Tuesday, September 8, 2009

TVD | Wavelength

I had a bit of an iPod epiphany the other day. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ queued itself up in shuffle mode, and man if it didn’t reek of being outdated, moldy, and so mired in one era that I shuffled right on past it only to be followed byyyy: A Flock of Seagulls’ ‘I Ran.’

Which sounded bloody brilliant in comparison.

I hear some of you snobs guffawing out there but it’s true—Nirvana’s a dead soldier and the Flock reeked of morning at the bakery: all warm and sugary.

But that can’t be right, right? I mean, if I had been born or come of age in the 90’s, I’d herald Nirvana’s breakthrough as an evergreen classic (ala The Beatles oeuvre) and ‘I Ran’ as outdated, moldy, and mired in one era. Right?

Well, I’m not so sure. WAS New Wave a one gimmick pony and not the refreshing breakthrough that I felt at the time when my ears were newly attuned and acute? Could it be that MY soundtrack from that time will forever be on point?

To be fair, I don’t know.

So, a little experiment this week—I’m dusting off the cliché tracks from the New Wave era (1980-1984, let’s say) for a fresh listen. What if the Flock was a new concern alongside Vampire Weekend? Or the Flying Lizards were to be reviewed right next to Animal Collective? Could Culture Club withstand the scrutiny and accolades being heaped upon Grizzly Bear? CAN fresh ears for the sake of it reveal something long overdue, long overlooked, or ...long in the tooth?

Well, let’s see.

Here are five that I think are quite smashing indeed. (Still.) Tomorrow some that haven’t fared as well...



A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (Mp3)
Th Vapors - Turning Japanese (Mp3)
The Flying Lizards - Money (Mp3)
Culture Club - Church Of The Poison Mind (Mp3)
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer [Live] (Mp3)