Genesis - the serpent, 1969

"Imagine if someone wrote that today, how it might be received. This is some serious hippy music"

The Pipettes - we are the pipettes, 2006

"The theme song "We Are the Pipettes" is just plain silly, and not in a good way. Although the album does drop a little in quality towards the end, there's not much filler on We Are the Pipettes; considering that this is a 14-song debut album, that's no small feat."

The The - pillar box red, 2002

"Pillar Box Red is a lesser-known vaudevillian ballad from 2002 that descends in scale while a vertiginous signature melody strikes over the top, making it sound like the soundtrack to a French detective series. “I paint my lips a pillar box red,” sings Johnson sotto voce, with a supporting female vocal less pronounced still. “It reminds me of the country where I was born and bred.” He actually grew up above a pub in the East End among a close but extended family, and in the promo video he is back on the premises of a local boozer, providing the entertainment with an acoustic while punters chatter among themselves. “The sarcasm / The bitter remarks,” he laments, “that pierce the chest and wound the heart.” Whether he is in character or singing from personal experience, it’s a beautifully realised song."

The Beatles - drive my car, 1965

"Drive My Car" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney, with lyrical contributions from John Lennon. It was first released on the band's 1965 album Rubber Soul as the opening track. The song later appeared in North America on the Yesterday and Today collection, again to open the record, as the track had been dropped from the American version of Rubber Soul."

Sintra, Praia do Magoito, hoje, 7 de Maio de 2026, ao fim da tarde

The Broken Radios - living life like a fever dream, 2026

"a melodic Britpop/alternative rock cut with groove-driven energy, fitting the band's Oasis and Stone Roses-inspired sound-think jangly guitars, driving rhythms, and introspective yet anthemic vibes."

The Embassy - related artist, 2013

"In the small but massively influential so-called Swedish Balearic scene that emerged at the start of the last decade, Gothenburg duo the Embassy – Fredrik Lindson and Torbjörn Håkansson – were unwittingly cast as pioneers."

Genesis - stagnation, 1970

"Stagnation" and "Dusk" showed Phillips and Rutherford's combined twelve-string sound, along with Banks taking leads on piano, organ and Mellotron. The organ lead uses a surreal descending note which Banks produced by turning the organ off and then turning it back on. Rutherford later recalled there were around ten acoustic guitars on part of "Stagnation", but they cancelled each other out in the final mix. Gabriel described the track as a "journey song" with its lack of a more typical verse/chorus structure and the variety of mood changes it presents. Sections were removed or altered, but the introduction remained unchanged. The vocal effect on the section referencing "bitter minnows amongst the weeds and slimy water" was created by having Gabriel sing into a narrow tube with the intent of making it sound like he was underwater."

Tegan And Sara - where does the good go, 2004

"a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters, Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. After releasing a number of demos on cassette tape, the duo released their debut album in 1999, after which they were signed by Neil Young's Vapor Records. They have released ten studio albums, most recently Crybaby in 2022."

A-ha - little black heart, 2000

"They do not seem to have concern about attracting the youth/dance market, but instead seem to be focusing in on how to make perfect middle-of-the-road pop songs with '90s technology."

Neil Young - bad fog of loneliness live at massey hall, 1971

"Bad Fog of Loneliness" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, recorded in 1971 but not released until 2007 on the album Live at Massey Hall 1971 (which was later a disc on The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972), in 2009 on The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972 as a studio outtake, and in 2013 on Live at the Cellar Door. It also appeared on Young's live "Red Rocks" DVD released in 2000."

The Creem - goodbye, 2026

“Goodbye” is an absolutely delightful pop throwback that incorporates infectious harmonies, a rhythmically enchanting piano melody, and a guitar solo that is the perfect middle ground between Mike’s Ratatat past and his Creem-filled future."

Pink Floyd - goodbye blue sky, 1979

"When he was just two years old, his father brought him into the studio while they were recording The Wall to read the line “look mummy, there’s an aeroplane up in the sky,” which kicks off “Goodbye Blue Sky.” “I certainly remember sitting there with a microphone and being asked to say some things,” he says. “Whenever I hear it, I go, ‘Oh God, that’s me.’ It’s quite weird.”

Bob Dylan - the boxer cover, 1970

"Bob Dylan, in turn, covered the song on his Self Portrait album, replacing the word "glove" with "blow". Paul Simon himself has suggested that the lyrics are largely autobiographical, written during a time when he felt he was being unfairly criticized: I think I was reading the Bible around that time. That's where I think phrases such as "workman's wages" came from, and "seeking out the poorer quarters". That was biblical. I think the song was about me: everybody's beating me up, and I'm telling you now I'm going to go away if you don't stop."

Fleet Foxes - sun giant, 2008

"The Sun Giant EP introduces the band to the world with a just plain pretty a cappella harmony passage that lays their pastoral tendencies bare, while later on the disc "Mykonos" and "English House" show us their muscle and easy way with loose song structures. The lyrics are non-narrative but vivid nonetheless. See the way the Fleet Foxes refrain "and Michael you would fall and turn the white snow red as strawberries in summertime" plunges you into the stunning guitar-and-voice counterpoint that blows "White Winter Hymnal" wide open. Lead singer Robin Pecknold has a strong, clear voice and knows when to let fly with a drawn-out, impassioned bellow and when to withdraw into the shelter of his bandmates' harmonies. The group shares his sense of dynamics, and Fleet Foxes flows like a river, wild and free but logical, filling what needs to be filled and moving on."

Kneecap - liars tale, 2026

"lurking beneath the headline-grabbing stuff – largely crowded together at the start – there’s another side to Fenian. As it progresses, a different mood takes hold: less swagger, more disquiet. Big Bad Mo’s braggadocio is set to fidgety, chattering acid house that noticeably changes in tone: as the track progresses, it becomes darker and less celebratory, more anxious and intense."

Saint Etienne - paper, 1992

"Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs are obviously fanatical about music and that’s part of what makes their music so special. The heart of the band is how they convey that love and obsession with music for people just like them. When they invited us to, join their club in 1992 they meant it and it was an honour to go along with them for the ride. A ride which has lasted 35 glorious years."

Tindersticks - buried bones, 1997

"Lost in music, again. But things weren’t quite as easy. We were not so impregnable. I am not sure that we believed in each other quite as much."

Kaki King - bone chaos in the castle, 2008

"while playing "Bone Chaos in the Castle," at no point does King touch the strings in a way that a normal guitar player would. King slaps the strings and hits the body of the guitar in a percussive way, to the point where it's easy to wonder how such unconventional techniques result in a song."

Club 8 - don't cry baby it's only a film, 2026

"For Swedish indie duo Club 8 every day seems to be the first day of summer, with freshly-minted guitar pop playing sweetly in the background."