Otis Redding - "Pain In My Heart"
Otis Redding only has about 7 complete sentences in this song, but the way he performs and sings them can give you 70 years worth of heartache in 2 1/2 minutes. With that being said, the only emotion I get when I listen to it is pure joy.
Ednaswap - "Clown Show"
I'm a Pink-Floyd freak and I think Anne Preven, who was frontwoman of this band, may have been Roger Waters and Anne Wilson of Heart's illegitimate daughter. What does a band do when confronted with such bloodlines? They write a song like "Clown Show," that’s what. Speaking of bloodlines and such: Rusty Anderson, their guitarist, has been on tour with Paul McCartney for the last 2 years and this band also wrote "Torn" that Natalie Imbruglia made into a smash hit. Their version off Wacko Magnetto, the same album with "Clown Show" on it, reigns far more superior that the poppy record industry designed version that Imbruglia did.
Wilco -"Hummingbird"
"His goal in life was to be an echo" is the opening lyric to this little masterpiece. Melancholy never sounded so damn good and I can't get enough. There is a perfect balance of poetry and song-writing in this song. Great, well-thought out lyrics and music. Wilco always brings that to the table; and when you sit at a Wilco table, it may take a while, but sooner or later you'll get stabbed in the face with an ice pick full of meaning.
The Beatles - "And Your Bird Can Sing"
A wonderful example of clever rock writing 101 from a time in music when guitars were starting to crank up to 11 and bands (even The Beatles) were writing lyrics based on whatever their rice-crispies told them to write about that morning. This song shines for me as a template for melodic guitars, soaring harmonies, classic Beatles major/minor mix, sick production that scholars still can't figure out and then some. Listen to this track and then tell yourself that it is over 40 years old, and if that doesn't crack your frontal lobe then check your pulse.
Thom Yorke - "Black Swan"
Great beat and addicting vibe. Awesome to run to here lately as well. So much so that I don't usually think about the loneliness involved in the lyrics. Oddly enough, when I do think about the lyrics it always takes me to a strangely comfortable place where everyone understands how f*cked up it all really is.
Graham Coxon - "I Wish" (Live)
The ultimate angry musician song. "I wish the music would play by itself - shredded fingers - no ideas." The live version of this song oozes resentment and I love the way he mixes the simplicity of the melody with the emotional complexity of the lyrics delivered in a series of one-liners. Anger, loss, and longing. The song goes completely out of control at times...in the best possible way. A must hear.
Madness - "It Must Be Love"
Brilliant arrangement. Mostly beautiful and at times awkward...like most relationships I've had. 80's Brit pop classic! Strangely, one of the reasons I started playing music. This was my hair brush microphone in the mirror song and because I came from a family that listened to a lot of classical music, the string arrangements did not go unnoticed either. I had discovered The Beatles by then and “It Must Be Love” was very reminiscent of a McCartney tune.
Arab Strap - "Haunt Me"
Slow, steady, beautiful, and gripping. There's nothing better than for this song to come up randomly during a long night of love-making. 'Nuf said. And because this was so short I have to give honorable mention to Motley Crue's "Shout At The Devil" for exactly the opposite reason. Horrifically trashy. I'm embarrassed at how much I enjoy it. There's nothing better than for it to come up randomly during a long night on the road when you're getting sleepy.
Travis - "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?"
This song reminds of the beginnings of two important things in my life. When this came out in the States, it was right around the time I met my wife, and when Digby got started. The combination of those two events, and the raw emotion of this song, has made it one of my all-time favorites. That, and the entire album it's from, The Man Who, are classics!!
Blur - "Coffee and TV"
This was sung by the band's guitarist, Graham Coxon, and it's a precursor of things to come by him. The overall tones and sounds on the record alone make it stand out. But it's the way the song is written and arranged that I love. Beautiful harmonies and one of my favorite guitar solos at the end!! It's the sound of every guitar effect pedal randomly being turned on and off. Genius!!
Radiohead - "Just"
Even though OK Computer was their huge breakout album, The Bends is my favorite. Jonny Greenwood's solo is phenomenal!! The really high note in the middle of it when the band gets quiet and then builds back up for the ending gives me chills. And the line "teach you how to be a holy cow" makes me giggle.
The Cure - "A Forest"
This song's video is what first made me feel like I could play bass. The video was made in the early 1980s before all the flash and special effects that would become the MTV standard, but it was great because it simply showed the band playing their instruments. I had it on video-tape back in high school and used to be really impressed by the prominent bass-line in the song. Many times it showed a close-up on the bass player’s hands, and I was amazed that he was playing all the notes on one string. It seemed so effortless, so easy, and yet this guy was still creating this massive part. I couldn't help but think: "Hey, that doesn't look hard at all! I could do that!" (Ironically, I never got around to figuring out the bass line!)
The Who - "The Real Me"
On the other end of the spectrum, this is the song that made me want to put down my bass guitar and just walk away slowly. That was it, no more, I'm done. John Entwistle was a god who walked among us as a man, and I am not worthy of even daring to play the same instrument as he did. Kids, put on your headphones and turn it up LOUD. It's that good.
REM - "Wolves, Lower"
To this day I have no idea what the words are, but for nearly 10 years I drove around with the tape in my car. And I sang along with whatever gibberish I could come up with that fit the music. I didn't care what the words were then and I still don't today. The song just sounded cool, I had fun rocking out to it, and it made me want to be in a band too. To make cool music I could jam to in my car ....hopefully with better articulation.
Wilco - "Sunken Treasure"
Someday I would like to write poetry like this. The words and images in this song are so direct I can't help but feel melancholy and regret. But the crazy thing is ... I don't know exactly WHY I feel sad! The song doesn't specifically remind me of any one person or incident. It just takes me to sad-town, population me. And I like it there.
Photo: Eddie Dant
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Digby’s What’s Not Plastic? EP is out now on Label X/Toucan Records.
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