"To be loved like that makes all the difference. It does not lessen the terror of the fall, but it gives a new perspective on what that terror means. I had jumped off the edge, and then, at the very last moment, something reached out and caught me in midair. That something is what I define as love. It is the one thing that can stop a man from falling, the one thing powerful enough to negate the laws of gravity." Paul Auster (Moon Palace)

Monday, December 1, 2025

Paul McCartney - hey jude live back in the us, 2002

"Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" to comfort Julian Lennon, John’s 5-year-old son, during his parents’ divorce. Julian only found out the song was about him years later... and by then, Paul had been closer to him during that painful time than his own father was. John even mistakenly thought the song was about him and Yoko at first. So the world’s most famous comfort song is literally a little boy’s heartbreak... and he didn’t even know it was for him until he was grown up."

Ulrika Spacek - square root of none, 2025

“On this song we kinda embraced the notion of throwing as many ideas onto the canvas at once. We wanted this overwhelming feeling musically with the lyrics talking formulas and code. It always felt forward moving, and despite feeling free when contributing more and more layers it was troublesome to mix to make sure every detail is heard. Some songs feel made to be played live and this is certainly one of them for us.”

Nada Surf - out of the dark, 2016

"Out of the Dark" plays bright and has a tinge of nostalgia to it. It evokes comps to more 90's alt (which Nada Surf was obviously a part of). One aspect of the song that makes it pop is the use of horns throughout. They complement the upbeat acoustic beat perfectly and help lift it where it needs it. It was a perfect addition and represents another evolution in Nada Surf's sound."

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Neil Young - cinnamon girl live weld, 1991

"The version of the coda released on Weld is from February 27, 1991 is truly severe and seemingly conveying the audio version of the tracer fire and missile launches viewed nightly during the Gulf War. In the middle of this mayhem, Young quotes the melody of “Norwegian Wood.” At first, this reference could be considered as a respite during the thunder and lightning or a reminder of gentler times, but then recalling how The Beatles’ song ends with the narrator either imagining or actually setting fire to his departed lover’s apartment, suddenly the allusion is appropriate to the rest of Young and Crazy Horse’s performance."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - coral and gold, 2014

"Coral and Gold" and "Beautiful You" feel really towering and fragile at the same time - which is something I really like in music, sonic and emotional"

Nada Surf - friend hospital, 2016

"For music fans of a certain age, it brings back memories of the halcyon days of indie rock; a reminder of when it seemed perfectly natural to stay up until 1 a.m. to catch every last crunchy guitar chord of the headliner and then be at work bright and early the next morning."

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Neil Young - touch the night, 1986

"Touch the Night" is the most guitar driven song on the album. Its lyrics consider the sudden loss of a partner. Biographer Jimmy McDonough compares it to its predecessor "Like a Hurricane."

Of Monsters And Men - we sink, 2015

"The music video is dedicated to the current refugee crisis, as millions of people are fleeing their homes in search of a safe place to live. The Icelandic folk band reached out to members of the Red Cross in Iceland, who connected them with refugees in their home country to be featured in the video."

Peter Bjorn And John - every other night, 2018

"This song is about what’s keeping you awake between the midnight hour and the hour of the wolf. It’s like a warning sign in neon letters."

Nada Surf - when i was young acoustic, 2012

"The Dulcitone Files is a fantastic 5-track acoustic EP by Nada Surf, released on March 20, 2012, as a companion to their album The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy. It features intimate, solo-acoustic recordings by frontman Matthew Caws, captured at Dulcitone Studios in Sheffield, England (hence the name—named after the vintage keyboard instrument, but no actual dulcitone samples here)."

Friday, November 28, 2025

Neil Young - hey hey my my into the black live rust, 1979

“I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away. Peace, love, empathy. Kurt Cobain”

Noah And The Whale - slow glass, 2009

"Noah and the Whale have unexpectedly transformed themselves from lightweights known for a novelty hit to a band attracting serious consideration. This time last year, they were frolicking in the video for the twee top 10 single 5 Years Time; now, there is near-unanimous acclaim for their new album, The First Days of Spring"

The New Pornographers - marching orders, 2014

"Most recently, I heard Electric Light Orchestra’s “Turn to Stone” on the radio, and I thought of the New Pornographers. If there’s any significant difference between this album and previous ones, it seems to be a heavier emphasis on electronic sounds, like the vocorder at the beginning of “Backstairs,” the synthesizer on “Marching Orders” and “Wide Eyes” The opening of “Hi-Rise” sounds a little new-agey to me. Band leader A.C. Newman has said that this is basically a celebratory album, as he’s gotten over some issues that he was dealing with. As usual, most of the lead vocals are Newman’s, but with Dan Bejar taking lead on his own compositions."

Thursday, November 27, 2025

The National - hey rosey, 2019

"Highlighted by Sharon Van Etten and Gail Ann Dorsey - a veteran of David Bowie's band - the National invite a number of female vocalists to sing on the album, lending I Am Easy to Find a welcome sense of openness. Where the National can often seem hermetically sealed - such insularity is a key to their appeal - I Am Easy to Find has loose ends and picturesque detours in addition to a revolving cast of characters and a suggestion of mess that give the album an appealingly unkempt sense of humanity."

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

"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). The song, both written and produced by the duo, describes a person normally hesitant to unwind and show his feelings, who — because of some event in his life — suddenly becomes willing to loosen up. It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 1993 by Parlophone as the album's third single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, where it was released in January 1994, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh."

Nada Surf - looking through acoustic, 2012

"It's notably more intimate and melancholic than the full-band version, highlighting Matthew Caws' tender vocals and the emotional weight of the lyrics."

​Silêncio, o nome de Deus

 

Cada página sugere uma renúncia: falar menos, esperar mais, olhar melhor.

Costa Gomes

 

A personalidade de Costa Gomes tem vindo a ser redescoberta. Mesmo historiograficamente falando, década após década, têm-lhe atribuído cada vez mais importância neste processo. Alguns capitães diziam-no no seu livro, em 1990, mas atualmente há mais consenso sobre essa figura, concorda?

Costa Gomes é uma figura histórica extraordinária. E se houve alguma figura que podemos dizer que ajudou Portugal a tornar-se democrático, fora da sociedade política como Mário Soares e à exceção talvez de Vítor Alves e Melo Antunes, que apresentaram uma visão para o futuro, foi Costa Gomes.

Não apresentou essa visão, mas forneceu liderança. Ele era bondoso. Os capitães disseram-me, sem exceção, que adoravam e respeitavam Costa Gomes como seu líder, mas também era o que se quisesse que ele fosse quando estava convosco. Ele transformava-se no que você quisesse que ele fosse.

Ele refletiria as suas esperanças, os seus sonhos e as suas aspirações. E sairia a sentir-se bem. E depois ele poderia ainda fazer algo mais que não esperávamos. Era alguém gentil e com quem era fácil conversar.

Mas ele tinha uma visão, de uma sociedade pacífica e democrática na qual o povo votaria. E estava a tentar gerir uma situação muito complicada. Tinha grande experiência como comandante militar no campo de batalha. Sabia lidar com o stress, com conflitos, com o caos, com a derrota. E assim, ao chegar a Portugal e enfrentar os mesmos desafios que tinha enfrentado em África, conseguiu trazer consigo este conjunto de competências.

Mencionei a patente militar como um princípio organizador até 11 de março com Spínola. Ao longo de todo o processo, Costa Gomes continuou a utilizar este princípio organizador, mas acrescentando empatia, escuta e coragem.

E porque é que não foi a primeira escolha após o golpe?

Ele não queria, disse-me. Pediram-lhe para ser o chefe, mas ele não quis. E Spínola foi o escolhido. Ele não estava preparado.

Foi uma decisão pragmática ou demasiado emotiva?

Tudo isso. Foi um momento de grande tensão. Não era uma pessoa presunçosa. Não sei porque tomou esta decisão. Encontrei-me com Costa Gomes em frente ao seu apartamento. O seu motorista tinha acabado de o trazer do supermercado. Depois pediu-me para ajudá-lo a levar as compras para o seu apartamento. E eu ajudei. E sentámo-nos na cozinha dele. E tratou-me como se eu fosse o seu próprio filho. Ficámos sentados à mesa a conversar sobre a revolução durante duas ou três horas. E pude ter uma ideia sobre o que todos os outros capitães me disseram. Era uma pessoa muito acessível.

É uma figura histórica importante que desempenhou um papel fundamental em salvar Portugal do desastre e em impulsioná-lo para o que é hoje. E tratou-me com bondade, amor e respeito, tanto em relação à minha origem portuguesa, como simplesmente como ser humano.

A sua personalidade tornou-se mais relevante com o passar do tempo?

Absolutamente. Mais uma vez, não era alguém que chamasse a atenção sobre si ou que se autopromovia. E isto leva-nos de volta à sua pergunta sobre a noite de 25 de Abril de 1974. Ele não faria isso. Ele sentou-se sozinho, estava ali para servir.

Posso acrescentar que descobri algo sobre Costa Gomes, que considero uma história extraordinária. Descobri, conversando com alguns dos outros capitães, incluindo Sanches Osório, que ele tinha uma fé católica particular, devota e profunda.

Era um homem de fortes convicções religiosas. E não era algo que ele fizesse para evangelizar ou falar sobre o assunto, mas sim o seu princípio orientador. Descobri através das minhas entrevistas que havia um padre jesuíta do Porto que o visitava no palácio presidencial durante o verão, assim que ele assumiu a presidência. E celebravam missas privadas, inclusive no dia 25 de novembro. O seu nome era Padre João Abranches.

Ele contou-me a história. E eu perguntei-lhe: " Porque é que era tão importante para si?”. Ele respondeu: “Escolho demonstrar o meu amor ao próximo através das minhas ações”.

E mesmo no dia 25 de novembro, quando celebraram uma missa privada no meio do caos, isso trouxe-lhe paz interior. Talvez isso revele um aspeto da sua personalidade que desconhecíamos. 

 

https://rr.pt/especial/politica/2025/11/25/a-amizade-salvou-o-pais-a-25-de-novembro/449239/