Energy 92.7: A Report Card

This isn't like when in school the teacher sat you down and told you everything that you had done wrong. Oh the power trip teachers get to exhibit is amazing! (j/k)

Since the last time I have written about Energy 92.7, a lot has changed. They have added a good number of songs, have kept up the quality of their mixshows, and the on-air talent is very interesting.

Over the course of the last couple of months, some major songs have been added. The Rauhofer Reconstruction Radio Edit of "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey, the Kaskade Radio Mix of "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls, and the Jason Nevins Mix of "Lonely No More" by Rob Thomas are just some of the dance mixes of pop/R&B songs that have recently been added to Energy 92.7's rotation. I have been loving these songs too. Through the First Spin segment during Matt The Bratt's show during Mondays thru Thursdays at 9:15 P.M. where two songs "battle" to get the listeners votes. A song that gets a majority will go on and compete with another song. Any song that successfully wins for 4 consecutive nights will be officially added. A couple songs that didn't win during the battle got added too. Reina's "Forgive" and Ian Van Dahl's "Inspiration" are two such examples. A good number of songs have gotten exposure through this segment. Major props to Matt and the rest of the Energy administration for allowing that segment.

The mixshows are always a joy to hear now. Cardio Radio which airs Mondays thru Fridays feature some classic dance tracks and some current ones. And it's always refreshing to hear a bunch of 90's songs. Especially in the Bay Area. It's a rarity to hear many of those songs. Energy has surpassed Wild 94.9!!! Seriously. It's hot and fresh everyday on Energy!

The Weekend Kick Off Mix is great too. Trevor has been choosing some great records lately. Aaron Smith's "Dancin", the Lenny B mix of Ciara's "Oh", the Atlantic Soul Mix of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", Kyria vs Velez's mix of "Killin' Me" by Jenna Drey and Studio B's "I See Girls" are just some of the exclusives Trevor has been throwing in the mix lately.

Massive Mix, Clubber's Commute and other such mixshows on the weekends are great too. Lots of music that is hot in the clubs and in Europe. If I turn the volume high enough, I can't tell the difference between being in my living room or being in a club. The quality of music and mixing is great.

The on-air talent is top-notch. I couldn't summarize it any better.

And I couldn't finish without mentioning that the online stream is still the best! The quality is amazing and it must be said.

Keep up the good work!

Review: Erasure - Breathe

This review was supposed to be posted a week ago, but I have been extremely pre-occupied with other things. Here it is.

This is the latest single from UK duo Erasure. They are back with their current album Nightbird. "Breathe" is a breath of fresh air. Opening the CD-5 is the Radio Version. This is a downtempo, electro style that beckons you to play it over and over again. The vocals from Andy Bell. are in top form, as is the instrumental. Next is the Album Version. This one starts very differently from the Radio Version., but is equally enticing. Strangely, both versions are almost the same length. There are only some minor differences. Then we come to to track 3, "Gone Crazy." This is another downtempo track. The vocals are a bit more subdued than they were on "Breathe." This isn't a bad track. The filtered guitar/synth sounds in the middle sound very retro, like some of the 1980's stuff by Depeche Mode. Next is a track called "Mr. Gribbers and His Amazing Cat." This is an amazing piano-based instrumental. Despite being only 2:40, it packs the punch of a much longer piece. The is deeply haunting while it is uplifting. Then it is back to the "Breathe" remixes. The Acousic Version comes next. This is an excellent mix. It is very light on the ears in its stripped down form. The guitar on this version is noteworthy. Adult contemporary and chillout stations should have jumped on this treasure. Pete Heller's Phela Mix comes in with a bang! Deeply electro and beat-heavy, this mix is perfect for playing with all those Armand Van Helden, Felix Da Housecat, Mylo and Miss Kittin songs. It fits right in easily. The echoed vocal adds some depth to the track. Immediately following this is LMC's Extended Mix. This is a trance/hi nrg mix. Many elements from the original version are present in this darker mix. There is only some resemblance to LMC's recent work in this remix, but the quality of the production lets you forget that other remixes they have done have a similar sound. A radio edit should have been included of LMC's mix, but it wasn't. Import releases of the single included the edit. Finally, we come to the When Andy Bell Met Manhattan Clique Extended Mix. Almost completely driven by the bassline, this version builds greatly on the original version. This is a good alternate mix. This too has a retro feel. All in all, this maxi single is worth purchasing. In addition to the multiple mixes and other songs, the music video is included. This is an essential single for DJs and Erasure fans alike.

Madonna on ABC's The View

Today, Madonna made an appearance on The View. In addition to talking about her husband, children and her life now, she spoke about her childrens's storybooks and her upcoming album.

Here is the complete interview in mp3 format.

Dance Artists On ABC's The View!

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week (the 7th and the 8th, respectively) two major artists who have made contributions to dance music will be making appearances on ABC's gabfest The View.

On Tuesday the 7th, Shakira will be stopping by to promote her latest Spanish-language album Fijacion Oral which has already spawned the growing hit "La Tortura." This album just happens to be coming out on the 7th.






And on Wednesday (the 8th), the Material Girl herself, Madonna will be making an appearance promoting her latest children's storybook entitled Lotsa Da Casha. She may even discuss her upcoming documentary which goes behind the scenes of the hugely successful Re-Invention tour from 2004. It had been previously titled Reinvented Process, but it has been re-titled as I'm Going To Tell You A Secret. Also, Madonna has been in the studio working on some new songs for her upcoming album. No word on dates, but some insiders see the album coming out towards the end of this year to early next year. Next, Madonna will be seen in an upcoming photo spread with an accompanying article in the July issue of the Ladies Home Journal. I have already seen the photos, and they are amazing! This issue should be on newsstands very soon. Here is the cover.

More songs going MIA on Energy!

Some more songs have gone MIA on Energy. Here is a list of the casualties.

Emma - Free Me
Scissor Sisters - Filthy Gorgeous
No Doubt - It's My Life
Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes
Stellar Project - Get Up Stand Up
Lasgo - Surrender
Kaskade - Steppin Out
Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started