12/14 - I Fear the Sentence of This Solitude

Songs for strength, or for losing it.

Bert Jansch - Reynardine

Never go a'roving, and shun bad company!

Joni Mitchell - Come in From the Cold

When I thought life had some meaning
Then I thought I had some choice
And I made some value judgments
In a self-important voice
But then absurdity came over me
And I longed to lose control
Oh all I ever wanted
Was just to come in from the cold

Antony & the Johnsons - Fistful of Love

I feel the whip
and I know it's out of love

Scott Walker - We Came Through

We observe the naked souls of gutters pouring forth mankind
Smothered in an avalanche of time
And we're giants as we watch our kings and countries raise their shields
And Guevara dies encased in his ideals
And as Luther King's predictions fade from view
We came through

Battles - Race : Out

11/14 - Vaccine Instead of Medicine

These are this week's tunes. I'm exhausted.

Kings of Convenience - Homesick

As a direct consequence of being stressed and tired out I had an attack of acute homesickness. Take me to a lake in Sweden! I feel like nothing is ever going to top sitting in a rowboat in the middle of one. But then again, you can't listen to Kings of Convenience from loud speakers out there...

A song for
someone who needs somewhere
to long for

Alexandre Desplat - Canto at Gabelmeister's Peak

A new wonderful Wes Anderson-movie equals a new wonderful soundtrack. That is one Pavlovian association that never fails. This is even more genius than usual; the combo of 'pom-pom-pom'-choirs and church choirs is so amazing, and it only gets better from thinking of superfast ski-hunts as well.

Michael Nyman - Knowing the Ropes

As if I had not had enough of obsessive scenography and brilliant ensemble-drama after Grand Budapest Hotel I decided to watch Drowning By Numbers; the blueprint for almost all Wes Anderson films. Down to the whimsical specially composed soundtrack and all.

Christian Kjellvander - Live Ones

My homesickness didn't start with KoH. It started with this.

I swear that I have had too much to think

Phoenix - Fences

The new album doesn't appeal to me at all. This one does.

10/14 - That Was Hazy Cosmic Jive

This is a FUN list. Let's have FUN.

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Yodel 2

Desmond Dekker - Hippopotamus

So random. So abstractly political. Hypocrites. Hippopotamus. What goes up comes down. Wicked. Ok.

The Byrds - Mr. Spaceman

Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared

...cause that's what happens when aliens visit you!!

David Bowie - Starman

One more on the same theme.

PJ Harvey - 50 ft Queenie

She's so cool.

09/14 - You Gotta Sleep On Your Toes

March 2014 is looking to be one of the busiest months in my life. Here are five songs to help me through it:

Benjamin Britten - Third Suite For Cello, Op 87: IV. Lento (Barcarola)

Deep breaths. The feet in the starting blocks. Ready, steady...

Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running

...Go!
One of their very best songs imho.

The Doors - When The Music's Over (live)

Say what you will about the Doors, and their unfortunate legacy of tons of pretentious teenage poetry, but they were one hell of a live act. As proven here, when one of my favourite guitar solos is upped one notch and the scream of the butterfly has never sounded better.

We want the world and we want it... now

Pink Floyd - Dogs

These days I hold Animals to be the pinnacle of the Floyd. An orwellian political satire, brimming with empathy, anger and amazing, warm, freeflowing arrangements.

Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D minor, Op 47: I. Allegro moderato

And then, whenever it gets too much, it's time to look out the window and marvel. The world is still there and it's looking alright.