Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Top 5 dEUS Songs
dEUS are a curveball. Or at least, they were. Messy, erratic, inventive, but also - at times, incredibly accessible and pop. Just compare something as off the wall as Theme from Turnpike to something as simple as Little Arithmetics or the more recent Architect. Nowadays dEUS are roaming around Coldplay territory, albiet with knowing winks to their experimental past. Really, if this band were not from Belgium, they'd be humungous. And no, I'm not anti-Belgium, it is a very lovely place, but dEUS themselves have written a song about just how much NOT being from the US or UK affects your chances of world domination - Popular Culture - "Let me tell you a thing bout popular culture/American swing/the British add sulphur/I'll buy you a beer/If you can compete from here..."
All this aside, the first 3 dEUS albums are just mind blowing - and they pulled off writing "Hotellounge" - one of the greatest rock songs of the 90's, without question - so here goes.
1. Instant Street (The Ideal Crash, 1999)
Oh, humble beginnings. The way this seemingly simple, country-tinged song morphs into the raucous finale is what elevates this into the top 5. A firm fan favourite, and you can see why.
2. Suds and Soda (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
Euphoria. Dance music people use that word far too much - this is what it really sounds like. A klaxon alarm bell of a rock song. Frankly, exhausting in its relentlessness.
3. Right as Rain (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
A very personal song - written from the point of view of standing over his fathers grave and feeling completely numb. It's creepy as hell, but also very honestly beautiful.
4. Roses (In a Bar, Under the Sea 1996)
I'm dedicating this one to my good friend Jonny, who introduced me to dEUS through this song. Still, when this come on my iPod I feel like a have to ready myself for the coming storm. The part where he snarls "She cuddles, she coos, and she cuts the bullshit out..." Damn.
5. Hotellounge (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
This may well make my desert island discs or something - there are so many moments in this 100% perfect rock song that I could write an entire article about. Recently, one of my favourite bands and live acts, The Frames, covered it, and it felt like that moment when your favourite band plays your favourite song - absolutely right.
Remember the order is not important, but the songs are.
All this aside, the first 3 dEUS albums are just mind blowing - and they pulled off writing "Hotellounge" - one of the greatest rock songs of the 90's, without question - so here goes.
1. Instant Street (The Ideal Crash, 1999)
Oh, humble beginnings. The way this seemingly simple, country-tinged song morphs into the raucous finale is what elevates this into the top 5. A firm fan favourite, and you can see why.
2. Suds and Soda (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
Euphoria. Dance music people use that word far too much - this is what it really sounds like. A klaxon alarm bell of a rock song. Frankly, exhausting in its relentlessness.
3. Right as Rain (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
A very personal song - written from the point of view of standing over his fathers grave and feeling completely numb. It's creepy as hell, but also very honestly beautiful.
4. Roses (In a Bar, Under the Sea 1996)
I'm dedicating this one to my good friend Jonny, who introduced me to dEUS through this song. Still, when this come on my iPod I feel like a have to ready myself for the coming storm. The part where he snarls "She cuddles, she coos, and she cuts the bullshit out..." Damn.
5. Hotellounge (Worst Case Scenario, 1994)
This may well make my desert island discs or something - there are so many moments in this 100% perfect rock song that I could write an entire article about. Recently, one of my favourite bands and live acts, The Frames, covered it, and it felt like that moment when your favourite band plays your favourite song - absolutely right.
Remember the order is not important, but the songs are.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Top 5 Blur Songs
So - Blur or Oasis? That was the musical conundrum of my youth. But the answer was, and is so painfully easy. Oasis made two fantastic albums, then simply ran out of ideas. I could name only 5 or 6 songs from 1997 onwards that are any good! Whereas, in 1997, Blur still had a whole load of distance left to run (gettit?). Bands work best when they evolve - when you can hear the growth and added depth album to album. Blur is one of the those bands - each record has a distinct personality, and although they helped to invent Britpop (a genre very close to my heart, that I'll be returning to again and again) they'd moved past Britpop by early 1997, and were on to greater things. For the record, my favourite Blur album in the self-titled one. It felt brave, edgy, but still very much pop. It still does. So here goes:
1. Popscene (Modern Life is Rubbish bonus track & Single, 1993)
Britpop condensed into 3 minutes and 16 seconds. Revolutionary to my ears - not to mention wild and energetic live, to this day.
2. Look Inside America (Blur, 1997)
A little ray of sunshine on a very dark second side of the self-titled record. It's the perfect synergy of the cockney confessional lyrics of the old Blur, and the messy Pavement-esque newly americanised Blur. It's also gorgeous - and the studio version has a lovely call and answer instrumental where Coxon trades shrieking guitar wails with a string quartet.
3. Blue Jeans (Modern Life is Rubbish, 1993)
Modern Life is Rubbish is a perfect slice of life record - and here Albarn paints pictures of, in his own words, "Being 23, in love, in London" . I wanna stay this way - forever.
4. Trimm Trabb (13, 1999)
13 was a hard album to love. But there is no album I can think of that sounded anything like it at the time. People said "they've done a KID A" - but no - they did a 13. This record is way ahead of its time, and reminds me more of Wilco's "A Ghost is Born" than anything else. This song is so magisterial - you somehow know from the opening minute that some kind of crescendo is coming - there is a creeping sense of doom - and a band on fire.
5. This is a Low (Parklife, 1994)
No list of Blur songs is worth its salt without this. If somebody asked to me sum up 90's British guitar music with one song - I'd play them This is a Low.
Saturday, 23 March 2013
Top 5 Unreleased Ryan Adams Songs
Ryan Adams is pretty much my musical hero. He's the musician I turn to most often, and for many reasons. One is simply that the depth and breadth of this catalogue, especially if you include Whiskeytown, is astounding - for a musician who didn't officially release music until 1994/95. Yes, there's a lot of shit to wade through, but it is ultimately rewarding - not to mention surprising. If you look beyond his released output (which is huge in itself) you'll find everything from country, folk, black metal, indie rock, hip hop (yes, hip hop!) and electronic experiments.
It is simply impossible to do an absolute Top 5 Ryan Adams songs - so I'll split this up. 1. Unreleased Songs. 2. Whiskeytown Songs. 3. Officially Released Songs. And here's round 1: My rule here is that I'm including any Ryan Adams or Whiskeytown songs that have never been officially available to purchase anywhere - but you can find online without too much hard work!
1. Ghost (Cowboy Technical Services Sessions, 2001)
Ryan Adams voice can seemingly do anything. You've only got to compare his voice on something like "AMY" with something like "Note to Self: Don't Die" to see just how versatile those pipes really are. But here is my favourite Ryan vocal (with "The Bar is a Beautiful Place" a close second). Something about its gruffness, mixed with the ramshackle nature of the band just slays me every time. If there ever was such a list, this song would make my all time Top 5 Ryan anything!
2. When the Wild Wind Blows (Elizabethtown Sessions/Darkbreaker, 2005)
Darkbreaker is exceptional. From beginning to end, it is one of Ryan's most harrowing works - the fact it didn't get a full release is just insane to me. This song in particular is simply vintage Ryan Adams - gorgeous poignant lyrics, production keeping it simple.
3. Mega Superior Gold (Pinkhearts, 2000)
So loved is this song among the DRA fandom, that is has it's own blog named after it: MegaSuperiorGold. A great example of Ryan Adams having fun, rocking out, and who would have thought "Everybody's fucking up!!" would make a great chorus hook?
4. Like the Twilight (48 Hours, 2001)
Blogger won't let me embed this, so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDnKTQbb-Ik
And I mean, really, click on this damn link, cos if you're sceptical about Ryan Adams, then this song is gonna be the game changer for you. It has many titles: "Drunk and Fucked Up Like the Twilight Tonight", "Memphis" and just simply "Drunk and Fucked Up". But titles aside, its stunning. I mean - really - click that link NOW.
5. Sittin' Around (Whiskeytown - Forever Valentine, 1997)
Whiskeytown have some incredible outtakes, rarities, and on Forever Valentine, a whole album full of nuggets (with Ben Folds on the piano apparently!) This is as simple as a song gets, but I'd take this song over a million "Cardinologys".
And that's it. Remember, the order is not important, but the songs are.
It is simply impossible to do an absolute Top 5 Ryan Adams songs - so I'll split this up. 1. Unreleased Songs. 2. Whiskeytown Songs. 3. Officially Released Songs. And here's round 1: My rule here is that I'm including any Ryan Adams or Whiskeytown songs that have never been officially available to purchase anywhere - but you can find online without too much hard work!
1. Ghost (Cowboy Technical Services Sessions, 2001)
Ryan Adams voice can seemingly do anything. You've only got to compare his voice on something like "AMY" with something like "Note to Self: Don't Die" to see just how versatile those pipes really are. But here is my favourite Ryan vocal (with "The Bar is a Beautiful Place" a close second). Something about its gruffness, mixed with the ramshackle nature of the band just slays me every time. If there ever was such a list, this song would make my all time Top 5 Ryan anything!
2. When the Wild Wind Blows (Elizabethtown Sessions/Darkbreaker, 2005)
Darkbreaker is exceptional. From beginning to end, it is one of Ryan's most harrowing works - the fact it didn't get a full release is just insane to me. This song in particular is simply vintage Ryan Adams - gorgeous poignant lyrics, production keeping it simple.
3. Mega Superior Gold (Pinkhearts, 2000)
So loved is this song among the DRA fandom, that is has it's own blog named after it: MegaSuperiorGold. A great example of Ryan Adams having fun, rocking out, and who would have thought "Everybody's fucking up!!" would make a great chorus hook?
4. Like the Twilight (48 Hours, 2001)
Blogger won't let me embed this, so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDnKTQbb-Ik
And I mean, really, click on this damn link, cos if you're sceptical about Ryan Adams, then this song is gonna be the game changer for you. It has many titles: "Drunk and Fucked Up Like the Twilight Tonight", "Memphis" and just simply "Drunk and Fucked Up". But titles aside, its stunning. I mean - really - click that link NOW.
5. Sittin' Around (Whiskeytown - Forever Valentine, 1997)
Whiskeytown have some incredible outtakes, rarities, and on Forever Valentine, a whole album full of nuggets (with Ben Folds on the piano apparently!) This is as simple as a song gets, but I'd take this song over a million "Cardinologys".
And that's it. Remember, the order is not important, but the songs are.
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