April 2006

On the turntables this month in Montpellier :
The Dresden Dolls : Yes Virginia(Roadrunner).
Belone Quartet : demo
Elli Medeiros : Souleve Moi 7" (V2).
Milkymee : Songs For Herr Nicke (Tsunami Addiction).

On the turntables this month in Oslo :
Yeah Yeah Yeahs : Show yr Bones (Interscope).
White Rose Movement : Girls in the Back (Independiente).
Anna Oxygen : This is an Exercice ( KRS).
Shoplifting : Body Stories/ (KRS).
The Dresden Dolls : Yes Virginia(Roadrunner).

What Babes in Boyland wrote about you.......

.Electroluvs : Bubblewrapped (NinthWave Records).)
It's been a while since we had last heard of this Scottish duo (not necessarily their fault, sometimes we just can't keep up). We loved them, though...all the way since the Balti e.p., with "Love in the Kitchen Sink" and "A Question of Temperature." See, you remember too! If you don't and you're not planning to google them out as soon as possible, we won't play marbles with you at lunch break. Electroluvs came back in our lives with this new full-length for our great pleasure. There have been a few changes:

It's now Kaye playing with Billy, in charge of the keyboard, violin and programming. Both are sharing the vocals, taking turns as lead/backing.The record opens as a Motormark-like beat and hyperactive keyboard to take a softer, more electro-pop path. "First Rush" and then you find love which is rather accurate a description of our listening to the record: from a rather superficial listening leaving us unimpressed but appreciative of tracks like "Teenage Timebomb," "On Thin Ice" or "Boy Don't Bother", we grew into indie popettes, jumping around in our room. This album is totally bubblewrapped:

it goes PAFF and leaves you soaked, whether it's with their electro-pop, pop-rock, pop wave or pop-pop magic, it will grabb/groove you! "Wicked Girl"

is sensual as fuck, with simple lyrics repeated throughout the track (and guess want repetition does on sensitive points...). "Teenage Timebomb" is food for the kid in us (yes, that means you too) and should unite the brats on the dancefloor. "Spooky" is one good example of the band's subtle sense of humour under cover of a rev isited 60s pop sound and fake darkness.

"Blonde" is also a very funny track, although it could have at least one different verse...but again it's about blonde a guy, so the repetition might be useful.... "Bubblewrapped" sound like Sons & Daughters, with drops of banjo and old video games sounds. A reminder that one often feel more stuck than they really are... there are times this is good to hear. Political, they are on "Guilty Party," on anti-capitalist new wave tone. Angry guitar storm and accusating vocals leaving room for distant backing. The "Boy don't Bother" pop techno mix has a big ha ha ha 90s clubbing effect.... yoohoo, born slippy! Spread the electroluv!
www.electroluvs.com
www.myspace.com/electroluvs

.Einmal kommt die liebe : Røversanger (Provocateur Media).
Einmal kommt die Liebe is like Tom Waits' Norwegian sisters performing in a smoky Berlin cabaret in the 30s, except that it could be a saloon in Deadwood, North (or was it south?) Dakota. With gun shots, indians, cowboys, warm-hearted prostitutes with a husky voice. It could be a last tango in Paris but with some subtle english tongue-in-cheek. Wherever, whenever really, as long as the piano player has not been shot, as, the drums can keep the beat, the horn its breath, irony and humour... and it's enough whiskey.

.Dr Madelyn Hatter : No Morning After (self-release).
She's defined as a performance poet and slam survivor.. And that's the least you can say about this amazing queer slam feminista. More than a voice, more than a channel for truth, she is power herself. No concession, no compromise, just power, truth and charisma.
Available at www.cdbaby.com/drmadelyn

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