What You’re Doing Maybe

The Exploding Hearts “Throwaway Style (Alternate Mix)” – This is what I had to say about this song on May 23, 2003: This is sort of like a low budget sequel to the Strokes’ “Last Nite” with the original cast replaced with total unknowns. It’s a lot of fun, all the same. The thing is, three years down the line, “Last Nite” sounds more like a big-budget remake full of posh actors that aren’t nearly as charming as the scrappy amateurs of “Throwaway Style.” They’re both great songs (in fact, they are the best song in each band’s discography), but if I had to make a choice, I’m siding with the least lucky band of the decade rather than the pretty rich kids. (Click here to buy it from Insound.)

Blog 27 “I Still Don’t Know Ya” – Thanks to Idolator for this bit of bratty, highly enjoyable Polish teenpop bubblegum. It’s only more fun and absurd if you read the Blog 27 Wikipedia page, which helpfully explains the former duo’s name (“the group’s name comes from their interest in blogging and the date they were both born, the 27th”), their dubious origin (“Tola’s mother has her own record label, called Magic Records…she published Blog 27’s CD after a plea from her daughter…Tola’s father works for an advertisement company and he created Blog 27’s image”), their relationship with thousands of antagonistic Polish kids (“most Polish teens surveyed said that Blog 27 would not succeed internationally”), the recent departure of one half of the group, and a very confusing scandal that is currently unfolding involving possibly fraudulent Japanese chart placements. (Click here for an obviously fake Blog 27 MySpace page.)

Also: If you happen to have a CMJ badge and you are not a Juggalo, please do come see the panel that I am on tomorrow afternoon. It is being moderated by Jessica Suarez from CMJ and Pitchfork, and also includes Pitchfork news chief Amy Phillips, Idolator‘s Maura Johnston, and Marisol Segal from the Independent Online Distribution Alliance.

And: If you are in the NYC area, please do come out for the WFMU Record Fair, which begins tonight and runs through Sunday evening.