3 Jul 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 28

Day 28 | A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: The Veronicas – 'Untouched' This song makes me feel desperately guilty. Because I know it’s inane pop rubbish, but there’s definitely something I like about it. My apologies to the world. It’s unforgivable.

Maria: Dolly Parton – ‘Jolene’ I rarely have anything to feel particularly guilty about these days, but this beautiful, and much scoffed at Dolly Parton classic does resonate a twinge of guilt at my younger past, where I had a notable disregard for other people’s relationships, and happily flirted, led-on and even took more than a couple of attached boys.

Rosie: Beyoncé – ‘Crazy in Love’ This is the only song I remember from a very messy night out and everytime I hear it I shudder and cringe. (more...)

2 Jul 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 27

Day 27 | A Song That You Wish You Could Play (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Regina Spektor – 'Us' Oh Regina. You have the vocal skills and piano technique that only come from years of classical training. As a former teenage orchestra geek, I get uber-excited at musicians who can really play with authority. Regina skips around the keyboard on this track with a flair I will never achieve. Jealous!

Maria: Vanessa Carlton - ‘1000 Miles’ While much of this Vanessa Carlton song has simple chord structures, the key piano riff, which I think is the lynch-pin that made this song so popular, is fairly complex to me, who barely achieved Grade 1 on piano. I even bought the sheet music to this track and got absolutely nowhere with it.

Rosie: Emma Johnson - ‘Einaudi – Passaggio’ Emma is such an incredible clarinetist, I wish my technique was as good as hers! (more...)

1 Jul 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 26

Day 26 | A Song That You Can Play On An Instrument (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Nina Simone - 'I Put A Spell On You' I love this jazz classic. If I really concentrate, I can just about get through it on the piano. But I certainly can’t master singing it at the same time. Too much to think about at once.

Maria: The White Stripes – ‘The Hardest Button to Button’ This track by The White Stripes is not a difficult one, and I can play it on both bass and guitar (and lets face it, I could probably play the drums too, Meg’s parts are not often complicated).

Rosie: Billie Holiday – ‘Summertime’ This was the first jazz standard I learned on my saxophone. (more...)

30 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 25

Day 25 | A Song That Makes You Laugh (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Men – 'Life’s Half Price' ‘Life’s half price for suckers in love’. A wry smile crosses my lips when I hear this lyric, for never a truer word was spoken. This song bites with cynicism and wit. I heart you JD.

Maria: The B-52s – ‘Rock Lobster’ So much of The B-52s’ music is innately funny, not just in their chosen subject matter, but the delivery of the vocals, the quirky, stilted instrumental techniques, and their curious retro timbres. This song has got to be their funniest.

Rosie: Spice Girls - ‘Wannabe’ This makes me laugh thinking back to being eleven and dressing up as posh spice and learning every single word (oh the shame). (more...)

29 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 24

Day 24 | A Song That You Want To Play At Your Funeral (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Cyndi Lauper - 'Midnight Radio' Ooh, it’s a difficult song choice, leading to brief consideration of my mortality, the meaning of life, etc. But I digress: Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a truly special film with an astounding soundtrack. I love this song, as it celebrates inspirational women of rock and roll. Plus, it has the potential for sing-along audience participation, which I think can only add to the funeral experience.

Maria: The Shangri-Las – ‘I Can Never Go Home Anymore’ I have not really been emo enough, or indeed old enough to give this entry proper thought previously, however, when I first heard this track by The Shangri-Las a few months ago I was almost moved to tears by its desperate, disbelieving and heart-broken sentiment, and I would ideally like people to feel utterly distraught and inconsolable when I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Rosie: Sarah Vaughan – 'What a Difference a Day Makes' I would want this to remind people of me but to make them smile and think. (more...)

28 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 23

Day 23 | A Song That You Want To Play At Your Wedding (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: The Knife – 'Heartbeats' Well, since the gays aren’t yet permitted to have an actual wedding (sorry for the brief political aside), at my civil partnership, I intend to be an over-controlling DJ as well as one of the brides. There will be well crafted playlists, and the order of the day will be to dance, dance, dance. To this song.

Maria: Sublime feat. Gwen Stefani – ‘Saw Red’ Much of this song is simply the phrase “Everyday I love you a little bit more” recycled over and over, which is all my boyfriend and me choose to hear through the other more vengeful elements of the lyrics. I love Gwen Stefani for her undeniable sass, and Sublime for their infectious upbeat-ness, so this song for me is a ball of joy, perfect for such an important, happy day.

Rosie: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – ‘Cheek to Cheek’ This is a classic beautiful romantic song: elegant and gorgeous. Now I just have learn to dance like Ginger Rogers and find a husband who can dance like Fred Astaire! (more...)

27 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 22

Day 22 | A Song That You Listen To When You’re Sad (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Patti Smith – 'Pissing In A River' This is the ‘Kathy gets dumped’ classic. Wailing ‘come back, come back’ to whoever has run off. How depressing. Sigh.

Maria: Marina and the Diamonds – ‘Obsessions’ Most of Marina and the Diamonds’ début album is upbeat with a positive message, but this track finds her blue, sombre, scathing and reflective, with softer, colder vocals, and simpler instrumentation. The lyrical content mixed with the instrumentation lend an important sense of solidarity, as well representing my own blend of sadness, which is almost always mixed with anger, concern and self-obsession.

Rosie: Joni Mitchell – ‘A Case of You’ Another Joni song, I find her voice so soothing. She always comforts me. (more...)

19 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 21

Day 21 | A Song That You Listen To When You're Happy  (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Paramore – 'Misery Business' Yes, it’s adolescent. But this song has all the ingredients of a great pop punk record: It’s fast, it’s catchy, it’s got kick-ass guitar lines, and Hayley is a vocal powerhouse. I love the lyrics too: ‘There’s a million other girls who do it just like you...well, I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!’. Girl power, emo style.

Maria: Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts' Noisettes certainly fall into the more facile, pop side of indie, but they still make very upbeat, positive music that is perfectly conductive for a happy mood.  (more...)

18 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 20

Day 20 | A Song That You Listen To When You're Angry (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: The Distillers – 'I Am A Revenant' There’s nothing better when I’m angry than listening to fast punk rock and getting aggressive. The Distillers hit the spot with this song. I can shout along to Brodie Dalle’s gravely vocal, punch the air, and ‘run into the night’.

Maria: Laura Marling - 'Devil's Spoke' Laura Marling may seem like a strange choice for an angry playlist, given her soft acoustic folk music style. I however find that much of Marling’s second album, and especially ‘Devil’s Spoke’ have a sullen, coolly angry vibe that perfectly represents that uncertain, vague kind of despondent anger often felt.  (more...)

17 Jun 2011

30 Day Song Challenge | Day 19

Day 19 | A Song From Your Favourite Album (Spotify – click here for the playlist)

Kathy: Pretty Girls Make Graves – 'Sad Girls Por Vida' I love Pretty Girls Make Graves. 2002’s Good Health was their first full length and is amongst my favourite albums. It is a post-hardcore treat with plenty to dance to.

Maria: Moloko - 'Indigo' Favourite albums are much like favourite tracks – subject to frequent change. However, the album Things to Make and Do by Moloko has been a consistent favourite of mine for over ten years, and I still listen to it repeatedly. ‘Indigo’ is my favourite track from it. (more...)