Believe Me!

It seems that over the past year Dara Puspita has become a familiar sound in hip circles, perhaps a mostly as a name to drop, but to be honest, not even this cynic sees it that way. That being said, I am a little late on this, but I should throw in my two cents as well, and perhaps as in such "dire economic times" two cents has more value than we have thought. Either way, I just want everyone to know they heard it here too, plus it's been a while since I've posted one of those girl groups we love so much.

So, Dara Puspita or, in English "The Flower Girls" were an all-singing, all-playing girl group from Java who in my opinion represented everything great about sixties rock. This well-coiffed quartet had the sass and presentation of America's finest negro girl groups, the songwriting of the British invasion, the energy and low fidelity of garage/proto-punk, and all with a delightful psychedelic tinge. Obviously it's a ton of fun. This is as pure as it gets as the forward-thinking West had yet to see such a perfectly self-contained X-chromosome unit and this pre-dates even the Kim Fowley-dictated Runaways by nearly a decade. Like much of the music I have posted it is catchy and memorable even when largely in a foreign tongue, so don't let that bother you on pop gems like "Bhaktiku" and the fantastic title track which demonstrates the finest lo-fi production prior to GbV's Propeller, and maybe even beyond. For those intimadated by the language barrier you may want to start with their beautiful cover of the BeeGee's "To Love Somebody," or their own work in "Believe Me." Regardless this aptly-titled album is a real pleasure from beginning to end.

In some ways, I feel like Dara Puspita will be to 2009 what Os Mutantes was to 2004, so get hip to them before liking them too much makes you seem a bit behind the curve. On the other hand, David Byrne has yet to champion them and their cohorts, so you may be fine. Either way, if you love fun pure, rock 'n' roll, especially from girls this is essential.


Dara Puspita - A Go Go (1968)

More to Seattle Than You Think

I'd been wanting to put up the Fastbacks for a while. They came to mind again last night as I was consulting an old book of mine last night and noticed a top 10 records from the group's leader/songwriter Kurt Bloch that included The Three O'Clock's Sixteen Tambourines - one of the few mentions of that group in the book. Another interesting fact about the Fastbacks, perhaps the one that finally got me to hear them, is that Duff McKagan of Guns 'N' Roses was one of the many to pass through the group's revolving door of drummers.

It is some fast-paced punky pop, perhaps "pop-punk," as maligned as that style has become. Bloch as a great songwriter and really allows the female vocals to shine through, watching his own creation succeed. He rocks out as well and has just as many connections to the world of metal (well beyond the McKagan association) as to indie pop (including producing Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 in his home studio). Most tracks are quite short and very infectious, particularly opener "Under The Old Lightbulb" and "Bill Challenger," but longer tracks like the opener "Believe Me Never" do not get boring either.

This is a prime example of the pre-grunge Seattle music scene, despite it's post-explosion release date, this was one of the bands that really got that city ready for the prolific (though only arguably great) scene that grew in Washington's fertile ground.


The Fastbacks - Zücker (1993)

Back Again...

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but didn't wanna go too overboard with LA and girl groups, but now I give you the Bangles. This is a great pop record. According to Tom Scharpling, the Bangles were the only Paisley Underground group to really make pop records. I disagree with the man this time, though they definitely are way more on the pop side than The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade, though I would argue not quite as much as The Three O'Clock. What distinguishes the Bangles so much amongst their contemporaries isn't just that they are all female, but they are definitely the best vocalists. The group's harmonies, which I beleive often, if not always involved all members are the tightest and best realized, especially compared to the constant solo vocals of The Dream Syndicate, and Rain Parade's loose amateurism.

This debut was made before people (*cough* Prince aka "Christopher") designated Susanna Hoffs as the focal point, so the other members' vocals, especially those of Vicki Peterson are more prevailant than on later records. However, I would argue Hoffs steals the show every time she opens her mouth even when merely harmonizing. The songwriting is tight, but it's undeniable that a lot of the best songs are not originals... However the whole thing is really solid and the band really shows off their talents in a unique way even if the songs are not their own. Standout tracks: "Hero Takes a Fall," "Dover Beach," "Going Down To Liverpool."


The Bangles - All Over The Place (1984)

If you wish, feel free to include a Bangles 1-4 in the style of Scharpling and Wurster's "Kid eBay", therefor including a then and now. Mine is: (then) Susanna, Michael, Vicki, Debbi (now) Susanna, Vicki, Michael, Debbi

She Was Looking for Change and So Was I

The title is in reference to this 70s hit I put up for fun. It's by Dean Friedman who was essentially Jersey's answer to Billy Joel. If you have Ariel Pink's EP with the cover of this song, please get it to me, I've been looking for it for a while.

The main article of the night goes to another great girl group as I was thinking about posting the Bangles' first album All Over the Place, which I recently acquired. I decided it better not to do two consecutive Paisley Underground posts, so that will have to wait. Tonight it's New Zealand's (yes, I know almsot everything I post is either from L.A. or New Zealand) Look Blue Go Purple. In a scene where many major artists, e.g. The Bats, the Verlaines, the Chills, and the Sneaky Feelings, had female members Look Blue Go Purple was the only all-female group. Their sound fits in quite well with the classic Flying Nun roster, yet they are as unique as any of the other groups. Their music is a well-layered swirl of psychedelic pop that could only come from Dunedin. While it's clear what side of the kiwi-pop scene they veer towards they are airier than the Bats, earthier than the Chills, and and stronger than 90s-era Clean. On top of that many of their songs have an eerily psychedelic flute that puts them in a place as otherworldly as any of their contemporaries. Though their name sites blue and purple, colors that come to mind more are the green of the hills in their Tolkein-esque homeland and the sea at its blackest raging against the cliffs of South Island. That in mind they could write some great pop songs like "I Don't Want You Anyway" and the New Zealand Top 20 Hit "Cactus Cat." However, I like their more distinctive flowing sound more in tracks like "Safety in Crosswords," "Winged Rumour," and "Hiawatha." Included in this compilation is, I believe everything they released. It is essentail for any fan of kiwi-pop.

The thing to wonder is if the vocals are mixed low out of some kind of insecurity/unsureness, or because someone just knew they sounded best that way...


Look Blue Go Purple - Look Blue Go Purple Compilation

Get the Beat!

Today, after listening to the 99 cent LP for weeks, I at last acquired the Go-Go's Beauty and the Beat digitally. I have no one to thank more than Tommy Holden for turning me onto the Go-Go's. This record is pure "J" Fantasy. From beginning end it captures all the fun, paranoia, superficiality, and manipulation of Los Angeles and jsut makes you want to dance! Sure the hiuts are great, but "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat" are merely the beginning. Side One closer "This Town" fits right in with all the other classic L.A. anthems like "I Love L.A," "Welcome to the Jungle," and "Hollywood Freaks." That and "Lust to Love" are perhaps the best songs on this extraordinarily solid pop record. With their undeniably cute, SoCal girl image and irresistably catchy tunes, it would be easy not to take the Go-Go's seriously, but not only is the songwriting highly skilled and the lyrics quite intelligent, the production is phenomenal.

This is an amazing vinyl rip, so in my opinion the absolute best way to first hear this record digitally. Seeing as it went double platinum I should not have to post it on a blog that features much more obscure artists, but I would much rather spend my time posting this than let yet another generation beleive that girls can't make kick-ass rock music! It's a shame they don't do it more. Tommy put it best himself when he said "We love our girl groups!"


The Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat (1981)