Stop Pop

I don’t like to admit when I’m wrong but there is definitely an album that arrived in 2008 that I completely missed in my “Top 20 Albums of 2008,” Ladyhawke’s self-titled debut album. Just reading about Ladyhawke’s one and only member Pip Brown catapults her to #1 of my Living-Musician-I-Want-To-Meet list, sorry Jay Kay. Suffering a battery of illnesses, coma, and autism in her youth, it’s just unbelievable how talented and versatile Pip Bron is as a musician. For her debut album Pip recorded every instrument herself, and while on tour she sang and played guitar. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Pip Brown the person is her choice of only wearing men’s clothes down to the knickers, although she pulls it off in a most stunning way. I don’t know where to start if I ever got an interview.

But enough about the singer and on to the songs. There’s a general 80s feel to the whole album, especially in the synth heavy songs “Dusk Till Dawn” and “Crazy World.” If a modern Breakfast Club were released today Ladyhawke would definitely be one of the soundtrack leaders and that would be perfectly fine with me. Mixed in with the 80s is a bit of 90s grunginess in songs like “Professional Suicide” that almost reminds me of early No Doubt. For the most part the album is electro rock and synth pop with powerful femme vocals that stands out easily as one of the best albums of 2008. In it’s apparent retroness there’s enough modern style to make it not just a New Wave copy, but something new and fantastic. Ladyhawke has definitely succeeded in her goal for the album, to make any listener feel nostalgia, and it just does overwhelmingly. Enjoy.

1. Ladyhawke - Another Runaway

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2. Ladyhawke - Back of the Van

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3. Ladyhawke - Better Than Sunday

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4. Ladyhawke - Crazy World

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5. Ladyhawke - Dusk Till Dawn

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6. Ladyhawke - Magic

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7. Ladyhawke - Morning Dreams

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8. Ladyhawke - My Delirium

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9. Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning

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10. PNAU - Embrace ft. Ladyhawke

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Another Friday night and to follow in last week’s footsteps I’ve got something for a crowd with a little more taste but an equal lack of knowledge than the mainstream listeners. This second group of people are what were once emo kids and have since moved on to be as they call themselves “indie.” Some of these indie kids are hipsters while others are just rebranded emos but all share a lack of understanding of where the music they listen to comes from. Lucky for them their choice in music is slightly better than the mainstream listeners, but that doesn’t mean they know anything outside of the bands they listen to and the bands that those bands mention as influences. I’m talking about the generation that thought the music in Juno was brilliant. Yes Patti Smith and the Stooges were cool and good and did much for music but I wonder if fans of the indie genre also have an appreciation for Verdi, Coltrane, and John Lee Hooker. All I’m trying to say is every genre is amazing and should be explored and appreciated instead of always living in the here and now.

And without further a do is the release for this Friday. I’ve collected quite a bit of music from the big names in the indietronic world and the big omission that I just didn’t have room for is Hot Chip, a band that has a few stellar songs but for the most part are over rated in my books although not as overrated as TV on the Radio. Bloc Party primarily is the big label brand that somehow got mixed up with the indie movement even though they’re signed with UMG and they’re sound is the quintessential form of indie rock pop, but there are some great remixes from DFA1979 and the Villains and I have one here for you. Of course, Britney Spears belongs in last Friday’s release, but this remix by master Felix Cartal is so good that no mainstream listener would like it. Cardinal Sound is another follower of the emo gone indie movement with a nice electro sound and classic emo vocals. Finally the inclusion of the biggest indietronic names - Ladyhawke, Shiny Toy Guns, Cut Copy, the Faint, and Chromeo - are the back bone of tonight’s gripe. Enjoy.

1. Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches (Villains ElectroBanger Remix)

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2. Boys Noize - Arcade Robot

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3. Britney Spears - Outrageous (Felix Cartal Remix)

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4. Cardinal Sound - Least We Could Do

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5. Chromeo - Bonafied Loving (Eli Escobar Remix)

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6. Cut Copy - Going Nowhere (Sebastian Remix)

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7. Digitalism - Pogo (Blake Miller Remix)

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8. Faint - Geeks Were Right

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9. PNAU - Embrace ft. Ladyhawke

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10. Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko

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