Shame Shame Shame. The Rolling Stones
It's the start of this week singles post, the surprise of last week. The Rolling Stones announced the 50the anniversary edition of 'Black And Blue'. It was my first Stones album in a long, long row, backwards and ever forward. As a digital single this cover of Shirley and Company's number 1 hit Shame Shame Shame is released. Now there already was a 'Shame Shame Shame' on the 'Tattoo You' 40th anniversary cd, but not this one. It was a Jimmy Reed song. Had I heard this new single in 1976, I would have been utterly shocked. Disco did not exist in 1975. It was called soul. And more horrible than a song like Shame Shame Shame music did not come at the time. Since, I have come to appreciate disco and soul and can tell bad songs from good songs and this one is a good day fun tune. And Jagger manages to play around with it, putting in his falsetto voice to great success. It also shows that The Stones can play anything they like successfully. I do not have information on who is playing on this single, but read that the word is they recorded this song recently, based on some fooling around in the studio at the time. If Jagger can really sing a falsetto like this at 81 or 82, it is beyond amazing. With Shame Shame Shame the band adds a lot of fun to its oeuvre and a song I can listen to in 2025 the whole day long. a few weeks ago that zydeco tune and now this? What more is in store for the world? On 25 November 'Black And Blue' hits the shelves once again and rumour has it there will be a new album and tour next year as well.
Janine van Osta? The name rang a bell but where to find it? That high female voice accompanying Tonnie Dieleman's voice in his latest records, that was where. Janine van Osta now is the front woman of Vampire Boyfriend, a new band from Rotterdam.The music is direct in nature but with a touch of mystery, exemplified perhaps more by what is not happening in the music than what does. It is the hint of mystery that is also sounding in the longing in the voice of Van Osta. 'I Never long to be on top" she sings, but with a song On Top/Inside that may become an issue, perhaps an illusion. Although On Top/Inside is not the first song released by Vampire Boyfriend, the band enters my life in a very convincing way. This is a strong single that makes me more than curious of what will follow.
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American duo Sports does not hide the mystery like Vampire Boyfriend, see above, does. Everything about Nice 2 Meet Myself (Bang Bang) by Sports feels like hanging on to a dream that is ending because the brain is entering the waking world, while you want it to continue because it feels so good. The song starts extremely electronic with the "bang, bang, bang" and the full electronic backing track. When the female (?) voice enters, the mood changes, notwithstanding the backing track that does not change. Later on the song becomes far richer. Cale Chronister and Christian Theriot are master arrangers, as Nice 2 Meet Myself (Bang Bang) becomes and ever more richter track. Layer upon layer of sounds are added to the basis, including "bang, bang, bang", becoming a blend of electronics and analogue instruments. I understand that Sports already has a following. For me this is a very nice introduction.
You have to go back to 2013 on this blog to find a Portugal. The Man album on this blog (plus a live single in 2020). In the mean time the band, that to me was always a fairly obscure indie band, scored a worldwide hit with that song that was an as surprising hit as it was deserved, 'Feel It Still'. I strongly doubt that Denali will ever reach that status. For that it is too eclectic and dark, I think. Just listen how dark and estranging it starts. It is presented as music but consists of estranging sounds and soundscapes. Next up a metal riff, a little hidden behind all else happening and then an eastern sounding guitar intro, that regularly explodes back into the song. The voice of singer John Gourley is really the only thing resembling something called pop music (and that hit). Denali, a mountain in the band's original home state Alaska, "America's deadliest mountain", almost seems like an ultimate appointment with obscurity like in the old days. But, give the song a serious try and you will find out how clever and simply good it has been crafted. Musical craft Denali is.
Just over two years ago Caspar Auwerkerken found himself on this blog with his mini album 'Abloom'. It collected the singles that can be found as well. In Two Ravens he sings 'in my dreams' a lot and that is the correct description of Two Ravens. His voice has that longing and dreaminess that can be found more this week, see above. Dreampop is a song that hovers somewhere between alternative pop and dreampop. The electric rhythm guitar keeps Two Ravens grounded, Auwerkerken's voice dreams away with his lyrics supported by that lead guitar playing soft notes. Later on, Two Ravens becomes more solid when more alternative sounding guitars enter the mix. Not unlike Smashing Pumpkins in its heyday in the 1990s. Two Ravens is a near perfect blend of pop and rock, a song in which Caspar Auwerkerken draws the best out of himself.
In June of this year Ciel returned to the blog after the singles and EP from 2023. I welcomed 'Swallowing Your Pride' with somewhat mixed feelings. The same goes for Won't Obey. Singer-songwriter Michelle Hindriks and drummer Tim Spencer again delve deep into the 1980s with their new single. The lead guitar, the synths it all comes from the U.K. and the 1980s's synthpop scene. Hindriks uses autotune to sing, or something like it to make her voice sound somewhat unlike her natural one. Won't Obey is catchy though. The chorus with its lead riff is infectious and begs wanting to listen to it again. That starts with the intro, as that riff is already presented in its full glory with a huge synth sound underneath it. The album cannot be far off.
Ever since I heard 'Dracula' for the first, the ZZ & de Maskers novelty hit for the first time in God knows which year, I take a shine to these kind of campy horror songs. Enter Lady Frankenstein. Is this a fantastic single? No, of course not. Is it fun? Yes, in abundance. It sounds as if the song comes straight out of the mid-1960s. The sharp Farfisa organ sets the sound with its short played, sharp sounding chords. The rest of the band obliges by playing what we call a carnival rhythm over here. Family and friends form the chorus of "Lady Frankestein" and also that gives the song a carnival vibe, while faintly remembering rock and roll, just like when the carnival band (that probably played parties and weddings the rest of the year, I'm talking 1970s here) played three rock and roll songs in between all the carnival season hits. Always, 'Kom Van Dat Dak Af', 'Tutti Frutti' and 'Johnny B. Goode'. Lady Frankenstein is released for the upcoming Halloween season. Even the cover has that 1960s style and looks authentic too where aging is concerned.
And now for something completely different. Except for that dreamy, mysterious part that is sort of the theme of this week, despite all singles, except the first one here came to me in a random order. Hilary Woods is the über mystery one of all though. Endgames is almost more atmosphere than song. Two chords on a cello are repeated over and over, creating that dark mood hanging over the song. Hilary Woods sings over it with an almost whispering voice, double tracked. All in the style of Julee Cruise and Enya. Endgames could have been in 'Twin Peaks' somewhere, like when agent Cooper is having his famous coffee in front of a window with darkness outside, where the mysteries of the little town lurk. Endgames calls up this image quite strongly in me. As far as I'm aware I had never heard of Hilary Woods before. There is an opportunity to learn more soon, as album 'Night CRIÚ' will be released on the last day of this month.
More and more music from Italy is reaching me over the past circa five years now. And if there is a common denominator, it is a love for music from the past. PLD, the title from upcoming album 'Pleasure Loss Desire', 30 October, is a song that brings you back to the days that Depeche Mode scored its biggest hits, so let's say 1985-1993. The synths have these dark sounds and the singer has the baritone voice like Dave Gahan has. Perhaps Talk To Her has just a hint more of modern dance influences, that Depeche Mode could not have at the time, but if it is, it's just a tad. In other words, fans of the music of old should find their way here, because PLD is not that far away from a track like 'Personal Jesus', only considerably less original of course. That does not hinder me to listen with pleasure to PLD.
Slamdinstas singles are on this blog for a few years now and in 2025 it's no different. The California band rocks once again as if there is no expiration date on the kind of music it plays and time is showing there isn't (for now at least). For most of my adult live I've heard this kind of modern rock and roll coming out of the U.S. in forms, I'm simply not a fan of, like Springsteen, and all these great singles from bands long forgotten like 'Satellite' by The Hooters or 'I Love You Period' by what's his name again. Slamdinistas simply hook up to that long train of great songs and rock and roll some more. All it takes are a few great hooks, a memorable chorus and a raucous guitar solo and you have me, except if your name is Bruce Springsteen for some reason. Check out the same-titled album as well.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght.
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