Volume 51

 

Love Machine (In Memorium Kurt Hauenstein) - LOUIE AUSTEN - from the album What A Comeback!

 

He's no spring chicken, our Louie!  Born in Austria in 1946, he is ostensibly a classically-trained jazz singer but, for the last ten years or so, has been dabbling in electronic dance music.  He gives an unusual slant to the genre, however, as he tends to sing the songs in the style of the old crooners. Indeed, he refers to his music in this style as "electrocrooning".  Whatever it is, its all rather enjoyable. This is a cover of the 70s Austrian hit single for the late producer, Kurt Hauenstein

Skintercourse - MENOMENA - from the album Moms

 

For a supposedly experimental indie band (hailing from Portland, Oregon), this is a damn fine tune indeed! Some doubts were expressed as to whether the band would carry on following departure of lead singer / songwriter Brent Knopf (who can now be heard under the name Ramona Falls) but in stead of floundering, the band appears stronger than ever. Funny how that often happens!

Strike Up Your Matches - JOACHIM COODER - from the album Love On A Real Train

 

Now this album truly is a collaborative effort!  Undeterred by being the son of a famous father (yep! Ry Cooder is his dad and Joachim has been the drummer on several of his old man's records), he has set out to make an album where he laid down the backing track and then sent tunes to different friends for them to add vocals and anything else they wanted. The result, it has to be said, is mixed but definitely worth a listen.  This track, incidentally, is superb