Brightest Young Things

So, sure Wilco is all sold out and whatnot, but who cares when Deep Blue Something is in town?
(and I know this isn't a proper substitute, so don't remind me).
BUT....
Come on, are they even still alive?
How come they're not insurance agents or car salesmen somewhere in the Midwest by now?
how are they still touring?
I seriously almost gasped when I saw their poster (featuring a still of Audrey Hepburn no less) at Iota the other week.
Remember this? (how could you not?)

As I have told MULTIPLE people since, the summer I turned 15, I came to visit my pen-friend in America for the very first time ever (I have always lived a charmed life, I know) and she gave me the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" single and the Fugees LP as my birthday present (and then we went to a pool party, it felt like a John Hughes movie to me, that whole summer). And those were probably the first legal music CDs I ever owned (Serbia was under economic embargo then and we all just bought 50 cent pirated compilations with britpop and bad german dance music and listened to them ad nauseum)

So, to celebrate the summer I was 15, and to mentally prep you for the nostalgia trip you may (or may not) chose to take tonight, I bring you:

The songs that ruled the charts circa 1995
you know you know all the words to all of them.
(and so as not to mix it up with the disaster that was 1996's Macarena summer, I actually looked this up, so this is very well researched and chronologically accurate, in case you were wondering, plus I tried to get a nice little cross section of genres over here)

TLC - "Creep"
seconds later "Wonderfalls" will come out, Left Eye will go a little crazy, and all you will ever want will be satin PJs

Alanis Morissette - 'You Oughtta Know'
Every girl in the world remembers hearing this for the first time. Supposedly by Dave Coulier, who fucked her up so bad, Alanis proceeded to walk around with hair in her face, yell in deserts and then find yoga and date Ryan Reynolds. Things DO turn around.

Mariah Carey - 'Fantasy'
In the meantime, Mariah Carey had NO PROBLEMS IN HER LIFE WHATSOEVER.
but she did have rollerblades, denim cut-offs and Tony Mottola as a husband. So, maybe that was punishment enough.
And yet, while I hate Mariah, but I somehow love this song.
What is wrong with me?

Coolio - 'Gangsta's Paradise'
this was a bad movie, and the song is so cheesy I sort of want to shoot the screen when it came up on youtube, yet we all "grooved" to it. I think it has something to do with rapping so slow, everyone could sing along. Plus, Michelle Pheiffer's low.

Madonna - 'Take A Bow'
the year Madonna decided to be classy for a while.

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly'
I love Weezer. And I LOVE this song. And I LOVE this video. But then, everyone did to.

other big songs included Live, and Goo Goo Dolls and some other stuff I couldn't really bring myself to youtube, for fear of scratching my eyes out.
In the meantime....
across the pond over in England - Britpop was God:

Pulp - "Common People" and "Disco 2000"
Remember when "Different Class" came out, and every song was just so sing-alongable? Plus, Jarvis Cocker made heavy breathing IN EVERY SINGLE SONG 100% acceptable, and they made some of the finest videos ever. (I am still sad their DVD collection is not available in the US)
Check it:

Oasis- "Champagne Supernova"
The Gallagher brothers were drunk and pretty annoying, but they made some killer music that even now you know all the words to (an Oasis song is like riding the bycicle: once you learn it, you never forget it). Also see: Wonderwall and Don't look back in anger.

Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue - 'Where The Wild Roses Grow'
Nick Cave went and made a murder ballad album.
Shocker, I know. He's such a sunny character
It was all collaborations too, and while PJ Harvey was right at home in it, it is this gothically beautiful Kylie-talking-to-her-killer video that is pretty much unforgettable.

Elastica - 'Connection'
In the meantime, Justine Frischmann was the coolest girl in London (and dating Damon Albarn) and putting out pretty solid stripped down punk pop. "2:1" from the Trainspotting OST is still my favorite but this was EVERYWHERE.

Blur-"Universal"
Not that Damon himself was a slouch. Take this, "Country House", "To the End" and all the Parklife remnants, and you have yourself the "best of" album you still sort of have to own.

Supergrass - "Alright"
And the ultimate cross-over song (which was also on the "Clueless" OST along with Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" and Jill Sobule's "Supermodel") this marked the beginning of Gaz and co. chewing up the scenery whereever they go, for over a decade now. Plus, this video is yet to be outdone in my book.

Now, go make some mix tapes and tell me what I forgot.
and if you're going to the show tonight, I want a review.
I don't care from whom.