putting the j in jjosh

Normally I would hate this kind of sugar-y sweet pop nonsense, but something about de-contextualizing it and putting it in the frame of busking makes it work for me. Big time. Roisin Murphy performing "You Know Me Better" on the streets for BBC2 Culture Show’s Busking Challenge. (There’s another Busking Challenge clip floating around of Frank Black beginning to play in Ireland and the cops shutting it down, but it’s kind of frustrating).

Somehow watching it like this, I love the song. It feels like some really dedicated music-types worked and worked to get this slick sound, and dance moves (does she do the robot at one point?!) and couldn’t get signed so they took it to the streets of London. It’s in such a real world, so far removed from the glitz of music videos or photo shoots. People’s phones ring, there’s some kind of clattering cart that goes by in the beginning (it makes Roisin smile)…I love it. And I know if I heard this song in a bar or a club it would make me feel sick.

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