Review: Hercules and Love Affair - Sidetracked

I'm not going to lie, Hercules and Love Affair has a strange premise for their second release. Rather than cooking up a batch of fresh, original tunes, the New York based 'musical project' decided to simply throw down a mixtape.

Perhaps this isn't too weird for those more duly familiar with Hercules and Love Affair. Being a musical act that is comprised mainly of DJ Andy Butler and guest artists, I guess it is understandable that Sidetracked was made the way it was, but it doesn't excuse the fact that the Love Affair is a strange entity.

Why? For starters, this mix is completely packed with an eclectic mix of disco and house tunes that practically scream "hey, I have a cooler music collection than you, but I guess I'm willing to share." Also, one of the greatest things about this album is that it is a two CD release as well, with one CD containing the mix and the other with all the songs featured in their original states.

Other than that though, there really isn't a whole lot to say about the album. I mean, it is mixed really well, but if you aren't a production freak, then you probably won't care a whole lot about that. The song selection is fantastic, but all of it's all pretty obscure and it'd be hard to imagine a non-disco or house fan getting a kick out of any it. Sidetracked just seems to exist for the people that already enjoy Hercules and Love Affair's vibe and can are capable of bobbing their heads to more than just "Blind" or "You Belong."

So, I guess if you're into this sort of thing already, or you like listening to DJ sets in general, you should go ahead and snag yourself a copy, but otherwise you'd better stick to the Love Affair's debut if you are looking to get acquainted with them and hold out for their next release that Butler claims will involve "a whole handful of new artists."

Song of the Week: Looking Glass - "Brandy"

Feeling old school; so old school in fact that I would post the oldest video I've seen of a double kick. Look out for it!

Just Jack. Just Good.

Straight from the land of the beloved Queen herself comes English musician Just Jack, who offers an impressive, undeniably catchy mix of pop hooks and alternative rhythms. Having honed his mixing and sampling chops as a youngster, this is an artist perhaps destined to be picked up by the global music scene.

What? Never heard of Just Jack (real name: Jack Allsop)? Neither did I until I ran across the video for his new single, "The Day I Died." Really, I still don't know how I found this gem on Youtube; somewhere between listening to Crazy Town, N.W.A. and David Guetta's ridiculously ear-infecting collaboration with Akon, "Sexy Bitch," a link to this hereto little-listened-to artist appeared. Bored on the job, I clicked, and much to my surprise, a totally legit, DAMN GOOD song played.

Further research revealed that Just Jack has been known on the British scene for some time, ever since his 2002 debut, The Outer Marker, which featured the singles, "Paradise (Lost and Found), "Snowflakes," and "Triple Tone Eyes." After making a television appearance on BBC in 2007, Just Jack's popularity across the pond increased, as his single "Starz in Their Eyes" climbed to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

So much, though, for worldwide fame — based just on the number of plays on his Myspace page, Just Jack has a ways to go. But cheers, mate: If this very brief introduction/review is any indication of your future prospects, all things are looking up. And the best part is that when Just Jack becomes as famous as that other very famous Jack of White Stripes fame, you can tell all your friends that you knew about this rising sensation before everyone else (courtesy of tableau, of course!)