December 31, 2013

"For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o'kindness yet."

Well I guess it was bound to happen; I just have to publish this song on New Year's Eve.

Happy New Year everyone, a great year has come to an end. Another even better year is about to start.

Guy Lombardo - Auld land syne is found on the single "Auld lang syne" released in 1953.

December 30, 2013

"And it cuts you in..."

I love the name of this band. I love the name of their record. I may not love this song but I for sure like it a lot.

I Hate Our Freedom - Cut you in is found on the record "This year's best disaster" released in 2013.

December 29, 2013

"The road is dark
and it's a thin thin line
But I want you to know I'll walk it for you any time
Maybe your other boyfriends
couldn't pass the test
Well if you're rough and ready for love
honey I'm tougher than the rest."

I still listen to radio, you know real radio broadcasted on the fm band, fairly often. In a world that just moves faster and faster to being online 24/7 it is in my opinion fairly nice to listen to the radio.

And every now and then this habit of mine makes me rediscover songs that I since long had forget. Like this beuaty from Bruce Springsteen. 

Bruce Springsteen - Tougher than the rest is found on the record "Tunnel of love" released in 1987.

December 28, 2013

"'Cause where we are going
Is anyone's guess."

A first taster of what is to come next year.

Based on this single I feel pretty much sure when I say that the year 2014 will be yet another great music year.

Band Of Skulls - Asleep at the wheel is found on the forthcoming record "Himalayan" scheduled to be released in 2014.

December 27, 2013

"Ave Maria! Maiden mild!
O listen to a maiden's prayer!
For thou canst hear amid the wild
Tis thou, tis thou canst save amid despair.
We slumber safely 'til the morrow,
Tho' we, by men, outcast, reviled;
O maiden! See a maiden's sorrow
O mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!"

Ok, Christmas is officially over but I got one more (sort of) Christmas song for you. This is the fairly unlikely combination of a grunge singer and a classic psalm.

The end result is nothing but breathtaking.

Chris Cornell – Ave Maria is found on the record “A very special Christmas 3” released in 1997.

December 26, 2013

"And it’s Christmas every day in the New Aeon
Christmas in our hearts, Christmas in our hearts
Warm hearts, cold hands
Touch me and understand
It’s Christmas – every day."

The third day of Christmas and the third Christmas song is following. This one is not that known, though I honestly feel that everyone should here this great little tune at least once.

Cassandra Complex – Sophia is found on the EP “Gnostic Christmas” released in 1991.

December 25, 2013

"I'm turning my collar to the cold and the wind
Till you're home safe again
And it's Christmas
We're saving your present, it's under the tree
When you're with me, you'll see
It's Christmas."

Christmas is of course one of the most important family reunion times of the year but for some, or even many, people it is the loneliest time of the year when missing a family, relatives or someone that once upon a time was close you your heart.

I am lucky enough to have a wonderful family and many, many friends. Nevertheless I find it easy to relate to this song.

Chris Isaak – Washington Square is found on the record “Christmas” released in 2004.

December 24, 2013

"Here comes Santa Claus here comes Santa Claus
right down Santa Claus Lane."

Well at least where I am there is not a single sign of a White Christmas. But I do have a feeling that Santa Claus will show up. Always something…

Merry Christmas everyone!

Gene Autry – Here comes Santa Claus is found on the single “Here comes Santa Claus” released in 1948.

December 23, 2013

Please press this link in order to view and play the song.

"Why oh, why? could make me so, so
Right and stormed so I love,
I love the beauty that surrounds me
The gentleness of love
I wish I could go back and be a boy once again."

This is yet another thing I cannot explain but somehow I think it makes perfect sense to play this song over and over and over again the night before Christmas.

It is just the mood of the song I guess.

The Flaming Lips – Think like a machine not a man is found on the EP “Peace sword” released in 2013.

December 22, 2013

"Yeah, we were grieve down
we were long line fall and tired and no mean now."

One last(?) new 2013 experience. I honestly did believe I was listening to a new Hole single when I first heard this song. It was not Hole but it was still very good.

Tyred Eyes – Dead end is found on the EP “Ghost” released in 2013.

December 21, 2013

"So place your hands on my hope,
Run your fingers through my soul.
And the way that I feel right now
Oh lord it may go."

A band that likely has been inspired be yesterday’s Free is the band Reef. If you cannot find enough evidence by listening first to Free and then Reef well let me point to the fact that Reef is an anagram of Free.

Inspired or not, this is a cool song that deserves being played no matter what.

Reef – Place your hands is found on the record “Glow” released in 1997.

December 20, 2013

"There she stood in the street
Smiling from her head to her feet
I said "Hey, what is this"
Now baby, maybe she's in need of a kiss
I said " Hey, what's your name baby"
maybe we can see things the same
Now don't you wait or hesitate
Let's move before they raise the parking rent."

Friday December 20, 2013. A long Christmas and New Year’s holiday season is finally here. I will take some time off, 12 days of no work and all play is coming up.

It sure feels alright now…

Free – All right now is found on the record “Fire and water” released in 1970.

December 19, 2013

"One part evil, three-fifths blind
She's not gone yet but she's leaving
And she's oh so delicate and still don't mind
She's not gone yet but she's leaving
Well there's a chance that she knows where the bodies are kept
She's not gone yet but she's leaving
And she still don't remember the tears that she wept
She's not gone yet but she's leaving."

So here we go again. Just by reading the title of this song I instantly know I will like the song. As a big fan of songs about broken hearts and love-no-more, how can I possibly resist this one?

Of course I cannot? There is no way I cannot!

The Fratellis – She’s not gone yet but she’s leaving is found on the record “We need medicine” released in 2013.

December 18, 2013

"Darkness you don’t see where you’re going now
There never was light in your eyes some somehow
And who’s to blame when something living is dead?
So many words should have stayed in your head."

Christian Kjellvander is an artist that I have listened to on and off for quite a long time. When he was a member of Loosegoats, together with his brother Gustaf in the band Songs Of Soil and finally but not least when he has released music under his own name.

Tonight Christian Kjellvander plays live maybe I should head to the arena for old time’s sake.

Christian Kjellvander – Homeward rolling soldier is found on the record “Songs from a two-room chapel” released in 2002.

December 17, 2013

"This one heart is afraid of the dark
Never gonna stop you, never gonna conquer
Fear is running heart, my fear is forever
Darkness is in everything.
Darkness is in everything.
Darkness is in everything."

I am not afraid of the dark, I have never been afraid of the dark and likely I never will be afraid of the dark.

Despite this I still must admit that a cold chill slowly propagates in my body each and every time I hear this song.

Scary but also brilliant.

Ejecta – Afraid of the dark is found on the forthcoming record “Dominae” scheduled to be released in 2014.

December 16, 2013

"Don't make me bring you back to the start
You can run but you won't come far
Don't let me show you how weak you are
Hurts like bullets between these walls."

Somehow I have managed to not discover Rebecca And Fiona until just recently. Well… better late than never I guess.

Rebecca And Fiona – Bullets is found on the record “I love you man!” released in 2011.

December 15, 2013

"Let me know when you want to leave this island."

Maximo Park is one of the bands or artists in the world that I yet have not caught live on stage. It is a band that I have listened to on and off for the last six-seven years but whenever they have been on tour close to me I have not had the chance to actually buy a ticket and head to their show.

Maybe I will get another chance now, a new Maximo Park single has just surfaced and a full-length album will be released next year. Hopefully this will result in tour as well.

Maximo Park – Leave this island is found on the forthcoming record “Too much information” scheduled to be released in 2014.

December 14, 2013

"In number 69 there lives a transvestite
He's a man by day
But he's a woman at night
There's a man in number 4 who swears he's Saddam Hussein
Say's he's on a chore to start
The Third World War "

I am fortunate enough to live in a great neighborhood where I always feel safe and sound. Some of the people surrounding me in the nearby apartments are a bit weird but at the end of the day none of them makes too much noise.

In some ways it would be exciting to experience a neighborhood as described by this song but on the other hand I am glad I am not.

Space – Neighborhood is found on the record “Spiders” released in 1996.

December 13, 2013

"When they get what they want
They never want it again
When they get what they want
They never want it again."

Friday the 13th. Well that may be so but for what I care I will skip blogging about “bad luck” and corresponding songs today.

Instead I want to listen to the raw energy of a most powerful rock song in order to kick off the weekend.

Hole – Violet is found on the record “Live through this” released in 1994.

December 12, 2013

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.
So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.
This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

Toy follow up their excellent debut album with yet another promising single. I cannot wait to get my hands on second Toy album.

Toy – Join the dots is found on the record “Join the dots” released in 2013.The quote above is taken from the American entrepreneur Steve Jobs.

December 11, 2013

"By God i'm tired
I'm tired and i want to go home
She's warm, like a fire
The smoke will lead you home."

Just the other day I read that Logh is working on new material. This is indeed good news; I am certainly looking forward to hear it.

In the meantime, this one. Once again.

Logh – The smoke will lead you home is found on the record “A sunset panorama” released in 2005.

December 10, 2013

"Don't need to pray
Don't need to bow
But we are true believers when the sun goes down
Here on the rock
Look out to space
Don't need no gravity to hold our love in place."

It is not that often that a band from “down under” visits my neighborhood but today is such day when Cut Copy is in town.

What the heck mate I might as well head to the venue to catch them.

Cut Copy – Let me show you love is found on the record “Free your mind” released in 2013.

December 9, 2013

"I can't see much of a future
Unless we find out what's to blame
What a shame
And we won't be together much longer
Unless we realize that we are the same."

From a lazy Sunday to a busy Monday…

Let us kick of the week with the original version of this song.

Buzzcocks – Ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with) is found on the record “Love bites” released in 1978.

December 8, 2013

"You spurn my natural emotions
You make me feel like dirt
And I'm hurt
And if I start a commotion
I run the risk of losing you
And that's worse."

Feeling a bit tired and even lazy this Sunday morning so what works better than a lounge/bossa nova version of what once upon a time was a punk rock song.

Nouvelle Vague – Ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with) is found on the record “Bande á part” released in 2004.

December 7, 2013

"My face upon the concrete, the dirt is in my mouth.
I clench my fist and feet. I try to cry out loud.
Make a sound, something is keeping me down.
This place is just not for me
I'll say it a thousand times
My friends they just ignore me. Tell me never mind
Waiting on your line for the Slumville Sunrise.
Slumville Sunrise
Nobody cares or looks twice.
Shout away in the morning across this place where I was born in.
Every roof, every flower illuminated by the morning."

The year is about to end, only a few weeks left of 2013 but still a few more weeks to discover something that is fresh and new. At least to me.

Jake Bugg is one of my recent discoveries, something that is worth sharing before the year ends.

Jake Bugg – Slumville sunrise is found on the record “Shangri La” released in 2013.

December 6, 2013

"I wish I was in Tijuana
Eating barbequed iguana
I'd take requests on the telephone
I'm on a wavelength far from home
I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
I dial it in from south of the border
I hear the talking of the DJ
Can't understand just what does he say?"

This is song dedicated to a dear friend of mine; this is likely his favorite song of all times.

And who am I to disagree. OK it may not be my favorite song of all times but it is for sure a song I can listen to over and over and over again.

Wall Of Voodoo – Mexican radio is found on the record “Call of the west” released in 1982.

December 5, 2013

"I was in the future yesterday."

Last week I went to a concert with Blouse, ever since this song has been on my mind.

If you ask me, there is no doubt that the song is “inspired” by The Cure’s “A forest” but one cannot deny the fact that this is a great song anyway.

Blouse – Time machine is found on the record “Blouse” released in 2011.

December 4, 2013

"Spendin' every night in a different state
Spendin' every night with a different date
I come into town and have a look around
And then I find a guy who wants to get down."

In this digital world I am still a great fan of analogue radio. If not for other things, radio keeps reminding me of songs that I have forgotten about.

This is the latest example of a great song lost somewhere in the memory archive but then recently revived by radio.

The Donnas – 40 boys in 40 nights is found on the record “The Donnas turns 21” released in 2001.

December 3, 2013

"We hit a wall when we were alone
We didn't know how to control
No one ever told
I showed you how to hold my hand
And kiss me slow and unending."

A couple of weeks ago Chelsea Wolfe was in town. For some reason, I do not even remember why, I did not go to her concert.

From what I hear this may very well have been the mistake of the year from my side, apparently it was a strong candidate to the “concert of the year” award. At least according to the sources I have.

And according to me she is for sure a very strong candidate to the “album name of the year” award.

Chelsea Wolfe – We hit a wall is found on the record “Pain is beauty” released in 2013.

December 2, 2013

"I was never faithful

and I was never one to trust
Borderline bipolar
Forever biting your nuts."

Yesterday Placebo played live in my neighborhood. Due to other obligations I did not have the chance to see the concert but on the other hand I am not sure I was prepared to pay a rather steep entrance fee in order to be there in the audience, about $60 for Placebo ticket is way too much in my opinion.

It is not the bands fault and I still find the music created by Placebo enjoyable. But not to a price that high...

Placebo – Black-eyed is found on the record “Black market music” released in 2000.

December 1, 2013

"Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies
You bastards!"

It is time to take yet another trip in the music time machine because this very day forty years ago this album was released.

Lean back, relax and enjoy.

Black Sabbath – Sabbath bloody Sabbath is found on the record “Sabbath bloody Sabbath” released in 1973.