Dan Condon: Sick Tunes, 22 November, 2013

22 November 2013 | 2:30 pm | Dan Condon

Which song should, on paper, be the best of the year? And why isn't it?

PRINCEDa Bourgeoisie

Download it here (seriously, Prince said it was okay).

This is “stolen” demo from Prince's vault (totally not stolen, Prince is so lame sometimes) that the Twitter account of 3rdEyeGirl – Prince's latest, all-female band – offered to a fan to do with what they wanted. The fan threw it up on WeTransfer and the Prince sanctioned Twitter account sent people there, so we can be pretty sure that this is how Prince wants to release his music at the moment. It's so refreshing to hear him embracing this side of technology after being so vehemently against it for so long.

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As for the song, it's simple and funky and features a really pissed off sounding Prince addressing a lady who has decided to leave him for another lady. I wonder what it's like breaking up with Prince? Maybe I can write some fan-fiction about it over the weekend.

THE NOTWISTClose To The Glass

We haven't heard from The Notwist in years, but the German band have signed to Sub Pop (in the US) for their first record in almost six years (I don't count the Storm soundtrack because I never heard it. Tree falls in the woods etcetera.)

The first time I heard The Notwist was on a Spunk Records sampler that I thrashed to death in the early years of this millennium, so it's good to hear that the band will remain with Spunk in Australia for the Close To The Glass LP next year. Their song Pick Up The Phone from 2002's Neon Golden had me hooked immediately upon hearing that compilation, but this new one, Close To The Glass, isn't such an immediate pop gem.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, though; it's an altogether more interesting track and, as so many of the band's songs tend to do, it rewards repeat listens as you figure out where the wild piece of music is going to go next. It's hard to believe it's only three minutes long, the band have packed so many wonderfully freaky noises in here, but they're pretty unique kinda composers.

RAEKWONA Rainy Day

It has been a while since I dropped some Wu in this blog, so I think it's fair that we acknowledge Raekwon's latest cut – mainly because it's really good. It's low key and soulful as hell, with the Chef's considered verses rolling over the top of the smooth RoadsArt beat, which borrows a little from Raekwon's own Rainy Dayz, which seems fair enough. I'm pretty sure this is taken from his next record, Fly International Luxurious Art, due next year.

There has been a fair bit of talk in the media about Raekwon being the main reason there isn't a new Wu-Tang Clan record ready in 2013, 20 years after the classic Enter The Wu-Tang – 36 Chambers. It's probably true, but when Raekwon is dropping tracks like this and Ghostface Killah can put together something as brilliant as this year's Twelve Reasons To Die, you kinda gotta wonder whether another Wu-Tang LP is even worth worrying about.

NILE RODGERS X DISCLOSURE X SAM SMITH X JIMMY NAPESTogether

I love that the kids are back into Nile Rodgers. I'll probably hate it when they all laugh at my moves of the d-floor upon his return to Australia next month and lament the fact that, just 18 months previous, I was able to boogie on down without hassle from people who think they are (and actually are) far cooler than me.

That Disclosure record was good (not great – the singles were great) and Sam Smith is vying with Pharrell and Lorde as the heavy hitting vocalists of the year both in the mainstream and out, I'd say, so this is one freaking monstrous collaboration. (I won't pretend to know who Jimmy Napes is.)

Of course Together doesn't live up to what automatically pops into your head when you hear of this calibre of artists teaming up on one track; on paper it should be the song of the year, but in reality it's little more than a fun, flimsy slice of wobbly soulful pop. I happen to like fun, flimsy, wobbly soulful pop (it's my 48th favourite genre) so the track passes the Sick Tunes test with flying colours.

If I owned a mansion, I'd pump this song so hard at my pool parties. Instead, I'll play it a mid-volume when my housemates are out of the house because I think they'll hate it.

RIP TWO UNSUNG BLUES GREATS

I need to finish with a tribute to two of the finest blues acts I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. This past month has seen the passing of both Adolphus Bell and Dr Burt, both acts who were looked after by the Music Maker Foundation in the final years of their life.

Dr Burt was one of my “must see” acts for Bluesfest this year. As much as it pained me to see him perform to such diminutive crowds, it was a real treat to be able to hear a couple of songs from a veteran bluesman who has lived such an incredible life.

I really, truly urge you to please watch these two clips; rarely have I seen artists play with such fire in their bellies, even as late in life as they were.

DR BURT

ADOLPHUS BELL