Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Good Morning to the Night

Song: Good Morning to the Night
Artist: Elton John vs. PNAU
Album: Good Morning to the Night




Last year when creating my "Best of 2011" list, Penguin Prison's self-titled debut album just edged out PNAU's "Soft Universe" for the last spot.  I really loved "Soft Universe," at first not realizing the Empire of the Sun connection, and then discovering their self-titled third album, which was what put them on the map, and got the attention of Mr. Elton John.

Early last month I discovered the Cahill remix of "Good Morning to the Night," which was credited to "Elton John vs. PNAU," began hearing it out by some discerning DJ's, and my interest was tweaked.  Now the full album is out, I love it, it's Elton's first number one record in the UK in over twenty years, and only just this AM have I realized exactly what this record is...

Elton, as a mega-fan, gave Australian duo PNAU full reign of his 1970 - 1976 back catalogue, which they took snippets, remixed, added music, and created new songs from these bits.  So "Good Morning to the Night" isn't just remixes of older, more obscure, John tracks from the 70's, some of these tunes contain samples of up to nine different songs.  And the results are amazing.

This is a current-sounding electro record with a distinct Elton feel, and a slight wash of 70's over it.  It's rather amazing.

"Good Morning to the Night," the first and title track is already a club hit in the UK, hence the #1.  It contains parts of "Philadelphia Freedom," "Mona Lisa's and Mad Hatters," "Funeral for a Friend/Love Dies Bleeding," "Tonight," "Gulliver/It's Hay Chewed," "Sixty Years On," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," AND "Someone Saved My Life Tonight."  And yet, it doesn't sound like decoupage'd mess.  It sounds like a song.

I'm still getting into the record but there is a lot to love.  Check this out.

Enjoy,

Good Morning to the Night
Sad
Phoenix

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