My eyes were blind but you turned on the moon

Dear friends,

I'd like to draw your attention to something lovely.

(photo by Lars Stephen)
Last week, Stereogum* debuted the fabulous new video to Dean and Britta's cover of Ann-Margret and Lee Hazlewood's You Turn My Head Around.

You Turn My Head Around/Dean and Britta (video)


DISCLAIMER! I am SO biased because I am friends with the clip's talented director, Sera Rogacki AND I had a hand in casting the video. I wear many hats. Anywho, I'm loving the way this Jacques Dutronc inspired mini-movie turned out! Check it out and bask in the cameos by Oweinama from Madam Robot and The Lust Brigade, Lady Byrd from Who Needs Radio, Demetri Martin, Olga Bell from Bell, George and Jess from El Jezel and Sammy and Cesar from The Lisps!

(photo by Lars Stephen)
Here's the original version for the purists...

You Turn My Head Around/Ann-Margret and Lee Hazlewood (mp3)

Purchase The Cowboy and the Lady by Lee Hazlewood and Ann-Margret from eMusic.


Do give the cover a listen. Britta's vocal is effortless which is no small feat given the song's tonal-shift demands. From pretty and soft to soaring and exuberant, that drawn out shout of "Baaaabyyyyyyyyyy!" sounds like love in all its Springtime hues.


Purchase Back Numbers by Dean and Britta on Amazon Digital.

Love, D

* The 'Gum video player was giving me issues, freezing repeatedly, so rather than link, I embedded this one from You Tube instead.

And then let me in

Dear friends,

1. Still hacking. My cough won't let me sleep. I've been staring at these words on the page:

Tell your doctor or seek medical treatment if you experience any signs or symptoms that may indicate you have developed an infection such as:

• a cough that doesn't go away
• weight loss
• fever
• chills
• congestion
• flu-like symptoms

If these or any other signs of infection appear after you take HUMIRA, tell your doctor right away.

Part of me doesn't care enough to make the trip up to the doctor. And part of me thinks that I'm going the way of Camille. This is the sound of one shoulder shrugging.

2. Speaking of koans, Mike B's got some things to say about House. I'm not down with House though I know at least one Soft Communication contributor who is. I just hate hospitals. I don't even want to hear about them in songs much less see them on my television at night.

3. These guys are playing tonight at Fontana's. I wrote about them before here.



Song to seek:

Machine/The Lisps (mp3)
Machine/The Lisps (YST link)

Buy The Vain, The Modest and The Dead by The Lisps.

Love, D

I swear I heard a nightingale

Dear friends,

1. No lie, I requested a copy of The Vain, The Modest, and The Dead by The Lisps because there is someone in the band named César Alvarez and this indie rock Latina likes to seek other indie rock Latins*. Of course there's always the slight possibility that the name's a weird hipster affectation (Hispanic is the new black!) and his real moniker is Joe Smithsonberry. I hope not. Dedos crusados.

Their song Machine is an odd bird. Schizophrenic bedroom electro with a saxophone break is not exactly what I'd expected to hear after a couple of carefully controlled numbers about not wanting to be the one you loved and dirty lips. Singer Sammy Tunis has a strangely colored voice, almost metallic sounding thanks to the way she strikes notes; like a shaft of light on a knife. If you weren't paying attention you might mistake the childlike directness of her sound for amateurishness but her vocals have a determined quality that sounds like she knows exactly what she's doing. The aforementioned Mr. Alvarez counters her with some Lee Hazlewood-style rumbles and back and forth verse trading. I'm not sure what this pair is trying to tell me, the words are all you/me/us accusations from planet Casio so as a listener, I'm caught in a weird place. Somewhere between wanting to do the robot and scowling in a corner. Naive art rock? Not quite, a little too much in the know. But it does the trick. Keep an eye on the listings and catch 'em next time they play out.

Also, befriend them on My Space.

Machine/The Lisps (yousendit link)

2.

I have buddies who play music. Tonight two fabulous band friends, and Beg Yr Pardon alumns, Gold Streets and The Song Corporation play Galapagos at 10PM as part of Jezebel Music Presents Consigment. I hear that Leslie and The Lys are playing as a special last minute guest. Why write anything about 'em when I can link this picture? Or embed this video?

Gold Pants/Leslie and The Lys



Time to whip out the bedazzler!

Love, D

* No joke, at shows, if I think I see an indie rock Latin, I point at them, smile like a shark and give them the secret wink. A wink so secret, they always think I have something in my eye.