Foreign Thoughts’ Song of the Week

Marina And The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot

I’m a latecomer to the Marina bandwagon but I’ve now hopped on it for good. This week, ‘I Am Not A Robot’ has been virtually on repeat in Foreign Thought’s office (aka, my bedroom). Like quirky female solo artists that sound a bit like Kate Bush? This will be right up your street. As Marina attempts to convince us that she isn’t, in fact, a robot, you’ll be joining me on the Marina bandwagon and I can guarantee it’ll be a long ride with her debut album being released later this year.

Top 50 Songs of the Decade 15-11

15. Bon Iver - For Emma (2008)

I have professed my love for this song in the past and it looks like I’ll have to profess it again. A beautiful song inkeeping with a beautiful album, ‘For Emma’ tells the tale of a relationship breaking down in front of our very eyes (perhaps ears is more appropriate). A typical enough story but the manner in which Vernon tells it makes it one of my favourite songs of the decade.

14. Radiohead - Videotape (2007)

With it’s sparse arrangement and typically eerie vocals from Yorke, ‘Videotape’ was my personal favourite from ‘In Rainbows’, Radiohead’s last album. The lyrics reflect the tone of the song, talking about death and, although the meaning is up for debate, the relationships he’ll be judged upon when he reaches those “pearly gates”. Whatever the meaning, it cannot be argued that this is a deeply moving song and, arguably, one of Radiohead’s finest.

13. The Cribs - Be Safe (2007)

Featuring vocals from Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, ‘Be Safe’ was, in my opinion and from the general consensus, the highlight of ‘The Cribs’ 2007 album ‘Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever’. Ranaldo sets the tone of the song with the first line - “One of those fucking awful black days…” - his verses are pretty much extremely long rants about life in general. As the singalong chorus introduces itself, you can’t help but become swept along with the anger of it all.

12. Jamie T - Here’s Ya Getaway (2007)

Shockingly, ‘Here’s Ya Getaway’ didn’t make Jamie T’s excellent debut (Panic Prevention) but, in my opinion, it’s his best. Jamie T does melancholy so well and this song is no different, an exceedingly sad song done brilliantly. The song’s meaning is, once again, up for debate but my interpretation is that he’s sick of the society he’s living in but cannot escape. One of his friends does so and he’s got mixed emotions; sad as they’re leaving but happy as she has done what he can’t. Whatever your interpretation though, you can’t argue that it’s a belter of a song.

11. LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great (2006)

One of three stand-out songs on ‘Sound Of Silver’, ‘Someone Great’ is a more standard song than we’re used to from Murphy’s band. That’s by no means saying it’s a simple song, anything but. 6 and a half minutes long, the song concerns the idea of “someone great” leaving. Whether they leave permamently (through death) or just on a personal level (leaving Murphy) is heavily debated (take a look at ‘SongMeanings’ if you don’t believe me). Personally, I believe the lyrics are tailormade towards coping with the death of “someone great” but you can interpret is as you will. Ambiguous lyrics aside, this is a brilliant song and one that suggests that LCD Soundsystem should keep it simple more often.

Tim Williams

Tim Williams is completely new to me, I only stumbled upon him thanks to, once again, Goldest Egg. Just on the verge of releasing his 3rd album (Careful Love, out in mid October), Williams makes indie-pop with a definite tinge of folk. ‘I Hit Another Wall’, the lead single from the new album, is a 3 minute (or thereabouts) indie-pop gem, Williams’ versatile vocal helping to ease the listener into, what turns out to be, a very easy listen. Download below and keep a look out for his album.

Tim Williams - I Hit Another Wall

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Electric Tickle Machine + Sunbears

Apologies for the brief hiatus in posting, an amalgamation of work, college and illness are to blame. Hopefully, these artists will make up for it. You can thank Goldest Egg for bringing my attention to these two bands and I hope they’ll be sending more music like this my way (and thus, your way) in the near future.

Electric Tickle Machine are an indie pop four-piece from New York. To quote Goldest Egg (and I couldn’t put it better myself), “lo-fi pop goodness” is what you get with this band. You can definitely hear elements of MGMT in them (with added handclaps!) and I highly suggest you check out their infectious song ‘Part Of Me’. If you like, their debut record, ‘Blew It Again’ is imminent. I shall keep you posted but for now, enjoy ‘Part Of Me’.

Electric Tickle Machine - Part Of Me

Sunbears!, a two-piece from Florida, make more joyous indie-pop. The vocal is heavily reminiscent of Gibbard (of Death Cab and Postal Service fame, as if you didn’t know) but the music itself is definitely more in the vein of Flaming Lips, or perhaps even MGMT once more. Listen to ‘I’m Alive’ and I guarantee happiness.

Sunbears! - I’m Alive

Cover Tuesday

A return to the themed-day posts! “Cashback!” as Alan Partridge would say. My cover of the week is:

The XX - Teardrops

A cover from the increasingly popular four piece from London ‘The XX’, ‘Teardrops’ is transformed from a 80s’ disco romp (by Womack & Womack, incidentally) into a typical ‘XX’ affair. Downcast and solemnly beautiful (as you expect after listening to their debut), Teardrops is a brilliant cover.

Jamie T

My first post back following illness and my holiday so forgive the brief nature of the post. I’m sure you all know of Jamie T so I’m not even going to bother describing the young Londoner. His new album was released today and, being a big fan of his debut (‘Panic Prevention’), I thought I would like it. I didn’t realise, however, that I would like it much. A real fusion of genres, ‘King And Queens’ contains both the upbeat and the downbeat, the buoyant and the melancholic, the brilliant and, at worst, the good.

I’ll give you a taster with ‘Emily’s Heart’, an acoustic number from the album based on a story (I can only presume this hasn’t really happened), in which Jamie lets down a girl called Emily, who, in turn, leaves him “bruised and bloodied, lying on the ground”. A harsh sentiment underpinning a beautifully delicate song.

Jamie T - Emily’s Heart

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P.S. The top 50 albums will be continued shortly, just had to get back into blogging. Apologies for the sporadic blogging.

Holiday

I’m going on holiday tomorrow and will be gone for a week. To make up for the complete lack of posts over the next weeks, I’m giving you a few songs that I’ve been into recently. I’ll probably do more in-depth posts on the band when I return but for now, just listen.

Great Bloomers - Catching Up

Favours For Sailors - Erode My Empire

Calexico - Man Made Lake

Filthy Dukes - Nonsense In The Dark

The Paper Scissors - Yamanote Line

That’s all for now, I shall see you in a week!