Who doesn't know the international smash "Come On Eileen" inside and out? The answer is no one. If you surveyed literally everyone in the world - even infants, they'd probably at the very least be able to burst into a "toora loora toora loo rye ay." That may or may not be true, but you get it. The Dexys Midnight Runners song is embedded in our heads, and many stations today continue to play it. Why shouldn't they? "Eileen" fits in with just about any Top 40 track today, and beyond the nostalgia of it all, it just stands as a really, really good song. Having said that, the music video is a bit dated. Frontman Kevin Rowland and just about everyone in the video is wearing overalls and scarves. The hairstyles, too, lack a contemporary feel. In its own way, however, the video works and deserves some serious YouTube searches right now. It's OK, I'll wait for you to open a new tab.
Four minutes later...
Good...get that out of your system. I bring up the 1982 song because after three decades removed from the music world, Rowland and Dexys (the band name was trimmed a bit) are back and dare I say it - better than ever with their new album One Day I'm Going To Soar. Soar it does. Last week, Rowland stopped by the Music Conservatory of Westchester to film an A-Sides session. There, he played two tracks off Soar, and explained where in the world he and Dexys have been. He also addressed the dancing pink elephant in the room: "Come On Eileen." While he concedes the band is a "one-hit wonder" in the states, Dexys has had a fruitful following in the UK for ages. Speaking of which, the new album has been hailed as a classic by some over there, and the tour they've done to support it has been praised. Will it translate to the states? Rowland hopes so. Watch below, and see and hear for yourself if Dexys has a shot. I'd say so.
"Nowhere is Home"
Interview
For an exclusive performance of "I'm Thinking of You," click here.
Another leader of the pack (so to speak) stopped by the Conservatory to crush an acoustic A-Sides session late last month. A.L.X. of the Joy Division-influenced Love Crushed Velvet performed "Bye Bye Baby" and discussed his band's new Delusions EP of which that track appears. Before you check out the videos embedded below, there's a few things you should know about this New York City band. For starters, they blend alt-rock with a sort-of glam feel. At their core, they're a rock band in its purest form. Their words mean something and the music that accompanies it has weight to it. Delusions is a bit darker than their first album, but it sores. And with the "sore" drop, I've now brought this post full circle. Go. Me. Anyway, watch A.L.X. below, and thank me later for it.
Click here to watch LCV's video for "Revolution Time."
About A-Sides Music
Jon Chattman's "A-Sides Music" series was established in August 2011 and usually features artists (established or not) from all genres performing a track, and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometimes humorous) way. No bells, no whistles -- just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often gets overblown and over manufactured, I'm hoping this is refreshing.