27/10/17: The music of my week
This week, I’m being generous. Here are 7 tracks instead of 5. The past week has truly been a fruitful scavenger hunt for music! I guess you can call it good procrastination?
“Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks
I thought it would be rather fitting to start with a legend and one of her classic tracks. The song was written to express Nicks’ grief at the passing of her uncle and the murder of John Lennon in the same week during December 1980. Despite the song’s sombre inspiration, the song is famous for its 16th-note guitar riff and the “ooh baby ooh” lines, resembling the dove’s singing. Remember the School of Rock scene where Mrs. Mullins gets carried away with this song and Jack Black uses this to get the trip approved? That’s a good film… *Snaps out of getting side-tracked* Want another listen? Check it out here.
“Demons” by Imagine Dragons
“Demons” has such a haunting and eerie feel. I love it. With demons hiding and what not, this could be this week’s most apt song for Halloween. Also, Dan Reynolds’ voice is just beautiful. The video is equally glorious! Check it out below:
“Electric Blue” by Icehouse
Icehouse are an Australian band! “Electric Blue” is a great new wave track. I would recommend this song for anyone willing to see how the Aussies did 80’s new wave music. Its lyrics focus on a man who is under the spell of one particular woman, and I’ll be honest his plight does not sound too pleasant. This pop song’s upbeat nature makes it so likable though! The video is also oh so 80’s. SPOILER ALERT: May contain a mullet, a keytar and a silhouetted saxophone solo. Now if that does not scream 80’s, I don’t know what else would!
“Better Be Home Soon” by Crowded House
Okay, the Down Under theme continues with this lovely song by the Aussie-Kiwi hybrid Crowded House, who are known for the epic “Don’t Dream It’s Over”. “Better Be Home Soon”, on the other hand, is really heartfelt and understated. The song has an overall country flavour, with some beautiful guitar rhythms and the lovely voice of Neil Finn. The surreal video portrays an enchanted theatre stage and it is rather magical! Though, don’t expect anyone (well, apart from the Organ player) to be smiling in this video.
“Your Love Alone is Not Enough” by Manic Street Preachers (ft. Nina Persson)
We now take a 18-20 hour flight back to the UK for the alternative Manic Street Preachers. Sometimes, Spotify’s Discover Weekly really does come up with some absolute corkers! This 2007 song is a duet between the band’s lead vocalist (James Dean Bradfield) and the The Cardigans’ Nina Persson. According to the band’s bass guitarist, Nicky Wire, the upbeat song is partly concerned with the mysterious disappearance of their rhythm guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards back in 1995. In 2008, Richey Edwards was declared dead in absentia after no conclusive evidence was found apart from numerous sightings in the first couple of years of his disappearance. It is really a one-of-a-kind story, and I would recommend reading about it here.
“Married with Children” by Oasis
Just like the iconic “Half the World Away”, “Married with Children” (Definitely Maybe) is a departure from their famous, gritty sound. It is a track that has been completely stripped back, merely driven by soft vocals and the isolated guitar melodies. It is almost completely alien, but I like it. However, despite saying this, the lyrics are very Oasis. The song is inspired by Noel’s then-girlfriend, who used to complain about being kept awake at night. “Your music’s shite, keeping me up all night” was what she used to say. Well, thank goodness he didn’t listen?!
“The Edge” by David McCallum
Okay, I have left one of the coolest tracks until the end. Exploring the fields of acting and music, David McCallum has lived a fascinating life. Plus, this song is really cool and sounds quite film noir. Surely McCallum did not expect that his cover (more fitting for a retro detective/spy series) would be sampled for Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” feat. Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Kurupt. McCallum’s sample is the iconic feature of that track. Without it, “The Next Episode” would not be as great as it is! Enjoy “The Edge” below:
Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s selection! If you want to check out last week’s selection, click here.
Until then, cheerio!
From Sophia with Love x
