The Decemberists – Calamity Song (Sam Dawson guest post)


I picked up The album The King Is Dead from a friend before I left to travel in Southern Africa for three months. On arriving I found myself stranded in Cape Town watching thousands of pounds leak away in oil through a cracked gasket on my 4×4. This song is a tale of disaster, making the best of it and remembering to have a sense of humour even during the dark days. It’s upbeat and uplifting; lyrically it’s clever; and the refrain sticks to the inside of your head. I spent two weeks running past manicured lawns in Constantia with this tune in my ears and will forever associate it with the feeling of impending doom and the challenge of relaxing in the arms of the angels.

/SD

 

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Air – Alone in Kyoto (CJK Guest Post)

Colin Kenny, Rob’s Dad and originator of the cassettes-in-the car-to-play-on-long-holiday-road-trips that Rob refers to. Electronica/chill-out/instrumentals are sadly lacking in the blog thus far, so this track from Air’s album Talkie Walkie goes some way to righting that wrong.

 
The music by the hip French duo is used in a short scene from the film Lost in translation. Like a lot of contemporary films we are expected to suspend disbelieve – that if you were married to Scarlett Johansson you would abandon her in an hotel in a foreign city for a week. She and Bill Murray share an edgy friendship as both battle jet lag and culture shock. The extract from the film where the track is used captures the feeling of alienation perfectly, with the music acting as an ideal compliment.

CjK

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Skinnyman – Love’s gone from the streets

Skinnyman is a rapper who hails from my current neighbourhood, Finsbury Park. This track is taken from Council estate of mind, which a good friend had rightly lauded to me what seems like a lifetime ago in 2004.

I like how the gritty and clever lyrics contrast the smooth (and apt) sample.

This post is the last from me for a few days as I am off to Munich to enjoy Oktoberfest and a good friend’s stag party. Don’t fret however as I have lined up some guest bloggers in my absence so you will still get your daily dose of music. They all have influenced my taste in music and fueled my musical meanderings so I thought it would be cool for them to have a say too.

Speak to you in a week. RJ

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The Beat – Save it for later

The Beat are an English band who came to prominence in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I don’t know too much about them or any more of their stuff beyond this song. But what a song it is, with a perfect early 80’s sound. I especially like the intro.

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Penny and The Quarters – You and me

I came across this track when watching Blue Valentine recently. (Is it just me or does Ryan Gosling seem to be pretty much ubiquitous these days?) This song features prominently in the movie, which was very enjoyable if a little sombre. However, this track stole the show for me, I couldn’t get it out of my head for days afterwards, it’s just so darn catchy.

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The Go! Team – The power is on



I was reminded of these guys recently when I saw that they are playing in London in the near future. Thunder, lightening, strike sounded so fresh when I first heard it, I found it to be exhilarating listening. The Go! Team may have fallen out of my consciousness of late, but this still sounds great.

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Bill Withers – Use Me

It feels like too longs since I posted some classic soul and this popped into my head today. It is smooth as silk. Enjoy

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Loch Lomond – Elephants and little girls

This is fragile and quite charming. Loch Lomond are another band from the Pacific Northwest, and there seems to be a definite theme to the sound of bands I have heard from the region. The video also has a simple charm, mirroring the track well. Also, the band look utterly frozen!
Loch Lomond, for which the band is named, is also one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, possibly only rivalled by New Zealand’s South Island. I spent a happy week camping and hiking there as a teenager and the scenery took my breath away.
Loch Lomand
/RjK

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Oddisee – Hip hop’s cool again

 

 
Oddisee (not to be confused with Odyssey) is a hip hip producer from Washington DC. I first came across him in Austin, TX at the South by southwest festival when I was there last year.

I had been thinking about posting this track for a while but then fate pointed me at it tonight as Oddisee is a guest on my favourite radio show (and big source of music for me). I can’t fight that. I love the sample, simple and catchy.