What’s Your Name? Because I’m Impressed

Dear Nora & Casiotone For The Painfully Alone “Hot Boyz” – If a song could look you in the eyes, this recording would be wearing sunglasses and looking just over your shoulder. It’s very difficult to suss out the intentions of this Missy Elliott cover – homage or critique, parody or self-parody? It’s really hard to tell, and it’s most likely somewhere off between those margins, though the male cameo does seem to tip in favor of academic irony. But regardless of what they meant it to be, it’s a mesmerizing and genuinely effecting affectation, recasting Missy’s brassy sexuality in the context of flat-voiced, stoned Liz Phair lo-fi in which every line is delivered with air quotes, five pages of foot notes, and the nagging sense that the singer is totally consumed by a self-doubt completely at odds with the lyrical content. Also: Beware the one-string guitar solo of total emotional desolation! (Click here to buy it from States Rights.)

Linda Lamb “Twins” – Ah ha! Here’s another ideal song to be played at that hypothetical Rob Liefeld post-Apocalyptic dance party. Just imagine a bunch of Liefeld women in skimpy spandex leotards with huge hair, gigantic shoulder pads, and massive swords swaying wildly to this song’s harsh beats, or as much as they can without having their top-heavy torsos snap off at their freakishly tiny waists. This selection is from a compilation which also includes a P Diddy/Felix Da Housecat collaboration, but trust me, this is a lot better even if the curiosity factor is much lower. (Click here to pre-order it from Soul Seduction.)

Elsewhere: Happy baby boy with bubbles and Neu!

And: The annual WFMU marathon has begun! Please help to support the best freeform radio station on the planet.