Soul

Watched a DVD of Eurhythmics songs last night. I was surprised at how many of them I knew. And I realised I really like the stuff. I liked it when I was young and less discerning, listening to the Fox FM triple plays that they used to have before mainstream music got utterly, utterly crap. And I liked it when I went to see them in... 2000? And I like it even more now. I think what sets them aside from a lot of other 80's pop is the fair whack of soul they have in there, the solid song construction, and the actual talent and diversity with which they approach their songs. And their filmclips are glam and smooth and focus on Annie Lennox's gorgeous face. There's something not quite pretty about her - her lips are too thin and her eyes are too icy, but that makes her all the more exciting. She and Dave Stewart were together for a long while and then broke up - but I can't remember whether it got ugly or what happened there. Nevertheless, they look incredibly happy in the clip to the African marimba song where they're dressed up in cream suits and fur accessories. I think next time there's a dress-as-the-first-letter-of-your-name party I'll go as Annie Lennox in that outfit. And, Love Is A Stranger is probably my favourite Eurhythmics song.

This morning I'm listening to Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings' album Dap-Dippin'. Sharon Jones grew up singing in a church choir then moved to doing back-up vocals on various gospel and blues recordings. Then in the 80's she ended up as a prison warder in the Rykers Island jail. That prison has a fictional romanticism to it - someone in a novel has always just come out of Rykers or has a brother who's up there for a small crime. Anyway, she eventually met a producer who she clicked with and started recording. And it's cool stuff - pretty damn retro but recorded recently so you know people are *really* still playing this stuff. I bought it on recommendation from the guy at Northside Records in Gertrude St. I know next to nothing about soul and funk, really. I go to Blow-Up and enjoy the outfits and the difference in dancing and music, but really, I know nothing. So this is a good intro to what might be a whole music world waiting.