Jars Of Clay - they will know we are christians by our love cover, 2005

"Redemption Songs is a collection of reinvented hymns and spiritual songs. As part of a church community that believed passionately the blessing of understanding the story of redemption through early church songs and ancient hymns, Jars of Clay found themselves a part of a growing renaissance, one that inspired them to write new songs using the rich hymn texts as the foundation."

Holy Thursday

“I didn’t always use Major Charley’s method, but on a day like this Thursday, when I knew my attention should be as uninterrupted as possible, I awakened when the day opened its door a crack and 1 visited my family as Major Charley had. I visited them in chronological order, bowed to Aunt Deborah. She was named for Deborah the Judge of Israel and I have read that a judge was a military leader. Perhaps she responded to her name. My great-aunt could have led armies. She did marshal the cohorts of thought. My joy in earning for no visible profit came from her. Stern though she was, she was charged with curiosity and had little use for anyone who was not. I gave her my obeisance.” - John Steinbeck, "The Winter of Our Discontent"

The Vacant Lots - amnesia, 2023

“It’s about feeling dissociative and getting burned by the fire. Then coping with how this inevitably leads to the dissolution of the relationship.”

The Waterboys - red army blues live, 2007

"Red Army Blues" first appeared on the twelve-inch single for "December" from The Waterboys. The song is a first-person narrative of the life of a young Soviet soldier in World War II who participates in the Battle of Berlin. The soldier, along with many others, is sent to the Gulag by Joseph Stalin. The song is based upon the book The Diary of Vikenty Angorov and borrows main musical theme from Polyushko-polye by Lev Knipper."

Chumbawamba - enough is enough live, 2000

"they mix pop and politics, putting the iron fist (with its many pop culture references) inside the velvet glove of modern pop music. It's sly, wry, often comic, and they're not afraid of making fun of themselves. In other words, it should both scare and entertain you."

Archive - the skies collapsing on to us, 2023

"Archive are a musical group based in London, England, whose music spans electronic, trip hop, avant-garde, post-rock and progressive rock. Over their 28-year history, the band has released twelve studio albums and enjoyed established success throughout Europe."

The Moody Blues - are you sitting comfortably, 1969

"According to Hayward, "Are You Sitting Comfortably" is "about storytelling, but elevated to a bit of a psychedelic story". Its lyrics recall the days of medieval minstrels, featuring finger-picked guitar and lyrics full of vibrant imagery including "a fleet of golden galleons on a crystal sea" and the "glorious days of Camelot" while Merlin casts a spell of slumber. The song takes its first line from a popular children's show, Listen with Mother, that always began with the same line and became associated with the phrase. "Are You Sitting Comfortably" was written towards the end of the sessions, and apart from "The Dream", was the last track recorded for the album. Hayward remembers, "I already had the guitar riff and the chord sequence, and I had the first line and the title. And then we just took it from there. Ray contributed a lot of lyrics. I know the first thing he did was that second line, "A fleet of golden galleons, on a crystal sea," which is a very Ray Thomas phrase."

My Bloody Valentine - when you sleep, 1991

"We recorded the drums in September '89. The guitar was done in December. The bass was done in April. 1990 we're in, now. Then nothing happens for a year really. So it doesn't have vocals at this stage? No. Does it have words? No. Does it even have a title? No. It has a song number. "Song 12" it was called. And ... I'm trying to remember ... the melody line was done in '91. The vocals were '91. There were huge gaps though. Months and months of not touching songs. Years. I used to forget what tunings I'd used."

The Last Dinner Party - on your side, 2023

"'On Your Side' is one of the songs that have been on the bands setlist since the beginning. The Last Dinner Party performed the song on BBC's 6 Music Live Session as part of their New Music Fix Friday on July 7, 2023"

Michael Stipe - drive to the ocean, 2020

"I am so happy to collaborate with Pathway To Paris for this year 2020. The work that they are doing is vital and foundational - it is essential for a future that we can and will claim as our own."

The Jesus And Mary Chain - sundown, 1992

"they were using, what musical devices they were using, to build dynamics. There are subtle things that really move these songs along – extra percussion loops, or some feedback-y noise appearing halfway through a song. Again, it sounded like nothing else I’d really heard up until then – familiar, but alien too. It was perplexing in a way, because I couldn’t work out how they’d done some of it."

New Order - dream attack, 1989

"Technique is a masterpiece, and you can bury me happy as long as the afterlife has a copy."

REM - wanderlust, 2004

"Wanderlust" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. It was released as their fourth and final single from their 13th studio album, Around the Sun (2004), peaking at number 27 in the United Kingdom (becoming their last of 31 top-40 hits there) and number 48 in Ireland."

Al Menne - kill me, 2023

"This time around, on Freak Accident, Menne has assembled a larger-than-life coterie of featured players, including Hutson as producer, Jay Som’s Melina Duterte as mixer, Meg Duffy of Hand Habits on guitar, Whitmer Thomas on vocal harmonies and, of course, Chris Farren’s directorial talents on the music video for lead single “Kill Me.” Most sharply, you can hear the pedal steel of Jodi’s Nico Levine—Menne’s partner and collaborator—coursing through the record’s veins. Menne had been a longtime fan of Hutson’s and, after the former put out his debut album Beginners in 2020, the two musicians got linked up. Somebody, somewhere, had turned Hutson on to Great Grandpa, which led to him discovering Menne’s work as Pickleboy—which tumbled into them linking up online, exchanging playlists and becoming great friends."

The Beatles - please mister postman cover, 1963

"The song has been covered several times, including a version by the Beatles in 1963. It became a number-one hit again in early 1975 when The Carpenters' cover of the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100. The 2017 song "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man has significant similarities to "Please Mr. Postman" and includes a credit for Brian Holland."

Jim James - here in spirit, 2016

"My Morning Jacket’s Jim James has shared a new song, “Here in Spirit.” James wrote the song after attending a Los Angeles rally the day after the tragic shootings at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. He said in a press release, “It’s a song about speaking out and trying to be there for people in spirit even if you can’t be at every rally and battle.”

Far Caspian - let's go outside, 2018

"Let's Go Outside" takes you somewhere before you even hear a single word. In a similar fashion to bands like Real Estate, somehow within a guitar lick lies the imagery of trees-lined streets and a cruise at golden hour. Frontman Joel Johnston’s voice is full care-free ease and a lo-fi sound that creates the perfect summertime vibe."

Beirut - the rip tide ber-abq version, 2022

"These ideas of acceptance, hope and personal reflection make The Rip Tide an accomplished, restrained record, which sees Condon forgetting his travels, and forging his own native sound."

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The Mary Onettes - forever before love, 2023

"two brand new singles from the Swedish quartet, the former starts off with a twinkly, gothic jangle straight out of a 70s horror movie (it reminds of Suspiria, for some reason). And I suppose it makes a lot of sense that the track combines elements of yesteryear with today’s indie pop staples, since songwriter Philip Ekström says the song “is about finding the way back to yourself"