Recently I participated in a (close to impossible) task where I and a bunch of friends were to name the top 100 songs of 2012. This song ended up in the mid segment of the list and though it may not be one of the absolutely best songs of 2012 it certainly is one of the coolest. Goat – Run to your mama is found on the record “World music” released in 2012.
"Cracked eggs, dead birds Scream as they fight for life I can feel death, can see its beady eyes All these things into position All these things we'll one day swallow whole And fade out again and fade out again."
It is time to reveal one of my favourite music videos ever. For some reason I am fond of music videos made in black and white and when Radiohead combines black and white with manipulation of movement of people in it, the end result is a simple but brilliant music video.
The track itself then? Well, let me be just as simple by saying this is not only my favourite music video, it is also my favourite Radiohead track ever. Radiohead – Street spirit (Fade out) is found on the record ”The bends” released in 1995.
"There's no time for disagreeing When the scene is so deceiving Something's lost and nothing's gained This is my final say."
A couple of years ago I was convinced that Sambassadeur would be the next big thing coming out of Sweden. I guess they gained some success out there in the big world but the major breakthrough never happened. Nowadays I am not even aware whether the band still exists or not.
There are moments when I believe it is a bit unfair that they never got that huge breakthrough. From my perspective this is a band that should have gotten a little more attention. Sambassadeur – Final say is found on the record ”Migration” released in 2007.
"Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right. Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear."
And speaking of happiness, this is song that makes me happy every time I hear it. I cannot explain why, it is just the way it is. Of Monsters And Men – Little talk is found in the record “My head is an animal” released in 2011.
"Here's a little song I wrote You might want to sing it note for note Don't Worry - Be Happy."
“Why be happy when you could be normal?” read the “memorial plate” I found in Hyde Park earlier today.
At first I laughed out loud, this is indeed spot-on. When giving it another thought I came to the conclusion I am not normal anymore!
For the first time in the last three years or so I feel genuinely happy and in a state of total harmony. It is a wonderful feeling, something I have been longing for.
And right now, with this wonderful feeling in my body, I really do not want to be normal anymore.
Bobby McFerrin – Don’t worry, be happy is found on the record ”Simple pleasures” released in 1988.
Walking around in London with music in my ears is something that I do enjoy a lot especially when I at the same time am listening to what I think is one of the better London music exports lately.
Veronica Falls – Found love in a graveyard is found on the record “Veronica Falls” released in 2011.
"Someday I'll get over you I'll live to see it all through But I'll always miss Dreaming my dreams with you."
It is the end of January but I am already making my second trip of the year (the first one was to Finland a few days ago), a good start of the year when it comes to travelling.
Off to London today, the main reason (besides drinking a few pints of real ale) is to head to a concert with one of the acts on my “most wanted” list of unseen bands or artists namely The Cowboy Junkies.
Cowboy Junkies –Dreaming my dreams with you is found on the record “The Trinity sessions” released in 1988.
"I said pretend you've got no money, She just laughed and said, "Oh you're so funny." I said "Yeah? Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here."
Well it is said that to most people (in Sweden at least) that this is the “poorest” day of year. You tend to spend a lot of money during Christmas and New Year’s and then it is a long way to January 25 when you normally gets paid the next time.
Hence… I play this song on repeat today. One of the better songs of the 90:s taken from one of the better 90:s album.
Pulp – Common people is found on the record “Different class” released in 1995.
"In Pittsburgh they call us closed-minded But we know that's simply not true Yeah we're really touchy feely sensitive guys I ain't ashamed, I cried when Mickey died in Rocky II."
Dropkick Murphys one of rather few bands or artists that I have not seen live that I would like to see live. Tonight I do have the chance but I am struggling with the question whether I am ready to pay 400 Swedish kronas ($60 or €45) in order to get in.
But then again… It is not every day that you will get a chance to catch a punk rock band that includes bagpipes live. A tough call… I still have a few hours to decide.
Dropkick Murphys – Wicked sensitive crew is found on the record “The warrior’s code” released in 2005.
"We live in circles And it's so hard to breathe Maybe the same old fears What have we here Don't bring me back."
So the other day I watched one episode of “Gossip Girl” (don’t ask me why). The show itself was quite uninteresting in my opinion but one thing caught my attention, this song. After a little detective work using the internet I found it was this song I heard made by the artist Loui Rose Allen a.k.a. Foxes.
I may not witness another Gossip Girl episode. I will for sure have another glimpse of Foxes.
Foxes – Youth is found on the EP “Warrior” released in 2012.
It is only on rare occasions that I do remember my dreams. Last night was one of those occasions. Unfortunately not a very pleasant one, instead a very bad dream or nightmare.
If dreams are to come true I really do not know how to handle this one. Extremely tempting in deed, but oh how easy things will end up going terribly wrong.
Well it was just a dream after all. Or…?
Queensryche – Silent lucidity is found on the record “Empire” released in 1990.
I learned a new English word today, “Vulture”. The reason why… The title of this song. Besides that I will have to say that I like this song a lot, as monotonic and pulsating as the 80:s synthesizer music I grew up listening to.
Sennen – Vultures is found on the record “Lost promises” released in 2012.
"Cherry Can be very sweet when she needs a friend But it's only A mask that she wears so she can pretend."
When I recently heard this song first time; I immediately came to think of a person that knew (or I thought I knew) some years ago. A close to perfect song-person fit so to speak.
I would imagine that this is perfect music for a late night drive as well, something that I definitely have to try some time in the near future.
Chromatics – Cherry is found on the forthcoming record “After dark II” scheduled to be released in 2013.
"The happy Mondays, we blow down alleyways in our raincoats, in afternoons. The imaginary dogs beside us are old friends, they will speak to you."
I once read that the average person will see about 4000 Mondays in their lifetime. 4000 Mondays are that most people hate unless you love your job are on vacation or perhaps when you experience Mondays as any other day when you was a child.
This beautiful little tune may help getting a better Monday experience today.
The Innocence Mission – The happy Mondays is found on the record “My room in the trees” released in 2010.
"We were headlong into the abyss In a four door sedan And a kid that always stuttered We stole it, for the feeling, of stealing And drove it, like our days had been stolen."
A tip from friend made me discover this Brooklyn-based band. I love my friends!
We Are Augustines – Headlong into the abyss is found on the record “Rise ye sunken ships” released in 2011.
"And if you would find feelings where should be none Burry them deep before you do something that can't be undone."
There are certain songs, certain artists or groups that never leave me alone. As strange as it is this song is one of them; I seem to cross paths with it ever so often.
Like today in a store when shopping some new clothes.
Sin Fang Bous – Clangour and flutes is found on the record “Clangour” released in 2009.
"I don't know where I am I don't know what I've done I just go over it and over it again and again and again I can't sleep at night I cant breathe But If I drink tonight I'll get you off my mind."
Sometimes it is better to shut up… I learned that the hard way today.
I do not regret opening my mouth. I wished I had been quite.
The Airborne Toxic Event – Numb is found on the record “All at once” released in 2011.
"Seether is neither big nor small. Seether is the center of it all. I tried to rock her in my cradle, I tried to knock her out, I tried to cram her back in my mouth, yeah."
Not all music news in 2012 was happy news. Some artists passed, some groups sued each other and some groups called it quits.
In the latter category you found the group Veruca Salt. Now to be fair it isn’t like they had been super-active the last few years but 2012 was the year when they revealed that they were in “indefinite hiatus”.
Adios Veruca Salt and good luck in the future.
Veruca Salt - Seether is found on the record “American thighs” released in 1994.
"I wanna be everything that I'm not I wanna be rich, I wanna show off Just a desperado, with a sour twist It'll all come sweet on your lips."
Late 2012 I came across this band for the first time. 2013 sounds even more promising. Swim Deep – King City is found on a forthcoming album scheduled to be released in 2013.
"Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like
and then just stay together?
I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves.
Then we would have to say good-bye.
I hate good-byes.
I know what I need. I need more hellos."
I finally managed to solve a music mystery today. The past weeks a trailer for a forthcoming TV-show has been broadcasted every now and then between the “ordinary” shows.
The music used in this trailer is something that I have recognized but I have not been able to tell the correct music piece… Until today.
The music used is a slightly remixed version, or a rip-off I have no idea, of this song used in the “Tron: Legacy” movie. I have not seen the movie but I can certainly recommend the awesome movie soundtrack. Daft Punk – Disc Wars is found on the “Tron: Legacy” soundtrack released in 2010. The quote above is taken from the American cartoonist Charles M. Schultz.
"We travelled some weeks to get where we were But who's counting, who's watching, where we are headed? So let's pool our money I'll go inside Try to find something we can easily divide."
It is dirty, it is raw, it is “drinking bourbon straight-from-the-bottle” rock’n’roll.
It is something that I love. Smoke Fairies – The three of us is found on the record “Blood speaks” released in 2012.
"For a second there I thought you disappeared It rains a lot this time of year And we both go together if one falls down I talk out loud like you're still around."
There are moments when I get caught with my guard down so-to-speak. When I for the first time heard this song earlier today I experienced one of those moments.
And I really cannot explain why… In some ways I think this song is rather silly. But this song creeps under my skin too, making it hard to breathe in some way.
When thinking about it for a few more minutes… I do believe I am able to explain why. The song made me remember one of the best days in my life, a day that also meant the beginning of the end…
Coconut Records – West coast is found on the record “Nighttiming” released in 2007.
A New Year, new experiences and new opportunities wait. I already know that really exciting things will happen to my career. I already know that some very exciting trips all around the world will happen.
I do expect a lot of new and exciting musical experiences as well. Concerts, festivals, songs, artists and groups experienced together with some simply wonderful friends.
2013 will be the best year so far. I just know it.
Frontline Assembly – New Years Day is found on the record “We will follow: A tribute to U2” released in 1999. The original version was recorded by U2 in 1983.
