Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sweet and Sour for music success

My latest and no doubt temporary fixation with a song by Die Antwoord (pictured) called Enter the Ninja got me thinking about what I think is a recurring formula in music - the mix of sour and sweet. A mix of heavy rock / heavy synth sounds with a sweet or clear girl vocal.
A mixture of evil and pure?
Some examples that i have purchased and might still be in my loft  - a really really old one ( I've still got this on vinyl) was Peter Townsend Peppermint Lump. Then Malcom McLaren (RIP) Madame Butterfly. I bought this as a 12" single and kept replaying the vocal (by either Betty Ann White or Deborah Cole) because I couldn't believe they were sung by a real person. Tatu Not Going to Get Us exploited that same trick thanks to Mr Buggles and some sharp "are they gay?" PR.
Evanessence You Bring me to Life. and other songs work the clear woman vocal, heavy rock mix and Rammstein did a duet with Charlene Spiteri on a song called Stirb nicht vor mir .

What do you think? Any other examples? Comment below.

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