Center Of The Universe #20

Giant Sand, “Center Of The Universe”
Big Thief, “Dried Roses”
The Isley Brothers, “Livin’ In The Life”
The Three Johns, “Missing”

Welcome to the Center Of The Universe! We’re back on our rando this week, following the theme song with a track from the middle of last year’s Big Thief album. Then we’ve got a jagged Isley Brothers R&B hit from 1977 that’s a little more Fear Of Music than you might expect. After that is a number by The Three Johns, a semi-goth Mekons spin-off that’s sadly ignored today.

Bratmobile, “I Love You, You Little Crocodile”
Scrawl, “I Can’t Relax”
Blake Babies, “Sanctify”
The Dream Syndicate, “Days Of Wine And Roses”

Rando doesn’t mean we can’t do a theme block! Like some clattery old guitar-bass-drums American indie rock! Less than a minute of Bratmobile, about two and a half of Scrawl, almost five of the Blake Babies and more than more than seven of the Dream Syndicate. And they say there was no range.

Desire Marea, “Rah (feat. Zoe Modiga)”
The New Pornographers, “Angelcover”
Ran Cap Duoi, “What Cherubs”
Kara Jackson, “Pawnshops”

Music from 2023! I said I’d share more, and I done did it! First is an epic from South African singer Desire Marea’s album, featuring a 13-piece band and an operatic guest vocal from Zoe Modiga. The New Pornographers are back and this song has faux-pipes on it! Having almost entirely ignored new bands for over a decade until COVID lockdown inspired me to start digging, I’m thrilled to be at a place where I can not just name an experimental rock band from Vietnam I like, but that I’ve liked them long enough for them to drop a follow-up the one where I got on board. Their name - sans accents - is Ran Cap Duoi, and someday I’ll figure out how to explain why they work for me. Finally, a song from former U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson’s debut album.

Kelela, “Contact”
The Clean, “Point That Thing Somewhere Else”
Cornershop, “6 AM Juliandar Shere”
Tabu Ley Rocheau, “Mirielle Mwana”

Kelela’s Raven! Another 2023 album I don’t know much about! I’m sure I’ll educate myself more once it’s Best-Of-Year time, but for now I just throw interesting looking stuff in a playlist and gradually suss what I enjoy. Then we’ve got The Clean holding down for New Zealand, Cornershop representing Britain’s South Asian diaspora, and some early work from the Congo’s Tabu Ley Rocheau.

Chase, “Get It On”
Mongo Santamaria, “Cloud Nine”
Sebadoh, “Limb By Limb”
The Bangles, “Dover Beach”

A double dose of Top 40 horny horns! 1971 Best New Artist Grammy nominee Chase was a lot like Chicago if unquestionably led by a trumpet player, “Get It On” reaching #24 on the chart. Sadly, Bill Chase died in a plane crash in 1977. Cuban percussionist Hugo Santamaria played conga on the original Temptations’ version of “Cloud Nine” in 1968, this dramatic instrumental version of his making the Top 40 as well a year later. Sebadoh doing far fewer takes with far fewer instruments on their 1991 album Sebadoh III. Then my favorite Bangles song from my favorite Bangles album, 1984's All Over The Place.

Oneida, “Paralyzed”
Wire, “Our Swimmer”
Ray Parker Jr., “The Other Woman”
Depeche Mode, “My Favorite Stranger”

I need to double-check, but I’m under the impression Onedia was just weird until COVID lockdown forced them apart, and when they got back together they decided to throw down? That may be absurdly reductive, but they sure threw down on last year's Success. If you only have Wire albums (and never got around to Document And Eyewitness), make sure you hear the single “Our Swimmer” from 1981. It deserves to be canon. It’s a tragedy that Ray Parker’s canon has been reduced to “Ghostbusters” for most people 40 and younger, but at the very least know this song where Ray somehow sounds charismatic chuckling that he’s lost it for his sidepiece. Finally, leave the Center Of The Universe with a sixth song from this year, courtesy of Dave Gahan and Martin Gore, still anguished after all these years. Thanks for your time!