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Tuesday, 21 June 2005
I love The Lovemakers!
Sometimes, when I discover a new band I like – I mean, really really like – I get a little obsessive. For instance, a few weeks ago, I was all ga-ga over the Dresden Dolls, downloading every piece of audio and video I could find, and listening to them constantly for a week.
This week, it's The Lovemakers. Truth be known, it's actually been a few weeks now. I just can't stop listening to them! First, it was their independently-released CD, which is now out-of-print, but Matt Hite burned a copy for me. Then it was their new tracks that they posted up on MySpace. Then Party Ben got me an advance copy of their new major-label album, "Times of Romance," which was sent to Live105, but isn't being released by Interscope until August 23rd. Fuck, this record is SOOOO good. I try to listen to other music, but then I just go back to putting on The Lovemakers again. Like I said, sometimes I can get a bit obsessive.
But seriously, this is a great record. I saw it written somewhere that "they're the Bay Area's version of the Scissor Sisters, but not as gay." That's a bit off-the-mark, but there's a hint of truth in there. They're definitely cute and sexy and write total ear-candy pop songs that get lodged in your head for days. They're also a really great live band, with tons of energy, crazy dancing, and "spontaneous" make-out sessions on stage. So in that respect, they're a bit like the Scissor Sisters. But their musical ancestry is a bit different. Where the Sisters take their cues from '70s disco, soft rock, and Elton John, The Lovemakers are like the best '80s band you've never heard – but with WAY better production.
You can hear a bit of Berlin, Depeche Mode, Missing Persons, and The Cure in them (they even do a cover of "A Forest.") But at the same time, there seems to be something shockingly fresh about their music as well. I can't quite put my finger on it, but part of it has to do with the indie-sounding jangly guitar which sits atop all the electro burbles of the synths. The boy/girl vocal interplay is nice too. But really, what makes this album is the outstanding songwriting, which contains hooks and hooks for days.
I know it's not cool to want your little secret local band (they're from Oakland) to make it big, but damn it, I want these guys to become huge and blow up all over the world. They deserve to be heard! I'll be very curious to see how they do when the record finally gets released. I hope they don't become yet another major-label casualty like so many other local bands.
I like them so much, I even made a mash-up using their song "Dance." Of course, you can't "Dance" without "Music," so despite D forbidding me to ever use Madonna's "Music" acapella, I mashed them up anyway. At first she was against it, but after she heard how beautiful and bittersweet The Lovemakers sounded with ol' Madge, she came around. Besides, even as overdone as "Music" is in the bootleg world, I've always wanted to make a Madonna mash-up of my very own.
So here it is: of course, we're calling it "Dance Music." (right click and save as)
A plus D – Dance Music (Madonna vs. The Lovemakers)
I know we're a few months ahead of the curve here by using The Lovemakers in a bootleg, but since we mashed them up with something as old and tired as Madonna's "Music," the truth is, this probably lands somewhere in the middle of the "hipster meter." Enjoy.
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Went to Nashville
Went to Nashville with D a few weeks ago. D's mom and stepfather live there. We spent four days there, with half the time being spent out on the lake riding a jet-ski. Woo-hoo! I was soooooo sore from riding – blisters on my hands, cuts and scrapes on my ass, my muscles in total pain. But it sure was hella fun.
We also got to visit with our friend Jeff, who runs the mash-up website Strangely Familiar. He DJ'ed at the Nashville Pride Pre-Party. Yup, even Nashville has gay pride!
People always ask how things are for a freak like me in Nashville. And you know what? There's never really ever been a problem. There are freaks everywhere. Besides, I just loves me that "southern hospitality!" Everyone is so nice! (They mostly just ask friendly questions about my hair.)
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