Monthly Archives: December 2013

My iPod #201: Feeder – Come Back Around

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Today has been such a bore; I haven’t done anything of any use at all. I am thinking that this has been the case for many other people out there.

We all get so excited at Winter awaiting Christmas Day. Children get excited and start making the lists for Father Christmas, decorations are put up, food is prepared. The day comes, the food is eaten and the presents are received and we all sit around watching our favourite soaps and films on the TV. Then it is all over, and then follows…. Boxing Day erghh. Boxing Day is the absolute worst. Just because the intense build-up of enjoyment disappears. Christmas is gone. Bargains are going on in plenty of shops. Now we wait another 364 days to do it all over again. It is going to take a while to come back around. (I think that should be a suitable indication to start talking about the song).

“Come Back Around” was the first single from the Welsh band Feeder’s fourth album “Comfort in Sound”, released in 2002. Their drummer Jon Lee had sadly died earlier that year, and the album is an expression of lead singer and main songwriter Grant Nicholas’ feelings on the loss of his friend.

The track is one of determination and self-perseverance. About losing oneself in a moment of desperation, but still remembering to snap back into reality. At least that’s what I get from the verses anyway. The chorus is Grant’s call out to Jon, a constant reminder that he misses him and will never forget the times they shared. It is very sad and yet musically, it is very uplifting.

It reached #14 in the UK.

In the video, Nicholas jumps while holding his guitar before the finial choruses. Freeze it when that happens and you have the album cover for “The Singles”. You can also pause it when he sings “burning away” at Taka, the bassist, is bowing down with his instrument. Then you have the image on the back of the liner notes.

That’s a magnificent album cover.

My iPod #200: Nine Black Alps – Coldhearted

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Merry Christmas! I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

It did not feel like Christmas was coming for the past few days. There has been terrible weather over in the UK, along with no snow (but we are used to that anyway). Christmas television hasn’t been so great, surprisingly. Except for a few Pixar films.

But now I’m with my family and I have opened my presents and stuffed myself with food. I can definitely say Christmas is here.

After that sentimental start I can now talk about today’s special song to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. “Coldhearted” by Nine Black Alps!

Yeah, that was dumb. It has nothing to do with Christmas or Jesus.

No official studio version of this track exists. It has only been released on the EP the band released after their debut “Everything Is“, and it was recorded live at a performance the band did in France. That explains the “Merci beaucoup” that is said when the band finish and the audience claps with appreciation.

There is a demo of “Coldhearted” that is available on Nine Black Alps’ website, which may mean that it was in contention to be a track on their first album. I can only assume this did not happen because they could not get a good take that was good enough. But don’t believe me on this, it is just a theory.

This is a great performance of a track which is one of the lighter songs that the band has ever done. No mentioning of weapons, or bodily harm. Just a simple rock song about nothing important in particular.

My iPod #199: Eminem – Cold Wind Blows

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“Cause some things just don’t change
It’s better when they stay the same
Although the whole world knows your name
So on a bigger stage they came to see you spit your game
It shouldn’t be difficult to explain
Just why you came back again, you hate the fame
Love the game, cold as ice you remain
Fuck em’ all, tell ’em all eat shit, here we go again”

…………………………

*beat drops* Me: Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

“Cold Wind Blows”. The first song from Eminem’s 2010 album “Recovery”.

“Relapse” was Eminem’s first album after five years away from music, and although everyone was glad to have him back it didn’t hide the fact that the tracks on there were not up to the standard that people were expecting from the rap god. Except for “Beautiful”, I could listen to that track all the time.

After the album’s release, Em revealed that he had so many beats left over that didn’t make it onto the album. There was going to be a sequel, appropriately named “Relapse 2”.

Fast forward about a year later when Eminem said ‘fuck that’, got rid of the concept and instead decided to name it “Recovery”. Hype was built. June came. The album leaked. I downloaded it. This was the first track I heard, and the introduction above was pretty much the reaction in my head when the beat came in with the descending piano melody and the “Guess who’s back’s” ringing in my ears.

“Cold Wind Blows” is a bold start to “Recovery”. It is another song to mark a ‘comeback’ which doesn’t really make sense seeing that he had already done that a year earlier; it never really gave us much of a chance to miss him. Seeing as critics weren’t too impressed with “Relapse”, this was probably meant to be his ‘real’ comeback.

Nevertheless, “Cold Wind Blows” makes a few things clear. Eminem was back. People should be worried. People shouldn’t try and mess with him because he will humiliate them in one of his songs. He doesn’t know why he’s so cold, it’s probably us who made him this way.

Oh yeah, and happy Christmas Eve.  😀

My iPod #198: Nine Black Alps – Cold Star

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Skip to 10:07 of the video. It’s the whole album if you want to hear it! But 10:07 is when the song starts.*

So I was out yesterday. Went to my friend’s house to play a bit of FIFA and watch the Arsenal match (which was terrible). I was out for almost half the day, and so could not do my post.

But here is the first one coming today! I have plenty of Nine Black Alps songs on my iPod, and I could talk endlessly about all of them. This one I’m not so sure about. I’m only kidding! Let’s go.

“Cold Star” is another track from Nine Black Alps third album “Locked Out from the Inside” which was released in 2009. I’ve made it clear on two occasions before that it was a return back to form after the somewhat disappointing “Love/Hate”, and “Cold Star” only made things so much better when I was listening to the full thing for the first time on the Internet.

Instrumentally, it’s another three minute shock of loud and relentless, crunchy guitars and a stomping rhythm section. This and violent, depressing imagery such as ‘tired faces’, ‘bleeding’ and’ ‘amputation scars’ altogether combine to make a song about hopelessness which is over before you even realise. All of this is done with a Beatles reference in the chorus too. Unbelievable.

A bit unrelated… but good news is that they have a new song out! “Novokaine”. Hopefully, a sign of a new album to come.

*11/06/2020: I changed the video so it’s just the song.

My iPod #197: Blur – Coffee & TV

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“Coffee & TV” is a track by Blur from the band’s sixth album “13”. It was written and sung by guitarist Graham Coxon, who is joined by Damon Albarn in the chorus.

I’ve known this song for a long time, even though I didn’t listen to all of Blur’s discography until earlier this year. That’s only because it was a single, and a lot of people know it for its memorable video directed by Hammer & Tongs.

I can’t really listen to this song without thinking about that milk carton. The music video has nothing to do with the message of the song, which is more about wanting to break away from uncomfortable social situations and living the simple life without any worries, but it just fits. I couldn’t imagine the song having any other video.

Did you know that the solo in the song wasn’t even meant to be in the final version of the song? Apparently it was a placeholder until Coxon could think of something better, but it just got to the point where they couldn’t because it was too late. That’s a good thing to bear in mind.

Enjoy.