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You searched for ‘Simple’, which matched 168 songs.
click - person recommending, year, performer, songtitle - to see more recommendations.
At My Most Beautiful  performed by REM
Recommended by javaviolet [profile]

This song is such a happy one, without being overly pop oriented. Just Michael Stipe's voice, a piano, simple percussion and the kindest words.

"I read bad poetry
Into your machine.
I save your messages
Just to hear your voice.
You always listen carefully
To awkward rhymes.
You always say your name,
Like I wouldn't know it's you,
At your most beautiful."





  FlyingDutchman1971: Mike Mills and Peter Buck orchestrated the music on this track as an homage to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. One of the best REM songs in recent years!
Just Like Fred Astaire  performed by James
Recommended by ginger_anna [profile]

Uma m�sica linda, que enche a gente de vida! Letra simples e direta, arranjos bel�ssimos... Lind�ssima e imperd�vel!

from Millionaires


new: sleepy sunset  performed by the uniform tragedy
Recommended by neko mina [profile]

It's a really simple song, musically. just some synth a guitar and two voices. both tinged with sweetness and a bit of innocence and sadness. the best line is probably "i can picture your heart falling to the ground from 13 stories up, i'll drop a penny from where i stand and see which one hits first".




Rebel Waltz  performed by The Clash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

I love how simple,flawless,and heart-felt it is.

from Sandinista!


The Creation  performed by I got the fever
Recommended by carbootsale [profile]

this is not the mod band, but a soul outfit, pretty much around the same time (1960s). Very nice melody. I'm not good at technical stuff so i will merit this mainly on beefed up adjectives. seriously though, it's just a simple song about love (with equally simple lyrics) but its got the energy good for dancing.





  Arthur: This track was big on the Northern Soul scene. There are two different mixes of the song.
ZNS  performed by Einsturzende Neubauten
Recommended by absinthe [profile]

One of ENs less soft tracks. It's simple and kind of sounds like a chant. It's very simple and one of my favorite EN songs of all time. Even if you're not into industrial I think you check it out.





  n-jeff: "One of EN's less soft tracks" is a phrase that can't pass without comment. I saw them live once, back in 83 probably.
Lets see, power drills, check; man detuning bass guitar through great big speaker stack, check; someone hitting big chunks of metal, check; audience throwing bottles at very large miked steelplates, check; dustbin lid full of burning tar, check; anything even remotely quiet going on? err, no.
All noisy, very, very noisy.

  absinthe: Um... if you think that power tools, lots of bass and a rowdy, loud live show is what makes a band heavy then you are very mistaken.
  n-jeff: True, but I'm just saying "soft" is not part of the normal lexicon one would use to describe Einsturzende Neubauten.
Summetime  performed by Nina Simone
Recommended by kaptnunderpnts [profile]

instrumentally, it's extremely simple. it seems to have nothing more than simple percussion and a haunting, eerie piano. and then comes the voice that makes this song just so thick. it's my favorite version of the song. the version i have is live and actually sounds pretty lo-fi. look for that one. i got it off the internet and have no information for it.




Still is Still Moving To Me  performed by Toots & The Maytals w/ Willie Nelson
Recommended by Steenie [profile]

I'd actually never heard of this band, but after having heard the song over the speakers in a bookstore I was in I went to one of the cashiers and asked her the name of it. She passed me the CD case...now it is one of my favourite tunes (to listen to and to sing!).

Very catchy reggae, simple but meaningful lyrics. And though Willie Nelson has never been tops on my favourite singers/bands list, I veyr much like the way he sings this song...and surprisingly he doesn't sound so out-of-place doing reggae. I'd like to know what other recordings of this song exist. In the meantime, listen to this version!

The percussion is VERY cool.

"Still Is Still Moving To Me"

Still is still moving to me
And I swim like a fish in the sea all the time
But if that's what it takes to be free I don't mind
Still is still moving to me
Still is still moving to me

And it's hard to explain how I feel
It won't go in words but I know that it's real
I can be moving or I can be still
But still is still moving me
Still is still moving to me

(Repeat)

from True Love, available on CD


somliga g�r med trasiga skor  performed by cornelis vreeswijk
Recommended by olli [profile]

it's about time i recommended some vreeswijk. after all he's one of my very favourite artsts, and pretty obscure outside scandinavia. it's hard to decide wich song to post, as i guess you'd have to be scandinavian to enjoy the masterful, deceptivly simple lyrics. the best way to describe the man is as kind of a swedish crossbred of serge gainsbourg, tom waits and bob dylan.
this is one of his best-known songs, a qusasi-joyous melancholy number about death and hopelessness.
i once heard someone say something that summed up the power of this guy pretty well: "I don�t understand swedish, however I do understand Cornelis Vreeswijk"


the best place to start if you're interested n an initial taste, is probably the new 2-cd set. if you're like me, youll soon advance to the original lp's and the 5-cd set "master cees memoarer".

lyrics:
Somliga g�r med trasiga skor, s�g vad beror det p�?
Gud fader som i himmelen bor kanske vill ha det s�.
Gud fader som i himmelen bor blundar och sover s�tt. Vem bryr sig om ett par trasiga skor n�r man �r gammal och tr�tt?
Vem bryr sig om hur dagarna g�r? Dom vandrar som dom vill.
Medborgare, om ett hundra �r finns du ej l�ngre till.
D� har n�n annan tagit din stol, det vet du inte av.
Du k�nner varken regn eller sol ner i din m�rka grav.
Vem bryr sig om hur n�tterna far? Jag bryr mig inte ett sp�r. Bara jag f�r ha mitt ansikte kvar dolt i min �lsklings h�r.
Jag �r en tvivelaktig figur, duger ej mycket till. Bakom ett h�rn st�r d�den p� lur, han tar mig n�r han vill.
Somliga g�r med trasiga skor tills dom har slutat g�. Dj�vulen som i helvetet bor f�r sig ett gott skratt d�
a very, very bad and rushed translation of the lyrics,most of the humor and finer points are lost but at least you'll know what's it about:

some walk around in bad shoes, say, why is is it so?
maybe the good lord up in the sky wants it that way.
the good lord up in the sky sleeps calmly now.
who cares about a pair of bad shoes when they are old and tired?
who cares how the days pass? they go the way the want.
fellow citizen, in a hundred years you will no longer exist.
someone else will have taken your chair, but you won't know about that.
you'll feel neither rain nor sun, down in your dark grave.
who cares how the nights pass? i don't care at all.
as long as i get to keep my my face tucked in my love's hair.
i'm a questionable character, not good for much.
behind a corner death lurks, he'll take me whenever he wants.
some walk around in bad shoes/ until hey walk no more
the devil, who lives down in the hell/ will have a good laugh then.






  daniel: Hello, I don�t like your translation of "somliga g�r med trasiga skor", You have changed alot in the lyrics, If you like the song you should work on it and translate it corectly. Daniel
The Message  performed by Grandmaster Flash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

A hip hop classic...Pure and Simple.




If you go away  performed by Emiliana Torrini
Recommended by effel [profile]

Though this song may be described as a tear-jerker, it is perfect in its genre. The lyrics are heartbreaking, and the setup of the song is simple and effective. Three sad verses, about what would happen 'if you would go away', are followed by what wonderful things would happen if you wouldn't, accompanied by a melody of heavenly beauty...




Corner soul  performed by The clash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

Sadly, this song is always over looked.It's one of those heart breakingly simple songs only the clash could do.




Heart and Mind  performed by The Clash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

A Simple little ditty with alot of soul.




Let It Out  performed by The Hombres
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

It's a very simple song, but I think it's the simplicity that I love. It's odd but it's very catchy.
"Hangin' from a pine tree by my knees
Sun is shinin' through the shade
Nobody knows what its all about
It's too much, man, let it all hang out"


available on CD - Elizabethtown soundtrack


Just Forget  performed by Samurai Champloo - Enshirou Defeated
Recommended by texjernigan [profile]

Help me out here if you know more information on this. I don't know who performed it etc. It's from the hit Anime series, Samurai Champloo. Luscious, with a simple beat.






  bobbyspacetroup: I like this one too. The artist is Force Of Nature.
Jogging Gorgeous Summer  performed by Islands
Recommended by snowmiser [profile]

Song with a definitively caribbean beat, with great, simple lyrics. The Unicorns may be dead, but Islands picks up right where they left off.

from Return to the Sea


Madi don’t leave  performed by playradioplay
Recommended by llspazz [profile]

I love this song beacuse it's just so simple and innocent sounding. It makes me feel like maybe I could have this kind of relationship with someone.




Romeo and Juliet  performed by The Killers
Recommended by llspazz [profile]

The killers have always been one of my favorite bands and this song just proves why. They have just such a simple complexity about them =].


available on CD - Hot Fuss


debaser  performed by pixies
Recommended by danielismagic [profile]

good pixies song
it's simple and energetic




Alex English  performed by Dance Gavin Dance
Recommended by Paul299 [profile]

Fast, good clean vocals, powerful song. Techy yet simple.

from Dance Gavin Dance, available on CD (Rise Records)


I Can Feel A Hot One  performed by Manchester Orchestra
Recommended by Paul299 [profile]

Simple structure, great vocals, very sad yet makes you want to listen even more.

from Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind, available on CD


Alas I Cannot Swim  performed by Laura Marling
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]

One of her sweetest songs. So simple and yet so happy sounding. Laura Marling is intelligent beyond her years, but this song transmits some innocence and it's simply a "pretty" song, that always leaves me with a smile.




Bessa  performed by Tilly and the Wall
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]

First of all, the tap dancing? genius. Tilly and the Wall are a great band and this song even though it's supposed to be sad, it sounds so lighthearted at the same time. Simple and clean: a great tune.




Just Like the Movies  performed by Regina Spektor
Recommended by brandyalexander [profile]

I'm already a huge fan of Regina, but for me this is her absolute BEST. Good luck finding it because I'm pretty positive it's not on any of her cd's, but it's a very beautiful song that you can hear her sing live on youtube. It's so weary but very beautiful all at the same time. However I feel like it's the simple, yet honest lyrics that blow me away. "Don't say goodbye like you're burrying him. Cause the world is round and he might return."




Chinese Translation  performed by M. Ward
Recommended by WarPool [profile]

The guitar is simple, yet effective and the melody is easy to get into. This is the perfect summer song for me.




Chinese Translation  performed by M. Ward
Recommended by WarPool [profile]

The guitar is simple, yet effective and the melody is easy to get into. This is the perfect summer song for me.




Already Yours  performed by Bahamas
Recommended by smrwelsman [profile]

simple. sweet. builds.




Stepping Stone  performed by Duffy
Recommended by Nori [profile]

The strong vocals make this so much more than a simple 'fed up love' type song.


available on CD - Rockferry


He Used To Be A Lovely Boy  performed by Keane
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Perfect combination between a piano and Tom Chaplin's voice. Very simple song, but still wonderful.




Fragil  performed by Jorge Palma
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Simple but powerful song. One of the best portuguese songs ever. The only instrument is a piano.




hypnotized  performed by simple minds
Recommended by pianno [profile]




Re: stacks   performed by Bon Iver
Recommended by lindsaybrie [profile]

Chill, simple guitar.




Do You Realize?  performed by Flaming Lips
Recommended by yeliabuh [profile]

vocals, guitar, drums, synthesizers. Flaming Lips songs remind me of impressionist paintings with little bursts of color everywhere. This song isn't as colorful as some of their others, but it's definitely likeable. The lyrics can be interpreted as deep, but they're delivered really casually in a flowing manner. This isn't a sparse piece. There's little interesting details happening all the time, like intermittent cymbal crashes to little guitar moments to weird synthesizer noises. It creates a texture that's interesting to listen to, but at the same time simple enough to listen to without exploding your brain or something. A really enjoyable piece overall.

from Yoshimi battles the pink robots, available on CD


Sierra Leone  performed by Mt Eden Dubstep
Recommended by Nathan1623 [profile]

Pretty sweet song. It is simple and intense but really relaxing.




Photograph  performed by Weezer
Recommended by Meggimuffin [profile]

I just love Weezer plain and simple. :)




you’re right, i’m left, she’s gone  performed by elvis  195x
Recommended by olli [profile]

probably my favourite early elvis recording, this bouncy little rockabilly number neatly captures his recording persona before he got consumed by his own image. dig the staccato guitar beat in the refrain.


available on CD - elvis at sun


happy go lucky me  performed by paul evans  1960
Recommended by olli [profile]

probably the most uplifting song ever recorded. very basic and simple, but genuinely endearing. paul evans has a nice laugh, the boyish quality of it really makes the song for me.
the song was sort of a theme song for john waters` film "pecker", by the way.




Some of your lovin'  performed by Dusty Springfield  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This song is a little more....soulful.. than lots of the stuff I listen to. I find it utterly charming though. Dusty was a goddess, and singing this lovely, simple Goffin/King song she completely slays me. It's a slow arrangement in which Dusty is accompanied by piano, light, gospel-style backing vocals and unobtrusive strings. There's nothing complex or especially clever here; just beautifully executed and perfectly distilled pop.

from the single Some of your lovin'
available on CD - Silver Collection (Philips)




  Mike: Nice pun on "slays" and "executed" there.
  Swinging London: Dusty said that this was the only song she sang that she actually took home after recording it and played it over & over.
Spanish Grease  performed by Willie Bobo  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Although it's simple and rather well known, I never seem to tire of hearing this track. The blend of percussion, vocals and instrumentation is so delicious that people always stop to listen when I put it on. It's also a perfect distillation of what I think Latin Jazz should be - the horns, percussion and vocals are relentless and full of energy, but always tasteful.

from Spanish Grease (Verve V 8631)
available on CD - Uno, Dos, Tres/Spanish Grease (Verve)



Golden Lights  performed by Twinkle  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is a simple but rather bitter pop song, although on the surface it sounds quite sweet. If I recall correctly, it was written about the singer that Twinkle was seeing at the time. The gentle arrangement features acoustic guitar and some brass. It's not hard to hear why Morrissey liked this song enough to cover it with The Smiths.

Twinkle has a lovely clear voice, and much as I respect Moz, this version towers above the one done by The Smiths, which suffers from a strange mix of production styles. That said, I have a strange mix of emotions on hearing the song, since I heard the Smiths version at 14, but only got into this one in the last few years.

from the single Golden Lights
available on CD - Twinkle (RPM)



Watching The World Go By  performed by Joanie Sommers & Laurindo Almeida  1965
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

The title of this Sommers/Almeida album is spot on: gentle, soft arrangements by Laurindo Almeida, simple yet effective with guitar and lush strings, embellished with flutes, harps and vibes and Joanie Sommers' vocals dominantly on top of it.

from Softly, The Brazilian Sound, available on CD



The Witch  performed by The Sonics  1965
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

"The Witch" was the Sonics' debut single, released on Etiquette, the Tacoma, WA-based label owned and operated by local hero Buck Ormsby, member of garage rock pioneers the Wailers, who are known for unearthing the obscure R&B song "Louie, Louie." Reworking the tunes of Little Richard and Bo Diddley, the Sonics worked the local teen-hop circuit as a rock & roll cover band until eventually coming up with some original material with "The Witch" and what would become the flip side to the single, "Psycho." After revamping the lineup, taking on various members of the Searchers, Gerry Roslie commandeered the vocal duties with a bracing blues shouter style that would become the group's trademark. "The Witch," roughly recorded in mono, is a brooding rocker based around a revved-up blues progression with quivering guitar and a basic sax line holding down a simple riff, drums kicking away in the background. Roslie belts his cautionary tale, sagely advising all to steer clear of "evil chicks," with vocal-chord-shredding wails: "So you know the little girl/Who's new in town/Well you better watch out now/Or she'll put you down/'Cause she's an evil chick/Say, she's the witch, oww!" The band barrels on, lacking any semblance of finesse, stomping into a tempo shift and doubling the speed as Roslie howls, "Well she walks around/Late at night/Most other people sleepin' tight/If you hear her knockin' on your door/You better say get away/Wha whoo!" Guitarist Andy Parypa lets loose a note-stumbling guitar solo in a style similar to Dave Davies of the the Kinks. "The Witch" would become a regional hit, receiving extensive airplay on the powerful Seattle AM station KJR, but the Sonics would never break nationally, most of the country not yet ready for the extremely aggressive attach of the group's rough-and-tumble music.
(AMG)

from Here Are the Sonics (Norton 000903)
available on CD - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (Rhino)



  blackthorne80: I like this!
Amori Finiti  performed by Giancarlo Gazzani  1966
Recommended by delicado [profile]

To me, this track is a perfect distillation of all that is wonderful about bossa nova and the various hybrids which it inspired. Bossa nova was taken up all over the world after its rise in the late 50s and early 60s, but Italian musicians seem to have done an especially good job of absorbing its charms.

A simple instrumental, this opens with a plucked guitar and simply builds up and down, adding piano and strings and then taking them out so beautifully that it makes you shiver. Alas, the rest of the compilation this is taken from suffers from poor sound quality. If anyone comes across the original Giancarlo Gazzani album, I'd be very keen to hear it, although I fear this track may be an isolated gem.

from Musica per commenti sonori
available on CD - Metti una bossa a cena (Schema)




  Swinging London: Really nice. Reminds me of a 1966 movie soundtrack. Now I've got to search for the song.
Prociss�o  performed by Tamba Trio  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Tamba Trio were a Brazilian jazz group more commonly praised for their jazz instrumentals than for their vocals. Their vocals on this track are nice and simple, but it is the instrumentation and arrangement which really make the song. What does it sound like? I do honestly like other types of music, but here goes: jazzy piano, bossa beat, thick strings, group vocals. Really great track, and from what I've heard of other versions, they really transformed this song, which normally sounds very different.


available on CD - Tamba Trio Classics (Polygram Brasil)



Stand By Me  performed by Sonny & Cher  1967
Recommended by penelope_66 [profile]

A refreshing twist to this familiar Ben E. King hit. The song marches on to a simple bass line, military style drums and light percussion, slowly progressing with the addition of violin and tambourine. It may be more simplistic, but I prefer this version over the original.

from In Case You're In Love



Long Live the King  performed by Gary McFarland  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

It's hard to pick a particular Gary McFarland song to recommend: although I love almost all of them, there aren't that many that particularly stand out. Most have some of the same trademarks: whistling or wordless vocals, brass, guitar, and a gentle bossa nova beat. They're slightly wistful, and make me feel like it's summer whenever I hear them. McFarland also worked with some outstanding musicians, including Gabor Szabo and Kenny Burrell on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Willie Bobo on percussion.

Long live the king is actually slightly different - it's a simple, upbeat number with a rock beat, bacharach-style trumpet, and picked guitar; a boogaloo-style saxophone also makes an occasional appearance, as does a hammond organ. The German 'Latin Lounge' CD showcases his work on the Verve label, and it's all excellent.

from Scorpio and other signs (Verve V-8738)
available on CD - Latin Lounge (Motor)



  tinks: i'm glad to hear that mcfarland has finally been put on cd in some sort. i absolutely love him, just because he's so ridiculous. if you like this, you should check out the album he produced for cal tjader entitled "tjader sounds out burt bacharach".
  b. toklas: There actually is at least one album that�s standing out a bit. It�s called "Butterscotch Rum" (1971) and has a guy called Peter Smith accompanying Gary McFarland. He sings and wrote the lyrics and even illustrated the cover! I suppose he�s an Englishman, because his voice has a kind of Robert Wyatt-ish timbre. It�s a very good album with a slightly melancholic mood, and with that special laid-back and somewhat loose instrumentation that is characteristic for a lot of McFarlands later work. Very cool and heartwarming at the same time. Would like to have met him and have little chat sitting in rocking chairs. (Oh I forgot: some of the songs on "Butterscotch Rum" are Seventies Rock�n�Roll. They are not too bad, but usually I skip them.)
I know you love me not  performed by Julie Driscoll  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A great track with that supreme thick kind of arrangement that reminds me of Scott Walker's late 60s solo work.

Julie's vocal delivery is interesting. She's hipper sounding than Jackie Trent; more like a slightly looser Dusty Springfield. But she also has a weird kind of Annie Lennox way of sounding over the top.

The song is pretty simple, but the production and arrangement are so vibrant and colourful that it works very well.

from Jools/Brian (MFP 1265)



The Nights  performed by Lee Hazlewood  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This song is unlike any other I've recommended, but it's hard to hear this and not sense the pure genius which infused Lee's best work. The song is a dramatic narrative about an American woman who runs off to marry an Indian and join their tribe. Instead of singing, Lee simply speaks the words, while every now and again a manic chorus chimes in with 'Thuuu Nights' while a string section scratches away. If I had as cool a voice as Lee (er, and some talent at recording), I guess I could take the songwriting approach that he has here - the music is quite simple, but the narrative as spoken by Lee is gripping, and the entire production is impeccably executed. Check out 'Jos�' for another successful song with this formula.

from Hazlewoodism - its cause and cure (LHI)


Kee-ka-roo  performed by Walter Wanderley and Luiz Henrique  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A very cool track, but not in the way I normally find Walter Wanderley's quick-draw hammond organ technique cool. This is a simple, bluesey number on which he is joined by the Brazilian singer Luiz Henrique. Luiz doesn't sing though, he just contributes some nice scat vocals, rather like the work Marcos Valle does on 'Garra'. In my experience, this is about as close as Walter gets to 'funky', and this version from the 'Popcorn' album is a great improvement from the 1967 'Kee-ka-roo' LP version.

from Popcorn (Verve)



It's what's really happening  performed by Wendy and Bonnie  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A wonderful track. As you may have read elsewhere, Wendy and Bonnie were young sisters who wound up releasing an album on the Skye label, which was owned by Cal Tjader, Gary MacFarland and Gabor Szabo. This recording benefits from some superb session musician work, and opens with a bluesey riff. The arrangement is simple, with a haunting organ joining the guitar and drums, and the Wendy and Bonnie singing and occasionally harmonizing over the top. The voices are clear and carry the melody very well. This short song has a rather enchanting moody feel to it, exemplified by the fade-out ending. The mix of earnest female vocals and great session musicians recalls the Feminine Complex.

from Genesis, available on CD



You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling  performed by Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I put this record on again yesterday for the first time in a while, and was reminded of how utterly astounding this track is. Lee's voice is incredibly low. Both Nancy and Lee add little variations to the tune, and are accompanied by some simple instrumentation: a catchy strummed guitar, drums, bass and occasional piano and strings. At various points, the song just stops as Lee sings 'Woah Woah Woooe'. Very highly recommended.

from Nancy and Lee (Reprise)
available on CD - Fairytales and Fantasies




  Liv: Lee's voice is a bit of an acquired taste(-but too,uh,rusty for me anyway-),but as for Nancy,her best recordings from this period(the 60's)are top quality..she became something of a cult heroine for die-hard 60's collectors..and went into pop history..
  ronin: I'll always remember them for "Some Velvet Morning When I'm Straight," which I never understood, but liked anyway--his rather drawling delivery opposite her more conventional one.
  n-jeff: Post Top Gun this song is remarkably popular in its Righteous Brothers version amongst the local rugby and hockey playing types, so when doing sports parties its always good fun to play the nancy and Lee version for its disturbing "Slowed down" feeling. But at home, its always just good to play it.
Black Coffee  performed by Petula Clark  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Regular visitors to this site will know I'm partial to this song and to the era of this recording. But nothing could have prepared me for the mind-blowing grooviness this Petula Clark version from 1968. It has a 'slightly too slow to dance to' funkiness, kind of like the tastiest version of 'Watermelon man' you ever heard. The arrangement has piano, bouncy drums, peppy brass, flutes, and to top it all, some beautiful strings adding some complexity to what is basically a simple bluesy composition.

Isn't it great when you come across a track and just think 'this is the best thing ever'?

The entire CD is great - 28 of Petula's grooviest tracks. I recommend it!

from The Other Man's Grass (Is Always Greener) (Pye NSPL 18211)
available on CD - Feelin' Groovy (Sanctuary)




  FlyingDutchman1971: Ah, Ms. Pet! She is one of my favorites too. I've managed to get my hands on most of her 60's catalog, including the original album this song comes from. Thanks for mentioning her! k.d. Lang also does a beautiful rendition of this great torch song on her album "Shadowland".
Yesterday and Today  performed by YES  1968
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Sweet and simpler than this groups future output ,a piano,acoustic guitar ballad ,with angelic vocals and unusual chord progressions which make it sound less repetitive than it actually is .This was Yes,s first album and gave little sign of their future prog direction this track has more in common with The Beatles than than the wigged out fantasy jams that filled future albums .Short ,sweet and lovely

from YES!, available on CD


Do What you Wanna  performed by Ramsey Lewis  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A nice funky instrumental with simple blues chords. Ramsey plays electric piano, and the beat is sweet, like a lot of Cadet label stuff from the late 60s. Groovy stuff, and quite easy to come by on the reissue 2 LP - 'Inside Ramsey Lewis'.

from Another Voyage (Cadet LPS-827)




  tinks: excellent track! definitely one of my favorites from ramsey's late 60s work.
You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)  performed by Cal Tjader  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This was actually never one of my favorite Bacharach songs, but I find this version delightful. It opens with a simple bassline and a groovy breakbeat, which are soon joined by delicate strings and woodwinds, and finally Cal's cool vibes. There are a lot of cool sounds in the mix; I think I can hear both a 12 string guitar and a hammond organ. Anyway, the track swings very nicely, and the groovy beat carries on relentlessly in the background. The all-Bacharach album this comes from is apparently disliked by purists, but I think it's really rather wonderful.

from Sounds Out Burt Bacharach, available on CD



Breakaway  performed by The Beach Boys  1969
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

I can never get tired of this song! The overlapping vocal harmonies are wonderful. A good example of Brian Wilson's genius at creating a crafty, intricate production supported by a simple melody. Why this wasn't a huge hit I don't know (I believe it was their last single at Capitol and wasn't promoted very well).






  johnnyweissmueller: I agree - I have just listened to the song for the first time ever and am entirely "won over" - superb - nothing childish about it; simple but great, humble, never overdoing it. This is imaginative genius at work - in this case it has gotten way, way less credit than it deserves. Thumbs up for a powerful voice in good surroundings.
Anyway  performed by Barbara Lewis  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Barbara Lewis was famous earlier in the sixties for 'Hello Stranger.' This is simple, soulful pop music with a very cool production: crisp drums and nicely orchestrated woodwind on top of rhythmic guitars. Somehow the charm of the recording overrides any feeling that the chord sequence is slightly obvious. Barbara's voice is beautiful here: emotional, yet understated. A small female choir comes in to accompany her at various points. The song is remarkably tight and catchy, with a prominent bass part driving it on. The producer at Stax for this record was Ollie McLaughlin, and I'm now looking out for more stuff that he worked on.

from Many Grooves of Barbara Lewis, available on CD




  Arthur: Ollie McLaughlin was a prolific producer. Look out for 45's on the Carla and Karen labels. They where both his labels
The Only Living Boy in New York  performed by Simon and Garfunkel  1969
Recommended by Mike [profile]

A simple but catchy track with an excellent arrangement which is helped along by a nice slice of organ in the mix. Dreamily atmospheric, and of course beautifully sung.

from Bridge Over Troubled Water, available on CD


Cirrus Minor  performed by Pink Floyd  1969
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Pink Floyd are heard at their best with this piece of film music, keeping it simple and atmospheric. I find so much of their output over-ambitious, but here I think they got it right - a short melodic vocal section followed by a very simple organ chord sequence repeated to a very slow fade. This manages to sound gently, atmospherically organic and hypnotic where so often Floyd sound ludicrously overblown.

from More (EMI)
available on CD - Relics (EMI)



  konsu: Indeed. The Floyd records that are best are the soundtrack material. Mainly because they had to adapt to a medium outside their own dreamy minds. This is my second favorite after "A Saucerful of Secrets" LP. But their "Obscured By Clouds" LP is also a soundtrack piece for an unreleased film that has the same fine qualities... I hate to get long-winded about the whole Floyd thing, but I have to mention Hubert Laws LP "Crying Song" (CTI 1002/6000) which features two compositions from "More".
Enchanted Lady  performed by Milt Jackson  1969
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

Jazz music for a hazy dream. Clean and simple arrangement with nice moments of well-articulated soloing. Altogether beautiful, with a cool and detached sound.

from Memphis Jackson


Darby And Joan  performed by Twinkle  1969
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

It's a situation we can all imagine ourselves in - an ex-partner is getting married, we're invited, we get drunk and embarrassing at the reception. Twinkle, aka posh girl Lynn Ripley (who went to school with Camilla Parker-Bowles!) is a lyrical genius and this unbelievably good little number was relegated to the B-side of her final 60's single, Micky.

This song contains one of my favourite song lyrics ever. Pondering why they split up, Twinkle admits it was because she wouldn't have sex with him until they were married and says "it was a woman that he wanted, not a lady". How great is that? I thought she was going to say "...not a girl" first time I heard it and was taken aback by the simple brilliance of that turnaround.

Plus, well an American friend has nicknamed me Twinkle because I'm her favourite Brit-girl and I can live with that.

from B side to 'Micky' 45 (Instant IN 005)
available on CD - Golden Lights (RPM)



  skippedparts: Wow. I really want to find this song now. Great recommendation!
Una Tromba a Dallas  performed by Ennio Morricone  196x
Recommended by olli [profile]

"Frontier Psychiatrist" by the Avalanches was built around the �bercool vocal hook from this. catchy and simple tune, the feel lies somewhere in between go-go, epic drama and mariachi music. Dig the way the drums and piano work together. (Is that a harpsichord later on?) Never seen the film this is from, but i'd be dissappointed if this song wasn't used in a great scene.


available on CD - Svegliati E Uccidi & Sacco E Vanzetti




  delicado: Thanks for recommending this! I actually really like the avalanches song, and of course however much Morricone I think I know/have, there's always more!
  dominb: The "Svegliati e Uccidi" s/track is available at allofmp3.ru,though the best version of Lisa Gastoni singing "Una Stanza Vuota" is not on it only a 7" single version which omits the guitar section which makes the song IMO,the better version of this song features on the "Canto Morricone 60's" record.
Take 8  performed by Pete Moore  1970
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A simple blues/funk instrumental with a fuzzy bassline and an incredibly infectuous groove. It's short and sweet, and the drum sound super fresh and funky. This is typical of Pete Moore, who made some incredibly cool records in the easy-funk vein, which are rarely seen outside his native UK.

from The Exciting Sounds of Tomorrow (Fontana)


(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria  performed by Townes Van Zandt  1970
Recommended by andrew76 [profile]

This is (for me) one of the greatest songs of love ever written. The song describes the appearance of a goddess among women and is pure (if at times naive) poetry. The arrangement is simple lead and rhythm guitars and bass with an organ giving a more filled out feeling from the second verse and violin in the fourth. The tone is melancholy but happy, as if the singer is basking in the light of this most beautiful woman. It must have been written for someone, someone lucky to be thought so beautiful. But there is sadness in that the singer may be singing of his unrequited love. Some of the alliteration is fantastic too.

from Townes Van Zandt, available on CD



  booblikon: there is a great story in the documentary film "Be Here To Love Me", as told by Guy Clark: this song apparently came to Van Zandt in a particularly peak morning of inspiration, when Clark describes finding Townes uncharacteristically fit and alert. after making his bed to military specification, he played Clark a new song (this one), which he intended to perform at an appearance that same evening. i may have rendered parts of this story incorrectly, so i definitely recommend the movie if you are a fan; even if not, as it is sad but quite revelatory.
Roses and Revolvers  performed by Janko Nilovic  1970
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Janko Nilovic deserves attention. He composed a huge volume of library music in the 1960s and 70s, and what I've heard of his work has all been excellent. Some of it has recently been made available on CD by the Cosmic Sounds label, who are also releasing new work by him. It's hard to sum up his work, because it was quite diverse. From what I've heard, Nilovic was like a jazzier, more wild version of other contemporary library composers like Roger Roger and Nino Nardini.

This is a wonderful instrumental that opens with a bare breakbeat. This is soon joined by bass and electric guitar, which then give way to a Morricone-style harpsichord, which riffs over a descending minor chord sequence. The whole thing remains funky and slightly menacing as different parts drop in and out. The whole piece is really just a simple jam, but the impeccable arrangement takes it to a higher level.

from Supra Pop Impressions (Montparnasse 2000 MP16)



It’s About Time  performed by Beach Boys  1970
Recommended by Ricard [profile]

This song starts with a great simple keyboard riff, and the driving bass gives it a real urgency, unusual for the Beach Boys 70's music in that it makes you really want to dance. A great vocal performance by Dennis Wilson, with intriguing lyrics.

from Sunflower (Capitol #25692)
available on CD - Sunflower/Surf's Up (Capitol)


Summer Sound  performed by Joe & Bing (aka Best Of Friends)  1970
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Fantastic piece of gentle soft rock, filled with simple and effective bittersweet lyrics. Soundwise, delicado appropriately described it in his review as a "cooler and classier take on the Chad & Jeremy sound with superior performances, songwriting and arrangements". I can absolutely subscribe to that description, the whole album is a long lost softrock gem.

from Daybreak, available on CD



To Cry You a Song  performed by Jethro Tull  1970
Recommended by kouros [profile]

There's a great dynamics in this piece of prog-rock as it combines sharp and interesting melodies with great but simple soundscape. There's a lot of air in the record an Martin Barre's guitarplaying sounds easy on top of heavy riffing duet of bass and drums .Ian Anderson's vocals are just perfect for this song. I would not change a thing here.

from Benefit


Hold On  performed by John Lennon  1970
Recommended by meganann [profile]

The beginning guitar can stand alone any day. And then Lennon's voice joining it just so simple. A little drums and the message is there. Simple. This recording was produced by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Phil Spector. You can kind of still hear the "wall of sound" idea from Spector's past.




So Far Away  performed by Carole King  1971
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Taken from the little album that came out of nowhere and brought Ms. King the recognition that she deserved, this is my favorite track. The simple setting and instrumental arrangement provide an intimate setting that allows the words to sweep over you. My friend's mother wore out two copies of this LP before the age of CD arrived. James Taylor plays acoustic guitar on this track as well as several others and went on to record his own version of "you've got a friend" which also appears on this classic album.

from Tapestry, available on CD


Some Sing, Some Dance  performed by Michel Pagliaro  1971
Recommended by prufrock68 [profile]

One of a handful of Quebec artist Michel Pagliaro's (unsuccessful) stabs at the American charts, "Some Sing, Some Dance" is a breezy, acoustic-led pop trifle, lighter than air, with rudimentary lyrics apparently provided by William Finkelberg. A sample:

Ooh you
How would I know just to hold you
How could I show that I want to
'Cause I do wanna hold you
Yes I do

And the following verses expand ever so slightly on that very simplistic base, except by the 3rd terse verse, Michel has sped along from desiring the girl to doubting she could be true, to realizing she, in fact, WAS untrue. Nothing profound here lyrically (and one wonders how comfortable Pagliaro was in 1971 with the English language to keep things this simple), but no matter: The whole package is wrapped in an upbeat, spare but energetic arrangement featuring Pagliaro's acoustic guitar chording, and nice little touches sprinkled throughout, like castanets, shaken tambourine, echoey hand claps, an elegant string arrangement (by Ben McPeak)providing a wonderful counterpoint, and a flamenco-like guitar figure finishing out the brief chorus:

Some sing, some dance
Some like-a romance
I love lovin'

So, even though Michel's been chastened by his lover, he's still coming back for more and longing to still hold this woman...and he loves lovin'...obviously, the magic's in the music here, instead of the lyrics, and it's a little gem of a song. Listen and see if you aren't charmed as well.

from Pagliaro (OOP) (Much)
available on CD - Hit Parade (D.E.P.)


ano zero  performed by egberto gismonti  1972
Recommended by 77lemming [profile]

astonishingly beautiful, early 70s brazilian masterpiece. a classical piece disguised as a pop song, with a simple piano playing a wistful melody punctuated by an amazing unexpected ascending chord hook. gismonti sings the original version, with a string section and morricone-like wordless vocal backing him. for the final minute the key changes and the vocals and accompaniment stop, and the solo piano veers off into satie territory, before resolving back into the refrain. gismonti re-recorded this a few times, after finding success in europe as an avant/classical composer. this song also inspired the guitar and mandolin trio agua e vinho, who cover it on their self-titled album along with a few other gismonti compositions.

from agua e vinho, available on CD


Andalucia  performed by John Cale  1973
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is from a great album that I recently received as a gift. Andalucia opens with a beautiful echoey acoustic guitar. It's a tender, simple song, with delicate guitar playing, entertaining lyrics (like 'Andalucia - when can I see yer'), and a great melody. The atmosphere is enhanced by a steel guitar and some nice multitracked vocals. I guess Cale's voice is an acquired taste, but I find him rather earnest and charming.

from Paris 1919, available on CD



Balance of Nature  performed by Burt Bacharach  1973
Recommended by konsu [profile]

What a great song! Burt's a heavy hitter on these pages, as you can tell I'm sure. There is something magical when he sings, maybe it's because he seems to humble the incredible songs he writes, or that he works with the best singers to walk the earth. Here is Burt at his best, in a spare setting with a strolling rhythm and paced piano chords, almost like he's singing to you across a smoky piano bar. The song conveys a simple truth, and almost makes it seem like a gospel, that nature continues unabated despite human trials and tribulations... How true.

A hard LP to get your hands on it seems. But worth the wait!

from Living Together (A&M SP 3527)


This Way Mary  performed by John Barry  1974
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I love John Barry. Actually he doesn't seem like such a great guy personally, but I love a lot of his music. This track was originally composed for the soundtrack of the 1971 film 'Mary, Queen of Scots'. However, the sound is very modern. The track is built around a recurring piano riff (which incidentally was sampled by the group Chapterhouse on their 1991 indie/shoegazing single 'mesmerize'), and the tune is played by a synthesized, echoey harpsichord. It's a delightfully simple but very catchy track which stands up to repeated listening.

from Play it again (Polydor)
available on CD - The very best of (Polydor Europe)



Love Song  performed by Lani Hall  1974
Recommended by ambassador [profile]

This is one of those songs that really sounds nothing like any of the artists' other songs. This is off Lani's first solo album "Sundown Lady" and was produced by her husband and label executive Herb Alpert. The song is the first song on the album and sets the tone with a nice easy bass line accented by the tinkling of an electric piano. The real money is the combination of Lani's impassioned vocals with whoever (maybe Herb?) singing a simple male vocal complement during the chorus. The song is effortlessly funky, understated and oh-so-deep. I haven't played this song for someone who hasn't loved it.

from Sundown Lady (A&M 4359)



  delicado: By coincidence I picked up a compilation CD of Lani's work (a 25 year A and M anniversary disc that came out in 1987!) just yesterday, and this track and 'we could be flying' were the ones that really stood out. I'm a big Brasil 66 fan but had never picked up her albums. Strange that you happened to recommend this track today!
  scrubbles: You're right -- this is a lovely, understated yet passionate song. That male singer might possibly be Burt Bacharach, since the tune was included on a Bacharach collection.
Rei do Carnaval  performed by Ivan Lins  1974
Recommended by Festy [profile]

Ivan Lins is a prolific song-writer, with his songs being covered by many artists from Brazil and beyond. Chances are you would've heard one of his songs before as they've been covered by names such as Sarah Vaughan, George Benson and Mark Murphy to name a few. This track is the opener from his debut 1974 album 'Modo Livre'. The CD reissue doesn't list the musicians on the album but it sounds like Sivuca singing parts in this - if not, I'm sure he was an influence. I like the way this song shifts from a feeling of happiness to a moment of 'concern' (not sure how to describe it, but that's how I hear it) in a single chord change only to return to its originally feeling. At the end there are some swells on the strings that just do something to my insides. Amazing how something so simple and fleeting can have such an impact.

from Modo Livre, available on CD



Lolita Go Home  performed by Jane Birkin  1975
Recommended by tempted [profile]

A simple and groovy, mid-tempo easy pop tune with a nice wah-wah guitar riff and Jane B.'s trademark teen fox vocal. Everything apart from the words "Lolita go home" is sung in French. Jane B. didn't really know French and it sounds quite funny. Gainsbourg and Birkin must've had a hell of a relationship! Another classic in my dj set which again shows Gainsbourg's tremendous ability to write sunny bubblegum pop as well as arrange it deliciously.




Sosta Vietata  performed by Ennio Morricone  1975
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Thanks are due to bobbyspacetroup for bringing my attention to this track. I foolishly thought I must have heard all the brilliant Morricone in existence. I was wrong. This is an incredibly perfect track, slightly reminiscent of the track 'Jet Society' by the Cordara Orchestra. It has lush strings, and a melody that is typical of Morricone - simple, obvious even, but very effective, with great instrumentation (in this case, harpsichord and later brass).

from Il Poliziotto Della Brigata Criminale
available on CD - Belmondo Morricone Verneuil (Playtime)




  eftimihn: After listening to a fairly large amount of Morricone music over the years this still stands out as one of his very best tracks for me. Oddly enough, this one never got compiled for one of the countless compilations that cover his "lounge" sound of the late 60s to the mid 70s. This should have been on "Molte Mondo Morricone", one of only a few essential tracks that were overlooked on this otherwise excellent trilogy.
  nighteye: I agree with you, this is a incredible track! The slow lush strings are perfect. I can't say I have heard much of Morricone's music, but if the rest is anything like this - he is going right in my list of favorite composers.
  eftimihn: Nighteye, you should definitely give the Mondo-Trilogy a spin. Can't really praise these comps enough, they actually got me into Morricone and are by far the best ones when it comes to sum up the maestros non-spaghetti late 60s to mid 70s work.
  nighteye: Yeah, thanks eftimihn I think I have to look at those compilations.
Who Are You Now?  performed by Justin Hayward & John Lodge  1975
Recommended by ChiswickChick [profile]

I can't find enough words to express what I think of this stunning track.

The lead vocals, harmonies and arrangements are as close as you are likely to get to perfection.

Lyrically, it is both cleverly written and emotive, and combined with the beautifully simple melody and Hayward's ethereal vocals, totally heart-rending.

Very very few songs have instantly reduced me to tears (for the right reasons at least!) but this is one of them.

from Blue Jays (Threshold)


showroom dummies  performed by kraftwerk  1976
Recommended by phil [profile]

I'm on such a kraftwerk tip these days that I could recommend loads of their tracks, but this one is a real classic - there they all are, looking super-geeky on the cover, and then they serve up an ice-cool 8 minutes complaining about the horrors of fame. It's the normal kraftwerk thing - robotic beats, beautiful, simple melodies, and heavily accented singing, and going on for a LONG TIME.

My favourite bit is when one of the guys counts in the song - ein, zwei, drei, vier! As if - as if! - the machines need telling the tempo...

from Trans Europe Express, available on CD


Knocks me off my feet  performed by Stevie Wonder  1976
Recommended by DecemberGuy [profile]

Simple lyrics, simple melody.

Yet it makes me wanna fall in love starting now.
Stevie's such a badasssss.

from Songs in the Key of Life (Motown)


Sunshower  performed by Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band  1976
Recommended by rasand [profile]

This song features a wonderfully simple instrumentation with strings and hawaiian guitar on a soft disco rhythm. Makes me long for some deserted island beach.


available on CD - Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band



  Festy: I've commented on the other recommendation of this track, but I have to reiterate how great it is. Pseudo african rhythms, kids singing and happiness. It sounds like smiles. :)
Always crashing in the same car  performed by David Bowie  1977
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I'm just reacquainting myself with the entire Low album after buying it on CD (my LP has been out of my reach for a few years). It really is utter genius. If they were in any other context, I don't imagine I would enjoy some of the guitar solos featured in this song. Here, they work brilliantly though. The musical basis of 'always crashing in the same car' is quite simple, but the superb musical performances and odd, otherworldly production give it an incredible richness. Bowie's vocal is mournful, and doesn't dominate the track.

from Low, available on CD



  frmars: The sound on Low is so particuliar thanks to Brian Eno's collaboration. Same with Bowie's "Heroes" and "Lodger". 3 albums known as the Berlin trilogy. Listen to Brian Eno's solo stuff and shoot in stars...
Europe Endless  performed by Kraftwerk  1977
Recommended by phil [profile]

This song is absolutely full of class and confidence - over 8 minutes long, and over a minute at the start is without drums or bass, just to get you into the groove. Then, they don't pull out the best tunes straight away - instead, they build up to them gradually with variations on the theme before building into a bigger and bigger climax. The tunes are as simple as you expect from Kraftwerk - the confidence to just hold a single note for 8 beats without changing is just fantastic - but the cumulative effect is brilliant.

The song is both hypnotic and euphoric and I can't recommend it too highly. When I looked at the iTunes stats as to what songs I had listened to the most, it turned out I had listened to this a heroic four times as much as any other song.

This song has clearly been hugely influential on groups like depeche mode and new order, and yet it somehow sounds quite separate from the things it has influenced. For example, just can't get enough by Depeche Mode is clearly influenced by this, but Europe Endless is much less poppy and commercial.

This whole album is fantastic - there is a kind of sister song to this one later on the album called Franz Schubert.

from Trans-Europe Express, available on CD


Esta Noite Serenou  performed by Fernanda  1977
Recommended by gregcaz [profile]

Just one of many gems on the wonderful "Simplesmente" LP. A fairly stripped-down arrangement and recording, but which still allows for the song's bright verse and chorus melodies to shine forth. The track is built from acoustic guitar, bass, drums and a hint of (what else?) percussion, which pulse gently along on the verses in a rhythm that reminds me of dancehall reggae somehow, while still being obviously a branch of the bossa nova tree. Fernanda's sweet croon and instinctive sense of swing navigate this terrain effortlessly. Who is Fernanda? Where has she gone? On the strength of this LP, she definitely had quite a bit to offer. But it was tough, back then, being Elis Regina's competition.......

from Simplesmente...Fernanda (Copacabana)



  n-jeff: Thats funny, I was talking only recently abou the similarity of the Baion rhythm to the pulse of the ragga beat. Along with "Its not unusual" having a Baion rhythm, its a neat way of tying up Tom Jones, Shabba and Marcos Valle.
Something Better Change  performed by The Stranglers  1977
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

�Something Better Change� was released in July of 1977 as the first single from The Stranglers upcoming second album No More Heroes which would appear in mid September. Along with the albums title track, �Something Better Change� would signal a move in a more overtly pop direction that was only hinted at on the group�s first album and would manage to peak at #9 on the U.K. singles chart. This is not to say that The Stranglers abandon their reputation as caustic agitators as No More Heroes was littered with politically contentious tracks such as �I Feel Like A Wog�, �Bring On The Nubiles� and �Bitching�, but the song�s infectious guitar riff and winning melody suggests a tenuous party rock atmosphere. It�s left to singer J.J. Burnel�s particularly gruff vocal performance to keep thing in the punk zone as he alternates between a gnarly throated delivery and a melodic toned timbre. Pumping organ and a buoyant mid-tempo rhythmic romp keep the energy high as he confronts the status quo with a tirade against stifling apathy, flaunting the punk new order with the taunting second verse, �Don�t you like the way I dance? / Does it bug you? / Don�t you like the cut of my clothes? / Don�t you like the way I seem to enjoy it? / Stick my finger right up your nose!� The bridge becomes a jubilant anthem where Burnel voices a punk battle cry to a flurry of organ runs and a growling bass line, �Something�s happening and it�s happening right now / You�re too blind to see it / Something�s happening and it�s happening right now / Ain�t got time to wait�. The chorus is a simple statement, Burnel demanding �Something better change!� with support from the boys in the band who join in for a group shout. Ironically, the arrangement also shows signs of classic rock moves, including a stinging guitar solo and an old school build up of the chorus late in the track.
(AMG)

from No More Heroes, available on CD


Chelsea Girl  performed by Simple Minds  1979
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Simple Mind's second single, "Chelsea Girl", was an apt follow-up to its predecessor "Life in a Day", an epic chant, a shimmering melody, and a sing-along chorus that paid spell-bound homage to Velvet Underground chanteuse Nico, in her role within Warhol�s movie of the same name.

Producer John Leckie gives "Chelsea Girl" a lovely delicate quality, especially across the long, tinkling keyboard intro, an aura that barely dissipates even when drummer Brian McGee and bassist Derek Forbes's kick in with their thumping rhythm. The band were proving to be masters at these juxtaposed styles, creating rock solid bases and overlaying them with much more fragile and elegant melodies and atmospheres. Here, those latter are close to effervescent and, as the band shift down into the long bass-driven, overlapping tag teamed vocal outro (a playful lift from Roxy Music�s �Mother Of Pearl�, but no matter), absolutely crystalline.

On album and onstage, �Chelsea Girl� remained fans' favorite, on 45 though, it inexplicably crashed and burned, and didn't even reach the UK chart.
(AMG)

from Life In A Day, available on CD


Why Does It Have To Rain On Sunday?  performed by Bob McGrath  197?
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Alright! This is just great, Bob from Sesame Street doing a cute little bossa-inflected ditty about rain. And unlike a lot of S.St. records, this one's got arrangements that are just terrific,thanks to Stuart Scharf,the man behind Spanky & Our Gang among others.Bob's gotta nice voice too,and handles the material with a simple sophistication.A children's chorus joins him on some tunes, sometimes with his "CTW-style" encouragement.There is another great song on here called "Groovin' In The Sunshine" that has the kids singing the whole thing,almost in a Langley School-ish kinda way. Cute.

from From Sesame Street (Affinity A-1001S)


Cordeiro De Nanã  performed by João Gilberto  1980
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Just one minute and twenty seconds long, this a perfectly distilled piece of Brazilian pop/mood music. The song consists of a simple, beautiful chord progression, which is repeated over and over. João sings a simple vocal over his guitar, and then some brass and strings come in to join him. The arrangement is stunning: sweeping and beautiful, with a delicate, sparkly sound at the beginning and end. It sounds very like the work of Claus Ogerman (who arranged the tracks on 'Amoroso', which appears on the same CD), but in fact, it's arranged by Johnny Mandel. Although this was recorded in 1980, it has a timeless feel. The entire Amoroso/Brasil CD is quite incredible. It took a few listens to really hit home, but has now become one of my 'desert island discs'.

from Brasil
available on CD - Amoroso/Brasil (Warner Brothers)



  barry_c: I agree, a beautiful, beautiful tune. You should check out the original version of this tunes, by Os Tinco�s: http://www.luizamerico.com.br/fundamentais-tincoas.php
  kfigaro: I really love very much this song with these subtile orchestration of Johnny Mandel me two, and I also know the original version of Os Tinco�s (1977) which is very different and with verses that J.Gilberto don't sing... Thalma de Freitas also sing this dreamy tunes in her album (2004) _______________________ http://chantsetheres.over-blog.com/
  delicado: Just listening to this again a few years after my initial recommendation. It really does encapsulate a lot of the mysterious, seductive elements of Brazilian music for me.
Hey! Little Child  performed by Alex Chilton  1980
Recommended by Ricard [profile]

Great garage rock track from Alex Chilton's fantastic "Life flies on sherbert" album. Really simple but infective riff, and a catchy shouty chorus. May be a bit of a surprise to people who've only heard Chilton's work with Big Star, as he'd obviously been heavily influenced by the New York garage bands he's been working with in the late 70's.

from Life Flies on Sherbert (Aura)


Standing In The Rain  performed by Hambi and the Dance  1982
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is the final track off their 1982 LP "Heartache", which is the Most Underrated LP Of All Time, and one of the three or four best of the 1980s!! The song actually sounds quite a bit like David Bowie's "Let's Dance" (which it preceded by about 18 months, in case anybody wants to raise plagiarism issues), only serious instead of stupid.
It's one of the more subdued tracks on the LP, which I would characterize as being most like the livelier end of Simple Minds (say "Sparkle In The Rain" or "Once Upon A Time"-era), but with a powerful lead singer who is probably closest to Jay Black of '60s hitmakers Jay and the Americans, or maybe Gary Puckett of the Union Gap (I am not knocking Jim Kerr's vocals by the way).

The full track listing for this wonderful LP: Time After Time, Living In A Heartache, Madelaine, L'Image Craquee, Spirits; The World, Dancing Inside You, Major Major, Too Late To Fly The Flag, Standing In The Rain. Produced by Mick Glossop.

from Heartache (Virgin)


"saturdays in silesia"  performed by rational youth  1982
Recommended by kohl [profile]

this is an example of why canadian bands are quite good, yet underrated. at least i have never seen rational youth get too much airplay.

i love this song--pure new wave goodness with a twist. it's very well played. simple lyrics and a nice tune.


available on CD - cold war night life


Crazy Dreams  performed by Paul Brady  1983
Recommended by Stian______ [profile]

Singer\songwriter Paul Brady deals with Folk music . This song is in my opinion up to the level of Bob Dylan \Neil Young . Its melancholic but still up-beat .I like the lyrics a lot : " Tonight were gonna paint this town, were gonna drink champagne till we both fall down ,we'll find some other crazy dream -tomorrow" . Its hard to explain ,but the song moves me very much, the song is pretentious in some ways , but Bradys simple(but not dull) singing makes it not sum up as such.

from Hard Station, available on CD


Sex Beat  performed by Sex Beat  1983
Recommended by numbersix [profile]

A minor hit from alternative radio in the early 80's. Marvelous simple bass line and droll, cheeky lyrics.

from Live at the Batcave


The Cutter  performed by Echo & The Bunnymen  1983
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

On �The Cutter� fellow Liverpool natives, Echo and The Bunnymen successfully wed the Eastern influenced psychedelic sounds made famous by hometown heroes, The Beatles. Crafting Eastern influences into a new post-punk hybrid that was sweeping England in the Early 80�s. It was songs like �The Cutter� that would help define the newly coined Neo-psychedelic sub-genre, practiced by such group�s of the period as The Chameleons U.K., Psychedelic Furs and Simple Minds amongst others. The track opens with a keyboard approximation of Indian strings, whirring briefly before the band kicks into a percolating groove of popping bass, driving straight drums and chinking guitar accents. Ian McCulloch adds another layer of �60 nostalgia, employing his expressive, slack-jawed vocal delivery that conjures aural images of the late Jim Morrison as he unfurls lines that drip with apprehension �Who�s on the seventh floor? / Brewing alternatives / What�s in the bottom drawer? / Waiting for things to give�. The Eastern strings re-enter at strategic points, filling in space between verses and McCulloch�s esoteric pleas to �spare us the cutter!�, which sounds like a good idea in any case. The arrangement also veers into epic territory quite unexpectedly in the second half, signaled by a sweeping wave of keyboard and McCulloch�s more subdued delivery as poses a string of rhetorically poignant questions, �Am I the happy loss? / Will I still recoil? / When the skin is lost / Am I the worthy cross? / Will I still be soiled? / When the dirt is off� -as the music swell behind him. Like any good single, the track never looses steam, cruising through each section with power and grace. A nod is in order for Ian Broudie, who�s smooth production helped The Cutter become Echo and The Bunnymen�s first top ten single in Britain and a linchpin track for the Neo-psychedelic movement.
(AMG)

from Porcupine, available on CD


Whistle Down the Wind  performed by Nick Heyward  1983
Recommended by geezer [profile]

A lush orchestrated pop song that carries the sadness of autumn and the hope of spring in its stunning almost visual arrangement ,piano ,acoustic guitar and strings weave in and around a deceptively simple song whose chorus will stay with you long after music ends.Very close to perfect pop ,if such a thing exists,thoughtful ,intelligent ,sensitive and humourous .

from North of a Miracle
available on CD - North of a Miracle (Bonus)


pink frost  performed by the chills  1984
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

heavenly guitars, a simple bassline and bang! you have yourself a pop song.

from the single pink frost (flying nun fn cold 003)
available on CD - kaleidoscope world (creation/flying nun)



Spring Summer Autumn  performed by The Style Council  1984
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Demoted to a 12inch b-side when the muse was thick and fast .A poetic vision of renewal and springtime set to simple melody picked out on a steely sounding acoustic guitar and some well behaved keyboards.Lost amidst Wellers considerable legend and back catologue .Have a listen to a writer pushing the boundaries of his own ability

from The Complete Adventures of the Style Council, available on CD


Aikea-Guinea  performed by Cocteau Twins  1985
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A perfect song. I love every note. The mood is desolate, yet warm and reassuring as well. The bassline and guitar playing recall some of the great early-period New Order tracks. The track fades in beautifully with bass, drums, and guitar. The drums and bass are steady, while the effects-laden guitar shimmers over the top. Liz Fraser's vocal is at first understated, until the chorus begins. Her voice soars as a simple piano sound joins the mix. The chords are simple, almost inevitable, but the instrumentation and execution are quite stunning.

Happily, you can hear this song and see the original video at the Cocteau Twins official site: http://www.cocteautwins.com/html/media/video.html.

from the single Aikea-Guinea (4AD BAD501)
available on CD - Aikea-Guinea (4AD)



  audioadventures: Another one of my favourites of all time. Gives me goosebumps.
  leonthedog: Yes, I remember playing this EP over and over back when it was only on vinyl... Although "Kookaburra" is, in my opinion, even more heavenly! Like angels comforting you...
Big Saturday  performed by The Jazz Butcher  1985
Recommended by Yammer [profile]

Pat Fish of Northhampton, England, is not a rock star for reasons which might include his naturally reticent and embarassed nature, excessive amounts of Oxford education, and the vagueries of the marketplace, but would not include his songwriting talent, which is massive, if perhaps a wee bit limited in scope (no weird chords, all songs about heartbreak, drunkenness, or cannibalistic fantasies about the Prime Minister). "Big Saturday" is a rousing near-rock number in Pat's heartbreak mode. His singing is liquid, soulful (but not shouty), tender, and helpless in the face of love...a love that MUST remain unrequited for the good of other friendships and sundry considerations of duty and fidelity. At least, I think that is what is going on in this simple, yet devastating tune. For more info, see http://www.jazzbutcher.com/htdb/albums/sex.html

from Sex and Travel (Glass)


"those brilliant teens"  performed by english evenings  1985
Recommended by kohl [profile]

great intro. deep deep vocals that almost make the overly simple lyrics forgivable. typical love story gone wrong, but how can you not love 'those brilliant teens'?
the backing vocals annoy me a bit ... but it's one great song. i don't know anything about this band though.




Oh Well, I'll never learn  performed by Morrissey  1987
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Clocking in at around 2 minutes, this B-side is very simple, but beautiful. It was something of a 'holy grail' to me as a young Smiths fan, hidden as it was on the rare 'Suedehead' single (cassette and CD singles only!). I managed to procure a tape of it via my brother, and was instantly entranced. Morrissey has recorded many songs which are catchier and more intense than this, yet it has a unique power. The lyrics are entertaining - 'I found the fountain of youth and I fell in', and the accompaniment is delicate and sparse, with some great guitar playing from Vini Reilly. It ends with something rather lovely - it's nothing really, but it's one of those little details which when I was young, I used to pick on in songs - as Morrissey repeats 'I'll never learn', a spooky, echoey sound comes in and envelopes the entire song. Such little things used to please me...

from Suedehead (single) (HMV)
available on CD - My Early Burglary Years



  FlyingDutchman1971: I couldn't agree more! Having purchased the US 12 inch of 'suedehead' which didn't include this track, it was such a nice surprise in 1994 when I purchased the 13-cd british singles box set and found this track. Moz sings this song with such a great since of joyous naughtiness that you just want to tweak his delinquent little nose.
negative creep  performed by nirvana  1987
Recommended by VataMcPortaltech [profile]

from nirvanas first album this song is diabolically neat.its got a simple sludgey drop d riff and i wanna do a drum n bass remix of it.

from bleach, available on CD


Where is my mind?  performed by Pixies  1988
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I still find this song as compelling as I did ten years ago. It's simple, crisp, and beautiful, opening with an other-worldly high-pitched vocal hum which is soon joined by a picked electric guitar sound and some tight drums. It's really nothing like anything else I like, but somehow the shouted vocals and indie-rock setting really appeal to me on this track. One of 20 or 30 songs which transport me back to my late teens amazingly vividly.

from Surfer Rosa, available on CD



Tugboat  performed by Galaxie 500  1988
Recommended by Stian______ [profile]

Guess u can call this a love-song , it manages to be pretty sad and still come through as pretty light-hearted. It doesnt take many hearings before its a classic in your ears. The instrumentalisation (is that even a word lol) is pretty simple ,and yet so very effective.

from Today, available on CD



Inside a Dream  performed by Jane Wiedlin  1988
Recommended by Genza [profile]

I never liked the Go-Gos. And I think Belinda Carlise's music is naff. But Jane Wiedlin has a certain something.

I remember first seeing the video to 'Rush Hour' on UK TV as a teenager. I thought that song was bloody great. My parents bought me her debut album 'Fur' for Christmas and we used to listen to it in the car. Listening to this always brings the memories flooding back.

Some of 'Fur' is a bit dodgy - but I can forgive Wiedlin. The high points still seem very high today. And 'Inside a Dream' is a beautifully crafted, Stephen Hague produced pop song. This three minute stunner moves and warps around a simple spine. Dubstar sounded a lot like this half a decade later.

from Fur (EMI CDP-7-48683-2)



  Mike: I too was bowled over by the catchiness of "Rush Hour" and also ended up acquiring the album "Fur" at the time. It wasn't her first album, but I don't think she'd previously had any solo exposure in the UK. About half the songs are simple but undoubtably effective, but several others I have always found to be very ineffective! I agree that Dubstar (who I also liked) sounded a bit like this at times - Stephen Hague's production style is quite distinctive. Did any of the members of Dubstar release anything since the band split up?
Are kisses out of fashion?  performed by Sudeten Creche  198x
Recommended by olli [profile]

Brilliant melancholy synthpop trac. from a bootleg compilation with tracks from the german 80's new wave magazine Flexipop, wich used to come with flexidiscs and tapes.
Been trying to dig up information about the band, without much luck. from the minimalist sound of this song it may even be just one person.

It's a simple song, (complete with a preset 80's synth drumline)
yet it's very effective in conveying a romanticised sense of loss and dread. It's a good song. You can listen to it on sunday afternoons.






  Erky: What do you want to know about Sudeten Creche? I can probably help ya out.
  olli: well, just about anything would be nice, actually:)
  glorious: Oh I can tell you volumes about that group. I received my first kiss while that song was playing.
  glorious: What would you like to know about the band?
  markwarner: I am surprised anyone has heard of us. It's been 24 years since we split. We only recorded 2 12" EP's. I will be happy to answer any questions.
  Henke: I remember the song "are kisses out of fashion?". It used to be my favourite in the early eighties (and still is one of my favourites together with New Orders "Blue monday" and ODWs "Lawnchairs") and I tried to get it but couldnt find it in sweden in the early eighties. I dated a girl who had a compilation with the song on it, unfortunately i didnt get the right upportunity to steal it.... Did "Sudeten Creche" record any more songs? Any chance that they could be found on the internet? I guess the records are not easy to find.... Who were the members? Where are they now? Did they play live?
  markwarner: Website http://www.sudetencreche.com
  Henke: Thanx, cool sleeves, I now recocnize the EP I wanted to steal from my ex-girlfriend (Europe in the year Zero) but please give us some more info. What about the name? What does it mean???? Do I have to visit all these underground vinyl shops to try to get the songs? I have "are kisses out of fashion?" on an old cassette from around 1984 (its getting noisy)
  markwarner: Henke, At the moment your best bet is probably Ebay. Most of these are seriously rare. For more information bookmark the website http://www.sudetencreche.com , be patient, all your questions will be answered and many more!
  Henke: I hope so, I ve heard that answer too many times on the net :-( Has SC reformed? Will they tour this summer???? Arvikafestivalen in Sweden would be THE place for a reunion concert!
  markwarner: Henke, We are about to release more information via the Minimal Wave web site http://www.minimalwave.org and also East Village Radio http://www.eastvillageradio.com and we will also provide News as well via http://www.sudetencreche.com . Plans for new (and old) releases are under discussion as well as possible one-off concert in 2007. Our web site will grow from its small start and information will be added as it becomes available. I am sorry to seem vague but many of your questions are answered in our interviews for MW and EVR. You are welcome to subscribe to our mailing list for our news letter. Please send an e-mail to [email protected] with more information about Arvikafestivlen (ATB Sudeten Creche.
  Henke: www.arvikafestivalen.se The synth and goth festival in Sweden (well there is a lot of other music too... but mainly synth) BTW your homepage seems to be working out fine, i just sent an email to your mailing list
  olli: wow, there�s been a lot happening here since the lat time i logged in! thanks for the info mark, it�s really nice to hear that you guys may be doing more in the future!
Someone you love  performed by Popguns  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A super-simple, super-charming innocent indie pop song from the hazy summer of 1990. The popguns were a nice jangly guitar band with a female singer and the old drummer from the Wedding Present. Their best songs really are excellent; I'm slightly surprised to find myself still enjoying them after all these years.

from Eugenie (Midnight Music)



Perdita  performed by Angelo Badalamenti  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A perfectly distilled instrumental which seems to capture everything poignant and affecting about Badalamenti's soundtrack work. 'Perdita' opens with a faint piano, being played seemingly with one finger, which gets louder and is joined gradually by a rich string section. Rather like some of Ennio Morricone's best themes, this is very simple, but so beautiful that it doesn't end up sounding obvious or clich�d. On the other hand, perhaps I'm just being nostalgic about being 16 again.

from Wild at Heart (Soundtrack), available on CD



spronston green  performed by the charlatans uk  1990
Recommended by frosch [profile]

pure manchester sound, quick, fast, simple, happy.
hammond, guitars, precise/ious voice..............
ideal to decide get out for a walk

from some friendly (beggars banquet)


Veil Of Tears  performed by Soul Asylum  1990
Recommended by MoeShinola [profile]

A laid-back song, my favorite on And The Horse They Rode In On, along with "Spinnin". Good midwestern post-punk. The album title is also my favorite ever.

from And The Horse They Rode In On (A&M/TwinTone)


Jellypop Perky Jean  performed by Julian Cope  1991
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A lovely little pop song, Jellypop perky Jean uses a standard Julian Cope trick - having a nice little repetitive musical phrase running in the background throughout the whole song. He then builds things up with a simple organ sound. The effect is very gentle and ambient and wonderful. At one point late in the song, Julian stunningly stops singing and starts talking. Here the real genius cuts through, and I start wondering why more people don't rant on about this guy as much as I do.

from Droolian
available on CD - Floored Genius (Sony)



Blown a Wish  performed by My Bloody Valentine  1991
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Considering how much I like this track, I'm surpised I didn't recommend it earlier. To me this is the standout from the band's seminal 1991 album 'Loveless'. To MBV fans, this track might seem an obvious one to recommend, but I think it sums up their appeal very well, with its beautiful ambient noises and simple but catchy melody. MBV's trademark use of weird echoey effects on the vocals and guitars is in full effect, and it's quite beautiful.

from Loveless, available on CD



  Genza: Agreed. My Bloody Valentine are a funny band. A lot of their (undoubtedly too short) back catalogue is either over-rated, unlistenable or over-rated. And this is from a confirmed 'fan'. Still, most of the bands I adore wouldn't have turned on the digital delay pedals without Kevin Shields, so I have something to be eternally grateful for. And Blown a Wish remains my closest call with pop perfection. Slightly warped and ill-at-ease, it is an almost unspeakably beautiful track. It still makes me ache in the pit of my stomach when I hear it.
  sinister: the sonic approximation of a kiss. i don't know. that's what this song gives me. the thrill of a first kiss. every time i hear it.
Vapour Trail  performed by Ride  1991
Recommended by delicado [profile]

However you look at it, this song is simply too good to have not yet been recommended by me on this site. The final track on Ride's 1991 debut, this is simple, formulaic even, but very nicely executed. It opens with the same nice chord sequence that makes up most of the song, played on a solo guitar. Mark Gardner's vocals are wavering and delicate (ok, they're a little out of tune as well), but charming. The drum beat hints at the indie-dance sensibility of the time, and is extremely catchy without being ridiculous.

The real hook of the song for me lies in the harmonies introduced by the string parts which periodically underlay the chords. As the song builds, these string arrangements become more full. The rest of the band fades away and leaves them at the end. I'm surprised at how much I still enjoy this.

from Nowhere, available on CD




  shaka_klaus: ye-ye! nice one!
  andrew76: first you look so strong then you fade away the sunlight blinds my eyes i love you anyway - pure genius - and then one of them joined Oasis. Bugger.
Change  performed by Blind Melon  1992
Recommended by Tetsuo [profile]

One of the better known Blind Melon songs of of their self-titled debut, yet still fairly unknown. This song is a personal favorite of mine and preceeds No Rain on the album tracklist. Lead singer Shannon Hoon's voice plays off the acoustic guitar beautifully and his simple message is clear, change is okay. My favorite lines in the song plead with us clear and simply that,

"When you feel your life ain't worth living you've got to stand up and take a look around you then a look way up to the sky.
And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die. "

Some may not like this song, but others will fall in love with it. I've grown up listening to this song and i have continued to love it.

Fun Fact:

Lead singer Shannon Hoon donned a question mark on his head and performed this song live on The late show with David Letterman shortly after Kurt Cobain's suicide, in his own way dedicating the song to him.

from Blind Melon, available on CD


Land Of Sunshine  performed by Faith No More  1992
Recommended by SamHall [profile]

The song is heavy, complex enough to be interesting, and simple enough to headbang. The bass is particularly awesome, with slap accents throughout. Not to mention Mike Patton's legendary vocals. The song seems to be about losing your mind as you grow older. It clearly has something to do with going mad, with Patton's screaming and laughing in the background between verses.

I really like this song for the punchy rhythm in bass(accompanied fantastically with the guitar, drums, and Bottum's carnival-like keyboard), and Patton's variance in vocal styles throughout.

from Angel Dust, available on CD


Nails in my feet  performed by Crowded House  1993
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Crowded House seem to be deeply unpopular at the moment - perhaps they were too popular in the early 90s, or perhaps, as I tended to think, even more than with most groups, the simpler, less good songs were released as singles, achieved success, and sort of "labelled" the band, seemingly colouring their subsequent output.

Anyway, this is a well-executed Beatle-ish song, most of whose lyrics I've never fathomed. The album is by far the band's best, though I think it was the worst seller. (Not an unfamilair scenario, of course).

from Together Alone, available on CD


Triste  performed by Pizzicato Five  1995
Recommended by johannp [profile]

This song has a simple but effective instrumentation; piano, drums and bass for the most part, and brass here and there. It manages to be catchy and interesting because of the melody and chords in my opinion. It's hard to point at something specific, yet the song in its entirety just has a certain, very definitive appeal, especially the ending where it almost has an improvised feel.

This song is from what one could think of as the 'middle period' of Pizzicato Five; they had acquired Maki Nomiya as a singer, and not yet ventured into the experimental things they did in the late 90's. Another, shorter version of it is on "Big Hits & Jet Lags '94-'97'", and that's about the only difference between the two.

from Romantique '96, available on CD


Spirit Ditch  performed by Sparklehorse  1995
Recommended by executiveslacks [profile]

I really could've picked any song from this album, but this was the song that stood out the most when I first heard it.
A gentle, almost fragile, home recording. Hushed vocals, simple guitar lines, and minimal drums, its intimacy is compounded tenfold towards the end when he samples what could very well have been a message left on his answering machine.

from Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, available on CD


"flowers"  performed by rozz williams & gitane demone  1995
Recommended by kohl [profile]

excellent mood. simple music that slowly builds up as the lyrics become more intense.
"this is my favorite sad story,
forget me not or i'll forget myself
i've got quite a few things that i'm afraid of
sometimes i just won't face myself"


available on CD - dream home heartache



  lauramun: I have just registered and only to say that Flowers is an amazing song.Rozz was amazing...I had forgotten...
1979  performed by smashing pumpkins  1995
Recommended by callgirlscene [profile]

Loud drums and simple recurring guitar riffs are the setting for a melancholy, but rocking look back on a special time. Billy Corgan manages to sound like Mick Jagger. There's a kind of regretful feeling Smashing Pumpkins evoke that I felt in the movie "The Last Picture Show".


available on CD - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Virgin)


I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine  performed by Beth Orton  1996
Recommended by BlueGirl [profile]

This is a beautiful cover of the song by the Ronettes, sung ever so sweetly by Beth Orton. She is accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It's very simple and beautiful. The song mourns a lost love, a feeling with which I think we can all identify. "I wish I never saw the sunshine...because then maybe...I wouldn't mind the rain"

from Trailer Park (Heavenly/Dedicated 61702440072; HVNLP17CD)




  tinks: oh, i love this song! i love the whole album, in fact.
You’re A Hero  performed by Patric C  1996
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Digital Hardcore just sounds hopelessly dated now. Whether its the post-September 11th climate of antipathy to all things terrorist / anarchist, or those dusty 10,000bpm sounds, or Alec Empire's gradual metamorphosis into a footsoldier of nu-metal I guess we'll never know.

However, Patric C (the male half of EC8OR) escapes this near-universal damnation with his first album, probably because it was specifically retro in the first instance. The musical accompaniment to an imaginary computer game, The Horrible Plans Of Flex Busterman beeps and bursts at you like all the best simple timewasting game soundtracks did. This song, played toward the end of the album and meant to signify success at the digital challenge, is the finest of all; an inspired melody that is devilish in its simplicity and an absolutely perfect sound to come from a Commodore 64 or Amiga 500 (two of the "instruments" Patric C employed on this album).

It also retains a definite piss-taking attitude, which also stands it in good stead for longevity; the general earnestness of most Digital Hardcore is so difficult to stomach these days, and lightness of touch sets Patric C apart.

from The Horrible Plans Of Flex Busterman, available on CD



Broken Dream  performed by Justin Hayward  1996
Recommended by ChiswickChick [profile]

A stand-out track from "The View from the Hill" (1996), Justin Hayward's best solo album since "Songwriter" (1977) and one of Hayward's best ever ballads. All his trademarks are here - haunting melody (with the simplest but most beautiful intro), emotive lyrics, complimentary arrangement and that unmistakeable glorious voice.

from The View from the Hill (CMC International / BMG)


clock strikes (remix)  performed by timbaland & magoo  1997
Recommended by fonkymonk [profile]

bfore the busta rhymes song and the recent av8 indian break, top producer timbaland already used the nightrider theme bassline in this one.
tr�s fonkee, indeed.
it's a prototype timbaland late 90's production, and one of his best works, if u ask me.
eclectic, and complex in its beats, but yet plain simple and very dancable.




Hate Everything About U  performed by Steve Lukather  1997
Recommended by lexicon [profile]

Not to be confused with that Ugly Kid Joe kindergarten rock song.

No, this is a rock/blues song, almost a ballad, with pretty good lyrics and a fabulous melancholic feel. It's catchy, and yet original in it's melody.

Steve Lukather (Toto, numerous sessions) is considered to be one of the best guitar players - ever, actually. This song, however, isn't just a display of guitar virtuosity (although that one solo in the middle of the song does give me shivers each time and again) - it's a display of how perfect and beautiful a simple song can be, and how it sounds if it's sung and played by someone breathing and living music.

from Luke


He was here but not for long  performed by Sally Dastey  1998
Recommended by phil [profile]

Ridiculously sentimental and melodramatic like a number of songs on this album, but as often rescued by the singing and in particular by Sally Dastey's voice - really, this woman is genuinely the best singer I have ever heard - a beautiful, plaintive Australian accent that deserves to be ranked with asrtud gilberto as one of the most distinctive voices in pop.

The music here on this song very simple - just a banjo, guitar, and mouth organ for backing, with Dastey singing 'he was here, but not for long/ I'll let you in on a little secret now/' before suddenly just speaking, with immense sadness - 'he wasn't the best worker we ever had'. Really fantastic folk music.

Sally Dastey was one of the Tiddas, who I have gone on about elsewhere on this site.

from Over In The West
available on CD - Over in the west


Snow  performed by Innocence Mission  1999
Recommended by yonderboy [profile]

A beautifully desolate version of this track is remixed by gusGus and available on a Innocence Mission promo. The vocals remind me of the more coherent tracks by Elizabeth Fraser. The title is apt, it's quiet and simple, music for reminiscing by a forest stream during a winter walk.


available on CD - birds of my neighborhood



  followyourbliss: beautiful!
The birds are leaving  performed by Boo Hewerdine  1999
Recommended by Mike [profile]

This simple song has a kind of wan beauty and a lovely piano and strings backing. The relationship lyric is a good one which seems an ideal foil to Hal David's "Why do birds..." from "(They long to be) Close to you".


available on CD - Thanksgiving (Black Burst)


Good Fruit  performed by Hefner  2000
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I've come to really like this band, but when I first heard them, I wasn't so keen. Like many great bands, Hefner feature a highly distinctive singer, who can take some time to grow on you. This simple 3 and a half minute pop song has an engaging arrangement, in which the piano, drums and guitar are superbly complemented in the chorus by synth, brass, and some great backing vocals. The chorus is quite glorious, with a chord sequence that somehow reminds me of the group Mercury Rev's very best songs. The words go very well with the emotional music as well: 'Lost feelings of love come flooding back/Every time you cry/ you give me little heart attacks/Love seems strongest when it's new/but that's something I can't prove/I can't prove that I love you...'

The only other reference point that occurs to me is Pulp - as the song builds, lead singer Darren Hayman's delivery becomes ever more exhuberant, like that of Jarvis Cocker in the best Pulp songs. Looking at the CD, I notice that the excellent backing vocals are by Amelia Fletcher, who if I remember correctly did some Wedding Present backing vocals, and was the singer in the Sarah records band 'Heavenly'. Anyway, this is a really infectious track, highly recommended.

from We Love the City, available on CD




  kkkerplunkkk: Good taste my friend! That is one of my favourite Hefner songs. Should have been a huge hit, it only made number 50 in the UK charts for 1 week. It did go straight in at 1 in the indie charts though!
Unchanging Window  performed by Broadcast  2000
Recommended by tempted [profile]

Broadcast are the perfect retro-futuristic band. They make space age pop like no one else today. Haunting Moogs, fuzzy, reverb-laden guitars and tight bass and drums. Trish Keenan's voice sounds like an understatement with its simple, effortless tone. For lovers of Morricone, United States Of America and Stereolab.

from Noise Made By People, available on CD



capsized  performed by Sarah Harmer  2000
Recommended by mitchiavelli [profile]

This song is haunting. The lyrics are about loss and are bouyed by a simple arrangement of guitar and organ.

I like this album more with each listen.

'You Were Here' is the first solo album from Ms. Harmer who is also one of the principle members of a Canadian folk/pop group called 'Weeping Tile'.

from You Were Here (Cold Snap/Universal in Canada - Rounder Records)



Flood  performed by Boris  2000
Recommended by Sandwiches [profile]

This album has been so amazing to listen to lately. From the beginning riff that is looped and over and over and enventually shifted around 360 degrees with a simple delay into a beautiful guitar arrangement and of course Boris' most notable feedback/fuzz perfection. Much like the new album, this arrangement reminds me of the type of music Godspeed You Black Emperor might make if they were a little darker, a little heavier, and a lot more Japanese. From the solos to the repetition of drums and sludge, I can always throw this on riding the train home and forget about all the ugly bullshit I had to put up with during the day.


available on CD - Flood (MIDI Creative)


He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot.  performed by Grandaddy  2000
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Weirdly wonderful electro-folk-rock number.
It reminds me of "space oddity" by Bowie but in a K-Hole.

from The Sophtware Slump, available on CD


Descarga  performed by Gerardo Frisina  2001
Recommended by secularus [profile]

Upon first listen to this tune, I was sold! Available so far only on 12", the track starts off in a traditional congas ala samba vibe with dashes of upright bass. Then the simple but colorful piano melody kicks in and your booty is ready to move. Although this is a modern dancefloor stormer you cannot help but hear its nod to a bygone era in Latin music. If it wasn't for the quick tempo I would think this fine example of a dancefloor delight was created in the late 60s, early 70s.


available on CD - Break n Bossa 4 (Schema)



  delicado: Frisina also compiled the excellent 'Up' compilation on Schema. Great early 70s instrumentals with a hard groove - highly recommended!
Coffee Talk - Yukihiro Fukutomi Remix  performed by Jazzanova  2001
Recommended by secularus [profile]

Although this track is not my favorite from Berlin's Jazzanova, I think it best represents the best bits of of their own work and their remixes for others. This track is a few years old but has been newly remixed by Japan's Fukutomi. Jazzanova are at the forefront of the nu jazz scene in the dance world. Beginning with a soulful piano introduction, the tune breaks into a heavy bass driven uptempo beat, sprinkled with a bit of a jazz scat, and a sample of a very haunting and seductive flute solo that sounds as if it has been lifted from an old soundtrack. The song however is not as simple as this review and must be listened to carefully to appreciate all that it offers.




Presidential Suite  performed by Super Furry Animals  2001
Recommended by delicado [profile]

To be honest, I have little idea of what this song is about, but it certainly sets an intoxicating mood - rather intense and dramatic, but very cool. It's a sprawling, majestic pop song, opening gently with a faint trumpet solo and a picked guitar, and then building up nicely with strings soon after the vocals come in. The chorus is simple and catchy, and the orchestration is lush and beautiful, and the vocals are tender. There is a nice cinematic instrumental section in the middle, with some nods to Burt Bacharach. I don't get the impression this is the most coherent song ever, but there are poignant moments lyrically, such as 'You know that when we met, there were fireworks in the sky...sparkling like dragonflies', set against the moody chorus. It feels kind of nice to be really enjoying a new, 2001 song for once. The new album is really quite good. There are some duff songs, but overall I'd say it deserved better reviews than it received.

Update, ok, I've now figured out this is about the Clinton/Lewinsky furore. I guess I'm just not primarily a lyrics person...

from Rings around the World, available on CD



Can't Get You Out of My Head  performed by Kylie Minogue  2001
Recommended by secularus [profile]

Kylie, one of Australia's most well known exports, has done it this time with this musical delight. As those who go out to parties in NYC can probably concur with, Electro is the next big thing. Can't go out anywhere without hearing some electro inspired track. Kylie must have been to a few of these parties too. La La La La - simple, sexy and with a refrain of Set Me Free, its pure candy. Enjoy the suga!

from Fever (Capitol)



Creole  performed by Charlie Hunter Quartet featuring Mos Def  2001
Recommended by secularus [profile]

"Easy fantastic, lonely together.." - I have listened to this song at least 100 times since receiving it on Audiogalaxy. Simple yet beautiful. I never knew Mos Def had such a pleasant and sexy voice! I am in heaven when he sings "I just go walking in the rain ... when I feel you passing by..." The back drop is provided by the talented contemporary 8 string jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter (once a member of Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprosy).

from Songs from the Analog Playground (Blue Note)



I�m Bound to Pack it Up  performed by The White Stripes  2001
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

A beautiful but simple guitar ballad, with Jack White foregoing his usual vocal theatrics and screeching. This song utilized really beautiful viola, one of the only times the band ever used outside instruments for a song. The most polished, elegant and beautiful of any of the White Stripes' songs.

from De Stijl



no one knows i�m gone  performed by tom waits  2001
Recommended by olli [profile]

simple, short but beautiful song. features (in true waits fashion) some absolutely gorgeous melancholic lyrics, not to mention the superb arrangement. I can�t believe how many people there are out there who doesn's see what a fantastic album Alice is. easily one of my favourite tom waits records, along with rain dogs.


available on CD - alice (anti)



first sleep  performed by cliff martinez  2001
Recommended by olli [profile]

deceptivly simple, eerie melancholic electronic piece from the soundtrack to the (frankly disappointing) soderbergh remake of "solaris".
half clinical, half emotional. pretty good stuff.
sounds a bit like something off radiohead's kid a, only more reflective and less pretentious.


available on CD - solaris original soundtrack



  frmars: The piece is not "simple". For minimalist music lovers, this is a pure gem. The whole soundtrack is a mesmerizing variation around the same notes. And I was frankly NOT disappointed by the remake of Solaris. It is an "ambient"' movie, that made me think of Brian eno's solo music (music for airports for ex). Very elegant, very slow, very subtle.
  olli: well, in my opinion the soundtrack was the best thing about the film. though I like and deeply respect soderbergh as a director( I'm intrigued by "the limey" for the same reasons you appreciated solaris), i feel his vision for solaris was too rushed compared to the soviet original(wich admittedly is a bit TOO slow in places), and I felt it didn't give enough of a fresh angle on the subject to warrant a remake. (yeah, i know they thought of it more as an adaptation of the book rather than a remake of the film, but people just aren't going to get that) Still, the word dissappointment was used a bit relatively here, as it WAS one of the better studio films out that year..it's just that the original has a special value to me. (hmm.just realized that this might not be the ideal forum for discussing films, what with the lack of the word "movie" in the domain name and all. So I'll leave it here.) Still, I agree that i phrased my description of the piece a bit ackwardly, it really should have said simple. There, fixed it.
Name  performed by Goo Goo Dolls  2001
Recommended by izumi [profile]

This is probably my favourite Goo Goo Dolls song, and one of my fave songs ever. I loved it up the instant I heard it. The song has quite a simple musical structure to it - just a steady bass line, drum and a recurring guitar melody, but I love the melody and how it sounds really sad. I don't know what the lyrics are about, but most of the meaning you'll get and it's somewhat relaxing to listen to. If you're reading this, please please please check out this song because it's really sweet and deserves to be heard! =)

from Ego Opinion Art and Commerce (Hollywood 0127112HWR)


Somewhere in Between  performed by Lifehouse  2001
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I think this is likely to be one of those songs you might accidentally come across on the radio or in a movie soundtrack, you don't know who performs it and you don't care because it just takes you in when you listen to it. You can't use words like "amazing" or "breathtaking" to describe it. It's just simple and beautiful and you'll love it if you like slow-paced songs with a acoustic guitar melody that sound really dreamy and wonderful.

from No Name Face (Dreamworks 4503382)


Pyramid Song  performed by Radiohead  2001
Recommended by space [profile]

An elegantly surreal trip through a dream world. Although this song has only eight lines (repeated twice), it manages to say an amazing amount within that short frame. Thom Yorke's wavering vocals and the slow and simple piano instrumentation strip the song down to its fundamental elements, allowing Radiohead's talent to shine through. From "I jumped in the river, what did I see" to "There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt," this is an amazing song. Every time I listen to it, it gives me a deeper sense of peace.

from Amnesiac



  CEEMOBILE: Good following in the tradition of radioheads style
Lazy  performed by X Press 2 featuring David Byrne  2002
Recommended by secularus [profile]

No doubt will be on every forthcoming Ibiza summer 2002 compilation but I do have a small spot for this top house record. First heard it on Danny Rampling's show on Radio 1 and it really grabbed me. It is a simple repetitive tune (which constitutes most 4/4 house records) but its the vocals that do it for me. That awkward sounding vocalist is none other than David Byrne, pop music's official cool eccentric. Due out officially in the UK on March 25, 2002, it can be heard out in clubs and on aforementioned radio stations. X Press 2 is the collaborative effort between Ashley Beedle and Rocky & Diesel, London based electronica/dance producers who have had success in their solo efforts. Love it or hate it it's nice to hear David Byrne do something different.






  G400 Custom: I have to say I was appalled by this awful record when it became a big hit here in the UK. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan, and hearing David Byrne doing his thing over an utterly imagination-free piece of chart cheese was enough to break my heart. I'd advise anyone to go back and listen to 'Remain In Light', ironically an album that showed danceable grooves don't have to be mindlessly 4/4.
Mad World  performed by Gary Jules  2002
Recommended by BucketDog [profile]

This is a great cover of the Tears for Fears song. I don't think the original holds a candle to this version. Simple and soulful, you can find it on the Donnie Darko soundtrack or take a listen at garyjules.com on the Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets CD.

from Donnie Darko soundtrack, available on CD


Un Simple Histoire  performed by Thievery Corporation  2002
Recommended by juvejazzman [profile]

This is absolutely a song to chill to. not for someone who wants to jam or anything but the samples used in this electronic piece of music are especially crisp. Very nice to relax to at night.

from The Richest Man in Bablyon


Warning Sign  performed by Coldplay  2002
Recommended by FoolScribe [profile]

One of my favourite tracks off Coldplay's second LP, this song is definitely not "Clocks", but that's a good thing. This is a slow track, one that's good for listening to on a rainy afternoon when you're feeling lethargic, or in the dark when you're feeling pensive. The guitars and percussion on this one are plaintive and comforting at the same time; the lyrics are plain and simple, yet full of meaning; and anyone who has heard Chris Martin sing and has run out and bought a Coldplay album won't be turning this track off.

from A Rush of Blood to the Head (Capitol)


Perfect  performed by Simple Plan  2002
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls


Rollerskate  performed by Call and Response  2002
Recommended by Ricard [profile]

From all the summery pop music on this site, think you'll love this song from the Californians Call and Response about the simple joys of rollerskating.
You can download it for free (and legally) from http://www.epitonic.com/files/reg/songs/mp3/Call_And_Response-Rollerskate.mp3 so why not give it a listen.




the empty page  performed by sonic youth  2002
Recommended by complacentbasement [profile]

very grassrootsy sound, simple, melodic beautiful guitar, great bass, expertly recorded drums, sincere vocals, it's just an all-around beautiful track.
the points in the song where they are just "jamming," in that trademark sonic youth style, are some of the high points for me personally (that's not at all to say that the vocals aren't elegantly done).

from murray street (geffen, (dgc))


you, you, you  performed by second story man  2002
Recommended by complacentbasement [profile]

gorgeous four part harmonies, slow tempo, fantastic guitar sounds and solo, the lyrics are simple, and easy to hear, listen to, learn, sing along with at shows, and relate to. kelly scullin (formerly of second story man) had a knack for writing songs in a "simple" fashion, lending themselves to further embellishment and tasteful flourish as a sort of "icing on the cake" ideal. she is one of my favorite songwriters out right now. as stated before, the songs are simple, yet their textures were always thick and lush- just imagine a big, cushy purple velvet victorian-style couch.

from pins and needles (landmark records lmr10)


det sista �ventyret  performed by sagor & swing  2003
Recommended by olli [profile]

dreamy, ultrascandinavian mellow forest music played on drums and electric organ. beautiful. simple melodies that make me think of mist, small cabins in the woods, owls and little lakes.
try listening to this when you're far from civilization. it's amazing.


available on CD - allt h�nger samman (hapna)



Tema de la Onda (Nicola Conte Remix)  performed by Aldemaro Romero & Onda Nueva, remixed by Nicola Conte  2003
Recommended by autopilot [profile]

Nujazz maestro extraordinaire has taken Alemaro Romero's "Tema de la Onda", a Sergio Mendes-style light vocal bossa number, and turned it into a jazzdance smasher.

Conte takes the female lallation-like vocals and a simple two note piano riff, adds his trademark samba/dance-skewed percussion work with a huge shaking piano breakdown, and creates a number that would have been as much a dancefloor filler in the 70s as it is today.

from Onda Nueva Remixed (Dejavu)


Supergirl  performed by Stereo Total  2003
Recommended by Superchat [profile]

A quick, fun/funny, simple little song that keeps your ears awake. Supergirl... a sweet and twisted lyrical journey about finding that perfect person.

from Monokini (Kill Rock Stars)



  olli: hey supergirl! gotta love stereo total, this is one of my favourites too.
The Next Step You�ll Take  performed by Club 8  2003
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Club 8, consisting of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Johan Angergaard and vcalist Karolina Komstedt, started of in the mid 90s with a twee indie pop sound, with jangly guitars (Angergaard being a major Smiths fan) and simple instrumetation. With the release of their self- titled album in 2001 they added some electronica without losing the general tone of their music which is basically well crafted, melodic, gentle, airy, etheral, melancholic indie pop. Karolina Komstedt vocals are quite similar to early Nina Person of The Cardigans or Claudine Longet in their airy, angelic, dreamlike delivery. "The Next Step You'll Take" is a bossa nova influenced track, with gentle acoustic and electric guitars, some percussion and vibraphone. Nothing groundbreaking, but they combine well known elements in such a charming, delicate way i find them hard to resist.

from Strangely Beautiful, available on CD



Further  performed by Longview  2003
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I first heard this song on MTV, back when nobody knew who Longview were. The music (guitar, bass, drums) is great and the melody is awesome. The lyrics are simple and poetic at the same time and I get really nice images in my head when I hear this song, partly because it's very vivid and also due to the fact that they made a really cool video for it. Some people think this is a religious song just because it mentions God, but that's completely irrelevant. I can't say I know what it's about but I know it's a good listen.

from Mercury (14th Floor 5046762032)
available on CD - Further


Hold Me in Your Arms  performed by The Black Keys  2003
Recommended by bluemas [profile]

Dan Auerbach plays slide guitar in this raw and emotional song. Simple yet moving. The Blues comes out in all of us in one point in time.

from Thickfreakness (Fat Possum)


how’ s it going to end  performed by tom waits  2004
Recommended by olli [profile]

one of my favourite tracks from the new album. it's one of his dark plucked string- ballads, quite a simple melody really, but the subtle brass and the mournful moaning of the background vocals makes truly beautiful. and then there's the lyrics..

"behind a smoke coloured curtain, a girl disappeared
they found out that the ring was a fake
a tree born crooked never grows straight
she sunk like a hammer into the lake"
stunning.

i am SO going to buy this album when it comes out, even though i've got the mp3's (sorry mr waits!). a part of me hoped that this album wasn't going to leak, so that i could get the whole package with the liner notes and all at once, but then again some things are just too good to wait for..

(hope they avoid the glossy plastic paper of the alice booklet this time. that was just plain wrong. didn't fit the subject matter at all..)

from real gone


Flight 643  performed by Tiesto  2004
Recommended by Wynnde [profile]

One of the most influential and awesome dance tracks of '04..and still bears playing today. Rumored to have been written during a flight from Amsterdam to the US, the title certainly supports the idea.
Rolling bassline, tight and hard kick and an amazing array of drumwork compliment a very simple and yet gracefully full-on melody (Tiesto's signature in my opinion). As with most of Tiesto's production work, an excellent track and well put together, displaying an awesome talent for a wonderful genre...Trance.




hung up  performed by madonna  2005
Recommended by metrino [profile]

It makes me want to dance. The instrumentation is pretty simple, but it works.

from Confessions on a dance floor



  delicado: the instrumentation is by abba! I have nothing against madonna, but I was surprised when I found out this track was by her.
  metrino: i know it's from abba, but overall it's fairly repetitive.
  nighteye: I wonder how much they had to pay to clear that sample. It's from "Gimme Gimme Gimme" by Abba, a classic hit from the late 70s. And yeah, I'm from Sweden so I 'oughta know.
  delicado: I guess all I was saying here is that it seems bizarre to me that someone who has produced as many great songs as Madonna should feel the need to take a riff from a really famous song and do a kind of 'la la la ' over the top of it. To anyone who is familiar with 'Gimme gimme gimme', the song surely sounds a bit ridiculous? I have absolutely nothing against sampling, but when it's sampling from SUCH a famous song I just find it a bit distracting. A few years ago Danni Minogue did a song that was just like this except the song it sampled was Madonna's 'Into the Groove'. I thought that was pretty ridiculous as well! But like you say Metrino, it makes you wanna dance, which is totally cool and I guess answers my question about why she did it.
  Mike: I actually don't mind what Madonna and her producers have done with this song, which is to take the most interesting elements from the Abba song, repeat them, and overlay them with a catchy melody of (I presume) her/their own. The long opening with the filtering-in works, too. I think I find it less than bizarre as to my mind, most of Madonna's better records rely particularly heavily on writing input from people other than herself...Mirwais, Orbit, and Rogers come to mind.
Roskilde Song  performed by Henry Sails  2005
Recommended by mickotoole [profile]

This is a song that was written in Denmark by a very good friend of mine, it starts of with a piano solo accompanied by a harmonica. It is a very simple yet very deep and effective song. You can listen to it on www.myspace.com/henrysails or on www.henrysails.com

from Untied (Unsigned)


Crooked Teeth  performed by Death Cab for Cutie  2005
Recommended by HelterSkelter [profile]

Very nice sound to it, you got your basic instrument set in this one, I like it because of the lyrics.. They're not totally simple. It's easy to understand today's pop and stuff like that, but Deathcab actually puts some more effort into their music.

from Plans (Atlantic)


Wedding Day  performed by Swift Ships  2006
Recommended by doublelife [profile]

Wedding Day is a guitar rock song with a mid-tempo dance beat. The lyrics are tight and concise. It's about a young man's fear of commitment. It's just over two minutes, and it has superb movement. The simple guitar leads in the closing bars are brilliant. I like this song for the steady, thumping drums, the sweetly melodic underlying riff, and the general resignation of its singer.

from Rebel Renaissance, available on CD


Sequenced Time  performed by Cubismo Grafico  2007
Recommended by sardonicsmile [profile]

cubismo grafico's (matsuda gakuji) current output leans heavily towards new wave and other general 00 trendy sounds, but 'sequenced time' sounds more like the soft pop rock stuff with his other band neil and iraiza. one chord piano and sequenced drums, simple, sparse and sounding very much like a quiet night in the city.

from Nuit (Escalator Records)


Simple Song  performed by The Shins  2012
Recommended by DavidPerez [profile]

It such a good song to hear at any time, close your eyes while listening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLTPcD1S4Q

from Port of Morrow, available on CD



  supercededman: Yeah, will listen to this. \"Sea Legs\" by this group is also good.
  saifcr: it\'s a very simple song... to be listened :D i liked the song

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