Ginger Cookie Disco

A Spring Flower Garden

2010-05-22T16:55:00.005-04:00

Toronto Music Nerds

2010-02-02T21:10:00.012-05:00

Calling all Canadian music nerds... If you live in Toronto you should go to this. Great tunes are sure to be spun. Who knows what you will hear! My sister is one of the DJs, so I'm not biased or anything. Just know that she has a Bee Gees thermos in her possession. How could she not be awesome?

The following description & more info can be found here. Go RSVP and enjoy some good music for me, since I don't live in the great white north.

Music Nerds!

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday!!!

Record geekery as far as the eye can see. Come listen to an eclectic (and sometimes perplexing) mix of music and solve all of your problems with a liberal application of booze.

And Cheap Trick, never forget Cheap Trick

Professor Palindrome - Converting pressure waves to 1's and 0's and back again for decades.

SuperJen - Puts the Fond in Jane Fonda.

Rockstopper - The Mid-90's converted into a 10-part BBC documentary.

The first Wednesday of the month, starting Wed. Feb 3

No Cover

Collision, 573 College St. (College & Manning)

The Future.

2010-02-02T20:37:00.004-05:00

Hello "everyone." It's 2010, which means we're in the future now. In turn, that means it's time to start writing words in this little blog once again, perhaps semi-regularly. The focus of this blog will still be music & arts based - whether it's local, global, past, present, future, audio, and/or visual. Of course, being stuck on this miniature mountain, I am not able to post large files, so I will mostly be recommending and sharing some thoughts about things that I probably enjoy. I can't speak on behalf of my co-authors, but I am "back" and that is what I plan to do! I'm also open to hearing any feedback or advice that any smart humans might have. That would be helpful!

♥ Melissa

photo courtesy of myself.

Swayze...

2009-09-15T01:43:00.005-04:00

RIP Patrick Swayze. You will be missed for sure.

This Swayze moment rules on so many levels. The big question is, why does he look almost exactly like Swan in The Warriors?

I'm reminded of a simpler time several years ago when I would frequently mention Patrick Swayze in conversation and make up nicknames for him. I used to always wish friends and relatives "sweet Patrick Swayze dreams". I used to also wish "sweet Richard Gere dreams" upon everyone, but that's besides the point.

Of course I listened to "She's Like The Wind" in honor of Patrick Swayze and it actually made me feel extremely sad. I advise that everyone do the same. Yes, I want you to be sad. I also want you to remember the good and fun Swayze times too though, of which there are so many. "She's Like The Wind" included.

Patrick Swayze - She's Like The Wind

A Deep Billy Ocean Of Confusion

2009-04-25T00:58:00.004-04:00

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Billy.
Billy who?
Billy Ocean!
I'm calling the police.

Wow I have a shitload of Billy Ocean on my computer for some reason! And I sort of hate all of them. Well, I guess 5 songs isn't really what you might think of as a shitload, but one Billy Ocean song takes a lot out of you. I don't know why I keep them on my computer when I can't stand listening to them, either, but I feel bad about deleting all of those Billy Ocean feelings. The Billy Ocean feelings I wish I could delete most of all are in "Licence To Chill".

Yes LICENCE. I can't even think of anything to say about that. There are just too many more wrong things to talk about.

It goes through three or four genres in 4 minutes, as discordant and choppy as it can. It starts off so energetic, then it drops down to more dramatic like "Billie Jean", then it gets energetic again and moves into "Let's Hear It For the Boy" territory, and the way he works in the line "And I'll be your licence to...CHILL" sounds so awkward and out of place. It really bothers me that he pauses before "chill", like it's supposed to mean something to the song or to us and therefore needs to be emphasized above the other words? The wailing saxophone solo actually becomes the best part of the song. I almost like how the "Don't stop what you do to me/ 'cause I'm gonna give you lovin' like it oughta be" part sounds, but by that point I feel so jerked around that I can't really enjoy anything. At all. Someone needs to revoke Billy Ocean's "licence to chill". Which reminds me, how does being someone's "licence to chill" translate to getting with someone, anyway? Which I'm gathering is what he wants to do? That's usually what he wants to do in all of his jams. I don't expect anyone to know the answers to these questions, of course. I just have to get them out there. I would be really surprised if Billy Ocean could answer any of my questions. I think I would probably be more confused by the answers.

In conclusion...

Is he leaning against giant crayons? Oh please let him be! I don't think "Licence To Chill" is on there, but it should have been. Everything should have been on that album. I don't actually know what I mean by that. All I know is that "Inner Feelings" is a great title for any album. I'm glad he thought of it. And whatever is going on on that album cover, I'm glad he's doing that, too.

MP3:

LICENCE TO CHILL

I've Got a Newsflash For You, Walter Cronkite

2008-10-14T14:25:00.001-04:00

A random person noticed that it had been a really long time since I've written something here, because out of the blue, Sarah in Brooklyn, NY forced me to learn about an "inappropriately named" band called Illinois, and wished for me specifically to share the following news item with the world via Ginger Cookie Disco:

I hope you're relaxed after the three day weekend you just enjoyed (thank you Columbus) and are in the right state of mind to process what I'm about to tell you. Prepare yourself.

Our favorite inappropriately named band Illinois (from Bucks County, PA – we don't get it either) has done something crazier than Sir Ryan Adams (yes, we've unofficially knighted him). When most bands are asked to write and record a debut album, they have about twenty songs to choose from and whittle down to make it the perfect record. Illinois, not being the everyday band came at us with 114 songs, yes, you read that right, 114. That's more songs than most bands record in their entire career. So we here at +1 records decided instead of putting 114 songs on the chopping block, we'd release them all! How lucky for you – first a three day weekend and now this!

Not only are there 114 Illinois songs in your future, but there is also a short film coming your way that Illinois' passionate frontman and songwriter Arch filmed with the lovely folks at People-Food. Now, we can't give you all of this goodness at once, it's not Christmas you know!

This labor of love called 'The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe' will be released as a digital bundle, monthly, with the songs along with one chapter from the short film. It's kind of like the Harry Potter series but you don't have to wait years for it to be completed! The first release will be on election day (November 4th for those of you who are unaware) and then the following five dates:

Chapter 2 || December 2, 2008
Chapter 3 || January 13, 2009
Chapter 4 || February 3, 2009
Chapter 5 || March 3, 2009
Chapter 6 || April 7, 2009

I think it's pretty hilarious that these people knighted Ryan Adams. I'm unaware of what he did that was so crazy, though. Anyway, so there you go, Illinois. The "wackiness" of their self-written band descriptions seems a little too calculated, but that's really the only thing that stands out enough for me about them that I could report. I listened to a couple of their songs and it's pretty fluffy and unobjectionable. I can see them performing in the background on an episode of The O.C. I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not. Probably not too much of a compliment seeing as The O.C. isn't on anymore.

MP3: Illinois - Screendoor

MP3: Illinois - Alone Again

Computer apologies + Metronomy

2008-08-11T16:25:00.007-04:00

I apologize for the lack of posts, yet again. Let's just say that computers and the internet have not been on my side as of late. For the past couple of months I have been using satellite internet that is supposedly high speed. Some days it actually is fast, but other days it is incredibly slow. Of course, every time I feel like posting a song it's on a day where it would take about 5 days (okay, maybe 5 hours) to upload. I kid you not. Here's hoping and wishing for an increasing amount of fast satellite internet days! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. My latest computer dilemma includes the power adapter for my MacBook melting. Yes, MELTING. I just had to order a new one (for the low price of $82.95). What a bargain! I'm hoping that my computer isn't going to explode or catch on fire while I write this. Either way, let's move on to the music!

I already wrote about Metronomy semi-recently, but their lastest video output warrants a special post of its own. Even as they rise in popularity, I really don't know many people who appreciate these guys. Metronomy are definitely an acquired taste; especially when some of their songs have a sort of ridiculous falsetto worked into them. It takes some time to get used to. Even if you decide that you don't like Metronomy you will at least have knowledge of some new music that you can weird some of your friends and family out with.

Metronomy's brand new video for 'Heartbreaker' is just absolutely adorable and sweet. The song itself is a little more accessible than some of their space creature circus electro pop songs, which verge slightly more on the strange. It's a more simple and straightforward tune that always makes me want to sing along. Unfortunately, I'm pretty certain that I take on a slightly British and definitely embarrassing accent when I do sing along.

'Holiday' demonstrates the more 'space creature disco circus' side of Metronomy that I've mentioned before at least twice. Metronomy have won me over yet again, as I love both the song and the video. I honestly don't know how they manage to be so entertaining.

There you have it. I love that Metronomy have made videos for both 'Holiday' and 'Heartbreaker', because those are two of my favorite songs off their forthcoming album Nights Out.

Sorry, no MP3s today. It's thundering out, so the internet is slow yet again. Check out Metronomy's myspace and go buy some of their songs from a record store or some internet website somewhere! Or maybe you can just keep watching those two videos over and over (and over and over and over).

I've got something to Cher...

2008-05-28T20:26:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted, but hopefully this will make up for my absence, for I come bearing the gift of Cher. I watched her stunning Biography on Biography a couple of weeks ago and it inspired me to want to write something about how much I've always loved Cher and what an amazing human being she is (I'm pretty sure she's human, at least), and I'm finally getting around to that. It was hard to figure out what I wanted to write about since there are so many awesome things about her to say, so be forewarned that I might be breaking this up into a couple of parts.

The first thing I would say about Cher is that everything she touches turns to gold. Kind of literally, actually. Gold with like, feathers and sequins and beads. One thing I find amazing is how she can wear the most whore-ish get-up imaginable, yet she still manages to come across as kind of glamorous.

Case in point.

Another amazing thing is how she sings songs that she didn't even write or experience, but she belts them out like what she's singing about was happening to her right at that moment. The best song to illustrate this phenomenon is "Half-Breed". This song rules so hard. It is so damn solemn, you'd think this was a page ripped straight from Cher's diary, but it totally isn't. Someone else wrote this song for her, and she isn't even an Indian. But that only serves to reinforce the overall brilliance. It would be boring in a way if it were true. Also adding to the brilliance is the grandiose orchestra blasting away in the background. It just kicks the quality of the song up at least a million notches. The part of the song that Cher most turns to gold, though, is of course the words of the song itself, and how she delivers them, particularly: "The other children always laughed at me/ 'Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee'" and "The Indians said that I was white by law/ the white man always called me Indian squaw". The best parts of the song for me are the pounding drums at the beginning that sound like a pow wow going on, and the end when she belts out "Both sides were against me since the day I was born!" The other best parts of the song are everything else in between the beginning and the end. She sings the whole song in such a glass case of fiery emotion, it is so dazzling and hysterical. The video is also apparently filmed in a glass case of fiery emotion, if the crackling flames on the screen at the beginning and end are any indication. I love this video to death: It's just Cher against a white background in soft focus wearing a spectacular headdress and a tube top and underwear made out of silver lamé, sitting on what appears to be a heavily medicated horse, barefoot and emoting straight at the camera. It demands to be seen.

I love her bow at the end, and the roaring applause. I don't think there were even any people around, I think Cher just has the sound of random applause following her wherever she goes.

Here is another sparkly Cher song with her telling a story where I have no idea what is going on at all, while looking amazing and wearing the most staggeringly awesome outfit I have ever seen.

Well, I think that might be enough praise for Cher for today, but I want to leave you pondering one sad little factoid: Before Vicki Lawrence recorded it, the guy who wrote "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" had initially offered the song to Sonny Bono to give to Cher, but Sonny foolishly turned it down because he was afraid it would offend Southern people. Man, that is one of the greatest tragedies in music history right there. Cher was robbed.

Metronomy

2008-05-27T17:25:00.009-04:00

I wasn't so sure about Metronomy upon a first listen, but now I'm completely hooked. I cannot stop listening to these guys. I honestly don't have the slightest inclination how to even describe what exactly they sound like. The tracks I've heard off of Metronomy's forthcoming album Nights Out have an obvious late 70s/early 80s heavy yet quirky synthesizer influence. That being said, a likely comparison might be Devo. I'm not sure I would go quite that far though...

Honestly, in my opinion Metronomy pretty much sound like space creature circus music circa 1979/the distant future; If you can imagine that. Judging by their video for 'Radio Ladio', it looks like I'm not too far off, at least with the whole 'space creature' vibe.

I wasn't completely sold on Metronomy the first time I saw the video for 'Radio Ladio'. I'm pretty sure it actually made my stomach churn initially. It has definitely grown on me since then. Even disregarding all those colors and cute little dance moves, their facial expressions alone are entertainment enough. In short, Metronomy = space creature circus music + moderately adorable + great.

I enjoy Metronomy's track 'My Heart Rate Rapid' even more than 'Radio Ladio', as cute as that song is. Give a listen in order to hear circus-y synth space disco at its finest.

MP3: Metronomy - My Heart Rate Rapid (zshare)

Also, don't forget to click here to purchase Metronomy's 'My Heart Rate Rapid' 12" while we await the release of Nights Out!!

Autolux - Audience No. 2

2008-05-07T16:04:00.011-04:00

I apologize for the lack of new posts in this here blog. I'm hoping to get things into 'full swing' incredibly soon. There really is no reason I can think of to bother listing excuses for not having posted in over a month. Still, If I were to be allowed to have one or more excuses, the short list would include the stresses that come along with preparing to move (which still has yet to happen), as well as not being able to see well out of my right eye (I need to get laser surgery). I'm really not the complaining type, though... which actually ties in with the real topic of this post: Autolux.

Impossible day
I don't complain
I'm over it, I guess
Scattered and gray, so
I hold it back
and keep it sugarless

The aforementioned lyrics from their 2004 song 'Sugarless' have always hit close to home. I used to play that song (and the rest of the album) endlessly on repeat WAY BACK in 2004. I played Future Perfect so often that it never left my stereo, except for when I finally retired it for a spell. It's been fitting my mood perfectly lately, and I've brought it back into heavy rotation. Deservedly so, too. There just is no band right now that sounds anything remotely like Autolux. Somehow they manage to achieve some sort of absolutely unique wonderfulness through sound, melody and lyric that sets them apart from everyone else, in every possible genre.

It's safe to say that Autolux fans have been waiting a long time to hear any new material from the band. Finally, that day has arrived! Sort of. They've posted a new song, 'Audience No. 2' on their MySpace profile. The song can also be found on iTunes. The forthcoming album, Transit Transit is expected to be released 'soon enough', with no official date in sight as of yet. The new track is quite promising sounding, and I am highly anticipating the release of Transit Transit, whenever that may be.

MP3: Autolux - Audience No. 2 (zshare)

MP3: Autolux - Sugarless (zshare)

P.S. I'm pretty sure that my favorite part of the new song, 'Audience No. 2' is the lyric that goes, 'I have always been your vegetable'. There is something enticingly magnetic and fascinating about the way he say 'vegetable' that I can't quite put my finger on. Plus, the word 'vegetable' never fails to be amazing and great.

If you haven't heard Autolux's debut album Future Perfect, I highly recommend that you do so, pretty much right away.

Purchase music by Autolux here:

Farther leads to you

2008-04-04T15:34:00.007-04:00

So today I was listening to Denali and starting to think about how they never got enough credit when they should have. The band called it quits in 2004 but they were brilliant and I think overlooked by most.

Denali formed in 2000 when the singer, Maura Davis asked her brother, Keeley Davis (member of Engine Down) if he wanted to start a band with her. Somewhat shocked Keeley agreed to do so and they formed the band, Denali, one of the best bands to hit the indie underground scene. This band was/is truly inspiring and I just found out that they recently decided to reunite as of March 26th, 2008. They decided to play some shows and see what happens from there. Very exciting news!

I wanted to post about Denali in hopes that their creative trip-hop influenced sound was still being enjoyed by others. So get re-familiar or familiar with Denali. Well worth the listen.

Hold Your Breath by Denali

Good Times Come To Me Now

2008-03-31T11:52:00.007-04:00

Let us take a moment to address a nearly forgotten gem from the year of my birth, 1983. Haysi Fantayzee's 'Shiny Shiny' is a kooky and upbeat song about what else? The apocalypse, of course.

The garishly dressed and dreadlocked boy/girl duo scored an unlikely hit with 'Shiny Shiny'. Their one and only LP, Battle Hymns for Children Singing managed to reach number 11 on the UK charts. Haysi Fantayzee enjoyed considerably less exposure and success here in the United States. A review on All Music Guide by Ned Raggett describes the aforementioned album as follows:

"Arguably one of the most head-shaking albums ever made -- though to the band's credit, that was the whole point -- Battle Hymns for Children Singing might just be what the doctor ordered for insomnia. It's not so much for the fact that the music will put a listener to sleep as much as it will induce a listener to destroy the sound system it is playing on, therefore tiring out that person for bedtime."

Well, fortunately it does not make me want to destroy a sound system. It does succeed in making me want to get up and dance a weird partial jig, however. The same review goes on to say that 'Shiny Shiny' includes "everything from inappropriate electric guitar solos to Dexy's Midnight Runners-styled fiddles". While all of that is true, I think he forgot to mention another important element within the song: The sound of spoons being played as a musical instrument. It's pretty obvious that spoons are an incredibly essential ingredient in the attempt to create 1980s anti-nuclear new wave hillbilly hoedown pop.

'Shiny Shiny' may be arguably 'bad' by today's standards, but most reviewers and listeners are probably a little too harsh in their judgments. Just because it sounds a little kooky doesn't mean it should be forever restricted and designated as an 'ironic' guilty pleasure. I personally enjoy all of those quirky and strange sounding 'unlikely hits' from the early to mid 1980s. Although I wasn't born until the year this song was released, I grew up listening to a lot of music from that time period. Thus, I don't like Haysi Fantayzee in a purely 'ironic' way. Part of me truly and honestly likes 'Shiny Shiny'. I swear.

To be sold on this song, you absolutely need to watch the video. It's amazing. I mean, just check out those impressive special effects.

Even if you were to disregard the song completely, there is just so much greatness displayed in the video alone. First of all, they are both fucking weird looking and have dreadlocks and look androgynously similar to one another. Secondly, they both have killer moves (particularly, the jaunty hoedown dances the guy exhibits). Thirdly, their outfits resemble some sort of 1980s hobos performing in an old timey cabaret. Of course, the visual effects are stunning as well.

On top of all that, here is the best thing ever: My sister told me the other day that the guy in Haysi Fantayzee reminds her of Adrien Brody. Could you imagine if Adrien Brody had decided to have a go at being an 80s pop star with dreadlocks before he became a serious actor?

MP3: Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny (zshare)

Purchase Battle Hymns for Children Singing by Haysi Fantayzee here:

I'm sure you want to now. Bring that shit back, I say.

P.S. I just realized that the vocals in this Haysi Fantayzee song sounds eerily like some of the newer songs by Architecture in Helsinki.

Elvis Costello and The Attractions vs. The Armless Creature

2008-03-07T04:00:00.010-05:00

Elvis Costello used to be great. Sure, he's still a talented guy, but his finest work definitely occurred within the era of Elvis Costello and The Attractions (1977-1984). I doubt many people would disagree with me on that.

I awoke today with a craving for some vintage Elvis Costello. I indulged in said craving and after a time I decided to explore and search for video footage. Of course, things like YouTube did not exist during the time period in which I listened to Elvis Costello with the most frequency (back in 1999-2003-ish). At that time, I hadn't been able to place many visuals with the music I knew so well. Regardless of how many or how few visuals one has seen, everyone knows Elvis Costello for two things: 1. his bespectacled skull and 2. his famous pigeon toed pose/stance. However, I was unaware of how just how much he worked the latter into his performances.

I just want to say this: Elvis Costello's kinesthetic quality of movement reminds me greatly of the armless creature from the film Silent Hill. That motion picture caused me to have a horrible nightmare recently, by the way. There is a part toward the end of the above video where Elvis Costello sort of chugs forward one leg at a time. This series of movements is particularly reminiscent of the armless creature. Also, he clutches his arms in toward his chest several times. Therefore, he could easily be mistaken for an armless creature. Not to mention that my sister observed, "there is one part where both his ankles are turned in severely and he looks disabled". All joking aside, this is such a classic video. It's rare that a video featuring musicians playing their instruments against a plain white backdrop can manage to be so incredibly entertaining. Plus, did you see the jacket the drummer is wearing? I want it.

For armless creature comparison purposes, here is a short video clip from the DVD extras of Silent Hill:

Hopefully you can get a vague idea of the similarities in kinesthetic quality from that clip, if you haven't already seen the film. I realize the armless creature guy moves in ways that look a bit more extreme than Elvis Costello's inverted and inward rolling feet/ankles. But then, perhaps you need to take a look at a second Elvis Costello video.

Elvis Costello is just flailing all over the place in that one. It's beautiful. Do you see any valid comparison to the armless creature yet? Even if you don't, that's okay. I have too keen of an eye when it comes to movement analysis. I was a dance major in college, so I tend to notice everything. Pedestrian movements are dance too. That is not to say that what Elvis Costello is doing is truly 'pedestrian' by any means. It's probably the antithesis of pedestrian movement, in fact. His quality of movement is actually quite interesting. I find it more enthralling than what many post-modern dance performances have to offer. In fact, you could pretty much stick Elvis Costello on a stage and let him flail his legs around strangely and call it a prolific work of post-modern dance.

Well anyway, this was all worth it to take a look at some classic Elvis Costello videos. I love when Elvis Costello still had an abundance of hair.

MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (zshare)
MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Pump It Up (zshare)

Purchase music by Elvis Costello here:

Stand back, gents and ladies, I’m drunk and insane and I’ve got a gun!!

2008-03-05T17:28:00.001-05:00

One time I got the idea to type my name into the iTunes so I could see what all songs with my name were on there, and oh, the results. First of all, everyone with access to some musical instrument seems to feel compelled to record their own special version of the Steely Dan song. I ended up buying about fifteen different songs with “Josie” in the title, and one of them was this one. Truly a diamond in the rough, no lie. I can’t believe this song exists. This is the first time in my life that I’ve been genuinely happy to be named Josie, because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have ever heard this song, and yes, that would be a bad thing. I’ve “studied” this song a lot, as much as any other song telling a baffling story full of plotholes, and there is so much intense emotion throughout all of it, it has me convinced that it has to be true. I like to imagine it’s true, in any case, and what’s more, I like to imagine that it’s a true story about me. But anyway, one thing I do know for sure about this song: It needs to be way longer than two minutes. There is way too much crammed in here, except for a whole lot of, well, information.

Josie went to the barroom, ordered up a glass of beer
Said, “Tell me the truth, bartender, has my true love been here?”
“He’s my man, but he ain’t come home.”
“I ain’t gonna tell you no secrets, I ain’t gonna tell you no lies.”
“But I saw your man a while ago, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
“He’s your man, but he won’t come home.”

Why couldn’t he believe his eyes? Was her man lying in some dark alley naked and covered in questionable bodily fluids and multiple stab wounds? Who knows, and who cares.

Josie drank her beer, ordered up a glass of gin
Said, “Ain’t it a shame, bartender? I’m takin’ to drink again.”
“’Cause he’s my man, but he won’t come home.”

Wow, it appears Josie has a serious drinking problem, and I don’t just mean she’s a problem drinker, I also mean she has a problem drinking properly. Has she never heard the old adage “beer before liquor, never sicker”? Maybe in this case it should be “beer before liquor, leads to manslaughter”.

Josie went down the street, revolver in her hand
Said, “Stand back gents and ladies, I’m lookin’ for my man!”
“He’s my man, but he won’t come home.”

Who says that, “gents and ladies”? Well, I do now, for one, because it’s hilarious. Sometimes the more I hear a song, if there was a part that used to make me laugh when I first heard it, the more I got used to the song it wouldn’t make me laugh as much, but not that “gents and ladies” part. No, every time I listen to this song that “gents and ladies” part still gets me the same as when I heard it for the first time, where I’m just doubled-over in pain from laughing so hard. Actually, the entire song still makes me laugh hysterically like it did when I first heard it. My mom was actually the one who told me he was saying “gents and ladies”. The first, like, ten times I listened to it I thought he was saying “Jensen ladies”, like the name of the town was Jensen and she was addressing the ladies of the town of Jensen. God, I was grasping so hard for some kind of reality. I still am.

Josie saw her lover, and her revolver drew
Then Josie pulled the trigger, shot him through and through
He was her man, but he wouldn’t come home.

Way to go, Josie. This song doesn’t reflect well on me as a Josie, does it? Not all Josies are highly unstable, gun-wielding drunks. I mean, sure, I am, but we’re not talking about me right now.

One thing hurt Miss Josie, one thing made her cry
Standing there in the jailhouse doors, the hearse came rollin’ by
He was her man, but he won’t come home.
Sittin’ in the parlor by an electric fan, pleadin’ with her sister,
“Don’t marry a gamblin’ man! He’ll be your man, but he won’t come home.”

Whoa, slow down, pardner. She goes suddenly from standin’ in the jailhouse doors to sittin’ in the parlor. Does she not have to serve any time for this very public murder that pretty much everyone in the whole town witnessed? Did she murder everyone in the whole town except her sister? I wouldn’t be surprised, she sounds like a pretty clear-cut sociopath.

The part with the fan is yet another part that took me a super long time to figure out what the hell words he was actually saying. I thought she was “buyin’ a ‘lectric fan” for some reason. Again, I had nothing even resembling a clue, and this seemed to make some kind of sense. Seriously, in relation to everything else, I was just like, “Well…I guess it seems plausible within this context that she would all of a sudden be buying an electric fan and that it would be a necessary detail for the story.” It was a necessary enough detail to mention that she was by an electric fan, right? I thought maybe her sister worked in a general store or something and that’s why she was talking to her sister. Speaking of the sister, I don’t think Josie needs to be giving her sister any advice on love or marriage or pretty much anything. Maybe Josie shouldn’t pretend like her situation didn’t have a few problems that might not exist in every relationship, hmm? Like maybe her man wasn’t a-gamblin’ before he married her, but she made him so unhappy with her violent, drunken ways that he just couldn’t stand being around her? Yeah, that sounds about right to me.

I've only been able to find one picture of the guy who does this song, and he kind of reminds me of a goat:

And now, gents and ladies, is the time you to listen to all of this yourself. Which you really should do, because otherwise I'll have to, you know, shoot you.

Josie.mp3

The Rapture - The Sound

2008-03-01T23:15:00.004-05:00

I've been listening to the song 'The Sound' by The Rapture on repeat all week long. I know it's not exactly a new song, but hey, I had yet to establish this blog when Pieces Of The People We Love was released back in 2006.

The first time I had ever heard The Rapture was in either 2002 or 2003. 'Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks' was my first introduction, and I thought it was a fantastic track and a decent EP. It was raw, angular, noisy and energetic. When The Rapture's first full length album, Echoes was released in 2003 I was surprised to hear that the raw, somewhat amateur sound featured on their EP had all but disappeared and been replaced with a layer of shiny and polished studio production. Still, It managed to become one of my favorite albums to be released in 2003. If I remember anything about that year in music, it was that bands such as The Rapture received both critical acclaim but also a lot of flack from music listeners. There were a lot of bands accused of ripping off post-punk and dance-punk bands from the late 1970s. The most blatant and obvious influence on all of these new bands was Gang of Four. I've been a big fan of Gang of Four myself for years, but it didn't make me hate The Rapture. In all likelihood it may have been the likeness in sound that initially drew me to The Rapture rather than repel me from their music. In 2003, everyone knew of The Rapture, yet I didn't know anyone besides myself and my sister who liked them or had given them a chance. I'm confident The Rapture has a boatload or two of devoted fans, but I also feel they are an underrated band that is easily overlooked.

2006 saw the release of The Rapture's second full length album, Pieces of the People We Love. This is probably the most cohesive sounding and accessible release from the band, yet it manages to not sound over-produced. If anything, the album proves that these guys are immensely talented and have a great deal of staying power. Pieces of the People We Love is an amalgam of post-punk, dance-rock, disco, electronic music, and an infinite amount of other styles. I've also heard from others that it sounds like hippie music. No matter what you think the album sounds like, I think it's safe to say that The Rapture have really come into their own and have progressed their sound quite a lot over the past few years. Basically, Pieces of the People We Love affirms that these guys aren't just another Gang of Four rip-off band.

My immediate favorite off of the album was 'Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh' aka 'W.A.Y.U.H.', which features the best and most complex cowbell utilization I've ever heard in a song. 'Don Gon Do It' amuses me because the chorus sounds like a combination of Montell Jordan's 'This Is How We Do It' and The Backstreet Boys' 'We've Got It Goin On'. I'm still trying to figure out if either of those were intentional or not. Anyway, the whole album is impressive. One song, 'Get Myself Into It' even features an excessive amount of saxophone and I still like it. Earlier this week I was listening to music and 'The Sound' came on at random and I was blown away. It's not a track that had stood out to me before. Now I can't stop listening to it. I think it's the combination of cowbell, amazing drumming, loud guitars, synthesizer, the vocals... okay, well, pretty much every single element of the song sounds great.

Here is a live performance of The Rapture performing 'The Sound' in 2006. It's sort of remarkable how great they sound live here:

Too esoteric for a Saturday night...

MP3: The Rapture - The Sound (zshare)
MP3: The Rapture - Don Gon Do It (zshare)

Purchase music by The Rapture here:

If you failed to give The Rapture a fair chance before, I suggest that you do so now. Hop to it.

AH CMON FUCK A GUY.

2008-02-29T22:06:00.018-05:00

Last night, a friend of mine bestowed upon me the gift of Chuggo's video for 'Come On Fuckin Guy', or as it's more widely known, 'AAAAAHHH CMON FUCK A GUY'. This friend of mine advised that I designate a special post for Chuggo here on Ginger Cookie Disco. I thought to myself, 'No way. Sure, we have a sense of humor on this blog, but we write about things that have artistic merit. Even when Josie contributes an in depth analysis of The Doobie Brothers it's not just laughs. Obviously The Doobie Brothers are not only hilarious, but also amazingly talented (particularly in the Michael McDonald years). But Chuggo? No way could I ever write a post about Chuggo'. Here's why: At first I thought the video wasn't that great or funny and that it was just a guy making a ramshackle hip hop parody. Then two things happened. 1. I realized that Chuggo wasn't joking. He's a real rapper from Toronto. 2. I woke up and watched the video six times in a row. By dinnertime the song was so embedded in my brain that I was worried I might yell out 'AAAAAHH CMON FUCK A GUY' in the presence of my family whilst chewing my food.

By this point you may be asking yourself, who exactly is this Chuggo guy anyway? Hip Hop Canada tells us the following about the rapper:

"Chuggo grew up in Toronto on Lakeshore & Islington between a KFC and a Strip club. For the first 7 years of his life his head grew bigger due to a lot of T.V. Dinners. He discovered music at age of nine in the form of X-Clan, N.W.A., Tim Dog, Kool G. Rap and Def Leppard. Even though he didn't learn to snap his fingers till he was twelve nothing could stop him from enjoying the latest from Public Enemy. Chuggo is not an emcee he is a rapper. In late 2002 Chuggo began to work in the studio and released his first solo 12-inch vinyl in 2003. Chuggo is a member of The Lakeshore Stranglas "the most dangerous rap group this side of the border" alongside 2Gats, White Fang, Black Male, Koshur and Ritz Nabisko."

Okay, there is a guy in his group called 'Ritz Nabisko'. Does life get any more amazing than that? Ritz Nabisko, people. As for the aforementioned video, there isn't much I can say about it. You sort of just need to witness it for yourself.

Almost as hilarious as the video and song itself, are the comments people have left underneath it on YouTube. If you scroll through, you will see an endless sea of every single person saying 'AH CMON FUCK A GUY'. As Natasha (one of Ginger Cookie Discos's contributors) so astutely observed; anyone who corrected the lyric and left a comment saying 'CMON FUCKIN GUY' has been given a bunch of thumbs down ratings. Actually, pretty much any comment that fails to contain lyrics from the song has been given thumbs down ratings. Not only is Chuggo hilarious, but so too are his fervent fanatics. All I really have to say in regards to this whole Chuggo phenomenon is that my favorite line in the song is "I put mayonnaise on everything, that's how I eat'. Good stuff, although I'm personally not a big fan of actual mayonnaise.

So that you do not miss out on the full Chuggo experience, do not forget to visit Chuggo's myspace as well as his wikipedia page. You may learn some interesting facts. AH CMON FUCK A GUY.

Hot Chip - Bubbles They Bounce

2008-02-25T22:46:00.002-05:00

There is no doubt that It's been a big month for UK electro pop darlings Hot Chip. Here in North America, February 5th saw the release of their third album, Made In The Dark. Whether you're a devoted fan or a recent convert, February has proven to be an exciting time for all Hot Chip fans alike.

Just prior to the album release, Hot Chip released several versions of the 'Ready For The Floor' single. Version #1 of the 7" single features a radio edit of 'Ready For The Floor' on the A Side, and a quirky bouncy dance track on Side B, appropriately titled 'Bubbles They Bounce'. The latter track is a true gem. If you're a big time Hot Chip fan like myself, I'm sure you've heard Alexis and Joe's side project BOOJI BOY HIGH. Alexis and Joe (the two brains behind Hot Chip) disguised themselves behind the pseudonyms Georgios Panayiotou and Mother Markzbow for the project. Are these guys nerds? Quite possibly, considering the blatant homages to Devo. BOOJI BOY HIGH released a 7" last year on DFA Records which included the tracks 'DOUBLESHAW' and 'Twist Myself Again'. I've just now realized that 'Bubbles They Bounce' reminds me of a cross between Hot Chip and BOOJI BOY HIGH. Can you imagine that? It's a real stretch, I know. It's almost as if 'Bubbles They Bounce' takes the bouncy 1990s rave influenced synthesizers (as can be heard in DOUBLESHAW) and cleans them up with the polished and professional Hot Chip touch that we have come to know and love .

I might love 'Bubbles They Bounce' more than any of the songs on the new Hot Chip album. I wonder why they didn't include it on Made In The Dark. Perhaps because the vocals are a bit more strange sounding than usual. The combination of odd (at times, manipulated) high and low pitched vocals reminds me of either muppets or several different breeds of mice, or maybe... muppet mice. Alright, I've got it. If a band of muppet rodents posed as Hot Chip and recorded a song, 'Bubbles They Bounce' would be the end result. I mean that in the best way possible, of course. My ears are ringing with a joyful sound.

Make sure to stay tuned for the last minute of 'Bubbles They Bounce', which is almost a separate song unto itself. Hot Chip have given us the glorious gift of two amazing songs in one. I guarantee that both will be stuck in your head for weeks. Aaaaayoooo.

MP3: Hot Chip - Bubbles They Bounce (zshare)

MP3: BOOJI BOY HIGH - DOUBLESHAW (zshare)

Purchase music by Hot Chip here:

Dedicated to a Brother

2008-02-25T14:46:00.004-05:00

You know what this blog needs? Some in-depth discussion of the Doobie Brothers and the deep-yet-mind-boggling lyrics of Mr. Michael McDonald. Not being able to understand Michael McDonald's songs - or simply Michael McDonald - is an inevitability I've just learned to accept, but one thing about him can't be denied: The man knows how to write catchy songs that will never leave your head. He channels his black magic powers through pleasant synthesizer backbeats that have you singing along to lyrics that sound like he's talking about something important, but when you actually think about them ultimately make no sense.

Before he became a Doobie Brother, Michael McDonald was a keyboardist/background vocalist in Steely Dan, which is entirely appropriate because Steely Dan is just like the Doobie Brothers, only they're more the Doobie Brothers if they went to college. And as a slightly bitter aside, Steely Dan is also responsible for totally bastardizing my name with such stunning lyrics as: "We're gonna break out the hats and hooters/when Josie comes home" and "Strike at the stroke of midnight/dance on the bones till the girls say when/Pick up what's left by daylight/when Josie comes home". Anyway...in 1975, one of the Doobie Brothers started bleeding internally and was dying or something so he had to leave the band, and when they invited Michael McDonald to come in to fill his spot, he took over the whole sound of the band and made such an impact that, in the wikipedia entry for the Doobie Brothers, the time period after he became a member is referred to as "the Michael McDonald years".

Michael McDonald didn't really change the Doobie Brothers' sound all that much. Actually, he more just focused the band on doing more of what they were already good at: Excelling in ambiguity. Seriously, the Doobie Brothers are the most non-committal band ever. Have you ever noticed that the Doobie Brothers music can be playing in virtually any environment and somehow still be acceptable? It might not be what everyone wants to hear, but I can't imagine anyone ever having a strong reaction to expend the energy to stop it from playing. Their music doesn't demand very much from you at all. It isn't too much of anything. The tempo of their songs always lingers in some kind of musical limbo between easy listenin' and hard rockin', and the lyrics are all slightly interesting but ultimately mundane. It's like they're always right about to take a stand on something, but they hold back to avoid the risk of alienating anyone in their audience. It's true, check this out from their official website where even they don't know how to describe themselves:

Doobies defined

The “dictionary definitions” below represent some of the ways we’ve heard people try to describe our music, and show some pretty good reasons why someone once said simply - “listen to the music.” It’s hard for us as the Doobie Brothers to define our music, and as a matter of fact one of the things that has kept the band going through the years is an approach that isn’t self-limited stylistically.

Doobie Brothers n. [’Hind. dub; Sans. durva, a kind of pasture grass; L. frater; G. bruder, Sans. bhratar; AS. brothor, male sibling’]

Music group known for blues based songs with a rock edge, often with lush vocal harmonies (see also rock ‘n’ soul).
Assemblage of musicians specializing in country based rock featuring instrumentation such as violin and finger-picked acoustic guitar combined with electrical instruments and drums.
Musical entity recognized for incorporating sophisticated jazz stylings into “popular hit” songs.
“Rock” band, origins circa 1970, with reputation for exciting live performances and skillful musicianship.

Poor Doobie Brothers. There are tons of examples from their songs I could give as evidence to support this theory, but I'll keep it down to my two favorite examples:

"Listen To The Music". This is the song that introduced the world to the Doobie Brothers, and it's pretty much the quintessential Doobie Brothers song in all its neutral, affable glory. This is the song Goldilocks was listening to while she was eating baby bear's porridge. There is not one single occurrence of a definitive statement in this entire song, not even about what kind of music we're going to be listening to. One thing you can be sure of, though: Whatever kind of music it is, you know it's going to be just alright with us.

"Takin' It To The Streets". This is the best example I can think of for this whole thing I've been talking about, not just because it fits all of the criteria for your typical Doobie Brothers song, but it also ushered in the "Michael McDonald years", being the first song he contributed as a Doobie Brother. This is one of those songs that feels like it's saying something really deep and important and introspective, but closer examination of the lyrics shows that it, in fact, isn't.

You don't know me but I'm your brother

I was raised here in this living hell

You don't know my kind in your world

Fairly soon the time will tell

The most I can gather from this is that it sounds like whoever he's talking to is being threatened, but I don't know what the threat is. Maybe if there were one or two qualifying nouns, like what "kind" he was, or where the "here" was that he was raised in. "Fairly soon the time will tell" - man, I sure hope so.

You, telling me the things you're gonna do for me

He's going to say something important now, I just know it.

I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see.

WHAT

He doesn't like what he thinks he sees? So he's either not sure that what he sees is really there, or he's not sure whether he even sees anything at all, but whatever it is he doesn't like it and now we're the ones who are supposed to be "takin' it to the streets" based on his half-assed assessment of the situation. Wait a second, though: Takin' what to the streets? Exactly, he's not sayin'. Just "it". Whatever you think is important enough to be takin' to the streets. He's not even going far enough to say what you do once you get to the streets, that's for you to figure out. Doobie Brothers aren't going to overstep their bounds to tell you what to take to the streets or what to do with it in the streets, what if you disagree with what they say, or what if you don't feel like doing anything at all? You might get mad at the Doobie Brothers for trying to solicit some kind of specific action from you, and you might not want to listen to the music anymore, which is already something they have clearly expressed they would really like for us to do all the time.

I think the best way to end now is to showcase some pieces of original Michael McDonald art I found on his official website. It's really something. I'm not sure what exactly, but it certainly is, um, right here, you can't argue with that:

Nice. Hey, Michael: Don't quit your day job, buddy.

Sickness, Valentine's Day & Xanadu all bundled up.

2008-02-14T20:46:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been very sick this past week. I haven't been this sick in years, or possibly ever. There was even a point two days ago where I was in so much agony from coughing that I had to cry for a minute. It's kind of funny, but on the other hand, this illness has been pretty brutal. I'm slowly getting better day by day, thanks to having spent four days laying in bed watching copious amounts of HGTV. Apparently, watching people get their living rooms redecorated is quite soothing.

Today is Valentine's Day. It's the perfect day to watch the classic 1980 film Xanadu. There is no better movie to watch on Valentine's Day, and there is no better movie to watch when you are sick. Roller skating, dancing, moderately bad acting, music by ELO, Michael Beck roller skating into/through a brick wall wearing extremely short shorts... I mean, what more could you ask for? It's not only magical, it's pure perfection. Unfortunately, most people I know do not share this opinion. Their loss, I say. If you know what's good for you, you'll go watch Xanadu right now, or at least listen to these fun (and beautifully sappy) classic songs from the film. Happy Valentine's Day all!

MP3: Electric Light Orchestra - The Fall

MP3: ELO & Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu

Juno: So Quirky, You'll Puke.

2008-01-22T14:16:00.000-05:00

I finally saw Juno last week. I actually liked it far more than I expected. To be quite honest, I thought I would hate it, because I am extremely fed up with the recent influx of pregnancy comedies in Hollywood. I never saw Knocked Up or that other movie about the two guys who are trying to "make a baby for daddy", and quite frankly I'd really rather not. I made an exception for Juno, however, since everyone in the universe was praising it to high heavens, and I'm sort of glad I did because it really was pretty cute. The story is pretty cute, the acting is superb, and Michael Cera in short-shorts is generally a good thing. (I don't care how young he is. He's hot. Shut up.)

I did have one problem with Juno, however: THE DIALOGUE.
OH MY GOD. The dialogue is "campy" at best, and nauseating at worst. It's seriously got the worst and most contrived writing I have ever seen in a movie. It runs rampant with pop culture references, namedropping, and awful, corny humor. Here is an example of what I mean:

Juno: (yelling through the house) Uh, dad?
Mac MacGuff: Yeah?
Juno: Either I just wet my pants... or...
Mac MacGuff: "Or"...?
Juno: Or... THUNDERCATS ARE GO!

THUNDERCATS ARE GO? Come on. What the fuck is that? On what planet is that even remotely funny? Perhaps one-liners like that are to be expected in a film written by an ex-stripper. There is also a scene in which Juno is asking the pharmacist if her pregnancy test could be a false positive, to which he replies, "This ain't no etch-a-sketch. This is one doodle that can't be undid, homeskillet." The worst of all, however, was the gothy receptionist chick at the abortion clinic who asked Juno if she wanted some "boysenberry" condoms, commenting that it made her "boyfriend's junk smell like pie".

Anyway, regardless of the fact that I find the dialogue annoying and tasteless, I still think that this movie is worth seeing for the excellent cast, the awesome soundtrack (Kimya Dawson, Belle & Sebastian, et cetera), and Michael Cera in short-shorts. Go see it.

Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats

2008-01-15T18:36:00.000-05:00

I've finally gotten around to giving Michael Showlter's debut comedy album Sandwiches & Cats a listen. I absolutely love Michael Showalter, but I'm typically not a fan of most stand-up comedy and I never find myself sitting around listening to comedy albums on repeat all the live long day. Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed Sandwiches & Cats upon a first listen and have already managed to make it through the entire album a few times thus far. I'm embarrassed to admit that several times I found myself sitting there with my headphones on, chuckling out loud with no one else present in the room. I suppose that's a testament to just how powerful and moving Sandwiches & Cats truly is.

One highlight of the comedy album includes Michael Showalter's dismay at being mistaken for Screech. "He thought that I was one of the most iconic losers ever of all time. Do you know how badly that hurts?" On another track, Showalter goes through a list of some pretty unbelievable alternate names for the so-called restless leg syndrome, including 'jiggly legs', 'the kicks' and 'sewing machine foot'. Michael Showalter's joke about his love for DVR is interrupted by a mewing sound coming from the front row. He then spends several minutes marveling at the audacity of the woman sitting in the front row who brought her two cats to his comedy show. An actual video of that spectacle can be seen here.

Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats is mixed bag of observational humor, slight self-deprecation and a few separately recorded comedy sketch songs. Amazingly enough, the songs aren't bad. For example, It's quite enjoyable to hear Showalter's song abut the ten commandments of sandwich making, where he yells excitedly (as only Showalter can) about how mustard goes with everything.

My absolute favorite track on the album is 'The Apartment', where Showalter talks about the honor of being editor in chief of his high school literary magazine and then proceeds to read through a dramatic poem that his teenage self had written. The way Michael Showalter reads the poem is so amazing, you just have to hear it for yourself. All in all, Michael Showalter's brand of comedy is both hilarious and comforting. He makes me quite glad to be alive and a part of this world, a world where Starbucks sells thermoses and copies of Akeelah and the Bee. I highly recommend giving Michael Showalter's Sandwiches & Cats a listen.

MP3: Michael Showalter - The Apartment (zshare)

MP3: Michael Showalter - Sandwich Commandments (zshare)

Purchase Sandwiches & Cats here:

Kyle XY? Because You Need To Be Watching This Show, That's Why

2008-01-13T18:56:00.000-05:00

I've been a member of the Ginger Cookie Disco Nation for only a day, but I don't think it's ever too soon for one to start exerting their pop-cultural influence by immediately telling people what they need to be watching and listening to. This also marks the first post to depart from music to television, and I will do my best to make this transition of topics as smooth and painless as I possibly can.

Okay, I'm not going to waste any time here and just get straight to the point: Everyone should be watching Kyle XY. Everyone. The only people who may possibly be excepted here are the blind, deaf, and/or retarded, and even then those are generous exceptions. So that means if you aren't blind, deaf, and/or retarded and you aren't currently in love with this show, there is one of the following things wrong:

1. You aren't aware of its existence.

Yo, check it, unaware person: There is an amazing, brilliant, truly original series overflowing with awesome on Mondays at 8/7 central on ABC Family called Kyle XY. I realize that you were somehow not aware of this fact, but you no longer have that problem. You now have a new problem, which is that you haven't watched it yet. Let's fix that.

2. You're aware of its existence but just haven't watched it yet.

Hey, whatcha doing? Have you been waiting for me to tell you that you need to be watching it? Because if you were, I'm telling you now that you need to be watching it, so let's get on that. It's currently in its second season, but it isn't necessary to have seen the first season to understand the second season. It helps if you have, but don't let that stand in the way of giving it a go. The premiere of the second half of season two resumes tomorrow night at 8/7 central, preceded by an all-day marathon starting at 11am. You won't regret it. Unless, of course, you watch it and don't like it for some ungodly reason, in which case you might want to get checked out. There's a chance you may not actually be a human being.

3. You're aware of its existence, you watched it, and you didn't like it.

I can't help you. Whatever is going on to make you dislike Kyle XY was present long before you ever watched Kyle XY, and that's something you'll just have to work on.

Here's a really awesome video someone put on OurTube showcasing in a nutshell what happened during season one:

Okay, well, the bottom line here is that even if you don't want to watch it or don't like it, everyone still needs to watch it. At the very least, Kyle's intense adorability never fails, so you can always watch for that. There is really no possible way for you to lose with this show. Trust me.

David Shrigley's Worried Noodles

2008-01-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

They're noodles, and they're worried. How the hell can noodles be worried, you ask? I have no idea. What ARE these worried noodles, you ask? I shall tell you. There's this Scottish artist named David Shrigley. In 2005, he published an LP-sized book called Worried Noodles, a wacky collection of song lyrics and pictures. This year, he has re-released this book accompanied by a two-disc compilation of 39 artists who have set his words to music. Among these artists are Deerhoof, Franz Ferdinand, Islands, Hot Chip, Final Fantasy, and David Byrne.

The songs on the compilation range from disturbing to hilarious, and are sometimes both. Take, for example, Manager and Coordinator of Prostitutes, recorded by Les Georges Leningrad:

Give me a chance, mate.
Allow me to demonstrate
That I can do things well.
Better than the last bloke
Who stole from you
And called the police on you.
I will not let you down.
I can do things well but
I'm only ten years old
And I'm in a wheelchair.

Need I say more? I think not. However, the lyrics are way more exciting than the actual song, so I will not be posting the mp3 for it. Instead, I would like to draw everybody's attention to No, which is featured twice, with one version by Franz Ferdinand and one by Hot Chip. Franz Ferdinand's version is a guitar-driven dance-rock hoedown, and Hot Chip's version is soothing and reminiscent of their early work. I'm going to post the Hot Chip version, because I highly prefer it to the former.

MP3: Hot Chip- No

Let's Get Serious For Reals, You Guys

2008-01-12T22:08:00.000-05:00

Hi!!

I am Josie, and I am going to be periodically contributing random things here from here on out. Hmm. You know, I've always said that "from here on out" phrase out loud, but I've never actually written it down before now. It looks weird. Anyway, I've not prepared an actual post with substance yet, but I wanted to do a semi-introductory thing so that there wouldn't be any more confusion than necessary. In the mean time while you're all waiting for me to conjure up this actual post with substance, to give you an idea of what kind of atmosphere I'm going to be bringing into the Ginger Cookie Disco, I come bearing the gift of Jermaine Jackson.

Let's Get Serious

I found this song a couple of years ago and I always try to get it into as many people's lives as possible, because it really is a gift to the world that needs to be experienced. I've listened to it many, many, many times - okay, probably too many times to be admitting to other people - and I can't figure out if it's the best or the worst song ever, but what I do know is that it has seriously grooved its way into my soul. There is really only one thing to be said about it, and it's from the song itself:

"S-E-R-I-O-U-S/ Baby, let's get serious/ Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah YEEEAAAHHH-owwww!!!"

Oh em gee. I can't even think anymore after writing that so I'll have to go for now, but I'll leave you with one final thought to ponder as you listen to this masterpiece:

This song was written for Jermaine Jackson by ...wait for it... Stevie Wonder. I am super serious, baby.

Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo

2008-01-09T16:37:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I've been gushing over Jens Lekman for the past couple of years. The first song of his that I ever heard was 'Tram #7 To Heaven', which I'm confident should be everyone's first venture into the world of Jens Lekman. I felt as though I had been transported in time back to 1962 and was listening to a scratchy record on one of those old turntables, except Jens was asking me If I had eaten my banana from 7-Eleven.

October 2007 finally brought us new material from Jens Lekman; his second full length release Night Falls Over Kortedala. This album is no disappointment. I fell in love with it immediately. Everything I love about Jens Lekman is still there: the beautiful melodies, the obscure samples, the witty lyrics and the nostalgic feeling that is ever present in all of Jens Lekman's songs. Night Falls Over Kortedala offers a sound that is much larger and stronger in comparison to Lekmans' previous releases. Jens Lekman knows what he is doing. There is not much to say about Night Falls Over Kortedala other than that it is an absolutely wonderful and unique recording.

What I really want to talk about is the song on Night Falls Over Kortedala that I thought for sure was my least favorite. 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo'. It's a favorite among many long-time fans as well as recent converts. The 1950s horn, prevalent throughout the entire song is just a little bit much for me to handle. Every time I hear it I feel like I'm on the set of Grease or Happy Days (which isn't necessarily a pleasant feeling). Despite my original distaste for it, 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo' has begun to grow on me. While listening to it today, I started to notice lyrics in the song that I hadn't noticed previously. It suddenly struck me that this song is actually pretty great.

There's a cow and an ostrich just waiting for you!

A glass of apple cider just waiting for you!
The smell of 1952 just waiting for you!
And all I'm doing here is just waiting for you...

Sure, any Jens Lekman fan is aware that a great deal of his lyrics are humorous and 'quirky', but those lyrics just really hit the spot. It's probably the usage of 'ostrich' that did it for me. I can't really think of the last time I heard the word ostrich utilized in a song. Also, the visuals of a cow, an ostrich and apple cider waiting for me out in the country is just pretty profound and well... amazing.

There is another charming little verse earlier in the song where Jens Lekman attempts to squeeze in a million words per line about what people in a small southern Swedish country town are like.

Why do the people in the country wanna look like the people in the city?
When the people in the city aren't the slightest pretty
I want the people in the country to wear flannel shirts and saggy jeans all covered in dirt
I want the people in the country to be open and kind
but most times I've met those with a narrow mind
with a big black dog to bite your behind
if they ever find out you're not one of their kind

Maybe I can appreciate it because I've definitely seen some tiny tiny country towns in the United States that seem to be stuck in the 1950s (Vermont, I'm looking at you). In closing, 'Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo' is a much better song than I originally thought it was. I'm even beginning to appreciate those over the top horns that make me feel like I'm wearing a poodle skirt, cardigan sweater and saddle shoes at a high school dance.

MP3: Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo (zshare)

Purchase Night Falls Over Kortedala here:
(CD, MP3 and Vinyl formats available)

Best Music Videos of 2007

2008-01-04T23:51:00.000-05:00

2007 will be remembered as a year that offered simply way too much good music to keep track of. Alongside the good tunes came some equally brilliant music videos.

This list contains 15 of the best music videos of 2007, and was compiled by me (Melissa Robot) and no one else. Thus, it reflects my own personal favorites from the past year. I have no idea what the co-bloggers picks for favorite music videos of 2007 would be. For all I know they sit around watching videos of Billy Ocean all day. Oh wait, I guess I'm the one that's been watching 'Get Outta My Car' non-stop for two days straight. Anyway... For once I'm going to refrain from my typically epic reviews and allow these videos to speak for themselves. I recommend that you watch all of them.

15.
SHITDISCO - OK
Directed by Price James
SHITDISCO's video for 'OK' features pop-up book puppetry that somehow manages to sync up with the song to near perfection. A cute and innovative concept for a video that completely blew my mind the first ten times I watched it.

14.
To My Boy - Model
Directed by squarelips

'Model' is the first To My Boy video I ever laid eyes on, and it sold me on them completely. The colorful clockwork motif compliments To My Boy flawlessly, right down to Jack and Sam's matching belts. Click here to read my full review of To My Boy's music.

13.
GhostHustler - Parking Lot Nights
Directed by Pete Ohs

Is that a Nintendo Power Glove I spy? Those things seem to be resurfacing everywhere lately. This video clearly exhibits the most practical usage of the classic Nintendo Power Glove. Look out for my absolute favorite punch-to-the-face (occurring immediately after the sub-par breakdancer finishes executing enthusiastic uprocks and coffeegrinders on a Nintendo Power Pad).

12.
Spoon - Don't You Evah
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Keepon developed by Hideki Kozima and programmed by Marek Michalowski

Oh wow do I want one of those little Keepon robot things. It's just so cute. Not to mention that it dances to Spoon's music beautifully. As a dance journalist I must note that the cinematographer has captured little Keepon's quality of movement on film exquisitely.

11.
SoftLightes - Heart Made Of Sound
Directed by Kris Moyes

Kris Moyes has succeeded in keeping the painstaking art of stop motion animation alive and well in the video for 'Heart Made Of Sound'. This super cute video looks like it must have taken eons to make. Kris Moyes also directed the video for the SoftLightes' 'Microwave Song', which can be found here along with more information about SoftLightes.

10.
Dan Deacon - The Crystal Cat
Directed by Jimmy Joe Roche

I would probably include any Dan Deacon video in a top 15 list based solely on that weird little prancing dance he does and the face he makes whilst doing so.

9.
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh

If you knew how much I adore this Hot Chip video you'd probably ask why I've placed it at #9 and not #1. Seeing as the video has only been floating around since December and is for an album that has yet to be released, it will likely be included on next year's list too. Read my full review of 'Ready For The Floor' here.

8.
Architecture in Helsinki - Hold Music
Directed by Kim Gehrig

There is just something pretty wondrous about a bunch of Australian hippie nerds jumping on trampolines in brightly colored ponchos. The editing is stellar as well.

7.
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Directed by Alma Har'el

I'm fairly certain that most people watch this Beirut video and think to themselves 'Whoa, Zach Condon has a mustache and people happen to be dancing and there is a lot of confetti fluttering around and then suddenly he is at the ocean and his mustache has disappeared and he plays his trumpet while standing in the water'. I can't help but take a closer look at JoAnn Jansen's ballet influenced contemporary choreography. It looks very West Side Story-esque to me at times and leaves me wondering if Jerome Robbins might be choreographing Beirut videos were he still alive today.

Van She - Cat and the Eye
Directed by Krozm

I adore Van She and I love love love all of the music videos the guys from Krozm have directed. What I like most about 'Cat and the Eye' other than the bizarre costumes, is mainly the way the camera never stops panning right or left, circling around, or focusing out and back in. The effect is dizzying, and somehow it almost feels as if you're the one moving. Read more about Krozm and Van She here.

5.
Jens Lekman - Sipping On The Sweet Nectar
Directed by Marcus Söderlund

This Jens Lekman song tugs at my heart strings and the video reminds me of when I would find myself in scenic locations having epiphanies about life. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and Jens is flying a plane and singing at the same time. Does life get any better? 'Sipping On The Sweet Nectar' also happens to be the only Jens Lekman song that reminds me slightly of Barry Manilow. I probably shouldn't disclose that, since everyone seems to be disgusted by Barry Manilow.

4.
Omnikrom - Été Hit
Directed by Jérémie Saindon

I'm not sure exactly what it is that makes me love this video to the extent that I do. It could be the catchy as hell song by Montreal's Omnikrom. It could be the spinning neon Rubik's Cube heads. Or it could very possibly be Linso Gabbo's colorful plaid shorts that truly make this video great.

Damn Arms - Homewrecker
Directed by Krozm

Krozm seem to have a penchant for including heads with strange features and inanimate objects as heads in the videos they direct. It never gets old for me, especially in Damn Arms' 'Homewrecker', where various shapes for heads are interchanged and when removed, show nothing to be beneath them.

2.
Bat For Lashes - What's A Girl To Do
Directed by Dougal Wilson
'What's A Girl To Do' might just be the most amazing single take video I have ever seen. It features a beautiful girl riding a bike down a dark forest-y road, accompanied by a gang of hoodie sporting, animal masked beings that appear at every chorus to clap their hands (or paws) and perform choreographed tricks before disappearing once again behind Natasha Khan. Dougal Wilson's creative vision for the 'What's A Girl To Do' video is just absolutely flawless in every possible way.

1.
Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
Directed by The Brothers Chaps

If there is one music video that I will remember 2007 by it will be Of Montreal's 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse'. Upon seeing this video for the first time in early 2007, I thought it was the most random and bizarre video I had seen in a good while. My reaction was a mixture of 'wtf' combined with wonder and awe. Every time I watch it, I sit around and ponder what sort of mind it took to come up with every little last character detail seen in the video. Upon closer inspection (just two days ago) I discovered that the video was directed by The Brothers Chaps. Yup, that would be the guys who have brought Homestar Runner to us for all these years.

My favorite parts of 'Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse' are 1. The sheet ghost in the audience and 2. When Kevin Barnes sings that he is 'in a crisis' and at that moment he is kneeling inside of some strange red object with a worried expression on his face. Every second of the video happens to be pretty amazing, really.

So there you have it. Those were my personal 15 favorite music videos of 2007. Hopefully 2008 brings us some more visual stunners.

Holiday Hiatus / Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T20:03:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the recent hiatus and lack of new posts. I've been extremely busy with the holidays. Who is intently reading blogs during these holiday weeks anyway? I've also been experiencing some extreme sinus pain that has debilitated me pretty severely the past few days. I'm all set now that I applied some Head On sinus headache relief directly to my forehead. Would you believe that a topical pain reliever that closely resembles a glue stick actually works? Surprisingly, it does work.

Anyhow, hopefully 2008 will bring great and wonderful things to this little blog here. I'm a little bit behind on completing my year's end lists of music and music videos, but hey, just because 2007 is about to end doesn't mean we can't appreciate some of the products of the past year one week into 2008, right? Expect to see a higher number of posts more often very soon from me. Hopefully the co-bloggers will have some wonderful things to contribute in 2008 as well!

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration, whatever you may be doing. I'll be sitting here having an existential New Year's Eve party in my bedroom.

MP3: Tobiah - i exist therefore i sing (zshare)

I hope you all ring in the new year happily! 2008 looks to be a year full of remarkable and wondrous things.

With Love,

Melissa Robot of Ginger Cookie Disco

P.S. My sister and I decorated those Ginger Cookies pictured up top. I decorated the male, and my sister decorated the one with the boobs. They are out on a date. How cute.

Christmas Mix

2007-12-17T22:35:00.000-05:00

Exactly a week from now it will be Christmas Eve. Exciting times, people! I've always enjoyed the holiday season. I love looking at Christmas lights and baking treats and decorating the tree. I have so much holiday spirit that I'm even excited about the wrapping paper I bought. Sometimes I feel like I'm Andy Williams, ready to put on a holiday sweater and skate around on a set with fake trees and snow. Oddly enough, there happens to be no Andy Williams whatsoever on the mix below.

About the mix: I wanted to put together a mix that I could play around the whole family without someone getting annoyed by a certain song being too 'loud' or too 'weird'. Still, I think I managed to get a good mixture of old classics and newer tunes in there. One listen to Cassette's rendition of 'Do You Hear What I Hear?' and you'll see that I haven't gone completely 'traditional' with the whole mix. Several of the songs included also happen to be some of my favorites from childhood. Oh and also, for some reason I thought It would be hilarious to start off a Christmas mix with holiday wishes from Marc Bolan of T. Rex followed immediately by a Burl Ives song? Maybe I am just going crazy from all of this Christmas cheer.

Download individual tracks, or download the entire mix in a convenient zip file. And yes, that is a picture of my cat.

Ginger Cookie Disco Christmas Mix 2007
compiled by Melissa Robot

Download the entire mix in one convenient zip file

01. T. Rex - Xmas Message
02. Burl Ives - Holly Jolly Christmas
03. Jens Lekman - Run Away With Me
04. Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy's Christmas
05. XTC - Thanks For Christmas
06. Sufjan Stevens - O Holy Night
07. Phantom Planet - Winter Wonderland
08. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Skating
09. Frank Sinatra - Jingle Bells
10. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song
11. Math and Physics Club - A Marshmallow World
12. Guster - Donde Esta Santa Claus?
13. Marah - Holly Jolly Christmas
14. Sufjan Stevens - Put the Lights on the Tree
15. Cocteau Twins - Frosty the Snowman
16. Cassette - Do You Hear What I Hear?
17. The Dandy Warhols - Little Drummer Boy
18. Bright Eyes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
19. Bing Crosby - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
20. The Partridge Family - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
21. Dean Martin - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
22. Starflyer 59 - Christmas Time Is Here
23. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Winter Weather
24. Sharpetiquette - Jingle Bell Rock
25. Darlene Love - Marshmallow World
26. PAS/CAL - Last Christmas
27. Elton John - Step Into Christmas
28. Frank Sinatra - The Christmas Waltz

Happy Holidays!

To My Boy: step inside the mainframe

2007-12-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

Do you love synthesizers, excited yet robotic vocals and songs about computers? If so, then you will surely love To My Boy. I certainly do.

To My Boy is an energetic electro pop duo hailing from Liverpool, England. The twosome is comprised of Jack Snape and Sam White. The ingredients of their music consist of synthesizer, guitar, arpeggiator, drum machine and vocals. All of the above are self-recorded and produced on their computer, giving it that nice homemade DIY type feel, yet still managing to sound polished and professional. If I were to compare To My Boy to anyone else I would say that they sort of sound like The Cars and Gary Numan combined, except on speed.

Typically, synthesizer heavy songs about machines and space are cold sounding, monotone, and minimalistic. Whether recorded in the late 70s/early 80s or within the last decade, these songs often sound like the product of a Dystopian nation in the distant future (except with music that sounds like it was recorded on a 1970s analog synthesizer). It's like when you watch watch Logan's Run and they're in the future, yet they're wearing tacky 70's disco mall elf outfits. Anyway... As much as I love that bleak sort of sound, it is refreshing to hear such nerdy and triumphant excitement regarding machines. To My Boy seem to find a certain warmth and comfort in computers and technology. To them, the future does not look bleak at all. And luckily it doesn't seem as though they'll be sporting Logan's Run inspired outfits anytime soon. Instead, they seem to have an affinity for sweater vests and matching belts.

I can't think of one thing about To My Boy that isn't perfect. Their art design is brilliant. They sing about convex windowpanes, lines of constant latitude, and stepping inside mainframes. Their videos are colorful and completely adorable. Jack Snape and Sam White also appear to have an overabundance of energy. That is part of what makes them so likable. Their energy is unavoidably contagious. With To My Boy you will not find one single ounce of pretension.

Check out the videos for I Am X-Ray, The Grid, Model, and Fear of Fragility. Trust me, you need to watch all four of these videos. Do it now.

To My Boy's debut album Messages is out now on XL Recordings.

MP3: To My Boy - Model (zshare)

MP3: To My Boy - Tell Me, Computer (zshare)

MP3: Eliminate (zshare)

Purchase To My Boy's album Messages on Insound, where you can find it in MP3, CD, and Vinyl format.

Blanche: reinventing the "Southern Gothic" sound

2007-12-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

This is Blanche. They are absolutely brilliant. Described by many as "Southern Gothic", Blanche is definitely a band worth checking out. Their sweet sounds very well may give listeners the urge to don cowboy boots and hang out at saloons. Based out of Detroit, Michigan, the band is composed of Dan John Miller and his wife Tracee Mae, along with Lisa Jannon, Feeny, and Little Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs). They look exactly like what they sound like, which is very old-school Southern and very fancy. The band's website describes them as "a dolled-up meeting of the Stepford Wives and a Lawrence Welk gospel special." Tracee Mae has a pretty intense beehive, if I do say so myself.

The band emerged in 2004 after the breakup of Two-Star Tabernacle, which featured Jack White on guitar. In the three years between their first single "Who's To Say" and current new album Little Amber Bottles, the band has had a whole slew of various side projects to keep them busy. Some of you may remember Dan and Tracee's guest appearance in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, as they made a cameo appearance in the film as Luther and Birdie Perkins. The band has also backed Loretta Lynn on her Jack White-produced album Van Lear Rose.

Little Amber Bottles, a spooky-country masterpiece, is nothing short of spectacular. The first track, "I'm Sure Of It", is a psychedelic duet with Dan and Tracee on vocals, accompanied by banjo. Their voices basically sound like Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood from hell, if you can imagine that. The haunting "No Matter Where You Go" stands out as my favorite track. Tracee Mae's sly, breathy, and slightly creepy (in a good way) vocals begin the song with the line, "You set yourself on fire, and then complained." The theatrical atmosphere of the song is reminiscent of The Dresden Dolls, minus the cheesy gimmickry that the latter are oh-so-famous for. Further more, Belle and Sebastian's Isobel Campbell plays the cello on this song, which is sweet. The title track is a reworked version of the song "Olden Amber Bottles" from a 1933 movie, the original version of which is actually on the album as a bonus track.

Blanche- No Matter where You Go

I love the colors in this video.

Christmas Songs - Last Christmas

2007-12-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

It's been snowing all day here in Massachusetts, so of course I can't resist posting more Christmas tunes.

Wham!'s 1984 holiday classic , 'Last Christmas' might just be George Michael's single most important contribution to music. It may sound a little bit dated with the cheesy mid-80s synthesizer and over the top heartbroken lyrics, but it just isn't Christmas without Wham! I never thought I'd hear myself say that, but it's true.

'Last Christmas' also happens to be one of the most frequently covered modern Christmas songs. Surprisingly, the majority of the covers I've heard don't even mock the classic Wham! song (which would be so easy to do). Most of the renditions I've heard just sound incredibly earnest and sincere. What's so interesting about the covers is that every artist really does put their own unique spin on the song. No matter what type of music you prefer, there is bound to be a version of 'Last Christmas' that will be right up your alley.

MP3: Wham! - Last Christmas
The original version by Wham! proves to still be an essential for any Holiday mix.

MP3: Manic Street Preachers - Last Christmas
The Manic Street Preachers recorded a stripped down acoustic version of the Wham! classic. Is it just me or does James Dean Bradfield's vocal performance here not sound that dissimilar to George Michael?

MP3: PAS/CAL - Last Christmas
PAS/CAL's cover of 'Last Christmas' is the most fun and innovative one I have heard. Filled with guitar, piano, disco drums and bass and topped off with just a little falsetto, this version is a must have.

MP3: Erlend Øye - Last Christmas
Another stripped down version of 'Last Christmas'. The only ingredients are an acoustic guitar and of course, Norwegian singer Erlend Øye's lovely voice.

MP3: Jimmy Eat World - Last Christmas
Say what you will about Jimmy Eat World, their cover of 'Last Christmas' is actually quite good! I advise that you do not deny it a listen.

MP3: Le Sport, Montt Mardié and Mr Suitcase - Last Christmas
Before Le Sport's untimely split, they gave the world a Swedish euro-dance cover of 'Last Christmas' that is ready for the dance floor. It might be even cheesier than the original (if that's possible).

MP3: Swipe! and Gwenno (of The Pipettes) - Last Christmas
A girl & guy duet version this time around. This cover of 'Last Christmas' is quite sweet and heartfelt sounding. Fans of The Pipettes should be especially interested in hearing this one.

Christmas Songs - The Little Drummer Boy

2007-12-12T17:02:00.000-05:00

No matter what holiday you celebrate or don't celebrate, there is always room for the David Bowie & Bing Crosby classic "Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth". I don't know how anyone could NOT enjoy listening to that song and watching the video. I was watching it last night and realized how hilarious I find it when he casually says "I'm David Bowie. I live down the road" in the beginning of the video. I just love the way he says it. I can't stop imagining David Bowie appearing at my door and nonchalantly telling me that he lives down the road.

Although released before my time, as a kid I remember seeing the Bowie & Bing video air all the time on VH-1 throughout the holiday season, as well as hearing it on the radio constantly. I still hear it on the radio and even have it on mp3, just in case I don't hear it enough for my liking. One of my sisters and I have always enjoyed making fun of the song and mimicking Bowie's slightly off key sounding 'peaace on eaaarth' parts in the song, as well as Bing Crosby's ridiculously low rum pum pum pums.

I'm not super religious but I do enjoy some of the more religious Christmas songs. For years now It always makes me giggle when in 'The Little Drummer Boy' it says 'the ox and lamb kept time'. I picture the ox and lamb stomping their hooves and bobbing their heads to the beat of the song. Ridiculous. I mean, who wrote that?

Here are my favorite renditions of 'The Little Drummer Boy' for your Holiday downloading pleasure:

Bing Crosby & David Bowie - Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy (zshare)
Dandy Warhols - The Little Drummer Boy (zshare)
Low - The Little Drummer Boy (zshare)
Bright Eyes - The Little Drummer Boy (zshare)
Sufjan Stevens - The Little Drummer Boy (zshare)

SoftLightes - The Last Christmas on Earth

2007-12-11T17:23:00.000-05:00

Considering that I've already compared the SoftLightes' sound to Christmas music, It's difficult to imagine what an actual holiday song by Modular's resident Californian indie popsters could possibly sound like. Their regular music makes me want to cut out paper snowflakes and decorate cookies with gooey frosting.

SoftLightes bring just a little more to the table this time around with their environmentally conscious holiday single 'The Last Christmas on Earth'. One can grasp from the title alone that this is perhaps not your ordinary 'sleigh ride' or 'winter wonderland' type holiday ditty. Despite the serious topic at hand, SoftLightes manage to pull off a heart warming and cheerful sounding holiday jam, complete with Ron Fountenberry's sugary sweet vocals and a diverse musical arrangement that includes strings and bells. No Christmas classic is complete without bells. Let's also not forget the chants throughout the song, commanding us to dance. What more could you possibly want in a holiday song?

'The Last Christmas' is available for digital download only, starting December 11th. Stream the song here to have a listen, and then download the song from iTunes or another digital retailer if you are able to! All proceeds go to the Sydney based eco-charity Earth Hour.

Felix da Housecat does Devo

2007-12-10T23:50:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, I have never been a huge fan of Felix da Housecat. As often as I have owned up to liking bucket-loads of cheesy music, Felix da Housecat borders on just a little too cheesy, even for my tastes. His music is like a sharp cheddar that has been aged for four years, whereas I prefer a cheddar that has been aged for just two or possibly three years.

That being said, Felix da Housecat's latest release Virgo Blaktro & The Movie Disco is a fun little album. The main downfall of the record? It just seems rather short. There are several skits (something I have never been a fan of) and several songs (or perhaps, interludes) that fall short of not only the three minute mark, but the forty second mark as well. Felix Stallings has sited Virgo Blaktro & The Movie Disco as being "a sexy, black, electronic disco record". As a worshiper of Giorgio Moroder, I can't help but notice the obvious influence his Italo Disco mastery had on this album, particularly on the track 'Night Tripperz'. The last time I checked, Giorgio Moroder was pretty far from being black, or sexy for that matter. Actually, never mind. Giorgio Moroder is totally hot.

What I really want to talk about is 'Sweetfrosti'. As I gave Virgo Blaktro & The Movie Disco a first listen, 'Sweetfrosti' immediately caught my attention. I automatically recognized the Devo song 'Snowball'. I was completely and utterly confused for several moments. First I thought to myself, 'Is this track sampling Devo?' No, the entire song is pretty much an exact copy. My second thought was, 'Is this a Devo cover?' No, the lyrics are different, so it can't really be considered a cover. Well, what is it then? I suppose that 'Sweetfrosti' could simply be defined as Felix Stallings' homage to Devo.

I hated 'Sweetfrosti' at first. All I could think was, 'Why would anyone take a seminal Devo song and turn it into something called 'Sweetfrosti' of all things?' Still, something has to be said for the fact that I've had 'Sweetfrosti' stuck in my head for several days now. If anything, Felix da Housecat confirms for us that Devo's music still sounds amazing nearly thirty years later. While 'Snowball' isn't one of Devo's most well known songs, it is by far one of their best. Hopefully listeners will realize that those awesome 'early 80's inspired synthesizers' actually are from the early 80's and are in fact, not a product of Felix da Housecat (as monumental as he may be).

Felix da Housecat's Virgo Blaktro & The Movie Disco is definitely worth checking out. Pick up a copy at Insound. While you're at it, why not pick up Devo's classic Freedom of Choice as well?

Give a listen to both Sweetfrosti AND Snowball.

Felix da Housecat - Sweetfrosti (zshare)

Devo - Snowball (zshare)

Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor

2007-12-05T22:05:00.000-05:00

While Hot Chip have not been out of the picture for long, somehow it feels like it's been eons since we last heard anything from our favorite synthesizer wielding Brits. Loyal Hot Chip fanatics (myself included) have been patiently awaiting the release of their third album Made in the Dark, set for a February 5th release date here in the U.S. We've still got some waiting to do, but at least there is a brand new Hot Chip video to keep us at bay. The new video, directed by Nima Nourizadeh is for Hot Chip's forthcoming single Ready for the Floor. It is nothing short of a quirky, colorful, and visually stunning treat.

Nima Nourizadeh is yet another one of my favorite video directors these days. His videos are always attention grabbing and surreal. Taking a look at Nima Nourizadeh's videography, I realized that some of my favorite videos he directed in the past also happened to be for Hot Chip. I still watch the videos for Over and Over and Playboy at least once a month, no matter how many millions of times I have heard those songs. Nima Nourizadeh's latest vision does not disappoint. I am still shocked at how inconceivably giddy I became as a result of watching Ready for the Floor. It was as if a joyous explosion of nerds, synthesizers and brightly colored paints took place in my heart.

Aside from the beautiful art design and camera work, I am absolutely in love with the dancing in Ready for the Floor. Small, syncopated movements isolating various parts of the body are performed by the expressionless dancers. While I'm no stranger to post-modern Fosse inspired choreography, I had never seen it performed in conjunction with Hot Chip until now. The minimalistic choreography works perfectly juxtaposed with the costumes, backdrop, camera work and synthesizer heavy, New Order inspired beats.

The movement quality of the band members should also be taken note of. In opposition to the small, controlled movements of the dancers in the video, singer Alexis Taylor jogs and flails his arms around in attempt to regain balance. The other four members of Hot Chip can be seen laying on a spinning floor, crouching down while covering their ears, and struggling to fit through changing shapes. The band members also attempt to keep their balance as they flail around while leaping from one object to the next. I might be crazy for making this comparison, but these movements remind me greatly of a genre of post-modern dance called 'Release Technique', which basically translates as 'following the least path of resistance'. Anyway, enough over-analyzing... here's the video!

By the way, you can pre-order Hot Chip's third release Made in the Dark now on Insound. The album will be released on DFA Records/Astralwerks here in the U.S. You can also stream the forthcoming single Ready for the Floor over at Hot Chip's myspace page. I hope it makes you as giddy as it makes me.

Just because I love Hot Chip so much, here is the song plus a few remixes to tide you over until early February:

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (zshare)

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (Extended Version) (zshare)

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (Soulwax Dub) (zshare)

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (Jesse Rose Remix) (zshare)

KROZM vs. Van She & Midnight Juggernauts

2007-11-24T22:51:00.000-05:00

What do Krozm, Van She and Midnight Juggernauts have in common? For starters, they're all Australian. Secondly, they're all amazing. It may or may not be obvious to you that Van She and Midnight Juggernauts are bands; but who or what exactly is Krozm? Their myspace informs us that Krozm is a collective comprised of five humans (Chris Hill, Ewan Macleod, Lachlan Dickie, Brandon Tay and from time to time, Dan Bronsema) who specialize in video, film, direction, cinematography, animation, design and interpretive dance.

Whether Krozm are kidding about the interpretive dancing or not, I do not know. It seems laughable, but interpretive dance would be almost too appropriate to list, considering that their videos do feature some dazzlingly killer moves and editing.

These lads are based out of Melbourne, Australia and are responsible for directing some of my favorite music videos as of late. Krozm typically make the type of videos that you watch and wonder 'how can someone (or five someones) have the brain to come up with any of this stuff?!' I've come across people that hate any video (or any piece of art, for that matter) if they cannot wrap their brain around the concept of it or figure out where the logic is. If you often find yourself staring at the screen in confusion and anger when shown a moderately abstract video, then sadly you may not like Krozm. However, If you're anything like myself and love seeing things like random deer heads on a human body juxtaposed with interesting editing and camera work, then you just might love the creations of Krozm.

The boys of Krozm have created a visual masterpiece for Van She's new single 'Cat And The Eye'. What I love about this video other than the bizarre costumes, is mainly the way the camera never stops panning right or left, circling around, or focusing out and back in. The effect is dizzying, and somehow it almost feels as if you're the one moving. The song itself is a lot more commercial sounding in comparison to the sparkling 80's reminiscent space pop previously heard from Van She. Still, Van She prove further that they know how to drop an addicting melody. If I heard this song on mainstream radio here in the U.S. it would be a welcomed change to what is typically played. Look forward to a full Van She album being released soon on Modular.

Van She - Cat and the Eye
Uploaded by krozm

Krozm have made a whole slew of videos for Melbourne band Midnight Juggernauts. 2007 saw the release of Midnight Juggernauts' full length debut Dystopia, released on Siberia Records. With a synth-rock sound that draws influence from Daft Punk, ELO, Giorgio Moroder, 70's sci-fi/horror film score music/Goblin; Midnight Juggernauts somehow manage to create a unique sound as mysterious and expansive as outer space itself. My favorite Midnight Juggernauts video may also be one of Krozm's simplest. The key ingredients are fog, lights and mirrors.

Into the Galaxy - Midnight Juggernauts
Uploaded by krozm

Again, the way that the camera pans and appears to dance around the band members is what truly makes this video great. It's incredible that simple things such as lights and mirrors in conjunction with a camera could create something so beautiful and fascinating to watch. What's even more impressive is how perfectly the atmosphere and visual aesthetics of the video match up with the song.

Check out more Midnight Juggernauts videos directed by Krozm here.

SoftLightes say no! to being cool.

2007-11-18T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Modular label has put out some of my favorite albums of 2007. It's difficult to pinpoint one favorite, with new releases from New Young Pony Club, Chromeo, Klaxons, and Muscles (just to name a few) circulating at the same time. Most of these albums make me want to dance and pump my fist in the air a few times. SoftLightes offer up something completely different: indie pop perfection.

SoftLightes craft beautiful pop songs with melodies that are liable to melt your heart into a puddle of goo. Their clever lyrics could perhaps draw comparison to The Flaming Lips, but I personally prefer and adore SoftLightes much more. It's difficult to believe that absolutely no one I know has heard of these guys yet. Even so, you just might recall frontman and multi-instrumentalist Ron Fountenberry, formerly of the electro pop act The Incredible Moses Leroy.

SoftLightes hail from sunny San Diego, California, but I can't help thinking that there is no better music to help one get through a chilly late fall/early winter's day here in the northeast. Their songs make me want to cut out paper snowflakes and curl up in front of a fireplace with a mug full of hot cocoa. It's sort of like that strange thing that happens when a song sounds like it could be a Christmas song, yet it's not, and it is in fact better than most Christmas songs. Without a doubt, SoftLightes will generate the warmth you need to keep warm and cozy throughout the long winter.

Check out the visually stunning video for 'The Microwave Song' directed by Kris Moyes.

SoftLightes - Microwave Song
Uploaded by modularpeople

If you're anything like me, It won't be long before you have 'The Microwave Song' stuck in your head for weeks or possibly years. Be prepared to start singing 'I am just a Microwave, I am just a Microwave, I am JUST A Microwave' repeatedly around friends, family, and coworkers. You should probably also prepare to have the debut full length album by SoftLightes 'Say No! to Being Cool. Say Yes! to Being Happy.' quickly become one of your new favorite albums of 2007.

The Microwave Song

Heart Made of Sound

If The World Had Cookies

Purchase Say No! To Being Cool. Say Yes! To Being Happy. at Insound. Also be sure to check out SoftLightes on myspace and befriend these lovely lads!

b-boys, breakers, electric boogaloo!

2007-11-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

I can't stop thinking about the Rock Steady Crew. Last week they performed on the Dancing with the Stars results show (Yes, I was watching it). Initially when I heard that they were going to be performing I imagined a bunch of grandpas out on the dance floor trying to uprock and windmill. How wrong I was. While some members of the Rock Steady Crew have been around for years, these days they are more of a collective rather than a small group of dancers. There are several chapters of the Rock Steady Crew spread throughout the nation. Apparently there are also members in Canada and Japan, among other countries.

Prior to reading up on the history of the Rock Steady Crew, I was only familiar with them for two reasons; one being their role in the legendary 1984 film Beat Street. The other thing that sprang to mind was their bizarre and campy attempt at a music career. I don't even know how to describe what the music sounds like, other than to say that it could barely be considered hip hop. It's pure bubblegum. This is what an author on last.fm said in regards to their music: "The Rock Steady Crew was picked up by a record company and they made dope tracks and music videos." Dope tracks indeed. It may have been a cheap attempt at capitalizing on the popularity of breakdancing, but It's still an enjoyable listen and definitely an enjoyable watch.

I don't know what purpose you'll need this song for, but trust me, you need to have this in your collection.

The Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (zshare)

There's no way you can have a post about breakdancing without some appropriate visuals to accompany it. Here are some of my favorite Rock Steady Crew related videos:

Rock Steady Crew - Uprock: The video for their other single. I wish I had an mp3 of this, because this song is actually pretty awesome. I have always wanted a breakdance crew of my own so that we could skip down the streets in matching outfits and inform people that our moves are true.

Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew: The video that goes along with the classic song. Bright yellow outfit + lady mullet = not a good combination? You be the judge.

Rock Steady Crew vs. NYC Breakers: This is the main battle from the film Beat Street. I have always found this to be the most amazing breakdance battle ever featured in a film. Both crews are phenomenal and look awesome. The Rock Steady Crew are the ones dressed in blue.

Dancing with the Stars: Here is the current incarnation of the Rock Steady Crew. Most of them probably hadn't even been born yet when the Rock Steady Crew was created (1977). However, original member and current president, Crazy Legs does make an appearance here.

Jumpity Jump Jump Jump

2007-11-10T22:58:00.000-05:00

I'm sure by this point virtually everyone in North America has heard of Jumpstyle. You've probably watched a video or ten on YouTube and giggled as you watched some young Belgians kicking their legs in a folk dance inspired fashion to the hard beats commonly heard in Jumpstyle music.

I can't claim to be an aficionado on Jumpstyle music. It seems pretty complicated for a cultural phenomenon and genre that is simply regarded as 'gay' by so many. Let's start with what I DO know. I know that it's been around for a number of years. I know that it is now commercially popular in the Netherlands. I know that it is similar to hardcore, with a slower BPM. I have read that Jumpstyle is exactly the same as Chicago Hard House. Maybe Jumpstyle drew its inspiration from Chicago Hard House, but the typical Chicago Hard House song sounds a lot different from the typical Jumpstyle song to me. Chicago Hard House songs usually incorporate high-pitched mosquito inspired notes, whereas Jumpstyle songs often feature a melody that sounds like some sort of polka or folk dance music.

While there may be a whole slew of commercial and perhaps even mediocre sounding Jumpstyle anthems out there, I must say that I am impressed by and totally in love with some of the Jumpstyle songs I have heard thus far. Who can resist a Jumpstyle cover of Depeche Mode's classic 'Just Can't Get Enough'? A Jumpstyle remix of the A-Team theme? Please sign me up.

Wacky Jumpers - Just Can't Jump (zshare)

Crazy Fool - A-Team Theme (Picco Vs. Jens O Remix) (zshare)

Everyone seems to be jumping aboard the Jumpstyle train these days. Even If you don't like Jumpstyle music as much as I do, you still might appreciate Doormouse's homage to Jumpstyle. His song 'Ultimate Jumpstyle' fittingly enough, is not a Jumpstyle song at all. It is however, hilarious and jumperific.

Doormouse - Ultimate Jumpstyle (zshare)

Time for the icing on the cake. Apparently I'm not the only non-Netherlander that enjoys listening to Jumpstyle. It would seem that DJ Donna Summer AKA Jason Forrest also has a soft spot in his heart for Jumpstyle music. Back in September he posted a free download of an epic Jumpstyle inspired mix that he conjured up. Even If you don't love Jumpstyle music, you still might enjoy it. Not everything in it is Jumpstyle. It's a great mixture of songs (there are even some rave classics hidden in there). I would go as far as to say that this is my favorite thing that DJ Donna Summer/Jason Forrest has ever done. This mix is truly a treat.

DJ Donna Summer - Jumpstyle Mix (right click to save)

The first time I listened to that mix it was 4 a.m. I was in my jammies, pumping my fist in the air and doing miniature jumpstyle inspired kicks with my legs. Yup, It's that good.

Just another blog with 'Disco' in the title?

2007-11-08T19:25:00.000-05:00

Nope. We've got cookies too. It's the cookies that will set us apart from the rest of the batch.

This is Ginger Cookie Disco; a blog about music, the arts & life.

The music we write about will cover a multitude of genres and span many decades. We love new music and we love old music too. We love obscure music and we love not-so-obscure music. If we post an mp3 that has been blogged a hundred times over, we're still going to post it if we feel inclined to do so. It is our belief that varied opinions should be heard!

We also plan to post about the arts. We believe that art is infinite. We may post about fashion, photography, film, dance, and pretty much any type of media that you can think of. Music will be posted about on a regular basis!

Pour yourself a glass of milk (or soy milk) and get ready for some Ginger Cookie Disco greatness!