Track Picks #1 - January 2006

People often ask me, a person who knows everything about music (or perhaps I don't), for song tips. I just got this splendid idea of collecting all my musical advice in a monthly blog post. Its name is the very creative "Track picks". I got the inspiration from the British music mag Q, who have their Q50: The 50 Essential Tracks To Download This Month in every issue. And just as Q50, I will probably have at least one Oasis and Radiohead track on my list every month...

Here is the first part of the series, for January.

1. OASIS - Live Forever
Definitely Maybe (1994)
It is new year's resolution time and all socialdemocratized swedes must consider the following:

Maybe I will never be all the things that I wanna be. Now is not the time to cry, now's the time to find out why

An ode to life? Possibly Liam Gallagher's best vocals ever.

2. JOHN LENNON - #9 Dream
Walls and Bridges (1974)
In december, it was 25 years since the mad man Mark Chapman shot the greatest of them all to death. Imagine is of course the most well-known song of his solo career, but a personal favourite is this... dreamy... track from an album known to be quite weak. What does "Ah! Böwakawa poussé, poussé" mean then? There is an explanation here:

"In a book called, 'We all shine on,' the author gave an explanation for, '#9 Dream.' John described the creative process in music-making as being as elusive as describing a dream. One can't expect another to perceive a dream even if described clearly. Dreams are complex, there are many senses at work that make up the dream. When the song was created, John was with May Pang. 'Bowakawa pousse pousse' were the words John heard in a dream as well as two female voices whispering his name, obviously Pang and Yoko."

3. THE WHO - The Kids are Alright
My Generation (1966)
In december this year, it will be 40 years since The Who released the groovy My Generation album. This song is still fresh, and it is full of attitude.

4. MOI CAPRICE - To the Lighthouse
You Can't Say No Forever (2005)
Moi Caprice is a very interesting Danish indie band. Sounding a bit like a mixture between Coldplay and late Pulp albums, You Can't Say No Forever was one of 2005's best albums. This track is perhaps its highlight. Click here to see the band's official site.

5. SUPERGRASS - Funniest Thing
Life on Other Planets (2002)
Life on Other Planets is one of the three best albums of the 3rd millenium and this track, often overlooked, has been frequently played by me recently. Just as the rest of that album, the song is filled to the limit with attitude, and it is just 2:29 long. Rock n roll!

6. KAISER CHIEFS - Na Na Na Na Na
Unemployment (2005)
This song is perhaps not the most complex one, but it is straightforward and one of 2005's highlights. Once again, filled with attitude.

7. RADIOHEAD - Fake Plastic Trees
The Bends (1995)
I've listened to this old one quite much recently. Fake Plastic Trees is one of the most skillfully handcrafted songs ever created. It starts silently, almost shyly. The first two verses are entirely acoustic. It builds up and when the guitars explode, Radiohead is close to perfection. It also has the characteristic, mystic, Radiohead feeling. Thom Yorke's vocal are excellent.

8. RADIOHEAD - Fog (Again)
Go to Sleep single (2003)
This song was originally a quite average B-side on the Knives Out single from the Amnesiac era. But it was not until it was released again, on the backside of the Go to Sleep single that it emerged as one of the, say, ten best B-sides ever. It only features Thom Yorke's voice accompanied by a piano.

Baby alligators, in the sewers.
Grow up fast, grow up fast
Anything you want, it can be done
How did you go bad?

9. COLDPLAY - Proof
Speed of Sound single (2005)
2005 was the year of Coldplay and the year of the excellent album X & Y. But let us not forget the B-sides. This is Proof, on the backside of Speed of Sound. Slow and somewhat melancholic.

10. ASH - Lose Control
1977 (1996)
The opening track of Irish punk-britpop band Ash' brilliant album 1977 (that's the title of it, but it was released in -96). Gives a great kick off to one of the best albums that I know of. Among opening tracks, there are not many beating it.

11. BRODER DANIEL - Out of This Town
Crueltown (2003)
This one of my favourite songs. Melancholic and melodic.

12. EMBRACE - Ashes
Out of Nothing (2005)
Embrace is a great britpop band who is fairly unknown here in Sweden. Ashes is one of their better songs.

13. OASIS - Whatever
Whatever single (1994)
At christmas 10 years ago, Oasis released a single with Whatever as A-side. The song isn't featured on any album or compilation, and is because of that reason often forgotten. Very simple, very happy.

14. LE SPORT - Tell No One About Tonight
Tell No One About Tonight (2005)
Swedish indie pop duo with an electronic touch. A good song.

15. ORANGE PEELS - Something In You
Circling the Sun (2005)
American indie pop trio whose existence I didn't know of until this year when they released their third album. This track opens it, and it feels like summer.

16. HARD-FI - Move on Now
Stars of CCTV (2005)
A ballad which qualifies as one of the better tracks at britpop band Hard-Fi's brilliantly named debute album Stars of CCTV.

17. DARLENE LOVE - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
A Christmas Gift to You from Phil Spector (1963)
Okey, Christmas is almost over but this one is so bizarre that I need to share it. Darlene Love performs it at Letterman every year at christmas (watch this year's perfomance here). It is possibly THE christmas song, with its exaggeration of all the usual christmas song ingridients. Very popular in the US, less known here.

18. KENT - Mannen i den Vita Hatten (20 år senare)
Du & Jag Döden (2005)
This was probably the best Swedish song of last year. A 7 minute epic, the band's best moment.

19. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS - Frisbee
Fuzzy Logic (1996)
From the track title you might guess that this is quite bizarre.

I had my frisbee sharpened and honed
I had it galvanised and chromed
Decapitate and bury your toys
My frisbee brings the noise

You were right. But this is funny and great! From britpop band Super Furry Animals' debute album.

20. OASIS - Slide Away
Definitely Maybe (1994)
This list starts and ends with Definitely Maybe tracks. I've listened to this one a lot recently.

Let me be the one, who shines with you, and in the morning we don't know what to do.