Bertine Zetlitz - "500" and My Italian Greyhound

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Ms. Bertine Zetlitz has a new single called "500" coming out July 3, and the album, called My Italian Greyhound, follows on Sep 11. Will these records be awesome, or just wonderful? Will they make her the big star she deserves to be, even though her last album Rollerskating should have already done that? More importantly, why haven't I heard "500" yet? I HAVE NO PATIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO NEW BERTINE MATERIAL, PEOPLE.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

No, really, why?

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

i would ask for a ysi but well

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

Well, my starting this thread is definitively not my attempt to beg someone to send it to me at brittlelemon at gmail.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking that it will be awesome, instead of just wonderful.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

i love italian greyhounds!

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:44 (nineteen years ago)

"Rollerskating" and "Sweet Injections" are so ridiculously good, this one surely is goign to be AMAZING.

Every file sharing application I have has come up empty. NOT LONG NOW, though, Brittle!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 22 June 2006 22:51 (nineteen years ago)

it was so weird going to Norway and seeing Bertine Zetlitz records everywhere. however they were still too expensive for me. where oh where are the used Bertine Z records on ebay.co.uk?

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Friday, 23 June 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

I have heard a clip of this.

Some lyrics:
Suddenly I'm blind
You've been on my mind
600 for a letter from your fanclub
600 though you probably want more
600 cause you kept it in your bathtub
600 boy, I heard it all before

No, the "600" isn't a typo. Production is by Pleasure, and it very much sounds like it. Um, not really hitting me so far. I hope it grows on me because Bertine has put together an awfully nice run of singles (say, starting with "Adore Me") and this isn't as good as any of them!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 04:39 (nineteen years ago)

it was so weird going to Norway and seeing Bertine Zetlitz records everywhere. however they were still too expensive for me.

The prices they go for at the Platekompaniet shops are not really a lot more expensive than the ones in the big shops in London.

As for the "Will it make her a star" question, I am afraid not. Mainly because she doesn't seem to intent on going international. Mind you, this will be her fifth album and I have never ever read anything about Bertine Zetlitz being released internationally (something Norwegian tabloids usually write about in huge types every time it happens).

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Geir, do you like "500"?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

The single is being released so far ahead of the album that I'm expecting it to be a killer track, something they think is so great that it seems to Bertine like an instant hit even before she's properly finished the rest of the album. (In other words, I've set my expectations too high.) It seems like it's not, but I'm still hopeful!

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, this is FANTASTIC. Possibly I am biased and predisposed, but...FANTASTIC. It's very clearly a Pleasure production, but there's something a bit Xenomania about its structure -- the way the chorus is in some ways in the place of the verse and vice-versa, the catchy instrumental riff that's almost another chorus. The lyric is typical Bertine too -- a bit twisted and dark. I love it.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Saturday, 1 July 2006 03:12 (nineteen years ago)

Having heard the whole thing now, I agree that it IS in fact fantastic. Run of amazing singles intact.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 06:40 (nineteen years ago)

Got to hear the thing now, and, yes, a great single. Maybe her best since "Girl Like You". Possibly even her best ever.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 1 July 2006 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

Btw. to me, her run of amazing singles was broken with "Ah Ah", which just doesn't do it for me. "Adore Me", "Fate", "A Girl Like You", "Twisted Little Star" and "Fake Your Beauty" were all great though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 1 July 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

Geir, "Ah-Ah" = Bertine's "Buffalo Stance" moment. Love it. All those other singles are of course very great. I think "Twisted Little Star" is still her best.

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 2 July 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

I have to hear this.

Oh, I just have. Yup, her run of good singles continues unbroken. Not as great as "A Girl Like You", but then, what is?

― davidsim (davidsim), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

It looks like, if you go to her website (www.bertine.com), you can follow a link that will alllow you to buy "500" from the US iTunes store.

While you're at the site, you should of course watch the video for "500," in which Bertine, because she's so fab, kills, with her penis, the woman she's stalking.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Saturday, 8 July 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

Those who are into Bertine Zetlitz should also check out another new Norwegian hit single - "Samantha" by Margaret Berger.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 July 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

http://myspace-292.vo.llnwd.net/00408/29/26/408536292_l.jpg

She looks like Little Mo.

I really like the song though. Thanks Geir!

― j0e (j0e), Sunday, 9 July 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

So yeah, this is gorgeous. Interested parties might want to say hi via the giggidygiggidymail

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 28 July 2006 02:22 (nineteen years ago)

please please please please please hit me up

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Friday, 28 July 2006 07:11 (nineteen years ago)

I'm saying hi! Me me me! club.clique AT G male

― Affectian (Affectian), Friday, 28 July 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

Cough, this blog has "500" up, as well as a Bertine primer.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Saturday, 29 July 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

four weeks pass...

And the second single, "Midnight" is floating around - there's a stream on the official site. It is awesome.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 26 August 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Here's the tracklist for the album, now slated to come out Sep 18:

01: Draggin' Me Down
02: 500
03: Obsession
04: Get What You Deserve
05: This Time
06: Midnight
07: This Moment
08: Never Let You Go
09: Sleep Through The Storm
10: I'll Be Fine

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Sunday, 27 August 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

I can't find this song '500'... But I like 'Samantha' from Margaret Berger, should I try Bertine?

― zeus (zeus), Sunday, 27 August 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

Go for it, it's a great track.

― Affectian (Affectian), Sunday, 27 August 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

Greyhounds aren't Italian; this album may be suspect/dodgy.

― Domenico Buttez (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 28 August 2006 04:41 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

This album is absolutely superb.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 18 September 2006 07:12 (nineteen years ago)

It is. I still prefer "Sweet Injections" even more, but this is her best since that one. Better than "Rollerskating" (which was not at all bad either)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

"Sweet Injections" is great, but it drags a TINY bit in the middle with "Piper Piper"/"Chainsaw" and "Slowly" is not that fantastic a closing song.

Certainly "Slowly" is NOTHING on "I'll Be Fine" off MIG which is completely mindblowing.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

It is superb. I've been listening to it quite obsessively over the past week and I've yet to find something to dislike in it. It's even almost impossible to pick my favourite songs, as each single one is so consistently good. But "Midnight" does have a special room in my heart. Everything about it is just so beautiful, and with a strange aura of "cool", it seems to be the perfect paradigm of what the album is. There's a melancholic tone all over the album, in the melodies, in the lyrics, in the rain, on the sonics. And still, there's not a single note of desolation, or even sadness, it's just plain beautiful, in a heartbreaking and non-boring way. Bertine is sounding more mature (hate that word, but it's the most accurate), and yet, she still has that spark. And the final track truly is great. So great that it always takes me a while to realize that the album really has ended. I can easily see this becoming my favourite album of 2006.

― ana (ana), Sunday, 24 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

So when (and I am not speaking of the Norwegian market here - she is already HUGE in Norway) is Bertine going to cross over from ILM to the global success she deserves even more than Annie did?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 24 September 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

Btw. besides Margaret Berger, Annie and Bertine Zetlitz, there is also sort of an underground scene for electro in Norway.

A band called Töyen Airport is still mainly a net phenomenon, but are now working at the debut album. Check out their Myspace site at: http://www.myspace.com/toyenairport

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 24 September 2006 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'd take any of the last 3 Bertine albums over Anniemal anytime.
Though Annie's "Heartbeat" is better than anything, ever.

― ana (ana), Sunday, 24 September 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

I ordered "My Italian Greyhound" from cdon.com on Wenesday and it arrived on Saturday, hurrah. I agree with Edward and Ana that "Midnight" and "I'll Be Fine" are the two best tracks. The album also has an enhanced section which allows you to stream the follwing remixes:
Ah Ah (Deeper Love Remix)
Apples And Diamonds (Tee Production Remix)
Fake Your Beauty (Pleasure Remix)
Fate (Disclab Remake)
Girl Like You (Datarock Remix feat Fredrik Saraoe)
Snow On A Hot Day (Erot Remix)

― davidsim (davidsim), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Also via the enhanced disc: an ill-advised cover of "Islands In The Stream", a 'challenging' version of "Fate", a picture gallery, and videos for eight previous singles plus the video for "Midnight", which reveals Bertine's fanbase to be - as expected - scary girls and camp gay men. (Not sure this link will work, but try this).

― davidsim (davidsim), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Note that Margaret Berger has now released her "Pretty Scary Silver Fairy" album, which may be of interest to all those who like Bertine Zetlitz.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

Got the Margaret Berger album today, and it is brilliant. Not quite as "dark" as "My Italian Greyhound", which I still rank slightly ahead, but still crowded with great 80s influenced pop. Part of it sounds a lot like Bertine Zetlitz but I can also hear influence from Saint Etienne, Junior Boys, Fischerspooner and Ladytron.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 6 October 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

I wish I had paid attention to Margaret Berger earlier.

I first heard "Will You Remember Me Tomorrow?" last week and found it drop-dead gorgeous. I will definitely be seeking the album.

Seriously, I want to go to Norway. I want to breathe what those people breathe.

― ana (ana), Monday, 20 November 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

The soothing "Sleep Through the Storm", being my latest obsession from Bertine's My Italian Greyhound, has forced me to bump this.
This album needs to be loved.
It's like the pop equivalent of Teedra Moses' Complex Simplicity, if that makes sense to anyone.

― ana (ana), Friday, 12 January 2007 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

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