random tunes part 16

i get a little bit anxious about playing this game
have this feeling that it's more repetitive than random
same artists popping up fairly regularly
but i like 'em and there's something to be learnt
listening to a tune with a critical ear
then trying to describe said tune in a few words
surprising really what can be gleaned from tunes
when paying more attention than as usual
when mostly the music is just background noise
so rolling the dice for this weeks top 10 list...
we shall overcome by bruce springsteen
ouch - not so many years ago this would have been unlikely
both the song and the singer would have been bypassed
but lately the ear has been turning a bit to roots music
this tune is from an album by the boss of pete seeger linked tunes
this would be quite a standard rendition of this standard but good for it
rain by not drowning, waving
from the classic and best album produced by this band titled tabaran
had the pleasure of seeing the band do a one-off concert a few years ago
where they played the album in it's entirety at womadelaide
they quite openly stated their belief in this album from now 20 years ago
this tune is a poignant tale of trying to sleep at night in the tropics of png
twilight rain by wanderlust
and just to prove the suspect randomness of these tunes another rain song
this one from one of the most underrated bands in australia
presumably because they have been lumbered with that horrible j word
in this tune it's not too hard to in fact picture an end of day shower
piano, cymbals, double bass all used to great effect to invoke images of falling rain
setting forth by eddie vedder
sean penn directed one of the better films from last year titled into the wild
enlisted his buddy eddie vedder to produce a suitable soundtrack
when i saw the film i was most impressed with the tunes he came up with
they just seemed to work in so well with the story of the man striking out
e.g. this short number is the opening tune with the title saying it all
fado tordo by mariza
at times like this i wish i could understand portuguese to do a translation
this tune is sung with such gusto and emotion it would be good to know what it is about
it absolutely rips along with the lady hardly taking a breath as she belts it out
but settling for an appreciation of her unique vocal style and the excellent accompaniment
and it becomes another fine example of the class of both her voice and music
on veut se marier by ba cissoko
another foreign language tune but in this case the vocals of less significance
this band is a classic case of voice as instrument in with the mix
the whole of the album this is from is just so brilliantly produced
with their koras, electric bass, percussion, harmonies all so clear and clean
real up-tempo, groove-based african (guinea) music of the most accessible kind
meissa by robert fripp and brian eno
there used to be a show on triple j on sunday nights dedicated to ambient music
where the host arnold frollows would whisper back announcements of the tunes he played
it was one of my favourite times of the week and a great way to divide play and work
this piece from the equatorial stars typifying the music favoured most by the legendary host
fripp pulling the most amazing guitar based noise and eno doing everything else no doubt
rollercoaster by m ward
young m ward should be a household name with the way he writes and performs
he just makes it seem so simple and every song is a unique little gem
here the tune just swings along so nicely over the 3 minutes it lasts
rollercoaster, can't find my friends on the ground - just lift me up and send me spiralling down
because you lift me up so high high high it's the most unbelievable ride
cornfield ablaze by prefab sprout
confession time - i really, really like prefab sprout and their perfect pop
they've churned out many albums of beautifully produced and catchy tunes
maybe some a bit dated now but songs like this will stand the test of time
here they parallel the story of unrequited love with a blazing crop fire
you took a match to my dry august days, how do i love you, let me count the ways
rock 'n' roll suicide by sue jorge
one of a bunch of covers of david bowie songs by this portugeuse singer
he being the deckhand with the acoustic guitar in the film titled the life aquatic
a strange but likeable film made more memorable with the soundtrack
apparantly mr bowie himself has been very complimentary about the tunes
as with this one sung in portuguese but with the english words already embedded

all over the shopfront on tonights random journey
which is the reason i probably like it so much
no decisions to be made re choice of listening
just take it as is comes
not a bad way to go
really