My good friend Paul over at The Look - great blog, amazing book - has set a challenge. It seems that this all came from UK music journo Simon Reynolds. Here's what he has to say...
"List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're good or not, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven others and find out what they're listening to."
Well I like Simon's writing and Paul is one of my oldest friends, so here goes. Obviously a bit late on this - summer is most definitely here in Toronto - but whatever. Here is my seven song playlist.
1. David Bowie - Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (reprise)
OK, it's two or three songs, really, but this highlight from Diamond Dogs is perfect mid-70s Bowie. It's the point where Ziggy was morphing into the Thin White Duke - part glam, part coked-up Spaceman, part plastic soul boy. "Is it nice in your snowstorm, freezing your brain? Are you sure that your face looks the same?" What could he be talking about?
2. Sally Shapiro - He Keeps Me Alive (Skatebard Mix)
My friend Elliot introduced me to the Europop lovliness of Sally Shapiro. She's Scandinavian and the Scandinavians know a thing or two about pop music. Ms Shapiro has been a constant companion to and from work, pretty much all spring and summer. But this song starts almost every morning for me. To steal a term from Popjustice, Emotronics at its most sublime.
3. Saint Etienne - Hobart Paving
One from back in the day. I always loved this song and found it again the other week when I was making a playlist for the summer. "Rain falls like Elvis tears". We've all been there. This reminds me of rainy days in Kentish Town pubs. There were a lot of those. I think I should have been in work...
4. Talk Talk - Renee
Remember this one? It's all getting a bit 80s, isn't it? I was always a Spirit of Eden type back when I was a pretentious music student. These days though I'm all It's My Life. Not the cheeriest of songs this, I admit, but come on - it is awesome.
5. Semi Precious Weapons - Magnetic Baby
A recommendation from The Look. I love this band. I saw them just the other day when they ripped up NXNE (think SXSW but not as good). Bowie and The Ramones having a fist fight in a MAC store. A song to smear dirty glitter over your humdrum day.
6. PIL - Rise
There are days - bad work days, bad vibe days, just a little bit pissy days - when this song, and only this song, will do. Anger is an energy...
7. Dragonette - Take It Like Man
Dragonette momentarily restored my faith in Canadian pop music. Unfortunately, Canada pretty much rejected them. This is fairly typical. They tend to treat Nelly Furtado as a leper since she went disco slut. I don't care though. Dragonette cheer me up every time shuffle chances upon them. So here's to pop in Canadia. It's not all bad.
The people I'm tagging are...
Katie Bates
Sophie Baudrand
Cary Parker
You may know them, you may be them or you may have never heard of them. They have good taste though, all of 'em.
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