Nada Surf - love goes on cover, 2010

"There's something about a band recording an album of covers that sends up a red flag in the minds of many listeners, as if the musicians are acknowledging they've run out of ideas and must sift through other folks' material in order to pad out their repertoire. This might seem particularly troubling to fans of Nada Surf, since their continued existence after the flash-in-the-pan success of "Popular" in 1996 has had so much to do with their growing strength as idiosyncratic pop songwriters, but for whatever reason, the group has chosen to interpret the work of 12 other acts on their sixth studio album, If I Had a Hi-Fi, and they've done it in a way that avoids sounding like a holding action."

Fait-divers by Kathryn Schulz

"However disorienting, difficult, or humbling our mistakes might be, it is ultimately wrongness, not rightness, that can teach us who we are.” (Kathryn Schulz)

Fait-divers on silence

Every place of silence is invaded by noise. Everywhere we see the ravages of this on our thinking.

Fait-divers on fear

Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop.

Fait-divers by Niels Bohr on reality

“Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real.” (Niels Bohr)

Fait-diverson metaphors

Metaphors close gaps in understanding by linking new ideas to what is already known.

Fait-divers on the neutrinos

Neutrinos are everywhere. Every second, 100 trillion of them pass through your body unnoticed, hardly ever interacting.

Fait-divers

Stress creates activity, but it destroys creativity. It causes smart people to do stupid things.

Fait-divers by Matthieu Ricard on happiness

"To Ricard, the answer comes down to altruism. The reason is that, thinking about yourself and how to make things better for yourself all the time is exhausting and stressful, and it ultimately leads to unhappiness. "It's not the moral ground," Ricard says. "It's simply that me, me, me all day long is very stuffy. And it's quite miserable, because you instrumentalize the whole world as a threat, or as a potential sort of interest [to yourself]." If you want to be happy, Ricard says you should strive to be "benevolent," which will not only make you feel better but also make others like you more."

Fleet Foxes - lorelai, 2011

"So the deeper “Lorelai” gets into its story and starts adding instruments (some backwards), and harmonies, the further it gets away from its influences and comes out the other side being very much its own thing."

The Flaming Lips - evil will prevail, 1995

"this song was a key factor in Ronald Jones, who played guitar with the band at the time, leaving the band, as he perceived the message as a negative one, conflicting with his happy-clappy spiritual views. I think, although he was a wonderful guitarist and probably a lovely guy, that he missed the point. God only knows where the magic bullet and glowing mothership fit into all though..."

Nada Surf - whose authority, 2008

"An album as a whole that I love is Lucky by Nada Surf. "See These Bones," that to me is a person, and an album, and a song. My girlfriend, Courtney, is completely embodied in that album. Every time I listen to it, it's like she's there, and that's really helped me a lot. It's really strange to have an album be a person. It's the first time I've kind of thought about it in that way, but it's true, and that brings a comfort in itself. The music is super comforting because it's got amazing harmonies. The thing I love about Nada Surf is you don't give a shit what year it is, they still sound like 1995. They've done it on their new album (You Know Who You Are) as well. I love that band."

Slowdive - don't know why, 2017

"It’s strange to call Slowdive a comeback album, because it seems so sure of itself. Instead, it feels like a completely logical next step in their discography. The record fits snugly inside the band’s canon, so much so that it makes the 22 years since Pygmalion all the more difficult to believe. The band have delivered a fresh dream-pop sound that is still uniquely Slowdive. Perhaps they’re fortunate that their return does not follow their magnum opus, but Slowdive delivers nearly everything their fans desire in a return: familiarity, innovation, and vast atmospheres to get lost in."

Belle And Sebastian - i want the world to stop, 2010

"Mainly, though, what impresses about Write About Love is its consistency, both within the album itself and within Belle & Sebastian’s work at large. Song for song, it’s as strong as any of their records - if anything, these 11 songs are the tightest they have ever been - and Stuart Murdoch remains faithful to the aesthetic he essayed at the outset of his career, finding sustenance in the fine details, his obsessions carrying the weight of passion."

Slowdive - no longer making time, 2017

"There is the occasional moment when the mix seems a little off, most notably the tinny drums on "No Longer Making Time," but mostly the album delivers exactly what a Slowdive fan would want. Lots of songs to dream to (the ethereal, Cocteau Twins-sounding "Don't Know Why," the calming "Sugar for the Pill"), get lost in (the noisy "Go Get It"), and swoon along with (the positively dreamy pop song "Everyone Knows")."

Fait-divers by Kierkegaard on boredom

"Adam was bored because he was alone; therefore Eve was created. Since that moment, boredom entered the world and grew in quantity in exact proportion to the growth of population. Adam was bored alone; then Adam and Eve were bored together; then Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel were bored en famille. After that, the population of the world increased and the nations were bored en masse." (Kierkegaard)

Fait-divers on attitude

Give more than is expected, love more than seems wise, serve more than seems necessary, and help more than is asked.

Fait-divers on education and forgiveness

The two most powerful forces in the future are education and forgiveness.

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton

"What a thing it is to sit absolutely alone, in the forests, at night..." (Thomas Merton)

Fait-divers by Camus

"Nous finissons toujours par avoir le visage de nos vérités." (Albert Camus)

Neil Young - old man live at bst hyde park london, 2025

"There is a purity of intent to Neil Young that makes him seem, in this busy live summer of 2025, even more of an anachronism than ever. At Glastonbury, his ornery denial of current practice felt to some of us heroic - no pyro, no FX, no cabaret style troupe of special guests: the music and the pursuit of the sound was the spectacle. If cruise ship kitsch felt like the prerequisite for legend success at Glastonbury, Young seemed happier than ever to fail on his own terms."

Det Vackra Livet - kristallen, 2011

"Det Vackra Livet is the new band featuring brothers Philip and Henrik Ekström of The Mary Onettes. A perfectly eccentric and personal mix of The Cure, Ingmar Bergman, Claes Andersson's poetry and Arcade Fire!"

Belle And Sebastian - i love my car, 2001

"I Love My Car is a hilariously sweet ditty with insanely twee lyrics and that darn Uptown Shufflers om-pom-pom band that supported them on the last tour. You’ll either find it horrifying or endearing, as with the sleeve photos showing the band members holding various cute dogs."

Fait-divers

The only thing more powerful than knowing how to program the mind, is knowing how to deprogram it.

Fait-divers by Niels Bohr

"Prediction is difficult, especially about the future." (Niels Bohr)

Fait-divers by Leonard Nimoy

"The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have." (Leonard Nimoy)

Slowdive - slomo, 2017

"The way they blurred the clear vocal and instrumental is intriguing. Sometimes I feel like dream pop is a way to echo your voice in the brain and repetitively make you believe whatever your brain says is your heart says. I think this song is quite a straightforward one, expressing the longing for love and seeking tenderness. The way Slomo addresses the universal emotions is nothing dramatically different but quite convincing."

Concorde - floating there, 2013

"The EP features synth-heavy, electro-pop arrangements with a melancholic yet danceable vibe, blending vintage synths and tropical guitar sounds."

Fait-divers by C. S. Lewis on humility

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." (C. S. Lewis)

Fait-divers on art

Writing is the art of finding the extraordinary and hiding it in a better place.

Fait-divers on strength

True strength is not a solitary fortress, standing rigid against the world, but a bridge (fragile yet enduring) built across the vast chasms of human suffering. It arises not from isolation, but from the willing choice to step into the pain of others, to let their struggles echo within us.

Fait-divers on pain and love

What we perceive to be a three-dimensional universe might just be the image of a two-dimensional one. The only reality: love and pain.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - shift, 2014

"Shift" is a track from the 2014 album Neon by Letting Up Despite Great Faults, an American indie pop/dream pop band founded by Mike Lee in 2006. The song, with a runtime of 2:56, is the opening track of the 13-song album, released on August 12, 2014, and characterized by its dreamy, shoegaze-infused indie rock sound. Critics have noted Neon for its shimmering, danceable melodies and New Order-inspired basslines, with "Shift" setting the tone for the album's ethereal vibe."

The Smiths - cemetry gates, 1986

"Cemetry Gates" originated when Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr was on a train; he recalled, "I was ... thinking, 'If you're so great, first thing in the morning sit down and write a great song.' I started with 'Cemetry Gates'; B minor to G change in open G." Marr was initially sceptical of using the song, believing that the guitar part was not interesting enough to be developed into a song. However, Smiths singer Morrissey liked Marr's performance of the song's music and convinced him it was worthy of release. Marr recalled "I did this in my kitchen with Morrissey. When I played it I wasn't sure about it – but that’s one example of how a partnership works. Because Morrissey loved it, and it came so effortlessly and easy. I was just about to bin it." Producer Stephen Street stated that "the vibe was just wonderful" while recording the song. Street later said of the song: "It's all the best elements of The Smiths. And what a wonderful vocal and lyric. It's a nice bit of blessed relief. It's delicate, but it's still got power".

Belle And Sebastian - the loneliness of a middle distance runner, 2001

"The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe, published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same title. The work focuses on Smith, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a working class area, who has bleak prospects in life and few interests beyond petty crime. The boy experiences social alienation and turns to long-distance running as a method of both emotional and physical escape from his situation."

Fait-divers on happiness

The most worth-while thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others.

Roger Waters - we shall overcome cover live, 2016

"In 1959, the song began to be associated with the civil rights movement as a protest song, when Guy Carawan stepped in with his and Seeger's version as song leader at Highlander, which was then focused on nonviolent civil rights activism. It quickly became the movement's unofficial anthem. Seeger and other famous folksingers in the early 1960s, such as Joan Baez, sang the song at rallies, folk festivals, and concerts in the North and helped make it widely known. Since its rise to prominence, the song, and songs based on it, have been used in a variety of protests worldwide."

Fait-divers by Confucius

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." (Confucius)

Fait-divers: hotel room in the early 20th century

Bruce Springsteen - i'm goin down, 1984

"A rock song, "I'm Goin' Down" is described by Uncut contributor John Lewis as having a country music influence, and "sound[ing] in places like Johnny Cash". For other critics, the song contains rockabilly elements."

Fait-divers by John Steinbeck

"I hate cameras. They are so much more sure than I am about everything." (John Steinbeck)

Fait-divers by Niels Bohr

"Every sentence I utter must be understood not as an affirmation, but as a question." (Niels Bohr)

Fait-divers on gratitude

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." (William Arthur Ward)

Fait-divers on attitude and attention

Body language. Tone of voice. Monitor obsessively. Manage obsessively.

It's Immaterial - in the neighbourhood, 1990

"a sense of place is strong in every song. Each song is a story and the Liverpool-based Mancunians have set them firmly in the North of England."

Isobel Campbell And Mark Lanegan - something to believe, 2008

"Sunday at Devil Dirt is the second collaborative studio album by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, released 13 May 2008, through V2 Records. The album follows 2006's Ballad of the Broken Seas. Unlike the previous album, Lanegan flew over to Glasgow to record his vocal parts."

Fait-divers by Einstein on solitude

"I have always loved solitude, a trait that tends to increase with age." (Einstein)

Fait-divers on mind

The mind is like a parachute. It doesnt work unless it's open!

Fait-divers by Vala Afshar on humility, kindness, thoughtfulness and approachability

"I am impressed when I meet smart people. But what I admire most is humility, kindness, thoughtfulness and approachability. Be that person." (Vala Afshar)

Fait-divers by the Dalai Lama on perspective

"Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open." (Dalai Lama)

The Smiths - bigmouth strikes again, 1986

"I would call it a parody if that sounded less like self-celebration, which it definitely wasn't. It was just a really funny song"

The Mountain Goats - the diaz brothers, 2012

"How many times have you heard “The Diaz Brothers?” If you have been a fan of the Mountain Goats to any degree for more than about ten years as of this writing, that number is probably very high. It’s just one of those songs that you can come back to again and again."

Fait-divers on robots

We're making it too easy for the robots to take over.

The Housemartins - five get over excited live, 1997

"The live version of "Five Get Over Excited" on Raise the Flag by The Housemartins was recorded at the Austin City Limits festival in Texas in 1987."

Belle And Sebastian - big john shaft, 2002

"Though some of the other songs, such as "I Don't Want to Play Football," are disappointingly short, more substantial songs like "Big John Shaft," the surprisingly upbeat "Scooby Driver," and the bouncy title track make the album worthwhile for die-hard Belle & Sebastian fans. The only real misstep is the inclusion of so much dialogue from the film -- it didn't work that well in the movie, and in this context it's especially distracting. In all, Storytelling is a frustrating release from Belle & Sebastian; it's not exactly a complete album, it's not as satisfying as their best EPs, and yet it displays enough of the group's charm that it's difficult to dismiss entirely."

Such a great song!

Fait-divers by the Dalai Lama on love and compassion

"I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion." (Dalai Lama)

Fait-divers on humour again

People used to complain that life was short and dangerous. So modern medicine made it long and boring so that they would complain even more.

Fait-divers on literature

The miracle of literature is that it can get you to understand, even a tiny bit, what it is like to be another human being.

Fait-divers on humour

We live in a world where everybody is busy writing something so that there's nobody left to read it.

Fait-divers by Thich Nhat Hanh on breathing

"Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment." (Thich Nhat Hanh)

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton meditation

“If you want to identify me, ask me not what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail” (Thomas Merton)

New Order - i'll stay with you, 2013

"For me its the best song on the album; much better (and cohesive) than Hellbent, a great opening shot for an LP that was unfortunately unable to sustain the quality, and a worthy inclusion on the 2016 remaster / reissue of Singles (even though it was never issued as a single, but then again neither was Turn). Opening with a cool (but brief) electronic intro, the song quickly morphs into what is effectively a classic New Order rock workout rich with melody, hooks, and sonic balance. Bernard does a really nice job with his vocal performance, particularly on his atypical scales in the choruses. The middle instrumental break is terrific; featuring all the key riffs and a great additional bridge into the final chorus. All in all its one of the top drawer New Order rock tracks of the period. That there was ever a possibility in those dark days that it might have been truly ‘lost’ would have been a great shame."

Jenny Hval - lions, 2019

"I wanted to have some kind of clarity in the sound, not to make things muddy and deep, but to have things very light and clear, almost like the element of the transcendental in trance. It's sort of an elevated state, a very receptive state, I find. I can write things that wouldn't happen with other sounds."

Chumbawamba - drip drip drip, 1997

"Larry Flick of Billboard magazine called the song, which he thought "oozes with a political subtext" and was "clever," though he felt the song didn't have what it took to be a hit and that the "instrumental energy doesn't always quite match the intensity of the vocals and chants."

Craig Armstrong - wake up in new york, 2002

"With his strings and zing well upfront, the vocalists are used as instruments but Evan Dando is on top form in the electronic hubbub of ‘Wake up in New York’"

Cold War Kids - first, 2014

"Philip Cosores of Paste called it a "clap-along anthem" and put it together with "All This Could Be Yours" and "Hot Coals" as "the strongest run the band has put together in its career." Heather Phares of AllMusic remarked the song being a highlight of the album due to its "anthemic power."

Fait-divers on attitude

It's amazing how people condemn each other, and even more amazing how quickly and without question they do it.

Posse - voices, 2016

"a deceptively minimalistic song entrenched in hazy guitar hooks and floating in Paul Wittmann-Todd and Sacha Maximʼs halcyon vocals."

Fait-divers on books

A good book makes you want to change your life. A great book makes you feel ok about yourself.

Fait-divers on taxes on disabled people

Lotteries are taxes on disabled people. Mathematicaly disabled people I mean.

Fait-divers on metaphors

The metaphor designer isn’t trying to make something beautiful but to change your view on things.

Fait-divers on emergence by David Chalmers

"We can say that a high-level phenomenon is strongly emergent with respect to a low-level domain when truths concerning that phenomenon are not deducible even in principle from truths in the low-level domain. Strong emergence is the notion of emergence that is most common in philosophical discussion of emergence, and is the notion invoked by the "British emergentists" of the 1920s. We can say that a high-level phenomenon is weakly emergent with respect to a low-level domain when truths concerning that phenomenon are unexpected given the principles governing the low-level domain. Weak emergence is the notion of emergence that is most common in recent scientific discussion of emergence, and is the notion that is typically invoked by proponents of emergence in complex systems theory." (David J. Chalmers)

Earth Wind And Fire - september, 1978

"I constantly have people coming up to me and they get so excited to know what the significance was. And there is no significance beyond it just sang better than any of the other dates. So ... sorry!"

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton on peace

Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. (Thomas Merton)

James - curse curse, 2014

"a dance-electro anthem that manages to lyrically combine fruity double entendre, tequila and iconic Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi."

Fait-divers by Niels Bohr on language

“We are suspended in language.” (Niels Bohr)

Fait-divers on pessimism and happiness

Pessimists are happy because they don't expect to be.

Fait-divers by Nelle Harper Lee on love

"Love's the only thing in this world that is unequivocal." (Harper Lee)

Fait-divers on suffering by C. S. Lewis

"In a game of chess you can make certain arbitrary concessions to your opponent, which stand to the ordinary rules of the game as miracles stand to the laws of nature. You can deprive yourself of a castle, or allow the other man sometimes to take back a move made inadvertently. But if you conceded everything that at any moment happened to suit him — if all his moves were revocable and if all your pieces disappeared whenever their position on the board was not to his liking — then you could not have a game at all. So it is with the life of souls in a world: fixed laws, consequences unfolding by causal necessity, the whole natural order, are at once limits within which their common life is confined and also the sole condition under which any such life is possible. Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself." (C. S. Lewis)

Milo Meskens - here with me, 2016

"The last song off Milo Meskens’ debut album is, surprisingly, his first single: an acoustic and slow song, relaxing through the presence of finger picking and harmonies. The bridge is, as many of the other ones on his album, crescendo with powerful and high vocals and a repetition: “You could be here with me.”

The Go-Betweens - part company, 1984

"Forster later indicated in an interview that McLennan had told him that "Just a King in Mirrors" was about Nick Cave, whom he was close to at the time. Desperately broke at the time, Forster said, "A moment of brightness for me was writing the music for "Part Company", the strummed folkie chords setting up the possibility of telling a story, not a fragment."

Belle And Sebastian - fiction reprise, 2002

"The "Fiction Reprise" is a track by Belle and Sebastian from their 2002 album Storytelling, which was the soundtrack for the film of the same name directed by Todd Solondz. The song is a brief, instrumental reprise of the earlier track "Fiction" from the same album, lasting about 1 minute and 22 seconds. It features a gentle, melancholic melody with the band's signature lo-fi, chamber-pop sound, incorporating soft guitar strums and subtle orchestral elements. The Storytelling album was recorded in 2001 and released in 2002 via Jeepster Records, with the band working under constraints due to the film's production needs, which influenced the minimalistic and fragmented nature of some tracks, including "Fiction Reprise."

The Smiths - the boy with the thorn in his side, 1986

"Margi Clarke asked Morrissey if this song was inspired by Oscar Wilde, and Morrissey replied: "No, that's not true. The thorn is the music industry and all those people who never believed anything I said, tried to get rid of me and wouldn't play the records. So I think we've reached a stage where we feel: if they don't believe me now, will they ever believe me? What more can a poor boy do?"

Gerry Rafferty - island, 1978

"Setting out in his apocalyptic "Ark," each song radiates the confidence of a master craftsman cruising in his prime, constructing brilliant pop confections with top-flight support while awaiting the crunch of civilization."

Belle And Sebastian - fuck this shit, 2002

"Fuck This Shit" is an instrumental track by Belle and Sebastian, featured on their 2002 album Storytelling, which serves as the soundtrack for the Todd Solondz film of the same name. The song is a brief, quirky interlude, clocking in at just over two minutes, with a lo-fi, almost improvisational feel. It blends jangly guitars, a plodding rhythm, and a touch of whimsy, characteristic of the band's indie pop sound. The title, bold and unfiltered, contrasts with the band's typically gentle aesthetic, reflecting a playful rebellion or frustration that aligns with the film's darkly comedic tone."

Fleet Foxes - battery kinzie, 2011

"Robin Pecknold remains the ringleader of this Celtic circus. His is the only voice to cut through the thick, lush harmonies that Fleet Foxes splash across every refrain like paint, and his lyrics - rife with allusions to the Bible, Dante the Magician, and the poetry of W.B. Yeats - reach beyond the territory he occupied on the band’s first record, which painted simple geographical portraits with songs like "Sun It Rises," "Ragged Wood," "Quiet Houses," and "Blue Ridge Mountains." On Helplessness Blues, he's just as interested in the landscape of the human heart. Still, it's the music that stands out, and the band's acoustic folk/chamber pop combo makes every song sound like a grand tribute to back-to-the-land living."

Bee Gees - i started a joke live, 1997

"It touches me deeply. I think it is simply about someone who wasn’t taken seriously or maybe even laughed at, put down. Someone who tried to fit in, made jokes, but still couldn’t get on the wavelength with other people. I think many of us can relate to feeling that way at times and that’s why people are even brought to tears with this song. I think Robin said to interpret it for yourself because that’s what it was meant to be, a deeply personal song. Also, this was at a time when bands were getting into experimental and psychedelic music that was a mind trip. The Beatles led the way in this genre. The BeeGees also experimented with this psychedelic genre. Not to the degree as the Beatles but still to some degree."

Beirut - landslide, 2019

“Landslide” is the third single off of Beirut’s upcoming 5th album, Gallipoli, and with each new track they release, the more evident their musical evolution becomes. The single boasts roaring rhythms of the organ that give it a touch of what listeners heard with Beirut’s earlier albums like Gulag Orkestar. Surround that by bright and uplifting harmonies – like ones from No No No – and what is created is a gorgeous combination of new and old, showcasing a maturation of sound that one would be hard-pressed not to have chills when listening to."

Headlights - i don't mind at all, 2009

"Headlights principal songwriters Tristan Wraight and Erin Fein were in Absinthe Blind, who put out two albums (“The Everyday Separation” and “Rings”) on little Mud Records in 2001 and 2003. With Headlights, the direction is meticulously observant and thankfully un-cloying indie-pop; “Wildlife” ebbs and flows, twining keyboard-drenched melodies, shimmering guitars and boy-girl vocals into a dreamy tunes that, like the music from their first two albums, has been shelter from the storm."

Bee Gees - heartbreaker live, 1997

"Heartbreaker" is a song that Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb wrote for Dionne Warwick. Released in 1982, it was a Top 10 song in most markets. Warwick herself has said that she personally didn't like the song a whole lot, though trusted the Bee Gees (her trust paid off!) while Maurice especially considers "Heartbreaker" a song that got away. The Bee Gees often included the song in their live medleys and later released a full version of their own on The Record. A demo version was also released."

Fait-divers by Buddha

There are no chains like hate... dwelling on your brother's faults multiplies your own. You are far from the end of your journey. (Buddha?

Fait-divers on the inteligence of Newton by James Gleick

"He made associations between seemingly disparate physical phenomena and across vast differences in scale."

Fait-divers on quantum entanglement

"Bohm’s ideas involve non-local hidden reality, in which everything depends on everything. In his universe, something happening in a distant galaxy is influencing you right now and vice versa, however minor the effect."

Fait-divers on attitude by Viktor Frankl

"When we are no longer able to change a situation we are challenged to change ourselves." (Viktor Frankl)

Fait-divers on supportive self-talk

Bee Gees - nights on broadway live, 1997

“It came to me in a dream. There was a request by Arif Martin, who was like an uncle to us, he was a great record producer during the song ‘Nights on Broadway’ for the Main Course album, which is previous to the ‘Fever’ syndrome. And he said, ‘Can any of you scream? Scream in falsetto?’ So, you know, give us an ad lib or a scream at the end. So from screaming, it turned into things like Blaming It All.”

The Reds Pinks And Purples - don't dream alone, 2024

"Don't Dream Alone" is a track by The Reds, Pinks & Purples, featured on their 2024 album The World Doesn't Need Another Band, released on September 5, 2024. The song is a 2-minute, 6-second melancholic indie pop gem, characterized by Glenn Donaldson's signature jangle-pop sound with introspective lyrics and a lo-fi aesthetic. It’s one of the album’s more meditative moments, exuding a "sad and heavy honesty" with a whispery, intimate delivery. The track was first performed live on October 11, 2024, at The 4-Star Theater in San Francisco. The album blends new songs with remixes of previous singles, incorporating noisier elements and real drums alongside Donaldson’s strummy earworms, drawing comparisons to The Smiths, The Go-Betweens, and Sarah Records. Fans have praised its catchy, gloomy, and literate vibe, with influences from '80s and '90s college rock."

Pope’s July prayer intention: ‘For formation in discernment’

Holy Spirit, you, light of our understanding, gentle breath that guides our decisions, grant me the grace to listen attentively to your voice and to discern the hidden paths of my heart, so that I may grasp what truly matters to you, and free my heart from its troubles. I ask you for the grace to learn how to pause, to become aware of the way I act, of the feelings that dwell within me, and of the thoughts that overwhelm me which, so often, I fail to notice. I long for my choices to lead me to the joy of the Gospel. Even if I must go through moments of doubt and fatigue, even if I must struggle, reflect, search, and begin again… Because, at the end of the journey, your consolation is the fruit of the right decision. Grant me a deeper understanding of what moves me, so that I may reject what draws me away from Christ, and love him and serve him more fully. Amen.

Learning to discern "To learn to live, you have to learn to love, and for this it is necessary to discern... Good discernment also requires self-knowledge... Often we do not know how to discern because we do not know ourselves well enough, and so we do not really know what we want." (Pope Francis). Do you take time to enter your heart, in the silence of prayer, to discern your decisions? Stay attentive to the Spirit of the Lord to discover your deepest desires and make life-giving decisions.

Feeling and distinguishing one’s own emotions "Examination of conscience helps a great deal… what happened today? What happened? What made me react? What made me sad? What made me joyful? What was bad, and did I harm others? It is about seeing the path our feelings took, the attractions in my heart during the day." (Pope Francis). Take breaks during your day to discover what's happening in your heart, what brings you joy or makes you sad, what emotions are aroused by the things you experience. The Lord speaks to you through the emotions you feel. Listen to His voice to decide according to the emotions that lead you to life.

Recognizing inner movements "It is important to know ourselves, to know the passwords of our heart, what we are most sensitive to, in order to protect ourselves from those who present themselves with persuasive words to manipulate us, but also to recognize what is truly important for us, distinguishing it from current fads or flashy, superficial slogans." (Pope Francis). What is important to you? Does it align with what God wants for you? Let Francis' question resonate within you: "Am I free, or do I let myself be carried away by the feelings of the moment, or by the provocations of the moment?"

Embracing what opens me to life "The good habit of calmly rereading what happens in our day, learning to note in our evaluations and decisions what we give most importance to, what we are looking for and why, and what we eventually find. Above all, learning to recognize what satisfies my heart." (Pope Francis). Is Joy the fruit of your decisions in general? Do you have the habit of reviewing your day? This will give you clues about where you are heading, and what is beneficial for you to choose more and more that Life that Jesus desires for you, and for those around you.

Reject what leads me to death "Temptation does not necessarily suggest bad things, but often haphazard things, presented with excessive importance. In this way it hypnotizes us with the attraction that these things stir in us, things that are beautiful but illusory, that cannot deliver what they promise, and therefore leave us in the end with a sense of emptiness and sadness." (Pope Francis). Seek someone who can teach you to discern, a guide, the community, to decode that secret password of your heart that manifests in many ways. How do you decide? Where do your choices lead you? By their fruits you will know them.

 

The Smiths - vicar in a tutu, 1986

"Vicar in a Tutu" centres on a cross-dressing clergyman, with Terence Cawley of The Boston Globe noting its "casual dismissal of gender norms", further describing as "sneakily subversive". Musically, the song features musical elements characteristic of the music hall tradition with Korber describing it as a "slight-yet-enjoyable rockabilly pastiche".

Neil Young - heart of gold live mönchengladbach, 2025

"I don't understand how broccoli became the most hated vegetable. There are so many better candidates like that rotting piece of garbage known as cauliflower."

Popidiot - the way i made you laugh, 2025

"Popidiot is an Estonian band. In 2009, the band won several awards in Estonian Music Awards, including in the category "best band of the year" and "best video of the year".

The Soft Cavalry - bulletproof, 2019

"The Soft Cavalry is husband/wife duo of Steve Clarke and Rachel Goswell of Slowdive. The band have released a video for album-track “Bulletproof” in which they use sign language to convey the track’s lyrics. The song is off their current self-titled release, available via Bella Union."

Bee Gees - and the sun will shine live, 1997

"On November 14, 1997, the Bee Gees reunited for a concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This was the Gibb brothers' first show in ten years, and the concert sold out in a hurry. The burning question was whether or not the chemistry would still be there, and thankfully, it was. After being aired on HBO on Valentine's Day 1998, the Vegas performance found its way onto CD when One Night Only was released in the fall of 1998."

Club 8 - i wasn't much of a fight, 2003

"I Wasn't Much of a Fight" is a song by Swedish indie pop duo Club 8, released in 2003 on their album Strangely Beautiful (track #3). Its melancholic lyrics, like "I wasn't much of a fight (I'm sorry) / Some temptations I must resist," explore themes of emotional surrender, exhaustion, and the end of a relationship. Rooted in indie pop, the song reflects introspection and emotional complexity, with the album peaking at #18 on the US CMJ charts."

Outros olhares: Espanha, litoral de Murcia, pôr do sol no Mar Menor, ontem, 05 de Julho de 2025

The Mountain Goats - harlem roulette, 2012

"This is a song about the death of Frankie Lymon, who was a wonderful young singer. Then he wasn't young anymore and his voice changed and the world had no further use for him. But he kept trying to work because that was sort of the only line of work he'd ever had. And, uh, he scored a recording contract with a tiny little label out of Harlem called Roulette, there were a lot of tiny little labels in the 1960s, and they let him track like fifteen demos in one night, and he did that, and got a couple hundred bucks, and he went and got some heroin, as you do when you get a couple hundred bucks, and died in his mother's house that night. This is called 'Harlem Roulette'."

Paul McCartney - hello goodbye live, 2002

"McCartney has performed "Hello, Goodbye" on many of his tours as a solo artist. These include 2002's Driving World Tour and 2003's Back in the World Tour, when he opened his concerts with the song, and the On the Run Tour in 2011–12. In addition, throughout his 1989–90 world tour, McCartney segued the coda onto the end of "Put It There". This medley was included on McCartney's 1990 triple album Tripping the Live Fantastic, while a full live rendition of "Hello, Goodbye" appeared on Back in the U.S. in 2002."

The Smiths - i won't share you, 1987

"Recording at the Wool Hall provided a more relaxed atmosphere, with a fully stocked wine cellar often emptied after long sessions by the band and Street. While Morrissey typically retired early, Street recalled that overdubs would continue late into the night, often followed by partying. The sessions were marked by a shift in musical approach and ongoing communication about the band's evolving sound. Ed Power wrote in The Independent that "everyone else was more than willing to join [Marr] in this new love affair. Parties at Wool House became a nightly event. With Morrissey tucked up in bed with his favourite Sylvia Plath anthology, the musicians would cover their favourite Spinal Tap songs into the wee hours".

The Soft Cavalry - mountains, 2019

"Melodic and timeless, the album lands in the atmospheric dimensions between Pink Floyd, Talk Talk and Mansun."

Junip - line of fire, 2013

"The end is very dramatic, as he sings: "Step back from the line of fire" about 8 times, but with the strings going for it, more harmonies, more drums and the Moog thing, and it's just very lovely really, a nice atmosphere. After the 8 times, there's an instrumental until the end which is very soothing."

Bee Gees - i can't see nobody live, 1997

"The Bee Gees were at their zenith in this live performance. Their song writing and vocal skills have greatly enriched my love of music and then Celine Dion singing Immortality Wow what a concert!"

Club 8 - born the wrong time, 2025

"Club 8’s “Born The Wrong Time” is a single released on July 4, 2025, as part of their 2024-2025 rollout of monthly singles leading to their album A Year With Club 8. The Swedish indie pop duo, Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, known for their dreamy, melancholic sound, dropped this track as a standalone single, not included in the 11-track album released in December 2024. Described as a wistful indie-pop gem with post-punk and dream pop influences, it’s been praised for its nostalgic yet modern vibe, resonating with fans of mid-80s UK indie like Primal Scream or Slowdive."

Paul McCartney - things we said today live, 1990

"McCartney wrote the song in May 1964 while cruising the Caribbean aboard a yacht called Happy Days with his then-girlfriend Jane Asher. Music critic Ian MacDonald said, “The sombre lyric—provoked by the frustrating interruptions of a relationship between two career people—matches the lowering gloom of the music.“

The Moody Blues - tuesday afternoon forever afternoon live at red rocks, 1993

"A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra is a live album by The Moody Blues, recorded from a live performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on 9 September 1992. This performance was the first time The Moody Blues performed in concert backed by a full orchestra. The concert was held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their second album, Days of Future Passed, which had featured the London Festival Orchestra. The full video of this concert was broadcast as a fundraising broadcast for PBS in the United States."

Old Sea Brigade - if love was the answer, 2025

"Benjamin George Cramer, better known as Old Sea Brigade, is an American songwriter and producer, signed to Nettwerk Music Group. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Cramer currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee."

The Housemartins - the light is always green cheap version, 1997

"Raise the Flag" is a bootleg compilation album released in 1997 by Saturday Elephant Productions. This album is not an official release but a collection of B-sides, live tracks, and rarities from 1984–1988, featuring 24 tracks such as "Stand at Ease," "Coal Train to Hatfield Main," "You," and "Drop Down Dead (12" Version)." It includes an 8-page full-color foldout insert with a bio, band member details, and a complete Housemartins discography. The CD, cataloged as SE02-97, is considered a rare collector's item and is noted for its jangle pop and indie pop style.

The Go-Betweens - bachelor kisses, 1984

"Despite the efforts of producer John Brand to shine it up, Bachelor Kisses is perhaps still too skeletal to have been a genuine commercial hit in 1984 (maybe a couple of years earlier it might have been a contender), but it remains one of the great treasures of the Go-Betweens’ catalogue." 

See also https://sintrabloguecintia.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-radio-dept-bachelor-kisses-cover.html. This is a fabulous cover version of this song by The Radio Dept. A dreamy and lo-fi cover, aligning with The Radio Dept.'s style.

Bee Gees - new york mining disaster nineteen forty-one live, 1997

"Released in April 1967, it was the band’s first internationally released single and their first song to hit the charts in the U.S. (#14) and the U.K. (#12). Barry and Robin Gibb’s haunting harmonies proved to be reminiscent of the Beatles, leading some to speculate that the song was actually performed by the Beatles under a different name. And “New York Mining Disaster 1941” was said to be an influence for David Bowie’s first big single, 1969’s “Space Oddity,” which had a similar theme of an astronaut trapped on his ship floating in space."

The Smith Street Band - song for you, 2017

"Song for You" by The Smith Street Band is a track from their 2017 album More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, released on April 7, 2017. It’s a song with indie and emo influences, written by Wil Wagner and produced by Jeff Rosenstock. The lyrics explore themes of rejection, insecurity, and unrequited love, with lines like “Rejection’s a constant, bitterness comes with age” and “One day there’ll be a song for you,” reflecting Wagner’s raw, emotional storytelling.

The Soft Cavalry - the ever turning wheel, 2019

"The album’s highlight is undoubtedly its final track, the near-seven minute The Ever Turning Wheel, flexing through the contours of the epic finale without ever appearing sticky or over-earnest (itself a feat that’s easy to get wrong). It's a track whose presence is indicative of the record as a whole: tender, considered, personal."

The Moody Blues - nights in white satin, 1974

"While it has been commonly known as part of "Nights in White Satin" with no separate credit on the original LP, "Late Lament" was given its own listing on the two-LP compilation This Is The Moody Blues in 1974 and again in 1987 (without its parent song) on another compilation, Prelude. Both compilations feature the track in a slightly different form than on Days of Future Passed, giving both spoken and instrumental tracks an echo effect. The orchestral ending is kept intact, but mastering engineers edited out the gong (struck by Mike Pinder) that closes the track on the original LP as it relates to the closing of the original album (with Side 1 beginning with the gong fading in) and not the track alone."

Beirut - gauze für zah, 2018

"The longest track on the album, Gauze für Zah, begins with the signature sound offered on more recent Randy Newman standards, before subtly slipping into deeper and haunting echoing’s as if one were settling into a meditative state."

Bee Gees - lonely days live, 1997

"Though One Night Only was originally meant to live up to its name, the Bee Gees ultimately decided to expand the “tour” and play shows across the world. In late 1998, they performed in Dublin, London, Bueno Aires and Pretoria, South Africa before finishing up the tour in Auckland and Sydney in 1999. While each of these shows have similar sets to the one in Las Vegas, a few other treats sneak in. The Pretoria concert was also recorded and (I believe) aired live at the time, though is a less polished version than the one officially released. The Bee Gees also rang in the new millennium with a full set not far from their adopted home of Miami, sending off their celebratory end of their 4th decade as the Bee Gees in style."

Moby - isolate, 2009

"Wait for Me sounds like the sparse lunar landscape depicted on its minimalistic album cover. The album is lonely and desolate, featuring spacey keyboard textures, sad vocals from a bevy of female guest artists, as well as a few by Moby himself, minimal beats, and woozy guitar that reminds me of how Reese's Pieces feel between my teeth. Also, something about this album - rather anachronistically - reminds me of the 50's."

The Sound - acceleration group, 1987

"Acceleration Group" is a song by the English post-punk band The Sound, featured as the opening track on their fifth and final studio album, Thunder Up, released on December 28, 1987, by the Belgian label Play It Again Sam. Written by frontman Adrian Borland, the song embodies the band’s signature blend of new wave, pop rock, and post-punk, with lyrics that evoke themes of persistence, defiance, and breaking free from stagnation. Lines like “The flames will flicker and the wanting will waver / But there's something in this somewhere / That's going to go on forever” and references to the “acceleration group with the acceleration groove” suggest a restless energy and a refusal to conform. The track runs for 3:34 and was recorded at Elephant Studio in London. Thunder Up marked a shift toward a more polished guitar-pop sound compared to the band’s earlier, rawer work, though it retained their emotional intensity. Despite critical praise—Melody Maker called it a magnification of “the intensity of expression,” and band members like drummer Michael Dudley and bassist Graham Bailey considered it their finest work—the album was not commercially successful. The subsequent tour, marred by Borland’s mental health struggles, led to the band’s breakup in early 1988."

Ford Chastain - give it time, 2024

"The sweltering mid-year months carry their own unique brands of white-hot wistfulness and seasonal depression as the days drag on and on and the nights just flatly refuse to cool off."

The Goon Sax - somewhere in between, 2018

"The songs are bright and bold, the strings swoop in occasionally to lift the songs into the skies, and there's a refreshing lightness to everything that makes the still-somewhat-difficult nature of the subject matter go down more easily. They managed to build up and expand up their sound without losing the core of what made them special."

Pet Shop Boys - it must be obvious, 1990

"But it feels like the flight of the von Trapps, does that mean it's war?" – The Trapp Family Singers, led by their patriarch Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp, were a popular Austrian vocal group during the period just before the Second World War. Ardently anti-Nazi, they fled Austria just before their country was annexed by Germany in 1938, at which time their home was confiscated. They settled in the United States. Their story, told primarily from the viewpoint of stepmother Maria von Trapp, became the basis of Rodgers and Hammerstein's popular 1959 stage musical The Sound of Music."

Bee Gees - to love somebody live, 1997

"My fascination with the band had started way back in high school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. When I was a student in class X, my eldest brother presented me with a Record of the Bee Gees which he got during an official tour to Washington DC. One of the songs in that album was the song “To love somebody.” At the time I was too young to understand the meaning of “love” except that in a couple of years girls my age usually get to experience it as that is the time girls have crushes on a boy. I was totally unaware of the deep pain associated with the rejection of romantic love."

The Sound - hand of love, 1987

"Borland's initial influences can be traced through his work with The Outsiders into punk bands of the 70s, such as the Sex Pistols. However, it is clear that he had a broader appreciation for other forms of rock parallel to this; his admiration for The Stooges and Iggy Pop was reaffirmed on several occasions. Other influences included The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Jim Morrison and Joy Division and David Bowie. In terms of admiration for contemporaries, mid-show interview in 1984, he cited New Order, Soft Cell and Eurythmics. His favourite bands from the eighties were The Waterboys and Talk Talk. He also lauded Ride in the early 1990s."

Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts - like a hurricane live dublin last thursday, 2025

"The electric guitar is alive and well. Neil Young, who is back touring in Europe for the first time in six years with his new backing band, Chrome Hearts, jabbed manically on Old Black, his trusty guitar, to glorious effect at the castle gardens in Malahide on Thursday night."

Neil Young - hey hey my my live glastonbury yesterday, 2025

"Then it’s Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) – and the three steady notes that punctuate the end of the main riff are my favourite sound in the whole Young catalogue, these smears of noise that intimate some kind of warning or barrier."

Bee Gees - massachusetts live, 1997

"If you enjoy the Bee Gees early period, then look no further than Massachusetts. The concert in Las Vegas in 1997 we watched frequently as a family on DVD. It’s ‘Mainstream Pop’ delivered at the highest level. They initially hit the big time in Brisbane, Australia (1963) as kids. There is a great video ‘Melody‘ of one of their earliest performances in Brisbane. For that reason, we like to say the Bee Gees are really Aussies."

REM - it's a free world baby, 1992

"I don’t know why “It’s A Free World, Baby” is not on Out Of Time. It just doesn’t make sense. The song is distinct, fully formed, and superior to all but maybe four of the tracks that actually appear on the record, but something compelled R.E.M. to cast it aside. I suppose that it could be an issue of thematic consistency — though the arrangement most certainly fits the chamber pop aesthetic of Out Of Time, its oblique, infantilized lyrics stray far from the album’s theme of love and romance."

Brian Wilson - god only knows live for what love can do, 2009

"Brian Wilson, the heart of The Beach Boys, poured his soul into music that wrapped the world in warmth. His melodies, like "God Only Knows" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice," feel like a gentle wave carrying you through joy and heartache. He battled inner storms — mental health struggles, family pressures, and a relentless drive for perfection — yet crafted songs that shimmer with hope and vulnerability. His genius lies in those lush harmonies and raw emotion, a sound that feels like a hug from someone who’s been through it all. Even now, his work whispers: you’re not alone in your pain or your dreams."

Swiss Portrait - connection issues, 2025

"a single by Swiss Portrait, the music project of Edinburgh-based artist Michael Kay Terence, released in 2025. The song is the lead track from an upcoming EP set for release in September 2025. It was written and recorded in Terence’s home studio in Glasgow, mastered by Erik Thorsheim, and blends dream-pop and shoegaze elements with lo-fi guitar melodies. Lyrically, it explores the emotional weight of losing a loved one and the fear of an uncertain future, delivering a vulnerable reflection on human fragility."

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Sé Catedral, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, ainda o Castelo ao longe com a Torre Sineira da Sé Catedral de Leiria, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Castelo, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, vista do Castelo para a Sé Catedral ao longe, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, vista para os arcos de dentro do Castelo, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Igreja de São Pedro, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Castelo ao longe com a Torre Sineira da Sé Catedral de Leiria, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, tecto da Igreja da Misericórdia, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Igreja da Misericórdia, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Rio Lis, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Outros olhares: Portugal, Leiria, Castelo ao longe, dia 27 de Junho de 2025

Bee Gees - someone belonging to someone, 1983

"Someone Belonging to Someone" and the instrumental version of "I Love You Too Much" would become the second single off the Staying Alive soundtrack. Robin and Maurice are not clearly present on either of these songs. The musicians are not credited on the sleeve, but the single credits David Sanborn for the saxophone solo. Years later, Albhy Galuten recalled only that they were some of the usual session players they liked to use."

The Sound - iron years, 1987

"Thunder Up is the fifth and final studio album by English post-punk band the Sound, released in 1987 on Belgian record label Play It Again Sam. Two singles were released from the album: "Hand of Love" and "Iron Years". The album and its subsequent tour precipitated the band's breakup in early 1988. Like the Sound's previous records, the album was not commercially successful, but the band largely considered it to be their best work."

Stars - i died so i could haunt you, 2010

"I Died So I Could Haunt You" is a track from the 2010 album The Five Ghosts by the Canadian indie pop band Stars. The song, like much of the album, explores themes of love, loss, and the supernatural, wrapped in the band's signature lush, emotive sound. It features dreamy instrumentation and the interplay of vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, with lyrics that evoke a haunting yet romantic longing."

Bee Gees - it's just the way, 1971

"The music all sounded meaningful, much of it displaying the same kind of faux-grandeur that the Moody Blues affected on their music of this era, the core group (playing pretty hard) acompanied by either Mellotron-generated orchestra or the real thing, with the group's soaring harmonies and Robin Gibb's quavaring lead vocals all over the place."

The Style Council - headstart for happiness live, 1986

"What “Headstart For Happiness” showed was that, at the very least, Weller hadn’t run out of melodies that spoke to me, and while it was less musically dense than the rest of the record, it was at least an entry point for his music moving forward."

The Beautiful South - i think the answer's yes, 1990

"The band’s music includes heavy doses of personal and public politics. This biting track is an indictment of the abuses of the political system and the crushing of the working class. Sung as sweetly as ever, it promises to do its best to bring down the power structure, seeing it as irrevocably corrupt. Although the narrator feigns fondness for the practitioners of greed, he assures the listener that his insider status merely allows him to find the quickest path to a better world. The answer is clearly “yes” and the question seems to be “do we need a revolution?”

Death Cab For Cutie - you moved away, 2018

"another realization that the Seattle scene Gibbard once knew and loved is no longer what it used to be comes to the forefront"

Per Sahlström - cross the line, 2009

"Per Sahlström is a Swedish songwriter and producer known for his melancholic yet catchy pop music with existential lyrics."

The Beatles - i'm looking through you anthology two version, 1996

"During October and November 1965, the Beatles recorded three versions of "I'm Looking Through You". Take 1 was recorded on 24 October and was slower than the version released on Rubber Soul, having a tempo of 132 beats per minute. It had a significantly different rhythm and lacked the "Why, tell me why..." middle eight of the final version. Take 1 was eventually released in 1996 on the Anthology 2 compilation. Take 1 also featured an electric twelve-bar blues jam, and a pitch centre in the key of G."

The Moody Blues - the night, 1967

“A lot of people grew up with that Days of Future Passed, along with our others, and in their own ways, they’re all fantastic.”

Moby - in my heart, 2002

“In My Heart” has a nice piano intro which is like Coldplay’s “Clocks” on acid. Tonnes of keyboards on this one and it’s quite an uplifting tune to boot. It’s definitely one of my faves."

The Flaming Lips - sunrise eyes of the young, 2017

"Coyne envisions a recreational wonderdrug from a not-so-distant future that induces a deep sleep, where the user's subconscious is transported into a fairy tale, childhood dreamscape. When they wake, they find themselves cured of life's personal and emotional problems."

Phil Collins - in the air tonight, 1981

"In the Air Tonight" remains one of Collins' best-known hits, often cited as his signature song, and is especially famous for its drum break towards the end, which has been described as "the sleekest, most melodramatic drum break in history" and one of the "101 Greatest Drumming Moments".

The New Pornographers - you tell me where, 2014

"This song was inspired by an a cappella version of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush," by the English group Prelude, which was a hit in the early 1970s. The New Pornagraphers' A.C. Newman told Spin magazine: "It's got this thick wall of harmonies, which I kept coming back to when we were doing the song."

John Murry - things we lost in the fire, 2013

"Things We Lost in the Fire" is a track from John Murry's debut solo album, The Graceless Age, released in 2012 (UK) and 2013 (US/Australia). The song, clocking in at 6:12, is a haunting, introspective piece blending gothic country and folk elements, reflecting Murry’s struggles with substance abuse and personal loss."

Death Cab For Cutie - northern lights, 2018

"Northern Lights" is one of many tracks on Thank You for Today that coincidentally use seasons as metaphors for titles, alongside "Summer Years" and "Autumn Love". In the tune, Gibbard mentions Dyes Inlet, an inlet in western Washington, near Bremerton, where Gibbard grew up. In one live performance of the song, Gibbard dedicated the song to those living in Bremerton. In writing the track, Gibbard wanted to "write a song that was like a John Hughes movie that takes place in my hometown, about two people in this suburban wasteland with nothing to do who spend their time on this body of water, one pining for the other, yet both knowing that this place will be a temporary stop in a much longer life." The song features guest vocals from CHVRCHES vocalist Lauren Mayberry. Bassist Nick Harmer recalled that "She’s just got such great energy and her voice is incredible. She strolled into the studio one afternoon and just nailed it." Mayberry has since performed the song live with the band; their first time together was at the Anthem in Washington, D.C., on October 17, 2018."

The Style Council - when you call me live, 1986

"The Style Council was an English sophisti-pop band fronted by ex-Jam leader Paul Weller. Starting in 1983, they placed twelve songs on the UK Top 20, including “Speak Like a Child,” “Long Hot Summer,” “My Ever Changing Moods,” “Shout to the Top!,” and “The Lodgers.” Their popularity peaked with the 1984–85 Polydor albums Café Bleu and Our Favourite Shop. After their ambitious 1988 release Confessions of a Pop Group, Weller disbanded the group to launch a solo career."

Renaissance - can you understand live, 1976

"Live at Carnegie Hall is a 1976 live double album by the English progressive rock band Renaissance. It presented songs from all of the band's Annie Haslam-era studio albums thus far, including the forthcoming (at the time of the concerts) Scheherazade and Other Stories."

Red Sleeping Beauty - breaking up is easy, 2016

"Never heard of Red Sleeping Beauty before? They’re a Swedish group named after a song by 80’s Marxist band McCarthy? Still nothing? Well its little wonder, since they’ve been away for over two decades. Now they’re back after nearly 20 years with a brand new album, Kristina. Named as a tribute to band-member Kristina Borg, who has struggled with breast cancer over the past few years but is now doing well. Imagine, if you will, the fey lovelorn bittersweet male/female vocal interplay of Belle and Sebastian inter-playing with the sounds of early Pet Shop Boys and OMD, bathed in the modernist glow of Swedish sensitivity. Then you are someway to picturing the sound that Red Sleeping Beauty have concocted since their first releases in the early 90s."

Mew - introducing palace players, 2009

"Mew is a Danish alternative rock band from Copenhagen, formed in 1995. The band is made up of Jonas Bjerre (lead vocals), Johan Wohlert (bass) and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen (drums). From 1995 to 2015, the band also featured guitarist Bo Madsen, while bassist Wohlert left the band from 2006 to 2013. The band began to receive attention with their third album Frengers (2003). Whilst their music may be classified as indie and on occasion progressive rock, former guitarist Bo Madsen said "I usually say we are 'indie stadium.' A mix between 'feelings' and 'thinking' is usually good."

The Beatles - i'm a loser live, 1964

"Anyone who is one of the best in his field - as Dylan is - is bound to influence people." This statement from John Lennon in 1964 indicated where he placed the credit for his change in songwriting style. While other songs written earlier that year touched on aspects of the Bob Dylan sound (such as the puffing harmonica on "I Should Have Known Better"), the first Lennon song that is openly credited by all sources as being musically and lyrically influenced by Bob Dylan is the second track on the British "Beatles For Sale" album, "I'm A Loser."

The Housemartins - i bit my lip, 1987

"I Bit My Lip" by The Housemartins was released as the B-side to their 1987 single "Me and the Farmer" on Go! Discs (catalog: GOD 19). It’s a jangle pop/indie pop track, consistent with their sound, featuring Paul Heaton’s socially aware lyrics about aspiration and frustration in a working-class context. The song’s lyrics, like “I bit my lip until it bled / ‘Yes please’ was all I ever said,” reflect themes of suppressed emotion and hope for a better life."

Neil Young - just singing a song, 2009

"Inspired by his long term hobby of tinkering with vintage automobiles, he and a friend decided to convert a 1959 Lincoln Continental to green fuel substitutes and then drive it across the States. In amongst the fairly uptempo, four-to-the-floor chug and dirty funk of car-related fare such as Johnny Magic (a strangely backing vocal-ed tribute to his partner in grime: Jonathan Goodwin), Get Behind The Wheel and the title track we get a few broadsides at the state of the economy (Cough Up The Bucks). Only Just Singing A Song appraoches his more pastoral side. Much like Greendale or Living With War this is Neil just following his muse because he can and screw the critics. The results may not be pretty (one suspects that despite Prairie Wind's gentle flow, Neil doesn't really like to do pretty any more). There's little of his wild fretboard explorations either. But as companion piece to greater, more focussed work like Sleeps With Angels, this rusty bit of rock buffs up quite nicely."

James - all i’m saying, 2014

"All I’m Saying is the tenth and final track on the 2014 James album La Petite Mort. A radically changed radio edit of the song was released digitally as the fourth single off the album in November 2014 and a video was directed by the Hungarian animator Péter Vácz. The song is about the death of Tim’s close friend and mentor Gabrielle Roth. He often tells the story with the song that she had kept her illness from him and other friends and he was on his way to see her in New York when she died."

The Beatles - i feel fine live at the bbc, 1964

"There are many quotes from the individual Beatles regarding the songwriting origins of "I Feel Fine." As usual, some of them are contradictory, as are John's above quote about "going into the studio one morning" with this song already written as compared to his 1974 interview where he claims "I wrote this at a recording session." Paul also claims partial credit for the song, stating in his book "Many Years From Now": "The song itself was more John's than mine. We sat down and co-wrote it with John's original idea."

The Style Council - the whole point of no return live, 1986

“I was really into the Modern Jazz Quartet. I really loved the sophistication thing they had going. They’d done a record called Place Vendôme [recorded in Paris in 1966, with The Swingle Singers]. And thought, ‘What a great idea — to take us off and go and record in Paris.’ At the time, I was thinking about doing a run of these EPs: doing an Alpine record in Switzerland… and going to different European cities. It never came about: it was a shame, really.”

Pet Shop Boys - i want a dog, 1988

"I've always found this an extremely lonely song, sung from the perspective of a narrator who considers the possibility of relying on a pet to keep him company more feasible — and perhaps more appealing — than relying on another human being. But, to be sure, this song invites a variety of other interpretations."

Dear Boy - kelly green, 2025

"With its swirling vocals and inescapable grooves, ‘Kelly Green’ weaves together shoegaze, trip-hop and ‘90s alternative into Dear Boy’s singular sound. Jangly / fuzzed-out guitars and visceral Southern California poetry. It’s the sound of a band rediscovering pure, creative joy—confident, liberated, and utterly captivating."

The Beatles - things we said today live, 1964

"McCartney wrote the song while holidaying in the United States Virgin Islands with his girlfriend, actress Jane Asher. The lyrics address the singer's love for a girl despite the distance between them. McCartney later described the song as exhibiting "future nostalgia", being "nostalgic about the moment we're living in now." The music is melodically complex, using chords more typical of classical music and jazz than pop music."

Bee Gees - i started a joke, 1968

"The melody to this one was heard aboard a British Airways Vickers Viscount about a hundred miles from Essen. It was one of those old four engine "prop" jobs, that seemed to drone the passenger into a sort of hypnotic trance, only with this it was different. The droning, after a while, appeared to take the form of a tune, which mysteriously sounded like a church choir. So it was decided! We accosted the pilot, forced him to land in the nearest village and there, in a small pub, we finished the lyrics [with Barry]. Actually, it wasn't a village, it was the city, and it wasn't a pub, it was a hotel, and we didn't force the pilot to land in a field ... but why ruin a perfectly good story?"

Turnstile - never enough, 2025

"Turnstile is an American hardcore punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2010. They have released five EPs and four studio albums. The band's third album Glow On was released in 2021 to critical and commercial success; the songs "Holiday" and "Blackout" earned the band three nominations at the 65th Grammy Awards."

Death Cab For Cutie - gold rush, 2018

"Gold Rush" originated as a demo that the band planned to discard, but was revisited at the suggestion of producer Rich Costey and combined with another demo. The song was written by lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard as "a requiem for a skyline", inspired by the rapid changes to Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, where Gibbard had lived for 20 years and some areas were "almost unrecognizable" due to the influx of workers for companies like Amazon."

The Mary Onettes - eyes open, 2025

“Eyes Open” builds upon the aftermath of themes, unraveling the emotional conflict between letting go and holding on. Maja Milner’s ethereal vocals add another layer, immersing the listener in a shimmering haze of nostalgia and longing. Soaring synths and melancholic melodies amplify the song’s emotional depth, crystallizing the internal struggle that inspired it."

The Style Council - with everything to lose live, 1986

"The album captures the band’s energetic live set, featuring Paul Weller (vocals, guitar), Mick Talbot (keyboards), Dee C. Lee (vocals), and Steve White (drums), with Billy Chapman on saxophone adding to the soulful and jazzy vibe. The performance of "With Everything to Lose" showcases the band’s sophisti-pop sound, blending soul, jazz, and pop elements, which was characteristic of their live shows during this period."