They Fake The Funk

Beats For Beginners “Kill All DJs” – “I’m just here to say / let’s kill DJs / for fun / because they’re scum.” It’s basically an anti-DJ polemic set to a catchy electro pop tune that many DJs will find irresistable. Irony ensues. This is the debut single from this Manchester band, who will be releasing their first album in the spring on Faith And Hope in the UK.

International Pony “My Mouth (Phony The Punk)” – This is a thrashy electro-punk tune from a German group better known for turning out low-key funk. I love this guy’s voice – he’s so convincingly frantic and restless, and more so as the song goes on.

Elsewhere: Clap Clap has come up with a handy semantic guide to explain the different “levels” of pop.

Elsewhere, part two: As part of a 90s nostalgia theme, Burned By The Sun has an mp3 of The Caulfields’ “Devil’s Diary,” which is an excellent bit of power pop that I posted here a loooong time ago. If you missed it the first time (and the odds are very much likely that you did, because I had about 1,000 fewer readers back then) then I strongly suggest that you go get it now.

Also: The Pazz & Jop results are in. Not a bad list this year, all told. I’m cool with everything in the top 10 albums list except for the Drive-By Truckers record which I wasn’t into, and the Shins record, which I’m not crazy about at all. The top 10 singles is very right-on if you pretend that the Johnny Cash sympathy vote wasn’t there and that it’s “The Laws Have Changed” instead.

The real fun of this Pazz & Jop thing for me is seeing the individual ballots, and here’s a list of friends and fellow bloggers who were invited to vote this year: Michael Barthel (Clap Clap), Paul Cox (The Rub), Geeta Dayal (The Original Soundtrack), Andrew Earles (Failed Pilot), Tom Ewing (NYLPM), Sasha Frere-Jones (SF/J), Keith Harris (Useful Noise), Jess Harvell (Technicolor), Thomas Inskeep (Oh Manchester), Maura Johnston (Maura.com), Badger Minor, Nate Patrin (Hipster Detritus), Jody Beth Rosen (Freezing To Death In The Nuclear Bunker), Philip Sherburne (Philip Sherburne), Dave Stelfox (World Of Stelfox), and Douglas Wolk (Lacunae).

Eppy gets a particularly great quote in the comments section:

Dear Ryan Schreiber: You said “Stacy’s Mom” was “too catchy.” I am still waiting for you to explain how this is a bad thing and/or to knee you swiftly in the groin. Just use the regular address. Best wishes, me.

Michael Barthel

Brooklyn, New York