girl groups

What other musical genre has its own sport? Much like the water-based activity its named for, surf rock is often almost always played by men. This BitchTapes is devoted to women surf musicians, including my best friend, who not only surfs, but tremolo picks like she's Dick Dale's daughter. Listening to this why-can't-it-be-summer-yet summer mix, I hope you feel heat-induced calm, tidal anticipation, and even a little danger...enjoy!

If you are also in love with group vocals and surf-punk tunes, check out The Suicide Notes. And if you and your friends were thinking of starting an awesome singing group, do it: The world needs you.

If you can tear yourself away from Jhameel this weekend, tune into Bitchtapes, where this week you can listen to all-female bands from the provinces!

Track list after the jump!

While snow is coming down all over the country, spring is poking its head out of the rain clouds in Portland, and I find that nothing suits the tease of spring better than cutesy female harmonizing. This mix features women from the 1920s to the 2010s bringing in the spring with vocal precision and fun tunes.

 

I can't add much to Annalee's farewell to Brill Building great Ellie Greenwich, who died this week at age 68. (Ann Powers of the L.A. Times also has an excellent appreciation of Greenwich's life and legacy here.) But as a devotee of the girl-group sound and the history of the songwriting women behind it (seriously, rent Allison Anders's film Grace of My Heart, whose fictional central songwriter, Denise Waverly—neé Edna Buxton—was based on Brill Building women like Greenwich, Carole King, and Cynthia Weill), I've spent the past few days revisiting her classics. Here are a handful.

 

Ellie Greenwich, October 23, 1940 – August 26, 2009

American singer, songwriter, and producer Ellie Greenwich died yesterday of a heart attack. Greenwich was best known for writing and co-writing such girl group classics as "Be My Baby" (The Ronettes), "Da Doo Ron Ron" (The Crystals), "Leader of the Pack" (The Shangri-Las), "River Deep, Mountain High" (Ike & Tina Turner), and many others. Greenwich and Jeff Barry, her former husband and writing partner, had 17 singles in the pop charts of 1964.

 

Read more after the jump.