Because I hate those new Lloyds TSB advertisements.

It’s somewhat frustrating that the video that accompanies Regina Spektor’s lead single from 2006’s Begin To Hope – her major label debut – almost undoes the progress of the last 17 years of ‘girls with pianos’ videos. For many people in the UK, this will be the first time they’ll have seen and heard Regina (does ToTP count?), and the video is a twee 1990’s reflection of how these artists used to be presented. This is a missed trick given the general critical acclaim that Begin To Hope received. And I haven’t bought it yet, or any of her music. Oh, the shame!

But there’s more – a run-on blog entry:

Let’s hope that Tori Amos’ new album American Doll Posse announced today, to be released 1 May 2007, doesn’t suffer from similar retro-video-itis. The press release photo certainly doesn’t:

Ooo.. heels and harpsichord. I can’t wait.

It’s a well known fact that the quality of a country’s pop music is directly proportional to the price of alcohol in that country (with perhaps one exception). Another more socially interesting observation is that runners-up in musical television competitions are inevitably better than the winners. The first of these facts is evidential throughout the rest of this blog. The second is proven without doubt in this song. Margaret Berger was placed second in the second season of Norwegian Idol. Samantha is – depending on who you believe – the best or the second best song on her second album Pretty Scary Silver Fairy. Hmm.. what a lot of seconds.

It’s quite possible that it might be released in the UK one day. Until then, we have this:

[Stylus Magazine Review: Pretty Scary Silver Fairy]
[Chameleon, iTunes UK]

Too many TotD in my head makes my brain hurt. I must let some of them out.

• Tanya Donelly: Breathe Around You
• Felix Da Housecat: Marine Mood
• Inner City: Ahnongay
• New Order: Mesh
• Adrienne Pierce: Walk Through Me

More on Adrienne Pierce’s new album Faultline, in a future post.

Casting my mind back to Throwing Muses’ Red Shoes... Sure, I’d been taken aback by the groovability of much of the 1987 Chains Changed EP, and 1989’s “Fleetwood Mac on acid” Dizzy, but it was the Madchester styled Red Shoes taken from 1991’s The Real Ramona that floored me. Good job that my first encounter with it was hearing it live, otherwise I might well have fallen down.

The wobbly-groovable Wild Vanilla matches that experience and reminds me of why I love Kristin’s music. It’s been over twenty years since I discovered her. Yeah, blame Melody Maker.

Learn To Sing Like A Star:
[Allmusic Review]
[Amazon UK]
[iTunes]