October 31, 2012

 "Rip away the tears
Drink a hope to happy years
And you may find
A lifetime’s passed you by."

Off to South Africa today…

South African music? Well in my case it is limited to knowing that Dave Matthews was born in South Africa. That’s it.

Dave Matthews Band – What would you say is found on the record “Under the table and dreaming” released in 1994.

October 30, 2012

"So we must love while these moments are still called today
Take part in the pain of this passion play
Stretched our youth as we must, until we are ashes to dust
Until time makes history of us."

Earlier today somebody told me a story about someone who I thought was out of my life forever. Now… I am not that sure anymore. And what is even more uncertain is if this is good news or not.

Indigo Girls – History of us is found on the record “Indigo girls” released in 1989.

October 29, 2012

"I was a young man
I was a coward
I was a blind man
I was addicted."

Growing up listening a lot to goth rock I nowadays find it hard to discover new bands. A few years ago I got high hopes when I started to listen to The Dragons but since the debut album I have not heard anything new from them. To tell the truth I am not even aware if they still exist as a band.

Dragons – Here are the roses is found on the record “Here are the roses” released in 2007.

October 28, 2012

"They believe in evil by popular demand
A twisted kind of worship
Hit with your own hand
I believe in choices
Making your own mind
No everybody makes their own alright."

When I first heard the opening guitar riff of this song I was convinced I was listening to the new Mazzy Star single. After 35 seconds I knew I wasn’t, still a really nice song.

Here We Go Magic – Miracle of Mary is found on the record “A different ship” released in 2012.

October 27, 2012

"Yet again, we're the only ones
No surprise, this is often how it's done
Lately it's about all I can take
I will move and mend and mold this break."

Saturday night and yet again I am considering the forth concert night. Four concert nights in a row is there really an excuse for that? Especially since I have so many other things that I need to take care of right now.

Maybe. Maybe not. A Grizzly Bear concert is tempting but then again…

Grizzly Bear – Yet again is found on the record “Shields” released in 2012.

October 26, 2012

"I don’t have those dreams that you wanna see.
Dreams die."

I hardly ever remember what I dream about at night when waking up. Most of the time I think this is rather nice but sometimes it would be nice to remember.

At the moment it would be especially nice to remember since it seems that I have run out of most daytime dreams.

The Luyas – Fifty fifty is found on the record “Animator” released in 2012.

October 25, 2012

"In the sunless days of war
I was a young pilot strewing death
I see tears and frightened eyes
Put them to sleep till I was out of breath."

A couple of years ago I and a friend headed to The Troubadour in Los Angeles to witness a Raveonettes show. Afterwards we both agreed that “Apparitions” was the peak of the show.

Tonight history repeats itself with one exception; we are not in Los Angeles anymore.

The Raveonettes – Apparitions is found on the record “Raven in the grave” released in 2011.

October 24, 2012

"Remember, I know where you live
and I know you're on your own
I may forget I don't forgive
I'm always home." 

I still consider “Troublegum” as one of the best albums of the nineties. I still consider Therapy? as one of the best live bands I have ever seen.

Still I cannot decide whether it is good idea or not buying a ticket to their show tonight.

Therapy? – Turn is found on the record “Troublegum” released in 1994.

October 23, 2012

"When love is smothered out in fear
Gonna hate until the cold
The day we wake up feeling clear."

I was not that impressed by Dum Dum Girls when I caught them live at Brooklyn Sweden a couple of weeks ago. Poor sound quality did of course not help but besides that I recall their show as rather boring.

When listening to this song I am glad that I gave Dum Dum Girls another chance, it is actually pretty good.

Dum Dum Girls – Lord knows is found on the EP “End of daze” released in 2012.

October 22, 2012

"Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
Does summer come for everyone?
Can humans do as prophets say?
And if I die before I learn to speak
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake
But half asleep?"

Facts about this song:

1, It was featured in the Jim Carrey movie “Cable guy”.
2, The chorus is sampled from the BB King song “How blue can you get”.
3, When covered by The Copyrights the song was retitled “Locked Outside a Motel Without Shoes, a Wallet or a Phone”.
4, This is the longest song title I am aware of.

Primitive Radio Gods – Standing outside a broken phone booth with money in my hand is found on the record “Rocket” released in 1996.

October 21, 2012

"When all of this is gone
And I move on
Could you have been the one
To make me strong."

The 2012 music year keep bringing surprises. Here is yet another new discovery that has crossed my path.

On the other hand I am not surprised at all that I like a band called “Quite arrows”. I am bound to find such band sooner or later. I simply got it in my genes and there is no way I can escape it.

Quite Arrows – Dare the night is found on the record “Continents were made to sink” released 2012.

October 20, 2012

"It's so lonely in this place
So cold I don't believe
And as no-one knows my name
It's easy to pretend
It's easy to believe."

This is what happened to me the first time I heard and saw this video… Goose bumps, a feeling of pure joy, horror-stricken and tear filled eyes.

This is nothing but breathtaking.

B. Fleischmann & Ms John Soda – Here she comes is found on the album “Blue skied an’ clear” released in 2002. The original version was recorded by Slowdive in 1993.

October 19, 2012

"Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alcohol

C-c-c-c-c-cocaine
C-c-c-c-c-cocaine
C-c-cocaine."

Besides alcohol I have never ever used any drugs. At all.

But at the end of a day like today I, for a few seconds, consider to use chemicals to escape reality.

I would, of course, never do so when it comes to… well facing the reality of it.

Queens Of The Stone Age – Feel good hit of the summer is found on the record “Rated R” released in 2000.

October 18, 2012

"Aurora borealis
The icy sky at night
Paddles cut the water
In a long and hurried flight
From the white man
to the fields of green
And the homeland
we've never seen."

For the first time in years I heard this song on the radio earlier today. All of a sudden I realized that it is song that probably should be played on the radio each and every day.

Neil Young – Pocahontas is found on the record “Rust never sleeps” released in 1979.

October 17, 2012

"Sad hello’s and mad high lows
Now I know not nobody knows."

Last night I had some trouble falling into sleep; it got so far so I tried the mental exercise to count sheep’s. Of course it did not work what was I thinking?

Anyway one good thing came out of it… It made me think about this artist and this song, sheep/shut eye.

Stealing Sheep – Shut eye is found on the record “Into the diamond sun” released in 2012.

October 16, 2012

"Well some day I guess
I'll find myself another little girl
To take the place of my true love
But as long as I live I know
I'll hear her singing in the sighing of the wind
Blowin' in the tree tops way above me."

A couple of years ago I went to show which featured a Swedish singer/songwriter (singing in Swedish only), so far so good. Somewhere in the middle if his set he popped a question to the audience “tell me which song you want me to perform next”.

A (really) drunk elderly woman in the audience immediately responds “Johnny remember me”, an answer that for sure caught the artist on stage with his guard down to say the least.

You should have been there to experience but to this day it is one of funniest live show moments I have encountered.

John Leyton – Johnny remember me is found on the single “Johnny remember me” released in 1961.

October 15, 2012

"She’s a fool
But time is a thief."

Oh how I have been waiting but today the brand new Tamaryn album is finally released. Though I have not heard the album yet I am still convinced that this will be a strong candidate in the “album of year” category of 2012.

To simplify… I am in love with the music made by Tamaryn.

Tamaryn – Heavenly bodies is found on the record “Tender new signs” released in 2012.

October 14, 2012

"Caroline says
as she gets up off the floor
Why is it that you beat me
it isn't any fun."

To all you cowards out there in the world feeling so extremely manly when beating up your girlfriend or your wife, choose someone in your own size the next time!

Pick me, and then let’s see how fun it is trying to beat somebody up.

Velvet Underground – Caroline says II is found on the record “Berlin” released in 1973.

October 13, 2012

"She's caught me snortin' cocaine with her little sister
And the bitch just kicked me out
she said take that crap my house Mister
And the bitch just kicked me."

I guess a band whose music is described as “psychobilly “ or “cowpunk” is a band that I should see live sometime. Though I have a chance tonight I am afraid it will not happen due to prior obligations.

But the next time…

Nashville Pussy – The bitch just kicked me out is found on the record “Say something nasty” released in 2002.

October 12, 2012

"Paralyzed by paperwork
It took a special woman to commit
But Sheena is a clever girl
She paid for our equipment with her tits
She tore off her t-shirt."

There are artists, groups and songs that I have a schizophrenic feeling about. Some days I love it, other days I hate it.

This is one example of my musical schizophrenia. There are days when I cannot stand this song but other days, like today, I play it over and over and over again.

Future Of The Left – Sheena is a T-shirt salesman is found on the record “The plot against common sense” released in 2012.

October 11, 2012

"Now that I have found someone
I'm feeling more alone
Than I ever have before."

I wish I could tell you more…

Not now. Maybe someday.

Ben Folds Five – Brick is found on the record “Whatever and ever Amen” released in 1995.

October 10, 2012

"Oh if tomorrow comes (tomorrow)
I wanna waste my love on you like a pearl merchant
I'm ready to learn (I'm ready) what it takes to burn
I'm gonna let you show me what it means to breathe fire."

For some strange reason I have ignored Niki & The Dove until now. But I must say that I too am part of the big hype these days.

Niki & The Dove – Tomorrow is found on the record “Instinct” released in 2012.

October 9, 2012

"Your number’s up
The chips are down
You thought you counted."

For the third time in three years I am heading to a concert with Legendary Pink Dots. The previous two have been nearly legendary but I believe tonight will peak as THE legendary night combining the concert with the celebration of my brother’s birthday.

Legendary… in deed legendary.

Legendary Pink Dots – Russian roulette is found on the record “Seconds late for the Brighton line” released in 2010.

October 8, 2012

 “What do you see in me?
Are you quite proud of this make-believe
The feelin' that hangs around everything
You once admired in that girl
You're so.. damn.. beautiful.”

Once upon a time I was following the TV series “Nip/Tuck”, the first seasons was, as some people states, a disturbingly perfect drama. Somehow I lost interest in the series after a few seasons; maybe I should give those seasons a second chance.

This is a song I discovered when watching one of the Nip/Tuck episodes. I have since then never lost interest in this song.

Polaroid – So damn beautiful is found on the single “So damn beautiful” released in 2003.

October 7, 2012

"Four weeks seemed like a long time then - but nine months is longer now
But even if you never speak again - you've already made the wedding vow."

A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to see Jon Auer of The Posies live on stage. It was a good show something I am glad that I have experienced.

Tonight I have the chance to see the other primary songwriter of The Posies, Ken Stringfellow, live. I bet it will be a good show, as good as Jon Auer, but unfortunately I will not be able to be there tonight.

What I can do is to sit back, relax and listen to this golden The Posies tune, a song about marrying too young and the pain that occurs when you realize your mistake.

The Posies – Golden blunders is found on the record “Dear 23” released in 1990.

October 6, 2012

"Time is on our side
Everything’s alright."

I was not too impressed by Blonds when they played live at Brooklyn Sweden a couple of weeks ago. It was not bad but it was not a concert that managed to catch my full attention.

After spinning their record a couple of times I am slowly changing my opinion about Blonds, the record and the music grows slowly and I like it more and more. It would be interesting to see them live again; I wonder how I would feel about a Blonds concert by now.

Blonds – Time is found on the record “The bad ones” released in 2012.

October 5, 2012

"If we can’t see now, we might never see
We only kill ourselves more slowly
If you can’t afford love, then you will finally see
How we kill ourselves slowly."

Oh how we hurt ourselves sometimes by not allowing us to love.

Devics – If we cannot see is found on the record “Push the heart” released in 2006.

October 4, 2012

"A beauty of extreme
She is my machine
My machine
For everything I need
A beauty of extreme
She is my machine."

For the first time in several months I visited the Depeche Mode homepage only to discover the news that Martin L. Gore of Depeche Mode has been collaborating with a band named Motor.

The result is a really good single that reminds me a lot of the electronic music the way it sounded in the late eighties. I am looking forward to hear more from Motor.

Motor – Man made machine is found on the record “Man made machine” released in 2012.

October 3, 2012

"6 hours before
With an evil grin
Better brace yourself
Straightaway or win
Call power slide
Separates them all
Never touching the brake."

When I first heard this song and this band I was thrilled. I nearly grew a Fu Manchu moustache because of it.

Now some fifteen years later I am not as fond of the group or the song but I must say that I am still tempted to head to the Fu Manchu concert tonight.

Fu Manchu – Evil eye is found on the record “The action is go” released in 1997.

October 2, 2012

"Beyond the last words you said
Oh, I followed
On my float away kids
Let your arms be our bed
And my eyes see red."

Youtube was kind enough to suggest this group when searching for another song.  At the moment I no longer remember which song it was I was searching for… this one got “in the way” so to speak.

Lost In The Trees – Golden eyelids is found on the record “A church that fits our needs” released in 2012.

October 1, 2012

"I don’t want anybody else..."

Happy birthday blog, one year old today!

To celebrate… Let me give you the song I have been listening to most times the last year. Most likely the song I have been listening to most times since it was released in 2010.

This is music when it is perfect.

The National – Anyone’s ghost is found on the record “High violet” released in 2010.