“A Ferret and Some Fabulous Tunes”:
This week’s Rivals Challenge: “A Ferret and Some Fabulous Tunes” offers up two relentlessly danceable tracks that are sure to get the party started. Pop on your best club gear and get ready to get down with new DLC coming this Thursday to the Rock Band Music Store: Jamiroquai “Canned Heat” and Paramore “Hard Times.” Who knew polecats were so drawn to the dance-floor?
There was a moment in the late ‘90s that was absolutely owned by frontman Jay Kay and his merry band of funksters in Jamiroquai. The 1999 single “Canned Heat” captures that time righteously. The second single off of the group’s fourth LP, Synkronized, is a prime example of Jamiroquai’s retro disco/acid-jazz/funk dance groove that fans around the world continue to embrace. Truly, this jam is a total vibe: Simon Katz comps suitably wah-wah’d-to-the-max guitar; fat and insistent bass is provided courtesy of Nick Fyffe; and Derrick McKenzie’s four-on-the-floor beat propels the party from start to finish. Lush, spirited string arrangements and spiky horn exclamations conjure up mirror-balls and platform boots and then… there’s Jay Kay. The dude can just flat-out sing with soul, energy, and character in spades. There’s ample reason “Canned Heat” reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart when it was first released – and reappeared in the top-10 on the Hot Dance/Electronic songs chart, as well as reached #5 on the Dance/Electronic Songs list 15 years later(!) in 2014. This banger has also served as the backdrop for a bevy of dance numbers featured on the silver screen over the years. Get ready to take it to the dance floor and get a game-play workout with this one (fuzzy top-hat, optional)!
Synkronized, the 1999 full-length from Jamiroquai, kept the momentum from the band’s prior three albums going strong and even turned up the intensity, somehow. Check out www.jamiroquai.com to keep up to date on upcoming shows and new releases, and to grab some officially licensed merch.
“Hard Times,” the lead single off of 2017’s After Laughter, finds Paramore handily navigating that trickiest of musical artist maneuvers: exploring new sonic possibilities while staying true to an established identity. The song is something of a stylistic shift for the band, leaning more heavily into the pop realm than Paramore’s hard-as-nails early output, but don’t kid yourself: this is still very much rock n roll. Marimbas, bongos, and other percussion set the stage during the song’s intro before Zac Farro’s massive drums and Taylor York’s spiky fretwork determinately bridge the gap between the dance and rock clubs out there. There’s plenty of ‘80s vibes keeping things poppy and bright throughout, but lyrical content dealing with the struggles of depression (hey, it’s called “Hard Times,” after all) provide a curious counterpoint. This song is upbeat about being downtrodden, motivated by being miserable – and the incongruity works. That it does work is, in no small part, thanks to the energetic, passionately delivered vocals of Paramore’s charismatic frontwoman, Hayley Williams. Towards the song’s close, the guitars fade down in the mix, ceding the spotlight to a bouncy synth part and vocoder noodling. With a relentlessly catchy chorus, musical chops, and depth of message, “Hard Times” will keep you both moving and thinking.
Paramore’s fifth disc, After Laughter, finds the band taking chances and adding new flavors and styles to their musical arsenal, while staying true to their muse. Head on over to www.paramore.net to learn about upcoming tour dates, visit the band’s official store, and sign up for email updates!
Jamiroquai “Canned Heat” and Paramore “Hard Times” are available for $1.99 each.
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*Please note that this week’s DLC tracks will be available for purchase on Thursday, October 27th.