a blog about a lot of things

 I wrote this during December and January and I thought I published it. I didn't actually. Mostly written in airports, so you can blame the clunky writing to jetlag. As always, I follow music reviews a lot cause that's the only way I can find most of these bands (that and soundtracks) so the sample is not free of bias. Although the ranking is. And I'm pretty sure if Jai Paul released an entire album of 'Jasmine'-esque quality, it'd take the #1 spot. Maybe next year 10. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas Why: I'm still listening to this album while typing this. Classic Cohen with the themes of depression, longing, love and faith. The tones of religious seriousness intertwine with the usual sarcastic humor, with Cohen starting to sound more later-years and nostalgic. Cohen fans will love it. Actually, everyone will. 9.  Japandroids -  Celebration Rock Why: Punk classic style for the teenage wasteland with lyrical absolutes of good and evil. High int...

I did one of these way back in 2009 (http://randomnonsenseaboutthings.blogspot.com/2009/11/best-singer-songwiters-1970s-and.html). That was three years ago. Time flies, yeah? I thought I'd do an update/ do-ever since my tastes have changed maybe a bit. 1. Bob Dylan - USA Why: The greatest songwriter of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly. Still touring on The Neverending Tour. The writer of the anthems of the entire counterculture movement. Folk music was for a long time (and still is to a point) Bob Dylan at the top and everyone else next. Former Poet Laureate thinks they should teach Dylan lyrics in poetry classes. Academics keep nominating him for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Dylan isn't just a songwriter. He's not any one thing either. Undefinable except as the most important influence on serious lyrics being written even today. 2.  Leonard Cohen - Canada Why: It's almost a cheat to count Cohen as just a songwriter. Because he isn't. He's a ...

I've been irregularly listening to Desert Island Discs since about 2008 (weirdly enough it's my grandfather that put me on to it. Guess he used to talk to the Brits about BBC Radio back in the day). I always thought it was a cool concept (format outlined below) and I was supposed to (try to) determine my picks. So here goes: Format: Guests are invited to imagine themselves  cast away  on a  desert island , and to choose eight pieces of music, originally gramophone records, to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. Excerpts from their choices are played or, in the case of short pieces, the whole work. At the end of the programme they choose the one piece they regard most highly. They are then asked which book they would take with them; they are automatically given the  Complete Works of Shakespeare  and either the Bible or another appropriate religious or philosophical work. Guests also choose one  luxury , w...

I don't really rate bands unless they're great in concert. So I'm making a list of who I want to see in concert. Only rules are they must be still together and still touring (have had a tour in the last five years or one upcoming). Unusually, this list is in order. I'm not giving too much justification. Just one live video of the band. 15. Adele http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c753SCmy614 14. Muse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ggNOb2oFn8 13. Arcade Fire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtbrY6QrgPw 12.Mumford and Sons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsjo15AgTaU 11. The Kooks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iffz77kial4 10. Andrea Bocelli http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcrfvP11Hbo 9.The Cure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkeDzUVq1BM 8. John Mayer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJzGtzGydtQ 7.Eric Clapton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtLhPeLB9bA 6. Elton John http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EtCrHBq7Ds 5. U2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWBKBkEJQRk 4. Snow Patrol http://www...

In case you aren't aware, I'm a big Bruce Springsteen fan. I was wondering if I got to pick, what songs I'd like to hear at a concert. So this is that playlist Criteria: Bruce usually does about 25 songs and a 2 song encore. So that's the format of the list. Only one cover song is allowed. From The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle 1. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) From Born to Run 2. Born to Run 3. Thunder Road 4.She's The One 5.Jungleland From Darkness on The Edge of Town 6. Adam Raised a Cain 7.Racing in The Street 8. The Promised Land 9. Prove it All Night 10. Darkness on the Edge of Town From The River 11. Hungry Heart 12.The River From Nebraska 13. Nebraska 14. Johnny 99 From Born in the USA 15 I'm on Fire 16. Dancing in The Dark From The Ghost of Tom Joad 17. Youngstown 18. The Ghost Of Tom Joad From The Rising 19. The Rising 20.Waiting on a Sunny Day From Magic 21. Long Walk Home From Working on a Dream 22. Working on a Dream From The Promise...

10. Rodrigo y Gabriela - Tamacun (2006) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qgum7hFXk&feature=related Why: Sometimes you hear music that makes you realize the limitless potential of musical ability. Because these two artists have no limits. They can make the acoustic guitar produce melodies which are unlike anything anyone else is producing. 9. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_7C1vMpRQ Why: Possibly the best title song of an album of all time. It's about revenge, arson, regret and despair. Or it could be an allegory for the state of the world. 'Start as you mean to go on'. 8. The Walkmen - The Rat (2004) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDe_znFhP4c Why: Loud and super-fast. Lyrics that are half angry and half remorseful. A forceful hit of drums , bass and guitar played to a frenzy and dripping with raw emotion. 7. Keane - We Might As Well be Strangers (2004) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82n2b4Mk8Zc Why: Starts off softly and ...

20. Radiohead - Idioteque (2000) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX-fDKWGbRs Why: The entry into electronic beats. Unclear lyrics, possibly apocalyptic and dealing with war, climate change and technology uprising. Weird how it all falls together so perfectly. 19. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (2003) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psbs_8kkWqg Why: Proof that you don't have to depart from simplicity to still have a good song. Same guitar riff through most of the song until the solo kicks in. But it's the (much-debated) drumming of Meg White that gives the song its impact. 18. Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) - 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz-WDk7Tbsc&feature=related Why: A fantasy world where there are no parents and no adult problems in a town buried under the snow, with a tunnel connecting two people. The song builds slowly until all the instruments and voices enter into a sing-along which is both joyful and melancholy. 17. Outkast - B.O.B. (Bombs Ove...

As I'm already making decade lists, why not? It's music too, so somewhat related. Nothing's better than a good concert DVD, in my opinion. Watch some if you don't believe me. The performance and DVD release has to be from 2000 to count. 20. George Michael - Twenty Five -2006 - Various 19. Norah Jones - Live in New Orlean - 2003- New Orleans 18. Slayer - Still Reigning - 2004 -Augusta Civic Centre, Maine 17. Iron Maiden - Rock in Rio 2002 - Rock Rio Festival,Rio de Janeiro 16. Audioslave - Live in Cuba -2005 - Cuba 15. Foo Fighters - Live at Wembley Stadium - 2008 -Wembley Stadium, London 14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow -2004 - The Filmore, San Francisco 13. Arctic Monkeys - At the Apollo -2007 - Manchester Apollo, Manchester 12. Genesis - When in Rome - 2007 - Circo Massimo, Rome 11 Scorpions - Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 -2008 - Wacken Open Air, Wacken 10. The Police - Certifiable : Live in Buenos Aires - 2008 - River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires...

50. Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock (2005) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xSyPFnv9hY Why: Another one addressing the social issues facing Jamaica. Marley wants to unify Jamaica and wants those in charge to help. An overused topic? Not when the gap between third and first world remains so apparent. 49. Kate Nash - Nicest Thing (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruQ0O44CB38 Why: The song with the most truthful lyrics about unrequited love. Manages to personify hope, anger, annoyance , longing and sorrow in four minutes. 48. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (2003) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGdMLux4FvE Why: One of the most recognizable riffs of the decade; one you've probably sang along to. Simple sing-along lyrics help with the singing along style of this song. 47. Jimmy Eat World - The Middle (2002) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37FUvocnSsE Why: The song that carried Jimmy Eat World to the mainstream. Lyrics that reflect going through troubled are about as emo as you get f...

70 . Feist - 1234 (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmEHauRTzJI Why: Sounds like it should be on Sesame Street. So they put it on there. Starts off as a vocal ballad and finishes up with an entire horn orchestra and crashing cymbals. It remains brilliant even though overplayed through that iPod commercial. 69. U2- Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of (2001) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbdX94df3OM Why: Usually the criticism directed at U2 is that they don't live up to their own standard they set with their early works. Maybe that's evolution but this song is a throwback to those early U2 days. A lyrical masterpiece of not letting the past keep you down. 68. Black Kids - Love Me Already (2008) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9V3oITDq0U Why: The perfect mix of alienation, unrequited love and bad advice is how this song starts. One guitar solo and a keyboard bridge later and it all works out in the end. It's the most high energy song that seems like it should be sl...