues, here.

9. Coldplay “Cemeteries Of London” – I’m a big fan of cemetery architecture and landscaping, forever taking my camera to one resting place or another and shooting angels, saints and other interesting graveyard statuary and stones. Some of the most grand and beautiful cemeteries are in Europe, most notably England and France. The first time I heard Coldplay’s beautiful “Cemeteries Of London” from 2009’s Viva La Vida LP, I imagined wandering through London’s famous Highgate Cemetery with my camera, getting tangled in ivy and losing my way among the aging mausoleums. The song’s structure and melody also evoke old seafaring laments, so one might imagine the ghosts of British sailors lost at sea wandering through the night in search of lost loves. Delicious visions for Halloween night.

10. 45 Grave “Surf Bat” – We leave you to your tricks and treats with a very Munsters-esque track from L.A. horror-punk/death rockers 45 Grave, “Surf Bat” from their 1983 full-length album Sleep In Safety. Along with The Cramps and the Misfits, 45 Grave are frequently credited as being one of the creators of the horror-punk genre, making them a perfect addition to any Halloween exploit. And on that note, Halloween playlist Part Two comes to its creepy conclusion…. a merry Devil’s Night, Happy Halloween and Feliz Dia de los Muertos to all.

Misfits

1. Danny Elfman “This Is Halloween” – Here at the Dregs, we wait for Halloween like some people wait for Christmas morning; filled with glee and anticipation, not for shiny wrapped presents with ribbons and bows, but rather for all things spooky, scary and dark. Such devotion to the things that go bump in the night deserves a playlist that makes your heart go thump in the night, so I present Part One of a not-so-ordinary soundtrack for your Halloween mischief and mayhem. What better way to kick things off than with the opening song from the magnum opus of a man famous for his dark and spooky soundtracks, Danny Elfman’s “This Is Halloween” from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sung for the movie by Elfman himself in the persona of Pumpkin King Jack Skellington, this track sets the tone for the movie over a carnival of the macabre through the streets of Halloweentown. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Halloween…Whiskey Dregs style.

2. The Cramps “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” – Nothing says dark, macabre or spooky quite like The Cramps; every single day was Halloween for them. Lovers of B-movies, low budget sci-fi flicks and horror film aesthetics, there is a palpable darkness in most of The Cramps’ music. From their classic 1979 debut album Songs The Lord Taught Us, “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” tells the age-old tale of high school lust that is hampered by full moons, fangs and way too much body hair. I mean, young love is rough enough as it is, but imagine having to tell your cheerleader girlfriend that she’s likely to end up as a snack. For other spine-tingling, Halloween-approved tunes from this album, look no further than “TV Set”, “Zombie Dance” and “What’s Behind The Mask”.

3. Southern Culture On The Skids “Zombified” – Hillbilly surf rockers Southern Culture On The Skids released the awesome (yet very hard to find) album Zombified in 1999, and it instantly became a permanent part of my musical Halloween bag of tricks. With tracks like “Undertaker”, “Swamp Thing”, “Bloodsucker” and “Devil’s Stompin’ Ground”, it’s easy to see why; the entire album is devoted to the macabre in SCOTS’ typical tongue in cheek manner. In title track “Zombified”, the singer bemoans the fact that his woman doesn’t seem to be among the living anymore while spooky rockabilly guitar riffs swirl. Unfortunately, the clip below was the only source of this song on YouTube, so please pay no attention to what looks like the cast of the video game Resident Evil doing the choreography from “Thriller”.

4. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put A Spell On You” – When New Orleans does Halloween, they do it voodoo style – and their anthem is Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ 1956 single “I Put A Spell On You”. Screamin’ Jay was the original shock rocker, a theatrical bluesman with an outlandish stage persona that included emerging from coffins, a smoking skull on a stick, and rubber snakes aplenty. Legend has it that thanks to a heavily intoxicated recording session, “I Put A Spell On You”, which was originally intended to be a ballad, turned into one of the most mesmerizing blues rock songs of all time. A true alternative soul sometimes referred to as a black Vincent Price, Hawkins toured later in his career with garage rockers The Fuzztones, as well as The Clash and Nick Cave, and was a major influence on shock-oriented artists like Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson. This is the theme song of the madman who’s following you through the French Quarter on Halloween…

5. Donovan “Season Of The Witch” – Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble…Halloween-time is most definitely the season of the witch. Whether you prefer your witchcraft in Shakespearean style, or in animated splendor with poisoned apples for young red-cheeked princesses, or in ghostly whispers on the wind in a formerly puritanical Massachusetts town, there’s no denying that witches are powerful symbols of All Hallows Eve. Psychedelic folk rocker Donovan’s signature 1966 single “Season Of The Witch” isn’t actually about witchcraft, but the music evokes a dark, eerie feeling that is in keeping with this time of year, and which makes it very appropriate for Halloween listening. A good tune for your broom-p3 player, indeed.

6. Tegan and Sara “Walking With A Ghost” – Canadian singer-songwriter twin sisters Tegan and Sara probably didn’t set out to write a dark song intended for Halloween playlists with “Walking With A Ghost” (from their 2007 major label sophomore release So Jealous), but this is one I always enjoy listening to at night while walking through the darkened city streets, or at home in a candlelit room. Not all Halloween-worthy songs need to hit you over the head with their obviously creepy credentials, and sometimes the spookiness is in the song’s subtlety. One way or another, we all walk with ghosts sometimes…who (or what) are you walking with?

7. Misfits “Halloween” – You could easily make the argument that almost any song ever written and recorded by punk legends the Misfits should be standard Halloween fare, but fortunately they simplified the choice with a song fittingly named “Halloween”. Released as a single in extremely limited quantities on October 31, 1981, it’s almost impossible to find on vinyl and wasn’t available in any other format until the Misfits’ 1985 compilation album Legacy of Brutality. These days, it’s most often found on the excellent Rhino Records Halloween compilation New Wave Halloween, alongside classic Halloween-themed tracks by The Ramones, The B52’s, Ministry and other ‘80s and 90’s alternative acts. By far, this is my favorite Halloween song ever, especially when paired with the ominous and supernatural “Skulls” and “Vampira” from the Misfits’ classic 1982 album Walk Among Us.

8. Gerard McMann “Cry Little Sister” – One of my favorite Halloween pastimes is to gather friends together for an evening of classic tales of fright on film, which can include everything from Plan 9 From Outer Space to Nosferatu to The Lost Boys. The latter film has one of the best rock soundtracks in modern film, and on that soundtrack is the dark and eerie track beloved by Goths and non-Goths alike, Gerard McMann’s “Cry Little Sister”. From the slow, pounding drum beats at the intro, to the chilling children’s chorus and the frenzied, Phantom-esque organ work, “Cry Little Sister” is a haunted masterpiece that will have you looking over your shoulder for the vampire’s approach.

9. The Cure “Lullaby” – Something wicked this way comes in The Cure’s moodily paranoid ode to monsters that come out in the dark to play with our innermost thoughts. From their epic 1989 LP Disintegration, “Lullaby” imagines that a wholly different sort of Spiderman is headed for singer Robert Smith in the gathering gloom as he lies helpless in his bed, unable to escape. It’s an effective metaphor, and the music and lyrics evoke a chilling, fearful feeling that anyone who ever suffered from nightmares as a child can relate to. I happened to hear “Lullaby” earlier this week at Sweet Afton in Astoria, and just hearing the intro of this well-loved song turned the already dark atmosphere into something suddenly much creepier and more darkly sensual. Don’t struggle like that, precious boys and girls, or he will only love you more…

10. Danny Elfman “Main Title (Edward Scissorhands)” – And so, dear listeners, Part One of my Whiskey Dregs’ Halloween Playlist concludes on a soft and spectral note with the opening title theme from another classic Tim Burton film scored by the incomparable Danny Elfman, Edward Scissorhands. Even though the film isn’t about Halloween, there is an intrinsic dark and sinister mystery in most of Elfman’s work that instantly transports the listener to this dark time of year, when days grow shorter and ghouls of all shapes and sizes roam the streets in search of candy or far less sweet pursuits. When next we meet, Halloween Playlist Part Two will deliver you directly onto the doorstep of Halloween weekend 2010. Do you dare knock and enter? Muahahahahaha….

1.   Cut Chemist featuring Hymnal “What’s The Altitude” – This isn’t exactly the sort of track you’d expect to hear at a wine bar, yet there it was while I was sitting at Claret in Sunnyside last week. I’m a Cut Chemist fan in general, but the addition of West coast underground rapper Hymnal totally makes this track. Hymnal’s flow is very reminiscent of De La Soul’s matter-of-fact, quirky, storytelling style, and Cut Chemist pulls samples together better than just about anyone else in the game. “What’s The Altitude” is originally from Cut Chemist’s 2006 solo release The Audience’s Listening, but is also featured on the brilliantly eclectic soundtrack to the movie Whip It (2009). If you aren’t bumpin’ to this one, your bump is probably broken.

2. De La Soul “Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge)” – De La Soul’s 1989 debut record 3 Feet High and Rising is one of the classic hip-hops albums of all time, and I remember hearing it for the first time like it was yesterday. And even though their Parliament Funkadelic sample driven hit single “Me, Myself and I” is typically top of mind for most casual hip-hop observers, “Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge)” has always been my favorite De La track (and not just because of the name). Of course, when you’re thirteen years old you don’t necessarily get the subject matter, but this track has some of the best thinly-veiled raunchiness you can find in hip-hop. De La’s appeal for me has always been their off-kilter intellectualism, a quality that didn’t always resonate with the mainstream back in the day. As musical tastes converge in this jaded era, this is definitely an album to visit, or revisit.

3. Maggie Thrett “Soupy” – I couldn’t resist throwing the song that forms the main musical theme in “Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge)”, because I’m a music DNA geek and because the song flat out grooves in that ‘60s, white go-go boots kind of way. “Soupy” is raw ‘60s soul, gritty and only a complete listening experience when you can hear the pops and clicks of the original vinyl record (which fortunately you can in this clip). Maggie Thrett is now largely forgotten, a former television actress with some Star Trek credits who also happened to have some killer pipes. Recorded in 1965, “Soupy” exists now as a rarity and a crate digger’s jackpot find. Dig this sampladelic relic, y’all…

4. Gotan Project “Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)” – Modern tango denizens Gotan Project are always a good listen, fusing the tension and sensuality of classic Argentine tango music with innovative beats, samples and electronica. “Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)”, from their 2001 LP La Revancha del Tango, is probably their best known track along with their stellar remix of Sarah Vaughn’s classic “Whatever Lola Wants” for the notable yet way overplayed Verve Remixed albums. This is a great late night track, excellent with a nice glass of wine, or you can always bite the nearest rose and go stomp passionately across a floor. Your choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zD9W9SZj9w

5.  N.E.R.D. “Provider” – There’s a moment a few songs into N.E.R.D.’s 2002 debut album In Search Of… when it suddenly dawns on you that you’re listening to one of the best albums you’ve ever heard, any genre. That moment is “Provider”, an acoustically funky slice of street realism offered up after the rockstar posturing of “Lapdance”, the undeniable groove of “Things Are Getting Better”, and the sexed up booty call of “Brain”. I’m still amazed when I listen to this Spymob-backed masterpiece by Neptunes partners in crime Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, though admittedly my amazement isn’t due only to the quality of the album but also to the realization that N.E.R.D. has never again been this good. I still get all the way to “Bobby James” (track 11) and realize that I’m still laughing internally at the concept of orgasmic narcolepsy as described at the end of “Brain”. Brilliant.

6. Bobby Caldwell “What You Won’t Do For Love” – There’s almost never a time that I listen to N.E.R.D.’s “Provider” and it doesn’t make me think of Bobby Caldwell’s classic track “What You Won’t Do For Love” from his 1978 album of the same name. This soulful song had to have been in heavy rotation in the Neptunes studio when they were writing In Search Of…, because you can taste its musical flavor all over “Provider” even if the lyrical content differs vastly. This is the quiet storm, the track I pull out at the end of the night at Grooveskool, the jam you hadn’t thought of in years until you logged onto the Whiskey Dregs today. And now that you’re hearing it, everything’s gonna be alright. Trust in Bobby… he’ll take good care of you, baby.

7. Nouvelle Vague “A Forest” – Nouvelle Vague is one of the most interesting musical concepts to emerge in the past ten years; take some of the most beloved punk, postpunk, goth and new wave songs, arrange them in a laid-back acoustic samba style, and add a nonchalant French female vocal. The results are pretty unbelievable all around, with a few duds but mostly a completely fresh listening experience even for someone like myself who lives and breathes the originals. Their sexy version of The Cure’s “A Forest” is a personal favorite, and instead of evoking the paranoia and isolation of the original it manages to make getting lost in a ghostly forest, all alone, sound almost like a pleasant pastime to be enjoyed with an appropriate aperitif.

8. Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five “Run Joe” – I would probably have to place Louis Jordan in my top ten favorite artists of all time, just because of how funny, enjoyable and creative he was. Louis Jordan was a pioneer of early jazz, and he had a tongue in cheek lyricism that was never on better display than in “Beware!” (one of my all-time favorite tunes), in which he schools a friend on how to know if he’s being snookered by a woman who’s looking for a husband. “Run Joe”, recorded in 1946, has a bit of Caribbean flavor in it that you can’t help but shake your hips to. Also highly recommended for those who want more of this sound are “Five Guys Named Moe”, “Caldonia” and “Saturday Night Fish Fry”.

9. Bob Marley “Could You Be Loved” – The island flavor of “Run Joe” put Marley on my mind, so I offer up a favorite tune in “Could You Be Loved”, a beloved track from the equally beloved 1984 compilation album Legend. There’s nothing I could say about the legacy, music and inspiration of Bob Marley that isn’t already common knowlege, but for me there’s a nostalgic connection with Marley’s music that reminds me of friends I haven’t seen in many years, sitting on the grass in the sun running late for class, and the joy of listening to uplifting music.

10.  James Brown “I’ll Go Crazy” – Listening to the early recordings of James Brown is like returning home; like touching base with a sound that comforts and endures, that waits for you to return to it when you’ve tired of the latest thing. We’ve all felt the sweet heartache of loving someone so much that we thought it would consume us, and Brown speaks to that feeling in this incredible single recorded in 1960 and offers some wisdom that’s resonated with me from the first time I heard it, “You’ve got to live…for yourself…yourself, and nobody else…”. While that might appear to be cold advice, it creates an oasis of sanity in the emotional lyrics. People just don’t write songs like this one anymore.

1. Morrissey “Now My Heart Is Full” – The British are coming this week on the Playlist, and we’re more than happy to let them take over our sonic colonies. Some albums stay with you for life, and Morrissey’s 1994 release Vauxhall And I will always be one of those albums for me. I was seventeen and working in music retail, and I remember hearing it for the first time in the store and knowing that I had to have it to take with me on my senior class trip. The album ended up defining that trip for me, and for some odd reason the album has taken on a concept feel for me when I listen to it from beginning to end. Just the first few notes of the album’s opener “Now My Heart Is Full” is enough to set me adrift on memory bliss, and remind me of what a brilliantly literate wordsmith Moz really is; “There’s gonna be some trouble / A whole house will need rebuilding / And everyone I love…in the house…will recline…on an analyst’s couch quite soon…”. I mean, who else writes lyrics like that and gets away with it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwpDAPmpAdM

2. Radiohead “There There” – Most living, breathing people who love music in general are in two camps where Radiohead is concerned; they either live for Radiohead, or they can’t stand them/don’t get them. I’d have to cast myself as a neutral nation situated somewhere between the two sides, because while I don’t live for them (or even buy their albums), I do usually end up thoroughly loving at least one Radiohead track per album. On 2007’s critically acclaimed Hail To The Thief, that track is “There There”, an atypically accessible piece of pop/rock genius peppered with Thom Yorke’s typically prescient lyrical observations on truth in human relations. If more of Radiohead’s music sounded like “There There”, “Airbag”, “High And Dry”, “Paranoid Android”, and “Idioteque”, I’d probably live for them. Until then…just call me Switzerland.

3. The Dukes Of Stratosphear “Vanishing Girl” – New wave greats XTC had an alter ego side project in the 1980’s that recorded under the pseudonym The Dukes Of Statosphear that paid homage to 1960’s pop and psychedelia, largely under the radar of most 80’s music fans (and even to many XTC fans). One thing I’ve always loved about XTC singer/songwriter Andy Partridge is that the man knows how to craft a good pop song, and his work for the Dukes is no exception. “Vanishing Girl” could have been written and recorded by The Beatles; it is such a spot-on rendition of the sound of the 1960’s that it’s difficult to believe it was recorded in the ‘80s. This song is just flat-out enjoyable to listen to, as all good pop songs should be. If you dig the sound, check out Rhino Records’ excellent boxed set Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era – 1976-1996, for more bands that were influenced by the sound of ‘60s pop and psychedelia.

4. The Nashville Ramblers “The Trains” – While not technically a British band, this track by The Nashville Ramblers is so good coming out of “Vanishing Girl” that we’ll just look the other way and think of England. Another find from the Rhino box set mentioned in the previous pick, this obscure track by an equally as obscure band became an instant favorite the first time I heard it. Though it was recorded in 1986, it has a pure, analog, live-in-the-studio sound that makes it feel like a much older record. The music alone was enough to grab me, but the ‘60s pop-style lyrics, which convey a yearning for a particular woman who does not realize her own beauty and how it affects the singer, made a big impression on me. “How can I explain all the reasons she frightens me so / When she has the power to burn me right down to my soul…” There’s an emotional honesty in this music that isn’t easily found today.

5. Ride “Twisterella” – Shoegazers Ride offer up a bit of the ‘60s pop vibe on “Twisterella”, a single from their 1992 LP Going Blank Again. In an era of noise pop, fuzzy guitars, and often monotonous melodies, I like that Ride had a little fun among all of the musical seriousness. Though Ride is best known for their 1991 debut LP Nowhere and its chart-topping single, the excellent “Vapour Trail,” Going Blank Again is a better album with much more substance than style. After you’ve given “Twisterella” a listen, go and check out “Chrome Waves” and “Not Fazed” for some of the best pop to come out of England in the early ‘90s.

6. The Mighty Lemon Drops “Out Of Hand” – Post-punk with a slightly psychedelic edge, The Mighty Lemon Drops are overwhelmingly known to the masses for their 1986 single “My Biggest Thrill”, which I was thrilled to hear played recently at a dark alternative night at the fabulously divine Late Bar in Chicago. My fave MLD track is “Out Of Hand”, which was released as a B-side on their 1986 debut album Happy Head and later released as the title track of 1987’s Out Of Hand.

7. Passions “I’m In Love With A German Film Star” – This rarity from obscure ‘80s group Passions is one of my favorite songs of all time, any genre. Every now and again you hear a song that grabs you and holds on tight, and you’re left feeling thankful that you heard it. There’s a vague sensuality to this track that inspires a feeling of yearning in the listener, filled with all the tension of a post-punk song but none of the urgency. I’m one of the few DJs who I’ve heard spin this track, and I was thrilled to hear it played at Terminal 5 a few months ago while waiting in the crowd for Massive Attack to take the stage. I could tell that most people around me weren’t familiar with the song, but I just mouthed the words and danced to it like I was in the room all by myself.

8. Catherine Wheel “I Want To Touch You” – This song is right up there with “I’m In Love With A German Film Star” for me, another vaguely sensuous tale of yearning for someone you can’t have, set to music. Catherine Wheel’s 1992 debut release Ferment is one of the best pop/rock albums released in that era, supremely close to being one of those rare albums that can be enjoyed cover to cover. “I Want To Touch You” is one of the standout tracks, along with “Texture”, “Tumbledown”, and the heavily air-played single “Black Metallic”. Ever been into someone that you couldn’t be with, to the point where you knew you had to stay away from them? Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t have fallen in love with (as the Buzzcocks would say)? This one is for you.

9. Sugar “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” – I’m pulling out several of my favorite pop/rock songs from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s this week, so without question that includes Sugar’s “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” from their 1992 debut LP Copper Blue. My much older, much cooler cousin Jay began making mix tapes for me when I was around 15, and I was the lucky recipient of two tracks from Copper Blue that left a big impact on me; “Hoover Dam” and this playlist pick. I savored those tracks for a long time, and oddly, it was years before I went and picked up the album and realized that I had been missing out on eight other incredible tracks. For any Hüsker Dü or Bob Mould fans who didn’t realize what he was up to in the post- Dü years, this album is a must-own. (Okay, okay – also not a British band…but, if it’s flowin’, then we’re goin’.)

10. Suede “Trash” – You can’t really talk about ‘90s Britpop without including Suede, who on occasion are credited with jump-starting the entire genre. “Trash” is very reminiscent of ‘70s glam, in the vein of T-Rex and early Bowie, and would be right at home on the soundtrack of Velvet Goldmine (1998). From Suede’s 1996 release Coming Up, “Trash” is a great example of the stark contrast between Suede’s sound and the predominant musical scenes of the time (Madchester, shoegaze and the US grunge takeover), complete with decadent overtones and flamboyant lyrics in true glam rock fashion. The release of this album marked a new era in Britain’s musical wanderings, a new crop of bands with a more experimental yet accessible sound, including Pulp, Manic Street Preachers and Spiritualized.

1. The Raveonettes “Love In A Trashcan” – The Raveonettes’ sound is what happens when you have quirkily varied musical tastes and there’s zero alternative music scene in the country you live in (namely, Denmark), so you just create your own scene. With such varied influences as Buddy Holly, The Cramps, The Shangri-Las, Sonic Youth and the Everly Brothers, the vibe of a Raveonettes record makes one side of your brain feel like it’s hearing something old, while the other side is grooving on a sound that’s fresh and new. “Love In A Trashcan”, from their 2005 Pretty In Black LP, is a perfect example of this dichotomy; retro in its ‘60s surf guitars, ‘50s rockabilly groove, and the lyrical spirit of Lux Interior, but never sounding like a throwback or a copy. The best thing I’ve ever heard said about this track was when I spun it in a bar once and a guy told me that it could be the soundtrack to a knife fight between two bad girls in the 1950’s. Paging Tarantino…

2. Bitter:Sweet “Overdue” – LA’s Bitter:Sweet lays down a trashy funk groove worthy of Pam Grier on “Overdue”, my favorite track from their 2006 debut album The Mating Game. It’s hard to put a label on Bitter:Sweet’s sound, but then again it’s generally difficult these days to label music as influences are more varied and lines are so much more blurred than ever. Fans of trip-hop, jazz and lounge will definitely want to check them out. It’s a smooth groove, female-fronted funkiness with a Portishead-like purr, a kaleidoscope of styles and sounds and visions that add up to an enjoyable sonic experience. This is three martini funk.

3. Massive Attack “Five Man Army” – I keep coming back to Massive Attack’s 1991 debut album Blue Lines, to the point where I’ve usually got one song or another on repeat on a weekly basis. There are albums that leave indelible impressions on you, when you find yourself listening to something you’ve never heard before and hoping you’ll hear it again, and every time you listen to it you’re reminded of the way you felt the first time. Blue Lines is one of those albums for me, from the late-night love groove of opener “Safe From Harm”, to the faithful cover of William DeVaughn’s classic “Be Thankful For What You Got”, all the way through to the emotional tour de force of “Unfinished Sympathy”. I was feeling a little reggae groove earlier this week, so “Five Man Army” was in heavy rotation on my mp3 player. Founding member Daddy G is hugely influenced by reggae and dub styles, which feature prominently on Blue Lines, Protection (1994) and Mezzanine (1998). Just lay back on this groove, ya’ll.

4. The Paragons “Man Next Door” – Massive Attack paid homage to their influences in 2009 by releasing Protected: Massive Samples, a collection of songs they’ve sampled throughout the years, as recorded by the original artists. While it’s not a Massive Attack album, this is required listening for any MA fan or for anyone who likes to understand the history behind the genres and styles they love. This is a “who’s who” of reggae, funk, dub and soul, with classic grooves like James Brown’s “Never Can Say Goodbye”, Al Green’s “I’m Glad You’re Mine”, along with lesser known tracks by Issac Hayes, Rufus & Chaka Khan, and The Blackbyrds. Also included is “Man Next Door” by John Holt and The Paragons, originally recorded in 1967 and covered  in its entirety by Massive Attack on their 1998 masterpiece, Mezzanine.

5. M.I.A. “Sunshowers” – M.I.A.’s latest release MAYA has me longing for the down and dirty tribal backbeats and interesting electronic noises that pulsate throughout her 2005 debut, Arular. I wasn’t really a fan of M.I.A.’s back then (still not), but I’ve come to appreciate many of the standout tracks on Arular like “Galang”, “Bucky Dun Gun” and “Sunshowers”, where she uses her trademark southeast Asian-influenced dub-chatting vocal style to greatest effect. I don’t know what sort of trip she’s on these days, between the disjointed and much more commercial MAYA and her constant gaffes in the press, but she’s gotten much farther onto my radar than I really need or want her to be. Artists certainly have the right to grow artistically, but sometimes a major hit single like “Paper Planes” can swell the head and lead to songs inspired more by capitalism than by artistic soul. I don’t hate, but I don’t have to listen, either.

6. Mad Doctor X “7even” – Every now and again, I come across a track that lets me know that hip-hop is not dead; it’s just hiding out, waiting for people to tire of listening to tales of Cristal, strippers and gun battles. I tend to discover these tracks by accident, through other artists I admire. I have electro-chillout masters Nightmares On Wax to thank for introducing me to Mad Doctor X via a session they did for the DJ mix series Late Night Tales, on which well known DJs and tastemakers mix a set of songs that they love or that have influenced them. Mad Doctor X is a freestyle scratch legend in the UK, a British DJ and MC who has gone by many names. This particular track was recorded for a 2001 Son Records compilation called The Last Word, which I highly recommend for anyone looking for something other than the same old commercial hip-hop nonsense that’s plaguing the airwaves in the US. Where’s real hip-hop been hiding out? In England, apparently.

7. Leftfield “Dusted” – Yet another product of England with reggae and dub in their veins, Leftfield’s “Dusted” from their 1999 release Rhythm and Stealth is a deep, hypnotic groove with vocal duties handled by well-known British dance and house music MC, Roots Manuva. During the electronica explosion of the mid to late 1990’s, Leftfield was one of the first electronic acts to incorporate guest vocalists, something that has since become almost commonplace. The spacey intro makes this the perfect jam for bumpin’ in your galactic low-rider as you cruise out to the interstellar house party in the Milky Way. Make sure you follow it up with the extremely bangin’ “Afrika Shox” from the same album, featuring legendary hip-hop space case Afrika Bambaataa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgkoqCyYWSo

8. Shiny Toy Guns “Stripped” – LA indie/electro act Shiny Toy Guns has developed a reputation for putting their unique stamp on many beloved songs by other artists, such as Bowie’s “Major Tom”, Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”, and their cover of “Stripped” for 2005’s Goth Electro Tribute To Depeche Mode. I really enjoyed their version of “Stripped”, which takes the sensuality of the original and turns it up a notch. Shiny Toy Guns wear their affection for ‘80s pop and new wave proudly on their sleeves, synth-driven and well-tailored with back and forth boy-girl vocals reminiscent of everyone’s favorite Human League song. Personally, I would rather listen to the groups they are emulating, but I always love listening to a well-executed cover. And I’ll admit, I do love me some “Le Disko”.

9. Gary Numan “Metal” – Innovation, bizarre beauty, cold synths, and surprising emotional depth are all hallmarks of Gary Numan’s sound, light years ahead of his time at the release of his debut solo record The Pleasure Principle in 1979 and still remarkable so many years later. The late ‘70s and early ‘80s were an era of widespread musical exploration and pushing the boundaries of sound recording, and some of the results are astonishing when you consider that the technology available at the time was not nearly as robust as it became only a decade later. If anyone ever decided to remake sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis in the ‘80s (which thank goodness was never done), I would have wanted Gary Numan to do the soundtrack.

10. The Normal “Warm Leatherette” – This song is a great example of the power of the DIY music culture in England in the early days of the post-punk era. Released in 1978, The Normal consisted of one man (Daniel Miller) who recorded it as a B-side to “T.V.O.D.” in his home, on relatively primitive equipment, and released it himself as the first record on his own Mute Records label. It sold 30,000 copies, and Mute would go on to become one of the “big three” independent record labels of the post-punk era, which included the infamous Factory Records and Rough Trade. Mute Records made a name for itself by signing some of the most innovative acts of the era, including post-punk, industrial, and new wave pioneers like Throbbing Gristle, Nitzer Ebb, Cabaret Voltaire, Einstürzende Neubauten, Depeche Mode and Erasure. “Warm Leatherette” isn’t the most accessible song, but whenever I hear it I’m thankful for the vision of one man which ultimately led to my being able to consume so much amazing music.

Cabaret Voltaire

1. APB “Shoot You Down” – The approach of Fall always puts me in a mood for the classic alternative rock that I tend to stow away during the Summer months, though these beloved genres are always close at hand. In recent years, there has been an unprecedented return to the experimental sounds of the post-punk era (1978 to 1985-ish), as everyone from Bloc Party to The Killers to Interpol falls all over themselves to proclaim a youth steeped in the likes of Gang Of Four, Pigbag, Scritti Politti and Joy Division. Some might call it just another case of everything old becoming new again, but as this is an era of music that I love, I’ve given it a good listen and for the most part, I like what I’m hearing. This week, I explore old and newer favorites from or inspired by the post-punk era, beginning with cult favorite Scottish punk/funk band APB’s extremely groovy “Shoot You Down”. If you can ever manage to get your hands on it, their sole studio album (1985’s Cure For The Blues) is a raucous, joyous listen, filled with bass grooves, tight high-hat rhythms and punchy lyrics.

2. Radio 4 “Enemies Like This” – The signature guitar riff makes a comeback at the beginning of this urgent opening track from NYC-based Radio 4’s 2006 album of the same name, and it creates a tension that drives this track home for me every time. Tension and urgency are hallmarks of post-punk era rock, as if bands felt that they had only a short time to express an important topic in a meaningful way, and they wanted to rock out while doing it – a formidable and oft-copied template forged by Gang of Four’s legendary 1979 debut album, Entertainment!. In fact, Radio 4 have often compared themselves to Gang Of Four and cites them as a major influence, along with Mission Of Burma and The Clash, although I can only hear The Clash’s influence in Radio 4’s militant political rhetoric. Modern music media has described Radio 4’s sound as “danceable punk”, which makes me wonder if these people are familiar with original post-punk and punk/funk music or if they think they’re creating a new genre. It’s a little bit like missing the forest for the trees.

3. Cut City “The Dull Miles” – I’m not sure what it is about nouveau post-punk bands that lead them to begin almost every song with a prolonged attack on a single note via guitar, but I’ll forgive Cut City on this one because once they get on with it, the track is stellar. This Swedish group’s 2007 debut LP Exit Decades has the feel of 1980’s post-punk and the atmosphere of 1990’s shoegaze, but it’s no retro rip-off; Cut City manages to take old ideas and make them sound fresh and new. “The Dull Miles” is like a variation on the musical theme introduced by Joy Division’s “Disorder”, and J.D. fans will hear its echo in the opening chords and the beginning of each verse. I can fully appreciate it when a band clearly learns from those who came before them, while taking care to admire them as opposed to trying to become them.

4. Joe Jackson “Sunday Papers” – Most people probably wouldn’t automatically consider Joe Jackson to be post-punk, and strictly speaking, he doesn’t fit into the various stereotypical post-punk molds that our ears are used to; however, both his debut album Look Sharp! and its follow up I’m The Man were released in 1979 amidst the spectacular flameout of punk and the emergence of the funkier, cleaner and more intelligent sound that became the cornerstone of the early post-punk era. Jackson had the lyrical sarcasm of punk, the outwardly critical nature of the post-punk set, and a reggae/funk influence that drives “Sunday Papers” among others, though he chose to focus his sarcasm and critical wit on human relations as opposed to political relations. Much of Jackson’s later work falls squarely in the new wave camp (think “Steppin’ Out”) and for the most part is not nearly as enjoyable as Look Sharp! or I’m The Man, particularly the latter album’s title track, which features that trademark urgent tempo and running bassline found in so much of the music of the post-punk era. The lyrics to “Sunday Papers” in particular are Jackson at his best, slyly skewering the media for broadcasting everyone’s business to the masses.

5. Scritti Politti “The Word Girl” – For bands like Scritti Politti, politics and music were inextricably linked in the original post-punk era, and the bands’ influences in those areas were usually worn plainly on their sleeves in the form of names or lyrics. Leftist, often Marxist stances were common; in particular, these were typical character traits of bands that sprang from the musically fertile Leeds, England art school scene. But while Scritti Politti began in that vein (their name is an homage to an Italian Marxist theorist and their early work is filled with scholarly references to famously radical thinkers and philosophers), by the time they released “The Word Girl” from Cupid And Psyche 85 (1985) they were much more mainstream and new-wave-oriented than the very typical post-punk amalgam of punk, funk, dub and avant garde jazz presented on their debut album Songs To Remember (1982). Yet, this has been my favorite Scritti track since my cousin included it on a mix tape for me in 1989.

6. Bloc Party “Like Eating Glass” – I was not a fan of Bloc Party when they suddenly and completely took over the airwaves and concert halls of America in 2005. I vividly remember going to one of DJ Michael T.’s Motherfucker parties at NYC’s (now defunct) Roxy nightclub in late 2005 and being disgusted to find that Bloc Party was not only performing, but also being taped by MTV, who forced everyone to sign an image use waiver at the door. The reason for my disgust? Here was a band resurrecting the sound of Gang Of Four, dormant for two decades, but doing so by acting as a mirror image instead of paying tribute. Even their name was a reflection of the Marxist leanings of early post-punk era bands. Bloc Party sounded fresh and new to the ears of inexperienced music fans looking for the next cool sound, but only because many did not realize that this sound had already made its mark. In retrospect, while I’m still not a fan, even I have to admit that Bloc Party did help to re-open the door for innovative rock music in the post-rock wasteland of the late 2000’s, and ultimately I can’t hate on anyone who is inspired by post-punk. Besides, this song does kick some ass (even if it does have the aforementioned prototypical long-assed single-note intro).

7. Hole “Credit In The Straight World” – Anyone wondering where Hole’s sound came from need look no further than punk and post-punk, right down to covering obscure tracks by obscure post-punk bands like Young Marble Giants’ “Credit In The Straight World” (from their 1980 debut LP Colossal Youth). Hole’s cover more than just does justice to the original, and it’s a tense and urgent crescendo at the midpoint of the heavily punk and post-punk-inspired Live Through This (1994). Hole’s post-punk influences can be heard loud and clear on intense rockers like “Violet” and “Jennifer’s Body”, where the style of bass player Melissa Auf Der Maur changes up to a punk/funk groove and there is a sense of immediacy in the guitar work. I actually backed into my love of classic punk and post-punk thanks to albums like Live Through This, late to a party that has since taken up permanent residence in my soul.

8. Au Pairs “Love Song” – The post-punk topic du jour for the Au Pairs was gender roles and relations, which they alternately mocked and highlighted on their 1981 debut record Playing With A Different Sex. Like many albums of this era, it can get a little monotonous when taken as a whole but it contains standout tracks like “Love Song”, which pokes fun at the concept of love and marriage as a negotiated business deal and has that signature punk/funk groove. The Au Pairs are one of those groups that you hear at one point in your life, love them, and then forget about them completely, only to rediscover them years later when you’re working on a post-punk playlist for the Whiskey Dregs. Well…you get the picture.

9. Cabaret Voltaire “Just Fascination” – One of the more avant garde and artistic bands to come out of England in the post-punk era, Cabaret Voltaire is typically claimed by the industrial music set but in many ways they defy classification. As with many British post-punk era bands, Cabaret Voltaire was inspired by an artistic movement from the early 20th century (Dadaism, in their case) and much of their earliest work was more like performance art than music. Cabaret Voltaire was obsessed with sound creation and processing, inventing new sounds and pushing the boundaries of whatever technology was available at the time. This track from their 1983 LP The Crackdown was a more commercial sound for C.V., though in relation to the commercial music of today it actually sounds very industrial, progressive and unique. This sort of groundbreaking innovation was the beauty of the post-punk era.

10. Ministry “All Day” – This early B-side to Ministry’s iconic anti-establishment anthem “Every Day Is Halloween” hints at the darker, more industrial side of Ministry that was to come following their 1983 full-length debut With Sympathy – a terrific album that Al Jourgensen would sell his soul to wipe off the planet forever. With Sympathy is Al’s dark little secret, the evidence of his brief post-punk, pre-hardcore industrial foray into synth-pop territory. I find most post-1989 Ministry to be difficult to endure, and it makes me long for a return to the early Ministry years. You can hear the use of machinery noise samples on “All Day”, something that was common to many of the pioneering industrial and electronic bands in the post-punk era, such as Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb, Kraftwerk and Throbbing Gristle. The melodic and danceable elements that make this track so much fun to listen to are completely obliterated on later Ministry work, but fortunately the early Wax Trax singles have been compiled into an anthology and are still available (much to Al’s chagrin).