The G-Man Random 5 of the Day
Every week I will place my mp3 player on random and list the first five songs to appear accompanied by whatever thoughts/feelings I may have to share regarding the track in particular. Readers may find this extremely boring but maybe one track per week may catch your fancy.
The G-Man’s Weekly Random 5
1. Song : Exit Music (For a Film)
Artist : Radiohead
Album : OK Computer
Year : 1997
Kicking this weeks Random 5 off with a track probably more suited to closing the piece is a track from Radiohead’s ’97 masterpiece, OK Computer.
Try not to focus too hard on the dreary introduction and concentrate more on the bright side of this song when the synthesized backing vocals/chorus appears. Then again I love every second of it!
2. Song : Have a Little Faith
Artist : Michael Franti
Album : All Rebel Rockers
Year : 2008
Franti’s lyrics can seem a little too simple at times –
“I know it’s hard when you’re down
And the bad times seem to follow you around”
– but if you ever have the chance to catch this man play live he simply emanates good feeling and happiness. It may seem as if my life currently revolves around that Stradbally festival but this mans appearances at the 2008 Electric Picnic showed both how magnetic and versatile his live performance can be. First with an afternoon appearance accompanied by full band on the main stage in the sunshine and then later that night with a surprise yet just as engaging (and uplifting) acoustic performance on the Body & Soul main stage.
3. Song : If I Am a Stranger
Artist : Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Album : Cold Roses
Year : 2005
An audacious double album from the temperamental alternative-country-rock star turned out to be pretty damn brilliant. The first of three albums released in 2005 (Jacksonville City Nights and 29 were to follow soon after) and the first recording with The Cardinals, If I Am a Stranger appears a few songs off the end of the disc.
The words, as on most of his recordings, pull no punches and go straight for the heart :
“If I am a stranger now to you
I will always be, I will always be”
4. Song : Great Waves
Artist : Dirty Three
Album : Cinder
Year : 2005
Chan Marshall of Cat Power guests with those from Down Under adding another perspective to the collective musical genius that is Warren Ellis‘ Dirty Three.
5. Song : Two of Us
Artist : The Beatles
Album : Let It Be
Year : 1970
The album that basically killed The Beatles but you could never tell listening to this, possibly one of the happiest and sweetest tunes to appear on any of their later releases. An inquisitive mind might highlight the fact that a certain verse may be the author resigning himself to fate and plenty of good memories. I will not.