Tagged as: Swing

Album art

I dedicate this post to Hugh because a) he’s not writing on the site currently and b) he left it in drafts as a blank post. I will do my best to channel my inner Hugh, because he is a lovely lad and ought to be channelled more often? Ok, none of this makes sense, so let’s talk about the music instead!

I did not expect Hugh to be into this kind of swanky good time. He is into swanky good times, but I figured he wouldn’t use this kind of jam at it. But what do I know? This is a rollickingly grand piece of electro-swing that’ll get you all peppy and spunky!

Album art

Electro-swing is the shit, guys. I mean, it has a pretty sweet name for a start, but the music itself is patently brilliant. Mixes the best of the new and the old, y’see. Here is some utterly delightful music that I discovered through an equally delightful video of Calvin and Hobbes dancing. My heart! It can’t handle all this “d’awwwwwwww”!

Album art

So, the other day I stumbled on Cuckoo Records, and went completely nuts over Cissie Redgwick. It seems this label is a bit of a repository for all this fresh, but retro-styled swing and jazz. I… I may have found a new home. Y’all just gonna have to put up with it!

Anyway, without further ado, allow me to introduce Little Violet. Sultry in tone, but rather bitingly sung, and with a thumping beat behind it. All I can really do is say “mmmmmm”, while snapping my thumbs in time. Preferably in a hazy bar somewhere.

Album art

I certainly love me some swing, and the fact that electro-swing is apparently a genre makes me giddy. And here I thought only Parov Stelar could satisfy such a genre. The dapper gent in me desperately wants to learn the moves in the video for this wonderful tune. Apparently, an album is due for release later this year, so for the love of god and my sanity, please make sure this actually happens!

Album art

One day, I was going through all the web development stuff for either/or and happened upon some Google statistics that informed me that some people have found our site via a search for The Two Man Gentlemen Band. By a serendipitous stroke, some people may have confused our gentlemen-infused tagline with that of this group: what luck! So now it’s time for me to cash in on this potentially ludicrous windfall of internet search hits by bringing you a post on The Two Man Gentlemen Band.

Luckily, The Two Man Gentlemen Band play aurally satisfying music for me, so this post certainly isn’t (entirely) a farce. Also, this song is about a girl with a certain proclivity for chowing down on pork chops: sounds like my kind of girl!

Album art

Now that Sydney (the one in Australia, darling) is becoming a hive of funky, amazing little bars, there are more than a handful of places keen to move past the boorish cacophony of bad DJs and harsh flashing lights into something a bit more chilled. Any place that has stuff like this playing will probably make me spend too much money on whatever drinks they’re serving, but it’s totally worth it to hear this kind of music being played in public again. Not that I was around when this music was common in public, but still!

Humph by Thelonious Monk on Grooveshark

Album art

The Artist is one of the most endearing, charming and beautiful films I’ve ever seen, so it’s entirely appropriate that its soundtrack is similarly amazing. Given the film is entirely silent as well, the score plays a larger part in telling the story, rather than just establishing mood. Not everyone’s cup of tea perhaps, but I am quite fond of this type of music so TOO BAD.

Peppy and George by Ludovic Bource on Grooveshark

Album art

Generally, I am not a huge fan of Australian music that’s sung with a prominent Australian accent. Just doesn’t work for me! Ironically, I have an Australian accent, but let’s not dwell on that.

While most (at least, what I’ve heard) of the Waifs’ output is done in that rather thick Australian accent, this tune mostly does away with it. Also, it’s hella sexy: the smoothest of smooth swing/cabaret.

Sun Dirt Water by The Waifs on Grooveshark

Album art

Back when dancing was less about rubbing your crotch over someone else and more about rhythm and style, you had stuff like this tune. Grab your partner! Throw her in the air! Lindy does some hops! Or something anyway, I clearly don’t dance. Having said that, this is the kind of tune that makes me want to rush out and learn: it combines some classic, old-style swing with a kickin’ modern beat. More, please!

Booty Swing by Parov Stelar on Grooveshark

Album art

For a tune called “Sing Sing Sing”, there’s a distinct lack of singing in it. While the original version of this song featured lyrics, the more famous rendition by Benny Goodman/Gene Krupa is the indelible epitome of swing. This remix keeps the 30s feel, but strips back the instrumentation and composition a little bit while increasing the tempo, granting it just a hint of mystique, as well as giving the somewhat overplayed original a new lease of life. It’s still every bit as swingin’ as the original version, that’s for sure!