It's Friday!! WOOOHOOOO!!! To celebrate I'm giving you fifteen, yes FIFTEEN!, little gems for you to start your weekend with.
So whether you're after some new music, or feeling like a trip down memory lane, I hope you'll find something you like in the following:
1) Real Love - Mary J Blige
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A 1992 R&B smash hit, giving Mary J Blige her first top ten US single, and was from her debut album, "What's the 411?" It reminds me of summer, for some reason.
2) Off The Wall - Michael Jackson
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I can't believe that this one is from 1979!! It came from MJ's fifth studio album, "Off The Wall" which spawned hits such as "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Rock With You" and the tear-jerker, "She's Out Of My Life". It was his first album working with soul legend, Quincy Jones.
3) Reeperbahn - Digitalism
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In a similar style to The Prodigy's dance/punk-electro/rock, but less aggressive, this is a great electronic track from Digitalism's second studio album, "I Love You Dude".
4) Oy - Gipsy Kings
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I'm loving the crowd action in the YouTube vid of this one. The Gipsy Kings' fans' version of a moshpit is a giant rumba session! Love it!!
5) Darts Of Pleasure - Franz Ferdinand
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This was actually Franz Ferdinand's debut single before their third, arguably best known single, "Take Me Out". Released in 2003, "Darts Of Pleasure" piqued the interest of John Peel, who proclaimed them "the saviours of rock and roll". They even managed to roll some German lyrics in at the end!
6) Little L - Jamiroquai
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This was the lead single from Jamiroquai's fantastic funk album, "A Funk Odyssey", and was allegedly written following Jay Kay's split with then-girlfriend Denise van Outen over his drug use. The album continued Jamiroquai's progression from acid jazz to a more disco-funk sound.
7) Superstylin' - Groove Armada
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Ahhhhh, I absolutely LOVE this song (as the 242 plays in my iTunes library confirm!). From their 2001 album, "Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)" this reggae tinged, funky electronic track (that description does them no favours, but I promise it's wicked) is an absolute stormer!
8) Coming Closer - Sub Focus
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Featuring Takura, who you might recognise from some of Chase & Status' tracks, this is a great dark dubstep track. I'm eagerly anticipating his next album following the debut album that was released in 2009, from which this track came.
9) Heart Of Glass - Blondie
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Another one from 1979! This track was an experimentation into a more disco type of vibe from their previous rock/pop classic, "Hanging On The Telephone", a move credited to Debbie Harry. It obviously worked because this track earned them their first Number 1 hit in the US and all over Europe.
10) Damaged - Plummet
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This is a fantastic trance track, albeit that the video is a tad strange!
11) Funky Shit - The Prodigy
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From The Prodigy's 1997 album, "The Fat Of The Land", this is full of electronic lasers and beats. Renowned for their mental live performances, the YouTube vid is was recorded live in Red Square. I'll be reviewing them live in December so watch out for that!
12) Can You Feel It - Mr Fingers
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Eighties deep house classic, "Can You Feel It", was released in 1986 and has been hailed as a song that defined the genre. It's been used on probably every 80s house compilation ever since...
13) New Song - Howard Jones
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Another 80s classic! Howard Jones lived in my home town when I was growing up and I used to follow the reports on him in our local paper because I absolutely loved the synth stuff he did. This is no exception - it's got a great, happy vibe, and is full of synths and Lindrums galore!
14) Folding Stars - Biffy Clyro
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One of Biffy's less frantic tracks, this is a great song, and really shows that they are more than just a frenzy of drums and guitars (putting aside "Many Of Horror", which is another absolutely superb downbeat track by the band). My favourite thing about Biffy is that they're not afraid to use unusual time signatures in their tracks. They are absolutely top notch musicians.
15) Little Sister - Queens Of The Stone Age
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This is one of my favourite QOTSA tracks, and was originally recorded with Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) before being re-recorded for their fourth album, "Lullabies to Paralyze". It is rumoured that the song was recorded in one take.
I hope you've found something in that little lot to tickle your fancy! As always, I'd love to hear your comments...
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