WindStorm, Till

Windstorm banshee howl
Rattling the roof, slamming shutters
Hold fast till the dawn

The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow

Another album that surprised me by feeling familiar even though I’m sure I haven’t heard it before. Other people have compared it to Coldplay, but I enjoyed it a lot more than that, both lyrically and musically. Another plus point was a track featuring Richard Hawley, another under-appreciated artist who I have only recently started listening to.

It was only when I got to almost the end of the album and the track ‘One day Like This’ that I finally remembered hearing it as part of the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony and what a wonderful moment of hope and optimism that was. I hope we can recapture that feeling again in my lifetime.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears by The Mamas & The Papas

Fun fact! The original version of this album cover was deemed to be unsuitable for public display because it shows a (gasp!) toilet in a bathroom. Later editions either covered up the offending loo or cropped it out. Sanitary-ware aside, this album has a mix of original songs and covers, all sung with some of the best harmonies of any band in the sixties or since.

The music is mostly laid-back folk-rock with a touch of blues, not quite easy listening but not far off. The highlights for me are the best known hits - Monday, Monday and California Dreamin’.

A perfect album for a lazy Sunday morning.

Quill, Barley

Sharpen your quill, write
Of wind that shakes the barley
Rebels on the march

Twilight, Late Snow

Due to a typo
The Twilight News anchor had
Been booked on the Late Snow

Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain

Ever since John Lennon accidentally leaned his guitar against an amp in 1964 and fell for the sound, feedback and distortion have been a vital part of rock music. That distinctive high-pitched squeal really makes the electric guitar stand out from everything else.

Musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Lou Reed took things even further – Lou Reed’s notorious Metal Machine album is almost entirely made of hypnotic feedback loops, almost (but not quite) to the point of unlistenability.

For me, it arrived at just the right moment in the 80s, sweeping away all of that overproduced, plastic dance music with a brilliant blend of classic 60s tunes hidden in a glorious wall of noise. A friend once said that playing it loud enough felt like standing on a cliff in a storm – buffeted by the wind but coming out feeling wonderfully alive.

I’m a bit more careful with my ears these days, but it still brings back great memories and sounds just as good 40 years on.

Tinnitus-tastic!

Leaky, Full Moon

Drawing down the moon
Raking the radiant ripples
On a leaky pond