CHIRP: The Chicago Independent Radio Project

Michael Bennett writes

Friday iPod/MP3 Shuffle -- Happy Birthday Miki Berenyi

Lush stood out amongst the band’s of the shoegazer movement. They took cues from the Cocteau Twins, but added a lot of dense guitar sounds, aided, appropriately enough, by Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins. They went on to make a series of fine records. If there was a shoegazer pinup girl, it had to be Lush’s Miki Berenyi. Berenyi’s voice, alone or in combination with Emma Anderson, helped the Lush sound, well, Lush. In honor of Ms. Berenyi’s birthday, please grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up.

1. Superdrag — Aspartame (Industry Giants): When this Knoxville, Tennessee power pop band got back together, all bets were off, with front man John Davis having released a Christian rock album prior to the reunion. Well, whatever his beliefs, he hadn’t lost his taste for rocking out. The Industry Giants was spotty, but this blistering track was a highlight, with Davis bitter and the band smoking, with just enough melody and nifty reggae tinged middle eight.
2. Nat King Cole — Stardust (Selections from the Nat King Cole box set): One of the all-time great crooners, swelling strings and a classic song. How can you go around? Cole could be bluesy or urbane or both at the same time. This is so romantic.
3. Run-D.M.C. — Proud To Be Black (Raising Hell): A deep cut from one of the first major commercial rap albums. Of course, the first two Run-D.M.C. albums were pretty great too, but this album augmented the hardcore beats and rhymes sound with a few extra elements, but not to the point of diluting it. This is closer to the spare sound of the debut album.
4. Beastie Boys — 5 Piece Chicken Dinner (Paul’s Boutique): Some sampled hillybilly banjo picking, a short interlude on this stone cold classic (yes, an old expression, but the album’s old, so it’s okay).
5. Doleful Lions — Driller Killer (The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!): A winsome melody, some pleasant jangle rocking and Jonathan Scott’s angelic voice. The first two elements are familiar and well executed, but it’s Scott’s voice and words that make this stand out. One thing that has made Doleful Lions consistently rewarding is how Scott continues to hone his songwriting while finding new musical contexts as he evolves.
6. Kid Creole & The Coconuts — The Seven Year Itch (Doppelganger): August Darnell showed how adaptable funk was, as his songs mixed calypso and other tropical songs, with elements of Tin Pan Alley and showtunes, and the funk guitar parts in the background never sounded out of place. This song is so full of cool elements. The chorus isn’t as hooky as some of the horn lines and chord changes.
7. Bettie Serveert — Have A Heart (Log 22): This Dutch band is steeped in ’80s college rock by way of the jangly side of The Velvet Underground, and with Carol Van Dyk, they skillfully mix melody and drone, topped off by an appealing personality up front. This is a languid mid-tempo tune augmented with some nice horns.
8. Green Pajamas — Laura Silver Bell (In A Glass Darkly): This band is best known for “Kim the Waitress”, which Material Issue covered. Jeff Kelly, the leader, writes wonderful psychedelic songs. It’s not all about fuzzy guitars and backwards tapes, but it’s more in the vein of early Pink Floyd and Kaleidoscope, with mystical lyrics. If the band was heavier, they might lurch towards prog. Laura Weller takes the lead on this pretty song.
9. Electric Light Orchestra — Bluebird Is Dead (On The Third Day): An early E.L.O. song, with a basic blues progression and a bit of a John Lennon vibe in the verses, but more McCartney-ish as it heads toward the chorus. The string arrangements are pretty dazzling and Jeff Lynne’s singing is particularly strong.
10. Blur — Entertain Me (The Great Escape): This is from my favorite Blur album, where I think they just hit all of their strengths on one album. This is a cool tune that has a bit of a Bowie feel. It works a very simple rhythm, with some busy bass work and mechanical disco drumming. Not one of the top tracks, but an interesting number.