It has been two years since I last had the pleasure of writing about The Chelsea Curve. The Boston-based mod-pop trio faced some major setbacks following the release of its last single in May 2023. The band's dear friend and label boss Justine Covault passed away suddenly. Bassist and vocalist Linda Pardee was diagnosed with breast cancer. Drummer Ron Belanger moved to North Carolina. All that adversity would be the ruin of a lot of bands, but The Chelsea Curve was always destined to come back stronger than ever. Pardee is now in good health. The band found a new drummer in Boston music veteran Bruce Caporal (Boy Wonder, Auto Interiors, The Burrs). And here we are welcoming a new Chelsea Curve single on the illustrious Rum Bar Records! While we will still have to wait a while for new original songs from the band, this new single will be an absolute treat for fans since it finds the trio embracing its mod influences more directly than it ever has before. One track is a Northern soul style dance remix of All the Things album-opener "Jamie C'Mon." The other is a cover of an old Northern soul classic. Ace Face would wholeheartedly approve!
I'll be honest: I am usually the world's most skeptical person about remixing tracks. To me, remixed tracks are either barely distinguishable from the original version, or they ruin the song. But holy cow: this remix of "Jamie C'Mon" by English producer/DJ Andy Lewis is absolutely insane! It completely transforms the song — but not in a way that does a disservice to the original. Lewis has turned the song into a full-on dance rager, and there's something about this particular production that highlights how incredible Pardee's vocal is. Sometimes I'm so focused on Pardee's talents as a songwriter and musician that I don't fully appreciate how great of a singer she is. But man, her vocal on "Jamie C'Mon" is pure fire! What a glorious thing it is to realize that (some) people still dance to real music! Speaking of songs you can dance to, "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney" is a red-hot rendition of Mickey Lee Lane's 1965 rock 'n' roll/soul stomper (already a staple of the band's live set). Of course it retains those gritty R & B grooves, but it definitely has a lot of The Chelsea Curve's signature stylings. The band's musical chops are undeniable, and Pardee knocked that lead vocal out of the park. Man, this track is one big ball of energy!
A 7" record of "Jamie C'Mon"/"Hey Sah-Lo-Ney" (The Chelsea Curve's first-ever vinyl release!) will be out on July 11th. For now, you can grab the digital single and be prepared for your next dance party. These are exciting times for this band and its fans. If you didn't know it, now you do: The Chelsea Curve is back!
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/jamie-cmon-andy-lewis-remix-b-w-hey-sah-lo-ney
https://open.spotify.com/album/2y5hcqTA8epe5dK0qgeeqQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG_ntjPHGJE&list=OLAK5uy_lJb3tgd6ZQZ_7bByDxNaxVFvUMVOWYE3I
https://www.facebook.com/thechelseacurve/
https://thechelseacurve.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.instagram.com/thechelseacurve/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thechelseacurve
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/
https://www.instagram.com/rumbarrecords/
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