Josie Cotton - Movie Disaster Music (Scruffy Records) remember Johnny Are You Queer? from 1982? The reclusive singer is back with my pick of the week, a zesty, infectious romp that bridges the sexy cleverness of 1960s girl singer charm with the smoky cool of a James Bond themeJosie Cotton, Movie Disaster Music (Scruffy Records): Speaking of disappearing lead singers, ever wonder what happened to Cotton, who burst onto the indie scene with the controversial Bomp Records single, Johnny, Are You Queer?, and after signing with Elektra, seemed to vanish into thin air. Although she recorded five albums over the past 22 years, she released only one, 93s Frightened by Nightingales, but has been busy creating a series of recording studios with legendary punk producer Geza X, including Malibus Cliffside Satellite Park, where Elliott Smith did his last album, Basement on the Hill. Thanks to the encouragement of her frequent collaborators, local producer/writers Paul Roessler and David McConnell, she finally gave in to releasing her latest effort, and its quite a departure from Josies old Go-Gos-meets-Bangles girl group pop. In fact, Cottons turned into a darkly sensuous new wave chanteuse on songs like the noir-ish Nikita and End of Story, while still maintaining her sense of humor on novelties like Kung Fu Girl, Lookin for Elvis and Happy Face, in which she drags the famed yellow smiley icon through the dirt. The only shame is it took her so long to get over her disgust with the record industry. Heres hoping the wait for the next album is a lot shorter. RTMany of you likely remember Josie Cotton's two early '80s albums on Elektra, Convertible Music and From The Hip, or at least the addictively frothy semi-hits "Johnny, Are You Queer?" and "He Could Be the One" and her flirtatious performance of same in the cult movie Valley Girl. (Both albums were recently gathered on one disc by Collector's Choice, incidentally.) Considerably less well-known is her 1993 album Frightened By Nightingales, a compelling exercise in Kate Bush-style art rock. Supposedly, five albums have been recorded but unreleased since then, but nearly 25 years after her new wave debut comes the stylish Movie Disaster Music. Cotton's primary musical foil this time out is producer and keyboardist David McConnell (Goldenboy), although old friend Paul Roessler, longtime partner Geza X, and original mentor Larson Paine all chip in. The largely electronic tunes occasionally nod to Cotton's synth-pop past, but more mature downtempo artists like Portishead and St. Etienne are closer to the mark. Cotton has never sounded better vocally, her always-alluring voice burnished into a low, sexy purr that's best served by the jazzy Julie London vibe of the closing "You're the Boss." One or two songs don't work particularly well, but the occasional misses are more than compensated for by elegant electro-pop gems like "Bridget in the Sun" and the swooning, dramatic "Beautiful But Deadly."
--Stewart Mason
My new album Movie Disaster Music is out now on Scruffy records and available on CD BABY, iTunes, Amazon.com, Virgin Megastore, Amoeba Records and coming to stores near you soon!!
Some have to dance, some have to kill, and I have to sell these f***ing CDsMyGen Profile Generator
