Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Good Boys (Scissor Sisters' Gyad Byas Myax Ya Mix Extended)


Song: Good Boys (Scissor Sisters' Gyad Byas Myax Ya Mix Extended)
Artist: Blondie
Album: Good Boys Single




With the release of the Scissor Sister's sophomore album coming up next week, I am pretty much on a full tilt Scissor bender. While they haven't done much remixing as of late (due to writing the new album no doubt) they did manage, just before they got HUGE in the U.K., to make some press by doing what I would consider some high profile remixes. First was this mix for the lead single off Blondie latest comeback album 2004's "The Curse of Blondie," which they followed up with a remix of the Pet Shop Boys single "Flamboyant."

Both Blondie and the Pet Shop Boys haven't seen success to match their heyday in the 80's, but both have been still working it and releasing new material (in between what could only be described as a deluge of reissues of the 80's material, either in full album form or greatest hits re-packaged.) The Pet Shop Boys released an album this year to their best reviews since their benchmark "Behavior." Personally I was a bit disappointed in this year's "Fundamental," preferring the straight up dance-pop of 1999's "Nightlife" or the folktronica of 2002's "Release." But it did have it's share of killer tunes.

Blondie haven't been as consistent with making records, but I was pretty bummed when "Curse of Blondie" was all but ignored. While Blondie is still grouped together with the great art-pop-punk acts of the 80's (Talking Heads, Clash, etc.) it was a surprise when this album was so ignored, both commercially and critically. While I do like the Scissor Sisters remix just slightly better than the original, "Good Boys" blew their last comeback single "Maria" out of the water, and the album is filled with should-have-been-hits like "Undone" and "End to End" as well as honestly beautiful ballads "Background Melody" and "Magic." (A different mix of "Good Boys" and "End to End" did happen to make it on this years latest CD/DVD greatest hits re-issue.)

If you are a Blondie fan, but have for some reason avoided the recent material I highly recommend this album. The songs do hold up to their 80's output and lose none of the spunk and fire that the band made their name on. Now of course Debbie Harry has aged (we all do... like every day) and all I can think is that this album and single were not promoted as such because it had been determined a no win as she isn't young or willing to take off her top. I got to see Blondie perform for A & E's Live By Request just after this album was released, I thought Debbie looked amazing, the band rocked, and older immediately recognizable material, as well as the new tunes sounded great. Oh well, I guess that's the business.

Enjoy.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I was at that concert too. She really did put on a hell of a show.