Freak-A-Holic The Egyptian Lover is one of the great Electro...
Freak-A-Holic The Egyptian Lover is one of the great Electro pioneers of the 80s. Though probably not specifically because of this song. On “Freak-A-Holic” he leaves behind the rapid-fire rhythm of the electro drum machine of choice, the Roland 808, for a more bombastic mid-80s electrofunk groove.  Add in to the mix an abundance of cheesy synth phrases and EL’s so-confident “I could be pleasuring women instead of singing” vocals. But this song is a not a gritty, frenetic mixtape jam. It’s a celebration of excess…be it women or cars or oversized rings on each finger.  If Cleopatra had the choice of Marcus Antonius or the Egyptian Lover, who would sh

The XX- Crystalised Accolades has been heaped generously on...
The XX- Crystalised Accolades has been heaped generously on these young Londoners, with mention of them pioneering some sort of “Indie R&B”-type genre.  Soulful vocals about intimate relationships aside, most impressive about the quartet is their embrace of the minimal, a la Young Marble Giants. The guitars rumble in a restrained fashion, the notes reverberate gently but with tension in the empty space, creating a very interesting friction. Not bad for impetuous youth. The XX- Basic Space

Let the record show that I attended this, and survived.
Let the record show that I attended this, and survived.: This was an “interesting”...

I BOUGHT this cd on my 12th birthday. Along with “Tragic...
I BOUGHT this cd on my 12th birthday. Along with “Tragic Kingdom” and “Definitely Maybe.” It’s one of my most vivid musical memories, as I was still an impressionable young thing, and I was proud of myself for having some popular stuff. Later on, I would read the Entertainment Weekly review of “Tragic Kingdom,” (which I believe the review gave a C+ to), and be puzzled by the description of Gwen Stefani as “vampy.” ps: I barely listed to “Melon Collie.” I don’t think I ever listened to the 2nd disc, but I still like “1979.” -A