Bombs Over Blog Land

Seems to me like Guns N' Bombs has done enough (Kitsune work, remixes for reputable artists and some outstanding, high energy mixes) to deserve a little more hype than they get. Sort of a shame that they've been confined to a secondary role while others within their genre receive all the accolades. I guess since they don't whine for themselves, we will do it for them in hopes to raise a profile that is already high enough to be recognized but is inconsistent in exposure.

Dig on some of this stuff:

Guns N' Bombs - Riddle of Steel (alt)
Guns N' Bombs - Riddle of Steel (Para One Remix) (alt)

Bonus:

The Teenagers - Homecoming (Guns N' Bombs 1996 XTC Remix) (alt)

Hit up the guys at their official myspace.

Pork, Peas & Cabbage

I don't pay much attention to the Chinese zodiac calender or astrology in general for that matter, but every now and then if I'll check what year it is. Most of the time I'll find out it's the Horse or Dragon and I'll continue about my life. For the first time in my life, about a week ago I accidentally discovered that this year is the Year of the Rat. I nearly fell out of my seat--that's my year. Immediately I questioned my position: what am I doing right at this moment, what will I do today that is productive, what will be important about today? Then the internal interrogation became more broad and intense: what are you doing with your life, have you already abandoned yours hopes and dreams that you had as a child, will you just wither away like this? It was as though, prompted by this acquired knowledge about the rat, that someone inside me was terribly skeptical of who I am and what I am doing. I nearly stopped everything I was doing and broke down. Then I realized it wasn't yet the Year of the Rat.

Sufjan Stevens - Year of the Rat

Well, the Chinese New Year has happened since then and it is the Year of the Rat; I have decided that this year will be my year of destiny. This will be my pivot. And it's no surprise that I already have a path forming ahead of me leading to what I think will be the later years of my life. I don't know much where it will lead, but finally the mist has cleared and I can at least see ahead and where it disappears. I try to be positive about these things. Though the rat represents death, war and pestilence, it also means wealth, charm and order. Let's all take that to heart.

So far this year there are a few names in the dance business that you just can't avoid. That must be good for someone at least. Hot Chip is one of those names. Since releasing their newest album, Made in the Dark, Hot Chip have been getting tons of love. Even the songs that aren't on the album, including their impressively extensive remix collection (40 plus!), are in constant rotation. I think the best thing about the group is how motley they are. Maybe they have remixed so much because there is so many of them. In an age of numerous dynamic duos, they definitely stand out. Maybe they should start a commune. I'd join.

Hot Chip - Bendable Posable

You might also like:
The Teenagers - Love No (Poney Poney Emotion Remix)

Demain j'arrète

Tuesday morning I turn on the radio and hear something about Russians and their thoughts on Stalin. Among opinions voiced one woman says, "People say he killed half of Russia, but still Stalin had a unique personality."

Wednesday at the bowling alley they are playing various music videos. Toward the end of the evening they play "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart. The guitar reminds me of something familiar... oh yes, doesn't it sound like "Hung Up"? I'm almost positive Madonna was either inspired or sampled that bass line.

Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

Madonna - Hung Up

I feel like I'm on to something. But then I do some research on Thursday and read on wikipedia that Madonna asked Abba if she could sample a song of theirs--apparently only the second time Abba has ever let an artist sample one of their songs.

Abba - Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)

Friday night after a long evening of work I come home and shake off my clothing. I've promised myself that I'll write tonight. But what to write? I listen to a couple of new songs. A remix of Codebreakers by this DJ I've never heard of. It's rather nice. Starts out sound a little like Scissor Sisters' "Comfortably Numb."

Codebreaker - Riviera on the Moon (Will Eastman blisspop remix)

There's a Les Petits Pilous remix of "Bonafide Lovin'" that's quite fancy. It seems like it's a dub though, and though I enjoy this remix, it makes me miss the original with the singing.
Chromeo - Bonafide Lovin (Les Petits Pilous remix)

Chromeo - Bonafide Lovin

What does Pilou(s) mean, I wonder? I look it up in my French translation-dictionary and find no answers, but it does tell me that pimbêche means "n. stuck-up woman, stuck-up girl adj. stuck-up."

In fact, I'm afraid to like Chromeo--namely because I heard way too much of "Needy Girl" when it was popular. And I've really avoided buying the new album because my apprehension, but every song I've heard off is brilliant. "Bonafide Lovin" has been remixed, by my count, about eight times by everyone from The Teenagers to Riot in Belgium.

Then I go to the kitchen to make some tea. Out the window I notice a bright rectangular light that seems to not have been there before. I don't have great memory, but I could have sworn that light was never there. I look closely and within the rectangle I see the faint outline of a handrail for a staircase. Someone must have left the door open to their apartment's roof access--however you call those. For some reason I find this very intriguing, that a door exists that I can see and study but never enter or exit.