Monday, May 31, 2004

"Eleanor"

Stereotypical 60s right up to the chorus, but "You're my pride and joy, etcetera" is a glorious line.

Saturday, May 29, 2004

"Wasted Time" and "The Last Resort"

Definitely not easy listening. You know they're Don Henley songs when you feel you have to listen to the lyrics and get all righteously outraged at some perceived ill. On the other hand, "She came from Providence, the one in Rhode Island" makes me smile.

Saturday, May 22, 2004

"Smile"

How can you not like this song? It marches right up to you, grabs you by the scruff of the neck and commands you to jump up and down. You can almost imagine attempting to break the world mass aerobics lesson record with this song. It's got one of those typical Scottish overdubbed-guitar mixes which is just fab and hope-out-of-heartbreak lyrics. Unstoppable.

Saturday, May 15, 2004

"Teenage Kicks"

Music doesn't get more direct or all-consuming than this. Sure-fire contender for the Greatest Three-Minute Pop Song Ever. I got to see them last year at the St. Patrick's Day festival on the South Bank and they played this - oh how happy it made me. It's songs like this that probably proved the whole punk ethos; you don't need to be Rick Wakeman or Yes to make great music.

Sunday, May 09, 2004

"Women in Chains"

Simple, atmospheric, and totally hypnotic. Set Roland Orzabal's muted scream "Men of stone!" against the warm vocal of Oleta Adams.

Saturday, May 01, 2004

"Needle & the Damage Done"

I didn't think Pete Wylie could do much more than shout until I heard this. Soul-seared harmonising on a haunting version of one of Neil Young's best songs. Comes from an obscure anti-drug compilation album but it's nice to hear the song given some welly.