Sufjan Stevens - sugar, 2020

“Sugar” is ultimately about the desire for goodness and purity (and true sustenance). On the surface the song is just a string of clichés, but the message is imperative: now is the time to gather what is good and pure and valuable and make it your own, and share it with others. Feed your soul and speak new life into those around you. Give each other love, respect and sacrifice. Relinquish all the old habits, all the old ways of thinking and doing, all former practices — “business as usual” — and bring new life to the world. This is our calling."

Barclay James Harvest - one night, 1975

"Time Honoured Ghosts is an album of transition. The period heralded a trio of albums that followed from Everyone Is Everybody Else, often placing as one of the top ranked in fans polls and the rawer live sound immortalised on Barclay James Harvest Live"

The New Pornographers - crash years, 2010

"Ah, the old bait and switch. The first leak from the New Pornographers' forthcoming fifth album Together, the sorta-title track "Your Hands (Together)", was OK, and its brawny guitars had obvious to those turned off by the gossamer melodies of 2007's underrated Challengers. But the song's lack of a central hook - the kind that made 2005's Twin Cinema the band's finest moment - left some wondering if Carl Newman and his band were overcompensating, perhaps as a result of the tepid critical reaction to Challengers. Together single "The Crash Years" proves that notion wrong. Like a lot of the band's best work, almost everything here seems designed to hit a pleasure center, from the Bridge on the River Kwai-like whistling that follows the chorus, to Neko Case's typically compelling lead vocal take, to Newman's unmistakable penchant for non sequitur songwriting. Yes, the presence of a cello suggests that Newman hasn't given up his more orchestral ambitions just yet - but here, the instrumentation is used to drive the melody forward, providing a low-toned counterpoint to Neko Case's upper register. Breezy yet professional, intricate yet immediate: when the Pornos are at the top of their game, as they are on "The Crash Years", not much else is this satisfying."

The Cure - in between days, 1985

"It has the bittersweet feel of a New Order record, with a hyperstrummed acoustic guitar for depth. The boys even offer a genuine glimmer of hope, and the tune fairly breezes by on its own momentum."

Saint Etienne - public information film, 1997

"Continental isn’t a real album. Not in the sense that anyone thought of it as a studio album when it came out, anyway. Initially released two decades ago this week, but only in Japan, this follow-up to Tiger Bay (1994) compiles highlights from the singles, compilations, and other bits and bobs that appeared during the group’s first wilderness period. But then in 2009, it got a surprise inclusion in Saint Etienne‘s series of deluxe edition albums, so now we get to enjoy it as a real album after all."

Band Of Horses - islands on the coast, 2007

"When Band of Horses surfaced in 2006 with Everything All the Time, the band's rugged take on rock & roll drew quick parallels to My Morning Jacket and early Neil Young. That's mighty nice company for a young band, but co-founder Mat Brooke nevertheless left the lineup that same summer, choosing to blaze his own trail with Grand Archives instead. Ben Bridwell, Brooke's musical partner for nearly a decade, was left in control of Horses - a daunting position for the former Carissa's Weird bassist, but one that ultimately resulted in a sophisticated, mature, and altogether superior follow-up."

The Sundays - cry, 1997

"Cry" is a song by English alternative rock band the Sundays. Written and produced by guitarist David Gavurin and lead singer Harriet Wheeler, the song was recorded for the band's third and final studio album, Static & Silence (1997), and released on 10 November 1997 as the second single from the album. The song reached number 43 on the UK Singles Chart."

Dido - don't think of me, 1999

"Don't Think of Me" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido. It was released as the second single from her debut album, No Angel (1999), exclusively in the United States on 7 February 2000. The single gained enough airplay to peak at number 35 on the US Billboard Adult Top 40 in May 2000. "Don't Think of Me" also charted in Romania in 2002, peaking at number 62 that June."

Pet Shop Boys - winner instrumental, 2012

"The instrumental version of Winner is AMAZING."

Mar de Sintra, Praia do Magoito, ontem de manhã

Electronic – when she's gone, 1999

"The writing and recording of the album was a reaction to the protracted sessions of its predecessor Raise the Pressure, which had taken a year and a half to complete. Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner remained the only official members of the band, but were joined by Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin on bass and Black Grape drummer Ged Lynch. The sound of the album reflected this back-to-basics approach in terms of the line-up, although subsequent production and mixing incorporated additional beats and samples. Twisted Tenderness was co-produced by influential New York City club DJ and dance producer Arthur Baker, with whom Sumner had previously worked on New Order's 1983 hit "Confusion", amongst other songs." 

 

Such a great summer morning song!

Stars - take me to the riot, 2007

"The song follows a street dealer and his many returning, partying clients as they chase after highs and fall from the comedown."

One Republic - good life, 2009

"Not only does "Good Life" have lyrics that anyone can relate to — "... what the hell is there to complain about ..." — it also has a unique musical delivery that allows the song to stand out on a radio full of same-sounding songs."

The Radio Dept - heaven's on fire live at pitchfork, 2011

"Songs like “Heaven’s On Fire” turn into singalongs, casting light on the fact that The Radio Dept. have reached a broader fanbase then anyone might realize. And, the journey continues as they play next weekend’s Pitchfork Music Festival. Sure, it will likely again be in the daylight, but the other likelihood is that it will be crowdpleasing, and memorable."

Tindersticks - boobar come back to me, 2008

"Arguably the standout track from the Tindersticks' latest long-player The Hungry Saw, 'Boobar Come Back To Me' is a potential classic within the band's considerable canon of works. Starting off as a brooding, darkly intoned ballad the song soon develops into something far more sophisticated and elegant, with a gorgeous, almost orchestrally-proportioned arrangement and a production for which all dials have been set to the position marked: 'swoon'. Going beyond the moderate grandeur of chamber pop convention, the song is more akin to bombastic '70s croon tunes like 'MacArthur Park', and despite the title, is presumably unconnected to the famous cartoon Elephant."

Del Amitri - keepers, 1985

"The lead singer (and main songwriter) of Del Amitri, Justin Currie, is quite simply one of the greatest troubadours I have ever heard. I've only seen him live once on a recent tour for his third solo album, but it was transcendent experience to say the least."

Band Of Holy Joy - evening world holiday show, 1990

"Evening World Holiday Show was a boisterously rampant, sometimes breathless, pop song the likes of which I could not previously have considered existing without at least two guitars. The Band of Holy Joy had precisely none. The single version was produced by Martin Hannett and sounded like the party I saw on stage; a less exuberant Nick Tauber-produced version would reveal itself later..."

Pet Shop Boys - the truck driver and his mate, 1996

"The line "Taking coals to Newcastle," unfamiliar to some, is an oft-used metaphor for doing a pointless job—sort of like taking sand to the Sahara—since Newcastle is in the heart of England's coal-producing region. (In addition, Neil spent much of his youth in Newcastle, which could conceivably provide another layer of meaning.)"

The Cranberries - when you're gone, 1996

"When You're Gone" is a song by Irish band the Cranberries. It is the third single from their third studio album, To the Faithful Departed (1996). The music video was directed by Karen Bellone and was released at the end of 1996. The song was first played during the North American leg of the No Need to Argue Tour in late 1994. Upon its release, the song peaked at number four in Norway, earning a platinum disc there, and reached number 15 in Canada. It additionally peaked within the top 30 in France, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped-down version on the band's Something Else album. The song was played at the end of Dolores O'Riordan's funeral on 23 January 2018, following her sudden death a week before in London at the age of 46. It was also played by the majority of Irish radio stations at the same time during the funeral."

The Mary Onettes - your place, 2014

"This time the mood is a bit more subdued, shoegazey and ethereal at times, and demands close and repeated listens to capture it's full glory."

Saint Etienne - summerisle, 2002

"‘Language Lab’ and ‘Summerisle’ recall the ambient style of ’Sound Of Water’, while ‘Stop And Think It Over’ would not have been out of place on ’Good Humor’ or its predecessor ‘Tiger Bay’."

Stars - the last song ever written, 2010

"They know bombast and melodrama, which makes a decent amount of their latest effort, The Five Ghosts, all the more off-putting. For the first time in the band's career, they sound defeated. There's not much urgency, or even a range of emotion, for that matter; rather, much of the record blurs together, forming a single streak of gray."

Frazier Chorus - prefer you dead, 1991

"By the time of Ray's release, Frazier Chorus had gone from relatively edgier work on 4AD to a crisper, cleaner sound via Virgin, something emphasized further by Ian Broudie's typically to-the-point production on the album (it's not hard to imagine Broudie immediately doing this on the heels of the first Lightning Seeds effort)."

Belle And Sebastian - winter wooskie, 2005

"Judy Is a Dick Slap" is the first instrumental released by the band while "Winter Wooskie" is the third and final song featuring lead vocals from former bass player Stuart David, who left the band in 2000. All three tracks from the single were later collected on the Push Barman to Open Old Wounds compilation."

Guillemots - up on the ride, 2012

"Guillemots music has been described as “indie rock” (Wikipedia), “avant-garde pop and indie rock” (Last.FM) and “a cappella/pop/big beat” (Guillemots official Facebook page). The last of those is definitely different but, unfortunately, it’s also very misleading. There are no a cappella tracks on any of Guillemots four albums (although Blue Would Still Be Blue comes close) and I certainly wouldn’t call them a big beat band."

The Beatles - all i've got to do, 1963

"Lennon said he was "trying to do Smokey Robinson again," and Ian MacDonald compared it to "(You Can) Depend on Me" by the Miracles, both musically and lyrically. Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said it sounds like Robinson but also Arthur Alexander. Beatles biographer Bob Spitz said the song is "restlessly dark and moody", and compared it to the Shirelles' "Baby It's You" (a song the Beatles previously covered) and early Drifters recordings. It was one of three songs Lennon was the principal writer for on With the Beatles, with "It Won't Be Long" and "Not a Second Time". Lennon said that it was written specifically for the American market, because the idea of calling a girl on the telephone was unthinkable to a British youth in the early 1960s. For instance, Lennon said in an interview regarding "No Reply": "I had the image of walking down the street and seeing her silhouetted in the window and not answering the 'phone, although I have never called a girl on the 'phone in my life! Because 'phones weren't part of the English child's life."

Stars - privilege, 2017

"We made this record for ourselves, for our kids, and for you. And we are so happy and grateful that you’re still listening to our music."

Mark Knopfler - whistle theme, 1983

"The tune appears on four separate tracks with a different arrangement on each. The first one, "Wild Theme" is almost a solo acoustic piece starring Knopfler's gentle guitar. The second rendition, "The Ceilidh & The Northern Lights," is played by The Acetones, a Scottish folk band. Then Straits member Alan Clark simulates the beautiful Celtic tin whistle on his keyboard with Knopfler strumming behind him on "Whistle Theme." Finally, there is the most famous version, "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)," the one Dire Straits often used to close their concerts. This rock band arrangement, led by Brecker's saxophone, is played over the closing credits of the film. In any context it is the most memorable melody Knopfler ever wrote."

The Mary Onettes - god knows i had plans, 2009

"The title Islands came up because I see the tracks on the album as small islands in different shapes and forms where every song is like a record of it's very own. Johan on Labrador Records suggested the same title without having heard me mentioning the idea, so that was a coincidence too good not to pursue. The songs are almost too personal and I've had a hard time playing them for friends. It's like all I want to do is keep them to myself".

Suede - the sadness in you the sadness in me, 2023

"Of course, there was leftover material from Suede. How could there not be? The Sadness in You, the Sadness in Me, progresses the remarkable statement made on Autofiction with some bits and pieces which do not quite fit – but are far too good to rot away in the archives. Unbending and unwavering with a lighter swing and a sharper guitar piece, Brett Anderson and company stick to the tender and open themes found on their latest album and build up another song challenging the band and their listeners. In comes a dedication to a shared grievance – The Sadness in You, the Sadness in Me does as its title suggests it will – bring together heartbroken people under one umbrella."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - secret, 1985

"Secret" is a 1985 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the second single from their album Crush. Paul Humphreys sings lead vocals on the track. It became their second US Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 63, and also made number 34 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was featured in the 1988 movie Arthur 2: On the Rocks and on its soundtrack album; it was also re-released to radio in the US as the follow-up to The Best of OMD track "Dreaming", approximately one month prior to the movie's premiere. Though it received renewed airplay on several US contemporary hit stations, it did not re-chart on the Hot 100."

The House Of Love - feel, 1992

"Been playing this loads recently. I think it is something of a ‘lost classic’. Funny old band the House of Love, led by Guy Chadwick who appears a bit of a strange cat if you listen to his songs. He’d spent much of the 80s driving around London in his day job as a shop fitter whilst fronting unsuccessful bands in his spare time until he broke through into the “indie scene” with the House of Love in 1987. Two previous albums, both of them confusingly self-titled and referred to respectively by fans as ‘the German Album’ (88-on Creation) and ‘the Butterfly Album’ (90 on Fontana) had cemented a strong following and regular forays into the indie chart with songs such as ‘Shine On’, ‘Christine’ and ‘Beatles and the Stones’ progressively bringing them closer to what looked like mainstream success."

My Morning Jacket - lowdown, 2001

"There's something so cathartic and catchy about this one. It's played in my head in various intervals for years."

Cut Copy - feel the love, 2008

"The album is a lot more realised than the first one. I think all of us, when we think of the first one, we agree we sort of got half way there. But on the new one we got a lot closer to the sort of sounds we're after. There are some different aspects to it – more layered, more dynamic, as well as some more loud, dance-y sections to it. And with the guitar there were many-layered sections as well. It got the real highs and lows, the real floaty bits, which I think is sort of a secret to our sound, with a lot of segues so that it just sort of flows together. And I think it's a lot more, kind of... complete."

Death Cab For Cutie – stable song, 2001

"The band was originally a solo project by Gibbard, who expanded the project into a complete group upon getting a record deal.[2] They released their debut album, Something About Airplanes, in 1998. The band's fourth album, 2003's Transatlanticism, broke into the mainstream both critically and commercially; its songs were featured in various TV series and films. The band's major label debut for Atlantic Records, 2005's Plans, went platinum. Founding guitarist Chris Walla left the band in 2014 after 17 years. The band's tenth and latest studio album, Asphalt Meadows, was released on September 16, 2022. Alongside their ten full-length studio albums, the band has released four EPs, two live EPs, one live album, and one demo album."

Pink Floyd - waiting for the worms, 1979

"At this point in the album, protagonist Pink has lost hope ("You cannot reach me now") and his thinking has decayed ("no matter how you try"), telling his listeners to "walk on by" before the song takes a more aggressive turn. In his hallucination, he is a fascist dictator, fomenting racist outrage and violence"

Moby - we are all made of stars, 2002

"every time I listen to this song, it makes me smile. I made the song, I've heard it a million times, but every time the chorus comes, it makes me smile."

Tracey Thorn - femme fatale cover, 1982

That was 30 years ago, when I was 19 years old. The songs are more or less all about Ben [Watt, her husband and long-time musical collaborator]. We had met on our first night at university, but he had a girlfriend back home, and things dragged on for a while, as they do. There were lots of scenes, tears, letters. Perfect inspiration for the kind of songwriter I was turning out to be. It was well received at the time and has proved enduringly popular, and I think that's because it's such a passionate record. It wears its heart very much on its sleeve, and is short enough to get away with doing so.

Fine Young Cannibals - blue, 1985

"The lyrical content on most cuts isn't terribly complicated, one thought turned around a few times; but the sparseness lays snug next to the inlays and wrap-arounds of Gift's voice, along with the more than competent instrumental work, forever keeping the vocals buoyed up."

James - seven, 1992

"a record that married the ambitious scope of the lyrics with a grand, anthemic feel."

Genesis - blood on the rooftops, 1976

"Blood on the Rooftops" is a song concerning "the tedium and repetitiveness of television news and the overall mocking disgust that must sometimes accompany watching the news happen". The music to its chorus was written by Collins with Hackett writing the music to the verses, the song's lyrics and its classical guitar introduction. According to Hackett, the song was a love song originally. He explained, "When I heard the other lyrics on the album, there was a bit of a romantic tinge anyway, so I decided to go right the other way and make it as cynical as possible." It also addresses some political issues, which Genesis had previously stayed away from. Banks and Rutherford both claimed it was Hackett's best song as a member of the group."

The Band Of Holy Joy - real beauty passed through, 1990

"As ever, the manic-depressive Holy Joy sing tales of love, drink, and loss. Unlike the claustrophobic feel of the previous albums, Positively Spooked is far more optimistic, something the band attributed to touring the former Soviet republics."

The Triffids - jerdacuttup man, 1987

"Mid-80s and among current bands my music choices run to The Smiths, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Pogues, New Order, Talking Heads, The Fall, BAD, Propaganda. Happy Mondays and the revolution they’re going to bring about in my taste and my life are a couple of years in the future. But there’s one other band who I, my brother and a few mates are into and all know are going to be huge, and they’re The Triffids. Successors to the Birthday Party as Australia’s best band but nowhere as in-your-face because as well as new wave influences there’s folk and traditional blues in there, even a bit of folky psychedelia."

Club 8 - when lights go out, 2003

"The album has been described as "arty experimentation....breezy, Cardigans-styled dream-pop with a decidedly retro-continental flair".

The Radio Dept - all about our love, 2010

"No, they’re not exactly Dream Pop. There is an essential sun-drenched and lo-fi quality to the Radio Dept. that I can only relate to the memory of playing cassette tapes in your parents car in the 1990’s. Melodies and vocal layers have a whining treble-heavy sound that isn’t harsh to the ear, but just adds a different aesthetic to this sub-genre of indie dream pop."

The Rolling Stones - tell me you're coming back, 1964

"Written by singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, "Tell Me" is a pop ballad. In a song review for AllMusic, critic Richie Unterberger commented, "It should be pointed out ... that the Rolling Stones, even in 1964, were more versatile and open toward non-blues-rooted music than is often acknowledged by critics." The Rolling Stones' two previous singles bear out this observation: one had been the Lennon–McCartney-penned "I Wanna Be Your Man" (later recorded by the Beatles as well); another was Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away".

Azure Ray - nothing like a song, 2003

If you only listen to one song today, make it “Nothing Like A Song” by Azure Ray (2003, from the album Hold On Love). Azure Ray is an indie pop duo made up of Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink. They’re originally from Athens, Georgia, and they later relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska. They formed in 2001, made two records, took a hiatus between 2004 and 2008, then released another record in 2010. I’m not sure how I first learned about this band, but it was one of those things where I heard a couple of songs and immediately went out and bought everything I could get my hands on. At the time, in 2002, what I could get was the November EP and the Burn and Shiver album. I eagerly anticipated the next record, and when Hold On Love came out the next year, it was a big winner around here."

U2 - a sort of homecoming, 1984

"Like much of the album, the song replaces the hard-hitting martial drum sound of War with a subtler polyrhythmic shuffle, and the guitar is no longer as prominent in the mix."

Barclay James Harvest - sip of wine, 1978

"Back in 1967 the band was playing rhythm and blues, and was called The Blues Keepers. As they began to write songs and develop an original stayle, they decided that they needed a name change, and that they wanted something flowery, like the West Coast psychedelic bands they admired, e.g. Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane etc. Each of them wrote single words on pieces of paper which were drawn out of the hat one by one, and all were rejected until only three were left: James, a guy who used to sign with the band, Harvest because they were living in a farmhouse, and Barclay after the bank, because they aspired to make money! These were then rearranged to get the best-sounding name - Barclay James Harvest."

Bear's Den - only son of the falling snow, 2019

"I have always written about a single song in my posts. A song that I have found magic in, but this time I am writing about a broader work. “Bear’s Den” released this EP on December 6, 2019, titled, “Only Son of the Fallen Snow.” The title track was released a short time before the EP and I knew when I heard it, I would write about it, and then when I heard the other two, “The Star of Bethnal Green” and “Longhope”... I knew I would write about them too. All three songs are treasures of magical wonder. I couldn’t just write about one or two, I had to explore, ponder and extrapolate the magic from all three. A feat, ladies and gentlemen, yet to be accomplished on this lullaby of prose and magic. But this is right and perfect, because this release from Bear’s Den is right and perfect... aw the magic. Kev and Davie, I thank you..."

The Housemartins - the mighty ship, 1986

"The Housemartins lyrics were an odd mixture of Marxist politics and born-again Christianity, reflecting Paul Heaton's beliefs at the time. The band split in 1988, but the members have since remained friends and worked on each other's projects. Norman Cook has enjoyed significant success with both Beats International and then as Fatboy Slim, while Heaton, Hemingway and roadie Sean Welch formed The Beautiful South. Stan Cullimore has become an author of children's books. Despite repeated requests from fans, they have never reformed."

Enya - to go beyond one, 1987

"I wrote a piece called ‘To Go Beyond’, and it appealed to me because we wrote the middle section in a very classical feel. And it was, um, very different to the music we were writing for The Celts. And we combined the two sounds together, and the first section is a very slow, sad moving piece, and then it goes into a very classical piece which is played on violin. And it was used to illustrate the artwork of the Celts."

The Lightning Seeds - joy, 1990

"emotionally it wasn’t the place [for me]. I don’t aspire to be the centre of attention. That’s definitely not the place I’m comfortable, I prefer to be slightly off to the left… I definitely [became] a lot more anxious. It broadened my horizons massively but at the same time kind of put me through the wringer.”

Saint Etienne - haunted jukebox, 2012

"After the superlative song cycle Tales From Turnpike House, I couldn’t imagine what Saint Etienne would do next—apparently, neither could the band, at least not right away. Seven years passed before the release of their next album, Words and Music By Saint Etienne. Concerning the rituals and pleasures of pop music itself, the concept seemed ideal for a trio of self-avowed fans-turned-aspiring-popstars; in practice, it worked well enough, widely viewed as a comeback on both sides of the pond. It featured some of their very best singles (“Tonight”, “I’ve Got Your Music”) and, as usual with this group, exceptional album tracks that could’ve easily been singles as well (“Heading For The Fair”, “Last Days Of Disco”, “DJ” and the song this blog takes its name from.)"

Azure Ray - for no one, 2001

"Maudlin at its best. Or maybe it's good at its most maudlin. Either way, that's Azure Ray. Even visually. Their album cover is simple: just an old, sepia-toned photograph of a little girl. She looks like my grandmother as a child. Nostalgia and melancholy rub off the liner notes and stain your fingertips. The little girl clutches her palms to her ears and wears an inscrutable expression that vacillates from pouty to fearful to verge-of-tears, depending on what mental angle you hold it at. Or she could just be pressing hard on earphones concealed beneath her baby tresses, trying to soak up every bit of this album."

Stars - reunion, 2004

"Sometimes the packaging is too big for the small sentiments, with the title track rattling inside so many pretty bows and colour. But most of these powerful pop songs bloom to match the intensity of the feelings they lament."

The Smiths - half a person, 1987

"This song to me signifies that no matter how famous and rich Morrissey is; it’s not actually going to change his life. He’ll always be 16, clumsy and shy. He even repeats, ‘It’s the story of my life‘ – like his fan who reached out. The song, written in 1986 by Johnny Marr and Morrissey – allegedly on the stairs of Mayfair Studios, London – is one of the lesser known songs by the group. It has remained a fan favourite, although rarely played live by Morrissey."

Devine And Statton - hideaway, 1990

"Best known for her work with the groundbreaking minimalist post-punk group Young Marble Giants, Alison Statton’s detached, icy warm vocal delivery influenced dozens of indie pop artists following the release of Colossal Youth in 1980. After the unfortunately premature dissolution of Young Marble Giants, Statton teamed up with Mark “Spike” Williams (violin) and Simon Booth (guitar) to form Weekend. Their 1982 debut, La Variete, would go on to become a musical touchstone for a number of twee pop acts over the years, including Belle and Sebastian."

Death Cab For Cutie - grapevine fires, 2008

"Grapevine Fires" is a song by American indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Narrow Stairs, released February 3, 2009, on Atlantic Records."

Pet Shop Boys - radiophonic, 1999

"Very much in a hi-energy mode, "Radiophonic" sounds almost like one of Chris's instrumental workouts to which Neil has molded lyrics. Those lyrics focus on an extended metaphor in which Neil compares the feeling of falling in love—and, as he told an interviewer for Manchester City Life, of "lying in bed with a hangover" — with loud, driving, pounding dance music ("like a dub sub-sonic beat-box booming bass under the bed") that permeates your brain and body, staying with you, even remaining a part of you long after you've left a dance club."

Saint Etienne - clark co record fair, 1998

"This deluxe edition features the original UK tracklist-- in the words of Nitsuh Abebe's review, "one smooth, seamless thing" that remains as strong an entry into Saint Etienne's world as just about anything in its portfolio (and not just because the chart-minded British production team Xenomania had a hand in a couple of its tracks). Unlike the clearinghouse-minded bonus disc of Good Humor, the second disc of Tales From Turnpike House includes several unreleased songs. Sadly, it's missing the album's attendant EP of would-be children's music Up the Wooden Hills as well as some other esoterica. Predictably there are some pleasant surprises, including "Another Cup of Coffee" (an honest to goodness Mike & the Mechanics cover), the clubby "Must Be More", and still more forays into jazzy exotica like "Holiday Song" and "Missing Persons Bureau". The previously released "You Can Judge a Book By Its Cover", on the other hand, would sound almost like a lost new wave nugget were it not for Sarah Cracknell's cosmopolitan coo."

The Decemberists - we both go down together, 2005

"If Picaresque sounds pretentious, well, fine. But it's a charmer and is well served by a verve that keeps things loose and fun. The fuller sound on cuts like 16 Military Wives (with its Spector-y production) and The Bagman's Gambit, which transforms from a formless acoustic ditty into an imposing rumbler, doesn't really rock you like a hurricane per se but certainly provides a sufficient gale to send you on an enchanting journey, matey."

Electronic - try all you want, 1990

"The gestation period between Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner’s debut single (Getting Away With It) and its parent album was a vast 18 months, but it shows that the pair were intent on taking the time to build something that freed them of the “constraints” of their own bands – and to reflect the emerging UK dance scene they increasingly buzzed around."

Stars - the loose ends will make knots, 2012

“This is my favorite Stars song from my favorite Stars album.”

The Housemartins - time spent thinking, 1984

"The Housemartins originated as a Kingston upon Hull busking duo composed of singer Paul David “P.d.” Heaton and guitarist Stan Cullimore. Heaton (b. May 9, 1962; Bromborough, Merseyside) spent his childhood in Sheffield and his adolescence in Chipstead, Surrey, where he played in his first band, Tools Down, with his brother and local youth. He lived for a year in Leeds and busked around Europe before 1983, when he settled in Hull, where he met Cullimore (b. April 6, 1962; Stapleford, Cambridgeshire), who attended grammar school in Birmingham and enrolled (in 1980) as a mathematics major at the University Hull. They cut a demo tape with the rhythm section of local goth rockers Les Zeiga Fleurs. Heaton and Cullimore pressed 100 copies of Themes for the Well-dressed Man, a demo cassette with nine songs"

U2 - a sort of homecoming live, 1985

"A Sort of Homecoming" is live from Wembley Arena in London on 15 November 1984. The song was produced by Tony Visconti and recorded during a soundcheck at the concert, with the crowd noise mixed in later during post-production at Good Earth Studios."

Laurent Voulzy - a sept-mille-sept-cent-huit, 1977

"Voulzy is a renowned perfectionist, capable of locking himself away in the studio for months on end to craft his delicate pop melodies. And it shows - Voulzy's songs are veritable gems of musical perfection. Believe us, their catchy arrangements and melody lines are guaranteed to stay in the mind for years to come!"

The Moody Blues - send me no wine, 1969

"The upbeat "Send Me No Wine" and "To Share Our Love" are both written by bassist John Lodge. The lyrics of "Send Me No Wine" reflect a country music style. Varnals suggests, "'Wine' is really a country and western song. When you play it, imagine it slower, with some of the repetition taken out. Listen to the song and note that the Mellotron parts are very much like a pedal steel guitar as well."

U2 - walk on, 2000

"The song was written about Burmese academic Aung San Suu Kyi, who was the chairperson of the National League for Democracy and was placed under house arrest from 1989 until 2010 for her pro-democracy activities, which led to the song being banned in Burma. The song won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 2002 ceremony, marking the first time an artist had won the award in consecutive years for songs from the same album (following "Beautiful Day"'s win the previous year)."

Stars - no better place, 2014

"We are all lost, we are all going to lose this game and, as you get older, you lose people more and more. I just wanted to close my eyes and jump and hope that was true. Life is loss, love is loss. And loving people is about accepting that you're going to have to say goodbye to them."

Pet Shop Boys - always on my mind in my house, 1988

"More than two decades later, in a 2010 interview with Mike Atkinson of the Nottingham Evening Post, Neil himself neatly summarized his and Chris's take on the song. It's "sung from the point of view of a selfish and self-obsessed man, who is possibly incapable of love, and who is now drinking whiskey and feeling sorry for himself. It’s a completely tactless song." Selfishness, self-obsession, and tactlessness aside, it was a brilliant rendition and proved to be one of the Boys' all-time biggest hits."

Mar de Sintra, hoje, 26 de Fevereiro de 2025, de manhã

The National - tropic morning news, 2023

"packed with nostalgia and a desperate attempt to grasp the past."

Guillemots - tigers, 2011

"As ‘Tigers’ trills with spiralling melody and what feels like the sound of flowers opening, Dangerfield fancies himself “A tumbling star/Home isn’t ever anywhere we are”. He’s gazing in wonder at the heavens, but he’s still lost."

Sambassadeur - migration, 2007

"Sambassadeur's Anna Persson sings softly and fluidly, favoring held notes that sound like they might dissipate into the music around her. Her voice often seems more typical of shoegaze or introverted folk than 1980s-cribbing pop, but she strikes the right note of dreaminess and cool drama in Sambassadeur's songs. The band gently buttresses her vocals with guitar and synth rhythms that percolate playfully, creating a wistful contrast with her sustained vocals. This combination of textures - like tweed under silk - lent past singles like "Between the Lines" and "Kate", from the band's 2005 home-recorded self-titled debut and their Coastal Affairs EP respectively, their melancholy charm and distinctive personality among their Swedish contemporaries."

Sintra hoje, 25 de Fevereiro de 2025, alguns minutos atrás

Beirut - guericke's unicorn, 2025

"‘A Study of Losses’ is an 18-track odyssey commissioned from Zachary by the theater and performance art company Kompani Giraff, for an acrobatic show of the same name. As a free interpretation of Judith Schalansky’s novel ‘Verzeichnis einiger Verluste,’ ‘A Study of Losses’ travels through eleven songs and seven extended instrumental themes, named after lunar seas and inspired by the chilling tale of a man obsessed with archiving all of humanity’s lost thoughts and creations. As with the novel, the new Beirut-signed album sees Condon writing about the disappearance, preservation and impermanence of everything we know: extinct animal species, lost architectural and literary treasures, the aging process and other abstract concepts."

The Lightning Seeds - brain drain, 1997

"Like You Do... Best of The Lightning Seeds is the first greatest hits album by English alternative rock band The Lightning Seeds, released on 10 November 1997. The album includes the band's singles from 1989 up until the album's release, plus two previously unreleased tracks and one new version of a song from a previous studio album. "What You Say" was released as a single from the album in December 1997 and peaked at number 41 on the UK Singles Chart."

The Radio Dept - heaven's on fire live at wfuv, 2011

"Sonically, the song has been noted for its “production clarity (a departure from the static lullabies of 2006’s Pet Grief) to the Balearic note-bending hidden in the mix to the soft snare backbeat that adds rhythmic propulsion”. KEXP noted that the song may have been influenced by shoegaze, dream-, noise-, and twee-pop, “referring to the electronic dance music from the 1980’s, influenced by Pet Shop Boys, The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine.”. It heavily relies on the synthesizer variation and singer Johan Duncanson vocals."

Art Garfunkel - the sound of silence live, 1996

"In this concert, Art sings some of the songs from his days singing with Paul Simon, as Simon & Garfunkel, like El Condor Pasa (If I Could), Homeward Bound, Bridge Over Trouble Water, and Mrs. Robinson. And he does some of his solo songs, mostly a few like A Heart in New York, and he is even joined by his wife and son James, he sings with James The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)."

U2 - kite, 2000

"For three weeks in late 1998, U2 worked at Hanover Quay Studios with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois in hopes of quickly developing new material for a studio album, which would become All That You Can't Leave Behind. With Eno on keyboards and Lanois on rhythm guitar and percussion, the six of them composed songs during jam sessions. Guitarist the Edge said that these group sessions did not produce many great ideas, resulting in him bringing in his own individual musical ideas for them to work on. One of these was a loop of a string section that inspired "Kite". After hearing the loop, the others quickly improvised the entirety of the song. During this process, lead singer Bono said his "voice returned" after several years of him suffering vocal difficulties. After hitting a high note when singing the line "I'm a man, I'm not a child", the others in the studio were taken aback. Bassist Adam Clayton called it a "memorable moment", saying, "I don't think we had heard that voice for a long time." With the song near completion, the band was not entirely satisfied and decided it "needed a twist". As a result, they edited in an additional section of the song and the Edge played a guitar solo on his 1964 Gretsch Country Gentleman, which he plugged into an Ampeg Scrambler distortion pedal and a Vox AC30 amplifier. According to him, the addition of the solo "really made that part of the song come alive". The lyrics were inspired by a kite-flying outing on Killiney Hill overlooking Dublin Bay that Bono attempted with his daughters Jordan and Eve Hewson. The outing went quickly awry when the kite crashed and Eve asked if they could go home and play with their Tamagotchis. The Edge assisted Bono in writing the lyrics and felt they were actually about Bono's emotionally-reserved father, Bob Hewson, who was dying of cancer at the time. The Edge said, "[Bono] couldn't see it, but I could." Bono recalled a similarly ill-fated kite-flying outing in his own childhood with his father in the County Dublin seaside towns of Skerries or Rush."

Echo And The Bunnymen - stormy weather, 2005

The single and its parent album re-united the band with Hugh Jones, who produced their second album, 1981's Heaven Up Here. At the time Jones said that the Siberia work was the best he had ever done. The song was written by Will Sergeant and Ian McCulloch and it was recorded at Elevator Studios in The Bunnymen's home town of Liverpool. The cover of the single shows a photograph of Sergeant and McCulloch which was taken in Berlin by photographer Joe Dilworth. Released on the Cooking Vinyl label, the single was available as a CD single (FRY CD246), a 7-inch single (FRY 246) and digital downloads – both as an individual track (FRY DL246) and as a bundled download (FRY DL246X) – which were available from the band's official website. On 14 November 2005, a live version of the song was also released which had been recorded at an HMV store. The acoustic versions of "Make Me Shine", "Nothing Lasts Forever" and "Lips Like Sugar", which are on the 7-inch single and the bundled download, are taken from a live session for Brazilian radio."

Indochine - un homme dans la bouche, 2005

"The album is amazing! One of the best French albums I've ever listened too, Black City Parade is fantastic as well. If you've heard one but not the other I would recommend both albums, both have a great mix of heavy songs, dark songs, slower songs, catchy songs, this is an amazing band! Even my friends who don't know any French enjoyed songs off these albums, Indochine is a wonderful band and they make amazing music."

Van Der Graaf Generator - out of my book, 1970

"Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Chris Judge Smith and the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much commercial success in the UK, but became popular in Italy during the 1970s. In 2005 the band reformed, and are still musically active with a line-up of Hammill, organist Hugh Banton and drummer Guy Evans."

Keane - bend and break, 2004

"Keane are a guitarless trio from the sleepy southern British town of Battle who spent six years chasing a record deal, and they’re only now reaping U.K. success with their debut single, “Somewhere Only We Know.” It’s wonderfully anthemic, dominated by a pounding piano and the angelic voice of singer Tom Chaplin, who sounds less like a rock star than a choirboy."

Saint Etienne - shad thames, 1997

"Some may say this album feels scattered or unfocused. But to me it has a strangely cohesive flow for how it ambitiously blends a of sort of minimalistic electronic-pop-folk sound with strong eurohouse, trip-hop, drum n bass influences. Saint Etienne creates some of the most interesting, sophisticated, magical, rich soundscapes I have ever had the pleasure of hearing."

Micheál And Eilish - róisín dubh, 1990

"Róisín Dubh" ("Dark Rosaleen" or "Little Dark Rose") is one of Ireland's most famous political songs. It is based on an older love-lyric which referred to the poet's beloved rather than, as here, being a metaphor for Ireland. The intimate tone of the original carries over into the political song. It is often attributed to Antoine Ó Raifteiri, but almost certainly predates him."

Vanishing Twin - wise children, 2019

"Romantic futurism with a retro style and panache, but there is a wobbly shadow on the periphery."

Pet Shop Boys - for your own good, 1999

"Soft, ominous, dissonant chords introduce the opening track on Nightlife, which also served as the opening number of the concerts on PSB's 1999 U.S. tour. Booming bass and multitracked female background vocals heighten a general air of desperation."

Neil Young - only love can break your heart, 1970

"'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' is an absurdly simple little tune. It's in waltz time, and the structure and instrumentation are sparse to the point of minimalism. Piano, guitar, bass and drums strike up gently and plod along together, happily oblivious to the fact that there don't seem to be any off-beats."

Club 8 - what shall we do next, 2003

"songs will make you smile and cry and smile and cry... and afterwards you will feel soothened, comforted, awakened, cleaned and enlightened, more alive than ever and never lonely again"

This Mortal Coil - the jeweller, 1986

"What I do know is that the album itself is very very good, just as its predecessor. Again, the meaning of it remains obscure. It's a long long long collection of mood pieces, fully fleshed originals, reinvented covers, experimental avantgarde sonic collages, and what-not. In general, it seems a little bit more accessible second time around, maybe even more commercial in a sense. In fact, many of the songs would probably easily fit the definition of "alternative adult contemporary" - if you thought the two things were oxymoronic, take a listen to this album. These are moody, static-oriented, inoffensive, inobtrusive songs, yet with a certain unique brand of creativity and depth that's all their own. Let me just namecheck a few of these ditties. Dominic Appleton takes lead vocals on the extremely pretty folk ballad 'The Jeweller' (credited to Thomas Rapp of Pearls Before Swine fame), with a gorgeous 'he knows the use of ashes' chorus and typically 4AD-ish otherworldly backing vocals."

Barclay James Harvest - rock n roll star, 1976

"we have Woolly's Ra which is up to his usual standards and Les weighs in with two of his better numbers Rock n Roll Star and The World Goes On. These are good jaunty pieces with singalong choruses. Overall the album has a lovely pastoral feel with some excellent guitar work. To me this is one of the best BJH albums and one I return to regularly."

Enya - the celts, 1987

"Initially released simply as Enya, The Celts shows that the style she became famous for on Watermark was already well under way. With production and lyrical help fully in place thanks to her husband-and-wife gurus Nicky and Roma Ryan, Enya's combination of Celtic traditionalism and distinctly modern approach finds lush flower here. All the elements that characterize her music -- open, clear nods to her Irish heritage, any number of vocal overdubs to create an echoing, haunting feeling, and layers of synth and electronic percussion -- can be found almost track for track. The flip side is that those who find such a combination to be gloopy mush won't be at all convinced further by her work here. It's understandable why folk music traditionalists and anti-mainstream types would get the hives, but those not coming from that angle will find much that's rewarding."

Genesis - silent sun, 1969

"From Genesis to Revelation is the only Genesis album which the band themselves do not own the rights to. Jonathan King retains the rights to the album, which he has reissued multiple times since, including a 1974 release as In the Beginning and a 1987 release as And the Word Was.... A reissue in 2005 included a bonus disc with extra tracks."

Del Amitri - the whole world is quiet, 1992

"Singing this Scottish quintet's praises is easy, but explaining why they sound so appealing isn't. No one would have raised an eyebrow if Change Everything, their third album, had slid out of Britain during the mid-'70s prepunk days. Lead singer Justin Currie sounds like the Guess Who's terminal shlub, Burton Cummings. Still, something at the core of Del Amitri -- intelligent songs, lyrical depth, nifty musical hooks -- sets the band apart."

Marillion - blue angel demo, 1998

"Misplaced Childhood was "not only the band's most accomplished release to date, but also its most streamlined... With its lush production and punchy mix, the album went on to become the band's greatest commercial triumph, especially in Europe where they would rise from theater attraction to bona fide stadium royalty".

Art Garfunkel - mrs robinson live, 1996

"I never tire of Art Furfunkel and his energy and spirit I hear when I listen to him. He is a great artist who stays connected to a reality that touches the mind and heart, love, joy and sorrow. He connetcs to the ethos of the spirit."

Soft Cell - bedsitter, 1981

"Bedsitter" is a song by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell, from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. Released as a single in early 2 November 1981, it reached No. 4 in the UK. A song that explored the underbelly of the London club scene of the time, it has been described by critic Jon Savage as one of the greatest songs of the 1980s. Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant included the track in a 2006 edition of the Guardian's "Soundtrack of My Life" series."

Au Revoir Simone - lark, 2007

"On "Lark", glistening keyboards finally eschew the emotional detachment of the record's earlier slow songs, beneath an even-toned admission: "Sometimes I want to be enough for you."