The Alan Parsons Project – “I Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You”
I like to play this song a few times in a row first thing in the morning while I shave and brew coffee. Parsons sounds particularly funky on this tune and the lyrics have teeth. My only complaint is that it’s running time isn’t triple times longer.
Al Stewart – “Time Passages”
“Year of The Cat” is Stewart’s calling card of course, and something of an anthem for our band. We love it. But lately I find myself utterly transfixed by “Time Passages”. Unlike Cat it’s less of a story-song; it seems to come from a really personal place of memory, nostalgia, regret, resignation. I’ve had days where I play this song constantly from wake up ’til bed time because it’s all I want to hear.
Tindersticks – “Running Wild”
Ugh this is such an amazing song to close out an album. A white hot slow burner of a track. Staples writhes in torment over just two chords. Jealousy and cold sweats in the the hours between night and day. Deadly.
Pavement – “Heaven Is A Truck”
A brief song that feels as if its length is longer than it really is. One of those “album track” type tunes that might initially be glossed over but reveals its charms over time. A diamond-surprise hidden in the crown of a many-bejewelled album.
Curtis Mayfield – “We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue”
My favourite song on what I consider to be a perfect album, if ever there could be such a thing. The sentiment, the strings, that dramatic pause….This song takes me somewhere every time.
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