Here's a link to the archive of the show as well as a link to the playlist.
And we come to yet another episode of the Show Show. For some reason, New Order's "World in Motion" really hit me this week. I don't know why. Maybe it was the rap by none other than former footballer John Barnes. Maybe it was the tremendously cheesy nationalistic lyrics. "World in Motion" was produced for the 1990 World Cup in Italy (hence the horrendous lyrics of " We're singing for England ENGLAND! Arrivederci it's one on one"). It was actually New Order's only #1 hit in the UK. The video is can't miss if you haven't seen it.
Another excellent video can be found in "Everything Counts" by Depeche Mode. I added "Everything Counts" in the hopes of matching New Order's cheese with something similar. The song was released much earlier than "World in Motion" (about seven years in fact) in 1983 on the Construction Time Again release. I threw on "Opportunities" because well Disco by the Pet Shop Boys is a great album and I don't think I've ever played that particular track on the Show Show. The first version of the song was even produced by Hi-NRG/Italo-Disco maestro Bobby Orlando. I recently obtained "Whisper to Scream" by Bobby O (warning: Italo cheese incoming). Yet more connections coming into play between the Italo-Disco scene and early New Wave! (see: Giorgio Moroder/Human League amongst others)
Some more stuff came from the NME C86 re-issue put out by Cherry Red. If you are an eighties music (or indie music in general) aficionado, this is the compilation for you. A lot of common names mixed with some really obscure bands. You've got early Primal Scream with some Soup Dragons amongst many other bands. It's been fun exploring the compilation in its entirety. I heard Cold Cave in a mix earlier this week and had to throw on the Great Pan is Dead. I still haven't heard their latest album, but I've heard good things. Kodomo has been growing on me. Hearing good things about his album from a lot of people on the EDM scene.
Finally, I have to say that Porter Robinson's album is excellent. I had initially pigeon-holed him into the generalized "dubstep" space mentally. When you are force fed new music on a weekly basis it's hard not to generalize music sometimes. But Worlds is an excellent album. If you've been praying to the gods for a new EDM-y Daft Punk release than pick up this album as their spiritual successor. Sure there's some of that annoying bass drop dubstep stuff on their, but it's in the background overshadowed by an excellent evolution of the EDM scene.
I won't be on next week and Mully from Late Riser's Club will be filling in. Fully expect to hear some absolute gems!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Show Show Primer: Aug. 23 2014
I've been at this Show Show-thing for the past 7 years, I've been in radio in some shape or form since 2002, and it occurred to me that I never really discuss why I played something or how it came to my attention. So below are some notes about some of the music from this past week. Enjoy!
Here's a link to the Show Show that I'm referencing here.
And the playlist is available here.
8:00-8:30:
Generally, when I'm thinking up what to play for a week I start off with one song. A song that I keep coming to or a song that just sounds pleasing to me for whatever reason and I base the set around it. For this half an hour, I decided on Ultravox's Dancing with Tears in My Eyes was cheesy and new wave-y enough for the first song. From the band's album Lament which was during the Midge Ure years, the song is a single that hit No. 3 in UK at it's peak. Here's the music video for this gem.
I also ran across Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras' Catholic album when doing some research for the High Energy Italo Disco night. Patrick Cowley has some great Italo/Gay Disco songs like Menergy (if you haven't heard it, please click on the link to experience it's full glory). Excellent cheese, but also a great first foray into the scene if you haven't heard about it.
8:30-9:00:
Bear in Heaven randomly came on shuffle during the week. I played You Don't Need the World because of it's steady beat and because it's from their latest album Time is Over One Day Old which I haven't fully explored quite yet. And also, continuing the exploration of the new Xeno & Oaklander album Par Avion (which may be one of the most over-used album/song titles). They continue to the be standard-bearers for the Darkwave/Coldwave scene even with their shift to a bigger label (Ghostly from Wierd).
Mozart's Sister is another band I've only begun to scratch the surface on. They seem to be in the Grimes vein, but some the tracks I've heard stand-up. Oddly enough they are on the Asthmatic Kitty label, best known for Sufjan Stevens.
9:00-9:30
This half hour was mainly composed from re-listening to Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, which right now stands as the pinnacle of their work to me at least. The album is incredibly fun when heard on a big soundsystem or performed live by the band. Also included some throwbacks from the past few years in Clubfeet and Classixx.
9:30-10:00
This half hour started with Deadmau5's Rlyehs Lament from the while album that breaks this blog if I type out the full name. I can't help but keep talking about how great of an "electronic music" album this is. It doesn't fall into his normal house or bumpin' dance music category, but meanders through multiple subgenres. And it's actually quite good.
Mining the same vein, I played some Disclosure as well as Tender Games which I really need to play more of in the coming weeks. Randomly heard them on my shuffle after picking up their album at the station. Finally, got to the new Basement Jaxx towards the end which I am enjoying thus far. Check out the video for Never Say Never.
Here's a link to the Show Show that I'm referencing here.
And the playlist is available here.
8:00-8:30:
Generally, when I'm thinking up what to play for a week I start off with one song. A song that I keep coming to or a song that just sounds pleasing to me for whatever reason and I base the set around it. For this half an hour, I decided on Ultravox's Dancing with Tears in My Eyes was cheesy and new wave-y enough for the first song. From the band's album Lament which was during the Midge Ure years, the song is a single that hit No. 3 in UK at it's peak. Here's the music video for this gem.
I also ran across Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras' Catholic album when doing some research for the High Energy Italo Disco night. Patrick Cowley has some great Italo/Gay Disco songs like Menergy (if you haven't heard it, please click on the link to experience it's full glory). Excellent cheese, but also a great first foray into the scene if you haven't heard about it.
8:30-9:00:
Bear in Heaven randomly came on shuffle during the week. I played You Don't Need the World because of it's steady beat and because it's from their latest album Time is Over One Day Old which I haven't fully explored quite yet. And also, continuing the exploration of the new Xeno & Oaklander album Par Avion (which may be one of the most over-used album/song titles). They continue to the be standard-bearers for the Darkwave/Coldwave scene even with their shift to a bigger label (Ghostly from Wierd).
Mozart's Sister is another band I've only begun to scratch the surface on. They seem to be in the Grimes vein, but some the tracks I've heard stand-up. Oddly enough they are on the Asthmatic Kitty label, best known for Sufjan Stevens.
9:00-9:30
This half hour was mainly composed from re-listening to Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, which right now stands as the pinnacle of their work to me at least. The album is incredibly fun when heard on a big soundsystem or performed live by the band. Also included some throwbacks from the past few years in Clubfeet and Classixx.
9:30-10:00
This half hour started with Deadmau5's Rlyehs Lament from the while album that breaks this blog if I type out the full name. I can't help but keep talking about how great of an "electronic music" album this is. It doesn't fall into his normal house or bumpin' dance music category, but meanders through multiple subgenres. And it's actually quite good.
Mining the same vein, I played some Disclosure as well as Tender Games which I really need to play more of in the coming weeks. Randomly heard them on my shuffle after picking up their album at the station. Finally, got to the new Basement Jaxx towards the end which I am enjoying thus far. Check out the video for Never Say Never.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
FAC Numbers 4: The Factory (Club Night No. 3)
In keeping with our run down of the Factory Records numbering system, we come across yet another poster designed by Peter Seville. The poster below is for a list of Factory nights at the Russel Club. These posters were to help promote the concept of Factory as espoused by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus as not just a record label but a cultural fount. It was not just a record label but also a showcase of culture for the city utilizing these concerts.
Some very prominent bands were selected for these nights as on the previous Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire made some of their first appearances while this calendar points out appearances by Human League and Magazine. Howard Devoto of Magazine had been featured on Tony Wilson's So It Goes. Tony helping give the band some exposure in the middle of 1978. It was after this set in December that Tony's wife, Lindsay Reade, cheated on him with Howard.
The sign incorporates the minimalist tone with the early Factory logo designed by Peter Seville in the bottom right.
Some very prominent bands were selected for these nights as on the previous Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire made some of their first appearances while this calendar points out appearances by Human League and Magazine. Howard Devoto of Magazine had been featured on Tony Wilson's So It Goes. Tony helping give the band some exposure in the middle of 1978. It was after this set in December that Tony's wife, Lindsay Reade, cheated on him with Howard.
The sign incorporates the minimalist tone with the early Factory logo designed by Peter Seville in the bottom right.
Friday, August 8, 2014
FAC Numbers: 3 - The Factory
For Factory's second event on October 20th, 1978, Peter Saville produced a simple poster. The Factory was the name of the regular event held at various venues throughout Manchester. The night showcased the upcoming bands Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire both of whom would release their debut albums in the following year along.
The 80s were Born in 1979
What a year 1979 was for music releases.
The sounds of new wave and post-punk music had developing by leaps and bounds throughout the 1970s. Synthesizers went from bulky stationary objects to around the size we see today. Their cost and availability dropped dramatically moving more artists to experiment with their artificial sound. The complexity of progressive rock inevitably gave way to the polar opposite in punk rock which lead to the develop of post-punk.
Bowie had been experimenting electronic equipment with Station to Station and especially Low in the mid-70's. Low often quoted as having heavily influenced Joy Division, Gary Numan and more. Along with the work of Kraftwerk ranging from their kraut-rock to more pop sensible albums like Autobahn, Radio-Activity and Trans-Europe Express. Artists and record labels, it would seem, started to take notice of a new sound rising.
All of these developments lead us to the year 1979 and the birth of the music of the 1980's. Many artists would release some of their first or best work in 1979. And much of the music would pave the way for the "sound of the 80's". Below is a brief list influential releases from 1979 (in no particular order):
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (debut album)
Talking Heads - Fear of Music
Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (first platinum solo record)
Gary Numan - Replicas and the Pleasure Principle (first release to rely heavily on synthesizers)
The Human League - Reproduction (debut album)
The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys and Boy's Don't Cry-single (debut album)
Gang of Four - Entertainment (debut album)
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (debut single)
Public Image Limited - Metal Box
Kraftwerk - Man Machine
The Fall - Dragnet (debut studio album)
B-52's - s/t (debut album)
Blondie - Eat to the Beat
Cabaret Voltaire - Mix-Up (debut album)
Oingo Boingo - Demo EP (first release)
XTC - Drums and Wires
Japan - Quiet Life
Sparks - No. 1 in Heaven - (produced by Giorgio Moroder during his success with Donna Summer)
Simple Minds - Life in a Day (debut album)
Devo - Duty Now for the Future
Wire - 154
Simple Minds - Life in Day
Squeeze - Cool for Cats (more chart hitting singles than any other Squeeze album)
The sounds of new wave and post-punk music had developing by leaps and bounds throughout the 1970s. Synthesizers went from bulky stationary objects to around the size we see today. Their cost and availability dropped dramatically moving more artists to experiment with their artificial sound. The complexity of progressive rock inevitably gave way to the polar opposite in punk rock which lead to the develop of post-punk.
Bowie had been experimenting electronic equipment with Station to Station and especially Low in the mid-70's. Low often quoted as having heavily influenced Joy Division, Gary Numan and more. Along with the work of Kraftwerk ranging from their kraut-rock to more pop sensible albums like Autobahn, Radio-Activity and Trans-Europe Express. Artists and record labels, it would seem, started to take notice of a new sound rising.
All of these developments lead us to the year 1979 and the birth of the music of the 1980's. Many artists would release some of their first or best work in 1979. And much of the music would pave the way for the "sound of the 80's". Below is a brief list influential releases from 1979 (in no particular order):
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (debut album)
Talking Heads - Fear of Music
Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (first platinum solo record)
Gary Numan - Replicas and the Pleasure Principle (first release to rely heavily on synthesizers)
The Human League - Reproduction (debut album)
The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys and Boy's Don't Cry-single (debut album)
Gang of Four - Entertainment (debut album)
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (debut single)
Public Image Limited - Metal Box
Kraftwerk - Man Machine
The Fall - Dragnet (debut studio album)
B-52's - s/t (debut album)
Blondie - Eat to the Beat
Cabaret Voltaire - Mix-Up (debut album)
Oingo Boingo - Demo EP (first release)
XTC - Drums and Wires
Japan - Quiet Life
Sparks - No. 1 in Heaven - (produced by Giorgio Moroder during his success with Donna Summer)
Simple Minds - Life in a Day (debut album)
Devo - Duty Now for the Future
Wire - 154
Simple Minds - Life in Day
Squeeze - Cool for Cats (more chart hitting singles than any other Squeeze album)
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