Blogwatch

I’ve been searching high and low for vinyl blogs to review here, but I’ve been coming up dry so I thought I’d pass along a few blogs that do cater to vinyl lovers but not exclusively so.

There is a LOT of vinyl on the always-fun Manchester Morgue, but my all time favorite find there has got to be the post on the German disco act Hot Blood, with an album called Disco Dracula. Now there is a movie crying to be made.

Xtabay’s World hadn’t been updated in a while but the most recent post makes up for that, at least for fans of the music on Dig It! The Sounds of Phase 4 Stereo.

The Midnight Monster Show is all about retro horror and related topics…I’m a fan, what can I say? No vinyl here but a fun read, regardless.

Funkabolic prices are far too insane for me to contemplate but I do enjoy windowshopping there. I’m not criticizing, just saying…50 euros for a vinyl record is a tough call when you’re USA based and looking at shipping on top of that…

I’ve only just this moment discovered two blogs; the first is DiscoWorkout and it promises much…it looks retro and futuristic at the same time and the magic word–disco–is right there in the name. How can you go wrong? I am hoping there is much disco cheeze to explore here.

Blog discovery two is called 20 Jazz Funk Greats and is also unique in the design department with an intentionally clunky, retro-future feel and the writing in many places feels like a nice departure from typical blog post style and tone…20 JFG is something I plan on spending more time on in the future.

–Joe Wallace

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Vinyl Lounge Hut–A Retro LP Paradise

Vinyl Lounge Hut may not have been updated since May 09 at the time of this writing, but that shouldn’t stop you from drinking in the heady cocktail of great lounge LPs and commentary by the very retro-minded Rich. Please, Rich, come back and update again!

The archives for this completely awesome site go back as far as 2007 so there is a lot to pore over. I love that Rich includes images of his audio setup and retro-outfitted living space. Simply awesome.

And let’s not overlook a good collection of links so lounge lovers can further fill up their hard drives with all those torrent, rapidshare and other files of ripped-from-vinyl goodness. The music itself is fun, but the VISUALS are a real treat. I’m a sucker for the great covers, colors and textures from this era–especially the image above created by BlueHipster, which is very reminiscent of Shag but with its own distinctive look and feel.

If you haven’t seen Vinyl Lounge Hut, stop wasting time and get over there…you just haven’t lived.

Qui etes-vous, Polly Maggoo?

William Klein did three memorable films collected in a great boxed set as part of the Criterion Eclipse series. The best film of the three is also one of the great moments of the 60s. Qui etes-vous, Polly Maggoo? follows a fashion model through her unreal existence. Long before reality television was even a glimmer in some network hotshot’s tiny little stunted brain, this movie anticipated it beautifully–but with 1000 times more thought and a delicious presentation that kicks the pants off the artless, painfully trite reality shows broadcast today. No, this isn’t a true story, but it’s presented in reality show fashion.

The clip below is a small taste of the film…if you fall instantly in love with this the way I did, you can still buy the boxed set and revel in all the William Klein you can stand. Glorious retro fun from the era when all there was to listen to was the radio and vinyl records.

New Order Live from Pumped Full of Drugs

Many a New Order concertgoer has come home from the experience feeling that when it comes to live performances, Barney and co. suck shit through a straw. The live Pumped Full of Drugs video is an exception. New Order was shot by a professional video crew during a tour in Japan back in their heyday circa 1985. The band is in a pissy mood, nobody seems to want to be there, and Barney wavers in and out of tune…but I’ll be damned if this doesn’t WORK. A great show from a group known for their wretched performances on stage….at least in my experience. If you disagree, feel free to check out this collection of live New Order DVDs for sale. You go…enjoy.

The Breed: Retro Goodness From Down Under

I knew nothing about this fun outfit from Australia before I stumbled across them on YouTube while searching for groovy sounds and bowl haircuts. And now “The Clothes She Wears” by The Breed is stuck in my head on endless repeat. At least til the caffeine wears off. This is good stuff! The Breed hail from Tasmania, playing Brit Invasion/Mersey Sound style with some punk-pop thrown in for good measure. They are featured on a variety of comps including the vinyl Trans-Pacific Pop Conspiracy EP on Smashed Records, which you can also check out via KlickTrack

. Here’s a sampling of The Breed. Cheers, lads!