Paul McCartney - things we said today live, 1990

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

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

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

Old Sea Brigade - if love was the answer, 2025

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

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

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

The Go-Betweens - bachelor kisses, 1984

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

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

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

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

The Smith Street Band - song for you, 2017

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

The Soft Cavalry - the ever turning wheel, 2019

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

The Moody Blues - nights in white satin, 1974

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

Beirut - gauze für zah, 2018

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

Bee Gees - lonely days live, 1997

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

Moby - isolate, 2009

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

The Sound - acceleration group, 1987

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

Ford Chastain - give it time, 2024

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

The Goon Sax - somewhere in between, 2018

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

Pet Shop Boys - it must be obvious, 1990

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

Bee Gees - to love somebody live, 1997

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

The Sound - hand of love, 1987

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

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

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

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

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

Bee Gees - massachusetts live, 1997

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

REM - it's a free world baby, 1992

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

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

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

Swiss Portrait - connection issues, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bee Gees - someone belonging to someone, 1983

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

The Sound - iron years, 1987

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

Stars - i died so i could haunt you, 2010

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

Bee Gees - it's just the way, 1971

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

The Style Council - headstart for happiness live, 1986

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

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

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

Death Cab For Cutie - you moved away, 2018

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

Per Sahlström - cross the line, 2009

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

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

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

The Moody Blues - the night, 1967

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

Moby - in my heart, 2002

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

The Flaming Lips - sunrise eyes of the young, 2017

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

Phil Collins - in the air tonight, 1981

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

The New Pornographers - you tell me where, 2014

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

John Murry - things we lost in the fire, 2013

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

Death Cab For Cutie - northern lights, 2018

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

The Style Council - when you call me live, 1986

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

Renaissance - can you understand live, 1976

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

Red Sleeping Beauty - breaking up is easy, 2016

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

Mew - introducing palace players, 2009

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

The Beatles - i'm a loser live, 1964

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

The Housemartins - i bit my lip, 1987

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

Neil Young - just singing a song, 2009

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

James - all i’m saying, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

Pet Shop Boys - i want a dog, 1988

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

Dear Boy - kelly green, 2025

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

The Beatles - things we said today live, 1964

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

Bee Gees - i started a joke, 1968

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

Turnstile - never enough, 2025

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

Death Cab For Cutie - gold rush, 2018

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

The Mary Onettes - eyes open, 2025

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

The Style Council - with everything to lose live, 1986

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

The Flaming Lips - they punctured my yolk, 1995

"The same extraordinary madness that infected the best work of Brian Wilson rears its head on the shimmering and melodic Clouds Taste Metallic, a masterful collection which completes the Flaming Lips' odyssey into the pop stratosphere. The Pet Sounds comparisons are obvious - two of the highlights are titled "This Here Giraffe" and "Christmas at the Zoo" - yet not unfair; like Brian Wilson, Wayne Coyne has refined his unique vision into something both highly personal and powerfully universal."

Strand Of Oaks - passing out, 2017

“Passing Out” is far from the psychedelic blackholes or fire-breathing rock moments on Hard Love. Rather, it’s a reflective, mellow, and bleary track that sounds like a mixture of ’80s indie and early ’90s Creation Records material. Which is to say, if you happened to spend your formative years driving through Showalter’s adopted home state listening to that type of music like I did, “Passing Out” is a familiar and welcome direction for Strand Of Oaks to be exploring, an autumnal meditation perfect for this time of year."

The Beatles - all my loving live, 1964

“Nobody ever made it in America, and we were dying to be the first.” This statement by John Lennon in September of 1964 puts in a nutshell how The Beatles felt about conquering the United States. They had truly taken over Britain and had made inroads in numerous other countries by 1963, but the US was their ultimate goal. They knew, though, that no foreign act had ever made more than a fleeting impact in the states."

The Moody Blues - a simple game justin hayward vocal mix, 2008

"A Simple Game (Justin Hayward Vocal Mix)" is a version of the song by The Moody Blues, originally written and sung by Mike Pinder as a non-album B-side to "Ride My See-Saw" from their 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord. This mix, featuring Justin Hayward on lead vocals, was released as a bonus track on reissues of the album, notably the 2008 and 2018 editions (In Search of the Lost Chord: 50th Anniversary Edition / Deluxe). The song was produced by Tony Clarke and arranged by Arthur Greenslade, with a duration of approximately 3:32 minutes."

Etienne Daho - duel au soleil, 1986

"Let’s just get something straight here: Étienne Daho is very cool. He’s cooler than the coolest popstar you have at the top scale of cool. Better still, his voice is so good it makes every song it graces sound like the coolest song you’ve ever heard. All those styles from synthpop to surf rock, Étienne can do it all. In fact, he has done it all. But then he’s been around since the ’80s, wowing his native France, always dressed in the most effortlessly chic styles. For most popstars, new phases in their careers are greeted by a wardrobe overall. Étienne doesn’t need to do that. Leather jackets, jeans, over-sized coats, suit blazers and a smoldering cigarette has endured throughout the years, because he knows that cool is never out of style. An outsider who managed to conquer France’s mainstream, he started off his musical journey in London, back when punk was breaking. Apparently, he had to see it for himself. He felt it too, and would later jump at the chance of working with The Stinky Toys on his debut album. A great collaborator, Étienne would later appear in Saint Etienne’s He’s On The Phone, which is a repurposed version of an earlier hit Weekend A Rome. The ‘He’ the song is about? Étienne, most likely."

The Beatles - a hard day's night live, 1964

"Although the songs were recorded ahead of broadcast, allowing for retakes and occasional overdubbing, they are essentially "live in studio" performances. Most of the songs are cover versions of material from the late 1950s and early 1960s, reflecting the stage set they developed before Beatlemania."

Sintra, pôr do sol de 20 de Junho de 2025 a seis horas do solstício de Verão que vai ser a 21 de Junho de 2025, às 03h42m

The Go-Betweens - quiet heart live acoustic radio session, 1988

"At their peak, the Brisbane group featured Robert Forster, Grant McLennan, Lindy Morrison, Amanda Brown and Robert Vickers. Albums like Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express, Tallulah and 16 Lovers Lane are a sample of the band's brilliance."

Stevie Wonder - superstition, 1972

"Superstition" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was released on October 24, 1972, as the lead single from his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book (1972), by Tamla. The lyrics describe popular superstitions and their negative effects."

Fleet Foxes - wading in waist-high water, 2020

"From the opening chords, the album is a return to the sunny west coast breezy form after the brooding, moody political “Crack Up,” in 2017, which was the first Fleet Foxes album after drummer Josh Tillman went on to form Father John Misty."

The Style Council - shout to the top live, 1986

"The Style Council is rock’s most underrated band of all-time. Many of you will be scratching your heads at that statement. How in the heck can a man who grew up in Central Indiana, spent four short years in Southwestern Ohio, then moved back to his hometown, the one in which our said hero claimed to which he would never return, to raise his family, ever hear of the UK-centric and generally altogether European artist The Style Council?"

The Beatles - thank you girl live, 1963

"The writing of “Thank You Girl” can easily be narrowed down to February of 1963 during their British nationwide tour with Helen Shapiro. Since February 11th, 1963 was the date for recording of their first British album “Please Please Me,” and the song did not appear on that album, it obviously didn’t exist yet since they would have premiered the song on that day if it had. And since Lennon later confirmed in 1980, as detailed in David Sheff's book "All We Are Saying," that the song “was one of our efforts at writing a single that didn’t work,” it had to have been written before February 28th, 1963, since this was the confirmed date when their next single “From Me To You” was written. Since “Thank You Girl” ended up as the b-side to that British single, it had to have been written sometime between February 11th and 28th of 1963, using the working title "Thank You Little Girl."

Lullatone - race against the sunset, 2013

"Race Against the Sunset" is a song by Lullatone, a Nagoya, Japan-based music group known for their whimsical "pajama-pop" style, blending twee pop, indie pop, and electronica. Released on June 11, 2013, as part of the Summer Songs - EP, the track is 2:48 long and features a playful, lo-fi sound with ukulele and piano, often described as catchy and fun to sing along to."

My Morning Jacket - bermuda hwy live, 2004

"Early Recordings is a compilation album series by Louisville, Kentucky rock band My Morning Jacket. It was released in 2004 on Darla Records. The two constituent albums, called chapters, are called The Sandworm Cometh and Learning respectively. Danny Cash created the graphic design to both albums and played bass and keyboard on the second. J. Glenn performed drums for the series and Johnny Quaid played guitar. "Two-Tone" Tommy played bass for the first album, but Quaid took over for the second."

Moby - in this world, 2002

"I absolutely love the song In This World by Moby, and the video that goes with it. There’s just so much that you can take from the video and many elements that I feel that I can identify with quite a bit, and of course those aliens are super cute!"

The Style Council - walls come tumbling down live, 1986

"One song that I heard probably for the first time in 20 years was 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' (1985) by The Style Council. The Style Council lasted 1983-9, having 16 Top 40 hits but no No.1s. Interestingly they combined a somewhat at times overly polished, self-consciously snappy image with songs that were either almost like easy-listening, notably, 'Long Hot Summer' (1983), almost 'power' pop songs like 'Shout To The Top' (1984) to those like 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' which were very political. The most prominent member of the group was Paul Weller (1958-) who also wrote 'Walls Come Tumbling Down'. By the time he did, he was already very successful from his career with The Jam (1972-82; recording from 1977; 18 Top 40 hits including No. 1s in the UK) who had had a Mod style with a support for Britishness but also often challenging lyrics to social and political issues. The strength of many of their songs was carried on into some of The Style Council's work with almost classic styling that seemed to refer back to music of the 1960s referenced by The Jam's style. Saying this, the 'Sound Affects' (1980) album had almost psychaedelic elements, almost as if, like The Beatles, The Jam had evolved into this phase. The politics of The Style Council was far more apparent than even in songs like 'Eton Rifles' (1979) and 'Town Called Malice' (1982). I have been tempted however, to write how relevant I feel those songs remain recalling 1980s problems now we face so many of them again in the 2010s."

The The - slow emotion replayed, 2025

"Matt Johnson has a penchant for covering and reinventing his own songs as with ‘This Is The Day’, ‘Infected’, ‘Armageddon Days’ and others. The original version of ‘Slow Emotion Replay’, appeared on Dusk, released in 1993. This new version, ‘Slow Emotion Replayed’ was recorded in Studio Cinéola, London, featuring Matt Johnson on Omnichord and vocals, Barrie Cadogan on electric guitar and backing vocals, James Eller on bass and Gillian Glover also providing backing vocals. The B-side of this single is entitles ‘Crow Commotion Displayed’."

Sintra, 17 de Junho de 2025 a quatro dias do solstício de Verão

Nation Of Language - i'm not ready for the change, 2025

"Nation Of Language recorded Dance Called Memory with past producer Nick Millhiser, of Holy Ghost! and the current LCD Soundsystem touring lineup. “Inept Apollo” is on the album, and so is new single “I’m Not Ready For The Change.” It’s a blinky synth track with a rickety drum-machine beat and a whole lot of dreamy effects on the vocals and guitars. I’d say it fulls up a room quite pleasantly."

The Beatles - across the universe, 1970

"On 4 February 2008, at 00:00 UTC, NASA transmitted the Interstellar Message "Across the Universe" in the direction of the star Polaris, 431 light-years from Earth. The transmission was made using a 70-metre antenna in the Deep Space Network's Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, located outside of Madrid, Spain. It was done with an "X band" transmitter, radiating into the antenna at 18 kW. This was done to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song's recording, the 45th anniversary of the Deep Space Network (DSN), and the 50th anniversary of NASA. The idea was hatched by Beatles historian Martin Lewis, who encouraged all Beatles fans to play the track as it was beamed to the distant star. The event marked the first time a song had ever been intentionally transmitted into deep space, and was approved by McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Apple Corps."

Hibou - cityscape, 2025

"This infectious uptempo guitar track offers a bright glimpse into what we can expect from the upcoming album 'It Seems To Me’, arriving this summer via Spirit Goth Records."

The Beatles - i've just seen a face, 1965

"I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in August 1965 on their album Help!, except in North America, where it appeared as the opening track on the December 1965 release Rubber Soul. Written and sung by Paul McCartney, the song is credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is a cheerful love ballad, its lyrics discussing a love at first sight while conveying an adrenaline rush the singer experiences that makes him both enthusiastic and inarticulate."

Suede - trance state, 2025

"Later this year, the glammy Britpop greats Suede will release their album Antidepressants, which they recorded with longtime producer Ed Butler. Suede’s music has been remarkably consistently strong over the years, and it sure seems like they’ll keep the streak going with this new record."

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton

The direct existential grasp of reality in itself can be presented in a parable, a fable, or a funny story. (Thomas Merton)

Fait-divers on happiness

Suffering was temporary until we started trying to make happiness permanent.

Fait-divers on the internet

The biggest trick the internet ever played is convincing people that humor is a substitute for argument.

Fait-divers on books again and again

Communists tried to dumb down people by banning books. Capitalism, however, lets you buy them so that you put off reading them forever.

Fait-divers on books again

You read a good book, but a great book reads you.

Fait-divers on books

If you read for the purpose of education and not pleasure you'll end up with neither.

Fait-divers by Vala Afshar on time

Time doesn't wait for anyone, so don't wait for it. (Vala Afshar)

Brian Wilson - good vibrations, 2004

"As a solo artist, Wilson rerecorded "Good Vibrations" as the closing track on his 2004 album Brian Wilson Presents Smile. This extended version included lyrics by Tony Asher and a different bridge section, both originally written in 1966."