Photography by Ashley Rossi

When this band eventually appears 10 feet tall from all of the success they’ve gained, you can tell your buddies, and younger siblings that you knew about Hank

and Cupcakes way before they found out. Here’s the video for their latest single, “She’s Lost Control.” If you haven’t seen them live yet, do so. Music video directed by Casey Randerson.

Two Worlds Collide EP

Freebass
Two Worlds Collide EP
Hacienda Records

As the story is told, Freebass, a band formed around three bassists came about during a drunken night between legendary denizens of the Manchester scene Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order) and Gary Mounfield (Primal Scream). In interviews Hook has been quoted as saying that the band was a reaction to both his and Mounfield’s bands being in a lengthy hiatuses. Andy Rourke (The Smiths) was recruited to join up with the general idea that Mounfield would play the lower parts, Rourke would be somewhere in the middle and Hook would play the higher registers. Interestingly, when the news came out that Rourke, Hook and Mounfield were collaborating, I remember that there were a lot of critics and fans who dismissed the effort as being ridiculous and downright laughable. Initially, the Manchester based group wanted to recruit a bunch of different singers to sing songs – and the list reportedly included Billy Corgan and Liam Gallagher. Both of which probably wouldn’t have worked well anyway. After all, the project flies in the face of all known rock and pop conventions. And, as a general rule supergroups are viewed – at least by critics – with a healthy level of suspicion and derision.

It took several years but when the Two Worlds Collide EP dropped, I suspect that there were critics across the world who stifled guffaws and rolled their eyes. And although we critics are a cynical and jaded lot, I think it’s a bit difficult to immediately dismiss this EP. Sure a song like “You Don’t Know This About Me” sounds a lot like Get Ready-era New Order but if they continued without Bernard Sumner singing lead – at least up until the bridge which sounds a bit like it could have come from an old Stone Roses or Primal Scream song before ending abruptly. “Milky Way” is reminiscent of the Stone Roses with the same sort of jangling, shimmering rhythm guitars. “Death Starr” is by the far the most original sounding song on the entire EP. Some terribly pretentious poetry recited by Howard Marks in a Vincent Price-inspired vocal performance are backed with a propulsive bass line that pulls the song forward. The beginning of the song reminds me of “Come With Us,” the lead track on the Chemical Brothers’ Come With Us album. Both songs channel some avant garde tendencies. To the song’s credit it kind of works in a rather unexpected way. “Live Tomorrow,” sounds a lot like Power, Corruption and Lies-era New Order, full of synthesizers, drum machines, electronic blips and boops, as guitar and bass are played with what sounds like delay pedal and slight reverb. It’s all funky, danceable while being expectedly trippy and industrial but at the same time, not terribly original.

Two Worlds Collide seems to depend heavily on the winning formulas of beloved and legendary Manchester bands which is wonderful – if you want to hear Primal Scream, New Order and the Stone Roses or songs that sound a bit like an organic mishmash of all three. It’s abundantly clear Rourke, Hook and Mounfield have a natural chemistry and simpatico throughout the record. The songs feel as though the band was having fun which is probably something you might not be able to say about the last New Order album, for example. However, that simpatico doesn’t always equal growth as musicians or as a band. The album feels a bit stalled in the great reputations and efforts of their collective pasts. Because I’ve been a fan of all three of their bands, it’s encouraging to see these three are at it again these days, but it’ll be interesting to see where this leads the band. Until then, Freebass may sadly be a mildly interesting footnote in Manchester music history and for the careers of Rourke, Hook and Mountfield.

Release Date: March 26, 2010

Song List:

1.    Intro
2.    You Don’t Know (This About Me) feat. Tim Burgess
3.    The Milky Way feat. Pete Wylie
4.    Dark Starr feat. Howard Marks
5.    Live Tomorrow You Go Down
6.    That’s Life

It’s 7:15PM. Celia Cruz returns from the dead and sings through the speakers; the sunshine beams through the windows, which are open. I can hear feet on the sidewalks, walking slowly. The rhythm of conga and piano reminds me of the little island where I was born, but I want to hear the sound of Manchester, England or what I think is Manchester, England but it doesn’t matter. Like Tony Wilson said, “If you have to choose between the truth and the legend, choose the legend.”

In my legend, all they play in Manchester is “Madchester”, Joy Division, New Order, and the throbbing vibrations of rave music, dance music, house music. My iPod is connected to the mixer of Angels and Kings; the music of Celia Cruz slinks back into the grave.

In forty-five minutes, Dave Haslam, Hacienda DJ, among other prestigious titles, will be onstage to present his discussion. I’m drinking a Jack and ginger. I ask the bartender if we can rearrange the positions of a bench.

She tells the bouncer to help me move all of the seats. I expect only 15-20 people so I tell him not to move all of them.

We move all of them.

The place looks like a proper room for a lecture about Joy Division, New Order, and everything else. A room overstuffed with seats in the front to accomodate only my projected 15-20.

By 7:45, there are nearly forty in the room. Maybe more.

Dave Haslam @ Glasslands on 4/3

I introduce Dave to his audience, which comprises many people I’ve never met. I can barely get the words out of my mouth to list off his accomplishments to the  audience. I make no mention of my name (Jenn pointed this out to me). I’m a standing body in the spotlight, like a mannequin. But when I say “Dave Haslam”, everyone cheers. He walks onto the stage, away from the spotlight so that half his body is concealed in a long shadow. I should have done that.

Some of the writers for The Whiskey Dregs are in the room. Some friends. There’s Simon Reynolds and a guy who looks like Richard Belzer but it’s not him.

He begins with Ian Curtis’ death — the why and how. Then some history behind Manchester — the whys and hows of an industrial age giant, crumbling before the feet of its once prosperous citizens. Dave says we have cities like this, too like Chicago and Detroit. More like Detroit. He says the echo of the collapsing ruins was Joy Division’s music. He talks about other things, too. I’m completely engaged. It’s like listening to the first story I ever heard. It’s because I love this music and I love what it did for me throughout my life, like kissing a girl to “Blue Monday” when I was in high school or hearing the synthesizers wail on “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in Donnie Darko.

Dave talks about the last show they played before Ian hanged himself. There were 300 people in the room — no indication this band would stretch their influence beyond their generation or beyond genre because they had no genre. Just like Manchester, Dave says, the city no longer had industry and were left with a voice. A pained, dark, working class voice.

After his lecture and hardy, enthusiastic applause, he takes questions. Hands raise and then more hands but then I cut off the questions, otherwise Dave would still be asnwering questions and missed his flight back to Manchester. Dave might not have all of the answers, although it almost seemed as if he did; the possibility of learning about your favorite bands from someone else’s qualified and intimate perspective is enough.

Photo by Angel Ceballos

It’s so easy to get caught in the tempest of hyped albums, especially with the surge of music bloggers, trolling indie labels for the next big record. Most fall short (See: Kool Kids). Then there are some albums that are denied a full onslaught of media coverage. Let’s change that.

Warpaint’s Exquisite Corpse (2009) is hypnotic, melodic, rhythmic, and beautiful. Oh man, screw this. I really can’t wait for you to hear for yourself. Just listen to the link posted below.

(A full review of this E.P. will be posted soon on our site.)

Notable songs:

1. “Stars”
2. “Elephants”
3. “Krimson”

Bands of the same vein:

Cocteau Twins, Editors, Joy Division, Interpol

The Damned

By Jenn Sussman aka Belladonna

1. El Michels Affair “C.R.E.A.M.” – I felt that the playlist needed a chill intro track this week, and who better to lay down a mellow groove than the originators of the cinematic soul sound, the Brooklyn-based El Michels Affair. After the release in 2004 of the much buzzed-about Sounding Out The City LP on his own Truth & Soul Records label, EMA founder and musician Leon Michels was approached by Scion Motors about a collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan lyricist Raekwon as part of their Metro concert series. The combination worked so well that it not only led to a tour with Raekwon but also to a full-length EMA album of instrumental funk/soul versions of classic Wu-Tang tracks called Enter the 37th Chamber. Devoted Wu-Tang heads will no doubt recognize the track featured here, but even those who don’t are still welcome to enter this chamber of chill.

2. Brazilian Girls “Homme” – I’m still feeling the chilled out vibe after that opening track, so I’m gonna head down this chill path a bit towards a favorite of mine by the beguiling Brazilian Girls. Incorporating reggae, jazz, bossa nova, pop and electronic styles into their infectious grooves, the Girls are actually made up mostly of guys…and not a single one of them is Brazilian. Fronted by multi-lingual vocalist Sabina Sciubba, they’ve been keeping the groove going from dance floors to boudoirs since 2004. Their self-titled debut album contains one of my favorite dance tracks of all time, “Sirenes de la Fete”, as well as two of my favorite chillout tracks, “Lazy Lover” and the track featured on this week’s playlist. Sung completely in French, “Homme” is about the motivations of the heart and the lies we tell each other (and ourselves) to justify those motivations. Très humain.

3. Goldfrapp “A&E” – If you’ve ever felt like you needed to be rushed to the emergency room after a bad breakup, you’ll understand exactly where Alison Goldfrapp is coming from on this track from her 2008 album, Seventh Tree. This emotional track was inspired by Goldfrapp’s own trip to “accident and emergency” (the British version of the ER), where a high dose of painkillers altered her reality and opened the door for this metaphor of a song. It’s honest, it’s beautiful, and it’s here for your enjoyment in both its original form and remixed by Hercules and Love Affair for those who prefer to dance their blues away.

4. Kool Keith “Master of the Game” – There aren’t too many brothers walking around in Elvis wigs, worshipping the color green, and waxing poetic about outer space. In fact, there’s probably only one, but that’s all we need. One of the weirdest characters in hip-hop and owner of one of the best flows in hip-hop, Kool Keith was a founding member of seminal hip-hop group Ultramagnetic MC’s and later went on to create and portray many oddball characters, including Dr. Octagon (check out the very cool “Blue Flowers” from 1996’s Dr. Octagonecologyst), Ultra, Dr. Dooom and Keith Kong alongside such notable names as Dan The Automator, DJ Qbert and Ice-T. Whatever alias he records under, Keith’s albums are always thematic and always a trip. Cover to cover, there aren’t many avant-garde hip-hop albums better than 1999’s Black Elvis/Lost in Space, where this playlist track resides. Prepare to get weird.

5. Mindless Self Indulgence “Bitches” – The only way I can describe MSI’s debut release, 2000’s Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy, is to call it insanity on a disc. The 30 short tracks, arranged in alphabetical order, are literally the only orderly thing about this group; their musical style, song structure, album art and fashion aesthetic are wacked-out, wild and completely over-the-top. Even singer Jimmy Urine’s vocal style is all over the map, a crazed combination of melody, naughty little boy and banshee over a kaleidoscope of rock, punk and electronica over hip-hop beats. Many NYC folk (myself included) have a special place in their hearts for MSI because of manager/producer (DJ) “Saint” James Galus, who manned the decks at Mother and others in the Meatpacking District and the LES in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, before yuppies and high-end retailers took over the neighborhood. But more importantly, bitches love them ‘cause they know that they can rock…and, because they sample Siouxsie on killer tracks like this one.

6. EMF “Search and Destroy” – This week, I’m giving double props by selecting a killer cover done by one of my favorite underappreciated bands, of a song originally recorded by a legend headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the one and only Iggy Pop. EMF (aka Epsom Mad Funkers) are best known for the so-so mid-90’s smash “Unbelievable”, but believe me when I say that absolutely every other song they ever did was 100 times better. This particular track is rare and only available on a greatest hits compilation, but those who are down for a trip back in time to some unexplored territory should pick up EMF’s 1991 debut album, Schubert Dip – and anyone wondering where Muse got their sound from should look no further than EMF’s unbelievably good 1992 release Stigma, which has a permanent spot in my top ten favorite albums of all time/all genres.

7. Gang of Four “I Love A Man In Uniform (rerecorded version)” – Formed out of the musically fertile art school scene in Leeds, England in the late 1970’s, at a time when political undercurrents in song lyrics were as common as choruses, Gang of Four were outspoken icons of the post-punk movement. Their landmark 1979 debut release Entertainment! was unlike anything that had been released before it, combining elements of punk, funk, dub and reggae, and it placed Gang of Four at the forefront of a new sound rising out of a generation of Brits raised on poverty, depression and the threat of cold war. Originally released on 1982’s Songs of the Free, “I Love A Man In Uniform” offers a tongue-in-cheek tale of a man who joins the military not out of a sense of duty or honor, but because he thinks that it will make him seem more attractive and confident to his woman. I’ve selected my favorite version from Gang of Four’s 2009 rework, Return The Gift.

8. V.A.S.T. “Pretty When You Cry” – Another of my top ten favorite albums of all time/all genres, V.A.S.T.’s 1998 debut Visual Audio Sensory Theater marked the beginning of my love affair with a band that makes me fall in love all over again with every album they release. The brainchild of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Crosby, V.A.S.T.’s signature sound is rock-based but with layers of goth, ethereal and classical styles over Gregorian chants and assorted devotional vocal samples. Their sound has changed and grown a bit over time with excellent releases like Music For People, Nude and Turquoise & Crimson, and with Crosby side projects like Generica and Bang Band Six, but the V.A.S.T. foundation is always there. I’ve seen V.A.S.T. in concert four times, and every V.A.S.T. fan I come across (which, strangely, always feels a bit like finding a soul-mate) loves them as much as I do. I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite V.A.S.T. song, so I’ll give you the one that recently got me free drinks for the evening when I spun it in earshot of a surprised and grateful bartender.

9. Joy Division “Leaders of Men” – A candle burns eternally in the heart of every goth and post-punk fan for this beloved British band, whose singer died far too young at the insistence of his own internal torment. The late Ian Curtis and his bandmates (who would later become seminal new wave group New Order) left behind many memorable tracks despite their brief career, my favorite of which is featured on this week’s playlist. In the wake of the passing into law of healthcare reform legislation by a government that did not ask the wishes of the people it represents, it seemed fitting to select a track that questions our personal identity, the choices that are made for us, and how quickly things can get out of control. Speaking of control, after you’ve checked out every Joy Division song ever recorded, take a walk in Ian’s world by watching Anton Corbijn’s stark black and white 2007 biopic Control, based on the memoirs of Ian’s wife Deborah.

10. The Damned “Absinthe” – In the latter part of an on-again, off-again career spanning over 25 years, punk-goth-rockabilly-cabaret chameleons The Damned released the extremely rockin’ Grave Disorder (2001). An ode to la fee verte, “Absinthe” begins with a sampled intro of Gary Oldman’s Count Dracula speaking passionately about the wicked green elixir. I couldn’t possibly put it any better than Damned singer Dave Vanian does when he croons, “Come taste this lunacy / You’re blinded by the Green Fairy / Creeping out of your glass into your mind, then you can’t really see / I can take all of your fears / Transform the way you feel / Welcome to the spirit world where all your dreams are real…”. Grab a spoon, a spigot and a sugar cube and drink up, children. (p.s. For a great spooky trilogy, play this track with Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” and The Animal’s “House of the Rising Sun”.)

As a DJ, historian, journalist, and author Haslam, was an active participant of the music scene throughout the “Madchester” movement and will give us a unique glimpse into the world that inspired everyone from U2 to Interpol. He is also one of the lucky few who attended Joy Division’s last performance.

Grab a drink with us and consider all of those bands you like. The ones who stare face-forward into the floor beneath the soles of their shoes; they had a beginning, too — one that can be traced from their shoelaces to the roots of Manchester, where, among the economically depressed ruin of an industrial town, a band kicked a hole through the fabric of Rock and Roll. This night will be dedicated to the bands and scene that started it all.

FROM JOY DIVISION TO NEW ORDER: A Discussion With Dave Haslam
@ Angels and Kings
FREE
8PM-9PM
500 East 11th Street
Between Avenue A and B

RSVP Here

Dave Haslam’s official bio

DJ Dave Haslam made his reputation DJ-ing over 450 times at the
legendary Hacienda club; being invited to open for a host of bands,
including the Stone Roses and New Order; and writing for a variety of
magazines including the ‘NME’, and ‘The Face’ and publishing three
books.

During the mid-1980s Haslam was involved in live music in Manchester;
he presented Sonic Youth’s first headlining gig in Manchester, and
afterwards the band slept on the floor of his apartment.
He made his debut at the Hacienda on May 1st 1986. Playing an
eclectic mix of music, his Thursday night became the focus for
Madchester’s indie dance fraternity. Ian Brown, Tim Burgess and the
Chemical Brothers all later credited the night as an inspiration. In
1989 it was described as “the best club night in Britain” by the
‘NME’.

He DJ-ed at the Hacienda, mostly Thursdays and Saturdays throughout
the ‘Madchester’ years in the late 1980s, and returned to play at the
club in 1996; he was on the wheels of steel on the last night of the
club on June 28th 1997.

In 1990 he toured America with Mike Pickering, Graeme Park, and Paul
Oakenfold (his gigs in Detroit and Chicago remain among his favourite
ever gigs). Since the early 1990s he has hosted a variety of
successful club nights in Manchester. During the early 1990s he
travelled to Ibiza, Switzerland and France playing Italian piano
anthems and bleepy Warp remixes. In Berlin in 1993, he played
alongside Paul van Dyk at the famous E-Werk club. Haslam was
nominated one of the top 100 DJ’s in the world by ‘DJ’ magazine in
1993, and won ‘City Life’ DJ of the Year in 1994. He DJ-ed at the
first ‘Creamfields’ (in 1998) and latest (2008).

He appeared in the film ‘Twenty Four Hour Party People’, and has also
cooked cauliflower cheese for Morrissey; confused a TV presenter live
on Icelandic TV in a conversation about Moby; and written three books
(‘Manchester England’, ‘Adventures on the Wheels of Steel; the Rise
of the Superstar DJs’ and ‘Not Abba; the Real Story of the 1970s’).

He currently hosts ‘Sweet Sensation’ nights – fabulous, but
infrequent guest-list only parties at various venues in Manchester.
He describes his DJing philosophy as “playing the best records ever
made one after the other” and his style as “eclectic”; he has been
described as “a hero of the Manchester scene” and “the man with
golden ears”.

His recent gigs have included the after-party for the Manchester film
premiere of ‘Control’, a new wave night at Nouveau Casino in Paris
(highlight; Haslam playing ‘French Disko’ by Stereolab and then
pirouetting in the dancefloor), and a Gorillaz aftershow party
(highlight; Damon Albarn standing on a chair singing along to ‘White
Man in Hammersmith Palais’). In May 2008 he played two nights at
‘Aura’ in Lima (Peru), and has since travelled to play in Geneva,
Berlin, and Paris.

50 then 60 then 70. Holy hell if there isn’t a better reason to celebrate the sunshine than with a rooftop party.

It’s been a busy week, which put a hold on any useless drivel I would have written. Well, I have a couple minutes today to write useless drivel so happy days again.

I envied Caribbeans these last few months, savoring the sunshine, which permitted them to go into the water without fear of frostbite or pneumonia. I’ve been trapped indoors for most of this season’s run, bitching about the cold, teetering between suicidal tendencies and mania. One shouldn’t require a handle of liquor to medicate their blues.

Well that’s all over now. Thank you.

On to the next. Spring is here and — bam — just happens that I’m DJing on the eve of winter’s last bloody stand. Hopefully I’ll see you there?

Angels and Kings
500 East 11th St.
btn A and B

I’m continuing forth with my indie and rock and roll remixes — but it’s only because the girls look so cute dancing together beneath the disco ball.  Here’s what I’m playing tomorrow night:

1. Does It Offend You, Yeah? “Dawn of the Dead (Station X Remix) (I love the original but played it out. Finding remixes like this one helps with ear fatigue.)
2. Coldplay “Viva La Vida (Thin White Duke Remix)” (It’s for the kids in the back who are sitting down and need “something they can dance to” — bleh!)
3. Editors “Munich” (Paul Van Dyk loves this song so much that he put it on his top 10 list. Hey! Me too!!!)
4. Erik Hassle “Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix)” (A little soulful. A little funky. A little electro. A lot of good.)
5. Joy Division “Control (D. Ramirez Remix) (<—What?! This is the best remix of any JD song I’ve heard. Completely respectful and current.)
6. Gossip “Yr Mangled Heart” (What’s a night at AK without Gossip?)
7. Duran Duran “Girls on Film (Night Version)” (I have no idea what “Night Version” means but I dig this lots)
8. Lykke “Breaking It Up (Punks Jump Up Remix)” (This is truly a jumpy little number.)
9. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son (Bird Peterson Remix)” (Hard to find a good remix of this song. I think I found it finally.)
10. David Bowie “Rebel Rebel (Soulwax Re-Edit)” (Just take a guess about how good this is. Go ahead. Guess.)

Old School Ice T

By Nico Lustgarten

Be careful what you wish for.

My wish was to never play hip hop again. I thought it was unrealistic but I think the audience might be more sophisticated than I thought.

Or maybe we’re just out of touch.

I doubt this, however as evidenced by the manifold shit that has been broadcast from, what I hope to be, the last screaming beacons of unintelligible hip hop. I hope that to not confuse this with some of the statesmen of this genre such as Jay Z or Common or even Black Eyed Peas.

Yes, I’ve heard alternative hip hop. Some people will list the Cool Kids as an example but how many times did we listen to their album before chucking it into that virtual void of mediocrity?

It’s not that I don’t like hip hop. I just don’t like what it’s become. Put on some old Nas, Wu-Tang, Tribe, Ghostface, Biggie, and even Tupac to see me get into the mood.

I wonder if I’m just out of touch but I don’t think so.

I knew standards had been lowered when 50 Cent was listed among some of the greatest rappers of all time. It didn’t feel right to call him that. When Lil Wayne started amassing fame, fortune, and critical praise, I knew it was over. Not that I’m a total hater because I’m not. It’s easier to swallow to just consider his voice as an instrument rather than a conduit for sloppy rap lyrics. If I were him, I’d never boast about my freestyle ability.

“Call me Mr. Flintstone. I can make your bed rock.” (really?)

Yeah, sometimes I want to hear that b-boy beat drop, and there are ways around it, such as mash-ups and classic funk tracks. Listening to a rapper lean into the beat and spew a lyrics that express his intellect and experience is akin to feeling the bass of a jazz song rumble your heart free of its steady and predictable beat. I guess that’s what I’d rather hear. Fortunately, I think that’s what a lot of others would rather hear, too.

We’ll see which way the vibe blows this Saturday. Maybe the other stuff won’t adequately satiate moods but at least I will pay attention to those concerns even if it’s answered with a classic track.

Anyway, on to some of what I’ll be playing tonight.

1. Human League “Don’t You Want Me? (Computer Club Edit)
2. Depeche Mode “Enjoy the Silence (Ewan Pearson Remix)”
3. The Cure “Love Song (Diplo Mix)”
4. Ellie Goulding “Starry Eyed”
5. Penguin Prison “Something I’m Not (Krispin Korg Remix)”
6. Little Boots “Meddle (Baron Von Luxxury Technicolor Remix)”
7. New Order “Blue Monday (Patrick Wayne Remix)”
8. The Smiths “How Soon is Now? (Mark Ronson Remix)”
9. Franz Ferdinand “No Your Girls (Trentmoller Remix)”
10. Sia “Buttons (CSS Remix)”

2. Glasvegas “It’s My Own Cheating Heart that Makes Me Cry” – Talk about anguish…this song really says something about that. If you can imagine yourself in an ice cavern, while mournful ’50s-influenced guitars strum resonate between the walls and a somber rockin’ hook, add a dash of self-inflicted heartbreak then you’re hearing what this song is about. Terrifyingly beautiful.

3. Phoenix “Fences” – This band surely compensates their French-ness with this easy going tune that reminds me of the best summertime activities – relaxation, dance, and sun. A lot has been said about this band and it’s pretty much right on. Guitar tickles under the skin while guided by a 4/4 thumping and a roving bass line. It’s sugary sweet. Drink.

4. Kelley Polar “Entropy Reigns (In the Celestial City)” – “Entropy Reigns” reminds me of last year but it has found its way into my summer playlist. There’s something very Long Island City about this song, the way that Polar croons side to side with a lovely sounding woman and bouncy bass line, catchy chorus, stabbed with touches of electronica. You can imagine partying with the city without actually being a part of it – just a long line of urban structure and that’s what this song is.

5. New Order “Regret” – An introduction to this tune is hardly needed. It is, however, one of those song titles that you look at and go, “what song is this???” but once you hear it, you’ll say, “Oooooh! That song!” Yes, that song. The song is about…err…regret but the lyrics aren’t the highlight of this tune, it’s the amalgamation of dance beat with an anthemic guitar riff that is done in a way hardly matched today (Deastro being one of the exceptions).

6. Joy Division “Sound of Music” – The origins of New Order are here with the same members minus the venerable voice of Ian Curtis – and yet the two bands couldn’t be more different if you pounded both styles into each other. “Sound of Music” isn’t what you think of in a summer song but there is something defiantly pleasing about the rollicking drums and shameless vocals of Curtis that can inspire some indecent dancing.

7. Ghostland Observatory “Cause a Scene” – If causing a scene means dancing on someone’s grave then I get it. Regardless of the strong electronic presence, the song remains rooted in a 1960s horror garage sound. The foot stomping beat and mean bass drops the gravity in your ears, making them pop. Fun, fun, fun.

[VIDEO NOT FOUND]

8. The Horrors “Gloves” – Yeah, I’m going back a few for this one but it doesn’t mean it isn’t fun anymore. Any prediction of the Horrors going the way of the Animals would’ve been moot if it wasn’t for the recent release of Primary Colours. The Horrors play their own horrible tricks and can be a soundtrack for a fun butcher who likes to roll around with his collection of cleaved appendages.

9. The Prodigy “Warrior’s Dance” – After years of searching for a new sound, the Prodigy are back with this year’s Invaders Must Die. The return of Liam’s gut-wrenching drum and bass sound, sped vocals, and rockin’ groove has proved that the thing he was looking for was there the entire time. “Warrior’s Dance” is one of the highlights of this collection filled with gems – and once you hear it, you’ll understand why it was given such a provocative title. This song is the declaration of an entire summer of dancing wildly around a bonfire with a bunch of strangers.

10. MGMT “Electric Feel” – Given the cabal of great music that has come out in the last couple years, sometimes you skip over some of its best albums. As I rediscover MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular, I am finding why it’s such a lovable record. After being beaten over the head (willfully) with “Kids” and “A Time to Pretend”, I was glad to explore “Electric Feel” more; with its funky grooves, shoulder massaging chorus. The space of reverb between the wall of the recording studio and the vocals force a little karaoke session out of your soul. Enjoy.

2. Talk Talk “It’s My Life (Remix)” – I believe this remix was released in the ‘80s. Although No Doubt did a justifiable cover of this song, it still doesn’t compete with this remix. It’s pretty much the same song but with a pumped mix that is dance floor ready.

3. Joy Division “Transmission” – This band, who is arguably the Beatles of post-punk, have influenced a wide range of artists, including Bono, who has stated in the past that there would be no U2 without Joy Division. This is a good sample of Joy Division’s work but it’s not their best, which is not saying a lot because so much is so good.

4. Pavement “Serpentine Pad” – Quirky antics, loud guitars, cha-cha-cha interstices? Nice. Corporate angst at its most fun.

5. Teddybears “Punkrocker (featuring Iggy Pop)” – I wish I cared enough to investigate this band further but I don’t have it in me, oddly enough. This song is one of those tunes you crank while driving on an endlessly open road, with the headlights off at night, using the moon and stars to guide you to oblivion just like Columbus.

6. Deastro “The Green Harbor” – I also wrote an article about this 22 year old from Detroit for Consequence of Sound, which was a unique opportunity to catch a talent on the rise. There are not many things more satisfying than discovering new music and I hope that you get to find this tune somewhere for your listening pleasure. This airy, indie-electronic pop (whew) is an example of what you can look forward to.

7. Led Zeppelin “Houses of the Holy” – Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder is pissed. Why’s he pissed? Because his band gets included with a lot of shitty indie bands who receive more positive reviews than they deserve. He said that bands like Led Zeppelin were bashed for putting out music that would be considered prodigious today. Very true and here’s an instance of what he was talking about.

8. Cut Copy “Out There On The Ice” – Sure, they aren’t that original when considering ‘80s pop and ‘90s house music but goddam, they’re good. This track was released on In Ghost Colours and it’s only a little gem amongst gems. This dance-star hit is festooned with a riding bassline, cheesy lyrics, and organ stabs – welcome to neue new wave.

9. Ministry “Burning Inside” – Heroin riddled Al Jourgensen and co. when they were at their pinnacle of creative zeal. It’s amazing that you can still plug this song into any stereo, crank it to 11, and can still feel the same burn you felt the first time, except on this go-round, you know the chorus. Set the world on fire.

10. The Horrors “Draw Japan” – OK, I had a case of the ethical blues while considering whether or not to include this song. It may seem that I’m on these guys’ dicks by posting a favorable review of their latest effort and including them on a previous top 10 but I can’t help it. This zombie rock tune was from their debut, Strange House. Pick up this album and their latest and write me in the morning.