Modcast #289: Mr. Suave's Best of 2013

Another year down as they say. But what a year. This past year saw an explosion of mod friendly sounds from soul to power pop to sixties beat and everything in between. I've collected here some of the songs from some of my favorite artists and albums from the past year. Give it a listen, I think you'll agree that 2013 was pretty good, musically speaking.

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The Chase -- Misspent Youth
RAF -- Hadrian's Wall
The Vice -- Singing Around
The Luck of Eden Hall -- Queen Of The Stars
The Sha La La's -- Feelin' Real
Alfa 9 -- El Morocco
The High Learys -- Two To Match
The Strypes -- What The People Don't See
The 45s -- Around And Around
The Attention! -- Button-Down Harry's Back
The Ace -- The Poet
The Most -- I'm Not Your Man
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings -- Goldfinger
Shaolin Temple Defenders -- Kung Fu Fighting
French Boutik -- Ici Paris
Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators -- Time To Get Business Straight
The Excitements -- Keep Your Hands Off


The Chase - 'Wantaway'



The Attention! - Have a Drink & Messer Raus



The Excitements - Ha, Ha, Ha



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Modcast #288: Mr. Suave's 2013 Christmas Extravaganza

Another year, another Christmas office party. For this year's rat pack Christmas celebration, I'm joined again by my sometimes sober co-host DJ Ken from The Shingles. This year's extravaganza is strictly BYOB. You bring the spirits and we'll bring the cheer. Bottoms up!

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Dean Martin -- It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Mel Torme -- Good King Wenceslas
Nat King Cole -- Buon Natale
Bing Crosby -- A Time To Be Jolly
Frank Sinatra -- Christmas Dreaming
Rosemary Clooney -- Christmas Time Is Here
Perry Como -- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 -- The Christmas Song
Louis Prima -- Senor Santa Claus
Pearl Baily -- Jingle Bells Cha Cha Cha
Al Hirt & Ann Margaret -- Baby, It's Cold Outside
Julie London -- I'd Like You For Christmas
Lena Horne -- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Kay Kyser & His Orchestra -- What Are You Doing Christmas Eve

The Rat Pack -- Frank, Sammy, & Dean joined by Jonny Carson

Modcast #287: Mr. Suave's 2nd Annual Christmas Modcast Invitational

Light the lights, trim the tree, shake up some holiday concoctions. Then sit back, relax, and let the mods bring you some Christmas cheer.

Last year I invited a bunch of my favorite mod bloggers, mod podcasters, mod musicians, to share what they were listening to over the holiday season. It was a fun show, so I'm going to make it a tradition. I've got a whole bunch of great folks who'll be making guest appearances on this week's modcast and I think you'll dig it.

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X -- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Ken From The Shingles: Farrah -- Christmas Is Cancelled (This Year)
RAF: The Kinks -- Father Christmas
Chaise Lounge -- Snow Day
Warren Peace From We Are The Mods Podcast: Sharon Jones -- Retreat
Bad Religion -- Joy To The World
Patrick Foisy From Parka Avenue Blog: Clarence Carter -- Backdoor Santa
Penny Lane From Punks In Parkas Podcast: Thee Headcoatees -- Santa Claus
Dean Stickley From Mod Soul Review Podcast: Charles Brown -- Please Come Home For Christmas
Jonny Magus From The Ace: Floyd Dixon -- Empty Stocking Blues
The Sonics -- Don't Believe In Christmas
The Hives vs Cyndi Lauper -- A Christmas Dual

Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine -- Christmas in Las Vegas


James Brown -- Soulful Christmas


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Modcast #286: The Mod's Mod -- Burt Bacharach

[Update 2.09.23] I just don't know what to do with myself. The mod's mod, Burt Bacharach, has walked on by. RIP]

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This week's show is a tribute to a man I consider as mod a composer, as mod a musician, as mod a man, as any mod out there. Mr. Burt Bacharach.

Ever since his first chart hit --written for Nat King Cole in 1952-- Burt Bacharach has written music that swings with soul. He wrote a number of hits for northern soul singers like Jerry Butler as well as groundbreaking chart toppers like The Shirelles (arguably the first all-girl soul group to top the chart) not to mention sixties superstars like Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick and Sergio Mendes.

Bacharach has done it all. He's got grammys, emmys, and oscars. He's dated supermodels, hung with the rat pack, and even gave the Beatles a run for their chart supremacy. And then, somehow became the poster boy for easy listening as the king of lounge music during the cocktail music revival of the 90s.


The Five Blobs -- The Blob (1958)
Jerry Butler -- Make It Easy On Yourself (1962)
Dionne Warwick -- Anyone Who Had A Heart (1964)
The Shirelles -- Baby It's You (1961)
Paul Weller -- Close To You (2004)
Noel Gallagher-- This Guy's In Love With You (1996)
Shonen Knife -- Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (1998)
Naked Eyes -- Always Something There To Remind Me (1983)
The White Stripes -- I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (2002)
Jack Jones -- Wives And Lovers (1963)
Tom Jones -- What's New Pussycat? (1965)
Arthur Lee & Love -- My Little Red Book (1966)
Splittsville -- I'll Never Fall In Love Again (1998)
Robin McKelle -- Walk On By (2012)
Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach -- God Give Me Strength (1998)
Burt Bacharach -- Trains And Boats And Planes (1965)
Burt Bacharach -- Hasbrook Heights (1971)
Burt Bacharach -- Nikki (1966)


Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach -- My Little Red Book


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Modcast #285: It's Alive!

There is something about a live show, about hearing a band perform live, that just can't be beat. It is hard to capture the same energy with a studio recording. It is also hard to record any live show and get the same sort of feeling. But, I've got some pretty good live tracks for you that will give you a sense of how that band would sound live and loud in the flesh. From the sixties icons like The Stones and Georgie Fame to acid jazzers Corduroy to punks like Social Distortion, I've put together 15 live tracks for this week's modcast.


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The Plimsouls -- Hush Hush (1981)
The Rolling Stones -- Time Is On My Side (1965)
George Fame & The Blue Flames -- Money (That's What I Want) (1963)
The Creation -- Painter Man (1967)
Haircut 100 -- Love Plus One (1983)
The Style Council -- Move On UP (1985)
Corduroy -- Don't Wait For Monday (1994)
The Untouchables -- Stepping Stone (1985)
The Specials -- Nite Klub (1981)
Bad Manners -- Samson & Delilah (1998)
Agent Orange -- Fire In The Rain (1991)
Social Distortion -- Telling Them (2000)
Paul Collins' Beat -- Rock-n-Roll Girl (1997)


The Untouchables -- I Spy For The FBI



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Modcast #284: Biff Bang Power Pop Vol. 2

That's right, it's power pop time here at suave headquarters, Of course, it is almost always power pop time here, I mean when isn't a good time for some power pop right? This is Volume 2 of Biff Bang Power Pop, and if you're so inclined you can download Vol 1 here (link coming soon I promise).

If anyone can tell me what inspired the image for this episode of the modcast I will give you .... a hearty "well done, good fellow." I'm sure a couple of you out there must know what I'm talking about.

Now, on with the show.

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Ivy & The Teachers -- No More Plans (1981)
The 45s -- Devil of a Woman (2013)
Diesel -- Sound of the 60s (1984)
The Pleasure Seekers -- Never Thought You'd Leave Me (1964)
The Really 3rds -- Everyday, Everyway (1981)
Rotjoch -- Accident (1981)
The Nightriders -- I Saw Her With Another Guy (1979)
Moon Martin -- Hot House Baby (1979)
The Trends -- In My Dreams (1980)
The Invaders -- Rockin' in Boston (1980)
The Toms -- Let's Be Friends Again (1980)
The Hi-Fi's -- Look What You've Done (1978)
The Scientists -- Last Night (1980)
The Know -- I LIke Girls (1980)
Screen Gemz -- Teenage Teenage (1979)

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The 45s --It Ain't Over

From The Vaults Modcast #205: Get it While the Gettin' is Good

Once more into the vault my friends, once more into the vault. Step back in time, to a time when the modcast was young and fresh. Take a giant step outside your current listening constraints and journey with me all the way back to 2011. I've opened up the vaults and dusted off a classic modcast that I think you'll enjoy. Again.

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Welcome to Mr. suave's Mod Mod World, it's time to get some while the gettin is good. As always, you'll be getting some good gets with this modcast. A little bit of jazz, a little bit of soul, a little bit of rock and roll. From floor stompers to slow burners, this week you get it all.

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The Go! Freaks -- A Ton Of My Love (2011)
Belleruche -- Clockwatching (2010)
Caro Emerald -- Back It Up (2009)
TM Juke & Alice Russel -- Playground Games (2009)
The Bahama Soul Club -- Serious Soul (2010)
The Underbelly Feat Roxie Ray -- Confession (2010)
Frank Popp Ensemble -- Gettin' Down (2005)
Mr. Suave's Reveiws You Can Use Nick Pride & The Pimptones
Nick Pride & The Pimptones Feat Jess Roberts -- Waitin' So Long (2011)
Quantic Soul Orchestra -- Hold It Down (2009)
Gabin Feat Z-Star -- Life Can Be So Beautiful (2010)
Duffy -- Mercy (2008)
Aloe Blacc -- I Need A Dollar (2010)
Deep Street Soul Feat Shirley Davis -- Greenbacks (2009)
Healer Selecta -- Cruisin' On The Highway (2010)
Smoove Feat Jess Roberts -- Coming Back (2005)


Caro Emerald - That Man



Caro Emerald - Stuck



Aloe Blacc - Loving You Is Killing Me


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From The Vaults: Modcast #200 5th Anniversary Special

Once more into the vault my friends, once more into the vault. Step back in time, to a time when the modcast was young and fresh. Take a giant step outside your current listening constraints and journey with me all the way back to 2010. I've opened up the vaults and dusted off a classic modcast that I think you'll enjoy. Again.

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Welcome to the 200th modcast of Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. And, this is the 5th anniversary of the modcast. That's right we've all survived 199 modcasts. When this show started Osama really was living in a cave, no one outside of chicago had ever heard of Obama. My how things have changed.

I started this modcast in part because it seemed to me that a lot of great mod bands from the original Southern California scene of the 80s never got their due. My first few shows were dedicated to sharing the music of some great 80s mod bands and then it just sort of grew from there. Here we are a couple hundred shows later, and I still feel like some great bands are just lost in the mix. So, I'm circling right back to where it all started.

Joining me this week is my long-time compadre Ken who survived all those early days in the scene along with me a few other concert-tested veterans. We've each picked out some key songs from the likes of The Question, Manual Scan, The Three O'Clock, The Modsters and more. Enjoy, and for my tenth anniversary I promise something more contemporary. See you then.

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Agent Orange -- Bloodstains (1981)
Three O'Clock -- With a canteloupe girlfriend (1983)
Bangs -- Getting out of hand (1981)
Untouchables -- Dance beat (1982)
Chardon Square -- 65 film show (1985)
The Jetz -- Mascara (1984)
The Question -- Brand new world (1983)
Pandoras -- That's your way out (1984)
Gravedigger V -- She got (1984)
Nashville Ramblers -- The trains (1986)
Targets -- Searching for a scene (1984)
Modsters -- Why aren't you dreaming (1986)
The Event -- Nine lives (1988)
Manual Scan - Nothing you can do (1982)

The Question -- Wild Child (live 1988)


The Untouchables -- Free Yourself