"Che Guevara and Debussy to a disco beat"

Perhaps my favorite Pet Shop Boys track, 1988s "Left to My Own Devices", off the very dance oriented Introspective is a beautiful mixing of disco, pop, and classical music. The lyrical story of one man's day, Neil Tenant shows his full range from the mid-section talking-singing routine to the vocal acrobatics of the chorus on this one. I love so many of the lines in this song, it was hard picking just one for the title of this post. Chris Lowe adeptly creates a true sonic masterpiece that fits the lyrics to a "T". The best version, in my opinion, is the 11 minute, 28 second "Disco Remix" found on the 12" and some CD singles.

Left to My Own Devices (Disco Remix) - Pet Shop Boys

"Call me Doctor Frankenstein of London"

1997 saw U.K. band Catherine Wheel release their fourth full length album, Adam and Eve, a stunning collection of songs. After starting with the shoegazer sound of their debut, Ferment, and its follow up, Chrome, the band moved to a heavier sound for Happy Days and then surprisingly to a very lush amost Pink Floyd-like, acoustic tinged, harmonic laden sound with A&E. The album resonated with critics, long-time fans, and not too many other people. It was even praised by one of the men responsible for the album of the year in 1997, Thom Yorke, who has said Catherine Wheel were/is a band that should have made it huge. Perhaps the finest single ever released by the Wheel, "Ma Solituda", featured the spectacular b-side, "Paranoia". It is a brilliant haunting track and features one of my favorite opening lines, the title of this post, "Call me Doctor Frankenstein of London". I urge you to check out the Wheel, if not for me, do it for your yourself.

Paranoia - Catherine Wheel

"We leave it all so far away one thing is sure we shouldn't stay"

As the 80s turned to the 90s, Duran Duran watched the ranks dwindle to three - LeBon, Rhodes and John Taylor - and their popularity drop like a brick in a pond. Augmented by new "permanent" member Warren Cuccurullo, formerly of LA band Missing Persons, and drummer extraodinaire Sterling Campbell, Duran Duran released the first single off their upcoming album Liberty to a very muted reception. The track, "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)", features a brilliant piano opening that kicks into a bass-heavy club track with LeBon's familiar voice appearing older and more mature than the band's earlier work. The single and the album tanked. Perhaps the band wore out its welcome, apparent by the fact that a mere three years later they were topping the charts again, but I actually love this single, this album, and the transition. Who cares if John Taylor only remembers the drugs from this time, he still made brilliant music, didn't he?

Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over) - Duran Duran

"Come, armageddon! come!"

1992 saw a Democrat return to the White House for the first time in 12 years, Mike Tyson went to jail, Kurt and Courtney got married, and 10,000 Maniacs released an EP entitled "Few and Far Between". Off their album Our Time in Eden, "Few and Far Between" was a solid single, but what made the EP was the inclusion of several covers. The first cover is of Morrissey's classic "Every Day is Like Sunday". Natalie's voice soars on this interesting take and the band captures the winsome feeling Moz created with the original.

Every Day is Like Sunday - 10,000 Maniacs

"There's space for us to shake, and hey, I like this tune"

Blissful indie-rock melodies straight out of Norway that makes you want to swing. Kings of Convenience released Riot on an Empty Street in 2004 to critical praise and delivered one of the more memorable indie-pop rock moments of the year with the catchy "I'd Rather Dance with You". The song and accompanying video remain favorites of mine to this day. Be sure to check out more from the Kings, the best thing from the Nordic region since a-Ha.

I'd Rather Dance with You - Kings of Convenience

"Where I want my words said and no one wants to listen though"

1987's Some Kind of Wonderful was the last great teen movie of the 1980s. The soundtrack was a blissful concoction of "B" - bands, with the exception of The Jesus and Mary Chain, that was put together by uber-producer Stephen Hague (New Order, Pet Shop Boys, etc.) Of the great songs collected for this soundtrack, Furniture's "Brilliant Mind" is one of my favorites. It has a, well, brilliant sense of urgency and warmth, much like a relationship at the start. Sadly, Furniture did not procude many more songs and eventually called it a day in the early 90s. But this song is a lasting reminder of their ability to craft a brilliant tune.

Brilliant Mind - Furniture

"Welcome Back, Frank"

Since I'm posting an instrumental upon my return to blogging, I figured I would quote the title of one of my favorite comics, "The Punisher:Marvel Knights". So I have been a little busy at work, foreclosures are up....my brother moved in for a few weeks....and other family matters have taken precedence...but tonight I return, and I promise, more good things will come and on a regular basis. Tonight, in celebration of the upcoming Cure shows I will attend, here's a look back to Lost Wishes, the instrumentals from the Wish studio sessions. Tonight, check out "The Three Sisters", a song that I only wish had lyrics.....

The Three Sisters - The Cure