Wicked Game

 

 Chris Isaak is 69 years old today. A reason to listen to some of his songs once again. With his gentle voice and atmospheric reverbs, Chris Isaak has created a unique musical signature that transcends the boundaries of his rockabilly and country influences.

He released several album in the late eighties with less success, although they weren't bad at all. But sometimes you need a little luck for your breakthrough. This happened to him as David Lynch selected Wicked Game for a key scene in Wild At Heart. This song then reached top positions in the charts.

Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World

Another example of how a career progresses when one of your songs is used in a feature film is Tito & Tarantula. Formed in 1992 in Los Angeles as a fun project they crossed the way of Roberto Rodriguez. They wrote a couple of songs for his debut movie Desperado. He also hired the band for his next big hit From Dusk to Dawn, in which they performed in the table dance bar Titty Twister.

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another week, another journey into musical history.

Enjoy.

1965: Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

1972: Alice Cooper

1972: Chi Coltrane

1967: Jefferson Airplane

1977: Heart

1977: Bob Seger

1980: Diana Ross

1982: Dexy's Midnight Runners

1969: Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin

1980: Joy Division

1983: Bananarama

Red Hot And Blue

 

Red Hot + Blue is a compilation album from 1990, which was conceived as a tribute to Cole Porter and on which well-known musicians recorded contemporary cover versions of songs by the famous Broadway and film composer.

The album is the first in a series of benefit albums released by the Red Hot Organization in support of AIDS relief projects in various countries.

I also bought the album back then and was amazed at what great songs Cole Porter wrote and how they could be interpreted in a contemporary way. When I listened to the album again recently, I had the idea of creating a series of songs with red, hot and blue in the title. Stay tuned to see what comes in the next few weeks.

Monday's Long Song

 

In the mid-seventies, when music threatened to become boring, the German music magazine Sounds discovered reggae for itself and featured it extensively. This is how I became aware of Jamaican music and started to immerse myself more deeply in this sound.

To start with, it was the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which then led me to classic roots reggae. One of the first ragga records I bought was Heart of the Congos by The Congos in 1977. From the very beginning I was impressed by the clarity and beauty of the songs, also because there were great singers at work who were able to use their tenor, falsetto and baritone exquisitely.

What I didn't know at the time and only noticed as a side note was that Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry produced this album in his Black Ark Studio. I now realize why this album became an early masterpiece of roots reggae.

The Congos - Congoman

New Song On Sunday

 

A major heatwave has been spreading across southern Germany for several days and 37 degrees is expected today. It looks like summer has arrived in full force. As every year, the newspapers try to present us with the ultimate summer hit, but these songs usually don't appeal to my taste.

My suggestion would be the new song by RAYE, a London-based R&B/soul singer and songwriter who has been on my radar for a while, but I haven't found the time to feature her here yet. Together with Mark Ronson, a British producer, she has now released a song that is convincing in its nonchalance and laid-back soul. The subtle use of horns allows RAYE's wonderful voice to shine.

The first few notes immediately make you think of Amy Winehouse in her prime, but that's probably down to Mark Ronson, who produced Amy back then. Nevertheless, it's a soul-pop classic from this year.

Rewind

 

 First of all, it's good to know that The Feelies are still around and that they haven't lost the desire to release new material. It was unexpected to hear that they released a new album full of cover versions the recorded during the last decades until now. 

All songs have the typical touch of the band: fast played twangy guitars over a hectic drums ans inspired by The Velvets and Lou Reed. I loved them from the first time I listened to Crazy Rhythms a ground breaking album back in 1980.

Now they covered songs by Patti Smith, Neil Young and Iggy Pop and made them sound like one of them. Some may say who needs another couple of cover versions and I say probably only me and other nostalgics who have always liked this sound.

Appear Disappear

 

Swiss industrial band The Young Gods are back with a new album. To be honest, I forgot them although I always liked them in their early days around the mid eighties. I expected nothing but the same dense sound carried by massive guitars, which they characterized at the time.

However, it is surprising that the album is so diverse. Powerful drums set the pace and industrial guitars run riot. Samples and electronic sounds also blend harmoniously into their sound. Perhaps the best album in this genre this year.