This one I've been saving for a while, since I got this heavy cardstock single with what looked like layered spraypaint graphics of old boy band covers...the freaking work that must have gone into this packaging alone led me to believe this one was going to be really special. Not only that but there was sealed letter inside, after tearing into it this morning and reading a copy of a letter to Karl Blau from Clyde Peterson...I won't divulge exactly what's in the letter, you have to pick this up, but R. Stevie, Calvin Johnson and the Cars are mentioned...at first I thought Clyde was that weirdo producer who put together 98 degrees or something, and I'm reasonably sure this single is from an electro pop duo called Team Gina...but I'm not sure of anything at this point. It's a great mystery, and I have 25 tabs open trying to figure out who's involved in this exactly...on top of that I think Team Gina has called it quits and this might be the only single they ever released, which is a damn shame, this is completely in line with Ariel P and Luscious Jackson's long lost collaboration.
"Sensual Seduction" from the A-Side (pot leaf rubberstamps on the center label, further murk the waters of what exactly is going to be on this record) has more layers of dubbing than deciphering where this came from. A subtle buried cheap beat and synth rises out of the hiss and dolby r(s?)eduction and a deep up front male voice seductively says something in french? (nice) then soulfully breaks into a smooth chorus part. The mic is up close, it's a barely sung vocal, almost whispered, holding back the croon. This would be enough to set the scene for this reinterpretation of the '80s, capturing everything in spirit, but doing it in this contemporary no-fi way...and if you commit like this, the result is hilarious, and awesome..being able to pull this off...and then damn...the Gina's come in loud as hell, back and forth in the bedroom, no pop screen mic'd, rapping about all the ways they are going to seduce you...it's just plain funny as hell, and I almost did a spit take with my coffee...all over the turntable.
Baby let me tell you how im going to seduce you / its starts with funny videos on youtube / then I leave a message on your answering machine / telling you to pick a number one two three / lead you on a scavenger hunt all over seattle / its like choose your own adventure / I'm a maude to your harold
It's that fake sexy they really give in to, a trashy, kitch, glitter pants sexy....that actually exists, but these ladies know better. They're messing with the whole idea of seduction...and what about flipping the hustler script to this world where ladies are crushing hard, and out to get what they want. Is that why it's funny? No, they're putting together great ridiculous player lyrics, but the bigger concept is what they're obviously getting it. Maybe it shouldn't be so hilarious buddy.
The B-Side, "You Got It, The Right Stuff" starts with a Gina singing a capella in what has to be a cover of The Right Stuff. This version is slowed down and for the chorus there's a group of friends half singing oh oh ah oh oh, the right stuff....come on you know it. It's ridiculous that music during that period was so pervasive...into every part of your stupid adolescent life. You had no choice! We all know this song...how the hell did they do that? What kind of pay per play society do we live in to have something invade every high school dance? It makes me sick. I know Team Gina is singing this ironically...and what makes this maybe better than just earning a wink is they sound like they're half falling asleep...a sort of experiment to see if this song can still get to you if we really distort it into something else. You still know it. I think it's safe to say that no matter what you do to this song....it will never be good, and middle school will come rushing back in a bad way. Damn you Team Gina, you had me with the A-Side.
Get this sexy single from Offtempo records.
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