Germania! (Der Fünfte)

All good German themed music weeks must come to an end folks, so today I leave you with another Carmen. According to Woebot, Carmen is an ex-member of Die Marinas (see Der Erste) but I'm not sure, being that Discogs doesn't have her listed as a Marina. However she is listed as "featured" on the Dies Doraus Und Die Marinas' album "Tulpen und Narzissen". Aah, who cares. This song is awesome.

Since it was featured on the Munk compiled "Teutonik Disaster" (an essential collection of German oddities) I expect "Schlaraffenland" might be familiar to many. Originally off Carmen's sole (and elusive) album, "Puppe Aus Glas", it has Carmen and an unknown (to me) gentleman trading off vocal duties, over a bouncy rhythm and keys. Schlaraffenland is known as the land of milk and honey in German folklore, a mythical land of plenty, a fitting metaphor for the wealth of amazing German music out there.

Carmen- Schlaraffenland

Germania! (Der Vierte)

Here's an odd German new wave track by Foyer Des Arts, arranged over a steady disco beat with fretless bass and strings cutting through, creating some sort of funky nervous tension. Voices drift in and out, conversations start and stop, what do they say? Well, "Wissenswertes Über Erlangen" means "Worth Knowing Over Attaining". Today you get to know and attain this great song, and personally, I think thats way better.

Foyer Des Arts- Wissenswertes Über Erlangen

Germania! (Der Dritte)

Okay, I know Falco's not German, he's Austrian, so let's call this one, Germania: Cheaters Edition. I mean, come on. The song is called Munich Girls. Munich is totally in Germany. Thats also where they have the world's largest Oktoberfest celebration. Oktoberfest is soooo German. AND... Austria is like, touching Germany. Like, right there. So close.

Whatever. I cheated.

I always thought this song deserved to be in a sweet 80's movie. Being that it wasn't, I'll make one up. It's called Revenge of the Nerds V: Go Deutsch. This time around the nerds have to stop an evil millionaire from ruining Oktoberfest (No beer? Gasp!). You've got the idea. Anyway, in the end of the film, Lewis finally wins over the Oktoberfest babe he's had his four eyes on, and the film ends with their happy (and wacky) nuptials. Despite the fact that she STILL doesn't speak english. As their car pulls away from the church she tosses the bouquet in the air and bam! Freeze frame, roll credits and queue this one up...

Falco- Munich Girls

Germania! (Der Zweite)

This band eludes me. Can't find one speck of info on them other than the fact that "Jawohl", means an emphatic yes. A few examples would be... Do you enjoy things like muted guitars, big synths and bad ass German gals? Jawohl! Does extra catchy new wave anthems get you all pumped? Jawohl!

Jawohl- Rendezvous

Germania! (Der Erste)

Welcome to Germania! Fill your steins and heat up that leftover bowl of spätzle because all this week I'll be posting strange and exciting German ditties. Yay!

Die Doraus & Die Marinas is Andreas Dorau, a man with an extensive catalog of out there, awesome music, and Die Marinas, a collective of five singin ladies that must have been put together by Dorau, being that they've only done work with him. I couldn't think of a better track to kick off Germania week here at ARAWA than Blumen Und Narzissen, the title track off their 1981 album. With a melody overflowing with naivete, clickety clack percussion and snappy bass, I just don't know how else to say it. It's cute.

Die Doraus & Die Marinas- Blumen Und Narzissen

Where in the World?

Who is Carmen? She is an mystery wrapped in an enigma. Then wrapped in a fresh tortilla. I've got two songs here, the first is taken from Bumrocks (I think?) and the second I found on Soulseek. Her music is infectious synth bass boogie funk straight outta the 80's and I need more!

Apparently the French love her, since I did find one French website with photos of her records, (the labels, so of course no photos of the elusive lady) and another French site selling a used copy of Throw Down for 65 euros. No deal. I know there's at least two more songs, "Whos Lovin You" and "You and Me". After that the trail is cold, no info, no photos, no Discogs page etc. So I look to you readers. Anybody know of Carmen? Got MP3's? Photos? Links to cheaper records? If you like these tracks, join the search and share my obsession.

Carmen- Time to Move
Carmen- Throw Down

No Objection

I've had this song running through my head all week. Normally that's a bad thing, but with this tracks bouncy rhythm, big strings and soul falsettos (dude's got some pipes!) it's been nothing but sheer pleasure. You should bring this song on all your fun weekend outings, Theo would like that.

Theo Vaness- No Objection

Wah.

I'm just here, surfin it up, got the shuffle going, just havin a nice time and "It's Not the End of the World" by Le Sport pops on. I get excited. I haven't heard it in far too long. The sundrenched production, bells, New Order style bass, quirky 80's synth washes, lovely. I really hoped they would be the next great (gay?) synthpop group, ala Erasure and the Pet Shop Boys, whom they took much inspiration from. Check out "If I Was Neil Tennant's Lover" for proof. But alas, after checking their website to see what they had in the works, I saw this...

all good things must come to an end it's been two years and it has been so much fun but now, as leaves begin to fall, it is time to say good bye. since we started we have always put everything we had into our music and to everyone who downloaded it, bought it or enjoyed it at our shows, we'd like to say thank you so much. we've loved every second of it. we leave you with the photos from our last trip to barcelona and with a song: lovetrain in king's cross (by dj. c) now we let le sport go back to our fantasies where it once began. xxx fredrik & örjan ps. vi vill också påpeka att le sport inte har splittrats utan upplösts.

Umm... Wah.

I'm don't know what the PS says but its probably something sad. So, heres a couple of my faves, the first all too perfect for Le Sport's early exit. As usual with band breakups, I wish them the best, but can't help but wonder what they might have brought. Good luck Le Sport and thanks for the music!

Le Sport- It's Not the End of the World
Le Sport- I Comes Before U (Ben Morris Remix)
Le Sport- It's Not the End of the World (Mr. Suitcase Sky High T-mix)

AM/FM

Produced in 1983 by Pierluigi Giombini (Gazebo's "I Like Chopin" and Ryan Paris' "La Dolce Vita"), and featuring a then 18 year old Natasha King on sung and rap vocals, AM/FM is is the jam! A little italo, a little breakdance, and when she "raps", its not completely embarrassing. Unlike some people. Sorry Blondie.

Natasha King- AM/FM

Alien Landing

Every now and then, I'll look at my blog visitor map to see what countries you readers are from, and sometimes I'll get a lone visitor from Russia. One lonely speck on a very large piece of Earth. After receiving an email from Alien Delon last week, I'm assuming that lonely speck is probably him.

Alien Delon is a self described, 80's obsessed Moscow native with an innate talent for creating sci fi leaning, nu Italo jams that I get along well with. Aside from his solo work, he is an ex member of Supersonic Future, and has started an untitled band with an unnamed lady, "We have only one track recorded in the studio, something like Adonis' No Way Back with a ChkChkChk style live bass and, yes, Russian lyrics". Umm, that sounds awesome.

Heres what he says about his song Virtual Viktor...
"The song "Virtual Viktor" is created solely on a Nord Modular and a distorted Roland CR-68 drumbox. The voice of Virtual Viktor is only keyboard neo-romantic madness, i only changed the formant and pressure. I hope it may take a place in your sad robot songs collection."

It has.

Alien Delon- Virtual Viktor

Check his myspace for more great tracks including my fave, a melodic italo boogie jam called "Light is On", then tell him he's rad and make friends.

Dear Daniel,

Joe's right. You really are the best around.

Love,

seandonson

Joe Esposito- You're the Best

Fun fact: Joe was one of Giorgio Moroder's many collaborators and even had an entire album together entitled "Solitary Men". Get it? There's two guys... but they're both... aah forget it.

Frida und Phil

Fridas the shit. Second only to, well, Agnetha. Sorry Frida, Agnetha's got that whole gap tooth thing going. So anyway, take Abba's Frida, throw her in the studio with the one and only Phil Collins and what happens? Magic. Duh. 80's "hard" rock guitars, super tight multitracked harmonies, Phil killin on the drums and production, so hot. And this almost 10 minute mix really prolongs the magic for ya.

Frida- I Know There's Something Going On

I was inspired to post this because of the Cadbury ad with the gorilla. I'm addicted. If y'all haven't seen it, its time.

Sharing

I really don't want to get all bogged down in this, so let's make this quick and painless. We've probably all read in various places the moral debate started by one Ewan Pearson. If not read here. This thread had not come to my attention until one of my favorite blogs, Birth School Work Death, committed blogger hara-kiri last week (Can't he just pull a Monsieur P?) and cited it for reference. After reading Scott's goodbye I visited Ewan Pearson's (an artist I first heard from various blogs. oh irony.) page to understand what could bring someone to hang it up so suddenly.

Basically this argument started with Ewan's flippant remark about bloggers giving away music, and in the comments, became a fascinating discussion arguing both sides of said issue. After reading both sides (and a lot more at Little White Earbuds) I just found myself confused. The one thing that stuck in my head most was Pearson saying "Wake up now before there’s no one left except the majors". Aargh. Scary.

I started this blog because I thought I could offer something to people like me. Blogs are waypoints on my journey, a song I enjoy will set me off in another direction, into somewhere I didn't know existed. I wanted somewhere to document my trip through music and share pieces of the map with like minded journeymen (and women). I definitely didn't do it to destroy the record industry.

So, in respect to the artists I love, and not just to please Mr. Pearson, I will abide by a few rules. Posting brand new and unreleased material is now a no no without proper artist consent (i.e. the Yelle post below). Honestly, it made me feel a little filthy sometimes anyway. However I will still sometimes post newish older tracks that I think got slept on and could use a little re-promotion (i.e. the Shining post a few down), in hopes that new fans can find and love their music, buy t shirts, take mushrooms at their shows, etc, etc.

I'm not trying to say this is the right or wrong way, and at this early stage of the internet era, who really knows? What I am saying that this feels right to me, so I'm gonna do it.