Les Rita Mitsouko — The No Comprendo

Posted by Tracy Sigler, May 7, 2008 7:24 pm - Permalink   

Les Rita Mitsouko -- The No Comprendo

Update: I just read (May 2010) that Fred Chichin of Les Rita Mitsouko died at the end of 2007. A combination of cancer and heart failure took him way too early. So my comment below that were still working was incorrect.

I always loved the song and video for “C’est Comme Ça” from The No Comprendo (1987), but I didn’t get around to buying the album until a dozen or so years later. This copy is a “cut out” and I found it at Record Mart in Old Town Alexandria, VA, a dusty second floor used record store near where I used to work. The record is a little inconsistent but there are some great, and diverse, songs that more than make up for the couple duds. This is the only album of theirs that I have. I was surprised, and delighted, to read that Les Rita Mitsouko are still making music. The video for “C’est Comme Ça” was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who has also worked with Madonna, Tom Waits, Bjork, and many other notable musicians.

So perfectly French. Enjoy the video.

Beck — Guerolito

Posted by Tracy Sigler, May 5, 2008 3:46 pm - Permalink   

Beck -- Guerolito

I like Beck’s thinking on this project more than the outcome. As you can see from the track listing there are some big names involved, but overall Guerolito is less enjoyable than Guero. I suppose that’s what you should expect with remixes.

Track listing from Wikipedia:

All songs were written by Beck Hansen and The Dust Brothers, except where noted.

  1. “Ghost Range” (Hansen, Dust Brothers, Beastie Boys) – 4:24
    • E-Pro” remix by Homelife
  2. “Qué Onda Guero” – 2:29
  3. Girl” – 3:53
    • Octet remix
    • Originally released in the special edition CD/DVD package of Guero
  4. “Heaven Hammer” (Hansen, Dust Brothers, Marcos Vinicius de Moraes, Carlos Eduardo Lyra) – 4:54
    • “Missing” remix by Air
  5. “Shake Shake Tambourine” (Hansen, Dust Brothers, Eugene Blacknell) – 3:37
    • “Black Tambourine” remix by Ad-Rock
  6. “Terremoto Tempo” (Hansen, Dust Brothers, Mark Adams, Steve Washington, Daniel Webster, Mark Hicks) – 3:47
    • “Earthquake Weather” remix by Mario C
  7. “Ghettochip Malfunction” – 2:39
    • “Hell Yes” remix by 8-Bit
  8. “Broken Drum” (Hansen) – 5:36
    • Boards of Canada remix
    • Originally released in the special edition CD/DVD package of Guero
  9. “Scarecrow” – 4:37
  10. “Wish Coin” (Hansen, Dust Brothers, Jack White) – 3:44
    • “Go It Alone” remix by Diplo
  11. “Farewell Ride” (Hansen) – 4:51
  12. “Rental Car” – 2:59
  13. “Emergency Exit” – 3:18
  14. “Clap Hands” – 3:19
    • Originally released in the special edition CD/DVD package of Guero

Radiohead — Kid A

Posted by Tracy Sigler, May 1, 2008 2:29 pm - Permalink   

Radiohead -- Kid A

Radiohead fans raise your hands. I guess I’m a fan, but it’s an intermittent relationship at best. Maybe you hard core folks can comment on what makes Radiohead so great. I bought their first album, Pablo Honey when it first came out, and let’s be honest, it was pretty inconsistent. Unfortunately, that stuck with me and I missed out for a while when they started making great music.

Kid A actually won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. This version is an appropriately arty package for an increasingly experimental band. It’s a gatefold double LP, on vinyl of course, but records are 10 inchers, not 12. All sides of the gatefold and liners are covered with art by Stanley Donwood and singer Thom Yorke.

I like Kid A, but it’s not something I’ll play often. The overall vibe is like a Pink Floyd album, not really my thing. I thought maybe I was crazy, or maybe just old, for thinking that, but I’ve read the comparison elsewhere.

dEUS — The Architect

Posted by Tracy Sigler, April 29, 2008 9:55 am - Permalink   

Here’s something new from Antwerp’s dEUS. I love “The Architect.” Also be sure to check out “Slow.”

dEUS at MySpace

The Bambi Slam — Self-titled

Posted by Tracy Sigler, April 22, 2008 3:28 pm - Permalink   

Bambi Slam -- Self-titled

I really don’t know much about The Bambi Slam. My brother and I got this as a promo when (1988) we had record store. There was some buzz about this band at the time (is it just the one guy, Roy?) but I haven’t heard much about them, or him, since. Maybe I’m out of touch because he, or they, are still making music. Sounds like a less interesting version of Jesus and Mary Chain, but more hard rock. They, or he, describe their, or his, new stuff as “hard rock” and “techno.”

“Outa My Head” on the Bambi Slam MySpace page is from this record.

A-ha. Trouser Press explains it all, and they back up my Jesus and Mary Chain comparison.

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