Media Monarchy plays Pulp, Alison Goldfrapp, Saint Etienne and more on #PumpUpThaVolume for June 6, 2025. ♬
Steely Dan – “Show Biz Kids” (Vinyl)
‘Countdown to Ecstasy’
ABC – 1973
*Steely Dan – “Show Biz Kids” (Vinyl) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7XXEO1aADM // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_to_Ecstasy // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Biz_Kids // Before “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” the late, great Rick Derringer laid down this legendary performance on slide guitar for what remains one of the Dan’s most-beloved tracks. “Show Biz Kids” was composed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and was the first single from Steely Dan’s 1973 sophomore album, ‘Countdown to Ecstasy,’ and reached number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cash Box said that the song has “an infectious chorus delivered a la Nilsson’s “Coconut” hit.” As much of The Dan do, “The song satirizes contemporary Los Angeles lifestyles.” Critic Tom Hull described the album lyrics as “a running paste together joke […] sufraintelligent, witty and slyly devious”, citing as an example the following lyrics from “Show Biz Kids”: “They got the booze they need / All that money can buy / They got the shapely bods / They got the Steely Dan T-shirt.”
*****
Pulp – “Got To Have Love”
‘More’
Rough Trade Records – June 6, 2025
*Pulp – “Got To Have Love” https://youtu.be/c_xnLmRz6XM // https://pulp.ffm.to/more // From ‘More,’ the new album by Pulp, available today via Rough Trade Records.*
Alison Goldfrapp – “Reverberotic”
‘Flux’
A.G. Records – August 15, 2025
*Alison Goldfrapp – “Reverberotic” https://soundcloud.com/alisongoldfrapp-sc/reverberotic // https://alisongoldfrapp.tmstor.es // The latest single to preview ‘Flux,’ the upcoming album by Alison Goldfrapp, due on August 15th via A.G. Records.*
Sparks – “A Little Bit Of Light Banter”
‘MAD!’
Transgressive Records – May 23, 2025
*Sparks – “A Little Bit Of Light Banter” https://soundcloud.com/sparksofficial/a-little-bit-of-light-banter // https://transgressive.lnk.to/mad // From ‘MAD!,’ the new album by Sparks, available now via Transgressive Records.*
*****
Saint Etienne – “Glad”
‘International’
Heavenly Recordings – September 5, 2025
*Saint Etienne – “Glad” https://youtu.be/h5fWxY9IHkw // https://saint-etienne-official.myshopify.com // The lead single to preview ‘International,’ the upcoming final album by British trio, Saint Etienne, due on September 5th via Heavenly Recordings.*
Blonde Redhead – “Before” (w/Brooklyn Youth Chorus)
‘The Shadow of the Guest’
section1 – June 27, 2025
*Blonde Redhead – “Before” (w/Brooklyn Youth Chorus) https://soundcloud.com/blonde-redhead-2/before-feat-brooklyn-youth // https://linktr.ee/blonderedhead // From ‘The Shadow of the Guest,’ the upcoming album by Blonde Redhead. The new album is a reimagined version of the band’s 2023 album, ‘Sit Down for Dinner’. Due on June 27th via section1.*
Real Estate – “Pink Sky”
‘The Wee Small Hours: B-Sides and Other Detritus 2011-2025’
Domino Record Co. – May 2, 2025
*Real Estate – “Pink Sky” https://youtu.be/hvo-ds7UDHg // https://realestate.ffm.to/weesmallhours // From ‘The Wee Small Hours: B-Sides and Other Detritus 2011-2025,’ available now via Domino Record Co.*
*****
Senna – “Potential”
‘Stranger To Love’
Sharptone – May 23, 2025
*Senna – “Potential” https://youtu.be/FW_NszoXxjM // https://linktr.ee/SENNA.Band // From ‘Stranger To Love,’ the just-released album by German post-hardcore band, Senna. Available now via Sharptone. Thanks to Broc for the head’s up!*
Paul Weller – “Lawdy Rolla” (The Guerrillas Cover)
‘Find El Dorado’
Parlophone Records – July 25, 2025
*Paul Weller – “Lawdy Rolla” (The Guerrillas Cover) https://youtu.be/SVGJhrouOr0 // https://paulweller.lnk.to/findeldorado // https://thelisteningpostblog.wordpress.com/2022/08/27/song-of-the-day-the-guerrillas-lawdy-rolla/ // This cover, originally released on Parolophone by obscure French band The Guerrillas in 1969, will be included on Paul Weller’s upcoming covers album, ‘Find El Dorado’. Due on July 25th via Parlophone Records.*
Bill McClintock – “Hit the Bottoms Jack” (Van Halen x Ray Charles x Isley Brothers)
Digital Single
Bill McClintock – June 3, 2025
*Bill McClintock – “Hit the Bottoms Jack” (Van Halen x Ray Charles x Isley Brothers) https://youtu.be/Vm4d_r7PZ1U // https://remix.audio/track/76690/van-halen-and-ray-charles-hit-the-bottoms-jack // Here’s the latest mashup by Bill McClintock and Van Charles: Van Halen – “Bottoms Up!”, “I’m the One”, Ray Charles – “Hit the Road Jack” and The Isley Brothers – “It’s Your Thing”. Random David-Lee-Rothing comes from “Hot for Teacher”, “Running With the Devil”, and “You Really Got Me”. Available now via the artist.*
*****
Ramones – “I Want You Around” (Vinyl) // “Come On Let’s Go” (Ritchie Valens Cover w/The Paley Brothers // Vinyl)
‘Rock ‘n’ Roll High School’
Sire/Warner Bros. Records – Aug. 1979
*Ramones – “I Want You Around” (Vinyl) // “Come On Let’s Go” (w/The Paley Brothers // Vinyl) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmNerf4kea4 // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydxWqZaxoMQ // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_%27n%27_Roll_High_School#Soundtrack // A soundtrack album on Sire/Warner Bros. Records was released around the same time, but it included only a limited number of songs from the film. The two main Ramones songs (the title song and “I Want You Around”) were recorded by Ed Stasium but remixed by Phil Spector for the soundtrack album. The original Ed Stasium mixes were not issued until the compilation album ‘Ramones Mania’ (1988) and the compilation album ‘Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: The Anthology’ (1999), respectively.*
PJ Soles – “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (Ramones Cover // Vinyl)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00rPkmobVQo