June 26, 2014

"How the end always is..."

So this is it. This is posting number 1000. It is also the last posting of this blog.

As you may have noticed the last few weeks the posting of new songs have not been super-inspired nor of a quality that I feel satisfied with. This leads to the conclusion that it is time to say farewell to a dear friend, a friend that I have enjoyed the company of for nearly three years.

Have I enjoyed it? Doubtless!

Do I regret any of the postings? No, not really.

Are there certain postings that are my favorite ones? Without any hesitation yes! (But I will not reveal the ones that are my favorites; that would be too personal.)

Will I miss writing? Most likely! But at the same time, when it is more of a struggle to write a new post then a “blessing” it is time to move on and do other things. It is time to finish up.

How the end always is…

The Cure – Disintegration is found on the record “Disintegration” released in 1989.

June 25, 2014

"4, 3, 2, 1
Earth below us
drifting, falling.
Floating weightless
calling, calling home..."

About to take off!

Or… I will correct myself; I am actually about to land.

More about that tomorrow…

Peter Schilling – Major Tom (Coming home) is found on the record “Error in the system” released in 1983.

June 24, 2014

"Andre has a red flag, Chiang Ching's is blue
They all have hills to fly them on except for Lin Tai Yu
Dressing up in costumes, playing silly games
Hiding out in tree-tops shouting out rude names."

Facts about this song:

• The song's title and lyrics refer to a long-running TV show in the 1960s and 1970s.
• The album version of the song includes the line "Whistling tunes we piss on the goons in the jungle". This was replaced for the single release with a more radio-friendly repeat of the line "Whistling tunes we're kissing baboons in the jungle".
• The whistling is performed by Peter Gabriel himself, along with producers Steve Lillywhite and Hugh Padgham.

Oh yeah, one more thing. It is also a fact that this is one of my favorite songs of all times.

Peter Gabriel – Games without frontiers is found on the record “Peter Gabriel” released in 1980.

June 23, 2014

"Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me
Town to keep me movin'
Keep me groovin' with some energy."

Due to some kind of strange coincident this song was mentioned several times by several different people.

Hence it is no coincidence that I need to mention this song here today.

Lipps Inc. – Funky town is found on the record “Mouth to mouth” released in 1979.

June 22, 2014

"Now whip it into shape
Shape it up
Get straight
Go forward
Move ahead
Try to detect it
It's not too late to whip it
Whip it good."

A very nice long weekend is about to end. Soon I will feel the crack of the whip again…

Devo – Whip it! is found on the record “Freedom of choice” released in 1980.

June 21, 2014

"There's nothing you can do
There's nothing you can say
To make my problems go away
Or to make me do the same."

A nice little Saturday song to close a most pleasant… Well you guessed it, Saturday.

Built To Spill – Saturday is found on the record “You in reverse” released in 2006.

June 20, 2014

"Last night Jackie Chan came around
I played pool with him and we hung out
Mr. Miagi and the X-men
Called in for a while as well."

It is Midsummer’s eve, the longest day of the year, at least in the northern hemisphere where I live.

That still does not change anything; I am still in need of an upbeat Friday rock’n’roll song.

Ash – Kung-fu is found on the record “1977” released in 1996.

June 19, 2014

"It’s a year of heavy winds
It's a year of stillness."

So here is the deal, a song entitled “Infinite stillness” is something that I just now from second one that I will love.

And I was right, I was so right when it comes to this one. Orcas is indeed my latest favorite band.

Brilliant, nothing but brilliant.

Orcas – Infinite stillness is found on the record “Yearling” released in 2014.

June 18, 2014

"But sure as night turns day
It's the passion play
Oh my god, what have they done
With madman's rage, well they dug our graves
But the dead rise again you fools."

Irish folk music played by a punk rock band from Los Angeles. That is Flogging Molly to me.

And since I am a fan of Irish folk rock, I enjoy listening to punk rock and I absolutely love Los Angeles, the end result is pretty damn good. Especially live on stage, as tonight.

Flogging Molly – What’s left of the flag is found on the record “Drunken lullabies” released in 2002.

June 17, 2014

"You better save the country
You better pass the flask
You better join the army
I said: no thank you dear old uncle Sam."

At first this sounded like a likely contender to the “catchiest song of the summer” to me. But when playing closer attention to the lyrics I am not so sure.

Don’t get me wrong, I still like the song a lot. But there are some serious lyrics in this song pretty far from the “chewing gum nonsense” that one normally finds in the really catchy summer songs.

The Orwells – Who needs you is found on the record “Disgraceland” released in 2014.

June 16, 2014

"She's got legs; she knows how to use them.
She never begs; she knows how to choose them.
She's holdin' leg wonderin' how to feel them.
Would you get behind them if you could only find them?
She's my baby, she's my baby,
Yeah, it's alright."

It has been close oh so many times, but tonight it will finally happen… I will catch ZZ Top live on stage.

I am not a huge fan of the band but somehow I am still ridiculously excited about the evening.

ZZ Top – Legs is found on the record “Eliminator” released in 1983.

June 15, 2014

"Outside a cathedral near the axis of evil they march
Their picket line forming the shape of a proscenium arch
They switched off their halos and started working to rule."

The author of this song once described it as “the best fucking song I ever wrote”.

I agree. How can I possibly not agree? This set of thoughtful lyrics is something beyond the usual; it is among my favorite lyrics ever.

Jim Bob – Angelstrike! is found on the record “Angelstrike!” released in 2004.

June 14, 2014

"There are a lot of famous comedians from Liverpool, then obviously the Beatles, and the football club. That's what people in Liverpool are passionate about."

Is this the next great thing to come out of UK? Is this the next great group from Liverpool?

The answer may very well be “yes” in both cases. I do believe that people in Liverpool, as I, will be passionate about one more thing in the near future.

Circa Waves – Young chasers is found on the single ”Young chasers” released in 2014. The quote above is taken from the English football player Ian Rush.

June 13, 2014

"You can taste the fear
Lift me up and take me out of here
I know I want to fight, I want to die
Just tell me what to say."

Something is happening tonight that I would like to describe as the best concert I will miss this summer when Arcade Fire will play live in my neighborhood.

Me… I am heading to Oslo, Norway. Not a bad thing of course, still...

Arcade Fire – Intervention is found on the record “Neon bible” released in 2007.

June 12, 2014

"Oh, if the trip and the plan come apart in your hand
Tou look contorted on yourself your ridiculous prop
You forgot what you meant when you read what you said
And you always knew you were tired, but then
Where are your friends tonight?"

Time flies. Time indeed flies. I was reminded about this the hard way today.

Made me think of an old friend… Made me think about this song…

LCD Soundsystem – All my friends is found on the record “Sounds of silver” released in 2007.

June 11, 2014

"As it breaks, the summer will wake
But the winter will wash what is left of the taste
As it breaks, the summer will warm
But the winter will crave what has gone
Will crave what has all
Gone away."

I was convinced that I had discovered a new exciting up and coming band the other day when I first heard Future Islands.

The reality turned out to be quite different, this is a track taken from their forth studio released. Better late than never I guess…

Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting on you) is found on the record “Singles” released in 2014.

June 10, 2014

"With your feet on the air
And your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse
If there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?"

Tonight live on stage, The Pixies. I still have not decided whether I should go or not. In my mind The Pixies is a band that peaked their career some 25 years ago and the comeback record released earlier this year is no good.

But on the other hand, it is a chance to get a live version of this song which is a treat.

The Pixies – Where is my mind? is found on the record “Surfer rosa” released 1988.

June 9, 2014

"I don't care if you've had enough
Carry on 'til you are broken
I don't care if you've had enough
Carry on 'cause you can't stop us."

I have a prediction. Within months, every hip indie kid in the world will talk about Shy Nature.

And why not? This is brilliant.

Shy Nature – Lie back is found on the single “Lie back” released in 2014.

June 8, 2014

"I’m a street survivor…"

Making a quick stop in Helsinki on my way back from Beijing, why not celebrate this fact by listening to an explosive tune from Finland?

The Flaming Sideburns – Street survivor is found on the record “Hallelujah rock’n’roll” released in 2001.

June 7, 2014

"But I'm sick of myself when I look at you
something is beautiful and true.
World that's ugly and a lie
it's hard to even want to try.
I'm beginning to think
maybe you don't know."

An artist that I have not heard anything from in quite some time is Matthew Sweet. He may be out there somewhere still releasing music but if so it is something that has not reached my radar.

Irrespective of this I still find myself humming this tune ever so often.

Matthew Sweet – Sick of myself is found on the record “100% fun” released in 1995.

June 6, 2014

"She never returned..."

If it was not for the simple fact that I am in Beijing, China at the moment I would for sure take the opportunity to visit the release party of the brand new Principe Valiente record.

This is awesome stuff!

Principe Valiente – She never returned is found on the record “Choirs of blessed youth” released in 2014.

June 5, 2014

"I'll love you, dear, I'll love you till China and Africa meet and the river jumps over the mountain and the salmon sing in the street."

Walking the streets of Beijing, truly a tourist today looking for the treasures the city has to offer.

Jean Michel Jarre – Souvenir of China is found on the record “The concerts in China” released in 1982. The quote above is taken from the English poet W.H Auden.

June 4, 2014

"I'm a mess without
My China Girl
Wake up mornings, there's
No China Girl
I'd hear hearts beating
Loud as thunder
I'd see stars crashing down."

Off to China today. Not to see a China girl but to see my girl in China.

It feels so very cool.

Iggy Pop – China girl is found on the record “The idiot” released in 1977.

June 3, 2014

"Gold sun setting on a silver dawn
Drift away into the great beyond
Truth is waiting for you to find
Take my hand, leave this world behind."

I misread the name of this band the first time I saw their name; I read “Blue Pills” and thought it was a funny reference to Viagra.

Blues Pills is not a bad name either but in some ways I feel that they could have dropped the “s”.

Blues Pills – High class woman is found on the record “” released in 2014.

June 2, 2014

"Going home, my baby;
Going home, my baby.
Going home, see my baby."

It is time to head back home again. But I will be travelling again.

Soon. Sooner that you would never ever imagine actually…

Ten Years After – I’m going home is found on the record “Undead” released in 1968.