Songs of the Moment archive With Amazon/iTunes links.

January '08

Annbjørg Lien, 'Nordfjordhallingen'
A lovely, lyrical tune that showcases Lien's sensitivity as well as her flawless technique. Norwegian fiddling at its best.

Richard Davis & John Hicks, 'Skylark'
Such warmth and grace in the rich, stately playing of these two jazz greats.

The Sword, 'Freya'
This Austin group's thunderous sound helps with motivation on cold winter trail runs and is also nice accompaniment to the Moorcock audiobook I'm listening to while running. Plus it makes me think fondly of the old, yellowed Tor paperbacks on my bookshelves.

September 2007

Crowded House, 'Even A Child'—Typically masterful pop from Neil Finn, with an intro that knocks me off my feet and an outro that's so affirming it's moving.

August 2007

Yes, 'High'—A delightful, pastoral demo from the expanded version of Tormato, with a great Steve Howe guitar part that echoes a solo piece he later recorded with GTR.

Tegan & Sara, 'The Con'—Stirring, edgy, new-wavey. Sonically, as much as anything this reminds me of Private Eyes-era Hall & Oates, plus synths.

July 2007

June 2007

Ulrich Schnauss, 'Look At The Sky' There's almost too much sound in this song to be contained by an audio device. Lush, rich, full, a swirl of echoing guitars and dreamy vocals, it creates a cavernous sound-world that opens up into a beautifully floating hollowness before building to an ecstatic refilling.

The National, 'Lit Up' I'm a bit of a latecomer to this understatedly excellent band, but they're worth the time. Wry, deadpan lyrics surrounded by mature, serious music that occasionally explodes.

Jefferson Starship, 'Find Your Way Back' Sometimes it's good to just rock, in a non-self-conscious, non-ironic way.

May 2007

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, 'Weapon of Choice' BRMC get back to their signature sound on their new record, and the first single is a typically turbocharged racer. Other tracks on the album feature a nicely seductive swagger.

The White Stripes, 'Icky Thump' A somewhat grotesque title adorns this wide-screen stomper. Sounds like a natural evolution from their last record, with a somewhat different sound to the mix.

Tenacious D, 'The Metal' Anyone who is or has been a heavy metal fan will enjoy (and get the sonic in-jokes within) this hilariously deadpan ode to this indestructible genre. (Note: the iTunes clip of this is a poorly-chosen snippet).

Tori Amos, 'Bouncing Off Clouds' Haven't made it all the way through her long new album yet, but this striking, stirring number hooked me immediately.

April 2007

Guided By Voices, 'Chasing Heather Crazy' Re-digging this terrific power-pop number from GBV's excellent 2001 album Isolation Drills.

Willie Hutch, 'Out There' Grooving on this sweet slice of dreamy blaxploitation (from 1974's Foxy Brown). Playing along with the bass line is a hypnotic workout.

Spoon, 'Vittorio E' Never been much of a Spoon fan, but their four tracks on the Stranger Than Fiction soundtrack are lovely, including this stirring, building number.

Son Volt, 'Beacon Soul' Son Volt comes alive again on their best album in ages. This is one of many tracks that carries a renewed energy.

March 2007

Garrison Keillor, The Writer's Almanac A calm, intelligent, literate, wry bit of thoughtful observation and poetry, this daily 5-minute podcast is a gem.

Lo-Fi-Fnk, 'Wake Up' (free download) This brilliant bit of synth-&-bass dance-funk shows how a few simple elements are all it takes to create pop magic--even for a couple of teenagers from Sweden.

Arcade Fire, 'No Cars Go' This energetic number is simultaneously crackling with energy and melancholy. For all the raves their first album got, I think their new one is superior.

February 2007

Barbara Morgenstern, 'The Operator' Bleeping, blooping techno-quirk verses (in German) open up to a positively sublime chorus swathed in lush, warm analog synthesizers. It reminds me fondly of being in 5th grade and being transcendentally hypnotized by Men Without Hats' utterly brilliant 'I Got The Message'--incidentally, one of my favorite two or three songs of all time.

Josh Ritter, 'Harbortown' This hushed, spare, laid-bare, emotive number showcases a more intimate side to the energetic Ritter.

Longwave, 'Wake Me When It's Over' Its big, wide-screen ache and haunting guitar & synth backdrop may be melodramatic, but affectingly so.

Rosie Thomas (feat. Sufjan Stevens), 'Much Farther to Go' Easily the prettiest song I've heard so far this year. Gentle, sweet, warm, cold, moving. Thomas' delicately beautiful voice comforts you then surprises you with moments of vulnerability.

January 2007

The Ark, 'The Others' Finally got this CD for Xmas and have been enjoying digging into its deep well of great songs. This one is all restrained, hushed suggestion alternating with a fantastic breakout chorus.

XTC, 'That's Really Super, Supergirl' Hearing the new Modest Mouse song, which shamelessly and pathetically pillages the early sound of XTC, reminded me of the dozens of brilliant pop songs XTC's written over the years. This is just one, from the 1986 classic Skylarking.

Say Hi To Your Mom, 'Sweet Sweet Heartkiller' A very random find (thanks to Ann Marie!), this is a delicious slice of restrained tension that's instantly infectious and catchy as hell. Great guitar hook, chugging beat, and breathy indie-yearning vocals.

Of Montreal, 'The Party's Crashing Us' Characteristically quirky, poppy, catchy tune from the iconoclastic Kevin Barnes. Rollicking, herky-jerky bass line and obtuse lyrics--great stuff.

December 2006

Funkadelic, 'Super Stupid' Raw, sweaty, hard, and funky, a chugging slab of early-70s funk-rock from these fusion pioneers in the days before they morphed into Parliament.

November 2006

Brown Feather Sparrow, 'Shadow Queen' While I'm enjoying the warm, natural quality of their newest album (see above), I'm really digging the equally warm electronic tones and stirring beat of this engaging song.

The Shins, 'Phantom Limb' I've never given The Shins much of a chance, but I'm quite impressed with this catchy, Beach-Boys-influenced track. Smart, melodic, and confident.

The Sword, 'Freya' Old-school metal played with conviction by a troupe of indie-looking kids from Austin. Muscle, mythology, and pulse-pounding energy.

Gomez, 'See The World' A sweet, earnest, melodic song with a warm, heartfelt message that resonates with me.

Jonatha Brooke, 'Emmanuel' Jonatha's lovely voice lends a passionate edge to this Christmas-themed piano-based duet with an unnamed counterpart.

The Submarines, 'Clouds' Bittersweet, gently melodic, and wistful, a Beatles-esque lullaby with honeyed vocals that put me in mind of Jonatha Brooke, The Cardigans, and Mates of State. "Even when the clouds roll in, I still want you near me."

Tapes 'n Tapes, 'Just Drums' Indie rock with a great sly, swaggering vibe and super bass guitar hook. Insistent, obscure vocals build to a shouting climax.

October 2006

British Whale, 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us' News that bandleader Justin Hawkins is leaving The Darkness led me to seek out this solo tune of his. And holy moly, it's a hair-raiser--high-wire verses rush by like a fast heartbeat, leading to stratospheric Queen-style choruses with big, wide-screen riffs. Great, crazy fun that must be played loud.

Albert Hammond, Jr, '101' It's a double feature of exciting tunes for me, with this wistful, bright/sad pop gem from Strokes guitarist Hammond. Its fresh, moving, invigorating spirit takes me back to when I first heard the first Strokes album--and flipped.

Mew, 'The Zookeeper's Boy' A wonderful, soaring track from this intriguing band. Alternates tense, edgy prog-rock verses with a pretty magical, harmony-layered chorus.

The Church, 'She'll Come Back For You Tomorrow' Guitarist Marty Willson-Piper provides the most soulful and sultry tune on the latest Church album.

September 2006

The Roots, 'Long Time' My one-word review would be: "Ahhhh." This is a sublime, soulful tune with a rich, delicious bed of bass-guitar chords underpinning it. Languid and invigorating.

Nelly Furtado, 'Maneater' Sure, this song is more a product of software than musicians. But you can't deny a brilliantly crafted pop song, and this is a masterful, addictive one. Chorus of the year, so far.

My Brightest Diamond, 'Something of an End' I just love how this quietly brooding number opens up into a darkly strutting cruise in its last third. Check out a free download of this song.

August 2006

The Pipettes, 'Pull Shapes' I'll be damned if I know why I dig this modern British take on poodle-skirt doo-wop pop, but it's really hooky, with a honey-harmonied chorus that flies. Great stuff.

Shirrelle C. Limes and the Lemons, 'Circuit Break' I find myself thinking that Shannon Diaz might be the best artist in Columbia at the moment. Beat-box beats, dramatic vocals, sweeping synths, she's into it and it works.

Cheap Trick, 'If It Takes A Lifetime' Terrific pop from a revitalized-sounding Cheap Trick. The soaring chorus alone is worth the price of admission.

July 2006

Patty Griffin, 'Blue Sky' One of the most magnificent rock songs of the last decade, made brilliant by Griffin's strong and sensitive voice and searingly tight musical accompaniment.

Espers, 'Flowery Noontide' Strange, pastoral, a surreal, grassy, sunny-day fantasy. Hypnotic, fragile, lovely and unsettling at the same time.

June 2006

Flook, 'Mouse Jigs' A delightful, animated, counterpoint-rich tune that weaves a web of sound through strong yet sensitive interplay.

The Cult, 'Love Removal Machine' (Peace Album version) The Cult's aborted Peace album, shelved in favor of the dry, gritty version known as Electric, was the answer to the question, "What would an album sound like if every single song was a roof-lifting, sky-filling, turned-up-to-11 blow-out?" This alternate-reality version of their signature hit is a sample of that power.

May 2006

Clannad, 'Mrs. McDermott' A lovely, lyrical tune from the 1975 2nd Irish Folk Festival LP. Warm, plummy harp, dancing flute, rich bass, and chiming guitar build into a gentle swirl.

Yes, 'Turn of the Century' At turns languid, pastoral, and epic, a remarkably beautiful love song.

Mickey & The Soul Generation, 'Iron Leg' A classic, slow-strutting greasy funk instrumental. As much as I love the loping bass line, what kills me is the electric guitar blast layered with an organ drone in the refrain. Dy-no-mite!

Elf Power, 'Three Seeds' Digging this stirring, wistful number from my fave Elf Power album from a few years back, Creatures. The album's full of great, melodic indie rock, but this thoughtful tune fits the cooler, grayer weather we've had lately.

The Ark, 'Clamour For Glamour' and 'One of Us is Gonna Die Young' Two ridiculously catchy tunes from this colorful glam-rock outfit. The first is an edgy, strutting tune that's all pouty lips and swinging hips; the latter a bright, hooky number that's like ABBA with attitude. Both will stick in your head very quickly.

April 2006

Bill Withers, 'Lovely Day' One of several old R&B tunes I've been learning the bass parts to recently. For some reason, most of them aren't on iTunes; fortunately this breezy, languid love song is. (iTunes link)

The Church, 'Unified Field' A gloriously catchy, layered guitar riff loops throughout this rare Church venture into a breezy pop song. Pure pop songs like this seem a bit of an anachronism these days, but the Church make sure it's not a lost art. (iTunes link)

Wolfmother, 'Dimension' This Aussie trio is a dead cross between early Sabbath and Led Zep, but what keeps them from being just a pale rehash is their sincerity and vigor--the vibe might be decades old, but their electricity brings this stomping monster to life. (iTunes link)

Marty Willson-Piper, 'Forget The Radio' Spring brings my fave driving-with-the-windows-down sing-along tunes, and this is a classic. Shimmering and oh so catchy. (iTunes link)

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