The rise and fall of Phoenix

Yesterday's number one song on the Hype Machine was Phoenix's "If I Ever Feel Better" and I was reminded of how much I used to love Phoenix during their United and Alphabetical days. Everybody seems to adore Phoenix in Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, their newest album, but, I totally think they sold out. I guess one of the problems is that they've gone too haiku on me. I mean, what do these lyrics mean?:

Lisztomania
Think less but see it grow
Like a riot, like a riot, Oh!
Not easily offended
Not hard to let it go
From a mess to the masses

And we won't even go into the lyrics for "1901".

Not that I've ever had the pleasure of conversing with dear Sofia Coppola, taste and movie-maker extraordinaire, and happened-to-be wifey to Thomas Mars, the lead singer of the French indie band on the hotplate of discussion... but, I bet she liked her husband's band better pre-It's Never Been Like That. I'd like to think (and willing to lose money on a bet) that the soulfully nostalgic incarnation is preferred by both Sophia and I, rather than this re-branded dance-pop rendition of Phoenix. Anyway, enough of me blabbing on about Phoenix's romantic rise from its own ashes and its decline, it's time to let you juxtapose for yourself.

2000 (United): Too Young

2001 (United): If I Ever Feel Better

2004 (Alphabetical): Everything is Everything

2004 (Alphabetical): Run Run Run (live)

2004 (Alphabetical): Victim of the Crime

2006 (It's Never Been Like That): Long Distance Call

2009 (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix): Lisztomania

2009 (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix): 1901 (original)

2009 (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix): 1901 (acoustic)


Since there was a mention of Sofia Coppola earlier, here is Kirsten Dunst (Virgin Suicides) embracing my people (Lost in Translation). Enjoy!



- Yo... "not-sure-if-I'm-offended-by-Kirsten-Dunst-saying-I-rub-you" ...shi

those damn ITALO-DISCO kids...

This guy Phonat from Florence has this damn good jam. (And a really good video to go along with it too!)



This song gives me the sensation of going on an unpredictable journey; maybe the journey of falling in love... The song is a medley of bursts that would sound not so impressive individually but orchestrated together creates one of the most massive build-ups EVER. The break (when the brightly colored, striped balls start rolling around in the video) feels like a burst of satisfaction, possibly the fruition of something after a long time of lusting. The occasional "Ahh!"s during the bursting sequence just gives me the chills. Chills of joy... Hope you enjoy and aren't creeped out!

Download: Phonat - Love Hits the Fan

- Yoshi

Speaking of Gaga...

At first I had a major repulsion to the stage persona that sprang from the Platonic (or not...) conception of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta... (Great Gatsby anyone? hehehe.) I thought she was a cheap one-hit wonder with "Just Dance" (which to this day I still don't like). But oh, how I was wrong about her persistence. I remember teasing my co-worker for liking the video to "Poker Face" but as time went by, her fashion-forward, gay-embracing charsima was taking over me. She was no longer the brother of Christina Aguilera in drag.

I honestly think, when I saw an acoustic rendition of "Poker Face" she did for a Japanese television show was when I was first convinced that she was more than just another prop of the pop industry (and not in the rebellious-like-Pink-way):



Of course, then there was the "Bad Romance" music video which received many well-deserved accolades, attention, and tributes:



And she did it again during her tribute to Alexander McQueen (R.I.P.) at the Brit awards more recently...



I mean what badass pop singer has...

1. a veil with eyelashes?
2. a keyboard-guitar-mpc player instrument that she goes all Daft Punk on?
3. so much variety in each of her live shows?

Anyway, so... Gaga, yes, I am smitten. Give me more.

Here are two renditions of "Bad Romance" that you may or may not have heard before. (Mad love to Hercules and Love Affair too but that's for another day.)

Download: Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (Hercules and Love Affair Mix)

Download: Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (Chew Fu H1N1 Club Remix)

- Yoshi

It's OK to dance in your cube

There seems to be an endless supply of Gaga remixes out there, but this Passion Pit mix has to be one of my favorites. After the first listening, I wasn't sure what to make of it, but now I can't get it out of my head. Plus, I wanted to heat up the blog with some Beyonce pics.


Download: Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce - Telephone (Passion Pit Remix)

-Andrew

chill monday...

This song is probably a month old when it comes to online blogging but it's so cool... I think it's important to listen to this song with this quote from Caribou's main man: "I got excited by the idea of making dance music that’s liquid in the way it flows back and forth, the sounds slosh around in pitch, timbre, pan… Dance music that sounds like it’s made out of water, rather than made out of metallic stuff like most dance music does."

Download: Caribou - Odessa

Enjoy. Album is coming out on April 20. Niiiiiiiccccceeeeee.

- Yoshi

Note: This blog is solely for the purpose of introducing people to amazing music. We do not hope to encourage or facilitate piracy. Please let us know if you would like files to be removed. Thank you.

More from across the pond

Editors is a neo-post-punk outfit from the UK. (I challenge you to name another band in that genre). Their song, Papillion, deserves a post because "it kicks like a sleep twitch" is such an amazing lyric.



Actually, after a quick Google search, I'm going to answer my own challenge. Neo-post-punk is apparently less obscure than the name would imply; established acts like Bloc Party and The Killers are at the forefront of the post-punk revival. Here is another example and a personal favorite from White Lies:

White Lies - Death

WORLD, hold on. It's ALPHABEAT!

We're just a few economic consultants in LA (thus "Music LexECON", ha ha ha) writing a blog about the music we like to groove to while working in Excel. We know... it's SOOOOO LA to write a blog, but, eh, just wanted to join the bandwagon. Hope you enjoy!

My first entry is going to be about Alphabeat, whose sophomore album is coming out in March 2010. Their first album, "This is Alphabeat" exhibited a cute Danish pop group's awesome harmonizing skills and their ability to have catchy good ol' fashion fun. (Check out: "Fascination", "Boyfriend", "What Is Happening", "10,000 Nights of Thunder".) With the exception of the British release of "Boyfriend", the pre-2009 Alphabeat definitely had a more acoustic feel.

Their new album, "The Spell", on the contrary, is reminiscent of synth-pop 80s/90s and I think it's A-MA-ZING. The other day I got a work-related email with a link that appeared to be an Excel workbook on our work server, but when I clicked the link it was the Alphabeat music video! It got MAJOR LOLz. Check out the video that's been our office's recent rendition of a Rick Roll and HQ downloads of their songs, "The Spell" and "Always Up With You". Who could dislike them? Stine and Anders are probably the two most adorable Danes I've ever seen...



Download: Always Up With You


Download: The Spell


- Yoshi

Note: This blog is solely for the purpose of introducing people to amazing music. We do not hope to encourage or facilitate piracy. Please let us know if you would like files to be removed. Thank you.