Episode 2 - A Bucket of Beeps
11 years ago
A Delightful D Ditty Depicting Deeds of Derring-Do
The declamatory dandy, Damien Dartmouth, darts down hill dune and dale, delightedly demanding each drifter and derelict to put up their dukes for a duel to the death. Day-by-day, his dares are declined and his delectation dilatorily deflates. Diminished and depressed, the downtrodden disputant dolefully dawdles down a darkened drag in the dusky dimness of a distinctly demoralizing day. Distracted by his own despondency, the dandy Damien Dartmouth does not discern a disquieting dude descending from the darkness. The deleterious devil delivered a deafening declaration of dissension, disrupting Damien's disheartened daydreaming. Discarding his desolation without deliberation, the dexterous defendant dives diligently into this new diversion. Demonstrating the durability of a demigod, the dandy Damien Dartmouth dances with his daunting dissentient, draining and depleting the demon's drive. Detecting the denouement of the dispute, Damien delivers a debilitating blow, defeating the disquieting dude. Dun-dun-dunnnnn.
I used to like swing. I still do. But I used to, too.
This was originally going to be an entry dedicated entirely to electro-swing. But then I realized that I really do only know a small handful of artists and even then only a scant selection of their songs. So I decided to expand my criteria to anything that could be remotely related to "nu-jazz" and modern swing in general. I should note that out of desperation to include songs that I think will appeal to a wider audience, I'm aware of how not-obscure some of these will be. I know that doesn't really matter, but my aim from the beginning was to bring some awareness to some lesser-know artists and bands. I'm babbling. Ho hum.
1. Parov Stelar - Booty Swing
I couldn't decide if I should start strong and taper off weakly, start weak and build to a bang, or just toss songs in willynilly and hope they're engaging enough to keep everyone's interest. I ended up going with the song that got me into this whole nichey sub-genre. I think a classmate from a poetry course sent me a link to this video and after a few clicks through related vids, I landed on one of him dancing to Booty Swing. And I was permanently sold. I wouldn't necessarily say that this song is any kind of meaningful to me--there are other Parov Stelar tracks that are a lot prettier and captivating--but I've always felt it sort of embodied the sound of what this music is/should be.
2. The Atomic Fireballs - Swing Sweet Pussycat
I know that the first time I heard these guys was on So You Think You Can Dance, and even that was about a decade after this album was released, so I'm not sure how much attention these guys have received in terms of mainstream superstardom. I'll just assume you know who they are. I did you the kindness, though, of linking a song that isn't Man With the Hex. I'd say this is my favorite track on Torch This Place just for how "swingin'" it is. Plus it's fun sexy wordplay. So yeah, yay music.
3. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Stop, Drop and Roll
Another group that I'm pretty sure has attained a respectable level of recognition and fame. Videos for Hell and The Ghost of Stephen Foster have a couple million views on YouTube so somebody out there is listening to them. But I love, luff, lurve Bedlam Ballroom. Back in junior high, when my only source of music was ripping borrowed CDs from the library, it was one of those albums I'd literally tossed into a pile of others with weird names or cool cover art during one of my weekly trips. I immediately liked a lot of the slower stuff on the disc just because it was different from what I was used to listening to and what I knew any of my friends were into. But I was always drawn to this track with its bombastic dance hall piano and sax solo.
4. Waldeck - Addicted
I'm not 100% positive, but I'm mostly certain that the vocalist on this track is Joy Malcolm of Incognito. I start by giving her credit because she really makes this song. It's a decent song, and actually not really one of Waldeck's swingingest tracks, but her voice absolutely makes it a must-hear while dabbling in the sub-genre and its related sub-subs. It calls to mind mysterious ladies in dark dresses and silent gentlemen with nice hats making eyes at each other across smokey speakeasies. Nom.
5. Belleruche - Alice
I really wanted to get a decent quality video of a live performance for this song but just could not find any. I would wholeheartedly recommend watching Kathrine deBoer sing live once or twice or, you know, three or four. Cuz she's amazing. And ya I realize at this point it's more soul than anything else, but wasn't my introduction a clear enough warning of how ambiguous the swing guidelines would be? I wanted this to be the song I featured because I think it demonstrates how the concept behind nu-jazz et al can crossover into other classic genres. So ya, let the fuzzy pipe cleaner-like bristles of her voice stroke your arms and caress your neck.
6. Caravan Palace - Rock it for Me
I'M SUPER 'CITED ABOUT THIS ONE!!!! Actually, I don't think I'd even heard this song prior to putting this list together. Ummmmmmm. Yup, it's not on their self-titled album so I didn't know about it. I was probably going to link Suzy or Bambous. Actually ya, please check out the latter. It`s just too funky and different from most things. But ya, I was looking through their videos for something that wasn't either of those (just in case) and stumbled upon this gem. I was bouncing in my chair and grinning all over the place watching them jitterbuggin' and jivin' or whatever. It's just too fun and enviable. I WANNA DO THAT! I'm done. Just listen to the song, goddammit.
7. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - How Big Can You Get?
Yes, yes, yes. It's technically a Cab Calloway song. But How Big Can You Get was the first BBVD album I ever listened to and I figure this song isn't as popular as say, Minnie the Moocher et cetera. So you're gonna listen to it. You're gonna listen to it, you're gonna ignore the lame slideshow, and you're gonna like it. That's all.
8. Tape Five - Bad Boy Good Man
Alright! Back to some legitimate electro-swing. If you haven't noticed, my captions have been getting shorter and padded-er. It's getting dark and I'm getting lazy and to be honest, the next two tracks are only kind of okay. I just have a compulsion to stay committed to the ten-tracks-per-post thing. So listen to the rest if you want. Whatever.
9. Dirty Honkers - Ginger Bread Man
I don't care.
10. Noze - Dring Dring
1. Parov Stelar - Booty Swing
2. The Atomic Fireballs - Swing Sweet Pussycat
I know that the first time I heard these guys was on So You Think You Can Dance, and even that was about a decade after this album was released, so I'm not sure how much attention these guys have received in terms of mainstream superstardom. I'll just assume you know who they are. I did you the kindness, though, of linking a song that isn't Man With the Hex. I'd say this is my favorite track on Torch This Place just for how "swingin'" it is. Plus it's fun sexy wordplay. So yeah, yay music.
3. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Stop, Drop and Roll
Another group that I'm pretty sure has attained a respectable level of recognition and fame. Videos for Hell and The Ghost of Stephen Foster have a couple million views on YouTube so somebody out there is listening to them. But I love, luff, lurve Bedlam Ballroom. Back in junior high, when my only source of music was ripping borrowed CDs from the library, it was one of those albums I'd literally tossed into a pile of others with weird names or cool cover art during one of my weekly trips. I immediately liked a lot of the slower stuff on the disc just because it was different from what I was used to listening to and what I knew any of my friends were into. But I was always drawn to this track with its bombastic dance hall piano and sax solo.
4. Waldeck - Addicted
I'm not 100% positive, but I'm mostly certain that the vocalist on this track is Joy Malcolm of Incognito. I start by giving her credit because she really makes this song. It's a decent song, and actually not really one of Waldeck's swingingest tracks, but her voice absolutely makes it a must-hear while dabbling in the sub-genre and its related sub-subs. It calls to mind mysterious ladies in dark dresses and silent gentlemen with nice hats making eyes at each other across smokey speakeasies. Nom.
5. Belleruche - Alice
I really wanted to get a decent quality video of a live performance for this song but just could not find any. I would wholeheartedly recommend watching Kathrine deBoer sing live once or twice or, you know, three or four. Cuz she's amazing. And ya I realize at this point it's more soul than anything else, but wasn't my introduction a clear enough warning of how ambiguous the swing guidelines would be? I wanted this to be the song I featured because I think it demonstrates how the concept behind nu-jazz et al can crossover into other classic genres. So ya, let the fuzzy pipe cleaner-like bristles of her voice stroke your arms and caress your neck.
6. Caravan Palace - Rock it for Me
I'M SUPER 'CITED ABOUT THIS ONE!!!! Actually, I don't think I'd even heard this song prior to putting this list together. Ummmmmmm. Yup, it's not on their self-titled album so I didn't know about it. I was probably going to link Suzy or Bambous. Actually ya, please check out the latter. It`s just too funky and different from most things. But ya, I was looking through their videos for something that wasn't either of those (just in case) and stumbled upon this gem. I was bouncing in my chair and grinning all over the place watching them jitterbuggin' and jivin' or whatever. It's just too fun and enviable. I WANNA DO THAT! I'm done. Just listen to the song, goddammit.
7. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - How Big Can You Get?
Yes, yes, yes. It's technically a Cab Calloway song. But How Big Can You Get was the first BBVD album I ever listened to and I figure this song isn't as popular as say, Minnie the Moocher et cetera. So you're gonna listen to it. You're gonna listen to it, you're gonna ignore the lame slideshow, and you're gonna like it. That's all.
8. Tape Five - Bad Boy Good Man
Alright! Back to some legitimate electro-swing. If you haven't noticed, my captions have been getting shorter and padded-er. It's getting dark and I'm getting lazy and to be honest, the next two tracks are only kind of okay. I just have a compulsion to stay committed to the ten-tracks-per-post thing. So listen to the rest if you want. Whatever.
9. Dirty Honkers - Ginger Bread Man
I don't care.
10. Noze - Dring Dring
Seriously. Do what you want.
I feel like this wasn't that great of a list,
Sad Blogger
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)