Prentiss Riddle: Music

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Prentiss Riddle
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Gonna Kill Me a Cupid

It's time for my annual audio holiday card, a mix CD of what I've been listening to lately. As in previous years, if you're a regular here, drop me a line with your snail-mail address and I'll be delighted to send you a copy.

Gonna Kill Me a Cupid Stuff I've been listening to in 2004
Eli Goulart e Banda do Mato  1  Sunny
Samba saves another piece of 60's pop from itself. Goulart was a Germany-based Brazilian who died in 2003 just as his career was taking off.
The Brunettes  2  Loopy Loopy Love
Gonna kill me a cupid, 'cause a cupid causes love.
Racey  3  Kitty
I thought this was a switcheroo cover of the hit "Mickey" but it was the other way around. (1979)
Spek  4  Smell the Coffee
Whatever you're thinking, that's a floating home. Desi hip-pop from Toronto.
Skalpel  5  1958
Jazz reassembled from 50's Polish samizdat tapes, when swing was a crime against the state.
Barcelona  6  I Have the Password to Your Shell Account
I tried your mom's first name, I tried your cat's name. I don't think you're smart enough.
Momus  7  I am a Kitten
My girls ask me, daddy, has that ever really happened? (1996)
Emilio Santiago  8  Bananeira
What's the right way to see a banana tree? (1975)
Trio Mocotó  9  Onde anda o meu amor
The old guys get together with the young cats of Zuco 103.
Single Tear  10  Jugando joqui con el mono
All the scientists are looking for the monkey, but he's playing hockey with the children.
Los Ocho de Colombia  11  Cumbia del beso (Por cuánto me lo da)
How much for a kiss? Twenty pesos. Where? In the kitchen. When? After the dance. (~1982)
Grupo Fantasma  12  Utility Rock
It's hard being a broke slacker by day and a cumbia god by night.
Ghandaia  13  Odara
Let me sing so the world becomes beauty, Odara.
Bersuit Vergarabat  14  Perro Amor Explota
Love explodes.
Orquestra Jean Kelson  15  Berimbau
One string becomes six, six become an orchestra. (1965)
Lemon Party  16  Spalding Gray is Missing
A sad theme for the songwriting contest at SongFight.
Barbara Morgenstern  17  Kleiner Auschnitt
I am a very small excerpt.
Shane Bartell  18  Don't Believe Everything
Hurry up and grab the money and nothing needs to change.
Franz Ferdinand  19  Take Me Out
Sometimes the art history nerds do good stuff.
Heloise and the Savoir Faire Dancers  20  Odyle
Love the song, love the choreography.
Scanty Sandwich  21  Because of You
The scary sampled voice is that of a young Michael J.
Bobby Conn  22  We Come in Peace
Theme song for W's second inauguration.
Thalma De Freitas  23  Tranqüilo
I am not afraid of the world.

This year developments like MP3 blogs and Webjay have made a big difference in my listening habits. I'm hearing lots of new things I never would have heard any other way. You can tell from all the indie pop and DJ/electronica/dance creeping onto the list, normally not "my" genres. I like the novelty, but the downside is that I'm a sucker for a lot of one-hit wonders: when I manage to track down additional material by these people it doesn't always match my expectations. Not a good sign for the "give them a taste for free on the net and they'll buy the album" school of thought. Oh, well.

My one regret about this list is that I had to leave out what might be my favorite tune of the year, Take Off Your Clothes (click there! that's an MP3!) by Morningwood. It's missing strictly because I was shooting for a PG-13 rating, not NC-17. The sacrifices we make for our children. Sigh.

What else? If you know anything about Single Tear, please please pass it on; they elude my Google skills. I thought about trying to track down videos for these songs but the ones I found were pretty dismal except for the must-see Odyle and the would-be-better-in-hi-res Take Me Out. [Update: Grupo Fantasma also has a great video out for Utility Rock.] Finally, Momus and Thalma de Freitas both have blogs which are worth a look.

There. Now I can start my playlist for 2005.

music 2004.12.02 link