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This is another UK 2 part single and this disc is the 1st disc. 'Home And Dry' is a song from the album "Release". Like most Euro and UK singles, it comes in a slim case with a sticker on the front signifying it's part of a 2 CD set.
I absolutely love this song. And in the grand tradition of part 1 CD single sets, this disc is all about making sure 'Home And Dry' could compete on the singles chart. There are three tracks on the disc. They're both b-sides and they're both incredible.
'Sexy Northerner' has an urgency to the music making you feel the anticipation of flirting and falling in lust with another person. As genuine and heartfelt as 'Home And Dry' is, 'Sexy Northerner' is superficial and sexy! My favorite line from the song is, "It's not all - - football and fags!"
The final track on the single is 'Always' which reminds me of a gospel track. When you hear it, I'm sure you'll wonder why I think this way, but it's a gospel track because the chorus is all about keeping faith and enduring. "Always, summer comes".
This entire disc is a win for me. From start to finish. My final words: AN EXCELLENT 1ST DISC IN A SET SHOWCASING SOME MEMORABLE MUSIC!
PET SHOP BOYS - HOME AND DRY
01. Home And Dry
02. Sexy Northerner
03. Always
This is an interesting release. For many reasons... First and foremost, this single by Rammstein doesn't appear on any of their albums. The track is actually a cover of a 1982 song by Kraftwerk. Both versions are fantastic although you have to give intensity and excitement to Rammstein's version as Kraftwerk's is somewhat droning and solemn.
The single lists 4 titles but the final title is actually a computer game you can play on Windows when you stick the disc in your computer. You take on the form of one of the Rammstein members and you make your way through a series of levels using a flamethrower weapon. It's actually quite strange and compelling all at the same time.
The second track on this single is a b-side called 'Kokain'. This is a strange and confusing song with all sorts of implied meaning. The basic concept is chopping up lines of cocaine and snorting them, but sub-textually, there's much more happening here and some of it highly questionable.
The third track is an alternate version of 'Alter Mann' from "Sehnsucht". Not much to go into here.
This single is quite rare now and sells for quite a bit of money on sites like eBay and Amazon. It's packaged in a slim case typical of European and UK singles. If you can find it at an affordable price, I suggest picking it up. It really is an amazing disc. And as far as I know, it's the only place you can find 'Dad Modell' and 'Kokain'.
My final words: EASILY ONE OF THE BEST EURO SINGLES EVER! EXCLUSIVE INCREDIBLE CONTENT, INVENTIVE AND PACKED WITH VALUE! MUST OWN FOR ANY RAMMSTEIN FAN.
RAMMSTEIN - DAS MODELL
01. Das Modell
02. Kokain
03. Alter Mann (Special Version)
04. Rammstein Computerspiel
Another European single! This time, Marilyn Manson's 'The Fight Song'! This is the first of a 2-Disc set and also came with collectible Tarot cards with Manson and band members posing as figures from the Major Arcana cards in a standard tarot deck. My particular copy came with the Emperor, Fool, Devil and Death cards.
Although there are 3 tracks listed on this disc, the third is actually a multimedia track you can only play on a computer. Therefore, it doesn't count towards the running time on the disc and allows the song to be counted on the Euro charts.
I would comment to say 'The Fight Song' is standard Manson fare, but it's more accurate to say, it's standard fantastic Manson fare! This is one of his good songs and I quite love it. The second track is Slipknot's remix of the track and although they sorta dropped the bottom out of the tempo, it's a pretty good mix. The multimedia track is the music video for 'Disposable Teens'.
Usually, these first discs in multi disc UK and Euro sets are the ones I find the least value in. Especially when the additional track is an edit, mix or another album track. However, in this case, there's all kinds of added value. The remix is a bit of a cop-out but the addition of the multi media track and the collectible tarot cards makes this an awesome release and one I seriously enjoy owning! Like other European and UK singles this disc comes housed in a slim case.
My final words: EXTREMELY COOL MANSON SINGLE WELL WORTH YOUR TIME IN TRACKING DOWN.
MARILYN MANSON - THE FIGHT SONG
01. The Fight Song
02. The Fight Song (Slipknot Remix)
03. Disposable Teens (CD-Rom Video)
This is the second of a 2 disc set. The first disc was the single itself and this is the import disc with the mixes on it. Thanks to this blog I've learned how the single releases in the UK actually work. They produce multiple singles because in order to be considered for the UK chart, a single can only be so long. The first disc is usually the qualifying single for chart position while the second contains mixes and other misc. materials.
There are five mixes on this disc and anyone who knows me knows 'John The Revelator' was my favorite song from "Playing The Angel". I loved it and I've always complained the song was too short. It packs quite a wallop in the small amount of time it was given on the disc. Although these versions clock in a lot longer, they're more about the mix and less about the original song. Not that I don't like them. Because I do and I'm happy to see longer versions. I guess my point is, none of them seem to pack in the excitement and intensity of the original version. And that's fine. They were never meant to. Rather, they were meant to transition the song to club and dance play where it could gain more exposure.
The second mix is the one that seems to embody the original rhythm the most. Although it lives up to its name of being rather murky. The third mix is all about adding guitar bits and making it sound almost like a 'Route 66' version of the song. It's unique. The fourth is a deep beat version while the 1st and final mix are roughly the same. The fifth mix being a dub of the first.
It's nice to hear these different versions and in their own way, they're interesting. Still, none of them capture the feeling I get when I listen to the album version. I remember hearing that song in concert and absolutely loosing my head over it. I was so excited I screamed like a little girl. It was amazing!
"Playing The Angel" was a excellent record for me and probably the last disc by the band I really loved. I'm glad I have all the singles from this album and I enjoy the entire project from start to finish. This is a dynamic period of Depeche Mode history to collect. My final words: A GREAT MIX CD AND EXCELLENT COMPANION PIECE TO THE SINGLE.
DEPECHE MODE - JOHN THE REVELATOR
01. John The Revelator (Dave Is In The Disco Tiefschwarz Remix)
02. John The Revelator (Murk Mode Remix)
03. John The Revelator (Unkle Re Construction)
04. John The Revelator (Boosta Club Remix)
05. John The Revelator (Tiefschwartz Dub)
So it won't take a genius to figure out why I picked up this little single. I wasn't really into Ginuwine or anything he was doing, but I wanted to hear his cover of this Prince classic so I picked up this import single at a used record store and let me tell you... I wasn't impressed.
Ginuwine has an OK voice and for what he was doing at the time, he was fine. He never did anything I was excited about so I mostly just ignored him on the radio. But I picked up this disc without having heard the track before. I assumed it would be a standard cover... it's anything but. Back in those days, you couldn't sample tracks the way you can now. If I'd heard it, I might not have bought it. I think the music is weak all around. It's a slow tempo version. They've obviously tried to transform the song into a sexy ballad. Instead, they turn it into a drudgery. The song practically yawns at you. There's none of the energy, the intensity of the original track. It meanders on and eventually fades out. It's absolute dulls-ville. The disc features two other tracks. I'm not sure if they're from an album or b-sides and to be honest with you, I don't really care. Neither one of them are interesting in my opinion.
All around, I was extremely disappointed with this single. I regret purchasing it. Even more than that, I regret Ginuwine covered such an amazing Prince song and ruined it like he did. My final words: MONEY FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME.
GINUWINE - WHEN DOVES CRY
01. When Doves Cry
02. I'm Feelin' You
03. I'll Do Anything (I'm Sorry)
Shelby J. is an experienced vocalist working with a lot of names in show business... She sang backup to D'Angelo in his band, The Soultronics. She's also worked with Santana but is probably most well known for the time she spent in Prince's band, The New Power Generation. She toured with him during her time as a member and it's from that time with him that this song was written.
She was working on a solo album and Prince contributed to it by working on this track with her. As a native North Carolinian, the song is basically her impressions and thoughts about growing up in North Carolina. Because of demand, Shelby produced a limited number of promotional CDs of the single she sold on her website directly to her fans. The disc contains three tracks. The first being the full version of 'North Carolina'. The next 2 are edits of the longer first track.
'North Carolina' by itself is an OK track though hardly Prince's most exciting or interesting. Shelby has a great voice and she does an excellent job. The song just isn't a stand out number. Still, because this is the only physical format the song can be found on, this disc will be worth a lot of money and might very well become one of the most rare Prince items out there.
I'd be interested in hearing more collaboration material Shelby may have done with Prince, but for now, this is the only known collab. that actually exists. I'm not going to go into this release any further. My final opinion hasn't changed on subsequent listens of the track so my final words are: OK SONG BUT A DISC MOSTLY FOR COMPLETISTS.
SHELBY J. FEATURING ANTHONY HAMILTON - NORTH CAROLINA
01. North Carolina (Full Version)
02. North Carolina (The Hot Sauce Edit)
03. North Carolina (The Tripp Edit)
Transit-Cast is another band I saw play live the other night. They're a local Salt Lake band and they opened the Electric Six/In The Whale show. I wasn't sure what to think about them when they first started. I had a hard time understanding what they were saying but that was due to the crap sound at the club. Once I got past that, I thought they were pretty good.
They're not a flashy, over the top sorta group, but they're solid and the members play well together. The lead singer has a strong tempered voice in the tradition of rock bands. The biggest difference between this group and the more standard fare metal would be the subject matter they tackle with their lyrics. The songs of love are taken from a place of devotion.
The music is pumped up and rockin'! The disc maintains a strong tempo all the way through and it's enjoyable to listen to.
Now here's where I'm gonna be a little rough with this group... It's obvious from the music on the disc and the live performance, that these guys are all fairly experienced. They're great on their instruments and they know what to do. They play in the pocket together and everything is right in line... But I feel like the music isn't where it should be. They're not challenging themselves or breaking any new ground. With as much experience as they have, they shouldn't be relying on such formulaic songwriting to fill an album.
I love a lot of their ideas and I think the songs are nice, but they lack that "umph!" a good rock band needs. Let's take the song 'Bullseye' for example... It's got a huge amount of potential. It's got a hook in the guitar bits. It's a little busy and could be more power chord, more simple, but when the song starts, that hook is played lower in the mix. It should rage and be right up front. Everything should bow before it. The lyrics offer the vocalist a chance to scream, shout, drone or even speak lyrics. But he sings in the steady voice he's used throughout the entire disc. There's no variation or change up. Of all the tracks, this one to me shows the most potential lost in the arrangement.
I think the right producer could challenge this group and get them to kick their game up a notch. Let's face it, metal singers are a dime a dozen. You've got guys with great voices singing in their showers and garage bands all over the world. The groups that cross over or really make it do so because they bring something unique and different to the game. Both Electric Six and In The Whale do a great deal of work on the vocal arrangements. In both cases, they've developed a sound that can be associated with them alone. Transit-Cast hasn't found its voice yet. But its there. It really is.
The biggest concern I have for this band is without pushing themselves and their songs, the group can easily sound dated. If that's what they're trying for then they've captured the 80's hair band sound exactly. If they're trying to do something new and exciting, it's time to shake things up.
This is a sensible band. A group of great guys who I'd like to see more of and who I'd like to see do more with their music.
They gave copies of their album out for free at the show. I think you can get a copy through their facebook page. Just search for Transit-Cast. At the end of it all I think this is a great band with a lot of potential. My final words: ON THE VERGE OF FINDING THEIR VOICE AND SOUND! AN INTERESTING DISC WELL WORTH LISTENING TO.
TRANSIT-CAST - TRANSIT-CAST
01. Red Red Roses
02. Beautiful Babies
03. Of Love
04. Come Over
05. The Good Ones
06. Something Out There
07. Disco Chicks
08. Follow Into This
09. Bullseye
10. Maybe
11. Count The Clocks
