The Rich Girls Are Weeping

17 April 2006

I associate with the absolute worst types as a known music pirate and mp3 blogger. Especially the kind that push rare, rare power pop. I found what I assume is a hand-compiled -- out of love, naturally -- bittorrent out there in the aether: "The tracks compile the choicest songs from the 10-Disc Powerpearls Comps, 8-Disc Shake Some Action Comps, 7-Disc Teenline Comps, and the Yellow Pills Comps, amongst others."

Naturally, it's an amazing collection, and thanks to the anonymous fellow/lady out there who put it together. I instantly fell in love with the Riff Doctors, The Speedies, The Monroes (hey wait, I remember this song!), The Nerves, Excel, Protex, and The Pop! -- And this is just from the first disc, even -- I haven't listened to the second disc yet ...

And so, here's a smattering of other power pop gems for your Monday. (BTW, did I mention that it's going to be 100 degrees here in Austin today? Perfect power pop weather, or something...)

Riff Doctors -- Turn Me On
Excel -- Rock Show
The Pop! -- Down On The Boulevard
Protex -- A Place In The Heart
The Monroes -- What Do All The People Know?


Strangely enough, not one but two of the songs in the compilation have recently been used in TV ads -- The Speedies' "I Want to Take Your Foto" (HP digital cameras) and The Nerves' "Hanging on the Telephone," popularized by Blondie and covered by Cat Power for a Cingular ad. That link is to the ad and not an audio file, btw, because I've never seen one anywhere, and according to TRGAW friend-of-a-friend & Jane blogger Arye, Ms. Chan Marshall claims the song will never be released. However, it shows up on last.fm, so if anyone out there has the full version as an mp3, now would be the time to share it! Hint, hint.

The Speedies -- I Want to Take Your Foto (original version, not the iTunes Music Store remix...)

The Nerves -- Hanging on the Telephone
Blondie -- Hanging on the Telephone


And, as a complete bizzare aside, here's some various uh, string versions of popular favorites:

Malibu Middle School Orchestra -- Different Names For The Same Thing (What that adorable orchestra of middle-schoolers from the Autumn De Wilde-directed video from Death Cab for Cutie's Directions DVD were actually playing; they're pretty good! The only thing missing is the adorable little girl's vocals -- this will make sense if you have seen the video -- but perhaps she was just lip synching...)

The String Quartet Tribute to Mariah Carey -- Heartbreaker (Don't tell, but I really, really love this song. I know, but it's just so sparkling and adorable...)

Orchestre National de Jazz -- Kashmir (Yes, the National Jazz Orchestra of France recorded an album of repositioned Led Zepplin covers. Kind of reminiscent of the Gold Sounds album of jazzed-out Pavement covers, only a lot grander in scale, natch.)

Ok, I'm outies. Somehow this post grew into something a lot larger than I expected...

12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Cindy... any chance you could point us readers in the direction of the torrent you speak of? As a (somewhat ashamed) owner of 3 volumes of the Powerpearls compilations on vinyl (and thus, a wicked dork), I'd be very interested... thanks!

Great post :)

Monday, April 17, 2006 4:06:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Er, "Cindy," if you ever find and post the wonderful power pop song "Penelope Baker" by Her Majesty's Buzz, I would be in your debt forever. Truly. No, really, I mean it. :)

Monday, April 17, 2006 4:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess it has seen the light of day then

Monday, April 17, 2006 4:47:00 PM  
Blogger cindy hotpoint said...

Dave: Check yr. email.

"James" (heh.): Will do.

Anon: Thank you, then. Please do it again.

Monday, April 17, 2006 5:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's another request for the torrent link... the highlights you posted (the ones I had not heard of) are pretty awesome - would love to hear the rest.

Cheers!

Monday, April 17, 2006 6:00:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yet another request for the torrent link, thank you please...

Monday, April 17, 2006 11:11:00 PM  
Blogger cindy hotpoint said...

Sorry, y'all -- it's on a private torrent, but I'll see what I can do about getting it on a public one!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 3:45:00 PM  
Blogger Paul said...

You know about Protex?

I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered Protex - well you probably don't remember them but at least you've heard of them.

I am convinced that I saw them with a very early U2 in Cork at Christmas 1979 or around that time - and I'm hoping that someone somewhere will confirm it (nothing on the Web does). I wonder what they're doing now? Maybe they'd remember if no-one else does. I feel like someone who saw the Roswell Aliens. I had a little Polydor single by them called "I can only dream". I'm not even sure if they were all that good but there was something cool about them.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 6:48:00 AM  
Blogger essteeyou said...

I'm glad your post turned out much larger than planned. Something to keep me going this morning at work. Killer.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 10:01:00 AM  
Blogger Rich Waterman said...

I've just recently been trying to get hold of the Yellow Pills comps, and then you do a post with the best power-pop - awesome! Thanks loads

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 4:13:00 PM  
Blogger GREG said...

JAMES MENTIONED "PENLOPE BAKER" BY HER MAJESTY'S BUZZ. THE LAST LP IS STREAMING AT WWW.HERMAJESTYSBUZZ.COM. PENELOPE BAKER IS ONE OF MY OLDER TUNES I NEVER PUT IT ON A RECORD.
GREG
HERMAJESTYSBUZZ@YAHOO.COM

Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:53:00 AM  
Blogger GREG said...

JAMES,
GLAD YOU LIKE "PENELOPE BAKER". I RECORDED 2 VERSIONS OF THAT SONG AN 8TRK AND A 24 TRK CUT AT ARDENT IN THE A STUDIO WHERE BIG STAR RECORDED "RADIO CITY". WWW.HERMAJESTYSBUZZ.COM HAS THE FIRST LP STREAMING. A NEW HMB RECORD IS COMING OUT SOON.
GREG
HERMAJESTYSBUZZ@YAHOO.COM

Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:53:00 AM  

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