Something for the Weekend: Die Doraus und Die Marinas "Fred vom Jupiter"

When Andreas Dorau penned "Fred vom Jupiter" as part of a school project, it is unlikely the seventeen-year-old realised that he had struck gold.

Released in 1981, the electropop single was released by Dorau on the Ata-Tak label under the banner of Die Doraus und die Marinas. It would become a minor hit in Germany, Austria and the UK, where it was released by Mute Records.
The song, which features a few rather simplistic synth line, was initially overseen by one of Dorau's schoolteachers, Jürgen Krefft, while writing duties came under the vision of Dorau and Olaf Maurischat; however upon release, Krefft was not credited.

Eventually included on the follow-up album, Flowers and Daffodils, "Fred vom Jupiter" had - admittedly - rather childlike lyrics and themes, dealing with an attractive alien called Fred, who came from Jupiter. The alien's rocket ship runs out of fuel and lands and begins getting it on with Earth ladies.  As the local men become more and more jealous, Fred is driven away, just as he discovers fuel to split. As you do.

In keeping with the (relatively) childlike elements of the song, the vocals were sung by five children (Dagmar Peterson, Claudia Flohr, Michelle Milewski, Christine Süßmilch and Isabelle Spelly), all of whom were between the ages of 11 and 13 years old.
 The B-Side to "Fred vom Jupiter" is a rather quaint and solemn track, "Auch die Heimat ist Nicht Mehr Schön" (literally meaning "The Home is Not Nice"), a numbing instrumental telling of Fred's home planet.

Following "Fred vom Jupiter", Dorau followed a career in television and film, mainly writing soundtracks and acting as a consultant on productions. He would later have a top-ten hit in France in 1996, called "Girls in Love".

Die Doraus und Die Marinas "Fred vom Jupiter"

Something for the Weekend: The Avalanches "Frontier Psychiatrist"

Following successful support slots with the likes of Beck, Public Enemy and The Beastie Boys in the late-90's, Australian electronic group The Avalanches eventually released their début album at the start of the new century.

The release, Since I Left You, was originally pencilled in for release in early 2000; however this release date was pushed back on a number of occasions, as the group struggled to clear the mammoth amount of samples that duly appear.

By November, Since I Left You finally hit shelves, eventually breeding five singles - the second of which was to become a cult classic.  Released at the tail end of the summer in 2000, the video for "Frontier Psychiatrist" - directed by Tom Kuntz and Mike Maguire - blended numerous elderly actors playing various elements of the song.  As an example of the sheer scale of clearances necessary for the album, "Frontier Psychiatrist" contained thirty-seven various vocal snippets that required approval.

"Frontier Psychiatrist" is one of only two singles by The Avalanches to break the UK top-twenty and bar several mixtapes and remixes, things became rather quiet following the album's release.  In 2008, it was rumoured that a new Avalanches album may be debuting the following year; however two-and-a-half years later, that has yet to appear, although announcements are thought to follow in the next few months.

This is Why the World Will End Soon: Rebecca Black "Friday"

Fucking hell... there are simply not enough expletives in the world to justify this fucking shit.

Something for the Weekend: The Ruts "Babylon's Burning"

Rising to the fore during the second generation of punk, London group The Ruts became one of the few from that genre to truly reach a wider audience.

The beginnings of the imposing foursome actually veered towards the burgeoning "Oi!" movement before musical leanings saw them drift into grounds defined by reggae and dub.  Part of their sound was also guided by their association with numerous rock and roll cover bands of the period.
Despite these, the Ruts' sense of anger concerning social issues became embedded in their sound.  Amongst their angst's was the escalation of heroin use within punk's outer communities, noted on the early B-Side, "H-Eyes"- a dark irony considering lead singer Malcolm Owen death from a heroin overdose in July 1980.

The Ruts would reach their peak with the singles "Babylon's Burning" and "Something That I Said" in the summer of 1979.  The single's, taken from the band's sole album The Crack, garnered a place on the BBC's Top of the Pops, with a third single, "Jah War" following in November.

With Owens' demise, the remaining members reconvened as Ruts DC, but split in 1983 after releasing two albums.  The band would reform for a one-off show in 2007, with Henry Rollins taking singing duties for a benefit show for guitarist Paul Fox, who had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer.  Sadly, Fox would die later that year at the age of 56.

The Rut's "Babylon's Burning ("live" on Top of the Pops)

Review: Kill! Kill! Death! Death! "Kill! Kill! Death! Death!"

With the release of their self-titled debut LP on themselves, Dublin-based noise prosecutors Kill! Kill! Death! Death! have made a stand, by producing mindless, yet fun lo-fi garage punk.

The ten-tracks shift through lo-fi a number of powder induced gears, although at times the incessant noise slips into dirge territory. It would have nicer had the drums sounded somewhat crisper - as it stands, they are more slightly aged Snax, as opposed to fresh from the packet Hunky Dorys.
Having said that though, it’s actually quite refreshing to hear a singer who’s voice box have quite obviously not been touched up to the nth degree, although they way the vocals strain occasionally rankles slightly. I have heard much worse though – me.

Occasionally, the albums dwells within the realms of sunshine pop, yet neither the sunshine nor the pop abound - rather a bloodstained truncheon in the dank rain at the edge of forest – all quite civil really.
Kill! Kill! Death! Death! is quite simply the aural equivalent of having the shit kicked out of you by manic five year-old children with soft, endearing eyes – they may look sweet, but they will cut you and cut you and cut you, leaving you bloody nosed and immersed in tragedy.  Can't you feel the spiral of doom?! No?  Good.
Meanwhile in the background, a haemorrhaging aorta spills, dying the drizzle touched ground a deep seductive red.

“Not a Sad Song”, why, oh why do you remind me of the scene in Spiderman when Grandpappy dies, eh..?  Christ, that film was shite, but ohhh Kirsten Dunst.................
Is he saying “quack” over and over again? Oh, he is. Fair enough.

At 29 minutes, one can certainly say the album is not too long. I like that - it reminds me of finely cooked sausages. None of this 70 minute-long shindig please – I’d rather writhe in wolf vomit if that were the case.
I guarantee you that if Yogi Bear were still alive, he’d give this a neat (if wary) thumbs up, before beating the leaving shit out of some poor, defenceless orphaned cubs. Because that's what Yogi Bear is - a prick.
Good fun. This will be soon be tempered by some Miles Davis, but for now, download Kill! Kill! Death! Death! here.
Rating: 3 out of 5

Something for the Weekend: Pram "The Owl Service"

With percussion ricocheting amongst the speakers, Pram's sixth album, The Museum of Imaginary Animals presents itself as a curious entity.

Although the songs within were still more cohesive than later efforts, the Birmingham group drifted away from their dream-pop leanings, offering up avant-garde pieces that brought Rosie Cuckson's eerie and distant vocals to the fore.
Signifying that was The Museum of Imaginary Animals' opener, "The Owl Service". An off-kilter pop that shares some similarities with the likes of Stereolab and Broadcast; however on this cut, Pram take on a more surreal view as they shroud themselves in instruments not akin to the world of pop.

The title was taken from the 1970's BBC children's drama and with the way Pram utilised childlike themes throughout the album, it fits rather well.

Pram "The Owl Service"

(March 2011) Easy Music for Difficult Ears Spotify Playlist

Swift dissipation, whilst flickering memories caress the dirt-tainted concrete – rain sodden under an ashen brazen sky. It isn’t just cold; it actually feels cold… and desolate… and desperate.

These smoky lives wither and lie in wait – colourless and featureless thanks to the persuasion of modern life. Identikit people and every single one of them billowing with nonsense – is it any wonder existence feels fit to ignore?
To tempt such shallow brethren into one’s wake would be akin to inviting death himself to dinner, only to have realised you forgot the poison and what worse fate is there in life, than to be one of the walking dead?

March 2011 Playlist

1. Lizzy Mercier Descloux “Wawa” (Press Color, 1979, ZE Records) Buy it here
2. The Raincoats “The Void” (The Raincoats, 1979, Rough Trade) Buy it here
3. The Lounge Lizards “Wangling” (The Lounge Lizards, 1981, Virgin Records Ltd) Buy it here
4. Was (Not Was) “Wheel Me Out” (Out Come the Freaks, 2004, ZE Records) Buy it here
5. Duet Emmo “Or So It Seems” (Or So it Seems, 1983, Mute Records) Buy it here
6. Au Revoir Simone “Anywhere You Looked” (Still Night Still Night, 2009, Au Revoir Simone) Buy it here
7. Nico “Frozen Warning” (The Frozen Warning: 1968-1970 Recordings, 2007, Rhino Entertainment) Buy it here
8. Marina Rosenfeld with Christoph Kurzmann “Sweetest Sensation” (Plastic Materials, 2009, Marina Rosenfeld) Buy it here
9. Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic “Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op 7: Allegretto” (Shostakovich: No's 5 & 9, 1959, Sony BMG Recordings) Buy it here
10. Sir Simon Rattle with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (et al) “Apollo – Ballet en deux tableaux, Deuxieme tableaux: Variation de Polymnie” (Stravinsky: The Ballets, 2009, EMI Records) Buy it here
11. New Tango Orquesta “The Down” (Vesper, 2009, Hoob Records) Buy it here
12. Beirut “My Family’s Role in the World Revolution” (The Lon Gisland EP, 2007, Ba Da Bing records) Buy it here
13. Animal Collective “Kids on Holiday” (Sung Tongs, 2004, Fatcat Records) Buy it here
14. Camille “Janine 3” (Le Fil, 2005, Virgin Music) Buy it here
15. Andreas Dorau und Die Marinas “Fred vom Jupiter” (Blumen und Narzissen, 1981, Ata Tak Records) Unavailable apparently for now...

November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010