Mop-and-Go Music for the Masses

Photo: Mark Ronson is one of my favorite producers, and also made my 2008 Laminated List ("the Exception List"--you know you have one). Congratulations, Mark!










Albums you should be listening to while cleaning (alternately titled, Artists I'm Listening To While Resentfully Cleaning the Kitchen):

Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple; fun--really fun. Mostly mellow with a few manic breaks. "Run" is probably the best song *ever* to dance around to like a back-up for the Supremes.

I'm an Abbey Road fan, myself (or a Beatles fan, rather), but that's because I like to sing while I'm cleaning. It's also nice while organizing. But if you don't like singing along to Abbey Road, you don't deserve to listen to the Beatles at all anyways, jeez.

The Snatch Soundtrack (this link includes music samples, just scroll down); this is in my Top 3 as far as soundtracks go, but probably in my Top 20 overall, to be honest. It's really diverse, and each song has an intensely-driven beat that makes doing the dishes almost fun. (Almost.)

I know I go on about them (they're in my Top 5, for sure), but Hot Chip actually makes cleaning fun and aerobic; for the best compilation, take their most popular stuff from all three albums, because some of their slower stuff will make you want to procrastinate. Believe me. Try 'Shake a Fist', 'Ready for the Floor', 'Over and Over'... the classics.

Amplive's Radiohead remixes (free album download through the link); this album has a song for every type of cleaning. It's also the kind of album that makes you want to groove, which I believe was outlawed in the 70's. 'Faustz' is my favorite song; 'Weird Fishez' is Manthony's, although I think he's just being silly over the name.

Did someone say Britney Spears? I didn't. Did I? Or was that you? I think it was you. Because I would never say something like that. Nor would I say that her last album, Blackout, helped me clean my kitchen today.

Need something instrumental? Try Ruben Gonzalez, from the Buena Vista Social Club; I think of his music as vintage, spicy-flavored piano. It will make you want to salsa with your Swiffer Wet Jet all over your kitchen floor, and then you will feel like a dork.

Normally I would put Mrs. Madge on here--Madonna's Greatest Hits, or Confessions--but since I was so unhappily underwhelmed by her last effort, I think I'm going give the slot to Lady GaGa. Most people think she's the New Pop, but I think she's bridging the gap between the 'old school pop' I grew up with, and the sexified electronic music in the gay clubs (aka "the good clubs"); her fate will be sealed when she plays the Mainstage at San Fran's Pride Parade this summer. 'Just Dance' is a catchy little tune; although pop is pop, and most people hate it, I think she's kind of refreshing, in a retro way. One of her songs reminded me of an Ace of Base song, and that made me laugh. What's next, Roxette?

BBC's 6 Mix featuring Mark Ronson; the best set list of all time. Smooth and punchy, just like I like my women. And since I don't know where to find a sample compilation (my sweetie downloaded it for me from... the internet ether), here's the tracklist (I posted this on a Myspace blog once, sorry for the repeat):

Richard Swift – Songs of National Freedom
The Smiths – Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
Candie Payne – One More Chance
Rumblestrips – Back To Black
Pete Rock and CL Smooth – They Reminisce Over You
Arcade Fire – Intervention
Beach Boys – Sail On Sailor
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons – Beggin (Pilooski edit)
Kings of Leon – Slow Night, So Long
Queens of the Stone Age – Better Living Through Chemistry
The Gaylads – Fire & Rain
Ben Folds Five – Battle of Who Could Care Less
Stevie Wonder – We Can Work It Out
Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song

There are countless others, I'm sure--but now, I have to practice what I preach. To the Swiffer!