The Radio Dept - a token of gratitude live, 2012

"But it’s when this mysterious trio are at their most poignant that goose bumps prick the skin."

Chumbawamba - the wizard of menlo park, 2004

"Un is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Chumbawamba, released on 8 June 2004 by Koch Records. The album was written and produced by solely by Chumbawamba. A musical departure from predecessor Readymades (2002), the album incorporates elements of folk, electronic, and world music. Thematically, the album acts as a social commentary on a variety of political and social issues, including individualism and anti-consumerism. Un was promoted with two singles: "The Wizard of Menlo Park" and "On eBay"."

Low - just make it stop, 2013

"Just Make It Stop" is more ample proof that Low are excellent at turning out a song with a simple architecture and deceptively complex emotions."

The Coral - north wind, 2023

"The Coral are one of the finest British musical institutions of the past few decades. Formed in 1996, their longevity can be accredited to their constant high standards of music, their ability to entertain and their hazy and dreamy story telling. Sea Of Mirrors is arguably one of the finest entries in their canon. It is tight, concise, well produced and full of dreamy songs that evoke so much. Throughout the album, the use of strings is absolutely top class. The punches and sweeping nature of the strings adds an otherworldly level to the music. Oceans Apart, Dream River, Wild Bird and the title track are all enhanced by the extra flourishes. Dream River is an absolute stand out from an album choc full of them. It genuinely evokes imagery of floating down a river without a care in the world. It is gorgeous."

Belle And Sebastian - the state i am in, 1996

"Recorded quickly and cheaply as the first album from Electric Honey, the in-house record label from Glasgow's Stow College's music business program, Belle and Sebastian's 1996 debut, Tigermilk, is a rare record in many respects. Initially, it was simply scarce, limited to a run of 1,000 and not re-released until 1999, by which time Belle and Sebastian were established as one of the great indie pop sensations of the late '90s. It is also rare in the sense that not many indie records are made with assistance from a university, but Tigermilk is rarest in how it captures a band that seems simultaneously fledgling and fully formed."

Pauline Anna Strom - morning splendour, 1982

"Pauline Anna Tuell Strom (October 1, 1946 – December 13, 2020) was an American electronic music composer and synthesist best known under the pseudonym Trans-Millenia Consort. Strom made seven recordings between 1982 and 1988 including three LPs and four cassette tapes. Her 1982 debut, Trans-Millenia Consort, was released on Ether Ship Records."

The House of Love - hannah shine on, 1990

"we really needed guidance at that crucial point. Most groups just go nuts. It's like this huge trolley full of booze being placed in front of you. With a whiff of success, people change towards you. We were taking too many drugs, I was drinking ridiculously and that's the worst combination when things are going wrong."

The National - alphabet city, 2023

"The delayed guitar riff of ‘Alphabet City’ gives it a stuttering tension that never quite resolves, while Berninger ruminates on his inability to move on from someone."

Damien Jurado - suns in our mind, 2014

"Damien is out of his goddamn mind. This isn’t a recent development, but it’s an important aspect of his work that often goes ignored. In place of this key element is the idea that his music is a sober and in-depth excavation of the American landscape and rural psyche."

The Cure - untitled, 1989

"I don’t think I’ve heard too many closing tracks that summarize an album’s themes as well as “Untitled,”

The Lightning Seeds - lucky you, 1994

"The song features catchy melodies and upbeat instrumentation characteristic of The Lightning Seeds' style. Lyrically, it explores themes of luck, fate, and the unpredictability of life."

Bright Eyes - we are nowhere and it's now, 2005

"Bright Eyes has always been a personality-driven outfit, meaning its obsessive fans are magnetized by the breathless impressions, witty asides and trembling soul of its spooky, sensitive Donnie Darko of a frontman."

Simon And Garfunkel - america live, 1981

"The concert took place on Saturday, September 19, 1981, on the Great Lawn, the central open space of Central Park. The first spectators, many carrying chairs or picnic blankets, arrived at daybreak to secure a good spot. The Parks Department originally expected about 300,000 attendees. Although rain fell throughout the day and continued until the start of the concert, an estimated 500,000 audience members made this the seventh-largest concert attendance in United States history."

Elton John - just like belgium, 1981

"Just Like Belgium" is a more pop-based track which lyrics have been described as "wistful" and as a "breezy travelogue", centered on "memory and travel", while themes of nostalgia have also been noted. Colette Bertrand, credited in the liner notes as the "French Girl", provides a spoken part on the track."

Jackson Browne - these days, 1973

"These Days" is a song written by Jackson Browne and recorded by numerous artists. Browne wrote the song at age 16; its lyrics deal with loss and regret. It was first recorded by Nico in 1967 for her album Chelsea Girl, and Nico's arrangement was recorded by several other artists. Tom Rush recorded the song with a string arrangement for his album Tom Rush in 1970. Gregg Allman recorded a new arrangement of the song for his 1973 LP Laid Back, and Browne released his own version, based on Allman's arrangement, on For Everyman, also in 1973. "These Days" has since been recorded by many other artists, and remains one of Browne's most enduring compositions."

Genesis - the carpet crawlers live, 2009

"On the 1974 studio version, Peter Gabriel sang the introductory verse beginning with "There is lambs' wool under my naked feet...", while from 1976 onwards Phil Collins omitted the introduction, and started the song with "The crawlers cover the floor...".

Fischerspooner - the fifteenth cover, 2001

"Their cover of Wire's "The 15th" might not be as suited to the dancefloor, but it's a perfect, energetic electro-pop creation and quite possibly the album's high point."

Stars - a thread cut with a carving knife, 2008

"All in all it makes songs like “A Thread Cut With A Carving Knife”, possibly my favorite Stars track ever, sound like a bit of a sonic mess, completely unbalanced."

The Radio Dept - tell, 2006

“Tell” is the eleventh track on Pet Grief, a short but poignant piece clocking in at just over three minutes. Its lyrics are sparse yet heavy with emotion"

Such a great song!

Of Monsters And Men - your bones, 2011

“Beautiful,” “majestic,” and “inspiring” are terms that can easily characterize the country of Iceland. It can also accurately describe the music that emanates from it. Need evidence? Then look no further than Sigur Rós and Björk – Iceland’s leading pioneers of the native music scene for more than a decade. But lately, another Icelandic band has gone from making ripples to waves across the Atlantic. Meet Of Monsters and Men, a six-piece indie-folk outfit from the capital city of Reykjavík that formed only two years ago, and already has achieved worldwide recognition, thanks in part to their song “Little Talks” receiving radio air play. Though their debut full-length, My Head is an Animal, was released last year only in Iceland, this week will mark its worldwide release via Universal Records."