25/11/17: The music of my week
Apologies for the music delay! As you all know, it has been a frantic but fantastic week for music, especially with the success of the epic Who Built the Moon? by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (review here). What a perfect time for me to revisit some of the older work by both Noel Gallagher and Morrissey. I have also included some other gems from the indie/alternative music scene. Enjoy!
NOEL GALLAGHER REVISITED
“The Girl With X-Ray Eyes” by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
“And I’m shaking like a leaf, as I fall into the street. But the girl with the X-ray eyes. She’s gonna see through my disguise.”
I don’t think I could have found a better time to revisit the brilliance of Chasing Yesterday, the 2nd album by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. “The Girl With X-Ray Eyes” is a rush of a song, which narrates a particularly explosive and brief encounter. Noel’s voice never fails to give me goose bumps, and here it really underlines the exhilarating and stormy sentiments of the song. One theory about the song is pretty cool: a clash between the desire for something temporary or instant, and the longing for something deeper in life. Pretty cool!
“She shot me to the sun, like a bullet from a gun. And when the deed was done, in the morning she was gone.”
“Cast No Shadow” by Oasis
“Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay. Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say. As he faced the sun he cast no shadow.”
“Cast No Shadow” is an underrated track on (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? That said, that album is amazing from beginning to end. Even the tracks that are not as famous and anthem-worthy as “Wonderwall” or “Don’t Look Back in Anger” are pretty brilliant. The emotional, sorrowful and mellow “Cast No Shadow” was written about The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft. In an interview with Select Magazine, Noel regarded Ashcroft as a man out of place. When Gallagher played the song to him, it reduced him to tears and he had to console him afterwards. It is such an awesome song! Anyway, Oasis is Oasis and their indie sound will always be iconic.
Morrissey revisited
“There is a Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths
“Oh, please don’t drop me home. Because it’s not my home, it’s their home and I’m welcome no more.”
Speaking of Morrissey would be incomplete without mentioning his most famous work, that made during his time as frontman of The Smiths. “There is a Light That Never Goes Out” is not only my Smiths favourite, but it is also one of the most unconventional love songs. Its blend of romantic escape and road traffic accidents make for a bizarre pairing. But then again, it was those opposites and the ambivalent and morbid undertones that gave The Smiths one of their most iconic qualities. The Smiths were known for their jovial music yet morbid lyrics and meaning, and this song is no exception to that notion.
“And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die!”
Check out a 2007 performance of the song at the Hollywood Bowl, which is entertaining both for the performance of the song and all the crazy fans! One of whom, crawls onto the stage to hug Morrissey:
“The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get” by Morrissey
“I am now a central part of your mind’s landscape whether you care or do not. Yeah, I’ve made up your mind.”
Morrissey’s solo work, especially during the 90s and 00s, is pretty cool too. 1994’s “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get” is an attitude-induced ode to getting ignored then seeking revenge. But then, you decide to make that other person’s life hell, as they become consumed by the thought of you. The song is a tantalising presentation of confrontation with Morrissey’s imaginary enemy. Click here to have a listen.
“I bear more grudges than lonely high court judges. When you sleep I will creep into your thoughts, like a bad debt that you can’t pay.”
special mentions: Other indie tracks I am loving this week
“Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2
“The city’s a flood, and our love turns to rust. We’re beaten and blown by the wind, trampled in dust. I’ll show you a place high on a desert plain where the streets have no name.”
U2’s The Joshua Tree has been hailed as one of the best-selling albums of all time. This iconic 1987 album is full of gems, and “Where the Streets Have No Name” is no exception. The song is dreamy and its wonderful guitar rhythms make for easy listening. A lot of the album’s lyrics are concerned with the fascination and admiration of a “mythical America” and the subsequent antipathy for the world that is real. The album was produced by the legendary Brian Eno.
“Florescent Adolescent” by Artic Monkeys
“Remember when the boys were all electric? Now when she’s told she’s gonna get it, I’m guessing she’d just rather forget it.”
The youthful and spirited “Florescent Adolescent” is the perfect song for youth nostalgia and the vibrant pockets of memories you bring up now and then. In this case, it is pretty darn cheeky. This song is so catchy and a wonderful song to dance to! The iconic music video was directed by The IT Crowd’s Richard Ayoade – an icon in his own right! He not only directed videos for the Artic Monkeys, but many others including for The Last Shadow Puppets, Kasabian and Radiohead. Gawd, this guy just gets cooler with each passing second! To be fair, I would not have expected anything ordinary from him. You’ve got clowns and plenty of fist fights. What else do you need?
That’s it for this week! Despite the delay, this week’s post will still be posted this weekend. To give you a heads up on the theme for this week, I will be presenting a collection of awesome 60’s tracks. Stay tuned!
From Sophia with Love x
[…] Hope you enjoyed this week’s selection of 60’s soul! If you want to check out last week’s selection of music, click here. […]