Must Listen: Mark Ronson & Daniel Merriweather
4 Comments Ryan Welton on Monday, August 06, 2007 at 10:24 PM.
While I didn't grow up listening to or admiring or wanting a thing to do with The Smiths, I did enjoy a lot of 80's British music, particularly from groups like The Pet Shop Boys and The Style Council, that whole urban, R&B British vibe.
Earlier this year and undiscovered by me until now, the sexually ambiguous vibe of the acoustically mournful Smiths met that British R&B flava of DJ Mark Ronson to the tune of the 1980s classic, "Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before."
You know who Mark Ronson is, and you just don't realize it. His sister -- DJ Samantha Ronson -- is the butch chick always hanging out with Lindsay Lohan. Mark and Samantha are the stepchildren of Mick Jones, from the 1980s band Foreigner. And in this video below, he's merely the DJ, the brooding, dark-haired guy.
This singer is Australian Daniel Merriweather. I'm not sure I'm sold on this guy as anything more than a regional superstar, and this was a giant hit in the U.K. but not here in the states. Still, it seems as if Merriweather has the chops to be a global star. I just don't know that he has that Robbie Williams edge.
Watch the video, and let me know what you think.
I personally think this is one of the better pop tracks of the entire year.
This is a great song, and Merriveather a very good singer! I love it.
Ronson is a great producer and worked with Robbie Williams on a couple of tracks on Robbie's latest album Rudebox (a great album). Robbie also sings on one track on Ronson's Version (The only one I know). A beautiful song, but the vocals are a bit drowned by the music.
Ronson and Williams are also collaborating on Robbie's new album. Keep an eye on that! When will the USA realise what they are missing? Robbie Williams is one of the worlds greatest artists ever outside the US.
Marie
Loved "Rudebox," but I think you and I might be two of the only ones because if I'm not mistaken, it got shiteous reviews. But I'm with you -- Robbie Williams is one of the most vital music artists on the planet, and he's barely cracked the U.S. market.
Rudebox is actually one of the Robbie Williams-albums that has got the best reviews in music magazines and serious media, but the british tabloids hated it and they have been eager to make people believe that the album was panned. But it has sold more than 4,5 million copies.
Excuse me for being off topic. :-)
Marie
No worries about being off-topic. I personally loved the album and am one of only a handful of people to own it here in the states. :-) And I remember being really surprised to read that it had been panned -- although, it seems that you're saying that it wasn't really panned in the more critical media, which is terrific news. I just thought perhaps I was crazy.