Suprises in pop music

[Wild Bill]

I was listening to the Black eye peas new album and I noticed there are some pretty nice grooves in there. Theyre bass player Printz Board is pretty good. I was just wondering if anyone else has had any suprises in pop music lately.

 

[Adam Barkley]

I was listening to the Black eye peas new album and I noticed there are some pretty nice grooves in there. Theyre bass player Printz Board is pretty good. I was just wondering if anyone else has had any suprises in pop music lately.

Most Outkast surprises me with the amount of real instruments used to create the "beat".

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I can remember two No 1 Hit singles in the UK that really surprised me as far as bass goes.

So - Paul Young's version of "Wherever I lay my hat" - now, evrybody's heard it loads of times - but at the time it was really suprising that a single started off with basicaly a fretless bass solo(from Pino Palladino) and was more or less, bass and vocal - but even more suprising that it got to no1 in the charts!!

Similar, was Ian Dury and the Blockheads :"Hit me with your Rhythm Stick" - so, again it's like No1 in the charts and it starts off with some Jaco-esque 16th note finger funk bass from Norman Watt-Roy!!

It's not that the bass lines were out of context or unexpected from the band exactly - just that both got to Number 1 and were played everywhere, so it was great at the time to go to bars and clubs and hear great basslines like these and on the radio as well!

 

[JimK]

Similar, was Ian Dury and the Blockheads :"Hit me with your Rhythm Stick" - so, again it's like No1 in the charts and it starts off with some Jaco-esque 16th note finger funk bass from Norman Watt-Roy!!

I just picked up "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick"(Reasons To Be Cheerful)a couple months ago...read about it in your UK Bass mag(somehow it made the list of "The Top-50 Best Punk Basslines". PUNK?!).
The blurb desrcibed the line as being "influenced by Jaco". I hadda hear it...& wow, this is some job considering it was recorded in 1978 or so. Damn good job, Norman!

(I will add the chorus is painfully "Disco-fied...almost a parody of the Village People).

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well - Ian Dury does write clever,humorous lyrics and the chorus is quite funny - but I should imagine, impenetrable to US listeners!!??

"Two fat persons click click click...."

 

[RyanHelms]

The Ployphonic Spree surprised me lately. Guess I'm a late riser since they're on their 2nd album already and I havn't heard the first Think Godspell gets Sgt. Pepper-ized and takes lessons from Emerson, Lake and Palmer while Tears For Fears scores "Sowing the Seeds of Love" for off-broadway. Or something. Regardless, as far as pop goes right now, this group is sure a surprise to me.

Former Tripping Daisy's Mark Pirro holding down the groove amidst 13 other players and an 11 piece choir!?!?!?!?!

 

[j-bass]

this is from the 80s I know but ...a lot of Duran Duran songs have some really cool basslines like "Rio" for example.

Ernie

 

[CrazySean]

I was watching VH1's Bands Reunited and the slap bass during a NKOTB concert surprised me.




I don't remember it sounding that good on the recording, so he was probably improvising.

Sean

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

this is from the 80s I know but ...a lot of Duran Duran songs have some really cool basslines like "Rio" for example.

Ernie

I suppose it was quite surprising, given that they were marketed as "pretty boys" !!

 

[stretchcat]

I was watching VH1's Bands Reunited and the slap bass during a NKOTB concert surprised me.




I don't remember it sounding that good on the recording, so he was probably improvising.

Sean

That was probably David Dyson. He is a great player.

 

[heath_the_great]

duran duran surprising? man, john taylor is one of the most underrated basissts out there..listen to the line from girls on film, oh might wanna check the film clip to ...

but yeah, erykah badus album "worldwide underground" is awesome, not only does she have an awesome voice but her band is real good to, only the drums were programmed on that album...i was also surprised at outkast's "the love below", i havent heard the whole album but the styles of music on that album were surprising, jazz and everything else

 

[JimK]

Something on the current Pop scene I will buy when it's released(late Sept?) will be Joss Stone's 2nd album.

 

[JimK]

Well - Ian Dury does write clever,humorous lyrics and the chorus is quite funny - but I should imagine, impenetrable to US listeners!!??

Is that supposed to be some kind of 'zinger'?
If so...good one.

 

[cassanova]

There's tons of "gems" in pop music, you just have to wade thru the generic to get to it.

+1

 

[peteroberts]

There's tons of "gems" in pop music, you just have to wade thru the generic to get to it

fortunately, I have a friend that helps me out with that!

For 'pop' music, I thought the last Fountains of Wayne record was a real gem (coupla songs missed, but overall very good).

There's also a guy called Owsley...I like his 1st record best.

 

[dancehallclasher]

i thought "naughty girl" by beyoncé was fantastic. she does some really outside-of-the-box stuff with the melody.

 

[peteroberts]

funny, I thought that song was really boring

 

[Matt Till]

Jamirquoi (sic) is pop.

 

[Judge]

Was watching a Later Jools Hooland DVD last night that had Coldplay on doing In My Place live. Surprisingly nice bass line that really aded to the depth of the tune.

 

[ApeIsHigh81]

i thought "naughty girl" by beyoncé was fantastic. she does some really outside-of-the-box stuff with the melody.

I seen a old SNL clip the other day and Natalie Imbruglia was on, her bassist got down. I mean GOT DOWN!!!!