The Radio Dept - your true name, 2018

"Newly liberated from their former label Labrador, Swedish indie luminaries The Radio Dept. (Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson) revisit their original laid-back college rock sound in their new single, “Your True Name,” released on their own independent label Just So! Signaling an optimistic outlook on the future ahead, the band explains, “‘Your True Name’ is a song about faith"

Neil Young - hey hey my my into the black live weld, 1991

"one of the definitive live Neil Young moments — raw, feedback-drenched, and unapologetically loud. “It’s better to burn out than to fade away…” never sounded so apocalyptic."

Pet Shop Boys - being boring extended mix, 1990

"In a 1993 interview, Tennant described "Being Boring" as "one of the best songs that we've written", and said that "For me it is a personal song because it's about a friend of mine who died of AIDS, and so it's about our lives when we were teenagers and how we moved to London, and I suppose me becoming successful and him becoming ill".

Nada Surf - bright side cover, 2010

"Nada Surf came out of New York City and got its foothold in 1996 with the intriguing, novelty single, “Popular.” It was from their first LP, High/Low¸ that reached #51 on the US charts. Mixing a slacker vibe, humour, and a not-quite-rap spoken word vocal, it was a good, original track for its time. I picked up the CD and listened to it a lot, pleased to find many solid, indie rock tunes such as, “The Plan.” After that, aside from a couple songs I had on compilations (“Hyperspace” and “Inside of Love”) over the next several years, I had little clue Nada Surf was a going concern until I saw a concert announcement for them in 2018."

Pet Shop Boys - where the streets have no name i can't take my eyes off you cover extended mix, 1991

"this track is one of the most insidious deconstructions of rock mythology that you're likely to find anywhere. It completely takes the wind out of U2's sails, essentially revealing the original to be precisely the dance track that it is but tries hard not to be."

63 Trees - darkness this is manchester, 1990

"This Is Manchester - 14 Songs From The North West"

Paul McCartney - band on the run live tripping the live fantastic, 1990

"Band on the Run" is a classic Wings track from their 1973 album of the same name, written by Paul McCartney during a challenging period in Lagos, Nigeria. It became one of McCartney's biggest solo-era hits, blending rock energy with a narrative escape theme. In 1990, McCartney revived it for his first major solo world tour (1989–1990), which marked his return to live performances after a decade-long hiatus due to family priorities and legal issues with the Beatles' catalog."

Of Monsters And Men - hunger, 2015

"Beneath the Skin takes an anthemic approach to Of Monsters and Men’s familiar output of modern folk rock. However, the album fizzles out before it has any room to take hold. For a land known for doom-impending volcanoes, harsh winters, and rotten fish, Iceland sure has a lot to say. I can always tell when an Icelandic artist hits the airwaves. No, it’s not the accent — which, I still can’t quite grasp. It’s not even Icelandic pop’s knack for weirdness, like Bjork’s army of bell wielding children."

Nada Surf - question cover, 2010

"Rather than attempting to distil all of their influences into one covers record, major label rejects-turned independent mainstays Nada Surf have chosen to capture the songs that were, as you might expect, in their hi-fis at the time of recording. Consequently and unlike most covers records, If I Had a Hi-Fi (which, rather neatly, is a palindrome) sounds wonderfully fresh and easy, but also yields some unexpected pop trinkets. Chances are this is because the range of artists covered is wide enough and, crucially, the record sounds like it would’ve made a good mix-tape even if they hadn’t recorded it themselves."

Peter Bjorn And John - silicon valley blues, 2018

"When Peter Bjorn and John recorded their 2016 album Breakin’ Point, they recruited big-name pop producers Paul Epworth (who’s worked with Charli XCX and Robyn), Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia), and Emile Haynie (Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars), presumably in the hopes of a releasing a smash hit. The reception was much more modest, but like Franz Ferdinand and their single “Take Me Out,” Peter Bjorn and John have lived in the shadow of their 2006 breakthrough hit “Young Folks.” Breakin’ Point, and to a lesser extent 2011’s Gimme Some, were both upbeat and accessible pop albums saturated with radio-friendly tracks, yet neither came close to regaining their mid-2000s attention, let alone containing another “Young Folks.” As an expected yet unfortunate consequence, they have edged onto some one-hit wonder lists, always with that perennial disclaimer of “the band continues to make music.”

Pet Shop Boys - closer to heaven shell and straight dave, 2001

"In the musical, the song "Closer to Heaven" appears multiple times in different contexts: First rendition: A duet between Shell (played by Shell Christian in the original London cast) and Straight Dave (played by Paul Keating). Shell is a young woman dealing with her rock-star father's death and her own vulnerabilities; Straight Dave is an Irish immigrant and aspiring dancer working as a bartender at a Soho club. This version captures their initial heterosexual attraction and budding romance, blending synth-pop with emotional longing."

Nada Surf - agony of lafitte cover, 2010

"Nada Surf — a band no stranger to being screwed over by Elektra Records in the ’90s — did a commendable version of “The Agony Of Laffitte” on the 2010 covers record If I Had A Hi-fi. Spoon, of course, found greater fame (and respect) in the early ’00s after landing on Merge Records — giving the band the last laugh after being chewed up by the major label machine."

Pet Shop Boys - i wouldn't normally do this kind of thing beatmasters seven inch version, 1993

"Neil was embarking on a day trip from London to Edinburgh, and on his way via taxi to Heathrow Airport he thought to himself, "I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"—that is, fly from one place to another and back in a single day. He couldn't get the phrase out of his head, and it soon evolved into a song. He and Chris created the demo for it in the studio the very next day."

Of Monsters And Men - human, 2015

"Human" marked a slightly darker, more electronic-leaning evolution from the folk-pop sound of their debut My Head Is an Animal (2011)."

Neil Young - powderfinger live rust, 1979

"I had subconsciously neglected this song for the past seven years because of my horror at learning an Australian band had stolen its identity – that’s not a reflection on the band in question (whom I’ve never listened to), but more a reflection of my stubbornness at the time. This song was my secret. How dare they publicise it to the world!"

Pet Shop Boys - domino dancing seven inch version, 1988

"After taking some delightless turns in recent months, Tennant and Lowe swoon, yup swoon, back with their most exquisite offering for many a moon. It looks as weightless as a kite up there. It comes complete with a spoken interlude that wakes up the glowworms inside me for the first time since that heavenly respite in the middle of Human League's 'Louise'."

Nada Surf - you were so warm cover, 2010

"Dwight Twilley (June 6, 1951 – October 18, 2023) was an American pop/rock singer and songwriter, best known for the top 20 hit singles "I'm on Fire" (1975) and "Girls" (1984). His music is associated with the power pop style. Twilley and Phil Seymour performed as the Dwight Twilley Band through 1978, and Twilley performed as a solo act afterwards."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - if you leave, 1986

"If You Leave" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Pretty in Pink (1986), in which it is played prominently during the final scene. Along with 1980's "Enola Gay", the track has been described as OMD's signature song. "If You Leave" is the group's highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number four in May 1986. The song was also a top-five hit in Canada and New Zealand and charted at number 15 in Australia. A defining track of the 1980s, it was described by Interview as "one of the most influential, zeitgeist-capturing songs ever to be written".

Nada Surf - evolucion cover, 2010

"Spanish band formed in 1995 by former Surfin' Bichos guitarist Joaquín Pascual. The band released a series of well-loved albums before breaking up in 2005."

Of Monsters And Men - crystals, 2015

"Crystals" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. It is the lead single for their second studio album, Beneath the Skin. The single and album artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."