Quitters Never Win

When art and commerce mingle, smoke and mirrors are deployed. One of the quickest slight of hand moves is to take a blase singer and dress 'em up in studio production geared specifically to reap critical acclaim. Somewhere along the way the industry learned that if you take what the kids are listening to, and slow it down to half-adult contemporary speed you split the two in half to find a delicious Grammy filled center. Its from the blood of this musical Seppuku that singers like the UK's Amy Winehouse are born. Imagine a Joss Stone with no chops, and you're somewhere in the neighborhood she terrorizes. She even went head to head with Ms. Stone for a Mercury Prize in 04, the blood of better-solo ideas still on her hands.

Now take a band like Hot Chip. Also from the UK, also criticaly acclaimed, also nominated for a Mercury Prize (06). They're an example of styles come together under the blanket of love to give birth to something great. Pop, electrco, rock, soul, dance, they cover every base and still shake their ass while rounding 3rd. When music embraces you get new life. When it collides you get monstrous Frankensuck singles.

So its a testament to their skill that the guys from Hot Chip somehow manage to break out a wig, a pretty dress and some makeup to turn one of Amy's beasts into something I wouldn't be afraid to hold hands with in public. I think the Craigslist phrase is "passable". I'm loving the bounce to this track and the sentiment is one that any dabbler can relate with....right or wrong. This is LA sunrise music, and trust me, no one wakes up that early in LA.

Amy Winehouse- "Rehab" (Hot Chip Remix)"