54. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKSsP2084nU&list=OLAK5uy_nZZjkBu_E4olFSb5Ey-fQ-4a0ZCqJICdQ
In case you missed it last month, Daft Punk broke up. The announcement was made, as so many are these days, via video.
While there are many great accomplishments the duo made during their 28 years together, I think their finest album was Random Access Memories, which cleaned up at the 2014 Grammy awards with Best Song, Record of the Year, and Best Pop/Duo Group Performance for "Get Lucky"--the breakout hit from the album. The album itself won for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, Best Dance/Electronica Album, and Album of the Year.
This album was another one that I bought before Julie and I took our anniversary trip to tour all of the lighthouses on the Pacific coastline of Oregon and northern California. I especially remember driving through the redwood forests in California while listening to Random Access Memories. So when I hear the dance tracks on this album, I don't think of disco balls and lighted dance floors. I think of 20-foot wide trees that are as tall as a football field is long.
Random Access Memories features a lot of songs on which various other artists were featured. But the collaboration that surprised me the most was for the songs "Touch" and "Beyond," which featured lyrics written by Paul Williams. Yes. THAT Paul Williams.
Apparently, Paul had a big impact on the overall theme and sound of the entire album, so I guess it's somewhat fitting that when Daft Punk won the Grammy for Album of the Year, it was Paul who gave the acceptance speech--because Daft Punk don't talk none on the TV. However, while I do like the lyrics on "Touch" and "Beyond," I don't think they're as good as the lyrics Paul wrote for his most famous song. No, I'm not talking about "Evergreen" which was sung by Barbara Streisand. And I'm not talking about "We've Only Just Begun" which was sung by The Carpenters. Nor am I talking about "Rainbow Connection," which was sung by Kermit the Frog. I'm talking about the lyrics to the theme song for The Love Boat! Now THAT's music that's exciting and new!
And now I suddenly find myself wondering if anyone has done a version of "The Love Boat" theme song with Jack Jones' voice on auto-tune. I'm also wondering how much better The Love Boat show would have been if Bernie Kopell and Fred Grandy had worn helmets with full face masks. But I guess only guests get to wear helmets on The Love Boat.
So, a couple of things happened when I was listening to this album. First, when you listen to albums on YouTube, sometimes they'll insert advertisements between some of the songs. So, when "Giorgio by Moroder" started playing and I'm hearing this guy talking, I'm thinking it's a really strange ad.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, I was folding and putting away laundry while listening, when all of a sudden a voice starts singing and I start thinking, "Wait, I know that voice! That voice...it's...it's Paul Williams!" And than as soon as I thought the name, I remembered your right-up, which prominently featured Paul Williams. But, just for a moment, the musical part of my memory was trumping the reading part of my memory. Yes, I remember the voice of Paul Williams. (And not just from "Smokey and the Bandit.")
I really like this album. Besides the joy of hearing Paul Williams voice, there's the definite influence of Chic. And "Instant Crush" has a great Alan Parsons Project feel to it. I think I can officially say that Daft Punk is my second favorite musical robot duo team. (Sorry, but C3PO and R2D2 are a tough act to beat.)