Etienne Daho - tombé pour la france, 1986

"Tombe pour la France, a synthpop torch song that set off Dahomania in his home country."

The Shadows - midnight, 1961

"The same sliding electric guitar technique is used for a similarly lazy melody"

Club 8 - teenage life, 2002

"Club 8 was formed in 1995 by Karolina Komstedt (from the band Poprace) and Johan Angergård (Acid House Kings, Poprace). They made simple bedroom recordings of their three first songs and sent them to their ten favorite labels. The response was just as immediate as it was good with half of the labels wanting to release the band. Club 8 chose the Spanish label Siesta where they released their debut single 'Me Too' later the same year and the debut album Nouvelle the year after. After four years, Club 8 is finally back with their long awaited sixth album. The waiting's been so long we can almost, but just almost, talk about a comeback album. However, waiting's not always a bad thing. Not only has songwriter Johan Angergård released three albums with the Legends and one with Acid House Kings in the time in between - Club 8 has evolved in to one of the most personal and emotional bands around today."

Indochine - pink water three, 2005

“𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥”, a collaboration between Brian and French band Indochine, was released 15 years ago on December 19th 2005. Three different versions of the song were recorded: ”Pink water 2” is the English interpretation sung by Brian and Nicola Sirkis of Indochine. The duet in French called ”Pink water 3”. Both songs were released on Indochine's ”Alice and June” limited edition, the French one also appears on the regular album. Finally also a single was produced but the band's record labels decided to put out a version without Brian as guest vocalist. Nicola Sirkis: ”[…] his own record company refused to let us release it with him.” I don't understand this decision, but I agree with Nicola who also said: ”What is important is that the song exists, it is historic, and it comes in different versions.”

The Fiery Furnaces - benton harbor blues again, 2006

"part of the Fiery Furnaces' appeal from the beginning has been the way they screw with what could be very simple, almost ditty-like songs"

Club 8 - hope for winter, 2001

“Hope For Winter” is another highlight, with an upbeat tempo and a catchy chorus. Throughout, Komstedt’s delicate and occasionally wispy vocals lends an ethereal aura to the music that finds a strange place between being haunting and affectionate."

Slade - my oh my, 1983

"My Oh My" is a song by British rock band Slade, released in November 1983 as the second single from the band's 11th studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, and in 1984 as the second single from the album's US counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by John Punter. "My Oh My" reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, topped the charts of Norway and Sweden, and peaked at No. 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100."

Papa Francisco ontem, 7 de Novembro de 2024

 

St. Thomas More’s prayer for good humor

In conclusion, Pope Francis invited the Spanish Augustinian Sisters to recall the prayer of St. Thomas More and to recite it daily.

Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest.
Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humor to maintain it.
Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good
and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil,
but rather finds the means to put things back in their place.
Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments,
nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.”
Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor.
Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy,
and to be able to share it with others.

REM - around the sun, 2004

"Around The Sun, this confrontational, statesmanlike album, ends on a childlike note; a note of hope and quiet redemption. Sometimes desperate times call for delicate measures."

Saint Etienne - goodnight, 2005

"The strum and jangle of opener ‘Sun In My Morning’ comes across as something more fitting in a suncream advert or daytime property development programme, and closer ‘Goodnight’ does well in mimicking the cringeworthy parts of Flying Pickets"

Club 8 - a place in my heart, 2001

"mix of bossa nova, glittery guitars and shiny pop melodies"

Of Monsters And Men - six weeks, 2011

"There’s nothing scary about this Icelandic band, but they do wield some monstrous hooks. I may have belatedly stumbled upon the best new band of 2012."

Fun - all alone, 2012

"'Some Nights' is the second and final studio album by the American pop rock group fun. It was released on February 21, 2012, through Fueled by Ramen. It was recorded in 2011 and produced by Jeff Bhasker. After signing to the new label, the band began to work on Some Nights for over nine months throughout 2011."

Oceans - pure, 2023

"Oceans are a shoegaze five piece band based in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia. At the heart of our music is a dedication to experimentation and timbre - fusing various genres together to create unique sonic landscapes inspired by ambient, new wave and 90s shoegaze."

Fischer Z - so long, 1980

"While studying clinical psychology and working in psychiatric clinics, John Watts formed Fischer-Z with Stephen Skolnik in 1977. The first performances took place in English punk clubs and the first Fischer-Z album, Word Salad, was released in 1979 on United Artists Records, in parallel with The Buzzcocks and The Stranglers."

Del Amitri - life is full, 1997

"Probably about 80 per cent of the songs on this record don't have overdubs, apart from the vocals obviously, with all the harmonies, and maybe the guitar solo if there was a really dreadful mistake in the middle that we just couldn't live with. Wherever possible, we recorded with our live format of bass, drums, two guitars and keyboards for most of the songs."

The National - i need my girl, 2014

"I Need My Girl" is a song written by Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf and Scott Devendorf of the American alternative rock band The National. The song was originally recorded by the band in 2013 for their sixth studio album, Trouble Will Find Me, where it appears as the tenth track."

New West - those eyes, 2023

"Slideshows is the second studio album release by Australian rock band Thirsty Merc. It was released on 21 April 2007, through Warner Music Australia. Six singles were released from the album. The first single "20 Good Reasons", became Thirsty Merc's first single to peak in the Top 10 on the Australian Singles Chart. The second single from the album was "The Hard Way", followed by "Those Eyes", which was released as a digital download in December 2007, only later to be released on CD in April 2008."

REM - country feedback, 1991

"Country Feedback" is a song by R.E.M. from their 1991 album Out of Time. The title describes the music (country rock-influenced, with feedback), rather than describing the song's lyrical content, a series of chaotic, disconnected and keening observations describing the state of mind of a protagonist contemplating the breakdown of a relationship."

Micheál And Eilish - danny boy cover, 1990

"Jane Ross of Limavady is credited with collecting the melody of "Londonderry Air" in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered."

Enya - anywhere is, 1995

"Anywhere Is" is a song by Irish singer Enya, released on 6 November 1995 by WEA as the lead single from her fourth studio album, The Memory of Trees (1995). The lyrics of the song are in English, written by Roma Ryan and it was produced by Nicky Ryan. The song peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-10 hit in Austria, Iceland, and Ireland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the song peaked at number 36. Its music video was directed by David Scheinmann."

Allo Darlin - some people say, 2012

"The pedal steel and tremolo-laden guitars on “Some People Say” give the song a slightly downhome country feel."

New Order - world in motion, 1990

"World in Motion..." is the nineteenth single by British band New Order (performed with the England national football team, credited as ENGLANDneworder). The song is New Order's only number-one song on the UK Singles Chart. It was produced for the England national football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign and features a guest rap by England footballer John Barnes and additional vocals by several members of the English team of 1990 and comedian Keith Allen, who co-wrote the lyrics. Singer Bernard Sumner described the single to NME as "the last straw for Joy Division fans", noting how its upbeat sound had inverted their former band's famously gloomy image. The song was originally to be called "E for England", with lyrics that ran "E is for England, England starts with E / We'll all be smiling when we're in Italy", but the Football Association vetoed the title, realising that it sounded suspiciously like a reference to the drug ecstasy."

Boygenius - true blue, 2023

"True Blue" employs lyrical minimalism, using everyday imagery to express complex emotions. References to worn-out t-shirts or empty bench seats add a nostalgic edge, while the refrain's plea for acceptance transforms into a poignant acknowledgment of an irreconcilable past and present."

America - three roses, 1972

"The album went to the top of Billboard's album chart in the United States and stayed there for five weeks. It produced two hit singles, with "A Horse with No Name" which spent three weeks on top of the Billboard singles chart in 1972, and "I Need You" hit the ninth position on the Billboard singles chart.[5] Several other songs received radio airplay on FM stations, including "Sandman" and "Three Roses". The album was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales in excess of one million units in the United States."

The Rolling Stones - ruby tuesday, 1967

"It's just a nice melody, really. And a lovely lyric. Neither of which I wrote, but I always enjoy singing it."

Saint Etienne - shoot out the lights, 2001

"Music is foregrounded here, and almost all of it comes from two male pop intellectuals languidly manipulating synths and samplers."

The Beatles - hold me tight, 1963

"Hold Me Tight" was composed principally by Paul McCartney in 1961, and was part of the Beatles' stage act until 1963. They attempted to record it for their debut Please Please Me but the 13 takes recorded were deemed unsatisfactory, and the tape was destroyed. Seven months later, they recorded a further nine takes, and the final version is an edit of the sixth and ninth takes from the second attempt, varispeeded up a semitone to F major."

Pink Floyd - echoes segment one, 1970

"Echoes" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, and the sixth and last track on their 1971 album Meddle. It is 23+1⁄2 minutes long, the second longest of their discography, eight seconds shorter than Atom Heart Mother Suite, and takes up the entire second side of the original LP. The track evolved from a variety of different musical themes and ideas, including instrumental passages and studio effects, resulting in the side-long piece. The music, credited to all the band, was mainly written by Richard Wright and David Gilmour, while Roger Waters' lyrics addressed themes of human communication and empathy, to which he returned in later work."

Stars - the first five times, 2004

"When does a band shed its cult status to become a genuine mainstream contender? For Canada's Stars, it may be on a night like tonight, when queues and touts jostle outside the venue three hours before showtime, and the club is so sardine-packed that breathing in and out requires prior negotiation with your neighbour."

Neil Young - heart of gold, 1972

"The song, which features backup vocals by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, is one of a series of soft acoustic pieces which were written partly as a result of a back injury. Unable to stand for long periods of time, Young could not play his electric guitar and so returned to his acoustic guitar, which he could play sitting down. He also played his harmonica during the three instrumental portions, including the introduction to the song."

Moby - dream about me, 2005

"Dream About Me" is a song by American electronica musician Moby, released as the fourth single from his 2005 studio album Hotel. As the follow-up single to "Spiders", it was released in the UK on August 8, 2005, by Mute Records. Singer-songwriter and MoveOn cultural director Laura Dawn is featured on lead vocals alongside Moby himself."

The Flaming Lips - placebo headwound, 1995

"I was not really familiar with The Flaming Lips until all the hullabaloo surrounding 1999’s The Soft Bulletin and that moment I listened, speechless, to ‘Race For The Prize’. But signs of greatness were there before. Quickly catching up with their back catalogue, as you do, it was evident the album had built on the inspirational psychedelia of Clouds Taste Metallic. The opening track ‘The Abandoned Hospital Ship’ would not sound out of place on The Soft Bulletin. But, as so often is the case on a long player, the real highlight is track 3, ‘Placebo Headwound’. The acoustic guitar, the full bass, the chaotic backdrop and Wayne Coyne’s evident fascination with noggin trauma."

James - surprise, 1999

"Surprise is track nine on the 1999 James album Millionaires. It was one of the first Millionaires tracks to be played live, debuted at Oxford and Glastonbury in June 1998. The track is about a friend of Tim’s who contemplated suicide and is intended as a message to prevent such thoughts."

Beirut - port of call, 2011

"'Port of Call' sums up best the conflict in living up to others' hopes for you, and the pressure that in itself brings: "May you have hope for me now/I danced all around it somehow".

Of Monsters And Men - slow and steady, 2011

"Of Monsters and Men formed through the collaboration of singers Nana Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson in 2010. Within a year of its inception, Of Monsters and Men had both secured a slot in and won Iceland’s national battle of the bands, Músiktilraunir. Around this time Seattle radio station KEXP caught wind of the group and released a video of the group performing the song “Little Talks” acoustically. Of Monsters and Men had a foothold in the U.S."

Pet Shop Boys - girls don't cry, 2006

"The song is a story about a girl who I think is maybe a lesbian, but actually we don't know what's happened really. She's running away. She's possibly killed her boyfriend, she's possibly leaving town because they've discovered she's having a lesbian affair, she's possibly pregnant and her boyfriend's rejected her. We just don't know…."

Camel - the snow goose, 1975

"When in the early seventies progressive rock really started to rise on the wings of its most successful advocates, among which were Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, and Emerson Lake & Palmer, it was only natural for other, new bands to try to make a name for themselves in the wake of their big time contemporaries. One of those bands, formed in 1972 in Surrey in England, had released two albums by 1974, which hadn't attracted a lot of attention. Not giving up, they sat down to create their third album and it was this album that propelled them into international fame. The band was Camel and the album was The Snow Goose."

Del Amitri - breaking bread, 1985

"Del Amitri was one of those mid-'80s bands that were constantly on my stereo and those countless hours of exposure mean Justin Currie's voice is instantly recognizable to my ears. The thing is I probably hadn't listened to a Del Amitri in a decade ... My loss."

The Postmarks - slaughter on tenth avenue cover, 2008

"The array of songs the group has chosen to cover is quite eclectic and far reaching. Aside from the above noted artists, they hash out new versions of tunes by championed artists like David Bowie, The Ramones, The Ventures, Blondie, and Jesus and Mary Chain. Not a small feat. Not small at all."

Paul McCartney - magic, 2001

"This is about meeting Linda – ‘it must have been magic the night that we met’. I met Linda in a club and I always thought years after, particularly after she died, that if I hadn’t stood up that night in a club we might never have met again. It was something I never normally did; I wouldn’t normally stand up as someone was about to leave and say ‘Er, excuse me, hello…’ I didn’t do that. It was a bit embarrassing for a young guy to do that. I didn’t normally do that but it was just one of those things that I felt I just had to do that night – ‘Hi, um, I’m Paul, who are you?’ And she sort of smiled and said ‘Linda’. I said ‘Er, we’re going onto another club. Are you going home? Shall we meet up at this other club?’ We were in the Bag O’Nails and we said we’d meet up in the Speakeasy. Which we did. So ‘Magic’ is a song about that; it must have been some sort of magic that made me do that. Because if I hadn’t done that I might not have met her again."

Travis - follow the light, 2001

"This was the last song to be added to the tracklisting of The Invisible Band. It began life in February 2001 just before I went to LA write. The melody came first and was memorable within one listen. The tempo was sluggish and the verse was totally different from what it turned into. What it turned into didn't happen until we were in the studio. The chorus melody began with the words,"But its alright..." but I couldn't seem to get the words to the rest of the chorus. It wasn't until I stumbled upon an interesting melody one night when I stayed behind in Ocean Way that flowed really well into the chorus that began " But it's alright.." The tempo was alot more up than the chorus melody had been originally but as soon as I put the new verse with the older chorus the lyrics started to come. The hook line started out as ... " But its alright, just shadows and light.." but neil said there was a Joni album by the same name so it changed to, "...But its alright, you're travelling light..." and then became " ... Follow the light.." and then that was that. The lyric in the chorus dictated what the verse was about, just how, when you don't know what you're doing or where you're going you've just got to follow that light. The light being whatever you want it to be."

realidade virtual

"What's "reality" anyway? Just another virtuality, plus pain"

The Go-Betweens - love goes on, 1988

"Love Goes On" is a song by the Australian indie rock group The Go-Betweens, issued as the third and final single from their 1988 album 16 Lovers Lane. The song was released in January 1989 by Beggars Banquet Records in the UK, with "Clouds" as the B-side. "Love Goes On" was the last single issued by the band before their split in December 1989."

Marillion - heart of lothian, 1985

"Heart of Lothian" is a song by British neo-prog band Marillion. It is the fifth track on the 1985 concept album Misplaced Childhood. The song was released as the third single from Misplaced Childhood on 18 November 1985 in the UK, the Netherlands, West Germany, Canada (on Capitol Records), South Africa and Australia. "Heart of Lothian" became the third Top 30 UK single from Misplaced Childhood, peaking at number 29. The song also peaked at number 51 on the German singles chart."

The Radio Dept - we would fall against the tide, 2002

"Listening back to early singles 'Why Won't You Talk About It?' and 'Where Damage Isn't Already Done' - and in particular respective b-sides 'Liebling' and 'We Would Fall Against The Tide' - in comparison to more recent offerings 'Never Follow Suit' and 'The New Improved Hypocrisy' The Radio Dept.'s development can be traced along the way like stages of an Open University degree course."

Mike Oldfield - a minor tune, 2003

"Another good day, though I let the seed of doubt be sown and once sown, it proliferated with frightening speed. We were approaching the transition from the A minor Tune into the Blues tune, a guitar duet. My task at this point is to continue to play the A minor tune right up until the start of the blues section (not easy as it requires me to maintain the 4/4 meter of the A minor tune against the underlying 12/8 groove of the Blues which starts on the bass 4 bars or so before the Blues proper starts.)"

The Go-Betweens - you can't say no forever, 1988

"Legit rock drumming and bass work join the more standard Go-Betweens acoustic sensitivity making sure that as it reaches the half way mark, 16 Lovers Lane is in no danger of getting into a repetitive loop of predictability. This song is still perfectly in sync with what’s come before, it’s just not beholden to it."

Such a great song!

Mew - white lips kissed, 2005

"The mood that this song sets is like the sort of feeling you’d get when you’ve finally managed to grab hold of something you’ve wanted all your life… and then it slips away from you. There’s a definite sense of loss to the lyrics and to the tear-stained melody, as if a relationship or possibly even’s someone life had been cut short before the protagonist could get some sort of closure out of the situation. Jonas sounds like the hurt little boy more here than ever – especially when the drums echo in the background of the second verse with this funereal sort of march, and his high-pitched voice sounds like it’s echoing up out of some deep pit that he’s found himself trapped in. The main synth hook of the song, and the wash of background vocals and dissonant horns that gradually join it as the song reaches its graceful climax, all come together like empathetic angels trying to calm his fears. Eventually all that’s left is the echoing piano… then a guitar line that slowly, sadly sinks down to its final resolution"

The Style Council - when you call me, 1985

"Our story kicks off with a love of music and records as a kid to 1982, when Tracie answered an advert in Smash Hits magazine that would change her life and land her on Top of The Pops with the biggest band in the country – The Jam – in just a matter of months!"

Everything But The Girl - nothing left to lose, 2023

"the song never sounds retro for retro’s sake: Rhythmically, texturally, and tonally, it’s got real heft, as well as a kind of lived-in ease that’s missing from a lot of contemporary acts tackling similar inspirations."

Beirut - at once, 2015

“I was convinced that Europe would be like walking through an old French film”

Bob Dylan - mr tambourine man, 1965

"The song has a bright, expansive melody and has become famous for its surrealistic imagery, influenced by artists as diverse as French poet Arthur Rimbaud and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. The lyrics call on the title character to play a song and the narrator will follow. Interpretations of the lyrics have included a paean to drugs such as LSD, a call to the singer's muse, a reflection of the audience's demands on the singer, and religious interpretations."

Belle And Sebastian - when we were very young, 2023

"While "When We Were Very Young" and "Will I Tell You A Secret" feel like what we'd want (and expect) from a B&S album, lots more, like the grating single (written with an outsider) "I Don't Know What You See in Me" does not. However, the Sarah Martin-fronted "Give a Little Time" benefits from a robust production, and serves up a catchiness that's like a meatier version of something from side-band God Help the Girl. Sarah sings lead on "Do You Follow", another recommended cut here. Elsewhere, the languid and smart "When the Cynics Stare Back From the Wall" charms immensely in an old B&S fashion."

Morrissey - king leer, 1991

"'King Leer' is a little jazzy and very funny lyrically."

Crosby Stills Nash And Young - our house, 1970

"Our House" is a song written by British singer-songwriter Graham Nash and recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their album Déjà Vu (1970). The single reached No. 30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 20 on the Cash Box Top 100. The song, "an ode to countercultural domestic bliss", was written while Nash was living with Joni Mitchell, recording both Crosby, Stills & Nash and Déjà Vu."

Guillemots - annie let's not wait, 2006

"The best antidote to depression and despair that I know is a favourite old song and the most rejuvenating and life-affirming one that I can think of is the awesome Annie, Let’s Not Wait by Guillemots."

Stars - palmistry, 2022

"Stars’ best qualities are rooted in their close-knit vocals, which, while effusive and inviting, also possess a certain contemplative quality as well. That’s immediately evident on the album’s lead-off track, “Palmistry,” which still manages to build towards a celebratory conclusion."

Beirut - the concubine, 2009

"This was when Zach Condon of Beirut began to subtly shift his sound. “The Concubine” is still like a classic European song of old, as is his forte, but it has a more propulsive beat carrying you forward."

Pink Floyd - wearing the inside out, 1994

"Wearing the Inside Out" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1994 album, The Division Bell. A collaboration between Richard Wright and Anthony Moore, it is the only song on the album for which David Gilmour receives no writing credit."

A-ha - take on me, 1985

"Take On Me" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha. The original version, recorded in 1984 and released in October of that same year, was produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff. The 1985 international hit version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The recording combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums."

Neil Young - till the morning comes, 1970

"It’s all about the morning, the next day, just getting through one more day, taking it day by day, all those clichés used by addicts and the mentally unwell. I like how Neil Young says it better. It’s soft but also hinges on a battle: who will win by morning. It’s also comforting to recite strangely. It loops in my head all day till I can’t analyse it anymore, nor is it comforting or scary, it’s just a tune by Neil Young, stuck in my head. When the morning came, I was booked into my psychiatrist at 8am."

Moby - porcelain, 1999

"I was involved with this really, really wonderful woman, and I loved her very much. But I knew deep in my heart of hearts that we had no business being romantically involved. So, it's sort of about being in love with someone but knowing you shouldn't be with them."

Electronic - reality, 1991

"The bulk of Electronic was written in 1990, with sessions beginning that January at Johnny Marr's home studio in Manchester. "Gangster" dated from an aborted solo album that Bernard Sumner had begun working on in the mid-eighties, while "Reality" was written around 1988 when he and Marr first began working together."

Phantom Youth - promises, 2023

"Phantom Youth, Currently München, Bayern, Germany, Member of Stray Fossa, Also Known As William Evans, Will Evans, Genres Noise Pop"

The Beatles - every little thing, 1964

"Every Little Thing" is a rare example of a Lennon–McCartney song in which one member of the partnership was primary composer (here McCartney) but the other sang lead vocal (here Lennon)."

Beirut - scenic world second version, 2007

"Now, there are two versions of "Scenic World" by the band Beirut. One is a blippity electronic version appeared on Beirut's first full-length LP from 2005, "Gulag Orkestar." The other "Scenic World" is a romantic, orchestral beam of sonic sunshine from the 2007 EP, "Lon Gisland," and that is the version with which we encourage you to kick off the holidays."

Slowdive - star roving, 2017

"Star Roving" is unlike anything Slowdive have released before, first of all it's furiously fast which screams hit - hit in the shoegazing sense, think "Vapour Trail", "Soon", "When the Sun Hits".

The Style Council - the whole point two, 2007

"Many people dislike them for the musical genres they dabbled in and the dilution of their original Mod(ernist) leanings. Others love them for taking those risks and even credit Paul Weller with broadening the Mod musical spectrum (or letting him get away with things other bands could not have gotten away with). Personally, I'm mixed on the band and have been trying to give their whole catalogue another shot, coming at them with a different frame of mind in my older age."

Buffalo Springfield - expecting to fly, 1967

"Expecting to Fly" is a song written by Neil Young and performed by Buffalo Springfield. The song appeared on their 1967 album, Buffalo Springfield Again."

Morrissey - reader meet author, 1995

"the ambiguity of both paths, that of the writer and that of Morrissey, the misunderstood artist so criticized for his lyrics from day one"

The Style Council - council meetin, 1984

"The Style Council was formed in early 1983 and their first single was Speak Like a Child peaked at Number 4 in March 1983. I kept a diary of the events of The Style Council developing from January 1984 to this gig in October 1984... I suspect I then got bored and stopped!"

The Radio Dept - it's personal, 2005

"The title says it all. It's as if someone has asked, "what's wrong?" and the answer is, "it's personal" and the beat just shows how much silent grief the person is going through."

The Beatles - misery, 1963

"We've called it 'Misery', but it isn't as slow as it sounds, it moves along at quite a pace, and we think Helen will make a pretty good job of it."

The Weather Station - tried to tell you, 2021

“Tried To Tell You,” which is about “reaching out to someone; a specific person, or maybe every person, who is tamping down their wildest and most passionate self in service of some self (and world?) destructive order.”

The Go-Betweens - spring rain, 1986

"just the music and the way that chorus is especially. And there’s a simplicity to it; a beauty to it. It’s one of those happy things where you really like something like a group and it might take you years and years and years till you write something in that vein and suddenly you see it."

Bright Eyes - make war, 2002

"This is an album haunted by a foreign war, by the tale of the midwesterner’s broken New York fairy tale, by figures of love and pain and despair."

Beirut - elephant gun, 2007

"That sound is how I feel when I’m honest about my life, that juxtaposition of melancholy and loneliness with the absolute enjoyment and happiness of being alive."

My Sad Captains - the sum total of everything, 2009

"It was just a case of trying to think of something to call the band, and deciding to steal someone else’s idea rather than think of my own."

The Style Council - blood sports, 1985

"I find it shocking how so many fans of The Jam (and Paul Weller) have never even heard a song from The Style Council. Alright, alright, I’ll admit that their last few albums were a bit shameful, but their first five albums exhibited some of the most underrated studious songwriting of the 80s."

The Beatles - there's a place, 1963

"There's a Place" is "incandescent", with an arrangement built around drumming from Ringo Starr that "could take your breath away".

My Bloody Valentine - only tomorrow, 2013

"The song's playful (gasp!) drum shuffle reminds you that MBV are four living, breathing human beings who do human things. And that anthemic guitar lead that takes up the last two minutes-- is it possible that Kevin Shields has taken a shine to playing festivals since the band reunited?"

The Sweetest Ache - if i could shine, 1990

"Swansea was ok, but not as cool as Cardiff. We had lots of metal and punk bands as i recall, the underground dance scene was kicking off and we came then and totally shocked everyone with our mellow sounds at first."

Mew - in a better place, 2017

"The blissful glide of In A Better Place is a prime example of the impulsive environment that the songs were written in, a drumbeat by Jorgensen inspiring Bjerre to write a song immediately, whilst the atmospheric rock of Ay Ay Ay was based around a choir part that Bjerre had come up with a few years ago. All of the vocal parts were recorded in the booth that Bjerre had constructed in his apartment in Copenhagen. “I like waking up in the middle of the night and feeling inspired by something and being able to go in my booth and just sing it,” he says."

The Fifth Dimension - ticket to ride cover, 1967

"The Fifth Dimension was a psychedelic soul group most popular in the late 1960s. The group’s five inaugural members, Lamonte McLemore, Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Ronald Townson, and Billy Davis Jr., had a significant influence on the emerging 1970s disco scene. They facilitated a unique sound that straddled between traditional soul and the more experimental pop and disco sound on the rise at the time. Together they continuously topped the billboard charts throughout the late 1960s and early 70s reaching stardom with multiple number-one hit singles and gold albums."

Simon And Garfunkel - homeward bound, 1966

"Simon wrote the song during his time in England, possibly while waiting for a train at Widnes railway station in the northwest of England. Simon said later he actually composed it at a railway station in Warrington."

Bob Dylan - blowing in the wind, 1963

"There ain't too much I can say about this song except that the answer is blowing in the wind. It ain't in no book or movie or TV show or discussion group. Man, it's in the wind – and it's blowing in the wind. Too many of these hip people are telling me where the answer is but oh I won't believe that. I still say it's in the wind and just like a restless piece of paper it's got to come down some ... But the only trouble is that no one picks up the answer when it comes down so not too many people get to see and know ... and then it flies away. I still say that some of the biggest criminals are those that turn their heads away when they see wrong and know it's wrong. I'm only 21 years old and I know that there's been too many wars ... You people over 21, you're older and smarter."

My Morning Jacket - feelin sorry, 2023

“long ago we recorded an ep for itunes but it was never pressed on vinyl so this year for record store day we thought it would be fun to re-release these tunes.”

The Carters - summer, 2023

"two Black people sharing a tender and everyday moment in one of the most instantly recognisable public spaces in the world"

Club 8 - blue skies, 1996

"Club 8's resilient attempts to create louche, gentle cabaret for those trips to the farm go some way to teach listeners that image fetishism in pop music - on either side of the spectrum - should never be quite so overstated."

Happy Pretty - bayangan senja, 1979

"Taken from her album "Pop Indonesia" released in 1979, with songs composed by Yopie Item."

Saturday Looks Good To Me - last hour, 2003

"Each of the album's 13 tracks sound like they are from a time capsule that was buried under Motown Records in the early sixties. While each of these songs contain that vintage sound [which really makes me wonder how Fred recorded these songs], they are unique enough from each other in most cases. The upbeat numbers are here, the ballads are here, the just plain "artsy" tracks are here, and somehow they all seem to coalesce into an easy-to-swallow album."

Mount Eerie - ravens, 2017

"In “Ravens,” you feel the destruction in Elverum’s every breath. It’s a seven-minute exploration of the horrors of this world: how real they are, how vast and inescapable."

Father John Misty - screamland, 2024

"Sounds like he’s using his voice more like an instrument then a voice, if this is the sound he’s going for with his next album in November I think we’ve got an incredible album on the way!"

The Beatles - from me to you, 1963

"John and Paul were sitting at the back of the coach and Kenny Lynch, who at this time fancied himself as a songwriter, sauntered up to the back of the coach and Kenny Lynch ... decided he would help them write a song. After a period of about half-an-hour had elapsed and nothing seemed to be coming from the back, Kenny rushed to the front and shouted, 'Well, that's it. I am not going to write any more of that bloody rubbish with those idiots. They don't know music from their backsides. That's it! No more help from me!'"

Grant McLennan - no peace in the palace, 1994

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

Of Monsters And Men - little talks, 2011

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

Bee Gees - my world, 1972

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

Dido - sand in my shoes, 2003

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