Bowing us out this week is former Can keyboardist and  all-round cool dude, Irmin Schmidt with his 1991 track “Le Weekend”. Taken from the album Impossible Holidays, the song is a four and bit minutes of tango-inspired silliness, which let’s face it, all of us need after a loooong week in the office, and with the impending Rapture and all (plus in my case a stinking hangover), a little silliness is good for Friday.

So have a good weekend. Take it away Herr Schmidt!

Irmin Schmidt – Le Weekend

In 1980, the former Suicide lone instrumentalist Martin Rev released his self-titled debut album on the imperious No Wave label Lust/Unlust. The record has become much sought after due to Rev’s edgy employment of Suicide’s proto-synth pop, hypnotic drum machines, jittery synths, and drone bass lines.

Have a listen to the wistful yet eerie electronica of the album opener “Mari” and then try track down a copy.

Martin Rev – Mari

If, like me, you’re dreading the return of normality tomorrow and want to banish those end of Bank Holiday blues, there’s nothing better than to bounce around to the sounds of everyone’s favourite Glaswegian post-punkers Orange Juice.

The Edwyn Collins-fronted group released ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ in 1982 and was one of the many highlights of their classic second album Rip It Up.

So crank up the strutting sunshine funk and revel in some shiny indie pop and let’s forget that we have to go back to work tomorrow

Orange Juice – I  Can’t Help Myself

This slightly tongue in cheek synth-pop track was the title track of former Tangerine Dream founding member Pete Baumann’s 1981 album ‘Repeat Repeat’. Baumann shared production duties on this record with the suave Robert Palmer, who adds a charismatic sheen and melody to the track. With its detached and slightly jaded robotic vocals and jaunty new wave groove, the results are simply hypnotic.

Peter Baumann – Repeat Repeat

Everybody knows Greg Kihn Band’s early 80s pop/dance classic ‘Jeopardy’, hell, even Weird Al spoofed it back in the eighties. But there’s always an excuse to post this 1983 gem in any shape or form. So enjoy this instrumental version, with its lovely reverb, big drums and Italian-style synth keys. Don’t mind me, I’m still laughing at Weird Al’s version.

Greg Kihn Band – Jeopardy (instrumental version)

Yo ho ho! Christmas is here once again! Here at Days Are Numbers we’re pulling out our special Christmas stocking to bring you our favourite festive moments. From disco coated candy canes to sackfuls of Santa soul, you’ll be soon walking in a post-punk winter wonderland. Or have you dancing with a lovely lady like randy ol’ St. Nick up there.

So to kick off our festive frivolity, here’s the Joe Meek produced Roger Lavern and the Microns’ 1963 classic ‘Christmas Stocking’. Season’s Greetings dear readers!

Roger Lavern & The Microns – Christmas Stocking

As the snow falls around us, how about we get warm and cosy with everybody’s favourite Belgian anti-pop star Plastic Bertrand and his cover of 1983 new wave/Balearic classic? Oh, go on then! It’s too cold to argue.

Covering Nacht Und Nebel’s glorious leftfield classic ‘Beats of Love’, Bertrand croons in French on this slightly melancholic pop oddity.  Probably the best cover of Patrick Nebel’s most famous song, this alongside ‘Stop Ou Encore’ is probably the best thing the new wave prankster ever did (yes, that includes the ad man’s favourite).

That crazy Plastic Bertrand! He’s probably building a nice snowman outside as we speak…

Plastic Bertrand – Gueule D’Amour

The Man From U.N.K.L.E David McCallum, teamed up with legendary producer David Axelrod in 1967 to record the cult crate diggin’ classic, Music- It’s Happening Now! (great title) in 1967.

House of Mirrors was sampled by DJ Shadow on his track Dark Days back in 2000. The lopsided and laidback feel of the track makes it ever so inviting and slightly bewitching…

The lovely and hypnotic grooves provided by the superb musicianship of Carol Kaye and Earl Palmer, as well the silky production stewardship of Axelrod, creates the perfect Halloween warm up track. Put it on while you’re making your Zombie punch, it’ll add a touch of swinging 60s glamour to the proceedings. Or something like that.

David McCallum – House Of Mirrors

The first record to feature electronic phasing effects, Toni Fisher’s eerie and extraordinary song, The Big Hurt, entered the US Billboard Chart at number three in 1959. The record-buying public presumably beguiled by the enigmatic Fisher’s vocal delivery and the mind-bending phasing provided by her producers Stan Ross and Dave Gold, propelled the young singer into stardom.

Legend has it, that WKBW DJ, Dick Biondi, would introduce the song on his show as “Toni Fisher’s weird one”. Well, on that strength alone Toni is the first entrant in our Surreal Singles Club.

The wonderful reverb and phasing adds a melancholic and unnerving sheen to what seems like a usual 1950s pop song and gives the song it’s Surrealist edge.

Bizarrely, The Big Hurt is often dismissed as a ‘gimmick’ track but it is one of the most influential tracks in electronic music history. And besides, what’s more surreal than Miss Fisher looking a bit like a latter day Joan Crawford on the cover? I mean, how did she know Joan Crawford would turn out like that?? If that’s not surreal then what is?

Toni Fisher – The Big Hurt

Released in 1978 on the Crypto label, this funky little jazz number comes from the cult French jazz duo Cortex. Taken from Alain Mion and Alain Gandolf’s third album Pourquoi, Sans Toi is a quirky mix of electronic sounds and groovy Gallic pop.  Apparently written for Mion’s wife, this is more than loving tribute to his beloved spouse. Also, watch out for the bit with the sexy sax!

Magnifique!

Cortex – Sans Toi