Party Ben/VJ Jaren Mashup "Tender Umbrella"

Song of the day for November 19th, 2010: "I Love U So" by Cassius

Today's song is...I Love U So, by French house music duo Cassius. Cassius consists of music producers Philippe Zdar (Philippe Cerboneschi), and Boom Bass (Hubert Blanc-Francard) who originate out of Paris, France. I <3 U SO comes off of their most recently released Rawkers E.P., which was just released in October 2010. In fact they also have a full studio album about to be released next month, titled 1999 which is bound to be good. I would also like to add here that I am still wondering when itunes or amazon is going to start offering Cassius's 2006 Toop Toop single, which is my personal favorite by the duo! Come on then itunes!!

#41 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "Never Let Me Down Again" by Depeche Mode (1987)

Bonjour!! Here we are again, and #41 of the countdown is...Never Let Me Down Again, by some true English synth-electronica gods..Depeche Mode. Depeche Mode (meaning 'hurried fashion' or 'fashion dispatch' in French) started out in 1980 in Basildon, Essex, UK, and presently consists of members David Gahan (lead vocals), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, and chief songwriter after 1981), and Andrew Fletcher (keyboards). Depeche Mode originally began when Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher started a band by the name of No Romance In China, and a few others, then in 1980 the original band members that formed Depeche Mode would end up being Dave Gahan, Martin Gore,  Andrew Fletcher, and Vince Clarke. Vince Clarke left the band in 1981 following the release of their debut Speak & Spell album, and he was replaced by Alan Wilder who stayed with the band up until 1995 when he also left leaving the remaining trio what it is today. Depeche Mode are considered one of the most successful (if not the most) electronic band in music history as they have generated #1 albums in the UK, US, and Europe as well as charting 48 of their tracks on the UK Singles Chart. According to EMI they have sold over 100 million albums and singles worldwide, and apparently Q Magazine named them "the most popular electronic band the world has ever known." Now I originally was going to place their single "Enjoy the Silence" at #41, but then I realized that it was actually released in March of 1990 (recorded in 1989) making it just out of reach of being an 80's release, so maybe when I make a 90's countdown in the future and on a different blog I could include Enjoy the Silence, and just because its not 80's doesn't mean its not a great track!! Now, as for Never Let Me Down Again, it was first released on Depeche Mode's 6th studio album in 1987 titled Music for the Masses. It would peak at #22 in the UK, #2 in West Germany, and become a top 10 hit in various other European countries. Now, when listening to the lyrics one will find that the song is clearly about drug-use and the endless search for that fleeting high, only to be inevitably 'let down again.' Well, there it is peeps, #41, and this countdown seems to be a fluid entity, but as they say.. thems the breaks. Now the video is a live version, because once again youtube doesn't have an embeddable recorded version of the song so this is what we have to put up with.

Brief Movie Review for "Ondine" (2010)

Ondine (2010)  3.5/5 Stars ***

Interesting story, not too believable and a bit predictable but worth a one-time watch. The part that gets me is that we are all supposed to believe that these people swimming in the coastal waters just off of Ireland aren't all getting hypo-thermia?? Maybe there is some sort of warm ocean current around the shores of Ireland that I am unaware of but I can't imagine that those waters could be warm enough to even want to consider jumping in. Note that there is somewhat predictable twist to this one.  

Song for November 18th, 2010: "Sugarhoney" by Ross de Chene Hurricanes

Today's song is...Sugarhoney, by Australian indie-garage-rock band Ross de Chene Hurricanes. Ross de Chene Hurricanes originate out of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and consists of members Justin Kuchel (on Drums), and Mark Doman (on Vocals and Guitar). For any further info on this band check out their myspace page HERE, and if you wish to download this song and a few others as free and legal mp3 downloads check out their Unearthed page HERE. Enjoy!Triple J Hottest 100 Vol 17

Marc Johnce Mashup: Dizzee Rascal vs. Duck Sauce

Song of the Day for November 17th, 2010: "It Takes a Muscle" by M.I.A.

Today's featured song is...It Takes a Muscle, by British singer/songwriter/rapper/record producer M.I.A.  M.I.A. (actual name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam) originates out of Mitcham, South London, UK. She began her career as a visual artist and designer in West London and started up on the music scene in 2004, and after a couple of hit singles she was nominated for an Academy Award, 2 Grammy Awards, and a Mercury Prize. If you check out her wikipedia page HERE, you will see just how many other awards she has been nominated for and won. Her mother works as a seamstress in London, and she notes fashion and guerilla art as being big influences on her style and music. It Takes a Muscle is actually a cover recording of the original 1982-release track recorded by Dutch band Spectral Display, which M.I.A. has clearly added a reggae-style twist to. This song was released on her 3rd studio album titled Maya which was released on July 10th, 2010. The Maya album has been her highest charting album to date, as it reached #21 on the UK Albums Chart, #9 on the US Billboard 200, and #1 on the U.S. BillboardDance/Electronic Albums. Booyakasha!

Lady Gaga and Madonna Mashup - Alejandro (Mkaio's Holiday Smash)

Song for November 16th, 2010: "Girl" by Dolphins

The song for today is...Girl, by 3-piece Australian surf-garage-rock band Dolphins. Dolphins is a side project of the Gold Coast based indie-electro band Elke, consisting of band members Zack, Joel, and Jesse from that very same band. They call themselves a "band for the summer", which they no doubt live up to. I personally really like all of the musical works of Elke, and so I am stoked to hear them continuing to come up with new works, including side-projects such as Dolphins. In my opinion they are a highly under-rated band and its time they got some serious radio-play!! For more info on this band you can check out their website HERE where you can listen to/download a free mp3 of this very song and more. Also be sure to check out their myspace page HERE, and their Elke unearthed page HERE. Also, do note that you can find Elke's Blue Dream Lover EP for purchase on itunes in the US store, and if you are in Australia you can probably get more but I wouldn't know as I am limited to the US store thanks to location, itunes seriously needs to change that but I suppose it has to do with trade agreements or something like that. Enjoy Dolphins!

#42 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "That's Good" by Devo (1982)

So I have been on holiday for the last week or so, but I do have #42 of the Countdown here, and the song is That's Good by 80's synth-pop legends Devo. Devo is just one of those iconic 80's bands that really couldn't fit into any other era and rightfully so as they have an almost cultish following. Devo originated out of Akron, Ohio back in 1973 and consists of members Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh
Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, and Josh Freese. They were one of those bands that lead the 80's synth-pop-music-video era of MTV into a genre of its own, although I still find it hard to comprehend what has now happened to MTV (or VH1 for that matter), and how it truly does seem to have lost its way, I guess that is what happens when the big boy corporations come in and buy you out, you lose all of your authenticity and uniqueness and become another generic cable tv station....Although I do know that some people probably liked the change, change is a fact of life...Now back to Devo! That's Good appeared on the 1982 release album titled Oh, No! It's Devo. I would like to add that this is my personal Devo favorite of all time, and it makes for a great 80's dance hit that most DJ's don't seem that familiar with, so I hope to change that. Oh, No! It's Devo was their 5th studio release album and contains another of their songs I would highly recommend checking out titled Big Mess. Devo are still best known for their #14 Billboard Chart and music video hit Whip It, and if you don't know that song then I really can't help you, the outfits should be a dead give-away...seriously. One last bit of info on the Oh, No! It's Devo album is that it reached #42 on the US Pop Albums Chart that year. Now, the video below isn't of the highest quality in audio or video, however it comes from a 1982 Devo live performance of this song on Letterman, which is quite entertaining, so enjoy!

Song of the Day for November 15th, 2010: "Angela Surf City" by The Walkmen

Been on holiday for the last week, but I am back now, and the song for today is....Angela Surf City by American indie-rock band The Walkmen. The Walkmen have been around since the year 2000, and are based mainly out of New York City, and consists of members from 2 different bands; three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater being Paul Maroon (on guitar and piano), Walter Martin (organ and bass guitar), and Matt Barrick (on drums) and then 2 members from The Recoys, Peter Bauer (bass guitar and organ) and Hamilton Leithauser (vocals and guitar). I am not too familiar with this band, but I do remember that they had a hit single which was featured on a Saturn Ion car advert, that song being We've Been Had, so many of you may be familiar with that song and not even know it. Angela Surf City is a new single released off of their latest album (released on September 14, 2010) titled Lisbon.

Song of the Day for Novemeber 12th, 2010: "Rapunzel" by Drapht

The song is Rapunzel, by Australian hip-hop artist Drapht. Drapht is from Perth, Australia, and is signed to the Obese Record Label. This comes off of his upcoming new release album called The Life of Riley.

Song of the Day for November 11th, 2010: "Final Round" by Cassian

And the song is....Final Round, by Australian electro-funk-house artist CASSIAN. Now, there is little to no bio info on this artist, however he is from Sydney, and he does sound a bit like another electronic group called Chromeo. So I suppose that makes my job here today easier, and if you want to check out some more of his stuff, try his myspace page here. This song comes off of his Friday Night EP, which was release in 2009 and can be found on Itunes. Enjoy!