The White Stripes - "Icky Thump" (elsewhere)

The cadence rattles around like a last tylenol, the beat lurches forward like a constantly popping clutch, and the guitar chews through like a pair of sweaty jaws. There is an organ there too, the short smiling friend, who doesn't say much, but his weasel eyes are dangerous.

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Born Ruffians - "Knife (Grizzly Bear cover)"

This is like the Dick Clark version. Where the original is haunted, oneric, this is completely sober, and wearing matching outfits. Which is not to say it is without soul, because that squeaky whine is just what my sunny day has prescribed, and of course it's real. And those delicious choral oh-woah-woah's are obviously the bedrock to this song's greatness, as evidenced by their complete distillation in the Blogotheque version, so their presence and depth is much appreciated. If you're bored at this point, note that a button-down rendition merits a button-down discussion; would anyone like some perrier with their unsalted crackers and tempra paint?
[buy Grizzly Bear's Yellow House from WARP]
[buy Born Ruffians' ep from Rough Trade]

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Lloyd Price - "Tell Me Pretty Baby"

It is a high number of songs that have been written with the general mood of: "cheer up, sad girl, you're pretty". Which is a pretty insensitive attitude to hold, as if attractive people ought not to have problems since they have a leg up on the rest of us ugly folk. If I were a pretty girl (which I kind of am) I would be much more cheered up by the rumbly-drums, the hippy and two-stepping piano. I might not even mind the hilarious and seemingly unrehearsed "s'matta with you, woman?" at the end.
[buy]