Death Cab For Cutie 'Transatlanticism' (2003)

Imbued with a gorgeous sense of longing, this is Death Cab For Cutie just about at the peak of their powers. Building on their particular brand of bittersweet indie pop, by this album they were able to deliver widescreen epics like this.

Opening with plaintive piano chords and gentle vocals, it's a hymn to the pain of separation and the joy and anticipation of being reunited. The song builds steadily, on crisply pounding drums and the most poised and perfectly spare guitar, before spiralling through the repeated "I need you so much closer" refrain, creating an irresistible wave of optimism and hope for reconciliation.

A beautiful song that means a lot to me, especially the gorgeous string quartet version that the Celebration String Quartet performed at my wedding. Now, I wish I had an mp3 of that version.

The Stan Tracey Quartet 'Starless And Bible Black' (Columbia, 1965)

Sublime, dark brown jazz from the 60s Brit Jazz school. I was introduced to this by Gilles Peterson's excellent 'Impressed' compilations, the song coming in on a rumble of drums and a rolling piano line, sax entering and building the mood. The rumble then stops, leaving a clearing of crisp, perky bass and spare piano in which the sax can express itself a little more freely.

The tune displays such poise and elegance, it's almost ponderous but maintains an self-confident momentum all the same. Little flourishes of piano, bass and drums build out the sound and keep the focus shifting constantly.

The song and the sound keeps evolving, shifting between moods and displaying some gorgeous interplay before returning to the opening section and drawing to a close.

And then you put it back to the start.

David Sylvian Blue Of Noon mp3 (Virgin, 1987)

A most supple and sumptuous jazz instrumental from David Sylvian's sublimely morose 'Let The Happiness In' 12".

An inspired selection of players - including Ryuichi Sakamoto on mellifluous piano and Steve Jansen on gently caressed drums - create a gently meandering flow of subtle melody with intermittent torrents of cascading bass, drums and piano.

'Blue Of Noon' is Sylvian's most overtly jazz outing and, to my mind, reveals his passion for the Brit Jazz of the late 60s (Michael Garrick, Don Rendell/Ian Carr and, of course, Stan Tracey) as well as a point of cross-over with the ECM aesthetic.

Not sure what David Sylvian did on this track or whether it was meant have a vocal or why it's not been included in any Sylvian reissue. However, a high quality David Sylvian Blue Of Noon mp3 is a much sought-after gem.

Simply amazing though.

Download David Sylvian Blue Of Noon mp3 (alternative, jazz, mp3 download)

Scritti Politti 'Absolute' (Virgin, 1984)

This record is just sublime. From the harmonies, the layers of sound, the pristine yet soulful feeling. The way the tune slides into the bridge ("Absolute a principle, to make your heart invincible...") is incredible, subtle but wrong-footing nonetheless.

As records made in the 1980s go I wouldn't say it's over-produced (that would suggest they had somehow got it wrong) but it is absolutely, resolutely uber-produced. It is polished and tweaked and tuned and super-charged. Each component part has been honed with care and has its own place in the delicate, silky balance of the track. And if you listen to this "enthusiastic" fan cover, it's clear Absolute is a song, not just a production.

It's like Smokey Robinson produced by Trevor Horn. Beautiful.



Bibbly-O-Tek Scritti fan site

Moonshake - Beautiful Pigeon (Too Pure, 1992)

Simply one of those records that is so good - and such a discontinuity with what you've heard before - that it sounds wrong the first time you hear it.

A cacophany of guitars and scree gives way to a monumental, Bonham of a drum break. Margaret Fiedler's coo-ing vocals entice you in and the most sumptuous dub of bass weaves its way into your brain.

The chorus is an awesome release of noise and melody and track has a sumptuous ebb and flow to it.

I remember listening in awe to the drummer and bassist sound-checking when they supported The Wedding Present around the time this came out. A most beautiful, powerful noise.

Stunning stuff. The whole Eva Luna LP is amazing too, as is the 1992 Moonshake Peel Session that featured a number of the tracks in development mode (full Peel Session available below).



Moonshake 1992 Peel Session (mp3 download)

Moonshake Wikipedia page

Arcwelder 'Favor' (Duophonic, 1992)

The excitement of mail-ordering 7"s from Stereolab's Duophonic label yielded a number of delights - not least an array of coloured vinyl Stereolab singles.

On one occasion it delivered me this single from Arcwelder - 140 seconds of urgent powerpop majesty (plus a b-side I have long since forgotten) that just begs you to put the needle back to the start and play it again.

Whilst more was heard from Arcwelder (a series of albums on Touch and Go) for some reason I never sought out anything else by them. Maybe I knew that this was perfection and I shouldn't risk sullying its memory with less insistent, less mercurial fare.



Arcwelder's website

Moose 'Suzanne' from the 'Cool Breeze EP' (Hut Recordings, 1991)

Pretty much the archetypal shoegaze track for me - and that's no bad thing. Driving rhythm with scope for fringe-swinging? Check. Guitars spiralling towards a blissed out resolution? Check. Effects pedals set by turn to 'crunchy' then 'woozy'? Check. A certain sensibility somewhere between longing and moping? Check.

Hopelessly under-rewarded for some corking EPs and then a lovely country rock debut that confounded (my) expectations.

Enjoy.



Moose on Wikipedia.
Unofficial Moose website.