Song of the Day #24 - Travis - Another Guy

After a short and not very successful solo career for Fran Healey, it's wonderful to see the boys in Travis back together. Not that I was ever in doubt that they would make something together soon again, it was just so obvious that Fran needs the rest of them to make something brilliant. That said, it was quite obvious that they needed a break and regroup. Ok, let's not think more of that whole thing, but happier thoughts! I have been a huge Travis fan since I bought both The Man Who and The Invisible Band in one go back in the beginning of the 2000's. Standing on the platform waiting for my train home I flicked through the songs on my portable cd player (Yes, thoose before i-something, those you could walk with) and realized that I thought every single song on the cds was brilliant. The saga continues with something in the region of 10 Travis concerts over the years, strange weather phenomena to "Why Does it Always Rain on Me" on the Quart festival etc. etc. etc. By now Travis feel like family, a safe place to return too.

It was, as you can imagine, with much anticipation after all of that, that I clicked on the link on YouTube to hear their new song. Again I experience a love at first sight, it just works and hits me in the right spot. And as always, the videos are inventive, full of good acting and makes you laugh. I can't wait to hear the rest and to see them on a stage somewhere in Norway soon. (Other Travis related posts..)

Song of the Day #23 - Ok Go - Needing/getting

Time for some Ok Go in the Song of the Day series. Needing/getting is one of this intense songs about desperation. Pure and simple. The whole album it is from is lyricwise very clearly about Damien breaking up with his wife and what to do in such a situation. Lots of emotions straight from the heart here. I love the phrase: "It don't get much dumber, than trying to forget a girl when you love her." Without the music though it sounds like it could be from any boring teenage love song. With the music; crazy, lovesick sea shanty, or something in that general direction. Oh and what a lovely 7 part!

The video deserves at least one blog post for itself. So here.
More of what I have written about Ok Go.

Here is a live version of the song, with a fantastic intro. Click above for the original version or listen on Spotify.

Song of the Day #22 - The Raconteurs - Carolina Drama

Song of the Day #22 has been written about before, almost two years ago, in this blog, but two years later, the song still holds is ground and make me bang my head and sing along. Now I even know the lyrics.

I am not going to try to outdo myself, so you can read the original post about the song here.

Here is also a YouTube video with the lyrics, you will need that. Have a delightful Saturday!

Song of the Day #21 - Suede - It Starts And Ends With You

First of all; I am sorry for not doing Song of the Day for a while. Life is full of big changes now and there is no extra energy for a lot of other things, but I do really love it and I promise I will be back more frequently when everything calms down a bit more.

So.. Last Monday the new Suede album came out and it was with anticipation and a bit of prejudice I clicked the button at YouTube to listen. I wasn't a huge fan of Suede, though a big fan of britpop, it was mostly about Blur and Oasis for me. It was a bit to much yelping going on for me, even though I loved the classics. So it was with great delight and surprised I for the first time in what seamed like a very long time listened to quality music. I have seen a lot of other reviews written by journalists my age do the same; it feels like 1996 just in a 2013 version. Me personally I love the 2013 Suede more than the 1996 version. Catchy, melodic as always, a bit less yelping.. and this thing corners like it's on rails.. It swings around corners like a true beauty. Lots of good stuff are coming our way this spring. Travis and Phoenix are right around the corner.

Song of the Day #20 - Phoenix - Entertainment

After a few very stressful weeks of sickness and planing for the future, I am back! And with such a great thing! I was really thrilled to discover that Phoenix has released their new single. There has been no news from Phoenix for about a year and I was hoping that the great success they experienced with their last album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, hadn't made them never want to make anything again. I knew they had started an album, but then what had happened? Thankful a new album, Bankrupt!, is just around the corner and the new single was released on the 14th and if you listen to the lyrics, the struggles with fame are evident.

As usual with Phoenix, I liked it the first time I heard it, but thought it wasn't that fantastic, but by the second time I was hooked. Phoenix are masters at making catchy tunes and after the second time listening to the song, it kept spinning in my mind the rest of the day. Somehow this is the elegant version of the Asian inspired stuff made by Coldplay. I am so looking forward to the rest. Great to get some elegance in the world!

I have written a lot about Phoenix in my blog all ready, read more here.