Did you get his number? (No) Did you get his name? (Uhh)

Musings on music delivered when I dig myself out.

Did you get his number? (No) Did you get his name? (Uhh)

Or "Oh My Gosh," the new single from Basement Jaxx's upcoming greatest hits collection

I know the feeling, and you probably do too. You're sitting there with your hipster best, trying to catch the eye of that cutie sitting one table away. Trying to make eyes at him without being caught or considered creepy. Finally he looks up and laser beams burst forth to connect you two and it's fucking intense. When the gayze ends, you quickly relate to your effervescent friends the details of the exchange almost breathlessly. "Oh. My. Gosh." Next step: saying hi.

Though the cockney-inflected lady vocalizing this track does a good job narrating one of these moments, this song is a disappointment. When I think Basement Jaxx, I think of instrumentals buzzing with energy and crammed with oddly meshing nuance -- plenty of melodies to spare. "Oh My Gosh" relies on a number of older samples and played out ploys (blips, guitar strums, whirring synths) and falls entirely flat. This is a pretty gutsy move for them to include this new and untested track on a collection of tracks that are practically untouchable. Maybe that was the point -- to include it as an afterthought to their ass-shaking best. For shame, boys; if you're going to give a song about something we can all relate to (in some capacity), why not make it one of your best too?

Published Thursday, January 27, 2005 | 0 comments | E-mail this post