Neil Young - the loner, 1969

"It's one of Young's most enduring early songs, blending acoustic folk elements with electric guitar flair and subtle string arrangements. Critics praised its "ice-pick vocal" and powerful instrumentals"

The Beatles - the walk cover, 2021

"The Beatles recorded a version of Jimmy McCracklin’s 1958 hit ‘The Walk’ during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions in January 1969. The song was written by Jimmy McCracklin and Bob Garlic. Released as a single in January 1958, it peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1958."

Air - surfing on a rocket, 2004

"Surfing on a Rocket" is a song by French electronic music duo Air from their third studio album, Talkie Walkie (2004). It was released on 9 April 2004 as the album's second single and features additional vocals by singer Lisa Papineau. In the United States, "Surfing on a Rocket" was released as an EP on 19 October 2004. The track also appears on the soundtrack to the football video game FIFA Football 2005."

Mew - why are you looking grave, 2005

"To end out the week, we ask Mew frontman Jonas Bjerre some questions about endings and death. The Danish band formed way back in 1995, releasing their debut album, A Triumph for Man two years later in 1997. But it was 2003’s Frengers that first garnered them international attention, with 2005’s And the Glass Handed Kites further growing their audience outside of Denmark thanks to songs such as “Special” and “Why Are You Looking Grave?” (which featured the guest vocals of Dinosaur Jr.‘s J Mascis)."

The Go-Betweens - that way, 1983

"The Go-Betweens' country of origin has been of crucial importance in forging their identity. Unlike many groups in this country, they still maintain an admirable idealism — an uncompromising belief in their music and a distaste for the manipulative moguls operating inside the major record corporations. They don't like Britain much, they're here briefly because their record company is Rough Trade. It has faults, but they feel it's been about the best option on offer."

Bom ano novo de 2026

Confio-Te, Senhor, o próximo ano.

Dá-nos sabedoria para apascentar os dias, paciência suficiente para suportar o que deve ser suportado, e um coração puro para acreditar.
Concede que saibamos colocar-nos em humilde relação com as grandes coisas de que a vida é feita.
Que nos sintamos como aprendizes e discípulos da revelação do teu amor que acontece no tempo.
Não nos deixes acomodar: que o conforto da estalagem nunca nos seduza mais do que a beleza da viagem; 
que o conhecimento acumulado de ontem não nos dissuada de sairmos para contemplar o novo orvalho que brilha, hoje, nos prados;
que o nosso olhar não esteja fixo no dedo que aponta, mas naquela flor silenciosa que é a lua.
Em cada estação ensina-nos a tomar, a decifrar a noite inteira, não a escuridão mas uma estrela.
Ensina-nos a considerar que não é o mal, mas um traço de bondade, que melhor reflete um coração.
Ensina-nos a prestar atenção ao rebanho de nuvens para compreender que sempre, acima de nós que pisamos o chão, os céus ficam extasiados.
Ensina-nos a não querer ser senhores de nada nem de ninguém, mas sim peregrinos conscientes de que a história a que atracam é uma terra sagrada.
Para quem o quer ouvir, o vento do teu Espírito passa como um assobio primaveril anunciando o degelo.

A nossa existência nunca é tão bela como quando nos olhas, Senhor! — Card. José Tolentino de Mendonça

Paul McCartney - penny lane paul is live, 1993

"I like some of the things the Animals try to do, like the song Eric Burdon wrote about places in Newcastle on the flip of one of their hits. I still want to write a song about the places in Liverpool where I was brought up. Places like The Docker’s Umbrella which is a long tunnel through which the dockers go to work on Merseyside, and Penny Lane near my old home. Paul McCartney – Interview with Flip Teen Magazine, May 1966."

It's Immaterial - an ordinary life, 1990

 

"The song "An Ordinary Life" draws inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1920 short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair, telling a melancholic story of unrequited affection, loneliness, and routine existence. It's often praised as part of an understated, introspective record that's gained cult status over time (e.g., ranked in Uncut's top 200 albums of the 1990s in 2024). Despite critical acclaim for its poignant portrayals of ordinary lives, the album was a commercial disappointment."

Pink Floyd - see-saw, 1968

"It is the third Pink Floyd song written solely by Richard Wright, and features Wright on lead vocals and piano, Farfisa organ, xylophone and Mellotron. On the recording sheet, the song is listed as "The Most Boring Song I've Ever Heard Bar Two". It was recorded on the 25 and 26 January 1968 at EMI Studios. David Gilmour uses a wah-wah pedal on his electric guitar and possibly contributes backing vocals."

Pearl Jam - mankind, 1996

"The inspiration behind “Mankind” is often interpreted as Gossard’s commentary on authenticity in the mid-90s rock scene. Several sources describe the song as a “scathing put-down of imposter bands” that were flooding the music scene in the wake of Pearl Jam’s success (PEARL JAM - NO CODE (1996) - The Year Grunge Broke). By 1996, the grunge explosion had given rise to many imitators, and Gossard’s lyrics and attitude in “Mankind” reflect a frustration with trend-chasing and musical facades. One music review called the track a “riff-driven put-down of second-wave ‘grunge’ bands” (The Genius Of… No Code by Pearl Jam - Guitar.com). In tone, however, Gossard approached the subject with humor and irony rather than anger. He delivers the song in a tongue-in-cheek manner, once referring to his own rough lead vocals as a bit of fun within the album (No Code – More Than Ten). The band was aware that fans and radio listeners would be surprised to hear Stone on lead – indeed, its debut “took fans and radio stations by complete surprise in 1996” (No Code – More Than Ten). This willingness to subvert expectations was very much in line with Pearl Jam’s mindset during No Code, an album defined by experimentation and defying mainstream conventions."

Fazerdaze - shoulders, 2017

"‘Shoulders’ features a casio-like keyboard sound, that reminds this listener of the casio work of Chris Knox and Tall Dwarfs, and Amelia's layered mournful vocals. Another standout is ‘Friends’ with an intro of single bass notes leading to a vocal, then simple drum beats and finally a contrasting loud guitar. We were ready for a blast of colder air and this blows and mingles some of the traces of unease that have accumulated and now reside faintly beneath the surface of this album."

Paul McCartney - we can work it out paul is live, 1993

"Paul Is Live, Paul McCartney’s third solo live album, was recorded in 1993 during his New World Tour. The tour visited Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA, and was in support of McCartney’s Off The Ground album. The majority of the recordings on Paul Is Live were from the US leg of the tour, mainly from Boulder, Charlotte, and Kansas City. The title ‘Paul Is Live’ refers to the Paul Is Dead myth, which began shortly after the release of Abbey Road in 1969. McCartney and engineer Geoff Emerick began selecting songs for the album in June 1993, during a break in the New World Tour."

The Lightning Seeds - if only, 1999

"Occasionally, the Lightning Seeds sound like a warmer version of the Pet Shop Boys, especially on "If Only" and "Happy Satellite."

The Go-Betweens - dusty in here, 1983

"Forster rated the songs on the album as the best set he and McLennan had ever written, most flowing "in a gold rush over a warm English summer".

Neil Young - human highway hitchhiker, 2017

"Recorded over the course of one lazy, stoned day in Malibu in 1976, Hitchhiker was never bootlegged, unlike Homegrown and Chrome Dreams, its unreleased cousins from the mid-'70s. Neil Young first let its existence be known in 2014, when he mentioned a 1976 solo acoustic session recorded with longtime producer David Briggs that was "a complete piece."

Paul McCartney - hope of deliverance live, 1993

“‘Deliverance,’ to me, is a religious word, a biblical word that you hear in church, and I’m glad to be using it in a secular context — in the context of a love song, that’s to say. We want deliverance from all the darkness that surrounds us.”

Lee Scratch Perry - merry christmas happy new year, 1986

"The Jamaican legend kickstarted Bob Marley’s career, has worked with everyone from Paul McCartney to John Martyn to the Clash, and has racked up countless records as both artist and producer. Perry’s 1960s and 70s studio innovations were decades ahead of their time, and the godfather of dub’s incalculable influence is still reverberating through genres from hip-hop to grime to dubstep."

The Moody Blues - in the quiet of christmas morning bach one hundred forty-seven, 2003

"December is the sixteenth and final studio album by the Moody Blues and their only Christmas album. Though they decided against recording any further albums following its release,[2] the band continued to tour intermittently until 2018."

Mew - she came home for christmas, 1997

"She Came Home for Christmas is the second single by Danish alternative rock band Mew. The song was released after "I Should Have Been a Tsin-Tsi (For You)". The song originally appeared on the band's debut album A Triumph for Man in 1997, and was later included on Frengers, a compilation album of sorts, in 2003. The song was released as a single in both Denmark and the United Kingdom multiple times between 1997 and 2003."

The Flaming Lips - christmas at the zoo, 1995

"There are many beautifully-written efforts at capturing the season in musical form that fly under the radar. If you’re looking for something to add to your holiday playlist then Christmas at the Zoo by The Flaming Lips is a truly lovely example"

Lee Scratch Perry - santa claus, 2008

"The background of Lee 'Scratch' Perry's 54th studio album is the traditional reggae rhythms and chill-out vocals that have defined his sound over the years. But this time it is drenched in sharp electronic effects, fast driving beats and production by Perry's good friend Andrew W.K. The eclectic mix of influences keeps Perry pumping out tracks that are fresh and club ready."

Neil Young - powderfinger hitchhicker version, 2017

"Back then when we played this record for business folks, the reaction was that it was not a real record, but a collection of demos. I was advised to record the songs with a band, but the Hitchhicker versions are the true originals, recorded earlier than any versions you may have ever heard, and I always knew the original album would find its place and surface. That time is now."

Dumbo Gets Mad - thank you neil, 2015

"The Italian boy-girl duo Dumbo Gets Mad may harken back to the sounds of 70's soul and psychedelic rock, but their eyes are set towards the abyssal reaches of outer space. According to the band, their latest LP, Thank You Neil, is inspired by Cosmos: A Space Odyssey, a mind-blowing science show about the universe and its mysteries hosted by renowned astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson."

Sweet Unrest - sometimes, 2025

“This song started about a breakup, but I abandoned it because I couldn’t figure out the rest. Then two of my mates died in the same week, and the rest of the song just fell out of me. After their deaths, I realised how I wanted to live: to love better. If I could do that, they wouldn’t have died for nothing. Though inspired by different events, the song deals with one feeling – accepting loss in any form and celebrating the memory of people who aren’t here anymore. It starts with an aching heart, and explodes into a celebration of joy and life, working through grief in its own way. Every time we play it, I’m reminded that after sadness always comes joy.”

Crystal Castles - vanished, 2008

"an echoey tunnel of fuzzed-out synths and bouncy, cartoonish tones"

Elton John - hoop of fire, 1986

"Even the most ardent enthusiasts freely admit that Leather Jackets (1986) was nothing more or less than a final fulfillment of his six-album deal with Geffen Records."

Bob Dylan - hurricane, 1975

"Dylan had written topical ballads such as 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' and Bob wasn't sure that he could write a song [about Carter]... He was just filled with all these feelings about Hurricane. He couldn't make the first step. I think the first step was putting the song in a total storytelling mode. I don't remember whose idea it was to do that. But really, the beginning of the song is like stage directions, like what you would read in a script: 'Pistol shots ring out in a barroom night.... Here comes the story of the Hurricane.' Boom! Titles. You know, Bob loves movies, and he can write these movies that take place in eight to ten minutes, yet seem as full or fuller than regular movies"

Paul McCartney - i've just seen a face live unplugged the official bootleg, 1991

"Paul McCartney's live acoustic performance of "I've Just Seen a Face" comes from his 1991 MTV Unplugged session, released as the album Unplugged (The Official Bootleg).Recorded on January 25, 1991, at Limehouse Studios in London, this was one of the earliest MTV Unplugged appearances and the first to get an official album release. Paul performed truly unplugged (no amplifiers), with microphones capturing the acoustic instruments directly. He explained the "official bootleg" title by noting they rushed the release to preempt unofficial bootlegs from the TV broadcast."

Club 8 - daydreams, 2025

"The Stockholm-based indie pop duo (Karolina Komstedt on vocals and Johan Angergård on everything else) continues their prolific 2025 output with this track. It features their signature breezy, hooky sound—described as nostalgia-inducing, with Karolina's ethereal and yearning vocals over shimmering guitars and a steady motorik groove. The song captures a pleasant, bittersweet reverie, acknowledging that good moments are fleeting."

Neil Young - clementine, 2012

"Every one of these songs has verses that have been ignored. And those are the key verses, those are the things that make these songs live. They're a little heavy for kindergarteners to be singing. The originals are much darker, there's more protest in them — the other verses in "This Land Is Your Land" are very timely, or in "Clementine", the verses are so dark. Almost every one has to do with people getting killed, with life-or-death struggles. You don't hear much about that; they've been made into something much more light. So I moved them away from that gentler interpretation. With new melodies and arrangements, we could use the folk process to invoke the original meanings for this generation."

Pink Floyd - jugband blues, 1967

"Jugband Blues" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, in 1968. Written by Syd Barrett, it was his sole compositional contribution to the album, as well as his last published for the band. Barrett and Pink Floyd's management wanted the song to be released as a single, but were vetoed by the rest of the band and producer Norman Smith."

Paul McCartney - let it be official music video filmed on the day after the January 30th rooftop concert, 2000

"On 30 January 1969, the Beatles performed a concert from the rooftop of their Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row, in central London's office and fashion district. Joined by guest keyboardist Billy Preston, the band played a 42-minute set before the Metropolitan Police arrived and ordered them to reduce the volume. It was the final public performance of their career. They performed nine takes of five new songs as crowds of onlookers, many on lunch breaks, congregated in the streets and on the rooftops of nearby buildings to listen. The concert ended with "Get Back", and John Lennon joking, "I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we've passed the audition."

Neil Young - for the love of man, 2012

"For the Love of Man" dates to the 1980s. Young has released a 1987 recording of the song on his online archival album Summer Songs."

Damien Jurado - wedding cake, 1997

"Waters Ave. S is a tentative but thoroughly charming debut. Backed by a ramshackle combo, Jurado can sound like J. Mascis fronting an indie-rock Nick Drake or Gordon Lightfoot tribute band."

John Van Deusen - jesus of nazareth acoustic live, 2025

"I’ll admit that I was skeptical of a much more straightforward “Jesus song” coming from John at first, especially coming on the heels of a few albums that were much more open to interpretation in terms of how the listener could apply the lyrics to their own experience of faith."

Chumbawamba - timebomb, 1994

"Born to a working-class family in Burnley, she had a bad relationship with her dad, got involved with drugs and left school with only a couple of O levels. Fortunately, she started hanging around with a more aspirational group of kids and that basically saved her. Together they became Chumbawamba. (I get knocked down, but I get up again.)"

Melody's Echo Chamber - eyes closed, 2025

“My eyes are closed not in denial, but in devotion—to vibrant memories, to the complexity of human feelings, to seeing more deeply. It’s also driven by a resilient aesthetic that emphasizes the beauty of transient things and the bittersweet feeling of their impermanence.”

The New Pornographers - avalanche alley, 2017

"the album is perfect for the long top-down drives that we all dream of at the start of summer. Though not shockingly different from The New Pornographers’ past works, the album does seem to capture an amount of gained perspective and perfectionism"