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  • Friday Throwback – Can You Feel It

    When I was working back at Blockbuster Video, we’d play videos before the store opened. There was one assistant manager who always put Michael Jackson videos on while we were prepping the day. There was one video called Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues which showed the video to the Jacksons’ Can You Feel It, a single on their Triumph album. I think the video was actually produced in 1980. Dick Clark said at the time, that when Michael told him he wanted to show him this film they created based on the song, Clark told him no one wanted to see that, and they just wanted to see Michael and his brothers perform. Clark also said that he completely missed the boat on music videos and the Jacksons were before their time. I’m not sure what the first official music video was, but Can You Feel It had to be one of the first, as far as music videos as we know them today.

    • What’s up with the National Geographic spoken word intro?
    • Did they steal those sound effects straight out of Star Wars?
    • I’ve always wanted to spread pixie dust over the world like that.
    • Did the golden hues that surrounded the Jacksons signify all the Grammys that Mike was about to win in two years?
    • Mike just lifted a rainbow over his head. I’m at a loss for words.
    • All of the people turned golden because of that ring of fire? What?
    • I think Mike should’ve just moonwalked across the water. Wait, that came about 4 years later.

    All the herky jerky sound effects hurt the video, but in 1980, those special effects were on fire like that ring. It’s an odd video, but hey, the Jacksons were some odd folks. And Mike would use his powers for good in future videos. Don’t you remember how he healed the elephant in the Earth Song?

  • At The Wrecka’ Sto’: 10/2/2007 Edition

    Wow-I completely forgot what the date was. Get out of the summer and the days all run together. At any rate, there’s nothing that compares to last week’s onslaught of new releases. Actually, the entire month of October looks kind of quiet in regards to things that I would actually like, but there is a pretty good amount of stuff hitting shelves today.

    BRUUUUUUCE: Mr. Springsteen is back, although quite honestly, he never left. Didn’t The Seeger Sessions come out last year? Anyway, this time he’s brought the E Street Band with him and their album is called Magic. First single Radio Nowhere is pretty awesome, and it’s nice to hear Bruce and company rockin’ again after taking a little detour to be folky.

    Welcome Back: A couple of hit artists are returning after fairly lengthy absences. Annie Lennox is back after four years with the intriguingly titled Songs of Mass Destruction. It was produced by Glen Ballard, who has been behind the boards for artists ranging from Dave Matthews Band to Alanis Morissette to Michael Jackson. Annie’s long been a proponent of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, so her albums have retained a remarkable consistency. Meanwhile, matchbox twenty, who have been dormant for almost half a decade, are back with Exile on Mainstream, a double album that features one disc of their greatest hits (as if you don’t know Unwell by heart) and one disc of new material.

    Gimme The Hits!: From Exile On Mainstream to the guy that made Exile On Main Street, The Very Best of Mick Jagger arrives in stores today. Considering the man never really made much of an impact as a solo artist, I’m quite curious to see what was included on this compilation. There will be no such worries on Faith Hill’s The Hits, which will feature #1s like This Kiss and There You’ll Be along with her many duets with her smokin’ hot hubby Tim McGraw.

    R&B (Rhythm & Bonin’): R&B’s creative freefall comes partially (well, mostly) from the fact that many of the artists making soul music nowadays sound so similar. Ordinarily, I would have a bit of a problem telling Trey Songs apart from J. Holiday, but Holiday has one of the most addictive singles out right now with Bed, which basically follows this formula:

    Rihanna’s Umbrella + Prince’s Do Me, Baby X hip-hop influence.

    I’ll probably download the single from iTunes and bypass the album, but hell, what a single. Anyway, both artists have albums coming out today, but I will forgo them in favor of newcomer Kevin Michael, who has gotten a lot of press (allegedly, his sound is Prince meets Robin Thicke) and at the very least has a really cool Afro.

    A full list of today’s new releases can be found here:

    http://www.pauseandplay.com/02october2007.htm

    Happy shopping!!

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  • Friday Throwback – Love U 4 Life

    After three albums, Jodeci finally got their wedding song on. The wedding song is the one song that makes groups timeless. It’s the one song that gets played at weddings, and once you’re on the wedding playlist, you’re on it for life. Always And Forever anyone?

    This song is not a song about freakin’. Not every freakin’ day, or every freakin’ night. It’s a love song. Give it to ‘em K-Ci.

    • Is T-Boz in her bra?
    • “I wanna love you for life, because your love is why I live.” I wonder if K-Ci sang that to Mary J. Blige.
    • Even with the pimp daddy hat and the pimp daddy suit, why does K-Ci still look like Tyrone Biggums?
    • Someone tell Jo-Jo that wearing the Sox hat was old by then.
    • Especially with a suit.
    • I swear I thought the Pastor looked like Rev Run.
    • It has to be Rev Run.
    • Why wasn’t the DMC the ring bearer?
    • When Dalvin slobbed down T-Boz, I wonder if Mack-10 was ready to get his backyard boogie on? Get your boogie on …

    This would be Jodeci’s last hit single I believe. K-Ci and Jo-Jo would take this blueprint and successfully launch a career as the two-some of the creative name of K-Ci and Jo-Jo. All the songs about freakin’ and feenin’ and were replaced by songs about love and love, and more love. They became romantic balladeers. One of these days, when I’m out of ideas, I’ll work in my favorite K-Ci and Jo-Jo song, All My Life.