The Beatles - i'll be back, 1964

‘I’ll Be Back’ was co-written but it was largely John’s idea. When we knew we were writing for something like an album he would write a few in his spare moments, like this batch here. He’d bring them in, we’d check ’em. I’d write a couple and we’d throw ’em at each other, and then there would be a couple that were more co-written. But you just had a certain amount of time. You knew when the recording date was and so a week or two before then we’d get into it."

Morrissey - the more you ignore me the closer i get, 1994

"Morrissey's own singing, meanwhile, is some of his clearest and best yet. More immediately affecting was another Vauxhall album track, "Used to Be a Sweet Boy," an at once beautifully nostalgic and deeply emotional piece about youth and changing expectations. The haunting backing vocals, piano, and quick acoustic guitar flourishes add to the elegant melancholia. The one cut that didn't turn up on Vauxhall, "I'd Like To," benefits from a quiet, sparkling synth string piece and other production touches adding to the mysterious, spacious band performance."

Belle And Sebastian - today this army's for peace, 2015

"One fandom I haven’t touched on in a long time is Belle & Sebastian, specifically their 2015 hit album Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance. Longtime readers may remember that I was mildly obsessed with this record when it came out. Belle & Sebastian, of course, were one of the progenitors of dreampop; their lo-fi acoustic-folk balladry formed the roots of the genre back in the 90’s. Though their early work was notably more raw and analog than than the electronic smoothness associated with the genre at its peak, they introduced many of its most recognizable elements: twee aesthetics, an emotional palette of the mournful and the sentimental, gentle tunefulness, dreamy vocals, etc."

Pink Floyd - poles apart, 1994

"The lyrics speak to ex-bandmate Syd Barrett in the first verse, and Roger Waters in the second, according to co-writer Polly Samson. As such, the second verse begins with the words "Hey you", the title of a Waters-penned song from Pink Floyd's earlier album, The Wall."

Strand Of Oaks - hard love, 2017

"Hard Love is more than a follow-up—it sounds like a direct response to HEAL. These new songs are never quite as dark or as deep, never quite as probing, which is not to say they’re superficial. Showalter seems to have made an effort not to sound quite as troubled."

The Radio Dept - i wanted you to feel the same, 2006

"I think it's broad enough to be about the feeling of, well, simply wanting someone to share the same sort of sentiment on a particular thing that you do, but not. The line about the plane makes me imagine a couple traveling, and he's really excited about their trip but she seems indifferent"

Car Seat Headrest - my boy twin fantasy, 2018

"My Boy is very straightforward. The singer has a boy, and they don’t see each other much. My Boy is an idealistic vision of the singer’s long-distance relationship. It’s truly the most positive - facing song in the album, they might be alone now- soon they will not be."

Damien Jurado - a lover a balcony fire an empty orchestra, 2023

"He tells stories about people living out their lives, which is both a divine and solemn experience. But whatever Jurado writes in his songs, it comes naturally to him and he doesn’t censor it. Jurado, perhaps waking at 3 AM, will run to his tape recorder and hum a melody that popped into his mind. Words will come. And whatever they are, he won’t alter them. Whereas many artists might edit their work unceasingly, Jurado just lets the faucet run."

My Morning Jacket - touch me i'm going to scream part one, 2008

"This odd, electro-pop concoction, which is rhythmic and yet light on its feet, bass-heavy and yet fragile, invites obvious comparisons to The Flaming Lips, who could perhaps add a little more quirk and character to a generally agreeable song such as this one (though, in all fairness, James is a better singer than Wayne Coyne). It ain’t bad once you get used to it – the band’s infatuation with funk reveals itself in some of the one-note melody lines and the pimped out synthesizers, but the delivery is almost intentionally robotic, as if to depict a world in which the touch of a fellow human is a rare commodity. The middle of the song is the best part, when Patrick Hallahan‘s drums start to thicken a bit and the song takes on more of a “live band” feel, but it’s still more of a mid-tempo in-studio concoction that feels like it might work better later in the album."

Noel Gallagher - love will tear us apart live cover, 2023

“I would play this song, this version of it, at home down the years. When they asked me to do it, I was like ‘How can I get away with that?’ Because it’s such an iconic [song] and, being from Manchester… well, this is going to be tricky."

Pet Shop Boys - always on my mind cover live you only tell me you love me when you're drunk, 2000

"Always on My Mind" was first released by Gwen McCrea and then by Brenda Lee in 1972, but it was made more famous by Elvis Presley in his own rendition later that same year. (Actually, B.J. Thomas recorded the song before any of them, in 1970, but his version remained unreleased until 1996, so it doesn't count as the "original.") Willie Nelson's Grammy Award-winning hit version came in 1982. Having become something of a standard, it has been recorded by numerous other artists as well, with perhaps the most notable recent version being by Michael Bublé in 2007. It's even been incorporated into the 2006 "jukebox musical" Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – The Musical (which, incidentally but surely not accidentally, also includes "Go West")."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - call my name, 1991

"The rhythm, tinged with a jungly pattern so beloved by the techno crowds, sends the song spinning toward heaven, but the Mellotron, a choral harmony of sound, soars up after it, the synths swell and fluff the atmosphere like clouds, and the keyboards tinkle with delight. No band could take such an ethereal piece and send it storming onto the dancefloor like OMD, and any fears that might have been hatched about the band's future when its lineup dissolved in 1989 were put to rest with Sugar Tax's success."

Edward II And The Red Hot Polkas - two step to heaven, 1989

"The ever great Edward the Second and the Red Hot Polkas formed in the mid-1980s and their music was a combination between reggae, folk and polka. In fact, polka and folk have things in common, but not in their English hometown of Gloucester, and reggae has nothing to do with either Gloucester, polka or folk."

Tortoise And Bonnie Prince Billy - the calvary cross cover, 2006

"The Calvary Cross or “Cross’ of Cal’vary” is a cross with steps beneath it, apparently a representation of the structure on which Jesus was crucified. It is used as an emblem to Christianity. This could give the song a Christian meaning but the pale lady with her green eye makes me thing that the cross is more a symbol of dying or maybe sacrificing everything for something or someone."

Danny B - strange things will happen the radio dept cover, 2012

"I used a combination of chords I found on the internet for the progression and by ear for the vocal parts. Unfortunately, I never did write this into sheet music, I wish I had."

Coldplay - christmas lights, 2011

"Christmas Lights" is a song by British rock band Coldplay released on 1 December 2010, as a digital download single. According to lead singer Chris Martin, it was written in December 2008. The morning after he began work on the single, he performed a segment of the still in-progress song for Steve Kroft during an interview for 60 Minutes that aired on February 8, 2009. Described by the band as "a mid-tempo number" in the key of G major, "Christmas Lights" was released to generally positive reviews. It later got named as one of the best Christmas songs of the 21st century by Cleveland."

The Beatles - here there and everywhere, 1966

"McCartney began writing "Here, There and Everywhere" at Lennon's house in Weybridge, in early June, while waiting for Lennon to wake up. McCartney recalled: "I sat out by the pool on one of the sun chairs with my guitar and started strumming in E. And soon [I] had a few chords, and I think by the time he'd woken up, I had pretty much written the song, so we took it indoors and finished it up."

John Denver - annie's song, 1974

"Annie's Song" was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time, Annie Martell Denver. Denver "wrote this song in July 1973 in about ten-and-a-half minutes one day on a ski lift" to the top of Aspen Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, as the physical exhilaration of having "just skied down a very difficult run" and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colors and sounds that filled all senses inspired him to think about his wife.[3][4] Annie Denver recalls the beginnings: "It was written after John and I had gone through a pretty intense time together and things were pretty good for us. He left to go skiing and he got on the Ajax chair on Aspen mountain and the song just came to him. He skied down and came home and wrote it down... Initially it was a love song and it was given to me through him, and yet for him it became a bit like a prayer."

The Radio Dept - someone else, 2003

"Even Sofia Coppola, whose directing career has been characterized by dreamy, emotion-heavy work, is a fan, having included the band in soundtrack to her 2006 film, Marie Antoinette."

The Beatles - across the universe twenty twenty-one mix, 2021

"The song's lyrical structure is straightforward: three repetitions of a unit consisting of a verse, the line "Jai guru deva om" and the line "Nothing's gonna change my world" sung four times. The lyrics are highly image-based, with abstract concepts reified with phrases like thoughts "meandering", words "slithering", and undying love "shining". The title phrase "across the universe" appears at intervals to finish lines, although it never cadences, always appearing as a rising figure, melodically unresolved. It finishes on the leading note; to the Western musical ear, the next musical note would be the tonic and would therefore sound complete."

Jonathan Rado - easier, 2023

"He found inspiration in Eno’s 1970s rock albums, Eno’s Oblique Strategies and the back-to-back masterpieces of ‘Yeezus’ and ‘Life of Pablo.’ “I love the story of Rick Rubin getting the final mix of ‘Yeezus’ and just muting a ton of tracks,” Rado said. Rado is pushing at the edges of everything he’s done before, both as a performer and producer. Look no further than on “Walk Away” a jazzy, epic dirge that would be right at home in the Another Green World Expanded Universe. There’s a primal yalp and a mature self-confidence on For Who The Bell Tolls For. The album looks ever forward and so therein is also a tribute album to those of us left standing. We living who have to muster on with humor and a wobbly grace until our own number is drawn."

The National - the system only dreams in total darkness live, 2017

"The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" is a song by American indie rock band The National. It was released as the lead single for their seventh studio album, Sleep Well Beast, at 12:01 am Eastern Time on 11 May 2017. The song was written by Aaron Dessner, Matt Berninger, and Bryce Dessner and produced by Aaron Dessner (with co-production by Bryce Dessner, Matt Berninger, and Peter Katis)."

Manic Street Preachers - last christmas live cover, 1996

"Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (drums, percussion, soundscapes). They form a key part of the 1990s Welsh Cool Cymru cultural movement."

The Band Of Holy Joy - evening world holiday show live, 2011

"Ill fated meeting between Band of Holy Joy and legendary Manchester producer Martin Hannett conducted at the Slaughterhouse in Driffield in 1989. It was a proposed single but maybe the recording was a bit too singular for purpose and it was unduly scrapped, the sacred cow of noise sacrificed if you like. Playing it now it sounds great and insane, filled with a mad punk energy."

The Flaming Lips - feeling yourself disintegrate, 1999

"A lot of connections I had with old friends have slowly faded away with time as we all branch out to do our own things in life, and it just feels like a part of me is disintegrating. Just thought I'd share my sob story and see if anyone else is feeling the same currently."

Pet Shop Boys - requiem in denim and leopardskin, 2012

"It looks back to when she first came to London and mentions Johnny Rotten and all these people hanging around in King's Road.… so it's like a memoir of the King's Road in the early eighties."

Bonnie Prince Billy - the houseboat o how i enjoy the light, 2016

"There’s a song on there that for some reason, when I was at the BBC, I called it “The Houseboat,” and then we recorded it, and now it’s called “O How I Enjoy the Light.” As we perform songs in different ways I completely lose track of how the audience might have a relationship with the recording. I forget how lyrics or phrasings might get changed, or the key oftentimes gets changed."

The Innocence Mission - what a wonderful world cover, 2004

"The band hails from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has been recording since their self-titled debut in 1989. Their music is the calm, uncategorisable type that few bands make any more. Yes, you could call it poetic soft rock, but that would miss the deep affection that lead singer Karen Peris brings to every song she sings."

Memory Spells And Jordan Whitlock - all i see is you, 2023

"Jordan Whitlock, a singer-songwriter from San Diego, has joined forces with Memory Spells, a cinematic post rock and instrumental project based in Los Angeles, for their debut collaborative single, All I See Is You. The track seamlessly combines Whitlock’s ethereal vocals with the enchanting and bittersweet ambient rock soundscapes crafted by Memory Spells."

The Beatles - magical mystery tour, 1967

"The Beatles recorded the track in April and May 1967, soon after completing work on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and several months before committing to make the Magical Mystery Tour film. The song serves as an introduction to the audience, in the style of McCartney's opening title track to Sgt. Pepper, and includes ringmaster calls, a trumpet fanfare and traffic sounds."

Bob Dylan And Johnny Cash - the girl from the north country live, 1969

"Rotolo is defined as "the girl with the wistful eyes and hint of a smile whose head is resting on the suede-jacketed shoulder of a nice-looking young man as they trudge through the snow on the cover of 1963's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan."

Del Amitri - sometimes i just have to say your name, 1992

"On May 28th 2021 Del Amitri release their first album for 18 years “Fatal Mistakes”. It will also be almost 32 years since I first heard “Nothing Ever Happens”. All the talk of the new music has sent me on a journey back to the years before, during and after the time that the band went beyond being purveyors of pleasant songs about life, love, regret and sadness with a country feel and gorgeous sideburns to become the very essence of my existence."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - everything with you, 2009

"Everything from the oh-so-twee name to singer Kip Berman’s affected English accent screams wrong, but it sounds so right; a bit of Mary Chain here, a withering Moz-esque turn of phrase there and a lot of early, jangly My Bloody Valentine everywhere else. But it’s much more than the sum of its parts and too effortlessly effervescent to be studied. Pure indie-pop to hold close to your heart."

The Radio Dept - the worst taste in music industry standard mix by differnet, 2006

"Amazing band and song."

The Beach Boys - god only knows, 1966

"it is a baroque-style love song distinguished for its harmonic innovation and complexity, unusual instrumentation, and subversion of typical popular music conventions, both lyrically and musically. It is often praised as one of the greatest songs of all time and as the Beach Boys' finest record."

Bonnie Prince Billy - when thy song flows through me, 2016

"when I was a kid, i loved the brontasauraus. then they took it away."

The Radio Dept - it looked like heaven but feels like hell, 2015

"they put the whole summer elements in this great song!"

Sufjan Stevens - it's christmas let's be glad, 2006

"A concise one minute and fifty-five seconds long, “It’s Christmas! Let’s Be Glad!” is at once catchy and uplifting with a more somber undertone, done with true Sufjan zest. It even rhymes. I’m not going to analyze the lyrics, as I don’t think it lends itself to that, but what I get out of the song is that Sufjan is telling us that no matter how badly our lives are going, stop and take a moment to appreciate all that we have to be grateful for, saccharine as that may sound."

The Beatles - with a little help from my friends, 1967

"With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song recorded by English rock band the Beatles for their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written primarily by Paul McCartney with contributions from John Lennon, and is sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as Sgt. Pepper singer Billy Shears), his lead vocal for the album. As the second track on the album, it segues from the applause on the title track."

Bee Gees - new york mining disaster nineteen forty-one, 1967

"Barry and Robin Gibb wrote "New York Mining Disaster" while sitting in a darkened stairway at Polydor Records following a power outage. The song recounts the story of a miner trapped in a cave-in. He is sharing a photo of his wife with a colleague ("Mr. Jones") while they hopelessly wait to be rescued. According to the liner notes for the box set Tales from the Brothers Gibb (1990), the song was inspired by the October 1966 Aberfan disaster in Wales. According to Robin, there actually had been a mining disaster in New York in 1939, but not in 1941, and he thought "New York" sounded more "glamorous". In the second and third verses, the narrative becomes slower and slower, as if to indicate that life is about to end for the miners. On the second chorus, the drums get louder. On the second verse, when Robin sings the line "I keep straining my ears to hear a sound," a violin is heard in response."

My Morning Jacket - touch me i'm going to scream part two, 2008

"this song is near perfect to me, it's so groovy and with a studio runtime of over eight minutes, it never drags or feels too repetitive"

The Alan Parsons Project - day after day the show must go on, 1977

"The album was intended to be based on the I, Robot stories written by Asimov, and Eric Woolfson spoke with Asimov himself, who was enthusiastic about the idea. As the rights already had been granted to a TV/movie company, the album's title was altered slightly by removing the comma in "I," and the theme and lyrics were made to be more generically about robots rather than to be specific to the Asimov universe. The cover inlay reads: "I Robot... The story of the rise of the machine and the decline of man, which paradoxically coincided with his discovery of the wheel... and a warning that his brief dominance of this planet will probably end, because man tried to create robot in his own image." The title of the final track, "Genesis Ch.1 v.32", follows this theme by implying a continuation to the story of Creation, since the first chapter of Genesis only has 31 verses. According to the band's website, Paul McCartney unintentionally helped to inspire the song "Some Other Time". When Parsons had asked if McCartney could read a line of poetry for the band's first album in exchange for a favor Parsons had previously done him, McCartney replied by saying; "Some other time Alan, some other time". This gave the band an idea for a song title."

The Mamas And The Papas - dedicated to the one i love cover, 1967

"In 1967, a subsequent and slightly more popular cover version by the Mamas & the Papas released on the Dunhill label went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, kept from number 1 by "Happy Together" by The Turtles. This version also reached number 2 on the UK's Record Retailer chart. The lead singer on the Mamas & the Papas version was Michelle Phillips. It was the first time that Phillips was given the lead over Cass Elliot. The song was also included on the group's 1967 album The Mamas & The Papas Deliver."

The Radio Dept - i wanted you to feel the same devolves marble house edit, 2009

"Over the years there have been many songs written by the band, some appear on records, some were discarded and some are only played at certain live shows. This, is a collection of songs by the band & remixes by others that have never made it onto official releases."

The Beach Boys - sloop john b, 1966

"Sloop John B" (originally published as "The John B. Sails") is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau. A transcription was published in 1916 by Richard Le Gallienne, and Carl Sandburg included a version in his The American Songbag in 1927. There have been many recordings of the song since the early 1950s, with variant titles including "I Want to Go Home" and "Wreck of the John B".

The Zephyrs - blue in the face, 2023

"Scottish alt pop legends The Zephyrs blow away the January blues with this sunshine inducing, psych tinged, jangly guitared, harmony laden belter from their latest album For Sapphire Needle."

Rachel Love - primrose hill, 2021

"Rachel was guitarist and singer in the seminal 70/80’s band Dolly Mixture who were signed to Paul Wellers' ‘Respond’ label and championed by The Undertones & John Peel. She was the singer in the band ‘Spelt’ and has released her first solo album ‘Picture in Mind’ in 2021."

Barclay James Harvest - the song they love to sing, 1979

"I can imagine it is set in a dystopian landscape as Lees’ guitar sets up grey clouds in the sky, as if the chance of seeing a ray of light is never going to happen. Woolly’s vocals send up emotional vibes as he and the band follow suit."

Guillemots - cats eyes, 2006

"There’s no screaming guitar, no complex rhythms, no brain-numbing thump, thump, thump of bass-and-drums. There’s nothing outlandish, weird, or off-the-wonderwall; no one thing that makes Guillemots stand out. It’s simply a dish of the finest ingredients, expertly blended, beautifully cooked and superbly presented. Not too little of this, not too much of that. Everything just deliciously right. That, I think, is the secret."

The Durutti Column - without mercy stanzas four to seven valuable passages, 1987

"Without Mercy :1: Stanzas 4 to 7 :2: Stanzas 10 to 12 from the album "Without Mercy", produced by Anthony Wilson and Michael Johnson at Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Musicians: Vini Reilly, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano and DMX. Bruce Mitchell, Percussion, Congas and DMX. Tim Kellett, Trumpet. Richard Henry, Trombone. Blaine Reininger, Violin and Viola. Caroline Lavelle, Cello. Mervyn Fletcher, Saxaphone. Maunagh Fleming, Cor Anglais and Oboe. Fact 84. June 1984."

Easterhouse - lenin in zurich, 1986

 

"As he did every morning, on 15 March 1917, Russian refugee Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, also known as Lenin, put on his threadbare coat and the sturdy shoes that cobbler Titus Kammerer had made for him. He and his wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, were living in Kammerer’s home at Spiegelgasse 14, Zurich, as lodgers in a small second-floor room." 

 

In this Lonely Place
You could sink without a trace
Just another face
In a crowd of faceless people
Such a lonely man
Difficult to get along with
All the hours that he spends
Sitting in the Dark Library

Endless arguments
And the endless separations
There's no other way
You must fight until you get it right
When the fight for survival
Is the fight for a principle
If the principle dies
You don't have a chance

Pet Shop Boys - home and dry blank and jones remix, 2002

"We're going home" – These words uttered by Chris near the end of the song are a homage to and quotation from the 1969 Beatles song "Two of Us," written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon-McCartney), for which they serve as the concluding line of the refrain."

Belle And Sebastian - put the book back on the shelf, 1997

"3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light was Belle & Sebastian's third EP, released in 1997 on Jeepster Records. The lead track on the EP, "A Century of Fakers," uses the same backing track as "A Century of Elvis" from Lazy Line Painter Jane. Another song, "Songs for Children" (sometimes known as "On the Radio") plays directly after "Put the Book Back on the Shelf" (on the same track) on both the CD and 12" versions of this release. The front cover features band member Stuart Murdoch with Victoria Morton. The EP was later re-packaged as part of the Lazy Line Painter Jane box-set, and all four tracks were collected on the Push Barman to Open Old Wounds compilation. Both NME and Melody Maker made the release their Single of the Week, and the EP became the band's first to reach the UK top 40 singles chart, peaking at #32."

New Order - nineteen sixty-three ninety-five arthur baker remix, 1995

"the legend goes that when the band recorded True Faith and 1963 with producer Stephen Hague in 1987 in order to have a shot at "breaking" the American charts it was a close run thing between which song would end up as the A side as the band felt both songs were of the same calibre. Rob Gretton allegedly wanted to put both tracks out on the same release rather than saving one for another single in order to give fans a decent b-side and thus value for money; the legendary FAC 183 appeared shortly afterwards. Fast forward seven years, Factory's toast and London Records are preparing a nice few cash-in releases to celebrate acquiring the Joy Division and New Order catalogues. One of the compilations as we all know was (The Best Of) which spawned two singles: a "cleaned up" version of True Faith dubbed "-94" and a number of new versions of 1963 or "Nineteen63" as it was duly titled. So in the end, 1963 finally got its day in the sun as an A-side with both a cleaned up (-94) version of the original Hague mix and a spruced up Arthur Baker (-95) remix with a brand new approach to the song. Another legend from around the same time concerns "Let's Go" where Bernard and Arthur Baker were on holiday together and rediscovered the instrumental the band recorded back in the day I.e. the demo-ish Salvation! version and possibly the "Waiting For So Long" vocal demo from the mid-80s. They subsequently went into the studio, pulled apart existing multi-tracks with Bernard recording brand new vocals and a guitar track. It was allegedly a Sumner/Baker only project and I don't think the rest of the band were even involved due to their estrangement post-Reading 93. The new "Let's Go (Nothing For Me)" took pride of place as track 1 on the US Qwest pressing of (The Best Of) but was relegated to the limited edition CD single of the newly remixed "Nineteen63" in the UK. Even then two mixes of the new "Let's Go" exist with one having a clean ending (US) and the other fading out (UK). So I would surmise it's highly likely Bernard recorded the new acoustic guitar track for the Arthur Baker remix of 1963 at the same time they both decided to complete the new "Let's Go (Nothing For Me)" project. The rest of "1963-95" as far as I'm aware was derived from the original 1987 multi-tracks; notably the significantly louder Hooky bass which I'm sure we all agree enhances the remix. Baker obviously thought it was a decent opportunity to raise the faders on his contribution and let us hear the riffs."

The Radio Dept - your father, 2003

"The Radio Dept. come across as sensitive, fragile and melancholy types when you consider the lyrics and the understated arrangements on some of the tracks (‘Bus’, ‘Strange Things Will Happen’, ‘Lost and Found’, ‘Your Father’ particularly). But for every such contemplatively serene and reflective moment here, there are also a few absolute slammers which tear along at a cracking, relentless pace with all loose components left hanging on for dear life: witness the ferociously unhinged and cacophonously crashing drums that anchor ‘Where Damage Isn’t Already Done’. If there was ever a close relative to the exhilarating Flaming Lips single ‘Race For The Prize’ from ‘The Soft Bulletin’ it is this one. It really does sound like its lo-fi cousin, right down to the arrangement – the huge rushing percussive intro (tinny buzzing guitars instead of whooshing string synths), the quieter sung verses where things drop back a bit, then the repeated crank-up all-guns-blazing of the guitar/drums refrain again."

Damien Jurado - silver timothy, 2014

“Silver Timothy,” the album’s lead single, perfectly balances Swift’s propensity for lush psychedelics and Jurado’s typically intimate but elliptical narratives. Jurado practically whispers through this jaunt, his voice made bigger by a web of echo and effects. He lets the arrangement and production ferry the song forward—the Latin percussion and proper rock drums, the rubbery bassline and refracted keyboards, the distant harmonies and howling guitars. The net effect pulls the listener closer to Jurado’s daydream tone, a circuitous way to push the singer-songwriter into his own spotlight."

Heather Nova - always christmas, 2008

"there is so much abundance and celebration and that makes me all the more acutely aware of how much sadness and suffering there still is in the world; How much we still need to fix, and how much we still need to grow as a human race."

Club 8 - getting by, 2024

"Sweden’s Club 8 have just released their sixth single of 2024, and each one somehow seems to be better than the last."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - flame of hope, 1986

"One of my all-time favorite sounds. “Flame Of Hope” was a brief but compelling song with some of the best McCluskey vocal leads on the whole album. His work there was right “in the zone” so the sometimes strident tone he’d adopt was unheard this time."

The Beatles - revolution, 1968

"Revolution" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Three versions of the song were recorded and released in 1968, all during sessions for the Beatles' self-titled double album, also known as the "White Album": a slow, bluesy arrangement ("Revolution 1") included on the album; an abstract sound collage (titled "Revolution 9") that originated as the latter part of "Revolution 1" and appears on the same album; and the faster, hard rock version similar to "Revolution 1", released as the B-side of "Hey Jude". Although the single version was issued first, it was recorded several weeks after "Revolution 1", intended for release as a single. A music video for the song was shot using the backing track from the single version, their appearances reflecting the song's atmosphere, along with live-sung lyrics that more closely resemble the album version."

The Radio Dept - this past week, 2005

"What I learned in this listening experiment surprised me. All the elements I thought the Radio Dept. grew into over time were more or less present from the start. Or, maybe more accurately, the band has only stretched by skips and steps, not leaps and bounds, over the years. Being one of my favorite bands, that's only a mild knock against them. Much like the Kings of Convenience, who also only manage to release a new full-length every three or four years, their output is so sporadic that by the time something new comes along I'm more than fine with it being a minor variation on whatever they've done before."

Such a great song!