Mark Ronson - Stop Me

Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather, "Stop Me" (YSI link)

Mark Ronson, "Stop Me (Chicken Lips remix)" (YSI link)

Mark Ronson, "Stop Me (Dirty South remix)" (YSI link)

The Smiths, "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (YSI link)

Coldplay, "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before[live]" (YSI link)

It's all Mark Ronson all the time at Pound for Pound. Well, I wasn't really planning to say a whole lot more about the man and his music, but he clearly didn't want that to happen. His soon-to-be released album, Version, which features club interpretations of cover songs. What caught my eye, and clearly proves that Ronson is a reader here, is his inclusion of an interpretation of The Smiths' "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before." I mean, dude knew that this is the only guaranteed way to get coverage here. Well-played, Mark, well-played.

Seriously, the album sounds really interesting, can't wait to hear what he's been able to cook up with P4P favorites like Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. However, I can't say that I'm a huge fan of this "Stop Me." What really ruins it for me is the ending, where suddenly we get a version of the Motown classic, The Supreme's "You Just Keep Me Hanging On." It's a seamless transition, but it just seems a little too cute for my taste. Do those two songs really need to be stitch together? I do love the string sounds on this one, turning the song into a soulful affair, letting guest Daniel Merriweather sing it out. I don't know, maybe I'm being a baby about this one. Let me know what you think, as it probably works a lot better than I'm writing here. Go here and grab an import version of the new album or put in an advance order for the domestic release mid-summer for a cheaper price.

The remixes are stellar, both really making these dancefloor friendly. The Chicken Lips remix is my favorite, an amazing transformation that sounds so beautiful and lush. Those strings with the house beats works perfectly, almost wish they'd take the vocals out. The Dirty South remix is more suited to our normal fare, featuring a creaking-door bass that is siiiiiiccccckkkk. This is the one for the club imo, do it up right.

I couldn't help but take this chance to add a few treats from The Smiths side of the song. There's the original, which is easiest to find on Strangeways, Here We Come, the band's final album. While that album was hastily put together, it's still better than most shit. "Stop Me" is one of the most interesting songs, brilliant lyrics about love, lies and pain, a nice upbeat pace, wonderful sound. Buy it immediately if you don't own it already. Finally, there's a Coldplay live cover, which I believe comes from Oct. 29, 2002 at OxFam Fairplay gig. With this one song choice, Chris Martin makes up for marrying that fake-Brit, pretentious Gwyneth Paltrow. All is forgiven. Enjoy, people, this post foreshadows the next one today in a wonderful way.