This is great music for a Friday night. Mainly because it’s quick and easy and I haven’t had time to blog today until now because of Blizzard Sheen (I’ve decided that because I am quitting I’m going to name this one. Sorry, GF Heraldites. Sizzle, Losing, BYE!)
Winning
So here she is…the fabulous and divalicious Amanda Wilson.
Amanda Wilson, “Spin It Again”:
Freemasons Featuring Amanda Wilson, “Watchin’” (Laid Back Sunset Mix):
Round abouts year 10 of my young life I hijacked a pair of my mom’s black penny loafers and a pair of white socks and tried like hell to moon walk. A few days of sliding around on a concrete floor and a couple of crotch grabs and I thought I was more than fit (at least more than Sheryl Crow) to be one of Michael Jackson’s backup singers/dancers.
Michael Jackson Staring At Michael Jackson
What I didn’t know at the time was that I should have saved my MJ Barbie doll (which featured a single silver sequined glove) in its original packaging because I could have gotten some real paypa for that about 25 years later on Ebay. I also didn’t ever expect such a tragic end for the best entertainer of all time. (Yes, I am still mourning.)
Well, the king is dead but somehow he still seems to keep shouting out “sha-moan” from the grave. And thus we have his new single, “Hollywood Tonight.” I actually like it, much better than the other single I reviewed last year. In this age of Glee and Burlesque, I think it will do well. See what you think.
Michael Jackson, “Hollywood Tonight”:
I guess news that you are quitting and a link will do the trick and up the traffic on your blog. Awesome. Thanks to everyone who has viewed the blog and thanks to everyone who posted nice comments yesterday.
If you are a new visitor to Jukebox Hero click around and see what you think of my recent posts. I hope to continue blogging well after I’m gone from WDAZ so I hope you will bookmark me and keep on coming back. Cause if you don’t, you’re obviously with the trolls.
Foreigner, “Jukebox Hero”:
Sometimes music makes my heart skip a beat. Sometimes it makes me cry. It speaks the way I feel. And today I am feeling like a mixed tape.
WDAZ's Charley Johnson and Yours Truly
After 10 years, I have decided to leave my job at WDAZ-TV. Leaving the relationships with the people I work with- my work “family”- are what I really wrestled with while making this decision. I always thought I would live and die at DAZ, and I was fine with that. But a time comes in your life when you realize its not all about work, and money, and stress. No one ever said “I wish I would have worked more” on their deathbed. And I decided I was going to do something about it before I get to that point.
And so I’m leaving to pursue other adventures in Washington, D.C. with my significant other. After D.C. we may be headed overseas to Italy or Germany. Good thing I had 4 years of German in high school. And also a good thing I love beer AND wine. I should do just fine. I may actually get to see the Seven Wonders of this world. Thanks for the memories, Grand Forks. You’ve been good to me.
So long ago
Certain place
Certain time
You touched my hand
On the way
On the way down to Emmiline
But if our paths never cross
Well you know I’m sorry but
If I live to see the seven wonders
I’ll make a path to the rainbow’s end
I’ll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow’s end
Fleetwood Mac, “Seven Wonders”:
I’m feeling tired and kind of lazy today, so I’m gonna throw it back to a little Ice Cube featuring George Clinton.
George Clinton. No relation to Bill.
I used to love love this song. I would run home from school to get my MTV “on” and eat my Doritos with pickles on top until I was sick. I didn’t know who George Clinton was but I was more than happy to let him hit me wit da bop gun. You know it’s one nation under a groove.
Ice Cube featuring George Clinton, “Bop Gun”: (sorry you have to click the link)
Jukebox Hero has been on hiatus this week after taking care of some urgent “bidnezz” that had to be tended to asap. And if I tell you where I was, I will have to kill you. However, I will offer some clues. There was someone very famous (with his large entourage) golfing in my immediate personal space yesterday. Checkers is not an auto parts store here. And one of my fav electronic bands, Thievery Corporation, calls this place home. I had a great week, but it will be good to touch down on NoDak soil. And if I never hear the woman inside the GPS say “recalculating route” or “make the next legal u-turn” ever again that would be fine with me. Her influx is all wrong.
Thievery Corporation, “Lebanese Blonde”
I’ve been a fan of Lykke Li since I first heard her single, “I’m Good, I’m Gone” in 2007. She’s a Swedish indie-rocker with a very unique sound and vibe. Her video for “I’m Good, I’m Gone” actually kind of freaked me out.
Lykke Li
She’s out with a new single…called “Get Some.” It’s a tad risque’ but all in all a great video that is really artistic. She’s like the mad-scientist version of Lady Gaga; still raw and unpolished and certifiably crazy. I never thought Gaga would become a brand, a pop-star, a caricature, but she has. Lykke is still real. Check out “Get Some” below and then a fab fab fab acoustic version of “I’m Good, I’m Gone” under that. You won’t be sorry.
Lykke Li: “Get Some”:
Lykke Li, “I’m Good, I’m Gone” Acoustic Version With Robyn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpkomVSxkwM&playnext=1&list=PL8514EB32C82E0E0E
Ok I stole my title from a comment on the video, but it’s spot on. I don’t know much about Toro Y Moi, but I’m loving their new song “Still Sound.”
This song reminds me of what the Steve Miller Band would sound like if you added a teaspoon of electro, 1/3 cup of chillwave and a splash of circa now. I remember the first time I heard the Steve Miller Band, I was on a ferris wheel at the state fair. As we ascended up to the top, we could hear the heavenly tunes floating suspended in the summer night air over the top of the grandstand. I must have rode that thing three times that night I liked their sound so much. Toro Y Moi was clearly influenced by SMB. See what you think, and happy Friday.
Toro Y Moi, “Still Sound”:
Steve Miller Band, “Fly Like An Eagle”:
You need realize that for me to take Stevie Nicks’ name in vain is the equivalent of someone killing a puppy or pasting a picture of Lady Gaga over the face of Jesus at a Catholic church. This pains me. But the truth must be told.
Stevie Nicks aka Gold Dust Woman aka The Queen
Continuing on with new music week we have a new tune from Ms. Nicks leading up to the release of her next studio album In Your Dreams which is to be released May 3. The lead-off single, “Secret Love” falls short. This song is unoriginal and bad. It sounds like Stevie wrote it in the time it took her to make one lap around her Santa Monica manse with her black velvet cape billowing behind her. And it sounds like she recorded it assuming it was still 1992.
It actually reminds me of a Stevie song that I do love, called “Blue Denim” which she released in the mid-nineties. I stalked a guy in high school to that song. Long story.
Anyway, what I was hoping from Stevie (now that she is 62 of a certain age) is something like Cher did with Believe. A complete reinvention. Electronic/dance music is so hot right now that even rappers are doing dance tracks to make a buck. Slow, light-listening songs about a “Secret Love” just don’t sell. Hopefully there’s a DJ out there who will take pity and do some remixes or mash-ups with it. Now that would be hot.
Stevie Nicks, “Secret Love”:
Stevie Nicks, “Blue Denim” circa 1994:
Yesterday I was holed up in my bedroom with a blanket over the window trying to get some sleep after not feeling well the night before. So I didn’t post. That means today I will post two blogs since I promised new stuff all week. Hopefully the “blog police” fine folks over at the Grand Forks Herald won’t have a fit because I posted twice in one day.
Cut Copy first rocked my world with 2004′s Bright Like Neon Love LP. It was like a breath of fresh synth-pop air.  I have been waiting for them to put out something new.
And they did that by releasing their new album Zonoscope this month. It’s not everything I had hoped their follow up to Bright Like Neon Love would be, but it’s ok. The first single, “Take Me Over” bears a striking resemblance to the bass line in Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” though other bloggers compared it to 80s Men At Work. You be the judge.
Cut Copy, “Take Me Over”:
Fleetwood Mac, “Everywhere”:
Men At Work, “Land Down Under”:
Where Would Rock and Roll Be Without Feedback?
