Meddle by Little Boots

Often things converge to point you to something that is worth, at the very least, further investigation.  This week two people, who's musical tastes I respect, pointed me to Little Boots and her song "Meddle".  If you don't want to read the whole story - cut to the chase - I like the song (fast and catchy).  I can't stop listening to it.  More on why below.

[caption id="attachment_43" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Little Boots (by gibdie)"][/caption]

First, a friend who lives in the Netherlands sent me a large envelope of articles cut from the Sunday Times which she picks up when she's in the UK.  She sends these packets a few times a year and it's always fascinating to find that even though we haven't lived in the same city for more than ten years, we are still very much into a lot of the same things.  It could be books or art, but most frequently it's music.  We were college DJs and had a show together in the late '80's.  Being a college radio DJ is of course a natural progression from making mix tapes in one's dorm room.  OK, now I'm dating myself.  Anyway.  The articles included a short piece from the 'Here's what I think' column by Little Boots.  She offered some insight on the pros and cons of cyberspace for today's musicians.  For example, do we really care what she had for breakfast?  But more on that topic in another blog. 

Earlier this week I downloaded a mix from a guy I dated briefly.  Although things didn't work out for us, we had a great time together and spent most of our dates talking about music.  I respect his taste, even though it's very different from mine.  He posts monthly samplers on his website for an editing company that is always looking for music for TV and movies.  There, on his May sampler, among some other fantastic songs, was "Meddle" by Little Boots.  

Now I'm hooked by the '80's, disco-y, catchy groove and the chorus with the twinge of anger.  It makes me want to jump around and dance, kind of sixties style, shaking my hair around and maybe doing the mashed potato or something.   So I put it on my ipod and went to the gym and proceeded to run very fast.  It was a great motivator.  

Her vocals remind me of Terri Nunn from Berlin, so I pulled out their album Pleasure Victim from 1982.  "Meddle" certainly harkens back to the melody of  "The Metro".  But "Meddle" has a underlying sense of anger, and as I mentioned, it's just fast and catchy.  I think that she's singing this song to a guy, telling him not to meddle with her heart and her mind, but its not her heart and mind, its another woman's, a friend I assume?  Very cool. We don't hear enough women telling men to not mess with their friends. (Now that I've said that someone will tell me about the thousands of songs that take this perspective. Whatev. I don't believe it's typical).

Check out Little Boots and the tune "Meddle". Let me know what you think. Her debut album, Hands, is due out in June.  Her newest single is "New in Town". It doesn't grab me like "Meddle" did, so the verdict on Little Boots is still out.  She's touring in the UK and was voted No 1 on the BBC's Sound of 2009 poll.  Check out her web site and myspace page for music and videos.  

 

PS - Victoria Hesketh a.k.a. Little Boots claims her nickname is not a reference to movie Caligula, but, in fact, refers to her small feet.  

See and hear songs from this blog post:
Little Boots Meddle
Little Boots Meddle (acoustic bedroom version)
Berlin The Metro

More Info:
Little Boots
Berlin