The Last Days Of House (weekly): 'What Is Love' By Haddaway (1993)

This week's house-track is one that everyone must be familiar with by now, thaaats riggghht, its the 1993 mega-hit house-track What Is Love by Trinidadian-Dutch singer Haddaway. Alexander Nestor Haddaway was born in Trinidad in 1965, then moved with his family to attend boarding school in Europe, and then moved with his mother to the United States. He went to high-school in Maryland, and then moved back and finally settled-down in Cologne, Germany in 1989. At that time he was playing Grid-Iron football for the Cologne Crocodiles in the German Football League, as well as working as a choreographer, selling carpets and making music in his spare time in which was born his one-hit smash hit wonder What Is Love. What Is Love was released in 1993 on his self-titled debut Haddaway album and it very well may unofficially be the most well-known house track worldwide, but that is just speculation. What Is Love peaked at #2 in the UK and Germany, #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and it was resurrected to popularity via the Saturday Night Live "Roxbury Guys" sketches, and 1998 feature film A Night at the Roxbury with Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell. So there it is, I had to do it, and stay tuned to see what gets the feature next week. 

A Brief Movie Review for 'Queen Christina' (1933)

Movie = Queen Christina (1933)

Director = Rouben Mamoulian

Rating =3.5/5 Stars ***'

This is quite an old movie from all the way back in 1933, but it is well done and worth watching. It stars Swedish actress Greta Garbo, who played a believable part as the 17th-century Queen Christina of Sweden (a true historical figure during the 30-Years War time-period in Europe). I don't know how historically accurate it is but the real Queen Christina sounded like she was quite an interesting person and leader. This film is entertaining and I would probably watch it again sometime in the future.

Feature Song Of The Day = 'Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat ' by Cut Copy (2011)

Today's feature song is...Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat, by Australian indie-synth-pop group Cut Copy. Cut Copy are fresh out of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) and consists of members Dan Whitford (vocals, keyboards, and guitar), Tim Hoey (bass guitar and sampler), and Mitchell Scott (drums). It all began with Dan Whitford who is both a DJ and a graphic designer, and in fact Whitford released the first single and EP on his own before he recruited the other band members that comprise the band today. I have had the privilege of seen Cut Copy live on two occasions, and I highly recommend checking them out live if you ever get this chance, a very good show. Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat comes off of their recently released (February 8th, 2011) Zonoscope album. If you like what you hear from these lads then head on over to their MySpace page HERE, or head on over to the band website and get yourself a free mp3 download when you sign up for their mailing list HERE.
Cut Copy – Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat found on Pop 

Another Classics Shuffle: 'Cherry, Cherry' by Neil Diamond (1966)

The results for this week's Classics Shuffle goes to American singer/song-writer/musician Neil Diamond, and his 1966 hit song Cherry, Cherry. According to wikipedia Diamond wrote, composed and recorded this song, while it was arranged by Artie Butler and produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich. This tune was Neil Diamond's first major hit reaching #6 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October of 1966 and it has been named "one of the greatest three-chord songs of all time" by Rolling Stone magazine. The song can be found on his The Feel of Neil Diamond album, or you can also find an alternate version of this song on his Classics: The Early Years album.

A Brief Movie Review for 'The Power' (1968)

Movie = The Power (1968)

Director = Byron Haskin

Rating = 2.5/5 Stars **'

An interesting old sci-fi movie from 1968 starring George Hamilton (a little less tan, and much younger in those days) and Suzanne Pleshette, and by the same director who made the 1953 War Of The Worlds movie. A group of top-secret scientists working on calculating human pain-thresholds in space travel discover that someone amongst them has a far superior brain power and IQ, as well as the amazing power to control others, perform telekinesis, and even to kill other people with their mind. After one of the top scientists who uncovers this fact is found dead in the laboratory George Powell takes it upon himself to discover who the superman is and get to him before he kills all of them off. A bit nerdy and the plot seems a little weak, but its entertaining enough to watch once. The cinematography really makes California seem like a nice place and reminds me of the early James Bond movie sets from the same time period.

Feature Song Of The Day = 'The New You' by Convaire (2011)

Today's feature song is The New You, by Australian indie-electro-pop group Convaire. Convaire is a 4-piece band from Sydney, Australia which consists of John Towey (guitars), sisters Liz and Jane Slattery (keysboards) and Dan Talbot (bass guitar). The New You is a new single release by the group and if you find you like it you can listen to more of their songs their Myspace page HERE, and for even more general band info be sure to head to their Unearthed Page HERE.  THE NEW YOU by Convaire

Feature Song Of The Day = 'Phantastic Phone Call' by Alexander Dexter Jones (2011)

Today's song is called Phantastic Phone Call and its by British DJ/producer Alexander Dexter Jones. Alexander Dexter Jones is the son of Foreigner founding-member Mick Jones, as well as a brother of uber-successful  British musician/producer/DJ Mark Ronson. For more information on this artist you can check out this article on him HERE, or this article HERE. Phantastic Phone Call can be found on the French music Label Kitsuné Maison Compilation 11  album which was just released on May 17th, 2011 and which I also recommend checking out.

A Brief Movie Review for 'Pandorum' (2009)

Movie = Pandorum (2009)

Director = Christian Alvart

Rating = 2.5/5 Stars **'

The basic plot for this film is that 2 flight crew members on a deep-space mission wake up out of their extended sleeping pods to discover their spaceship and crew have disappeared and that something is very wrong. This movie wasn't quite what I expected it was going to be as I was expecting more a psychological thriller as opposed to a super-zombies in space movie (I suppose I should have watched the trailer in this case), and basically this is 'Resident Evil' in space (although if you watch it to the end you realize they aren't actually in space at all), and the super-human zombies look the same as the ones in that movie. If you like sci-fi action/thriller movies such as 'I Am Legend,' 'Aliens,' or 'Resident Evil,' with the graphic violence and suspenseful chasing scenes then you will at least find this one entertaining to watch through once, and that is what the movie is like if you didn't already know. I wouldn't watch this one again.

The Last Days Of House (weekly edition): 'Doctor Pressure' by Mylo vs. Miami Sound Machine (2005)

And now for another edition of The Last Days Of House we have a legendary mashup-track from 2005 called Doctor Pressure, by Scottish record producer/DJ Mylo. This is without a doubt one my personal top 20 house tracks of all time, and it was originally released as a bonus track on the 2005 re-release DJ Mylo's Destroy Rock & Roll album. This track involves the 1984 track Dr. Beat by American band Miami Sound Machine, and it has been mashed together with Mylo's 2004 house-track Drop the Pressure. 
The version being featured here is the Dirty Club Remix, so be sure to check that out.

Feature Song Of The Day = 'Desert Island' by Architecture in Helsinki (2011)

Today's feature song goes to Australian indie-pop/avant-garde band Architecture In Helsinki and their song Desert Island. Architecture In Helsinki are a Melbourne-based indie-pop group who've been active since on the music scene since 2000 and includes members Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland. Desert Island is a single just released on April 5th, 2011 and which will appear on their upcoming Moment Bends album also due out on May 3rd, 2011. If you like what you hear you can check out their official website HERE.

A Brief Movie Review for 'The Brother From Another Planet' (1984)

Movie = The Brother From Another Planet (1984)

Director = John Sayles

Rating = 4/5 Stars ****

I seem to like John Sayles movies, and I really liked this one. This one is about an alien, who appears quite human, who crash-lands in New York City where he must blend in and learn how to live amongst the humans while evading pursuit by his alien slave-owners. This movie really is a social commentary on illegal immigration, slavery, and racial issues. The message I got after watching this is you don't necessarily have to be from another planet to feel like an outsider in another culture, country, or even a strange neighborhood in your own city. The movie is entertaining, I would recommend it, and I would watch it again. Also, this movie is currently available on for free viewing in full on YouTube Movies HERE.

Feature Song Of The Day = 'Here She Comes' by Skipping Girl Vinegar (2011)

Today's song goes to another great Melbourne-based group called Skipping Girl Vinegar, and recently released song their song Here She Comes. Skipping Girl Vinegar are an indie-roots band that have been active on the Australian-music scene circa 2006, they are based out of Melbourne, Australia, and consist of members are Chris Helm (drums and bv), Mark Lang (vocals and guitar), Sare Lang (bass, bv) and Amanthi Lynch (keys and bv). According to the band's wikipedia page they are named after an animated neon-sign of Audrey the Skipping Girl located in Abbotsford, Victoria. Here She Comes was released as a single on February 24th, 2011 and can be purchased/previewed on ITunes HERE. I had the pleasure to see this group live in Melbourne in 2008 and was impressed by how good they sound live, definitely check out their other songs too.

Feature Song Of The Day = 'City Dreams' by Antonio Paul (2010)

Today's song goes to Australian indie-pop group Antonio Paul and their song City Dreams. Antonio Paul are based out of Bunbury, Western Australia and consists of members Marc Antonio, Michael Paul,  Jordan Gianfrancesco (live synth), and Sam Maher (live drums). City Dreams appears on their Treasures EP, which was released in September of 2010. You can check out their Unearthed Page HERE, their Facebook page HERE, or even purchase their EP HERE.