From Love's fantastic album Forever Changes, this opening track uses a wide range of instrumentation, with an appropriately varied sound. There is a lovely little trumpet solo, and the chorus is wonderfully punctuated with strings, brass, percussion, and the vocal chant of "I will be alone again tonight my dear." It was released in 1967, the legendary Summer of Love, although the song deals far more with the disappointing side of life. It was written by Bryan Maclean, the band's second guitarist, and the Mediterranean feel to the song is because it was written in tribute to Maclean's mother, a flamenco dancer. Arthur Lee's vocals, which are higher pitched, were supposed to be a harmony for Maclean's, but he put his own to the front of the mix when he was producing the track in the studio. This means that Maclean's more conversational style of singing is used more as a backing vocal, adding to the psychedelic feel of the track.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P_A24cHNFMo
Black and White Town - Doves - Some Cities - 4.15
This song is kicked off by a wonderful drum beat, with the sparsity of this sound supporting the title of the track. As the piano kicks in, there are some wonderfully lush sound effects used, creating this impressive depth of sound. Jimi Goodwin's vocals seem to transcend the claustrophobic feel of the drums. The guitar and piano working in unison, and this, combined with the driving drumbeat, creates a very rhythmic feel to the song. The guitar solo works really well, sticking to a very basic formula with repeated motifs. The lyrics relate to someone living in a satellite town in the suburbs of a major city, wishing they could be there, where all the excitement is: "There's no colour and no sound/ In a black and white town."
Black and White Town - Doves - Some Cities - 4.15
This song is kicked off by a wonderful drum beat, with the sparsity of this sound supporting the title of the track. As the piano kicks in, there are some wonderfully lush sound effects used, creating this impressive depth of sound. Jimi Goodwin's vocals seem to transcend the claustrophobic feel of the drums. The guitar and piano working in unison, and this, combined with the driving drumbeat, creates a very rhythmic feel to the song. The guitar solo works really well, sticking to a very basic formula with repeated motifs. The lyrics relate to someone living in a satellite town in the suburbs of a major city, wishing they could be there, where all the excitement is: "There's no colour and no sound/ In a black and white town."
http://www.sonicitchmusic.com/mp3s/02%20Black%20And%20White%20Town.mp3
Keep What Ya Got - Ian Brown feat. Noel Gallagher - Solarized - 4.29
This song was a reworking of a previous Noel Gallagher track, Teotihuacan which was on an X-Files soundtrack, and it's simple enough to let Ian Brown's vocals dominate the song. Noel Gallagher plays the lead guitar on this song, although to be honest I don't think that really shows too much. The only time the guitars come through is a wonderful piece of flange-affected pre-bridge soaring, some great guitar work during the bridge, which is right at the back of the mix for some reason, and some tight strumming during the chorus. Indeed, it is pianos which drive the song, as well as some fairly spacey sounding cymbals. The chorus suggests a fairly basic philanthropic idea, and that's not meant as a criticism at all, "Keep what ya got/ by giving it all away." There are also some great little couplets sung in Brown's distinctive style, of which one of my favourite is; "When your halo slips for good/ You'll have to wear your hood." It's a track you end up playing on repeat, and 'five minutes later' you're on your tenth listen. Great stuff.
Keep What Ya Got - Ian Brown feat. Noel Gallagher - Solarized - 4.29
This song was a reworking of a previous Noel Gallagher track, Teotihuacan which was on an X-Files soundtrack, and it's simple enough to let Ian Brown's vocals dominate the song. Noel Gallagher plays the lead guitar on this song, although to be honest I don't think that really shows too much. The only time the guitars come through is a wonderful piece of flange-affected pre-bridge soaring, some great guitar work during the bridge, which is right at the back of the mix for some reason, and some tight strumming during the chorus. Indeed, it is pianos which drive the song, as well as some fairly spacey sounding cymbals. The chorus suggests a fairly basic philanthropic idea, and that's not meant as a criticism at all, "Keep what ya got/ by giving it all away." There are also some great little couplets sung in Brown's distinctive style, of which one of my favourite is; "When your halo slips for good/ You'll have to wear your hood." It's a track you end up playing on repeat, and 'five minutes later' you're on your tenth listen. Great stuff.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B-poXPaeBtc
Dog Park - Minus the Bear - They Make Beer Commercials Like This EP - 2.36
I have no recollection of how I came across Minus the Bear, but I'm really glad I did. They write great indie rock/pop songs, with a fantastically catchy sound. The song titles they use are always fun (eg. Hey? Is that a Ninja up there? and I'm totally not down with Rob's alien), and the band's name comes from an inside joke regarding the TV show BJ and the Bear - I'll leave you to work that one out... This track opens with a great bass line, which really pushes the song through to the chorus, where this great waterfall of guitar squeals and processed sounds comes in. The best bit of this track is the bridge with this pounding guitar riff, and the astoundingly smart lyrics "We want no-one, and no-one comes" sung over the top. The EP was released back in 2004, and I think it's the best thing they've put out so far.
I thought you were my boyfriend - The Magnetic Fields - i - 4.21
This song has a very catchy piano riff, which repeats for pretty much the whole song, and the vocals mirror the violin melody during the chorus, which adds a definite degree of emphasis. The masculine nature of the vocals, combined with the nature of the song, makes for a very edgy theme - could it actually be a song about homosexuality? There are shockingly few of these, aside from the ridiculously overblown camp tracks that appear from time to time, and this one seems genuinely heartfelt, and extremely well written. Lyrics such as "I just hope you're happy/ Stringing me along/ While you're stringing/ I'm here singing/ This, my saddest song" show the intelligence and wit involved. I also love the album, in which every song begins with the letter 'i'. This may sound gimmicky, but the songs are consistently good, and the nature of the repeating first person narrative makes them seem almost confessional at times.
Two Princes - Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite - 4.17
A great track from the 90s, that I reckon pretty much all of you will recognise, even if you don't recognise the title. It's got this great little drum intro, and then the riff kicks in, which could only have come from the 90s. It's the sort of song which should be played a lot more on commercial radio than it is, and when it is played, I guarantee that most people will turn the volume up, and dance around playing air guitar. Well, maybe that's just me with the latter, but it is what pop music is all about. It reached number 7 in the US, and the video was given a lot of time on MTV for its story-based theme in a classic black and white silent film style. It also has a touching theme that money shouldn't be able to get the girl, and that love should win over. This would be even more touching if it were based upon the truth...
Dog Park - Minus the Bear - They Make Beer Commercials Like This EP - 2.36
I have no recollection of how I came across Minus the Bear, but I'm really glad I did. They write great indie rock/pop songs, with a fantastically catchy sound. The song titles they use are always fun (eg. Hey? Is that a Ninja up there? and I'm totally not down with Rob's alien), and the band's name comes from an inside joke regarding the TV show BJ and the Bear - I'll leave you to work that one out... This track opens with a great bass line, which really pushes the song through to the chorus, where this great waterfall of guitar squeals and processed sounds comes in. The best bit of this track is the bridge with this pounding guitar riff, and the astoundingly smart lyrics "We want no-one, and no-one comes" sung over the top. The EP was released back in 2004, and I think it's the best thing they've put out so far.
I thought you were my boyfriend - The Magnetic Fields - i - 4.21
This song has a very catchy piano riff, which repeats for pretty much the whole song, and the vocals mirror the violin melody during the chorus, which adds a definite degree of emphasis. The masculine nature of the vocals, combined with the nature of the song, makes for a very edgy theme - could it actually be a song about homosexuality? There are shockingly few of these, aside from the ridiculously overblown camp tracks that appear from time to time, and this one seems genuinely heartfelt, and extremely well written. Lyrics such as "I just hope you're happy/ Stringing me along/ While you're stringing/ I'm here singing/ This, my saddest song" show the intelligence and wit involved. I also love the album, in which every song begins with the letter 'i'. This may sound gimmicky, but the songs are consistently good, and the nature of the repeating first person narrative makes them seem almost confessional at times.
Two Princes - Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite - 4.17
A great track from the 90s, that I reckon pretty much all of you will recognise, even if you don't recognise the title. It's got this great little drum intro, and then the riff kicks in, which could only have come from the 90s. It's the sort of song which should be played a lot more on commercial radio than it is, and when it is played, I guarantee that most people will turn the volume up, and dance around playing air guitar. Well, maybe that's just me with the latter, but it is what pop music is all about. It reached number 7 in the US, and the video was given a lot of time on MTV for its story-based theme in a classic black and white silent film style. It also has a touching theme that money shouldn't be able to get the girl, and that love should win over. This would be even more touching if it were based upon the truth...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nCjtRJkS85w
The Mule - The Magic Numbers - Eponymous - 5.11
This song is primarily included for one of my favourite pop lyrics, and not just for how clever it is, but for the brilliance of its delivery; "One more drink and I'll be fine/ One more girl to take you off my mind/ One more girl and I'll be fine/ One more drink to get you off my mind." To be honest, the strength of the lyrics throughout this song is enough to justify its place here. The music itself is pretty good too, a fairly basic bluesy type backing with some impressive use of a tambourine, and a nice guitar solo livening the song up towards the end. Great for listening to when you're bitter and resentful, yet still clearly not over your ex, and I think most people have been there at some point.
It's a Man's Man's Man's World - James Brown - It's a Man's Man's Man's World - 2.47
Not yet ruined by that horrendous Ford advert, this remains one of James Brown's greatest tracks. Betty Newsome wrote the lyrics based upon her experience of romantic experiences, and the song was originally written to be sung from a female perspective. The introduction stands aside from the rest of the song with a fanfare, followed by violins playing this great little 'falling' anticlimax. The song is, unsurprisingly, focused around James Brown's voice, which excels in getting across the emotion of the song, as well as demonstrating his stunning vocal range. The strings used in this song, using plucking as well as bowing, add a lovely layer to it, expanding upon the fairly basic piano and percussion backing which form the basis of the track.
The Mule - The Magic Numbers - Eponymous - 5.11
This song is primarily included for one of my favourite pop lyrics, and not just for how clever it is, but for the brilliance of its delivery; "One more drink and I'll be fine/ One more girl to take you off my mind/ One more girl and I'll be fine/ One more drink to get you off my mind." To be honest, the strength of the lyrics throughout this song is enough to justify its place here. The music itself is pretty good too, a fairly basic bluesy type backing with some impressive use of a tambourine, and a nice guitar solo livening the song up towards the end. Great for listening to when you're bitter and resentful, yet still clearly not over your ex, and I think most people have been there at some point.
It's a Man's Man's Man's World - James Brown - It's a Man's Man's Man's World - 2.47
Not yet ruined by that horrendous Ford advert, this remains one of James Brown's greatest tracks. Betty Newsome wrote the lyrics based upon her experience of romantic experiences, and the song was originally written to be sung from a female perspective. The introduction stands aside from the rest of the song with a fanfare, followed by violins playing this great little 'falling' anticlimax. The song is, unsurprisingly, focused around James Brown's voice, which excels in getting across the emotion of the song, as well as demonstrating his stunning vocal range. The strings used in this song, using plucking as well as bowing, add a lovely layer to it, expanding upon the fairly basic piano and percussion backing which form the basis of the track.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RIEOilFR2Qg
Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley - Grace - 6.43
My favourite track off this stunning debut, I realised what a great track it was when I saw an extremely passionate performance of it at an open mic night I attended. Seeing the desperation of the lyrics performed by someone else only added to the piece's magic, and it's a track I've turned to often since then. It was written by Jeff Buckley about his one time girlfriend, Rebecca Moore. The overwhelming sense of loss evoked by the words, "It's never over/ My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder/ It's never over/ All my riches for her smiles when i slept so soft against her" act as a lesson, normally learned too late, to hold on to what makes you happy. The gospel feel provided by the backing vocals at the climax were actually created through multi-tracking Buckley's vocals, and these seem to add to the dejection inherent in the song. It's absolutely beautiful - go and listen to it now.
Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley - Grace - 6.43
My favourite track off this stunning debut, I realised what a great track it was when I saw an extremely passionate performance of it at an open mic night I attended. Seeing the desperation of the lyrics performed by someone else only added to the piece's magic, and it's a track I've turned to often since then. It was written by Jeff Buckley about his one time girlfriend, Rebecca Moore. The overwhelming sense of loss evoked by the words, "It's never over/ My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder/ It's never over/ All my riches for her smiles when i slept so soft against her" act as a lesson, normally learned too late, to hold on to what makes you happy. The gospel feel provided by the backing vocals at the climax were actually created through multi-tracking Buckley's vocals, and these seem to add to the dejection inherent in the song. It's absolutely beautiful - go and listen to it now.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E9AJ_-kdS9k - I dunno what the video's about, but the song's good
Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles - The Genius Hits the Road - 1.58
Two great minutes of pop music, with a wonderful interaction between Ray Charles and the female backing vocals, it was originally written by Percy Mayfield. The bass line is simplicity itself, and the song itself has a wonderful feeling of 'plodding along', as if the guy is already resigned to walking away. Charles' voice is stunning here, showing a great level of control, whilst still creating an emotive soulful wail. The way the track fades with Charles still pleading and protesting demonstrate his reluctant resignation that he is going to be hitting the road soon. The horns work well to punctuate the track, giving an off beat which catches the attention of the listener. The arrogance implied by the album title is well founded in this particular case, as it is one of those tracks where everything just falls into place. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Tiz6INF7I
The Seed (2.0) - The Roots - Phrenology - 4.27
It's a Tune, pure and simple. You probably know it, even if you don't think you do. And it is one of the most euphemistic songs about spreading your seed that I've ever heard. And the it also refers to the creation of a fusion of music, with particular mention to rock and roll and hip-hop. What's not to love?
Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles - The Genius Hits the Road - 1.58
Two great minutes of pop music, with a wonderful interaction between Ray Charles and the female backing vocals, it was originally written by Percy Mayfield. The bass line is simplicity itself, and the song itself has a wonderful feeling of 'plodding along', as if the guy is already resigned to walking away. Charles' voice is stunning here, showing a great level of control, whilst still creating an emotive soulful wail. The way the track fades with Charles still pleading and protesting demonstrate his reluctant resignation that he is going to be hitting the road soon. The horns work well to punctuate the track, giving an off beat which catches the attention of the listener. The arrogance implied by the album title is well founded in this particular case, as it is one of those tracks where everything just falls into place. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Tiz6INF7I
The Seed (2.0) - The Roots - Phrenology - 4.27
It's a Tune, pure and simple. You probably know it, even if you don't think you do. And it is one of the most euphemistic songs about spreading your seed that I've ever heard. And the it also refers to the creation of a fusion of music, with particular mention to rock and roll and hip-hop. What's not to love?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sFb9UqELX8w
Extreme Ways - Moby - 18 - 3.29
This track will be familiar to anyone who has seen any of the Bourne trilogy, as it is the track which plays through the end credits. The version off his album 18 is slightly different, primarily being slightly shorter with less reliance upon the sample, from what I can recall. The recurring sample throughout the track is this string piece which is played really fast, and rises in pitch. It has a great beat which is fairly laid back, and juxtaposes with the vocals which are really insistent, almost pleading. The lyrics themselves are a bit ambiguous to be honest, but the chorus has a very all-encompassing feel to it; "Oh baby/ Oh baby/ Then it fell apart/ Fell apart/ Oh baby/ Oh baby/ Like it always does/ Always does." The lyrics are fairly depressing in their nature, but there is a feel of rebirth about the song, as though things are pretty bad, but will get better. And hey, that's not a bad thing.
Extreme Ways - Moby - 18 - 3.29
This track will be familiar to anyone who has seen any of the Bourne trilogy, as it is the track which plays through the end credits. The version off his album 18 is slightly different, primarily being slightly shorter with less reliance upon the sample, from what I can recall. The recurring sample throughout the track is this string piece which is played really fast, and rises in pitch. It has a great beat which is fairly laid back, and juxtaposes with the vocals which are really insistent, almost pleading. The lyrics themselves are a bit ambiguous to be honest, but the chorus has a very all-encompassing feel to it; "Oh baby/ Oh baby/ Then it fell apart/ Fell apart/ Oh baby/ Oh baby/ Like it always does/ Always does." The lyrics are fairly depressing in their nature, but there is a feel of rebirth about the song, as though things are pretty bad, but will get better. And hey, that's not a bad thing.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7U-7DJFgooU
Dirty Epic - Underworld - Dubnobasswithmyheadman - 9.58
A great album by the London trio, this is the standout track for me, though not by a big distance. For a dance track, there are some really cutting observational lyrics, particularly the classic, "I've got phone sex to see me through the emptiness in my 501s", which sums up the 90s about as well as any line I can think of. There are a number of great effects which appear throughout the song, rising and falling, and often vanishing for long periods before reappearing. Touches like this give the song a real dynamic feel, whilst the percussive element stays pretty much constant for the duration of the track. A really good starting point for this band is their two disc best of, as it has some absolutely immense tracks on it, including the classic Born Slippy.
Dirty Epic - Underworld - Dubnobasswithmyheadman - 9.58
A great album by the London trio, this is the standout track for me, though not by a big distance. For a dance track, there are some really cutting observational lyrics, particularly the classic, "I've got phone sex to see me through the emptiness in my 501s", which sums up the 90s about as well as any line I can think of. There are a number of great effects which appear throughout the song, rising and falling, and often vanishing for long periods before reappearing. Touches like this give the song a real dynamic feel, whilst the percussive element stays pretty much constant for the duration of the track. A really good starting point for this band is their two disc best of, as it has some absolutely immense tracks on it, including the classic Born Slippy.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hikzB892adc
Glory Box - Portishead - Dummy - 5.06
A quality track off the stunning debut album, Portishead can be seen as one of the founding fathers of popular trip-hop. The album won the 1995 Mercury Music award against Oasis' Definitely Maybe. This song is stunningly beautiful, with a delicate repeating riff, performed by a violin I believe, and some wonderfully sensuous vocals. It even finds room for a majestic distorted guitar solo, which fits in shockingly well. It also has a breath-taking moment where the music stops, and Beth Gibbons sings "And ever..." with massive amounts of echo, and then this really simple drum beat and bass line kicks in. The tiredness apparent in the voice regarding the relationship she has found herself in is one I'm sure many women can relate to when they're frustrated with the games such things involve. Indeed, I'm sure many men can also sympathise. Another fairly important reason for inclusion is that this song is one of the sexiest ever recorded. That's probably justification in itself to be fair.
Staying Alive - Cursive - The Ugly Organ - 10.04
The perfect ending to a great concept album, this track is a real slow-burner. It is really raw, without being particularly pared down, and it really lets the emotion build up. The guitar never dominates the track, but works well as a counterpoint with the vocals, almost acting as the harmony in a duet. The drums really grab the chorus, alongside some palm-muted, edge-providing guitar. But the best bit of this song, without an inkling of a shadow of a doubt is the closing refrain, which starts about halfway through the piece. Some distortion filled shredding and almost free jazz like violin playing build into this ghostly female choir, who sing "doo do doo do doo do doo do/ The worst is over" over and over again, as the music breaks down to a gentle valediction. It is really, genuinely moving, and inspirational in its simplicity. Go, listen now - you won't be disappointed.
Glory Box - Portishead - Dummy - 5.06
A quality track off the stunning debut album, Portishead can be seen as one of the founding fathers of popular trip-hop. The album won the 1995 Mercury Music award against Oasis' Definitely Maybe. This song is stunningly beautiful, with a delicate repeating riff, performed by a violin I believe, and some wonderfully sensuous vocals. It even finds room for a majestic distorted guitar solo, which fits in shockingly well. It also has a breath-taking moment where the music stops, and Beth Gibbons sings "And ever..." with massive amounts of echo, and then this really simple drum beat and bass line kicks in. The tiredness apparent in the voice regarding the relationship she has found herself in is one I'm sure many women can relate to when they're frustrated with the games such things involve. Indeed, I'm sure many men can also sympathise. Another fairly important reason for inclusion is that this song is one of the sexiest ever recorded. That's probably justification in itself to be fair.
Staying Alive - Cursive - The Ugly Organ - 10.04
The perfect ending to a great concept album, this track is a real slow-burner. It is really raw, without being particularly pared down, and it really lets the emotion build up. The guitar never dominates the track, but works well as a counterpoint with the vocals, almost acting as the harmony in a duet. The drums really grab the chorus, alongside some palm-muted, edge-providing guitar. But the best bit of this song, without an inkling of a shadow of a doubt is the closing refrain, which starts about halfway through the piece. Some distortion filled shredding and almost free jazz like violin playing build into this ghostly female choir, who sing "doo do doo do doo do doo do/ The worst is over" over and over again, as the music breaks down to a gentle valediction. It is really, genuinely moving, and inspirational in its simplicity. Go, listen now - you won't be disappointed.
"Number five is alive" - Well in a mixtape sense anyway. Hope you enjoyed this one, I managed to get some nice dancey elements in there which I'm expecting to expand upon next week with a couple of tracks already put to one side for that one. Listening to a load of new music at the moment too, so will hopefully be able to get that on one soon as well. And cheers for the tip about hype machineTim, although they didn't have many tracks readily available there for me, alas.
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