Seven Songs for the Week #93 - 15th Jan 25

Bob Mould is back, and even though Bob in 2025 sounds like you'd expect, he's so Sui generis at this point, it doesn't matter. That sound... the tunes... I might just buy a vinyl/t-shirt bundle.

Elvis would have been 90 last week. The list of people still alive who are older than Elvis is shrinking, but still includes Dick Van Dyke (99) and Yoko Ono (91). To put that in perspective, Elvis would only have been 62 when OK Computer came out. Anyways, there was a lot of Elvis on the telly last week and we tuned into Sky Arts or something while they were showing the end of the preposterous The Trouble With Girls. We stayed tuned to watch the start of Spinout, giving up after about 20 minutes. This was one of the songs performed. This is from 1966, emerging into the pop world between Revolver and Strawberry Fields Forever.

Hadn't heard this before this week. A 1980 album of covers of "oldies" using contemporary synths. Just Like Eddie was originally a Joe Meek concoction (with Geoff Goddard), created as a tribute to Eddie Cochran, and released by Heinz. This synth cover came out 17 years after the original. It must've been fun to be following music at that time. 17 years ago now is 2008 - has that much changed? Silicon Teens is apparently a fake group name for Daniel Miller, founder of the mute record label.

If 2024 was Mme.xcx's year, what did she do in 2023? She did this song which set my Toni Basil alert on high. Of note, right at the start of the video in small print it says "360 Brat" on screen. All part of the plan!

Do you know this one? Finally my copy of Mojo arrived with The Stones on the front. This song is like a debut single really, when you consider what came directly before it.

Found out about this cover only this week. From Bob Dylan's 1978 Street Legal, an overlooked track. FB&tC's doing their thing.

Back to 2025. Apple Music recommended this new album to me, not sure why, but it's really something. For the most part it's spectral, barely there, like a numbers station. I've been dipping in and out. This appears to be the most up tempo and involving track, so that's saying something.