too hot, too greedy....

Earworms of the Week

“Books from Boxes” – Maximo Park

I've liked Maximo Park since their very first album, although I think my favourite of their records is their second, "Our Earthly Pleasures".  This is my favourite track from that album.  I haven't heard it in a while, but when it popped up on a playlist the other day, I was struck again how this is such a beautiful combination of the music with Paul Smith's wistful lyrics.

"Rain explodes
At the moment that the cab door closed
I feel the weight upon your kiss; ambiguous"

They have some proper stompers in their back catalogue (Apply Some Pressure being the most obvious), but this is my favourite.  Good band.  Derby-born guitarist, you know.

“Kids in America” – Kim Wilde

Nope.  No idea.  What a tune though, eh? Inevitably, I had a massive crush on Kim Wilde when I was 12.  Who didn't?

“Iron Man” – Black Sabbath

Because sometimes you really just need to listen to the heaviest, most basic riffing that you can find.... and it doesn't come much heavier or more basic than Black Sabbath.  There's a classic Comic Book Guy kind of a guy at work, and he likes to spend his lunch hour sitting up in a public seating area, quietly tapping away on his technology blog on his Macbook.  On the front of his Mac, he has a massive sticker of Iron Man in his classic pose.  Bless him.  I think he thinks that this combination makes him look like the coolest man alive.  Well, who am I to judge?  Perhaps he is.

“This is a Low” – Blur

It's songs like this that help you to realise all over again how ridiculous the comparison between Blur and Oasis really was.  I somehow can't imagine that Noel Gallagher would ever come up with something like this, and I doubt that Liam Gallagher even knows what the Shipping Forecast is.  There was a guy busking "Half The World Away" on his guitar outside the Coop on our high street on Saturday lunchtime this week.  Some pissed up lads walked past him, shouting for him to play Wonderwall.  When he kept on playing what he was playing, they just started bellowing Wonderwall at him as they walked past.  That's Oasis fans for you, eh?

“I Stand Corrected” – Vampire Weekend

I like their first album very much.  I like their third album very much.  I've listened to their second album about twice.  What happened?

“Return of the Mack” – Mark Morrison

Leicester's finest.  I caught the end of an interview with Chrissie Hynde on 6Music last Sunday.  She was talking about her life and choosing records.  She had the choice of any record in the world to play the show out and, remarkably but wonderfully, she chose this.  Apparently, every time she hears it, she wants to believe that she lied to him and did him wrong.  Perhaps she did.  It's a brilliant record though, isn't it?  In my head it's always paired with "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio for some reason... and beautifully, one of my leaving gifts from my team at work today was Coolio's cookbook.  Respect.

“Everywhere” – Fleetwood Mac

Ah.  Beautiful harmonies and drifty-away type music.  Not always my cup of tea, but just sometimes it scratches an itch you didn't know you had.

“Bright Eyes” – Art Garfunkel

I watched "Watership Down" quite a lot as a kid, and I think I loved it.  I say "think" because it's basically pretty horrific in parts, isn't it?  Never mind when the Black Rabbit comes to take Hazel, what about the bit where the rabbits were being gassed?  This is a children's story, right?  Well, I suppose you have to learn about the brutality of life and the inevitability of death sooner or later, right?

“Africa” – Hackney Colliery Band

Hipsters, for sure, but I defy you to listen to this and not have a smile on your face.  I decided this week that the original version of this song would be one of my Desert Island Discs.  It's not a cool choice, but it's such a majestic record that I just plain don't care.  This is a happy, happy version.  I think I want this version played at my funeral.  Right after "Fire" by Arthur Brown.  OK?

"Christmas Wrapping" - The Waitresses

It's not even fucking November yet and I head this playing twice -- TWICE -- as I walked past reception today.  TOO SOON.

“Wuthering Heights” – Kate Bush

It's not the whole of the song per se that's been stuck in my head -- how many people can sing along to that? It's the beginning bit; those tinkley piano bits before she starts warbling along.  It's that bit.  Over and over and over again.  At least it's a good bit, I suppose.  Could be worse.  This song really sounds like nothing else, does it?  It's however many years old and it still sounds fresh and unique.  How many songs can you say that about?  Astonishing.

And with that.... have a great weekend, y'all.