March 2,1999
CD / Various / readymade records, tokyo - the remixes / Bungalow
This is a 'best of', made up of songs from 2 CD's that were put out by the Japanese label "Readymade Records, Tokyo", which is run by Yasuharu Konishi (of Pizzicato Five). The first one was called 'The Readymade Remixes' , which had remixes of the 3 bands on their roster: Pizzicato Five, Fifth Garden, and Fantastic Plastic Machine. The second one was called 'Punch The Monkey', which was a compilation of remixes of a famous Japanese Manga TV Comic series called "Lupin The 3rd".
LP / Kreidler / Appearance and The Park / Kiff
We already have their first record ('Weekend') and 12" ('Coldness'). Kreidler is a German electronic band named after the German motorbike of the same name. They have the minimal sound that many of the German bands have going, but they bring their own take to the sound with great results.
12" / Pop Tarts / Business Class Of '98 / Bungalow
Pop Tarts get remixed by 5 bands as well as themselves. Here's the other bands that mix them: Stereo Total, Jonas, Op:l Bastards, Ec8or, and Pizzicato Five. It's a varied lot. I love the remixes by Stereo Total, Pop Tarts, and Pizzicato Five. All the remixes do not turn the Pop Tarts into techno queens, they just bring something new to the sound. The songs themselves remain intact.
7" / Piano Magic / Music For Annahbird / Bad Jazz
Last week we added a 12" on the Liquification Empire label. That 12" had 4 bands remixing each other's songs. One of those bands was Piano Magic. This single is on the very 'now' label Bad Jazz, which is run by the brother of the fellow who runs Liquification Empire. There are 3 songs on this single, and none of them are less than interesting.
7" / Bis / "Action & Drama" b-w "Germ-Free Adolescents" / Wiiija
Follow-up to their "Eurodisco" single with a new song and a cover of the X-Ray Spex classic. Bis are making it clear that their Human League days are here to stay, and the results so far (this is the second single since their dormancy) are pretty good. The X-Ray Spex cover is very good.
7" / The Bobby Teens / "I Wanna Go Home" b-w "Pay The Price" / Outer Universe Research
Donnas-ish anthems that rock with plenty of heart. This band does not have any of the many advantages that The Donnas have, but the songs here show a band who should bwe just as big as The Donnas if songs alone were the criteria
Astrud / 6 song EP / Sealed Fate
On the label run by Eric Masunaga, one of the 4 wonderful members of The Dambuilders, and the person who brought the PushKings to fame. Astrud is from Barcelona Spain, and have a great female vocal synthy new wave electropop sound that will catch you.
