GNARLS BARKLEY-Run (Watch Out: Not apt for epileptics!!)
To carry on our traditional wedding tick list theme, the third installment of our sinphonola is about “Something borrowed”; artists that depend partially or heavily on something external. It can be a sound; a tribute; an unusually strong influence; a cover; collaboration; a superproducer, etc.
Gnarls Barkley, the lunatic duo formed by Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse, who has just released their second album, aptly titled “The Odd Couple” borrow Justin Timberlake for a cameo in their new and spectacular video for first single “Run”. Unfortunately their use of stroboscopic lights (or something like that) to form op-art patterns made it dangerous to watch for people suffering from epilepsy, therefore many music channels in the world have refused to play it.
THE SHORTWAVE SET
Danger Mouse’s services as a producer are being borrowed as well, all over the place. So many artirts from all backgrounds and styles are requiring his magic touch than he could become this year’s Timbaland. From Martina Topley-Bird, who pursues to shake off the faded shadow of trip-hop and go for a new, updated, XXI century sound in her second work “The Blue God”; to The Shortwave Set, British experts in retro avant-garde pop. In “Replica Sun Machine”, Danger Mouse took them to sunny L.A, getting even Van Dyke Parks for the orchestral arrangements. Even Beck, who has just announced an O2 London festival appearance next to Morrissey and The National, has fallen for the charms of the Gorillaz producer to work in his new album. But the list doesn’t finish there. The oddest of all Danger Mouse collaborations is his work with old fashioned blues rockers from Akron, Ohio The Black Keys, who surprisingly try to get out of their musical debt with the past in their new album “Attack and Release”.
Justin Timberlake, in this case his vocals, are also been borrowed by Madonna, alongside Timbaland’s producing gold for her awaited return “Hard Candy” in her first and excellent single “4 minutes (To Save The World)” from it. Madonna at least shows she knows where to go for sonic liftings.
FLO-RIDA FEAT. TIMBALAND-Elevator
Timbaland keeps the hyperactive mode and doesn’t give any signs of fatigue, with rumours of collaborating again with Missy Elliott; his album still producing hits, the last of them the high octane sexy vocal duet between Keri Hilson and the ex-Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger “Scream”; Keri Hilson debut album is also being given the finishing touches with Timbo’s involvement.
But Timbaland’s kingdom seems to have no boundaries these days, everybody wants a piece of his studio wizardry: From new protégée, Izza Kizza whose forthcoming album counts with all-star cast including everyone who’s anyone in the world of Timbopop; to the latest US r’n’b heartthrob Flo Rida, after topping the US charts for ages with his debut “Low” gets him for the follow-up, “Elevator” (see video above).
Even the Russian Broadcasting company responsible for the celebration of this year’s Eurovision Festival has borrowed his services to add some splendor to the power ballad they’re sending, “Believing”, by Dima Bilan, which sounds in a very similar vein to OneRepublic’s international smash “Apologize”. Some other Eurovision entries seem to have taken the contest, usually the home of camp boy-girl bands; local folklore divas expressing their as sublime as frequently unbearable sensitivity and overall tackiness, with an unexpected degree of seriousness. The French entry, consolidated electronic musician Sébastien Tellier, recruited half of Daft Punk to produce his poppy “Divine”. Less serious is the Spanish hopeful, a tv show comedy character, Rodolfo Chikilikuatre, whose reggaeton-based novelty record “Chiki-Chiki” seemingly inspired in last year’s US dance sensation “Crank That” by Souljaboy.
But the exhausting list doesn’t finish there. Ex Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell is also counting with him in which could be one of the most original or most awful collaborations of the year. Another Eurovision contestant and 2004 edition’s winner, Ukrainian explosive dancer Ruslana also lured Timbo as well as the ubiquitous T-Pain to help on her comeback “Moon Of Dreams”, by far the cheesiest of the lot. and last, but not least, megastar Beyonce has also borrowed him for her new project. The Destiny child’s forthcoming single “Beautiful Nightmare”, which leaked last week shows a more danceable/poppier, less r’n’b orientation; dragging comparisons with the style of Britney Spears recent album “Breakout”.
Britney’s record label had to borrow too, facing the unavailability of the troubled star, a team of Manga animators for her third single “Break The Ice”.
THE KILLS-Cheap & Cheerful
But Timbaland and Gnarls Barkley are not the only producers at hand when an artist needs to update its sound. Boy-girl rocking duo The Kills have worked with half of Spank Rock (Armani XXXchange), who has added a touch of cutting edge electro to their fierce guitar sound. The return of Tapes ‘N Tapes, “Walk It Off”, has been prepared under the tutelage of official indie embellisher, Dave Fridmann. The ex-Mercury Rev, notorious for his imprint of lush arrangements over rawer sounds, may prove himself a bit too flashy for the up and coming combo from Minneapolis, although the heralding track “Hang Them All” does not show a radical departure from the band’s debut.
Another boy/girl duo, this time from Salford in the UK, The Ting Tings have made the finest pop pastiche of the year with their acclaimed single “Great DJ” that sounds like a collage from new wave and eighties tecno-pop bands; The B 52’s; CSS; etc. held together by a contemporary dance-pop production.
FOALS-Cassius
Long awaited as the great white hope of British Independent music, Oxford math rockers, Foals keep the torch of post-rock and angular sounds alive in their debut “Antidotes” for which they hired TV On The Radio’s David Sitek, but not happy with the final sound some of the songs had to be re-recorded.
The return of The Magnetic Fieldsis a tribute to The Jesus & Mary Chain’s “Psycho Candy”, the last great album released by a band according to Stephen Merritt. Appropriately titled, “Distortion”, it does exude fuzzy reverbs and rawer guitars a la Reid Bros, going side to side with the usual bittersweet pop harmonies trademark of the songwriter in highlights like “Three way” or “Too drunk to dream”. Other arty band enjoying a respectable career longevity while exploring new directions are Belgium faves dEUS, who have collaborated with Karin Dreiier Andersson from The Knife in their new single “Slow”. and also counts with the presence of Guy Garvey of Elbow in other cuts of “Vantage Point”.
JAMIE LIDELL-Little Bit Of Feel Good
Jamie Lidell, who surprised the world by merging Warp blips with near perfect Otis Redding-esque vocals in his cult classic “Multiply”, follows again that winning path in new opus “Jim”. The first single “Little Bit of Feel Good” is another exercise of soul revisionism. Covering similar ground, Sam Sparro is currently conquering the international airwaves with his Al Green meets LCD Soundsystem presentation card “Black And Gold”.
R.E.M.-Munich (BBC Radio 1 Session)
And finally we have a look at the ones who borrow a song, to cover it; sometimes with pleasant results, sometimes to full destroying effect. Among the first ones, R.E.M., embarked on a tight promotional tour to support their much hyped return to form (at least to mid 90’s form) album “Accelerator”; available for full stream at Facebook’s Ilike. They recently covered Editors’ best song (according to some their only decent one) “Munich” on a BBC live session.
The Mars Volta did justice to the The Sugarcubes’ first single “Birthday” even when they drowned it in their prog universe. And Spanish band Niños Mutantes compile all the covers they have made in ten years of career in the album “Grandes Exitos de Otros” (Other people’s greatest hits) going from Depeche Mode to the late Spanish copla legend Rocio Jurado.
And to finish this sinphonola two hits in different sides of the Atlantic, based on a sample. Underground grime and hip-hop British dark legend Wiley is about to enjoy his moment of glory with the catchy “Wearing My Rolex” borrowing its loop from DSK’s “What Would We Do”. In the US Wiz Khalifa rescues 90’s Euro trance hit “Better Left Alone” by Alice Deejay for his cheesy but effective “Say Yeah”.