::: Off the Radar :::: 90's

A few months back I received a submission and had always planned on posting about it but things just got crazy and then I went to Japan and then I lost the music (on my work computer, it is still at home)but thankful to Gmail's motto "You'll never have to delete anything again", I easily found the email and that now leads me to this post.

Seeing how the 90's are cool now (I can't wait for Cavaricci's to make a come back), it makes sense that freestyle music is getting revisited. Sean Wilde takes inspiration from the synth-heavy pop music of the 80's and early 90's in 10 song album, Jungle Red. A mysterious character for sure, I cannot find much about Sean, even on his website. He was previous a music journalist and grew up in the 80's. His album took 2 years to create (after a first attempt that ended in "creative block when it all came to shit").

The album is (thankfully) not a complete retro throw back to 20 years ago, rather the artist has been influenced perhaps partially subconsciously to what he was raised around (Bananarama videos?). The funny thing is that Ray was the one that made the freestyle connection to Sean Wilde. I promise to find pictures of Ray from the 90's.

Opening night is reminiscent of Fischerspooner's Emerge. You're My One and Only (True Love) is a cover of a freestyle song from 1989 by Seduction who were know for their hit It's Take Two To Make A Thing Go Right.

The song (True Love)was written by none other than Robert Clivilles and David Cole of, ahem, C+C Music Factory and the original even has uncredited vocals by Martha Wash (Gonna Make You Sweat). There is actually an original club mix with Martha Wash singing lead and ... (pause for a laugh) featuring a rap by Freedom Williams. Sean's version even has a sample from Mega Man 2. I was obsessed with that game series on the original Nintendo.

Growing up in the thick of it (freestyle that is), I was honestly amazed when I learned years later that the phenomenon of Stevie B and TKA and Suzy Q never made it out of NY and Miami. I went to a freestyle reunion concert a couple of years back and it was crazy to see what the years had done to the artists (Will To Power who sang the hit Dreaming must still be dreaming about his glory days...) but the music was solid and everybody dance until Stevie B closed the endless (6 hour?) show. However, it was Lisa Lisa STOLE the show when she stopped during her performance of All Cried Out and actually cried, tears of joy no less, from the rave response the audience was giving her! She cried! During her song All Cried Out!! Perfection. We did not need to see anymore, we left right after to beat the crowd out of the parking lot.

Back to Sean, take a listen to a few of his tracks and head over to his myspace profile to show him some love. Oh and check out Seduction's video below, it is a prime example of clichéd 90's fashion fad in it (thank god girls don't wear shoulder pads anymore... then again I'm digging the short shorts!!).

MP3: Sean Wilde - You're My One and Only (True Love) (YSI)

MP3: Sean Wilde - Opening Night (YSI)

MP3: Seduction - It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right (YSI)

I apologize for no ZShare links but for some reason (IE or Firefox) it does not let me upload tracks from work. Oh well.

Seduction - You're My One and Only (True Love)

Been on a Pulp kick lately... It happens to me with all my favorite bands (depeche mode, the smiths, the cure, new order, franz ferdinand, the verve, james, postal service, belle and sebastian, figurine, tribeca, pulp, suede, etc...) I usually end coming back and revisiting them from time to time. Isn't it great how memories get attached to music. You hear a track you loved and bam in a flash it can take you right back to that point in your life.

Since it seems many kids nowadays have short memories or were too young to even go out when Brit-Pop was king in Miami Nightlife say (98' to 02') or so, before Electroclash then Indie Rock rolled upon us. I thought I'd start doing spotlights on some classic albums and maybe introduce some of them to the younger generation.

One of my favorite 90's Brit-Pop bands of all time was Pulp, fronted by the amazing and enigmatic Jarvis Cocker. Most kids nowadays (in the US at least) probably only know of Pulp's big hits 'Common People' and 'Disco 2000' (both from Different Class).

In my opinion Pulp basically has 3 must have albums. 1994's dance-a-thon 'His 'N' Hers', 1998's more mature 'This is Hardcore' and their critical and commercial peak with 1995's 'Different Class'. It was hard to decide which one to spotlight here, because I love them all, but I figured I'd go with Different Class since it's probably their best all around album. Although I'd still recommend getting all three, especially if you find yourself digging Different Class. All classics! Depending what kinda mood I'm in it'll decide which CD I pop in.

With Different Class Pulp had their biggest hits 'Disco 2000' and 'Common People' which seems to be constantly reaching for a higher peak at a dizzying rate until it's final climactic end. The lyrics deal with class struggles between the have's and have-not's. A consistent theme throughout the album as well as revenge, spying, alienation, drugs (you know the usual teenage/young adulthood issues). The whole album is amazing, not one filler in the bunch! It's one of my favorite all time albums, up there with classics like 'The Queen is Dead' by The Smiths or 'Violator' by Depeche Mode.

Many great tracks to adore here. Besides the big hits there's also I Spy, MisShapes, Monday Morning, Underwear, Sorted for E's and Wizz, Something Changed and many more.. Gotta love the way Jarvis delivers his storytelling lyrics from a whisper one minute to a scream the next.

Here are a few of my favorites from Different Class as well as a couple videos from the time and some newer videos of Jarvis doing a cover of Heaven 17's 'Temptation' at last years NME Awards Show with Beth Ditto from The Gossip, plus a great video from his solo album 'Jarvis' for 'Don't Let Him Waste Your Time'. In it he's a taxi driver running over people whilst giving advice to his passenger. Great one!

Here's to Jarvis reading this and reuniting for a New Pulp album/tour! Even though his solo album had some good stuff they should reunite for one last Pulp album. The last one, 2001's 'We Love Life' was a little weak and uninspired. Definitley not worthy of being the last Pulp album.

Love ya Jarvis! Come visit us in Miami!!