The Band Of Holy Joy - unlikely girl, 1990

"Formed from the ashes of an unrecorded '77 punk band, Speed, Band Of Holy Joy's initial musical forays were largely in the domain of industrial bricolage and occasional bursts of madness. By the time they began releasing records under their own name in the 1980s, the band's humanist tendencies came to the fore, with astounding portraits of people on the periphery, resulting in such classics as Rosemary Smith, Mad Dot and Don't Stick Knives In Babbies Heads. The sharp sensibilities of founder and leader Johny Brown eventually led to a star-making deal with Rough Trade, a few near hits and career momentum shattered when the label collapsed mere days after what might have been the band's breakthrough album."

The Vaccines - discount de kooning last one standing, 2024

"all 10 tracks could be singles. “Sunkissed” is sheer perfection. Young channels a Brian Wilson in a way that would make The Beach Boys’ crooner proud. “The Dreamer’ and “Discount De Kooning (Last One Standing)” are two more shining moments."

Steve Hackett - wherever you are, 2024

Coincidências inverosímeis. Steve Hackett e as Berlengas. Quase cinquenta anos depois. Ao longe vêem-se as Berlengas, os Farilhões e as Estelas e ao perto a Nau dos Corvos (0:31). Can a song travel to the ends of the Earth Mirror of a moment, ghost of a universe. At 0:31 is Berlengas, Islands of Portugal seen from Peniche. 46 years ago I was there listening Steve Hackett in a cassette walkman. Strange coincidences!

Gruff Rhys - bad friend, 2024

"I have often found myself struggling to balance the demands of life and the expectations of being a reliable friend. There have been times when I have felt guilty for not being there for my friends in their moments of need. However, this song reminds me that being a good friend doesn’t mean being perfect. It’s about having good intentions, being there when it matters, and acknowledging our own limitations."

Lee Scratch Perry - give thanks and praise alternative dub, 2021

"He acted like a madman but nobody really crazy could have made so many classic records in such a short space of time."

The Coral - miss fortune, 2016

‘Miss Fortune’, the album’s joyous highlight. With its Krautrock-tinged rhythm, backwards guitar and soaring chorus, it suggests that this rested and revitalised incarnation of The Coral still has plenty to offer. Having grown tired, their enthusiasm is audibly restored”

Paradise Blossom - forever with you, 2023

“We worked on this song for about 8 months. Originally, we wanted to finish it back in 2022, but we never figured out what was missing from the song. It was supposed to sound like something new, but we had the feeling that it wasn’t the right direction, so instead we took influence from our older songs that we made years ago and slowly this song came together, as said before it’s a love letter to our past selves. We wouldn’t be where we are without them. Forever wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Ride - pulsar, 2017

"the song keeps in line with the band’s classic sound, featuring swirling, distorted guitars and Andy Bell’s vocals blended low in the mix."

Simon And Garfunkel - i am a rock, 1966

"Billboard described the song as a "beautiful lyric ballad." Cash Box described the song as a "hard-driving, pulsating ode about rather isolated young man." Record World said that the duo "sing about loneliness in usual poetic terms."

The Band Of Holy Joy - here it comes, 1990

"Band of Holy Joy were formed by Newcastle émigré Johny Brown in 1984 in New Cross, South London while he was sharing a squat with Test Department, in what was then a thriving post-punk scene. Early experiments revolved around cheap junk shop instrumentation and rudimentary electronics before Johny and collaborators hit on their defining and defiant punk-folk-cabaret overload."

Bear's Den - the star of bethnal green live, 2019

"Lovely acoustic close harmonies live from BBC in Glasgow."

Fukushima Dolphin - fish song, 2023

"I don’t really listen to much music or go to many gigs, I can’t really say that anything much inspires me except those people who are all either dead or dying now!"

Neil Young And Crazy Horse - like a hurricane live way down in the rust bucket, 1990

"Driven by Young's trademark fierce guitars, the song became a landmark of the 'electric side' of his concerts and one of the most famous of Young's songs. The song has been played on nearly every tour Young has done since its release. It has also appeared on the compilations Decade and Greatest Hits and on the live albums Live Rust, Weld, Unplugged (this rendition is played almost entirely on a pump organ) and Way Down in the Rust Bucket."

Peter Bjorn And John - nostalgic intellect, 2016

"Swedish trio Peter Björn and John have created a musical universe that is constantly evolving. However, they’ve managed to retain their unique charm that made them press darlings a decade ago with “Young Folks”. What many didn’t realize is that that hit’s parent album, Writer’s Block, was the trio’s third in a career that has seen them stretch the boundaries of Pop music. While Top 40 radio’s Pop guidelines are pretty rigid, Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson treat them like elastic rubber bands, bending and twisting those guidelines into new and exciting aural avenues. They’ve even managed to carve out musical careers outside of PB&J while never lowering the quality control level on the albums they record together."

Wim Mertens - nota notae, 2023

“Note Notae” is a sentimental vocal New Age song with impressive clarinet and strings accompaniments."

Slowdive - shanty, 2023

"Songs such as “Alife,” “Kisses,” and “The Slab” permeate the body with a propulsion several gears beyond the group’s 1993 shoegaze Mount Rushmore album Souvlaki, as Halstead and Goswell’s intertwined vocals float above, between, and beyond cascades of effects-drenched guitars, throbbing bass, and washes of synths. Elsewhere, “Skin in the Game” conjures a woozy, Strokes/Cocteau Twins fever dream that’s disorienting in a way with little precedent in the Slowdive catalog. while “Shanty” is content to build the tension of its dark, arpeggio-driven groove for several minutes without words."

Au Revoir Simone - dark halls, 2007

"Au Revoir Simone is an electro-pop band that’s making its mark around the country. Sunday, the New York group will show off its tunes at the Fox Theatre. The keyboard-based outfit has become a favorite of filmmaker David Lynch, played Denver’s Monolith Festival and performed at European fashion shows. The band’s now touring behind its latest CD, Still Night, Still Light. Erika Forster is one of Au Revoir Simone’s three keyboardists, and she has very strong ties to Colorado. That’s because the performer’s dad is “etown” host and Hot Rize member Nick Forster. “I grew up in Boulder and went to Boulder High,” Forster said. “My dad’s a musician and my mom dabbled in music. I took piano lessons when I was growing up, so that’s the instrument I stuck with. “I grew up in a musical environment and that helped me trust my own musical instincts.” Forster moved from Colorado to the East Coast, where she pursued her musical dreams with Au Revoir Simone. The three-piece band wanted to create a signature sound, so the girls set out to create their own brand of ethereal pop music. Au Revoir Simone creates its unique pop sounds by using vintage synthesizers and drum machines. “We really try to create our own sounds,” Forster said. “We try to create layers of waveforms and fuse them with these beautiful melodies. Au Revoir Simone creates these soft, dreamy songs that are based in pop and rock.”

The Style Council - the lodgers, 1985

"The Lodgers" also known by the full title "The Lodgers (Or She Was Only a Shopkeeper's Daughter)" is a song by the English band the Style Council, which was their eleventh single to be released. It was composed by lead vocalist Paul Weller and keyboardist Mick Talbot, and was released in 1985. It is the third single from the band's second studio album, Our Favourite Shop (1985). Our Favourite Shop was renamed Internationalists in the United States."

Sufjan Stevens - futile devices, 2010

"Although Sufjan has significantly changed his sound on new album, The Age Of Adz, my favorite song on the album is arguably the beautiful “Futile Devices”. It’s the first song on the album and it just hooked me right away. It still hasn’t let go. My minds been at a weird place this year, and this song has really had it’s way with me. I can honestly call it one of my favorite songs right now."

Don McLean - american pie, 1971

"The theme of the song goes beyond mourning McLean's childhood music heroes, reflecting the deep cultural changes and profound disillusion and loss of innocence of his generation – the early rock and roll generation – that took place between the 1959 plane crash and either late 1969 or late 1970. The meaning of the other lyrics, which cryptically allude to many of the jarring events and social changes experienced during that period, has been debated for decades. McLean repeatedly declined to explain the symbolism behind the many characters and events mentioned"

San Gabriel - over my shoulder, 2024

“Austin bedroom-pop musician San Gabriel is a crafter of dreamy, nostalgic pop songs, written and recorded in an East Austin liquor store. Named after the river where he spent countless summer nights learning guitar and jamming with childhood bands, San Gabriel features 3-time Austin Music Award recipient James Bookert (Whiskey Shivers, Wild Child) splitting duties as writer, singer and multi-instrumentalist. Bookert began writing and recording under the name San Gabriel behind the counter at the liquor store as a way to entertain himself during his night shifts. Fusing 80’s style synth hooks with modern reverb-drenched guitars and synthesizers, San Gabriel creates a kaleidoscopic, nostalgic dream-pop sound.”

Vacations - no place like home, 2024

"Lead songwriter and vocalist of Vacations, Campbell Burns, said he had suffered with writer's block for two to three years preceding the album's release. He said this experience was linked to his journey receiving therapy and being diagnosed with obsessive–compulsive disorder. Songs on No Place Like Home were composed as Burns listened back to voice recordings from his phone that he recorded while traveling through the United States. The album was recorded in Los Angeles."

Ride - peace sign, 2024

“‘Peace Sign’ started life as a jam recorded at Marks’ OX4 studio, in early 2021. We called it ‘Berlin’ and initially it featured Loz on drums, Steve on bass and myself on a prophet 5 synth. About six months later I got hold of the recording and wrestled it into song form. Lyrically I was inspired by a film called ‘The Alpinist’ about the visionary free climber Marc-André Leclerc. Soon after I’d finished working on the song I remember I was raving to my bandmates about Leclerc at OX4, and a good memory of that time was us all watching that film at Mark’s studio.”

Saint Etienne - wouldn't it be nice cover, 2012

"He'd stop in the middle of writing a song or a conversation or whatever and start going on about Diane, about how innocent, sweet, and beautiful she was. I'd be thinking, 'Huh! Your wife's in the next room, and you're talking about her sister!'"

Fukushima Dolphin - kids cover live, 2023

"running a battered old acoustic through a plethora of guitar pedals to create a psychedelic lead tone that really cuts through"

The Waterboys - three day man live, 1984

"The Waterboys are an amazing band, with a sound that has changed quite a lot over the years. This pulls together their various sessions for the BBC, all in fantastic sound quality. The set mixes some of their well known hits, with lesser known tracks, some well chosen covers. For hardcore fans it's interesting to hear early versions of some tracks that went on to have quite different lyrics (check out This is the Sea). More casual fans should listen to some of their 'Big Music' - Don't Bang the Drum, Medicine Bow, Be My Enemy and This is the Sea."

The Zombies - the way i feel inside, 1965

"A charming, almost a cappella song, "The Way I Feel Inside" provided the Zombies a hit in - of all places - the Philippines. Written by Rod Argent during a tour with the Isley Brothers, the song has a wonderful vulnerability to it."

Au Revoir Simone - organised scenery bass clef remix, 2010

"We have a record that’s been reworked beyond all comprehension, barely displaying any similarities to its sister album, which is always a good sign that remixing has worked."

The Republic Of Wolves - a long december cover, 2023

"looking back on your life and seeing changes happening" while simultaneously looking forward to positive change in the future"

New Order - who's joe, 2005

"But, for sure, everybody now knows who Joe is. So what if the lyrics, clearly a companion song to Hey, Joe, don't fit the circumstances, never let that get in the way of a great song saluting a greater moment. And, if we disregard the main thrust of the words, and cherry pick the odd phrase, and disregard the new order New Order allegedly might have been celebrating with their name, yeah, it's an OK comment. Who listens to words anyway? And I can't really buy into conspiracy theories about Manchester pop groups."

The Radio Dept - you and me then, 2002

"You know those artist you listen to, and you only hear one song, then one year later you hear another and then decide to just listen to all they're songs, to only find out that all the other songs are just as good as the last two, next thing you know your waiting for they're next album and their isn't a doubt in your mind that what ever comes next will be greater than the last. There is no stopping these guys ... they just keep getting better."

The Beatles - long long long, 1968

"Long, Long, Long" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album The Beatles (also known as "the White Album"). It was written by George Harrison, the group's lead guitarist, while he and his bandmates were attending Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Transcendental Meditation course in Rishikesh, India, in early 1968. Although Harrison later stated that he was addressing God in the lyrics, it is the first of his compositions that invites interpretation as both a standard love song and a paean to his deity.!

Sufjan Stevens - carrie and lowell, 2015

"Sufjan somehow takes in such a horrific aspect of his life, and delicately lays out it’s most beautiful aspects and then appreciates them. Having terrible parents is perhaps one of the most stress-inducing and heartbreaking situations someone can be placed into. It can sometimes feel as though loving them is a choice and hating them isn’t, but the opposite is true. For such a situation, Stevens goes on throughout this album searching for the remedy. His answer is to forgive and love them, regardless."

The Doors - touch me, 1969

"In the book A to X of Alternative Music, "Touch Me" was described as a "solid gold soul classic". Writing for AllMusic, critic Jason Elias wrote that the song has "the style of pop and pure lounge." Some critics suggested the track blends pop with psychedelic rock; a combination which was unique at the time. It has also been characterized, along with other album tracks, as an early attempt at progressive rock."

Lichen Slow - hobbies, 2023

"Many of us like a bit of grump now and then. With this in mind, Lichen Slow is a new project featuring Malcolm Middleton of Arab Strap collaborating with musician Joel Harries. It opens with the downbeat Hobbies, a bit like a poppier Arab Strap, featuring Middleton on lead with Harries on backing vocals."

Au Revoir Simone - another likely story aeroplane remix, 2009

"Some light research shows the original version of this Au Revoir Simone song appeared on Grey's Anatomy. The Aeroplane version might fit better on GREY'S ANATOMY PARTY HOUSE 3011 WHERE EVERYONE GETS FUNKY THE SEQUEL. YEAH DOG this is a freakum jam if your name is McDreamy. Imagine some lady running her animatronic hands (Beyonce, holler at ABC) through his thick grey hair. He's a surgeon, you know. Aeroplane, our Belgian friends whose October mix we gushed over last week, have a habit of taking pretty-voiced women and icy-hotting their keys into igloo barnstormers."

The Band Of Holy Joy - because it was never resolved, 1990

"In the dark times Will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing. About the dark times.”

Steve Hackett - every day, 1979

"The album starts with "Every Day" which is an anti-drug song about Steve's own experiences of the drug culture when his first girlfriend fell victim to "Cleopatra's Needle", and it would become his signature song from his solo career with a guitar solo at the track's coda."

Jamie xx - it's so good, 2024

"Jamie xx, the maestro of musical innovation, takes us on a thrilling ride with his latest track, “It’s So Good.” As a seasoned musician, DJ, and producer, Jamie xx effortlessly blends indie electronic elements into a captivating sound. It keeps us on the edge of our seats."

MGMT - nothing to declare, 2024

"Having grown up with no arms, I have been watched my whole life. In some respects, the Venus de Milo has always felt analogous to my life"

Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove, 2024

"Coldplay generally doing what they do best: love songs with moody verses and blood-rush choruses that you can remember after a single listen."

The Beatles - nowhere man, 1965

"I'd spent five hours that morning trying to write a song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave up and lay down. Then 'Nowhere Man' came, words and music, the whole damn thing as I lay down."

The Radio Dept - where damage isn't already done, 2002

"The Radio Dept. has mastered the art of creating waves of sound that evoke the everyday without sounding mundane – a captivating paradox that challenges our perceptions of normality and beauty."

Seapony - i never would, 2011

"The song's dreamy and melancholic melody complements the introspective lyrics, creating a poignant reflection on the intricacies of love and connection."

Swallow - peekaboo, 1992

"When Swallow split up, I didn't feel I could write songs without Mike's input, I think I believed I was only able to convey ideas through him as I didn't play any instruments. I just got on with other things, I studied Art History and got interested in creativity and why people have the desire to make things. I realised that what I loved about song writing was the whole process of creating sounds with melodies. During a painful relationship breakdown, I started writing songs as a way to get through it. Initially it was pure escapism, however it was when I got an electric guitar that the ideas really came out and it was immensely satisfying to thrash out emotions on it!"

REM - half a world away, 1991

"R.E.M. founding members Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe played their first show on April 5, 1980, at a friend’s birthday party in an abandoned church in Athens, Georgia. From that point forward until 2011 when they decided to call it a day, the band released fifteen albums, toured the world, won multiple Grammys, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and have left a lasting legacy of great songs that defined an era."

The Radio Dept - ewan, 2003

"A huge, rumbling rhythm section ripped from the corpse of New Order ploughs through the speakers. A melody so huge and yet so ethereal it’s impossible to decribe as anything other than ‘glacial’ sears through the middle of it like an ice pick to the cerebral cortex."

Sparklehorse - it will never stop, 2022

"When the family of Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous discovered his uncompleted fifth album in the archive of recordings he left behind after his death in 2010, they had a difficult decision to make: Should they leave it as-is, or finish and release it? They chose the latter, drafting producer Alan Weatherhead, mixer Joel Hamilton, and engineer Greg Calbi to tie up the musical loose ends and bringing on Grandaddy's Jason Lytle and Linkous' nephew Spencer to provide additional vocals. It was a wise choice. Not only is Bird Machine a chance for Linkous' family to celebrate his beautiful, empathetic music by sharing it with his fans, it's also one of Sparklehorse's finest albums."

The Housemartins - me and the farmer, 1987

"Me and the Farmer" is a single by British Indie rock band The Housemartins from the album The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death. It reached #15 in the UK singles chart the week of 12 September 1987. The song had been written some 18 months earlier, on 22 January 1986 (the same day as Happy Hour). The track "Step Outside", which appeared on the B-side of the 12" release was also included on the 1988 compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good. The song is about how gentleman farmers treat their workers badly."

Bee Gees - someone belonging to someone, 1983

"In the liner notes to the 1990 box set, Tales from the Brothers Gibb, the Bee Gees describe the song as a "fair ballad from a silly film".

John Lennon - happy xmas war is over, 1971

"He conceived "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" as a means of elaborating upon the themes of social unity and peaceful change enacted through personal accountability and empowerment that served as the basis of the earlier billboard campaign, trying to convey optimism while avoiding the sentimentality that he felt often characterised Christmas songs."

Pink Floyd - comfortably numb, 1979

"The music was composed by the guitarist, David Gilmour, while the lyrics were written by the bassist, Roger Waters, who based them on his experience of being injected with tranquilisers before a performance in 1977. Waters and Gilmour argued during the recording, with Waters preferring an orchestral arrangement and Gilmour preferring a more stripped-down arrangement. They compromised by combining both versions. Gilmour said the song was the last time he and Waters were able to work together constructively."

The Smile - friend of a friend, 2023

"Friend of a Friend" has Yorke singing over a "meandering" bassline, before he is joined by Jonny Greenwood on piano and Tom Skinner on drums. The song also features saxophone by the American jazz composer Robert Stillman and strings performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. The lyrics were inspired by footage of Italians singing on their balconies during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and criticise cronyism in the British Conservative Party."

Au Revoir Simone - only you can make you happy, 2009

"In 2009, they released their third studio album, Still Night, Still Light, and although it lacked the cohesiveness the first two albums had, "Only You Can Make You Happy" definitely stood out as one of the best tracks. For a very mellow band who has personified "ethereal" to another level, the intro was what impressed me. The beats dug a little deeper and the keyboard riffs tremendously sparkled - even for them."

Damien Jurado - south live, 2019

"For more than two decades, Damien Jurado has sung folk songs brimming with prophetic imagination. Whether singing ballads about killers, wounded lovers, UFO cults, or the phantoms of departed friends, he’s populated his work with eerie foretelling, the sense that he’s divining something just on the verge of happening."

The Jesus And Mary Chain - head on live, 1989

"The Jesus and Mary Chain (henceforth “JAMC”) was the musical project of Jim and William Reid, who were (a) Scottish, (b) brothers, and (c) the foremost technological and scientific innovators of the modern rock era. Before they came along, many people still assumed that in order to make aggressive, energetic noises, the members of rock bands had to actually move around, do guitar windmills, and look engaged. The JAMC did not like this situation, because those poses tended to be either uncool or boring, and often made one look like a complete twat."

Billy Bragg And Wilco - california stars, 1998

"Mermaid Avenue is a 1998 album of previously unheard lyrics written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie, put to music written and performed by British singer Billy Bragg and the American band Wilco."

Liam Gallagher And John Squire - just another rainbow, 2024

"Liam Gallagher John Squire (also referred to as Liam Gallagher & John Squire[a]) is a collaborative studio album by English singer-songwriter Liam Gallagher and guitarist John Squire, released on 1 March 2024 through Warner Music UK. The album was preceded by the singles "Just Another Rainbow" and "Mars to Liverpool". It marks Squire's first album of material under his own name in twenty years since Marshall's House (2004)."

The New Pornographers - firework in the falling snow live, 2023

"I've listened to this album multiple times now and I am not hesitant to say that it might be one of their best. It's a bit of a grower but once you've grown into it, there is just so much there to be rediscovered."

Cameron Sonnier - anytime, 2024

"Houston-based artist Cameron Sonnier reveals the debut single from his upcoming sophomore album, Synchronicity. “Anytime” shows a gorgeous, contemplative folk sound with twangy guitars and warming underlying acoustics, complementing a warming vocal presence ruminating on “friends we used to know,” and other retrospective musings. Co-produced with Jordan Lawlor (formerly of M83), Sonnier describes the single as “about the fleeting nature of life, how we overcome hard times with a smile and move on, but are haunted by memories, places we’ve been and people we used to know, while creating more memories until we die.”

Jan Garbarek - molde canticle, 1991

"I Took Up the Runes is an album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek recorded August 1990 and released on ECM later that year. The quintet features pianist Rainer Brüninghaus, bassist Eberhard Weber, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos and drummer Manu Katché, with keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft and singer Ingor Ánte Áilo Gaup."

Bee Gees - juliet live, 1989

"The Bee Gee with the highest profile in Europe, Robin enjoyed solo success with "Saved By The Bell" in 1969, the electropop of "Juliet" (1983), co-written and co-produced by Maurice, and "Please" in 2002."

Suzanne Vega - in liverpool, 1992

"Liverpool, of course, is now best known as the home of The Beatles. However, it is also a city where other things happen, and I don't see another reference to them in the song. The other reference that is in the song is to a "hunchback," since the best-known church-bell ringer is Quasimodo, the fictioanl Hunchback of Notre Dame (and if someone can explain to me why a college with the French name of "Notre Dame" ["Our Lady," i.e. the Virgin Mary] is home to the Fightin' Irish and not the Fightin' French, I'd be much obliged, as I've always wondered.) Not that it is relevant to the song... in which a church-bell ringer appears prominently. The song, because of that bell-ringer, is one of Vega's most enigmatic. So we will leave the bell-ringer aside for a moment"

The Radio Dept - why won't you talk about it, 2002

"It would be difficult for me to imagine liking this record any more than I actually do right at this very moment. Call me a sentimental old Susan, but whenever I hear a guitar getting overloaded and strangled to the point where it begins screaming in tortured agony, all I hear is the most sublime, beautiful noise. As it was with The Jesus And Mary Chain and, more pertinently, the deeply wonderful Flying Saucer Attack, so it is with The Radio Dept. As for the song, it sounds to me like someone’s had a barney with their squeeze and has retreated to a nearby barn to make a noise like a backfiring combine harvester while griping away about how she doesn’t understand him. This is, in all honesty, heroic behaviour and actually the only real reason there is to listen to pop music in the first place. If it weren’t for infuriating partners we’d all have to pack up and go home as there’d be nothing left to say. Luckily, the world is full of them, so there’s no danger on that score. Anyhow, imagine ‘Why Won’t You Talk About It?’ as a sturdy tin bucket and picture the squalling feedback and dreamily melodic – although barely there – vocals slopping about inside. Watch it, some’s going over the edge! Now imagine tipping the whole lot over your own head and feeling the contents cover you completely. Feels good, yes? What do you mean, no? Are you some sort of pervert? The Radio Dept, from Malmo if you’re interested, are the sort of band who you wish you were in as soon as you hear them, which is a good start. That the other four tracks on this single are as good as the first makes me want to expire with joy."

Johnny Tillotson - poetry in motion, 1960

"The song was written by Paul Kaufman (1930–1999) and Mike Anthony (born 1930), who said that the inspiration for it came from looking up from their work and seeing a procession of young ladies from a nearby school pass by on the sidewalk outside each afternoon."

Elton John - sacrifice, 1989

"It's a simple lyric, but it's an intelligent adult lyric. It's basically about the rigors of adult love, and it's a million miles away from 'Your Song.' Elton came up with a brilliant melody, and his performance on it gives it a lot of integrity and meaning. It's not a surface song, and I think you'll probably see that one in the coming months becoming a big, big hit."

Warpaint - melting, 2022

“I was saying the other day that we should’ve called this album “Exquisite Corpse”, but it was already taken”

Counting Crows - round here live, 2013

"Round Here is everything I love about the band right there in the opening number. It’s probably everything the bands many detractors hate about them too. It’s overly earnest, it’s a slow build of poetic metaphors and atmospheric guitars. It’s heart on sleeve emotional and it has big ideas about the minutia of feelings."

The Moody Blues - the afternoon, 1967

"This album was constructed like a lot of albums back then to take you on a trip. A lot of people never hear it that way now. The world is just a pile of singles shoveled out in random order."

Real Estate - haunted world, 2024

"a picture of a person navigating through a world that was once welcoming but has now been transformed into something unsettling. Throughout the song, there is a recurring theme of feeling trapped and isolated in this haunted world."

The Band Of Holy Joy - a revivalist impulse, 2017

"For three decades now, Johny Brown has managed to find beauty and poetry in the most unlikely places, beautifully articulating careworn lives in a manner that has few peers."

Black Pumas - hello, 2024

"On “Hello,” Black Pumas creates an otherworldly sound, casting a powerful spell with the track’s sublime synth tones and celestial harmonies"

Dexys Midnight Runners - come on eileen, 1982

"Come On Eileen" is a song by the English group Dexys Midnight Runners (credited to Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express), released in the United Kingdom in June 1982 as a single from their second studio album Too-Rye-Ay. It reached number one in the United States and was their second number one hit in the UK, following 1980's "Geno". The song was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley and was initially claimed to be written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams, although Rowland later stated that the essence of the tune should be attributed to Kevin Archer."

Neil Young - amber jean live, 1984

"Amber Jean Young is an American artist and also the daughter of Neil Young. Amber Jean Young’s father is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. His guitar work, deeply personal lyrics, and signature high-tenor singing voice define his long career. The singer’s distorted electric guitar playing, especially with Crazy Horse, earned him the nickname “Godfather of Grunge” "Young was born Margaret Mary Morton in San Mateo, California, on December 1, 1952 to Thomas and Margaret Jean (Foley) Morton. Young met future husband Neil Young in 1974 when she was working as a waitress at a diner near his ranch, a story he tells in the 1992 song "Unknown Legend". They married in August 1978 and had two children, Ben and Amber, in addition to her becoming stepmother to his first child, Zeke. Both Ben and Zeke were diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and Amber with epilepsy. In July 2014, Neil filed for divorce in California. Young died of cancer on January 1, 2019, aged 66, in Mountain View, California." "there is no studio (non-live) recording of "Amber Jean" by Neil Young that has been officially released.The song, written as a tribute to his daughter Amber Jean Young (born in 1984), was first performed live shortly after her birth during his 1984–1985 tours with the International Harvesters. All official releases are live recordings:The primary version appears on the 2011 archival live album A Treasure (recorded during a September 20, 1984, appearance on the TV show Nashville Now in Nashville)."

Darksoft - you never know, 2023

"Darksoft is a singer-songwriter that makes dreamy alternative rock."

Arab Strap - bliss, 2024

"Vocalist and drummer Aidan Moffat and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton grew up in Falkirk, Scotland, and bonded over their mutual love for Drag City recording artists such as Will Oldham (who at the time recorded under the name Palace Brothers) and Smog. They began collaborating in 1995, and their debut album, The Week Never Starts Round Here, was released the following year. At this point Gary Miller and David Gow joined the band and became the rhythm section, creating a more dynamic live experience when the band started touring."

New Order - your silent face, 1983

"Your Silent Face is the fifth track of Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order. And also the first song off its second side. It is one of the most iconic songs from the album, in part from heavily featuring the melodica. It is still currently performed in New Order sets since the band reformed in 2011."

The Moody Blues - twilight time bbc dave symonds session, 1967

"Twilight Time" is a song from the Moody Blues' 1967 album Days of Future Passed. It is the final of three songs on the album representing the evening, along with "(Evening) Time to Get Away" (which is actually on "The Afternoon" track), and "The Sunset." Written by the Moody Blues' flautist Ray Thomas, "Twilight Time" primarily describes the scene in the sky after the sun has set. It is one of the more upbeat songs on the album (along with "Peak Hour"), played in a brooding minor key, and also has a heavy psychedelic rock sound to it."

Electronic - twisted tenderness, 1999

"Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner have a unique musical companionship. Both artists bred the '80s British music scene into pop candy delight thanks to Marr's charming guitar hooks while fronting the Smiths, and Sumner, whose ingenuous lyrical poetry pushed New Order's dance-oriented sound into the new wave mainstream. But since their musical collaboration began back in 1991, the duo continues to make music for themselves, uninhibited by current norms and marketing success. Twisted Tenderness, the band's third album, is certainly a vast improvement over their sophomore effort, 1996's Raise the Pressure. Twisted Tenderness steps back into Marr's talented guitar work: carefree, a bit rollicking at times, but in classic Electronic fashion."

The Lightning Seeds - green eyes, 2022

“I had six songs done and everyone was getting frustrated. I was told unless I finish the album in three weeks, it’d be another year before it could come out. Emotionally, that prospect felt a real drag. For the last four songs on the album, I finished off writing them and recorded them at home on my own, in the way I had in Lightning Seeds’ early days. People might think I’ve spent all these years doing final touches on everything and taking forever to write, but the last four songs were done in a fortnight. Maybe they’d been percolating in my head for a long time.”

The Decemberists - billy liar, 2003

"Billy Liar" is the debut single by the Decemberists. Deriving its title from the English novel Billy Liar, the song also references "Nogood Boyo" of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood and appears to generally talk about a young man's boredom during long summer days."

Outros olhares: meia-noite em Tallinn, Junho de 2023

The Beatles - baby you're a rich man, 1967

"Lennon wrote his portion of the song after attending the 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, an all-night festival held at London's Alexandra Palace that served as a key event in the emergence of the counterculture in the UK. His lyrics address the "beautiful people" of the 1960s hippie movement and combine with the chorus to present a statement on the universality of non-material wealth. The lyrics have also invited interpretation as a message to the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, and alternatively as a comment on fame. George Harrison performed the song during his visit to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district in August 1967, at the height of the Summer of Love. The track later appeared on the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour album. Parts of it were used in their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine."

The The - cognitive dissident, 2024

"Cognitive Dissident" by The The delves into themes of surveillance, censorship, manipulation of reality, and the inversion of truth. The song portrays a world where individuals are constantly monitored, restricted, and controlled, leading to a state of cognitive dissonance."

Au Revoir Simone - another likely story neon indian remix, 2007

"The group's musical inspirations were compared by the band's European label, Moshi Moshi Records, to "a dutifully mined musical thrift store"; these diverse influences include Modest Mouse, Stereolab, the Mountain Goats, Louis Prima, Pavement, the Beach Boys, Björk, Broadcast, Belle & Sebastian, David Bowie, Bee Gees and Billie Holiday."

Pulsar - apaisement, 1975

"One of the best debut's to come out of any band; and a virtually unknown band!! Pollen's certainly the most experimental to come out of Pulsar's discography. Super spacey, rocking in some parts (when needed), eerily beautiful, emotional vocals (many will have to grow accustomed to his strong French voice), but the strongest aspect of this album is the hypnotic effect. Pulsar drags you into their hauntingly beautiful world with its slow, powerful beat. Though repetitive after some time, it never grows tiresome."

Fukushima Dolphin - space lift, 2022

"I first photographed the fantastic band Fukushima Dolphin in Brighton in September. It was on the 27th September 2020 to be precise. At first I didn’t know who these guys were."

Sufjan Stevens - goodbye evergreen, 2023

"Javelin is an album about the need to be loved, agape and philia, and Stevens shows that he can write about both without trivializing or minimizing the importance of either. That's a commendable achievement in any creative medium, and the fact that he's done so while creating some of the best music of his life makes this essential listening."

Neil Young - quit don't say you love me, 2002

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

The Radio Dept - deliverance, 2005

"Today was really dark and gloomy, which seems to have put me into the mood for The Radio Dept. Their music is quite befitting of this weather... it's shoegazey, melancholy, a bit subdued, but also lush and really well-layered between the vocals, guitar, keyboard, samples, and drum machine. The Radio Dept. comes from Sweden, and formed in 1995. Interestingly, I've never seen their name written as "The Radio Department", it's always abbreviated as "The Radio Dept." Anyway, they apparently took their name from a gas station/radio repair shop they saw called Radioavdelningen, or "the radio department" in Swedish. They've had many band members come and go, and now consist of Johan (original member), Martin, and Daniel. They've released several singles and E.P.s, and two full-length albums: Lesser Matters (2003) and Pet Grief (2006). If you've read my last post you might know how much I love a good B-side... so the song I'm featuring here is "Deliverance", a B-side from the "This Past Week" E.P. (2005)."

The Moody Blues - eyes of a child part one, 1969

"I really thought if you were out there what would you expect, what would you see if you were on the spaceship going out. And I suddenly realized if you went up there with all preconceived ideas and preprogrammed ideas in your mind you'd probably miss everything. And I realized then, that's how a child works."

Indochine - ladyboy, 2005

"Ladyboy" by Indochine delves into the complexities of human emotions, resilience in the face of loss, and the search for meaning and happiness in the midst of life's challenges."

Black Sabbath - laguna sunrise, 1972

"Raise your hand if, somewhere around age sixteen, you went through a metal phase. Come on, admit it…you grew your hair out, you bought a ring with a skull on it, maybe even went to a Megadeth concert. Well, no matter what the details of your metal phase were, it probably included the basic principle that Ozzy Osbourne was God, and Black Sabbath was the precursor to every band worth listening to."

Cage The Elephant - neon pill, 2024

"Cage The Elephant are one of those bands cursed with an anthem. You might argue that having a huge, timeless hit could never be a disadvantage, but the issue comes when a band is left desperately attempting to get out of their own shadow. How can they ever escape ‘Cigarette Daydream’, or free themselves from the shackles that come with soundtracking the distinct indie heyday of the 2010s?"

First Breath After Coma - salty eyes, 2020

"Let me guess... One of their biggest influences is Explosions in the Sky."

The Beatles - can't buy me love live, 1964

“The idea behind it was that all these material possessions are all very well, but they won’t buy me what I really want.” However, he was to comment later: “It should have been ‘Can Buy Me Love’ ” when reflecting on the perks that money and fame had brought him."

The Moody Blues - survival, 1978

"The sitar is very, very easy, as long as you tune it up right! 1 string. Once you tune up the other 18 strings right, it will resonate. But the time things that they play… we did a gig in London with a band called the Indo-Jazz Fusions with John McLaughlin and Ravi Shankar in the same band."

The Smashing Pumpkins - we only come out at night, 1995

"The songs on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness are intended to work together conceptually, with the two halves of the album representing day and night. Despite this, Corgan has rejected the term concept album to describe it, and it was at the time described as more "loose" and "vague" than were the band's previous records. He also said it is based on "the human condition of mortal sorrow". Corgan aimed the album's message at people between 14 and 24 years of age, hoping "to sum up all the things I felt as a youth but was never able to voice articulately. ... I'm waving goodbye to me in the rear view mirror, tying a knot around my youth and putting it under the bed."

Acid House Kings - wake up, 1997

"they released Advantage Acid House Kings in 1997 and the album proved to be a huge step forward to form their trademark sound of jangly, catchy guitar oriented indie-pop. The album featured Julia Lannerheim as guest vocalist on a couple of songs, who eventually joined the band officially as a full-time member in 2001. In 2002 they released their third album Mondays Are Like Tuesdays And Tuesdays Are Like Wednesdays."

Enya - oriel window, 1991

"Oriel Window" is a previously unreleased track and a piano instrumental song by Irish musician, songwriter and singer Enya. It was a B-Side track for the lead single from her third studio album, Shepherd Moons, "Caribbean Blue" at the first time, released on October 7, 1991 by WEA. In 2009, the song was contained in Japanese reissue and remastered edition of Shepherd Moons as a bonus fifteenth track of the album."