- Mon, 2011-04-11 09:19
Hello everyone, I am Joseph Mount from Metronomy. This is just a fleeting occupation.
Whilst I am here I will hopefully shed some light on what I was 'digging' whilst recording the new album (The English Riviera, available in all good record shops).
I hope you like the things I pick, come and watch us live soon!
Metronomy Playlist
1. Metronomy - The Look
2. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
3. Steely Dan - Night By Night
4. Chick Corea - El Bozo (Part 3)
5. Stevie Wonder - Joy Inside My Tears
6. The Beach Boys - Til I Die
7. Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
8. Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man
9. King Crimson - Waiting Man
10. The Fugees - How Many Mics
11. Dr. Octagon - Blue Flowers
12. DJ Shadow - Midnight In A Perfect World
13. Portishead - Only You
14. Björk - Hunter
15. Mick Karn - Weather The Windmill
16. Les Irresistibles - My Year Is A Day
17. Alessi Brothers - Seabird
18. Jacno - Rectangle
19. Steely Dan - Peg
20. Metronomy - She Wants
Track
Artist: Stardust Track: Music Sounds Better With You Release: August 1998 Label: DinDisc
When this track came out (1998), I didn't really like it. To me it represented the kind of people I didn't like at school and I was probably listening to a lot of Tribe Called Quest. Obviously with hindsight I was wrong to shun it, so very wrong.
Although people often put Metronomy in the Dance section at record shops, I have always felt that I'm not very good at making dance music. This is partly because a song like Music Sounds Better With You, to me, is real proper dance music and the kind of thing I really wish I could make.
I know it seems very contradictory me saying that now after I have admitted that I didn't used to like it. But, I had the same thing with olives and anchovies. I think sometimes when you are younger your tastes just aren't developed enough for you to appreciate the finer things.
This is slick French house music and it is very sophisticated, when it came out I was a very un-slick young man, I had no chance.
Enjoy it and afterwards stick on Lady by Modjo and eat some olives, because that is exactly what I will be doing.
Album
Artist: Les Rhythms Digitales Album: Darkdancer Release: May 1999 Label: Wall Of Sound
I did work experience at Wall of Sound records when I was 17. I spent the week playing solitaire. I left a demo on a pile of demos when I left, I left some fudge (from the fudge shop I used to work in) as a gift. I also left with a few records under my arm.
The Les Rhythmes Digitales album was one of them and I think it's fair to say it was incredibly influential on me (and countless other people I'm sure). A lot has been said about Stuart Price (Mr Les Rhythmes Digitales) so I will try and simply state facts that prove what a very important person he is and what an important album this is.
The Album was released in 1999.
I was going to find more facts, but think just the one will suffice. I can't think how many times I have listened to this album, it's strange even listening to it now and seeing just how fresh and new it sounds. I think probably a lot of younger readers might not even remember what kind of a state the charts were in back then, but for a little bit of context, Britney Spears' first album was released the same year.
I realise this is a meandering bit of writing, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so eat (listen) to the album if you haven't done so already!
Video
Artist: PJ Harvey Track: Down By The Water Release: August 2003 Label: Universal/Island
I suppose this was the point at which PJ Harvey was at her most commercial, which if you watch the video makes sense and doesn't make sense at the same time. On the one hand you have Polly wearing a beautiful red dress and looking quite glamourous, whilst on the other you have Polly writhing around underwater and singing about a girl loosing her innocence and becoming a "blue-eyed whore". I first saw the video on TOTP2; I used to bear Steve Wrights incessant wittering because they would always show a new video at the end of each programme. Steve introduced me to Green Day and Weezer in the same way.
When I first saw this I was really taken aback, she was (and still is) a pretty exciting proposition to any young man. I went out and bought her 4 track demos album straight away (because it was only one i could afford, not because I was cool).
An arresting video from a very arresting artist.
Interview #655: Metronomy Read the full interview here
