February 2012
11 posts
3 tags
Teenage Fanclub - Going Places (1995)
Chiming guitars and a lilting melody make for a wonderfully sanguine track. ‘Got the notion that this rain’s never gonna last, ‘cos the scene always moves too fast’. Wistful, nostalgic and full marks for an acoustic guitar solo too. Indie pop with real heart.
Get it: Grand Prix
2 tags
Public Enemy - He Got Game (1998)
What should be an unworkable blend of meshing Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth with an uncharacteristically restrained ‘Enemy vocal, He Got Game far outweighs the sum of its parts. The result is a blissfully chilled hip hop anthem that’s perfect for the summer.
Get it: He Got Game single/album
2 tags
Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New...
‘I get the news I need on the weather report’. A wonderful carefree line that encapsulates all that’s great about Paul Simon’s shimmering, summery-sounding masterstroke. Radiating a hazy warmth despite its pangs of loneliness, the song is one of the duo’s finest.
Get it: Bridge Over Troubled Water
3 tags
Aztec Camera & Mick Jones - Good Morning Britain...
Surprisingly potent collaboration that sees Jones and Roddy Frame ricocheting barbed lines off each other in an impassioned plea for a brighter Britain. The state-of-the-nation lyrics burn with a genuine anger that’s neatly tempered by the song’s over-arching call for redemption. ‘The past is steeped in shame, but tomorrow’s fair game’.
Get it: Stray
3 tags
Bomb The Bass - Bug Powder Dust (1994)
Propelled along on a snaking bass line, rapper Justin Warfield’s brutal delivery sounds unstoppable on this classic 90s hip hop track. An unlikely sounding homage to Beat Generation author William S Burroughs, the stream of consciousness lyrics and clawing drums just pummel you into submission. Funky and loads of fun.
Get It: Clear
2 tags
Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House...
Coolly delivered songbird vocal glides through a fragile and disarming melody. Hushed drums, muted guitars and intriguing lyrics about a jealous Frankie Valli create a shadowy air of real mystique. A very pretty song.
Get it: And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
2 tags
Oasis - Listen Up (1994)
The snarling Listen Up harnesses all that was utterly spellbinding by a young and hungry Oasis. This swirling storm of defiance, with Noel Gallagher’s tumbling guitar lines falling like rain around his younger brother’s bravado delivery, is the sound of a band reaching for the stars. ‘But I don’t believe in magic,’ sings Liam. We do.
Get it: Cigarettes &...
2 tags
The Strokes - Under Control (2003)
Brooding ballad Under Control sees frontman Casablancas in full-on croon mode. Computer game guitars intertwine to create a unique dark pop gem. A proper highlight from the unfairly derided Room On Fire album.
Get it: Room On Fire
3 tags
Idlewild - Little Discourage (1999)
Spidery guitar riff introduces a muscular indie classic. Raw and energetic, we encourage you to check it out.
Get it: 100 Broken Windows
2 tags
The Flaming Lips - Waitin' For A Superman (1999)
Achingly beautiful, life-affirming, majestic. Peerless songwriting at its very best. Kind of like getting a hug, Waitin’ For A Superman acknowledges life’s ups and downs but reminds you that, really, everything is ok. A proper modern classic.
Get it: The Soft Bulletin
2 tags
Blur - Tame (1996)
This is a wonderfully melodic little tune. Dreamy vocals and a pop hook so sweet you’ll be humming it all day.
Get it: Stereotypes single (b-side)
