Pop Open: Hi Dere From The Atom Age

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The fifties group - REVEALED:

TRACK ONE: Odetta - "All The Pretty Little Horses" - I first heard this song, which I think is a traditional one, in the version by English underground spooksters Current 93 - obviously Odetta's rich moan is a different beast entirely from David Tibet's hobgoblin sharpness so it took me a listen or two to even spot the song I knew. This is a grower - too hushed on first listen but it's wormed its way into a fight for my second place.

TRACK TWO: Pink Martini - "Dosvedanya Mio Bombino" - Apparently the title means "Farewell My Bumblebee"! Thematically fifties rather than authentically fifties, this choice - jaunty cabaret pop with plenty of wit and lift and a strong lead vocal, which if I liked the cabaret style even slightly would surely pick up a vote. (Also it goes on a bit).

TRACK THREE: Les Paul And Mary Ford - "Smoke Rings" - Gorgeous woozy lounge guitar, pretty recognisable as Les Paul if you've heard any of his other stuff I guess, and perfectly matched by Mary Ford's sultriness. One of my favourite tracks in the whole competition so far, and (for me) an easy winner.

TRACK FOUR: Esquerita - "Maybe Baby" - Busy, lively, throaty run-through of a Buddy Holly song - love the little chirrups he's putting in, but for some reason I've never been much of a Holly fan, the emotions in his songwriting never quite reaches me. Liking the piano a lot though, it's between this and Odetta for my second.

Voting is open until 12 noon on Monday - the poll is beneath the cut below and you can get the tracks streamed here: http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/09/pop-open-week-9/ . Voting has been pretty good so far - and is very close too - so do please play. (And don't be put off by the dreaded word "fifties"!)

[Poll #1060889]

Comments

[mackromackro.livejournal.com]

t0m, is there a policy on comments containing download links? I realize they are fine in the subject of a thread, but I don't want to cross any lines if they were drawn.

I'd love to link the song, and I don't want to go too much into details about "Coocoo-U" because there are many. In brief, the song is quite an esoteric departure for the Trio (and I already consider the Trio intrinsicly odd in the Guard years.) "Coocoo-U"'s very much rooted in Latin and African beats, especially made clear in the bridge. The vocals (which I think are done by Nick Reynolds aka "the short one" here) sound very nervous, sung/spoken in an odd meter that predates Devo's singing style 20 years or so. All said, "Coocoo-U" is very much a Kingston Trio song. Unfortunately, they barely have any other songs quite like this.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The best way to link a song is to put it in its own post and friends-lock the thread - it'll get more attention that way too!