Paul Simon's 'You Can Call me Al' (1986) was blaring through Sir Breadwins when I stopped in for a coffee on the way to work this morning. The sunshine was sunshining, I'd got all zenned up at yoga, I'm kind of in love with Wellington right now, and life was just looking pretty damn sweet. And at that particular point in time Paul Simon managed to do what I've been searching for a song to do for the past few weeks: filled me with ridiculous unadulterated joy. It is such an excellent track and just look at the video -- 80s epitomised, complete with cream sports coat, choreographed horns dance, earnest eyebrows, and sweet, sweet pink walls. Yes! I bet you can't watch this without your right shoulder having a little chair boogie. Just superb on so many levels.
And, perhaps more importantly, the track brought back an excellent memory of being somewhere in front of a main stage, somewhere out on the East Coast, at some point in time, listening to a new wave synth band covering it.... At first I thought it might have been Cut Copy in 2008, but further thinking (and google) revealed that it was of course Miami Horror in 2010. These guys are great, and this is just such a great cover. I wonder if it's a coincidence that he's wearing a sweet cream sportscoat...
On another note, my foray into google for a Friday morning drew some interesting critique of Cut Copy for borrowing liberally from the 'Call me Al' riff in 'Take Me Over' -- have a listen. The end may be 'Call me Al', but I can't get past the opening bass riff: pure Fleetwood Mac 'Everywhere'.
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