pump up the jam

So I found a neat title photo for the blog after searching for exactly three minutes. I am officially a legitimate blogger. Speaking of legitimate blogs, I have had this blog in heavy rotation with random 60s girl group on my itunes and I have to say it is really refreshing. I had been in a music-exploration slump for the past few months or so, very narrowly focusing on hilariously cheesy/fantastically groovy new wave-electro-dance music provided by my friend Ryan's innumerable playlists. Admittedly, the beat electric blog doesn't veer from this very much, but it does present a whole new (as in retro) basis to my dance music thirst. It is completely fascinating how specifically genre-blending, experimental, and innovative this short-lived era of music was. It was entirely a transitional period, lasting all but 5 to 8 years if that. Drawing heavily from beat orientations of Disco and Funk, this period began the first really solid incorporation of synthesizers and the fresher than fresh hip hop trends as they developed into independently  legitimized musical styles. I believe it entirely set the tone for the wave of electronically based, dance-oriented styles that emerged in the 80s and 90s. What's most interesting is how the massive appeal of duos like Daft Punk and Justice today, very consciously reverted to not just drawing influence from subtle nuances of this musical time frame, but sampling it directly. With the onslaught of 80s throwbacks in dance (and double interestingly, current pop music) in response, this avenue of musical expression appears to be recycling what already happened nearly 30 years ago as fresh and new. And this presents the best part of it all, because it totally and completely is fresh and new. I think its the entire reason why Daft Punk  and Justice were responded to on such an immediately appealing level. Their combination of elements from bass driven 90s house elevated the fresh sounds of this transitional disco, funk, electro period to freshness that is becoming of our own era. And damn, it is really nice. 

On top of all this, listening to 60s girl groups has really inspired this incredibly weak soft spot I have for women with beautiful voices. Man, I can't even believe how amazingly moving some of the harmonies and subtleties of this other abstract, somewhat forgotten, yet highly influential era of music are. Add to that the vintage appeal of the best decade ever and its forever freshly established openness, and you have a combination that melts my heart. I mean seriously look at how cute Sheila Ross from the Royalettes looks in this freeze frame:

I think the combination of these things is what I find so appealing, even if the music requires you be in a precise mood to take it all in. While sifting through this genre, it is very easy to write it off as all sounding the same, and much of it is notoriously formulaic. But what's exciting, as in all music, are the little breaks, unexpected tempo changes, unpredictable chorus punches and lovely harmonies. For me, it strikes a power chord in my body and will almost always, if the mood is right, make my eyes inexplicably well up. It's hard to explain, but I can honestly say the movie Dream Girls had me in the constant disposition of wiping tears off my face. 

Here are some good songs if you are interested:

Oh No Not My Baby- Maxine Brown

She Don't Deserve You- Honey Bees

It's Gonna Take a Miracle- The Royalettes

I unfortunately don't know/am too lazy at the moment to figure out how to post these as downloads, but I highly recommend looking them up on youtube for the full awesomely 60s instant nostalgia effect. 

Anyway, my dog, Sato, is awesome.