Club 8 - getting by, 2024

"Sweden’s Club 8 have just released their sixth single of 2024, and each one somehow seems to be better than the last."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - flame of hope, 1986

"One of my all-time favorite sounds. “Flame Of Hope” was a brief but compelling song with some of the best McCluskey vocal leads on the whole album. His work there was right “in the zone” so the sometimes strident tone he’d adopt was unheard this time."

The Beatles - revolution, 1968

"Revolution" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Three versions of the song were recorded and released in 1968, all during sessions for the Beatles' self-titled double album, also known as the "White Album": a slow, bluesy arrangement ("Revolution 1") included on the album; an abstract sound collage (titled "Revolution 9") that originated as the latter part of "Revolution 1" and appears on the same album; and the faster, hard rock version similar to "Revolution 1", released as the B-side of "Hey Jude". Although the single version was issued first, it was recorded several weeks after "Revolution 1", intended for release as a single. A music video for the song was shot using the backing track from the single version, their appearances reflecting the song's atmosphere, along with live-sung lyrics that more closely resemble the album version."

The Radio Dept - this past week, 2005

"What I learned in this listening experiment surprised me. All the elements I thought the Radio Dept. grew into over time were more or less present from the start. Or, maybe more accurately, the band has only stretched by skips and steps, not leaps and bounds, over the years. Being one of my favorite bands, that's only a mild knock against them. Much like the Kings of Convenience, who also only manage to release a new full-length every three or four years, their output is so sporadic that by the time something new comes along I'm more than fine with it being a minor variation on whatever they've done before."

Such a great song!

The Beatles - the ballad of john and yoko, 1969

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in May 1969, with "Old Brown Shoe" as its B-side. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, and chronicles the events surrounding the wedding of Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song was the Beatles' 17th UK number-one single and their last for 54 years until "Now and Then" in 2023. In the United States, it was banned by some radio stations due to the lyrics' reference to Christ and crucifixion. The single peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song, along with its B-side, has subsequently appeared on compilation albums such as Hey Jude, 1967–1970, and Past Masters. It was also included on the compilation 1."

Pet Shop Boys - this must be the place i waited years to leave, 1990

"Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths plays guitar on this track. Russian samples abound on the track, including an excerpt from the 1936 Moscow trials, and Shostakovitch's second symphony."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - we love you twelve version, 1988

"Timing is everything and, unfortunately, the release of this 45 was singularly mistimed. Its predecessor, the hit "(Forever) Live and Die," was just falling out of the U.K. chart when OMD sent "We Love You" spinning toward it in November 1986. Meanwhile, the band's The Pacific Age album, from which both singles were culled, was clambering into the Top 15. But even in the go-go '80s, pop fans had to occasionally count their pennies, and two singles and an album were just too much to splash out on in a matter of weeks. There was no other reason for "We Love You" not to hit big, for it had all the makings of a smash. Its complex dance-friendly rhythm was fired by live drums, percussion, and a pulsing bassline, while lashings of riffy guitar, swooping synths, and bubbly keyboards supported a splendidly anthemic chorus that cried out the band's affection for both their pop and club fans. Add barely veiled lyrics with anti-militaristic intent to impress the anoraks, and this single should have been among the band's biggest sellers. But timing is everything."

The Jesus And Mary Chain - everything's alright when you're down, 1987

"Reid is the lead singer and founding member of the alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain. He formed the band with his brother William. They are recognized as key figures in the development of the shoegaze and noise pop subgenres. They released six studio albums before they split up in 1999. They reformed in March 2007 and are still active as of 2024, and Reid and his brother are the only constant members of the group."

Monstro Brilhante - serenidade, 2022

"O grupo, que nasceu da vontade de dois primos, Nuno Guimarães, a viver em Zurique, e Rui Guimarães, de Lisboa, acaba de lançar um álbum com 15 faixas de descoberta de "várias realidades, quer sonoras, quer no estado de espírito".

Club 8 - the girl with the northern soul collection, 2002

"a sense of post-punk style urgency in the melody and tempering Komstedt’s ethereal vocals with lyrics that move from domestic bliss to existential angst in a heartbeat"

The Moody Blues - eyes of a child edit version no intro this is the moody blues, 1974

"When you look at life through the eyes of a child there is a wonderment, isn't it? Children see the world differently. There are wonders every day: When you see a butterfly flying or when you see a bird flying or when you see anything, it's just a wonderful world for children to see. I thought, as we become older, we become prejudiced and if you can rid of whatever your prejudice is, you just see the world in naivety, without any restriction. It's wonderful for everyone to be able to see everything in life without any prejudice."

Marillion - that time of the night the short straw, 1987

"There's sort of a dual meaning I think; it also seems to allude to "drawing the short straw," which would indicate bad luck, losing, or being otherwise ill-fated. As in the practice of choosing straws among a group to determine who has to undertake an unpleasant, dangerous, or otherwise undesirable task. The person who draws the short straw generally loses."

The Radio Dept - never swallow fruit dub by pistol disco, 2010

"Capping off a fruitful year that included the release of their BNM'd third full-length, Clinging to a Scheme, Swedish indie pop stalwarts the Radio Dept. have a new EP, Never Follow Suit, out today via Labrador. The band's giving away the EP's first track, "The One", which you can grab below. In our news story today about the Radio Dept.'s forthcoming singles collection, Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002 - 2010, we also posted another track from that EP, a remix of its title track from Swedish production collective Pistol Disco. You can grab that rework, cleverly titled "Never Swallow Fruit", below as well."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - a teenager in love, 2009

"What makes this band so difficult to shake from its influences? Well, its members don’t seem interested in being separated from them. Where most bands use their favorite sounds as a jumping-off point, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart live in the sounds they love. What makes them successful, in spite of this, is how they combine all these found sounds. The band marries well the harshness of a Superchunk or a My Bloody Valentine with the soft melodies of twee pop."

Simon And Garfunkel - keep the customer satisfied, 1970

"Keep the Customer Satisfied" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from the group's fifth studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970). It was included as the B side of their signature hit, "Bridge over Troubled Water". "Keep the Customer Satisfied" recounts the exhausting tours that Simon grew tired of, a similar theme to that of their earlier song, "Homeward Bound".

Bee Gees - in the morning reprise richard hewson orchestra, 1971

"Hewson began in the late 1960s as an arranger, and worked with musicians such as the Beatles ("I Me Mine" and "The Long and Winding Road"), the Bee Gees (Melody), James Taylor ("Carolina in My Mind"), Herbie Hancock, Clifford T. Ward, Supertramp, Pilot (Pilot), Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Paul McCartney (Thrillington), Mary Hopkin ("Those Were The Days"), Al Stewart, Chris de Burgh, Fleetwood Mac and Chris Rea. He also arranged strings on several Cliff Richard albums, I'm Nearly Famous (1976), Every Face Tells a Story (1977) and Green Light (1978). Hewson also worked with the British band Jigsaw, including arrangements for their hit single, "Sky High"."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - sunday morning cover, 1993

"'Sunday Morning' is a cover of the Velvet Underground song that first featured on their 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico."

The Beatles - sgt pepper's lonely hearts club band, 1967

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney, and released in 1967 on the album of the same name. The song appears twice on the album: as the opening track (segueing into "With a Little Help from My Friends"), and as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", the penultimate track (segueing into "A Day in the Life"). As the title song, the lyrics introduce the fictional band that performs on the album."

Belle And Sebastian - waiting for the moon to rise, 2000

"Waiting for the Moon to Rise" by Belle and Sebastian depicts a longing for something out of reach and the anticipation of a new beginning. The song opens with the narrator acknowledging the passing of time and the start of a new day, represented by the sun rising behind them. They find themselves on an unfamiliar path, symbolizing a new journey or experience."

The Moody Blues - ride my see-saw, 1968

"Ride My See-Saw" is a 1968 single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by the band's bassist John Lodge, and was first released on the Moody Blues' 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord. It was the second of two singles from that album, the other being "Voices in the Sky". On the album, the song is preceded by a spoken word introduction called "Departure" that was written by Graeme Edge. Billboard described the single as a "blockbuster rocker" that "comes on strong with all the ingredients to spiral [the Moody Blues] to the top in short order" and a "mover from start to finish." Cash Box called it a "dance track with powerful teen attraction" and "polished vocals."