I’d like to think that after my rant on the blog and in print a few weeks ago, things somehow got back to my loves, a-ha, that Chicago would be huge. Well la-di-freaking-da, in my inbox, just 5 minutes ago, I got this
http://www.a-ha.com/news/languages/english/AHA_fullStory.aspx?PostID=5988
a-ha has announce they’re coming to Chicago on their farewell tour on May 13th!! And its at the Riviera, just up the street from my house. I’m in heaven. Don’t talk me down!
DAA Exclusive! DJ Voxbox will debut his new mashup/remix of the classic When I Think Of You by Janet Jackson tonight at the Wild Pug in Chicago for our Moosebox Old Skool Nite!!
Voxbox, aka Nevin Hirsh, did a great job of melding the old, Janet (and sometimes chunky) with the young, sleek and synthy. Janet’s classic Jam/Lewis groove flows nicely over Geriatrics by John Tejada & Arian Leviste, then Keypunch by Jitzu & Sire G, then Micro Schlenker by Dr.Nojoke.
When_I_Think_of_U__Micro-Geriatric_Remash (right click to download)
Check out more of his mashups and mixes here for free http://tonecardsounds.com/
Though still happily partnered with kids, Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl haven’t put out and EBTG record since 1999’s sublime Tempermental. Ben’s been busy being a DJ, club-owner, and record label mogul with his Buzzin’ Fly franchise. And Tracey’s been raising the kids for the most part with the exception of her solo album, Out of the Woods in ‘07. With 25 years between that album and her first, pre-EBTG, solo album and a decade since their last collaboration, who thought she’d crank out another CD so soon. 
But recently, she announced her next album, Love and It’s Opposite, would be out soon.
Just yesterday, she was kind enough to make the first single, “Oh the Divorces”, a gorgeous, stripped down ballad lamenting all her favorite couples breaking up, FREE for download on her site. A heart wrenching and sadly true tune, you can tell Tracey’s really feeling this one hard.
And then, out of the blue, I see Ben’s set to release a new track as well with Julia Biel called “Bright Star.” Predictably housey but surprisingly rather Bjorky, Bright Star sounds like it belongs on an updated version of Bjork’s Debut. Listen to the new track HERE as part of one of his DJ set radio shows.
But my question is, if Tracey’s writing and recording, and Ben’s writing and recording, why on earth can’t these two just do an EBTG CD together. Seems odd. But now we get double the material, so I shouldn’t complain.
Ben’s single comes out next week in the UK, while Tracey’s album comes out May 18th her in the US on Merge, for whom Tracey just contributed a track to the Merge anniversary album, Score!, with Jens Lekman.
The wizards at Facebook deleted our original page and can’t get it back. So now we’ve got a new group up and would love you to join. Just go to Facebook and search Dancing About Architecture Podcast and join up.
We’re hoping it becomes a full fledged music community where we can all share new music and memories.
Former October Project singer Mary Fahl
Get this week’s show here on iTunes. Or listen to or download the mp3 here.
This week on the show, singer/songwriter, Ross Crean and I had the honor of dishing with Mary Fahl, former lead singer of October Project, on her solo and band career, parting ways with OP, the record label game and her new release, a remake of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon done as only Mary Fahl and her (more…)
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Steven Eliot
