Dirty day (junk day mix) - U2

Dirty day 

Hey everybody! My inspired week is going on (thanks goodness) and here we are today too! I've been listening to U2 kind of in parallel with R.E.M. but I am still a couple of albums away from the end of their discography. Nowadays I am focused on their b-sides and remixes of their 1990-2000 best and I must say I am quite enjoying it, especially the remixes. One of the songs I am liking the most is this remix of Dirty day, which has always been one of my liked but not super favourite tracks of theirs. The same actually applies to the album the original Dirty day is on (Zooropa), which I have always liked but never completely fallen in love with. I hope that these remixes are giving me the chance to develop my relationship with it once again, and then who knows? It might grow in me after all this time...!
Anyway not feeling very well today, a mix of flu, spring, general sickness, light headache... it really feels like a dirty day for me!

Happiness - Kasabian

Happiness - Kasabian

This morning I woke up (well, not really woke up, but got out of home let's say) with a song in mind, and when it happens it usually means that that is gonna be the post of the day, even though I had other plans. And so it is today too. I really have no idea why I found myself singing this song in my mind on the bus to work, but it has become my song of the day anyway, so here is the post for you! Hope you like it, enjoy!

Nepal - San Cisco

Hello readers, hope you are well! I feel a little bit like cheating, as I should have posted this song

Nepal - San Cisco

yesterday (actually I am writing 'yesterday'), but I wanted to give it the space, attention and commentary it deserves, being one of my last year's favourites. About San Cisco, I hope you know them (if you don't, run to listen their album on Spotify NOW!), as I have been trying to push them since the beginning of this blog. I have been gladly noticing they got a little bit of fame here in Europe and I really can't say how happy I am about that and how much I hope they'll increase their audience in the future. I think that their music is very meaningful and catchy in its simplicity, and this song is a perfect summary of that. I really DO love the lyrics, the music is good and the combination of all elements works perfectly. I don't know what else to say to convince you, if I still didn't already, so just go and try them out, you'll not repent it!

If you're gonna break his heart

could you break it gently, please?

'Cause he's all you got

You're all he needs

No rest for the wicked - Lykke Li

No rest for the wicked - Lykke Li

Time has come to start a new week of songs! This time I am more motivated and more inspired (I hope) and I am in fact starting with a song I've been willing to post for a while. When listening to the first songs released from Lykke's upcoming album I got confused (I thought it was only one, instead there were two of them) and I ended up putting first in my playlists the one I liked the least. That meaning I could keep the one I liked better for better times, and here it is now! It is No rest for the wicked and it really makes me impatient about the rest of the album, I really can't wait to listen to it! In the meanwhile, let's enjoy this very good one! Happy monday!

#sundayrevival Porcelain - Moby

Porcelain - Moby

There was only one way to end this week, i.e. by not knowing what to post for the #sundayrevival... In this gloomy, rainy, lazy and meditative sunday, lighted up only by a funny F1 Gran Prix, it is really easy for me to linger in the world of contemplative and emotional music.
Turning to my older playlists for inspiration is always a good idea, and this time too I got the song for today, which is not in the playlist I was looking at but it has been reminded to me by it. It is another one of the 90s songs that have been with me for a long time, one I have long loved and that means a lot to me, especially in a day like this. Out of Moby's 1999 album Play, enjoy a perfect song for you, if your sunday is similar to mine (or even if it's not).

Burn - Ellie Goulding

Burn - Ellie Goulding

Hello guys, I hope your weekend started well! Our friday in the office started with our new playlist, made up of a huge amount of songs (more than 600 for about 42h of play-time, quite a lot!). We have just barely the chance to listen to our own songs, but in the end it will be another good chance to discover new music! This change though also means saying goodbye to some of the guys and girls who have been taking us company (sometimes a little bit too often) during the past weeks. One of these, and actually one of the least annoying (thanks to a limited number of plays) has been this girl, that I have been getting to know with the Catching Fire soundtrack and then again with this song, written (as usual when it comes to pop songs that I like) by my dear friend Ryan Tedder!

Leaving New York - R.E.M.

Another milestone has been crossed in my long, long, never ending but super enjoyed music journey. Yesterday I finally finished listening to the whole discography of R.E.M. after more than 2 years since I started. It has been quite an interesting journey, one that sometimes has excited me a lot and some other times has bored me a little. I have anyway unforgettable memories that are tied to R.E.M. songs, the first one coming to my mind being my wandering in Boston a little less than a couple of years ago during a trip I took while doing my exchange in Montréal. Some other memories are more recent and some songs are rooted so deep in my (music) tastes that they have become an essential part of my (musical, but not only) baggage. Another factor that made the journey interesting is how it has been a super relevant part of a change in my way of approaching music: until 2010 I have practically been listening to one new "big" artist per year, while in 2011, when I was taking the same approach with Bjork and got kind of stuck, I started broadening my horizon and R.E.M., together maybe with U2 and, a little later, Patti Smith have been my main focus of the next couple of years. As I said already, I enjoyed every part of this journey, some parts more, some other less, but knowing that it has ended 

makes me a bit sad, especially because R.E.M. have disbanded themselves as a band just while I was 

Leaving New York - R.E.M.

through their discography, so this end feels kind of final. I really hope that they will be together again soon, at least for some live gigs, and to get the chance to see them perform live!

Anyway, all of this to celebrate my completion of their discography. Let me just spend a couple of words for the song though. Around the sun has been the last album I've been listening to, not one of my favourites I must say, but this song has always meant a lot to me, since actually when it came out. It has been one of the very first R.E.M. songs I fell in love with and, probably, the first one in my library. Its description of the sadness of saying goodbye to something that you love perfectly fits the occasion; moreover I have the feeling it is the one that pushed me to start this journey when I was listening to it just before leaving New York in April 2011. It all fits perfectly, doesn't it? Well, goodbye R.E.M., hope to get the chance to see you live soon!

Army of me - Björk

Army of me - Bjork

Hello guys! Finally the fates have turned in my favour and today I have a song for the blog, before I even start writing! Irony aside, I'm finally glad music inspiration is coming back to me! Today I've been listening to some old albums I love and to some brand new music too, like an iTunes + Spotify blend. And yet this song is not on any of the albums I've been listening to, it just started right after Bjork's debut album (Debut) because I didn't change song quickly enough. And I'm glad I didn't. 'Cause I found my song for today. Obviously I couldn't stop it after it started (it's too good!) and I enjoyed every second of it. Well, I can just hope that for the future an army of songs will come to me asking to get posted!

Animal instinct - The Cranberries

The week of hard choices keeps going on, and it gets harder and harder! I think the only solution for me is to pick some of my old favourites. Given that we have been asked to make a playlist for the music in the office (oh, yes!) I hope the task won't be too hard!

Animal instinct - The Cranberries

Well, here we are! I think this song also makes sense for the current time, so everything is in the right place once again! Last sunday we have been having a very nice picnic in the Exeter University campus and, provided with three guitarists and two guitars, we got the chance to experiment a little bit. Probably the best outcome of our playing was a cover of this song, which is incidentally one of my favourites ever! Of course this has gone straight in the office playlist and I can't wait to listen to it. It is (I'd say of course) one of the songs from my childhood and I've been in love with it for a very very long time! Hope you enjoy it, just let your animal instinct out!

Electrical storm (William Orbit mix) - U2

Electrical storm - U2

These are hard days for posting music, today too I'm not very comfortable with posting as I'm not really sure about which song to pick, buuut I am confident it will be a good one anyway! I was undecided between two songs and, given that the other one will probably find room here in the (near) future, today I will go for U2! I have almost got to the end of their discography, now I'm busy listening to their best of 1990-2000 (b-sides disc). I found out the original version of this gem that sounded quite familiar to me and I actually just found out that this remix is probably the more famous version. I love artists who produce so much material that, even with the passing of time, you keep finding new awesome stuff!

Cortez the killer - Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Cortez the killer - Neil Young &
Crazy Horse

I've been pretty doubtful today about which song to post, there are a few that fit but no one of them is screaming to be posted. So to be coherent with this, I will just post a song that has not been screaming to me but that I kind of grew a liking for. Actually this happened with the whole album this song belongs to. I've been listening to it lately in my path throughout Neil Young's discography and I must say it's the one that stroke me the least, not that I like it less than all the others, it's just that no song on it stuck in my mind. This is probably the one that struck me the most among them, especially due to my passion for Aztecs and pre-Colombian history, but being quite long it is kind of not-so-catchy. Anyway, it seemed fair to me to give at least a little room to this album on here, so here we are!

#sundayrevival Season change - Anastacia

Season change - Anastacia

I've been waiting for the right moment to post this one for more than a week now, actually since my last Anastacia post. This is a real revival, as I've been listening to (and loving) this song for more than 10 years (the album has actually just celebrated its 10th birthday yesterday!). Anastacia has been one of the first albums I've ever bought and one of the few I have really worn out in my teenage years. Season change is probably the song I still love the most, but a great part of this album is like tattooed at the basis of my music tastes. It just seems fair to give it a tribute in this sunny and warm day of spring, exactly now when Anastacia has fought against and won against breast cancer again, like she did at the time this album came out! This is to spring and to being strong! Happy sunday!

Trouble's lament - Tori Amos

Trouble's lament - Tori Amos

Here we are! The much waited (and even more feared) moment has come. Dear Tori Amos has released the first song of her new album. But let's take a step back: a couple (or more?) of weeks ago she has released a few pics that added up to compose the album cover. Ok, Tori is almost a robotic plastic woman, we all have to come to terms with that. I had personally seen a little improvement in the last couple of years, now it looks like she has made a step back. But come on, she's a musician not a model, and for how disturbing her appearance might get (especially remembering how beautiful a woman she used to be), it's not what matters. I will thus just say that the album cover is ok, I will do without commenting on the cover of the single so as not to hurt anybody's feelings (she did that herself already) and I will get to the music. Which, personally, is the sweetest part of all. Ok, I have listened to the song for like 3-4 times, so I can't give my ultimate opinion yet, but at least I am pleased to say that the song is DECENT. It's not her best one (no one expected it would be), but I've heard worse. I can at least hope it will grow into me. And I really wanna hope that it's not gonna become a Shattering Sea n°2 (for those of you who don't know about it, Shattering Sea was the first song released from her latest album and, in my opinion, the only pretty good one on the record) and that the record will be ok too! I a few words, I just hope we won't be listening to a troubled lament.

Summertime sadness - Lana del Rey

Summertime sadness - Lana del Rey

Wow, I was thinking about making a double post today but I really had no idea that I would post this song! I was quite sure it was one of the first Lana del Rey songs I posted on the blog, instead... I was wrong!
I have been waiting for this moment quite a while: the time has come when I was listening to the same song that was being played in the office in the meanwhile. I was actually quite confident it would've happened before, but I had to wait until today. The song I'm talking about is of course this one, and the fact that I still hadn't posted it makes me think that my feeling of universal alignment, of being on the right way when these thinks happen, is not so wrong! Anyway, I'm gonna end quickly this stupid and confused post, just enjoy the song! Cheers!

Bird song (with Intro) - Florence + the Machine

Bird song - Florence + the Machine

Hello everybody! I hope you are all ready to head towards a nice weekend! My partying has begun already last night, as we celebrated the birthday of one of my friends/colleagues. After going to bed at past 2 a bit dizzy and waking up at 8 quite fresh, I think that my morning has started much better than I thought I would've (apart from the kid screaming behind me at the bus stop that scared the hell out of me, stupid child!). I don't know why but I have the feeling that this song fits perfectly this morning (and that's why I'm doing such an unusual thing as a morning post!). So happy birthday again to E., can't wait for the next party (a little more sleep wouldn't harm either). Have a good friday you all!

Goodness gracious - Ellie Goulding

Goodness gracious - Ellie Goulding

I have started listening to Ellie Goulding on Spotify in the last few days, after falling in love with Mirror, her song featured in the Catching Fire soundtrack. At first she didn't really get through me, but just after the second listening I have started liking her Halcyon Days album quite a lot. I actually got reminded of her by finding a cover of Tessellate (by Alt-J) she made. Given that I'm still not sure whether I like that or not, I will play it safe now and post her latest single, which is also one of the songs that have already stuck in my mind (also thanks to hearing it somewhere else methinks).
I think that another future purchase is coming closer and close and I already have no idea how I will take home all the CDs I have bought here so far! I kind of start getting the perks of digital music, but come on, it's not the same...!

Still can't... - The Cranberries

Still can't... - The Cranberries

Last night I was playing a fairly new game online, it's called 2048 (just type the number on Google and you'll find it). It's quite addictive, I won't pull myself out in a description of it here, it's a nice logical/mathematical kind-of-puzzle game. Anyway, after addicting myself with it last night after work, I ended up feeling a bit alienated and on another planet. I was thus about to go down and get dinner ready but I felt I needed some good music to get back on track. My fingers pointed out quite randomly on this album's playlist and my (confused) mind said 'Why not?". This is the Cranberries' first CD and the atmospheres on it are very evocative, almost dreamlike. This is a very representative song of the album in my opinion, and also "incidentally" one of my favs!

Empathy - Alanis Morissette

Empathy - Alanis Morissette

Hello everybody! Another day is passing by smoothly, I am waiting for the pizza lunch we have in the office every other Tuesday. We have been striving to reach our target but we are not there yet, not very far but still a little behind and Q1 is going to end very soon, we really need to give it a final boost! And to do that what we need the most is motivation, and so in turn to get motivation I need good music. I wouldn't go as far as saying that Alanis's last album is good music (there is quite a bit of crap in there), but some of the songs speak to me, to say the least. Some of them I really like, even with their cheesiness and everything, and Empathy is one of them. I also do like the graphics and the concept of this video and, being aware that this is far from her best in strict musical terms, I can't not find it enjoyable. Hope you will enjoy it too!

Just can't get enough - Nouvelle Vague

Just can't get enough -
Nouvelle Vague

I got to know Nouvelle Vague last November... you might remember the 10 days of hell when I've been scheduling my posts in advance, one of the destinations of my wandering (the first one actually) was Avignon, where I took part in the Forum of Culture. Well, the Forum organized a concert for us and Nouvelle Vague were the star there! The dinner got me busy for quite a long time, so I could only get there at the end of the concert, yet I really enjoyed the last bits I could experience and decided to listen to them on CD too. I have been devoting some time to their first album lately and I must say I am not as impressed as I have been with the live, but I must admit they are very good for background music! And little by little something is growing inside me: this morning I woke up with this song in my head and so here is the post for today!

Just to give a little background to those of you who don't know them, Nouvelle Vague are a French band covering old rock songs in Bossa Nova style (or New Wave). Just can't get enough is a cover of Depeche Mode.

Inhaler - Foals

I know, I know, the greatest shame should be on me for leaving the blog to itself for the whole weekend, my sincerest apologies! It has been a very intense weekend, with a very nice trip to Stonehenge! We left with the train saturday at about lunchtime after trying in vain to rent a car. After

Inhaler - Foals

the bad start, the whole trip got a good vibe and we really enjoyed (yes, even the mini hail storm we got while walking around the circle of stones will remain stuck in my mind for ages to come)! I have not been listening to much music during the weekend, also I am late for the sundayrevival. Yet there is one song that came to my mind for no reason I can explain, and I thought about posting it sooner already. I remember flooding the blog with Foals songs just after I started it when I went to their concert and then, as promised, I stopped posting songs of theirs. Maybe I stopped for too long...! This is the one that came to my mind today in the train, so I'll share it with you and hope you will enjoy it! Have a good start of the week!

Stupid little things - Anastacia

Another new song released today! Anastacia just posted the video of her new single in anticipation of

Stupid little things -
Anastacia

her new album that is coming out next May. The new song, Stupid little things, is not so far from her previous works and has a quite danceable beat. The new album is purposefully called Resurrection and it will be released this year after the American singer beat breast cancer for the second time last year. I have always liked Anastacia, since her debut with I'm outta love, then I bought her self-titled album in 2004 and it's been one of the few albums I have really consumed during my teenage years! I was thinking about posting another song of her, but it occured to me that I haven't posted much recent stuff lately, so why not taking the chance and posting her new song? I've already talked about it and presented it, so I don't see any reason why not! I'll keep my favourites for the next time!

Teenage hustling - Tori Amos

Teenage hustling - Tori Amos

"Dirty girl". Two words were enough to send my mind directly to Tori's "trashest" album (to date). When my Spanish colleague H. was ironically commenting on her dress of today mentioning these two words, I didn't even realise how or when or how long it took, I just noticed my mind going like "ah ya ah - a dirtai giirl". And I knew I couldn't help it and I knew what I would be going to listen in the morning. 'Cause I am a little bit (just a little bit! just a little bit!) trashy myself, and even if many people consider this one of the lowest points of Tori's career (and it probably is), I am (weirdfully) [lots of neologisms today!] able to enjoy it too. I was actually thinking about posting some other song from the album, but what the hell? This is the one I had in mind, and this is the one I'm gonna post!

You better know, you better know, you better kno-oh-ow
I'm at your door, I'm at your door, I'm at your do-oh-or.

Get some - Lykke Li

Get some - Lykke Li

Lykke just posted on Facebook her new song, quite nice I must say. This made me go back to her last album, which I've been listening to last year, and made me realise just how good it is and how much I like it! I didn't remember about it, but practically all the songs have left a good impression on me. It was a pleasure listening to it again and I'll be waiting for her next work! Move beyond I follow rivers guys, there's a lot of other good stuff behind the curtain!

Reunion - The XX

Reunion - The XX

In deciding to post a song by The XX today I realised I haven't been posting anything by them since last year! That's such a long time! This reminds me that the blog has been going on for quite a while now! I'm very happy about it, I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep on going, instead finding a little time everyday to write here is almost always a pleasure (and sometimes a rush against time)! I really hope you've been enjoying the music until now and that you'll (keep) enjoy(ing) in the future!
Back to the XX. Today I'm posting (for the first time!) a song by their second album, Coexist. It's funny, 'cause I have started listening to them when both of their current albums were already out, so it wasn't really supposed to make a difference for me between them: similar style, similar genre, similar quality level of the music (?)... And instead it did (and does) make a difference. I don't know when it happened, but I drew a line between them and I have always had a kind of preference towards the first one, still, even if one could not tell at a "glance" if a song belongs to XX or to Coexist. Anyway, even with all my psychoses about the whole matter, I love Coexist too. And this is one of the little creatures I love the most. Maybe its own title might be the key to re-unite the two albums, who knows?

Blood flood - Alt-J

One of the things that surprised me the most of the past 2 months I spent in England (today is 2 months exactly since I'm here!) is... that I still didn't get sick. But I've been calling for it many times and now it has finally come. Be it playing barefoot in the sand, be it the wind, be it the cold we felt while getting back to the train, be it the harsh temperature leap, be it a virus or whatever else... fact is, I can feel it. I've had that sore throat that cannot announce anything but a cold/flu. My nose is starting to feel it already too, so I'm braced already and ready to be in bed. I've not been very clear headed today already and this didn't help me in writing this post. As of now, I still don't know what song I'm gonna post. Well, maybe time has come to think about it...

Blood flood - Alt-J

Ok my mind is made up now. I know I posted them already a few days ago, but they are what I'm listening to now (actually today I've been listening for most part of the day to Sia and then Ellie Goulding, who has covered a song by Alt-J, and so here I am now). Blood flood is what really makes sense to me. It has been the last song of the album I've felt in love with and it is in turn amongst the ones I love the most. I love all of them, ok, but this emerged quite strongly lately. And now I know already that a flood of blood in my body is what is spreading the virus and what could also kill it. But the most difficult thing for me in the next few days will be to obey their instructions, as I always do while listening to the song.

Breathe in...

Exhale...

#sundayrevival See the sun - Dido

See the sun - Dido

Today I spent a very beautiful sunny day with my "colleagues" (let's say friends) on Exmouth beach, playing volleyball with bare feet in the sand, under a timidly warm sun, lashed by a chilly wind (which brought gray and gloomy clouds in the end). Yet my face is a little bit burning, which is a thing I can only be grateful for: coming to England I was ready to face the worse and I didn't expect to get the chance to enjoy such spring-like weather (at least not so often). Thinking about the sun theme for my #sundayrevival, the first song that came to my mind was this and I think it is actually a perfect match: British singer, the chance to see the sun again, hope and expectations for the future while living in a pretty uncertain present... well that's me! And so it is, enjoy the sunshine (if you are so lucky to get some of it) and Dido and let's hope that summer is gonna come soon!

Get lucky - San Cisco (Daft Punk cover)

Get lucky - San Cisco

Of course I didn't double post yesterday, I kinda knew it, but the good news is that I already have the song for today! And, being even more in the weekend, it works perfectly! Saturday night, party time again and this time it's partying up all night, with my wish for all of you to get lucky!
This is how I got to know San Cisco: Matthew Mitcham (the Australian diver) posted on Facebook this cover they made of Daft Punk's success Get Lucky and I was kind of (a lot) into the song at the time. I immediately clicked on this and voilà, the magic world of San Cisco opened up to me! My love for them has only risen since then, I bought their CD on Amazon a few weeks ago but I've been listening to them since last summer, they are awesome and if you still didn't get to love them, listen to this and follow my path! Enjoy San Cisco, enjoy your saturday night and get lucky!

Into the groove - Madonna

Into the groove - Madonna

A double post is on the way for you tonight! I don't know if I'm gonna be able to find the time to post both of the songs for real, so let's start with one and we'll see. It's friday, another working week is over (for most of us) and it's time to partyyy! (Be it in a club, at your friends' house or at home alone with your cat, chocolate and internet, as one Facebook page suggests!). Whatever kind of party you're getting ready for, there is one girl that always fits! Ok, I'm joking, she's not a girl anymore and she doesn't fit all the time, but well... quite often! You know her name, you know everything about her! You might not know this song (I have been delving back into Madonna's older catalogue only recently), but I assure you this one is perfect to start your weekend of partying! Enjoy (song + weekend)!

Gale song - The Lumineers

Gale song - The Lumineers

"And there was a time when I stood in line
for love, for love, for love.
But I let you go, oh,
I let you go."

You might have noticed an abundance of Catching Fire soundtrack posts on the blog lately. You might say "Well, I've had enough!" (please doon't!). Be happy, 'cause it's (almost?) over. Well, I've practically posted almost all of them! You might as well say "Give me more! I love it!" (I'd love it!). Well, again, I'm sorry but I almost posted the whole album and I don't have many songs left. But don't worry! In the meanwhile you can enjoy this great one (and maybe one or two more will come, who knows?).
The Lumineers... weird relationship (again) between me and some music. Their genre is one I've been getting really close to, especially in the last couple of years, but the (super successful) song that got them famous, Ho hey (or whatever)... I've never come to like it. Or, at least, I've liked it, just liked it, some rare times I've listened to it, but I didn't really come to peace with it. And that's (probably) a pity, 'cos this brought me not to listen to their debut album (yet), making it a potential great loss of good music for me. But here comes Catching Fire and the fact that in it I ended up loving (much) more the songs I didn't expect to (and less the ones I was expecting). And this little thing here is no exception! It took me a little while to appreciate it fully, but I really do love the lyrics and the whole song too. You can't really get the sense of it without knowing the Hunger Games plot: Gale is the "best friend" of the protagonist, Katniss, and there is a friend/lover relationship going on between them (SPOILER I'm halfway through the third and last book and I still don't know how it's gonna end!). Gale stayed home while Katniss went to the Hunger Games and developed a friend/lover relationship with another guy, thus messing up the whole thing, like it only happens in books and movies (or maybe not). Anyway I think the lyrics and Gale's story are very touching, so don't miss this one out!

Breezeblocks - Alt-J

Breezeblocks - Alt-J

Weird day today... I had one song in my mind that I really wanted to post but I can't remember anymore which one, so I'll go through with this little precious thing that I've been keeping aside for better times (actually it's been here for like 2 days, but whatever...!). This album is very precious to some people close to me and it actually is quite a dear one for me too, I must confess. I have already posted almost all of my favourites out of Alt-J's debut album (that meaning I practically almost posted all of it!), but some of them are still up my sleeve. Well, one is no more. And it's one which I have a quite weird relationship with. It's one of their most famous songs, and I usually tend to appreciate more songs that have a buzz around them, so, knowing that, I tend to underrate them to even things out. And after this mind boggling concept, I'm confused myself even by what I wanted to say, so you can get a glimpse of how messy my liking of this song is. 'Cause there is liking, let's safely say loving too. It's just that it's hard for me to describe it and/or explain it. But maybe this is the good side of it all.

Just to add to the state of confusion:             Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so

Please don't go, please don't go, I love you so, I love you so

Please break my heart - ah ha

Desecration smile - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Desecration smile -
Red Hot Chili Peppers

On Sunday I started playing around with the harmonica on Under the Bridge and since then I've started listening to RHCP a little bit in the last couple of days. Overlooking the at-best-moderate success of my attempts, today I will probably start training on this other song, that quietly stuck in my head (and went on to substitute another song I wanted to post today). I've always liked Desecration Smile, I really have no memory of how I got to know it and everything, but it's always been one of my favs and one of the few Red Hot songs I really do like. I never devoted too much attention to them, not being a funky fun, but I really do like some of their songs, especially the stuff that came closer to pop after they got famous. Today I'll go for it, and who knows? Maybe one day I will also be able to play it at least decently on the harmonica! Never say never!

Born to die - Lana del Rey

Born to die - Lana del Rey

Another day with Lana, another day of inspiration drawn from office music, but this time Born to die would not get out of my head! And I was quite sure I posted it already, while actually I didn't! So what better occasion than this?

Well, I must say I am actually frustrated with this post, as I am really, really in love with this song, but (let's say because I'm tired) nothing smart or funny to write about it comes to my mind for as much as I'm making an effort. Probably it's just a sign that I have to shut up and let you enjoy the song!

L'alleanza - Carmen Consoli

Again, this is not something I usually do. No, I don't mean the posting in the middle of the night, that

L'alleanza - Carmen Consoli

happens often! I mean posting Italian music. But, you know... even if generally I am not (at all) a fan of Italian music, there are these few artists that I dare say are really worth it. One of them is Carmen: many people don't like her because her songs are oftentimes quite sad, depressing, intense... they picture the bad things of life, all the fake imaginary that we picture in our heads, the things that don't work about society, mental problems, obsessions, life problems... Well ok, I know now you will not have any willingness to listen to her whatsoever, but her vivid picturing of all-things-life are also the reason why her fans love her and can relate so deeply to her songs. And some songs are also connoted with more serene themes such as remembrance and love. Anyway, this is not one of her most famous songs, nor one of my absolute favourites; yet it is one that I really like and stumbling upon it a short time ago made me want to post about it! L'alleanza means The alliance and the song talks about a love/hate relationship and lays down the need for us to survive every relationship, keeping our mental sanity. Nice one, isn't it?

#sundayrevival Maria - Blondie

Maria - Blondie

I found material for this week's #sundayrevival two days ago, while thinking for a song to post. I was practicing harmonica, trying out some tabs that I saved and this song was one of the "guinea-pigs" I used to test my skills and the sound (and it was not one of the most pleasant experiments of the night, I can assure you). I then listened to the song to make it up, as it is actually one of my favourites and it has been in my heart for a long time. It actually brought to know Blondie a little better (still not enough, but somehow better!). And it is one of these awesome songs that remind me of my childhood, I don't know exactly why, I can't connect it with any particular event, but it just gives me the pleasant feeling of remembering good memories...!* And it is not something insignificant... actually this reminds me (once again, if it were ever necessary) of the huge power that music has in affecting our mood, our thoughts, our behaviours, our decisions and... our life in general!
So, I wish you a happy sunday!

*Funny fact is that I'm pretty sure that I thought the singer was a male and the name Blondie unsettled me a little, especially when I then found out Call me and was sure that it was a woman singing that one. It is all sorted now, sorry Debbie!

Boulevard of broken dreams - Green Day

British countryside

I have just got home after a long, long super fatiguing and very beautiful walk/trip! It started as kind of an adventure, with me taking a bus south-bound without knowing exactly how to understand when to get off, but thanks to a lady who was "taking care of me" and to the driver, I got it right. And right after the bus, one whole hour of walk through fields and fields to get to the next town exactly with bus that came one hour after the one I took. And then reaching the castle of the town, to find out it is closed until the 1st of April. But then I took a walk around the castle park and it was amazing, with sheep, deers and a beautiful landscape. Finally, undecided whether to walk it back or to take the bus (that actually went down all the way I walked), I made up my mind for the bus (my feet started hurting) and got back to the road just in the exact moment when the bus back was coming by. What could be more awesome than that? I really enjoyed my saturday afternoon trip and while walking alone in the countryside I could only think of Green Day going on like "I walk alone, I walk alone, my shadow's the only one that walks beside me, my shallow heart's the only thing that's beating, sometimes I wish someone out there will find me. Till then I walk alone" and so it is, I also got the post for today!

The wind - PJ Harvey

The wind - PJ Harvey

Today I got this weird pulse toward this song. Not really weird actually... I was surfing on LinkedIn sending messages to people and I got a couple of Catherines close to each other and after reading the name of one of them, the line "Catherine liked high places, high up, high up on the hills" started to go on my mind and I couldn't help listening to the whole Is this desire? album (awesome one by the way). It's funny how this album, though being a great one that I adore and that PJ herself considers as one of the two albums of her perfect period (the other is To Bring You My Love, on which I can't not agree), I still don't tend to include it in my top 5 of her albums, or anyway not without doubts. It's very hard, there are a number of albums of hers I don't consider 100% "perfect" but that I anyway love a lot (practically all of them, but one maybe). Anyway, this is my pick for today, and I'll exploit it to say hello to all the Catherines that are reading! Hello girls!

All the roses - Natalie Imbruglia

All the roses - Natalie Imbruglia

I'm very late for today's post, my bad! It's been a pretty busy day with little inspiration for new songs to post here, so I will just grab the chance and finally give room to a post that has been in draft mode for almost a month now! You will remember (or maybe not) a post I've made a few weeks ago about Natalie Imbruglia... well, this was thought of in that same moment, but the weeks after have been full of inspiration, so I didn't get to give space to this beautiful song until now. But now is the time! All the roses is featured on Natalie's last album (to date), Come to life and is a very beautiful and touching song! You are probably not gonna know it by now, but I highly recommend you try it out! Cheers!

Mirror - Ellie Goulding

Mirror - Ellie Goulding

My obsession with The Hunger Games has been going on for about a month now and it's gonna keep on going for a good while still (I just started reading the last book of the trilogy, so I'm still 1/3 away from the end of the story). I must say it's really addictive...! Both the movies and the books don't let you forget about them until you're at the end, and watching the second movie halfway through the second book confused things a little bit, but now that I've finished the book I'd like to watch the movie again 'cos I think I didn't get completely some parts the first time.
Anyway, this current obsession of mine aside, the films are quite good and so are the books. And so is the soundtrack of Catching Fire (the second chapter of the trilogy). I was a bit disappointed by the fact that most of the songs are not featured in the movie nor in the ending titles, but this doesn't diminish the value of the music. This is the last song I've been obsessed with that still hasn't found its place on the blog (it's finding it now!), so it's kind of a closure for me, even if I'm still almost one book (and one movie obviously) away from the end of the series. I'll keep you updated...!

Winter winds - Mumford & Sons

And my head told my heart 'Let love grow'
But my heart told my head 'This time no, this time no...'

Winter winds - Mumford & Sons

Today I finally gave a turn to the music I've been listening to (and the music in the office has changed too finally). I was actually struck by the ease with which I passed from Mumford & Sons to Muse, from other recent pop stuff to These boots are made for walking to finally Natalie Imbruglia (that's what I'm listening to now), all of this without losing even for a second the great pleasure I've been feeling throughout this late morning of music.
Still, I'm sticking to this song for my post of today, first because I really love it, second because it means a lot to me, third because I decided I would post it while listening to it, I don't know why but I feel it is particularly good for today (even if it's not my absolute favourite of the Mumfords, nor the most meaningful and nor even the one giving me the strongest feelings while listening to it today). But, you see... life is seldom about the best, the most, the first, etc. Oftentimes happiness lays in the ability to get satisfied with what is good enough. Isn't it?

Orange crush - R.E.M.

Orange crush - R.E.M.

In the last few days at work we've been having the same playlist in repeat mode over and over (and over and over) again. Luckily enough most of the songs up there are quite good, but now it's starting to become a little bit too much...! Anyway, there's lots or R.E.M. there, and this has brought me to listen to a lot of R.E.M. myself lately, so it makes sense to feature one of their songs here now. This is one of the songs of the playlist I mentioned and is actually one of their most famous tracks too; it is also my favourite song out of one of my least favourite album of theirs, Green. And just to stick with the colours theme, I've got my Orange crush!

#sundayrevival May it be - Enya

May it be - Enya

It's sunday again! Time for another sunday revival! It's time to go about 10 years back in time, down to the time when the first Lord of the Rings movie was released. Since yesterday I've been trying to learn how to play this beautiful song by Enya that is part of the original soundtrack of the Fellowship of the Ring. I must confess that my harmonica playing doesn't even come close to the pleasantness of Enya's voice, but I am content anyway, especially having the perspective of improving a little bit with time! For the time being yet I will just leave you with the original and I'll save you from my harmonica cover! Have a merry sunday and a nice start of the new week!

Amsterdam - Imagine Dragons

Ups and downs (did I start another post like this? well, whatever...). Ups and downs. Life is full of them, but who-knows-why the downs are the ones we always (or at least often) pay much more attention to. Or at least I do. Maybe I still didn't find a way to recognise the ups, to notice when they're happening, to enjoy them at the fullest. Or maybe they just didn't happen (yet). Not with the same strength as the downs. Well, I don't wanna say that I wanna throw my life in the toilet, not at all. It's just... sometimes I'd like to feel a little happy too. One positive thing I must say is that being a little bit depressed is super fit with the British atmosphere and environment! I'll just picture these moments in my mind and I'll smile when I'll be looking back at them in the merry future that is awaiting me. If it just stopped being future and started being present...

Amsterdam - Imagine Dragons

I must confess that I had many ideas for the song of today, this one was not one of them, but events brought me to change my plans (as usual). I was also thinking of a new-format post, but I decided it's not the right time for it (yet). For the time being just enjoy the time you have in this life in the best way possible.

Your time will come  

If you wait for it  

If you wait for it  

It's hard, believe me  

I've tried  

But I keep coming up short  
...