Play the game - Kodaline

Play the game - Kodaline

And here we are, the long weekend has begun!! I never gave much weight to the official holidays before, but I guess that my point of view has changed now, as I was leaving the office with a big smile on my face today! Especially because I have a great plan for the weekend, i.e. I'm gonna go to Barcelona and visit my dear friend H. who was a colleague of mine during my internship in U.K. last year! I'm so glad to get the chance to meet her months after she came to visit in Milan, and I'm also happy to finally get the chance to properly see the city of fiesta and playa (just to build a bit on the stereotypes)!! I'll do my best to keep the blog posted, you will for sure hear from me tomorrow as my plane is late at night, and then I'll be back on tuesday, worst case scenario (I hope not)!! Ready, set, go play the game!!

Big big love (fig.2) - Foals

Big big love (fig.2) - Foals

Given what I've been listening to this afternoon, I had to post either a Foster the People song or a Foals song. I was quite sure I had already posted this one, so when I found out I didn't (i.e. now) my mind has been made up and here we are! I have been an early (?) Foals fan thanks to the Fifa 09 soccer videogame, as their song 'Olympic airways' was featured on its soundtrack, and has always been one of my favourites. I then went on to listen to their debut album 'Antidotes', which features this beautiful 'Big big love (fig.2)' and their two subsequent releases, to then go to their concert in Milan... well, it seems like it was yesterday, so I'd dare say last year, but it might have been late 2013. Yeah it must, because I was in Exeter last year at the beginning of 2014. In late 2013 with my friend A. (who I've practically not seen since, gosh, time flies so fast, there's so many people I need to get back in contact with)!! Big big night (fig.1)!

Wild child - Enya

Wild child - Enya

You might remember that I have posted a song by Ludovico Einaudi a few days ago; that day, after his beautiful and soothing piano music, I turned to Enya's celtic folk, which worked as well. Today I started getting again a little bit of headache in the afternoon and so I put my earplugs back on and asked for a little Irish help, which was much needed and very effective once again! Because I can become a wild child even with the most relaxing music!!

Dreaming out loud - OneRepublic

Dreaming out loud - OneRepublic

It's a pity that I have already posted Imagine Dragons' 'Dream', as I've been utterly in love with the song, it's really really beautiful, and I felt the need to post something dreams-related today. I've never been a big dreamer, meaning that most of the movies in my head took place while I was awake and, even if they did when I was asleep, I very rarely remembered them in the morning. Lately instead I've been recalling my dreams quite often, be it because being forced to wake up early I sleep worse in the morning and this helps me remember or whatever else is the reason, that's what's happening. And this morning it's been no different. The context and environment of the dream were, as usual, realistic but surreal, but the feelings were so strong and realistic... I was basically getting involved with a person (I know for real) who wanted to have a sentimental experience with me (highly, highly unlikely and I've actually never felt particularly attracted to him), but the dream was so vivid... the determination and the uncertainty, the imaginary and then realistic home, showers lasting forever and making it hard for us to be together at night, and finally meeting again in the morning, not sure if anything was gonna happen, then he says his heart is beating so strong, I put my hand on it to feel, then a kiss... and then the waking up. Waking up with a feeling so good I can't describe, a feeling I had never felt in my awake life, of completeness, of fulfillment, of happiness... well, it made my monday much less hard to bear.
Such a pity that we are all living in a dream (but is it so bad?)... well, if just for today, I'd rather be dreaming out loud!

#sundayrevival Free to decide - The Cranberries

Free to decide - The Cranberries

I didn't have much inspiration for this sundayrevival, because I've been mainly listening to new stuff and new playlists in the last few days, but I went back and checked what I could do and, well... I realised that when you have a music blog and in one and a half years you have posted less than half a dozen songs by your favourite band, there are things that need to be done, such as posting one of your favourite songs by your favourite bands! This song had a great great meaning for me, back in my teenage years: I was 17 when I started discovering "real" music, it's been a year of passage for me: thanks to iTunes, torrents, streaming and so, the world of music turned wide open in front of me and the Cranberries have been my first discovery, especially thanks to their songs that I knew from when I was little, which opened the gates to the rest of their discography, this masterpiece being one of them. Seems like yesterday, it' been... wow, almost 10 years!

Primavera - Ludovico Einaudi

Primavera - Ludovico Einaudi

Yesterday at work I was feeling some kind of headache, probably because of too little sleep (ok, I know I am like an old man, but sleeping less than 8 hours per night leaves me worn out), so I was looking for some music that could soothe the aching and well, after seeing some Facebook friend posting Einaudi's music the night before, it sounded like a good idea, and it was. Primavera means springtime in Italian, which would also be appropriate for this time of year, in theory. In theory because it's freaking cold and rainy and depressing and everything, and I have a cold that I've been carrying around since xmas and I can't standing freaking more!! Let's hope that the real primavera is gonna come soon!!

Ship to wreck - Florence + the Machine

Ship to wreck - Florence + the Machine

As you all know, I have been greatly anticipating Florence's new album for... well, for ages. When 'What kind of man' came out I wasn't exactly blown away, but I was quite excited and the song did grow in me, even not as much as most Flo's songs have done in the past. When I got to listen to a raw recording of a live where she performed a few of the new songs, I was quite blown away and couldn't wait for the album to come out! Then 'St. Jude' was released and that was quite a big disappointment, as I didn't love the song nearly as much as I did when I watched the live performance. So my expectations drastically plunged and 'Ship to wreck' came out! My judgement on it is still pending because I have only listened to it a few times, but I think it has the potential to become the best among the songs released up until now, after a few listens. It didn't make me scream for joy (yet), but I hope it will (soon)!!!
Listen to it and to the other songs posted on the blog on the Aprile 2015 playlist on Spotify!! Stream it here!

Mushaboom - Feist

Mushaboom - Feist

Here we are again, the week has almost come to an end and it's been very weird, it felt so long and so short at the same time! Never ending, but it also feels like yesterday that I went out with my friends last week and so. Probably it's because something finally happened this week, things started moving, I started being properly trained and we have confirmed our transfer and are about to book the flights! My future besides that transfer is still kind of unknown, but at least it's a first step, getting things started can only be a good thing for a quick development of the project! Tomorrow I'm gonna have to face the long and wearing trip home, but it'll be good to be back after 3 weeks. Have a good night and a mushaboomy weekend!

Everything works out in the end - Kodaline

Everything works out in the end - Kodaline

It's been a while since I last posted Kodaline, isn't it? Well, their new album is probably not going to win race for the best album of 2015, but personally I can't label it anywhere near to unenjoyable. The songs are quite nice and, even if maybe not as catchy and enjoyable as the ones in their first album, the overall result is a great listen for practically every occasion. I still haven't found any particular song standing up from the crowd, but this 'Everything works out in the end' is a particularly enjoyable one, and it is particularly meaningful at this time of my life, it's the mood booster I really need, so I hope you can enjoy it too!!
Given that today out first transfer has been confirmed, it seems like things are actually starting to work out! Yet again, more news about my plans soon (don't wanna jinx it even more than it already is by itself)!

Snake eyes - Mumford & Sons

Snake eyes - Mumford & Sons

Finally!! Let me say: finally!! They have dropped their banjos and I was afraid their talent had also gone away with them, but thanks goodness it seems like I was wrong. Their second pre-new-album release (The wolf) was already a step in the right direction, but with this last release before the album goes out in a few weeks, they finally conquered me back and raised up again my interest! Ok, I've seen some people online commenting that this song sounds the same as many others by them, and I can agree with that. But when a song is so compelling and so distinctively peculiar of a band's style, well... being within that style is not always bad. Not at all in this case (especially if the alternative is that Believe-thingy).

Spotify + Out with a bang - Lizzy Grant (aka Lana del Rey)

Out with a bang - Lizzy Grant

Sooo, I guessed you kind of got to know that already, but in case you didn't... the blog is now on Spotify too!! I have created and will update a monthly playlist with all the songs posted on the blog each month, plus some other specials playlists, like (my) 90s best hits, (my) 00s best hits and more more more!! You can find all of this music paradise here or by just searching 'A song or two per day' in Spotify! I really really hope this can be a handy way for you to get a chance to listen to all the great songs featured here in one place, and, why not?, to explore and find new music you didn't know about before! Unfortunately the song I chose for today is not present on Spotify (what a timing, what a choice!), but it's here and that's what matters. Another great tune out of Lana's debut album under the pseudonym Lizzy Grant, and don't tell me I didn't go out with a bang tonite!!!

#sundayrevival Waiting underground - Patti Smith

Waiting underground - Patti Smith

I've had this song in store for you since yesterday, so this post would exist even if I stayed in bed all day today, but what a nice day today has been instead! I woke up and decided to abort my trip to the Sacrario del Monte Grappa, which was my main trip plan for the past week and has instead been postponed (you can enjoy this beautiful picture of it anyway!) because I wanted to take it easy today and not spend 3 hours in the car to go back and forth, especially given that I had other things to do! So I went to the mall/supermarket and bought a few (nice) things to eat, then got back and for the nth have been struggling with my old mac charger, which (I decided) has finally failed me. So here we go, on the road again to give a win to my parents and go buy an original replacement, and in the meanwhile I also bouth a CD (U2's Joshua Tree, which I've been looking for at a decent price for a long time) and a t-shirt I really like! And this second trip, in the car, singing loud and being kissed by the sun, really boosted my mood, plus my purchases added on that and well... even if my driver didn't even start in today's F1 Gran Prix, I'm happy anyway!!

Raised by wolves - U2

Raised by wolves - U2

I have been listening to U2's latest album quite a lot last week, for different reasons (my Argentinean colleagues were playing it in the car, I got it out randomly in my own car and some other instances I don't remember), and it's weird because I realised it gives me a similar sensation to Imagine Dragons' 'Smoke + mirrors' that I posted yesterday, that is of a reassuring freshness! Like the songs were already in my heart but I'm listening to them for the first time, it's so weird I can't explain it better than this... and so here I am, with one of the songs I was SURE I had already posted, because it's been one of my first favourites off 'Son gs of innocence', but I just realised I didn't, so it's a perfect pick!! After a nice day meeting an old university friend in Udine, studying Japanese on the train and watching 'Frozen', I still have to clearly define my plans for tomorrow, even if I already have a couple ideas! I also know what I'm gonna post for this week's sundayrevival, so stay tuned!!

Smoke and mirrors - Imagine Dragons

Smoke and mirrors - Imagine Dragons

I'm getting past my playlist #5 of this year (I'm actually already well into loving the #6, even if I'm listening to them in parallel because I love the songs on them soo much!) and I still have loads of great stuff on it to post here!! Well, I've already mentioned how 'Smoke and mirrors' has a big chance to enter the top list of my favourite albums of this 2015, even if it's still early and I expect many more great releases in the next few months! Anyway I couldn't not devote a little space to the title track, which is methinks the best representation of the main feeling the album gives me, that is... I'd say it reassurance. Let me explain. What I mean is that many songs, after a few listens, have given me the idea that I knew them already, that they have been part of my musical background for a long time, like mid-90s classics... I don't know why I got that feeling, if they are plagiarising (parts of) some of my favourite songs without me noticing, or if they just have been able to create this beautiful atmosphere that makes me enjoy the songs great because they're fresh and to feel comforted by them at the same time! I'll be positive and say bravo to Imagine Dragons!! Have a nice weekend!

Inside and out - Feist

Inside and out - Feist

Hey ya!! I've just come back from a very nice night out with a couple of colleagues at one of their places, where we had a barbecue! I mean, I think it's the earliest barbecue I've ever had, it's still April! After coupling with a few hindering issues (read frozen meat, frozen tiramisù, everything frozen!) we managed to spend a pretty nice evening, which came after an(other) lousy day at work, with not much to do... well, we'll need to wait for next week for tables to (hopefully) turn around (at last). Will they? I strongly hope so! In the meantime I wish you a good night sleep with Feist!

Hold back the river - James Bay

Hold back the river - James Bay

Spotify Spotify Spotify!! Today's post is pretty much Spoti-related! I'm preparing a Spoti-related surprise for the blog, so stay tuned, just let me put the final touches in the next few days and I'll let you know!! But it's not just that: when I installed Spotify on the work laptop, I used it widely in the first few days and while listening to the ads in between the songs (thanks to them, actually) I got to know this pretty nice song by an emerging singer, James Bay. I'm really enjoying it, so I hope you can enjoy it too, and know it if you don't know it already!! Besides... well yeah, it's also my birthday today, but that's the least important news of the day! Cheers!

Prelude - Foals

Prelude - Foals

I already had a couple of songs queueing up for being posted here, but well... when inspiration calls you can't say no! Today's been kind of a harsh day, my sore throat has worsened and I've been feeling a bit of temperature at times... it's so bad, I've been carrying this around since xmas, with ups and downs but it still hasn't left me! Well, it's not been a totally bad day, as we also had good news concerning the project I'm involved in and my future in the next months. I know, I've teased you enough, but I don't wanna disclose anything until I'm sure it's gonna be for real! The only thing I can tell you is that it's about... moving abroad!! Once again! I really really can't wait! But, well... let's stop to today for the time being! I was driving to work with my Argentinean colleagues this morning, they got a new rental car which is pretty cool, with a last generation on-board-computer and stuff! They were playing some music by the Cure methinks, but one of the songs really reminded me of this one by Foals, so I went on to listen to them and well... to share them with you!

Unclear (live) - Kodaline

Unclear - Kodaline

My life is pretty uncertain in these weeks, especially as my next few months are concerned, so when I heard this song on Kodaline's new album, it struck me immediately.

"So you swallow your heart and you swallow your pride

You gotta be tough if you wanna survive

They’ll chew up and they’ll eat you alive

You shouldn’t give up on the dreams in your mind"

I didn't have to swallow up much for now, luckily, but what really bothers me is that we are the generation of uncertainty, we are always kept on the edge and things get arranged at the very last minute (like "hey, yeah, you're getting a job, you start tomorrow!" and stuff like that), it really feels like we're having t fight (with each other) to get a few crumbs, and even when the dish on the table is rich and you're lucky enough to be invited to the feast, they don't give you a chair, plate and fork until the very last moment, or maybe even a while after the party's started. And that's frustrating when you're trying to give it a little bit of planning to your life! But you can't

"When the futures so unsure

When the futures so unclear

When the futures so unsure

When the futures so unclear"

Yet not all is bad, tables are turning and I think that we, at least the luckiest and more determined among us, are carving our own spaces and learning how to cope with uncertainty, last-minute decisions and being dynamic and ready-to-go, living with a baggage always ready to be picked up for your next adventure!

"We walk, we walk on

Our time, our time will come"

#sundayrevival Discoverer - R.E.M.

Discoverer - R.E.M.

This week's sundayrevival is not a very old song, but given that R.E.M. have disbanded a few years ago already (feels like yesterday!), it still makes sense. I have felt a sudden bond to this song in the last few days I spent in Milan. I ended up listening to it because it was right after yesterday's song (Coldplay's Paradise) on the soundtrack of the photo slideshow I created with all my pictures from my exchange semester in Montréal and well... this weekend back in Milan felt a bit like a new exchange, a new table-turning time of my life; even if it's been just a few days seeing people and places from the past (although Milan has been completely transforming itself since I left it and, well... I met new, nice people too!), it felt so refreshing and fostering personal growth, unlike the time I'm spending here working in Veneto, which is leaving me somehow stuck under a personal growth point of view. The ironic thing is that I realized more and more that I am not a good discoverer at all, I actually feel impaired by the fear of taking steps towards the uncertain, of letting in the possibility of letting people in, of running a risk and this makes me sad, because I wish I were better able to try and take advantage of the chances that present themselves in front of my nose. Well, I hope tables will be turning soon, taking me to new, beautiful places, meeting great people, bonding even better with the people that already is in my life and especially learning how to live more fully and letting it go, giving me chances to go on discovering!

"I didn’t have to be afraid


I didn’t have to feel so stupid


I can see myself"

Paradise - Coldplay

Paradise - Coldplay

What a great afternoon I spent in Milan today, it was one of these moments you would like to stop the time to and stay embedded in, like in an earthly paradise, a time of perfection even if perfection is not of this world! Planned meetings, unexpected and fate-bound meetings, great awesome weather, people around, lots of people, nice and weird the way I like it... I couldn't ask for anything more! So it is not even necessary for me to explain why I'm posting this song, which I fell in love with when I was taking an easter trip to Toronto (from Montréal, when I was doing my exchange sememster abroad) about two years ago. Same feeling, different circumstances, the other side of the world. Well... these are the days which life is worth living for!

Back in black - Anastacia

Back in black - Anastacia

Mood of the day! Oh yeah! Sorry for the short posts but I've got my hands full, so many people to meet and so many celebrations and parties!! I'm back, and I'll be back on the blog real soon too!!!

Waking up - OneRepublic

Waking up - OneRepublic

I'm back. Oh god, if I'm back!! I'm so back it almost hurts. Of happiness. Milan, Milan, how I missed you!!! I'm just picking one song out of an album that reminds me of one of the best nights in Milan (i.e. OneRepublic's first concert in 2010) and, in turn, of the splendid 5 years I spent here. Oh god, IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE BACK! (Even if just for a while!)
Aweeeesome weekend on the way!!! Can't wait!!

Hold on, we're going home - Lykke Li

Hold on, we're going home - Lykke Li

Lykke Li's had to stop her live performing activities in the last weeks due to physical problems (methinks), but, as many blogs and articles have underlines, she has not been resting at all! After releasing a few weeks ago a featuring with Emile Hayne, she released two new videos in two days! Yesterday the official video for 'Never gonna love again' came out, a nice and fitting dark video (taking bits of Florence + the Machine's video for 'What kind of man' in my opinion), while today her cover of Drake's 'Hold on, we're going home' premiered on Vogue. I reckon I never listened to the original (never listened to Drake at all actually, I don't even know what kind of music he plays), but I have been instantly captured by the beauty of this cover, so I had to post it right away!! Hope you can enjoy it!
A little about me: my future is more and more uncertain, but I kinda got used to that; good news is that I'm going back to Milan tomorrow for the graduation weekend (well, it actually started today and ends on friday, so not properly a weekend), I can't wait to see all my (graduating) friends again and celebrate with them! Cheers!!

Aviation - Lizzy Grant (aka Lana del Rey)

Aviation - Lizzy Grant

For the series 'Before they were famous', tonight we feature (again) miss Lizzy Grant a.k.a. Lana del Rey with her 2005 debut album 'Sirens'. The songs are practically all voice + guitar in a style that reminds a little bit the early Joni Mitchell and, well, the usual American country/folk/pop/rock female singer. I'm not saying that her current style is on the complete opposite of the music spectrum, but it's not next to this one either. All in all evolution is key, especially when you still haven't found success. I dare say that her vocals used to be better then (like in this song) than they are now, but well, she is composing great music today, more produced than her first songs for sure, that's her recipe for success and it works well, but it's always nice to go back and see how it all started. The songs are anyway greatly enjoyable, so it's quite a pleasant trip!!

When I was a young girl - Feist

When I was a young girl - Feist

I have been very much in love with Feist's 2004 album that I have recently started listening to, it's so amazing how quickly her songs pass from being indifferent to me to me completely falling for them, so if you don't know her I strongly suggest you give her a try!! Both her later albums, 'Metals' and 'The reminder' are amazing and the 2004 'Let it die', featuring this nice little creature, is no less!!

This song, besides being one of the first on the album to catch my attention, makes good sense today: I have been walking through Milan for a few hours in the afternoon waiting for my ride to Treviso and well... it's been only a few months since I lived there, but it seemed like forever and being back felt really really good, reminding me of uni days, when I was a young lad...!

#sundayrevival Ghost dance - Patti Smith

Ghost dance - Patti Smith

Posting 'Easter' (the song) on easter (the day) seemed a bit excessive and redundant to me, especially because I'm not a huge fan of Patti's song itself. The same cannot be said for the homonymous album, which I greatly love. One of the masterpieces on it is in my opinion this 'Ghost dance', a classic Patti Smith song I never get wary of! I hope you all got a chance to spend your easter at best, be it with your families, with your loved ones, alone, travelling, at home or wherever you wanted to be!

"We shall live again"

Dream - Imagine Dragons

Dream - Imagine Dragons

It's been a few days of posting older songs, and that's good because it means I found a good amount of inspiration for the blog! But now it's time (to begin, isn't it?)... joking! It's time to get back on track with the stuff I'm currently listening to!! As I told you a few times already I'm utterly in love with Imagine's new album and it really feels like I haven't been posting nearly enough of their new songs yet, so here I am!! Out of my (not so ) current (anymore) playlist, here is another one of my absolute favourites out of Smoke + Mirrors!! Wish you can forget all the shit that is in your lives (lucky you if you don't have any!) and spend a happy easter weekend (even if it's freakin' cold here)!!

"We all are living in a dream

But life ain’t what it seems

Oh everything’s a mess

And all these sorrows I have seen

They lead me to believe

That everything’s a mess

But I wanna dream

I wanna dream

Leave me to dream"

"But now I am leaving
All of us were only dreaming
Everything is actually a mess"

Sadness is a blessing - Lykke Li

Sadness is a blessing - Lykke Li

When you find yourself humming a song in the office, walking in the corridors, at meetings and stuff, you know that it's the one you really have to post for the day!!! And yeah, here we are! After drafting the beginning of this during the above-mentioned meeting (well, it hadn't started yet to be honest), I can bring to completion! The trip home that has taken place in the meanwhile has been quite long and extenuating, but now I can (hopefully) enjoy this easter weekend in peace!! Chocolate (the best friend of sadness), here I coooome!

Big girls cry - Sia

Big girls cry - Sia

Well... besides thanking Sia for writing amazing music, I have to be particularly grateful tonite because with the release of her brand new video, she took me away from the embarrassment of deciding which song to post! The official video for 'Big girls cry' features the usual "little Sia", Maddie Ziegler, but this time her dancing skills are not in the foreground, rather we see her moving and shaking before a black background. I'd say the video is nice because it keeps a coherent atmosphere with its predecessors from the '1000 forms of fear' album, but is not particularly cool or inspiring (to me) as Chandelier and Elastic heart were. Very good song anyway!

Stay - Anastacia

SPOILER: This is not an April's fool! Or maybe it is! Haha! Up to you!!

Stay - Anastacia

You might remember that yesterday I mentioned a song I woke up with in my head, and that's the one. You might also remember that I've been looking for it in my last year's playlist and found other stuff. Well, that makes quite a lot of sense because I never put this song in any playlist! A-ha! That's a self-April's fool that I made myself, methinks! Anyway, I really have absolutely no idea why this song came back to me now, I also have no idea why I was dreaming about me and my younger cousin I haven't been seeing for years while I was kinda teaching her how to drive in my (other side of the family) grandparents' garage. Weird things happen. One is that I'm writing this post in advance and it's not even April yet! The other one is that a good and very fitting song for this post came to my mind while I was writing, but I think I'm gonna keep for next year! This song was a great moment in both Anastacia concerts I went to in the last few months anyway! Great memories! Well, what can I tell you now?
"I need somebody to tell me I'm too hard to break. So I'm gonna stay. I'm not ready to go just yet." (Or am I?)