Grant McLennan - no peace in the palace, 1994

"Grant and I had always planned to take last year off. Our last album Oceans Apart did so well, Intermission was intended to give new fans something to look into and to tide old fans over. When Grant died, I froze. I didn't know what to do about music. Everyone left me alone to decide in my own time and, at the end of 2006, I felt the best thing to do was to carry on as we'd planned; finish sorting Intermission."

Of Monsters and Men - little talks, 2012

"Little Talks" is the debut single by Icelandic indie rock band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the lead single from their debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal (2011). It was also released on the band's EP Into the Woods."

Bee Gees - my world, 1972

"One rollicking little jaunt that me and the lads came up with in downtown Birmingham, England, whilst doing a television show called Golden Shot, the ensuing results being that it went on to be a huge top 20 hit in the UK and the US that left the three of us 'drooling' with pleasure."

Dido - sand in my shoes, 2003

"Dido ran onto a plane for a flight to Los Angeles after having been on the beach and literally had sand in her shoes. Dido said it gave her the idea to begin writing the song. Her father had fallen ill prior to the flight and Dido began writing on the plane as she said it is all she knows how to get through. Dido wrote the whole song on the plane."

Sufjan Stevens - casimir pulaski day, 2005

"‘Casimir Pulaski Day’ comes around right around the mid-point of Illinois, straight after the smile-inducing epic, ‘Chicago’; the two marking not only the albums centrepiece but also easily the best back-to-back of Stevens’ career. They are each other’s counterpoints. The maximalist orchestral sound of the first is juxtaposed by the minimalist folk of the second. If ‘Chicago’ was a delightful document of youthful escape, then ‘Casimir Pulaski Day’ was the sobering reminder that tragically for some, youth can mark the twilight years of one’s life."

The Smiths - well i wonder, 1985

"I can remember staying up late on those sweltering rainy Louisiana nights, watching the storms fall outside, while inside, I would re-read Simon Goddard’s The Smiths: Songs that Saved Your Life and listen to Meat is Murder’s “Well I Wonder” on repeat. I loved the way the Manchester rain captured so eloquently on my Smiths’ vinyl, meshed so effortlessly with the southern showers outside my uptown, New Orleans apartment."

Alexandre Saada - ebony goldfish, 2020

"When he was younger, he tried to make music that he thought people might be waiting for. That didn’t work. So, he says, “Be yourself instead”.

Wilco - infinite surprise, 2023

"The opener Infinite Surprise sets a tone of expectancy, a chugging ambience that gradually melts into a guitar ballad of deep vulnerability, showcasing a willingness to delve into softer, more introspective territories."

Air - ce matin-là, 1998

"Brent DiCrescenzo remarked that the music would befit "minimalist architecture design, shagging up against a tree in a field of sunflowers, waiting in line for 'Space Mountain,' drinking gin upstairs in a 747 (circa 1974), and '60s Swedish industrial documentaries", adding that though the album is "too cheeky" for everyday listening, it is nonetheless romantic."

Amanda Mair - before, 2012

"Amanda Mair is a 22-year-old singer and songwriter from Stockholm, who had her first breakthrough already in her teens in 2011."

Seapony - where we go, 2011

"Unlike many fuzzed-out pop bands, Seapony’s music is subtle and has a clarity to it that counters the very nature of fuzz. This makes it unique, and it can be attributed to the jangle-centric bass being at the forefront of the instrumentation while the distorted guitar takes a back seat. Jen’s vocals complement this sound. Playful and dreamy, they too feature a little fuzz."

The Beatles - no reply, 1964

"John Lennon began writing "No Reply" in May 1964 while in Tahiti, where he was on holiday with his Beatles bandmate George Harrison and their respective partners, Cynthia Lennon and Pattie Boyd. Once back in London, Lennon finished writing the song with some assistance from Paul McCartney. On 3 June, after the Beatles had completed the recording for their album A Hard Day's Night, they taped a demo of the track at EMI Studios. In the description by author John Winn, the performance was lighthearted, with Lennon and McCartney joking as they sang. Ringo Starr had been hospitalised earlier that day and was therefore absent from the recording. Winn writes that the line-up on the demo was most likely Lennon on guitar, McCartney playing drums in place of Starr, and Harrison on bass."

Arcade Fire - no cars go, 2007

"No Cars Go" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It is the fourth single released from the band's second full-length album, Neon Bible."

Bee Gees - reaching out, 1979

"the three idiosyncratic voices are still so bleached out and emaciated, and the whole sound so pasteurized by cellophane-wrap production effects that it's difficult to regard the album in terms outside of disco."

Saint Etienne - la la la cover, 1998

"The band Saint Etienne recorded another cover version, featured on the 1998 album A Song for Eurotrash with English lyrics that differ from the original"

The Style Council - the paris match, 1984

"Acting as a second part of a mini-suite beginning with the "Blue Café" instrumental, "Paris Match" continues the Bacharach/David, early-'60s-inspired mood. The melody is a delicious combination of pop and jazz, with a stately elegance that is unlike anything Paul Weller had ever written to date. A true torch ballad, the lyrics are a lonely, cinematic reflection of a lost lover in the wee hours of a London morning. The lead vocal is sung by Tracy Thorn, who delivers the emotion with a breathy grace."

Mazarin - another one goes by, 2005

"This reminds me of the rapper Common, who went by the name Common Sense on his first two albums but was sued by a ska band nobody had heard of by the same name. Hence, Common."

The Cranberries - away, 1994

"Dolores O'Riordan made it all happen with her voice, and that's not to discredit the rest of the band; but that voice is what made the Cranberries stand out amongst the rest."

Lee Scratch Perry - higher level, 2011

"At 75 years of age, Lee “Scratch” Perry should be declared a living cultural treasure and receive the protection and reverence usually reserved artists only after they are long dead. The only other musician of his age that comes close to matching Scratch’s output and longevity is Willie Nelson."

Beirut - the long island sound, 2006

"Yup, the 20-year-old is from New Mexico and currently lives in New York. Yeah, he's a kid. So, based on that information, just what should his band sound like? In recent interviews Condon's discussed his interest in French pop and chanson. While that sound's yet to work its way into Beirut, this new EP includes some important upgrades."

The Radio Dept - south side, 2006

"Drum Machine on Pet Grief. Been listening to this constantly the past few weeks. Does anyone know what drum machine they used on this record? Would also love to hear about other gear used on this record."

The Beatles - do you want to know a secret, 1963

"The song was inspired by "I'm Wishing", a tune from Walt Disney's 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which Lennon's mother, Julia, would sing to him as a child."

El Perro Del Mar - coming down the hill, 2006

“a song about coming home”

Del Amitri - heard through the wall, 1985

"the lyrics were "intelligent and witty, laced with sarcasm and venom," and the music contained "jaunty rhythms and quirky melodies."

El Perro Del Mar - here comes that feeling cover, 2006

"Here Comes That Feeling" is a song written by Dorsey Burnette and Joe Osborne and performed by Brenda Lee. The song reached No.5 in the UK and No.89 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. The also song reached No. 40 in Australia."

Etienne Daho - duel au soleil live, 2001

"Stage clothes are companions on the road and armour in which one slips into to become the Other. They are charged with all energies and emotions. Stage fright, the impatience to go on stage, the joys of sharing and the incomparable Great Love. The one we receive and the one we give".

AC Newman - beach bummer, 2014

"What's the song that plays when Wallis and Chantry are playing in the water. I know that the one that follows immediately is Beach Bummer. I looked through the song but I'm not sure if I missed it or something."

Alphaville - forever young, 1984

"Forever Young" is a song by German synth-pop band Alphaville from their 1984 debut studio album of the same name. The single was successful in Scandinavia and in the European German-speaking countries in the same year."

Everything But The Girl - caution to the wind, 2023

"a simple song about arrival and seizing the moment, so with the music we tried to capture the feeling of a perpetual point in time"

Pink Floyd - daybreak grantchester meadows, 1969

"Grantchester Meadows" was incorporated into Pink Floyd's The Man and the Journey concert suite as "Daybreak". It was performed live during the 1970 US tour, often opening the show. Live renditions of the song included Gilmour on a second acoustic guitar and providing vocals during the chorus, as well as Richard Wright playing two piano solos—one after the second verse's chorus and one during the coda (these solos were later played on the Farfisa organ)."

One Republic - all the right moves, 2009

"Lyrically, the exact meaning and point of "All the Right Moves" is somewhat obscure, but the audio textures formed by the words fit perfectly into the sound of the record. The overall feel is of an air of sadness in not quite being able to achieve one's goals and aspirations with another. Regardless of whether you experience a depth of meaning, you are likely to be singing along."

Beach Fossils - feel so high, 2023

"Love is learned. It’s harder to love than to hate, but people take the easy way out. So many people hate other people who aren’t like themselves, and it tears us apart as a society."

Bob Dylan - lay lady lay, 1969

"The song was also a favourite of popular singer Madonna, "I used to listen to that one record, 'Lay Lady Lay', in my brother's bedroom in the basement of our house," she recalled. "I'd lie on the bed and play that song and cry all the time. I was going through adolescence; I had hormones raging through my body. Don't ask me why I was crying – it's not a sad song. But that's the only record of his that I really listened to."

Neil Young - love and only love, 1990

"Sure in his most resonant songs Neil taps into the great musical vibrations of the universe that create the sound we love. Reflecting on the lyrics, he sings about classic psychological archetypes, a recurring musical motif. In Love and Only Love Neil teaches the lessons of two of our strongest emotions – Love and Hate. His description of their power and importance to our living a happy life is so elemental he has tapped into the root message of one of the greatest religious writings in history, the Bahgavad Gita."

The National - space invader, 2023

"The National’s “Space Invader” sees the indie rock champions dive into glimpses, snapshots and sounds of the past, exploring the “what if’s” that define love and loss."

Beirut - napoleon on the bellerophon, 2022

"Napoleon... returns to the Beirut that we know from previous releases in some sense - you get the strings and horns back a bit. This song, as well as the other is very minimal compared to the normal 10 instrument Beirut seen in his first two albums. The background on this song sounds very much like Scenic World. If you are a fan of Beirut pick it up, if not either get his first album or wait for an upcoming review!"

Paul McCartney - let it be live, 1985

"The 1985 Live Aid concert was conceived as a follow-on to the successful charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which was also the brainchild of Geldof and Ure. In October 1984, images of hundreds of thousands of people starving to death in Ethiopia were shown in the UK in Michael Buerk's BBC News reports on the 1984 famine. The BBC News crew were the first to document the famine, with Buerk's report on 23 October describing it as "a biblical famine in the 20th century" and "the closest thing to hell on Earth"."

The Radio Dept - closing scene two, 2008

"2006’s “Pet Grief” and 2010’s “Clinging To A Scheme” were relative cult classics within the internet music community. I have a joke with my friend Harrison, where we call them “Lund’s Finest”. I’m certainly not sure what the competition surrounding that award is, but they’re massively underrated"

The Beatles - a hard day's night, 1964

"We went to do a job, and we'd worked all day and we happened to work all night. I came up still thinking it was day I suppose, and I said, 'It's been a hard day …' and I looked around and saw it was dark so I said, '… night!' So we came to 'A Hard Day's Night.'"

Beirut - the penalty, 2007

"I was immediately drawn to Beirut when I first heard them in college. After spending many years obsessed with Wes Anderson, I was already captivated by any artistic opportunity to escape the drudgery of real life for stories of a more beautiful and poignant world. Beirut’s cinematic grandeur of multi-instrument melodies paralleled the movies I had come to love for illustrating basic human experiences of love and loss in a fresh and more contemplative way."

The Cure - just like heaven acoustic version, 2001

"I feel more natural in the company of people who are mentally unbalanced because you're always more alert, wondering what they're going to do next."

The Reds Pinks And Purples - the world doesn't need another band, 2024

"Puede parecer que Glenn Donaldson edita discos The Reds, Pinks and Purples sin ton ni son y solo porque tiene un grupo de canciones que le sobran. Pero el de San Francisco sabe muy bien lo que se hace. Porque, a pesar de que lleva más de veinte discos y EPS editados desde 2019, cada uno tiene su coherencia y no son simples “Mr. Sobras”. La prueba la tenemos en su nuevo trabajo, donde aparece una faceta más sucia de lo habitual. Algo que ha conseguido reuniendo alguno de los singles que ha ido editando a lo largo de estos años, una nueva mezcla de un tema ya conocido, y varias canciones nuevas. Y, como no podría ser de otra manera, le funciona bastante bien."

Saint Etienne - swim swan swim, 1998

"We used to be called ironic all the time. We didn’t like things that suggested we were using reference points because we thought they were funny, rather than because we liked them. I remember in that interview he refused to believe we liked Dazzle Ships by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, which these days is accepted as a great record. That album was a huge influence on us – a massive pop group putting together two or three recognisable pop songs and loads of found sounds."

Barclay James Harvest - harbour, 1978

"Harbour" is a tuneful close harmony piece and "In Search For England" sounds like classical Genesis."

Ozark Henry - this one's for you, 2010

"Ozark Henry is one of many alter egos of Belgian artist/producer/composer/pioneer in immersive sound Piet Goddaer. Over the years Ozark Henry has produced music ranging from pop, to avant-garde electronica, to a symphonic album with the National Orchestra of Belgium. Considered one of the most influential “voices” in immersive sound, Henry’s universe is defined by a blending of craft with experiment, audio with visual and heritage with technology. His ground-breaking work in 3D immersive sound has been featured in TEDx and Google NY talks. Ozark Henry is a united Nations Goodwill ambassador against human trafficking for the United Nations Office On Drugs And Crime."

Damien Jurado - and loraine, 2016

"a story of finding some sort of inner peace"

Hibou - glow, 2015

"His name is Peter Michel, he is only 20 years old.. yet he makes some of the finest dreamy pop sounds I've heard lately. Known as Hibou, he talks about craft spells, yummy cheesecakes and his forthcoming debut album."

Club 8 - left behind, 2024

"They must be among the most prolific acts out there and this after decades in the industry so it seems like Club 8 collective fire (Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård) shows no sign of abating. ‘Left Behind’ is fulsome of arrangement, heavy percussion/light harmonies and all scuttling along at the speed of knots. Yep, we’re afforded an aural view to lift us free from daily blandom and into a world where the sweet smelling sound of dreampop comes in bountiful supplies."

The Cure - closedown, 1989

"The album's third track, "Closedown", contains layers of keyboard texture complemented with a slow, gloomy guitar line. The track was written by Smith as a means to list his physical and artistic shortcomings."

Laurent Voulzy - dans le vent qui va, 2009

"It has its roots firmly in the Sixties, with “Mary Quant” coming across as a Beatles/Hollies hybrid, just brought somewhat up to date. Laurent has a pleasant voice and the album is middle of the road singer songwriter with some rock and pop elements, along with those Sixties influences, and even some ELO-style orchestration. This may not be an absolutely essential album to my ears, but at the same time it is also something I enjoyed listening to, and sometimes that is all we want from our music. It doesn’t rely on my concentrating or thinking hard about what is going on, but instead just flows over the listener in a relaxed and pleasant manner."

The Style Council - with everything to lose, 1985

"I had a total belief in the Style Council. I was obsessed in the early years. I lived and breathed it all. I meant every word, and felt every action. Our Favourite Shop was its culmination."

Monaco - marine, 2000

"When New Order went on hiatus after 1993's Republic, bassist Peter Hook took the group's sound and spirit with him. After his previous side project Revenge was shredded by critics and snubbed by record buyers, Hook returned to the New Order formula - one he helped shape - when he collaborated with David Potts (guitar, vocals) as Monaco in 1996."

Azure Ray - for the sake of the song, 2002

"Azure Ray is extremely pretty, soft, easy-on-the-tympanum pop music built around acoustic guitar strumming. If you were silly enough to try to delineate an 'indie music aesthetic,' this would fall many city blocks outside of it. No fuzz, no feedback, no indigestible chords, and all with polished production and solid arrangements."

Monaco - what do you want from me, 1997

"Sounding like New Order with smiling faces, this first offering from Peter Hook and guitarist David Potts' partnership is a bright pop affair with those unmistakable Hook bass lines."

The Beatles - and your bird can sing, 1966

"Aside from dismissing it as a substandard work, John Lennon never discussed "And Your Bird Can Sing". His first wife Cynthia recalled that the song was inspired by her presenting Lennon with a clockwork bird inside a gilded cage, wrapped in gift paper, apart from the wind-up mechanism. She wound up the bird as she handed the present to Lennon so that it sang, leaving him with "an expression of sheer disbelief on his face" as he removed the wrapping paper."

Sintra, agora mesmo, 25 de Setembro de 2024

The Polyphonic Spree - galloping seas, 2023

“We’re all galloping through rough waters. I tried to describe the process as well as I could and encourage people to keep their heads above the storm and the waves. Ride it out. It’s going to be okay. It starts off very calm and introspective, and you can envision where it’s going.”

Blur - the ballad, 2023

"The album's songs were written by frontman Damon Albarn in 2022 while on tour with Gorillaz, and composed by Albarn and the rest of the band. It was produced by James Ford at Studio 13 in London and Devon. It is Blur's first album since The Magic Whip (2015), and their shortest album, with a runtime under 40 minutes."

Architecture In Helsinki - scissor paper rock, 2003

"Can an Australian band that calls itself «Architecture In Helsinki» be any good? It probably can, but it better be real good, then, since it takes an awful lot of goodness to redeem the original sin of calling oneself «Architecture In Helsinki» when not only do you not live in Helsinki, but you live so far away from Helsinki, you might as well call yourself «Architecture In Eldorado» and get away with it on a much firmer basis. In other words, these guys are so ferociously «indie-indie» even before you hear them play a single note, they have to work double hard to earn our pardon, and triple hard to earn our admiration."

Saint Etienne - like a motorway, 1994

"Pete wrote this short-story lyric while we were on a writing trip (drinking holiday) in the Forest Of Dean. Kids in the local pub always put Exterminate by Snap on the jukebox when we were there, which subtly influenced our writing on this. It was once described as sounding like “a row of fridges”."

Barclay James Harvest - nova lepidoptera, 1978

"The morse code at the beginning of the song spells out "U.F.O.", and the lyrics are made up from cut-up titles and phrases from John's collection of science-fiction novels."

The Radio Dept - let me have this, 2005

“It’s extremely important to us to do what we think is right, what we think is fun, what we think is worthwhile,” the unexpectedly affable and very agreeable Duncanson explains"

Neil Young - what happened yesterday, 1995

"I really like how between the distortion and rock moments, there is time to do some slow, calm pieces. There’s two and they re-use musical motifs from the album, but in a minimalistic approach: it’s only an organ and Neil Young‘s brittle voice, doing a little segue (‘What happened yesterday’) and a epilogue (‘Fallen angel’). Anger and frustration paired with reflectiveness and acceptance. It’s a couple of beautiful moments in an already stunning album. If you like how this sounds, I really gotta recommend you check Neil Young‘s unplugged: he deconstructs ‘Like a hurricane’ into a haunting piece (again, only organ and voice)."

The Style Council - why i went missing, 1988

"I put a lot of time into it, and there was a better vibe when we recorded it than The Cost of Loving, which was a real rough time for us. It wasn't particularly inspiring and I felt we'd got back on track. I thought, lyrically, the songs were really good. Again, some of the performances were lacking."

Saint Etienne - marcie dreams of deptford, 2008

"At their 2003 Xmas show (which I was lucky enough to attend) they gave out a CD with a track called 'Marcie Dreams of Deptford'."

Blonde Redhead - twenty-three, 2007

"The 23rd hexagram of the I Ching is commonly known as "Splitting Apart", the point in a cycle where upheaval and disintegration enters in. The number 23, heralded by many an occultist and rag-tag philosopher is often considered a magical number associated with change, the point in a series where new energy comes in to transform the pre-existing condition and change the trajectory. A pop example of these esoteric notions, sadly, may be beloved New York indie rockers Blonde Redhead's seventh full-length, 23."

Asobi Seksu - coming up, 2011

"for a band labelled “shoegaze”, has all the uplift of a balloon taking flight, ditching My Bloody Valentine wah-wah ballast as it goes"

Nation Of Language - stumbling still, 2023

"themes of hopeless devotion, infatuation and overwhelming obsession, presented as the ideal soundtrack for long walks through city streets"

Bee Gees - irresistible force, 1997

"It was written in 1995, and was recorded in 1996 as a demo and then this song was recorded with "Miracles Happen." This track was one of the highlights in that album with its guitar and synth rock sound."

Destroyer - song for america, 2011

"It was within the album’s title track — and first single — that Bejar identifies that maybe this shift in approach would bring him the attention in the U.S that he believed he deserved. As the song enters its coda he muses to himself “I wrote a song for America….who knew?”. Due to his habit of self-referencing, this line would return towards the end of the album in a song simply called Song for America."

Bob Dylan - if not for you, 1971

"If Not for You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his October 1970 album New Morning. It was issued as the A-side of a single in Europe in early 1971."

Sintra, Praia Pequena, 23 de Setembro de 2024 de manhã

Franz Ferdinand - walk away, 2005

"Walk Away" is a song by Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand and is featured on their second album, You Could Have It So Much Better. It was released 5 December 2005 as the second single from that album in the United Kingdom, entering the UK Singles Chart at number 13 a week later."

Paul McCartney - silly love songs, 1976

"The song, which features disco overtones, was seen as being written in response to music critics (as well as John Lennon) accusing McCartney of predominantly writing "silly love songs" and "sentimental slush"; however, McCartney has since clarified that the song was actually directed to John Lennon who accused him of writing such songs."

The Mamas And The Papas - midnight voyage, 1968

"The song Midnight Voyage which closes the album has the distinction of being one of a very few Mamas and Papas tracks to be released with false starts and studio chatter, giving the listener a brief snippet of how a song comes together."

The Radio Dept - pet grief, 2006

"Fill up it does, with the heavy, industrial, almost tribal-like percussion that gives way to title track “Pet Grief.” The synthesizer carries the instrumental, while beautiful piano and acoustic guitar enter to round out the sound. The dreamy, listless, accented vocals are trademark Radio Dept., as Johan Duncanson lets you in on his inner monologue, his urge to be there for his friend who’s just been dumped clashing with his unspoken love for them. He holds back, “I’ll shut my mouth for you,” but he knows how feckless he comes across, “what can I say, what can I do for me to analyze you?” It’s a situation that has no optimal outcome (“It is a double bind, I can’t win this one“), but he chooses the passive option here to keep from pushing them away."

Such a great song!

Bee Gees - alone, 1997

"That was one of the first ones we wrote for the album. I really remember having a good time writing it. We were sort of set up in the studio here with the three of us just together and I got some bagpipe sounds. We were just screwing around. And BG programmed this groove on the computer. We thought it was cool. We don't actually go in and plan to write a ballad or an R&B song. We just say, 'Let's go that route.' And we'll follow it. And 'Alone' came out of that. I love the line 'I'm on a wheel of fortune with a twist of fate.' Because of the harmony and that chorus, it was like a bit of '50s as well. And I like the idea of being that sort of Beatlesque type of song. I wanted that rambling. That sort of Byrds type, the 12-string thing going, but we just did it with the bagpipes instead and made it all connect. It was a very exciting demo. We weren't too sure about the bagpipes, but Robin actually persisted. He said, 'They're great; you gotta keep the bagpipes.'"

Pet Shop Boys - here new extended mix, 2003

"Their immaculate synthpop packages emotion in cosmopolitanism, characterising love and loss via Italian subcultures, the Bolshevik uprising and David Lodge novels."

The Go-Betweens - finding you, 2005

“I really like the powerful build-up, it hits the line about lightning and then it’s like a crescendo. It’s written by Grant and he wrote it probably two years or something before he died, and I think it’s one of the best five to 10 songs he ever did. Magnificent song.“

Saint Etienne - who do you think you are cover, 1993

"Stewart Mason from AllMusic felt that "Who Do You Think You Are" is "one of St. Etienne's most groove-oriented tunes." Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "English modern-pop act delves into Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods' pop evergreen with fanciful, disco-minded results. Singer Debsey offers a soft, sugar-coated vocal with a pleasant, cushiony house groove resting beneath."

Camel - fritha, 1975

“Sanctuary” (1:05) and “Fritha” (1:19) are songs that I consider as bridges that connect to title track “The Snow Goose” (3:12) which contains guitar solo augmented with long sustain organ in the vein of Jan Akermann of Focus."

Neil Young - southern pacific, 1981

"Southern Pacific" launches an album side largely devoted to lyrics about transportation. "Southern Pacific" finds Young imagining life as a train conductor nearing retirement. In the 1980s, Young enjoyed sharing a model trainset with his son, and would later acquire a share in Lionel, and help invent a remote control model train operating system. "Southern Pacific" would feature prominently in Young's country setlists in 1984 and 1985 during his tour with the International Harvesters, and again during Young's 1999 solo acoustic tour."

Marillion - incubus, 1984

"1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Death Cab For Cutie - brothers on a hotel bed, 2005

"December is the last month of the year and often the coldest. While it’s usually celebrated with the greatest of holidays, the rest of the lyrics, “cause I’m not who I used to be,” lets on that this might not be the carol you’re looking for."

Bee Gees - lonely days, 1970

"Lonely Days" is a ballad written and performed by the Bee Gees. It appeared on their album 2 Years On, and was released as a single, becoming their first Top Five hit in the US, peaking at number three in the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in the Cashbox and Record World charts. Barry Gibb later re-recorded the song with country quartet Little Big Town for his 2021 album Greenfields."

The Style Council - my ever changing moods, 1984

"In a 2020 article for the Los Angeles Review of Books, Thomas McLean called "My Ever Changing Moods" "one of Weller’s best compositions," identifying the song's debt to the Classics IV's "Stormy" (1968) and its influence on Santana's "The Game of Love". Calling attention to the song's mix of personal and political, McLean reads the song lyric "the hush before the silence, the winds after the blast" as "a potent reference to nuclear fears in the Thatcher/Reagan era" and praises the line "Evil turns to statues," declaring it "as brisk a summing up of commemorative history as I know, and one that takes on new significance in 2020."

The New Pornographers - my rights versus yours, 2007

"The theme of conflict is present before you even slit the plastic and play the disc, no more so assertively than with “My Rights Versus Yours,” a strange, poetic reflection on relationships masked by the blunt zero-sum title. It’s a chill, autumnal song. The imagery of warring factions is reinforced by the final lines of the first refrain; “You left your sorrow dangling / It hangs in the air like a school cheer,” conveying a sense of a football skirmish watched against the backdrop of an icy blue sky of a fall afternoon."

Per Sahlström - miles away, 2009

"alternative indie pop sweden swedish pop songwriter Sweden"

Bee Gees - intro you should be dancing alone live, 1976

"A lot of disco was just funk repurposed for the dance floor."

Neil Young - i'm the ocean live, 1995

"I’m the Ocean has been one of my favorite NY songs since I first heard it. Incredible lyrics and I love how the chord progression just has this constant ascending feeling (not sure if that makes sense) like it’s always building to something and then it just keeps delivering. I never get tired of it!"

Beirut - le phare du cap bon, 2022

"The intro reminded me of a 90's pop song"

Echo And The Bunnymen - buried alive, 2001

"Wall of Sound gave a positive review, stating "Flowers features the familiar psychedelic-tinged pop songwriting, chiming guitars, and unmistakable voice that have always been the group's trademark, but 20 years down the road, experience, nostalgia, and longing have tempered the band's sound."

Bee Gees - fallen angel, 1993

“Our heroes were The Beatles. Everything they did was different. We took a page from that book going back to our first album. And we wanted variety on this album. We didn’t want to do one kind of music.”

Belle And Sebastian - late developers, 2023

"‘Late Developers’ should be applauded on its own merits, the work of a group whose continued evolution is tied to an astute awareness of where their talents lie. ‘Late Developers’ is a fine piece of pop whimsy, delivered with self-deprecating panache."

Paul McCartney - all my loving live, 1993

"All My Loving" was playing on the sound system at Roosevelt Hospital emergency room when Lennon was pronounced dead after being shot on December 8, 1980."

New Order - avalanche, 1993

"Avalanche has the most atmosphere, the most beautiful melodies and orchestration, and the most heart of any track on the album. It feels like they all put their differences aside one last time to channel the sublime; drawing as they collectively did some of their finest instrumental performances on Republic: the lovely interplay between bass and acoustic guitars, the washes of synth, strings and reverbed piano, the deep tones and echoes, the simple but metronomic drum loop, and of course Gillian’s voice – as if it were itself a backing violin. Avalanche has a real melancholy cinematic quality to it, and that final held note is like the dimming light at dusk – always my favourite time of day."

Strand Of Oaks - dream brother, 2018

"While Tim’s personal life had begun to heal in some ways, he had also experienced one of the most traumatic events of his life. Over lunch at a Cheesecake Factory in a mall made to look like ancient Rome, Tim talked about his younger brother being unconscious in the hospital for two weeks after his heart suddenly stopped, due to a rare condition. Tim had flown back to Goshen and didn’t leave the hospital for a week. He didn’t sleep for five days, either, and eventually he was forced to leave and return home to Pennsylvania. The gravity of nearly losing his brother is one more factor that’s led to Tim dismissing his tendency for “fetishizing sadness” on his records up to, and including, HEAL. It also resulted in a track called “Dream Brother,” a trippy but melancholic song that captured the surreal place Tim went to during his brother’s brush with death."

Etienne Daho - late night, 1986

"Let’s just get something straight here: Étienne Daho is very cool. He’s cooler than the coolest popstar you have at the top scale of cool. Better still, his voice is so good it makes every song it graces sound like the coolest song you’ve ever heard. All those styles from synthpop to surf rock, Étienne can do it all."

The Radio Dept - the worst taste in music, 2006

"This is a really lovely song. I've been looking for their album for awhile now but it isn't available in most stores."

The Doors - light my fire, 1967

"Light My Fire" originated in early 1966 as a composition by Robby Krieger, who said that he was inspired by the melody of "Hey Joe" and the lyrics of the Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire". On taking his initial composition to the band, John Densmore suggested that it should have more of a Latin rhythm, Jim Morrison wrote the second verse and part of the chorus ("Try to set the night on fire"), while Ray Manzarek added the Bach-influenced introductory organ motif; Densmore also suggested that it should open with a single snare drum hit."

Saint Etienne - sylvie, 1998

"Larry Flick from Billboard noted that the song "contrasts vibrant music with heartbreaking lyrics". Dino Scatena from The Daily Telegraph declared it a "pop gem", describing it as "melancholic" and "simply euphoric".

The Go-Betweens - boundary rider, 2005

"I think quite simply Boundary Rider is one of the most underrated Australian songs I’ve ever heard. It’s a brilliant song which seems to get better the more you hear it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: no Australian band like The Go-Betweens encapsulates more instinctively the quintessential Australia ‘sound’. They have the essence of Australia coursing through their music and Boundary Rider is at the top of the musical pecking order in demonstrating this."

Per Sahlström - no substitute, 2009

 

"Per Sahlström is a swedish songwriter and producer. The music is mostly acoustic but sometimes involves electronic sounds. Quite often it's catchy yet melancho"

Enya - caribbean blue, 1991

"Caribbean Blue" is a song by Irish musician Enya, included as the second track on her third studio album, Shepherd Moons (1991). It follows a waltz time signature, and mentions the Anemoi (Ancient Greek wind gods): Boreas, Afer Ventus (Africus), Eurus, and Zephyrus. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 7 October 1991 by WEA."

Pat Metheny - here to stay, 1995

"The world (and especially the prog community) needs to hear the astounding skills, diversity, of the music that Pat & his collaborators have blessed us with over his 45-year career. From early bands with Gary Burton, Jaco Pastorius, Joni Mitchell, and Jaco Pastorius, to collaborations with the likes of Nana Vasconcelos, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Cuong Vu, John Scofield, Jim Hall, Billy Higgins, Roy Haynes, Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau, Ralph Towner, Dave Brubeck, B.B. King, Steve Swallow, Dave Holland, Eberhard Weber, Jack DeJohnnette, Michael Brecker, Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, and of course, Steve Reich, to multiple solo projects and several "Group" lineups with the likes of Danny Gottleib and Mark Egan, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, and Pedro Aznar, and Mark Ledford, Paul Blemires, Don Alias, Glen Velez, Dave Samuels, and Mino Cinèlu, and, after Paul Wertico retired, Antonio Sanchez, as well as life-long friend and collaborator, the late, great Lyle Mays."

Bee Gees - spicks and specks, 1966

"Their 1966 single ‘Spicks and Specks’ reached number 1 and was named Go-Set’s single of the year just as the band left to seek its fortune in London. Their debut English single, ‘New York Mining Disaster 1941’, was the first of many international hits. In 1977 their soundtrack album for Saturday Night Fever would become the largest-selling movie soundtrack in history (although it was unaccountably overlooked for Oscar nomination); at one point, Barry Gibb could count five of his songs in the US Top 10 at once."

The Radio Dept - i don't like it like this, 2005

"The trilogy of Radio Dept's first few albums have no skips, no songs worth forgetting and consistently surprising turns that I can't get enough of. In my eyes, Lesser Matters, is their main masterpiece, their heart and soul at its most ethereal, detailed, interior and intimate. It feels like a concept album of a love that Johan can't forget, from eight years ago..., 2003-8, ie 1995."

Neil Young - are you passionate, 2002

"Everything just kept evolving, and the songs came back and they were where they need to be to really happen. So it all just fell together as easily as you could imagine: I just let it go, I just let it happen. I knew what was making me feel good, and I knew that I wanted to play my guitar more like a saxophone this time. And I felt more like a horn player while I was playing my guitar."

The Go-Betweens - the statue, 2005

"The pair keep this sort of thing up for 40 minutes. The air of two songwriters on rare form, confidently challenging each other to greater heights, is inescapable. McLennan weighs in with The Statue, a blissful melody decorated with guitars that shimmer as though slowly emerging from a heat haze."

Such a great song!

The Shadows - theme for young lovers, 1964

"Despeite being written by the Shadows' Bruce Welch, he does not actually feature on the recording as he was not in the studio during the recording session. Instead, his part, the acoustic rhythm guitar, was played by Hank Marvin. It was also the last Shadows recording to feature bassist Brian Locking, who left the group before the release of their previous single "Geronimo", being replaced by John Rostill. It was the lead single from the film Wonderful Life, featuring Cliff Richard, and was included on the soundtrack album by Richard and the Shadows."

Coldplay - we pray, 2024

"Coldplay is teaming up with music superstars from around the world for their new single! The band, led by frontman Chris Martin, just dropped their new song “We Pray” featuring acclaimed UK rapper Little Simz, Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, Palestinian-Chilean R&B phenomenon Elyanna, and chart-topping Argentine TINI."

Club 8 - we're simple minds, 2002

"Swedish duo Club 8 may not be the most prolific of bands in recent years, but following on from last year’s Sunny, 2024 has seen them release two perfect gems: the 60s-inflected guitar pop of Just Like Heaven and the delicious dreampop of Daylight."

Au Revoir Simone - organized scenery, 2009

"David Lynch has been a fan of theirs for a while and I guess just wanted to feature them. Their music is wonderfully dreamy and beautiful."

Such a great song!

Tiny Skulls - the concrete boys take heed, 2023

"Tiny Skulls is a four-piece, hailing from Scotland, although (as best I can tell), currently based in London. Two of those four musicians are also members of There Will Be Fireworks, and a third also appeared on the The Dark, Dark Bright as a guest musician. They’re also releasing this album, their debut effort, on The Imaginary Kind, a miniscule label which as of now has only ever released albums and EPs from projects with members from There Will Be Fireworks. It follows, then, that even if lead singer/songwriter Nicky McManus isn’t involved here, long-suffering fans of There Will Be Fireworks should be perking their ears up like a cat when a can of wet food gets opened. In most respects, Songs From Some Depressing Movie feels like a throwback to an earlier era of indie. You tend to hear a lot of albums like that these days, mostly deliberate attempts to play on listeners’ nostalgia which come up rather lifeless. Here, though, that’s not the case. Partly, that’s probably because these songs were mostly recorded way back between 2011 and 2014 (yeah, this long road to release sounds familiar, cough, cough) and partly it’s because these songs are simply well-composed and well-performed. The end result is a remarkably satisfying blend of a ton of styles, among them 2000s-era British soft indie/alt rock, low-key folk, emo, post-rock, and perhaps a hint of shoegaze."

Bee Gees - blue island, 1993

"The other side, what we call heaven, in fact is blue and it's an island. Good or bad, this is where we all end up. So we wrote 'Blue Island' and dedicated it for the children of Yugoslavia, because even though they may not survive, the hope is that they, as well as us, are all going to this beautiful place."

Beirut - interior of a dutch house, 2022

"Artifacts is a compilation album by American indie rock band Beirut. It was released digitally on January 28, 2022, through Pompeii Records, and was released on vinyl and CD on April 1, 2022. The double album includes unreleased tracks, B-sides, some of Zach Condon's earliest recordings at age 14, and a re-release of the band's 2007 Lon Gisland EP. It was announced on October 20, 2021, with the release of the previously unreleased track "Fisher Island Sound". The second single, "So Slowly", was released on November 17, 2021, followed by the single "Fyodor Dormant" on January 6, 2022."

The Cure - cut here, 2001

"The Cure did treat the fans with two new songs: "Cut Here" rises with early sounds of Madchester, but the glitzy swirls of "Just Say Yes" mark the Cure's return to form. Republica's Saffron joins Robert Smith for something campy and carefree. Greatest Hits is basically for the fans who have to have everything, but also a decent collection for those who never fully enraptured themselves with the Cure."

The Radio Dept - värnhem, 2005

"Taxi 4 tack för hjälpen. "taxi 4, thanks for the help". Dags att åka hem. "time to go home". ner till kajen 120. "down to dock 120". 12114. 84. 2103. The I can't hear too much here but the last the the 'taxi driver' says is, "det är mitt öde". "it is my destiny"

Peter Gabriel - panopticom bright side mix, 2023

"Panopticom" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in January 2023 as the first single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O, his first album of original material since 2002's Up. Two versions of the song have been released: the "Bright Side Mix" (mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent) on 6 January 2023, and the "Dark Side Mix" (mixed by Tchad Blake) on 21 January. The cover (for both versions) features David Spriggs' Red Gravity as the cover art. The single was released on the first full moon of the year."

The Sound - night versus day, 1980

"Even in Simon Reynolds’ superlative study of the post-punk era that is Rip it Up and Start Again, The Sound are mentioned in passing just the once, and it’s only in reference to the wave of groups who emerged from the breakthrough success of Joy Division."

Enya - fairytale, 1987

"In the story, Étaín is banished and transformed into a pool of water and emerges from it as a butterfly."

Fleet Foxes - in the morning cover live sydney, 2017

"Spanning two hours in duration, the show included an extensive setlist filled with both old songs and new. Notably, it featured live renditions of nearly their whole forthcoming album Crack-Up (with the exception of “Kept Woman”), as well as a cover of the Bee Gees’ “In The Morning.” Fan favorites such as “Mykonos,” “Your Protector,” “White Winter Hymnal,” “He Doesn’t Know Why” and more were played, of course."

Such a great song!

Robert Forster - loneliness, 1996

"I seem to remember being a pretty big Warm Nights fan, I shall have to dig it out again and see exactly why. I think it was the first Robert solo album I ever got hold of, which might partly explain it, I felt glad that it held up against his work with the band, something I never really felt about Grant's solo work."

REM - zither, 1996

"I appreciate a good R.E.M. instrumental. I'd love to know how many started as tracks for Michael to listen to and weigh in on lyrically. This one seems to be an excuse to play a Zither, but it's the guitar line that comes across more than the plucky double stringed autoharp."

The Cranberries - sunday, 1993

"Sunday" is a mid-tempo alternative song taken from The Cranberries debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?. It was released as a promotion single in the USA in 1993, before Island Records decided to opt for a re-release the band's first two European singles, "Dreams" and "Linger" in 1994."

Bee Gees - nights on broadway, 1975

"Nights on Broadway" is a song by the Bee Gees from the Main Course album released in 1975. The second single released from the album, it immediately followed their number-one hit "Jive Talkin'". This track was credited to Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb."

The Style Council - you're the best thing, 1984

"You're the Best Thing" is a song by English band the Style Council which was their sixth single to be released. It was composed by lead singer Paul Weller, recorded at Weller's own studio Solid Bond Studios, and was released in 1984. It is the second single from the band's début album, Café Bleu (1984). Café Bleu was renamed My Ever Changing Moods in the United States to capitalise on the success of the first single."

Saint Etienne - the bad photographer, 1998

"The Bad Photographer" is a song written and performed by British pop group Saint Etienne, and released in April 1998 by Creation Records as the second single from the group's fourth album, Good Humor (1998). The song is produced by Swedish record producer, composer and musician Tore Johansson, and peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number 24 in Scotland and number four on the UK Indie Singles Chart. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Björn Lindgren, who had previously directed the video for "Sylvie"."

Pet Shop Boys - to the shore, 2005

"Battleship Potemkin is a 2005 album of electronic and orchestral music written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of Pet Shop Boys, to accompany the 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein. It is performed by Tennant, Lowe and the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer, with orchestrations by Torsten Rasch. The album was released under the name Tennant/Lowe, as Tennant and Lowe are the composers. The album is produced by the Pet Shop Boys and Sven Helbig."

Enya - morning glory, 1988

"Morning Glory" is a previously unreleased track and an instrumental song by Irish musician, songwriter and singer Enya. It was a B-Side track for the second single from her second studio album, Watermark, "Evening Falls..." at the first time, released in December 1988 by WEA. In 2009, the song was contained in Japanese reissue and remastered edition of Watermark as a bonus twelfth track of the album."

The Radio Dept - four months in the shade, 2010

"Despite landing a whopping three songs on Sofia Coppola’s soundtrack for Marie Antoinette later in 2006, The Radio Dept. kept to select gigs around Europe and releasing one-off singles, letting the internet do the heavy promotional lifting for them. By the time their next record was on the horizon, The Radio Dept. were either modern ambassadors of saccharine dream pop or approaching a decade of being perpetual underrated, depending on who you asked."

Barclay James Harvest - hymn, 1977

"The album's title, Gone to Earth, refers to the fox hunter's cry used to indicate that the quarry has returned to its lair."

New Order - touched by the hand of god original version retro club mike pickering, 2002

"The box set was released as a compromise. The band's manager, Rob Gretton, had originally envisioned a box set called Recycle, which would feature all the singles New Order had released, one single per CD, in a grand 20 CD box. However, London Records deemed this excessive, and the idea was shelved. New Order released Get Ready in 2001 and a year later Retro surfaced. The CDs each have a particular theme: Pop, Fan, Club and Live. Each one was selected by a friend of the band."

Mike Oldfield - latin, 2003

"To remain faithful to the original album, Oldfield obtained a copy of the original 16 track tape, from Richard Barrie of AIR Studios; this multitrack was then recorded into Digidesign Pro Tools. There were a few parts of the multitrack recording missing however; this included parts of the "Finale", "Caveman" and "The Sailors Hornpipe" sections. These original tracks were then moved into Emagic Logic, where Oldfield used MIDI to create a tempo and time signature map; some sections of the original album had not been in time. A guide MIDI keyboard was laid on top, for which Oldfield usually used some Roland Strings. The first instrument to be recorded was the Glockenspiel at the beginning of Part One's "Introduction", and the final part to be recorded was the "Caveman" vocal track."

The Housemartins - he will find you out, 1987

"To anyone who owns a Housemartins album, or comes from my hometown of Hull, my special guest today needs no introduction. Described as alternative rock and pop, for four glorious years in the 1980's the Housemartins brought the music world their unique songs blending Marxist politics and Christianity. Stan Cullimore will always be fondly remembered for being the geeky one in specs who played the guitar. The band split in 1988. What happened to Stan afterwards?"

Neil Young - burned, 1966

"For many years, Decade was the only Neil Young compilation album available. A 1993 compilation called Lucky Thirteen was released, but it only covered Young's 1982–1988 output. It was not until 2004 that Reprise Records released a single-disc retrospective of his best-known tracks, titled Greatest Hits. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, Young promised fans a follow-up to the original Decade collection, provisionally titled Decade II; eventually, this idea was scrapped in favor of a much more comprehensive anthology to be titled Archives, spanning his entire career and ranging in size from a box set to an entire series of audio and/or video releases. The first release of archival material since Decade and Lucky Thirteen would appear in 2006, Live at the Fillmore East, a recording from a 1970 concert featuring Crazy Horse with Danny Whitten. Several other archival live releases followed, and in 2009 the first of several planned multi-disc box sets, The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, was issued. In April 2017 Decade was reissued on vinyl as a limited-edition Record Store Day release, with remastered vinyl and CD editions planned for general release in June 2017."

Saint Etienne - nothing can stop us, 1991

"Nothing Can Stop Us" is a song by English band Saint Etienne, released in May 1991 by Heavenly Records as the third single from their debut album, Foxbase Alpha (1991). It is the first release to feature Sarah Cracknell, who would continue to front the band from this release on. The single reached the number one spot on the American dance charts for one week. The song is based on a looped sample from Dusty Springfield's recording of "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face".

Saturday Looks Good to Me - meet me by the water, 2003

"Saturday Looks Good To Me are an indie pop group from Michigan. It is the brainchild of Fred Thomas, who's the only consistent band member. The Saturday Looks Good to Me was a project by Thomas, who went around asking various musicians to record some songs with him in 2000. What resulted was nine songs sounding like "dusty, loopy Motown-inspired pop".

The Mamas And The Papas - california dreamin, 1965

"California Dreamin'" is a song written by John and Michelle Phillips in 1963 and first recorded by Barry McGuire. The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in December 1965. The lyrics express the narrator's longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City. It is recorded in the key of C-sharp minor. "California Dreamin'" became a signpost of the California sound, heralding the arrival of the nascent counterculture era. It was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 2023 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2021, Rolling Stone placed the song at number 420 in its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list."

The House Of Love - hope, 1988

"Arguably The House of Love’s best work was when they were briefly with Creation. The Creation recordings sound sparkly and clear while over production of their work with Fontana, weighs it down. This was the classic line-up when there was no animosity between Terry Bickers and Guy Chadwick. Bicker’s guitar work really drives songs like Destroy the Heart and Shine On. For anyone that has never heard the original version it is really is amazing. Very different to the Shine On that was released by Fontana and made it to number 20 in the charts. For a very brief moment in time just after The Smiths had demised, and before The Stone Roses took off. The House of Love were the biggest and brightest hopes in the scene."

A-ha - white canvas, 2002

"We have always enjoyed discussing a-ha and their solo projects, eagerly anticipating new albums, studying songwriting credits, discussing the production of the albums, the pleasant surprises and the occasional disappointments. For us it was always about the music, but in the beginning it was also about the posters, the articles, the self-composed top 10's and top 20's of the best a-ha songs, and of course the leather wristbands. Which we still wear, to be honest, as a testament to our commitment and somehow an integrated part of our identity as fans. It's like a lifeline to the past."

Rod Picott - ghost, 2019

"Rod Picott is confronting mortality. After heart scares and back surgery, he’s also in the middle of the most creatively prolific time in his career."

Bee Gees - spicks and specks live, 1989

"Sunshine pop (originally known as soft pop) is a subgenre of pop music that originated in Southern California in the mid-1960s. Rooted in easy listening and advertising jingles, sunshine pop acts combined nostalgic or anxious moods with "an appreciation for the beauty of the world". The category largely consists of lesser-known artists who imitated more popular groups such as the Mamas & the Papas and the 5th Dimension. While the Beach Boys are noted as prominent influences, the band's music was rarely representative of the genre."

Paul McCartney - this one, 1989

"Allmusic called the song "lovely". Rolling Stone opined that the song "extends its cute, lyrical conceit for too long and winds up taxing the listener's patience." Cash Box reviewed the single quoting from McCartney's song "Silly Love Songs" and claiming that McCartney "does them better than anyone I’ve heard since the ’60s."

Pat Metheny - to the end of the world, 1995

"The band uses "contemporary" pop rhythms on many of their selections but in creative ways and without watering down the popular group's musical identity. In addition Metheny for the first time in his recording career sounds a bit like his early influence Wes Montgomery on a few of the songs. With his longtime sidemen (keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Paul Wertico) all in top form, Metheny successfully reconciles his quartet's sound with that of the pop music world, using modern technology to expand the possibilities of his own unusual vision of creative improvised music."

Red Sleeping Beauty - mi amor, 2016

“Four minutes of pop perfection….”Mi Amor” makes a 19-year wait for returning Swedish indie-pop legends Red Sleeping Beauty worth it”

Genesis - it live from the shrine auditorium united states, 1975

"Among the 'Holy Grail' items for Genesis fans, and rumoured to be one of the only professional recordings made on the band's final tour with Peter Gabriel, Genesis’ show at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. in January 1975 remains an extraordinary listen."

Belle And Sebastian - do it for your country, 2022

"The compassionate ballad “Do It for Your Country” transforms a patriotic catchphrase into a mantra urging a woman not to underestimate herself. “The world is just a game, something made of clay/But you are the great creator,” Murdoch sings. “So banish all your fears, grab it by the ears/Love and other things of beauty reign.” The band also acknowledges that this carpe diem attitude is easier preached than practiced: On the same track, Murdoch refers to himself as a “lobster in a pot/a songbird in a gilded nightmare.” Who is he to be offering advice about freedom?"

The Beatles - please please me, 1963

"Please Please Me" is a song released by the English rock band the Beatles. It was their second single in the United Kingdom, and their first in the United States. It is also the title track of their first LP, which was recorded to capitalise on the success of the single. It is a John Lennon composition (credited to McCartney–Lennon), although its ultimate form was significantly influenced by producer George Martin."

Black Box Recorder - girls guide for the modern diva, 2003

“I think if we had really wanted that level of success for Black Box Recorder, we would have committed ourselves to the band…we would have benefited from touring much more and further afield.”

The Moody Blues - emily's song live at red rocks, 1992

"While I have this album, I didn’t remember this song; however, it resonated with me on Friday. Along with singing lead and playing bass on this cut, Lodge plays ‘cello and celesta. Justin Hayward plays guitar and sings harmonies with his longtime friend. Mike Pinder’s contribution on Mellotron extends Lodge’s ‘cello to a full orchestra. He also plays harpsichord on the track, but it is buried in the mix and only surfaces in some of the quieter moments of the song."

AC Newman - all of my days and all of my days off, 2009

"The final song is like crawling back out into the sunlight and learning to love life again. Whatever’s got Newman on the upbeat, it’s contagious as he sings of some sort of epiphany that leads him to declare with almost religious fervor, “And now I give you all my days, and all of my days off.” Man, with the background vocals chiming in on that happy little chorus, this almost feels like something The Polyphonic Spree might come up with (or at least if you took about twenty instruments away from them). It’s a perfectly sunny, 60’s-inspired note to go out on, which is why repeating that chorus is the perfect way for this album to fade to a close."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - extended souvenir, 1981

"An extended version of Souvenir (with an additional verse) was released as a 10" single and was later included as a bonus on the digitally remastered copies of Architecture & Morality. It was the second time the group had used this unusual release format, the first being the 10" single for "Messages" in May 1980."

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - maybe i'll hide with you, 2006

"Letting Up Despite Great Faults is the indie electro-based sonic diary of founding member Mike Lee. Their 2009 self-titled debut LP was an exploration of indiepop melodies, electro beats, and shoegaze guitars. The lead single "In Steps" instantly caught the attention of everyone from Pitchfork to Rolling Stone. With rave reviews and countless blog support, 2011 saw the release of Paper Crush, an EP full of washed synths, hazy guitars, and heartfelt pop that NPR called "both nostalgic and caught in a moment that feels never-ending." Since then, they've continued to refine and expand their sound in their 2nd LP, Untogether, an album that radiates infectious melodies, heartbreaking sentiments, and danceable dreampop. They have been compared to similar artists such as New Order, The Postal Service, M83, and The Radio Dept."

The Radio Dept - pulling our weight live at zouk singapore, 2010

"The buzz around all things Swedish hasn’t hurt, but the strong songwriting by Johan Duncanson keeps the Radio Dept. distinct. The solidity of the band’s core seems to be paying off, too. Duncanson’s original partner Elin Almered is still around and Martin Larsson has been in place since 1998, which gives the trio enough time together to deal with fluctuating lineups (for example, Larsson’s partner Lisa Carlberg is listed as the group’s bass player on most of their materials, but is credited on Pulling Our Weight)."

Edward II And The Red Hot Polkas - pomp and pride, 1989

"The band formed in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1980, in order to play for monthly dances at The Victory Club. Founder members Lizzy Howe-Pellant (melodeon) and Dion Cochrane (tenor banjo) were joined by Paul Burgess, Floss Headford and John Gill (fiddles), Martin Brinsford (sax) and Dave Haines (melodeon and concertina), and bringing in Richard Valentine on piano and as caller. It ran for a year or so in that form."

Marillion - chelsea monday manchester square demo, 1997

"Chelsea Monday" Continues the poet's contemplation of what is "out there", and sees the archetypal society woman getting all her style from magazines while inhabiting a strange plastic fantasy world created for her so that she doesn't have to think about it. The bleak music structure and insistent rhythms drive this music through dark layers and yet more gorgeous melodies - honestly, the hairs on the back of my neck have a tough time during this one!"

Beirut - now i'm gone the berlin-albuquerque sessions vol one, 2022

"Honestly I had had a period of around four years of writer's block (between the Rip Tide and No No No) and it came during a period of extreme stress and instability. I don't really know how to answer except to say that when I went back to basics and learned to forget about the concept of an "audience" or "critics", I was able to feel the pull of the studio again in a big way."

Subatomic Sound System - lee scratch perry is the dub organizer live on kexp, 2023

"For over a decade, Subatomic Sound System was the Brooklyn based touring band for Jamaican dub & reggae inventor Lee "Scratch" Perry (1936-2021) and producers of the acclaimed 2017 album "Super Ape Returns to Conquer" which reimagined Scratch's 1973 classic "Super Ape", mixing the vintage Jamaican dub sound with 21st century bass and beats. With Scratch, Subatomic toured for over a decade across the US and the world, including sets at Coachella, France’s Telérama Dub Fest, Berlin’s Loop fest, Dubai’s Sole DXB, Hungary’s OzoraFest to name a few. 2023 was the 50th anniversary of the world's first dub album, Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Blackboard Jungle Dub", for which Subatomic & Scratch previously did a 45th anniversary tour. Subatomic's recent single,“Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry is the Dub Organizer”, featuring Screechy Dan is from a forthcoming album with Scratch. Subatomic along with the legendary Jamaican vocalist Screechy Dan recently recorded alive session at KEXP that went viral, demonstrating their unique style of live dub performance as well as their versions of "Chase the Devil" & “Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry is the Dub Organizer” that have become some of Scratch's Biggest Songs of this century. In summer of 2023, Subatomic Sound System & Screechy Dan Toured Europe with Hawaiian singer Jack Johnson In support of their posthumous collaboration with Scratch on Jack's new "In Between Dub" album and toured the USA with Stephen Marley.In 2023, Subatomic also performed on the main stage atThe Marley Brothers Sold out 4/20/23 Kaya Fest at Red Rocks, Cali Roots, andCali Vibes Festival."

Fleet Foxes - under control cover live at forest hills stadium, 2022

“One thing we all bonded over backstage was a shared love of the Strokes—hearing Uwa’s voice echoing down the halls as she sang ‘The End Has No End’ or ‘Reptilia’ was always a highlight of the day. Considering this, I thought she might get a kick out of singing ‘Under Control’ with us and the Westerlies at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, so we pulled it together at soundcheck and asked her—it was amazing! She ruled it.”

The Reds Pinks And Purples - i should have helped you, 2022

"Before The Reds, Pinks & Purples started getting noticed by a larger audience, the "I Should Have Helped You" 4 song EP snuck out on Swedish experimental label I Dischi Del Barone and quickly disappeared, becoming a little-heard but often whispered about piece of the RPPs discography. Recorded around the same time as the material that ended up on his breakthrough LP Uncommon Weather, it contains some of the best examples of Glenn Donaldson’s melancholy but wry take on indie pop. Needless to say, it's terrific."

AC Newman - they should have shut down the streets, 2012

"A.C. Newman may best be known as the leader of The New Pornographers, but he has also made two much-loved solo albums. These show a more personal and intimate side to Carl’s songwriting, and on this new one, recorded in Woodstock in Upstate New York, he is joined by long time colleague Neko Case to make one of his most gorgeous, wide-ranging records yet."

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star - american pie cover, 2023

"A lullaby, or a cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies, they are used to pass down cultural knowledge or tradition. In addition, lullabies are often used for the developing of communication skills, indication of emotional intent, maintenance of infants' undivided attention, modulation of infants' arousal, and regulation of behavior. Perhaps one of the most important uses of lullabies is as a sleep aid for infants. As a result, the music is often simple and repetitive. Lullabies can be found in many countries, and have existed since ancient times."

The Band Of Holy Joy - leaves that fall in spring live, 2008

"The band was formed in 1984, by Johny Brown in New Cross, South London. Early experiments revolved around cheap junk shop instrumentation and rudimentary electronics. After two self-issued cassettes, they signed to South London indie label Flim Flam for a string of singles and two 1987 albums; More Tales From The City and the live LP When Stars Come Out To Play."