New Wave

I've just started getting into a couple of CD's that I bought a month or two ago. Now seems to be the perfect time for them, ideal music for long Summer evenings.

First off there's Born Again In The USA - the 2nd outing from Loose Fur (Jeff Tweedy, Glenn Kotche and Jim O'Rourke).


Being a Wilco/Sonic Youth member side project I was expecting/fearing something along the lines of Wilco's A Ghost Is Born - but with even more abstract dissonant noises. Thankfully it's not. Yes, it's texturally interesting and challenging but the good news is that there are some great catchy songs as well.

Neat Summer disc number 2 is Nouvelle Vague by Nouvelle Vague.

The band's name is a clue to what lies in store. 'New Wave' or 'Bossa Nova' (translated into English and Brazilian Portuguese respectively).

Yes there's 13 (old) new wave era tunes, each performed in a bossa nova jazz style with cool breathy (very sexy) French female vocals.

Tracks include: Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division), This Is Not A Love Song (PIL), Guns Of Brixton (The Clash), Teenage Kicks (Undertones) and a marvellous Too Drunk To F*ck (Dead Kennedys). Just Can't Get Enough (Depeche Mode) is on the Get On The Beam Jukebox.