Well what can I say? This certainly dusted away the post gig
blues I’ve had since Hard Rock Calling back in June. Funnily enough, I saw
Miles Kane live that day, and enjoyed myself so much, I got myself a ticket for
his Pompey show the following morning. He was brilliant at the Olympic Park as
support for Kasabian, and he kicked off his UK tour in the same fashion.
The Family Rain
First up though was support act The Family Rain, three
brothers from Bath. You tend to take pot luck whether support acts are going to
be any good or not, but these guys had my attention pretty much from the start.
Considering I had never heard of them before I was really impressed. Any band
that makes me look them up when I get home deserves a thumbs up. The song that
stuck with me most was ‘Pushing It’, although that may be because it reminds of
‘Joker and the Thief’ by Wolfmother. Either way I will definitely be purchasing
a copy of their EP.
Next up was the man the sold out Pyramids Centre had all
come to see. There was a real mixture of people in the crowd, with a fair
amount of Mods sporting smart polo shirts and impressive haircuts. Cutting
short the Oasis track that was playing, Kane burst into ‘Taking Over’, the
first song on his latest album. The crowd loved it and by the fourth song, ‘Rearrange’,
they were taking over bits of the chorus, led by Miles himself.Latest single ‘Better Than That’ went down a
storm as did ‘What Condition Am I In’ while ‘Darkness In Our Hearts’ had the
whole venue singing along.
He rattled through a mixture of other songs from his two
studio albums, before diving into ‘Give Up’. Personally, it’s one of my
favourite songs of his and it sounds even better live. It’s a proper sing along
guitar anthem (although to be fair that’s the description of pretty much all
his songs). What made this version even better though was the surprise that was
waiting for us halfway through. He managed to seamlessly slip in a very good
cover of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ before reverting back to
his own song.
‘Inhaler’, an old favourite, was very well received before he
closed the set with ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’. Not only is the song
ferociously catchy, but it was also the cue for further mass crowd
participation with “La La La, La La La La La La” still being sung for a while
after he had departed the stage. This was replaced with a chant of “Miles,
Miles, Miles…”. As he returned to the stage with just himself and an acoustic
guitar the crowd chanted “Miles, Miles give us a wave”. He duly did which received
a huge cheer.
He then played ‘Colour of the Trap’ before his band mates
returned to the stage themselves for the final song of the night, ‘Come Closer’.
It’s a real crowd favourite and he had the whole place singing along. He is a
great showman and knows exactly how to get the most out of the crowd. In fact “Ahhh,
Woahhh” could still be heard as people were filing out the doors. “I couldn’t have wished for a better start to the tour,”
Miles commented during the gig. Pretty much says it all.
It’s me again. Well it’s been a
while since one of these and there has been plenty of music released now that
Festival season is coming to an end. Thought then it would be a good time to
have a round-up of some of the best new releases. Plenty to choose so I had to
whittle it down, but I hope you enjoy J
Bastille- Things We lost In the Fire: 2013 has been quite a year
for London based band Bastille. After a steady rise in popularity with the
release of various singles from their debut album, the band started to build a
fan base. I first became aware of them upon the release of single number three,
‘Flaws’, which received quite a bit of airplay on the music channels. Then in
February, the song everybody has heard, ‘Pompeii’ was released and immediately
went to number 2 in the charts followed quickly by their debut album debuting
at number one and a support slot with Muse on their UK tour (although not the
day I saw them). ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ is the latest single from the
album and a song I’ve really warmed to. I didn’t think a great deal of it at first;
not that I didn’t like it, I just didn’t take much notice. It has grown on me
massively however and is one of my most listened to songs currently. They look
like a band who are going to go on and achieve big things.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros- Home: Ok so this isn’t a new
song as such, given that it was originally released in 2010. However it has
re-entered the charts recently due to its inclusion in a TV commercial for
Peugeot and is so good that people need to know about it. I’m certainly glad
it’s getting some extra airplay as I completely missed it first time round, but
have now totally fallen in love with it. It sits very much in the Indie
Folk/Rock category that is popular at the moment. My first reaction was to
liken it to Icelandic contemporaries Of Monsters and Men but with more of an
American Country feel given their Californian roots. One listen and you will be
hooked; you’ll find it hard to shift it out of your head. I can see why it was
picked for an advert. It has a great hook, a simple catchy chorus and you’ll
soon find yourself singing and whistling along to it in no time. Definitely one
of my favourite songs of the year.
Ellie Goulding- Burn: It has been three years since Ellie Goulding
exploded onto the scene with her debut album ‘Lights’ which proved to be
immensely popular, debuting at number one. The singles proved to be a success
with ‘Lights’ giving her a number one in America and the cover of Elton John’s
‘Your Song’ reaching number 2 in the UK. However it’s taken her till August
2013 to achieve her first UK number one, but she finally achieved that feat
with ‘Burn’, which is the lead single off the reissue of her second album
‘Halcyon Days’. It managed to stay there for 3 weeks, before being knocked off
top spot by Katy Perry.It’s a very
catchy song and very much has that distinctive Ellie Goulding DNA running
through it. It may have taken a surprisingly long time to get there, because of
her popularity, but she fully deserves to get a UK number one.
Frank Turner- Four Simple Words: If you’re scratching your head
thinking, “this isn’t a single off the album”, you’re right it isn’t.It was released as a free download at
the backend of last year, but that was it. This might not be a single, but it
is a song off Frank Turner’s latest album ‘Tape Deck Heart’, and it is a song I
am very fond of, so I thought I’d throw it in here. It is also a song I have
had stuck in my head permanently for the last fortnight or so which has meant
I’ve had to listen to it with the volume right up a lot recently. It’s a very
well structured song with the quiet beginning before it really kicks in with a
punkish attitude. The “I wanna dance…” chorus is catchy, but it is a bit in the
middle that really grabs me:
“Somebody told me that music with
guitars,
Was going out of fashion and I
had to laugh,
This shit wasn’t fashionable when
I fell in love,
If the hipsters move on why
should I give a fuck?”
This is a person who is speaking
my language right there and I can’t bloody wait to see him live on his UK tour
next year. Something tells me it’s going to be a good one.
Franz Ferdinand- Right Action: It is hard to believe, but it is
almost ten years since Franz Ferdinand burst into the public consciousness with
their own brand of guitar led indie catchiness.With songs such as ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Dark of the Matinee’ and ‘This Fire’
they gained a legion of fans, me included, and help lead the charge of a new
era of indie bands. Well with their latest effort, their fourth studio album
and first since 2009, the Glasgow quartet are back stronger than ever. With
this, the first single off the album, the band appear to have returned to a
sound that is similar to that of their debut. It has that definite Franz
Ferdinand sound which makes it immediately identifiable. It’s also incredibly
catchy, as with all their songs, and is one you’ll find yourself listening to
on repeat. Tickets for their 2014 UK tour go on sale soon, and I think I will
bag myself a ticket.
Haim- The Wire: Latest single from the LA sisters and from the
sound of it, they are onto another winner. Having topped the BBC’s Sound of
2013 poll, big things were expected from the sisters Haim, and they aren’t
disappointing. I think it says something about how popular they are that they
entertained a slot on Live… Later with Jools Holland and have appeared at
Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds Festivals this summer amongst others to critical
acclaim, all before their debut album has been released.In fact they only finished the album (‘Days
Are Gone’) in June with it due for release at the end of this month. ‘The Wire’
is their latest single and is typical of the sound that we’ve come accustomed
to from the band. There’s a great groove, harmony and beat to it which makes it
instantly likable. My favourite song of theirs so far has been ‘Don’t Save Me’
from one of their EPs, but I that might have just changed. A band that are well
on the way to big things.
Icona Pop- I Love It: By rights I shouldn’t like this song. It sits
in a genre of music I usually ignore, not that I can get away from it due to
its, let’s say generous, radio airplay. I first heard it actually not on the
radio, but after reading a news article about it saying how it was due to
dominate the UK charts, a year after its original release in native Sweden.
It’s been a hit round the world so I decided to check it out of curiosity to
see what the fuss was about. One listen and I was immediately taken by it. Its
brilliance lies in its simplicity. That thumping beat hits you like a train
right from the off and coupled with the angry, angsty lyrics almost shouted at
you it’s a song you cannot ignore once you’ve heard it. It has received very
high reviews pretty much everywhere it’s been played, and I can totally see
why. It is pop music at its best.
Imagine Dragons- It’s Time: Another song that has been knocking
around for a year but was finally released a single in the UK this summer.
Better known for their mammoth single ‘Radioactive’, Las Vegas indie rockers
Imagine Dragons, in my opinion, really hit gold with this song. It is
fantastic. It is a real festival anthem, one that is meant to be belted out at
the top of your voice with your hands in the air. Failing that, just turn it up
loud whilst in the car. Either way, it’s a great song and one of my favourites
of the year so far.
Kings of Leon- Supersoaker: ‘Supersoaker’, the lead single of Kings
of Leon’s sixth album, sees the Nashville boys return in fine form. The band
has received criticism from some quarters after their last two albums,
something I didn’t buy into. However there does seem to be something different
about this latest effort. It’s a song that just oozes class and is one that you
will like from the start. It’s not the huge arena/festival sing along anthem of
say a ‘Sex on Fire’ or ‘Use Somebody’, it’s much more understated than that. And
that’s where the song’s charm lies. It’s just a great song from start to
finish. It has a catchy riff, Caleb Followill’s distinctive vocals and an
uplifting chorus. It’s the sound of a band enjoying themselves and further
cements Kings of Leon’s place as one of the biggest bands around at the moment.
Lissie- Further Away: I’ve been looking forward to some new
material from American Singer/Songwriter Lissie for a while, ever since she
tempted us with her cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’. I was a big fan
of her debut ‘Catching a Tiger’ and, if anything, she sounds even better on
this record. That rawness is still there, which I’m glad about as it made her
sound genuine and real whilst managing to enhance her overall sound. It would
be fair to say ‘Further Away’ has a bigger sound to her debut album and crosses
over into Rock rather than just Blues. It’s a song that should get the radios
attention, as she is a talent deserves to be recognised by a wider audience.
Spector- Decade of Decay: ‘Decade of Decay’ see London four piece
Spector return after a successful debut that spawned singles such as ‘Never
Fade Away’ and ‘Chevy Thunder’. Very much an indie band, Spector wear their
influences on their sleeve, and their 80s New Wave sound is evident in this new
song. I for one am not complaining, even if the song is a little short, coming
in at just over two minutes.It may be
short and sweet, but I’m looking forward to hearing it at their Brighton show
next month. Keep a look out for the gig review in the coming weeks.
Tears for Fears- Ready to Start: 80s New Wave legends cover
Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire, and I have to say its bloody brilliant.
Having caught it on the radio at work, I noted it down and had a proper listen
to it when I got home. I was pleasantly surprised just how good it sounded.
It’s different from the original, as you’d expect. It’s much softer and has
more of a 80s feel. In fact if you didn’t know it was an Arcade Fire song, you
wouldn’t guess it was a cover at all. It might not be a song that will break
records in the charts, but it is certainly worth checking out. It also seems to
have introduced a new set of fans to Arcade Fire, which isn’t a bad thing.
The Answer- Spectaular: Northern Irish rockers The Answer return
with the lead single off their fourth album, ‘New Horizon’. If you aren’t
familiar with their music, imagine Led Zeppelin, but with a modern twist.
Cormac Neeson is a great front man, brilliant voice and full of charisma while
Paul Mahon is a vastly underrated axeman. I have enjoyed their last three
albums, and am very much looking forward to their latest album, which if this
is anything to go by, is going to be a riot. I am also looking forward to
seeing them live again in Brighton at the end of October, so keep a look out
for a gig review in the upcoming weeks.
The Fratellis- Seven Days Seven Nights: After two brilliant albums,
a hiatus, solo projects and the Codeine Velvet Club side project, The Fratellis
are back and grace us with the first single off their new album. The good news
is the time away seems to have done the band good as they as good as ever. They
always had that fun element to them, and ‘Seven Days Seven Nights’ is no
different. Something tells me this will be an absolute riot live as it’s a song
that really gets your foot tapping and its hard to stay still when you’re
listening to it. It’s a song that puts a smile on your face and shows the world
that The Fratellis aren’t just another indie band from the mid 00s.
The Naked and Famous- Hearts Like Ours: There is always a pressure
on an artist after a success and popular debut when it comes to following it up
with their second album. The Naked and Famous however needn’t have worried.
Their 2010 debut ‘Passive Me, Aggressive You’ received wide ranging popular
acclaim with songs such as ‘Young Blood’, ‘Punching in a Dream’ and ‘Girls Like
You’ proving to be particular crowd favourites. They were even a very assured
live act, something I enjoyed myself at their Portsmouth show in 2011. Well if
it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and they haven’t strayed too far from the sound of
their debut. I don’t mind that for one second. They have their own distinctive
sound and this allows them to develop that rather than taking a radical change
in direction. If you liked their debut, you are definitely going to be a fan of
this.
Youngblood Hawke- We Come Running: Fans of the latest FIFA Football
game (well Fifa 13) will immediately be familiar with this song due to its
inclusion on the games soundtrack. Back then it was part of Youngblood Hawke’s
latest EP. Now it’s the first single off their debut album “Wake Up” and it’s a
good excuse to dig it out and listen to it again. Not a bad idea really given
that it’s a perfect song for the summer. It was a song that I immediately fell
in love with when I heard it on the game and a bit despondent with its lack of
attention, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the video on MTV Rocks.
It’s a very catchy song, but that’s not surprising given that two of the
members were in the band Iglu & Hartly (remember ‘In This City’?). Anyway Youngblood
Hawke offer a dose of catchy indie rock that was a perfect anthem for the
summer months.
Well there you have it, thanks for reading. Hope you
enjoyed.
Been filling up my calander with various gigs between now
and the end of the year so keep a look out for gig reviews for Miles Kane, The
Answer, KT Tunstall and Spector amongst others in the next few months.
If there is one thing that Britain is good at, it is producing excellent musicians
and none more so than Singer Songwriters. Throughout the years there have been
a number of great singer songwriters originating from these shores. And at this
current moment in time there is a strong pool of talent from this particular
genre. As I couldn’t possibly write about each and every single one of them, I
decided to just concentrate on some of my favourites, but to give you some idea
of the breadth of talent, here is a list of people I haven’t included: Adele, Amy Winehouse, Badly Drawn Boy, David Gray, Dido, Eliza Doolittle, Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sande, Florence
and the Machine, Jamie Cullum, James Blunt, James Morrison, Joss Stone, Norah Jones,
Paloma Faith and more recently Tom Odell. All very talented artists, but this post would go on forever if I wrote
about all of them so here is a handful of my personal favourites. Enjoy J
Amy MacDonald: If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may have already realised I
am a big fan of Amy MacDonald, especially if you read my concert review of her
Brighton gig (link below) back in April. I really believe that she is one of the best things
to come of out the British music scene in recent years. Three top 5 albums,
including a number one spot for her 2007 debut, is a strong hit rate and all
three are fantastic. Her albums aren't her only asset though; as I may have
mentioned in my gig review, her live shows are brilliant. Fantastic music mixed
with a charming down to earth attitude and personality makes for a reeally
enjoyable live experience. It's just a shame she is so underrated over here in
the UK.
Ben Howard: Been Howard's stock and popularity seems to have rocketed since the release
of his debut album. After a number of EPs, Howard released 'Every Kingdom' in
2011 and hasn't looked back since. A strong legion of fans has developed
meaning sold out tours and successful festival appearances. I myself am a big
fan. Even though acoustic singer/songwriters are nothing new, Ben Howard brings
catchy and classy songs to the table which people seem to connect with. Even if
you don't think you know any of his songs, he is one of those artists where you
will recognise more than you think. If you haven't already purchased his album
, you won't be disappointed.
Ed Sheeran: When I said above that there is no shortage acoustic singer/songwriters, Ed
Sheeran is a prime example. However it would be wrong to directly compare Ben
Howard and the aforementioned Mr Sheeran. There are similarities granted; both
have had immensely successful debut albums and both are very popular live acts.
However there are differences between the two, and it's this that has helped
make Sheeran so successful. By combining elements of folk and hip hop, Sheeran
managed to give himself a popular sound, proven by the fact that his album +
hit the number spot in the album charts. With songs like 'The A Team',
'Lego House' and 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You', Sheeran has shown a real
talent as both a singer and a songwriter and deserves the plaudits he receives.
It is only one album however, so it will be interesting to see where he
progresses from here.
Frank Turner: It’s funny how things work out. With five albums
out already, you would expect Turner to be a household name. However, even
though he’s got a strong and loyal following, it took one event that made
people, including me, to sit up and take notice. It was when Turner played ‘I
Still Believe’ at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games that
made me think, “Why haven’t I listened to this guy before?” Me and a lot of
other people as his tours sell out very quickly. It’s good though, as Turner is
a fantastic musician and songwriter. If you’re looking for a happy sounding, upbeat acoustic song then you’re in
the right place. It’s one that will get your foot tapping that’s for sure. It’s
the sort of music made for belting out in sun at a summer festival.
Jake Bugg: This guy just keeps going from strength to strength. Whether you’re
listening to ‘Lightning Bolt’, ‘Two Fingers’ or ‘Taste It’, it’s another
example of Bugg’s Dylan-esque style with an upbeat folk rock sound commentating
on the state of working class life. He is a great young talent, and the more
you listen to his music, the more you realise it. The Bob Dylan comparison may
be obvious, but there is also a hint of Johnny Cash in there as well, as
evidenced by the dark lyrics in ‘Seen It All’. However it is not all upbeat
folk songs, he has shown he can slow the pace right down and showcase his
strong singing ability. A perfect example of this is on the song ‘Broken’,
recently re-recorded with veteran producer Rick Rubin with Red Hot Chili Peppers’
drummer Chad Smith appearing as a guest. Bugg writes music that is mature
beyond his teenage years, which makes it an exciting prospect to see what comes
next. Having already sold out 3 separate UK tours in just over a year, Bugg is
on the way to becoming a huge star in years to come.
KT Tunstall: It may not seem like it, but KT Tunstall has been
around for almost ten years. It was back in 2004 that she won public affection
after her performance of ‘Black Horse and the Cherry Tree’ on ‘Later…with Jools
Holland’. Her first album, ‘Eye to the Telescope’, proved to be a huge success,
hitting the number three spot in the UK charts, and with songs like ‘Other Side
of the World’, ‘Under the Weather’ and ‘Suddenly I See’, it was chock full of
radio friendly singles. Her follow up albums ‘Drastic Fantastic’ and ‘Tiger
Suit’ didn’t quite hit the same heights after slight changes in direction,
although songs such as ‘Hold On’ and ‘(Still a) Weirdo’ proved popular. 2013
though saw Tunstall return to a style closer to that of her debut. I’m a big
fan of the lead single ‘Feel It All’, I think it’s one of the strongest and
most underrated songs of the year so far, and personally think this style suits
her more. Tunstall remains a popular act on the festival circuit, and I am
looking forward to seeing her myself on her UK tour in November… so keep a look
out for a gig review coming your way around that time.
Marina and the Diamonds: Marina Lambrini Diamindis, AKA Marina and the
Diamonds, has enjoyed huge success since she was named as the runner up on the
BBC Sound of 2010 poll listing behind a certain Ellie Goulding. The thing that
I really like about her music is that it is slightly different to the
mainstream pop that is in the charts. This is something that she acknowledges
herself, calling herself a “DIY Musician” explaining “I probably have a bit of
a different sound because I don’t really know what I’m doing.” She has also
cited influences as wide reaching as Madonna and Nirvana with Blondie, Kylie
and Dolly Parton in between, which shows this is someone who is not afraid to
try something different. This was shown after the success of her first album ‘The
Family Jewells’, with slight change in musical direction for her follow up ‘Electra
Heart’. This worked wonders as it went to number one in the UK. All in all, she
is a fun and quirky artist who provides something different.
Nerina Pallot: Singer/Songwriter Nerina Pallot has been around for a few years now, and
with four albums to her name it is a real surprise that she hasn’t had more
commercial success. There is no reason why any of her singles haven’t been big
radio successes. Listening through her albums, she is obviously very talented
and has a fantastic voice, but she somehow manages to stay just out of the
mainstream media spotlight. It’s a shame because people are missing out on some
brilliant music. From reading and watching various interviews with her, she
seems quite quirky and comes across in her music. There’s a real personality
and identity in her songs that give them character. There’s also a versatility
to her music that I really like. From big Alanis Morisette-esque anthems such
as ‘Learning to Breathe’ and ‘Everybody’s Going To War’ to beautiful ballads
like ‘Dear Frustrated Superstar’, to straight forward, light hearted pop songs
such as ‘Real Late Starter’. She has a real talent for penning a catchy song,
and with her wonderful, distinctive voice she has a sound that is both modern
and classy. There are a lot of singer songwriters around at the moment, but
Nerina Pallot is still one of my favourites. Give her a listen and she’ll be
yours too.
Newton Faulkner:Perhaps the most popular ginger haired
guitar playing, singer/songwriter before Ed Sheeran came along, Newton Falkner
is a fantastically talented musician. With his debut album ‘Hand Built By
Robots’ reaching number one and going double platinum in the UK in 2007, its
fair to say that Faulkner’s brand of folk rock is immensely popular. Following
that up with a number three album, 2009’s ‘Rebuilt by Human’s, his third album ‘Write
It on Your Own Skin’ hit the number spot in the UK in the summer of 2012. With
a fourth album due out at the end of August, the odds on another number one
album are looking good. The new album, titled ‘Studio Zoo’ should be
interesting given that its recording was streamed live 24/7 for 5 weeks in the
summer of 2013 from Faulkner’s home studio. I for one am definitely looking
forward to it.
Paolo Nutini: Paolo Nutini may not have released an album since
his 2009 effort ‘Sunny Side Up’, and may even have been a bit forgotten about
given the rise of the likes of Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran in recent years.
However it is still worth remembering what a talented singer/songwriter Nutini
is. His fun, upbeat brand of folk-pop is really uplifting, and with his
distinctive gravelly tones, it is a voice that you don’t really tire of
listening to. So far Nutini has enjoyed relative success in the charts with his
2006 debut ‘These Streets’ sitting pretty at number 3 in the UK and went 4x
platinum, while his follow up did even better, debuting at number one and
achieving the same platinum status. With songs such as ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’, ‘New
Shoes’, ‘10/10’ and ‘Pencil Full of Lead’, it’s not hard to see why he has
enjoyed such success. He still remains a popular figure on the festival
circuit, just needs a new album now so I can see him live myself.
There you have it, a quick round up of some of
the best British singer songwriters of recent years.
Right, now sorry it’s taken so long for me to write another
blog post, it’s been far too long. I do have some valid excuses however. 1) I
started a new job recently, so therefore don’t have much spare time. 2) The
weather has been unbelievably hot here the last couple of weeks or so, so I
would be a fool not to be out enjoying it after what felt like a six month
winter. And thirdly, pure laziness and bone idleness.
But I’ve finally found some motivation from somewhere and
this theme is quite fun… and includes a couple of guilty pleasures, which I’ll
leave you to guess at. Now I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I think if a film
has a good soundtrack, it adds something extra. An extra dimension for you to
enjoy. Now it’s only a small selection of films, but there’s a wide variety
there and really wide variety of songs.
There’s a number of songs that I haven’t included for
various reasons including ‘You Could Be Mine’ by Guns n Roses (Terminator 2)
and AC/DC (Iron Man 2) amongst many others. However enjoy the list anyway… I
think you will :)
About A Boy
Song featured: Badly Drawn Boy- Something To Talk About
Written especially for the film by singer songwriter
Badly Drawn Boy, ‘Something To Talk About’ is the song most associated to the
film. Released as a single in the summer of 2002, the song reached the heights
of number 28 in the UK charts. It’s a song I’m really fond of. It’s both
chilled and laid back whilst also being quite fun and catchy. It doesn’t take
too many listen for you to start singing along.
Armageddon
Song Featured: Aerosmith- I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing: Released in 1998, ‘I Don’t Want To Miss a
Thing’ became Aerosmith’s biggest hit, going straight to number one in America
and staying there for 4 weeks. Even though it only peaked at number 4 in the
UK, it topped the charts in Australia, Ireland and Germany amongst others. It
was also the 17th best-selling single of 1998 in the UK. Even though
it is the band’s biggest hit, it was actually penned by Dianne Warren and was
used as the theme for the film ‘Armageddon’, featuring Liv Tyler, daughter of
vocalist Steve Tyler. It is a real fan favourite and still included in the set
list for the band’s live performances.
James Bond
Featuring: Adele- Skyfall/Chris Cornell- You Know My Name: Now I haven’t included every bond theme
here as the list would be enormous, so I picked a couple of my favourites,
which happen to be two of the most recent. Chris Cornell’s ‘You Know My Name’
was the theme for Daniel Craig’s debut ‘Casino Royale’ in 2006, and Adele’s
massive hit ‘Skyfall’ was the theme for the 2012 film of the same name.Having Cornell do a Bond theme was a bold
move, but after changing Bond’s image to a more rugged look, they arguably
needed a voice that fitted. That’s where Cornell comes in with his distinctive
gravelly voice. Then you have Adele, who had the task of singing the theme to
the best Bond movie ever (I would say arguably, but there’s no argument to be
had). She pulled it off in amazing style with awesome song that matched the
movie perfectly; old fashioned yet firmly in the 21st Century. Both
great songs in great films.
Bourne
Featuring: Moby- Extreme Ways: This song doesn’t just appear in one film, it appears
it the entire Bourne series. Released as the second single off Moby’s 2002
album ‘18’, new versions of ‘Extreme Ways’ were recorded for ‘The Bourne
Ultimatum’ and ‘The Bourne Legacy’. The distinctive intro remains the same
throughout the set though, and in my opinion, helps complete the films. I’m a
big fan of the Bourne movies and feel that having this song at the end is part
of what makes them so good. Can’t really explain why, it sounds and feels
right. Apart from anything it’s a fantastic song in its own right Chart wise it’s
never set the world on fire, but who cares. It’s just one of those songs that,
when you hear it, you can’t help but turn the volume up a tad.
Coyote Ugly
Featuring- LeAnn Rymes- Can’t Fight The Moonlight: This may be a bit surprising,
but I really like this song; I think it’s fantastic. Featured in the hit movie
Coyote Ugly, ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’ had huge success of its own hitting
the number spot in 8 countries including the UK and Australia. In fact the song
went triple platinum in Australia where it was the highest selling single of
2001. It’s not hard to see why to be frank. It’s super catchy and is easy to
sing along to; perfect ingredients for a top selling pop song.
Drive
Featuring: College and Electric Youth- A Real Hero: The film ‘Drive’ was recommended to me by a friend
and I’m glad I watched it as it includes this absolute gem of a song that
sounds like it should have been released in 1981. If you like 80s/New Wave
music you have to listen to this, as it’s a little piece of the 1980s made in
the 21st century and its absolutely brilliant. Give it a listen and
I dare you not to love it.
Gone in 60 Seconds
Featuring: War-Low Rider/Apollo 440- Stop The Rock/Moby-Flower: One of my favourite
car movies, Gone In 60 Seconds had a fantastic soundtrack. It starts off with
Moby and the song ‘Flower’, a song from his album ‘Play- The B-Sides’. The song
is played over the opening credits and is incredibly catchy.It’s also the song you think of when
you hear think of the film. Other songs in the film include ‘Low Rider’ by one
hit wonders War and ‘Stop the Rock’ by Apollo 440. Everybody knows ‘Low Rider’,
even if you don’t realise it by name. ‘Stop the Rock’ is a brilliant song that
was also on the soundtrack for Fifa 2000. It spent 6 weeks in the charts,
managing to peak at number 10.
Ice Age
Featuring: Rusted Root- Send Me On My Way: I love Ice Age, and I think this song really
does help with that. Being used to close the film is fitting as it is perfect
for the final scene of the movie. Quite a few people may know this song from
Matilda, the adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel, but being as I haven’t seen
that film for a very long time, I had to choose Ice Age instead. It is Rusted
Root’s most well- known, and to my knowledge, only hit, but if you’re going to
have one, may as well make it a good one. Which is exactly what they did.
Johnny English
Featuring: Robbie Williams- A Man For All Seasons: Growing up with Robbie Williams as
part of the soundtrack to my youth it’s not surprising that I quite like his
music. Everyone knows ‘Angels’, ‘Millenium’, ‘Rock DJ’ et al.,, but I think
this, alongside ‘It’s Only Us’ (the theme tune to the videogame Fifa 2000), are
two of his best and most underrated songs. Written with acclaimed
writer/composer Hans Zimmer especially for Johnny English, ‘A Man for All
Seasons’ manages to fly under the radar. It fits the movie perfectly, something
you realise when you listen to the lyrics. Even though the film is a spoof, with
the theme song essentially the same, it manages to fit the film just as well as
a Bond theme would. It’s a brilliant song, very catchy and very underrated.
Lock Stock and two smoking barrels- Zorba the Greek:This is
without doubt one of my favourite pieces of music. It’s a fun piece of music to
listen to and very catchy, although I think its use in the TV show Top Gear
also aided my liking towards it. Orginally recorded in 1964, a new version was
recorded by John Murphy and David Hughes for the film Lock Stock and Two
Smoking Barrels. It’s a piece of music
that every man and his dog will recognise and one that everyone should enjoy.
Love Actually
Featuring: The Beatles- All you need is love/ The Beach Boys-God Only Knows/ The Calling-Where Ever You
Will Go: Love Actually probably is a
guilty pleasure of mine, but in its defence it is a fantastic film with an
amazing soundtrack. I’ve picked three here, but the soundtrack as a whole
really is awesome. First off you have The Beatles and ‘All You Need Is Love’
which is just a classic and a wonderful song. It may be an old song compared to
some others on this list but who cares. One song that is around the same age is
‘God Only Knows’ by The Beach Boys, another all-time classic. It is impossible
not to like The Beach Boys. To balance out it out, there’s a much younger song
by the way of American outfit The Calling with their smash hit ‘Wherever You
Will Go’. It’s another song that everybody knows, and its one I am a big fan
of.
The Runaways
Featuring: The Runaways- Cherry Bomb/Joan Jett- I Love Rock n Roll: I know the film The Runaways
is focussed on the band that Joan Jett had before she went solo, but it’s an
excuse to include this song in the blog so here it is. The band was
revolutionary; being an all-girl group in the very male dominated world of rock
music in the mid 70’s was incredibly brave. Even more so given how young they
were at the time. However if it wasn’t for The Runaways, then we might not have
had the pleasure of Joan Jett releasing ‘I Love Rock n Roll’ which is a
fantastic song, even if her version if a cover.
The World’s End
Featuring: Blur-There's No Other Way/The Soup Dragons- I'm Free/Happy Monday’s- Step On: It may have only
been out a few weeks, but The World’s End has a fantastic soundtrack. With all
the music being around the early to mid-90s Britpop, it is a very British
soundtrack to a very British film. The music fits the film perfectly and I certainly
enjoyed the film because of it. Featuring the likes of Pulp, Suede and Primal
Scream, there is a real selection of classic 90s bands to listen for while you’re
watching the film. I’ve picked three of the more widely recognisable songs, but
the soundtrack is available on iTunes and other places if you want to have a
look at the rest of the songs.
Toy Story- You’ve got a friend in me:Now this is a song right out the
heart of my childhood. A classic song, from a classic trilogy of films. There’s
not much more to be said than sit back and enjoy the music.
Wayne’s World
Featuring: Queen-Bohemian Rhapsody: Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the most famous
songs ever written, arguably one of the best ever. So to use it as effectively in
a movie as it was in Wayne’s World was an inspired idea. It’s an iconic image
with all four guys singing then head banging along in the car to the song. The
song itself had resurgence in popularity following the film, while it also
helped make the film’s soundtrack a big success. Funnily enough, the film’s
director Penelope Spheeris was hesitant to use to song at first before being
convinced it would work by Mike Myers. Its success proved Myers right and it
provided the world with an iconic cinema moment.
Well there you go, hope you enjoyed a quick run through of some the best soundtracks to films.
Thanks for reading, and I'll try not to leave such a big gap before the next one.
He rattled through a mixture of other songs from his two
studio albums, before diving into ‘Give Up’. Personally, it’s one of my
favourite songs of his and it sounds even better live. It’s a proper sing along
guitar anthem (although to be fair that’s the description of pretty much all
his songs). What made this version even better though was the surprise that was
waiting for us halfway through. He managed to seamlessly slip in a very good
cover of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ before reverting back to
his own song. 
He then played ‘Colour of the Trap’ before his band mates
returned to the stage themselves for the final song of the night, ‘Come Closer’.
It’s a real crowd favourite and he had the whole place singing along. He is a
great showman and knows exactly how to get the most out of the crowd. In fact “Ahhh,
Woahhh” could still be heard as people were filing out the doors. 