Len - "Steal My Sunshine"

I've always liked Len's 1999 hit single "Steal My Sunshine", but I always considered it more of a guilty pleasure rather than a song I would end up writing about.  It's fun, festive, infectious, has a nice groove, sounds like summer, and I just love how Sharon Costanzo sweetly sings "L-a-t-e-r that week".  Her voice, contrasted with her brother's raspy vocals, helps craft Len's unique sound.  It also blows my mind to think that this song came out last century -- it feels like last year. 

I recently discovered, quite by accident, that there was a recent (2021) cover by LA band Bikini Trill, who seem to be channeling the same aesthetic and sound that Len did on this record some 20+ years prior.  It's a fun cover, and Bikini Trill -- who were probably not yet in grade school when the original came out -- finds a new perspective on the song while still maintaining the essence of the original.  

But what really blew my mind about "Steal My Sunshine" was recently learning the funky sample repeated throughout the song comes from the 10 second break in the 1976 song by the Andrea True Connection, "More, More, More".  I have a vague contemporary memory of this song from the 1970s, but I could not have told you that it was sung by former porn star (!) Andrea True, and I'm sad to say I did not recognize the sample from Steal My Sunshine until I learned of it from "Show Me the Sample".

So summer is just about officially here, so it's time to dust off the Len version, the new Bikini Trill cover, as well as the source of the sample.  If you don't immediately listen to all three songs, you'll miss a million miles of fun.  Enjoy.

Len - "Steal My Sunshine"

Bikini Trill - "Steal My Sunshine"

Andrea True - "More, More, More" (the break is 2:20--2:29 in this 3:11 radio edit);  6:16 LP & 12" version (the break is 2:30--2:39 in this version, and then repeated at 5:20--5:29)

Julee Cruise - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

It's been almost a year since her death, but somehow I failed to mark the passing of Julee Cruise.  I indirectly referenced it when I wrote of the death of Angelo Badalamenti, but somehow I mistook sending a flurry of texts to my friends last year for actually writing about it.  

Having covered Julee extensively in the past (Twin Peaks, Industrial Symphony #1, Floating into the Night), I'm not sure I have anything new to say.  I have a fair amount of her later collaborations (i.e., those not with Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch), but instead I want to draw your attention to a cover of an Elvis song she did for the "Until the End of the World" soundtrack, "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears".  

I'm guessing it was recorded during the sessions for either "Floating into the Night" or maybe even "The Voice of Love".  To the best of my knowledge, it never appeared on a Julee Cruise LP and the soundtrack is the only place to get it.  

As I've mentioned before, Cruise was a titan in the dream pop genre and her discography is just too short.  Unless there are some unreleased tracks sitting in a vault somewhere, this is it, so enjoy this excellent Elvis cover -- and bonus points for a cover of an obscure B-side too. 

Julee Cruise - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

Elvis - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (LP Review)

 

Angelo Badalmenti, soundtrack composer extraordinaire, died last month.  You've probably never heard of him, but you probably have heard his music: in addition to doing nearly all of David Lynch's films, as well as other art films (e.g., The City of Lost Children), he also did some mainstream films, like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  He also composed the opening theme of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Despite these and his many other accomplishments, he would be a favorite of mine if all he had ever done was collaborate with Julee Cruise and David Lynch in the Twin Peaks milieu. 

I've long ago reviewed Julee Cruise's "Floating into the Night" LP; it is impossible for me to overstate how important that LP is for me.  Not because of Twin Peaks -- I've never seen the TV series -- but because of the otherworldly soundscapes the three of them conjure, and the time and place where I first heard them.  

To mark Badalamenti's passing, I thought about reviewing Cruise's 1993 LP "The Voice of Love", but then it occurred to me that I should showcase where their oeuvre gained significant public attention: the Twin Peaks soundtrack, released in 1990.  Since eight of the 11 songs are instrumentals (the other three feature Julee Cruise), it seems more fitting to commemorate Badalamenti with a mostly instrumental soundtrack.  And to be fair: if this was the only LP that Badalamenti/Cruise/Lynch had created, it would be a standout.  But as much as I like it, this LP is forever in the shadow of Julee Cruise's "Floating into the Night", released in 1989.  They share a lot of material, both directly and derivatively (for example, "Twin Peaks Theme" is just an instrumental version of "Falling") and perhaps it's not fair to compare a proper LP to a soundtrack, but once you've heard "Floating into the Night" start to finish, you can't really go back.  The feel is slightly different, with the soundtrack focusing slightly more on a cool jazz feel than "Floating into the Night", but the distinction is slight.  

I think the Badalamenti/Cruise/Lynch collaboration came to an end in 1993, with pairs of them working together after that, but never the three of them again.  And while it tempting to be greedy and wish they had done more together, we should celebrate what they did accomplish. 

Standout songs: the ones with Julee Cruise, obviously: "Falling", "Into the Night", "The Nightingale"; (Full LP)

Skip 'em songs: none

Final Score: 9/10

(And yes, somehow I've failed to mark Julee Cruise's passing in June, 2022.  I'll rectify that soon).

Fleetwood Mac - "Over My Head"

 

Christine McVie, longtime member of Fleetwood Mac, died earlier this month.  As I've discussed earlier, most people don't recognize that Fleetwood Mac had released nine LPs prior to their 1975 LP "Fleetwood Mac", which was the first of their "classic" period, with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. 

Christine was actually a session musician with Fleetwood Mac from about 1968-1971, since she was then in Chicken Shack as well as releasing a solo LP.  She became an official member in 1971, credited as a full member on 1971's "Future Games" LP.  Prior to Fleetwood Mac, she also won the Melody Maker "best female vocalist" award in both 1969 and 1970.  

Of course, Fleetwood Mac really took off in 1975 with the addition of Buckingham & Nicks, effectively making Christine the George Harrison of Fleetwood Mac: the third best songwriter in the group, while still being a songwriter that most other groups would love to have. 

Of the various songs that Christine is credited with, my personal favorite is "Over My Head", from their 1975 eponymous LP.  It's a mellow song, and reminds me a turbulent but exciting period for me in the spring of 1991. 

I wonder what will happen with Fleetwood Mac.  Of the three principal singers from the classic period, the recent past has only featured two.  Assuming Buckingham and Nicks will never work together again, can Fleetwood Mac continue with only Nicks?  

Fleetwood Mac - "Over My Head"

Low - Live at Austin Community Television (ACTV) Main Studio (1996)

 

Mimi Parker, the drummer for Low, died last month, after a battle with ovarian cancer.  She and her husband Alan Sparhawk were the two main members of the long-running and genre-defining slowcore band Low.  

I first learned of Low from the Joy Division tribute LP "A Means to an End", where their cover of "Transmission" was a standout among a strong LP.  Based on my enjoyment of their track, I got several of their early LPs, although I don't have nearly enough of their lengthy discography.  

Low's sparse, slow sound is perfect for contemplative late night listening.  Mimi's three piece drum kit,  as shown in the image above, is a nice metaphor for their minimalist, yet surprisingly large sound.  This 1996 four song set, which includes "Transmission", is a good example of their sound at the time.  I don't know the exact date of this concert, but setlist.fm puts them in Austin on both 1996-04-18 and 1996-03-15.

Low had a number of different bassists through the years, but Alan and Mimi were the constants.  Even if Alan continues to make music, I'm not sure he can continue as "Low" without Mimi.  

Bonus link: "Transmission" (studio version), original (Joy Division)

PS -- Given Alan a follow on Twitter; he's thoughtful and engaging.

Iron Maiden - "Live at the Rainbow"

Today's post is something that I barely remember from back in the day and was only reminded of it when I recently stumbled across it while browsing online: Iron Maiden's 1981 "video LP", "Live at the Rainbow".  I can't remember if Robert had this in HS -- maybe I just saw it for sale in a record store (remember those?) or in a video rental store (remember those too?!).  Even the rectangular (i.e., "portrait") shape of the cover art reflects a VHS orientation.  

I've earlier proclaimed my love for Paul Di'Anno-era Iron Maiden, and since his tenure was brief, you have to appreciate the material you can find.  Recorded at London's historic Rainbow Theatre on December 21, 1980 (during the sessions for Killers), guitarist Adrian Smith had just recently joined the band, replacing Dennis Stratton.  While Stratton was instrumental in the creation of the classic Iron Maiden "harmony guitar" sound, it really became what we know today when Smith joined up with Dave Murray.  Murray and Smith are arguably the best, most influential, and also most recognizable metal guitar duo.  

It turns out that the videos for "Wrathchild" and "Iron Maiden" (I especially remember this one) that populated the early days of MTV were pulled from this concert.  

I've embedded the video as released (~30 min) above, but the full concert (~76 minutes) is also available.  

The only live Di'Anno-era Maiden I had back in HS was their excellent but far-too-short EP "Maiden in Japan", so it was quite the unexpected pleasant surprise to (re-)discover this on Youtube.  

Biz Markie - Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz (forgotten song)

This July Marcel Theo Hall, aka Biz Markie, died.  He was probably best known for his one big single, 1989's "Just a Friend", which I covered long ago in my post about Freddie Scott and "(You) Got What I Need".   While I have unlimited love for "Just a Friend", Biz was so much more: once again demonstrating the difference between centrality and popularity.  While he came across as a carefree clown, he was a serious rapper and DJ, well known for his extensive record collection and respected by his peers.  Luminaries such as The Beastie Boys knew this, and included him on their records (e.g., cleverly transforming a Ted Nugent instrumental ("Home Bound") into a "real" song ("The Biz vs. The Nuge")).  He was also a guest on DJ Kool's 1996 party anthem "Let Me Clear My Throat" (video).  

I'm choosing to remember Biz with an earlier song of his, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz", since it nicely features both his rapping and beatboxing.  It can be found on his self-titled 1986 EP as well as his 1988 debut LP "Goin' Off".

So don't feel guilty about enjoying "Just a Friend", but do take the time to explore some of his lesser-known canon.  He was a big part of the classic hip hop sound, and there's a good chance he's among your favorite rapper's favorite rappers.   

"Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz"

Bonus links: Covid-era (2020-04-03) home DJ set: part 1, part 2.