my gucci bag wants to be a dj


Von Iva "Soulshaker" - Here's an as-yet-unreleased song by an awesome little up-n-coming San Francisco-based band that sounds something like The Detroit Cobras with a robofunk twist (they apparently prefer the term "soulectro" for their brand of noise, which works plenty well for me). Von Iva is a bit of a girlpunk indierawk supergroup in that bassist Elizabeth Davis-Simpson was formerly of 7 Year Bitch and Clone; drummer Kelly Harris is an ex-Clone as well--but it's the supercharged, blues-powered pipes of frontwoman Jillian Iva that really makes their sound work. And I have to say that while I love this particular track, it only whets my appetite for more, and I kinda wish it went on a bit longer. Luckily, I live in SF, which means I'll doubtlessly have many opportunities to catch their housequaking live act in the months to come. [Von Iva's debut 12" is coming out on September 21; it's the first of a series of "Frisco Disco" 12" releases from Princehouse Records and is a split with labelmates The Vanishing. Remixes (yay) will be included. Check the Princehouse Records site for availability/distribution.]



Heavy Rock "I Just Want To Be A Drummer" - Here's a fun Friday song that speaks to those times when it seems like everyone you know and their dog (cat, goldfish, postman, mayor, etc.) is an erstwile DJ, always endlessly chatting up their (mostly imaginary) beatmaching and chicken-scratching abilities as if they were motherfucking turntable kings. And then you say, yeah, right, you and your momma, and they reply yeah, my mom's a DJ too! how did you know! and that's when you start yelling and throwing things. I mean, christ, sometimes the world is just too much. And adding to this irritation is this fact that as for you, all you want, all you care about, your one true and pure ambition in life--is to be a drummer. Yeah, man! Screw alla them simpleminded wax jockeys! [buy from Juno]

Fuka Vincente "Tempura Soul" - What with all the attention currently being paid to a 35-year-old war in the '04 U.S. presidential campaign, I figure it's a good time to present this bizarre track, in which a rump-shaking funk instrumental is built around the surprisingly evocative sound of the koto. I don't know if any of you have been plodding through your days wondering when you'll get to hear a sizzling hot koto player backed by bass, organ, drums and a blistering horn section, but just in case you're out there, here's your one chance to find bliss and attain some sort of funky, wok-fried enlightenment.

The track's from an even weirder compilation called G.I. Funk: 14 Funky Vietnam Club Hits. I'm not really put off by the idea behind the comp--I've seen a lot of things like this lately, and war is as good a theme as any for mix CD--it's the way that many of the bands in the setlist appear to be fictional that kind of gets me scratching my noggin. When I heard the funky female vocal cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" by the "Saigon Show Band," I was willing to suspend my disbelief, but the concept of a "Madam Laos In House Showgirl Band" (playing a lovely soul instrumental titled "Coming Home Baby") kinda cracked me up. And then there's the fact that the outfit behind "Tempura Soul" also seems to play another song on this comp titled "Koto Mata"--except that tune is credited to "Tali Bong." Hoo ha. Ah well. It seems like another Chains and Black Exhaust exercise in misdirection, but it's all in good fun, I suppose. Drop the needle on the record and pass the ammunition. [buy from Forced Exposure]

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